Teaching Notes

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow...Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. - Psalm 51:7, 10-13

Are you up for the challenge? About a month ago I spoke to a group of girls of varied ages. I gave them this scripture written on a card. My challenge to them was to read this scripture for the next 30 days and ask God to help you and to do what the psalmist is asking God to do for him.

Today, I give you the same 30 day challenge. Write this scripture down on an index card and read it each day and ask God to help you see what he is requiring of you for the next 30 days. The psalmist is asking God to cleanse him. This writer is David. David sinned against God and now he is asking God to cleanse his sin. He says if God cleanses me, then I know I will be clean. And then he ask God for something else.

He ask first for the forgiveness of his sins but then he ask God to create a pure heart in him. Why do you think he ask that? His desire is not to sin against God again and he realized that only comes with a changed heart. So we must ask for forgiveness but then we must ask God to change our hearts so we do not do that again. He also ask God to restore him so that he can go and tell others than have transgressed (sinned) the truth about God's goodness. When he does he says, I'll help to turn others back to you.

So this is the challenge. For the next 30 days, ask God to create a clean heart in you and renew a determined spirit to do his will. Ask him also to help you tell others about his truth so they too can have the chance to be changed. Are you ready for the challenge? Let me know if you do the challenge so that we can share your testimony with others.

Prayer: Lord help your people today to take this challenge. Not simply because I said so, but because they have a desire to be better for you. So Lord help those that will take this challenge to have a true encounter with you and a changed and determined mind. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

In the next week or so, we will feature something written by a youth, look for that soon.