Sermon Notes:

· Admit we are powerless.

· Realize God is greater than us and he can restore us to sanity.

· We make a decision to turn our will and lives over to the care of God

· We make a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

· We admit to God, ourselves, and another person the exact nature of our wrongs.

· We are ready to have God remove all the defects of our souls.

· We humbly ask God to remove our sins.

· Psalm 51:7 – Cleanse me with hyssop and I will be clean;

Wash me and I will be white as snow. wcs

· Our sin makes us dirty.

· If God were to clean out your soul, what would he find?

· Will you humbly ask God to clean you up?

· 8 You cause me to hear joy and laughter;

Rejoice, bones you have crushed. wcs

· When you approach your Heavenly Father humbly, that brings him joy

· Rejoice in the Lord always; I will say it again, rejoice! – Philippians 4:4

· You might not feel joy if you aren’t really confessing.

· You might not feel joy if you aren’t dealing with the root.

· You might not feel joy if you believe Satan more than God.

· You might not feel joy if you play games with God.

· 9 Hide your face from my sins,

And all my dirt wipe out. wcs

· 10 Create in me a clean heart, God,

And renew a firm spirit inside of me. wcs

· 11 Do not throw me away from your face,

Do not take your Holy Spirit from me. wcs

· The closer I am to God, the better I am.

· 12 Return me to the joy of your salvation,

And sustain me with a willing spirit. wcs

· Lord, I am ready to do your will today.

· What is your joy level?

· Have you claimed forgiveness?

· Have you decided to follow Jesus?

LIFE Group Discussion Questions

Opener: In your opinion, why do people have a hard time feeling forgiven?

1. Read Psalm 51:7

2. What part of your soul do you pray for God to clean up?

3. Read Psalm 51:8

4. Imagine your Heavenly Father reacting with joy when you ask him to remove your soul defects. What does he say? Can you imagine him laughing as he removes them?

5. Read Psalm 51:9

6. How does your sin interfere with your relationship with your Heavenly Father?

7. Read Psalm 51:10

8. To ask God to create a clean heart means we ask God to clean up our bad decisions. Share one bad decision you need God’s help to clean up.

9. Read Psalm 51:11-12

10. To be in God’s presence is to have joy restored. Please share a time when God restored your joy after he forgave you.