Welcome! So delighted that you have come to visit on the Front Porch today. Pull up a chair, grab a hot cup of java, and open your Bible to the book of Psalms. Stay for five minutes or as long as you can. You’re encouraged to leave comments on A Woman’s Fellowship/Ministry Page where this study is posted, but you’re also welcome to comment on my WordPress website. I’ll jump into the conversation from time-to-time, too. Are you ready to begin? Let’s go!

Week 1: Intro

 

Spiritual Renewal for the New Year

 

 

 

Psalms 51  (See 2 Samuel 11-12:15 for further study)

 

 

 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalms 51:10 NKJV).

 

 

Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? Most of us vow to diet and exercise after months of feasting over the holidays. That’s great for our physical bodies, but what about our spirits? How do we get them in shape?

How do we get our spirits in shape?

 

Like King David, let’s begin with prayer to cleanse our spirits from sin. He prays, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psalms 51:7). David asks the Lord to restore the joy of his salvation and sustain him with a willing spirit. His request isn’t selfish, as we might expect, but he desires restoration so that he can help other sinners find salvation. Then he states he will joyfully sing of God’s righteousness and declare His praise.

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise” (Psalms 51:17).

As we enter a fresh start in 2019, let’s make a list of spiritual resolutions. What can you do differently to grow closer to God this year? Spend more time in prayer? Read and study more in the Word? How is the Lord leading you to be more involved this year? (Share your commitment in the comments below.)

Dear Lord, may we begin the New Year with a clean, pure heart in Your sight. Cleanse us with your blood and clothe us with your righteousness. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.