Courageous Prayer: Words & Meditations Acceptable

COURAGEOUS PRAYER: WORDS & MEDITATIONS ACCEPTABLE

Ps. 19:14

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. Jeannie Gibbs was trying to have her mother’s phone disconnected, but the customer-service rep told her that since the account was in her dad’s name, he’d have to be the one to put in the request.

2. The fact that he’d been dead for 40 years didn’t sway her. Then a solution hit Jeannie: “If I stop paying the bill, you can turn off the service, right?” “Well, yes,” she said reluctantly. “But that would ruin his credit!”

3. I appreciate the fact of people wanting their reputation to stay good, even after death! In fact, that’s along the line of my message tonight.

B. TEXT

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer” Psalm 19:14, NKJV.

C. THESIS

1. David was a man of tremendous courage, not only on the battle field, but in the spiritual realm. He prayed prayers I would never have considered praying to God, because I’m aware of my shortcomings. Examples of David’s prayers?

a. Psalm 139:23-24; “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me...” [would YOU pray that?]

b. Psalm 26:2, “Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my heart” NKJV.

c. 2 Sam. 22:21, “The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.” Wow!!

2. In Ps. 19:14, David asked for two humanly impossible things: perfect words and perfect thoughts. Some will say, “Hold it! David only asked for ‘acceptable’ ones.”

3. Yes – but we’re talking about acceptable IN GOD’S SIGHT. This is the God who said, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” Mt. 5:48.

4. Would YOU ever expect to attain perfection in your words and thoughts? Well, David did! He set his sights high and intended to gain those heights. That’s part of the reason David was ‘a man after God’s own heart.’

5. So we’re going to look at the two areas David specified, their difficulties, and the things we must do if we would reach these heights. The title of this message is, “Courageous Prayer; Words & Meditations Acceptable.”

I. THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH

A. IMPOSSIBILITY OF HAVING PERFECT WORDS

1. “The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but NO HUMAN BEING CAN TAME THE TONGUE. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:6-8.

2. We've put a man on the moon and on the ocean floor; we've harnessed the forces of the atom, yet we haven't conquered our tongue!

3. HUMOR

a. A young man was sent to Socrates to learn to be an orator. On being introduced to the philosopher, he talked so incessantly that Socrates asks for a double fee.

b. "But why are you charging me double?" asked the young man. "Because," replied the great orator, "I see I must teach you two sciences; the one, how to hold your tongue, and the other, how to speak. And the first is generally more difficult.”

4. David’s solution in the difficulty: “I will put a muzzle on my mouth" Psalm 39:1. Even Moses failed in this area -- He didn't enter the promised land because "he spoke unadvisedly with his lips" Psalm 106:32-33.

B. HOW WE CAN CONTROL OUR WORDS

1. Talk less. "Think twice and talk once."

a. We would all cringe at the thought of a mouth full of gravel. Think of the pain and discomfort! But a stone in the mouth can actually be desirable -- at least that seems to be true for the cranes that inhabit the Taurus Mountains of southern Turkey.

b. These cranes tend to cackle a lot, especially while flying. All that noise gets the attention of Eagles, who swoop down and seize them for a meal. The experienced cranes avoid this

thread by picking up stones large enough to fill their mouths. This prevents them from cackling -- and from becoming lunch for the Eagles.

c. People have a problem with their mouths too. The writer of Proverbs said, "He who guards his lips guards his life" (13:3, NIV1984).

2. Identify and stop destructive speech.

3. Concentrate on edifying and blessing those you're with.

4. Prov. 18:21 says that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue . . .” How? Words can stir people to commit murder.