31 July 2008

What Is Acceptable: Part 2 – 3.14.08

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

Philippians 4:8 is a great passage that lists the types of things that we as Christians ought to think about – things that are true, honest, just, pure lovely, well reported, virtuous, and praise worthy.

The Bible also has much to say concerning what we ought to speak about, it's just not all in one passage. So let's take a look.

1. GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS

  • Psalm 35:28…And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.
  • Psalm 51:14…And my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
  • Psalm 71:15…My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day.
  • Psalm 71:24…My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long.
  • Job 36:2-3…Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf. I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

Every minute of every day, our great God is maligned and falsely accused. He gets blamed for what goes wrong and gets no credit when things turn out right. Don't you ever get tired of how people talk about your God? May we as His children be faithful to stand up and speak in His defense. May we be faithful to stand up and speak on His behalf.

2. GOD'S JUDGMENT

  • Psalm 37:30…The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
  • Psalm 119:13…With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

This kind of talk will probably get you thrown in jail before too long in this country. But how is anybody going to understand and properly respond to the love of God (which they don't deserve) without a proper understanding of the judgment of God (which they do deserve)? May our witness be a fervent warning to flee from the wrath to come. May we be careful to remind a lost and dying world there is no escape for those who reject God's salvation.

3. GOD'S SALVATION

  • Psalm 71:15…My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day.
  • Ephesians 6:19…[Pray] for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel.

Is it not the great duty of every Christian to make known God's wonderful salvation? May the Holy Spirit fill us each with the boldness we need to carry out this charge.

4. GOD'S FAITHFULNESS

  • Psalm 89:1…I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:21-22). He will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able (1 Corinthians 10:13). He will preserve us blameless in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:8-9; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). He will keep us from evil (2 Thessalonians 3:3). He succours us in time of temptation (Hebrews 2:17-18). All because He is faithful. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He does not change (Malachi 3:6). Praise the Lord!

These are the things that a Christian ought to continually be speaking about – all the day long…continually…all the day…to all generations. Just stop and ask yourself right now, have any of these things been a topic of conversation for you within the past couple days? The past week? What do you talk about? It couldn't get much better than the righteousness, judgment, salvation, and faithfulness of God!

The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable

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