Every Thought Captive

Gospel Vision

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

For the past several months I have written this portion of Psalm 19 at the beginning of my daily journal entries. Oh, that the Lord would grant each of us the ability to walk true to this text and that He would allow us the grace to grow in our knowledge, love, and obedience to Him.

“Let the words of my mouth…be acceptable in Your sight”
Has the Gospel really changed the way I use my tongue? How do I speak to my co-workers? How do I address the stranger serving me a meal? Do my words reflect Jesus when I speak with my wife and family? How about the words that are left unsaid—do they also reflect Jesus’ love, compassion, and mercy? Do I love people with my words as Jesus calls me to? If you are experiencing the conviction I feel even as I type, join with me as I beg the Lord to tame my tongue and use it to further His Kingdom today. May the mouth that praises Him be the same mouth that graciously affirms and admonishes those around me. By His grace, may our words, which are inches away from sin, be used by the Spirit to draw lost souls to His feet. Like Moses, may we trust the Spirit to use our tongues to express His message of Grace that people may be delivered from a life of sin and separation from God.

Let the…meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight”
Where does your heart lean in meditation today? Have life’s trials, or blessings, drawn your meditation from gazing heavenward? Has the pressure of performance or anxiousness of failure made you forget the finished work of Christ? Does the presence of temptation cloud your ability to remember that all the power of heaven dwells within you? Romans 6 reminds us that we have died to sin and are raised with Jesus that we may walk in a newness of life (v 1-4). By His grace, may our hearts meditate on heaven. For when the day throws us curveballs, may we pause to remember that Jesus sits on the throne interceding on our behalf. May we remember that Jesus has trod the depths that we may be ultimately raised with Him. Lord, tether our hearts to your Word that we may walk in a newness of life. Give us a heart after Your own.

O Lord, my Rock...”
On what surface have you built your life this day? What is the one thing that must go well for you to count today as a success? What is the one thing that if you had more of, you would feel secure? What is the one thing that would make your anxiety, fear, and unbelief disappear? If we are honest, money, power, success, and health jump to our minds way before growing in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ does. Is the Lord truly where you put your stock and rest? Do we actually lean on the eternal, omnipotent, and omniscient Rock, or do we find temporary and fading surfaces to build our lives? The only way we can truly walk through this life with Jesus as our Rock is if He grants us the grace to do so. Therefore, let us go to the throne of grace today and beg the Lord to expose and crucify our false securities, then replace them with Himself. Bind our steps to Your will, Father.

O Lord…my Redeemer...”
I pray that those words are where the whole of our encouragement comes from today. Jesus cried, “It is finished!” (John 19:30) that we could be reconciled and redeemed. As we struggle to glorify God with our tongue and heart, may we always remember the One who perfectly walked in obedience to the Father. Jesus lived the life we should have lived, only to die the death we deserved to die, all to give us a life we could never have earned! As a believer, it is my hope and prayer that we are all united in being consumed with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. By His grace, may we set our minds on that gospel truth. For if this truth grows in our hearts and minds, the temporary burdens of this life do not carry near as much weight. Lord, give us gospel vision this day.

If you are reading this and you have not submitted your life to the Lord Jesus, I pray even now that the Holy Spirit draws your tongue to cry out to the One, Jesus Christ, as your personal Savior, and I pray that your heart is drawn heavenward and sealed by the blood of Jesus. May today be the day the Lord ordained for you to be brought into His eternal family and to receive the promises only He can faithfully and fully give.

Psalm 18:1-3
I love you, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies

About the Author

Photograph of Phillip Koons

Phillip Koons

Coordinator of Youth Missions

Park Cities Presbyterian Church

Phillip grew up in Dallas and, after graduating from Highland Park High School, attended Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss. Upon graduation, he returned home as a youth intern with Park Cities Presbyterian Church. Phillip served PCPC's Youth Ministry for three years before taking a full-time position, coordinator of youth missions, in fall  2013. 

Phillip married his new bride Mary Love in July 2013. Mary Love is an intern with SMU's RUF program.