Dangerous Prayers

“Search Me”

Psalm 139:23-24

“Safe Prayers”

Safe Prayers don’t cost US anything!

Safe Prayers are:• Painless prayers• Changeless prayers• Effortless prayers

“The greater the search, the greater the intimacy.”

I. “Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart.”v.23a – “Search me, O God”

Search means to ‘dig deeply’ or ‘pierce thoroughly’ – to cut into a man’s innermost self.

v.23b – “And know my heart”

Heart – is that spiritual part of us where our mind (thoughts), will, emotions and desires dwell.

“As in water, face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.”Proverbs 27:19

The heart is the core of our being, and the Bible sets high importance on keeping our hearts pure.

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”Proverbs 4:23

David is inviting God to shine His light into his heart, where all sin originates.

“And he said, ‘What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” Mark 7:20-23

II. “Try Me and Know My Thoughts”v.23c – “Try me” - As metal is tried or proven - that is, put to a "test" to learn what it is.

v.23d – “And know my thoughts”Search me thoroughly; examine not merely my outward conduct, but what I think about; what are my purposes; what passes through my mind; what occupies my imagination and my memory; what secures my affections and controls my will.

III. “See If There Be Any Grievous Way in Me”v.24a - ‘See if there be any grievous way in me.’

“Lead Me in the Way Everlasting”v.24b – “Lead me in the way everlasting.”

The ‘grievous way’ is in us; the ‘way everlasting’ - we need to be led into.

Whosoever walks in Christ’s footsteps is walking in ‘the way everlasting’, for that path is rightly so named which leads to eternal life.

“The greater the search, the greater the intimacy.”