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Psalm 14 – Nobody is Good

Psalm 14 tells us that nobody is good. Does this mean I’m incapable of being good?

The one verse that really stands out for me in this Psalm is verse 3.

3 They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.

What in the world does that mean? Am I incapable of doing anything good? Of course there’s the concept of universal depravity, but I want to know what this means for me. I want to understand the implication in my own life. Can I do good? What does this mean? Can’t I buy a mocha for the lady that works next to me that irritates me beyond belief? Isn’t that being good? Can’t I help an old lady fix her car tire? Isn’t that being good? Well, in our understanding of the word, of course it is. And anyone can do things like that. I think, in this context, the word “good” must mean something other than what I think it means.

Jesus said,

“Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.”
Mark 10:18 (ESV)

Oh great. Now, not only do I not know what “good” means, but nobody can be good but God. Yet I’m called to be perfect.

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:48 (ESV)

So, let’s see what we have here so far. Nobody is good. Not even one person. So I must not know what being good means, because I do nice things for people all the time. So, I feel like I’m good, but based on this Psalm, I’m not. Then Jesus reiterates that in Matthew when he says nobody is good but God. So obviously I’m not good. It appears our modern meaning of “good” must mean something other than what most people think it means. But regardless of what it means, I’m called to be perfect, and being perfect has to have something in common with being good, which I’m not. What’s the heck is going on?

A few verses after Jesus says that nobody is good but God, the disciples ask Him a question and He answers. The answer gives me some hope.

26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
Mark 10:26, 27 (ESV)

The disciples didn’t understand either. They wanted to know how in the world anyone could get to heaven if being good was impossible. And Jesus made it clear that with Him, all things are possible.

My conclusion is that I (along with everyone) was born incapable of being good. Sure, I can do nice things and be pleasant, but I can’t be good in God’s eyes, because He’s perfect. He’s the only one who is truly good. But through Jesus (since he makes impossible things possible), I have the ability to have a relationship with a holy, perfect God – even One who despises my sinful nature.

Salvation vs. Sanctification

We posted two new articles on truthsaves. One is about loving your neighbor as yourself, and the other discusses the differences between salvation and sanctification.

Tim recently answered two good questions. The first asked whether we thought the church is doing all it can to love its neighbors. And of course we’re not. We can always do more. But we, as God’s church, have fulfilled this command and continue to do so in many ways.

Read Tim’s thoughts on the subject.

The other question asked the difference between salvation and sanctification. I can’t even begin to explain it like Tim does so just check out the article for yourself.

You can read it here.

Talitha Cumi

Talitha Cumi – What does it mean?

Here’s an interesting one for you. A site viewer asked us whether or not the words “talitha cumi” in Mark 5:41 might be a heavenly language. I’m not sure the motivation behind the question, but, if it were indeed a heavenly language, it could provide support for the idea that Jesus spoke in tongues.

See what Tim thinks about this subject.

Psalm 13 – David Cracks Me Up

Psalm 13 – David trusted God all the time. Do we?

In this Psalm David begs to God to quit ignoring him. He pleads for God’s divine intervention. He despairs at God’s silence. He wonders why his enemies continue to profit while he suffers. I picture David crying, complaining, whining. “God, please! Help me out here! Quit ignoring me! Come on!” I find it easy to relate to his questions, to his seeming doubt.

I think to myself, “Yeah, God! Where are you? Why did it take me five hours to fix a toilet seat today? Why haven’t You been helping me out lately?”

Then I read a bit more and realize that David’s attitude differs from mine in a dramatic way. He still trusts God. He tells God his sorrows, but He never doubts God. He begs for help, for justice, but He still lays all He has at God’s feet.

5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

God called David a man after His own heart. Why? Because David had a relationship with Him. David called out to Him in times of trouble, but never doubted His omnipotence. David suffered, but didn’t blame God. David also didn’t forget God when life was easy. David knew God; he trusted Him; he stuck with Him through good times and bad. Do we?

Psalm 12

Psalm 12. When you’re depressed, look to God first like David did.

When I first looked at this Psalm, I thought, “Save?” What does David mean? Save him from all the evil ones? Save Israel? Save the faithful? Then I kept reading. Later, the Psalm says that God will give refuge to the poor (verse 5), then David puts himself with them (verse 7). My thought is that David prayed for safety for himself, the poor, and all the righteous in Israel. David sounds depressed, but he handled it well – he prayed.

The way he described the environment reminds me of the world today.

1 Save, O LORD, for the godly one is gone;
for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.
2 Everyone utters lies to his neighbor;
with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

8 On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among the children of man.

David’s black mood fits mine this morning. Godliness seems invisible at my workplace. Who is faithful? Don’t you know that fundamentalism stops a thinking mind? People utter lies for their own gain; people flatter to get themselves ahead.

When we feel this way, God wants us to look to Him. While it may seem that darkness encloses us on every side, He protects those who seek Him. In the midst of the onslaught of evil we can rely upon God’s pure, holy words.

6 The words of the LORD are pure words,
like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.

And what does God say?

5“Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan,
I will now arise,” says the LORD;
“I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”

The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.
Nahum 1:7 (ESV)

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 10:11 (ESV)

Don’t let the darkness overwhelm you.

. . . no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed,
and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD
and their vindication from me, declares the LORD.”
Isaiah 54:17 (ESV)

A Lesson from a Tree – A Christian Poem

This amazing Christian poem moved my heart.

Once again we have received a new poem . . . and once again Tim submitted it! As the site administrator, I’ve decided to publish it. Since we only accept high quality written work, Tim should feel very honored that this poem has been accepted as worthy of publication on truthsaves. O.K., I’m just messing around, obviously. I welcome Tim’s submissions and I’d welcome yours as well! Have you ever written a poem you want to share? Do you have a testimony you’d like to share? Do you have an article or lesson plan you feel people would benefit from? Submit it to us! We want it . . . so we can share it with the world. The site got almost 10,000 unique visitors in January, so traffic continues to increase. If you submit something to us, people will definitely read it.

Anyway, I’ll quit rambling.

Read Tim’s new poem here. It’s called “A Lesson From A Tree.”

Esther Outline and New Poem on truthsaves

The content’s just rolling in now!

I’ve just posted another outline on truthsaves. This one gives a brief overview and outline of the Old Testament book of Esther.

I’ve also posted another poem from Tim. Again, his poetic abilities have floored me! The poem reminds me how easy it is to let sin creep into our lives and take up residence there. We have to make a conscious decision to eject it. Read this little vignette . . . the story of three words.

Read Tim’s poem, “I Have Sinned,” here.

Check out our outline of Esther here.

Psalm 11 – God Tests the Righteous

God tests us. He doesn’t let us float through life without adversity. It’s often a sign that we belong to Him. We see this concept here in Psalm 11, and throughout Scripture.

The LORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
Psalm 11:5 (ESV)

Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous– you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God!
Psalm 7:9 (ESV)

You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
Psalm 17:3 (ESV)

For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.
Psalm 66:10 (ESV)

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.”
Genesis 22:1 (ESV)

And he cried to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the LORD made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them . . .
Exodus 15:25 (ESV)

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.
Exodus 16:4 (ESV)

And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.
Deuteronomy 8:2 (ESV)

. . . who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end.
Deuteronomy 8:16

. . . you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 13:3 (ESV)

The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts.
Proverbs 17:3 (ESV)

Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.
Isaiah 48:10 (ESV)

And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, “They are my people”; and they will say, “The LORD is my God.”
Zechariah 13:9 (ESV)

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith–more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire–may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
I Peter 1:6-7 (ESV)

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
James 1:2 (ESV)

I haven’t covered all the places in Scripture where God says He tests those who love Him. Why did I give so many examples? Because I’m a bit tired of hearing the prosperity gospel; I’m tired of hearing pastors and preachers say that Christians don’t have to be sick, or poor, or depressed . . . that we can live this life victoriously! I agree that we can live victoriously, and that we have nothing to fear:

For the LORD is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.
Psalm 11:7 (ESV)

Ultimately, if we trust God and take refuge in Him, we will see Him and defeat death. But we will face trials while on earth. There is a distinct possibility that we will be sick, or poor, or depressed, or even die. God’s not like a giant candy machine in the sky. He wants us to prove our love to Him. He wants to have a living, breathing, interactive relationship with us. So, if you’re trusting God with hopes of becoming rich or successful here on earth, don’t believe the lie. You might be successful by human standards, and you might not be. But one thing you can be sure of – if you love God, you will be tested.