IMMORAL AND WICKED PEOPLE BEHAVE AS IF THERE IS NO GOD

Proclamation:

“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’  They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good.”  Psalm 53:1 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by King David under the influence of the Holy Spirit of God.  David states that non-believers feel that there is no God to punish or the exact revenge on the wicked.  They have corrupted their ways like the people had done in the days of Noah before the great flood. (Genesis 6:12)  They have done things which The Lord God hates and that makes them abominable in His sight.  For some unknown reason these words are repeated almost verbatim from the fourteenth psalm.  Most of The Bible scholars believe that “the fool” David is referring to is a group of people who are immoral, wicked and void of spiritual understanding.  Their deeds and conversations are vile and impure and in their hearts they despise the people of God and righteousness in general.  They treat the righteous with cruelty and persecute them. (Psalm 14:4 and 53:4)  But The Lord will come to the aid of His people and He will restore them. (Psalm 14:6-7 and 53:6)

Application:

Human beings are basically sinful by nature.  Before we condemn “the fool” that David is referring to, let us remember that all of us are sinners. (Romans 3:23)  None of us are righteous on our own, (Romans 3:10) it was imputed to us and not earned by us. (Romans 4:24 and James 2:23)  Before we accepted Christ as our personal Savior, we exhibited or thought about some of these same sinful behaviors.  Thinking sinful thoughts is the same as committing the sin. (Proverbs 23:7)  Judge not, least you be judged. (Luke 6:37)  Rather, we should pray for those who don’t know The Lord God, or who don’t believe in Him.  Let us thank God for helping us and rejoice in His presence, protection, and power.  When we think of that foolish person, remember, there but for the grace of God go you and I.

THE FOOL SAYS AND BEHAVES LIKE THERE IS NO GOD

Proclamation:

“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’  They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.”  Psalm 14:1 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David.  For some unknown reason these words are repeated almost verbatim in the fifty third psalm.  Most of The Bible scholars believe that “the fool” David is referring to is a group of people who are immoral, wicked and void of spiritual understanding.  In this psalm David describes the characteristics and basic sinful human nature of godless people.  Their deeds and conversations are vile and impure and in their hearts they despise the people of God and righteousness in general.  They treat the poor and the righteous with cruelty and persecute them. (Psalm 14:4)  But The Lord will come to their aid, He is their refuge and He will restore His people. (Psalm 14:6-7)

Application:

Human beings are basically sinful by nature.  Before we condemn “the fool” that David is referring to, let us remember that all of us are sinners. (Romans 3:23)  None of us are righteous on our own, (Romans 3:10) it was imputed to us and not earned by us. (Romans 4:24 and James 2:23)  Before we accepted Christ as our personal Savior, we exhibited or thought about some of these same sinful behaviors.  Thinking sinful thoughts is the same as committing the sin. (Proverbs 23:7)  Judge not, least you be judged. (Luke 6:37)  Rather, we should pray for those who don’t know The Lord God, or who don’t believe in Him.  Let us thank God for helping us and rejoice in His presence, protection, and power.  When we think of that foolish person, remember, there but for the grace of God go you and I.

GOD IS WAS AND WILL BE

Proclamation:

“… For God is present in the company of the righteous.”  Psalm 14:5 (NIV)

Explanation:

This psalm was written by King David under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  David begins this psalm by stating that the fool says in his heart that there is no God. (Psalm 14:1)  He then states that God sees from heaven that all men are corrupt. (Psalm 14:2-3)  The evildoers are mistreating, corrupting, and killing God’s people (Psalm 14:4) and they live in fear because God is with the righteous and He is their refuge. (Psalm 14:5-6)  In the end, God will restore His people. (Psalm 14:7)   

Application:

The Lord God is alive and present now, He always was present even at the beginning of everything, and He will always be present, even after this world has passed away.  The words “God is …” appears in The Bible 156 times.  It states that God is always with us, and He is a witness, a provider, a protector, a consuming fire, a refuge, a rock, a righteous judge, a shield, a spirit, great, gracious, compassionate, merciful, mighty, exalted, good, holy, sovereign, righteous, truthful, wise, faithful, able, light, present, in our hearts, our strength, our help, our salvation, Lord, the King of all the earth, and God is love.  The Bible also says what God is not.  Even so, we really so not know all that God is.  Our limited human capacity cannot comprehend all that God is.  We just know that He is.  He existed before there was time or anything else.  In the beginning, whenever that was, God was there. (Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1-3)  God is omnipotent, all powerful, (Revelation 19:6), omniscient, all knowing, (Matthew 6:8) and omnipresent, everywhere all at the same time, (Matthew 28:20).  This earth will pass away but God will remain for all eternity. (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33; and Revelation 21:1)  God is, God was, and God forever will be.  Believers can sing the song, “God Is …”  The song says, "God is my protection ... God is my guide and direction ... God is the joy and the strength of my life ... He moves all pain misery and strife … I want to go with Him when He comes back … I’ve come too far and I’ll never turn back … God is … God is my all and all."

GOD IS ABLE

Proclamation:

"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, The God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king.  But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Daniel 3:16-18 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Daniel himself.  The first six chapters of this Bible Book are historical in nature and the remainder is prophetic.  Here, after King Nebuchadnezzar had a ninety foot gold statue of himself made (Daniel 3:1) and the decreed that at the sound of the horns, flutes, or whatever music, everyone was to fall down and worship the image.  These three Hebrew boys refused to do so and were brought before the king for punishment.  They told the king that God is able to save them, and even if He does not, He can.  They were thrown into the fiery furnace and God did save them.

Application

Most of us only have a little faith in God.  Most of us would not be willing to die to put our faith to the test.  God can save us from whatever situation we are in.  God is able to do it.  God is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing), and omnipresent (everywhere at the same time), God is able.  He can and He will do whatever He wants to do.  Saving us from our little problem situations would be easy for Him if He chose to do so.  He can, but even if He doesn't, God is able.  We praise Him, even if He doesn’t do another thing for us, we know that God is able.

GOD IS

Proclamation:

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble." Psalms 46:1 (NIV)

Explanation:

This psalm is a psalm of the sons of Korah.  It is a song which proclaims some of the attributes of God, His abilities, and His power over nature.  He is all powerful (omnipotent, Matthew 19:26), all knowing (omniscient, Ephesians 3:10), and is everywhere at the same time. (omni-present, Jeremiah 23:24)  God can do for us things which we cannot do on our own or for ourselves. (Genesis 18:14) 

Application:

When we are in trouble and need help, it is God who helps us, protects us, and gives us the strength that we need to go on and continue.  We are secure during the storms of life because God is our mighty fortress.  The song “God Is” says, "God is my protection ... God is my guide and direction ... God is my joy in the time of sorrow … God is my hope for today and all my tomorrows … God is my all in all.  God is the joy and the strength of my life; He moves all pain, misery, and strife.  He promised to keep me, never to leave me.  He’s never ever come short of His word … I want to go with Him when He comes back, I’ve come too far and I’ll never turn back.  God is … God is… God is my all in all.”  He is our every thing and He is all that we need.

We Must Believe That God Exists

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."  Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)

Under the divine influence of The Holy Spirit of God, the unknown human author of The Bible Book of Hebrews wrote words of encouragement to the scattered believers, after the crucifixion of Christ.  He told them to keep the faith, because without faith it is not possible to please God.  He also told them that they must believe that The Lord God exists, and that He will reward all those who diligently and sincerely seek to follow Him.

Those of us who believe and have faith in Jesus, The Christ, without having had the pleasure of seeing Him, will be blessed. (John 20:29)  Jesus said that we should "Have faith in God."  (Mark 11:22)  We must have faith in that which we cannot see, but believe that it will be. (Hebrews 11:1)  We also must believe that we will be rewarded for following The Lord and doing that which pleases Him. (2 Chronicles 15:7)

God Is My Everything

"He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me."  Psalms 144:2 (NIV)

After he begins by praising God, King David then begins to list the things that God is to him.  He says that God is his loving God, his fortress, his stronghold, his deliverer, his shield, his refuge, and his subduer of people.  God did a lot for David.

David begins this psalm by saying that God is his strength and his teacher (Psalm 144:1), and he ends it by saying the God is his salvation (Psalm 144:10).  He lists ten things that God is to him.  What would we say that God is to us, if we had to list them as David did?  When we think about all of the roles that God fulfills in our lives, we should just want to thank Him and praise Him.  As the song says, "God is my everything!"  David had a right to praise God, and so do we.  God has done a lot for us.

We Must Believe And Have Faith

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)
The unknown author of the book of Hebrews tells the scattered believers in Christ about having faith, sighting as examples Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Abraham. His point is that without having faith it is impossible to please God. They must believe in God, believe that He is real, and believe that He will bless those who sincerely seek Him.
The author’s point is just as relevant today as it was then, without faith it is impossible to please God. Just going through some ritualistic religious activities, in church or elsewhere, does not mean that God will be pleased. The Pharisees practiced a number of religious activities, but Jesus called them hypocrites and said that their worship was in vain. (Matthew 15:6-9) If we do not sincerely believe in Him, then our attempts at worship is just a waste of time. He blesses those who believe and have faith in Him, and who sincerely seek a closer walk with Him.