{"id":773,"date":"2020-10-11T20:36:44","date_gmt":"2020-10-11T20:36:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.local.net\/?page_id=773"},"modified":"2020-10-11T20:36:44","modified_gmt":"2020-10-11T20:36:44","slug":"psalm-14","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blog.gracewalk.net\/?page_id=773","title":{"rendered":"Psalm 14"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PSALM 14<\/strong>\u00a0 Written by David, but no one is quite sure when. David has seen the depth of human depravity and the impiety and neglect of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 The fool says in his heart, \u201cThere is no God.\u201d They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4 Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon the Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5 There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is in the company of the righteous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6 You sinners frustrate the plans of the oppressed, yet the LORD is their shelter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion! When the LORD restores His captive people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SECTIONS:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Dirges on Depravity (how widespread it is and how futile it is)<\/li>
  2. Wish for Deliverance<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    THEME:<\/u><\/strong> Atheism and depravity of the human race in general<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    QUESTIONS:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What does David call a person who says \u201cThere is no God.\u201d Why do you think he uses that word?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Why does God look down from heaven and what does he see?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Are you surprised to see there is not even one person who is considered to be \u201cgood?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So how would you answer someone who says nonbelievers who are \u201cgood\u201d (like Ghandi) will all go to heaven regardless of whether they believe in God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What word does David use to describe God to the oppressed? Do you see God that way?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    ADDITONAL VERSES<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Ephesian 2:3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Genesis 6:5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Jeremiah 17:9 \u201cThe heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1 John 1:8-9  8 \u201cIf we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Galatians 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Jeremiah 2:35 you say, ‘I am innocent. Surely His anger will turn from me.’ But I will certainly judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1 Corinthians 3:18 -Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1 Kings 8:46 When they sin against You–for there is no one who does not sin–and You become angry with them and deliver them to an enemy who takes them as captives to his own land, whether far or near,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Hebrew 11:6 Hebrews 11:6 says, \u201cAnd 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Bible-studys.org<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We\u2019ve only to look around at all of God’s creation and know there is a God. The fact that a planet rotates in the atmosphere and doesn\u2019t fall, shows that there\u2019s order in the universe.  To those who don\u2019t believe in God I ask \u201cHave you created any worlds lately?\u201d An intelligence far above our comprehension created everything and everyone in our world. I can dig a hole in the ground and plant a seed, water it, and watch it grow. But if God didn\u2019t provide the earth, seed, and water, then I couldn\u2019t grow a plant. I\u2019m not even in control of the next breath I take. When God gets ready for me to stop breathing, I will. How foolish to say there is no God. We\u2019ve all sinned and fallen short. If we say we haven\u2019t sinned, we\u2019re a liar. Our only hope is Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Truly our generation could be classified as one of the the evilest. Movies are so filthy they wouldn\u2019t have been allowed some years ago yet are shown on TV for our kids to see. Drugs and alcohol are rampant. Little children, neglected by parents, are seeking love in gangs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    APPLICATION: Christians must take a stand for God. We\u2019re in a war. Who will stand for biblical principles even in the face of ridicule or death? Will God say of our generation, where is even one who truly loves Me? But God has promised to be a  \u201crefuge\u201d for the \u201crighteous, a secure place for the godly when evil presses in. The godless desire to absorb Christians into their way of life (eat them). But as Christians, we are to be separated and not caught up in the things of this world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Barnes commentary<\/u>:<\/strong> David looked around and saw such unkindness. The wicked call out imperfections in others but don\u2019t see it in themselves. And they reject religion because if there is no God to answer to they are free to do whatever they want. The poor and oppressed could turn to God for comfort and strength, but the wicked wanted to destroy their faith in God,  saying \u201cThere is no God!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    David calls the godless \u201cfools\u201d because turning from God is folly. Depravity is universal because all have fallen into sin.  Romans 3:10-11 says, \u201cWhat then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin. As it is written: \u201cThere is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.\u2026\u201d And 1 John 1:8 says \u201c If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A perfect God looks upon man and sees our sins. We are born unto Adam and have inherited sin which can only be made right by the righteousness of Jesus. None of us could stand before a holy God and be pronounced righteous without Jesus. There is none that does good, no, not one. Men have the chance to find out about God and turn to him, but they don\u2019t choose to because they love their sin. They refuse to acknowledge their maker or honor him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    APPLICATION: The godless deride and hold in contempt those who believe in God. They like to find imperfections in Christians and say they are inconsistent.They argue that a religion which produces no better fruits than what is seen in the lives  of their Christian friends must be of no value. It can\u2019t be genuine. If a  professed  Christian produces no happier or better results in their lives, what\u2019s the advantage of worshiping God? Or else they see themselves as just as good as those who say they are religious. So they conclude religion has no value. That\u2019s why, as Christians, we should strive to follow Jesus\u2019 example of love. The fruits of the spirit  should be evident in our lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Blueletterbible.org<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    David considers the result of denying God. It leads to corruption and wickedness. This isn’t to say that every atheist lives a dissolute life and every Christian  lives a good life. But there is a marked difference in moral behavior between those who take God seriously and those who don\u2019t. Yet, it\u2019s possible for us to say there is a God, and still deny it in our heart and life. We may believe in God in theory, yet be a practical atheist in the way we choose to live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    David looked at humanity and concluded that there is none who does good. He didn\u2019t mean that there is no human good in this world, but that fallen man is so fallen that he doesn\u2019t instinctly do good. We are born with both the will and the capacity to do evil. No one has to teach a child to do bad things. The path of least resistance usually leads us to bad, not good.  It\u2019s often easier to encourage others to do bad, instead of good. And many of our good deeds are tinged with selfish, bad motives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Explainingthebook.com<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You\u2019ll find atheists in all sorts of prestigious positions. They\u2019re in academia and often in legislatures. I read an article celebrating the fact that more congressmen are admitting they are atheists, like it\u2019s something to be proud of. It\u2019s not a stigma anymore. People who says there is no God are the ones who are starring in everyone\u2019s favorite movies and TV shows.  They are the rich and famous. They\u2019re the beautiful people of our society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But what does David call them?  Only a fool will believe for a moment that there is no deity. We\u2019re not talking about stupid people. They can solve math problems, speak eloquently, engineer buildings. Their foolishness isn\u2019t reflected in their intellect.. It resides in their morals. They see creation all around them, and they just won\u2019t admit there must be a powerful being who made all of this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What we believe affects our actions. David says they\u2019re corrupt and spoiled. Not in the sense of being spoiled like a little child who always gets his way, but spoiled like rotten fruit. I\u2019m sure some atheists do good. They work and support their families. But the good has do with what God sees as \u201cgood.\u201d Notice the universality of these statements. \u201cAll\u201d \u201cNone\u201d. \u201cNo, not one\u201d. Surely there\u2019s one among the sons of Adam that seeks God. Nope. Surely there\u2019s one that does good. A  holy God doesn\u2019t think so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Quotes from Ravi Zacharias about atheism and our culture<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cI am convinced that all our attempts to change the letter of the law and to reeducate people have been, and are, merely band-aid solutions for a fatal hemorrhage. The system will never change because our starting point is flawed. The secular view of man can neither give the grandeur that God alone can give, nor can it see the evil within the human heart that God alone can reveal and cure, for atheism implicitly denudes each individual of the grand image God has imprinted upon His creation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cI am thoroughly convinced that when the last chapter of humanity is written, we will find that the implications of atheism, i.e., living without God, if consistently carried through, will have made life plainly unlivable within the limits of reason or even common sense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The atheist is quick to excoriate all religious belief by laying the blame at the door of all who claim to be religious without distinction. By the same measure, why is there not an equal enthusiam to distrbute blame for violence engendered by some of the irreligious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    These days its not just that the line between right and wrong has beeen made unclear, today Christians are being asked by our culture to erase the lines and move fences, and if that were not bad enough, we are being asked to join the celebration by those who have thrown off the restraints religion has imposed on them. It is not just that they ask we accept, but they now demand us to celebrate it too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In a post-modern cultrue we need an apologetic that is felt and seen because if post-moderns are not feeling it, they are not belieivng it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    My reflection on Psalm 14<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I like the term\u201cfool\u201d that David uses to call people who refuse to believe in God. It is very fool-hearted to not only turn away from God but encourage others to do so too! People are playing with fire\u2014the eternal kind. But in a way, I was the same way. I had doubts about Jesus\u2019 divinity at one time even though I was raised a Christian.  Who am I to cast the first stone? Sometimes I\u2019m so impatient with people who don\u2019t believe. I want to shout, \u201cDon\u2019t you get it? Don\u2019t you see who your are railing against?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But then I think how Jesus said many are \u201ccalled\u201d but few are chosen. God sends out loving invitations to his wedding banquet, like told in the parable in Matthew 22. But many who God invited to the wedding feast turned down the invitation to come. They didn\u2019t want to be bothered, they were busy doing something else or they didn\u2019t care. They refused to attend. And this invitation was extended to everyone in all walks of life. Rich or poor. It didn\u2019t matter. They were invited to the feast! God is so gracious to still extend this invitation to everyone today, and yet there are those who choose not to accept it. Some even revile the gracious sender of the invitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But I choose to hope because I\u2019ve read numerous stories of how God is appearing in dreams all over the world, especially to the muslim people. I\u2019ve read personal testimonies online of how Jesus is revealing himself to people in dreams because many muslims don\u2019t have the opportunity to hear the gospel message. And, just like the people of Ninevah, to whom Jonah preached, they are turning to Jesus. This means risking their lives because of persecution. Would I go that far?  Would I risk my life to stand up for Jesus?  Even now Christians are being persecuted for their faith, and losing their businesses because of their beliefs in the truth that Jesus teaches. I know I\u2019m very weak. The first sign of torture I\u2019d probably cave. I know myself. I\u2019m not like Peter who boldly said he\u2019d die for Jesus. I can\u2019t say that. But I do know my Lord!! I\u2019ve prayed that if it ever comes to that point in our country where we risk death because of our faith that Jesus would hold me up for the sake of his glory and his name. And I know just as he held up his apostles, David, Moses and Daniel, he would come through for me because I trust him to honor his name.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    SONG<\/u><\/strong>: How Great Is Our God, All Hail the Power of Jesus name, Holy God We Praise Thy Name, Faith of Our Fathers<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    PSALM 14\u00a0 Written by David, but no one is quite sure when. David has seen the depth of human depravity and the impiety and neglect of God. 1 The fool says in his heart, \u201cThere is no God.\u201d They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good. 2 The LORD […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":950,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/full-width.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-773","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.gracewalk.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/773","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.gracewalk.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.gracewalk.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.gracewalk.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.gracewalk.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=773"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.gracewalk.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/773\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.gracewalk.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.gracewalk.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=773"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}