Compiled By: Lisa K Gonzales
From: The Life Application Study Bible
1 “Only fools say in their heart, ‘There is no GOD’. They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; no one does good. 2 The LORD looks down from heaven on the entire human race; HE looks to see if there is even one with real understanding, one who seeks for GOD. 3 But no, all have turned away from GOD; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not even one!” ~ Psalm 14:1-3
The true atheist is either foolish or wicked – foolish because he ignores the evidence that GOD exists or wicked because he refuses to live by GOD’s truths. The fool mentioned here is someone who is aggressively perverse in his actions. According to the Bible, to speak in direct defiance of GOD is utterly foolish.
No one but GOD is perfect; all of us stand guilty before HIM and need HIS forgiveness. – “For all have sinned; all fall short of GOD’s glorious standards.” – Romans 3:23 – All sins make us sinners, and all sins cuts us off from our Holy GOD. Therefore, all sins lead to death – because they disqualify us from living with GOD – regardless of how great or small they seem. We should never minimize “little” sins or overrate “big” sins. They all separate us from GOD – but – they can all be forgiven.
No matter how well we perform or how much we achieve compared to others, none of us can boast of his or her goodness when compared to GOD’s standards. GOD not only expects us to obey HIS guidelines, but HE wants us to love HIM with all our heart. No one except Jesus Christ has done that perfectly. Because we all fall short, we must turn to Christ to save us. – 9 “For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that GOD raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with GOD, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, ‘Anyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.’” – Romans 10:9-11 – How does a person become a Christian? These verses give us the answer: Salvation is as close as your own lips and heart. People think it must be a complicated process, but it is not. If we believe in our heart and say with our mouth that Christ is the risen Lord, we will be saved. The complicated part comes after that confession of the heart – living as GOD expects, loving HIM with our whole heart, obeying and putting HIM first in our lives! These verses must be read in context. Paul is not saying Christians will never be disappointed. There will be times when people will let us down or circumstances will take a turn for the worst. Paul is saying that GOD will keep HIS Word: Those who call on HIM will be saved. GOD will never fail to provide for those who truly believe. – Have you asked HIM to save you?
Father, I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord. I believe in my heart that YOU raised Him from the dead. I ask YOU Father, to come into my heart – I make YOU my LORD and Savior.
Photo: Surfside Beach (Texas)
Photo By: Lisa K Gonzales
Click on the photo to enlarge
