God helps those who help themselves. Benjamin Franklin said this in Poor Richards Almanac and there are a plethora of other places where we find this quote. People usually say it because it empowers man and holds him accountable. God doesn't help those who mess up, but rather He helps those who are trying really hard to improve and make something of themselves. God helps those who don't want a handout, but rather those who try hard, but fail, and need assistance. This quote is usually said to guilt people into helping themselves and stop expecting help from others. However, the Psalms declare, "Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever" (Psalm 146:5-6). So, to say that God helps those who help themselves is not biblical, and in addition is contradictory to the words of Scripture.

God helps those who help themselves is equivalent to saying, "Christ came to save the healthy and the righteous." However, Jesus says the opposite of this. Jesus says He came to forgive sinners, because the healthy do not need a physician, but the sick. Jesus did not come to help those who were already helping themselves, but rather came to save those who couldn't do a thing for themselves and whose only hope was in the Lord. When we help ourselves, in matters of salvation and Christian living, then we make ourselves God. When we are the ones doing the work, then we are the savior and the sanctifier, rather than Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The very reality of the death and resurrection of Jesus The Christ is a thunderbolt against the notion that God helps those who help themselves. God helps those who have no other option, no hope except for Him to save us. In the knowledge of this, in trust that Jesus is our only hope and salvation, in this we have a blessed and happy life trusting that Jesus does help us and save us from sin, death, world, and the power of the devil.

My friends, let us put away any notion that we contribute to our salvation and our righteousness before our heavenly Father. Jesus does all the work for us. He brings us to the Father and keeps us safe in the one true faith by the working of the Holy Spirit in the means of grace. Jesus helps us because we can't do anything on our own except deny Him and sin against both God and our neighbor. The Holy Spirit brings Jesus to us and us to Jesus, creates in us new hearts that love God and our neighbor, a heart that desires to repent and produce good fruit, and above all else, a heart that trusts not in our righteousness, but in Jesus mercy and love for our forgiveness and life. God does not help those who help themselves, but rather He helps and saves those who have no hope except in Him.

Peace be with you. May the devil be silenced, the world be hushed, and the Old Adam be drowned anew so that you hear only the voice of your Savior Jesus who says, "Take heart. I came to save the sick and the lost. I came to save you and forgive you. Be at peace, for you are one of My Father's blessed little ones forever," Amen.

Jesus' Sheepdog,

Pastor Hull