Some lies are easier to believe than the truth. – Frank Hebert

Whitening toothpastes are very popular. Did you know that there was a toothpaste that literally promised to make your teeth glow?

Doramad Toothpaste was invented by German scientist, Siegfried Merzbacher, in the 1920s, Doramad was marketed as being a superior toothpaste because of its active ingredient. What was its active ingredient? Radioactive elements. It’s true. A generation grew up brushing their teeth with radioactive toothpaste. Doramad contained a radioactive metal that according to the ads yielded sparkling brilliant teeth.

Think about it. You want glowing teeth? Here’s how to have it. Radioactive toothpaste. Today we know it was a stupid idea, but it didn’t look stupid at the time. Many bought it in hope of having whiter teeth. 

There were many things believed in the past that have been proven to be false today. For example, it was once believed smoking cigarettes prevented sore throats and eased digestion. Charles Darwin, father of evolutionary theory, believed in spontaneous generation, that living organisms could arise from non-living matter (e.g., maggots from decaying meat). You may not want to know but the five second rule isn’t true. Food dropped on the floor isn’t safe to eat even if it’s picked up quickly. Bacteria can transfer to food nearly instantaneously. 

The bottom line is that we don’t know as much as we think we do. Who can guess stuff that we believe right now, we’re doing right now, we’re using right now, but a century from now will be considered stupid. There are some lies though that are timeless and go back to the beginning. 

“Happiness comes from wealth and possessions”

Ours is a materialistic world with aggressive marketing. An endless stream of ads via e-mails, catalogs, websites, billboards communicate the alleged need for more stuff. We’re told that if we don’t have it, we need it. If we do have it, we need a newer version of it. The Bible wisely encourages us to be “content with what [we] have” (Hebrews 13:5). We need a biblical worldview of wealth. While it’s not a sin to be wealthy, it is a sin when your possessions possess you and take priority over God in your heart.        

“Follow your heart”

is a lie embraced by billions. It’s one of the great cultural myths of the Western world. It’s a lie proclaimed in many stories, movies, and songs. Following your heartis the belief that your heart is a compass within you that will direct you to your true north if you just have the courage to follow it. It holds that your heart is the guide that leads to true happiness and if you’re lost, your heart will save you. 

But the Bible says, The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9). It outlines two reasons why none of us should follow our hearts. 

First, there is nothing more deceitful than the sinful human heart. When we follow our heart, we follow an untrustworthy guide. When we rely on ourselves for wisdom, we end up unable to discern right from wrong. The 1977 hit song, “You Light Up My Life,” had these foolish words: It can’t be wrong… when it feels so right. You could even apply that to murder. Determining right from wrong based on one’s “feelings” is dangerous. 

Jeremiah 17:9 also reminds us that our hearts are diseased and can’t be healed. What we need is a new heart. It’s why, when a person comes to faith in Christ, he/she is made a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Jesus doesn’t fix the heart; instead, He replaces it. That doesn’t mean we can totally rely on our hearts after we come to faith in Christ. Even as believers, we must follow God’s truth and will over feelings and desires. 

“You are in control of your own life.”

Napoleon Hill said, You are the master of your destiny. You can influence, direct and control your own environment. You can make your life what you want it to be. Apparently, he never visited an Emergency Room. It’s often filled with people who thought they were in control. Proverbs 27:1, Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

Our future is uncertain. You can envision, forecast, guess or speculate, but no one knows what will happen tomorrow. In fact, no one is certain about what’s going to happen today. 

Jesus’ parable of the rich fool told of a man with a bumper crop. His harvest was so huge, he didn’t know what to do. Finally, he decides to tear down his barns and build bigger and better ones. Now he could relax and party. He had enough wealth for the rest of his life. But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be? (Luke 12:20). God is in control, not us!

“God won’t give you more than you can handle.”

Tell that to Job after he lost it all in moments. It’s bumper sticker theology. This statement is often offered as a comforting thought that whatever happens, it won’t overwhelm our ability to deal with it. Yet, most of us have encountered hurts, hardships, and hangups which were far more than we could handle. 

Our only hope is to turn to God to be rescued. If we were able to handle everything on our own, why would we need God? Psalm 46:1 says, God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. God is always strong even though we’re weak. In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, God promises that My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness. God sometimes gives us more than we can handle so we turn to the One we can trust and who can handle anything and everything. 

“God helps those who help themselves.”

It’s a dangerous lie, promoting self-help. Every bookstore has a large section devoted to “self-help” books. You’ll find countless books devoted to helping you help yourself. We buy books we hope will give us a way to solve all of our problems. Yet, they reinforce self-centeredness instead of seeking the One who truly can help. 

Professional boxer Mohammed Ali never lacked self-confidence. He was known for saying, “I am the greatest!” Once when Ali boarded a plane for a trip, the flight attendant told him to buckle his seat belt, Ali said, “Superman don’t need no seat belt.” Without missing a beat, the flight attendant quipped, “Superman don’t need no airplane either, so buckle up!”

God helps the helpless. He responds to those who cry out to Him. Our greatest need is to be rescued from our sin. When it comes to salvation, when it comes to our sin, none of us can fix it. You must admit that you’re a sinner and need to be rescued by the Savior. When we cry out to Him for salvation, He always rescues us!

The only source of truth is God’s Word. Will you trust His Word? If you’re not sure, start reading it. Begin with the four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. God’s truth always has been and always will be true.