The Fool

[0:00] The Fool. Ephesians 5 is where we'll start tonight. Ephesians 5 verse 15. Talking about fools, foolishness and wisdom.

[0:29] In contrast to that, wisdom. We're admonished to walk with wisdom, to walk carefully, not as fools. As we read in Ephesians 5 verse 15, it reads, See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.

[0:48] Now we heard tonight about someone who fell down a pothole in Bunnings car park. She was carrying something. She maybe was not walking circumspectly. But walking circumspectly is walking carefully, looking around, looking for those things that we could trip and such.

[1:06] And if we don't walk circumspectly, we'll take a tumble. So walk circumspectly is the sense of walk carefully, having your eyes looking all around.

[1:16] So in order not to be a fool, we would do well to see what the Bible says about fools and not to act like them. I want to tell you what a fool is.

[1:27] An atheist is defined as a fool. A fool is an unbeliever. Psalm 14 verse 1. It says, The fool hath said, In his heart there is no God.

[1:41] A fool is an unbeliever. An unbeliever is a fool. When you think of a fool, a fool who is an atheist, he has, he thinks, no sovereign authority over his thoughts and actions.

[1:56] No word of God to obey. No holy, righteous and just character of God that should cause him to blush with shame and embarrassment over his sin.

[2:08] That's what he thinks. But actually he has all those things. He has a sovereign authority. He has the word of God. He has a holy, righteous God to whom he must give account.

[2:20] The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. He is a fool. A fool. The Bible declares that there is absolutely no excuse, zilch excuse, to be an unbeliever.

[2:34] It's foolishness. Now I know we've read these verses in recent times, so I won't dwell on them. But Romans 1, it outlines it very clearly. Romans 1 from verse 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness because that which may be known of God is manifest in them.

[2:59] For God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen. Creation shows there's a God because there's a creator.

[3:11] I know when we were witnessing yesterday, one of the folk that we talked with, she said, I'm a pagan. And so we sort of explored, well, what do pagans believe?

[3:25] What is a pagan? And she said, well, paganism says, well, we worship nature. And I said, so you might worship trees and animals and plants and such.

[3:36] And she said, well, yeah. So they worship the creation rather than the creator. That's foolishness, surely, is it not? To worship creation, to worship a creature, the creature, instead of the creator.

[3:51] Surely we must see that. The creation of the world, the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen. It says, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

[4:10] It reads on, because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations. And their foolish, notice foolish, foolish heart was darkened.

[4:26] Their foolish heart was darkened, professing themselves to be wise. They became fools. There's many, you could say, highly intellectual fools, highly qualified fools, fools with lots of letters after their name, and doctors and such in front of their name, but they are still, what the Bible says, fools.

[4:48] Their foolish heart is darkened, professing themselves to be so wise, they became fools. So firstly, we see a fool is an unbeliever.

[4:59] Some people claim to be wise, but are really fools, as the Bible defines them. Let's take a look at what the Bible says, about fools and foolishness, and how to avoid foolishness.

[5:13] Learn instead how we can be wise. So another thing about fools is that a fool is ignorant. Proverbs 1 verse 7, it says, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

[5:26] But fools despise wisdom and instruction. A fool despises true wisdom. It's like they're a blind, blindfolded man, isn't it? Searching in the dark, but never finding wisdom.

[5:42] Really despising what is real wisdom and instruction. The Bible, the word of God, it's ignorance, and it's utter foolishness. No matter if the person is well schooled, to neglect and disregard the truth about God, is the mark of a fool.

[5:57] They are ignorant. It's the beginning of knowledge, is the word of God. The fear of the Lord. It's knowing him. Knowing the Lord God. Another similar scripture is Proverbs 1 verse 22.

[6:11] How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? And the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge. You know people like that. I do.

[6:22] They're scorners. They're mockers. They deride Christians, and Christianity, the Bible, Christian truth. They hate it. They hate knowledge.

[6:33] In contrast, it tells us here, that the wise, the wise person, will fear the Lord. It is the beginning of knowledge. But fools hate this knowledge.

[6:44] It's the first lesson in life's learning of wisdom, is, as we read before, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of it. That's grade one. That's kindergarten. The fear of the Lord.

[6:54] That's the beginning. That's the very start of wisdom. True wisdom. As much as we might go to worldly learning, and schools, and universities. I know, I've got a relative of mine, I think they've been in university for 10 years, or something.

[7:09] They've done one course after the other. They're like a professional student. We can acquire knowledge, and learning, but to miss this, is to miss everything. Isn't it? Another scripture is Proverbs 10, verse 23.

[7:21] It says, It is a sport to a fool to do mischief, but a man of understanding hath wisdom. Doing wickedness is like a sport. It's a game. It's a fun thing to do wicked things.

[7:34] So, a fool would think, they would mock and laugh, and make fun of Christians in the Bible. They show what they are. Fools. They make sport of it.

[7:48] They make light of it. It's a vanity. It's a game to them, that they play. But we cannot play games with God. Let us choose carefully, who we will walk with. What matters, is what way they are going.

[8:01] We can choose the company of fools. It says in Proverbs 13, 20, it says, He that walketh with wise men, shall be wise. But a companion of fools, shall be destroyed.

[8:12] Friends, we can follow the crowd. The Bible talks about, following a multitude to do evil. We ought to consider carefully, the company we keep.

[8:24] A fool is ignorant. And if you hang around a fool, you will get hurt. If you hang around a fool, you shall be, likewise fooled. Seek out instead, the company of the wise.

[8:39] That's why it's good to fellowship. That's why it's good to get together with God's people, every opportunity we can, because the companion of fools shall be destroyed, but he that walketh with the wise, shall be wise.

[8:53] So get smart. Get wisdom. Hang amongst God's people. Hang together with those who know the Lord. And learn from them. Walk with them. Walk the way they're going, because it's the right way.

[9:05] Another thing about a fool is that a fool will not listen. No, they just don't want to hear it. Blah, blah, blah. Try to tell them the gospel. And some people, not interested.

[9:16] You can't even utter a word to them. And they slam the door, and they slam the door of their heart. A fool will not listen to the gospel. It says in Proverbs 12, 15, The Bible talks about such, that they are feeling that they are right in their own eyes.

[9:42] It's all about their little blinkered, through their lens, through their kind of echo chamber of their philosophy of life. You've got your truth.

[9:55] I've got mine. But their truth is falsehood. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes. But he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. Instead of going like that, go like that.

[10:07] A fool will not listen. You can't tell them anything. You know people like that? Can't tell them anything. They know it all. Usually they're wet behind the ears. Not putting down our younger people.

[10:20] But, you know, some people are like that. It's just the culture. I think it's an Aussie thing, isn't it? It's probably a human thing. It's in every culture. But you just can't tell some people anything.

[10:31] They know it all. They close their ears to wise counsel. They are unteachable. A fool will not listen. You know, I've tried to counsel some people, and it's like you're banging your head against a brick wall.

[10:44] Here's what the Bible says. They won't be told anything and they especially won't tackle correction. They won't handle it. It's the sign of immaturity, isn't it? It's immaturity not to heed counsel.

[10:56] We can heed it and still disagree with it, but at least give it a hearing. All right? At least do that. That's only fair, isn't it? Some fools are like cheeky monkeys, cheeky little monkeys.

[11:09] Here's another one. Proverbs 15 verse 5. This fellow snook into my slides here. It's a picture of... Some people are like this, aren't they? Proverbs 15 verse 5.

[11:20] It says, A fool despiseth his father's instruction, but he that regardeth reproof is prudent. The fool rejects his father's discipline. It's...

[11:31] As much as we may... There's times I might disagree with my dad. Where is he? He's not in... Oh, there he is. He's hiding. So I can't... I've got to be careful what I say here.

[11:42] But, you know, my dad's not always right, I don't think. But he's right most of the time. And we'd do well to listen to our father's instruction, wouldn't we? And to regard, reprove.

[11:54] To regard, reprove. The Bible speaks about a father's discipline, a mother's discipline, that it's a good thing for us. We would do well to take heed of that.

[12:04] And the Bible speaks positively also about reproof, which means an admonition, a rebuke. We see in the Bible, it talks about reproof.

[12:14] The Bible has given us for reproof, for rebuke, for correction. There's a needful place for that. And so it's one of the purposes of the very word of God.

[12:25] But a fool will have none of it. They don't want to hear it. They will shut down the word of God. They'll shut down godly rebuke and counsel. The Bible says it's pointless trying to tell a fool something because they won't listen to us.

[12:41] Here's another one. Proverbs 23, verse 9. Speak not in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of thy words. You know people like that.

[12:52] You tell them about the gospel. You tell them about living for Christ and they're not teachable. They're not willing to learn. Where there's false doctrine, they won't listen to correction.

[13:05] A fool is not teachable. So do not try to reach them, really. Do not try to teach them. When you have someone who refuses to learn, really it's useless to talk to them. A fool is someone who won't be turned around.

[13:18] Now here's an even awful picture. In fact, it could have got a worse picture than this one. But the Bible pictures such a person as like a dog going back to what they have vomited up.

[13:29] It's not a pretty picture, really, is it? It's something gross and sick. That's the picture of a man who is intent on his foolish ways. That he returns to it. You correct them and they go back to it.

[13:41] You know people like that. You tell them, look, don't go that way. And they keep going it and they end up worse for it. And they're like a dog going back to the vomit. What an ugly picture that is.

[13:52] We won't, I won't elaborate, but you get the picture, don't you? In other words, a fool will keep doing the same dumb things over and over again. They don't learn from their mistakes.

[14:03] That's a picture of a fool. We do well to take heed, get smart and avoid that. Listen. Another thing about fools is that a fool thinks sin is funny.

[14:15] I think sin is funny. You know, the utter foul words, they should have the old-fashioned soap-in-the-mouth method. Some of these comedians on tally, don't you think? Some of these comedians, they make a mock at sin.

[14:28] Proverbs 14 verse 9, fools make a mock at sin, but among the righteous there is favour. Think of it. A lot of what passes for humour today is making fun of sin and sinful things.

[14:44] It's making out that crudity and foul language is something to laugh about. God says we should not use cursing and swearing and corrupt language.

[14:56] We should be guarding the lips. Sin is no laughing matter. This is no thing to laugh about. Dirty jokes, crass humour, innuendos.

[15:06] Sin is no laughing matter. And as God's people, we need to be mindful. Sinful thoughts and such things are not entertaining or funny for the Christian.

[15:18] They are something shameful and hateful. Does the crowd we gather with delight in such crass humour, crudity and vulgarity?

[15:32] It's what is on the screen such, then turn it off. Sin. It's a violation of God's law. It's no funny thing to laugh at sin.

[15:43] Sin is serious. You do wrong and you face the penalty for it. It's the same on the road, isn't it? It's no laughing matter to face up to wrongdoing.

[15:56] You do wrong and you pay the penalty. You face the penalty. Think of what the Bible speaks to us of sin. Sin dishonours and displeases the almighty God.

[16:07] Sin separates us from God, it says in Isaiah 59. Sin destroys character, our testimony. Our sin sent the Saviour to the cross. Is it something we should laugh about and make fun of?

[16:21] Make it some dirty joke? Judah was rebuked for calling evil good and good evil. Isaiah 5 verse 20.

[16:31] The Bible tells us plainly of a time to come and I think it is very true of these days where they call evil good and good evil, don't they? It's this warped flip-flopping of everything that's right is wrong and everything that's wrong is right.

[16:48] But for us that are no him, it says ye that love the Lord hate evil. There's a good kind of hate to have. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil.

[16:59] It's good to hate sin and hate evil things and evil doing. The Bible says we should hate evil. It's a good thing to hate that which is evil.

[17:09] that which is against God. So get smart and hate evil. Another thing about fools is that a fool trusts in his own heart. What is right in his own eyes and he trusts it says in his own heart.

[17:24] Proverbs 28 verse 26 it says he that trusteth in his own heart is a fool but whoso walketh wisely he shall be delivered.

[17:35] Now it's a common saying these days isn't it? People often will say follow your heart be true to yourself be the best version of me of your own making.

[17:49] Some would say love yourselves in a fully self-centered kind of way. Yet we're told clearly in the Bible not to trust our own heart.

[18:01] Our heart is deceitful desperately wicked not to trust in it but rather to place our heart's trust in the Lord in him as again I know that I've touched on this one in recent days too trust in the Lord with all thine heart lean not onto thine own understanding in all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy past be not wise in thine own eyes don't have that blinker being right and wise in your own eyes rather fear the Lord and depart from evil so fools are determined not to trust God or God's ways so the alternative the opposite the contrary get smart trust in God don't trust in your own heart another thing about a fool is a fool loses his cool or her cool Ecclesiastes 7 verse 9 it says be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry for anger resteth in the bosom of fools now

[19:05] I've had occasion to talk about anger with some folk and there is a place for anger anger is a natural normal human emotion the Bible tells us in Ephesians be angry yeah there's a place for it but sin not when anger leads to sin anger leads to that rage and that malevolence and that hatefulness and that unforgiveness and that bitterness and that wanting to get even we should keep our cool shouldn't we it can be that some lose their cool such that they do commit gross things don't they in their rage they lose control but a fool does not know how to control themselves they fly off the handle something just boom and boom the smoke comes out of their ears and they start to salivate they fly off the handle and lose their temper and they lash out of course no one here would be like that but we know that it can happen it's human and we've got to guard against it don't we

[20:11] I have to not that Julie ever annoys me but I'm sure that I often annoy her but there's that sense where we want to keep our cool keep our cool it tells us along this line in Proverbs 14 16 that a wise man feareth and departeth from evil but the fool rageth and is confident it's got that sense that they're overconfident they're reckless they're careless they don't listen to warnings they blow their stack and point the finger and it's all blame on others contrary the wise man feareth the wise man is wise to evil the wise person will be careful and steer clear of it so the nature of the fool is to be careless and we know as an atheist they're careless about eternal things about their eternal destiny about their condition before the almighty god they're careless careless with eternal things with wisdom and truth with the word of god they mock it and reject it they're careless with the warnings that urge them to trust christ they're careless with even their money and their possessions it tells how there is a treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise but a foolish man spendeth it up proverbs 21 20 so i feel like self control a wise person will know how to use money wisely and not waste it you know look in your concordance about the word waster the bible tells us not to be a waster warns against being a waster some they just they get money and they just throw it away they just drink it up or you know throw it away waste fully use it take it down the pokies a wise man is not a waster they're the opposite of that a fool does not take hair they don't follow the consequences of their actions but the wise will wisely live they will be careful and there'll be a treasure there but the fool there's no self control it's just squandered and wasted so get smart keep your temper find that self control really it's

[22:40] God control isn't it anyway it's it's a higher level than self control it's God control that God keeps you under control that we're under his watch we're under his mastery another thing about fools is that a fool is a blabber mouth you get people like that you know just can't stop talking they're just blah blah blah blah a fool's voice is known by a multitude of words it says ecclesiastes 5 verse 3 they'll talk a load of foolishness they can be so full of their own opinions and so called wisdom it's a monologue with a fool isn't it you get that you can't have an intelligent conversation it's all a one way they're just spouting and they don't actually open their ears and listen to the other and they just want to tell their own story rather than ever listening so proverbs 15 2 talks about the tongue of the wise use of knowledge aright but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness the tongue of the wise use of knowledge aright but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness now someone has once said better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt it's a good advice isn't it better to say nothing than to say something and then people realise you don't know what you're talking about a wise person will think before they speak they'll be slow to speak they'll be careful what they say people measure you by what you say don't they and they'll hold it against you sometimes our mouth can get us into a load of trouble that we could have avoided if we hadn't said things thoughtlessly another scripture likewise is proverbs 29 11 it says a fool uttereth all his mind but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards they'll just offload you know they engage tongue before brain so get smart and hold your tongue and friends we've heard all these stories these characteristics of a fool and it behoves us to consider where are we at are we a fool or are we wise now I know how Julie loves to tell her testimony how one day she heard a preacher preach about the rich fool of Luke 12 from verse 16 to 21 and it's a picture of one who was a fool who faced

[25:14] God and the preacher said thou fool this night thy soul is required of thee and that was very telling to Julie and it made her consider her eternal destiny and her standing before God and she didn't want to be in that category of being a fool at judgment time she wanted to be saved and so she trusted Christ that very night the Bible says one day it will be an accounting time the Bible says that every one of us shall give account of our souls to him the Bible tells of this one such fool who faced God he was known as the rich fool but God said unto him Luke 12 verse 20 thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee then who shall those things be which thou hast provided here he was he thought well my barns are full of plenty I'm all set for retirement now I've got it all saved up and chock-a-block and I've got everything hunky-dory everything's tickety-boo

[26:16] I'm all set for just taking a free easy ride now for the rest of my days but God said no time's up now's accounting time now's judgment day and this man this fool he'd ignored his most valuable possession he provided well for his physical body but he completely neglected his spirit he had it all in store for his material things but his spiritual state was empty a fool a fool in the bible we see a fool is ignorant self-centered unwilling to take counsel rejecting god's word the challenge of the scriptures the challenge to salvation now a fool may be wonderfully successful as the world recounts it they could be a hero applauded lauded loved you may know such fools they're often on the front pages of the glossy magazines down at the supermarket they may be movie stars or royalty or rock stars or wealthy individuals who start companies maybe even people we vote into office god forbid they may be fools we may be governed by fools i think we are sometimes friends a fool is somebody out of relationship with god that's the bottom line that's really the bottom line so what should believers do when we see these things of foolishness of fools what should we do as god's people i put to you we should take a different path from the fool it says in proverbs 9 verse 6 forsake the foolish and live and go in the way of understanding take that road less traveled it says don't follow a multitude to do evil exodus 23 verse 2 forsake the foolish and live and go in the way of understanding often the crowd is going the wrong way see those pictures of the crowd wanting something that's all fleshly and entertaining and then you see the small number who actually care about gospel truth it's been said never let a fool kiss you and never let a kiss fool you don't follow the foolish don't follow them forsake them go in the way of understanding go with god's people go god's way beware lest a fool fool you don't hang around the fools that you meet in life we know we want to reach them yes we want to touch them we want to minister we want to see them saved but we don't hang around them as matey mates do we because they're continuing to reject and they can bring us harm and hurt if they won't listen then leave them be forsake the foolish it tells us further cast out the scorner proverbs 22 10 cast out the scorner and contention shall go out yea strife and reproach shall cease there's a time to cut people off who are scorners contenders they're fools it's sad but that's what the bible tells us they are in contrast to foolishness we see the lord wants us to be wise so we looked a lot at fools now let's look at the opposite here what the contrast is the fool and the wise the lord wants us to be wise it says

[29:50] Ephesians 5 17 wherefore be ye not unwise don't be foolish but be understanding what the will of the lord is it tells us we're not to walk as fools but as wise proverbs 1 7 says the fear of the lord is the beginning of knowledge but fools despise wisdom and instruction so how can we get smart how do we get smart the smartest thing we can do not of our own wisdom or knowledge but god's highest wisdom is to trust christ isn't it to be saved that's the best and worthiest and most noble thing you can do is to trust his offer of the gift of salvation and to receive it a wise person is the opposite of a fool they're a believer not an unbeliever they will yield to god and claim his claim on their life they will love wisdom they'll want it they'll hunger and thirst after it they'll determine what is right by what god has revealed this will be the test not what's right in my own eyes what's right in god's eyes that's what matters what god has revealed not what feels right to me and will be such that will hate sin we won't laugh at it when we hear a dirty joke or some smutty remark or some crass crude language there's nothing to laugh at or smile at when they mock christ and christianity and use the lord's name in vain and make light of godly and holy things we don't laugh at that that's a shameful thing a sad thing we feel sorry for them who would do that proverbs 2 verse 6 it says for the lord giveth wisdom out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding he's the source of it he's the source of wisdom out of his mouth in other words out of his word his knowledge and understanding so get that get smart get the word get the word in keep putting it in now garbage in garbage out good things in good things out proverbs 2 verse 6 the lord giveth wisdom so every true christian every person in christ has that real wisdom christ is that very source he's the fountain the source of true wisdom and i know we read this earlier today speaking of sanctification but likewise wisdom it says christ is made unto us wisdom of him are ye in christ jesus 1 corinthians 1 30 who of god is made unto us he has made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption it says of our precious lord in whom are here all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge he's the very treasure trove he's that that treasure that that treasure chest isn't he that all the wisdom all the knowledge all the treasures of it it's in christ and we who are in christ have access to that wisdom we don't have to get some treasure map and go searching for it just trust christ but he is that treasure trove of wisdom and knowledge and we must walk in that wisdom abiding in christ who is the wisdom of god it tells us we who are filled with the spirit of christ can know that spirit of wisdom and understanding again speaking of christ the spirit of the lord shall rest upon him it says in isaiah 11 verse 2 and not only does the spirit of the lord rest upon our lord who is that spirit of wisdom that spirit of knowledge and the fear of the lord that spirit is in us his spirit his holy spirit he the spirit of god and so friends think of it as we close to consider

[33:51] we are to walk in wisdom it's that road less traveled to trust christ against the crowd to go against the flow to walk in wisdom circumspectly in other words looking out for those potholes watch your step using every moment wisely to see god's plans made full and complete to complete your mission on planet earth you've got your mission if you choose to accept it and really it's true isn't it use your god-given time carefully so as a wise person we'll realize the danger of sin's appeal and powerful grip we won't take sin lightly such that we mock at it and laugh at it experience has taught the wise that indulging in sin brings dreadful consequences separation from the presence of god hinders our fellowship it brings a carnal mindset it brings a hardness of heart the wise person will steer from sin steer away from it rather fear god foolishness is sin and sin is foolishness sin our world is filled stained by it consumed with it the world is fueled by it before the fall there was no lust and lying pride and selfishness anger and hate and perversion adam and eve lived in that pure sin free environment and that would be the ultimate climate change wouldn't it to go back to the garden to know that that's the climate change

[35:26] I'm looking forward to the climate change of heaven as it were but there will be that perfect environment again but consider the price of adam and eve what they lost they lost it all they blew it all why because of foolishness wasn't it it was foolishness they lost it by that utterly foolish decision to disobey god and they were banished forever from the garden and so we see now the result a global curse thorns and poison and disease and barrenness the long term consequences of that climate change if you like really isn't it how the whole human race bears the sickness and death and disease and worst of all man's nature wants sin as a foolishness that's kind of almost resident in us to rebel as the ultimate fool satan did against the creator that day and all of this came really from one just one act of disobedience but thankfully brothers and sisters here tonight we can turn from such foolishness to faith the opposite in a way really the opposite to foolishness is faith is faith in christ it tells us in part here titus 3 from verse 3 for we ourselves also were sometimes foolish paul says to titus we were foolish when we were lost when we were an unbeliever he says we were foolish we were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving diverse lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another but after that the kindness and love of our god our saviour toward man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy ghost so brothers and sisters here tonight we've heard a whole lot about a whole host of different fools the characteristics of fools you see them here fools of every persuasion the description of them what does the bible say just a quick recap the fool according to the bible is an unbeliever an atheist that's the ultimate fool to not believe the creator is to be the ultimate fool to see creation the heavens declare the glory of god they're blind surely they must have a blindness and they do in their hearts the bible says the fool is an unbeliever ignorant despising wisdom won't listen ah bible nah they make all kinds of silly excuses to not even touch the page oh i might get convicted if i read it they won't listen they think sin is funny they'll tune in to the dirty filthy comedians and they'll laugh themselves silly mocking and blaspheming his very name they think sin is funny they trust in their own heart oh i'm my own god you know what does what's her name say oprah winfrey she's just one example isn't she really a poor deceived woman but she's one of many fools fools and they they think they know they know the best they know more than god they'll trust in their own sinful heart and what it tells them to do and a fool will lose their cool no self control they just fly off the handle explode

[39:27] rage the fool is a blabber mouth friends all of these things are features of the fool but really the ultimate and the essential one is they do not believe they're an atheist and friends the counting day is coming the fool will face judgment as the rich fool of luke 12 thank god we were once foolish i can identify with that there was a time i did not believe i was once foolish but then it says god's kindness and love and mercy has saved us his grace has justified us and the reading in titus goes on how we ought to be careful to engage in good works and we should it should have an impact on our walk that we believe so friends just to close the wisest thing that we can do is to be the very opposite of a fool be the polar opposite of a fool not to be an unbeliever but a believer not to be ignorant but to love wisdom cherish it yearn for it hunger for it not to not listen but to listen and learn be teachable not to laugh at sin but take it seriously and avoid it not to trust in our own heart in pride fleshliness but rather to trust in the

[40:48] Lord not to lose our cool but to keep calm and exercise self-control be a testimony not to be a blabber mouth blah blah blah but to be careful what we say and speak wisdom minister love and truth give the gospel that's the best thing you can do with your mouth and what you can say share your faith let us pray Lord we thank you that your word tells us much of this one this fool we know there's some people we love who are fools Lord people we care about Lord we pray that they might turn around that you might see that transforming power of your gospel touch them Lord that they can trust you Lord instead of trusting themselves they'll trust in you Lord instead of doing what's right in their own eyes they'll do what's right in your eyes what is truly right instead of the world's wisdom so-called they'll know the wisdom that is perfect from above

[41:55] Lord we pray each one here today each one of us might know Lord guide us is the things that we've done that are the likes of what a fool would do help us Lord to steer from that not to follow fools not to follow after them not to be like them but rather to be like you you are our wisdom Lord it's not really of ourselves of our learning of our making it's yours Lord you are our wisdom and Lord help us to know that pray if there's any yet to trust you that they might make that absolute firm best greatest decision is simply to receive your gift of salvation and know your saving power know yes I trust you you died on the cross for my sin rose again from the dead and you can live in my heart by faith as I trust you and know you Lord that we can know that today and each one can walk in the truth of that

[42:57] Lord all to your praise we ask in Jesus precious name Amen