Month: May 2008

Fools, Foolishness and Folly – Part III

On By KateIn Bible Studies2 Comments

II. The Do’s and Don’ts of a Fool

A. A fool does hate knowledge and wisdom

Read Proverbs 1:7, 22; 15:5. (Verses 7 and 5, Verse 22)

Notice the strength of these words! “Despise wisdom, and instruction”; “FOOLS HATE KNOWLEDGE”. They will not listen to instruction!

Just think of all the things a hatred of instruction, knowledge and wisdom lead to.

No wonder a fool’s foolishness and folly is sin and the end is destruction!

Proverbs 6:23 – says,

“the reproofs of instruction are the way of life.”

The fool does not know how to live because he hates instruction!

A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself. ~Proverbs 18:2

A fool does not care to understand you, or the lesson you are trying to teach.

The fool is so proud, which breeds selfishness and all the fool cares about is himself: he wants you to discover him!

The fool wants you to hear his ideas.

The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness. ~Proverbs 15:14

The fool does not hunger for instruction, knowledge and wisdom; he hungers for foolishness, (vanity, worldly pleasure, idle and unprofitable talk.)

Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words. ~Proverbs 23:9

This verse is teaching that we are not to give advice to a fool.

The fool will hate the very words of wisdom you are trying to teach him.

King Solomon was actually teaching Reheboam not to even advise the fool.

Mark it down; if the fool hates the instruction, he will hate the instructor.

A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother. ~Proverbs 15:20

Why does the fool hate his mother? Because she instructs him.

B. The Fool Does Love His Own Knowledge

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. ~Proverbs 12:15

We have, and we will read other verses that also show the pride and arrogance of the fool. He is attracted to his own knowledge.

He wants to hear his own ideas, instruction, knowledge and wisdom. Not God’s!

A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident. ~Proverbs 14:16

The fool knows he can handle the sin.

The bottle cannot addict him, he can handle his drink

The fool can smoke and not become addicted to nicotine.

The fool can do so much, he knows he can!

The fool is the one who can play with fire, thinking he will not get burned. Stay away so you do not get burned too!

The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD. ~Proverbs 19:3

The knowledge and wisdom of the fool misleads him. The path he trod’s is well traveled but its end is destruction and death.

C. The Fool Does Reveal His Foolishness

The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so. ~Proverbs 15:7

Notice a couple of things from this verse.

1. The fool does not share knowledge. The fool only wants to share his own foolish ideas of folly.

2. The fool cannot share knowledge, for knowledge enters the mind and lodges in the heart and the fool does not have a heart for knowledge and wisdom, and besides his heart cannot be trusted.

A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness. ~Proverbs 12:23

The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit. ~Proverbs 14:8

A fool cannot help but express himself and to teach his foolishness.

The fool thinks he is speaking knowledge, but his very words are betraying him and revealing that he is a fool.

Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly. ~Proverbs 13:16

The fool reveals that he conducts his business without counsel.

The fool reveals that he is a fool by openly expressing himself.

“If a fool holds his peace he may pass for a wise man.”

The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly. ~Proverbs 14:24

It is sin when the fool, by behaving foolishly commits folly.

~Pastor Don Moore~

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Post Turtle

On By KateIn Political2 Comments

While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old Texas rancher, whose hand was caught in a gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Obama and his bid to be our President.

The old rancher said, “Well, ya know, Obama is a ‘post turtle’.’ Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a ‘post turtle’ was.

The old rancher said, “When you’re driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that’s a ‘post turtle’.”

The old rancher saw a puzzled look on the doctor’s face, so he continued to explain. “You know he didn’t get up there by himself, he doesn’t belong up there, he doesn’t know what to do while he is up there, and you just wonder what kind of dumb idiot put him up there!’

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Mary, Mother of God?

On By KateIn Catholicism2 Comments

Semantics – this is what you will encounter when you have a discussion with a catholic about Mary. One can go around in circles discussing Mary being the mother of Jesus Christ. The catholics say she is the mother of God because Jesus is God.

While they are correct in stating that Jesus is God, they are not correct in stating that Mary is the mother of God. That would put God in a position of being created, just as our children had a beginning. It would also put the Trinity as separate Gods, which we know that this is not so, according to 1 John 5:7.

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. ~1 John 5:7

God is not human – God is Spirit. He has always existed.

For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy ~Isaiah 57:15a

Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, ~2 Timothy 1:9

In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; ~Titus 1:2

No human can claim that he is eternal. Jesus, Who is God, had to take on human form to come to earth to complete the mission of dying on the cross for our sins. He is God – He is Spirit. The human form was only a shell – a vessel, if you will – for Him to manifest Himself to us.

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. ~John 4:24

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. ~1Timothy 3:16

Since Jesus, Who is God, had no beginning because He is eternal, how could He have a mother? Only his manifested body had a mother. But His Spirit never had a mother. It is wrong to say that Mary is the mother of God because she is not. This would have to separate the Trinity and we know that the Trinity is One! Jesus being God, and God being Spirit, had to take on human form – it is that form that needed a vessel to carry Him into this world. It is, however, correct to say that she is the mother of Jesus – God in flesh form. We can argue the point and go round in circles.

Mary was a special woman in that God chose her to be the vessel to bring His Son into the world. But her “specialness” ended there. A whole doctrine (Mariology) has been invented based on this very topic. The official catholic dogma came into being in the year 431 A.D., according to the catholic encyclopedia. Prior to that, the early church did not regard her as the mother of God but as the mother of Jesus.

The fact of the matter is that God is Spirit and God had no beginning. Therefore, God cannot have a mother. It is not rocket science.

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Fools, Foolishness and Folly – Part II

On By KateIn Bible Studies2 Comments

C. The fool is proud

In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride but the lips of the wise shall preserve them. ~Proverbs 14:3

The word means perverse, silly. “Ev-eel”.

This may be the easiest way to detect a fool, by his pride!

Pride is the root of all foolishness/sin; it is the root of selfishness.

Pride is a “rod of speech” with which the fool strikes down others, many times to build himself up, sometimes to show off his intelligence, and oft’ times just because he is foolish.
Often times this is done with an arrogant, or a condescending tone of voice and attitude.

Many people are so self-absorbed/consumed with their own education/intelligence that they belittle anybody who has a different belief, idea, or opinion ~ That Is Pride!

Bishop Taylor wrote:

“Remember what thou wert before thy birth – nothing; what thou wert for many years after, – weakness; what in all thy life, – a great sinner; what in all thy excellences, – a mere debtor to God, to thy parents, to the earth, to the creatures. Upon these or like meditations, if we dwell, and frequently retire to them, we shall see nothing more reasonable than to be humble, and nothing more foolish than to be proud.”

A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself. ~Proverbs 18:2

You can recognize a fool, for he does not care to understand you, or understand how to resolve your problems (he does not, for he already has the answer).

He is only interested in his own ideas.

He likes talking about himself. It is just another form of egotism.

His greatest sin is not understanding that he is a sinner.

His response is

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God… ~Psalm 14:1a

The fool is pictured by the New Testament Pharisee who went to the altar and said,

“I am glad, O God; that I am not as this Publican. For I have given my tithe, come to church daily, I am a good man!”

Jesus said that Pharisee is a fool for he deceives himself and he is proud of what he thinks he is!

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. ~Proverbs 14:12

So far, we have learned that a fool is clamorous, deceived, and deceitful, and very proud of himself.

D. The fool has “wandering eyes”

Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. ~Proverbs 17:24

A fool has a wandering gaze, an “unsettled mind”.

He has no focus on faith, knowledge, understanding, or wisdom.

The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness:… ~Ecclesiastes 2:14a

The Bible says

Be still and know that I am God.

The fool has difficulty stopping, and being still long enough to focus on God, for his focus is on himself!

Story:

A party of preachers were in conversation one day, they were each talking of their success in preaching. One of them said, “Gentlemen, I once converted a man with my eyes.”

He explained, “A straggler once entered my church, and, casting his looks toward me, he thought I was staring him in the face.

To avoid my observation, he went from door to door, but kept thinking I was staring at him. He decided he would stare at me, causing me to lose my composure. His attention then was focused on what I said and his sentiments and conduct from that day underwent a complete change.”

E. A fool trusts his own heart, he trusts himself

He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. ~Proverbs 28:26

People often advise others to “go with their heart,” that is foolish! It is unscriptural; it is ungodly!

Again, that is what Psalm 14:1a is saying,

I trust my own heart, I do not need to trust Christ.

Jeremiah 17:7-10

Notice a couple of things from this passage:

1. Notice what our heart is: deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked! It is not to be trusted!

2. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord. ~Jeremiah 17:7a

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. ~Proverbs 3:5

Notice the contrast in the wise man and the foolish man.

The wise man realizes what he is, he does not deceive himself.

The wise man knows he is a sinner and in need of Christ.

The foolish man deceives himself into thinking he is good and “There are none good, no not one!”

So a fool is one who deceives himself into thinking he is good and he is proud of his goodness (though it really does not exist),

So he thinks he has no reason to listen and understand the words of God and the fool will lie about those he hates.

Someone said,

“None but a fool is always right.”

Story:

Alphonsus, King of Castile studied astronomy and found what he thought was an irregularity. He said,

“If I had been alive when the Maker of the world was at work, I could have given Him some good advice.”

Put an “I am a fool” sign on him!

Stupid Story:

A man wanted to rob a bank in downtown San Francisco, a Bank of America branch. He walked in, used a deposit slip to say “this is a stickup. Put all your money into this bag.” The man became worried that someone saw him write out his bank holdup note. So, he left the line, and went across the street to the Wells Fargo Bank. He waited in line there and when he finally reached the teller’s window, he handed her the misspelled holdup note. The teller looked at the misspellings and realized he was not “the sharpest knife in the drawer” and told him he had to either fill out a Wells Fargo deposit slip, or go back to the Bank of America.

Looking defeated, he went back to the Bank of America. While standing in line there he was arrested.

Put the sign on this fella! But, do not let him spell the words!

The word “foolish” generally means stupid/silly/wicked/perverse.

Though all of us are foolish at times and we do foolish thing at times, we do not have to be a fool!

There are some things a fool does, and does not do.

~Pastor Don Moore~

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Did Jesus have brothers and sisters or not?

On By KateIn CatholicismLeave a comment

One of the catholic church’s main doctrines in Mariology is that Mary never had children after Jesus. To support this theory, the pope had to come to the conclusion that the Mary spoken of in the verses below are “another” Mary. Let’s look at what the Word of God says on this topic. Read for yourself and see what conclusion you come to after reading them:

~Matthew 13:55-56 Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? (55) And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? (56)

~Mark 6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.

The catholic catechism gives this explanation:

“The Church has always understood these passages as not referring to other children of the Virgin Mary. In fact James and Joseph, ‘brothers of Jesus,’ are the sons of another Mary, a disciple of Christ…” Pg. 126 #500).

The Greek word brother in Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3 is the same Greek word as in John 1:41:

~John 1:41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

The catholic church does not question that Andrew’s brother was Peter. But because they have to make their doctrine “fit,” they say that Jesus’ brothers were that of another Mary! This is clearly the same Mary as Jesus’ mother. In fact, Jesus even said that they were of his own house:

~Matthew 13:57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

Furthermore, how can the catholic church say that it was another Mary? Look at what it says at the beginning of Matthew 15:55:

~Matthew 13:55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary?

Give me a break! This is as clear as water, my friend! How can you be so misled? All false doctrine can be detected by simply opening God’s Word in Deuteronomy 18 and Jeremiah 28. He has stated that if any prophet make claims that are contrary to the Word of God, he is a false prophet and what he preaches is false doctrine. So the catholic church comes up with papal infallibility and that settles the matter for the catholic church. They can supersede what God’s Word says and they don’t have to worry about it. That is so wrong!

Every man and woman on this earth has the right to know the truth. People spend countless hours in study and money to find out who assassinated President Kennedy. But they won’t lift a finger to find out if the catholic church is filling their heads with lies. How very sad indeed.

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Fools, Foolishness and Folly – Part I

On By KateIn Bible StudiesLeave a comment

Pastor Don Moore has allowed me this awesome opportunity to post his Bible studies on my blog as a guest. I hope you enjoy his study as much as I did! It is quite long so I will post it in several parts.

This is a Bible study that I taught over several weeks time, so it is going to be long here. This is just one chapter in a series on PROVERBS which I presented to the church I was pastoring in the early 2000’s.

I trust it will be beneficial in your life!

Brother Moore

Introduction:

All of us have done foolish things, and all of us have known people who are fools.

Apart from wisdom, there is probably no subject discussed more in the Proverbs than the subject of fools.

Now, for almost every occasion in the Proverbs, the words fools, foolishness, and folly all have one thing in common – the word means “stupid“.

Dr. John R. Rice said,

“A fool may be intelligent, but he is also arrogant and of a stubborn mind.”

Just because somebody possesses knowledge, that is not a guarantee that he is wise.

I have a friend that sends me email articles of people who should be given a sign to wear – a sign that says “I am stupid.”

Fool Story:

A fella from Arkansas wanted some beer real bad. So he took a cement block and threw it at the window of a liquor store. The block bounced back, hit the man in the head and knocked him out. The window was made of plexiglas and it was all caught on video tape.

Give the man his sign! He is a fool!

Another thing about foolishness is that it is sin! Wicked, vile!

As we go through the verses, I will give examples of each of the definitions, but all the words combined teach us that a fool, foolishness, and folly is somebody who is perverse ~ they change good into bad ~

Example:

Grain is good, beer is bad; grapes are good, wine is bad.

The words generally mean silly, to despise, disgrace, dishonor, to lightly esteem, to fall away, or come to naught.

There is the story about David and Abigail in the Bible. Abigail was married to a man, his name is Nabal. Abigail asked David, “Did not my husband behave as his name defines/describes him?”

One of the Hebrew words for fool; is nabal. He wore a sign!

So fool, foolishness, folly means stupid, silly, and is sin. Perversion!

As we look at these verses, we will place them in one of four groups.

√ Description of a Fool.

√ Displaying Foolishness, and Folly.

√ Warnings, and Instruction concerning fools, foolishness, and folly.

√ What to do with a Fool.

I. DESCRIPTION OF A FOOL

A. She is clamorous

A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing. ~Proverbs 9:13

The word here means stupid, or silly. “A foolish woman is clamorous:”

In chapters 8 and 9, we have wisdom personified as a female; that is also true here with foolishness.

This foolish woman is a picture of carnality (worldliness), sensuality and she is quarrelsome.

So this foolish woman is worldly, controlled by her emotion, she is quarrelsome.

When Mrs. Job suggested that Job die, he said, “You are speaking as one of the foolish women speaks.”

B. A fool is deceitful

He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander is a fool. ~Proverbs 10:18

A man who will lie to hide hatred; and a man who will slander another is a fool.

He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him. ~Proverbs 26:24

This fella is foolish for a couple of reasons:

1. He lays up deceit. He listens to deceit, then allows deceit to reside in his mind, and then lodge in his heart.

2. Then he begins to dissemble the one he hates.

Psalms 15:1-3; Psalm 101:5 “Whoso privily slandereth his neighbor, him will I cut off: him that hath a high look and proud heart will I not suffer.”

The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the follow of fools is deceit. ~Proverbs 14:8

A fool lays up deceit. He deceives himself and others.

What this fool is doing is cheating himself and others.

It is like the child who does not study for the test, but convinces (deceives) himself he knows the material. When the test does come, and the test of life comes, he finds that he has cheated himself and has failed!

The phrase “know thyself” is a good lesson for us!

We should know what we are: a sinner, a dust ball (we were created from dirt.)

We should know our capabilities and work to improve them.

We should know our limitations and not be deceived.

We should know that we can do all things through Christ.

But the fool deceives himself in ignoring what he is and is not and convinces himself that he is what he is not.

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