THIS IS NO APRIL FOOLS! 4/1/12

ALL MY LIFE April 1st has been called April Fool’s Day. In France during the 1500's All Fools Day began, and eventually spread to other countries. Personally I never did like the antics of April Fools Day; nor did I play major tricks on others. Needless to say, I was always embarrassed when I was the brunt of these foolish jokes.

NOT EVERYONEhas that inner desire to make someone else feel like a fool. But a few are still hanging around, just waiting for that certain person, to either degrade or make a fool. Wasn’t it Orson Wells reading a dooms day proclamation over the radio that caused a great deal of confusion and later it was determined that it was a deception? I assume there are still some out there who remember that! I bet they remember how they felt and how angry they were when it was confirmed not true.

I CHALLENGE the avid reader of the Bible to look at Proverbs and see just how many times the word ‘fool’ is mentioned. It might surprise you! God was aware of the fool. He must have been, to address the fool is so many different aspects of foolery. I began a Ladies Sunday School lesson by asking them to search Proverbs for some ‘fool’ scriptures. It didn’t take long and it was easy. The question that morning was; “Can you identify with one or more of these fools?”

A FOOL is one who can be defined as “one who speaks and acts contrary to reason.” God applied this title to many in the Bible. We talk about the foolishness of man but God tells us that to call a man a fool can be dangerous. “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother, shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother Raca shall be guilty before the supreme court and whoever shall say; ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.” Matthew 5:22 Raca means scoundrel; stupid; the Jews used it as a word of contempt. This scripture says that you are guilty before the court when you are angry with your brother and even when you say raca. But to call someone a fool, we will be guilty enough, that we could end up in the fiery hell.

“THE FOOL says in his heart, ‘there is no God.’ They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none that does good.” Psalms 14:1 This fool denies the existence of God! “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.” Proverbs 18:2 This is someone who refuses to reason and believes only in what he thinks.

THIS APRIL FIRST the Christian world calls it, Palm Sunday. This is when Jesus makes His triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. He comes in among the shouts of Hosanna, and the waving of palm branches, laying them on the road so His trusty steed would walk upon them. The people were paying homage to their expected king, although the peoples kingdom was earthly, while Jesus’ plans were heavenly. “And when He drew near and saw the city He wept over it, saying; “Would that even today, you knew the things that make for peace! But now they are hid from your eyes. For the days shall come upon you, when your enemies will cast up a bank about you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another in you; because you did not know the time of your visitation.” Luke 19:41-44 In Matthew 13 Jesus says; “How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!”

THE ROMAN’s did come into Jerusalem and slaughtered the people just as Jesus said. They were not prepared for such a time. “Professing to be wise, they became fools.” Romans 1:22 In Revelation God says we are to stand firm and be ready! We are not sufficient unto ourselves. We need the Savior! Today is Palm Sunday. Today is the day we remember Jesus’ last visit to Jerusalem; His last week before His death on the cross. And upon the eight day Jesus arose from the grave. This is fact! A non Christian, Jewish Historian, Josephus writes; “Although condemned to the cross, He appeared alive on the third day!” This is no April Fools! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 3/29/12