BEING A FOOL

“But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided” (Luke 12:20 NKJV).

In context, this farmer had a very good year. However, his prosperity only inspired him to think of buildings and banqueting. He had no thoughts about his spiritual needs and eternity. Therefore, God spoke to him in judgment. Thus, we want to note the description of the farmer, the destiny of the farmer, and the distribution of the farmer’s riches.

Description of the farmer - “Fool.” God calls this farmer a fool because what he was planning was foolish. The world, on the other hand, would praise the farmer. His wealth would impress the world, and his intended lifestyle (building and banqueting) is what the world prefers and honors. “The wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; he blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord” (Psalm 10:3); and “men will praise you when you do well for yourself” (Psalm 49:18). But while the farmer would be praised by the world, God still called him a “fool.” God was right; the man ignored the needs of his soul.

Destiny of the farmer - “This night your soul will be required of you.” What a shock! Here this farmer was planning for a life of ease and banqueting for “many years” (Luke 12:19), but suddenly finds out that he has run out time that very day. He was preparing for everything else but death; a death that he would meet in a few hours. The farmer, like so many folks today are so taken up with the interest of the flesh that they completely ignored the important needs of the spirit. Such attitude will lead to an eternity in hell.

Distribution of the farmer’s riches - “Then whose will those things be which you have provided?” There are many lessons to be learned from this story. However, the main focus here is that we cannot take our riches with us when we die. The farmer would leave it all behind. That which occupied his entire interests in life would not profit him in eternity. No wonder he was called a “fool.”

(Adapted from Butler’s Daily Reading 2)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“Our priorities determine our destiny; may we choose to prioritize the things of God above all else!”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834 - 1892)

English Particular Baptist Preacher

Word Study

Face

In Acts 27:15 we read, “And when the ship was caught in it and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and let ourselves be driven along" (NASB).

“Face” is the Greek word antophthalméō (ἀντοφθαλμέω = ant-of-thal-meh'-o). It is made up of two words: “anti” which means against, and “ophthalmost” which means eyes. This word only occurs here in the New Testament, and it means to look directly at, to direct the eye against another who is looking. In classical Greek the literal meaning of antophthalméō is to look in the face. Thus, it is to look the person in the face; it is to face straight ahead. Here in Acts 27:15, it speaks of the ship not being able “to face” the wind. To face the wind is a nautical phrase still in use today.

“Fear Nots” Found in the Bible

“But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole” (Luke 8:50 KJV).

Did You Know…

Besides being priests from the tribe of Levi, the Levites were separated from the other 12 tribes in that they did not receive a share of the land (Deut. 18:1-2).

Bible Quiz

What were the two different ways the men of Gideon’s army drank water from the stream?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: What was the name of the second son of David and Bathsheba? Solomon (2 Sam. 12:24).

Names For the Lord Jesus in the Bible

“SHILOH”

"The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes” (Gen. 49:10 NJKV).

1. Meaning – SHILOH speaks of the Lord Jesus as the promised Messiah, who alone has the right to claim rule over God’s people.

2. Insights – A “scepter” is a symbol of kingship; it represents the authority of the government to rule over the affairs of the people (cf. Num. 24:17; Psalm 45:6; Isa 14:5). This prediction declares that kingship will remain in the tribe of Judah until the One great king comes to whom it belongs forever. Thus, it speaks of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ who is from the line of Judah. He is the great King of the royal line of Judah. However, the ultimate fulfillment will come in the Millennium when “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever” (Rev. 11:15).

Did You Know – Christian History

Evelyn Constance “Granny” Harris was born May 1879 in London, England. She was a missionary to India.

Evelyn grew up in a strict Baptist home. She had the best of education suitable to young ladies of that age and station in life. Harris accepted Christ as a young girl and was baptized at eleven years of age. She was exposed to missions, particularly those in India both at home and at church. As a young lady, Evelyn would at times leave the protection of her home, going into the London slums on missions of mercy. She was also challenged by the letters published in a missionary journal, written by Jesse Mann Brand, a missionary to the hill people of south India. Later, she was privileged to hear him speak at her church. As Brand spoke of the neglected hill people, so steeped in Hinduism, sin, and poverty, Evelyn’s heart was drawn out to these whose home was on the Kolli Moloi “mountains of death,” so named because of the many diseases and malaria that ravished these mountain areas. She volunteered for missionary service to these needy people.

After a short course of missionary medicine, she proceeded to India in 1912. Her first task was to learn the difficult Tamil language. Here again she met Jesse Brand. Their friendship grew rapidly, and they were married in August 1913. Together Jesse and Evelyn ministered to the hill people in south India. There were no roads, so on foot or hill pony they trekked all over the mountains. However, strong, energetic Jesse became gravely ill and died July 15, 1929. Evelyn was devastated and was now alone. It was hard without Jesse, but she was soon into the routine of medical clinics, teaching, discipling, rebuking, and exhorting all over the range of mountains; and the years sped by.

Evelyn was now sixty-eight years old, and with tears streaking down her cheeks, she pleaded with her mission board to send her back to India. They said no since she was so old. Evelyn pleaded to be sent back for just one more year. Reluctantly the board agreed. However, when her year with the mission ended, Evelyn informed them that she was retiring from the mission to take up independent work in the mountains. Protests and warnings fell on deaf ears. Evelyn would not be deterred as she labored on. For over sixty years she ministered in the Mountains of Death in India, fording wild rivers, enduring snake bites, dealing with malaria, enduring untold hardships, setting up medical clinics, building schools, sharing the gospel, and raising up Christian leaders. She was an unstoppable force for God! “Granny Brand” as she is often called, died on December 18th, 1974. The next day her body was taken back to the hills and laid beside her husband Jesse. “Granny Brand,” is the mother of renowned leprosy doctor, Dr. Paul Brand.

A Little Humor

A little boy was asked by his father to say grace at the table. While the rest of the family waited, the little guy eyed every dish of food his mother had prepared. After the examination, he bowed his head and honestly prayed, “Lord, I don’t like the looks of it, but I thank you for it, and I’ll eat it anyway. Amen.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“There are only two classes of people; the saints and the ain’ts!”