Ephesians 5 verse 11, But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light, or whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. You may be seated tonight. We dealt a couple of weeks ago on the subject, what the Bible says about fools. You remember that? I mean, I don't know whether you remember it or not, but we looked at some areas of what it says about fools. Now, if you look up in the dictionary, there's a lot of different meanings of the word fool. I know sometimes it's used in a different light from what we sometimes use it. I know it's easier for somebody to say, well, you fool you, you know. The word, as far as we normally use the word fool in the dictionary, it means one who's destitute of reason. It means one who pursues a course contrary to the dictates of wisdom. In other words, he's just not exercising good sense. when he pursues that course of action. And that's what we're using for the message at least two weeks ago when we talked about that. And usually we can think of a fool as a wicked, moral perversity in other words. full of moral perversities in his life, and so we say he's a fool. But as we looked at different things two weeks ago, we said, first of all, one's a fool who says, there is no God. Now, a lot of those who say there's no God are saying, there's no God for me, is what they're really saying. But yet, if a man says there's no God, he's a fool. The Bible says that, Psalm 14, verse number one said, the fool has said in his heart, there is no God. We also looked a couple of weeks ago and said, one's a fool who does not believe the prophets. Jesus said that to the two men on the road to Emmaus who were actually saved at the time He spoke that. But listen to what He said in Luke 24, 25, Then He said unto them, O fools, I am slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. You may not understand all the prophets have spoken. We ought to say, hey, this is God's book. It's there. We need to believe it. I mean, if God said that Jonah swallowed the whale, you ought to believe it. Amen? I mean, whatever he said. Now, he didn't say that. Okay, don't go off and say I said he said that. But we ought to believe whatever the prophet says. If not, he says you're a fool, and also one's a fool who mocks at sin. Proverbs 14, 9 says, Fools make a mock of sin. The word mock means to laugh, he trifles with it, he plays with sin. You go to play with sin, sin will get hold to you and take you down. And you're a fool to trifle with sin, make a mock at sin. One who builds upon the sand as far as his foundation is a The Bible said in Matthew 7, 26, He said, And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand. And we wouldn't build a house on the sand, would we? You would say, well, I wouldn't think so. If you've got any sense at all, you wouldn't want to build a house on the sand. I mean, right? I wouldn't think you would if you know anything at all. It won't stand. It's going to come tumbling down after a while. There's no stability to it. And he said, if we, the man who hears these things from God and doesn't obey them, he says, like a man who built his house upon sand, and he said, oh foolish man, one who is deceived is a fool. The Bible said in Proverbs 12, 15, he said, the way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. One who's in darkness is a fool. Bible said in Ecclesiastes 2.14, he said, The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walketh in darkness. Bible also says that one who will not heed advice and correction from others is a fool. Are you listening, young people? Bible says this, and by the way, it's not just for young people, it's for all of us as far as that's concerned. But Proverbs 15.5, he said, A fool despises his father's instruction, but he that regardeth reproof is prudent. So he called you a fool. if you disregard your father's instruction, or if you don't heed advice and correction from others, you're considered a fool. One who brings reproach on their parents, the Bible said, is a fool. Proverbs 10.1, the Proverbs of Solomon, a wise son maketh a glad father, but a foolish son is a heaviness to his mother, of his mother. So you see, those things we dealt with last week or two weeks ago, about a fool, you can identify with that. You say, my, my, my, we've been there, yeah, amen, we've all been there, amen. all been there. It doesn't put anybody ahead, but I'm going to go further tonight with what the Bible says about a fool, and let's just look at what we read in our text verse, one who doesn't redeem the time. is a fool. Ephesians 5, 15, and 16, he said, see then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools. In other words, if you don't walk circumspectly, you're a fool. But he said, walk as wise, in other words, redeeming the time because the days are evil. Redeeming the time. Now, how do you redeem the time? The word redeem means actually to buy up for one's personal benefit on a continuous basis. Now, you say, I don't have any money. Well, you know something? We don't buy time with money, all right? What it actually means is don't squander or use up wastefully your time. Don't waste it, in other words. Don't squander your time. Be wise in what you do and how you use that. How do you do that? Well, don't squander your youth. Don't squander your youth. Young person, don't throw it away. You realize if you wasted on the pleasures of the life like the prodigal son. He wanted his inheritance. He wanted to live it up. I don't know what he had in those days. He probably had a fast horse or something. I don't know, but if he had lived today, he'd want a four-wheel drive truck or he'd want some kind of race car. He'd want something to get hold of, you know, something, the pleasures of this life. You know what? The Bible says the pleasures of this life in the book of Matthew 13 is a thorn that choke out the seed. If you begin to lust after the things of this world, folks, it could be anything, and you realize, squandering your youth, squandering your youth, wasting it on pleasure. In other words, they're thorns that choke out the Word of God, the truth that comes your way. Another way is that you need to redeem the time is don't Don't throw away your manhood, and that means womanhood either. Don't throw yourself away. I mean, listen, you realize something. You're motivated by lust, and you'll fall into a trap somewhere. Listen, boys, there's those girls out there that'll look at you and wink at you and just sweet-talk you and just take you all the way and wreck you. You'll throw away your manhood. You'll have nothing to present to your bride one day. Girls, it's also the other way. around too as well. There's those boys that'll sweet talk you and say, oh, how I love you. No, he don't really love you. He's lustful after your body and you'll have nothing to present to your husband on the wedding night. That's superior is what I'm saying. And so don't squander your youth. Don't throw it away on lust. Redeeming the time is what he says. In other words, he said if you don't, you're foolish. You're a fool. not to do that if you don't do that. And so it also, that means redeeming that time also refers to those who don't prepare for tomorrow. Now, I know that to some things it's all right to prepare for retirement and those type things, but yet we can get overboard with that. But what I'm talking about, the great tomorrow. I'm talking about the second 100 years of your life. Many people never do figure out anything. They're concerned about their insurance. They're concerned about this health care. They're concerned about their retirement, the IRAs and this thing and that thing. And listen, as far as life span today, they're not going to last beyond 100 years. So we're talking about redeeming your time for the second 100 years of your life, talking about your soul. What are you doing concerning that? In other words, redeeming the time for the days of evil, preparing for tomorrow. Don't squander your life. Don't be a procrastinator on the spiritual things I'm talking about. It's so easy to procrastinate, isn't it? In other words, what you used to do it today, I can put it off till tomorrow. In other words, I'll just put off tomorrow what I should have done today. Well, I know we can't sometimes get doing enough today, and we have to put off till tomorrow, but when you just procrastinate and procrastinate, you get in trouble. The Bible said in the book of Proverbs chapter 6, verse number 6 through 11, he said, Go to the aunt, thou sluggard, consider her ways, and be wise. which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard, when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. So shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth, and thy wont as an armed man. In other words, he said, look at the ant. Have you ever watched an ant? back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, getting ready for winter, preparing ahead. Now that's a physical thing, I know, but what about us? Are you preparing for the second 100 years of your life? Are you looking at that? Are you even thinking about that? What's the hereafter? You know what I'm saying? I know like that guy that said he always thought about the hereafter. He said, every time I go downstairs, I want to know what I'm here after. The older you get, I understand. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about when you die, you close your eyelids and death, what's out there for you? What have you prepared? And I know it's not your work, it's God's work, but you've got to make yourself available. And he says some things you must do. You must continue. You must strive to enter in. In other words, you must do those things. Don't procrastinate. Proverbs 20, verse number 4 said, The sluggard will not plow by reason of the coal. Therefore shall he beg and harvest and have nothing. It's too hot today, and tomorrow it's too cold. And I just won't believe I'll go to work today. I'll just wait. In other words, I'll put it off. Put it off. Procrastinating. He said, redeem the time for the days are evil. Amos chapter 6, verse number 1, he said, that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountains of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations to whom the house of Israel came." Whoa, judgment upon those who trust in the hills of Zion. You know what was in the hills of Zion? That was government. Boy, I want to tell you what, a lot of people are trusting in the government today. Oh, that's a false hope, I'll guarantee you that, but did you know something? Government's people. Amen? Government's us, in a sense, and yet we don't have much voice in it, do we? You say, boy, let me in there. I'd clean house. I don't want in there. Amen? I don't want in there. I'd rather be right where I'm at, and that's bad enough sometimes. But the thing about it is we need to know trust in government, and also in Samaria was the place where the Northern Kingdom's government was set up, but also there's a sense in which that's where idolatry was there. DON'T TRUST IN SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T, IT'S NOT GOD IN OTHER WORDS. DON'T PUT YOUR TRUST IN ANYTHING BUT GOD. WE TALKED IN THE BACK DOOR I THINK TONIGHT SOMETIME WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THERE'S NOTHING PERMANENT BUT GOD. Amen? I know I was talking about the layoffs at Briggs and Stratton, you know, and of course it's not affecting the ones, these fellas here yet, and the lady here yet, but it's, there's no use to get an application for anybody else there because they've got a hundred and something they're fixing to lay off, and they're going to call them back first, they said, if they ever get to. But the thing about it, it don't matter what you put, well my job's secure, you don't know what your job's secure. We don't know of anything that's secure except the Lord. And therefore, we need to prepare, redeem the time for the days of evil. And he said, we're a fool. if we don't do it. And what did we say a fool was? A fool is one who's destitute of reason, is one who pursues a course contrary to the dictates of wisdom. Well, I've got plenty of time. We'll just let it go on, go on by. Well, you need to use your time wisely. Only one life to live will soon be passed. Only what's done for Christ will last. And I know in one sense, we don't do anything for Christ. I understand that, but there's a principle there. That's the only thing that's gonna matter, what's connected to Him, amen? So a man's a fool who does not redeem the time wisely, redeem the time for the days are evil. Another one in the Bible is talking about is a fool who lays up treasure for himself. The Bible says this in the book of Luke chapter 12, verse number 16 through 20, and this is talking about the rich. In fact, it's labeled here as a parable of the rich young fool, another rich fool, in other words. Verse 16 of Luke 12, He said this, he said, And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do? because I have no room where to bestow my fruits. And he said, This will I do. I'll pull down my barns and build greater, and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I'll say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years. Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee. Then who shall those things be which thou hast provided? You know anybody like that? We know a lot of people like that who are all caught up. And there's nothing wrong with being industrious. There's nothing wrong in trying to make a good honest living in anything, whatever you pursue. But folks, I want to tell you, what he's talking about here is we don't need just to lay up treasure. to eat, drink, and be merry, as the expression would be. Sure, you need to take care of your family. I think you ought to make preparation for you after you're gone, for your family after you're gone. Nothing wrong with that, but it's talking about the primary need is leaving God out. A man's a fool who leaves God out. And that's what this farmer had done. He'd left God out and he said, look what I've done. I've done this. Listen, I won't tell you if God didn't send the rain, you're not going to make doodly squat. Amen? You're not going to make anything on the crops. And we've got some good crops in some areas of the country. In some areas where it's totally dry, they mowed down the corn. Somewhere, I don't remember where it was at, up in the Midwest somewhere, they mowed down the corn. Didn't even pollinate good. Didn't even have enough even for it to run a combine through it. And yet, these others are making bunker crops. Well, who did that? I know some farmers said, I made the best corn I've ever made in my life. No mention of God in it. I want to tell you, God gave the rain. God gave the increase. To God be the glory. Thank God for the good bountiful harvest. But we ought to not leave God out. To do so is being like this rich fool here, the farmer fool who said, I'll build bigger barns. In other words, he had the wrong concept of life. He lived to party. He lived for himself. He prepared to live but not to die. You know something? That's exactly what people are doing today. In fact, that's what you're being taught in the public school system. You know it? Public school system can't tell you where you come from, why you're here, and where you're going. Think about that. Amen? And yet we send them off to them and say, hey, teach my kids. Why? But see, now it's true, a good education, and you need a good education, but you need to know where you came from, why you're here, and where you're going. Amen? And it's true that the public school system can teach you how to make a living. Okay? But they can't teach you how to live. And it's all together in difference in making a living and knowing how to live. Amen? A whole different ball game. You see, what's the reason that you take a job? Somebody said, boy, I'm going to take a job because it's better pay. ain't the reason for taking the job. You ought to take a job, whatever it is, because that's the one the Lord wants you. That includes a preacher or anybody else. You see, just because there's more pay down the road doesn't mean necessarily that's where God wants you. What does God want you to do? You see, what's His will? Matthew chapter 6, he said in verse number verse number 19 through 21, he said that, there will your heart be also." In other words, that's what the Bible says, what Jesus said on the Sermon on the Mount. In other words, the man who does not to redeem the time is a fool, and the man who lays up treasure for himself and not thinking about God and leaving God out, he said he's a fool to do that. Thou fool, this night thy soul be required of thee. And then whose is all this gonna be? Gonna be somebody else, you see. You know the story of the man that died. Of course, everybody always dies. There's always somebody around the casket. Wonder how much he left. Wonder how much he left. Said there was a talking around the casket of somebody that had a pretty good amount of money, I guess. And they thought he was well to do. And they said, wonder how much he left. And there's a half-wit standing over there. I heard him say it. He said he left it all. You get that? You're going to leave it all, amen. It's all going to be left behind. You haven't ever seen any Wells Fargo trucks hooked behind the hearse, have you, carrying your goods. You never have seen that, amen. I know there's some people, sometimes you know them, put in a casket with them where they can spend it on the other side. It'd be like one man had three Three boys and they said what first boy come up and he boy just broke down and cried and he said daddy said I love you so much and I'm gonna put $10,000 in the casket you just in case it's somewhere out you know on the other side you you'll have some money to spend said put $10,000 out and the next boy come up he said I love you more and my older brother does I'm gonna put 20,000 he laid 20,000 in cash in there and the third one come up he said I love the more both of them put together said here's $30,000 check I'll take the change Okay, well, what I'm saying is you don't take it with you, you know? And he said you're a fool if you do that, if you don't redeem the time and if you just lay up treasure for yourself. You know something else? He says you're a fool if you have a short fuse. Oh me, oh me, oh Lord help me. Proverbs 14.29, he said this, he said in Proverbs 14.29, find it, here it is. He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding, but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. And we've all have trouble with that at times, some worse than others, I understand that. But the Bible says that you're a fool. Well, what's the definition of a fool? Let me go back over there and look at that. It says, what's the diction? That one who is destitute of reason. Boy, I want to tell you, when that fuse is lit and it goes off, you can't be reasoned with. You ever tried to reason with yourself, you can't even do that. And also it says, it's one who pursues a course contrary to the dictates of wisdom. Not too wise to do what we've done, and I'm guilty just as guilty as anybody on that. May the Lord help us to see, the Bible says we're a fool if we've got a short fuse. He also says in Proverbs chapter 14, verse number 16, a wise man feareth and departeth from evil, but the fool rageth and is confident. Ecclesiastes 7.9, he said, Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for angry resteth in the bosom of fools. It's what the Bible says. Now, somebody says, well, I don't care. I'm going to do what I want to do, and I don't care. I don't care who knows it. Proverbs 12.16 said, A fool's wrath is presently known, but a prudent man covers shame. He said, it's known. Have you ever heard somebody say, well, I'll give you, he just speaks his mind. I'm just going to give you a piece of my mind. Proverbs 29, 11 said, a fool uttereth all his mind, but a wise man keepeth it in till after. Amen. Well, you say, well, I just, I heard somebody say, well, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind. You better be careful. You ain't got too many pieces to give away. You understand? Because you're going to come up short. You understand? Might ought to be careful because we might not have much left. And then, you know what? Somebody else is a fool is one who dies outside the city of refuge. Bible speaks about that in the Old Testament. You know, they had three cities on either side of the River Jordan that were cities of refuge where if somebody accidentally killed somebody, or even if they'd killed somebody like in war, I mean, you know what I'm saying, in that sense of the word, their brother could take and kill them, even though it wasn't actually murder. they could actually pursue them, the avenger of blood could pursue them, but within a day's journey they could travel anywhere in Israel and the land of Israel as far as on either side of the Jordan where they'd stayed for the 12 tribes, they could flee to one of those six cities called the Cities of Refuge. Now there's a man by the name of Abner, That one time, who was it, Abishai? Joab had a brother, Abishai, was it Abishai? And was that who killed, I can't, I'm just coming up with it. But he was trying to outrun him, they were at war. And he tried to tell him, get away from me, get away from me, and he overtook him. And when he come up behind him, Abner stuck a spear back and smote him in the fifth rib and he died. Well, that caused old Joab to be upset. And he didn't get over it, even though David was still in it. But you know what the Bible said happened? They come and he was coming to the city of Hebron. Hebron is one of the cities of refuge. And he was right at the gate of the city up there. And old Joab came up to him, or called him. He come aside from the gate. and he didn't see that he had his sword, sword in his hand, whatever it was, his sword in his hand, he didn't see that he had it kind of covered, and he smote him in the fifth rib, that he died. You know what David said about that? David said this in the book of, let me look at it, let me see where that's at, that's in Samuel, isn't it? 2 Samuel 3.33, I didn't mark that, okay? 2 Samuel 3.33, I looked it up, but I didn't, listen to what he said. and said, died Abner as a fool died. Right at the gate of the city, Joab got his attention and pulled him aside and all he had to done is go inside the city. As long as he's inside the city, he's safe. City of refuge. Now that's a picture of salvation if you please. You see the Bible says this in verse 27, 2 Samuel 3, and when Abner was returned to Hebron, that's the city of refuge, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly. In the gate, right at the very gate, and smote him there under the fifth rib that he died for the blood of Achiel. I had the wrong name there, Achiel, his brother, amen? There's three of those guys, but Achiel was the one he died for. You see, he waited too long to enter the city of refuge, you see? He listened to Joab who pulled him aside. Folks, I want to tell you, you say I'm not saved, but if you're not careful, you won't redeem the time. If you're not careful, you'll procrastinate. You'll, I'll do it tomorrow. I'll do it next week if you please. But you're, listen, Jesus is the only refuge you've got. And I know you can't do it yourself. I know you can't make it happen. I know you can't repent of your own. I know it takes the work of God. But the Bible said, if you'll continue, you shall know the truth and the truth make you free. Luke 13, 24, he said, strive to enter in the straight gate. For many are going to seek and not be able to enter. They're going to die as a fool outside the gate of refuge and die. and go to hell when they was right at the very gate, but they got too busy, too occupied with other things to do what they needed to do. I know salvation to the Lord, but you see Abner died near the gates of hope, but he died without hope. Many will not heed truth. And they're going to die outside the city. Some are deceived. They're a fool. They're deceived. We've all been deceived at one time or another. In darkness and blindness. Thought we were saved when we wasn't. But thank God for his truth of enlightenment. and getting honest with that, but you realize something, that some still hanging on to that little false profession that does not gonna hold water. It's like a bucket with a hole in the bottom. It's not gonna hold up. And that's why he said in 2 Corinthians 13, 5, he said there in 2 Corinthians, examine yourselves. Whether you be in the faith, prove your own selves, know you're not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be reprobates, disqualified, not going to be able to enter. He said you need to examine. You know, I got so tired of examining back some years ago that I just didn't want to examine. I didn't want to find what, and I was coming up empty and didn't want to find that, and tried to push that away. Listen, we need to examine and check it up with what God said, God's plumb line. And we need to hear, if we don't, if we don't do what God said, we'll be like, we'll be like Jesus said in Matthew 7, 22 and 23, many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, Have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me, you that work iniquity. You fool, in a sense. He said, you're a fool. You're destitute of reason. You're not doing what you should. Get honest and seek Him with all your heart. Otherwise, God says, you're a fool to die outside the gate. So close with truth, and yet, if you don't seek Him, if you don't strive, what did He say? He said, let the violent take the kingdom by force. It means you've got to move out on that. And yet, we would just procrastinate. Fools, that's what he said. Now look at the outcome of these fools. The Bible said in Proverbs 26.10, he said, and rewardeth transgressors. Proverbs 3.35 says the wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall be the promotion of fools. Proverbs 10.8, he said the wise in heart shall receive commandments, but the pratting fool shall fall. Proverbs 10.10, he that winketh with the eye causes sorrow, but a pratting fool shall fall. Proverbs 19.29, judgments are prepared for scorners and stripes for the back of fools. Psalm 49, 10, for he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others. The fool's going to die. So you need to take inventory and see if you fall in any one of these categories. Now, you realize something, if you do, determined by God's grace to come out victorious, to come out on the other side and not be the fool by these definitions here. But look at what the Bible says about our relationship to fools. I mean, who do we have a relationship with? Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Boy, I want to tell you sometimes, and I've been guilty, guilty, guilty, trying to take up for God's word. You know, man sometimes comes along and says some things that's so off base, you just leave him alone. leave them alone, amen, because you're not going to change their mind. In fact, the business he said in Matthew chapter 7 verse number 6, You know, it don't make any difference to a hog whether it's a pearl or a diamond or just an ear of corn, amen? They'll rub it in the muck and marr and that's what he said about a fool, you see, what he said about a fool. Now, I don't, he also said in Proverbs chapter 17, verse 12, let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man rather than a fool in his folly. Now, I've not been around a bear, but I've heard some bear tales, amen. And the whips, of course, you get mama bear's kids, and mama bear's gonna be hard to deal with, but he said you'd be better off to deal with that bear that you'd stole the whips from than you would with a fool. And we all face these every day, you know. That doesn't mean you just throw them away with the dishwater in a sense. That doesn't mean you don't associate with them as far as trying to love them and reach out to them, but don't enter into any relationship that he's talked about. What did he say in Psalm 1-1? He said, Happy is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, or setteth in the seat of the, well, who standeth in the way of the sinner, but setteth in the seat of the scornful. See, walk, stand, sit down with them. They'll lead you that way. So he said, leave them alone. I don't know about the bears. I haven't been around them, but I've been around old Sal. Boy, I'm going to tell you, you take old Sal and you get her a little piglets, and I'm going to tell you what, you're in for something. Amen, Brother Gary? You're in for something. And so he said, you'd be better off to meet that Sal, meet that bear, than you would the fool. In other words, he said you'd be better off than dealing with those fools. He said in Proverbs 13, 20, Proverbs 9, 6, he said, and go in the way of understanding. That's what God said we need to do about fools. Now that doesn't mean that we can't reach out and love them where they are and stay with them till God brings them through victoriously, but we're not to enter into any relationship. Now I don't have to confess to you tonight, I've been a fool. I've been a fool in a lot of these areas. The Bible said in Titus chapter number three, verse number three through five, listen to what he said. As Paul's writing Titus here, young preacher in a sense, but he said, for we ourselves also were sometimes foolish. Paul said I was sometimes foolish. Disobedient, deceived, serving diverse lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy and hatred and hating one another. But after that, the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not the works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us by the watching of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Paul said, I've been a fool. But God did a work in my heart, done something for me. 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verse number 9 through 11, he said this, he said, A representative list that we all have to say have been there. in some form or some fashion. Been there at least, we can say been there. But, and such were some of you, but you're washed. but you're sanctified, but you're justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. So he said, he said, what do we need to do? What did I say a while ago? Determine, if you've been a fool, determine by God's grace to come out victoriously. And that's what they were. They said, we were that, but thank God for his work in my heart that brought me to the place that he washed me, that he saved me and did a work in me. So I have to say tonight, I've been a fool. You know something? I'm still a fool in a different way, in a way, in a sense, and yet I guess sometimes some of those others still creep up on me when the fuse gets a little short and those type of things, you know what I'm saying? But I know it says that a fool's one who pursues a course contrary to the dictates of wisdom. Now I'm gonna tell you what, the world's got a different wisdom than we've got. And you know what? You see, I'm talking about still a fool. Paul said he was. 1 Corinthians 4, verse 10, he said, we are fools for Christ's sake. But you're wise in Christ. We are weak, but you're strong. You're honorable, but we are despised. He said, we're fools for Christ's sake. The world looks upon us as fools today. The world says we are, 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse number 27. He said, but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty. In other words, the world looks at us and said, that's a bunch of foolishness. In fact, he says in 1 Corinthians 121, for after that we in the wisdom of God, for after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not, God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. In other words, the world says, a bunch of fools over there preaching and a bunch of fools sitting over there listening, right? You know, a lot of people think you're foolish today, and I'm talking about the world. They think you're foolish. You know what the Bible said in 1 Corinthians 3.19? Listen to what he says here in 1 Corinthians 3.19. He said, for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. In other words, the world says you're foolish to stay with God, and I guess we'll just have to say guilty, guilty. But may God help us to realize those areas in our life where we've actually fooled destitute of good common sense and reason. And even though we may dibble and dabble in it, and this old flesh pulls us back in some areas, may God help us to determine in our heart, to make up our mind that we're going to redeem the time, that we're not going to squander our lives wherever we are, and that we're not going to throw it away, but by God's grace, we're going to strive to enter in the straight gate, and after that, we're going to continue to serve the Lord, continue to walk in His Word, that we can come out victoriously on the other side. And when you do, the world will look at you and say, You're a fool. You're a fool. You're a fool. Did you know the world would say you're a fool to give up your weekends to go to church? You listen to the news. They're always thinking about the good camping days, the weekend. They're looking for good weather on Saturday and Sunday. It don't matter if the farmers need rain. It don't matter. They'll say, boy, we're going to have a good weekend to go out boating today, go out on the lake. Nothing about God's day, you see? But they'll say you're a fool to give up your weekends for Christ. In other words, they'd say, why would you give up all of that good paying job just to preach the gospel? Why would you give up your life's work to preach the gospel? You're a fool to do that, is what they would say. You know, somebody else would say sometimes, maybe some of these plants will give you a big promotion if you move off over yonder and over yonder and over yonder. You've heard that happening. And they said, man, look at all that money, I can make twice as much money. Well, listen, the world say, and you give it up to stay with the church where the truth's at, the world say you're a fool to do that. But what about the second hundred years? It'll pay off, amen, to stay with God and truth, amen. It'll pay off. You see, I mean, you realize something, not only the physical world and the material world, but the religious world, the religious world, will tell you, if they hadn't already told you, you're a fool to stay at New Hope Baptist Church. Those who know you. I'm talking about the religious world, Pharisees, Sadducees, Sadducee. And you know what? That same religious world, when it comes right down to it, they'd say, I'm a fool for staying with you. Amen. They say, I'm a fool, just stay with you. So you see, it's a win-win situation in a sense. You're gonna be a fool either way, but it'd be better to junk that foolishness and not redeeming the time. In other words, don't squander your body and come out victoriously, even if the world called you, because one of these days, we're gonna be on the other side. Brother Dusty, we get on the other side, that world gonna be on the opposite side. And you realize something, it's, what's all of it matter? Well, I could have been a millionaire. Whoop-de-doo. I am. You understand? Lay up your treasure on the other side. In the Bible, the world say you're a fool to do that, but God says you're wise to do that. Lay up your treasure where the rust and the moth doesn't corrupt. There's where God, and where your treasure is, there your heart will be. And that's the most important thing. May God help us today to continue and even though the world will say you're a fool, it's alright to be a nut if you're screwed on the right boat. Amen? So I'm just a nut for Christ. All right, that's all right. I'm a fool, and I want to be a fool for Christ. Lord, help me to put some of those other things day by day aside, that I'll not be foolish by the definition of a Bible fool, but that I might come to the place to where the world may say I'm a fool, but it's all right. So that's basically what the Bible says about a fool. I know there's some more verses in there that deals with that, about a fool. But may God help us to redeem the time. May God help us not to squander our youth. Where does youth start? I don't know, I haven't got past it yet. Y'all get it? Youth hasn't started, Ms. Adair. You're not past it yet either. What I'm saying, don't squander your days. Don't give in. Anywhere, anytime. What's so sad to see preachers who stand for the truth to the last day, toward the end, and then they wind up throwing in the towel, I guess you could say. Thorns in the flesh, squander it for lust. May God help us, may God help us today to continue. Well, if I'm a fool for staying with you, I'm just gonna remain that way by the grace of God, by the grace of God. Now, I'll tell you, not only the world will say it, but the devil will tell you that. He'll whisper in your ear and he'll say, you're a fool to stay here. You're a fool to do this. You're a fool to follow the truth, even though he wouldn't call it truth. But it's all right to be a nut if you're screwed on the right boat by the time. Amen. May God help us just to be what we need to be. In those areas where we know that we're in that area, may God give us some grace that we might strive to get out of that and be victorious. Victorious for God's glory. Father, I pray for help tonight, for strength. consecration and dedication. I pray for our people that you'd just bind us together. I pray you'd purge us, cleanse us and help us to come out of those awful foolish conditions that we need to be out of and then if the world says we're still fools, it's all right, no problem. May we just continue and strive to enter in for the lost. May they strive to enter in and continue and you said you shall know the truth and the truth make you free. Help us all not to procrastinate. Help us not to put off to tomorrow what we need to do today. Help us to be sensitive to you. Help us to redeem the time but not to, Lord, I know we can't buy it with money but oh, may we just redeem, use the time we have for your glory and your will and your way. and we'll thank you for what you do. For we ask it in Jesus' name, for his sake we pray. Heads bowed, eyes closed, altars opened, as she plays.