Pranksters take great pleasure in observing the traditions
of “April Fool”. Imagine a day, a month,
set aside for their craft –all without recourse because they can call out
“April Fool”. (Prov 26:19) The more outlandish their hoax and the more people
that fall for their deceitful antics the more puffed up and emboldened they
become.
Have you ever fallen for an “April Fool’s” prank? Didn’t you feel foolish at having been duped
into believing the ruse or falling for the (sometimes obvious) prank? And of course the prankster isn’t satisfied
until everyone hears about how they “gotcha”.
Scripture warns us of a trickster of the deadliest
kind. Sometimes it takes years to
discover that we’ve been taken by his deceitful con. This enemy isn’t looking
for a little embarrassment, or a red faced “oops”, he is trying to swindle you
of your peace, honor, reputation, self-image, relationships, and even your very
soul. Here are a few things to watch out
for. Read through carefully and see if
he has begun a ruse in your life.
You might be an April Fool If you:
Allow resentment to kill you. Job5:2
Have caused your house be cursed. Job5:3
Say in your heart
“There is no God” Psalms
14:1
Are hot headed and reckless. Prov
14:16
Allow your mouth to ‘gush folly’. Prov 15:2
Spurn your father’s discipline.
Prov 15:5
Speak arrogantly.
Prov 17:7
Make others wonder “Of what use is money in his/her
hand?” Prov 17:16
Bring grief to your father. Prov 17:21
Have ‘wandering eyes’. Prov 17:24
Find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing
your own opinions. Prov 18:2
Allow your lips to bring you strife and your mouth to
invite a beating. Prov 18:6
Have perverse lips.
Prov
19:1
Are quick to quarrel and meddle. Prov
20:3
Scorn the wisdom of others. Prov 23:9
Continue to repeat your folly. (As a dog returns to his vomit.) Prov 26:11
See yourself wise in your own eyes. Prov 26:12
Trust in Yourself. Prov 28:26
Give full vent to your anger and tell all that is on your
mind. Prov 29:11
Have exalted yourself, or have planned evil. Prov
30:32*
Walk in darkness. Eccl 2:14
Are one to fold your hands and ruin yourself.
Eccl 4:5
Practice extortion and bribe. Eccl 7:7
Multiply your words! Eccl 10:14
Speak folly, your mind is busy with evil, practice
ungodliness and spread
error concerning the Lord Is
32:6
Leave the hungry empty, and withhold water from the thirsty. Is 32:6b
Think you are wise. 1Cor 3:18
Go after the strange woman (man) who flatters with her
(his) words
as an ox goes to slaughter. Prov 7:22
Speak with lying lips and utter slander.
Prov 10:18
Enjoy doing mischief.
Prov
10:23
Go to men for help before you go to God. 2
Chr 16:9
Do your own thing vs. taking the advice of your parents. Prov
13:1
Bring grief or bitterness to your mother or father. Prov 10:1, 17:25
Tear down your house by your own hands.
Prov 14:1
Devour all that you have rather than have stores set
aside. Prov 21:20
Have eyes but do not see or ears but do not hear. Jer 5:21
Do not know the ways of or the requirements of your Lord.
Jer 5:4
Hear the words of God and do not put them to practice. Matt 7:26
You call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say. Luke 6:46
Have allowed yourself to be bewitched, to question the
things
that you know for
certain are truth.
Gal 3:1
Believe you can attain by human effort rather than by the
Spirit. Gal 3:3
Do not consider the cost before beginning to build. Luke 14:29
Use obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking. Eph 5:4
Do not understand the Lord’s will.
Eph 5:17
Are disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of
passions and
pleasures, live in malice and envy, being hated and
hating one another. Titus
3:3
Do you recognize how the enemy attempts to deceive? Can you see how he tries leading someone into
a trap to defraud? Should this have
happened to you or someone you love remember there is a way out.
Don’t despair!
There is hope!!
Keep in mind all
of us have fallen short of the glory of God. Romans
3:23
And if we confess our faults and repent Our God is quick
to forgive;
“as far as the
east is from the west, so far has he removed our
There is an antidote for the wiles of our enemy. Even if
we have proven to be foolish beyond all imagination there is a plan to reverse all
foolish ways. James tells us;
If any of you lacks wisdom,
he should ask God (for wisdom), who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. James
1:5
God bless you and may we all increase in wisdom,
Carol Dillard,
Stewardship Ministries Director,
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