What are the remedies for foolishness? How do we keep from being foolish? - Foolishness - TouchPoints

What are the remedies for foolishness? How do we keep from being foolish?

Psalm 85:8I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his people, his faithful ones. But let them not return to their foolish ways.

Proverbs 14:9Fools make fun of guilt, but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.

Numbers 12:11he cried out to Moses, “Oh, my lord! Please don’t punish us for this sin we have so foolishly committed.”

Titus 3:3-5Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled by others and became slaves to many wicked desires and evil pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy. We hated others, and they hated us. But then God our Savior showed us his kindness and love. He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit.

Proverbs 9:6Leave your simple ways behind, and begin to live; learn to use good judgment.”

Leave your foolish ways behind, and begin to live; learn how to be wise.

Wise people walk with God while fools wander away from him. When you walk with God, his words help you become wise.

Proverbs 1:7Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Only fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Proverbs 14:33Wisdom is enshrined in an understanding heart; wisdom is not found among fools.

When you honor and respect God, you are acknowledging his ultimate power and authority over all things. Wise people understand their relationship to God.

Matthew 7:24-27Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse, because it is built on rock. But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will fall with a mighty crash.

Listen and obey God’s Word, for God is the source of all wisdom.

1 Corinthians 3:18-20Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, “He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.” And again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise; he knows they are worthless.”

Stop fooling yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you will have to become a fool so you can become wise by God’s standards. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say,

“God catches those who think they are wise in their own cleverness.” And again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are worthless.”

Apply God’s standard of wisdom, not the world’s. Make sure you use the right measuring stick for wisdom and foolishness.

Matthew 23:25-28How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! You are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! . . . You are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. You try to look like upright people outwardly, but inside your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Luke 11:39-40Then the Lord said to him, “You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are still filthy—full of greed and wickedness! Fools! Didn’t God make the inside as well as the outside?”

Matthew 12:35-36A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.

Be concerned with your inner spirit as opposed to your external religious appearance. Who you are inside is more important than how you appear on the outside.

Matthew 23:23-24How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest part of your income, but you ignore the important things of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but you should not leave undone the more important things. Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat; then you swallow a camel!

Matthew 23:16-17Blind guides! How terrible it will be for you! For you say that it means nothing to swear ‘by God’s Temple’—you can break that oath. But then you say that it is binding to swear ‘by the gold in the Temple.’ Blind fools! Which is greater, the gold, or the Temple that makes the gold sacred?

Luke 12:16-21And he gave an illustration: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. In fact, his barns were full to overflowing. So he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store everything. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get it all?’ “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

Matthew 6:19Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty, and where thieves break in and steal.

Align your priorities with God’s, or you will miss the things of greatest value.

Proverbs 22:15A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness, but discipline will drive it away.

Proverbs 19:25If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson; if you reprove the wise, they will be all the wiser.

Proverbs 21:11If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded become wise; if you instruct the wise, they will be all the wiser.

A simpleton can learn only by seeing mockers punished; a wise person learns from instruction.

Proverbs 29:15To discipline and reprimand a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.

Discipline yourself and accept discipline from others. Discipline keeps you from wandering off the right path.

Matthew 25:1-13So stay awake and be prepared, because you do not know the day or hour of my return.

Mark 13:35-36So keep a sharp lookout! For you do not know when the homeowner will return—at evening, midnight, early dawn, or late daybreak. Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning.

Luke 12:35-36“Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks.

Be alert to God’s work in your life and opportunities to serve him. Then you will be ready when he comes for you.