When Fools Rule

Let God Rule the Throne of Your Heart

PREVIEW: Scripture defines a fool as one who rejects God’s rule, denies God’s reality, defies God’s moral code, and mocks God’s judgment. In Psalm 2, King David pours out his complaint against the rulers of nations who have set themselves in opposition to God. He calls them fools. By his definition, the fool is no idiot; he or she is one who deliberately rejects God’s rightful rule, denies God’s reality, defies God’s moral code, and taunts God’s judgment. And he offers those fools this sober warning: “What fools the nations are to rage against the Lord! How strange their leaders should try to outwit God, calling a summit to plot against his plan. … But God in heaven merely laughs! He is amused by all their puny plans.” (Psalm 2:1-4) Wouldn’t you agree that we’re living in a time when far too many fools rule from their seats of power? And like me, you’re frustrated that there’s not much we can do about all the fools running around and ruining things these days — ruling in high places of government, finance, cultural influence, and even spiritual leadership. But whenever we get frustrated with all the foolishness we’re forced to endure, pause to remember that it is God who truly rules. And when he finally brings all the foolishness to its deserving end, we will have found blessed refuge in him because he rules in the most important place — the throne of our hearts.

When Fools Rule with Ray Noah

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 2:1-4 (Living Bible)

What fools the nations are to rage against the Lord! How strange that men should try to outwit God! For a summit conference of the nations has been called to plot against the Lord and his Messiah, Christ the King. “Come, let us break his chains,” they say, “and free ourselves from all this slavery to God.” But God in heaven merely laughs! He is amused by all their puny plans.

In light of the times in which we live, with all the godless and foolish leadership occupying seats of power, consider these potent words from Psalm 2:4 again: “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.”

In Psalm 14:1, David wrote, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.”

Of course, David’s idea of a fool was different than ours — and much more serious. We speak of a fool as one who lacks intelligence, direction, and sound judgment. David, on the other hand, understood the fool to be one who lived willfully in complete disregard to God and his law. He ignored God’s rightful rule over his life, expressed an attitude that aggressively denied God’s reality, defied God’s moral code, and went so far as to even dare God to execute judgment.

By David’s definition, we are living in a time where there are a lot of fools running around. In fact, many of them seem to be running our country. They are in high places of government, finance, cultural influence, and even spiritual leadership.

But as powerful, popular, and prosperous as they might seem to be, they are still fools. David’s psalm reminds us of this sobering truth: God still rules. While the fools are seated in places of power, God is seated in the only place of power that really counts. And he scoffs at the unbelievable hubris and overt rebellion of these he created and provides their very moment-by-moment breath. He sits on the real and true throne, patiently waiting for them to repent but knowing they never will.

Psalm 2 speaks of that time when God’s patience will finally come to its end, and then he will indeed execute judgment on those who have dared and defied him for so long. When that time comes, it won’t be a pretty picture. As you read Psalm 2, you will not be reading a very happy psalm.

Yet there is hope strategically placed within David’s song. This psalm of divine judgment is also a contrasting psalm of eternal optimism. Embedded in David’s diatribe is also an invitation to live wisely (v. 10 — as opposed to how the fool lives) by serving God gladly (v. 11 — contrasted with the defiant rebelliousness of sinful man) and the promise that all who willingly do will find “blessed” (happiness, favor, and eternal joy) “refuge” (a safe and secure place) in him (v.12).

There is not much you and I can do about all the fools running around and ruining things these days, but whenever we get frustrated with all the foolishness we are forced to endure, we can be reminded that it is God who rules. And when he finally brings all the foolishness to its deserving end, we will have found blessed refuge in him, because he rules in the most important place — the throne of our hearts.

My Offering of Worship: Over the days, weeks, and months ahead, when you get frustrated by the foolishness you see coming out of the seats of power that rule our nation at various levels, instead of ranting and raving, pause and praise the One who truly rules. And remember, the day is soon coming when he will dramatically institute his eternal rule.

Nobody’s Fool

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 14
Focus: Psalm 14:1

“The fool says in his heart, there is no God.”

David is not referring here to the atheist who flat out denies the existence of God—although we could easily argue the foolishness of such a position. Nor is he speaking of someone who is intellectually challenged. Rather, he is speaking of the person who is morally lacking. That one may even be very bright, and it could be they believe in God, but for all intents and purposes, they live as if God doesn’t exist. That kind of person is, in effect, a practical atheist.

You might find it interesting to know that David referred to such a person more than once in the Psalms. He uses identical language in Psalm 53:1, and in Psalm 10:4, he actually gives us a pretty clear definition of how the fool lives: “In all his thoughts there is no room for God.” From David’s position, he apparently had to contend with a number of people who were bright enough to work themselves into positions of influence and powerful enough to command his concern, but they concerned David because of the damage that they were able to inflict precisely because they lived and acted without regard for the laws of God.

You know people like that. So do I. They are very smart, successful, and perhaps even quite magnetic in their personalities. But they live with no thought for God. They act without regard for his moral law, with no consideration of his right to rule their lives, and oblivious to his eternal purposes in this world. They are practical atheists. In fact, some of these “fools” might even be sitting next to you in church.

I suppose, however, that the most important question to ask is not about these people—these fools, but rather, about you. Although you believe in God and claim him as your Sovereign Lord, is he? Is he the Lord of everything in your life? That is, does he hold absolute rulership in your thinking, your planning, your interacting and every facet of your moment by moment living? Or at times, do you live as if he doesn’t exist—as a practical atheist?

You know, I have to confess that at times I am a fool. I think, plan and do without giving God the highest consideration. I have a feeling you do too. I don’t mean to live that way; neither do you. I just neglect to give God his rightful place. In that sense, you and I are no different from the type of person David calls the fool.

Wouldn’t you agree that at some level, this psalm calls you to accept those stinging words as a rebuke to the way you have lived. If you want to be nobody’s fool—especially not God’s—change is in order!

__________________

“An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support.” (Fulton J. Sheen)

 

Making Life Work:So what say we do what Jesus called some of the early Christians to do who had fallen into that same trap of practical atheism: “Remember the heights from which you have fallen. Repent and do the things you did at first.” (Revelation 2:5) In other words, let’s get back to the practice of putting God first in every waking thought we have. Or, as Paul taught in Romans 12:1“Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it.” That’s what you might call practicing the presence of God. And it’s the best antidote to practical atheism.

There Is A God, Thank God!

Read Psalm 51:1-53:6

There Is A God, Thank God!

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God” …
There they were, overwhelmed with dread,
where there was nothing to dread.
Psalm 53:1 & 5

Go Deep: A recent CNN study proclaimed, “America Becoming Less Christian.” (3/9/09)  Apparently, the number of people (over 50,000 were surveyed) claiming Christianity has dropped from 86% in 1990 to 75% in 2009.  I am not sure how much stock to put in surveys these days, and all kinds of issues about this particular one could be debated, but that’s not my main concern here.

The real concern is that more and more people are choosing to live their lives as if there were no God.  How sad! What that means is they have no true and unchanging source of Authority to live by.  There is no Creator who exercises loving control over their existence.  They have no daily Source of guidance beyond the prevailing but fickle winds of current culture. They have no Redeemer to rescue them from their sin nature. They cannot turn to a Provider to meet their needs for daily sustenance, comfort for sorrow, protection from the devourer, and significance for an otherwise brief and meaningless existence.  And maybe most dreadful of all, they have no sense of security for what happens after this life is through.

No wonder David puts them in the category of “fool.  No wonder they are “overwhelmed with dread” when instead, they expected great freedom from being unchained from the “demands” of a Creator.

My point is not to rail against those who have rejected God.  The insecurity of their lives is condemnation enough. The real take-away from this psalm for me is simply to acknowledge how amazing it is to live as if there is a God; to know Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior; to have the security and joy of a Creator who watches over every second and every detail of my life.

You see, I have a moment-by-moment Source of guidance for my life.  I have a Redeemer who rescues me from my sin nature, and even trumps my every sin with the grace of forgiveness.  I have a Provider who meets my every need according to his unlimited riches. I have a Comforter in times of sorrow, a Protector in times of danger, and a Creator who has created me as his workmanship to do good works which he prepared for me to do long before  I was even born.

And best of all, I have the assurance of life after this one is over—and I don’t live with insecurity, fear or dread about what will happen tomorrow.  I am truly blessed!

Yes, the truly blessed has said in his heart, “There is a God!”

Just Saying… C.S. Lewis put it this way: “A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling ‘darkness’ on the wall of his cell.” There is a glorious God, and I am glad I belong to him!

Psalm 14: Nobody’s Fool

Read Psalm 14

Nobody’s Fool

“The fool says in his heart,
There is no God.”
Psalm 14:1

David is not referring here to the atheist who flat out denies the existence of God—although we could easily argue the foolishness of such a position. Nor is he speaking of someone who is intellectually challenged. Rather, he is speaking of the person who is morally lacking. That one may even be very bright, and believe in God, but for all intents and purposes, live as if God doesn’t exist. That kind of person is, in effect, a practical atheist.

You might find it interesting to know that David referred to such a person more than once in the Psalms. He uses identical language in Psalm 53:1, and in Psalm10:4, he actually gives us a pretty clear definition of how the fool lives: “In all his thoughts there is no room for God.” From David’s position, he apparently had to contend with a number of people who were bright enough to work themselves into positions of influence, powerful enough to command his concern. And his main concern was the damage that they were able to inflict precisely because they lived and acted without regard for the laws of God.

You know people like that. So do I. They are very smart, successful, and perhaps even quite magnetic in their personalities. But they live with no thought for God. They act without regard for his moral law, with no consideration of his right to rule their lives, and oblivious to his eternal purposes in this world. They are practical atheists. In fact, some of these “fools” might even be sitting next to you in church.

I suppose, however, that the most important question to ask is not about these people—these fools, but rather, about you. Although you believe in God and claim him as your Sovereign Lord, is he? Is he the Lord of all in your life? That is, doesn’t he hold absolute rulership in your thinking, your planning, your interacting and ever facet and moment of your living? Or at times, do you live as if he doesn’t exist—as a practical atheist?

You know, I have to confess that at times I am a fool. I think, plan and do without giving God the highest consideration. I have a feeling you do to. I don’t mean to live that way; neither do you. I just neglect to give God his rightful place. In that sense, you and I are different from the type of person David calls the fool. Yet at some level, we must accept those stinging words as a rebuke to the way we have lived.

So what say we do what Jesus called some of the early Christians to do who had fallen into that same trap of practical atheism: “Remember the heights from which you have fallen. Repent and do the things you did at first.” (Revelation 2:5) In other words, let’s get back to the practice of putting God first in every waking thought we have. Or, as Paul taught in Romans 12:1,

“Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it.”

That’s what you might call practicing the presence of God. And it is the best antidote to practical atheism.

“An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support.”
—Fulton J. Sheen