Covert Fools are Pawns of the Devil

We know a covert fool understands the rudeness and deceit they are exerting because they hide it from those they wish to impress and are secretly blatantly rude to those they disrespect.

When someone hides their true nature from some and not others they are making the decision to do what they do whether that is to trick the ones they want to impress with a false image or to treat others they disrespect with contempt through intimidation and mocking.

Often the disrespect on the part of the fool is born out of deep jealousy over someone who is confident and who they know they can have no control over.

The goal of the fool is to bring their target down fostering discontent and diminishing confidence. The hope is that the target will lose control out of frustration and return anger for anger. The smartest thing for the target to do is to remain calm, not answering a fool according to their own folly, and avoid the fool whenever possible.

When they realize they are not able to control the self-assured person they will gossip to others who will torment the hated one on behalf of the fool.

The fool makes the mistake of amping up their rudenss and engaging others to their own downfall. Eventually, those who have been used as flying monkeys to do the fool's bidding will realize they have been played and will remove themselves to avoid the drama.

Anyone who does not do the fool's bidding will be maligned too when they become aware and detach themselves.

Our world is becoming more foolish every day, rational thinking is no longer the norm but the exception. Our greatest hope and joy is to remain calm, seeking Christ for everything, and remain untouched by the devil's schemes. And, yes he has schemes every day all day long as he attempts to pit people against one another especially Christian against Christian.

1 Peter 5:7-9 "…7 Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.…"

James 4:7

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

We can know the schemes of the devil by reading the Word of God. It began in the Garden with Eve when the devil turned Eve against God defending her disobedience through the lying justification of the devil. We do not have to be deceived as Eve was, we have the Holy Spirit and plenty of examples in God's Word and in life experience to show us how this wicked serpent operates to be able to thwart his plan to ruin our character.

Isolation is a Blessing to those who Walk with Christ

Galatians 4:16-17 "…16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them. "

Those who wish to change us into their idea of righteousness will isolate us to cause jealousy for them. Then they will attempt to turn our friends and family against us so that we will be isolated from our support.

Sadly those who do such things lack good sense. They do not know that Christ is enough for us and that we do have others support outside their group.

Arrogance causes those who isolate us from their group to believe we want or need them. It never occurs to them that we don't need them and prefer not to have to endure their nonsense.

1 Peter 2:19-21 "…19 For if anyone endures the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God, this is to be commended. 20 How is it to your credit if you are beaten for doing wrong and you endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps:…"

Matthew 5:10-12

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you."

James 1:12

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."

Romans 5:3-5

"Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."

Those who depend on their groups for their validation are empty inside. When we depend on Jesus Christ Who lives in us we have great joy no matter what is going on around us. We need no "group-think" or validation from any group to progress in wisdom and holiness.

Those who depend on others to feel whole are placing their trust in human beings and will be devastated when those people are no longer available to them.

However, those who have trusted in Christ are content in whatever situation they find themselves because they know Christ in them will direct and guide them.

1 John 2:15-17

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever."

Fruit of the Spirit of Which the First is Love

The fruit of the Spirit is the following, it is not works, even though they produce works that glorify God. The fruit is the character quality of Christ. The "fruit" is singular, every born-again believer has all the fruit.

 
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
The first of the fruit is "love."

1 Corinthians 13:4-8
4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant.
5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered,
6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

This first fruit of love generates all the rest of the fruit. It is not possible to have the fruit without the love.

 
Ephesians 4:2
"with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,"

Colossians 3:12-14
"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity."

1 Peter 4:8
"Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."

1 John 3:16-18
"By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him? / Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth."

Philippians 2:3-4
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

1 Thessalonians 5:14
"And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone."

The Great Disappearance Interview with Dr. David Jeremiah