Fools and the Heart for God*

      As Paul sat imprisoned in Rome awaiting execution for his faith in Jesus Christ, He wrote this to the believers of Rome: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live buy faith." (Rom. 1:16-17). This is also our founding scripture for this ministry, and this is the power of salvation through faith in Christ. Paul also wrote to Titus: "But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine." (Titus 2:1). Speak the saving truth.

     Paul continued on to write of those who refuse to see the hand of the Creator God that has been revealed to them: "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." (v. 19-20). They are without excuse and subject to the wrath of God for deliberately discounting His creative power in what they see around them.  Paul also noted that once the deniers of truth began down this path, knowing God but not giving Him the glory as God, "...their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." (v. 21).

     In the darkening of their hearts as a consequence of their deliberate choice to ignore the truth of God (see also Titus 1:15-16), God gave them up to grow into greater uncleanness and vileness, dishonoring their own bodies between themselves. They begin to twist the natural purpose of God with their bodies, lusting after that which is not natural, both females and males seeking to "change the natural use into that which is against nature...And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful." (v. 24-31). Even though they know that what they are doing is wrong and worthy of the judgment of God and death, they continue to do so and have great pleasure in seeing others do the same. (v. 32). This was written by Paul almost two thousand years ago, but we see the same conditions today in our society as people choose to become fools, denying and refusing to honor God as God.

     David wrote the following Psalm: "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God (see also 2 Chron. 7:14). They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one...There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous....O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad." (Ps. 14, Ps. 53, excerpt).

     There are none that doeth good, according to these Psalms. All have sinned and fallen short of the righteousness of God. Only the salvation (Yeshua/Jesus) that comes out of Zion can free man from this captivity to foolishness. Passover is coming soon, which is the sacrifice of the Lamb for the deliverance from death and destruction by His blood. David mentions the great fear that comes upon man knowing that God has removed Himself from their filthiness. Revelation talks about this terrible fear of those who cry out for the rocks to fall on them rather than be subject to the wrath of the returning Lamb of God, Jesus. (Rev. 6:15-17).

     Proverbs says: "A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels...The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Prov. 1:1-7, excerpt). The fear of the LORD written of here is the awesome respect for God. Scripture says, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Heb. 10:31).

     Hosea wrote that the LORD had a controversy with His own people: "...because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish...My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, and thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame. They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity." (Hos. 4:1-9, excerpt). Who tells the truth? Who shows mercy? The churches, rather than teaching the knowledge of God, teach the ideas of men. We are called to be kings and priests, but here, the LORD has contention with His priests who, instead of leading God's people to repentance and atonement restoration, are making gain from the continuing sinfulness of the people. The Law of God has been made complicated by men's religious interpretations and practices, but the Law of God is very simple as Jesus said: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. If you love God, you will not seek to sin against Him. If you love your neighbor, you will not seek to sin against him.

     In Genesis, the rejection of God and His holy ways caused men's hearts to be filled with such evil continually, that God was sorry that He had created man, and was caused to say: "I will destroy man whom I created from the face of the earth; both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them." (Gen. 6:5-7). The earth was corrupt (sahat - be ruined, be rotted, decay, marred, destroy, pervert, battered, perish, destroyer, waster, spoilers) before God and filled with violence and all flesh walked in corrupt ways. (v. 11-12). As the LORD looked upon the earth and the flesh inhabiting it, He saw a state of decomposing death as a result of the evil in the hearts of man. However, "Noah found grace in the eyes of God." (v. 8). The LORD saw the living hope of grace, mercy and unmerited favor when He looked upon Noah, and as a result, all life would not perish in the flood of judgment. A small remnant of life, Noah, his family, and numbers of wildlife creatures, would survive and continue. 

     Jesus told His disciples that the same (unrepentant) ways of man that had existed in Noah's day shall also be seen in the days of the Son of man as He returns. (Lk. 17:24-26). The same is true of our own times today. He said of Noah's generation and the future generation: "They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe (Noah) entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all." (v. 27). The same existed up until the day that Sodom was destroyed as well. It was life as usual with no thoughts of the consequences of their evil hearts. "Even thus it shall be in the day when the Son of man is revealed." (v. 29-30).

     There can be no denying of the event of a universal flood. There exists too much scientific evidence in support of its occurrence. There is also no denying that men's hearts are evil today while they carelessly continue their lives as usual, giving no thought of the consequences.

     The apostle Peter wrote that there would be those scoffers in these last days who would doubt the promise of God's Word that judgment would come upon the earth. They also will say that life continues on as it always has. Peter wrote this: "Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." (2 Pet. 3:1-7). Peter also pointed out the significance of the six days of creation as they relate to the timing of the judgment of God: "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." (v. 8). Many believe that we are entering the "third day"/3,000 years since the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, and the "sixth day"/six thousand years since creation was completed. However, in considering this dire prophecy, Peter also wrote of this important fact: "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (v. 9). The Lord will wait as long as possible, giving every opportunity for man to turn away from evil and seek Him and His salvation, but people should not mistake the Lord's patience with man in this regard to be weakness in judgment.

     Peter then described the fiery, fervent, melting heat that will seize the earth when it is least expected. Keeping this in mind, Peter urged believers to live in holiness and godliness. (10-16). He warned: "Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." (v. 17-18).

     Hell was not meant for man, but for the devil and his angels. Men choose death and Hell themselves in their rejection of the promised everlasting life found in God through His Son, Jesus. God's people are to continue in the grace and knowledge of Christ rather than in the ways of the foolish. Our nation is at a crossroads and the last days are here according to all of the signs. God's Word above has told us, as His people, what we must be doing, and that includes 2 Chron. 7:14, putting our evil ways away from us, and seeking God and His righteousness. Then He will hear from heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land.

*Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 3/30/25 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on Dr. Stevenson's Facebook page. Dr. Stevenson's video messages are also found on You Tube at Kenneth Stevenson. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook.