Month: March 2025

Until that day when God’s original plan for mankind is finally fulfilled, we will not yet see all things subjected to Jesus Christ. It’s only when God’s original plan and purpose for humanity is completed that everything will fully and finally be subjected to Him. And on that day when Jesus returns, He will smash the rule of fallen man who are currently under Satan’s authority and will rule the earth as the King of kings and Lord of lords with equity and righteousness…and at long last, all things will be under His submission.

This Proverb is a timeless reminder of the value of diligence, responsibility, and an excellent work ethic. It dares to ask the question…”How do you use your time?” Are you lazy or prudent with your activities? All the while knowing that laziness produces poverty, while industry brings prosperity. But we love ease and love also to procrastinate… even if it does demonstrate the sin of idleness and slothfulness… like that of a robber who will suddenly overtake & overpower his victim.

Selflessness in the Bible is an attitude and way of life that prioritizes the needs, interests, and welfare of others before one’s own. It embodies the spirit of love, humility, and servitude that Jesus Christ exemplified during His earthly Ministry. Selflessness is a true reflection of Christ’s love and character…as we model seeking the good of others, not our own good. (I Corinthians 10:24) But selflessness rubs against our selfish human nature, and it takes a concerted effort on our part to place other’s needs before ours. That’s when the word JOY can be a help. JOY stands for Jesus, others, and yourself…which means our priority is always Jesus first, others second, and ourselves last…which in the end, brings joy into our life.

In Chapter 7 of Daniel is a vision of the Ancient of Days taking His seat on the throne and of His Divine judgment…with His sovereignty and rule then given to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Starting in verse 15, Daniel does not have to speculate as to what his vision means, for an angel tells him exactly what it is. (Daniel 7:17-18)…with the ultimate triumph of God’s Kingdom over all earthly powers given to the saints through their endurance of persecution. God’s people will then receive and possess the Kingdom under the Kingship of the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, Who will be the final King over the earth.

Fear, anxiety, and stress, compounded with exhaustion, can easily render us frozen in our tracks. As our knees knock together or giving way, we’re like deer caught in the headlights…panic stricken and frozen in fear. But God’s Word tells us that “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.” (Psalm 23:4) And as we follow God and His precepts, His Word says, we will walk about in freedom. (Psalm 119:45) That’s because as we seek God’s guidance, He will give us confidence, strength, and direction to walk in the Way of Salvation and Holiness. (Isaiah 30:21, Isaiah 35:8)

Fear, stress, and anxiety will wrap around our arms, permitting them to hang limp at our sides. And as doubt and fear of failure increases, we become unproductive and worthless for the all-important work of the Lord that He has planned for us. Fear will stop us from serving others…because we think we can’t or do a good enough job. But we forget that God will never ask us to serve in a capacity that He hasn’t already prepared and equipped us for. In I Peter 4:10-11, it tells us to use our God-given gifts to serve one another as if we were serving God Himself. And so, just as the Proverbs 31 woman, we are to open our hands to the poor and extend them to the needy… all the while seeking God to strengthen our faltering and fearful arms & hands.

When fear, anxiety, and stress wrap up our hearts, we question God and ourselves, all the while having doubt fill our minds. We lose heart and falter as our confidence, faith, and trust is tested …to the point we begin to question whether we have even heard God’s voice. Throughout the Scriptures we see people losing heart and God chastising them for their lack of faith. In Deuteronomy 1:19-33 The nation of Israel refused to go and possess the Promised Land due to a few of the spy’s negative reports… even though God reassured them it was theirs for the taking. In I Samuel 17:32 when David encountered the blasphemous Goliath, he warned King Saul, “Let no man’s heart melt because of him.” And when Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth, he exhorted them to not lose heart or give up hope despite discouragement. (II Corinthians 4:1-16) Finally, in Hebrews 12:3-5 all Believers are encouraged to not become fainthearted when confronted with hostility and persecution from the world. So, the next time you are about to lose heart, take a deep breath and remember Jesus’ words in John 16:33, ” “Take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Fear, anxiety, and stress will wrap around our mouth and take our voice. We find ourselves tongue-tied in the face of serious situations, unable to ask pertinent questions…leaving us embarrassed and guilt-ridden for not speaking up. We then fear that others will think we are uncaring and indifferent, when we really are anything but that. The prophet Jeremiah was like this when God called him into service. (Jeremiah 1:6-10) Fear caused Jeremiah to immediately try and disqualify himself as unfit because of his young age and immaturity. But God responded to Jeremiah’s anxiety in verse 8 with, “Do not be afraid, I am with you.” And this still applies to us today…God can give us the same boldness to speak up just as He encouraged Jeremiah to do so.

Fear, anxiety, and stress will wrap up our eyes, not allowing us to see clearly. We will be looking, but not seeing, seeing but not perceiving correctly. And so instead, we will choose to turn a blind eye to the truth, rather than confronting the reality of the situation. But God sees all clearly, (Psalm 94:9) and we should be asking Him to open our eyes to illuminate His Truth so we might be guided by it. (Psalm 119:18) And we know that as we lift our eyes to Him, wisdom and understanding will overcome all our fears.

Fear, anxiety, and stress will plug up our ears, making it difficult to hear. It’s not that we can’t listen to a bad report, devastating news, or life-ending diagnosis, it’s just that our mind refuses to accept it…making it almost impossible to “take it all in” and concentrate. Isaiah 6:9 tells us that we are ever hearing, but chose to turn a deaf ear, thus never quite understanding or comprehending clearly. But even through this mental deafness know that you can still hear the voice of God… who will give you direction, guidance, and counsel.