“Paranoia strikes deep,” is a line I remember from a song in my past. Paranoia is a pattern of intense suspicion and distrust of others, believing they intend to harm you, even without sufficient evidence, leading to defensiveness, difficulty trusting, and misinterpreting neutral actions as threats.

Does the Bible give the cure for such a malady? Glad you asked.

Philippians 4:6-7 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 1:7 

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

God brings all kinds of people into our lives. Unless they are a proven threat, give them a chance.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Julie Miller wrote this song in 1993 and many sang it. This is how every true believer feels when death knocks.

When I go, don’t cry for me
In my Father’s arms I’ll be

The wounds this world left on my soul
Will all be healed and I’ll be whole

Sun and moon will be replaced
With the light of Jesus’ face

And I will not be ashamed
For my Savior knows my name

It don’t matter where you bury me
I’ll be home and I’ll be free

It don’t matter where I lay
All my tears be washed away

Gold and silver blind the eye
Temporary riches lie

Come and eat from heaven’s store
Come and drink and thirst no more

So weep not for me, my friend
When my time below does end

For my life belongs to Him
Who will raise the dead again

It don’t matter where you bury me
I’ll be home and I’ll be free

II Corinthians 5:6-8

So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. ⁷ For we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸ We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

Give it some thought.

Gary

They say vegetables are good for you. I thought there must be a way around that, so I reasoned that if I cooked everything in vegetable oil, my health would be vastly improved. You can’t catch me doing a google search on that, because that is what I want to believe. I don’t think I’ll even bring it up to my doctor.

Do you know that many a professing Christian reasons the same way about spiritual things? He or she doesn’t want to study the Bible because it might interfere with his or her belief system. The Berean Christians were not like that. Listen to what Paul says.

Acts 17:11

These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

Are you more like the Thessalonian Christians or the Berean Christians? Give it some thought.

Gary

Genesis 46:2-3

And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

“I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.” 

When it just doesn’t make sense, when what you know from history doesn’t fit the narrative, from out of nowhere God can change the course you’re on and tell you it’s okay.  Confused, Jacob treasured God’s presence and promises.

Don’t ever forget that these accounts from God’s Word are written for our admonition. Always be open for change that the all-powerful Deity brings into your life.

1 Corinthians 10:11

Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

Abram was comfortable in Ur of the Chaldees, but God called him on a journey of faith.

Moses was comfortable herding sheep in the wilderness, but God’s people needed a deliverer.

Jonah was comfortable preaching in Israel, but Nineveh needed to hear from God.

Nehemiah was comfortable as the king’s cupbearer, but the walls of Jerusalem needed to be rebuilt.

Give it some thought.

Gary

For want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a horse the rider was lost, being overtaken and slain by the enemy; and all for want of care about a horseshoe nail.                                                 – B. Franklin

Old Ben had it right; we should never overlook the minute aspects of our existence here on the planet. Not checking on small details can lead to tragedy. A modern example was an O-ring on the Space Shuttle Challenger that caused the death of seven people. It could have been avoided.

Does the Bible address this? Glad you asked.

Isaiah 28:9-10 

“To whom will He teach knowledge, and to whom will He explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.”

There is nothing too small to be considered in life’s chemistry. Be careful with every little thing.

Give it some consideration.

Gary

Some time ago, zoo officials in Kirby, Misperton, England, had to pay visitors for articles stolen by monkeys. But what puzzled them was the favorite item the animals snatched: Eyeglasses. An investigation revealed the reason. The monkeys grabbed the glasses when visitors leaned over to read a small sign on the wall of the cage. The sign said: “Beware! These monkeys steal spectacles.”

Poor eyesight can lead to real problems. Most can’t read the signs of the times and will miss the rapture. How’s your vision?

Proverbs 29:18

Where there is no prophetic vision, the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law. 

Matthew 16:3

“And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.”

Can you see what is happening before a thief steals what God gave to you?

Give it some thought.

Gary

That phrase, “Take the sword and slay that monster,” is a direct echo of Isaiah 27:1 in the Bible, where God declares He will use His mighty sword to punish and slay the mythical sea monster, Leviathan, symbolizing Israel’s enemies and chaotic forces. It’s a powerful image of divine judgment and ultimate victory over overwhelming opposition, often interpreted to mean God will deliver His people from oppressors.

Oppressors are still in business in our age, but thankfully, God’s power hasn’t diminished. Do you have any enemies that need slaying? As the hymn states, there is victory in Jesus.

I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from glory
How He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me
I heard about His groaning, of His precious blood’s atoning
Then I repented of my sins, and won the victory

Deuteronomy 20:4 

For the Lord your God is He who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’ 

1 Corinthians 15:57 

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Give it some thought.

Gary