Pride can sneak into every area of your life. If you know you need to mend a broken relationship, pride will lead you to deny that. You may feel convicted about living a sinful lifestyle, but pride will discourage you from admitting it. Pride will tell you, you deserve better. It will keep you from serving others. We must humble ourselves, which is pleasing to God and places your life in a position where God will honor you. 

Questions for further thought:
1. When was a time you found someone blinded by their own pride? 

2. Did they learn from the consequences? 

Challenge: Think hard on something you may be too prideful about in your own life. Pray for wisdom and clarity in seeing those areas. 

If you are anything like me there are probably people in your life who feel difficult to love. However, we are to love and accept these people without trying to change them or hoping they change on their own. We can do that by choosing grace and humility over pride and criticism. Pride disappears under the loving gaze of our Father who just wants us to see ourselves and others the way He sees us. 

Questions for further thought:
1. Who are those you find difficult to love or show love to? 

2. Write the names of those you need to find grace for.   

Challenge: Pray every day this week for someone on your list. 
 

These verses give us the victory.  We know that through Jesus’ death on the cross we have been freed from sin.  What power that gives us!  We must go and share this good news with others.  We are facing some very interesting times, but we know who wins:  GOD!!  Doubt and Fear have no power.

Questions for further thought:
1. What does it mean to you to know that death has no victory?

2. Are you steadfast, doing the work of the Lord?

Challenge: Go out this week and tell unbelievers about the victory they can have in Christ.

We are constantly facing spiritual battles.  With everything going on in our world today, the devil is working hard to spread seeds of doubt and fear.   We must work hard to fight the battle.  We are to clothe ourselves with the Armor of God.   We must have our sword – the bible.  Reading the bible every day to keep God’s word on our lips not only gives us the ammunition to fight the battle, but provides the armor to protect us from the seeds of fear and doubt. 

Questions for further thought:
1. How do you armor yourself?

2. What do you do when you are facing a spiritual battle?

Challenge: Make it a priority to spend time in the bible every day.

It seems that in the world today there are all sorts of conspiracies.  I hear people say I am afraid the government is doing this or covering up that.  The JFK shooting has been studied over and over trying to find a conspiracy.  I have heard that the moon landing is a conspiracy.  Isaiah is saying we do not need to dread or fear a conspiracy, we must fear the Lord and we will find peace in His holiness. As a Christian we do not need to fear what the world fears, we must trust the plan that God has for us.

Questions for further thought:
1. How many conspiracies have you heard in the last month? 

2. Do your fear the things of this world, or do you fear the Lord?

Challenge: Put your fear in the Lord this week and do not dread the things of this world.
 

We have doubt.  We all question whether we have made the right decision, done the right thing, or given the right advice.  When things are not going our way or we are facing the challenges life hands out, we find ourselves doubting.  We even ask, “why is God letting this happen?”  James tells us we must not doubt, we must ask God for wisdom to face our challenges.   God will give us the “peace that passes all understanding.”

Questions for further thought:
1. What are your doubts?

2. What are you doubting this week?

Challenge: Give your doubts to the Lord, leave no stone unturned and give all to Him.
 

We all have fear.  Every day we have to face our fears. It is in our sinful nature to try and face our fears alone, but we are not alone.  The Psalmist says that even in our lowest times we do not have to fear, for God is walking with us.  He will be with us and give us the peace to get through even our toughest times.

Questions for further thought:
1. What is your biggest fear?

2. What will you do the next time you are in a fearful situation?

Challenge: Next time you are in a fearful situation, stop and take time to pray and let God lead you.

Nothing can separate us from God’s love.  No matter what we do, God will always love us.  The devil tries to convince us that if we do this or that God will not love us.  The devil wants us to feel lost and hopeless so that we will not turn to God and be saved. He tells lies and sometimes we believe these lies.  Nothing can separate us from God’s love!

Questions for further thought:
1. When do you feel unloved by God?

2. What lies do you sometimes believe?

Challenge: When you sin, no matter how bad it is or how guilty you feel, turn to God immediately and ask for forgiveness.  He loves you!

God has control over the devil.  He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  Consider the book of Job. God limited the amount of trouble Satan could inflict onto Job. God instructs the devil not to cross this line and the devil has to obey.  God is protecting us from the devil’s temptations, but allowing some, so that we may grow stronger by relying on God. When we rely on God, he gives us a way out.

Questions for further thought:
1. Why would God allow the devil to tempt us?

2. When have you looked for a way out when you begin to feel tempted? God promises us one every time.  

Challenge: Think about the common things that tempt you and then develop a plan for a way out that will prevent you from falling into those temptations.  

Where does trouble come from?  Does it come from the devil, or from the choices we make? Since we live in a fallen world it is a combination of things.  God sent his son to die for us, and has overcome the world.  We can live in peace with knowing that God has everything under control and in the end, we win through Christ!

Questions for further thought:
1. How do you train your mind to have peace in times of trouble?

2. What is the biggest trouble that you have faced and how did you get through it?

Challenge: Read your Bible and pray intentionally for faith in God’s promises every day for at least one week.