Sometimes, the most spiritually dangerous place a person can be is a comfortable one. It lulls us into thinking that life is "good enough," or that we can rest on what we've already done. But faith requires ongoing effort, continued momentum toward Jesus. For this, we must continue to remember who He is, what He's done, and what He has for us now and forever.

The influence of the world has a gradual effect on us. Drifting a little at a time can result in a significant deviation when the journey is long. The Christians in these churches, and so many of us, have tolerated sin in our lives which is compromising our faith and could lead to condemnation before Jesus. We must repent and be faithful.

There is something exciting and invigorating about love at first. We feel this in human relationships and we see it in our faith. Over time, love can flicker and expressions of devotion diminish. Jesus deserves and desires our best love, our first love. He calls us back to love Him with the kind of love He has shown us.

Suffering often has such a negative effect on us emotionally and spiritually because we perceive that it's the opposite of what we deserve. Job grapples with this in the beginning of the book, resolving to worship God because everything he had and lost was God's to begin with. In the middle of the book, Job becomes resentful because he believes he deserved better. And then, by the end, when Job makes peace with God and accepts whatever God gives, he receives more than He's ever had before (ch. 42). We need to have a right view of what has been give to us by God in this life... and we need to gaze ahead to the day, beyond this life, when God will give us so much more than we would ever deserve. Our hope in this life is the future inheritance the Lord has promised.

The book of Job is a trial… most think God is on the stand, needing to defend himself when life hurts. In the heavenly dialogue, we see that humanity is on trial--will people love God when they have no earthly reason? The question is needed today. The end of Job shows the reason for our love for God--he delights, irrationally, in His creation. His love for us is all the reason we need to love Him, whatever life brings.

Job was a really good man. So, when he suffered, Job concluded that God wasn't just. His friends argued that Job must not be good because God is surely just. How many still come to one of those conclusions in the midst of suffering– God isn't fair or this must be my punishment for sin. By the end of the book, God explains that suffering is more complicated than they think, and the right response for us is to trust Him, who is sovereign through it all.

Salvation is a sign of our victory. It's already been won by Jesus and when we fight on His side, we are already champions. This message needs to show how Jesus wins the victory, proven through the resurrection, and how we take our place on His side through faith in Him.

Up to this point, it feels like we are hunkered down and trying to endure the attacks of the enemy. With Scripture and prayer, we go on the offense. Both bring the power and presence of God, "his mighty power" into the battle. We desperately need a rhythm of Scripture and prayer in our lives.

Faith is believing in who Jesus is and trusting what he says. Every soldier had a custom shield, perfectly fit for them. Each of us has our own faith, not to be compared or confused by someone else's. This personal faith prevents the attacks of the enemy from doing damage to us.

The Good News of Jesus is a message of peace with God. When we consider the alternative, that God could see us as enemies, makes our peace with God even more amazing. In response, we should be ready at any moment to go and announce this message of Good News for all who will receive it.