B. How has G.o.d altered your a.s.signment? How might he be altering it right now?

4. "What makes no sense in this life will make perfect sense in the next."

A. Does it help you to know that what makes no sense in this life will make perfect sense in the next? Explain.

B. What things in your life right now make no sense? How can you move forward without being able to make sense of them right now?

5. "If we a.s.sume this world exists just for pregrave happiness, atrocities disqualify it from doing so. But what if this earth is the womb? Might these challenges, severe as they may be, serve to prepare us, equip us for the world to come?"

A. In what way could this earth be a womb? Do you think it is? Explain.

B. How have some of your own challenges perhaps equipped you for the world to come?

EXPOSING FEAR.

1. Read John 14:1618, 2627.

A. What promises does Jesus give us in verses 1618? How can these promises help us battle the fear of what's next?

B. What is the vital connection between verses 26 and 27? How does Jesus' peace depend on the Spirit's work? How is the Spirit working in your life?

2. Read Ecclesiastes 3:18.

A. List the times or seasons that everyone will have to walk through, according to this pa.s.sage.

B. How does knowing ahead of time that we will face such times and seasons help lessen our fears about tomorrow?

3. Read 2 Corinthians 5:17.

A. How does Paul describe someone "in Christ"?

B. What is the result of being "in Christ"? How does this help battle fear?

BATTLING FEAR.

1. List the major fears you've had in the last five years. How many actually came to pa.s.s? What did you waste while worrying over nothing?

2. Write a page or two on how the difficulties and troubles of this world may, in fact, be preparing you for the world to come.

CHAPTER 12.

The Shadow of a Doubt Fear That G.o.d Is Not Real EXAMINING FEAR.

1. "As I reviewed my Easter sermon by the light of a lamp, the resurrection message felt mythic, more closely resembling an urban legend than the gospel truth. . . . I half expected the Mad Hatter or the seven dwarfs to pop out of a hole at the turn of a page."

A. Describe a time when you doubted the resurrection message could be true.

B. What seems most unbelievable about the resurrection message?

2. "Periodic doubters of Christ, take note and take heart. The charter followers of Christ had doubts too. But Christ refused to leave them alone with their questions."

A. Under what circ.u.mstances are you most likely to become a periodic doubter of Christ?

B. How has Christ helped you deal with your occasional doubts?

3. "What would Christ have us do with our doubts? His answer? Touch my body and ponder my story."

A. How do you normally respond to your doubts?

B. How can you touch Jesus' body and ponder his story? How does this help to combat doubts?

4. "Christ distributes courage through community; he dissipates doubts through fellowship. He never deposits all knowledge in one person but distributes pieces of the jigsaw puzzle to many."

A. How does Christ distribute courage through community and dissipate doubts through fellowship?

B. Are you active in a local church? In what ways do you serve and receive help there?

5. "What caused C. S. Lewis, a gifted, brilliant, hard-core atheist, to follow Christ? Simple. He came in touch with Christ's body, his followers, and in tune with his story, the Scriptures."

A. How does regular involvement with Christ's followers help you follow Christ better?

B. How does regular interaction with the Bible help you grow in your faith? How does it help you battle fear?

EXPOSING FEAR.

1. Read Luke 24:1335.

A. Why do you suppose Jesus pretended not to know what the two men were talking about?

B. What did these two men cite as the most compelling reason for them to regain their hope in Jesus (v. 32)? What helps you regain your hope in Jesus in the midst of doubts?

2. Read John 20:2429.

A. Why did Thomas at first not believe his fellow disciples when they told him they had seen the Lord?

B. How did Thomas come to believe again?

C. Why does Jesus call "blessed" those who have not seen but yet have believed?

3. Read Romans 10:17.

A. How does faith come, according to this pa.s.sage?

B. What does this imply about regular Bible reading and study?

BATTLING FEAR.

As Max writes, "Next time the shadows come, immerse yourself in the ancient stories of Moses, the prayers of David, the testimonies of the Gospels, and the epistles of Paul. Join with other seekers, and make daily walks to Emmaus." This week: 1. Immerse yourself in the great stories of the Bible that showcase G.o.d's power and love.

2. Get deeply involved with other believers who seek to glorify G.o.d.

CHAPTER 13.

What If Things Get Worse?

Fear of Global Calamity EXAMINING FEAR.

1. "Life is a dangerous endeavor. We pa.s.s our days in the shadows of ominous realities. The power to annihilate humanity has, it seems, been placed in the hands of people who are happy to do so."

A. What ominous realities have the most power to frighten you?

B. How do you think you'd feel if a nuclear bomb went off in some part of the United States?

2. "It was as if Jesus counseled the disciples, 'Don't freak out when bad stuff happens.'"

A. Do you have a personal action plan for dealing with bad stuff? Explain.

B. What have you learned from observing the way others handle difficulties?

3. "False prophets always minimize the role of Christ and maximize the role of humanity. . . . Stick to one question-is this person directing listeners to Jesus? If the answer is yes, be grateful and pray for that individual. If the answer is no, get out while you still can."

A. Why do false teachers inevitably point people away from Jesus? To what do they generally direct the attention of others?

B. How well do you know Jesus? Would you be able to tell if someone was painting a false picture of him? Explain.

4. "All things, big and small, flow out of the purpose of G.o.d and serve his good will. When the world appears out of control, it isn't."

A. How can bad stuff serve G.o.d's good will? Describe a time in your life when bad stuff served G.o.d's good will.

B. How do you generally react when your world seems to be spinning out of control? How would you counsel yourself in such times?

5. "Everything will work out in the end. If it's not working out, it's not the end."

A. Do you agree with the statement above? Why or why not?

B. How can this statement bring comfort and alleviate fear?

EXPOSING FEAR.

1. Read Matthew 24:414.

A. How many times is some form of deception mentioned in this pa.s.sage?

B. What does this tell you about knowing sound doctrine as a tool against fear?

2. Read Psalm 46:111.

A. What kind of fears do verses 23 and 6 mention? How does the psalmist counteract these fears?

B. How do verses 811 allay our fears of major catastrophes?

3. Read Psalm 27:110.

A. What types of human-caused disasters are mentioned in verses 13? How does the psalmist respond to them?

B. What confidence does the psalmist express in verses 510? How did he gain this confidence? What can we learn from his experience?

4. Read Revelation 2:10.

A. What kind of suffering is promised to some believers?

B. How can these believers overcome their fears of such suffering?

C. What does G.o.d promise to those who overcome their fears and remain strong in Christ?

BATTLING FEAR.

Write out the following statement and place it in a prominent location that you will see often (on your refrigerator, in your car, on your office desk, etc.): "Everything will work out in the end. If it's not working out, it's not the end."

CHAPTER 14.

The One Healthy Terror Fear of G.o.d Getting Out of My Box EXAMINING FEAR.

1. "When it comes to defining Christ, no box works."

A. Into what boxes have you tried to put Christ?

B. Why is it impossible to put Jesus Christ into a box?

2. "The transfigured Christ is Christ in his purest form. It's also Christ as his truest self, wearing his pre-Bethlehem and postresurrection wardrobe."