Questions For Me to Ponder About Prison Ministry

This is mostly about attempting to walk in the light … on the path to the finding truth, on the path to JOY … J O Y comes from putting Jesus First, living in gratitude and giving all of the glory for all blessing to God … THEN it’s about respecting and loving OTHERS as we respect and love ourselves … which mean that YOU and your EGO have to take the back seat … because when you insist on making it all about you, then you get to stay in your prison … that’s the path to J O Y … Jesus, Others, You.

REDEMPTION AND FORGIVENESS

  1. How can I accept God’s forgiveness when I cannot forgive myself?

  • “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling. We all fail; people who don’t acknowledge failure are evidently pretty good at lying to themselves if they actually believe that – but that’s typical human behavior. There are people who have never failed because they have never had the courage to even try, thus they fail to live, fail to experience life, fail to take chances or strive or screw up. The glory that comes from rising every time we fall must go to God. We are blessed by our failures and our chance to grow closer to God”

  • “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9). Similar to the opening passages of Genesis and the Gospel of John, (1 John 1:1) starts with a clear connection between Jesus and God the Father as the beginning of all things. John also refers to the idea of Jesus coming to earth to give us Life as a living flesh-and-blood man (1 John 1:2), which is a critical part of the gospel, which we are all to proclaim (1 John 1:3). From (1 John 1:4), we are reminded that A Christian can be filled with JOY, knowing that he or she does not need to guess whether he or she will have eternal life. Those who know God and love others proclaim the gospel by showing evidence God is in their life. When we walk in the light per (1 John 1:5) to remind ourselves that God is entirely goodness and truth, with no evil or falsehood. But when we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, per (1 John 1:6) we lie to ourselves [and possibly others] by not practicing the light of truth. As this letter from John reminds us in (1 John 1:7), that John the Baptist spoke about Jesus as not only the “light” but even the “TRUE light” John 1:8; this is about how Jesus Christ becomes the driver of truth in our lives, as we are to repent and call people to repentance in preparation for His arrival. Returning to this letter, in (1 John 1:8), we are reminded that believers who have accepted salvation are then called to walk in the light according to Christ’s ways to bear witness, but when we say we have no sin, the we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Those who confess sins are reassured that God will forgive, (1 John 1:9) and remove that sin’s impact on fellowship … but as we know from Colossians 3:13 or Ephesians 1:7 forgiveness was purchased for us by Jesus and is thus a grace that we can ask for in prayer, but not something that we can just will into being or do through our own actions. Confession of sins has always been seen as a sacred practice of prayer, sacrifice, worship among those who turn to the Lord (Leviticus 5:5 or 16:21; Numbers 5:7; Ezra 10:1) and has been seen as a source of healing (James 5:16). “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)

  1. What does true repentance look like in daily life?
    • “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.” (Acts 3:19)
    • “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” (Matthew 3:8)
    • “To make mistakes is human; to stumble is commonplace; to be able to laugh at yourself is maturity.” — William Arthur Ward
  2. How can my past failures become a testimony for God’s glory?
    • “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good.” (Romans 8:28)
    • “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
    • “What matters is not what happens to us, but what we do with what happens to us.” — Epictetus
  3. In what ways am I still holding onto guilt that God has already forgiven?
    • “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
    • “For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:34)
    • “He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.” — Seneca
  4. How can I extend the same grace to others that Christ has shown to me?
    • “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)
    • “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14)
    • “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” — Marcus Aurelius

TRANSFORMATION AND RENEWAL

  1. What old habits or ways of thinking do I need to surrender to Christ?
    • “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)
    • “Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires.” (Ephesians 4:22)
    • “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” — Heraclitus
  2. How can I remain patient with my spiritual growth when change seems slow?
    • “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.” (Galatians 5:22)
    • “For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” (Habakkuk 2:3)
    • “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.” — Aristotle
  3. What specific areas of my life still need to be surrendered to Christ’s lordship?
    • “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20)
    • “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
    • “True freedom is not the absence of restraint, but choosing the right restraints.” — Socrates
  4. How has God already begun transforming me from the inside out?
    • “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
    • “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.” (Romans 8:29)
    • “No great thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen.” — Epictetus
  5. In what ways can these walls become a monastery for spiritual growth rather than just a prison?
    • “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” (James 1:2-3)
    • “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18)
    • “The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting. The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” — Marcus Aurelius

PURPOSE AND CALLING

  1. How might God be preparing me during this time for future ministry?
    • “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
    • “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
    • “Everything has been figured out, except how to live.” — Jean-Paul Sartre
  2. What unique perspective or experience do I have that could help others?
    • “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
    • “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” (1 Peter 4:10)
    • “What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” — Pericles
  3. How can I serve others even with limited freedom and resources?
    • “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13)
    • “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
    • “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” — Cicero
  4. What spiritual gifts am I developing that I may not have discovered otherwise?
    • “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-5)
    • “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them.” (Romans 12:6)
    • “Know, first, who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.” — Epictetus
  5. How might my story of redemption bring hope to someone else who feels beyond salvation?
    • “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
    • “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.” (Ephesians 2:4-5)
    • “Our glory lies not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.” — Confucius

RELATIONSHIPS AND RECONCILIATION

  1. How can I make amends with those I’ve hurt even when direct contact isn’t possible?
    • “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24)
    • “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Romans 12:18)
    • “An injury is much sooner forgotten than an insult.” — Seneca
  2. In what ways can I rebuild trust with those who have given up on me?
    • “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Matthew 5:37)
    • “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:18)
    • “I have learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Cicero
  3. How can I forgive those who have wronged me, especially when they show no remorse?
    • “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14)
    • “Bear with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (Colossians 3:13)
    • “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” — Seneca
  4. What boundaries need to be established in unhealthy relationships upon release?
    • “Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man.” (Proverbs 22:24)
    • “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.’” (1 Corinthians 15:33)
    • “Associate with people who are likely to improve you.” — Seneca
  5. How can I honor my family despite the pain and separation I’ve caused?
    • “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12)
    • “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:8)
    • “Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.” — Cicero

TEMPTATION AND DISCIPLINE

  1. What triggers or situations should I avoid to prevent falling into old patterns?
    • “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
    • “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.” (James 1:14)
    • “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” — Aristotle
  2. How can I develop spiritual disciplines that will strengthen me against temptation?
    • “But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:27)
    • “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” (Hebrews 12:11)
    • “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” — Aristotle
  3. What new habits can I begin forming now that will support a godly life upon release?
    • “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)
    • “Put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:24)
    • “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” — Socrates
  4. How can I surrender my need for control and truly trust God’s plan?
    • “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
    • “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matthew 6:27)
    • “True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.” — Socrates
  5. What does it mean to find freedom in Christ while physically confined?
    • “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)
    • “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)
    • “The mind that is anxious about the future is miserable.” — Seneca

IDENTITY AND WORTH

  1. How do I separate who I am from what I’ve done?
    • “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
    • “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession.” (1 Peter 2:9)
    • “Know thyself.” — Delphic maxim
  2. In what ways am I still defining myself by my worst mistakes?
    • “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
    • “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
    • “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” — Cicero
  3. How has Christ redefined what gives me value and worth?
    • “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6-7)
    • “For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:20)
    • “The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” — Thoreau
  4. What false identities or labels do I need to reject to embrace my identity in Christ?
    • “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3:1)
    • “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
    • “The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be.” — Socrates
  5. How can I begin to see myself as God sees me?
    • “For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
    • “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)
    • “To find yourself, think for yourself.” — Socrates

COMMUNITY AND BELONGING

  1. How can I contribute to building a Christ-centered community here?
    • “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)
    • “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)
    • “What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.” — Aristotle
  2. What does genuine Christian fellowship look like behind bars?
    • “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)
    • “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
    • “Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.” — Cicero
  3. How can I be vulnerable without being taken advantage of?
    • “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16)
    • “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17)
    • “The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be.” — Socrates
  4. What church community will I seek upon release, and how will I remain accountable?
    • “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (Acts 2:42)
    • “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” (James 5:16)
    • “I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world.” — Socrates
  5. How can I be an encouragement to others who are losing hope?
    • “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
    • “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:29)
    • “While there’s life, there’s hope.” — Cicero

SUFFERING AND ENDURANCE

  1. How can I find meaning in this season of suffering?
    • “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” (Romans 5:3-4)
    • “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” (James 1:2-3)
    • “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” — Epictetus
  2. What spiritual lessons can only be learned through this kind of hardship?
    • “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.” (Psalm 119:67)
    • “For the LORD disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” (Hebrews 12:6)
    • “The obstacle is the way.” — Marcus Aurelius
  3. How can I cultivate gratitude despite difficult circumstances?
    • “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
    • “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15)
    • “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” — Epictetus
  4. What examples from scripture show God’s faithfulness during imprisonment?
    • “But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” (Genesis 39:21)
    • “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” (Acts 16:25)
    • “If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” — Marcus Aurelius
  5. How can present sufferings prepare me for future ministry?
    • “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
    • “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10)
    • “The mind that is anxious about the future is miserable.” — Seneca

JUSTICE AND MERCY

  1. How do I balance accepting consequences while embracing grace?
    • “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)
    • “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” (Amos 5:24)
    • “Justice is not to be taken by storm. She is to be wooed by slow advances.” — Benjamin Cardozo
  2. How can I advocate for justice without becoming bitter?
    • “See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.” (1 Thessalonians 5:15)
    • “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” (Romans 12:19)
    • “An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.” — Cicero
  3. What would true restoration look like for the wrongs I’ve committed?
    • “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13)
    • “Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” (Romans 13:7)
    • “The foundation of justice is good faith.” — Cicero
  4. How does Christ’s sacrifice challenge my understanding of justice?
    • “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.” (1 Peter 3:18)
    • “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
    • “Justice consists not in being neutral between right and wrong, but in finding out the right and upholding it, wherever found, against the wrong.” — Aristotle
  5. How can I show mercy to those who have wronged me?
    • “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” (Matthew 5:7)
    • “For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:13)
    • “The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blest: It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.” — Seneca

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES

  1. How can I create sacred space for prayer in this environment?
    • “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.” (Matthew 6:6)
    • “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
    • “Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul.” — Socrates
  2. What scripture should I memorize to strengthen my mind?
    • “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11)
    • “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)
    • “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” — Socrates
  3. How can I practice Sabbath rest while incarcerated?
    • “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” (Exodus 20:8)
    • “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
    • “True rest is not the absence of activity, but the presence of order.” — Aristotle
  4. What spiritual practices help me hear God’s voice more clearly?
    • “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)
    • “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)
    • “The quieter you become, the more you can hear.” — Lao Tzu
  5. How can fasting deepen my spiritual life here?
    • “But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret.” (Matthew 6:17-18)
    • “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6)
    • “The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself.” — Plato

HOPE AND FUTURE

  1. What hope can I cling to when despair threatens to overwhelm me?
    • “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” (Psalm 42:11)
    • “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
    • “He who has hope has everything.” — Aristotle
  2. How can I trust God with an uncertain future?
    • “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34)
    • “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)
    • “True happiness is… to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future.” — Seneca
  3. What dreams has God placed in my heart that incarceration cannot take away?
    • “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)
    • “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.” (Ephesians 3:20)
    • “We suffer more often in imagination than in reality.” — Seneca
  4. How can I prepare now for a successful transition back to society?
    • “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand.” (Philippians 4:5)
    • “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
    • “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” — Cicero
  5. What vision has God given me that transcends my current circumstances?
    • “Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.” (Proverbs 29:18)
    • “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)
    • “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” — Aristotle

ANGER AND BITTERNESS

  1. How can I release resentment toward those who put me here?
    • “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” (Ephesians 4:31)
    • “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.” (Romans 12:17)
    • “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” — Aristotle
  2. What unhealthy thought patterns fuel my anger?
    • “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8)
    • “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
    • “You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor.” — Aristotle
  3. How can I transform righteous anger into constructive action?
    • “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” (Ephesians 4:26)
    • “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” (Proverbs 19:11)
    • “Anybody can become angry — that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way — that is not within everybody’s power and is not easy.” — Aristotle
  4. What wounds from my past need healing to overcome bitterness?
    • “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)
    • “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)
    • “Time heals what reason cannot.” — Seneca
  5. How can I pray for those who have harmed me?
    • “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)
    • “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.” (Romans 12:14)
    • “The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.” — Marcus Aurelius

ADDICTION AND RECOVERY

  1. What lies have I believed that fuel my addictive behaviors?
    • “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)
    • “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)
    • “The first and best victory is to conquer self.” — Plato
  2. How is my addiction actually an attempt to meet legitimate needs in unhealthy ways?
    • “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
    • “For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.” (Psalm 107:9)
    • “Know first who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.” — Epictetus
  3. What voids am I trying to fill that only Christ can satisfy?
    • “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.’” (John 6:35)
    • “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1)
    • “Men do not desire merely to be rich, but to be richer than other men.” — Aristotle
  4. What support systems will I need to maintain sobriety upon release?
    • “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)
    • “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
    • “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” — Cicero
  5. How can I transform my deepest cravings into spiritual hunger?
    • “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6)
    • “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)
    • “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” — Epicurus

HUMILITY AND PRIDE

  1. In what ways does my pride prevent me from experiencing God’s grace?
    • “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
    • “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” (James 4:10)
    • “True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing.” — Socrates
  2. How can I serve others without seeking recognition?
    • “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” (Matthew 6:3)
    • “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3)
    • “We must not only do good, but do it in the right way.” — Aristotle
  3. What false narratives about my life need to be surrendered?
    • “Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires.” (Ephesians 4:22)
    • “If anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” (Galatians 6:3)
    • “The unexamined life is not worth living.” — Socrates
  4. How has God humbled me, and what have I learned through it?
    • “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.” (Psalm 119:71)
    • “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)
    • “Misfortune shows those who are not really friends.” — Aristotle
  5. What is the difference between healthy self-respect and unhealthy pride?
    • “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment.” (Romans 12:3)
    • “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” (Proverbs 27:2)
    • “All pride is willing pride.” — Herodotus

DOUBT AND FAITH

  1. How can I trust God when prayers seem unanswered?
    • “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” (1 John 5:14)
    • “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.” (Isaiah 55:8)
    • “Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.” — Seneca
  2. What doubts am I afraid to express to God?
    • “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’” (Mark 9:24)
    • “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD.” (Isaiah 1:18)
    • “The beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms.” — Socrates
  3. How has God been faithful to me even when I couldn’t see it?
    • “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
    • “The LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.” (Deuteronomy 1:31)
    • “Time discovers truth.” — Seneca
  4. What does mature faith look like in difficult circumstances?
    • “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)
    • “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” (James 1:2-3)
    • “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” — Aristotle
  5. How can I strengthen my faith through this season?
    • “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17)
    • “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
    • “We become brave by doing brave acts.” — Aristotle

LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE

  1. How can I lead by example even in this environment?
    • “But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” (1 Peter 3:4)
    • “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
    • “Character is simply habit long continued.” — Plutarch
  2. What opportunities to serve others am I overlooking?
    • “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13)
    • “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:4)
    • “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” — Cicero
  3. How can I use my gifts and talents for God’s kingdom here?
    • “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” (1 Peter 4:10)
    • “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them.” (Romans 12:6)
    • “What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing.” — Aristotle
  4. What painful experiences can I now use to help others?
    • “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
    • “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)
    • “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” — Cicero
  5. How can I embody Christ’s servant leadership?
    • “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
    • “But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant.” (Matthew 20:26)
    • “The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile.” — Plato

WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT

  1. How can I develop godly wisdom rather than worldly cleverness?
    • “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” (Proverbs 9:10)
    • “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17)
    • “Any man can make mistakes, but only an idiot persists in his error.” — Cicero
  2. What bad decisions am I still justifying rather than learning from?
    • “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13)
    • “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” (Proverbs 12:15)
    • “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” — Aristotle
  3. How can I distinguish God’s voice from my own desires?
    • “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)
    • “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
    • “To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.” — Confucius
  4. What mentors or spiritual guides should I seek out?
    • “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14)
    • “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” (Hebrews 13:7)
    • “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” — Aristotle
  5. How can scripture guide my daily decisions?
    • “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
    • “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)
    • “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” — Cicero

STEWARDSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY

  1. How can I be a good steward of the time I have while incarcerated?
    • “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16)
    • “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)
    • “Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.” — Theophrastus
  2. What resources and opportunities am I overlooking?
    • “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’” (Matthew 25:21)
    • “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Hebrews 13:16)
    • “Nothing is to be preferred before justice.” — Socrates
  3. How can I take responsibility for my actions without being crushed by guilt?
    • “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
    • “I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” (Psalm 32:5)
    • “The beginning of freedom is the realization that you are not the possessing entity — the thinker.” — Epictetus
  4. What healthy boundaries should I establish?
    • “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23)
    • “Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man.” (Proverbs 22:24)
    • “I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is over self.” — Aristotle
  5. How can I be a better financial steward when I’m released?
    • “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
    • “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.” (Luke 16:10)
    • “Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” — Epictetus

CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY

  1. How can I live with integrity when no one is watching?
    • “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.” (Proverbs 10:9)
    • “Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.” (Proverbs 4:25)
    • “The real character of a man is found out by his amusements.” — Aristotle
  2. What virtues am I developing through this hardship?
    • “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” (James 1:2-3)
    • “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” (Romans 5:3-4)
    • “Fire is the test of gold; adversity, of strong men.” — Seneca
  3. What does courage look like in my current situation?
    • “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)
    • “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
    • “Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees all others.” — Aristotle
  4. How can I speak truth with both grace and conviction?
    • “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15)
    • “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:29)
    • “Character may almost be called the most effective means of persuasion.” — Aristotle
  5. What self-deceptions am I still entertaining?
    • “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
    • “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8)
    • “The worst of all deceptions is self-deception.” — Plato

GROWTH AND MATURITY

  1. How can I measure spiritual growth during this time?
    • “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18)
    • “Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:13)
    • “The greatest improvement is made by the man who, although he may learn slowly, does not cease to learn.” — Cato the Elder
  2. What childish behaviors and attitudes do I need to put aside?
    • “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.” (1 Corinthians 13:11)
    • “Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.” (1 Corinthians 14:20)
    • “True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing.” — Socrates
  3. How can difficulties produce perseverance in my life?
    • “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” (Romans 5:3-4)
    • “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge.” (2 Peter 1:5)
    • “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.” — Aristotle
  4. What areas of spiritual immaturity is God currently addressing in me?
    • “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.” (Hebrews 12:5)
    • “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29)
    • “Employ your time in improving yourself by other men’s writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for.” — Socrates
  5. How can I daily surrender my life to Christ’s lordship? * “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) * “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) * “The secret of happiness is this: let your interests be as wide as possible, and let your reactions to the things and persons that interest you be as far as possible friendly rather than hostile.” — Cicero