Taken from the Live Like You Are Dying Daily Readings - Week 2; Day 1
Have you ever had words come out of your mouth that you wished you could take back even as you spoke them? You let your anger get the best of you and yelled at your kid even though you knew you were taking your frustrations out on him. Or you felt trapped in a corner and lashed out at your husband or your roommate. When frustration and anger are held inside, they build up intensity until they have nowhere to go but an explosion at the nearest, often unsuspecting person. It can be your spouse or a total stranger. It can be your dog or cat, for that matter!
The Bible says: "Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body" (James 3:5-6). Our words can do incredible damage.
They can abuse. They can tear down one's self-esteem. They can drive a knife through someone's heart. Used over and over to wear someone down, they can ruin an entire life.
Words can also do incredible good. They can make a person feel like a million bucks. They can give someone hope. They can give someone courage. They can make someone feel loved and valued. All of this simply by the words we speak.
But words don't come out of a vacuum, either. Jesus taught that what we say begins in the heart.
"The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the ovreflow of his heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45).
If we are going to speak sweeter, then the work has to start inside. Bring those angry and hurtful things to the Lord. Get mad at him if you need to; he can handle it. Let him replace negative influences with his love and acceptance. Focus on the fruits of the Spirit which are ... "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23). These are the qualities the Spirit of God is already developing in you, and you can call upon them as needed. These are also the qualities that will sweeten your speech.
As you seek to speak sweeter, here are some practical things to help you.
1. Try not to be reactive. Many of our most damaging words come as knee-jerk reactions to being hurt or wounded.
2. Pause ... take sixty seconds. "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" (James 1:19). Learn to think first before you speak. The damage is done when our emotions take a shortcut by our brain and go straight to our tongue. Practice putting some separation between your emotions and your words. If you need a time out, take it. Time outs aren't just for kids and ball players, you know.
3. Listen, observe and discover. Find out the words that make those you live with and love feel treasured and valued. Remember, you don't have much time. Say it, instead of wishing you'd said it when it's too late.
Reflective Questions -
1. Do an inventory on the condition of your heart. Besides the fruits of the Spirit listed above, there are what Paul calls "acts of the sinful nature ... hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissentions, factions and envy" (Galatians 5:14-21). Do any of these words describe what's in your heart? What fruits of the Spirit will best combat them?
2. Talk to your spouse/roommate/family members about establishing a "time out rule". Set some ground rules for it so everyone has permission to use it.
3. Which of the three practical steps in this daily reading is the one you most need to practice?
Monday, April 30, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
L'Chaim!
Taken from the Live Like You Are Dying Daily Readings - Week 1; Day 5
Jewish tradition has a phrase for living well: "L'Chaim -- to life!" The phrase is not to a good life, to a healthy life, or even to a long life. It is simply to life, recognizing that life is indeed good and precious and should always be celebrated and savored. L'Chaim!!
All of life is a gift from God.
"Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it. We may receive it gladly, with thankful hearts." (1 Timothy 4:4 NLT)
"Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven's lights." (James 1:17 NLT)
The love of life is not in conflict with loving God, because God is the giver of all that is good in life. To enjoy life is to enjoy God as the giver of all good things whether one realizes it or not. A person who doesn't know God -- even someone who doesn't believe there is a God -- can still love and enjoy life. they just don't know who to thank.
If you knew you had only a short time to live, you would want to especially enjoy those things in life that you love and value the most. And depending on how able you were, you might want to try some of those things you never had a chance to do. (This is where the lyrics from "Live Like You Were Dying" come in ... skydiving, rocky mountain climbing, and trying your luck on "Fumanchu"). I know my wife would be on the next plane to Paris, even if it meant hocking everything we have to get there. What about you? What would you do?
Of course, this is what the song, "Live Like You Were Dying," is getting at -- a kind a second chance at life. Someone with a relatively healthy life might live longer, and yet never get around to doing half the things they might have done had they known earlier that their life was going to be cut short. This is the advantage to knowing you're terminal -- you get more out of life because you better appreciate what you have while you have it. Love is more intense; insight is keener; awareness is heightened; hope is more certain; colors are more vibrant; faith is more real.
A friend of mine named John was paralyzed from the waist down due to a bicycle accident while only in high school. In the first few years he struggled bitterly with why this had happened to him, but then a monumental change took place. He made peace with God and with his condition, and found that his anger was replaced by a zest for life that far eclipsed those with full capacity of their limbs. For one thing, John realized a lifelong dream of being a Christian comedian -- he just does it from a wheelchair. Then I found out that he jumped out a plane with his eighty-three-year-old skydiving grandmother! "L'Chaim!" must run in this family!
Appreciate what you have while you have it. Celebrate life! To the adventure! To risk! To love! To life ... L'Chaim!
Thought provoking questions -
1. Spend the next few moments thanking God for the gift of life. Think of some of your best "life moments" and express your appreciation to God.
2. What is it you have always wanted to do but never took the chance?
3. What risks might you be willing to take in the next thirty days? Go for it!!
Jewish tradition has a phrase for living well: "L'Chaim -- to life!" The phrase is not to a good life, to a healthy life, or even to a long life. It is simply to life, recognizing that life is indeed good and precious and should always be celebrated and savored. L'Chaim!!
All of life is a gift from God.
"Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it. We may receive it gladly, with thankful hearts." (1 Timothy 4:4 NLT)
"Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven's lights." (James 1:17 NLT)
The love of life is not in conflict with loving God, because God is the giver of all that is good in life. To enjoy life is to enjoy God as the giver of all good things whether one realizes it or not. A person who doesn't know God -- even someone who doesn't believe there is a God -- can still love and enjoy life. they just don't know who to thank.
If you knew you had only a short time to live, you would want to especially enjoy those things in life that you love and value the most. And depending on how able you were, you might want to try some of those things you never had a chance to do. (This is where the lyrics from "Live Like You Were Dying" come in ... skydiving, rocky mountain climbing, and trying your luck on "Fumanchu"). I know my wife would be on the next plane to Paris, even if it meant hocking everything we have to get there. What about you? What would you do?
Of course, this is what the song, "Live Like You Were Dying," is getting at -- a kind a second chance at life. Someone with a relatively healthy life might live longer, and yet never get around to doing half the things they might have done had they known earlier that their life was going to be cut short. This is the advantage to knowing you're terminal -- you get more out of life because you better appreciate what you have while you have it. Love is more intense; insight is keener; awareness is heightened; hope is more certain; colors are more vibrant; faith is more real.
A friend of mine named John was paralyzed from the waist down due to a bicycle accident while only in high school. In the first few years he struggled bitterly with why this had happened to him, but then a monumental change took place. He made peace with God and with his condition, and found that his anger was replaced by a zest for life that far eclipsed those with full capacity of their limbs. For one thing, John realized a lifelong dream of being a Christian comedian -- he just does it from a wheelchair. Then I found out that he jumped out a plane with his eighty-three-year-old skydiving grandmother! "L'Chaim!" must run in this family!
Appreciate what you have while you have it. Celebrate life! To the adventure! To risk! To love! To life ... L'Chaim!
Thought provoking questions -
1. Spend the next few moments thanking God for the gift of life. Think of some of your best "life moments" and express your appreciation to God.
2. What is it you have always wanted to do but never took the chance?
3. What risks might you be willing to take in the next thirty days? Go for it!!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
The Sky Is Talking
Taken from the Live Like You Are Dying Daily Readings ... Week 1; Day 4
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. (Psalm 19:1-3)
Shhh ... Listen ... Hear that? It's the sky talking. And what's it saying? All kinds of stuff about God and everything he's made. It never stops. It's a praise song always playing, but we've gotten used to ignoring it. There is communication and knowledge bound up in the sky, the clouds, and the stars -- it's streaming all over the planet 24/7 -- and we can learn to tap into it.
God's presence through his creation is something we have probably all felt at one time or another. It might have been a golden sunset, the power of the crashing surf, the wind in the high-mountain trees, or the beauty of a crisp fall morning. Sometimes, it can be so overwhelming you don't know what to do with yourself. But these are usually moments that take us by surprise. We didn't plan on it; the moment captivated us while we were on the way to some-where else.
If you only had a month to live, chances are you would make time to go where you could hear from God through what he has made. Be intentional. Turn the sunset into an event. Take an eveing walk with God. make plans to see natural wonders you've always wanted to see. Take a hike into the wilderness. Walk through a garden. Sit out under the stars one night.
The important thing when you do any of this is to make sure you have plenty of time to just sit and be still. Let everything fade out except what the heavens are declaring. What do you hear? What is God saying about himself through his creation? You have to train yourself to do this. You may not hear anything at first, but don't give up. You have to get used to the silence before you can start to pick up anything. And it's best to do this alone. If you're with others, take off by yourself for a while so you can go at your own pace.
I'm a backpacker, myself, and I notice when I pack into the wilderness with my kids or a friend, the further in we go, the less we seem to talk. Something takes over that makes talk seem cheap - like we're desecrating something sacred. We probably are. We are interrupting the holy dialogue. God was saying something. Hush ... now, where were we?
"It is not the number of breaths you take; rather, it is the number of moments that take your breath away that really matter."
Thought provoking questions -
1. Where and how do you best hear from God?
2. Make a plan to go to a place where you can spend some uninterrupted time with God. be sure to allow time to listen, look and linger.
3. If you only had days to live, what would you want to hear from God? What would you want to ask Him?
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. (Psalm 19:1-3)
Shhh ... Listen ... Hear that? It's the sky talking. And what's it saying? All kinds of stuff about God and everything he's made. It never stops. It's a praise song always playing, but we've gotten used to ignoring it. There is communication and knowledge bound up in the sky, the clouds, and the stars -- it's streaming all over the planet 24/7 -- and we can learn to tap into it.
God's presence through his creation is something we have probably all felt at one time or another. It might have been a golden sunset, the power of the crashing surf, the wind in the high-mountain trees, or the beauty of a crisp fall morning. Sometimes, it can be so overwhelming you don't know what to do with yourself. But these are usually moments that take us by surprise. We didn't plan on it; the moment captivated us while we were on the way to some-where else.
If you only had a month to live, chances are you would make time to go where you could hear from God through what he has made. Be intentional. Turn the sunset into an event. Take an eveing walk with God. make plans to see natural wonders you've always wanted to see. Take a hike into the wilderness. Walk through a garden. Sit out under the stars one night.
The important thing when you do any of this is to make sure you have plenty of time to just sit and be still. Let everything fade out except what the heavens are declaring. What do you hear? What is God saying about himself through his creation? You have to train yourself to do this. You may not hear anything at first, but don't give up. You have to get used to the silence before you can start to pick up anything. And it's best to do this alone. If you're with others, take off by yourself for a while so you can go at your own pace.
I'm a backpacker, myself, and I notice when I pack into the wilderness with my kids or a friend, the further in we go, the less we seem to talk. Something takes over that makes talk seem cheap - like we're desecrating something sacred. We probably are. We are interrupting the holy dialogue. God was saying something. Hush ... now, where were we?
"It is not the number of breaths you take; rather, it is the number of moments that take your breath away that really matter."
Thought provoking questions -
1. Where and how do you best hear from God?
2. Make a plan to go to a place where you can spend some uninterrupted time with God. be sure to allow time to listen, look and linger.
3. If you only had days to live, what would you want to hear from God? What would you want to ask Him?
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
The Time Is Short
Week 1 - Day 3 ... Live Like You Are Dying Daily Readings
"George was a staunch unbeliever. At 55, he found out he had only a short time to live due to pancreatic cancer, a particularly potent form of this dreaded disease. Certain things began to change for George. He slowed down some, let his hair grow, became more frank in his speech (which was already pretty colorful), but he also became more belligerent. These changes did not espcape the notice of his neighbor who was a Christian and found it impossible to share anything about salvation or eternity with George without a violent reaction. George had been angry with God before this happened (he had some understanable reasons to be), but now he was really cantankerous.
Truth of the matter is: none of us has very long to live. It's all relative. Paul calls us to live all the time as if the end is near. Read what he wrote in 1 Corinthians 7:29-31:
"What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away."
What he's saying here is that an eternal perspective on your life will govern your emotions and keep you from being defined by your possessions and caught up in the escalating rat race of accumulating more and more. If George had already gained this kind of perspective on life, the news of his terminal condition would have been a lot easier to take. According to Paul, life is already short, and we are better off living with this reality in mind.
Paul would have liked the "Live Like You Were Dying" song. He would say that if you live like you were dying, the following things would be true:
1. You would hold your most precious things loosely -- even your spouse.
2. You would find emotions tied more to God, your hope in Christ and your love for others because these things are eternal.
3. You would realize that when it comes to earthly possessions, you don't really own anything.
4. You would use things to love people, not use people to get more things.
Thankfully, George did finally come around to consider the gospel and accept Christ's free gift of salvation. Fortunately his neighbor ended up taking him to a Willie Nelson concert (George was a huge fan) where an unexpected 20-minute set of gospel songs, all about going home to be with the Lord, got throught to him where nothing else could! Maybe Willie knows that time is short too.
Questions to ponder -
1. If you found out today you only had a month to live, what immediate changes would you make? Which of these could you make right now?
2. Do a serious gut-check about what has a hold of your heart. What is one thing you need to let go of today?
3. What is one positive change you could make for your life today?
"George was a staunch unbeliever. At 55, he found out he had only a short time to live due to pancreatic cancer, a particularly potent form of this dreaded disease. Certain things began to change for George. He slowed down some, let his hair grow, became more frank in his speech (which was already pretty colorful), but he also became more belligerent. These changes did not espcape the notice of his neighbor who was a Christian and found it impossible to share anything about salvation or eternity with George without a violent reaction. George had been angry with God before this happened (he had some understanable reasons to be), but now he was really cantankerous.
Truth of the matter is: none of us has very long to live. It's all relative. Paul calls us to live all the time as if the end is near. Read what he wrote in 1 Corinthians 7:29-31:
"What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away."
What he's saying here is that an eternal perspective on your life will govern your emotions and keep you from being defined by your possessions and caught up in the escalating rat race of accumulating more and more. If George had already gained this kind of perspective on life, the news of his terminal condition would have been a lot easier to take. According to Paul, life is already short, and we are better off living with this reality in mind.
Paul would have liked the "Live Like You Were Dying" song. He would say that if you live like you were dying, the following things would be true:
1. You would hold your most precious things loosely -- even your spouse.
2. You would find emotions tied more to God, your hope in Christ and your love for others because these things are eternal.
3. You would realize that when it comes to earthly possessions, you don't really own anything.
4. You would use things to love people, not use people to get more things.
Thankfully, George did finally come around to consider the gospel and accept Christ's free gift of salvation. Fortunately his neighbor ended up taking him to a Willie Nelson concert (George was a huge fan) where an unexpected 20-minute set of gospel songs, all about going home to be with the Lord, got throught to him where nothing else could! Maybe Willie knows that time is short too.
Questions to ponder -
1. If you found out today you only had a month to live, what immediate changes would you make? Which of these could you make right now?
2. Do a serious gut-check about what has a hold of your heart. What is one thing you need to let go of today?
3. What is one positive change you could make for your life today?
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
False Alarms and Second Chances
Week 1 - Day 2 "Daily Readings - Live Like You Are Dying Series"
"Have you ever had a false alarm as to the whereabouts of someone you love? It can strike you anytime, like when you hear about an accident on the freeway your spouse takes to work and now can't reach him on his cell phone. Or when your kids are out and sirens sound in your neighborhood. Or your mom goes in for a biopsy and now you are waiting on the results.
For a moment, in situation such as these, you live with the reality that something terribly bad has happened. Perhaps it hasn't -- you can't confirm it either way -- but your emotions have a tendency to assume the worst, so that at least in the area of your feelings, it's as if it has happened.
The challenging thing is how powerless we are to stop the flow of feelings and "what-ifs" in times like these. It's like trying to shut off a faucet stuck in the "on" position with a broken valve. You can pray, but you can't stop the flood of emotions.
Sometimes this can be good, even though it turns out to be a false alram. For the moment that we feel this, we experience life from a far different perspective. Suddenly that argument you had with your husband seems so petty. You regret the tone of voice you used to berate your children for not doing their chores. You start searching for the last time you told your mom you loved her and you can't remember.
This is exactly the frame of mind we want to be in for the next few weeks, only we are the ones with the bad news. This may be a false alarm, but we don't really know that for sure, so we are going to live as if we were dying and each day we wake up breathing will be like a second chance.
What would become important if you only had weeks to live? What would not? What will this false alarm do to your relationships and priorities? You have a second chance at life. What will you do?
When the prodigal son returned home after blowing his inheritance, he was greeted with this: "Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him," exclaimed his father after throwing his armas around his son. "Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this sone of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found" (Luke 15:22-24).
This father thought his son was dead, but it was a false alarm. For the son it's a second chance and this time he has a much different perspective. He's even willing to be a servant on his father's farm, just to be home. He has a whole new set of priorities now.
What will your priorities be?"
Thought questions -
1. Have you ever had a false alarm in relation to yourself or someone you love? What was it like?
2. As honestly as you can, arrange the following categories in order of their current priority, being careful to not order them the way you think they are supposed to be, but the way they really are in your life based on the time and attention you pay them: work, God, family, recreation, health, friends, ministry
3. How would you readjust this list if given a second chance?
"Have you ever had a false alarm as to the whereabouts of someone you love? It can strike you anytime, like when you hear about an accident on the freeway your spouse takes to work and now can't reach him on his cell phone. Or when your kids are out and sirens sound in your neighborhood. Or your mom goes in for a biopsy and now you are waiting on the results.
For a moment, in situation such as these, you live with the reality that something terribly bad has happened. Perhaps it hasn't -- you can't confirm it either way -- but your emotions have a tendency to assume the worst, so that at least in the area of your feelings, it's as if it has happened.
The challenging thing is how powerless we are to stop the flow of feelings and "what-ifs" in times like these. It's like trying to shut off a faucet stuck in the "on" position with a broken valve. You can pray, but you can't stop the flood of emotions.
Sometimes this can be good, even though it turns out to be a false alram. For the moment that we feel this, we experience life from a far different perspective. Suddenly that argument you had with your husband seems so petty. You regret the tone of voice you used to berate your children for not doing their chores. You start searching for the last time you told your mom you loved her and you can't remember.
This is exactly the frame of mind we want to be in for the next few weeks, only we are the ones with the bad news. This may be a false alarm, but we don't really know that for sure, so we are going to live as if we were dying and each day we wake up breathing will be like a second chance.
What would become important if you only had weeks to live? What would not? What will this false alarm do to your relationships and priorities? You have a second chance at life. What will you do?
When the prodigal son returned home after blowing his inheritance, he was greeted with this: "Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him," exclaimed his father after throwing his armas around his son. "Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this sone of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found" (Luke 15:22-24).
This father thought his son was dead, but it was a false alarm. For the son it's a second chance and this time he has a much different perspective. He's even willing to be a servant on his father's farm, just to be home. He has a whole new set of priorities now.
What will your priorities be?"
Thought questions -
1. Have you ever had a false alarm in relation to yourself or someone you love? What was it like?
2. As honestly as you can, arrange the following categories in order of their current priority, being careful to not order them the way you think they are supposed to be, but the way they really are in your life based on the time and attention you pay them: work, God, family, recreation, health, friends, ministry
3. How would you readjust this list if given a second chance?
Monday, April 23, 2012
Staring Down Death
Thoughts From Daily Readings from the Live Like You Are Dying Series ...
"Death is the most inevitable event that we are least prepared for. There is great irony in this in that there is, for each of us, a hundred percent chance of dying and a next to a hundred percent chance we aren't anywhere near ready for it. Our whole culture is in a state of denial when it comes to death.
Our elderly family members die in nursing homes sometimes far removed from the families they nurtured and that nurtured them. We are often not even there when they breathe their last. And the main goal of the funeral home is to shield the family members as much as possible from the reality of what just happened.
But we are embarking on a 30-day journey to change all that.
The Bible clearnly states that we all have an appointment with death -- "It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment" (Hebrews 9:27 NASB). But instead of running from that appointment, as so much in our culture encourages us to do, we are going to run right for it. We are going to fearlessly stare down death to ride right up to the precipice and let the winds from the valley of death blow back over our lives and stir us to something new.
This study has one goal: Change. We want you to discover that one thing that will alter the course of your life that you wouldn't find any other way unless you lived like you were dying.
This will take courage, but we have help in this: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me" (Psalm 23:4).
We have company.
You see this is no way we could have the nerve to face death - even hypothetically - if we didn't know that the Son of God has already stared down death and won. He's been there and back, and he is going to lead us right up to it, through it, and on to the other side. So what do we have to fear?
We are going to assume that we only have thirty days to live, and reevaluate our values, priorities and dreams in light of that. How would this knowledge change the way you look at things? What might you be emboldened to do that you have never done before? What would become important, and what would suddenly not matter at all? We want to invite you to explore these questions with us on this 30-day journey.
This experience will have different results for each person.
Somone might take that trip they've wanted to take for a long time. Another might learn to paint. Someone might discover the words "I love you" roll more easily off their lips. Someone might reunite a broken relationship through the gift of forgiveness. Others might talk more freely about Jesus. It's unpredictable what exactly might happen because we're all different and we will all interpret the message in a different way, but that's the beauty of it. It will be your way ... how God inspires you. What happens in the next thirty days will be entirely up to you. Are you ready to live like you were dying?" (Live Like You Are Dying Daily Reading - week 1 day 1)
What would happen if each of us put the following into action? What changes would we make in our lives? Read this aloud and ask God to help you make this happen.
I am willing to do what God wants me to do to act on the insights I receive in the next thirty day, not just think about them. I am willing to take risks I might not normally take unless I knew I was dying soon. I am willing to stare down death and grab a hold of my life.
"Death is the most inevitable event that we are least prepared for. There is great irony in this in that there is, for each of us, a hundred percent chance of dying and a next to a hundred percent chance we aren't anywhere near ready for it. Our whole culture is in a state of denial when it comes to death.
Our elderly family members die in nursing homes sometimes far removed from the families they nurtured and that nurtured them. We are often not even there when they breathe their last. And the main goal of the funeral home is to shield the family members as much as possible from the reality of what just happened.
But we are embarking on a 30-day journey to change all that.
The Bible clearnly states that we all have an appointment with death -- "It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment" (Hebrews 9:27 NASB). But instead of running from that appointment, as so much in our culture encourages us to do, we are going to run right for it. We are going to fearlessly stare down death to ride right up to the precipice and let the winds from the valley of death blow back over our lives and stir us to something new.
This study has one goal: Change. We want you to discover that one thing that will alter the course of your life that you wouldn't find any other way unless you lived like you were dying.
This will take courage, but we have help in this: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me" (Psalm 23:4).
We have company.
You see this is no way we could have the nerve to face death - even hypothetically - if we didn't know that the Son of God has already stared down death and won. He's been there and back, and he is going to lead us right up to it, through it, and on to the other side. So what do we have to fear?
We are going to assume that we only have thirty days to live, and reevaluate our values, priorities and dreams in light of that. How would this knowledge change the way you look at things? What might you be emboldened to do that you have never done before? What would become important, and what would suddenly not matter at all? We want to invite you to explore these questions with us on this 30-day journey.
This experience will have different results for each person.
Somone might take that trip they've wanted to take for a long time. Another might learn to paint. Someone might discover the words "I love you" roll more easily off their lips. Someone might reunite a broken relationship through the gift of forgiveness. Others might talk more freely about Jesus. It's unpredictable what exactly might happen because we're all different and we will all interpret the message in a different way, but that's the beauty of it. It will be your way ... how God inspires you. What happens in the next thirty days will be entirely up to you. Are you ready to live like you were dying?" (Live Like You Are Dying Daily Reading - week 1 day 1)
What would happen if each of us put the following into action? What changes would we make in our lives? Read this aloud and ask God to help you make this happen.
I am willing to do what God wants me to do to act on the insights I receive in the next thirty day, not just think about them. I am willing to take risks I might not normally take unless I knew I was dying soon. I am willing to stare down death and grab a hold of my life.
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