If you were given 3 months to live how would you spend your last days? Really think about the finality of it! I mean, you've just been told you are going to die. You will no longer be here every single day. It's finished. What would you really do?
Would you travel to all of the places you've always wanted to go? Would you contact old friends to meet for one last hoorah? Or would you go make exorbitant purchases such as a car, boat, RV, electronics or jewelry?
Would you spend your last 93 days angry? Would you curse the universe for making your life so unfair? Would you spend those last days reliving past hurts?
Would you hold those you love close? Would you love on every person you hold dear? Would you be sad to leave yet excited to see Jesus face to face?
Would you hold those you love close? Would you love on every person you hold dear? Would you be sad to leave yet excited to see Jesus face to face?
During Jesus' last days He held those He loved close. He broke bread with friends, His brothers, in the Upper Room. He helped people. He traveled to heal the sick. He raised Lazarus from the dead. He prayed. He drew near to His Father. He prepared.
1 Corinthians 15 tells us that Jesus was crucified, died and was buried . After three days He rose from the dead. That's a lot to digest in one statement. {Yet} it is so beautiful! He died so that we may live!
When we become Christians we are to die to our old self. Figuratively speaking: we bury it. The Holy Spirit rises to the brim inside of us. We are a new creature in Christ.
We are called to live every single day as if it were our last. Our new life was bought at a huge price. Excruciating pain, nails breaking flesh, and crushing bones. A King gave up His life so that we may live!
I don't think most believers really take the time to understand this. Imagine sending your son or daughter to the cross. Imagine watching someone hammer nails through their skin. Those nails pierce the flesh and break the bones. Your child willingly dies in agony so that others can have new life. You watch your child be sacrificed. You sent your child to the cross to die only to watch the saved to continue to walk out their lives in bondage, anger and selfishness.
Our lives are to be lived as Jesus' were! Our walk should be a ministry. We should be loving those that need loving and forgiving those that need forgiveness. We should be giving hope to the hopeless. We should be testifying to the Good News!
Why is it that so many Christians are reserved in their knowledge of Christ? He doesn't ask us to be quiet. Quite frankly, when you know Him, you can't be quiet! You want everyone to know Him.
God has given each and every single one of us a gift to develop and share. We make our lives so complicated. Actually the bible gives us explicit directions on how to live. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are an invaluable resource to help us guide our place in the world.
" There are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given by the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve. But they all come from the same Lord. There are different ways to work. But the same God makes it possible for all of us to have all those different things."-1 Corinthians 12:4-6.
Here are just a few of the wonderful gifts we've been given:
EXHORTATION: Rom. 12:8 - to come along side of someone with words of encouragement, comfort, consolation, and counsel to help them be all God wants them to be. This could be a counselor, teacher, worship leader.
MERCY: Rom. 12:8 - to be sensitive toward those who are suffering, whether physically, mentally, or emotionally, so as to feel genuine sympathy with their misery, speaking words of compassion but more so caring for them with deeds of love to help alleviate their distress. This could be a nurse, doctor, grieve counselor.
SERVICE: Rom. 12:7 - to identify undone tasks in God's work, however menial, and use available resources to get the job done.
EVANGELISM: Eph. 4:11 - to be a messenger of the good news of the Gospel. This can be a minister or a missions team.
WISDOM: 1 Cor. 12:8 - to apply knowledge to life in such a way as to make spiritual truths quite relevant and practical in proper decision-making and daily life situations.
PROPHECY: Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:10; Eph. 4:11 - to speak forth the message of God to His people (Greek Word: prophetes - the forth-telling of the will of God; 'pro'=forth; 'phemi'=to speak)
HEALING: 1 Cor. 12:9,28,30 - to be used as a means through which God makes people whole either physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. Counselor, prayer ministry.
When we grasp that every detail of our life is magnificently planned life becomes joyful, understandable and basically doable. He has thought of everything! Do we even grasp that? "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10
God has given each and every single one of us a gift to develop and share. We make our lives so complicated. Actually the bible gives us explicit directions on how to live. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are an invaluable resource to help us guide our place in the world.
" There are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given by the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve. But they all come from the same Lord. There are different ways to work. But the same God makes it possible for all of us to have all those different things."-1 Corinthians 12:4-6.
Here are just a few of the wonderful gifts we've been given:
EXHORTATION: Rom. 12:8 - to come along side of someone with words of encouragement, comfort, consolation, and counsel to help them be all God wants them to be. This could be a counselor, teacher, worship leader.
MERCY: Rom. 12:8 - to be sensitive toward those who are suffering, whether physically, mentally, or emotionally, so as to feel genuine sympathy with their misery, speaking words of compassion but more so caring for them with deeds of love to help alleviate their distress. This could be a nurse, doctor, grieve counselor.
SERVICE: Rom. 12:7 - to identify undone tasks in God's work, however menial, and use available resources to get the job done.
EVANGELISM: Eph. 4:11 - to be a messenger of the good news of the Gospel. This can be a minister or a missions team.
WISDOM: 1 Cor. 12:8 - to apply knowledge to life in such a way as to make spiritual truths quite relevant and practical in proper decision-making and daily life situations.
PROPHECY: Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:10; Eph. 4:11 - to speak forth the message of God to His people (Greek Word: prophetes - the forth-telling of the will of God; 'pro'=forth; 'phemi'=to speak)
HEALING: 1 Cor. 12:9,28,30 - to be used as a means through which God makes people whole either physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. Counselor, prayer ministry.
When we grasp that every detail of our life is magnificently planned life becomes joyful, understandable and basically doable. He has thought of everything! Do we even grasp that? "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10
We, like Jesus, are only given a short time on this earth. This fleshly world is not our permanent home. It is a place to love, give, forgive, grow, transform, renew and prepare.
We should be living as if we only have 93 days left. Every single day should be met with thanksgiving and praise. Thank you, Jesus that you gave your life for mine!
"In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you;
for I go to prepare a place for you."-John 14:2
for I go to prepare a place for you."-John 14:2
