One Month to Live Devotions

Day 30

2009-08-31T10:15:00.002-07:00

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1-2

We made it! We’ve reached the end of our one month journey. What will you take away from this? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

This is a fitting scripture for our last day. It is the difference maker if you really only had one month to live. Thoughts of eternity and judgment come to the forefront at the end of life. Is this the end? Is there something more? What will happen to me when I die? Will I go to heaven?

How miserable it would be to have no answer to those fundamental questions, or to be unsure of what the answers would be in your particular case. No wonder many people try and not think about such things, and hope that they’ll somehow take care of themselves.

But they don’t. Only we can answer these questions, or better yet, turn to God for the answers. This verse is very clear that those who trust in Christ need not fear judgment. That they have a secure future waiting for them because of what Jesus did on the cross.

What about you? Do you have the answer to life’s ultimate question? Don’t let this month expire without making sure that you’re at peace with where you’re at. That you truly have lived a no regrets life. Getting right with God through Christ is the best way, the only way, to do that.

Dear God - I want what Jesus did on the cross to count for me. I want to know that my sins are forgiven, and my place in heaven assured. I want Jesus to be my savior. And I give You control over the rest of my life. I want You to be my Lord. Thank You that I can know for sure that I am safe in Your hands. Amen.

Pastor Kevin

Day 29

2009-08-30T00:00:00.004-07:00

"Today's devotion is written by Dan Shields, Lead Pastor with Real Life Christian Church, our second church plant." - Pastor Kevin

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:26

It is interesting that we all have times where our physical bodies break down (flesh) and it stops us in our physical activities of the day, week, month or longer. If you only had one month to live and your physical body wasn’t working right now much more would we depend on the Lord?

But if we look at this from a spiritual perspective. What about when my flesh fails me as I give into lust, give into another drink, give into materialism, give into another relationship. It is then we see not only our flesh failing but our heart as well.

If I knew I only had one month to live, would I lean more on God to be my strength because I would be meeting him face to face very soon. Would that be the strength that would get me to not take that drink or buy that object because my mind would be on “forever.”

Help me today with the strength only You can provide to make choices that reflect forever.

Dan Shields
Lead Pastor
Real Life Christian Church

Day 28

2009-08-29T01:49:00.002-07:00

After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”
Matthew 4:2-4

Forty days and forty nights – wow. And, He was hungry. Ya think? As I sit and contemplate even just that sentence, my first thought is, now that's got to be some serious hunger! Most of us don't know hunger, really. We eat regularly, and often overindulge. But how many of us know true hunger? Those were my first thoughts anyway.

The second thing this passage brings to mind is that not one of us is safe from the wiles of satan. I mean, he is bold, we gotta give him that. He was tempting the Son of God! That is some kind of bold, don't you think? If he is so bold as to tempt Jesus and take advantage of His hunger and what should have been a time of weakness, you can know without a doubt that the tempter is sure to take advantage of us every chance he possibly can. I don't know about you, but my weaknesses come in countless ways and many times each day. Thoughts, harsh words, temper tantrums, thoughtlessness, selfishness. Those are just the blatantly obvious ones. Then there are the ones that really eat at me most. Those are the acts of “inaction”, of doing nothing when I know there is something that needs to be done. Perhaps I was just too busy. Yeah, that's satan telling me that! Remember BUSY. Being Under Satan's Yoke.

The Son of God. Hungry. “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from God.” Ah, there it is. My own fast brought to light. Because just this morning, after reading this over and over, I understand it. I too fasted in a way. Not for 40 days but rather more like 40 years! If the bread of our existence is the very word of God, I was hungry for 39 years! I spent a majority of my life starving, and didn't know it. Not just tempted, mind you, but following like any opportunistic dog looking for a scrap of something, anything my enemy threw my way. Worse yet, I scoffed, even laughed at followers of Christ for what seemed to me to be a weakness! (Not that I was a worshipper of satan, don't get me wrong.) Yet satan thrived on my weaknesses. He relished in them, I'm sure.

Sept 26, 2004 all of that changed. I made a public commitment right there at Spring of Life and was baptized by my dear friend who had taken the time to point out to me just how hungry I was. I dare say, I was literally starving to death and satan was loving it! On that day, the angels in Heaven threw a party for me and God smiled. Even now, the thought of that moment brings me great joy and humbles me beyond any humility I ever knew. On that day, Jesus filled me up and I know that I will never hunger again. Oh, I'm still tempted. Every day. But now I'm aware of it. Every day I turn back to God – sometimes several times in a day. Satan still wants me back and he knows my weaknesses. But God wants me more, and He's bigger, stronger, mightier than satan can even dream of being. It is His every word that I seek every day to feed me. It is my first meal in the morning, my last at night and my snack throughout the day. Find one scripture, keep it with you – maybe even this one. Make it your food. Let the God, the one and only God of the Universe, be your sustinance. Feast on His Word. It will make you stronger than you ever dreamed possible. Be bold! God gives us the power to denounce Wile E. Satan! Use God's Word. It is sharper than any double edged sword.

Heavenly Father, we come before You today and give thanks that You offer us daily, minute by minute, Your Word as our food. We thank You for bringing Jesus to show us that we are all vulnerable to temptation. And we thank You that Jesus gave us the answer. Right there, the answer is clear. Bless us, this day, our Daily Bread. Help us to be aware when we are being tempted and let us seek You in those moments to fill us up again with Your love. Crowd out our enemy who so desperately wants our hearts. See to it that we are armored up with Your Word, so that he cannot gain a foothold against us. We love You Lord. We praise You and we ask all of this in the name of your precious Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Heidi Ortiz

Day 27

2009-08-28T00:06:00.003-07:00

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.
Acts 20:24

This Scripture stops me in my tracks and makes me search my heart for insight.
My life worth nothing - who wants to think that? - what about me, I’m important. Only complete the task? - what about what I want? Testifying to the Gospel - who wants to always live like that? What about all the ways I want to live?

How does one get to the point where we consider our own life worth nothing compared to the responsibility God has given us?

I believe these words that Paul spoke came after many trials in his life by where he had learned contentment. (I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of contentment in every situation, whether it be a full stomach or hunger, plenty or want. Philippians 4:12)

Those who learn contentment in this life have learned that there is more to this life than life itself. There is eternity. There is a greater purpose that has nothing to do with things or position. To learn contentment is to learn that those who have more than others, have to give to others; those who have higher position have as part of their calling to be gracious to those who do not have position.

All of us, if we have position, riches, a summer home, or none of these things, are to live to the high calling which we have received. Our calling is great, we are ambassadors of Christ and the verse in Acts says our lives testify to the gospel of grace.

Many Christians go through trials, and recently many are going through great trials. Contentment is a tough thing for anyone, but especially tough in the midst of trials. Those who learn to be content with the least, have the least to lose when trials come. Jesus gave us some very wise words to live by, “Where your heart is, there your treasure will be”. Trials in our lives can teach us where our treasure truly is and help us practice keeping our hearts with Christ rather than focused on temporary things of life and self.

If you can say, “None but Christ, only Christ, and forever Christ, that is my comfort and joy, then you have contentment. Christ will never leave His children, and while houses may burn down, jobs may be lost, and family and friends forsake us, Christ’s love for His children will never melt away, His task of loving His children will never be forgotten, lost or vacationing, and He will never, never, forsake His child.

None but Christ, only Christ and ever Christ.

If we could learn this we would be changed people who go
From
“What about me, I’m important” to “I consider my life worth nothing to me”
From
“What about what I want” to “Finish the race and complete the task given me”
From
“Living my life the way I want” to “Testifying to the Gospel of God’s grace” in my life.

If I had only 30 days left to live these words would mean a lot to me. Perhaps it's time to realize that they should mean the same to me no matter how much time I have left to live. What about you?

Candace Plzak

Day 26

2009-08-27T00:02:00.003-07:00

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.
Deuteronomy 11:18-21

I was watching a movie the other day about some Spartan solders who defended their land and people in a spectacular way, all the while being greatly out numbered. I found myself so involved in their journey to freedom and safety that I actually had a dream later that night that I was one of them.

Surprisingly we are so influence by the life we have built around us. Take music for example. How many times have heard a 3 min song yet it stays with you for hours, even days? You find yourself singing it in the shower, on your way to work, at work, and then in our free moments. You even have others singing the song because you were singing it so much.

The Hebrews understood how easily influenced one could be. To help guide and direct themselves to always follow God they would tie leather strands to their arm and head as reminders of the love of God. They understood that when surrounding themselves in anything other then the things of God, they would become distracted and lost, yet when they brought God into every aspect of their life they were not easily led astray. They understood that when you live in the word the word will live in you.

What then will we choose? A cheesy pop song to be our every thought or the inspired words of God to be with us, influencing our thoughts, our mind, and our heart. So what tune will you be singing today?

May you live in the Word so the Word will live in you!

Ryan Faris

Day 25

2009-08-26T00:11:00.002-07:00

“When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son. ‘I am about to go the way of all the earth,’ he said. ‘So be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.’”
1 Kings 2:1-3

I hate the gym. Don’t like it. I run outside to stay in shape, but you won’t run into me at LA Fitness lifting weights anytime soon. Consequently, I am not a strong person. Well, not in terms of muscles anyway. There’s other kinds of strength though, isn’t there? When David charged Solomon to “... be strong...”, he wasn’t telling his son to hit the gym. David was saying that someone who was strong was a person who was faithful to “observe what the Lord your God requires”, one who chose to “walk in his way.”

Building that kind of spiritual strength requires the same kind of intentionality and devotion that a body builder has toward building physical strength. Last week at “Intimacy With God: Spiritual Practices for Everyday People”, the class I’m teaching on Wednesday nights at Spring U, I told the group that applying the spiritual practices we are talking about is not easy. Sleeping in is easy. Getting up early to pray is hard. Watching TV is easy. Memorizing scripture is hard. Being selfish is easy. Serving others is hard. It takes determination and effort and perseverance.

So what’s the payoff? Why should you work hard to “be strong” in the way David describes? Because if you do, God will help you to “prosper in all you do and wherever you go.” Prosperity flows from spiritual strength. Blessing follows obedience. Payment comes after the work. Does that mean God is promising to make us rich, healthy and happy? No. Just as “strong” has different meanings, so does “prosperity”. God may bless us with that kind of prosperity, he may not. That’s not the point. The point is that, if we develop our spiritual muscles, we can claim the promise that we will prosper; prosper in ways that really matter and ultimately satisfy us in ways that temporary prosperity never will.

So take the challenge. Pray. Read scripture. Memorize a passage that’s meaningful to you. Put in a spiritual workout today.

I’ll see you at the gym.

God, thank You that You define strength and prosperity in different ways than I often do. I’m usually short-sighted and focus on the temporary, while You have an eternal perspective and know what kind of workout I really need. Help me to have the discipline to do spiritual workouts on a regular basis so that I can truly prosper. Amen

Matt McMann

Day 24

2009-08-25T00:07:00.002-07:00

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:18

This verse really sums up what “One Month to Live” is all about, doesn’t it? “What is seen” is the routine of life that dominates our attention. It’s the tyranny of the urgent. It’s living on cruise control. Paying attention exclusively to what’s immediate can rob us of the long term perspective of what’s really important in life.

That’s what this month is for. Taking the time to look at the things we maybe miss. Like how important the people in our lives are, and our relationship to God. After all, the only eternal things in life are our relationships. Everything else is temporary.

People who near the end of their lives have better vision than the rest of us, I think. They can more clearly see the eternal, so they pay more attention to nurturing the eternal part of themselves.

Why wait until this life is nearly over to begin living it in a way that really matters? Why not start fixing our eyes on those things we normally miss? We can begin by doing what the author of Hebrews says, by “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”

How is your relationship with God? If you were to die today, do you know for sure that you would get into heaven? Or is that one of those “unseen” things that never seem to get addressed?

If you only get one thing out of this month, I hope it would be a renewed attention to your relationship with God. It is, after all, eternal. Either you’ll spend eternity rejoicing in His presence, thankful for the time you spent with Him here on earth, or you’ll spend it separated from Him, wishing that you’d spent less time on what was temporary, and more on eternity.

Your Friend,
Pastor Kevin

Day 23

2009-08-24T09:53:00.001-07:00

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Matthew 6:19-20

Talk about a timely verse. Things that we once thought were so secure, like our 401K accounts, or the equity in our houses, turned out to be very insecure. We lived through a period where everything was trending up and to the right. Our houses and retirement portfolios always increased in value by double digits every year. Never did earthly treasures look like such a sure thing.

And then the bottom fell out. Housing prices collapsed. The stock market plunged. The things we counted on were either gone, or greatly reduced. Plans had to be changed. Options reconsidered. Lifestyles adjusted accordingly. And over all hangs a cloud of shock. How could this happen?

Of course none of this comes as a surprise to God. That’s why He encourages us to change our investment strategy, from earthly to heavenly treasures. For no matter how bad the economic news gets, no matter how upside down your house is or how thin your retirement account, God is still the best investment.

The time, treasure and talent you give to God never is wasted. It always accomplishes the work of God here on earth. The lives you change, including your own, are changed forever.

Where are you investing yourself - on earth, or in heaven? How are you spending the time God has given you? The money He’s entrusted to you? The opportunities to impact others that He sends your way?

If you only had a month to live, wouldn’t you want to spend it on a sure thing? If we’ve learned nothing else over the past couple of years, it’s that God is the better choice.

Your Friend,
Pastor Kevin

Day 22

2009-08-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

“Praise the Lord. Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands. His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely.”
Psalm 112:1-6

None of us likes to be commanded to do something. We don’t like to be bossed around. I see it in my kids everyday. They do not like the other one telling them what to do. I don’t really enjoy it either. I’m pretty stubborn and would rather make my own mistakes than have someone telling me how to do something. God wants so badly for us to listen to what he commands us to do. He wants so much for us to reap the benefits of obeying Him.

We’ve talked a lot in this 30 days about obedience. The idea that partial obedience is total disobedience was very eye-opening for some of us. We like to think that we can “kinda” do what God wants us to do or to do it half-heartedly and that He will be pleased. But, we’ve learned that those ideas are far from the truth. God wants us to be completely committed, completely sold out, completely obedient to Him. In fact, to not do so is clearly called sin in the Bible. We all know the consequences of sin. We’ve each lived it out many times in our own lives, but do we truly look at the consequences of obedience? All that God has for us, waiting for us, if we are obedient?

In the Beth Moore Bible study that I’m leading right now, she talked the first week about living in our Promised Land right now. I love that idea... of course, heaven is the ultimate goal, but I think we miss out on so much in our daily lives because we don’t truly believe what God is offering to us. We believe IN Him, but we don’t necessarily believe Him. This Psalm (122) is basically a eulogy for a Godly man. None of us wants to be the one who’s tombstone says, “she lived, she died”. I want to be the one about whom people say, “she lived life to the fullest, she believed in God whole-heartedly, her children learned about loving God from her, Satan was shaking in his boots when she got out of bed each day, she TRULY believed that if God said to tell the mountain to move, she would say, move and it would”. I want to be the one that passes on a Godly legacy to my kids and grandkids. I want to be the one about whom it is said, she was compassionate and righteous.

Those are the blessings that come from being obedient and finding delight in God’s commands. If you only had one month to live do you want to reap the consequences of disobedience or obedience? I’m choosing obedience.

Brenda Carlson

Day 21

2009-08-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

As I was thinking about this scripture, I remembered a letter I wrote years ago in response to a prayer request submitted by a little girl in my church whose mom had died a few months earlier. She was about 7 years old, and she wanted me to pray that she would concentrate better on her school work, and that she wouldn’t cry over her mom anymore.

I think this letter illustrates this passage better than anything else I could write. I’ve changed some details to protect her privacy.

Dear Susan,

I saw the prayer request you turned in at church this past Sunday. I’m sure that God will help you focus on your work. I know that can be hard, especially when there are so many other interesting things to do!

I also noticed where you want God to help you not cry because your mom died. I know you miss her, and wish she were still alive. I do too.

I was thinking about her the other day as I was driving past the cemetery where she is buried. She was so full of life that she made you happy when you were around her. She always went out of her way to encourage me. She had beautiful, long hair. (As someone without much hair, I notice such things.) And I know she was a wonderful mother to you and your sisters.

Even though we usually like being happy more than being sad, the Bible says that God gives a special blessing to people who are sad because someone they love has died. Jesus said, “God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4 NLT)

That means that God knows what it’s like to experience death, since Jesus died on the cross. It also means that God knows what it’s like to lose someone in your family, since He lost His Son. God knows how you feel. So He knows, better than anyone, how to help you feel better.

Imagine, Susan, how much God must love you to be willing to see someone He loved very much die so that you could be a part of His family, forever. That’s how much He loves your mom, as well. So much that He couldn’t bear the thought of living forever without her around to keep Him company. So He sent Jesus to die on the cross for her, so that she could live forever with Him.

That’s where she is right now, as you are reading this letter. And one day that’s where you and your sisters will be too. Face to face with the God who loves you so much that He wants to be with you forever.

So it’s okay to miss your mom, and cry because you are sad. But remember that you will be with her forever. And that’s a happy thought.

What about you? Do you need some comfort in your life? Do you know someone who does? Why not pass it on to them, today?

Your Friend,
Pastor Kevin

Day 20

2009-08-21T00:26:00.002-07:00

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam”. So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.”
John 9:1-7

Notice the assumption here on the part of the disciples. The man was born blind, so God must have wanted him blind. So it had to be a punishment for some secret sin either in the man’s life, or failing that, the lives of his parents.

You might read this passage and think how silly the disciples were for making this assumption. But maybe you’ve made the same assumption yourself without realizing it.

Have you ever heard someone say, when faced with a problem or trial, “I know that God is in control, so it will work out okay?” While showing an admiral amount of faith and trust, is this idea really true? Is God in control of the circumstances of our lives?

Let’s think about the man in question here. Do you believe that God chose to make him blind? That God reached down into his mother’s womb and take away his sight? What about other bad things that happen in your life? Does God cause them, too? Your friend that gets cancer? That child born with an incurable disease?

If you don’t believe in free will, if you believe that we’re all like little wind up toys that God plays with for His own amusement, then the answer is “yes.” Or to put it another way, if you think God causes all those things, then you don’t really believe in free will.

Let’s take a look at the story of Adam and Eve in the garden. Was God in control when they decided to sin? If so, then why punish them, and all of their descendants, for something they could not help but do? You might as well punish a dog for chasing his tail, or a cat for plotting your downfall and death. (Well, maybe the cat.)

God doesn’t promise us a life without hardship or suffering, even if we choose to follow Him. In fact, Jesus promised us that we would experience hardship BECAUSE we choose to follow him. But like the man in this story, we CAN decide if God will be glorified in how we respond to the circumstances of our life. Will we allow the work of God to be demonstrated in our lives through our character? Our speech? Our attitudes and habits?

We have been given an incredible gift - the ability to choose.
How will you use it today?

Your Friend,
Pastor Kevin

Day 19

2009-08-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Spring of Life Family,

What a great night we just had! Over 300 people turned out for the opening night of SpringU. From Kindergartners to adults, we all were studying God's word and taking advantage of this opportunity to grow ourselves. I can't wait for next week.

However, prepping for the kick off has drained all of my creative juices. Besides that, I left my computer at work, so I'm sending this from Brenda's lap top. So I'd like to try something different. Here is the scripture for today:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4

What jumps out at you about this scripture? How does this apply to what you're going through? And how would you live this verse if you only had one month to live? I'd love to hear from you, so post your comments below, and let's get a group dialogue going. I'll check in during the day and respond to any comments or questions that you have.

Your Friend,
Pastor Kevin

Day 18

2009-08-19T00:10:00.002-07:00

In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.
Ephesians 4:26-27

Ugh. I don’t like this scripture. And I’ll tell you why.

Years ago I was reading a book on marriage written by a husband and wife team. In it, the husband shared how he and his wife fought differently. He called himself a Cowboy. When he was in conflict, his instinct was to draw his guns and come out blazing. He boiled over fast, but settled down equally fast. Fights with him could be loud and messy, but they were soon forgotten. At least by him.

His wife, on the other hand, called herself an Eskimo. When conflict arose, she didn’t yell, didn’t get visibly upset - she just turned down the emotional thermostat until it got really cold. The fight seemed mild on the outside, but inside she could simmer for days.

I am an Eskimo. We Swedes tend to be an emotionless lot, at least on the outside, and I have a naturally introspective personality on top of that. I rarely yell, or even raise my voice, but I know how to keep a grudge.

This verse has a lot to say to us Eskimos. Mainly that when we keep that anger unexpressed, and unresolved, we needlessly prolong the conflict, and give Satan a chance to do some real damage to us an those around us.

What about you? Is there some conflict in your life that needs to be resolved? If you only had one month to live, I bet you wouldn’t let another day go by without doing something about it. Why let Satan get the upper hand in your heart?

Say it. Do it. Give it. Don’t let the sun go down again before you do.

Your Friend,
Pastor Kevin

PS - Tonight we launch SpringU. It’s not too late to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to grow yourself and get to know some of your Spring of Life family. Won’t you join me tonight at 7:00. You can still register for the class of your choice at he door. Go to our website (springoflife.org) for a complete list of classes. See you there.

Day 17

2009-08-18T00:02:00.002-07:00

“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.”
James 4:1-2

Itʼs interesting to see where this passage lies in James. In Chapter 3 weʼve just finished our lesson on Godly wisdom. That is, wisdom that is deeds done in humility. He teaches us a lot about what that wisdom looks like.. pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Then James follows that directly with chapter 4 and these passages. What causes fights and quarrels? Are you thinking only of yourself and not the other person? You kill (my concordance says figurative for hate) and covet. None of this shows Godly wisdom. None of this shows a heart that has grown in Christʼs maturity. Why are these things so hard for us to learn?

One Month to Live. I keep thinking about that. Many of us have had friends or family who may have gotten that news. One month to live... or 6 months, or 6 weeks or 6 days. How would we live that time we have left... if we knew it were our last month to live. I think that some of us have taken this month very seriously. But, I also think there are those of us who have taken it pretty lightly... laughed it off a bit, not wanting to go down that road. I talked to a friend on Sunday who is needing to decide if her husband should be placed in hospice or not. Sheʼs facing this in real life. I know her, I know her life is going to be lived with her spouse like she knows how important the time she has left with him really is. She is going to be (and has been) spending every moment she can doing what is important. Can we say the same?

I know that Iʼve been pushing you all to make sure that you take the steps you need to take to... say something, do something or give something today and not to wait. I want to share with you a bit of my personal story to show you how important it is. My father and I had a very tough relationship. When my parents split up, my brothers and I went to live with my dad. I was 10 at the time. My father was an alcoholic who was very abusive to my brothers and myself. In fact, after he was remarried, he was arrested for hurting my step-mom and had to go to rehab or jail. He did not want to go to jail, so he went to rehab, but not of his own free will. For those of you who have addictions in your family, or who may struggle with them yourself, you know that a person must make the decision on their own to work through their addictions... he was not in a place where rehab made any difference for him. When I was home from college between my freshman and sophomore year of college, my younger brother shot himself. He was distraught over having to live at home and go to community college and not to be able to get away, as my older brother and I had done. I left home that night (after having found my brother) and really never returned. I had a non-existent relationship with my dad for 14 years. Nothing, no visits, no phone calls, nothing. I pretended he didnʼt exist. Yet during this time, I craved a father... craved having a dad, wanted one so badly. I was very, very angry. I didnʼt even ask him to walk me down the aisle at my wedding, I had my older brother do it.

He tried to tell me he was changed, tried a few times to get in contact with us. But I refused to seek God in this situation... refused to seek any Godly wisdom. I was sure I was justified. I heard that he was saved, that he was going to church and reading his Bible. That he was living a different life... but I didnʼt seek Godʼs wisdom. When my oldest son turned one, I felt God leading me to invite my dad to Jonahʼs birthday... and I did. He came...and I was shocked. He was changed, he was different... but so much had passed between us and I couldnʼt put aside my anger. He went back to Colorado and nothing really changed between us.

In April of 2000 we got a call that my dad was having surgery to find out about a mass that the doctors had found in his abdomen. He had the surgery and they closed him up without doing anything... he had pancreatic cancer and it was very, very advanced and had spread too far. They werenʼt able to remove it and they werenʼt going to do chemo or radiation.... they gave him 6 months to live. So, we dropped everything and went to Colorado. When we got there they told us his condition was worse than they thought. Worse than 6 months to live? Yes, they said, we give him about 6 weeks. So, we stayed a couple days, but nothing really changed in our relationship. I was still so angry... I thought there would be time to figure it all out later. We came back to AZ and got a call about a week later that he was failing... we headed to CO again and when we got there, he didnʼt know we were there. He died about 12 days after the initial surgery. Kevin did the service for my dad. It was hard because he didnʼt really know him... only what he knew of my dadʼs and my relationship. But as we planned the service, we were moved by the stories of the weekends my dad spent in the prisons holding church services and ministering to inmates there. We were speechless to learn heʼd been sober for many, many years. We were amazed at how many people came to his funeral. I was saddened that I let all my anger and quarreling and fighting and hatred get in the way of knowing this amazing man of God... who meant so much to the prisoners at the jail that they let several of the prisoners come and sing at his funeral (under guard) and these men wept for the man who had helped change their lives. God changed my dad, but I didnʼt allow Him to change me... and it was too late.

Put aside your fighting and quarreling and the battle that is within you. Donʼt kill (hate) and covet. You do not have, because you do not ask God. Ask God for wisdom... donʼt hesitate. Donʼt wait.

Say it, Do it, Give it... what if... there was only One Month to Live?

Brenda Carlson

Day 16

2009-08-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant, ‘he said, ‘I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”
Matthew 18:21-35

We don’t like to think that God will treat us as we treat others. Too many times our behavior towards others is not at all what it should be. But God is very specific in this parable, telling us that if we do not forgive as we should, that God can call our debt, so to speak.

This section of Matthew is filled with parables. Stories. Analogies. Fables? Hardly. Jesus uses stories to teach the people of His time great truths about Himself and about God and about how to live their lives. When I am teaching Bible studies, I often talk about how God repeats Himself over and over in the Bible. I tell the students that I don’t think this is because God wanted to tell us something again in a different, better, cooler way... but, rather, because we are not always all that bright! And sometimes, perhaps, it takes us hearing something a time or two before it gets through our thick noggins!!!

We joke around at our house about who is the most stubborn, the most strong-willed. If you live with a strong willed person, you know that it can be interesting. We have 4 in our house of four! Sometimes it seems as though we argue not because we are right, but just so the other person isn’t proven right. I’m sure that only happens at our house:) Slowly, we are all learning that sometimes you have to give in because it is the right thing to do. God is showing us in this passage, that sometimes, even though we feel we deserve something, it’s not always the right thing. He’s teaching us that sometimes the right thing is to be gracious. But mainly, He’s teaching us that forgiveness should be given to others as freely as it is given to us from God.

If you only had “One Month to Live” would you feel good about the legacy of forgiveness that you’ve left behind? Or do you have some work to be done in this area of your spiritual walk? Don’t wait... offer forgiveness today!!

Brenda Carlson

Day 15

2009-08-16T00:00:00.001-07:00

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Colossians 3:13

Life can be better understood, and lived out, by grasping how our vertical relationship with God affects all our horizontal dealings with people. Because Jesus has forgiven us and because God loves us (see verse- v.12), we now are empowered to pass on that same kind of love and forgiveness to others. This is the motivation and power we all need to live-out any command in the Bible, especially the two in this Scripture. We are instructed here to bear with (literally hold up and support)others in times of crisis, during temptation, in struggling with loss, etc. We can “bear with” them because this is exactly what God has done, and continues to do, with us. Since we are inherently selfish, we need the selfless love of God to show us how to live out this command. Additionally, we are able to forgive others (horizontal) because we have experienced forgiveness directly from Jesus (vertical).

No surprise to me that when I’m closely tracking with God, I’m way more patient with all three of my kiddos and I definitely look to serve my wife more (by doing the dishes, which I despise). Yet, as Christians we often think, “I need to be more patient. Or, I have to work harder at not being jealous or holding grudges.” We’ll fall flat on our face in following through with those good intentions unless we have God’s motivation and power. The best thing to do would be to know and experience more Jesus’ love and forgiveness so that we are empowered to live out the commands God gives us with each other.

Make a list of three grievances (literally complaints) that you have against a person at work, a family member, or someone at church. If you find it difficult, or even impossible, to forgive them, then write down three sins that you have done against God (all sin is ultimately sin against Holy God). If you have asked God to forgive you of these, then He has and He did so unconditionally, even when you didn’t deserve it (Romans 5:8). That’s the Jesus kind of forgiveness by which we are to forgive others. So, write forgiven over your sins against God and then chose to forgive the three people with whom you hold grievances. Remember, God has forgiven me and you of worse sins than the complaints that we have at times held against others. So, choose to forgive!

Almighty God, I need both the motivation from the heart and power to bear with others in need. Help me to do this because I am naturally selfish and because I have experienced first-hand how You have helped me and been patient with me. Help me to do the same with family members, friends, and work colleagues. Give me the strength to choose to forgive others. This is so difficult, so help me to see Your great forgiveness which enables me to extend forgiveness to those who have hurt me. I desire to experience a vibrant relationship with You (the vertical) so that I can live out forgiveness and help to those around me (the horizontal). I thank You for Your great love and forgiveness to me. Give me the strength to pass this same kind of love and forgiveness onto those I interact with. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Tim Kelly
Genesis Christian Church
tim@mygenesischurch.com

Day 14

2009-08-15T01:22:00.004-07:00

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:34-35

As we go through this month of asking ourselves how we would live if we knew we only had a month to live, it’s helpful to look at the life of Jesus, and see how he answered that question.

In this passage, Jesus is spending his last night with his friends and disciples. He knew that he had not days, but hours left with them. John gives us a look at how he spent those hours.

What would you say to those you loved best in your last hours? You’d want your last words to be meaningful. To represent the thoughts that were most important to you. To give those you were about to leave behind an accurate representation of who you were, and what you were all about. And that’s what Jesus does here.

Jesus was all about love. Love for God. Love for other people. Love that expressed itself not just in words, but in the actions he was about to take. Love was so important to him, that he told his disciples that it was what would define them to the rest of the world.

Isn’t that interesting? It wasn’t the correctness of their doctrine, or their moral goodness that would set them apart from the rest of humanity, that would mark them as followers of Jesus for all to see. It was their love.

Would someone looking at me know that I belong to Jesus by looking at how I love others? Or would they think I’m no different from anyone else? If I’m going to live like I have one month left, then I better get busy loving people.

Dear God - please help me to love, like Jesus did. It’s hard for me. I’m naturally selfish, and self centered. But I don’t want to be. So give me the heart of Jesus, so that everyone I meet will know that I am his. Amen

Your Friend,
Pastor Kevin

Day 13

2009-08-14T00:00:00.001-07:00

“Dear Friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
1 John 4:7-11

She looked beautiful. When she walked into the room, every eye was on her, especially those of the guy standing beside me. He had that captivated look in his eyes and an almost dopey smile. When she walked over to him, I could see that she was looking at him the same way. It was obvious - they loved each other. That was a good thing considering they were about to get married.

I had the privilege of performing the marriage ceremony for my niece last week. When I asked them what scripture they would like read, they chose 1 Corinthians 13 - the Love chapter. After they declared their intent to marry each other, I read that Biblical description of love and then talked about how love is both a feeling and a choice. The feeling part is easy, especially at the beginning. Just being together, just looking into each other’s eyes is enough to feel love. Choosing to love is a different thing altogether. It’s the aspect of love that needs to kick in when the feelings fade. Love that is a choice is not an emotion of the heart but a decision of the will, and frankly, it’s the more common and important of the two.

God could have stopped at just the feeling aspect of love. He could have looked down on us from heaven with warm emotions and fond sentiments and watched us be slowly crushed by the consequences of our own mistakes and selfish sin. But He didn’t. He demonstrated the hard part of love by choosing to take action. To send His own Son. To die. For us. “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.”

It’s hard to love like God loves. It’s hard to choose to love. But that’s our calling. When we choose to bear the name “Christian”, we’re committing to do our best to love like Christ. For that, we need to ask for God’s help:

Dear God, thank You for perfectly demonstrating what it means to choose to love. No matter how difficult, help me today to do the same. Amen

Matt McMann

Day 12

2009-08-13T00:04:00.001-07:00

For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose. Philippians 2:13

I love this Scripture as it reminds me that I am responsible for keeping my relationship with God close but it is He who does the work. Knowing this keeps my ego in check!

Yesterdays passage told us that God has given us everything we need to live our lives apart from sin and completely under His blessings. I donʼt know about you, but there have been many times that I wonder how that works since I find myself dealing with emotions that donʼt seem “ sinless” such as jealousy, greed, selfishness or temptation for evil.

Today we hear Godʼs Word telling us that it is God Himself working in us for those good purposes. Jesus gave us a pretty direct instruction to “seek first His kingdom and that all else would be given to us”, Matthew 6:33, but, how many of us begin our days by asking God to dwell in us in such a way that we are OVERPOWERED for His purpose and goodness? Too many times I find myself starting my days with a list of what ”I” must accomplish today or what “I” want to do today rather than what Godʼs purpose in the day is for me. Itʼs really all about "me".

Last week in our own kids ministry, we told the story of Mary and Martha: Martha who was too busy to “seek first the kingdom” and Mary who simply gave everything else up for those precious moments. The purpose of seeking God first?; according to Philippians 2:13, it is to allow God to rule in our lives so that we may overcome the sin nature in ourselves and act according to His good purpose. The story of Mary and Martha gives us real evidence of that truth.

I used to think that elevating Jesus would mean lowering myself and my ego did not want to be “lowered”. How amazing it was to find that by seeking Him first I was able to put my ego aside ,elevate Jesus in my life and in return, He elevated me! The more I sought Him first, the more He empowered me to make a difference in the world. The more I trusted Him, the more He blessed me, the more I gave to Him, the more He gave back, the more I allowed God to work in me, the more He used me to work in others! When we stop seeking Jesus first, we allow our own nature to take over. I heard it said once that we are “holey” people - “holey” enough that Godʼs goodness leaks out so i must be replenished every day.

God loves us and wants to empower us to live every day like we only have 30 days to make an impact on the world, on another life, or for the kingdom. We may be impactful by helping another without any gain for ourselves, trusting that Godʼs power can strengthen us to say no to any temptation, replacing evil with goodness, inviting someone to church or into the kingdom of God, stepping into service in some capacity, simply being available for whatever God brings into our life that day.

This month, letʼs all go beyond the cultures annoying habit of wasting the days that could have been spent with passion and investment in the things that last forever. Instead of passing into eternity with our soul weighted with the lament of “if only” and “why didnʼt I”, letʼs enter it with the triumph of having squeezed every ounce out of life. The promise in Philippians 2:13, “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose”, gives us the assurance that it is all possible.

The question for you today is: Will you let God work in you to accomplish His goodness no matter what it takes? Letʼs take on that challenge together.

Candace Plzak

Day 11

2009-08-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 2 Peter 1:3-4

One day, I was on the phone with a girlfriend. I was in a rant about something my husband had done to aggravate me. Now, I know this isn't pleasing to God. If I had been quiet long enough to listen to him telling me that I'm not perfect either, it probably would have ended much differently. But I'm a slow learner. While in the throws of this gripe session, I was also doing laundry. So I was in the closet moving empty hangers from the upper rack of my closet to consolidate them on the lower rack. It was a very simple motion – arm up, arm down, arm up, arm down. Suddenly (when I had not one, but two wooden hangars in my hand), I had a muscle spasm in my arm, causing me to whack myself squarely between the eyes so hard that I had a lump on my forehead from it! It has lovingly come to be known as my “wooden hangar moment”. I am certain that was God who was sick of my pettiness and just whacked me to get my attention.

Corruption and evil desires come in many guises. Mine, that day, was a gripe session. Other days maybe it's just me ignoring God's prompting to do something out of my comfort zone. Every day it's a struggle against the enemy of our souls who loves nothing more than to keep us wrapped up in the world's evil desires.

How many wooden hangar moments have you had? God is there for us every day offering a life full of goodness and grace. His divine power is given to us every minute of every day and yet we sometimes need Him to whack us with a wooden hangar to come back to the place where He wants us. Keep in mind His precious promises are yours for the taking. Grab them and hold on to them for dear life –your eternal life! His promises are always there. Keeping that in mind may help you keep your promises to Him.

Good and Gracious God,
Thank you so much for Your precious promises. Thank You for Your loving grace when we least deserve it. Help us always keep You at the center of our lives, listening to Your sweet voice and striving to tap into Your divine power so that we can be filled with the godliness You intend for us. Help us keep in mind Your great and precious promises so that through them we may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. We pray all this in Your Holy Name. Amen.

Heidi Ortiz
Staff Member
Spring of Life

Day 10

2009-08-11T00:35:00.004-07:00

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
James 4:13-16

Wow.... a mist? Thatʼs kind of harsh. Seems like our lives could be described as something with a little more substance than a mist? Godʼs analogies are so powerful. Relating our lives to a mist that is here one moment and gone the next is such a great image of our place in eternity. Our 80 or so years of life on earth are but an instant in Godʼs grander scheme. None of us believe weʼll live forever on earth, but does that really reach us down to our cores? Do we live as though thereʼs no tomorrow? Do I?

These types of verses are ones that are hard for me to hear. Iʼm a planner... I love to know ahead of time what it happening or what is going to happen. I donʼt like to find out at the last minute that the plan has been changed. This trait in me kinda drives Kevin and my boys crazy. They all like to be a little more spontaneous. I also tend to like to think that Iʼve got plenty of time to get all my plans done. But do I? Do any of us? God says no. You canʼt know if there is tomorrow, all you can know is today. Isnʼt that what this “One Month to Live” campaign has been teaching us? So how does this fit with the second part of the passage?

A few days ago, we read from James 3 about Godly wisdom and learned that God is pretty blunt with us. James told us that worldly wisdom is unspiritual and from the devil. Once again, in Chapter 4 he tells us that boasting is evil. Also, that anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesnʼt do it, sins. You know what this is, really? Disobedience. How many times do we say to our kids...”you should have known better” or “weʼve been over this before” or “why didnʼt you learn from this the last time it happened”? I truly believe that God is scratching His head daily when he talks to me and says ”you should have known better” or “weʼve been over this before” or “why didnʼt you learn from this the last time it happened”? How hurt He must be when He sees me make the same kind of mistake over and again. How much sadness He must feel when He places a need before me, or asks me to do something for Him, or puts it on my heart to help someone and I simply say “NO”! Iʼm too busy, Iʼm too tired, I have a PLAN and this isnʼt it:) “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesnʼt do it, sins.” God isnʼt looking at our schedule or our means or our plans, Heʼs looking at our hearts and whether we are obedient or disobedient. You may have heard the phrase the partial obedience is total disobedience. Think about that for a minute. You canʼt be partially obedient, because to do so is to still be disobedient. Once again, I say OUCH!! So, how do these verses fit together... God wants us to be obedient today and do what is good today, because there may not be a tomorrow. Not really a hard concept to understand... but much harder to live out.

This campaign has been very difficult for me. I find as I am examining myself that I used to be much more open to Godʼs leading in how I can be more compassionate and empathetic to others. Iʼm much less that way now... perhaps a bit tainted, a bit hard hearted and a bit pessimistic. These weeks of self examination have been painful to see how much Iʼve closed off the ability for God to work in me for the good of others. I was made strikingly aware of this last week as we took our boys to lunch at a local pizza place. On the sidewalk outside the restaurant was a homeless man, sleeping on the concrete, trying to find a bit of shade in the 114 degree weather. He was extremely unclean. He had a bike near him with, what Iʼm assuming was everything he owned and it was not much. His prosthetic leg lay near him on the ground as he slept. My boys and I stepped around him and went into the restaurant. My world was shaken as my kids asked intimated that there was another person trying to get money even though they probably werenʼt homeless. I thought about the times Iʼve said that as weʼve passed people requesting money on the side of the freeway and how weʼve tried to teach our kids that some people will take advantage and you have to be careful, etc, etc, etc. But how much had I left untaught (not their fault) by not showing them that this is how part of the world lives. And itʼs sad, and unfair and wrong. So, that day, we bought extra pizza and water and took it out the man and asked if we could do anything else for him. My children learned a huge lesson that day... and my heart was reminded of Godʼs call for all of us... Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins. And there may not be tomorrow to do good... so do it today!!!

Prayer: Father, you’ve been working in my heart these last few weeks. I often tease that I don’t want to become a bitter old woman, as we all have probably seen happen to people that we know. Instead, I want to be a woman who sees people as you see them and who wants to love them as you love them and to do good for them as you would do for them. I want to ask that you continue to put people in my path so that I can be obedient in what you ask me to do... all that you ask of me. Continue to show me ways that I can be Jesus for the people around me. Amen

Challenge: Yesterday in church, Kevin challenged us to do one of three things that we need to do... say something, do something or give something. We all have people in our lives who need us to act on this challenge. Do you need to tell someone you love them or what they mean to you. Do you need to lovingly correct someone close to you? Say Something!!! Do you need to reach out and help someone in your neighborhood, help a new mom, help a family member, be Jesus hands or feet for someone. Do Something!!! Do you need to give someone something... not necessarily monetarily, although that may be the call on your heart (see the Child Poverty Initiative on our website), but maybe you need to give someone forgiveness. You can change the direction of someone’s life by offering to them the forgiveness they deserve that you have withheld. Do you need to give someone time, attention, words of affirmation. Give Something!! And please... do it today!!! I’d love to hear about it!

Brenda Carlson

Day 9

2009-08-10T00:00:00.007-07:00

"Today's devotion is written by Chrissy Myal, Children's Ministry Director at Epic Christian Church, our first church plant."
- Pastor Kevin

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Ephesians 5:15-17

Careful. This word alone gives me great pause. I am not sure this is a word we would use to describe most of our lives. Think of it: vigilant, watchful, alert, cautious and attentive. This might describe a soldier guarding his men, a lioness with her cubs, possibly an obsessed day trader watching the market. But honestly, Christians? And yet this is the command- that we would be so devoted to God that we would be very careful, then, in how we live because the days are evil. None of us would argue that the days are not evil, profoundly immoral, and full of wickedness. Still, though, it occurs to me that we as Christians live in ways that are more reckless and casual in the midst of this darkness… the very antithesis of a careful and diligent life.

This passage forces us to be brave enough to consider our ways and to ask ourselves difficult questions that make us feel uncomfortable. However, if Jesus is surely returning, and if there really is no inheritance for an impure, greedy, or idolatrous person in the Kingdom of God (Eph 5:5) then we would do well to ask them. Do I avoid every trap of selfishness and sin as if it were a minefield for my soul? Do I turn from every form of darkness because I cannot dare to darken my heart and so diminish the light that I have become in Christ? Do I excuse any word of slander, gossip, or joking out of my mouth, even choosing to discredit those who might call my speech into account, simply because I am too self justifying to admit that I will have to give an explanation for every careless word I have spoken? Is there even a hint of impropriety or immorality in my behavior? Can I honestly look over the landscape of my life and see that at every turn I am diligent to avoid the snares of the devil, to keep myself far from evil, and to seize every single opportunity for the cause of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has rescued me soul? Unquestionably, if I am not, I am a fool. I am living as unwise, not as wise, and I do not live as though I understand what the Lord’s will truly is.

Father in Heaven, have mercy on my soul. I praise You that I am, somehow- even now- your dearly loved child. I am in awe of You, Jesus, that You gave yourself up for me, all the while knowing the full measure of my sin when I was apart from You, and the casual, mediocre way of my life even after You’ve saved me. Teach me Your ways, O God, that I might truly live- not as a fool- but as a devoted, vigilant, alert, bold, can’t-be-bought or dissuaded follower of Christ, that I might be unashamed at Your coming. Amen.

Chrissy Myal
Children's Ministry Director
Epic Christian Church

Day 8

2009-08-09T00:00:00.001-07:00

"Today's devotion is written by Jeff Myal, Lead Pastor with Epic
Christian Church, our first church plant." - Pastor Kevin

Scripture: "I took you from the ends of the earth, form its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:9-10

Observation: In yesterday’s scripture study we read of God’s instructions to Joshua regarding his leadership of Israel. If you remember, Joshua was commanded to be “strong and courageous;” while at the same time being commanded to not be “terrified or discouraged.” The reason for this charge: God had chosen him to lead the people and promised that He would be with him wherever he went. Today we read of a similar encouragement, only this time the charge was given to all the people of Israel.

Israel was God’s chosen people. They were the one nation on earth specifically called by God to be His people. They were the nation through whom God would eventually bring to fruition his plan of reconciliation, forgiveness, and healing for mankind. On the journey they needed to know that God was on their side. They needed to know that, despite their sinfulness and rebellion, God had not rejected them. They needed to know deep in their hearts that God would always be with them. There wouldn’t ever be a moment when His strength, power, and might wouldn’t be surrounding and empowering them. They needed to know that they had a purpose that God Himself would help them accomplish. For the Israelites, there was no reason to be afraid or dismayed because God was on the move with them.

Application: It might be easy for you to think, “That was then, and this is now,” but can I remind you of a few things. If you are a believer in Christ here’s what God says about us: “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do;” “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known;” and “I will be with you always, even to the end of the age.”

See, like the nation of Israel we have been called by God for a purpose. Our lives have significance in the redemptive story of God. Every day that we live there is an opportunity for us to participate with God in the story that He is writing. There isn’t any reason for us to be afraid, discouraged, or dismayed because God’s mighty power is at work within us through His Spirit. So today, as you continue on this journey, walk in the power of God’s mighty right hand knowing that God is on your side and will do all He has promised to do. Every day matters!

Prayer: Lord, remind me today through Your Spirit, to walk in the power of Your mighty strength. Teach my heart to be bold, strong, and courageous. Help me to turn away from the fear, anxiety, and brokenness and look instead to the cross. Constantly remind me that I have not been rejected by You, but am instead loved unconditionally. Show me the things that You desire for me to do on Your behalf and give me the resolve to step boldly into Your purpose and plan.

Jeff Myal
Lead Pastor
Epic Christian Church

Day 7

2009-08-08T00:50:00.004-07:00

Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:6-9

OK...I must admit, when I first read this passage I had a little laugh. So many times when we read scripture, we feel God talking directly to us. Sometimes with a gentle nudge or a whisper, and sometimes with a hammer. This scripture strikes me as the “hammer”. Whenever we come across a scripture that is so obvious, we should perk up and pay attention. I’d have to read it again, but I believe God is encouraging us to “Be strong and courageous”. :-) Seems pretty obvious.

Actually, this “obvious” scripture is pretty deep. So deep a book could be written on what God is trying to teach Joshua, and us. There are three times here that God encourages us (and commands us) to “Be strong and courageous”. Each time, God gives us specific ways to go about doing this. The one that jumps out to me is in verse 8.

“Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.”

What is God talking about here? Obedience. Obedience in following God’s law. As Joshua and the Israelites were preparing to enter Canaan, obedience to, and meditation on, God’s law, trumped physical strength. God had a plan for the Israelites that would not be hindered or thwarted. What God purposes...will happen. When we obey our King, we fall in line with His purposes. When we are in line with His ways, we begin to feel the wind of God at our back. When we seek to please God each and every day, miracles happen in our lives. Obedience is the key that opens the door to God’s power in our lives. Then, God tells us, “you will be prosperous and successful.”

But Samuel replied: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 1 Samuel 15:22

Since obedience should really be happening at every moment of every day, it sounds a bit strange to say...”OK gang, let’s obey God today”. Having said that, truth is, we learn to do by doing...yes? So, let’s find a way today to be obedient to our Creator. Maybe He has been speaking to you in a still, soft voice to mend a relationship...to spend time in fasting...to surrender something on which you are hanging a bit too tight...or to simply be in His presence without interruption.

Additionally, this passage is also meant to be a huge encouragement to whomever reads it. Joshua and the nation of Israel were heading into battle. This was the pre-game pep talk from the ultimate, loving coach, Father and King, Yahweh. Personally, I find no greater emotional and intellectual lift in scripture than the promise that “the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go”. Incredible.

Well, I believe God is going to put someone in your path today that needs the encouragement that this passage has to offer. On Wednesday, Brenda talked about the power of light. Be a light to someone today. Let them know that God has a plan for their lives. When you do, you may find that you end up being blessed as well.

“Father, help us to be your obedient children...today, and until we meet you face to face. We want to please you and be caught up in your river. Place us in situations where we can test our faith, and grow closer to you. All God’s people say...”

Jason Borrmann
Worship Pastor

Day 6

2009-08-07T00:02:00.003-07:00

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Albert Einstein once said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.

Many people see the Word of God simply as a collection of words from God. A simple source for communicating ideas. Itʼs in those moments in life that we read scripture over and over again expecting different results. The Word of God is so much more than a fun book to read with really neat stories. It is living, life changing, and dynamic as it works in us. Designed to create dynamic lives out of us. Godʼs Word reveals who we are and what we are not. It penetrates the core of our spiritual and moral life. It discerns what is within us, both good and evil.

Here is the beauty of Godʼs Word, it requires decisions. It demands a choice. The choice being to live with Godʼs purpose, or to live with your own personal purpose. We have to do more then just listen to Godʼs Word, we must also let it shape our life. Otherwise insanity will ensue.

Use this month to read scripture, listen to it and be moved by it. Donʼt let it be a chore but let it work in your life with the precision of a surgeonʼs knife, removing the infected area and bringing healing and restoration to your soul.

Lord, we pray that we allow your word to work in our life in a powerful way. Teach us to be people who learn your purpose for our lives and use us to change the world. Amen.

Pastor Ryan Faris
Student Ministries

Day 5

2009-08-06T00:22:00.005-07:00

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

This passage teachers us that the Bible is inspired by God. But what does it mean to be inspired? To be fired up? Excited? Filled with ideas and passion?

The Greek word that gets translated “inspired by God” in the NLT literally means “God-breathed.” God breathes out His word from His heart to the heart of the author of the particular book of the Bible, in this case the Apostle Paul, who then relays it to us.

That’s the academic meaning. But I like to think of this idea of inspiration in another, more personal way. Today at lunch my older son wanted to ask me something that he wanted only me to hear. So he got up real close to me, with his mouth next to my ear, and whispered. I could feel his breath on my skin as he opened his heart to me.

That’s what I picture God doing in this passage. Sharing His heart with me through His word in such an intimate way that I can feel His breath.

The same word that translates into “breath” also means “spirit.” Do you let God get close enough to you through His word that you can feel His spirit touching yours? Because that’s what the breath of God is - His spirit, communicating with yours.

Take time each day this month to let God get close enough to breath on you. You’ll be inspired.

Dear God - breath on me today. Help me get close enough to you that I can feel your spirit touching me through your word. And help me turn down the volume of life enough that I can hear you. Amen.

Pastor Kevin

Day 4

2009-08-05T00:19:00.004-07:00

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Psalm 119:105

My boys are city boys. My in-laws have a house on a lake in northern Idaho that we vacationed at over 4th of July this year. There are lots of houses around the lake, but their house is high on a hill, with only their home and another that you can see. There are other houses on the road back to town, but not in the direct vicinity. I realized that my oldest child Jonah was a total city boy when he wanted to google and see if black bears or grizzly bears lived in the woods near the lake. So we googled and were able to dodge that bullet. But once we got to the woods, it was a different story. He did not want to go outside much and certainly not at night, even when we got to light off fireworks. He much rather preferred the safety of the house.

I was thinking about that while we were still there and how in the city, there is light everywhere. We can be outside in the middle of the night and there are so many street lights that we have no problems seeing where we want to go. We turn on our flood lights by the pool, or our headlights on the car and we can see exactly where we want to go. But in the forest by the lake, if you turn off the house lights all you have is stars. And it’s VERY dark. Frightening, in fact, for a city boy.

Our lives can be that way sometimes. Frighteningly dark. So many choices, what to do, where to go, what to buy, what not to do or say. Which job to take, should I wait for a better opportunity? It’s a bit overwhelming, especially when we try to make it on our own. But did you realize that even in the blackest, darkest night, a single light has now penetrated the darkness. Think about that backwards... you can have one little match lit and all the dark in the world won’t erase that and make it pitch black again... but that one little match can take the dark and make it much less scary.

That’s what God wants for us... a guiding light, a lamp in the forest. His Word, the Bible, tells us how to live, how to make it down the steep incline in the dark, or to find shelter, or help, or eternity! His word is a lamp to your feet and a light for your path... choose to light it... it makes the night much less dark!

Blessings,
Brenda Carlson
Associate Pastor
Spring of Life

Day 3

2009-08-04T12:09:00.003-07:00

Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath.
Psalm 39:4-5

“Ignorance is bliss.” So the saying goes. The idea is that it’s sometimes better not to know something than it is to know it, especially things we can’t control. That way we won’t waste time and effort worrying about something we can’t change.

What if someone could tell you, with exact certainty, when you would die? How you would die? Would you want to know? Or would that ruin the rest of your life, knowing each day that I’m one day closer to THAT day?

This is what the Psalmist is asking for in this passage. Not to know the exact date when he would die, but that he would live life with a sense of urgency, knowing that his days are indeed numbered, even if he, the psalmist, doesn’t know what that number is.

But God does. That’s why He wants me to live of purpose and meaning, filled with time spent with Him, and those He’s placed in my life.

That’s the key to living a no regrets life. If I knew I only had 30 days to live, it would certainly change how I approached those days. I doubt I would want to spend 5 hours a day watching TV, as does the average American, or aimlessly surfing the web.

What about you? Are you living the life you’ve always wanted to live? Or would you be filled with regrets at the way you spent this month if it turned out to be your last month on earth?

Dear God, please give me a sense of urgency today. You’ve given me the precious gift of life. I don’t want to waste it. Help me to live it for you. Amen.

Your Friend,
Pastor Kevin

Day 2

2009-08-03T00:05:00.006-07:00

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. James 3:13-18

Thirty days to live... what if thatʼs all we had? What if we knew for sure that our days were very numbered? They are, you know. Numbered, that is. For each one of us, our days on earth are limited. Do we live like we know that? I would venture to say not always, or even in some cases, not very often.

I find so many things about Godʼs Word so interesting. One of those things is how God puts together ideas that we may not think really go together. My case in point is this scripture. Why does God place wisdom and understanding in the same thought? This is one of those times that I think God probably felt like He needed to give us a little more explanation about what He wanted to tell us. God wanted to make sure that we understood the difference between what the world sees as wisdom and what He sees as wisdom.

Dictionary.com says this about wisdom: 1. the quality or state of being wise, knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgement as to action, sagacity, discernment or insight. 2. scholarly knowledge or learning 3. wise sayings or teachings 4. a wise act or saying. The world will tell you that wisdom is about acquiring more and more information until you can figure out what to do. The world also says “an eye for an eye”, “let me give you whatʼs coming to you”, “whatever it takes, Iʼll do it”. The world teaches us so many things about looking out for number 1. Can you imagine our world if that were the only thing that was taught about how to live?

My concordance says that wisdom is not just acquired information, but practical insight with spiritual implications. So... what does that mean, exactly. I think God very clearly told us in these verses from James. Many times we make decisions based on how we will benefit or gain from them. God tells us that true wisdom is deeds done in humility. Things that we do, choices that we make, that have no gain for us, no recognition or accolades, no acknowledgement. Deeds done in humility are deeds done with someone else in mind and for the other personʼs benefit and for Godʼs benefit. Wisdom is about making choices for others and God (and yourselves) that have spiritual implications. Decisions that are made while seeking Godʼs will and discernment have lasting effects on everyone involved. Who doesnʼt want an outcome that is of pure wisdom, peace-loving, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere?

But to take it one step further... God doesnʼt say that not having wisdom is just a bummer. We like to think that not living Godʼs way for our lives is just okay. Weʼd rather live as He wants, but if we donʼt, itʼs not the end of the world. He says that “if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. “ OUCH!! Not the way I would want to live out my last 30 days. (That is another thing I love about Godʼs Word. He doesnʼt pull any punches and tells it like it is). God is pretty clear on how He feels about “worldly wisdom”.

How do we gain wisdom? Experience, learning from our mistakes, allowing God to talk to our hearts (and listening to Him), reading and learning from His Word. Itʼs not possible to live life making choices with spiritual implications is we donʼt spend time with God. Having Him as a foundation for our lives is a first step in gaining wisdom.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rains came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the streams rose and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27

Letʼs move forward in our 30 Days to Live with Godly wisdom, making choices with humility, shown in our good lives, our good fruit. Having lives that are full of pure choices; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. What if all of us chose to live according to these scriptures, not just for our 30 days, but for the remainder of our days, however long that may be. Our world would be impacted for God in a huge way and changed forever. Literally :)

Blessings to you,
Brenda Carlson
Associate Pastor
Spring of Life

Day 1

2009-08-02T00:01:00.003-07:00

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12

What would change if you knew that you only had one month to live? Would you work at your same job? Treat your family any differently? Look at money and possessions in a new light? This can be a very clarifying question. A lot of us, I imagine, would do many things differently if we knew that the final countdown of our lives had begun.

The Psalmist reminds us, however, that the clock is already ticking. To “number our days” is to realize that we are granted a finite number of them here on this earth, that time is our most precious commodity. Wanting to treat our days as precious, to live them in such a way as to make each one count, is how we gain “a heart of wisdom.”

Over the next 30 days, I want to challenge you to do three things. First, to ask yourself this question every day this month “How would I live my life today if I knew that this was my last month on earth?” To go through the day with different eyes, examining what you do, and how you do it, with a real sense of urgency. I bet it will change how you look at some of the things that we all take for granted, and create in you a desire to make some changes in how you live.

Second, come back here to begin each day with another scripture, and a devotional thought written buy some of our staff and ministry friends and partners.

Third, I want to challenge you to attend each service here at Spring of Life throughout the month of August. Each week I’ll be sharing with you some biblical keys to living a life without regrets. Wouldn’t it be great to finish the month and realize that you’ve lived it to its fullest potential? To have no regrets about how you spent your time and how you treated the people in your life who matter the most to you? To finish the month with the best possible relationship with the God
who created you to live an abundant life?

I’m looking forward to sharing this journey with you. Please feel free to post your own comments here on this site and share with the rest of our church family your thoughts and insights. Let’s together dedicate ourselves to living this month as if we truly had One Month to Live.

Your Friend,
Pastor Kevin