Week Two Devotional: Living with the End in Mind
Read
Chapter Two (You Might Not Finish This Chapter) and Chapter Seven (Your Best Life…Later)
Listen to Greater / Less (lyrics below)
Reflect
From start to finish, the movie of life is about God. He is the main character. Francis writes: “We have only our two-fifths-of-a-second-long scene to live. I don’t know about you, but I want my two-fifths of a second to be about my making much of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says,“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” The point of your life is to point to Him. Whatever you are doing, God wants to be glorified, because this whole thing is His.”
When we finally stand before Him on the last day, what would you want God to say about you and the way you lived your life on the earth? Take some time to evaluate the different areas of your life: your personal walk with God, your immediate relationships with family and friends, your work in the marketplace, your ministry, your witness to a world in need of the Good News.
A eulogy is a speech delivered in tribute of someone who has just passed away. If you could write your own eulogy, what would you want others to say of you and the way you lived your life? Jot down three or more key statements you would want to be said, then take some time to examine the way you are living your life now. What would need to change so that what you would want said is indeed true of you?
Realign
Philippians 1:9-11 | “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Take time to pray through this apostolic prayer, asking God to realign our temporal vision with His eternal perspective. Be still and pay attention to what God may bring to mind; spend some time journaling what He says and your response.
Respond
In Chapter Seven, Francis writes: “Having faith often means doing what others see as crazy. Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers… Christians today like to play it safe. We want to put ourselves in situations where we are safe ‘even if there is no God.’ But if we truly desire to please God, we cannot live that way. We have to do things that cost us during our life on earth but will be more than worth it in eternity.”
What are you doing right now that requires faith? What are you doing right now that costs you something on earth but will be more than worth it in eternity (1 Cor. 3:12-15)?
In prayer, list in each category one faith-filled action you can take this year that will have eternal impact:
In your personal life?
In your marriage / family?
In your cell community / ministry / church?
We are celebrating our 30th year as a church this year. Imagine, hypothetically, if Jesus were to return in 2030, how would this impact the way that we do church as RiverLife? What would we do more / less of, what would we change? How would our posture towards church initiatives (e.g., missions and community outreach) and cell group change?
GREATER / LESS
Words and Music | Sherman Wong, Josh Yeoh and Ng Hui Ting
VERSE 1
I’m not my own
I’ve been purchased with the
Precious crimson
Blood that washed away my guilty stains
What could I bring
To repay this debt I owe
My rights, my wants
I would gladly give it all for love
PRE-CHORUS
I will take up my cross
Counting the cost, I willingly follow
You, my greatest joy and reward
My King and my God
CHORUS
You are worth it all
You are worth it all
Until my last breath I’ll confess
You’re worth it all
VERSE 2
I hear the sound
Of voices crying out now
Prepare the way for the Lord
Our King is coming back
I’ll raise a shout
An anthem hastening the Day
The Lamb receives
The reward of His own suffering
BRIDGE
What do I have that’s not from You
I’d lose it all to stand with the Bridegroom
My joy is found in Your success
You become greater, I become less