Spring Hills Baptist Church 1820 Newark-Granville Road. Granville, OH

Transcription

1 Spring Hills Baptist Church 1820 Newark-Granville Road. Granville, OH

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3 PERSONAL APPLICATION Are you living out your passions? Make a list of the things in life you are most passionate about and identify ways that you can spend more time pursuing those things. Living the Dash SESSION ONE ICE BREAKER QUESTIONS What is the biggest risk you have ever taken? How did taking this risk make you feel? What was the outcome? When you were younger, what did you dream of becoming when you grew up? As you look back over your life, what would you say is the best decision you have ever made? Why? Are you at a point in life where you feel empty? What are the things that are draining you? What things in life are you pursuing that never quite seem to satisfy? Commit to turning from those things and pursuing a fulfillment to your emptiness that can only be found in Christ. Read and meditate on His Word. Ask Him to fill you up and allow you to truly live with passion and purpose. GROUP DISCUSSION Watch Session One on DVD. Commit today to begin reading through the Bible in a year. It only takes 4 chapters per day to make it through in 365 days (that comes out to 3 chapters for three days and 4 on the fourth). Jesus said that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). Prayerfully consider ending your One Month to Live Challenge by committing to fill yourself with the word of God! 4. How might you be set free to be fully alive by considering your time on earth is short? How does the question, What would I do if I had one month to live? help clarify priorities and give you a new perspective on your remaining time here on earth? The author, Kerry Shook, states, There s so much of life that is completely out of our control, but there is one thing that we do get to control. There is one thing that we do get to choose. We get to choose how to spend the dash between the two dates on our tombstones. What does that mean to you? The video for this session presented a man whose cancer had returned. How did the way he handled the news that he only had 6 to 10 weeks to live impress you? How did this news change his relationship with his wife?

4 FURTHER REFLECTIONS Read Psalm 90:12 What does it mean to number our days? What is the connection between numbering our days and gaining a heart of wisdom? Read Psalm 39: Read Romans 8:1-2 In light of the brevity of our lives here on earth, how should we embrace each day we are given? If the entirety of our life is but a breath in the sight of God, what does this say about God, man and eternity? Read I Peter 1:24-25 What does this passage reveal about the glory of man? Why do you think God chose to use the imagery of grass and flowers as an analogy for men in this passage? How does the frailty of human life compare to the enduring nature of the Word of God? What does it mean to be in Christ? What does verse 1 present as a benefit of being in Christ? According to verse 2, what is it that those who are in Christ have been set free from? If you had one month to live, would you be living with confidence that you were in Christ and that you had received God s free gift of eternal life? Note: Each week s personal application questions can be accesed and/or printed at springhillschurch.org/one-month-to-live. Note: Each week s personal application questions can be accesed and/or printed at springhillschurch.org/one-month-to-live.

5 FURTHER REFLECTIONS Read Acts 20:24 Did Paul have a clear understanding about what his mission in life was? What in this verse indicates Paul s passion for the mission he was given? Do you think Paul was more concerned with his own comfort or the successful completion of the task Christ had given him? Why? PERSONAL APPLICATION If you knew you only had one month to live, what are five things that you would want to change about your life? Read Acts 21:13 What does this verse indicate about the passion for the mission Christ had given Paul? Read Matthew 4:2-4 Jesus was tempted to turn something that was never meant to satisfy hunger into something that would. Would you agree that there are things in life that we try to make satisfy the longings of our heart that can t? What might some of those things be? What can we learn from Jesus response to Satan in verse 4? 4. Read Psalm 73:26 Have you ever felt you were running out of life, just barely hanging on? Where does this verse point us when we feel like this? Is it only at times we feel like we are just barely getting by that we should seek God? Identify one area of your life (i.e., the way you spend your time, the way you spend your money, a relationship that needs to be reconciled, a habit that needs to be overcome, etc.) and set a realistic goal for yourself in this particular area. Before your next group meeting, share your goal with your spouse or a close friend and ask them to pray for you and to hold you accountable in achieving your goal. 5. Read Romans 6:23 What is the consequence of our sin? How are we spiritually empty? What is the only thing that can rescue us from the spiritually empty state? Why do you think eternal life is identified as a gift of God? Commit to engaging in the One Month to Live lifestyle for the next 30 days. Record your thoughts on how this lifestyle is affecting your relationships, your work, your family and your relationship with God. Share your findings with your spouse or a close friend at the end of the 30 days.

6 What do want to be said about you on your tombstone? Consider writing a one sentence mission statement for your life. Post this in prominent places (i.e., your car, truck, desk, bathroom mirror, refrigerator, etc.) so that you are reminded of it on a daily basis. Living With No Regrets SESSION SIX ICE BREAKER QUESTIONS What things are you most passionate about in life? Do you find that most of your time, energy and money is spent on those things you are most passionate about? If you found out you had only weeks to live, would some of the things you are passionate about now suddenly seem not so important? What things would you really begin to be passionate about if you knew the end of your life was near? Watch Session Six on DVD. Wouldn t it be wonderful to live your life so that if you discovered you only had a month to live, you wouldn t have to change a thing? From One Month to Live Mission Statement for My Life: GROUP DISCUSSION What three blockers to living passionately did Kerry and Chris mention? Of the three, which one do you struggle with the most? If you knew you only had one month to live, what steps would you take to eliminate this barrier to passion in your life? What stood out to you most in the short film Empty? How does it communicate the truth that Christ is the only true source of fulfillment and satisfaction in life? Kerry said, Fullness comes from Christ alone and that relationship with Him. In what ways has this proven to be true in your own life? What things do you see people pursuing to fill up that empty void in their life that only Christ can fill?

7 Think About it: If you knew you had one month to live, how would that change your perspective on the time you have here on earth in relation to all of eternity?

8 PERSONAL APPLICATION In what areas of your life are you investing in temporary things? What steps do you need to take to begin to invest your life in only those things that are going to last for eternity? Do a personal inventory of those things in your life that require your time, energy, money and attention and determine what is valuable and what is fading. Who are the people in your life that are affected by your legacy? What kind of legacy do you want to leave them? If you knew you only had a few weeks to live, what steps would you take to ensure that you left behind the kind of legacy that you want to? What prevents you from taking those steps now? Spend some time this week writing out some specific steps you can take to begin leaving a lasting impact on the people around you.

9 FURTHER REFLECTIONS Read Psalm 112:1-6 According to verse 2, what impact does a man who fears the Lord and finds great delight in His commands have on the generations to come? What type of person does verse 6 tell us will be remembered forever? In what ways is this counter-cultural to our world s way of thinking? What does this mean for us if we desire to leave a lasting positive impact on people s lives after we leave this earth? Read Matthew 6:19-20 Compare and/or contrast treasures on earth to treasures in heaven. Which ones are going to last forever? How can we store up treasures in heaven? Does our world seem to be consumed with accumulating treasures on earth? What might the life of someone who was storing up treasures in heaven look like? Read I Kings 2:1-3 How would you paraphrase what David was telling his son, Solomon, as the time of his death was getting close? What kind of legacy did David want to leave for his son? Live Passionately SESSION TWO ICE BREAKER QUESTIONS What is the best roller coaster you have ever been on? Why was it so awesome? What gets you most excited in life? Is it a relationship? Your kids? A hobby? A beautiful day outside? How often do you experience this level of excitement? What is one goal you hope to accomplish before you die? GROUP DISCUSSION In what ways are roller coasters an illustration of life? Watch Session Two on DVD. Chris Shook said, If you don t live fully the way God created you, the world is going to miss out What the world needs is for you to become fully alive. What impact could your life have on the world around you if you truly began to live passionately, take risks and trust God completely? One woman you heard from did not think that the One Month to Live principles really applied to her life until she found herself in a life and death situation. What does this say about the uncertainty of the length of our lives? How does this motivate you to embrace the One Month to Live lifestyle today and truly begin to live each day as if it were your last? Note: Each week s personal application questions can be accesed and/or printed at springhillschurch.org/one-month-to-live. 4. How did the perspective of the other woman who shared change after attending the funeral of her young niece? What steps did she take to begin to really live the life she longed to live? What steps do you need to take today to truly begin living passionately, the way God designed you to?

10 FURTHER REFLECTIONS Read Joshua 1:6-9 What promises does God make to Joshua as he prepares to assume the leadership of the nation of Israel? In verse 7 God tells Joshua to be very courageous but also to be careful. What was he to be courageous about? What was he to be careful about? What keeps you from stepping out in faith and taking risks in life? What promises and assurances does God give us if we will be obedient to Him? Read Ephesians 5:15-17 What connection does this passage make between wisdom, understanding the Lord s will and time management? In verse 16 we are instructed to make the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. What does the nature of the times we live in (evil) have to do with capitalizing on every opportunity we are given? What steps can we take to learn how to organize and plan our time according to the purposes and plans of God? Read II Peter 1:3-4 What does verse 3 say about the provision Christ had made available to all believers? How does this provision come to believers? Verse 4 says that we participate in the divine nature. What do you think that means? According to verse 4 how is it that we can escape the corruption that is in the world? Leave Boldly SESSION FIVE ICE BREAKER QUESTIONS Share with the group one interesting fact about you that you are pretty sure most, if not all, of them do not know. Tell about a person in your life that has had a significant impact on you. In what ways has their life helped shape yours? What about them will carry on with you forever? What do you want to be remembered for? In what area of your life do you hope to make the most impact? GROUP DISCUSSION Watch Session Five on DVD. Kerry said, God has placed within every one of our hearts the desire to live a life that will outlast us. How do you see this to be true in your life? What can we learn from the sandcastles about building our lives on a foundation that lasts? One woman shared about embracing the One Month to Live Challenge and learning to forgive others who have hurt her and finding joy in the simple things. In what ways can you relate with her? How does her story inspire you to live a no-regrets life? Where does the power come from to live the life God has called us to live?

11 4. Read John 15:1-2 What does God do with branches that bear fruit? Is it possible that God may be trying to prune something out of your life so you will be more fruitful/productive? Note: Each week s personal application questions can be accesed and/or printed at springhillschurch.org/one-month-to-live.

12 Are you currently going through some trials or experiencing some weaknesses? What are they? Commit to spending some time with God this week seeking His comfort and finding your strength in Him. PERSONAL APPLICATION Identify an area of your life that you believe God is pruning right now. Why do you think He has chosen that particular area? How are you responding to it? What do you think His intended outcome is for you? Is there a dream God has placed in your heart? Not sure if it is from God? Why not ask Him? If He gave you this dream, are you actively pursuing it? If you knew you only had 30 days to live, how would it affect the way you pursue this dream? Is there someone you know who is going through an especially difficult time? Write down that person s name. Spend some time this week praying for them and asking God to show you something you can do or say to bring some comfort to that person. God wants to use you to bring comfort to others. How does that encourage you?

13 PERSONAL APPLICATION Are there some things in your life that have been keeping you from being molded and shaped into the person God wants you to be? What are these things? Identify them and make a plan to begin to get rid of them. Share them with someone close to you and ask them to pray for you in this process. If you knew your life was going to end in a few weeks what would be your biggest regret? What steps can you take in the coming days and weeks to ensure that is no longer a regret of yours?

14 Read II Corinthians 1:3-4 According to this passage, to whom should we ultimately look for comfort in the midst of difficult times? Describe a time in life when the God of all comfort divinely comforted you. Have you been able to share with someone the comfort you have received from God? What was it like for you to be able to do that? 4. Read Hebrews 4:15-16 How does the fact that Jesus is able to sympathize with our weaknesses bring comfort to you? Where does verse 16 tell us to go to find help in our times of need? How does this encourage you? Note: Each week s personal application questions can be accesed and/or printed at springhillschurch.org/one-month-to-live.

15 Love Completely SESSION THREE ICE BREAKER QUESTIONS If you could spend an evening with anyone who has lived in the last 1,000 years, who would it be? Why? What would you want to talk about? FURTHER REFLECTIONS Read James 1:2-4 This passage presents a perspective that allows us to find joy in the midst of trials. How would you describe that perspective? Verse two tells us that it is a matter of if, not when in terms of experiencing trials. What does this say about the likelihood of experiencing trials in life? Verse 4 tells us that we experience a positive benefit by persevering through trials. What is that positive benefit? Who is your favorite married couple from a television show or movie? What do you like about their relationship? What friend or family member (excluding spouses) are you closest with? What makes your relationship with this person unique? GROUP DISCUSSION Watch Session Three on DVD. Kerry says, Relationships are our most rewarding thing in life, and they are also our most painful thing in life. How have you seen this to be true in your own relationships? Read John 9:1-7 Have you consciously or unconsciously believed that trials in your life were always the result of some sin you or someone else committed? What does this passage tell us about trials? Sometimes the smallest changes in our lives can make the biggest difference. Reflect on the story about the dad taking lunch to his son at school. What small things can you do in your own life that would make a big impact in your relationships? The mother s story of forgiving the man responsible for the death of her son is powerful. How do you think you would respond if you were in her situation? 4. How does the short film Chasing illustrate the power of God s love in our lives and the extent of His forgiveness?

16 FURTHER REFLECTIONS Read I John 3:16 & 4:7-11 How do these passages define and explain love? According to these verses, what is the connection between the love God has for us and the love we have for others? Where does the motivation for our love for others come from? How does understanding and experiencing God s love for us help us to love others? If you only had one month to live, how might that motivate you to know the love of God more? How might that change the way you loved the people in your life? Learn Humbly SESSION FOUR ICE BREAKER QUESTIONS Share with the group about a time you were lost, maybe on a family vacation or a business trip to a new city. What did you experience while you were lost? How did you find your way? When you were a child, what did you dream of becoming when you grew up? Share this with your group. Are you doing now what you always thought you would be doing? Explain. Have you ever experienced pain or difficulty in life that ended up leading to a great, positive outcome? Share your experience with the rest of the group. Watch Session Four on DVD. Read Ephesians 4:32 & Colossians 2:13 GROUP DISCUSSION The word forgive means to send away or to release someone from a debt they cannot pay. How does this affect the way you understand the command to forgive? These passages call us to forgive in the same way God has forgiven us. What does this say about the extent to which we are called to forgive those who have wronged us? If you are having a difficult time forgiving someone the way God forgives us, what is it that is prohibiting you from doing so? If you knew you only had one month to live, who would you need to forgive? Who would you need to seek forgiveness from? Kerry and Chris talk about the developmental process of a butterfly and how it struggles to change from a caterpillar to a chrysalis bore becoming a fully developed butterfly. This process of struggling is necessary in order for it to become the butterfly it was intended to be. How does the metaphor of the development of a butterfly relate to our struggles in life and how God uses them to transform us? Why is it that problems and pain can have such a transformational effect on our lives? Nick Vujicic said he had to come to a place in his life where he understood that, God, who is bigger than my circumstances, is letting this happen for a reason. Discuss this idea as a group. Why does God allow us to go through situations and experience trials in life that are difficult and painful?

17 Read James 4:1-2 What does this passage say is the root of our relational conflicts? Instead of quarreling and fighting with others, what does this passage instruct us to do with our desires that are battling within us? 4. Read Ephesians 4:26-27 Does this passage forbid us from becoming angry? What does this passage tell us about how long we should allow anger to stick around? What does this passage warn us will happen if we let anger stick around in our heart too long? If you knew you had one month to live, would it affect the way you handle relational conflict? Are there some ways the devil has a foothold in your life due to unforgiveness? What steps might you need to take in order to resolve the conflict and reconcile the relationship? Note: Each week s personal application questions can be accesed and/or printed at springhillschurch.org/one-month-to-live.

18 PERSONAL APPLICATION Who in your life is difficult for you to love? Identify some ways that you can better demonstrate love to them. What steps will you take to demonstrate your love to them more effectively? Write down some ideas and commit to putting them into practice before the next group meeting. Identify a relationship in your life that needs to be reconciled through forgiveness. Perhaps you need to ask for forgiveness, or maybe you need to forgive that individual. If you knew you had one month to live, what steps would you take in order to reconcile the relationship before your time on earth is over? How do you handle relational conflict? Do you avoid it? Do you escalate it? Are you always trying to win the fight and get your way? If you knew you had one month to live, how would that change the way you handle relational conflict? Identify some steps you could take to begin to handle conflict in a more healthy way. Commit to begin implementing these steps prior to your next group meeting. Ask your spouse or a close friend to help you put these things into practice in your life.