[ya don't know what ya got till it's gone]

4. In some cases, it's a pretty small number... in other cases, it can be a huge number. Like how in the past week not one, but four American Icons have died. Ed McMahn, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and Billy Mays. Everyone knows them... Ed's money, Farrah's hair, Michael's style, and Billy's booming voice that sells anything. Already in the past year Heath Ledger and Bernie Mac have died. What is happening? Is it in the water? American favorites. Gone. Just like that. It shows that life, no matter how rich and famous you are, comes at you fast. It gets you when you least expect it, and will stop for NO ONE.

If that is the case, then how important is it to have your life in order at all times? Not only on earth- will wise, but with God- eternity wise. Because we, like the famous American Icons, are NOT expempt from death, we must be prepared for the unexpected at all times. Couple of questions... Where are you going when you die? How can you be sure?

Ephesians 2
Made Alive in Christ

1And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
2in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
3Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
4But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved)...

Something that we did during devotions at Youth Camp is re-write this verse so that it directly applies to us. Like switch out the "you" for "I". It makes the passage so much more personal and convicting. Just think... how different would our lives be if it didn't have the "But GOD" in verse 4? That's my favorite verse in the whole Bible. I'm making it one of my life verses.