INTRO–‘What’s on Your Bucket List?’

Recessions can come in all forms, shapes, and sizes and can affect everything from economics to relationships to spiritual and emotional parts of your life. The question is, how does one recession proof their life so that general slow downs don’t have a lasting or substantial affect on your life and purpose. One way is to begin creating a bucket list of life plans and goals that will help you truly live before you die and move on to the next realm with God. A recession proof bucket list however, is not just any plans and goals, but one that establishes God’s agenda for living which will always yield good fruit and lasting dividends.

• Of the economic, relational, emotional or spiritual parts of your life which is in recession right now?


• List some things that are on your ‘bucket list’ to do before you die.

BUCKET ITEM #1–‘Witness Something Truly Majestic’Read Mark 12:29-31

In this story in Mark, a young man comes to Jesus asking in so many words what he should put on his bucket list to do. He probably knew all the 666 laws in which to abide as a good Jew, but he wanted the short version or the priority list, and Jesus gave it to him: love God, love yourself, and love people. It’s not hard to lose passion and purpose for living, especially in hard or uncertain times. But the one thing that will increase your passion to love and worship God is to witness something truly majestic. Whether it’s a beautiful mountain, a roaring stream, the Grand Canyon itself, or the birth of a baby, you need to make sure that you place yourself in those places that truly show God’s majesty and beauty. Add that to your list!

• What is the most majestic thing you’ve ever witnessed? Did it inspire passion or purpose to your life?


• What is one thing truly majestic that you would like to see or do that you will put on your bucket list?

BUCKET ITEM #2–‘Laugh Until You Cry’Read Romans 12:1-2 & Romans 10:17

One thing about life is sure, bad things happen because life happens. However, you can be free enough to laugh in spite of life because of God’s power to renew your heart and mind on a daily basis. Both of these passages in Romans tell how to regain God’s perspective despite what you might have gone through. So instead of growing bitter you grow better. The mind is not the only place of renewal, you also must exercise the body. When you exercise the body you rebuild the temple where God dwells and this is also worship. You are a child of God, the Creator and King of all things, so live life in the joy that Jesus gives, as you place yourself in situations and with people whom you can laugh until you cry.

• When was the last time you really laughed until you almost cried? Do you regularly laugh or is life too hard on you right now?


• Name some ways you offer your body as a living sacrifice for Jesus Christ? Should you add to your list?


• Do you live your life as a child of the King Almighty? What does that mean to you?

BUCKET ITEM #3–‘Help Someone for Good’Re-read Mark 12:31

Finally, for your bucket list to be complete you must include loving people whom God brings into your path. When you help someone it is like giving God a return on God’s investment into your life. And nothing is more fulfilling than being the hands and feet of Jesus to lost and broken world and building the kingdom of God right where you are. The time is now, the table is set. You need to create your bucket list for life.

• What is God’s current return on God’s investment into your life? Are you helping others for good?


• What do you need to ‘write down, start working on, and set a date to begin doing what God is calling you to do? Will you commit to creating a bucket list?