“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness“– 2 Peter 3:11

The certain and approaching end of this life, and this earth, should be for us like a warning sign along the highway. When we see a “Dead End” road marker, we know that it is there so that we will alter our current course of action, and make changes appropriate to the warning.

Likewise, Peter says, knowing beforehand that this world is coming to a soon and definite end should cause us to consider the course of our life. Shouldn’t we have different ambitions, actions, and affections than those who pretend that this world will last forever? Shouldn’t the temporariness of earth-treasure cause us to seek after the inflammable riches of heaven?

Shouldn’t the holiness and consuming fire of our God engulf our hearts with a desire for purity and godly passions? Shouldn’t the rottenness of this world turn our stomach and turn us to the perfections of Christ?

Seeing (have you seen it, by faith?) that all these things will dissolve like smoke into thin air, what kind of person should you be?( A Good Thing)

Don’t be preoccupied with things that don’t matter. Find out what matters in life—and then go and do it. As the old gospel song says, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passin’ through.”

“And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them. And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.”–Luke 5:17–19

We know basically nothing about the four men who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus. We don’t know their professions or their degree of education. We don’t know their hometowns or their family heritage. We don’t even know their names. What we do know is that they had an overwhelming love for their friend and faith in Jesus. They believed that Jesus was able to heal this man who had no other hope, and as a result they were willing to go above and beyond what people would normally do in order to place their friend at Jesus’ feet.

It must have been extremely difficult to get a paralyzed man confined to his bed onto the roof of the house where Jesus was. It could not have been easy to take apart the roof so they could lower him down to Jesus’ feet. Their actions no doubt seemed outrageous to many of those watching. But they didn’t care how difficult it was or what others thought. They wanted to get their friend to Jesus. That is a passion that should fill all of our hearts. We should be consumed with the desire to reach the lost and bring them to Him.(Daily in the Word)

“…whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.”–Mark 10:43-44

Pastor Alan Carr told the story of a rice farmer who saved an entire village from destruction. He said, “From his hilltop farm he felt the earth quake and saw the distant ocean swiftly withdraw from the shore line. He knew that a tidal wave was coming.

In the valley below, he saw his neighbors working low fields that would soon be flooded. They must run quickly to his hilltop or they would all die. His rice barns were dry as tinder.

So with a torch he set fire to his barns and soon the fire gong started ringing. His neighbors saw the smoke and rushed to help him. Then from their safe perch they saw the tidal wave wash over the fields they had just left.

In a flash they knew not only who had saved them but what their salvation had cost their benefactor. They later erected a monument to his memory bearing the motto, “He gave us all he had, and gave gladly.” This poor farmer finished first in the eyes of his community, but it cost him everything he had.

There are not many people in our world like that farmer. He willingly sacrificed himself that others might succeed. Most people do everything they can to better themselves, and think nothing of the people they step on behind as they climb to the top of the heap.

This text (Mark 10:35-45) is designed to teach us the truth that not everyone who finishes first is victorious. Sometimes those who take the last seat, those who willingly finish last, are the real winners in the game of life.

I think it is clear from reading the Gospels that our Lord’s disciples were anything but humble men. They were always in the business of trying to promote themselves. On several occasions, Jesus sought to combat that mentality, but they never seemed to get the message.

In this passage, we see selfish ambition in all of its ugliness. James and John come to Jesus asking for the top seats in His kingdom. Jesus uses this event to teach us all some valuable lessons about leadership, service to others and forgiveness.

Of all the things man needs none is more important than faith. Without it we cannot please God (Heb. 11:6) If faith is lacking we have a bad problem. The good news is that there is something we can do about it. We can listen and learn from God’s Word, and as we do faith begins to flourish. A.W. Tozer explained it well: