Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Mark 13

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. v31

One of the disciples remarks to Jesus about the magnificence of the temple (v1) but Jesus warns the disciples of the destruction of the temple and end times.  In response to their questions, Jesus provides them signs that the end of times is near.  He provides many signs (v6-9, 13-29) and encourages us to be on guard (v9), preach to all nations (v10), allow the Holy Spirit to speak through us (v11), among many other signs. 

Striking among them is v12-13:  

Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. v12-13

This to me emphasizes the importance of putting Jesus first - even before blood relatives.   

See also this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus - You are an awesome God who loves me and who has saved me and transformed my heart and life - I am daily blessed beyond what I deserve.  Thank You Jesus for Your rich grace and mercies.  I am undeserving.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

Mark 3

When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” v20

When we submit to Jesus and live for Him, there will be others, perhaps even family and friends, who will question what we are doing, that is why Jesus wants us to make Him our priority - see post from a few days ago.

As we continue in this chapter in Mark, we see how Jesus himself describes family:

Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” v34-35

It's most important to do God's will.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has transformed my heart and life - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a God who loves me as You do.  I daily miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Mark 1

Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. v20

 
The Gospel of Mark, see overview here, is an account of who Jesus is and what He did.  Here Jesus called the first disciples and I am reminded that for us to follow Jesus, we must be prepared to put Him first - above all other relationships in our lives, including spouses and children.

Priority of Jesus

My Prayer: Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is always with me - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I am lazy, etc. among my many sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.

Habakkuk 2

The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him. v20

Many flaunt their sinfulness and place things, activities, people, themselves, etc. before God.  Sequentially speaking, NOTHING comes before God because HE is the Alpha - the beginning.  He is also the End (Revelation 22:13) with the implication being that God existed before time began, that He will exist after time ends, and that His kingdom will last forever.  You can also place other gods before Jesus in terms of priorities - yet this will end in peril as "no one comes to the Father except through [Jesus]" (John 14:6) and "[e]very tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" (Matthew 7:18). 

God must possess the rightful place in our lives - He must be the number one priority.

You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3

We must respect and fear God for who He is.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are King of Kings and the Name Above All Names.  You are also the Lord of My Life and worthy of my praise and worship.  I know You love me and I know that You suffered and died for me..even though You lived a sinful life and did not deserve death but willingly surrendered Your life so that I could have life.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and sacrifice.  I continue to rage in my sloth and selfishness.  Please forgive me and help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength and please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, the church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

Proverbs 8

Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. v10-11

In Exodus 20 (The Ten Commandments), we are commanded to "have no other gods before [God]".  In Matthew 22:34-40 it says:

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  Matthew 22:34-40

Our first and best efforts should be for God before anything and anyone else.  We are blessed by God's grace alone - not through our own effort.

See also this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God full of love, blessing, compassion, mercy, etc.  I am nothing without You and I can do no good things apart from You.  Thank You for Your love and mercy. I am not worthy such love and mercy.  I continue to worry and stress and place my desires above Yours.  Please forgive me!  Help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.