Gain the world? Matthew 16:26

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (ESV)

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. http://www.esv.org

Preoccupied with comfort and security? Matthew 16:25

For whoever is bent on saving his [temporal] life [his comfort and security here] shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his comfort and security here] for My sake shall find it [life everlasting]. (AMP)

Beware the yeast. Matthew 16:6

Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (WEB)

• In this context, yeast represented the teaching and constructs of men alone, apart from God. Too often traditions become more important then hearing His still small voice. Who are you listening to today?

Discern the signs! Matthew 16:1-3

The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven. But he answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ In the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but you can’t discern the signs of the times.” (WEB)

Speedy justice! Luke 18:7-8

Won’t God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry outs to him day and night? Will he delay long to help them? I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. (NET)

The NET Bible® is freely available http://bible.org.

Do not have an exaggerated opinion of yourself! Romans 12:3

For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him. (AMP)

Scripture taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Jesus came in the fourth watch. Matthew 14:24-25

But the boat was by this time out on the sea, many furlongs [a furlong is one-eighth of a mile] distant from the land, beaten and tossed by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch [between 3:00–6:00 a.m.] of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. (AMP)

• Have you ever wondered why it look Jesus so long to rescue his disciples from the storm? I certainly have. By arriving at the fourth watch, Jesus arrived near the end of night, the end of the storm. For the disciples, this meant a night that surely seemed like it would never end. Are you in a night without end? Hold fast! Your answer may be just beyond the next wave.

Scripture taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Consider your opinion. Proverbs 18:2

A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. (ESV)

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. http://www.esv.org

Shine forth as the sun. Matthew 13:43

Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. (WEB)

We will not compare ourselves. Galatians 5:25-26

Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original. (MSG)

Scripture quotations from The Message. Copyright (c) by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. http://www.navpress.com