Mark 8:31-35

He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.  He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.  But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter.  “Get behind me, Satan!” he said.  “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”  Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For who ever wants to save his lfe will lose it, but whever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.”

2 Corinthians 4:7-12

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.  For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.  So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

2 Corinthians 4:16-17

Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Lfe Maturing (loosely speaking, in one’s 40s)

• In this phase, we experience a mellowing and maturing of our character, and make our way into using our gifts in an ever-more satisfying way.
• This phase begins with a period of reflection on lessons learned.
• This period of reflection is usually because we’re too wrapped up in ministry to take the time to reflect.
• Common Causes of this period of reflection:
• Isolation
• Conflict
• Life Crises
• Relationship with God becomes more important than success
• Ironically, as we begin to care less about the results of our ministry, our effectiveness, satisfation, and attractiveness grow.
• Our lives become an object of imtiation
• Temptation in this phase: giving up or flaming out.