Couple years ago, I went through what I call ‘male menopause’. Don’t know much about aging, but after I hit age 50, I ‘felt’ old. Seemed I was out of shape, had a hard hand dealt to me in life, I ‘felt’ weak, and powerless to really change, nor make an impact with my life.
Well, not I’m 53, having lost 45 lbs, working out 4x/week, aiming to bench 315 again before 2014 ends, with my fire, passion and zeal focused upon Jesus!
Ever thought about getting older?
What is old anyway?
Is it an age, or a state of mind?
I like the quote I heard in Africa: ‘When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground!’
I remember hearing the testimony of a dear sister who was 93 who loves to visit seniors in nursing homes and retirement centers to read the Bible with them, tell them about Jesus, and to sing and cheer them up. When asked what she was planning that day, she said she had to pop in and visit a 72 year old sister in the Lord, because ‘she’s old!’.
I saw what she meant. Here she was, 93, and full of joy, vitality, vibrancy, and enthusiasm for what her and Jesus would do together each and every day. Her youth was renewed, as she walks through life in child-like faith, laughing her way towards heaven.
Your gift, your life experiences, your talents are still needed down here! If you are truly satisfied, then go out with a shout, and meet Jesus, for heaven is certainly better than down here, but why not live a long time just to make the devil mad! Heaven doesn’t need ‘another angel’ there, we will all be there soon enough! We need your gift, your wisdom, your voice, and your prayer, here, on the earth. Rest later, now, there is work to be done.
Hear the words of Jesus: Matthew 10:7The Message (MSG)
5-8 Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge:
“Don’t begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.
Some, lose vision, hope, get hurt, offended, bitter, and lose their will to live, simply because they do not understand the Word of God, and the heart of God. Jesus still gives life, and life more abundantly!
How are YOU going to finish your life?
Will you quietly slip into the shadows, unobtrusively allowing your life, passion, and strength to wane, as you walk towards the one appointment we will all keep one day: death?
Or, will you get out of yourself, and start deliberately serving, loving, and helping those around you that are hurting and needy, trusting Jesus for strength, help, and grace for each day?
If you choose the latter option, you will quickly discover Jesus to be very alive and active in your life! There can be great joy and power made available to any of us, so that when that final day comes, we can explode through death’s door with a shout, giving Jesus a high five and a hug as we enter heaven’s gates, laughing as we see the great cloud of witnesses who have been watching our live applauding, and joyfully greeting our loved ones who went on before us.
If you want to hear a whole lot more about how to live victoriously in your latter years, get ahold of Keith Moore’s teachings on Biblical longevity. He has studied the lives of many people who lived joyfully well past 100, and has figured out their secrets to a long, happy and prosperous life.
Anyway, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Here are a couple of Bible promises, to strengthen your faith for today:
Joshua 14:11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.
Here, we see a renewed mind and spirit in the life of Caleb, standing bold on the Word of God, in his older years.
Ps 103:that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Let’s Pray:
‘Father God in heaven, don’t leave me down here to be a burden to others, but make me a blessing! Fill me with strength, passion, vision, joy and a sense of humor to alleviate the darkness and despair in this sin sick world. Forgive me my sin, as today, afresh and anew, I receive You Jesus, Your will, Your plan, Your desires, into my heart, as together we walk throughout eternity, doing life and life more abundantly. Amen’
For prayer, comments, or to donate online:
Email: [email protected]
Donate on-line: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=95XHSDDXDS7MC
Give in faith!
1 Corinthians 9:11 If we have sown [the seed of] spiritual good among you, [is it too] much if we reap from your material benefits?
1 Corinthians 9:14 [On the same principle] the Lord directed that those who publish the good news (the Gospel) should live (get their maintenance) by the Gospel.
Paul goes on to say, that he did not use his position as a minister of the gospel to take up offerings, rather he worked, making tents, to support himself. You might notice here, that Paul was not married, nor did he have children. Family responsibilities take time, and just as you bust a move on your job to provide for your family, I work every bit as hard, doing this, faithful to the Lord in prayer and the ministry of His Word, to you.
I will never charge for this: it my responsibility to God, my calling. Freely I have been given, now, I freely give…
As you give, hear Holy Spirit what to give, and honestly expect God to reward you for your giving.
Matt 10: 41 He who receives and welcomes and accepts a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives and welcomes and accepts a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives to one of these little ones [in rank or influence] even a cup of cold water because he is My disciple, surely I declare to you, he shall not lose his reward.
I have ‘see through’ faith for you, in this: Gal 3: 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
I believe I have a responsibility before God to be like Jesus, in every offering I receive. I receive it with thanksgiving, just like Jesus did the little boys lunch.
Then, because I walk and live by faith according to the blessing of Abraham, I believe that God will take your seed sown, and multiply it, according to what the blessing of Abraham promises:
Genesis 22:17 In blessing I will bless you and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore. And your Seed (Heir) will possess the gate of His enemies
It has been a joy to me, to see the hand of the living God act in the lives of those of you who have supported us this year!
Many have seen tremendous blessing come into your households, and for this we give thanks, and give Jesus all the glory!
