He was a man growing old, but a man still strong, and a man who knew where his heart was.”

                    –Louis L’Amour  (The Empty Land)

       “Once I was young, and now I am old.  Yet I have never seen the godly forsaken, nor seen their children begging for bread.”
                    –Psalm 37:25 (NLT)
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I remember reading the story of the arrest of Polycarp.  If I am not mistaken, he was bishop in Smyrna and was a disciple of John.  Polycarp was an aged man when he was arrested and the Roman proconsul offered him a chance to save himself.  Polycarp replied, “Eighty-six years have I served Him, and He never did me any wrong.  How can I blaspheme my King who has saved me?”  Polycarp was then taken to the arena where he was bound to be burned at the stake.  The fire failed to consume him, so he was stabbed.  
       I can see my Grandma sitting on her bed, Bible in hand, reading the Word.  Until she died in her nineties, she read her Bible.  She couldn’t do the things she used to do, but she could still meet with her Lord, and have sweet communion with Him.  This is the concept of Psalm 71:9-18.

          9 — Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails.
         10 — For my enemies speak against me; and those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together,
         11 — Saying, “God has forsaken him; pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him.”
         12 — O God, do not be far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!
         13 — “Let them be confounded and consumed who are adversaries of my life; let them be covered with reproach and dishonor who seek my hurt.
         14 — But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.
         15 — My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and Your salvation all the day, for I do not know their limits.
         16 — I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
         17 — O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works.
         18 — Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come. (NKJV)

       Now Grandma didn’t have enemies like David.  But she did have the enemies of pain, sorrow, and coming death.  She was in constant pain, but had the faith in her Lord to see her through.  David, as king, still has enemies who would like to see him dead.  But David, in his old age knew that God would not abandon him or trade him in for someone else.
       No longer youthful, David (and Grandma along with Polycarp) had the wonderful experience of walking with the Lord for many years.  They epitomized verse 14, “But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.”  Hope–the earnest expectation of being with Christ even through old age.  How will your days end?  In regret, twiddling your thumbs looking back in regret and bitterness?  Will you be the proverbial grouchy old man or woman?  Or will you continue to model the life that God has given you, praising Him and declaring His works and goodness?  
       All have bad experiences in life–David, Polycarp, Grandma–but that is no reason to speak badly of the Lord, rather it is reason to give Him praise.  The future of eternity with the Lord is before you.  The remaining years…who knows?  Use them to praise the Lord and be an example.

                    Yes, broken, timeless, still, O Lord,
                    This voice transported, shall record
                    Thy goodness, tried so long;
                    Till, sinking slow, with calm decay,
                    Its feeble murmur melt away
                    Into a seraph’s song.
                              –Robert Grant

Sometimes a man needs to take some quiet and think things through what he’s about to commit himself to.”

                    –Stephen Bly  (Beneath a Dakota Cross)

       “Although no violence is in my hands, and my prayer is pure.”
                    –Job 16:17 (NKJV)
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How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World

Key Verse:  “We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the power and control of the evil one.”  –1 John 5:19 (NLT)

       Two things that are vital in this crazy world in which we live.  First, to know the will of God, which we do through the Word of God.  Secondly, through prayer–conversing with God.  Besides the Word of God, prayer is the most important thing to us as we journey through life.  Jesus said that “men ought to pray and not lose heart.” (Luke 18:1, NKJV).  In this world with its trials, tribulations and woes it is vital that we know the will of God.

               “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked Him.”
                              –1 John 5:14-15(NKJV)

       It is vital that we pray, but also that we pray according to God’s will.  To know God’s will we must be in the Word of God, studying it, meditating on it, contemplating it.  Beware when you pray of fanaticism–that is, praying out of context; demanding of God and praying out of His will.  There are many things in which God has already said, “NO!”  Yet I know people who pray for those exact things.
       Observe carefully what the Scripture says about prayer.  Gather as much information as the Bible states–do not formulate prayer upon one set of Scripture.  Gain knowledge, and insight then pray.  The Scripture teaches that prayer is essential and vital to us; we are exhorted to do it.  Jesus spent much time in prayer, therefore, if we want to be close to Him we should do the same.  The nearer people are to God, the more they pray to Him–reasonably, rationally, and with faith.  The God who determines the end determines the means as well–there are spiritual laws.
       You shall hear of wars and rumors of war, there will be pestilence upon the land, famine shall come in one way or another.  Therefore, believer, child of God, pray in accordance with His Word.

He comes from a generation of men that believe complaining is a sign of weakness of character and lack of trust in the Lord.”
                    –Stephen Bly  (Shadow of Legends)

       “As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.”

Life is the gift of God and each day is a journey.”
                    –Dan Arnold  (Bear Creek)

       “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

                    –2 Corinthians 9:15 (NKJV)
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Over the years I have borrowed several thoughts from a little devotional I purchased in 1972, when I lived in Panama City, FL.   The title of the book is GOD IS NO FOOL, by Lois A. Cheney, and I thought I would borrow from it this morning.

     Is there a hell?
               Once upon a time a person was touched by God, and God gave him a priceless gift.  This gift was the capacity for love.  He was grateful and humble, and he knew what an extraordinary thing had happened to him.  He carried it like a jewel and he walked tall and with purpose.
               From time to time he would show this gift to others, and they would smile and stroke his jewel.   But it seemed that they’d also dirty it up a little.  Now, this was no way to treat such a precious thing, so the person built a box to protect his jewel.  And he decided to show it only to those who would treat it with respect and meet it with reverent love of their own.
               Even that didn’t work, for some tried to break into the box.  So he built a bigger, stronger box–one that no one could get into–and the man felt good.  At last he was protecting the jewel as it should be.  Upon occasion, when he decided that someone had earned the right to see it, he’d show it proudly.  But they sometimes refused, or kind of smudged it, or just glanced at it disinterestedly.
               Much time went by, and then only once in awhile would one pass by the man, the aging man; he would pat his box and say, “I have the loveliest of jewels in here.”  Once or twice he opened the box and offered it saying, “Look and see.  I want you to.”  And the passerby would look, and look, and look.  And then he would back away from the old man, shaking his head.
               The man died, and he went to God, and he said, “You gave me a precious gift many years ago, and I’ve kept it safe, and it is as lovely as the day you gave it to me.”  And he opened the box and held it out to God.  He glanced in it, and in it was a lizard–an ugly laughing lizard.
               And God walked away from him.
       Yes, there is a hell.

       Paul reminds Timothy,  “That is why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God, [the inner fire] that is in you…” (2 Timothy 1:6, Amplified)  

Whatever talents, gifts, callings He has given us He expects them to be used for Him.  Don’t waste your time.  Don’t neglect the gift that God has given you.