Blessed Assurance Broadcast

“Your race is not Finished”

Preachers often have messages geared to encourage young people to live for and serve God. They should. They are our future. However, little encouragement is directed to us older folks.

Because of health issues, physical limitations, changes in personal situations, or lack of opportunity, many no longer can do what they “used to do.” Those doors of service have been closed, BUT God has not given us a free retirement pass. We do not have God’s okay to watch from the sidelines and let others do the work, in most cases.

We may have done much for the Lord when we were younger. Some may have taught Sunday school. Others may have gone soul-winning, worked on church buses bringing children to church, interpreted for the deaf or those speaking in another language, brought folks to church in their car, cooked for those that were old or sick, and many other ministries. We may no longer be able to do those things, however, the Lord is not done with us yet. We can still do something for Him!

There is still much to do, and experienced believers are needed more now than ever! There may be limitations on what they can do, but all can still serve the Lord in some capacity!

Pray and ask God to open your eyes to see what you can still do for His glory!

Let all see and hear of what God is doing around them. Most are focused on their troubles and needs and cannot see God working around them. A seasoned believer can open eyes to see that there is a God, and He is still working in the world.
“Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.” Psalm 150:6

-Be a friendly smile to all you encounter. Most encounter doom and gloom most of their days. An uplifting, caring person is a light in an ever-darkening world. A Christian should have joy they can share.

-Prayer ministry. Adopt a ministry or person to pray for consistently. Engulf the throne room of God with petitions on their behalf.

-Ride the church bus and encourage the bus workers and befriend children.

-Have a listening ministry! Although an experienced Christian has more wisdom that would benefit others, sometimes it can be more helpful to sit quietly and listen to others bare their burdens and hardships.

-Minister to widows, single parents, and those that may have little support from others. Everyone needs a caring friend!

There is still much that all Christians can do. While we have breath, there is something for which God can use us. God’s way is always the best, and the unsaved and spiritually weak will not know of it unless they hear or see it from a believer.

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” Hebrews 12:1

Christian, God is not done with you yet. Do not mourn over what you no longer can do. You can still be the spark that encourages others forward to serving and seeing God’s mighty hand. Continue to serve Him while you still can!

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” I Corinthians 10:31

“Why do I have to be on a leash?”

“C’mon, boy, let’s go for a walk,” I beckoned to the tail-wagging Labrador Retriever.

After I clipped the short leash to his collar, I walked off, expecting him to follow. Quickly, I realized there was no dog on the other end. Buddi had tucked his head and slipped out of her collar.

“Hmmm.” I put the collar back on, with the leash still clipped on. As I again tried to take him for a walk, He firmly sat, refusing to go. His tail wagged seriously. He apparently wanted to roam the walking path; he did not want to be hooked to the restricting tether. Buddi wanted to run wherever she wanted to go in the woods.

Then we had the master to dog talk. “Listen, Buddi, I see you want to go out,” his tail wagged in agreement, “but you have to be on the leash. You don’t understand what could happen out there without my protection. Why a snake could strike you as you curiously inspect a slithering reptile that you never saw before. Or you could walk in some tall weeds and pick up a load of ticks. And if you go to the wrong place, you just might get sprayed by Mr. Skunk near the grapes. Buddi, this leash is for your protection. I can guide you safely as we walk, if you would just trust me to lead you.”

Folks, and even Christians, are much like the rebellious dog. They do not want anyone telling them what to do, especially God. Why? They believe his commandments will clamp their style, although most have never read about His will and way found in the Bible. Many see God’s commandments as a leash limiting their freedom and “fun.”

What little they may know about what God requires may have been heard from an unreliable source. Often, they may have heard part of His Word or never stopped to consider the context of the Bible verse. Quickly, they jump to a conclusion that is not biblical. Even if they do hear a clear biblical commandment, they still will not obey their unseen Creator.

Most people are naturally rebellious to anyone telling them what to do. Many give little credence to certain laws, what parents say, school rules, employer’s requirements, and anyone else that hampers their doing their own “thing.”

However, God is not like anyone else. He created man. He knows mankind’s limitations, what lurks unseen in their lives that will hurt them, and what will help them. The watch care offered by our Maker is for our good.

God’s “leash” is not meant to be burdensome. His guiding help is from an all-seeing and knowing God that wants to keep us safe and help us. Our aimless, often temptation-led life can lead us to harm. He loves us more than we can imagine and wants the best for us.

Follow God’s will and way for a productive and better life. Lose the rebellious attitude and obey the One that only desires what will help and bless you!

(I do not own the rights to this, just thought it was a great read)