Climbing Your Mountain

A. YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD TO HAVE A MOUNTAIN

1. Caleb’s passionate dream was a mountain. “Give me this mountain of which the LORD spoke in that day” (Josh. 14:12).

2. What is your mountain?

a. Job.

b. Sports.

c. Family.

d. Money.

e. Fame.

f. God’s plan.

3. You are never too old to have a dream. “Here I am this day, eighty-five years old” (Josh. 14:10).

4. Your reward is measured by the difficulties of your dream. “The Anakim were there . . . the cities are great and fortified . . . I shall be able to drive them out” (Josh. 14:12).

5. The worthy mountains are given by God. “Mountain . . . of which the Lord spoke” (Josh. 14:12). “Drive them out as the Lord said” (Josh. 14:12).

B. HOW YOUTH CLIMB THEIR MOUNTAINS

1. Youth have more energy, but less discipline and knowledge than older climbers.

2. Youth want to climb many mountains, older climbers focus on one mountain.

3. Youth tend to chase un-climbable mountains, older choose the more obtainable.

4. Youth tend to be attracted by enticing mountains, older are more focused on “their” mountain.

5. Youth live from mountain to mountain, older concentrate on one mountain.

6. Youth live for the thrill of the next mountain and the older have pleasant memories of past mountains they have climbed.

7. Most youth want the prestige of reaching the top, older enjoy attaining their level of ability, even when they haven’t reached the “top.”

8. Pity the youth who reach the top in youth with no other mountains to climb; they become old before their time.

9. When youth fail to reach the top of their mountains, they just chase another enticing mountain.

10. Most beautiful mountains that others want to climb are not beautiful in themselves, but only in the perception of the youth’s dream.

11. Youth think, “I’ll be beautiful” when I climb my mountain of choice.

12. Because there is a mountain top youth have never reached, they keep climbing.

C. HOW THE OLDER CLIMB THEIR MOUNTAINS

1. Not many mountains are attractively beautiful to the older, nor do they offer prestige; older are happy with their chosen mountain.

2. As one gets closer to the top, they admire those who have made it in the past, more than those who are still climbing today.

3. There are a lot of mountains that don’t attract the older, nor are the older enticed by the “call” of all mountains.

4. But the older still have their unique mountains to climb, and they take ownership for it.

5. Most older climbers do not choose a mountain, rather it chooses them.

6. Older get their identification from their mountain.

7. The older you get, the more you realize it’s too far down to start climbing another mountain.

8. The older and wiser climbers usually can outpace the younger and stronger climber; not because the younger have younger bodies, but because the older have smarter minds.

9. The older know they don’t have the strength to start over again on another mountain; the young live from mountain to mountain and never realize what time will do to them.

10. The older have the advantage of trial and error; they have learned what doesn’t work on the mountain.

11. The older can handle failure easier because they have failed previously and lived. The young think failure means everything is lost.

12. The older have learned not to expel energy they don’t have, they save it for the climb. The young frivolously think time is on their side; they think they can do any and everything.

13. The older eat selective food at different times, in different ways. because of the climb. The young think they can eat anything at any time in any way.

14. The older slow down when the path gets steeper, and climbing gets difficult, they get tired easier and need a handrail or walking stick. The young keeps running, climbing and never slow down. In life usually the slow and determined climber does more than the swift undisciplined runner.

15. The older climb smarter and exploit what strength is left, exploit failure and apply lessons learned from previous success.

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:

Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.