Never Too Old Lesson 2 Series

A. YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD TO CLIMB YOUR MOUNTAIN

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

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

3. What is your mountain?

a. Job.

b. Sports.

c. Family.

d. Money.

e. Fame.

f. God’s plan.

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

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

B. HOW YOUTH CLIMB THEIR MOUNTAINS

1. Youth have more energy, but less discipline and knowledge that 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 to 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, the older enjoy attaining their level of ability, even when they have not reached the top.

8. Pity the youth who reach the top with no other mountains to climb; they become old before their time, i.e., Alexander the Great.

9. When youth fail to reach the top of their mountains, they just chase another enticing or easier 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 will 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 attractive or beautiful to the older, nor do they offer prestige; the 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 do not 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. The older get their identification from their mountain.

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

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

9. The older know they do not 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 does not work on the mountain.

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

12. The older have learned not to expend energy they do not 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 foods 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 becomes more difficult, they get tired easier and need a handrail or walking stick. The young keep running, climbing and never slow down. In life usually the slow and determined climber does more than the swift undisciplined runner.

15. The older climber 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.