A. LIFE IS A MOUNTAIN ALL MUST CLIMB
“And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. 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. Now therefore give me this mountain” (Joshua 14:10-12, KJV).
1. God gives everyone a mountain to climb, but each mountain is different.
a. Some are steep.
b. Some are dangerous.
c. Some are beautiful.
d. Some make you want to retire.
2. Your mountain climb is determined by:
a. Your parents.
b. Your neighborhood.
c. Your schooling.
d. Your friends, your physical makeup.
e. God motivating you.
3. You have various mountains in life.
a. Physical.
b. Financial/vocational.
c. Ministry.
d. Marriage.
e. Children.
f. Education.
4. God has determined your mountain but you determine how you will answer your challenge. “… one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,” (Philippians 3:13).
5. Reverse. The young “think they know” a lot about their mountains, but on the top you “know what they only think.”
Age 20 – we desire to wake up married.
Age 30 – we desire to wake up with a job.
Age 40 – we desire to wake up successful.
Age 50 – we desire to wake up rich.
Age 60 – we desire to wake up contented.
Age 70 – we desire to wake up healthy.
Age 80 – we desire to just wake up!
B. 13 VIEWS OF LIFE FROM THE TOP
1. You look back with understanding, whereas those climbing look forward with doubts and determination.
a. Rule: pay now, play later, i.e., learn early, enjoy later. “It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth” (Lamentations 3:27).
b. I reject the idea older means less useful. The team that plays the best in the 4th quarter usually wins.
c. The remaining years in life – like the 4th quarter, determines the results of life. “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).
d. You never reach the top if you stop a few yards short.
2. What you achieve at the top is built on what you learned at the beginning of the journey, so begin well and finish well.
3. The greatest thing about climbing near the top is you are still living, learning, and growing.
a. The coach takes some players out of the game and they do not finish because they quit playing their best and they did not help the team.
b. If you are still playing at the end of the game, the coach believes in you and you can get the job done.
4. The closer you get to the top, the more comfortable you get with the daily task of climbing.
a. Most do not know what they can do when they start climbing a great mountain.
b. One of the guiding principles of the older, they know what they cannot do and they know who they are not.
5. Even though it is more comfortable at the top, climbing never gets any easier.
a. Life is finite. “Man that is born of woman … is full of trouble” (Job 14:1). “In old age your arms will be weak and your legs will be feeble” (Ecclesiastes 12:3, The Prayer Bible).
b. The enemy is unrelenting and patient.
6. The longer you climb, the more comfortable you get with family, friends, and team members.
a. When I was younger I wanted everyone to be like me and do things my way.
b. I have learned, accepted, and made use of different spiritual gifts, personalities, and skills.
c. I have learned that others can do it better than me and different than me.
7. The closer you get to the top, the better your vision of things behind you, and challenges before you.
See first – see most – see farther into the future
8. The closer to the top the better you see the path to the top and what you have to do to finish.
a. You know what does not work.
b. You can apply what works.
c. You probably know easier and quicker ways to get it done.
9. The closer to the top, the more frustrated you are with past mistakes (yours and others).
a. You realize past failures did not kill you. what to do with failures:
(1) Admit them.
(2) Learn from them.
(3) Determine to do it differently.
(4) Confess them to God for forgiveness.
(5) Forget about them.
b. Everyone gets knocked down in football, winners get up and keep playing.
10. The closer you get to the top, the more confidence you have about life. As an elderly man Paul said, “…for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (2 Timothy 1:12).
11. You learn to climb with pain toward the top.
a. Young people do not pay as much attention to aches and pains.
b. Later you learn to trade off to get things done.
c. Succeeding is more important than pain.
d. Pain will hurt and slow you down, but not stop you.
12. Near the top you learn what you cannot do, should not do, and do not want to do.
a. Limitations is a good friend to make you focus.
b. A closed door is another friend to keep you from mistakes.
c. Climbing within yourself will keep you from exhaustion.
13. Near the top is the best stage of life.
a. More satisfaction in what you do, rather than what you are going to do. “Your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams” (Acts 2:17).
b. More satisfaction in what you did, than what you did not do.
c. More satisfaction because you still can do what you do.
d. Youth wants to be something different in the future than what they are now, and the older appreciate who they are.
e. The one who says he can do everything he did at 20, did not do much!
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.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.
Video presentations of the PBC are available online at trbc.org/pbc
Television Airing Times for the PBC
Go to hopenow.tv for the current program schedule.
