HOW TO FINISH WELL PART 9

TEXT- JOSHUA 13:1; 14:6-15

INTRODUCTION

THIS MORNING IS THE FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH WHEN WE EMPHASIZE OUT CHURCH GOALS AND THEME FOR THE YEAR.

THIS YEAR OUR THEME IS, THE CHURCH WITH A MISSION AND I HAVE BEEN PREACHING A SERIES OF SERMONS FROM THE BOOK OF JOSHUA TO SHOW WHAT KIND OF MISSION WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN.

TODAY OUR TEXT IS FOUND IN JOSHUA 13:1 AND JOSHUA 14:6-15.

AT THIS POINT IN TIME, JOSHUA IS A VERY OLD MAN.

MOST BIBLE SCHOLARS AGREE THAT HE IS IN HIS LATE 90'S TO NEARLY 100 YEARS OLD.

JOSHUA 24:29 "AND IT CAME ABOUT AFTER THESE THINGS THAT JOSHUA THE SON OF NUN, THE SERVANT OF THE LORD, DIED, BEING ONE HUNDRED AND TEN YEARS OLD."

HAVE YOU EVER USED THE EXCUSE THAT YOU WERE TOO OLD TO DO SOMETHING?

AS WE STUDY OUR TEXT FOR TODAY IT IS EXCITING TO SEE HOW THAT EVEN IN OUR OLD AGE GOD CAN USE US AND THAT THERE IS A WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

SOME TODAY THINK THAT THEY ARE OLD.

YOU KNOW YOU AR OLD WHEN:

YOUR ADDRESS BOOK CONTAINS ONLY NAMES ENDING WITH M.D.

OR WHEN YOU DECIDE TO PROCRASTINATE, BUT YOU NEVER GET AROUND TO IT.

OR WHEN YOU LOOK FORWARD TO A DULL EVENING.

OR, WHEN YOU SIT IN YOUR ROCKING CHAIR AND YOU CAN'T GET IT GOING.

OR, WHEN YOUR KNEES BUCKLE, BUT YOUR BELT WON'T.

OR, WHEN YOUR BACK GOES OUT MORE THAN YOU DO.

OR WHEN YOU SINK YOUR TEETH INTO A STEAK AND THEY STAY THERE.

I'D LIKE TO READ TO YOU A POEM THAT DESCRIBES OLD AGE FOR US. IT IS TITLED, "IT GOT UP AND WENT."

HOW DO I KNOW MY YOUTH IS ALL SPENT?
MY GET-UP-AND-GO HAS GOT-UP AND WENT.
MY JOINTS ARE STILL AND FILLED WITH PAIN.
THE PILLS THAT I TAKE THEY GIVE ME NO GAIN.
I RUB IN THE OINTMENT LIKE FURY I DO,
EACH PAIN WHEN IT LEAVES, COMES BACK WITH TWO.
BUT IN SPITE OF IT ALL I AM ABLE TO GRIN
WHEN I THINK OF THE PLACES MY GET-UP HAS BEEN.
OLD AGE IS GOLDEN I HAVE HEARD IT SAID,
BUT SOMETIMES I WONDER AS I GET INTO BED--
MY "EARS" ON THE DRESSER, MY "TEETH" ARE IN A CUP,
MY "EYES" ARE ON THE TABLE UNTIL I WAKE UP.
ERE SLEEP COME EACH NIGHT I SAY O MYSELF,
"ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD PUT ON THE SHELF?"
YET I AM HAPPY TO KNOW AS I CLOSE THE DOOR.
MY FRIENDS ARE THE SAME AS IN THE DAYS OF YORE.
SINCE I HAVE RETIRED FROM LIFE'S COMPETITION
EACH DAY IS FILLED WITH COMPLETE REPETITION.
I GET UP EVERY MORNING AND DUST OFF MY WITS
GO PICK UP THE PAPER AND READ THE "O-BITS."
IF MY NAME ISN'T THERE I KNOW I'M NOT DEAD;
I GET A GOOD BREAKFAST AND GO BACK TO BED.
THE REASON I KNOW MY YOUTH IS ALL SPENT--
MY GET-UP-AND-GO HAS GOT-UP AND WENT.

I’D LIKE YOU TO THINK ABOUT OLD AGE THIS MORNING. SOME OF YOU ARE ALREADY THERE, WHILE OTHERS ARE STILL MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.

IN JOSHUA 13:1 IT SAYS, "NOW JOSHUA WAS OLD AND ADVANCED IN YEARS WHEN THE LORD SAID TO HIM, "YOU ARE OLD AND ADVANCED IN YEARS, AND VERY MUCH OF THE LAND REMAINS TO BE POSSESSED."

LIFE IS SLIPPING AWAY FROM EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US. EACH DAY THAT GOES BY WE GET OLDER AND OLDER. YET, THERE IS AN UNFINISHED MISSION THAT LIES BEFORE US. NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE, GOD IS NOT THROUGH WITH YOU YET AND THERE IS STILL WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

JOHN 9:4 AS LONG AS IT IS DAY, WE MUST DO THE WORK OF HIM WHO SENT ME. NIGHT IS COMING, WHEN NO ONE CAN WORK.

GOD TOLD JOSHUA, "AND VERY MUCH OF THE LAND REMAINS TO BE POSSESSED."

ISRAEL HAD STILL NOT CLAIMED OR POSSESSED THE INHERITANCE THAT GOD WANTED THEM TO HAVE. AS WE SEARCH OUR HEARTS AND MINDS THIS MORNING I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER THIS QUESTION. AM I SATISFIED WITH LESS THAN GOD'S BEST FOR MY LIFE? ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH WHAT YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE IS AS A CHILD OF GOD?

PERHAPS THERE ARE AREAS IN YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE THAT STILL NEED TO BE POSSESSED FOR THE LORD. AS CHILDREN OF GOD THE