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I made mention in the April 20, "Our Comfort Zone," as to how a young man said to me, talking about age: "You are an old man also, aren't you?" This question reached out and grabbed me; yet I am of the opinion that even in our latter years, "God indeed, has something better planned for us;" but the first lesson we must learn is: GOD DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK ACCORDING TO OUR WAY OF THINKING.

I read these remarks from Bruce Larson encounter with a tourist, who met and commented to a proud warrior who was wearing a necklace made of alligator teeth: "Kind of like wearing a strand of pearls." "Not quite," the man replied, "anybody can open a oyster!" Your mission and mine just may be more like wrestling alligators than opening oysters, but God has promised us His resources, as he did Moses. The Psalmist also desired to pass along his understanding of the Lord to others, and he prayed: {Ps. 71:18} "Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come."

I like David Ropers comments: "Getting older doesn't mean becoming obsolete. It can mean growing, maturing, serving, ministering, venturing, enjoying ourselves to the end of our days. Have a blast while you last." I am of the opinion that our latter years can be the best years of our lives, and to give up now is to deprive the church of gifts God has given to enrich it. There is still service to render and there are victories to be won.

The second lesson we must learn is: WE WILL NEVER BE SO STRONG OR FAITHFUL THAT WE CANNOT STUMBLE. Moses got angry with the people because of their hard headedness. They wanted water, and so Moses lost his cool and tapped a rock with his staff and said" "There! You wanted water, I'll get you water!" As it turned out, Moses was the loser for taking credit for what God had done. Listen to what God says in Numbers 20: 12: "Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them." We should never presume that our years of faithful service make us immune to sin. Strength in the Lord, and obedience to him is not a plateau we arrive at and then just coast the rest of the way. Obedience and trust in God is a day-by-day, hour-by-hour process and the minute you think you've got it made you're in a world of danger.

There have been few more brilliant, more gifted men to walk this planet than the great Apostle Paul. But he didn't want people thinking about him. He wanted to leave people thinking about Jesus. "We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." It's not about us, folks. It's all about Jesus. And that is a relief! There's something very wrong if you are using Jesus to make a name for yourself or to impress other people with you. You're actually hijacking His glory.

Just take them to the cross and show them that. And He offers them the greatest power in the world. Just take them to the empty tomb and show them that. He will give you the words. He will give you the opportunity, and He is your message. So make Jesus the subject. Keep Jesus the subject. Don't let religion become the subject, because Jesus made this awesome promise. He said, "When I am lifted up ... I will draw all men to Myself" (John 12:32).