Download Loving and Trusting God in the Autumn of Life

Loving and Trusting God
in the Autumn of Life
by Gail Yost AndyoushalllovetheLORDyourGodwithallyourheart,
andwithallyoursoul,andwithallyourmind,andwithall
yourstrength.Mark12:30
TrustintheLORDwithallyourheart,anddonotleanonyour
ownunderstanding.Proverbs3:5
Wearenowintheyearsthat,asthepoetSamuel
Butlersays,shouldbefullofgoodfruits.
“Youthislikespring,anover‐praisedseasonmore
remarkableforbitingwindsthangenialbreezes.
Autumnisthemellowerseason,andwhatwelose
inflowerswemorethangaininfruits.”
Butwecanletage‐relatedeventsmakeus
unfruitfulandshiftourattentionfromwhatGod
wantstodoinus.
Proverbshassomegoodadviceforusinthisautumn
seasonoflife.
Watchoveryourheartwithalldiligence,forfromitflowthe
springsoflife.Letyoureyeslookdirectlyahead,andlet
yourgazebefixedstraightinfrontofyou.Watchthepath
ofyourfeet,andallyourwayswillbeestablished.Proverbs
4:23,25‐26
Inotherwords,Solomonissaying,“Focus!”
I.Focusonthetruth.
Finally,brethren,whateveristrue,whateverishonorable,
whateverisright,whateverispure,whateverislovely,
whateverisofgoodrepute,ifthereisanyexcellenceandif
anythingworthyofpraise,letyourminddwellonthese
things.Philippians4:8
AndtheLORDistheonewhogoesaheadofyou;Hewillbe
withyou.Hewillnotfailyouorforsakeyou.Donotfear,orbe
dismayed.Deuteronomy31:8
Donotfear,forIamwithyou;donotanxiouslylookabout
you,forIamyourGod.Iwillstrengthenyou,surelyIwillhelp
you,surelyIwillupholdyouwithMyrighteousrighthand.
Isaiah41:10
2.FocusontakingeverythoughtcaptivetoChrist.
Fortheweaponsofourwarfarearenotoftheflesh,but
divinelypowerfulforthedestructionoffortresses.Weare
destroyingspeculationsandeveryloftythingraisedup
againsttheknowledgeofGod,andwearetakingevery
thoughtcaptivetotheobedienceofChrist.
2Corinthians10:4‐5
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3.Focusontoday.Stopworryingabouttomorrow.
IhavebeenyoungandnowIamold;yetIhavenotseenthe
righteousforsaken,orhisdescendantsbeggingbread.
Psalm37:25
Donotstoreupforyourselvestreasuresuponearth,where
mothandrustdestroy,andwherethievesbreakinand
steal.Butstoreupforyourselvestreasuresinheaven,where
neithermothnorrustdestroys,andwherethievesdonot
breakinorsteal;forwhereyourtreasureis,thereyourheart
willbealso.
ForthisreasonIsaytoyou,donotbeworriedaboutyourlife,
astowhatyoushalleat,orwhatyouwilldrink;norforyour
body,astowhatyouwillputon.Isnotlifemorethanfood,
andthebodymorethanclothing?
Lookatthebirdsoftheair,thattheydonotsow,norreapnor
gatherintobarns,andyetyourheavenlyFatherfeedsthem.
Areyounotworthmuchmorethanthey?Andwhoofyouby
beingworriedcanaddasinglehourtohislife?Andwhyare
youworriedaboutclothing?Observehowtheliliesofthefield
grow;theydonottoilnordotheyspin;yetIsaytoyouthat
notevenSolomoninallhisgloryclothedhimselflikeoneof
these.
ButifGodsoclothesthegrassofthefield,whichisalivetoday
andtomorrowisthrownintothefurnace,willHenotmuch
moreclotheyou?Youoflittlefaith!
ButseekfirstHiskingdomandHisrighteousness;andall
thesethingswillbeaddedtoyou.Sodonotworryabout
tomorrow;fortomorrowwillcareforitself.Eachdayhas
enoughtroubleofitsown.Matthew6:19‐34
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“Todayismine.Tomorrowisnoneofmybusiness.IfIpeer
anxiouslyintothefogofthefuture,Iwillstrainmyspiritual
eyessothatIwillnotseeclearlywhatisrequiredofme
now.”ElisabethElliot,KeepaQuietHeart
4.FocusonlivingaccordingtoGod’sWord.
Myson,donotforgetmyteaching,butletyourheartkeepmy
commandments;forlengthofdaysandyearsoflife,andpeace
theywilladdtoyou.Proverbs3:1
Agrayheadisacrownofglory;itisfoundinthewayof
righteousness.Proverbs16:31
Nowshewhoisawidowindeed,andwhohasbeenleftalone,
hasfixedherhopeonGod,andcontinuesinentreatiesand
prayersnightandday.Butshewhogivesherselftowanton
pleasureisdeadevenwhileshelives.Prescribethese things as
well, so that they may be above reproach.
A widow is to be put on the list only if she is not less than sixty
years old, having been the wife of one man, having a reputation
for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has
shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints’
feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted
herself to every good work. 1Timothy5:5‐7,9‐10
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5.FocusonknowingwhoGodis.
WegettoknowwhoGodisthroughHisWord.
Wedevelop“aportfolioofpassages”thattellof
God’sattributes.

1Peter5:10Andafteryouhavesufferedforalittle
while,theGodofallgrace,whocalledyoutoHis
eternalgloryinChrist,willHimselfperfect,confirm,
strengthenandestablishyou.

2Corinthians1:3BlessedbetheGodandFatherofour
LordJesusChrist,theFatherofmerciesandGodofall
comfort.

1Thessalonians5:23‐24NowmaytheGodofpeace
Himselfsanctifyyouentirely;andmayyourspiritand
soulandbodybepreservedcomplete,withoutblameat
thecomingofourLordJesusChrist.FaithfulisHewho
callsyou,andHealsowillbringittopass.

Psalm71:3Betomearockofhabitation,towhichI
maycontinuallycome;Youhavegivencommandment
tosaveme,ForYouaremyrockandmyfortress.

Psalm71:5ForYouaremyhope;OLordGOD,Youare
myconfidencefrommyyouth.
Wetalktooursouls,counselourselveswithwhat
weknowaboutGod.
Psalm42:5
Question:Whyareyouindespair,Omysoul?Andwhy
haveyoubecomedisturbedwithinme?
Command:HopeinGod,
Supportingreason:forIshallagainpraiseHimforthe
helpofHispresence.
(PastorMarkMinnick,Sundayp.m.,7/27/2014)
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6.FocusonwhatGodwantsofus.
OurGodwantsustoknowHim
SothatyouwillwalkinamannerworthyoftheLord,to
pleaseHiminallrespects,bearingfruitineverygoodwork
andincreasingintheknowledgeofGod.Colossians1:10
Godhasgivenuseverythingweneedtoliveagodly
lifethroughtheknowledgeofHim.2Peter1:2‐3
ToloveHim
SotakediligentheedtoyourselvestolovetheLORDyourGod.
Joshua23:11
Inthisislove,notthatwelovedGod,butthatHelovedusand
sentHisSontobethepropitiationforoursins....Welove,
becauseHefirstlovedus.1John4:10,19
TofearHim
HowblessediseveryonewhofearstheLORD,whowalksinHis
ways.Psalm128:1
ThefearoftheLORDisthebeginningofwisdom,andthe
knowledgeoftheHolyOneisunderstanding.Proverbs9:10
Charmisdeceitfulandbeautyisvain,butawomanwhofears
theLORD,sheshallbepraised.Proverbs31:30
ToobeyHim
AndwhydoyoucallMe,‘Lord,Lord,’anddonotdowhatI
say?Luke6:46
IfyouloveMe,youwillkeepMycommandments.John14:15
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TotrustHim
Commandthosewhoarerichinthispresentagenottobe
haughty,nortotrustinuncertainrichesbutinthelivingGod,
whogivesusrichlyallthingstoenjoy.1Timothy6:17NKJV
WhenIamafraid,IwillputmytrustinYou.InGod,whose
wordIpraise,inGodIhaveputmytrust;Ishallnotbeafraid.
Whatcanmeremandotome?
Psalm56:3‐4
“ThemoreIgettoknowmyGodandallowHim
tochangemythinking,thelessIamplaguedbyfears.”
MardiCollier,WhatDoIKnowaboutMyGod?
“Lifechangehappenswhenweputintopractice
whatScriptureteachesus.”
PastorMarkMinnick,Sundaya.m.,8/17/2014
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ThemoreweknowwhoGodis,thedeeperourlove.
ThemoreweobeyHim,thegreaterourtrust.
Know
God
Trust
God
Quietsoul
Peaceful
Heart
Joyful
spirit
Love/
Fear
God
Obey
God
AndbyproductsoflovingandtrustingGodare
quietnessinoursouls,peaceinourhearts,andjoyin
ourspirits—allgiftsofHisgrace!
Theimperishablequalityofagentleandquietspirit,
whichispreciousinthesightofGod.1Peter3:4
ThosewholoveYourlawhavegreatpeace,andnothing
causesthemtostumble.Psalm119:165
ThejoyoftheLORDisyourstrength.Nehemiah8:10
Produced and distributed by: Mount Calvary Baptist Church, © 2014
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright, ©1960,1962,1963,
1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
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