Flourishing in Older Age

Knowing our congregation is mostly on the other side of the hill of life, Pastor Jed spoke for a few weeks on the importance of flourishing in older age. 😊 To listen to these messages, simply click play on the appropriate audio player below. Also included are Jed’s study notes with links to Bible Gateway for the Scripture.

Also, Pastor Jed blessed us with a musical service for Mother’s Day. I did my best to put together a medley of the songs he sang and placed the audio at the bottom of this post. While the recording quality isn’t great, I do hope you enjoy! ❤️

Flourishing in Older Age, Part 1

• Psalm 91:14-16 “With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” 
• Psalm 92:12-15 “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.” See also Isaiah 46:4   
• To flourish: 
  • To grow luxuriantly: to thrive.
  • To achieve success: to prosper. A flourishing business. 
  • To be in a state of activity or production: The artist flourished around 1850.
  • To reach a height of development or influence: The company flourished with record profits under the new owner. 
• Remember our Father Abraham:  
  • Genesis 15:15 to Abraham “And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.” 
  • Genesis 25:8 “Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.” 
  • Galatians 3:8-9   We which are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. 
    • Verses 13-14 –“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”  He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” 
  • Romans 4:17-21 – Abraham gave us the example! Also Elizabeth in Luke 1:36 
• Make a commitment to God to entrust your life to Him, every day until your last breath. This means spirit, soul (mind, will, emotions, conscience) and body.  
• 3 John 2 – “prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers.” 
• Next Week: “Steps to Flourishing in Old Age.” What is our responsibility?

---

Flourishing in Older Age, Part 2

 How do you as Christian personally approach flourishing in older age? 

• Place your life in His hands (Psalm 31:14) and trust him to cause you to flourish in your older years. Pray to God to give this to you in your life.  
  • Psalm: 18:28; 73:23-28; 90:10a,12; 91:14-16; 92:12-15; Isaiah 46:4.  
  • 3 John 2 – Make a commitment to God to entrust your life to Him, daily until your last breath. This means spirit, soul (mind, will, emotions, conscience), and body. Have faith and hope that the Lord will sustain and preserve you in older age.  
• Give God’s Word first place in your life: Read it. Meditate upon it. Memorize it. Speak it. Live according to it. It is your food, your life.  
  • John 6:63; Psalm 1; Jeremiah 17:7-8. See also Psalm 119:159  “See how I love your precepts; preserve my life, Lord, in accordance with your love.” “Preserve my life” is mentioned many times in Psalm 119, a psalm about God’s Word.

• Trust the Holy Spirit’s work in your life.  
  • Romans 8:11; Philippians 1:6, 2:12-13; 1 Thessalonians 2:13 
  • 2 Corinthians 4:13-18 – outward decay vs inward renewal day by day achieving for us an eternal weight of glory. Look not at the things that are seen (temporal) but at the unseen things (eternal).  
  • 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – glorify God in your bodies, honor God with your bodies by (a) living a pure life physically and sexually, (b) practice healthy nutrition and hydration, (c) have regular exercise and activity (within your limits), (d) maintain a heathy weight, (e) get enough sleep and observe sabbath rests, (f) avoid things that are not good for the body (alcohol, drugs, etc.), and (g) limit risky behaviors.  
• Have the faith of our father Abraham in Romans 4:11-25.  

---

A sampling of Pastor Jed’s Mother’s Day Service