Am I too old now?

[TheBaptist]

Hi. God Bless you tonight. I am getting ordained in a few weeks time, and am going to the Mission field full time. I am saved 30 years past on June, 2nd. Just to ask, I am pretty discouraged and scared I have left it too late. I have served God hard as a Christian for 30 years in many ministry areas as a lay worker and I still worry constantly about not having enough time left to do a proper job for Him. I wish I had gone to Mission 20 years ago to be truthful and honest before God. I am 50 now, can I still make a difference? Does anybody have any scripture on this or some real-life examples? Thank you. God loves you tonight.

Edited July 20, 2019 by TheBaptist
typo

[missmuffet]

54 minutes ago, TheBaptist said:

Hi. God Bless you tonight. I am getting ordained in a few weeks time, and am going to the Mission field full time. I am saved 30 years past on June, 2nd. Just to ask, I am pretty discouraged and scared I have left it too late. I have served God hard as a Christian for 30 years in many ministry areas as a lay worker and I still worry constantly about not having enough time left to do a proper job for Him. I wish I had gone to Mission 20 years ago to be truthful and honest before God. I am 50 now, can I still make a difference? Does anybody have any scripture on this or some real-life examples? Thank you. God loves you tonight.

Why are you going into the Mission field? Have you prayed about it? Do you feel that God is leading you to the Mission field?

[angels4u]

1 hour ago, TheBaptist said:

Hi. God Bless you tonight. I am getting ordained in a few weeks time, and am going to the Mission field full time. I am saved 30 years past on June, 2nd. Just to ask, I am pretty discouraged and scared I have left it too late. I have served God hard as a Christian for 30 years in many ministry areas as a lay worker and I still worry constantly about not having enough time left to do a proper job for Him. I wish I had gone to Mission 20 years ago to be truthful and honest before God. I am 50 now, can I still make a difference? Does anybody have any scripture on this or some real-life examples? Thank you. God loves you tonight.

God knows your heart and how much you want to serve Him and He will do things in His time,just follow the direction of the Holy Spirit ,God can use everybody from the youngest to the oldest and by the way,what is old? Remember there were many people in the Bible which God started to use for His kingdom in their older age.

God bless !

[Jayne]

1 hour ago, TheBaptist said:

Hi. God Bless you tonight. I am getting ordained in a few weeks time, and am going to the Mission field full time. I am saved 30 years past on June, 2nd. Just to ask, I am pretty discouraged and scared I have left it too late. I have served God hard as a Christian for 30 years in many ministry areas as a lay worker and I still worry constantly about not having enough time left to do a proper job for Him. I wish I had gone to Mission 20 years ago to be truthful and honest before God. I am 50 now, can I still make a difference? Does anybody have any scripture on this or some real-life examples? Thank you. God loves you tonight.

Hang on, TB, because I'm about to lay it on you!

First of all - 50?!?  Really?!?  Pshaw!  You are a babe in the woods compared to so very many decades older than you and going strong for the Lord.

OK, here's a scripture....Psalm 92:

"The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
To declare that the LORD is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him"

Are you still breathing?  In fair to good physical condition?  Having had a call to the mission field?  I think you'd be very surprised how many retired people join the mission field.

My pastor just got back recently from Cambodia.  One of the ladies on the evangelistic team was in her 80's and in a wheel chair.  

Ponder on that and ask yourself - if it's God's will.....what is stopping me.  Seek God about this.  He will direct you.

[Tzephanyahu]

10 hours ago, TheBaptist said:

I am 50 now, can I still make a difference?

Absolutely @TheBaptist!  It sounds like a new chapter is about to begin for you, one which all the previous chapters have been building too.

Consider how old Abraham was (roughly his 70s) when moving to Canaan, on nothing more than a promise of Yahweh.  Rather than settling down with his creature comforts in his older years, he set off at the word of Yahweh.

Consider Moses, who for 40 years lived as a ruler in Egypt.  Then, for a further 40 years lived in the wilderness as a shepherd.  I don't know about you, but if I was him a 79 years old (before the burning bush) I would be thinking my life was over and I did little of note with half my life.

It doesn't matter what age you are to Yahweh.  He knows the plans He has for you and when He will call you back to him.  Therefore, don't defeat yourself with a number, or any weakness ache or pain.  The service you will do today and tomorrow is all that counts, forget what has (or hasn't) gone before hand.  

You might being wondering "but what can I do?" But your life has lead to this moment, so I'm sure all your past experience and lessons learned will be used appropriately.  You may simply be sowing seeds for someone else to water, you may be watering someone else's seeds, you may have just on word to give to someone who will then go on to help thousands.  It could even be a stepping stone for something else for you.  Whether you see results of not (the workers of Yahweh often didn't!), if you love Him and want to serve Him - all will be well my friend. 

I personally believe that many will be called by Yahweh at ages older than you.  If I was sending an ambassador for ME, I would want someone experienced and mature, I wouldn't send a young guy - who will likely still have lots to learn.   I think it's the same for Yahweh.  I think He wants those who have learned, experienced and matured to represent Him.  Don't see the years gone as waste, see them as necessary.  And again, your service today and tomorrow is all that counts, never what's gone before.

So don't think your service is not important or worthy over a simple number, my friend.  Instead, get excited for the journey ahead as a chance to serve Yahweh is coming!  

May Yahweh work through you greatly for His glory, today and tomorrow.

Love & Shalom

[Justin Adams]

12 hours ago, TheBaptist said:

Hi. God Bless you tonight. I am getting ordained in a few weeks time, and am going to the Mission field full time. I am saved 30 years past on June, 2nd. Just to ask, I am pretty discouraged and scared I have left it too late. I have served God hard as a Christian for 30 years in many ministry areas as a lay worker and I still worry constantly about not having enough time left to do a proper job for Him. I wish I had gone to Mission 20 years ago to be truthful and honest before God. I am 50 now, can I still make a difference? Does anybody have any scripture on this or some real-life examples? Thank you. God loves you tonight.

Ah. The great guilt trip, brought to you from a nasty spirit perched on your shoulder. (or disguised as 'friends')

I was sent packing; bunch of kids that never speak to me; a life of seeming failures; and as old as dirt.

So I know about guilt trips and all that. I suggest you spend your energy looking forwards. There ain't nought you can do about the past or missed opportunities. The adversary will do this to you and try to get you in a funk and feeling guilty, with the aim of bringing you to a standstill.

Do not listen to those negative thoughts. Put your eyes on the Lord and He will direct you path.

Edited July 21, 2019 by Justin Adams

[BeauJangles]

13 hours ago, TheBaptist said:

I am 50 now, can I still make a difference?

You're in prime age, bro! Of course you can still make a difference. If you've made it so far, I wouldn't hesitate to follow though with your calling. Now get out there, and let's hear back of some souls getting saved! 

[johnthebaptist]

17 hours ago, TheBaptist said:

Hi. God Bless you tonight. I am getting ordained in a few weeks time, and am going to the Mission field full time. I am saved 30 years past on June, 2nd. Just to ask, I am pretty discouraged and scared I have left it too late. I have served God hard as a Christian for 30 years in many ministry areas as a lay worker and I still worry constantly about not having enough time left to do a proper job for Him. I wish I had gone to Mission 20 years ago to be truthful and honest before God. I am 50 now, can I still make a difference? Does anybody have any scripture on this or some real-life examples? Thank you. God loves you tonight.

Did the Lord ask you to do mission work 20 years ago? I suspect if he had, you would have gone. Even so, there is a tremendous lot you can do in the next thirty or forty years.

[BibleStudent100]

As mentioned earlier, Moses was 80 years old when he took on the great responsibility of leading the Israelites through their most challenging times.  In fact, those years of life experience were extremely valuable for him regarding his spiritual responsibilities.  More specifically, Moses was nots yet qualified to serve over God’s people at age 40. He had to undergo another 40 years of training. The qualities of patience, meekness, humility, long-suffering, mildness of temper, self-control, and learning to wait on Yahweh needed to be developed in him to a higher degree, in order for him to be the fitting one to lead God’s people. He had to be groomed and prepared to endure the discouragements, disappointments, and hardships he would encounter, and to handle with loving-kindness, calmness, and strength the multitude of problems a great nation would present. He possessed much learning, and his training as a member of Pharaoh’s household had doubtless given him dignity, confidence, and poise and had accentuated his ability to organize and command. But the lowly occupation of shepherding in Midian provided the training needed to develop fine qualities that would be even more important for the task ahead of him.

Thus, your 50 years of life have served you well to be an effective handler of the Truth aright (see 2 Timothy 2:15)!

[JustPassingThru]

17 hours ago, TheBaptist said:

Hi. God Bless you tonight. I am getting ordained in a few weeks time, and am going to the Mission field full time. I am saved 30 years past on June, 2nd. Just to ask, I am pretty discouraged and scared I have left it too late. I have served God hard as a Christian for 30 years in many ministry areas as a lay worker and I still worry constantly about not having enough time left to do a proper job for Him. I wish I had gone to Mission 20 years ago to be truthful and honest before God. I am 50 now, can I still make a difference? Does anybody have any scripture on this or some real-life examples? Thank you. God loves you tonight.

Hello brother, praise God for your willingness and zeal,.yes you can make a difference, ...you ask for real life examples, ...well, I've been on the mission field for 28 years.

The first and most important advice I can give you is make sure Father has called you, ...please don't be discouraged and I don't say this to cause you to doubt and shipwreck your faith, ...the reason I say that is over the years I seen people who say they have been called who Father didn't call and it was both a personal (spiritually) and financial disaster for them, one couple came and even started a church that failed miserably and turned many off to Jesus Christ.

When the Lord called me here to Tahiti, I knew, that I knew, that I knew He called me, ...because He gave me the faith to believe Him, ...there were many in my own church that told me I was too young in the Lord (been saved only 5 years and only 2 of those years in a Bible teaching church), ...or it was just my lustful desires to go on a vacation in Tahiti, ...or I wasn't properly trained or prepared, ...or I didn't have the backing of a Mission Board and I was going as lone ranger, ...however, it turned our to be my stepping out of the boat and walk on water experience, ..and yes, after 10 months I took my eyes off of Jesus I looked at the storm and started to sink, ...but Jesus, ...reached down and pulled me back up and I've been walking with the Lord on the water all of these years. ...so tell me brother, how do you know, in your heart, you have been called and where have you been called to?

Now for some practical advice, ...shocking as it is to us, ...most of the world considers us The Ugly Americans, we, middle class, are rich beyond most of the world's wildest dreams, so, leave all of your favorite toys home, the reason I asked where are you called to is you need to study the living conditions there, why..., don't come dressed in your Calvin Klines, your Nike tennies, your Ray-Ban sunglasses, study and learn how the locals dress and buy your clothes to bring with you in the thrift stores o fit it, ...most important, be ready to have your stuff stolen, ...like I said, their mentality is we are rich and can afford it, ...second study what the locals eat and and stop eating like an American before you leave and start to eat like them (prepare yourself mentally, ...it's going to be a culture shock for you and silently pray over everything that enters your mouth, ...that the Lord would sanctify and bless it so that you don't become sick), ...why, 'cuz they will test you to see your reaction when they ask you to eat with them, and above all, remember, what they will set before you is probably the meal for the whole family, so take a little of every thing they serve so as not to offend them, ...very, very  little, and remember, ...after you leave, the parents, the grandparents, maybe an aunt or uncle or two, all of the dirty faced kids that were poking you and tugging on your shirt to see if you are a real live American, and probably a niece or nephew and maybe a few cousins will eat the leftovers after you leave, ...third, do you speak the language, ...if not, definitely by a couple of basic tourist foreign language books for the country you are going to and a couple of English-to their language dictionaries, ...you'll find you will be able to communicate with them and they will be eager to help you, you will find living with the locals you will be forced to learn their language and..., all of their slang  and local idioms that is much better than learning in the States because they would never teach that there. 

I guess most important is what my pastor taught me, ...you can't teach someone unless first they know, by experience, you love them, ...one of the life verses the Lord gave me in the beginning is, ...no greater love for someone is laying down your life for them John 15:13, ...so be prepared to live with them, ...serve them, don't be shocked or condemn them for their pagan culture, remember, they are lost and don't know any better, you're being sent as THE Light in a dark country, ...just tell them you are a born again child of the Most High God (they probably worship many deities), and tell them you can't participate with them because that would offend your God, THE Most High, Almighty God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, ...here in Tahiti their most high god, their Creator is called Te Atua, ...when I told them, ..because they called on the lesser deities, ...Te Atua is my God, they became all excited and wanted to know more, remember:

Let your speech be always with grace, having been seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.     Col 4:6

The two key words are Grace and Salt, ...most Sunday School kids in my church back in the States know more about the Word than they will probably ever learn in their lifetime, so don't try and teach doctrine, just tell them Jesus loves them, all the while serving them to be a real live example of the Love of Christ to them, then little by little give them the Gospel, above all, don't expect any instant conversions, remember, you're an American and they will want to be like you so they'll say anything to do that, ...make doubly, triply sure they understand their lost sinful state and need for repentance before you consider anyone truly born again, also, because of that, don't be frustrated there aren't any quick results, ...remember, ...all we can do is bring Christ to men, it's God who brings men to Christ.

Actually, the most important, ...I know I already said that, it's just there are so many important things, ...the most important thing is, ...are you ready to give up America, become naturalized, if it's possible, and stay with your people for the rest of your life on this planet????????  

I know it's tough brother, ...that's why I asked you if you are 100% certain, beyond a shadow of doubt, no one can say anything to talk you out of it, ...that Father is calling you to go there....

Father sent one Apostle, His Son, ...Jesus sent out twelve apostles (apostle in the New Testament just means someone that is sent) and there is no recorded record they ever returned to Jerusalem, ...and the Holy Spirit has sent hundreds of apostles out all over this world, ...be certain you are one of them...

Bro, the reason I'm telling you this is one of the first questions the locals asked me was, "When are you leaving, when are you going back to America?"  

You are going to learn very quickly the locals do not have any concept of what true love is, ...before I left the States Father placed His love for the Tahitian people in my heart, so, in serving them you will come to have a loving relationship with them, ...you will be their example of what love is, ...you will be teaching them how to love and they will start loving you back, ...so you see why I ask are you committed for the rest of your life, how could we leave and hurt the ones we have fallen in love with, how could we be so cruel to hurt them in that way, ...does that shed some light on why Father hates divorce, ...if we were to come and establish a loving relationship with the locals and then leave after a few years, ...wouldn't that be the same as a divorce? 

This is becoming too long, please feel free to ask any and as many questions you might have.

Lord bless