August 14, 2019
Psalm 71:17-18
 Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
    and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
 Even when I am old and gray,
    do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
    your mighty acts to all who are to come.
New International Version (NIV)
                At Oxford I sat down for lunch with a new friend.  After explaining my sabbatical to him, I asked how long he had served at his church.  "Forty-two years as Senior Pastor."  I must have looked surprised.  "You have been the pastor of the same congregation for 42 years?"  That sounded like a lot of years to preach new sermons every week to one group of people.  He smiled and said, "No I have pastored six or more congregations in the same building over that period of time."  I knew what he meant.  The church is a river, always changing.  His church changed so much that he pastored different churches over the years.

                David had been serving the Lord for a long time, too.  God had spoken to him when he was just a boy.  He was still declaring God's marvelous deeds.  Looking into the future, he asked the Lord to let him continue to proclaim God's faithfulness to another generation. 

                The God of the ages, is the God of all the ages and stages of our lives.  Dear Jody Weaver made her way home yesterday after 95 years of faithful service.  Her faith became sight!  My new 91 year old  friend Vera in Leven Scotland still loves the Lord, worships by livestream on her iPad, and exercises her gift of hospitality by offering tea and biscuits to her guests (including me a number of times on my trip). To love the Lord for a lifetime is a great gift.  These days as I prepare to preach to the 2019 congregation at Tallowood, I resonate with David.  Lord, do it again!  Let me preach your word to this generation and the next.  We are not too old for the Ancient of Days to use us.  
Pray with me:    
Life-giving Father, thank you for loving us for our whole lives.  Now let us love you in return with our whole lives.  Give us the grace to talk about you with every breath until we wake up and breathe celestial air.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.   
This year our Every Day with Jesus readings will follow The Bible Project Read Scripture Plan.  Copies of this reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download 
the app at readscripture.org.  Read through the Bible with us in 2019!
Joyfully, 
Duane 
About Duane Archives
 Copyright 2019. All Rights Reserved.
Manage your preferences | Opt out using TrueRemove™
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.
555 Tallowood Road
Houston, TX | 77024 US
This email was sent to .
To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.
Subscribe to our email list.