FINISHING WELL

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In the "Finishing Well" podcast, host Hal Habecker interviews LESLIE BLUM about the role of music in life and aging. Leslie shares her upbringing in a musical Christian home, where her father, a soloist, and her mother, a pianist, fostered her love for music. She discusses the emotional impact of music, citing major and minor chords as examples, and how music connects with the soul. 

Leslie emphasizes the importance of music in worship, advocating for a blend of traditional and contemporary styles to serve diverse congregations. She also reflects on the comfort music provides during life's challenges, such as grief.

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"Finishing Well Ministries aims to encourage and inspire aging Christians to understand and embrace God’s calling in their later years, equipping them to actively pursue and fulfill His calling. FWM provides materials, events, and other on-line resources that provide shared insights focused on finishing our lives well. We also recruit and train volunteers who lead and encourage small groups around the world to fulfill God’s mission for them in these critically important years." - Hal Habecker

Website: www.finishingwellministries.org

Email us: [email protected]
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Are there biblical principles to help us understand how to finish well?
Explore the Seven Essentials for Finishing Well. Learn more.

Thanks for listening as we all strive to live and finish life well!

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Our story regarding Eli begins not with Eli but with God's judge who will succeed him. God's successor to Eli will be the great prophet/judge Samuel so we begin with his birth and background.

Samuel's Birth

Samuel was born out of a godly family (1 Samuel 1.1-2.11). Hannah prayed for a son and promised to dedicate him to the Lord. Eli blessed her prayer, and when Samuel was weaned, Hannah brought him to serve in the temple under Eli.

Eli's Failure

By contrast, Eli's sons were wicked men (1 Samuel 2.12-17). They abused their priestly position and "despised the offering of the Lord." Though Eli knew of their sins, he did not restrain them.

Why do you kick at My sacrifice and at My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling, and honor your sons above Me? (1 Samuel 2.29).

God revealed to Samuel the judgment that He would carry out on Eli because he did not rebuke his sons (1 Samuel 3.10-14). When the Philistines defeated Israel and captured the ark of God, both of Eli's sons were killed. Upon hearing the news, Eli fell backward from his seat, broke his neck, and died at age 98.

The tragedy extended to the next generation 3 Eli's daughter-in-law died in childbirth, naming her son Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel."

Support the show

"Finishing Well Ministries aims to encourage and inspire aging Christians to understand and embrace God’s calling in their later years, equipping them to actively pursue and fulfill His calling. FWM provides materials, events, and other on-line resources that provide shared insights focused on finishing our lives well. We also recruit and train volunteers who lead and encourage small groups around the world to fulfill God’s mission for them in these critically important years." - Hal Habecker

Website: www.finishingwellministries.org

Email us: [email protected]
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finishingwellministries
Support Our Ministry: https://www.finishingwellministries.org/donate

Are there biblical principles to help us understand how to finish well?
Explore the Seven Essentials for Finishing Well. Learn more.

Thanks for listening as we all strive to live and finish life well!

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 David was a man after God's own heart, and we all identify with him because of the way he lived his life. He was out there, you know, leading people making mistakes. I just just loving God passionately with his heart dancing before God. I mean, he was enjoying life with God. But there are a lot of lessons to learn from his life. I have the text there, and you can follow them all in your handout as well, but follow these texts, and let's learn from his his life in the next few minutes. In Second Samuel chapter 23 he lists out more than 30 friends who have shaped his life. I mean, that's a good discipline. Think back across your life, of the friends that you've had and how they have shaped your life. You know we talk about in the seven essentials for finishing well, the second one is, don't stop connecting with friends.

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"Finishing Well Ministries aims to encourage and inspire aging Christians to understand and embrace God’s calling in their later years, equipping them to actively pursue and fulfill His calling. FWM provides materials, events, and other on-line resources that provide shared insights focused on finishing our lives well. We also recruit and train volunteers who lead and encourage small groups around the world to fulfill God’s mission for them in these critically important years." - Hal Habecker

Website: www.finishingwellministries.org

Email us: [email protected]
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finishingwellministries
Support Our Ministry: https://www.finishingwellministries.org/donate

Are there biblical principles to help us understand how to finish well?
Explore the Seven Essentials for Finishing Well. Learn more.

Thanks for listening as we all strive to live and finish life well!

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We meet Joshua first when he was selected as one of the 12 tribes to spy out the new land from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun (Numbers 13.8).

Early Faith

Joshua (along with Caleb) spoke with confidence about how God would take them into the promised land and defeat the enemies. He had great confidence in God who would be with them.

If Yahweh delights in us, then he will bring us into this land, and he will give it to us, a land that is flowing with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against Yahweh, and you will not fear the people of the land, because they will be our food. Their protection has been turned from them; Yahweh is with us. You should not fear them. (Numbers 14.8-9)

Leadership in Later Years

At 80 years of age, Joshua was entrusted with the task of leading Israel after Moses' death. God commanded him:

Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. (Joshua 1.6-7)

Throughout the conquest and throughout his life, Joshua remained full of faith and trust in the Lord. As he came to the end of his life, he challenged the children of Israel with these famous words:

If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24.15)

Support the show

"Finishing Well Ministries aims to encourage and inspire aging Christians to understand and embrace God’s calling in their later years, equipping them to actively pursue and fulfill His calling. FWM provides materials, events, and other on-line resources that provide shared insights focused on finishing our lives well. We also recruit and train volunteers who lead and encourage small groups around the world to fulfill God’s mission for them in these critically important years." - Hal Habecker

Website: www.finishingwellministries.org

Email us: [email protected]
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finishingwellministries
Support Our Ministry: https://www.finishingwellministries.org/donate

Are there biblical principles to help us understand how to finish well?
Explore the Seven Essentials for Finishing Well. Learn more.

Thanks for listening as we all strive to live and finish life well!

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Don't get sidetracked as we finish, Gideon is faithful, but watch his story. It's fascinating to me. You know, we begin to see Gideon in Judges six, the angel visits him and gives him a sign where Gideon puts a sacrifice in the rock and the angel brings fire down and takes it all to heaven and gets his attention. He's not expecting God to work this way, but God chooses him for a particular reason, and I want to say he chooses you and me for reasons as well, particularly as we age, for his purposes in life.

Support the show

"Finishing Well Ministries aims to encourage and inspire aging Christians to understand and embrace God’s calling in their later years, equipping them to actively pursue and fulfill His calling. FWM provides materials, events, and other on-line resources that provide shared insights focused on finishing our lives well. We also recruit and train volunteers who lead and encourage small groups around the world to fulfill God’s mission for them in these critically important years." - Hal Habecker

Website: www.finishingwellministries.org

Email us: [email protected]
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finishingwellministries
Support Our Ministry: https://www.finishingwellministries.org/donate

Are there biblical principles to help us understand how to finish well?
Explore the Seven Essentials for Finishing Well. Learn more.

Thanks for listening as we all strive to live and finish life well!

Send us Fan Mail

 Israel loved Joseph more than all of his sons because he was the son of his old age, and he made him a very colored tunic. His brothers saw that his father loved him more than all of his other brothers, so they hated him and could not speak to him on faith. Friendly terms. How would you like that growing up in that kind of home where your older brothers hated you? On top of that, Joseph even had dreams of God's future for him, which offended His brothers. And listen to this, then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.

Listen and learn how Joseph finished.

Support the show

"Finishing Well Ministries aims to encourage and inspire aging Christians to understand and embrace God’s calling in their later years, equipping them to actively pursue and fulfill His calling. FWM provides materials, events, and other on-line resources that provide shared insights focused on finishing our lives well. We also recruit and train volunteers who lead and encourage small groups around the world to fulfill God’s mission for them in these critically important years." - Hal Habecker

Website: www.finishingwellministries.org

Email us: [email protected]
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finishingwellministries
Support Our Ministry: https://www.finishingwellministries.org/donate

Are there biblical principles to help us understand how to finish well?
Explore the Seven Essentials for Finishing Well. Learn more.

Thanks for listening as we all strive to live and finish life well!

Send us Fan Mail

As I think about the life of Naomi and how she lived her later years, I cannot help but think of a principle that we learn in the Advent story 3 you cannot tell the end from the beginning. Apart from the Old Testament promises of the Messiah ad the angelic announcements of Messiah's birth, the majestic destiny of Jesus might never be guessed from His humble beginnings and surroundings.

As we read the opening lines of Naomi's story one might never guess how the story will end. How anyone lives out the final years of life, like Naomi, is learned as we intentionally trust our lives to a sovereign God and live obediently following His hand.

Naomi's story begins with incredible hardship.

Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi; and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. Now they entered the land of Moab and remained there. Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. They took for themselves Moabite women as wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. And they lived there about ten years. Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was bereft of her two children and her husband (Ruth 1.1-5).

Support the show

"Finishing Well Ministries aims to encourage and inspire aging Christians to understand and embrace God’s calling in their later years, equipping them to actively pursue and fulfill His calling. FWM provides materials, events, and other on-line resources that provide shared insights focused on finishing our lives well. We also recruit and train volunteers who lead and encourage small groups around the world to fulfill God’s mission for them in these critically important years." - Hal Habecker

Website: www.finishingwellministries.org

Email us: [email protected]
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finishingwellministries
Support Our Ministry: https://www.finishingwellministries.org/donate

Are there biblical principles to help us understand how to finish well?
Explore the Seven Essentials for Finishing Well. Learn more.

Thanks for listening as we all strive to live and finish life well!

Send us Fan Mail

Simeon and Anna, two biblical figures who exemplify living well in old age. Simeon, described as righteous and devout, was anticipating the Messiah and was assured by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he saw the Lord's Christ. Upon meeting Jesus, he blessed God and was ready to die in peace. Anna, a widow for 84 years, dedicated her life to fasting, praying, and serving in the temple, and recognized Jesus as the Messiah. Both Simeon and Anna lived their lives in anticipation of Jesus' mission and message, offering lessons in faithfulness and devotion to the end.

Support the show

"Finishing Well Ministries aims to encourage and inspire aging Christians to understand and embrace God’s calling in their later years, equipping them to actively pursue and fulfill His calling. FWM provides materials, events, and other on-line resources that provide shared insights focused on finishing our lives well. We also recruit and train volunteers who lead and encourage small groups around the world to fulfill God’s mission for them in these critically important years." - Hal Habecker

Website: www.finishingwellministries.org

Email us: [email protected]
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finishingwellministries
Support Our Ministry: https://www.finishingwellministries.org/donate

Are there biblical principles to help us understand how to finish well?
Explore the Seven Essentials for Finishing Well. Learn more.

Thanks for listening as we all strive to live and finish life well!

Send us Fan Mail

Hal Habecker discusses the biblical perspective on retirement, focusing on the Levites who retired at age 50 to serve in 48 cities across Israel. Despite the modern concept of retirement being less than a century old, Habecker emphasizes that the Bible addresses it implicitly. He highlights the Levites' post-retirement roles as pastors, judges, and teachers, stressing their continued contribution to the community. Habecker argues that older people, like the Levites, should remain active in their faith, mentoring younger generations and fulfilling God's purpose. He encourages continuous growth and service in all stages of life, advocating for a multi-generational approach to ministry.

Support the show

"Finishing Well Ministries aims to encourage and inspire aging Christians to understand and embrace God’s calling in their later years, equipping them to actively pursue and fulfill His calling. FWM provides materials, events, and other on-line resources that provide shared insights focused on finishing our lives well. We also recruit and train volunteers who lead and encourage small groups around the world to fulfill God’s mission for them in these critically important years." - Hal Habecker

Website: www.finishingwellministries.org

Email us: [email protected]
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finishingwellministries
Support Our Ministry: https://www.finishingwellministries.org/donate

Are there biblical principles to help us understand how to finish well?
Explore the Seven Essentials for Finishing Well. Learn more.

Thanks for listening as we all strive to live and finish life well!

Send us Fan Mail

This study explores the lives of several key biblical characters to examine how they finished their earthly journeys—whether in strength, struggle, or redemption.

Hal Habecker introduces a series on aging and fulfilling God's purpose, emphasizing that aging is a meaningful part of God's plan. Hal argues that older people are a valuable resource often ignored by culture citing 2 Timothy 4:6-8 and Psalm 90:12 to underscore the need for wisdom and purpose in aging. Hal encourages continuous service to God, regardless of age, and stresses that retirement does not diminish one's mission. He concludes by urging everyone to live out their calling as effective disciples for Christ.

For our study, we’ll be looking at many characters from the Old Testament and some from the New Testament. The apostle Paul writes this when we think about learning from the Old Testament.

Support the show

"Finishing Well Ministries aims to encourage and inspire aging Christians to understand and embrace God’s calling in their later years, equipping them to actively pursue and fulfill His calling. FWM provides materials, events, and other on-line resources that provide shared insights focused on finishing our lives well. We also recruit and train volunteers who lead and encourage small groups around the world to fulfill God’s mission for them in these critically important years." - Hal Habecker

Website: www.finishingwellministries.org

Email us: [email protected]
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finishingwellministries
Support Our Ministry: https://www.finishingwellministries.org/donate

Are there biblical principles to help us understand how to finish well?
Explore the Seven Essentials for Finishing Well. Learn more.

Thanks for listening as we all strive to live and finish life well!