A Lower Level

DEVOTIONAL:

There are leaders and there are churches within the Christianity of our day who will surely answer for their failure to apply the disciplines of the New Testament to the present generation of young people.

Much of Christianity today does not hold to the necessity for disciplines in the Christian life. If we have any of God's concerns in our hearts, we must grieve over the lack of spirituality in the lives of great segments of professing Christian young people.

It is not my calling to assess blame. It is part of my Christian calling to proclaim the fact that no one, young or old, has the right to come to Jesus Christ and stake out their own conditions and terms.

Segments of Christianity have made every possible concession in efforts to win young people to Christ; but instead of converting them to Christ, they have "converted" Christianity to them. Too often they have come down to the modern level -- playing, teasing, coaxing, and entertaining. In essence, they have been saying to them, "We will do everything as you want it," instead of giving them Christ's insistent word, "Take up your cross!"

A. W. Tozer

"Pursuing God"

SCRIPTURE:

5 For You are my hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth.

6 By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother's womb. My praise shall be continually of You.

7 I have become as a wonder to many, but You are my strong refuge.

8 Let my mouth be filled with Your praise and with Your glory all the day.

9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails.

10 For my enemies speak against me; and those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together,

11 Saying, "God has forsaken him; pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him."

12 O God, do not be far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!

13 Let them be confounded and consumed who are adversaries of my life; let them be covered with reproach and dishonor who seek my hurt.

14 But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.

15 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and Your salvation all the day, for I do not know their limits.

16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.

17 O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works.

18 Now also when I am old and gray-headed, O God, do not forsake me until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come.

~ Psalm 71:5-18