Tozer Devotional

Devotions » Tozer Devotional

Wed, July 11, 2012

Costly Discipleship

In our eagerness to make converts I am afraid we have lately been guilty of using the technique of modern salesmanship, which is of course to present only the desirable qualities in a product and ignore the rest. We go to men and offer them a cozy home on the sunny side of the brae. If they will but accept Christ He will give them peace of mind, solve their problems, prosper their business, protect their families and keep them happy all day long. They believe us and come, and the first cold wind sends them shivering to some counselor to find out what has gone wrong; and that is the last we hear of many of them. The teachings of Christ reveal Him to be a realist in the finest meaning of that word. Nowhere in the Gospels do we find anything visionary or overoptimistic. He told His hearers the whole truth and let them make up their minds. He might grieve over the retreating form of an inquirer who could not face up to the truth, but He never ran after him to try to win him with rosy promises. He would have men follow Him, knowing the cost, or He would let them go their ways. All this is but to say that Christ is honest. We can trust Him. He knows that He will never be popular among the sons of Adam and He knows that His followers need not expect to be. The wind that blows in His face will be felt by all who travel with Him, and we are not intellectually honest when we try to hide that fact from them.

Verse

From this time on many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. John 6:66

Thought

Following Christ is costly in many ways. For some it means physical suffering, even death. For others rejection, ostracism, extreme prejudice. The greatest cost of all is to the old nature, ego, self. Yet consider the cost of not following Christ.

Prayer

Lord, if I turn from following You, to whom do I go? Eternal life is in knowing You.

Deeper Life Discussions

What has God been teaching you today?

Share with the Community Need an account? Register Now

Here is what others have said in the Deeper Life forum:

more»


RSS Tozer Devotional RSS Subscribe


“What I believe about God is the most important thing about me.”

A. W. Tozer, a modern day prophet, was a key figure in The Christian and Missionary Alliance. His legacy reaches through time and has impacted countless millions. A prolific author and pastor, Tozer was known for his emphasis on the deeper life movement. His message, informed as it was by A.B. Simpson the founder of The Alliance, brought the missionary call to a massive audience. A series of his sermons are available as audio files.

bookHis books have been published around the world and in many languages. This devotional was compiled from the That Incredible Christian, Chapter 36 - The Wind in Our Face

Share

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Del.icio.us
  • Digg
  • Windows Live
  • Google
  • MyYahoo!

Get Involved...

Pray.

The Alliance believes wholeheartedly in the power and necessity of prayer. We cannot “Live the Call Together” unless prayer is central to all we do—in our denomination, in our churches, and in our individual lives.

Give.

You can help build Christ’s Church around the world by donating online to the Great Commission Fund. This central funding vehicle allows our international workers to focus on ministry rather than raising financial support.

Serve.

Is God calling you to full-time service? Do you want to participate in a short-term missions trip and experience missions work firsthand? We’re here to help you connect your passion with God’s purpose.