Note: This morning we are headed out to Oklahoma for a family reunion next weekend. On the way out we are driving down the Shenandoah Valley through Virginia and Tennessee where we will visit Brooksyne's sister in the Nashville area. We are taking our bikes to ride on rail trails along the way and today expect to ride on the C&O trail in Maryland. We intend to post several Daily Encouragement messages while on the trip depending on time and internet.

Message summary: Young or old, let us seek the Lord today. He ever remains a faithful rewarder of those who diligently seek Him!

Listen to our message on your audio player.

"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them" (Ecclesiastes 12:1). "Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. He did right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of his father David and did not turn aside to the right or to the left. For in the eighth year of his reign while he was still a youth, he began to seek the God of his father David" (2 Chronicles 34:1-3).

Josh Beers is a friend of ours who leads an interesting ministry called OneLife Institute, a nine month gap program for young people coming out of high school that is designed to strengthen their faith before a decision is made regarding college or career. It's for students who want to grow in their faith, experience genuine community, serve others, and travel while earning college credit. Years ago Josh made a visit to our home telling us about his ministry. We are heartened by his heart for ministry and for young people.

In our ABF class this last Sunday we heard about two young graduates who will be attending this program. What a joy now as "senior" adults to see the generations that follow us take up His great cause. Today we post a video from CityAlight and what a blessing to see these young people express their faith musically.

The work of Christ's Kingdom has gone forth from generation to generation since the birth of the church. It most certainly will continue to do so until the Lord returns, for we can be confident in the truth expressed by our Lord, "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it".

For many their young years are especially tumultuous to their Christian faith. We've walked that same path in our youth and faced the same temptations and asked the same questions that young people ask today. Some rebel while others stay relatively steady through those years. Still others came to know Christ following those impressionable years.

Currently, young people are barraged with temptations in ways my generation was not. (And certainly there was plenty of temptation 50 years ago!)  But consider the cultural slide into immorality over the last 50 years.

Josiah lived in a time of tremendous decadence about 2,600 years ago just prior to God's judgment by the Babylonians. His reforms stalled the inevitable judgment of God but he was the last king to provide godly leadership before the exile. Shortly after his death the people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon.

Consider the youth who grew up in Josiah's generation who were taken captive, yet remained faithful to God. That would include Daniel along with his three faithful friends. Today we solemnly consider how that very well may be the case for young people today. Although we do not know when or how judgment will come we sure appear to be headed in that direction. Just consider the increasing societal turmoil and rejection of God. Practically daily the news reports reveal this breakdown.

Please note the portion of our daily text, "While he (Josiah) was still a youth, he began to seek the God of his father David". Josiah, at the impressionable age of 16, made a choice to follow in the ways of the Lord. That's great isn't it! It warms our hearts to see spiritual interest in our children and youth. In great part because we know they will avoid the heartache and fallout that comes from living a life of sin and degradation. The reality of life is that we'll deal with plenty of heartache not of our own making, so we are wise to avoid that which is a result of our own sinful choices or lack of biblical discernment.

Young or old, let us seek the Lord today. He ever remains a faithful rewarder of those who diligently seek Him!

Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, we pray that our young people, like Josiah, will do right in Your sight and follow in the ways of godly training. We pray for our children, grandchildren, and those within our circle of influence; that they will learn to seek You early in their lives, avoiding the many traps set by the devil, including the current trappings seen in the daily news where people are following false religions, supporting dangerous causes, and contributing to the demise of our country, where law and order was once respected and upheld by the majority in our country. Help us not to veer off course, but to stay on the straight and narrow way that leads to eternal life. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

"My God is All I Need/My God is So Big"  Watch on YouTube  CityAlight Music

"Be Thou My Vision, Be Enthroned"  Watch on YouTube  Calvary Church Choir and Orchestra.

OneLife Institute