Tozer

What happened to meeting with God?

Posted by

0

Am I a religious person or am I seeking a relationship with God?

The author A.W. Tozer wrote, “From man’s standpoint the most tragic loss suffered in the Fall was the vacating of this inner sanctum (man’s spirit) by the Spirit of God.” When Adam and Eve disobey God in the Garden of Eden, something regrettable took place. Eloquently Tozer wrote, “At the far-in hidden center of man’s being is a bush fitted to be the dwelling place of the Triune God. There God planned to rest and glow with moral and spiritual privilege and must now dwell there alone. For so intimately private is the place that no creature can intrude; no one can enter but Christ, and He will enter only by the invitation of faith.”

The Good News is that it is still possible to restore our lost relationship with God. Jesus Himself said “Behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). When a person “open the door” to Christ, He is invited into someone inner sanctum, the far-in hidden center of man’s being; then a miracle takes place, it is called the <new birth>. How does the new birth take place? It is operative by the Holy Spirit; the “divine nature” enters the deep-in core of the believer’s heart and establishes residence there. The apostle Paul add, “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his,” for “the Spirit itself witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Romans 8:9, 16). Such a one is a true Christian, and only such.

What happened to meeting with God? Did you take the time this morning to meet with God? “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Breakfast will feed your body, but what about your far-in hidden center? Don’t be content by reading a little devotional, instead take time to meet with God!

Determination

Posted by

0

Many young people have to leave home either for study, or work, or military life. For many it is a challenging time in their life, many new pressures are building up on their shoulders. History offers an interesting example of a young man that was force away from home. His own country lost a war and the enemy tactic was to expatriate young promising people to the enemy territory. This young man name was Daniel. We can learn some important lessons on how to survive in anew surrounding. Like many of today cities Babylon was a very wicked place to live. We can read in the Bible that Daniel determine in his heart what not to do. Away from Daniel familiar network into a new one came with many new temptations. Here is how Daniel manages the situation. He “determine” not to compromise with he knew to be evil.

Some year ago I read the life story of R. G. LeTourneau. I was moved to make a few resolutions. The author A.W. Tozer summarized well my stand. “Tie up the loose ends of your life. Begin to tithe; institute family prayer; pay up your debts as far as possible and make some kind of frank arrangement with every creditor you cannot pay immediately; make restitution as far as you can; set aside time to pray and search the Scriptures; surrender wholly to the will of God. You will be surprised and delighted with the results.” Inspire by LeTourneau example, I decide to give God the ‘first place’ with my time and money. Reading God’s Word became a top priority each morning. I also realize that God did answer prayers. I avoided like pest going into debt. I can say that life was never the same since.

Like Daniel, LeTourneau’s life had a very positive testimony after taking a stand for God. LeTourneau was a known as “God’s businessman”. You could read more about LeTourneau. [1]

Mercy

Posted by

0

My favorite moments of the day is in the morning, enjoying a cups of good Costa Rican coffee with my Bible. What a great way to start a day! Today as I hear the birds singing, I meditate on God’s Mercy. God’s mercy brings so much comfort to my soul. A.W. Tozer helps me grasp that God’s goodness is the source of mercy. The apostle Paul communicates us that God is the “Father of mercies” (2 Cor. 1:3). God’s goodness has a goal: “our happiness”. Yet because of sin, God’s Mercy is the one attribute that we need the most.  When you are arrested by a police man, you desire grace more that justice. You hope for mercy. God is holding up His justice because He’s having mercy. Mercy cannot cancel judgment apart from atonement. So God’s mercy brought Christ to the cross. On Calvary, God was actively “compassionates” to men major problem—sin. To illustrate my point, I’ll use Israel when in captivity in Egypt. Abused by a Tyrant, they cry up to God for help. God looked upon their sufferings, pitied them, and came down to help them. His kindness leads Him to actively “compassionate.” The NT counterpart would be the story of the Good Samaritan. What was the greatest need of the beat up man? To find a person who would have mercy on him, a man that would actively compassionates for him. God’s mercy cannot cancel judgment, sin has to be punished. To exercise His mercy, God’s justice demand atonement. Jesus actively compassionates for us, He took our sins on himself, become our substitute, and died on the cross. Don’t be afraid to tell God your troubles. He knows all about your troubles. Come as you are to a merciful God! Then enjoy life as never before. Start the day with a good coffee, but especially meeting, hearing the sweet voice of God through the Bible.

Moral Enthusiasm.

Posted by

0

At what level would you evaluate your level of moral enthusiasm?

What words describe it best: “Inward fire” or “Chronic spiritual lassitude”? It has to fall between those two poles.  The Scripture says “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Eph. 5:18). Tozer penned “When the Spirit presents Christ to our inner vision it has an exhilarating effect on the soul, much as wine has on the body.” A good New Testament illustration would be the two from Emmaus, after meeting the Lord Jesus they mention that they felt an “inward fire”.

Dante, on his imaginary journey through hell, came upon a group of lost souls who sighed and moaned continually as they whirled about aimlessly in the dusky air. Virgil, his guide, explained that these were the “wretched people,” the “nearly soulless,” who while they lived on earth had not moral energy enough to be either good or evil. They had earned neither praise nor blame. And with them and sharing in their punishment were those angels who would take sides neither with God nor Satan. The doom of all of the weak and irresolute crew was to be suspended forever between a hell that despised them and a heaven that would not receive their defiled presence. Not even their names were to be mentioned again in heaven or earth or hell. “Look,” said the guide, “and pass on.”[1]

Jesus told about the church of Laodicea: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot.” Let Him heat up your heart today! I need to add that Dante Divine Comedy is only a piece of literature, it is not inspire like the Bible. In Hebrews 9:27 God says that “it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”

[1] Aiden Wilson Tozer, The Best of A.W. Tozer Book One (Camp Hill, PA: WingSpread, 2007), 141.