Friday, December 28, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
The Will of God
Have you ever had a decision that weighed heavy on your heart and no matter how much you prayed the will of God alluded you. Well don't fret just remember the Lord has a plan in place that will bring Him glory. I always try to seek Godly counsel because the Holy Spirit speaks to us, through His Word, through circumstances and through others. It crucial that we ask for his will ,truly seek his will and continually knock until it is opened for us.
Matthew 7:7 "Ask,
and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be
opened to you.”
In looking at how we make decisions as believer, its important to remember that we have the Holy Spirit to guide and to direct. But it is also important to remember that if we are sold out for Christ, it means that our decisions aren't based on our own wants or desires, But rather on surrender. Wen my heart is surrendered and submitted to His will no matter what , He can safely give me the desires of my heart- because my desires are to please Him. George Mueller's little method on how to discern the will of God is the best concise explanation I've seen - Here it is Be blessed.
George Mueller's little method on how to discern the will of God is the best concise explanation I've seen. Here it is:
HOW TO ASCERTAIN THE
WILL OF GOD
1. I seek at the beginning to get my
heart into such a state that it has no
will of its own in regard to a given matter. Nine-tenths of the trouble with people generally is just here.
Nine-tenths of the difficulties are
overcome when our hearts are ready to do the LORD's will, whatever it may be. When one is truly in this
state, it is usually but a little
way to the knowledge of what His will is.
2. Having done this, I do not leave the
result to feeling or simple impression.
If so, I make myself liable to great delusions.
3. I seek the Will of the Spirit of God
through, or in connection with, the Word
of God. The Spirit and the Word must be combined. If I look to the Spirit alone without the Word, I
lay myself open to great delusions
also. If the Holy Ghost guides us at all, He will do it according to the Scriptures and never contrary to them.
4. Next I take into account
providential circumstances. These often plainly
indicate God's Will in connection with His Word and Spirit.
5. I ask God in prayer to reveal His
Will to me aright.
6. Thus, through prayer to God, the
study of the Word, and reflection, I
come to a deliberate judgment according to the best of my ability and knowledge, and if my mind is thus at
peace, and continues so after two or three more petitions, I proceed
accordingly. In trivial matters, and in
transactions involving most important issues, I have found this method always effective. -by George Meuller
Friday, April 8, 2011
Follow Me!
Let My People Go! The Early Christians met in fear of their lives but they knew following Christ was worth it. They knew that if they were found out that they would be killed for their commitment to the way, yet they met in hope of hearing the Word of God and having fellowship with other believers that were sold out to follow Christ. Christians in the first Century hung a sign over the door to signify the gathering places for those seeking safe passage and desiring at the risk of death to hear Gods Words. Today that emblem (Fish) is plastered on the back of every preppy SUV in the commuter lane. It no longer signifies the entrance to safe passage but has become an Icon for the Blessed achiever who has found a way to secure the American dream while still claiming to follow Christ. The Believer that sits back and guesses what would Jesus Do? Instead of claiming what it is Jesus actually said. Luke 9:57-62 Jesus Could call anyone of us to leave it all Luke 14:25-26 and to follow Him ? Mark 10:17-22 Follow Him Where ? Matthew 28:19 says to: " Go therefore and make disciples of all nations." There are still Pharaoh's holding God's people in bondage and yes God is still sending his messengers to give that message of deliverance. There are still Christians dieing for their faith while we sport all the "Not of this World tee shirts, Fish empblems and praying baby bumper stickers.Perhaps the only honest measure of the recklessness of my confidence in Christ is my readiness to die for what I believe. But, even greater yet perhaps a greater test of my faith in Him is not only my willingness to die for Jesus and the furtherance of the gospel but to live for him without the safety net of self-dependeption one-day at a time. Romans 8:13 our lord gives us a warning worth hearing "For if we live according to the flesh you will die;but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of he body you will be saved. " In His Service Pastor Fred
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Those who have Ears
The effective teaching of Gods word translates our theology our doctrine and our faith into our walk, our witness and our lives. Effectively taught by Gods word Kings become servants and servants become Kings.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
To Know God
"And this is eternal life that they may know You , the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" John 17:3
If a house is built for prayer , no man must expect a blessing who neglects to tread its floor.
If a pulpit is erected for the ministry of the word, No man must expect (although we do sometimes get more than we expect) to be saved except by the hearing of the word.
If the bible is printed in our own native language, and we can read it, he who neglects the Holy Scripture and ceases from its study has lost one great and grand opportunity of being blessed.
You may hear sermons from a man whom God delights to honor. You may read the writtings of a man whom God has blessed with a double portion of His Holy Spirit; You many attend every prayer meeting, or turn over every page of the blessed book But, in all this, there is not life for the soul apart from the breath of the divine Spirit.
Use these means , we exhort you to use them and use them dilegently but, remember none of these means are of any benifit to you unless God the Holy Spirit will own and crown them.
"Spurgeon the Holy Spirit"
How this speaks to my heart , there is no purpose in an empty chruch. A chruch filled with people yet devoid of the Holy Spirit. There is no purpose in erecting a pulpit that expounds wise words less the Spirit of God which gives them life. Ten thousand people may only yeild one whose eyes and ears have been opened to see and hear the Word of God as the Spriit of God has gifted. But, there must be those who seek the Spirit of God whose desires cannot be quenched by shallow self-ambitions and who sense the empty rooms.
If a house is built for prayer , no man must expect a blessing who neglects to tread its floor.
If a pulpit is erected for the ministry of the word, No man must expect (although we do sometimes get more than we expect) to be saved except by the hearing of the word.
If the bible is printed in our own native language, and we can read it, he who neglects the Holy Scripture and ceases from its study has lost one great and grand opportunity of being blessed.
You may hear sermons from a man whom God delights to honor. You may read the writtings of a man whom God has blessed with a double portion of His Holy Spirit; You many attend every prayer meeting, or turn over every page of the blessed book But, in all this, there is not life for the soul apart from the breath of the divine Spirit.
Use these means , we exhort you to use them and use them dilegently but, remember none of these means are of any benifit to you unless God the Holy Spirit will own and crown them.
"Spurgeon the Holy Spirit"
How this speaks to my heart , there is no purpose in an empty chruch. A chruch filled with people yet devoid of the Holy Spirit. There is no purpose in erecting a pulpit that expounds wise words less the Spirit of God which gives them life. Ten thousand people may only yeild one whose eyes and ears have been opened to see and hear the Word of God as the Spriit of God has gifted. But, there must be those who seek the Spirit of God whose desires cannot be quenched by shallow self-ambitions and who sense the empty rooms.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Was the Robe Placed on Jesus Scarlet or Purple?
Recently I was asked "Was the Robe Placed on Jesus scarlet or Purple? and why is there so much contraversy between the Gospel accords regarding this. I found this artical written in Apologetics press that was very articulate in covering the subject matter so I am quoting it here and refrences are given.
Apologetics press
Http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/559
Was the robe Placed on Jesus Scarlet or Purple?
By Eric Lyons, M. Min
After being flogged with a dreadful Roman scourge, Jesus was taken by Pilate's soldiers into the governor's headquarters where the whole garrison gathered around Him. It was here that the soldiers placed a crown of thorns on His head, a reed in His hand , and a robe on his body. Skeptics maintain that a contradictions exists between the Gospel accounts because they describe the color of the robe differently. Whereas Matthew says that the soldiers "put a scarlet robe" on Jesus (27:27-28), Mark says that "they clothed Him in purple" (15:16-17), and John states that the soldiers put "a purple robe" on Him (19:1-2). These differences have lead some to believe and advocate that the Gospel writers wrote under their own power with no help from a Higher being , and thus they contradicted one another in their narratives. Because increasingly more people are swallowing such allegations blindly and rejecting the inerrantcy of the Scriptures, logical answers are required. The question is do such valid answers exist for the differences in the Gospel narratives concerning the robe placed upon Jesus after his scourging?
All would agree that we oftentimes see colors a little differently. What one person calls blue, some one else may be more specific and call navy blue. a die-hard football fan may render to his team's color as dark red, whereas someone else who sees the teams faded uniforms for the first time at the end of a grueling season may conclude that the teams color is more maroon. While coloring pictures for their parents, one child may color an orange-yellow Sun, while the other draws a Sun that is bright yellow. Surely no one would accuse these individuals of lying or being deceitful because on was more specific than another. Like wise skeptics have no solid grounds on which to stand when they disregard common sense and create biblical contradictions that do not exist. The simple face is , Matthew, mark, Luke and John wrote from different perspectives; they did not participate in collusion. The same way that individuals today look at colors and see different tones, shades, and tints, the Gospel writers saw the activities surrounding the life of Jesus from different angles.
The garment placed upon Jesus after his brutal scourging likely was similar to the faded football uniforms mentioned above, but in His case we read of "a scarlet robe..faded to resemble purple" (The Wycliffe Bible Commentary). [It is difficult to imagine Pilate arraying Jesus' bloody body with a new robe. More likely it was one that had been worn and cast off as useless 9Barnes). According to A.T. Roberson, there were various shades of purple and scarlet in the first century and it was not easy to distinguish the colors or tints (1997) . In fact, the ancients (especially the Romans) used the term purple when speaking of various shades of red (Mcgarvey, 1875, p. 361;Barnes, 1997). Consequently, these different colors sometimes would be called by the same name.
AS one can see there is no discrepancy in the Gospel narratives concerning the color of the robe Jesus wore. Just like other of their day, the Gospel writers simply used the terms scarlet and purple interchangeably.
Barnes, Albert (1997), Barnes' Notes (Electronic Database: Biblesoft).
McGarvey, J.W. (1875) Commentary on Matthew and Mark (Delight AR: Gospel Light).
Robertson, A.T. (1997) Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (Electronic Database: Biblesoft).
The wycliffe Bible Commentary (1985), Electronic Data base: Biblesoft.
Although many different people from many diverse backgrounds wrote the books fo the Bible in very diffrent styles, in many diffrent places, over a long period of time, the bible really has only one author - God. Since, God is perfect, Holy and true, there are no real contradictions in His Word, even if it looks like it a first glance. So we have to look a little deeper. We can rest assure that if the Bible is truly from god, and if God is a God of truth (as we know Him to be), then if two parts of his word seem to be in opposition or in contradiction to each other, our interpretation of one or both of these parts must be in error. In many cases context, audiance, persepctive, and culture often brings clearity.
I am reminded of the Samaritan woman who came to the well upon meeting Jesus she was shocked that He would ask her for a drink of water. Jesus said to her " If you knew the gift of God and who it is who says to you "Give Me a drink you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water". Later on Jesus askes her to Go, call her husband and the woman says she has no husband and Jesus calls her on having five husbands and the one whom she was with is not her husband either. She is amazed that Jesus knows her life but, she quickly changes the subject to our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship. In other words lets not talk about me and you. Lets talk about religion and third party facts. "Jesus said to her, Woman believe me, the hour is comng when you will neither on this mountian, nor in Jerusalem worship the Father. "You worship what yo do not know;we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. [V:24] God is Spirit and those who whorship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
The things of the flesh cannot comprehend the things of the Spirit. We must seek Him in Spirit and in truth... We must ask ourselves if we are truly seeking truth and are we doing it in the Spirit of the Lord. Most often confusion is easier then truth because confusion allows us to continue our lifestyle of choice and has no requirments and demands nothing of us. Truth demands a choice. Love demands a choice and it demands truthfulness.
The woman at the well said "I know that Messiah is coming (who is called Christ). When He comes He will tell us all things."
Jesus said to her, "I AM HE!" The color of the the Robe dosen't change that - She knew enough to make a choice. You may not understand all thing but perhaps you know enough to make a choice. You will never understand the things of the Spirit unless you seek in the Spirit.
Don't miss the Messiah because your stumbled on the Color of his Robe or any other minute detail that you may be stumbling on. Don't let your lack of ability to completley understand every single detail keep you from accepting Gods love and the other 99% of the bible. When I think about the creator of the Universe writting me a letter I'm not amazed that sometimes it takes me a little while to understand all that he is saying to me. But I know He loves and I'm going to keep reading that Love letter knowing he loves me until I understand.
Apologetics press
Http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/559
Was the robe Placed on Jesus Scarlet or Purple?
By Eric Lyons, M. Min
After being flogged with a dreadful Roman scourge, Jesus was taken by Pilate's soldiers into the governor's headquarters where the whole garrison gathered around Him. It was here that the soldiers placed a crown of thorns on His head, a reed in His hand , and a robe on his body. Skeptics maintain that a contradictions exists between the Gospel accounts because they describe the color of the robe differently. Whereas Matthew says that the soldiers "put a scarlet robe" on Jesus (27:27-28), Mark says that "they clothed Him in purple" (15:16-17), and John states that the soldiers put "a purple robe" on Him (19:1-2). These differences have lead some to believe and advocate that the Gospel writers wrote under their own power with no help from a Higher being , and thus they contradicted one another in their narratives. Because increasingly more people are swallowing such allegations blindly and rejecting the inerrantcy of the Scriptures, logical answers are required. The question is do such valid answers exist for the differences in the Gospel narratives concerning the robe placed upon Jesus after his scourging?
All would agree that we oftentimes see colors a little differently. What one person calls blue, some one else may be more specific and call navy blue. a die-hard football fan may render to his team's color as dark red, whereas someone else who sees the teams faded uniforms for the first time at the end of a grueling season may conclude that the teams color is more maroon. While coloring pictures for their parents, one child may color an orange-yellow Sun, while the other draws a Sun that is bright yellow. Surely no one would accuse these individuals of lying or being deceitful because on was more specific than another. Like wise skeptics have no solid grounds on which to stand when they disregard common sense and create biblical contradictions that do not exist. The simple face is , Matthew, mark, Luke and John wrote from different perspectives; they did not participate in collusion. The same way that individuals today look at colors and see different tones, shades, and tints, the Gospel writers saw the activities surrounding the life of Jesus from different angles.
The garment placed upon Jesus after his brutal scourging likely was similar to the faded football uniforms mentioned above, but in His case we read of "a scarlet robe..faded to resemble purple" (The Wycliffe Bible Commentary). [It is difficult to imagine Pilate arraying Jesus' bloody body with a new robe. More likely it was one that had been worn and cast off as useless 9Barnes). According to A.T. Roberson, there were various shades of purple and scarlet in the first century and it was not easy to distinguish the colors or tints (1997) . In fact, the ancients (especially the Romans) used the term purple when speaking of various shades of red (Mcgarvey, 1875, p. 361;Barnes, 1997). Consequently, these different colors sometimes would be called by the same name.
AS one can see there is no discrepancy in the Gospel narratives concerning the color of the robe Jesus wore. Just like other of their day, the Gospel writers simply used the terms scarlet and purple interchangeably.
Barnes, Albert (1997), Barnes' Notes (Electronic Database: Biblesoft).
McGarvey, J.W. (1875) Commentary on Matthew and Mark (Delight AR: Gospel Light).
Robertson, A.T. (1997) Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (Electronic Database: Biblesoft).
The wycliffe Bible Commentary (1985), Electronic Data base: Biblesoft.
Although many different people from many diverse backgrounds wrote the books fo the Bible in very diffrent styles, in many diffrent places, over a long period of time, the bible really has only one author - God. Since, God is perfect, Holy and true, there are no real contradictions in His Word, even if it looks like it a first glance. So we have to look a little deeper. We can rest assure that if the Bible is truly from god, and if God is a God of truth (as we know Him to be), then if two parts of his word seem to be in opposition or in contradiction to each other, our interpretation of one or both of these parts must be in error. In many cases context, audiance, persepctive, and culture often brings clearity.
I am reminded of the Samaritan woman who came to the well upon meeting Jesus she was shocked that He would ask her for a drink of water. Jesus said to her " If you knew the gift of God and who it is who says to you "Give Me a drink you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water". Later on Jesus askes her to Go, call her husband and the woman says she has no husband and Jesus calls her on having five husbands and the one whom she was with is not her husband either. She is amazed that Jesus knows her life but, she quickly changes the subject to our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship. In other words lets not talk about me and you. Lets talk about religion and third party facts. "Jesus said to her, Woman believe me, the hour is comng when you will neither on this mountian, nor in Jerusalem worship the Father. "You worship what yo do not know;we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. [V:24] God is Spirit and those who whorship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
The things of the flesh cannot comprehend the things of the Spirit. We must seek Him in Spirit and in truth... We must ask ourselves if we are truly seeking truth and are we doing it in the Spirit of the Lord. Most often confusion is easier then truth because confusion allows us to continue our lifestyle of choice and has no requirments and demands nothing of us. Truth demands a choice. Love demands a choice and it demands truthfulness.
The woman at the well said "I know that Messiah is coming (who is called Christ). When He comes He will tell us all things."
Jesus said to her, "I AM HE!" The color of the the Robe dosen't change that - She knew enough to make a choice. You may not understand all thing but perhaps you know enough to make a choice. You will never understand the things of the Spirit unless you seek in the Spirit.
Don't miss the Messiah because your stumbled on the Color of his Robe or any other minute detail that you may be stumbling on. Don't let your lack of ability to completley understand every single detail keep you from accepting Gods love and the other 99% of the bible. When I think about the creator of the Universe writting me a letter I'm not amazed that sometimes it takes me a little while to understand all that he is saying to me. But I know He loves and I'm going to keep reading that Love letter knowing he loves me until I understand.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Who is A.W. Tozer
A.W. Tozer
[ My favorate work: Knowlege of the Holies.
A.W. Tozer was a preacher of the Word of God. Tozer believed that conformity to the Word of God is is always right, but obedience to religious leaders is good only if those leader prove themselves worthy to lead. Leadership in the church of Christ is a spiritual thing and should be soon understood by everyone. It takes more than a ballot to make a leader, but obedience to religious leaders is good only if those leaders prove themselves worthy to lead. Leadership in the church of Christ is a spiritual thing and should be so understood by everyone. It takes more then an election of ballots to make a leader… Tozer believed that if the church was to prosper spiritually it must have spiritual leadership, not leadership by majority vote. It is highly significant that when the apostle Paul found it necessary to ask for obedience amount the young churches he never appealed to them on the ground that he had been duly elected to office. He asserted his authority as an apostle appointed by the Head of the church. He held his position by right of sheerer spiritual ascendancy, the only earthly right that should be honored amount the children of the new creation.
Tozer once said “I guess my philosophy is this: Everything is wrong until God sets it right.”
This statement from Dr. A.W. Tozer perfectly summarizes what he believed and what he tried to do during his many years of ministry. The entire focus of A.W. Tozer’s preaching and writing was on God. He had no time for religious racketeers who were inventing new ways to promote their gimmicks and inflate their statistics. Like Thoreau, who he read and admired, Tozer marched to a different drummer; and for this reason, he was usually out of step with many of the people in his religious circle.
But it was this evangelical eccentricity that made us love him and appreciate him. He was not afraid to tell us what was wrong. Nor was he hesitant to tell us how God could make it right. If a sermon can be compared to light , then A.W. Tozar released a laser beam from the pulpit, a beam that penetrated your heart, seared your conscience, exposed sin, and left out crying, “ What must I do to be saved?” The answer was always the same: surrender to Christ; get to kow God personally; grow to become like Him.
Aiden Wilson Tozer was born in Newburg (then known s La Jose), Pennsylvania, on April 21, 1897. In 1912 the family moved from the farm to Akron, Ohio; and in 1915 he was converted to Christ. He immediately entered into a life of devotional intensity and personal witness. In 1919 he began pasturing the Alliance Church in Nutter Fort, West Virginia. He also pastured churches in Morgantown, West Virginia; Toledo, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; and in 1928 came to the Southside Alliance Church in Chicago. Here he ministered until November, 1959, when he became pastor of November, 1959, when he became pastor of the Avenue Road Church in Toronto. A sudden heart attach on May 12, 1963, ended that ministry and Tozer was ushered into Glory.
I am sure that Tozer reached more people through his writing than his preaching. Much of his writing was reflected in the preaching of pastors who fed their souls on his words. In May, 1950 he was named editor of the Alliance Weekly now The Alliance Witness, which was probably the only religious magazine purchased primarily for its editorials. I once heard Dr. Tozer at an Evangelical press Association conference taking to task editors who practiced what he called “super-market journalism – two columns of advertising and one aisle of reading material.” He was an exacting writer and was as hard on himself as he was on others.
What is there about A.W. Tozer’s writings that gets hold of us and will not let us go? Tozer did not enjoy the privilege of a university or seminary training, or even Bible School education for that matter; yet he has left us a shelf of books that will be mined for their spiritual wealth until the Lord returns.
For one thing A. W. Tozer wrote with conviction. He was not interested in tickling the ears of the shallow Athenian Christians who were looking for some new thing. Tozer re-dug the old wells and called us back to the old paths, and he passionately believed and practiced the truths that he taught. He once told a friend of mine, I have preached myself off of every Bible Conference platform in the country!” The popular crowds do not rush to hear a man who’s convictions make them uncomfortable. Tozer was a mystic, an evangelical mystic in an age that is pragmatic and materialistic. He still calls us to see that real world of the spiritual that lies beyond the physical world that so ensnares us. He begs us to please God and forget the crowd. He implores us to worship God that we might become more like Him. How desperately we need that message today!
A.W. Tozer had a gift of taking a spiritual truth and holding it up to the light so that, like a diamond, every facet was seen and admired. He was not lost in homiletical swamps; the wind of the Spirit blew and dead bones came to life. His essays are like fine cameos whose value is not determined by their size. His preaching was characterized by an intensity-spiritual intensity-that penetrated one’s heart and helped him to see God. Happy is the Christian who has a Tozer book handy when his soul is parched and he fells God is far away.
This leads to what I think to be the greatest contribution A.W. Tozer makes in his writings; he so excites you about truth that you forget Tozer and reach for your Bible. He himself often said that the best book is the one that makes you want to put it down and think for yourself. Never do I read Tozer without reaching for my notebook to jot down some truth that later can be developed into a message. Tozer is like a prism that gathers the light and then reveals its beauty.
[ My favorate work: Knowlege of the Holies.
A.W. Tozer was a preacher of the Word of God. Tozer believed that conformity to the Word of God is is always right, but obedience to religious leaders is good only if those leader prove themselves worthy to lead. Leadership in the church of Christ is a spiritual thing and should be soon understood by everyone. It takes more than a ballot to make a leader, but obedience to religious leaders is good only if those leaders prove themselves worthy to lead. Leadership in the church of Christ is a spiritual thing and should be so understood by everyone. It takes more then an election of ballots to make a leader… Tozer believed that if the church was to prosper spiritually it must have spiritual leadership, not leadership by majority vote. It is highly significant that when the apostle Paul found it necessary to ask for obedience amount the young churches he never appealed to them on the ground that he had been duly elected to office. He asserted his authority as an apostle appointed by the Head of the church. He held his position by right of sheerer spiritual ascendancy, the only earthly right that should be honored amount the children of the new creation.
Tozer once said “I guess my philosophy is this: Everything is wrong until God sets it right.”
This statement from Dr. A.W. Tozer perfectly summarizes what he believed and what he tried to do during his many years of ministry. The entire focus of A.W. Tozer’s preaching and writing was on God. He had no time for religious racketeers who were inventing new ways to promote their gimmicks and inflate their statistics. Like Thoreau, who he read and admired, Tozer marched to a different drummer; and for this reason, he was usually out of step with many of the people in his religious circle.
But it was this evangelical eccentricity that made us love him and appreciate him. He was not afraid to tell us what was wrong. Nor was he hesitant to tell us how God could make it right. If a sermon can be compared to light , then A.W. Tozar released a laser beam from the pulpit, a beam that penetrated your heart, seared your conscience, exposed sin, and left out crying, “ What must I do to be saved?” The answer was always the same: surrender to Christ; get to kow God personally; grow to become like Him.
Aiden Wilson Tozer was born in Newburg (then known s La Jose), Pennsylvania, on April 21, 1897. In 1912 the family moved from the farm to Akron, Ohio; and in 1915 he was converted to Christ. He immediately entered into a life of devotional intensity and personal witness. In 1919 he began pasturing the Alliance Church in Nutter Fort, West Virginia. He also pastured churches in Morgantown, West Virginia; Toledo, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; and in 1928 came to the Southside Alliance Church in Chicago. Here he ministered until November, 1959, when he became pastor of November, 1959, when he became pastor of the Avenue Road Church in Toronto. A sudden heart attach on May 12, 1963, ended that ministry and Tozer was ushered into Glory.
I am sure that Tozer reached more people through his writing than his preaching. Much of his writing was reflected in the preaching of pastors who fed their souls on his words. In May, 1950 he was named editor of the Alliance Weekly now The Alliance Witness, which was probably the only religious magazine purchased primarily for its editorials. I once heard Dr. Tozer at an Evangelical press Association conference taking to task editors who practiced what he called “super-market journalism – two columns of advertising and one aisle of reading material.” He was an exacting writer and was as hard on himself as he was on others.
What is there about A.W. Tozer’s writings that gets hold of us and will not let us go? Tozer did not enjoy the privilege of a university or seminary training, or even Bible School education for that matter; yet he has left us a shelf of books that will be mined for their spiritual wealth until the Lord returns.
For one thing A. W. Tozer wrote with conviction. He was not interested in tickling the ears of the shallow Athenian Christians who were looking for some new thing. Tozer re-dug the old wells and called us back to the old paths, and he passionately believed and practiced the truths that he taught. He once told a friend of mine, I have preached myself off of every Bible Conference platform in the country!” The popular crowds do not rush to hear a man who’s convictions make them uncomfortable. Tozer was a mystic, an evangelical mystic in an age that is pragmatic and materialistic. He still calls us to see that real world of the spiritual that lies beyond the physical world that so ensnares us. He begs us to please God and forget the crowd. He implores us to worship God that we might become more like Him. How desperately we need that message today!
A.W. Tozer had a gift of taking a spiritual truth and holding it up to the light so that, like a diamond, every facet was seen and admired. He was not lost in homiletical swamps; the wind of the Spirit blew and dead bones came to life. His essays are like fine cameos whose value is not determined by their size. His preaching was characterized by an intensity-spiritual intensity-that penetrated one’s heart and helped him to see God. Happy is the Christian who has a Tozer book handy when his soul is parched and he fells God is far away.
This leads to what I think to be the greatest contribution A.W. Tozer makes in his writings; he so excites you about truth that you forget Tozer and reach for your Bible. He himself often said that the best book is the one that makes you want to put it down and think for yourself. Never do I read Tozer without reaching for my notebook to jot down some truth that later can be developed into a message. Tozer is like a prism that gathers the light and then reveals its beauty.
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