The Pursuit of God: Chapter 10

Summary:

When it comes to Christian faith we tend to see it in two parts. We see it in a scared and a secular part. This is one of the biggest things holding someone back. When you live alone the secular it causes much distress and too much attention to what is going on in the world. This is a super big difference in our life with God. When it comes to the sacred we always try to what is pleasing to God. This is how we show our faith and how we show God what he means to us. The other is when we go about our lives and act like these things are a waste of time because they do not involve God. The things we do to please God seem different because they seem unworldly like prayer for example. We forget that the things we do in everyday life can be pleasing to God and an act of worship. It is possible to put the two together. The separation we place is not in the bible. Jesus was always living his life to please God. There was no separation for him and he is the best example we have of this. Paul even said that we should do everything for the glory of God. This is everything, not just what we think God wants.

When we look at our misuse of what we have been given we should feel bad. There should be a conviction there. When we think of a Christian who lives their life please to God 100% of the time we see a life that is following God’s will for his life. We see one who is following what is written and is living fully for God. He understands the words that are written in God’s word. When we fully submit to God we are making sure that everything else follows. We must continually practice living for God and giving him the glory. When we acknowledge that we are 100% God’s we will be bringing together both parts of ourselves to make everything for God. All this and breaking old earthy habits can only be done when we practice our faith aggressively. We also need to remember that places are not sacred, it is God that makes it so. Everything in our lives is equal and not separate from anything when we are living for God.

Analysis:

After reading the chapter it is clear that Tozer is trying to make a clear statement about the fact that we do not live two separate lives. We either live completely for God or not for him at all. This seems to be an overall theme for the book as well as this chapter. We cannot live one without the other. When we work it is for God. When we read God’s word it is to experience God. All that we do is for God. We bring God with us wherever we go and there is no hiding from that. All that we do is to be pleasing to God, not just the sacred things we learn about it church. Our whole lives must be.

What I Have Learned:

I have learned that it is not just the time I invest in knowing God that reflects how my life is lived and that it is so much more than my knowledge of God. I will do more the make all that I do an act of worship to God, so my life can be pleasing to him in all ways. 

The Pursuit of God: Chapter 9

Summary:

When we look at the world around us we really do not see anything that represents the things that Jesus teaches us in the sermon on the mount. The virtues taught seem to be lacking in the world we live in. We see a lot of pride in the world we live which goes against the meekness we should see. We live in a world full of it, everywhere you look it is there. When Jesus spoke the things he did, what he said was extremely important to the way we live. Jesus was not just saying what he thought was right. Because he was who he was, he was always certain what he was speaking was the truth. In fact, what he spoke was the truth. What he said was supported by greater things than we know and we should listen to his words. When Jesus talks about the burden man carries he is talking far deeper than the physical burden. He is talking about spiritual and emotional burden as well. All of man carries the burden and when Jesus uses that word he is talking about the exhaustive burden. When we stop what we are doing and carrying, that is when we find the rest that Jesus is talking about.

The burden we have can take a toll on us from inside. It is not just physical. We do not have to bear this exhaustive burden and when we focus everything of God, that is when the burden is taken and we are able to rest. This is meekness. Most of the time when we think meek, we think weak and that is not the case at all. One who is meek can be strong. There is no burden holding them down. This is when we are right with God and we have accepted to take the yoke that has been offered to us, instead of carrying it alone. God is everything and we are nothing without him. When we walk in meekness, we are letting God take care of us. There is no struggle to defend ourselves. When this happens we are also delivered from things sin makes us think. We always want to impress. We want to make sure what we have is good enough for people to like us. With God that does not matter anymore. Our world is full of pride and pretense and the only way out of that and to meekness is through God. Letting him take care of it.

Analysis:

When reading it really got me looking at my life and how I have grown since I have come back to really wanting to follow God. When I was not invested in following, I wanted to take care of everything myself and it was exhausting. I was tired and always worrying about what would happen next. But now I find myself relying on God a whole lot more. Noting is more relaxing than knowing that God has this and he will always be there to take care of things. He will bring rest for those who focus on him.

What I Have Learned:

I have learned that it takes putting full faith and investment in God to really see what he wants from you and that through putting full faith in Him, he will bring peace of mind to your struggles and restlessness. This is where I will continue what I’m doing and let God drive and I will continue to worship him and stop trying to impress those around me because God is what matters.

The Pursuit of God: Chapter 8

Summary:

Our crazy moral displacement is where our despairs come from and disturbs our relationship with God. Salvation is the repair of our relationship with God. This is what brings us back to what our relationship with God should be. (creator-creature) When we experience this change in our spiritual lives we will find complete contentment. This needs to be done within the consciousness of the sinner and experienced. This change needs to change the whole nature of the sinner. Looking at God is a good way for us to get a hold on where we should be moral with Him. He is our sun and we are the sailor. We are only standing correctly in our moral standing when we are looking at God. Lots of Christians struggle with this because we are unwilling to really take our lives to the next level with God and surrender. We need to make the adjustments that are required in our lives to live this way. When we accept God as he is then we can start on the right foot with him. In that, we also learn to love him for what he is. Before anything else, after everything else and above all is God. He will always be first in any order of anything thing.

When it comes to what we can give God, he deserves everything and anything we can give him. When we give him less than what he deserves we are sure to find grief. When we are willing to put God above all else and completely surrender our lives to Him, who deserves all is when we are finally right with God. When we finally break away from worldly living is a direct sign that we have changed our lives in the way of Creator-Creature relationship. This is the true to test of what He means to us. Not all are willing to give up everything to lift God up to where he belongs in their lives. When we are reluctant we need to remember you are either serving God or sin, you can not serve both. When you surrender to God you are giving up a slave driver and taking up a yoke that is easy to carry. We can only feel at home with God because that is where we are created. Jesus is the ultimate example of how we are to give ourselves to God.

Analysis:

When it comes to how we live our lives it really chalks up to God and how we view him in our lives. We are either all in or not in at all. God has to be first and there has to be a full submission in our relationship with him. God is our creator and he created us to worship Him in all we do. If we cannot do that we are living for ourselves and not for Him. We begin to find comfort in other things when we need to find comfort in Him and Him alone. What other way did Jesus find comfort in his life as he was living for his heavenly father when he was persecuted and nailed to a cross to die and bare our sins and to repair that relationship for all of us to have a chance to be in heaven with God.

What I Have Learned:

I have learned that I need to learn how to put God first, by following and spending more time with him. I can do this by making sure I make him a constant priority in my life and making sure I keep up with my studies and digging into his work and praying.

The Pursuit of God: Chapter 7

Summary:

When the Bible teaches us things, one of the many things we learn is the doctrine of faith. Faith is super important and without it, it is impossible to make God happy. When it comes to faith we believe in a promise that is found in God’s word. We are trusting that the bible and God’s word are true. Throughout the Bible, there is very little that defines faith. Hebrews 11:1 is the only play we even find something close to a definition of faith. Faith is only defined functionally. There is not a philosophical definition of faith. Faith is a gift given to us by God. Isreal was a great example of faith in the sense that they tended to look with their eyes when faith is done with the heart. When it comes to our faith we are to always be looking at the God of mercy and never stop looking until we have found mercy. Jesus even looked at God, always did. We are told to keep our eyes on Jesus as we go through life, never faulting. Faith is not just a one-time thing, we are to constantly be attentive to that and to keep our focus on God. This is basically the thought to gaze at Jesus forever.

Faith is the least self-centered of all the things we learn. Faith is rerouting our vision and making sure God gets all of our focus. When we look up at God we are likely to see Him looking back with friendly eyes. Faith is probably one of the easiest things we can do. All people can have faith. It is so simple. Believing is simply looking. This can be done with nothing. You do not need anything to simply look. Looking can also be done anytime and anywhere you want to do it. You can do it at twelve AM at night or even when you clock in for work. There is something inside our very hearts that see God. There is something always going on between us and God. All this will bring on the habit of beholding God. All this will come with time as we do so. When it comes to us looking at God. We, as worshippers, are closer to each other together when we look up to him.  Doing this out of habit will bring us to a whole new level in our relationship with God.

Analysis:

Faith is so simple that even children can do it. When it comes to believing in God and our faith it is something we need to make sure we practice in our walk with God. Keeping our eyes fixed on the one who created all things is just the beginning. Making sure the eyes stay fixed on Him is the key to developing the habits we need to have a spiritual engagement with Him. Making sure we stay focused on  Him in all the things we do. He is our number one focus even when we are going about our everyday life. If that faith and focus is set on him, that will continue even through our regular day. God is with us 100% of the time.

What I Have Learned:

I have learned that faith is so easy and simple and it takes us focusing on God in all he is to form the habit to make him the center of all. I will continue to do my time with God and continue to keep him at the focus of my day.

The Pursuit of God: Chapter 6

Summary:

In this Chapter Tozer touches on the fact that God’s nature is to speak and communicate with us. God is always speaking to us and through his word. He never stopped. When we think of God speaking we need to keep in mind that it does not mean the Bible. When God speaks he speaks the structure of all things, He can speak things into creation, He can speak things into happening. The Bible is the written word of God and is just that due to its nature of being ink and paper. It is really limited in that way. When we see the word of God written in the bible it can have power because it parallels Gods words in the world. God has a voice that can fill the entire world. This voice was here even before the bible was, it is what spoke the entire world into being and created man.

We need to remember that God is speaking and we need to remember that this is what backs up all other things that relate to God. God didn’t write the bible. God spoke the bible. God is constantly speaking and speaking to us through all things. His speaking is what is constantly putting power into his Word. The example is God-breathed on clay and created man and God breathed on man and created clay. This example showed that mankind path due to the fall of man. We are born and return to the earth. When we hear the word of God it lights our hearts. When the word is heard there is not running from it. God is invisible and all the He is said in his spoken word. Back during the time of the ancient Hebrews the voice of God was said to be wisdom. His voice was said to be everywhere sounding and looked through the earth. God’s voice wants a response from us. The response we give to the voice of God is spiritual. It is an imploring response.  Though today it seems we have trained ourselves not to hear it. When it comes to hearing the voice of God and trying to describe it, it seems we have always gone about a natural way of doing so. Thunder is often used to do so. We have also begun to look at God in a scientific manner instead of worshipping and adoring manner because we live in world of secularism. God's voice is a friendly one unless we have chosen not to listen to it. If someone will listen to what the voice of God has to say, you will hear it. Listening though is not a popular option in today's religious choices. The bible will always be a book until we believe that God speaks in his creation. Lots of people tend to think that the only place God can speak is through the bible. God is not silent.

Analysis:

            When we try to make it so we think we can only hear God through the bible we miss things that God can try to speak to us through our quiet time with him. God speaks so through his creation and us. Once we can hear his voice we will be able to hear him through his written word which is the spoken word of God. Waiting to hear God is a way for us to be more intimate with God by hearing him.

What I Have Learned:

I have learned that we need to really be more aware of what God is saying and not look at things from a secular point of view. I will do my best to really try and look at things from a trying listen to God. 

The Pursuit of God: Chapter 5

Summary:

In this chapter Tozer talks about divine immanence. This is basically the topic of how God dwells in his own world. This is not to be confused with pantheism. All this means is that God is here with us, wherever we are, always. No one is farther or closer to God in the world, he is the same distance from everyone. God is the cause of everything. Without God, there would be no matter. No mind and no law. He is the beginning of all things. Most do not know that God is here with us on earth, near and close to us. If we were aware of his closeness here on earth it would change everything in how we view God.

God is here and we are not completely aware of his existence here. His presence is always here. He is manifested when we are aware of his presence and acknowledge him as here with us on earth, everywhere. When it comes to this there must be a complete surrender to see God manifest. Only then will he show us all of him. When this happens God will reveal that he is and what he is just like he did with Moses. When we pursue God, this is when he successfully manifests himself to us. When we realize God this is us seeing God coming from a distance. When Good approaches our souls God is not on separate terms. There is no distance. God is closer to our souls than anything else. God has the same will for all his children. He has no favorites. When we see differences in each other as followers of God, the difference is not with God, but within ourselves. We see the difference. God does not. When we see the greats who moved movements in Christian history the one thing they all had in common was the spiritual response to God. God’s sovereignty is let by all. We need to stop living in the quick pay off society mindset is we are to truly listen to the spirit. We all copy each other and do not live for ourselves in our relationship with Christ. Each of us is different. We need to be determined to hear God, follow biblical ways and repent to break from the mold.

Analysis:

When looking at what Tozer said, I know sometimes I get lost in God’s creation forgetting that he is actually here among us. Though there is a barrier between us on a physical sense there is not one between God and our souls.  God knows us far more intimately than we know ourselves. He wants to reveal himself to us through our obedience to him. We live in a time where we just go with the flow and follow what everyone else is doing, we need to listen to God and follow where he leads. Be aware of his words and know each of us is different and his plans for our lives are different.

What I Have Learned:

I need to be wholly aware of God’s presence here on earth and be always ready to listen to him. I will take time to really spend time with God, more so than I do now and let him manifest himself to me when he chooses too. 

The Pursuit of God: Chapter 4

Summary:

When it comes to God there is always to be a personal experience with him. The relationship with God is intimate and fatherly. God is a God of personality and personal acquaintance can be found in him. There is much in the bible that can be known about this personal knowledge of him and much to support it.  The Bible shows that we can know God the same way we know any other person we may come to know in our lives as long as we pursue that endeavor. Reality is something that is seeable and obtainable. It is all around us and anyone can see it. Anything that is real is the reality. Christians can be comforted in the fact that God is the only absolute in life and will not let anyone tell them otherwise.

When it comes to knowing God as a Christian, Christians are too honest to play over ideas for their own sake. They know that when it comes to God, the risk is not worth it. God is real and reality is what rides on his existence. Without God, there would be no reality. There would not even be earth without his existence. When it comes to faith, faith cannot make anything. Faith is what reckons what already exists in this world because of God and who he is. As sinful people who make mistakes, we have formed back habits for our thoughts and we think of what we see as real and we tend to not see that others are. This is all done from within our hearts and blindness to what is. When it comes to following God we must choose to be different. Not of our world, but of something else.  With our faith in God, what have we lost if we end up being wrong? We have lost nothing. But if we are right we have gained everything.

Analysis:

When looking at what Tozer has written it is really easy for me to see things my mother has taught me long ago. I was always told I have nothing to lose by believing in God. If I end up being wrong I haven’t lost anything. God provides the ultimate life to those who follow him faithfully. But if others who are not in his way, they have lost everything. Their souls included. It is really a matter of seeing if faith is worth it to you. Are you willing to lose your soul in the long wrong or are you ready for a fully committed life in Christ? One of falling in love with the great creator and following his call for you. With God, there's nothing to lose but the world. Gaining the world is not worth losing your very soul. Believing in the unseen seems hard for some people to do, but walking by faith is the true test. Knowing that God is the unseen and wall the path before you with him.

What I Have Learned:

I have learned that what I have learned growing up about faith is completely true and that following God is both reality and reckoning. That reality is seeing the world around us and the reckoning is faith coming to see what God has done so I will continue to walk by faith and form that relationship with God. 

The Pursuit of God: Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Summary:

This chapter was talking about the veil that separates us from God and that there are two different types of veils that do that. One that was torn when Jesus died on the cross for our sins and the other that is between our spirit and Gods. Tozer starts by making a point to say that God created us for Him. We are meant in the end to really glorify God in all we do, that is what we were created to do. With this we were made to come together as the body of God with God to enjoy him and each other in holy company.  Spending time worshipping God is what we were made to do.

With Jesus dying on the cross we are now able to enter into God’s presence without fear. We must continue to glorify God in all we do. With the vail torn this was made possible for us with a relationship with God. What we are experiencing from God is all positional and we do not have to actually experience God in that way. God is eternal and he was before everything else. God never changes and he never will. Only God can fulfill us in everything that we need. The second veil between our spirit and God’s was not taken away as the first one was. Our sin nature is what keeps that veil up and it is up to us to give everything over to God.

Analysis:

When it comes to the relationship we have with God we really need to know that the what is in our heart is ultimately what keeps us from God. Our fleshly desires are really what can cloud our time with God. It is really about the focus we have on God and we have to really make sure that we take time with God. Making sure that our purpose is worshiping him, giving him all the praise we can in all that we do. When the veil was torn, Jesus gave his life so that we are able to join God in fellowship. Without that we would have never had that opportunity. God loved us that much, so why wouldn’t we want to join him in that. In praising and worshiping God we have the opportunity to do what we were made to do and please God with those actions. We have a lot of sins that can keep us from God and it is ourselves that decide if we truly want that time with God or not. Whether we decide to deny ourselves and follow God or turn away and give into that desire of sin.

What I Have Learned:

I have learned that it is really my job to tear down that veil down between me and my God to enjoy that time with God. I think the best way to apply that to my life is to really pay attention to what is taking control over my life that is not God and what could deter me from my relationship with God. 

The Pursuit of God: Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Summary:

In this chapter, Tozer touched on the importance of giving everything fully to God and not having anything for yourself. The main story he touched upon was the story of Abraham and how he was so in love with his son that he began to put him first and before God. God is a jealous God and wants us to always put him before all things in this world. Sin brought about the love of ‘things’. So God told Abraham to kill his son. Only when God saw that Abraham was willing to listen and do as God said, did God stop Abraham from doing it.

Tozer touched on the verse talking about taking up your cross and denying yourself. Through the chapter, the point is made that if you feel you can’t give something up without yearning for it or feel like you can’t live without it, your priorities are not with God and that you are living for this world and not for God. He makes the point to touch on that it's not just material goods we as sinful people do this with, but also with the people around us. We can feel we need to worry about or care about others more than we do about God. Giving those things and people over to God and making them his and not ours is where things change. It is not “mine” it is “His”.

Analysis:

I think this chapter touched on a lot of things we do not really ever think of sometimes. We do not normally think of the things we live with every day becoming more important than God. For example the people we spend our time with, the music we listen to, our hobbies, our food, and our money. Money is an everyday thing that we use to thrive and strive in society. Little do we think that this has become something that has taken importance over God. Denying yourself daily is really realizing what you're pursuing more than God and not putting it down to follow God more closely. Everyone is guilty of it. There are so many things in this life that seem to come before God, even time can be more important.  We get so caught up in me, mine, ours that we forget about God. My car is God’s. My money I earn to pay my bills is God’s. My friends are God’s even though they spend time with me. It is so important to focus on what is God’s and not what is mine. Because in reality, it's not mine. All of this, all my “things” are Gods. I was given everything as a gift. It can be taken from me.

What I Have Learned:

From this chapter I have learned that I really need to focus my attention on God more and really focus on where my priority is. I know I struggle with this and it is something I need to apply to my life, in general, all the time. 

The Pursuit of God: Chapter 1

Summary:

            In this chapter, there was a lot of touching on how God should be the one who satisfies our every need. Though the chapter started out with talking about how God seeks us before we can seek God. God seeks us and sends that desire to us, the desire to fill ourselves with the spirit. God is the driving force that pushes us to seek him. The whole relationship between God and servant is love. Our love for God and his love for us. This is shown by us following the call to follow and take him in.

            Finding God and following him is really what love is. As followers, we show love to God and he will show us the ways to make our paths straight in his will. There is actually a simplicity that we fail to see if following God. We try to make it this complicated thing and it makes it hard to attain. All the activities and things we do in this world can not satisfy the need we have like God can. We simply need to set everything aside and approach him. We are coming to him to impress him, we are here to worship him and talk with him, learn about him. Whoever keeps God close to him as something precious has all he needs in life.

Analysis:

            When looking over the chapter, I really think Tozer has a point. I am a fan of Tozer’s writing and have always taken some valuable lessons away from it.  Seeing where I stand when I am openly listening and surrendered to God. It is so easy to get lost in what the world has to offer and forget what God has to offer when things are open to making you feel good for a temporary time. We tend to get lost and in the complexity of life and also tend to make God more complicated than he actually needs to be. There is no substitute for God, but the world can make it seem like anything can be one.  I know that the world can sweep people away easily and we can forget that all we have in this world will go away one day. Seeking after God in his word and prayer and all around us after he has taught us is really what can satisfy a heart after God’s.

What I Have Learned:

I have learned that God calls to us and then we seek after him, only after that can we begin to seek and see him and his will for our lives. Using this is a good way to convey a call to worship and live for Christ in all aspects of life. 

Come with me on my journey through The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer.

So I have decided I am going to take you along with me on my school journey. I have lost all my missions posts because I deleted an old email and didn't think about my blog being lost. So I am going to start with a series for the paper I am writing for one of my College classes. It has a format so it will be rather thought out.

This post is just to introduce the format of the paper and how my posts will look. If you want to read the book with me, it is free for Kindle.

 The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer

So feel free to download the book and read each chapter as I post about it.