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 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.