Tozer Devotional

Devotions » Tozer Devotional

“What I believe about God is the most important thing about me.”

A. W. Tozer, a modern day prophet, was a key figure in The Christian and Missionary Alliance. His legacy reaches through time and has impacted countless millions. A prolific author and pastor, Tozer was known for his emphasis on the deeper life movement. His message, informed as it was by A.B. Simpson the founder of The Alliance, brought the missionary call to a massive audience. A series of his sermons are available as audio files.

His books have been published around the world and in many languages.

bookThe Warfare of the Spirit

Chapter 16 - Laboring the Obvious

Leaving the Elementary Teachings

Probably no other part of the Holy Scriptures has suffered as much from dull exposition as have the epistles of Paul. The writings themselves are gems of beauty, lyrical and musical. Sermons based on them should be "as crisp as biting into a fresh apple." Instead they are often as disappointing as biting into a ball of yarn. Why?

It would probably be an oversimplification to name any single cause as being alone responsible for the dullness of our preaching, but I nevertheless venture to suggest that one very important factor is our habit of laboring the obvious. (If any reader should smile and say, "That is what this editorial is doing," I have no defense to offer. At least I see my fault and shall try to remedy it.)

In trying to discover the cause of my aversion to the ministry of certain evangelical Bible teachers I have concluded that it is their incurable habit of laboring the obvious. They seem not to know that elementary truths often repeated dull the spiritual faculties of the saints. Especially is this true when the teacher insists upon playing with theological blocks, spelling out the first principles of the doctrine of Christ apparently with no intention of going on.

Verse

Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:13–14

Thought

Prayerful, careful study of God's Word opens to us truth beyond the first principles. Only as we ourselves are taught by the Spirit can we lead others into the discovery of the riches in Christ Jesus.

Prayer

Lord, if Your people are to grow to full maturity, I must feed them from Your Word and experience for myself full adulthood in You.

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