Tozer Devotional

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“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

Toddler Playpens

Something within the heart of the normal man revolts against motion without progress. Yet this is precisely what we are offered in the vast majority of evangelical churches. Doctrinally these churches are moving around a tight and narrow circle. Their teachers tell them that this circle encompasses all the land of Beulah and warn them of the danger of looking for anything more.

The teaching that consists entirely of reiteration cannot but be dull and wearisome; so the churches try to make up for the religious lassitude they cannot help but feel by introducing extrascriptural diversions and antiscriptural entertainments to provide the stultified saints with a bit of relish for their tedium. It never seems to occur to anyone that there is true joy farther on if they would only escape from the circle and strike out for the hills of God.

To bring news already known; to marshal texts to prove truth everyone believes and no one disputes; to illustrate by endless stories doctrines long familiar; to lay again and again the foundations of repentance from dead works and faith toward God—this is to labor the obvious.

"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection."

Verse

So come on, let's leave the preschool fingerpainting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ. The basic foundational truths are in place: . . . But there's so much more. Let's get on with it! (The Message). Hebrews 6:1–3

Thought

Do our churches resemble toddler playpens rather than groups of maturing saints who are forgetting what is behind and straining on toward what is ahead? If so, perhaps it is because they are victims of ministry which labors the obvious.

Prayer

Lord, challenge me to move on up to higher ground, to experience increasing spiritual maturity, to grow in You!

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