I read this writing by A.W. Tozer yesterday and it has caused me to muse again. Today, I'm sharing his words with you and then I'll share my musings at a later date when they have become more solidified in my mind and heart. I invite you to muse along with me and then share those musings with me so we can encourage one another. The writing is from A.W. Tozer's book, RENEWED DAY BY DAY.
"If God has singled you out to be a special object of His grace you may expect Him to honor you with stricter discipline and greater suffering than others are called upon to endure.
If God sets out to make you an unusual Christian He is not likely to be as gentle as He is usually pictured by the popular teachers. A sculptor does not use a manicure set to reduce the rude, unshapely marble to a thing of beauty. The saw, the hammer and the chisel are cruel tools, but without them the rough stone must remain forever formless and unbeautiful.
To do His supreme work of grace within you He will take from your heart everything you love most. Everything you trust in will go from you. Piles of ashes will lie where your most precious treasures used to be.
Thus you will learn what faith is; you will find out the hard way, but the only way open to you, that true faith lies in the will, that the joy unspeakable of which the apostle speaks in I Peter 1:8, is not itself faith but a slow-ripening fruit of faith. You will learn, too, that present spiritual joys may come and go as they will without altering your spiritual status or in any way affecting your position as a true child of the heavenly Father.
Then you will also learn, probably to your astonishment, that it is possible to live in all good conscience before God and men and still feel nothing of the "peace and joy" you hear talked about so much by immature Christians!"
So, dear friends, think or muse on these things and let me know what you're thinking. My inquiring mind wants to know!
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Interesting. I am haven't read much of Tozer's teachings so I don't know what his doctrinal foundation he basis his writings. Does he base his philosophy on the "God is in Control....predestination....Sovereign God doctrine" or is he a "free will" believer? Just wondering.
ReplyDeleteI am more of a free will believer. I don't believe that we as New Testament believers suffer afflictions because God has brought them to teach us a lesson. He has poured out mercy, forgiveness, and love to all believers through the death and resurrection of his son Jesus. It says in the gospel....when Jesus came the Angels declared "glory to God in the highest, and on earth PEACE, and GOODWILL towards men". To me this means that now God has made peace with man through Jesus Christ. Yes, one day there will be a Judgment, but I believe we are in the period of peace with God until the Day of Judgment when all men who don't confess Jesus will be Judged.
Now I don't know if I am interpreting his writing correctly. Jesus clearly has said, He has given back the authority back to men that what once in the hands of the enemy (the fall). He clearly says the enemy is the thief, the destroyer.
I believe God warns us of things before they happen. Thus, being spirit led is very, very important. You can avoid much pain if we are spirit led. But then again....if He is leading us to take a certain job, move to a certain city, have more children, give things away, and we, knowing it is going to be a step in faith in trusting Him to provide for us and knowing He will hold us during this (ride), then we know He has good intended for us. He doesn't just surprise us with afflictions to teach us a lesson. Thus I am not a believer that God will bring sickness, poverty, or any horrible thing to say He is in control and this is just part of destiny.
NT believers must be spirit led in all they do. This is how will teach us to lean on his goodness, faithfulness, and all good things. Always blessing is on the other side. The wilderness experience in exodus was led by the Lord but the promise was great (abundance, health, etc...). Of course through this experience some trusted and some didn't. Some complained and a few rejoiced in His goodness and trusted 100% of the way. It is hard to trust and have faith when you are in a place not knowing where God is leading....but when you KNOW Him this is another story. You know HIM because He is for us and not against us! This is the beauty of an intimate relationship with the Father!
I can go on and on with this.....THis revelation of God's love and goodness keeps my heart beating daily and my passion for Him the more. I used to be a believer in that "we never know what God might do and just hang on for your life because you never know what might happen, he might make you have sickness, extreme loss, or even death for His will" I walked in so much fear. But when the revelation of God's goodness and love filled my heart. I am now a passionate woman for the Lord!
Love ya Faye!
If there were any typos....oops sorry...I didn't proofread. :)
ReplyDeleteI believe that Tozer is mentioning here about the Favour of God the Father. Sometimes it does seem that God favours others more than some of us but in that favour there are times when GOD needs to works His will in our lives and that can only be acheived by the Father chiselling us and hammering us into shape. Only then do we experience the true riches of serving, trusting and obeying our Heavenly Father.
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