Am I Listening to the Voice of God?

My thoughts on reading The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine by A.W. Tozer

Chapter 6 – The Speaking Voice

As a speech/language pathologist, I enjoy thinking about communication, whether it is social or technical, spoken or written.  I’m pretty well educated in the events and lessons of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.  Yet, in this latest chapter, Tozer again taught me concepts that had never occurred to me before and had never been taught to me in 30-some years of listening to sermons and Sunday School teachers. The ideas are simple and straightforward, so they reveal the ongoing need for me and for all of us to just see God for Who He has revealed Himself to be.  We know He is complicated beyond our understanding, so we try to match that complex expectation with our human ideas, not realizing that He has made the greatest truths of Himself simple and straightforward so that anyone of us can understand.

The first of these great truths is that God is speaking.  I think of Genesis and how God spoke the universe and all of His creation into existence, and I think of that as being past tense; however, the truth is that His voice continues to resound throughout all of existence.  Tozer explains, “the expression of the will of God is the breath of God filling the world with living potentiality.”  For each of us, this begins when He creates each individual by choosing the parents for a fledgling soul, the time in history in which he or she will experience life on Earth, and what continent, government, and culture will surround him or her.  God gifts each one with talents and strengths as well as weaknesses so that each of us is given potentiality according to God’s wisdom and timing.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with Whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.” ~ James 1:17-18

Am I Looking for the Presence of God?

My thoughts on reading The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine by A.W. Tozer

Chapter 5 – The Universal Presence

The parameters of our physical reality seem to be the universe in which we live — a singular universe with boundaries, if they exist, so far-reaching that they have only in recent decades become “measurable” with man’s calculations and man’s numbering system. I imagine God laughs at our folly.

He is the One presence in our physical reality whose knowledge is complete, because He is the Creator of all that we observe. He is far above mere physical reality, yet in the material world He is ever present, no matter where we are in the universe, and no matter when we exist. He was there before the beginning, from the moment when He began to speak His Creation into existence, and He will still be present after our physical reality has ceased to exist.

“Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You [are] God.” ~ Ps. 90:1-2

“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!” ~ I Kings 8:27

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You [are] there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You [are there]. [If] I take the wings of the morning, [And] dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.” ~ Ps. 139:7-10

There is no place within this Creation that God is not present, so no matter where we go or how alone we feel, it is absolutely certain that He is there, not just watching as a casual observer, but seeing all the physical truth, all the emotional truth, and even the spiritual truth. We may feel intimidated by our circumstances, overwhelmed by our feelings, or out of touch spiritually; but that is merely a demonstration of the natural limitations of our perception, understanding only our own life experience, our own familiar places, and our own assigned time in history.

Reality Check

A Birthday Poem

by Ted Kooser

Just past dawn, the sun stands
with its heavy red head
in a black stanchion of trees,
waiting for someone to come
with his bucket
for the foamy white light,
and then a long day in the pasture.
I too spend my days grazing,
feasting on every green moment
till darkness calls,
and with the others
I walk away into the night,
swinging the little tin bell
of my name.

One of the biggest complaints I hear from people who are non-believers is that God, if He exists, is not taking care of all the problems in the world.  I imagine a number of believers wonder about this too.  As human beings, limited by time and space, we have a very linear perspective – We are born, we live a very short span of time, and then we die, as Ted Kooser’s poem so picturesquely describes.

We have no control over the era of history into which we are born, or the culture in which we will be raised.  We cannot choose our parents or grandparents, whether rich or poor, honorable or ignoble.  Even our genetic make-up is decided within the womb, and we have no choice in the matter.  These are all God’s decisions.  He has his reasons, and we cannot know them or judge them.  God’s character, based upon what His Word tells us, is really all we can know for certain; and we know His decisions and actions are a product of His character, and therefore above reproach.  Here is a passage that shows us Who God is, and what qualities describe Him:

“I will betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me
In righteousness and justice,
In lovingkindness and mercy;
I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness,
And you shall know the LORD.
Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth,
And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy;
Then I will say to those who were not My people,
‘You are My people!’
And they shall say, ‘You are my God!’” ~ Hosea 2:19-20, 23

Is God really responsible for everything that happens?

Do I Have Eyes to See and Ears to Hear?

My thoughts on reading The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine by A.W. Tozer

Chapter 4 – Apprehending God

This chapter focuses on the manner in which we think about God. Which of these best describes your belief?

• The evidence indicates that He must exist, so I believe.
• Others have told me that He exists, so I believe.
• I believe that God is another name for the essence of good that pervades all things.
• I believe that God is another name for the sense of order in the universe.
• The phenomena of life and creativity represents what God is to me.
• My creed is that God is a person, my heavenly Father, so I therefore believe.
• God is a personal being Whom I know through experience and spiritual discernment, so I therefore believe.

As humans, we experience the world around us through our five senses, and Scripture speaks to that reality:

“Oh, TASTE and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!.” ~ Ps. 34:8
“For in You, O LORD, I hope; You will HEAR, O Lord my God.” ~ Ps. 38:5

“The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To SEE if there are any who understand, who seek God.” ~ Ps. 14:2

“And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-SMELLing aroma.” ~ Eph. 5:2

“Bow down Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; TOUCH the mountains, and they shall smoke.” ~ Ps. 144:5

Even as we recognize the physical world by using our physical senses, it is possible to recognize spiritual realities by using spiritual discernment.  This ability, once obtained through faith, enables us to know God and experience spiritual life through Him.  This fact is supported by the Word of God:

“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” ~ Romans 5:5

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” ~ Eph. 1:7

“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” ~ Col. 1:9

Have I Spent Time in the Fire?

My thoughts on reading The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine by A.W. Tozer

Chapter 3 – Removing the Veil

What is the chief purpose of man?

Certainly, to give our Creator pleasure: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” ~ Rev. 4:11 (KJV)

And not grief: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man.” ~ Eccl. 12:13 (NIV)

But also, not that our relationship with him would be one-sided, but that it would be mutual. This is extremely important to God, as Jesus’ dearest friend, “the beloved disciple” John, reveals to us through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (I John 4:7-19 NKJV). Tozer calls this “divine communion… the sweet and mysterious mingling of kindred personalities”.

Men of God: one reminds me of Jesus and another of John

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son [to be] the Saviour of the world.”

“Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us.”

Tozer reminds us, “We have broken with God. We have ceased to obey Him or love Him, and in guilt and fear have fled as far as possible from His presence… [Therefore], the whole work of God in redemption is to undo the tragic effects of that foul revolt, and to bring us back again into right and eternal relationship with Himself.”

Who or What is On the Throne?

My thoughts on reading The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine by A.W. Tozer

Chapter 2 – The Blessedness of Possessing Nothing

The whole idea of what we value being “on the throne” in our hearts is, according to Tozer, “not a mere metaphor, but an accurate analysis of our real spiritual trouble.” The things that God gifted to us, which were intended to be outwardly enjoyed while He reigned on our inward, spiritual throne, have become “necessary — a development never originally intended.”

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? “ ~ Matt. 16:24-26 (NKJV)

Jesus’ use of the words “profit” and “gain” suggest the deep-rooted selfishness of our possessive, sinful hearts. This enemy within cannot be tolerated. Jesus tells us to do three things in order to keep Him on the throne:

• Deny ourselves
• Take up our cross
• Follow Him

“Blessed [are] the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” ~ Matt. 5:3 (NKJV)

Tozer explains, “These blessed poor are no longer slaves to the tyranny of things… Free from all sense of possessing, they possess all things.” He further exhorts, “If we refuse one step (of this holy pursuit), we bring our progress to an end.” This principle is exemplified in the historical tale of Abraham and Isaac, because the long-awaited child of promise became such a delight to his old father’s heart that he soon became the center of it, an idol on the throne.

God’s request that Abraham sacrifice Isaac on the altar directly confronts this wrong priority in Abraham’s heart, a priority that is so easily understood by any parent. Isaac was not just any son; he represented the promises of God, the covenant with God, the hopes of the past and the Messianic dream of the future. How was Abraham able to offer this child on the altar of sacrifice?

“And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.” ~ Gen. 22:8 (KJV)

The answer is TRUST. Abraham trusted God, and believed that He could raise Isaac from the dead, so he rose early and prepared to obey God to the letter. As he lifted the knife above Isaac’s throat, God’s voice stopped him, for now, God knew that once again, He was on the throne of Abraham’s heart.

It’s important to notice that TRUST is followed by OBEDIENCE. What happens in the heart is demonstrated in the deed.

Who or What is My First Love?

My thoughts on reading The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine by A.W. Tozer

Chapter 1 – Following Hard after God

prevenient grace = before a man can seek God or even think a right thought about God, God must first have sought the man and/or opened his eyes to wisdom. Tozer calls this “the secret cause of all desiring and seeking and praying”.

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” ~ John 6:44a (NKJV)

First Love. “The modern scientist has lost God amid the wonders of His world; we Christians are in real danger of losing God amid the wonders of His Word.”

This makes me think of the church of Ephesus as described in the book of Revelation: “…you have left your first love.” ~ Rev. 2:4 (NKJV)

How He Draws Us Near. “He communicates with us through the avenues of our minds, our wills, and our emotions.”

Yes, in this personal one-on-one manner, God interacts with each believer, calling us to make Him our First Love. But I think it’s important to remember that this is not the only way that He communicates with us. The Scripture is also direct communication to us, which is why it is so important that we learn to understand and handle it respectfully and skillfully. He can also speak through the counsel of wise believers, although I think in this day and age they are extremely rare and precious. It’s a rare blessing for us that certain authors, like Tozer, have the ability (and can therefore be trusted) to share Glory and Truth without inserting their own “spin”.

My Soul Finds Rest (or, Bare-Naked Lady)

The Parable of the Sower.

As they went from town to town, a lot of people joined in and traveled along. He [Jesus] addressed them, using this story:

“A farmer went out to sow his seed. Some of it fell on the road; it was tramped down and the birds ate it. Other seed fell in the gravel; it sprouted, but withered because it didn’t have good roots. Other seed fell in the weeds; the weeds grew with it and strangled it. Other seed fell in rich earth and produced a bumper crop.”

His disciples asked, “Why did you tell this story?”

“You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom—you know how it works. There are others who need stories. But even with stories some of them aren’t going to get it:

He said, “Their eyes are open but don’t see a thing,
Their ears are open but don’t hear a thing. 

“This story is about some of those people. The seed is the Word of God. The seeds on the road are those who hear the Word, but no sooner do they hear it than the Devil snatches it from them so they won’t believe and be saved.

“The seeds in the gravel are those who hear with enthusiasm, but the enthusiasm doesn’t go very deep. It’s only another fad, and the moment there’s trouble it’s gone.

“And the seed that fell in the weeds—well, these are the ones who hear, but then the seed is crowded out and nothing comes of it as they go about their lives worrying about tomorrow, making money, and having fun.

“But the seed in the good earth—these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there’s a harvest.” ~ Luke 8:4-15 MSG

So here it is. I’ve been out of the spiritual loop lately, not because I don’t love Jesus, and not because I’m involved in any overt or covert sinful lifestyle, but just because I’ve allowed complacency and mediocrity to quench the Spirit within me, when pleasing Him should be the passion of my life and the driving force in everything I do.

Have Compassion: Help Haiti

The catastrophic earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12 has resulted in unfathomable chaos and devastation for hundreds of thousands of children and families.

Compassion International sponsors and donors serve more than 65,000 children in Haiti. At least a third of them live in the areas that were hardest hit.

The people of Haiti desperately need our help and hope.

Living in Harmony (Part 2)

This continuation of my last post is pretty much word-for-word what Barry Henning preached at NCF in Saint Louis last June 2008. I’m not taking any credit for these inspiring words. I pray that this blesses you as much as it has me. 

Photos came from a Compassion International trip to the Dominican Republic, where families traveled to meet the kids they sponsor.  As you can see, these children who have the benefit of a sponsor are healthy, happy, in Christian school, and attending a local church. Unfortunately, many kids in the Dominican Republic and all around the world are still waiting for sponsors. You can click on any photo to reach the webpage for Compassion International.

God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit.  God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit.  God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all.

Living In Harmony (Part 1)

This post was inspired by and birthed from a sermon preached by Barry Henning at NCF in Saint Louis back in June of 2008.  It’s not a topic I would have chosen to talk about, so maybe it is one that I need to think about and discuss.  I’ve chosen to use The Message for the scripture verses that follow, which were written by Paul to the church at Corinth.

Guilty as Charged

Regarding this next item, I’m not at all pleased.  I am getting the picture that when you meet together it brings out your worst side instead of your best!  First, I get this report on your divisiveness, competing with and criticizing each other.  I’m reluctant to believe it, but there it is.  The best that can be said for it is that the testing process will bring truth into the open and confirm it.  ~ I Cor. 11:17-19

WHO SAYS I HAVE A BAD ATTITUDE???

Where I Found a Burning Bush

This post is lengthy, but it was inspired by a sermon I heard this summer at New City Fellowship in University City, Missouri – so you KNOW it’s good stuff. 

In Numbers 6, God outlines His instructions for Nazarites, who by taking a vow were consecrating their lives to God.  The word consecrate means to set apart or to devote to the service of God.  Terms that are similar in meaning are to ordain, to anoint, and to make holy or sacred.

God spoke to Moses: “Speak to the People of Israel; tell them, If any of you, man or woman, wants to make a special Nazirite vow, consecrating yourself totally to God, you must not drink any wine or beer, no intoxicating drink of any kind, not even the juice of grapes—in fact, you must not even eat grapes or raisins. For the duration of the consecration, nothing from the grapevine—not even the seeds, not even the skin—may be eaten.

“Also, for the duration of the consecration you must not have your hair cut. Your long hair will be a continuing sign of holy separation to God.

“Also, for the duration of the consecration to God, you must not go near a corpse. Even if it’s the body of your father or mother, brother or sister, you must not ritually defile yourself because the sign of consecration to God is on your head.

“For the entire duration of your consecration you are holy to God. (Numbers 6:1-8, MSG)

As we study and consider these concepts, it is really important that we allow Scripture to inform us, rather than allowing our own culture and values to be superimposed on God’s purposes, which would limit the impact of the living Word.  Let’s get started!

The Heart of Worship

This post is dedicated to all the brave soldiers who believed in freedom and were willing to pay the price with their lives in the war against terrorism.

Long time, no see!!!  I’ve been preoccupied with winding up the 2008-2009 school year, summer vacation, enjoying my darling children and grandchildren, and then getting back on track at work now that school is again in session.  I enjoyed the Sundays I spent at New City Fellowship in University City, Missouri.  We took a road trip to Nashville, spent a long weekend at the aLoft hotel there, where the kids and I enjoyed the pool, the comfy beds, and the big-screen TV.  Very lazy days!  We also watched a show at the MUNY in Saint Louis, a live performance of “Meet Me In Saint Louis“, and spent a lovely cool day walking around the city’s Zoo.  Visiting with my Mom, my sister and her husband, both my brothers and their wives and kids, even playing with the kitty-cats and my doggy friend Rudy, it was all lovely and memorable.

Nevertheless, it was great to get back to my routine.  I feel really blessed, because I love my work.  I love my students, the school where I am employed, my friends and coworkers, and life in Taiwan.  It’s currently muggy and hot as blue blazes here, but every time a wisp of a breeze blows through, we are hopeful that autumn can’t be too far away.  When I first moved here, I was appalled by the lack of architectural organization and man-made landscaping.  But the warmth and goodness of the people here have won me over, and I have learned to love the wooded mountains surrounding our valley.   

But I can’t live in a bubble.  On my television screen, I watch the frightening images of terrorism in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Israel, to name a few; oppression, disease, and starvation in Africa; and strong-arm tactics in Iran, Myanmar, and North Korea, where people are still denied the most basic of human rights.  In the USA — “the land of the free and the home of the brave” — violent crimes occur on a daily basis.  On top of all that, we see ongoing economic turmoil, global warming, and so many other concerns.  Here in Taiwan, it is peaceful, free, and safe; but just across the Taiwan Strait, China has missiles pointed directly at us.  Our day-to-day security is precarious at best, no matter where we live.

We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia.  We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it.  In fact, we expected to die.  But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.  And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again.  We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.   And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety. ~ 2 Cor. 1:8-11  NLT

Happy Father’s Day

This is a beautiful arrangement of God’s Word…  and it would make a great responsive reading for family Bible time if divided into sections, such as about 7 verses per day, which would allow for reading the entire collection weekly.

My Child,

You may not know me, but I know everything about you.
~ Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up.
~ Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways.
~ Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
~ Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image.
~ Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.
~ Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring.
~ Acts 17:28

HUNGRY

WORLD HUNGER REACHES THE ONE BILLION PEOPLE MARK.

http://tinyurl.com/n8wewt

This headline was on yahoo.com today, with the following details:

• One in every 6 people on the planet are UNDERNOURISHED and HUNGRY today.
• This is 100 MILLION more than last year. 
• Asia and the Pacific have the highest NUMBER of hungry people, at 642 million.
• Sub-Saharan Africa has the greatest RATE of hungry people, at 32 percent of the population, or 265 million people.

The WHY is complex, but appears to include the following:

• Most live in developing countries, where food prices have dropped more slowly than in richer nations.
• The global economic crisis has compounded the problem as pay rates are cut, jobs are lost, and corporations struggle to survive.  This means foreign investments decline even as the demand for trade drops.

What does this mean to YOU or ME?

Maybe a 99-cent cheeseburger instead of a $3.99 steak sub. But for those who are truly feeling the pinch, it means NO meat, NO beans, NO fresh fruits and NO vegetables – most days, NOT EVEN the staple cup of rice.