They who think on heavenly things are forced by their psychological structure to use mental raw material borrowed from the earth.
And this is certain to show up in their thinking.
Even the Bible, to be understood by its readers, must condescend to tell of eternal things in the language of time. It must explain the celestial by means of the mundane.
So we find in the Scriptures birds and kings and sheep and soldiers acting as interpreters for Almighty God.
Grapes and lilies, gold and stubble, corn and cattle, rain and stars all are used by the Holy Spirit to carry our minds across the vast chasm that separates the spiritual from the material.
Doubtless the constant use of figures drawn from our familiar world to express religious ideas leaves a residuum at the bottom of our minds which in some measure gives color, if not form, to our theology.
We struggle to understand spiritual things by comparing them to natural ones; then little by little those natural things become identified with the spiritual completely and the spiritual suffers greatly as a consequence.
verse
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
— 1 Corinthians 13:12
thought
At best we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror because God reveals to us reality of which we have no experience. He speaks of the unknown in the context of the familiar so that we may grasp truth even imperfectly.
prayer
O Holy Spirit, help me to move beyond the natural to the spiritual to undersstand what for me is the newly revealed.
https://cmalliance.org/devotionals/tozer/
The fear of man brings a snare, said the prophet, and this enemy, too, must be defeated.
Our whole modern world is geared to destroy individual independence and bring all of us into conformity to all the rest of us.
Any deviation from the pattern, whatever that pattern may be at the time, will not be forgiven by society, and since the Christian must deviate radically from the world he naturally comes in for the worlds displeasure.
If he surrenders to fear he has been conquered, and he dare not let this happen.
Other enemies may be identified, such as love of luxury, secret sympathy with the world, self-confidence, pride and unholy thoughts.
These we must resist with every power within us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
verse
Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults.
— Isaiah 51:7
thought
How easily concern for what people think pushes aside our awesome reverence for what God thinks. As people of God in this world we are different. But it is sometimes embarassing, even fearful, when others note the difference. It can even be costly. Is it
prayer
O Father, give me courage to be lovingly different for Christ's sake.
https://cmalliance.org/devotionals/tozer/
Another enemy is complacency. Woe to them that are at ease in Zion? (Amos 6:1).
The contended Christian is not in danger of attack, he has already been attacked. He is sick and does not know it.
To escape this we must stir up the gift of God which is in us. We must declare war on contentment and press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Again there is self-righteousness.
The temptation to feel morally pleased with ourselves will be all the greater as our lives become better. The only sure defense against this is to cultivate a quiet state of continual penitence.
A sweet but sobering memory of our past guilt and a knowledge of our present imperfections are not incompatible with the joy of the Lord; and they are of inestimable aid in resisting the enemy.
verse
Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come!"
— Amos 6:1
thought
Distorted perspective fuels pride. We have come a long way. Thanks be to God! We have a long way to go in becoming what God intends us to be. Let's press on!
prayer
Thank You, Lord, for the changes You have brought in me. Yet the closer I come to You the more exposed is my sinfulness and old-nature living. Gracious Lord, please keep growing me.
https://cmalliance.org/devotionals/tozer/
One enemy we must resist is unbelief.
The temptation is strong to reject what we cannot explain, or at least to withhold belief till we have investigated further.
This attitude is proper, even commendable, for the scientist, but wholly wrong for the Christian.
Here is the reason: The faith of the Christian rests down squarely upon the man Christ Jesus who declares that He is both God and Lord. This claim must be received by pure faith or rejected outright; it can never be proved by investigation.
That is why Christs appeal is directed to faith alone.
The believer thinks, it is true; but he thinks because he believes, not in order that he may.
Faith secures from the indwelling Spirit confirmation exquisitely perfect, but only after it is there without other support than Christ Himself.
verse
We live by faith, not by sight.
— 2 Corinthians 5:7
thought
It is only by faith we can see the unseen that is the anchor of our belief. We live by faith. But it is faith in Christ!
prayer
O Christ, it is because of who I have found You to be that I walk by faith into the unseen.
https://cmalliance.org/devotionals/tozer/
I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
— John 17:14-15
The Church lives in a hostile world. Within and around her are enemies that not only could destroy her, but are meant to and will unless she resists force with yet greater force. The Christian would collapse from sheer external pressure were there not within him a counterpressure sufficiently great to prevent it. The power of the Holy Spirit is, therefore, not optional but necessary. Without it the children of God simply cannot live the life of heaven on earth. The hindrances are too many and too effective. A Church is a living organism and is subject to attack from such enemies as prey on living things.
Yet the figure of the human body to stand for the Church is not adequate, for the life of the body is nonintelligent, whereas the Church is composed of moral beings having intelligence to recognize their enemies and a will to enable them to resist. The human body can fight its enemies even while it is asleep, but the Church cannot. She must be awake and determined or she cannot win.
thought
Increasing is the pressure not only to be in the world but of it. The blurring of truth in the name of tolerance and cultural acceptance is lulling the North American church to sleep. It is time to wake up and stand up in the power of the Spirit.
prayer
Lord, help me to be lovingly different in this world. Only by Your Spirit's enablement can I live in it without being of it.
You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.? But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
— Revelation 3:17
Someday the church can relax her guard, call her watchmen down from the wall and live in safety and peace; but not yet, not yet. All that is good in the world stands as a target for all that is evil and manages to stay alive only by constant watchfulness and the providential protection of Almighty God. As a man or a nation may be in deepest trouble when unaware of any trouble at all and in gravest danger when ignorant that any danger exists, so the church may be in greatest peril by not recognizing the presence of peril or the source from which it comes.
The church at Laodicea has stood for nineteen hundred years as a serious warning to the whole church of Christ to be most watchful when no enemy is in sight and to remain poor in spirit when earthly wealth increases, yet we appear to have learned nothing from her. We expound the seven letters to the churches of Asia and then return to our own company to live like the Laodicean church. There is in us a bent to backsliding that is all but impossible to cure.
thought
How tragic to think that we are spiritually rich, morally strong and saintly when God sees us as pitiful, poor and blind. Complacency makes us prime targets of the enemy. In love, the Lord will discipline.
prayer
Lord, give me an ear to hear what You are saying and the good sense to bow to Your will.
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect,but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
— Philippians 3:12
?Thou art to know that thy soul is the center, habitation, and kingdom of God,? says Miguel de Molinos. ?That therefore, to the end the sovereign King may rest on that throne, thou oughtest to take pains to keep thy soul pure, quiet, void and peaceable; pure from guilt and defects; quiet from fears; void of affections, desires and thoughts; and peaceable in temptation and tribulation. Thou oughtest always then to keep thine heart in peace, that thou mayest keep pure that temple of God, and with a right and pure intention thou art to work, pray, obey, and suffer, without being in the least disturbed, whatever it pleases the Lord to send unto thee.? To enjoy this growing knowledge of God will require that we go beyond the goals so casually set by modern evangelicals.
We must fix our hearts on God and purposefully aim to rise above the dead level and average of current Christianity. If we do this Satan will surely tempt us by accusing us of spiritual pride and our friends will warn us to beware of being ?holier than thou.? But as the land of promise had to be taken by storm against the determined opposition of the enemy, so we must capture new spiritual heights over the sour and violent protests of the devil. As we move farther up into the knowledge of Christ we open new areas of our beings to attack, but what of it? Remember that spiritual complacency is more deadly than anything the devil can bring against us in our upward struggle. If we sit still to escape temptation, then we are being tempted worse than before and gaining nothing by it. ?Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount . . . Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land? (Deut. 1:6, 8).
thought
Christ Jesus took hold of us for what? Are we pressing on for it? Are our goals set high enough?
prayer
Father, I am fearful to pray 'to know You whatever it pleases You to send me.? But You are my Father and You love me, You LOVE me. I can trust You. Through Christ my Lord. Amen
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
— 2 Peter 3:18
The experiential knowledge of God is eternal life (John 17:3), and increased knowledge results in a correspondingly larger and fuller life. So rich a treasure is this inward knowledge of God that every other treasure is as nothing compared with it. We may count all things of no value and sacrifice them freely if we may thereby gain a more perfect knowledge of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. This was Paul?s testimony (Phil. 3:7-14) and it has been the testimony of all great Christian souls who have followed Christ from Paul?s day to ours. To know God it is necessary that we be like God to some degree, for things wholly dissimilar cannot agree and beings wholly unlike can never have communion with each other. It is necessary therefore that we use every means of grace to bring our souls into harmony with the character of God.
thought
Growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ is not automatic. We must make it the foremost life priority. To know Him!
prayer
Lord, today may I grow in knowing You. As I go through the day's routines I want to recognize Your presence and walk close to You.
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men?the testimony given in its proper time.
— 1 Timothy 2:5
How two wills set in opposition to each other, and both free, could be harmonized was God?s problem and His alone; and with infinite wisdom and power He solved it through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ our Lord. Because Christ is God and man He can properly represent each before the other. He is the Daysman who can stand between the alienated man and the offended God and lay His hand upon them both. ?For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus? (1 Tim. 2:5) . All this is such a familiar part of evangelical theology that it may safely be assumed that the majority of my readers know it already.
That is, they know it theoretically, but the experiential aspect of the truth is not so well known. Indeed large numbers of supposedly sound Christian believers know nothing at all about personal communion with God; and there lies one of the greatest weaknesses of present-day Christianity.
thought
Christ mediates between God and us. He draws us to God who wants all to be saved. Christ has done this by giving Himself as our ransom. You and I may know God! Are we presently knowing Him?
prayer
O Great Mediator, You have scrubbed clean my heart and mind. You have paid my sin-debt in full. I want to know You, intimately know You!