More Tozer. Prayer and praise and promises

Today I finished one of Tozer's books: "God's Power for your life: How the Holy Spirit transforms you through God's Word." It contains some great challenges and encouragements, including,

"I love Thee, for I can trust Thee to always keep Thy Word. All around me are those who fail to keep their promises for one reason or another. Everyone at some time has disappointed me, but Thou, O Christ, hast never disappointed me. Thou hast been as good as Thy Word, and Thy Word hath been good to me. May I commit myself this day and surrender my heart, mind and life to the promises that have flowed into my heart. In Jesus' name. Amen."

"The man of God says that we "have fled for refuge", and I can just see myself, with the devil one hot jump behind me, racing for the cross of Jesus, racing for Calvary's holy mountain. Just as I come panting in, the doors let down behind me, and the devil runs head-on into the gate and bounces off. He does not get me, because I have found the refuge and I am safe."

"So, says the Spirit, go on; keep on believing. You are not mistaken in fleeing to Christ. Our hope is sure, our consolation is strong, and our forerunner has already entered. The anchor grips the rock. Everything is all right in our Father's house. So, arouse you. Pursue holiness. "Be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises" (Hebrews 6:12). Show diligence and full assurance of hope unto the end."

"Christians ought to be the most delighted, happy people in the world. It is strange that we are not - but I know why we are not. The devil is out after us. The flesh is out after us. The world is out after us. In fighting these three enemies, sometimes we do not have time to be happy. We do not have time to remember that we are as safe in the arms of Jesus as if we had been in heaven a thousand years - if we will only believe, go on, and not disgrace ourselves in the kingdom of God by turning back to the beggarly elements of the world...
We have a promise we can count on, because we have a Promiser who has never and can never fail."

Patient Love - today's excerpt from In Green Pastures daily devotional by J.R. Miller D.D

"As I have loved you" means love that is sweet, fragrant, and gentle to men who have may rudenesses and meannesses, who are selfish and faulty, with sharp corners and but partially sanctified lives and very vexing ways. If all Christian people were angelic, and you were too, it would not be hard to love all; but as many other people are not yet angelic, you will still have need of patience, even if you are angelic yourself, - which probably you are not."

Wonderful, Merciful Savior (Cover)

Another lovely version of this great song.

Things I read today

"That which is has already been, and what is to be has already been; and God

requires an account of what is past."  Ecclesiastes 3:15

"This is the goal of every Christian experience: to know God in His manifest presence."

A.W. Tozer

Sing them over again to me,
Wonderful words of life,
Let me more of their beauty see,
Wonderful words of life;
Words of life and beauty
Teach me faith and duty.


Refrain:
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life;
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life.


Christ, the blessed One, gives to all
Wonderful words of life;
Sinner, list to the loving call,
Wonderful words of life;
All so freely given,
Wooing us to heaven.


Sweetly echo the Gospel call,
Wonderful words of life;
Offer pardon and peace to all,
Wonderful words of life;
Jesus, only Saviour,
Sanctify forever.


Our dear Saviour will come some day,
Wonderful words of life;
Come to rapture His bride away,
Wonderful words of life;
Glory, glory, glory,
Shout the wondrous story!
by Philip P. Bliss.

(I had previously not heard or read the last verse, so I was pleased to come across it today.)

More Tozer quotes and an A.B. Simpson hymn

"Light is available to all who seek. That is the secret.
Those who seek God earnestly and desperately
shall surely come into the glorious light of His presence."

"Nobody was more intolerant than Jesus Christ was."
A.W. Tozer

"1 I have learned the wondrous secret
Of abiding in the Lord;
I have found the strength and sweetness
Of confiding in His word;
I have tasted life’s pure fountain,
I am drinking of His blood,
I have lost myself in Jesus,
I am sinking into God. 

Refrain:
I’m abiding in the Lord,
And confiding in His word,
And I’m hiding, safely hiding,
In the bosom of His love. 

2 I am crucified with Jesus,
And He lives and dwells in me,
I have ceased from all my struggling,
’Tis no longer I but He;
All my will is yielded to Him,
And His Spirit reigns within,
And His precious blood each moment
Keeps me cleansed and free from sin. [Refrain]

3 All my cares I cast upon Him,
And He bears them all away;
All my fears and griefs I tell Him,
All my needs from day to day.
All my strength I draw from Jesus,
By His breath I live and move;
E’en His very mind He gives me
And His faith and life and love. [Refrain]

4 For my words I take His wisdom,
For my works His Spirit’s pow’r,
For my ways His gracious presence
Guards and guides me every hour;
Of my heart He is the Portion,
Of my joy the ceaseless Spring,
Saviour, Sanctifier, Keeper,
Glorious Lord and loving King.

A.B. Simpson

A very short Tozer quote

I read this prayer today in a Tozer book and thought it worth sharing, so here it is:

"I have sought Thee, O Lord, and have been confused by the false authorities that have authority over Thee. May my heart be rooted in Thy Word, O God, to such an extent that Thy truth is ever precious to me. In Jesus' name. Amen."

Yesterday's Streams in the desert devotional

I read this last night and I found it very encouraging and challenging.
I hope you are equally encouraged.

Still upward be thine onward course:
For this I pray today;
Still upward as the years go by,
And seasons pass away.

Still upward in this coming year,
Thy path is all untried;
Still upward may'st thou journey on,
Close by thy Saviour's side.

Still upward e'en though sorrow come,
And trials crush thine heart;
Still upward may they draw thy soul,
With Christ to walk apart.

Still upward till the day shall break,
And shadows all have flown;
Still upward till in Heaven you wake,
And stand before the throne.

We ought not to rest content in the mists of the valley when the summit of Tabor awaits us. How pure are the dews of the hills, how fresh is the mountain air, how rich the fare of the dwellers aloft, whose windows look into the New Jerusalem! Many saints are content to live like men in coal mines, who see not the sun. Tears mar their faces when they might anoint them with celestial oil. Satisfied I am that many a believer pines in a dungeon when he might walk on the palace roof, and view the goodly land and Lebanon. Rouse thee, O believer, from thy low condition! Cast away thy sloth, thy lethargy, thy coldness, or whatever interferes with thy chaste and pure love to Christ. Make Him the source, the centre, and the circumference of all thy soul's range of delight. Rest no longer satisfied with thy dwarfish attainments. Aspire to a higher, a nobler, a fuller life. Upward to heaven! Nearer to God!
--Spurgeon