TOZER DEVOTIONAL
Devotions » Tozer Devotional
Monday, April 23, 2012
Avoiding Spiritual Deformity
There are areas in our lives where in our effort to be right we may go wrong, so wrong as to lead to spiritual deformity. To be specific let me name a few: 1. When in our determination to be bold we become brazen. Courage and meekness are compatible qualities: both were found in perfect proportion in Christ and both shone in beauty in His conflict with His enemies. Peter before the Sanhedrin and Paul before Agrippa demonstrated both qualities, though on another occasion when Paul's boldness temporarily lost its charity and became carnal he said to the high priest, "God shall smite thee, thou whited wall." It is to the credit of the apostle that when he saw what he had done he immediately apologized (Acts 25:1-5). 2. When in our desire to be frank we become rude. Candor without rudeness was always found in the man Christ Jesus. The Christian who boasts that he always calls a spade a spade is likely to end by calling everything a spade. Even the fiery Peter learned that love does not blurt out everything it knows (1 Peter 4:8) 3. When in our effort to be watchful we become suspicious. Because there are many adversaries the temptation is to see enemies where none exist. Because we are in conflict with error we tend to develop a spirit of hostility to everyone who disagrees with us on anything. Satan cares little whether we go astray after a false doctrine or merely turn sour. Either way he wins.
Verse
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8
Thought
Meekness, graciousness and trust consistently expressed in resisting ungodliness is God's pattern for us. Satan is delighted when we resort to unkind negativism paraded as godliness.
Prayer
O Lord, teach me more of love living.
Deeper Life Discussions
What has God been teaching you today?
Share with the CommunityNeed an account? Register Now
Here is what others have said in the Deeper Life forum:
- God's Love is sufficient by Charles Miles
- saved for what? by elizabethcog
- A Strength and a Weakness? by Revdavid
- Concerning Distractions by aConcernedBrother
- predestination/election by Barb Shaub
“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. This devotional was compiled from the That Incredible Christian, Chapter Fifteen - Our Tendency toward Religious Lopsidedness
get involved...
pray.
The Alliance believes wholeheartedly in the power and necessity of prayer. We cannot “Live the Call Together” unless prayer is central to all we do—in our denomination, in our churches, and in our individual lives.
give.
You can help build Christ’s Church around the world by donating online to the Great Commission Fund. This central funding vehicle allows our international workers to focus on ministry rather than raising financial support.
serve.
Is God calling you to full-time service? Do you want to participate in a short-term missions trip and experience missions work firsthand? We’re here to help you connect your passion with God’s purpose.