by Chad Lewis on July 16, 2009
For some time now, my mom has had the following A.W. Tozer quotation on her fridge. It came into my mind this morning while I was meditating so I wanted to share it with you.
A real Christian is an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has not seen, talks familiarly to someone he cannot see, expects to go to heaven on the virtue of another, empties himself in order to be full, admits he is wrong so he can be declared right, goes down in order to get up, is strongest when he is weakest, richest when he is poorest, and happiest when he feels worst. He dies so he can live, forsakes in order to have, gives away so he can keep, sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and knows that which passes knowledge.
by Chad Lewis on July 23, 2008
“The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts.”
A.W. Tozer wrote this in the preface of The Pursuit of God. As I reflect this afternoon, I am convicted of my inability to stay centered on the fact that the main goal of my life is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. I can only enjoy God if I know Him. How do we get to know Him? God reveals Himself to us in His Word. How often do I approach the Scriptures as something to be understood so I can teach them to others instead of seeking to grow in intimacy with the Father? How often do I open the Bible in order to check off the list of “to dos” for the day? Sadly enough, this is how I can easily operate.
After such realizations in the past, I would beat myself up and just try harder, but I don’t feel like this is the proper route to go. My motivation to seek God must come from something greater than some mustered up self-will. I need to repent and confess my sin before God and others. I need to ask God to help me because I am in desperate need. Then I need to preach the Gospel to myself.
How can preaching the Gospel to myself help me seek God? I must remember who God is, what He’s done, and who I am. God is holy. He is good, perfect and always right. I am a sinner and I am deserving of Hell because of my rebellion against God. God has brought me from the domain of darkness and death and adopted me to be part of His family. With such great love that I cannot imagine, God has wiped my slate clean and given me a new heart. I no longer try to earn anything because, plain and simple, I can earn nothing but death. He lavishes His grace on me and calls me to seek Him. Even typing this is an awesome reminder to me of what Rich Mullins writes, “the reckless, raging fury that we call the love of God”. My motivation is delight and not duty.
Times do exist when we will walk through the valley where we will have to continue the disciplines, but our goal in all of this time is to brought near to God and know Him more. May we be like Moses and plead with God that we might see His glory and not settle for the things of this world that are mere dung in comparison to knowing our Amazing God!
by Chad Lewis on October 23, 2005
I just got finished with a review of Twenty Something by Margaret Feinberg. This was an interesting book as it sought to shed a little light on the trials of those struggling with life decisions being made in those twenty something years. This might be a nice gift for someone struggling with these decisions.
One thing that I gleaned came in the form of a simple reminder. She writes, “The most important thing about being in your twenties isn’t figuring out what you’re going to do, but figuring out who we are” (64).
We live in a culture that too often defines a person and their worth based on their occupation. I have several answers when people ask me what I do. To some I say I’m a student. To others that I travel and play music. Still to others, I am a retired school teacher drawing 4 cents a year on pension. I try not to be defined by what I’m doing, but the lies rage internally sometimes that tell me I’m insignificant if I’m not “doing” something great.
If my worth is in who I am, my worth is great. This has nothing to do with who I am necessarily, but rather Whose I am. I am God’s. My life is to be about seeking Him and sharing His love with a darkened world outside my Christian boundaries. Within my Christian realm, I am to teach truth and remind people who we are in Christ.
If you have the time, go to www.chadlewis.net and click on “listen.” After that, click on “Sweet Release” and listen prayerfully. Remember, you are not defined by what you do. We must seek God’s truth so that the lies that bombard us can be released. As A.W. Tozer said, “What comes into our mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” This thought shapes our very existance. We must think about God in the same way He reveals Himself to us in the Scriptures and be reminded that He is our Abba and that He cares for us more than we could ever dream or imagine.
Though some might say that this teaching will keep us from doing anything, we should note that those who have been used in this world the greatest are those who knew themselves and knew God. From this source of identity, a life of work springs forth. Duty becomes desire and the light shines greatest in the darkness because it is God’s light and not some contrived effort on our own. It is then that people will see our lives and glorify our Father because it was only possible through Him.
Be blessed and seek to live in the reality of who you are in Christ,
Chad
