Pursuit of God

Rating:
Summary: Timelessness
Review: A.W. Tozer is one of those 20th century authors whose books are likely to stand the test of time. Writing from an Evangelical theological perspective, he writes with wisdom he had gained from life, from prayer, and from a great breadth of reading. He quotes Catholic mystics, St. Augustine, Frederick Faber and others, adopting those aspects of Catholic thinking that he found to be of spiritual benefit in an Evangelical context. This book has benefit to anyone from any Christian setting wishing to deepen their walk with God.

Rating:
Summary: A Disappointing Classic
Review: After thoroughly enjoying The Knowledge of the Holy (I am engaged in research on A.W. Tozer), I expected that I would find The Pursuit of God to be equally or even more enjoyable. But I have to express my disappointement with this work.

There are some things that are good with this work, these are, 1) Tozer does a good job of depicting the selfishness we often find in Christianity as the wretched thing that it is. 2) Tozer does well to create an appetite for pursuing God. 3) Tozer shows the blessedness of humility before God.

The Pursuit of God was not written to Christians who are mediocre in zeal, it was written to those who are longing for a close walk with the Lord. And as such, most of the good things he says are merely reinforcement to the attitue the readership probably already has.

What this book is missing is the very essence of victorious Christian living. Zeal, humility, and appetite will never, by themselves, produce true holiness. These three characteristics, when played out by the power of the flesh will produce constant defeat. How many Christians do you know who are zealous for the Lord, yet are completely beat up by their own sin? They sin, repent, determine to try harder, fail, repent, redouble the effort, promise to read their Bible more, to pray more, to stay away from the sin that entangles them, then they mess up again. This is exactly the experience that Romans 7:14-25 describes, and this is not what God intends for us.

Tozer makes consistent appeals to the flesh (p. 105-6 in my copy has a great example of this) to live a more holy life. This never works, for, "the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it does not submit to the law of God, nor indeed can it" (Romans 8:7). More willpower is not the answer.

I recommend you read Watchman Nee's The Normal Christian Life or Hanna Witall Smith's The Christian's Secret to a Happy Life either in addition to or instead of The Pursuit of God.

Rating:
Summary: Great theology from one who has not been to seminary
Review: Aiden Wilson Tozer was a man who did not have a formal theological education. However, he wrote a book that could well be a complementary reading to a systematic theology textbook, further explaining the things of God where the systematic theology text does not go into. In fact, Tozer even said that "The books on systematic theology overlook this [the things he discusses], but the wise will understand." His deep insights would definitely come from God himself, and I am humbled by the life of Tozer who takes much time in prayer, study, and seeking the mind of God. His life as described by James Synder in the forward truly depicted a man in pursuit of God. Leonard Ravenhill once said of Tozer as "Men like him are not college bred but Spirit taught."

For a book written in 1949, this man was ahead of his time, and what he wrote about is still relevant and applicable today. His writing sounds to me like that of a modern day prophet, who could see into the happenings of Christianity, to foretell and forth-tell what would be problems ahead of us, and warn us of the impending dangers if we do not get back onto the straight and narrow (Matt 7:13-14). As I read this book, I can relate it to Christianity today, the pitfalls and the dangers which Tozer had warned about more than half a century ago. There are many warnings that Tozer had put forth, and I will attempt to draw some of the lessons of Tozer to what is happening today.

Is There Food In The House?

Right from the opening of the book, the preface already sounds a rebuke to Bible teachers who do not go beyond the fundamentals to teach in and with the presence of God. In fact, while reading Tozer's book, it reminded me of Tommy Tenny's book The God Chasers, which is based out of the same verse of Psalm 63:8, and the whole issue of whether there is food in the house of God. Tozer warns that "it is a solemn thing, and no small scandal in the kingdom, to see God's children starving while actually seated at the Father's table." This rebuke I do not take lightly, but humbly, and it requires me to walk the road Tozer took to put food at the Father's table.

Before Tommy Tenny, there was A.W. Tozer, and the warning rings the same 50 years later. Tozer rightly assessed that today, even though many Christians hold the right opinion of God, true spiritual worship is decreasing, and continually decreasing. Just as William Seymore prophesied during the Azusa Street Revivals that in the last day, the Great Pentecostal Movement would see an overemphasis on praise to a God they no longer pray to, we see this prevalent in Christianity today and God's people must return to their prayer closets, just like how Tozer did. As much as we may study from the Bible how the Israelites were stiff-necked people and did not heed the warnings of God, I do not see much difference today. With many prophecies and warnings, only a handful heed them. The rest of us are no different from the stiff-necked Israelites.

Simplicity of Christianity
Tozer notices that the simplicity which is in Christ is rarely found in us. Today's Christianity has so many fads which have the potential of drawing people away from the personal relationship with God into a faddish relationship with God. The "in thing" in the 90's and early 21st century Christianity is the praise and worship movement, where the most adored position in church is to be a worship leader. Christians go to where the latest and most popular worship band is playing, and tell that they can worship God better there. Such moves are not in itself bad, but where Christians place their focus on can be detrimental. If their focus is on the act of worship rather than true spiritual worship of God, it is like a person in love with the feeling of love, not really wanting to truly know the person he is suppose to be in love with. All this will not satisfy the longing of the heart, as Tozer explains, but the shallowness of our inner experience, the hollowness of our worship and that servile imitation of the world all testify that we know God only imperfectly.

Knowing God
Central to Christianity, and the very basics of it is to know God. Tozer explains that if we find God amid all the religious externals, we must first determine to find Him, and then proceed in the way of simplicity in a child-like faith. We are warned that when we seek God, "the evil habit of seeking God-and effectively prevents us from finding God in full revelation." The world is perishing for lack of knowledge of God and the Church is famishing for a lack of His presence. We must remove every and in seeking Him, and to get back on our knees to pray, enter and live our whole life in His presence. In fact, Tozer defines "believing" as "directing the heart's attention to Jesus," and "faith" is the "gaze of the heart at God." This is the sole focus of a Christian, not a God-and, but God and God alone.

This knowledge of God is not a head knowledge, but a Biblical perspective of having a relationship with the living God. Tozer warns us that Christians are in real danger of losing God amid the wonders of His Word. It would sound paradoxical that a Christian who studies God's Word could end up losing God, just as how modern scientists have lost God amid the wonders of His world. We need to give up all for all of God. This personal relationship with God is of utmost importance, and the end is not the act of "accepting" Christ and praying the sinner's prayer. Tozer points out an interesting fact that "accepting" Christ is a term not used in the Bible, but we use it so often today. In actuality, it is God who accepts us as His children through adoption. If man "accepts" Christ, it connotes that man greater than God, but it is contrary, and God being greater accepts us to Him.

Tozer follows through to show that theology is always practical. He rebukes man's idea of reality, and those with lofty intellectual peaks whose ideas are "brain-deep" but not "life-deep." Tozer insists that Christians are those whose beliefs are practical and are geared into his life, and "by them he lives or dies, stands or falls for this world and for all time to come."

The Pathway to His Presence
Because of Tozer's relationship with God and his views on Christianity, his writings show deep theology in a practical manner. He is able to explain profound truths of God in a picturesque manner, and at times through allegories, to help us "taste and see" God. Tozer often brings us to points that we have to choose and decide where we want to take our faith and walk with God to. It is either God, or not. However, not to leave us to decide but not knowing the destination, Tozer describes the result of taking the pathway to His presence. It is, however, not an easy road, but warns us of the all we have to give up to get there.

Tozer shows the immanence of God through the foundation he laid, i.e. the knowledge of God. The reason one feels God is near but not another is not that God is far, but that we do not know He is near. When we want to draw near to God, it is not in a measurable distance, but a nearness of relationship like a father saying of his son, "I feel closer to him than 3 years ago." He goes on to question why some people "find" God in a way that others do not, and states that the will of God is the same for all, that God has no favorites in His household. All that God has ever done for any of His children He will do for all of His children, and that the difference does not lie in God but with us.

With this claim that Tozer made, I question the complete and total validity. Is the will of God for every Christian the same? I beg to differ that each Christian has a unique will, calling, purpose and destiny that only he can fulfill, and no one else. However, the close relationship that God desires with every of His children is the same. Because each of us are different, God then relates to us differently. If we seek what is another's, we may get disappointed that we do not get there, but in actuality, God has something different for us. Just like in hearing the voice of God, I have learnt that when I read an author writing about how God speaks to him, it is really simply how God speaks to him, but does not totally apply to me. In the natural, we have also learnt that we relate differently to different people around us. Hence, each individual needs to discover how God speaks to him in the uniqueness of how God created Him.

Conclusion
At the end of the preface, Tozer wrote and humbly claimed that "This book is a modest attempt to aid God's hungry children to find Him. Nothing here is new except in the sense that it is a discovery which my own heart has made of spiritual realities... Others before me have gone much farther into these holy mysteries... but if my fire is not large it is yet real." Such is the humility that this man had. Tozer's life showed that the more a person knows God, the more humble he becomes.

Rating:
Summary: This book will change your life...gurantteed!
Review: Be ready to be challenged down to your inner core. Warning, it is not for the faint hearted.

Rating:
Summary: Extraordinary christian reading!
Review: Definitely a book that should be read by every christian. This book can change our lives and churches. I have been a christian for 11 years, and the truths in this book were compelling.

Rating:
Summary: A Christian Classic
Review: I actually found this book to be an above average book because it was punchy, honest, insightful and inspiring. Yet, I still rate it a 10 because I can't count the number of people who find this book to be their favorite Christian book ever. It forces and honest look into one's own heart, and challenges individuals beyond any lukewarm Christian life. It is a must read for individuals reading Christian books.

Rating:
Summary: God is here!
Review: I can only concur with several of the other readers comments in that I'm drawn into the presence of God while reading this book. Tozer not only writes about the experiential nature of a relationship with the Lord, he (or rather the Spirit through him) actually leads the reader into God's presence. In this sense the book is utterly unique for me for any extra biblical writings that I've ever read, and I've read a LOT of them (e.g., Practicing the Presence, The Imitation of Christ, The Cloud of Unknowing, Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ, etc.). And after all, it's about fellowship with the Lord, not reading about Him.

Good to take down from the shelf and read again if you're ever feeling "dry".

Completely God-centered.

Rating:
Summary: The Shortest Great Book I've ever read....
Review: I couldn't have picked a better book by Tozer to read (this being the first book I've read by him) than THE PURSUIT OF GOD.

This chilling, touching and penetrating page-turner will have you underlining until your pen runs out. So many profound insights, I had to check the date to believe that it was really written almost 50 years ago. If only the church has listened to Tozer more carefully, then we (as the Church) would be an entirely different place.

I guarantee you, this book will not let you down. If you like Brennan Manning, C.S. Lewis and Ken Gire...then you will love Tozer's fascinating THE PURSUIT OF GOD! I read it in one night it was so good. Read it. Breathe it. Live it. Amen. :)

Rating:
Summary: I'm Amazed!
Review: i have never read such an intruiging book as this. the words tozer uses and the thooughts he invites into your head will no doubt draw you closer to the one true God.

Rating:
Summary: Eloquent, irresistable invitation to experience God's love!
Review: I have read scores and scores of books on living the Christian life and this book has got to be in my top 2 or 3 of all time! Read it slowly and prayfully and it will ignite a passion for God in your heart. I have read it four times since 1984 and it has each time encouraged me that I CAN know God and experience his love in deeper ways that I might have imagined! Anything by Tozer is good, but I believe this is his best work.