The Desk Series: Books (part 2)

The Desk Series :: My Meeting Place 

Books  - Part 5

Continuing with part 5 in this series, I want to share a few more titles with you that have made a difference in my life. 

You can find  parts 1-4 of The Desk Series listed on the sidebar.

The first book is Experiencing the Presence of God by A. W. Tozer

Teachings from the Book of Hebrews

 (compiled and edited by James L. Snyder)

If there is one thing you can count on in reading any work by A. W. Tozer  is that your toes will surely get pinched and sore. I love A. W. Tozer for that very reason. He writes profoundly, without reserve or apology and this is what draws me to his books. Too many books tend to skim the surface of the matter and few get down deep where real transformation and change can take place. His books can sometimes be difficult to understand, but if you are looking for meaty soul food, check out A. W. Tozer.

In the introduction of this book, Mr. Snyder says, "Dr. Tozer writes about solid, scriptural truth. Truth is not isolated from another truth. Isolating God's truth, according to Tozer, is how heresy starts in the Church." 

This thought aligns with something I read the other day by Beth Moore and which I agree with wholeheartedly and see so much of today. I wrote her quote on an index card and have it taped to my desk.

Beth writes, "You know you are losing sound doctrine when we lose any kind of doctrine whatsoever of there being a devil and there being legions of demons and there being a real live hell." 

The Word of God is complete and nothing is to be left out. I know there will be more and more of this "letting out" until we are hardly able to recognize the Word of God. This is why we must be in the Word daily so we are able to know the truth when we read, hear or see it!

A little from chapter 2 : Hindrances on the Pathway to God's Presence

A. W. Tozer writes about, "cauterizing the conscience"...being insensitive or callous to the world around us, a deadening of feelings toward morals.

Then there is, "spiritual lethargy, an unnatural inward drowsiness when faced with the claims of God. We are always concerned about superficial things but rarely concerned about spiritual things." 

I want to add here the "spiritual things" he is speaking is of course not the lie-filled type of "new age spirituality" or "new spirituality" that is growing in popularity today. 

"Moral insensitivity and spiritual lethargy are two great curses because they keep us from taking earnest heed to our spiritual health. Unless we are serious about our approach to God, we will be hindered every step of the way."

(Goodness, Mr. Tozer passed away in 1963 and I can only imagine his thoughts on this if he were alive today)

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The second book for this post is a gal whose work is always on point. I love Lisa Whittle...she is a firecracker who loves Jesus! My copy of her book, Put Your Warrior Boots On : Walking Jesus Strong Once and For All is full of turned down pages, yellow highlighter and pen. This is an amazing book that will heat you up and rekindle your walk with Christ.

There is just so much good stuff in this book. I will share a few quotes...

"We live in a world that pulls us away from knowing anything for sure. We've started to believe everything-whatever the latest popular spiritual guru says, whatever the world sells that sounds like love, broadening the door instead of honoring the God-created narrowness of it for our protection-it is a slow death we don't even know is taking our life. Because believing in everything is really believing in nothing at all."

"The double standard of culture is to respect, even promote, the secular no while calling the spiritual no "legalism." And those "legalistic" Christians have become unpopular because they are saying no to things secular society does not want policed. We have become the unwelcome group, and no one wants to feel unwelcome. So we have started to cave." 

"When we leave God, we start marching the death march and eventually we reach the end: the end of ourselves, the end of goodness, the end of our standards, the end of peace, the end of the hopeful life." 

"A strong warrior for God will be determined by the depth and consistency of our following."

This last quote is meaningful for me personally...I want the consistency of following God in my life. Not the back and forth, on the whim, on the need, and certainly anything that resembles a lukewarm walk!! I have lacked consistency over the years and I can attest of what she says about reaching the "end of ourselves." We will and all of the goodness of life will fade more and more the longer we wander.

Well this post got a bit longer than I wanted it, but I learn as I share. Truly, it seems when I write to you, I am writing to myself as well, because I need these reminders in order to stay fresh and renewed. 

Also, I want to thank you for the kind comments that I have been receiving. I appreciate you letting me know your thoughts.