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The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer

Book Review
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If you want to get to know God more intimately, not just learn more facts about Him, if you want to gaze upon His beauty and grow in your love for Him, I recommend this book, in fact any of Tozer’s books. This book review was written by Hank Griffith of South Suburban Evangelical Free Church in Apple Valley, Minnesota.

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Resource Description

Camp Hill, PA: Christian Publications, 1949

“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. (Psalm 42:1)

 

Ravi Zacharias wrote, “I have read and re-read Tozer’s books and each time sense a hushed silence. It is the silence that has heard from God.” In my opinion, if you want to get to know God more intimately, not just learn more facts about Him, if you want to gaze upon His beauty and grow in your love for Him, I recommend this book, in fact any of Tozer’s books.

Pastor A.W.Tozer, was a Christian and Missionary Alliance minister in the last half of the twentieth century. He was an unusual man. He never went to seminary. He never went to college. In fact, growing up poor, he never even got to finish high school. He was converted at 15 years old. From that time forward, “a dingy corner of the basement of the family home became his private prayer chamber. There at the very beginning of his Christian life, Tozer established what was to be a life-long practice of waiting on God.”

A.W.Tozer was self-educated. He spent time on his knees not just as he read the Bible and Christian mystics, but as he studied theology and the classics such as Shakespeare. As a result of his prayerful and contemplative study many would consider him a theologian, a scholar, and a master of the English language. I challenge you to read this book. I believe The Pursuit of God will take you deeper in your intimate knowledge of the Almighty than most books written by Ph.D.s.

The foreword by Rev. James L. Snyder gives insight into the book: “Much of the strong meat in The Pursuit of God came out of the crucible of Tozer’s own personal experience. The chapter entitled “The Blessedness of Possessing Nothing” reflected his desperate struggle to turn his only daughter over to God. The battle for him was intense and devastating, but when full surrender came, a new and glorious release became his. He had learned to know God in the school of practical experience. “

Tozer was an evangelical. He knew the Bible through and through, but he believed that much preaching-teaching by evangelicals of his time was lacking. In the Preface of The Pursuit of God he writes, “Sound Bible exposition is an imperative, in the Church of the Living God. Without it no church can be a New Testament church in any strict meaning of that term. But exposition may be carried on in such a way as to leave the hearers devoid of any true spiritual nourishment whatever. For it is not mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience they are not the better for having heard the truth. 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 or their hearts.”

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 – FOLLOWING HARD AFTER GOD “My soul followeth hard after thee; thy right hand upholdeth me.” (Psalm 63:8)

Chapter 2 – THE BLESSEDNESS OF POSSESSING NOTHING “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

Chapter 3 – REMOVING THE VEIL “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.” (Hebrews 10:19)

Chapter 4 – APPREHENDING GOD “O taste and see.” (Psalm 34:8)

Chapter 5 – THE UNIVERSAL PRESENCE “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence.” (Psalm 139:7)

Chapter 6 – THE SPEAKING VOICE “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

Chapter 7 – THE GAZE OF THE SOUL “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2)

Chapter 8 – RESTORING THE CREATOR-CREATURE RELATION “Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.” (Psalm 57:5)

Chapter 9 – MEEKNESS AND REST “Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)

Chapter 10 – THE SACRAMENT OF LIVING “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

One final comment about this 120 page book – don’t just quickly read it once. I have read it twice already and hope to read it many more times to profit from the depth of Tozer’s insights.

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