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Selective Scripture Screening by Tozer


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#1 Tkulp

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Posted 10 September 2021 - 07:55 AM

Tozer was a prominant voice, along with A.B. Simpson, in the Christian and Missionary Alliance Denomination during the early to mid 20th century.

 

The following are a few of Tozer's devotionals for the dates from September 10, 2021 through September 12, 2021

 

 

 

 

September 10, 2021

Selective Scripture Screening

Heresy is not so much rejecting as selecting. The heretic simply selects the parts of the Scripture he wants to emphasize and lets the rest go.

 

This is shown by the etymology of the word heresy and by the practice of the heretic. "Beware," an editorial scribe of the fourteenth century warned his readers in the preface to a book.

 

"Beware thou take not one thing after thy affection and liking, and leave another: for that is the condition of an heretique. But take everything with other." The old scribe knew well how prone we are to take to ourselves those parts of the truth that please us and ignore the other parts. And that is heresy.

 

Almost every cult with which we have any acquaintance practices this art of selecting and ignoring. The no-hell cults, for example, habitually stress everything in the Bible that seems to support their position and play down or explain away all the passages that deal with eternal punishment.

 

Verse

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Second Timothy 3:16-17

Thought

All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training. To be selective is to cripple ourselves spiritually.

Prayer

Father, through Your Word You rebuke, correct, encourage and teach. Thank You. I need it all!

 

 

 

 

 

September 11, 2021

Encountering the Whole Word of God

Almost every cult with which we have any acquaintance practices this art of selecting and ignoring. The no-hell cults, for example, habitually stress everything in the Bible that seems to support their position and play down or explain away all the passages that deal with eternal punishment.

 

But we do well to look closer to home. Proneness to heresy is not confined to the cults. By nature, we are all heretics. We who count ourselves to be in the historic tradition of sound doctrine may in actual practice become heretics after a sort. We may unconsciously select for special attention such Scriptures as comfort and encourage us and pass over the ones that rebuke and warn us. This trap is so easy to fall into that we may be in it before we are aware.

Take, for instance, the "well-marked" Bible. It might be an illuminating experience to peep into one sometimes and note how the owner has underscored almost exclusively the passages that console him or that support his views on doctrine. We habitually love the verses that are easy on us and shy away from the ones that disturb us.

 

Verse

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Thought

Do you find yourself at times ignoring or diluting certain passages of Scripture that penetrate your defenses and stare you in the face? God's Word sometimes wounds deeply. But exposure to all the Word is imperative because through it He speaks.

Prayer

Thank You, Lord, for chasing me when I try to flee from those sections of Your Word that expose and condemn my sin. Speak, Lord, even when I try not to listen.

 

 

 

 

September 12, 2021

The Sword of the Spirit

Undoubtedly God goes along with us as far as He can in this weak and one-sided treatment of the Holy Scriptures, but He cannot be pleased with this way of doing. Our Heavenly Father takes pleasure in seeing us develop and grow up spiritually. He does not want us to live entirely on a diet of sweet stuff. He gives us for our encouragement Isaiah 41, but He gives us also Matthew 23 and the book of Jude, and He expects us to read it all. The eighth chapter of Romans is one of the most elevating passages in the entire Bible, and its popularity is well deserved; but we need Second Peter as well, and we should not neglect to read it. When reading Paul's epistles, we should not stop with the doctrinal sections but should go on to read and ponder the bracing exhortations that follow. We should not stop with Romans 11; the rest of the epistle is also important, and if we would treat our souls fairly, we must give it the same attention we gave to the first ten chapters.

 

Briefly, the health of our souls requires that we take the whole Bible as it stands and let it do its work in us. We cannot afford to be selective with anything so important as the Word of God and our own eternal future.

 

Verse

Take the helmut of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17

Thought

We are engaged in warfare with unseen powers for which God has equipped us with armor. The major offensive piece is the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. We desparately require the whole sword and not just a piece of it!

Prayer

Thank You, Lord, that I have in a language I understand the whole Bible. What a treasure! May I fully explore and utilize all of it.

 

 

https://www.cmallian...ns/tozer?id=826

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