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  LIVING IN JOY AND PEACE
  by A.W. Tozer
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Summary: A.W. Tozer's sermon explores the significance of joy and peace
in the Christian life, warning against spiritual imbalances like
gloominess and overscrupulosity.

Topics: "Joy in the Christian Life", "Balance in Faith"
Scripture References: Nehemiah 8:10, Psalm 16:11, Romans 14:17, Philippians 4:4, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

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DESCRIPTION
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A.W. Tozer emphasizes the importance of living in joy and peace, warning
against the dangers of becoming overly serious or scrupulous in our
faith. He points out that gloominess is not a sign of godliness but
rather a defect of character, and that joy serves as a therapeutic
remedy for the mind. Tozer cautions that excessive concern for pleasing
God can lead to a constricted life filled with distress, which is not a
true reflection of faith. He encourages believers to embrace joy and
balance in their spiritual journey, recognizing that a healthy
conscience should not lead to self-torture.

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CONTENT
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There are areas in our lives where in our effort to be right we may go
wrong, so wrong as to lead to spiritual deformity. To be specific let me
name a few: 4. When we seek to be serious and become somber. The saints
have always been serious, but gloominess is a defect of character and
should never be equated with godliness. Religious melancholy may
indicate the presence of unbelief or sin and if long continued may lead
to serious mental disturbance. Joy is a great therapeutic for the mind.
"Rejoice in the Lord alway" (Phil. 4:4). 5. When we mean to be
conscientious and become overscrupulous. If the devil cannot succeed in
destroying the conscience he will settle for making it sick.

I know Christians who live in a state of constant distress, fearing that
they may displease God.

Their world of permitted acts becomes narrower year by year till at last
they fear to engage in the common pursuits of life. They believe this
self-torture to be a proof of godliness, but how wrong they are. These
are but a few examples of serious imbalance in the Christian life. I
trust the remedy has been suggested as we went along.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/aw-tozer/living-in-joy-and-peace/
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