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  TAKING TIME TO REST
  by A.W. Tozer
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Summary: The importance of rest and self-care for maintaining spiritual
vitality and avoiding staleness.

Topics: "Christian Perseverance", "Spiritual Maturity"
Scripture References: Isaiah 40:31, Lamentations 3:25, Matthew 10:22, Hebrews 12:2, James 1:12

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DESCRIPTION
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The preacher discusses the concept of enduring (hupomeno) in the Bible,
emphasizing the importance of remaining steadfast under trials with
vibrant hope, glorifying God through the lessons learned. Examples like
Gladys Aylward and William Wilberforce showcase true Christian
perseverance empowered by the Holy Spirit. Various quotes and
illustrations highlight the virtue of endurance, with biblical
references showing how enduring leads to salvation, growth, and God's
favor. The sermon underscores that endurance is a critical aspect of
Christian maturity, leading to a deeper understanding of God's truths
and a more fruitful ministry.

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CONTENT
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Sometimes our trouble is not moral but physical. As long as we are in
these mortal bodies our spiritual lives will be to some degree affected
by our bodies. Here we should notice that there is a difference between
our mortal bodies and the ?flesh? of Pauline theology. When Paul speaks
of the flesh he refers to our fallen human nature, not to our physical
bodies, which are the temples of the Holy Spirit. Through the power of
the Spirit there is deliverance from the propensities of the flesh, but
while we live there is no relief from the weaknesses and imperfections
of the body.

One often-unsuspected cause of staleness is fatigue.

Shakespeare said something to the effect that no man could be a
philosopher when he had a toothache, and while it is possible to be a
weary saint, it is scarcely possible to be weary and feel saintly; and
it is our want of feeling that we are considering here. The Christian
who gets tired in the work of the Lord and stays tired without relief
beyond a reasonable time will go stale. The fact that he grew weary by
toiling in the Lord?s vineyard will not make his weariness any less
real. Our Lord knew this and occasionally took His disciples aside for a
rest.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/aw-tozer/taking-time-to-rest/
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