Cultivating Spiritual Disciplines
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the importance of cultivating spiritual disciplines such as prayer, Bible reading, and meditation to align our thoughts with God's will and foster spiritual growth.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the necessity of cultivating spiritual disciplines, particularly through prayer and Bible reading, to align our thoughts with God's. He warns against the distractions of earthly thoughts that stem from a fallen society and encourages believers to immerse themselves in Scripture, starting with the Gospel of John and progressing through the Psalms and deeper theological texts. Tozer stresses the importance of meditation and self-examination, urging individuals to assess their spiritual progress and the state of their minds as either a temple for God or a place of discontent. He reminds us that our thoughts will ultimately be judged by God, making it crucial to nurture a mind that reflects Christ. The sermon calls for a commitment to spiritual growth and the rejection of complacency in our faith journey.
Text
Perhaps they have committed sins of the mind. . . . To think God's thoughts requires much prayer. If you do not pray much, you are not thinking God's thoughts. If you do not read your Bible much and often and reverently, you are not thinking God's thoughts. Those thoughts you are having--and your head buzzes with them all day long and into the night--are earthly thoughts--thoughts of a fallen race. They are the thoughts of a lost society. They should not be our thoughts. Paul said, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus " (Philippians 2:5 KJV).
There also has to be a lot of meditation. We ought to learn to live in our Bible. Get one with print big enough to read so it does not punish your eyes. Look around until you find a good one, and then learn to love it. Begin with the Gospel of John, then read the Psalms. Isaiah is another great book to help you and lift you. When you feel you want to do it, go on to Romans and Hebrews and some of the deeper theological books. But get into the Bible. Do not just read the little passages you like, but in the course a a year or two see that you read it through.
Your thoughts will one day come up before God's judgment. We are responsible for our premeditative thoughts. They make our mind a temple where God can dwell with pleasure, or they make our mind a stable where Christ is angry, ties a rope and drives out the cattle. It is up to us. What should you then do? Examine yourself. Have you found yourself in that awful circular grave, not making any spiritual progress? Have you found that the passing of time upon which you have leaned so heavily has become a broken reed and is not helping you at all?
Sermon Outline
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I
- Understanding the importance of prayer
- The necessity of reading the Bible
- Meditation as a spiritual discipline
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II
- The impact of earthly thoughts
- Transforming thoughts to align with Christ
- The responsibility of our thoughts
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III
- Examining our spiritual progress
- The consequences of neglecting spiritual disciplines
- Practical steps to cultivate spiritual growth
Key Quotes
“If you do not pray much, you are not thinking God's thoughts.” — A.W. Tozer
“We are responsible for our premeditative thoughts.” — A.W. Tozer
“Examine yourself. Have you found yourself in that awful circular grave, not making any spiritual progress?” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Commit to a regular prayer schedule to deepen your relationship with God.
- Choose a Bible reading plan that challenges you to read through the entire scripture.
- Engage in daily meditation on scripture to transform your thoughts and actions.