The Pursuit of God

“Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord:

his going forth is prepared as the morning."

Hosea 6:3”

“In this hour of all-but-universal darkness one cheering gleam appears: within the fold of conservative Christianity there are to be found increasing numbers of persons whose religious lives are marked by a growing hunger after God Himself. They are eager for spiritual realities and will not be put off with words, nor will they be content with correct "interpretations" of truth. They are athirst for God, and they will not be satisfied till they have drunk deep at the Fountain of Living Water.

This is the only real harbinger of revival which I have been able to detect anywhere on the religious horizon. It may be the cloud the size of a man's hand for which a few saints here and there have been looking. It can result in a resurrection of life for many souls and a recapture of that radiant wonder which should accompany faith in Christ, that ” “wonder which has all but fled the Church of God in our day.

But this hunger must be recognized by our religious leaders. Current evangelicalism has (to change the figure) laid the altar and divided the sacrifice into parts, but now seems satisfied to count the stones and rearrange the pieces with never a care that there is not a sign of fire upon the top of lofty Carmel. But God be thanked that there are a few who care. They are those who, while they love the altar and delight in the sacrifice, are yet unable to reconcile themselves to the continued absence of fire. They desire God above all. They are athirst to taste for themselves the "piercing sweetness" of the love of Christ about Whom all the holy prophets did write and the psalmists did sing.

There is today no lack of Bible teachers to set forth correctly the principles of the doctrines of Christ, but too many of these seem satisfied to teach the fundamentals of the faith year after year, strangely unaware that there is in their ministry no manifest Presence, nor anything unusual in their personal lives. “Presence, nor anything unusual in their personal lives. They minister constantly to believers who feel within their breasts a longing which their teaching simply does not satisfy.”

“I trust I speak in charity, but the lack in our pulpits is real. Milton's terrible sentence applies to our day as accurately as it did to his: "The hungry sheep look up, and are not fed." It is a solemn thing, and no small scandal in the Kingdom, to see God's children starving while actually seated at the Father's table. The truth of Wesley's words is established before our eyes: "Orthodoxy, or right opinion, is, at best, a very slender part of religion. Though right tempers cannot subsist without right opinions, yet right opinions may subsist without right tempers. There may be a right opinion of God without either love or one right temper toward Him. Satan is a proof of this."

Thanks to our splendid Bible societies and to other effective agencies for the dissemination of the Word, there are today many millions of people who ” “hold "right opinions," probably more than ever before in the history of the Church. Yet I wonder if there was ever a time when true spiritual worship was at a lower ebb. To great sections of the Church the art of worship has been lost entirely, and in its place has come that strange and foreign thing called the "program." This word has been borrowed from the stage and applied with sad wisdom to the type of public service which now passes for worship among us.

Sound Bible exposition is an imperative must 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 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 of their hearts.

This book is a modest attempt to aid God's hungry children so to find Him. Nothing here is new except in the sense that it is a discovery, which my own heart has made of spiritual realities most delightful and wonderful to me. Others before me have gone much farther into these holy mysteries than I have done, but if my fire is not large it is yet real, and there may be those who can light their candle at its flame."

A. W. Tozer

Chicago, Ill.

June 16, 1948”

Excerpt From: A. W. Tozer. “The Pursuit of God.” iBooks. https://itun.es/us/_gPDE.l

How December 25 Became Christmas

Andrew McGowan   •  12/07/2012

A blanket of snow covers the little town of Bethlehem, in Pieter Bruegel’s oil painting from 1566. Although Jesus’ birth is celebrated every year on December 25, Luke and the other gospel writers offer no hint about the specific time of year he was born. Scala/Art Resource, NY

On December 25, Christians around the world will gather to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Joyful carols, special liturgies, brightly wrapped gifts, festive foods—these all characterize the feast today, at least in the northern hemisphere. But just how did the Christmas festival originate? How did December 25 come to be associated with Jesus’ birthday?

The Bible offers few clues: Celebrations of Jesus’ Nativity are not mentioned in the Gospels or Acts; the date is not given, not even the time of year. The biblical reference to shepherds tending their flocks at night when they hear the news of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:8) might suggest the spring lambing season; in the cold month of December, on the other hand, sheep might well have been corralled. Yet most scholars would urge caution about extracting such a precise but incidental detail from a narrative whose focus is theological rather than calendrical.

The extrabiblical evidence from the first and second century is equally spare: There is no mention of birth celebrations in the writings of early Christian writers such as Irenaeus (c. 130–200) or Tertullian (c. 160–225). Origen of Alexandria (c. 165–264) goes so far as to mock Roman celebrations of birth anniversaries, dismissing them as “pagan” practices—a strong indication that Jesus’ birth was not marked with similar festivities at that place and time.1 As far as we can tell, Christmas was not celebrated at all at this point.

This stands in sharp contrast to the very early traditions surrounding Jesus’ last days. Each of the Four Gospels provides detailed information about the time of Jesus’ death. According to John, Jesus is crucified just as the Passover lambs are being sacrificed. This would have occurred on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Nisan, just before the Jewish holiday began at sundown (considered the beginning of the 15th day because in the Hebrew calendar, days begin at sundown). In Matthew, Mark and Luke, however, the Last Supper is held after sundown, on the beginning of the 15th. Jesus is crucified the next morning—still, the 15th.

Biblical Archeology Review 

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Learn more about the history of Christmas and the date of Jesus’ birth in the free e-book The First Christmas: The Story of Jesus’ Birth in History and Tradition.

Recovering What Was Lost In The Garden

For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." NASB. Luke 19:10 




What was lost when Adam and Eve sinned? To start we must realize that sin separated us from God. This means the relationship we were created to have with God was cut off (spiritual death which released death into all of creation). 




So Jesus came to recover all that was lost and to restore our relationship with God. He paid the price of redeeming that relationship with his death and resurrection. Once again we have the opportunity to have spiritual life, which is the beginning of having the full measure of Life we were created to have.


Relationship with God is our Created purpose and it is what was lost in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve rebelled and disobeyed God.

But God....

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14. 



Now we can, even as Enoch did live a life that is pleasing to God. This life is marked by Faith and Habitual fellowship with God.



Genesis 5:24 24 And Enoch walked [in habitual fellowship] with God; and he was not, for God took him [home with Him].



Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.



Diligently build a relationship with God as you walk [in habitual fellowship] with God; For he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him and respond in faith to His Word.

Copyright (C) Wayne Newcomb 2013

Politics, Bullies and Manipulators:

If you can pull yourself back emotionally you will see that some politicians and leaders use these tactics while acting like victims. 

They accuse others of the very tactics they use and proclaim self righteously that these tactics are wrong. They use name calling and act like they really care about the very people being mistreated by them..

The question is will we see it the next time they try it and will we stand against the darkness?

Revealing our heart and interactions with the king of the universe

Psalms in God’s Presence: Through Songs and Prayers.

The Rose Publishing pamphlet, “Psalms in God’s Presence,” reveals an unbridled passion for God and Life. It is an open door to our thoughts, transparently revealing our mind, will and emotions as we engage God in daily life. It is as if God was saying that he prefers relationship with us above all else. The good, the bad, and the ugly in our hearts is exposed in the context of our relationship to our creator and heavenly father.

"Psalms in God’s Presence" is concise as it examines the background and content of the psalms. Their content, structure and even their revelation of Jesus are clearly laid out. In what is a most helpful section, the author examines the different approaches to reading the Psalms. These include devotionally, theologically and in community. 

While all of these elements are useful, there is no greater truth revealed than through the personal interaction between God and David. These demonstrate that we too can have an open and intimate walk with God and that God desires a relationship with us in all of life’s circumstances.

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Biblical Discipleship

What does Discipleship look like in real life? There are many good books about Discipleship and being a God Pleaser. But before you run out to buy them you should check with “the author and finisher of our faith”, Hebrews 12:2.

While we are to be a part of a local church and respect God’s appointed leaders we also have an individual responsibility to be growing in God’s Grace and Power. The reality is that authors and church leaders are examining the Bible, church history and other sources to write their books.

We are told to study to show ourselves approved of God in 2 Timothy. 2:15.

You and I have a great task, which God desires we succeed at described in Matthew 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” If we are not becoming Biblical Disciples we will not be making Biblical Disciples.

Philippians 2:12 “Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.”

If you read the Bible from Cover to Cover you will discover what a good disciple or person after God's heart lives like. Then it is up to us to submit ourselves completely to God so that we may be conformed to His image.