A Clearer View of God

Here is a quotation from a modern Christian classic (1961) that I commend to anyone who has an unfulfilled thirst for God and to anyone who wants to acquire such a thirst:

To regain her lost power the Church must see heaven opened and have a transforming vision of God.

But the God we must see is not the utilitarian God who is having such a run of popularity today, whose chief claim to men's attention is His ability to bring them success in their various undertakings and who for that reason is being cajoled and flattered by everyone who wants a favor.  The God we must learn to know is the Majesty in the heavens, God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, the only wise God our Saviour.  He it is that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, who stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in, who bringeth out His starry host by number and calleth them all by name through the greatness of His power, who seeth the works of man as vanity, who putteth no confidence in princes and asks no counsel of kings.

Tozer goes on to "present a brief summary" of the conditions we must meet to attain to the true knowledge of this God:

First, we must forsake our sins. . . .

Second, there must be an utter committal of the whole life to Christ in faith.  This is what it means to "believe in Christ." . . .

Third, there must be a reckoning of ourselves to have died unto sin and to be alive unto God in Christ Jesus, followed by a throwing open of the entire personality to the inflow of the Holy Spirit. . . .

Fourth, we must boldly repudiate the cheap values of the fallen world and become completely detached in spirit from everything that unbelieving men set their hearts upon. . . .

Fifth, we must practice the art of long and loving meditation upon the majesty of God. . . .

Sixth, as the knowledge of God becomes more wonderful, greater service to our fellow men will become for us imperative. . . .

And we must seek purposefully to share our increasing light with the fellow members of the household of God.  This we can best do by keeping the majesty of God in full focus in all our public services. . . .

There's a lot more good stuff here that I have omitted, and the rest of the book explores each of God's wonderful attributes in short, invigorating chapters.  It's a great read, and I recommend it.