How to Download [PDF] The Pursuit of God - Illustrated Edition for Free
[PDF] The Pursuit of God - Illustrated Edition
If you are looking for a classic Christian book that will challenge you to grow deeper in your relationship with God, you might want to check out The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer. This book has been widely acclaimed as one of the most influential spiritual books of the 20th century, and it has been translated into many languages and read by millions of people around the world. But what makes this book so special? And why should you read it?
[PDF] The Pursuit of God - Illustrated Edition
Introduction
In this article, we will give you an overview of what The Pursuit of God is about, who A.W. Tozer was, and why you should read this book. We will also summarize the main points of each chapter, and show you how you can benefit from the illustrated edition of the book. Finally, we will tell you how you can get the PDF version of the book for free or for a low price.
What is The Pursuit of God?
The Pursuit of God is a collection of ten essays that A.W. Tozer wrote in 1948 as a response to the spiritual hunger and thirst that he observed in many Christians. He felt that many believers had lost their sense of awe and wonder at the majesty and glory of God, and had settled for a shallow and superficial faith that was based on rituals, doctrines, and traditions rather than on a personal and intimate communion with God.
Tozer wanted to awaken his readers to the reality and beauty of God's presence, and to inspire them to seek Him with all their hearts, minds, souls, and strength. He wanted them to experience what he called "the life above the common level of life" that is possible for anyone who is willing to follow hard after God.
Tozer wrote with passion, clarity, and eloquence, using illustrations from nature, history, literature, and his own personal experiences. He did not shy away from addressing some of the difficult and controversial issues that hinder many Christians from pursuing God, such as self-surrender, spiritual blindness, divine guidance, and obedience. He also offered practical suggestions on how to cultivate a deeper and richer relationship with God through prayer, meditation, worship, and service.
Who is A.W. Tozer?
Aiden Wilson Tozer (1897-1963) was an American pastor, preacher, writer, editor, and teacher who belonged to the Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination. He was born in a small farming community in Pennsylvania, and had no formal education beyond high school. He taught himself by reading widely and voraciously, especially the works of the Christian mystics and the Puritans.
Tozer became a Christian at the age of 17, and soon felt a call to ministry. He began to preach in small churches and street corners, and eventually became the pastor of several churches in Chicago, Toronto, and other cities. He was known for his powerful and prophetic sermons that challenged his listeners to examine their lives and their relationship with God. He was also a prolific writer, producing more than 40 books and hundreds of articles and editorials for various Christian magazines and newspapers.
Tozer was a man of prayer and devotion, who spent hours every day in communion with God. He was not interested in fame or popularity, but in pleasing God and serving His people. He was not afraid to speak the truth, even if it offended some people or went against the popular trends of his time. He was a man who pursued God with all his heart, and who inspired many others to do the same.
Why read this book?
There are many reasons why you should read The Pursuit of God, but here are some of the most important ones:
It will help you to know God better. Tozer wrote that "what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us". He believed that many Christians have a wrong or inadequate view of God, which affects their whole life and faith. He wanted to help his readers to have a clearer and more accurate understanding of who God is, what He has done, and what He wants from us.
It will help you to love God more. Tozer wrote that "the most important thing about us is not what we do, but what we love". He believed that many Christians have a cold or lukewarm love for God, which affects their whole attitude and behavior. He wanted to help his readers to have a warmer and more passionate love for God, which would motivate them to seek Him more earnestly and obey Him more faithfully.
It will help you to live for God more. Tozer wrote that "the most important thing about us is not what we have, but what we are". He believed that many Christians have a worldly or selfish lifestyle, which affects their whole witness and service. He wanted to help his readers to have a more godly and holy lifestyle, which would reflect God's character and glory in every aspect of their lives.
In short, reading The Pursuit of God will help you to grow in your knowledge, love, and obedience of God, which is the essence of true Christianity.
Summary of the book
In this section, we will give you a brief summary of each chapter of The Pursuit of God, highlighting the main points and applications that Tozer made.
Chapter 1: Following Hard After God
In this chapter, Tozer introduces the main theme of the book: the pursuit of God. He argues that the human soul has an innate desire for God, which can only be satisfied by knowing Him personally and intimately. He says that this desire is not something that we need to create or cultivate, but something that we need to awaken and follow. He says that pursuing God is not a duty or a burden, but a privilege and a joy.
Tozer also warns against some of the obstacles that hinder us from pursuing God, such as our self-satisfaction, our complacency, our pride, our ignorance, our prejudice, our tradition, our rationalism, our materialism, our busyness, and our sinfulness. He urges us to overcome these obstacles by repenting of our sins, renouncing our idols, surrendering our wills, seeking His face, trusting His grace, following His guidance, obeying His commands, and loving His people.
Tozer concludes by saying that pursuing God is not a one-time event or a momentary experience, but a lifelong journey and a daily practice. He says that pursuing God is not something that we do alone or in isolation, but something that we do together with other believers who share the same passion and vision. He says that pursuing God is not something that we do for ourselves or for our own benefit, but something that we do for Him and for His glory.
Chapter 2: The Blessedness of Possessing Nothing
Chapter 3: Removing the Veil
In this chapter, Tozer talks about one of the most common and tragic problems that prevent us from pursuing God: spiritual blindness. He says that many Christians are unable to see God clearly and vividly, because they have a veil over their hearts and minds that blocks their vision. He says that this veil is not something that God has put on us, but something that we have put on ourselves. He says that this veil is made of our self-love, our self-righteousness, our self-will, our self-interest, and our self-sufficiency.
Tozer also explains how we can remove this veil and restore our sight. He says that we need to admit our blindness, confess our sinfulness, humble ourselves before God, ask for His mercy, receive His forgiveness, accept His lordship, submit to His authority, depend on His power, and follow His example. He says that when we do these things, we will be able to see God as He really is, and to enjoy His presence as He really wants.
Tozer concludes by saying that removing the veil is not a one-time act or a sudden change, but a continuous process and a gradual transformation. He says that removing the veil is not something that we can do by ourselves or by our own efforts, but something that we can only do by God's grace and by His Spirit. He says that removing the veil is not something that we do for our own sake or for our own happiness, but something that we do for God's sake and for His pleasure.
Chapter 4: Apprehending God
In this chapter, Tozer talks about one of the most important and rewarding aspects of pursuing God: knowing Him. He says that knowing God is not just a matter of having information or facts about Him, but having a personal and intimate relationship with Him. He says that knowing God is not just a matter of using our intellect or reason, but using our whole being: our heart, our soul, our mind, and our strength. He says that knowing God is not just a matter of learning or studying, but a matter of loving and worshipping.
Tozer also gives some practical advice on how we can know God better. He says that we need to cultivate a desire for God, a hunger and thirst for Him that nothing else can satisfy. He says that we need to meditate on God's word, His works, His attributes, His promises, His commands, and His will. He says that we need to pray to God constantly, sincerely, fervently, humbly, confidently, and expectantly. He says that we need to listen to God attentively, obediently, receptively, responsively, and joyfully.
Tozer concludes by saying that knowing God is not a static state or a final goal, but a dynamic process and an endless journey. He says that knowing God is not something that we can ever exhaust or complete in this life, but something that we can always deepen and expand in eternity. He says that knowing God is not something that we can ever fully comprehend or explain in human terms, but something that we can always marvel at and praise in divine terms.
Chapter 5: The Universal Presence
In this chapter, Tozer talks about one of the most fundamental and amazing truths about God: His omnipresence. He says that God is everywhere present at all times and in all places. He says that there is no place where God is not, no place where God cannot be found. He says that this means that God is always near us, always with us, always available to us.
Tozer also challenges some of the misconceptions and misunderstandings that we have about God's omnipresence. He says that we often think of God's presence as something spatial or physical, something that can be measured or located by distance or direction. He says that this is wrong because God is not bound by space or time; He transcends them. He says that we often think of God's presence as something partial or selective; something that varies in degree or intensity depending on where we are or what we do. He says that this is wrong because God is not divided or limited; He fills all things.
Tozer concludes by saying that we need to recognize and appreciate God's omnipresence more fully and more frequently. He says that we need to realize that God's presence is not something external or objective; something that we have to seek or find. He says that God's presence is something internal and subjective; something that we have to acknowledge and enjoy. He says that we need to live in the awareness and the consciousness of God's presence at all times and in all circumstances.
Chapter 6: The Speaking Voice
In this chapter, Tozer talks about one of the most wonderful and mysterious ways that God reveals Himself to us: His voice. He says that God is not silent or hidden, but He speaks to us constantly and clearly. He says that God speaks to us through His creation, His word, His Spirit, His Son, His people, and His providence. He says that God speaks to us for various purposes: to reveal His nature, to declare His will, to instruct His wisdom, to correct His error, to comfort His sorrow, to warn His danger, to invite His fellowship, and to call His service.
Tozer also warns against some of the dangers and difficulties that we face in hearing God's voice. He says that we often miss or ignore God's voice because we are deafened by the noise and the distractions of the world, because we are hardened by the sin and the rebellion of our hearts, because we are biased by the opinions and the traditions of men, because we are confused by the counterfeits and the deceptions of the enemy. He says that we need to be careful and discerning in testing and verifying whether a voice is truly from God or not.
Tozer concludes by saying that we need to listen and respond to God's voice more attentively and more obediently. He says that we need to tune our ears to God's voice by silencing the other voices that compete for our attention and by cultivating a quiet and a receptive spirit. He says that we need to obey God's voice by doing what He says and by following where He leads. He says that we need to love God's voice by delighting in what He speaks and by cherishing what He reveals.
Chapter 7: The Gaze of the Soul
In this chapter, Tozer talks about one of the most essential and effective practices that we can do in pursuing God: faith. He says that faith is not just a belief or a doctrine, but a vision and a gaze. He says that faith is not just a mental assent or a verbal confession, but a spiritual sight and a soulful focus. He says that faith is not just a passive acceptance or a blind trust, but an active pursuit and a clear view.
Tozer also explains how we can exercise and express our faith in God. He says that we need to look away from ourselves, our problems, our circumstances, our feelings, our fears, our doubts, our failures, and our limitations. He says that we need to look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; the source and the object of our faith; the example and the reward of our faith. He says that we need to look at Him with love, with admiration, with gratitude, with worship, with surrender, with obedience.
Tozer concludes by saying that faith is not a static condition or a temporary state, but a dynamic movement and a perpetual attitude. He says that faith is not something that we have once or occasionally, but something that we live by always and continually. He says that faith is not something that we can ever lose or exhaust, but something that we can always grow and increase.
Chapter 8: Restoring the Creator-Creature Relation
In this chapter, Tozer talks about one of the most fundamental and important relationships that we have: our relationship with God as our Creator and ourselves as His creatures. He says that this relationship is based on two realities: God's sovereignty and our dependence. He says that God is sovereign over all things; He has the right and the power to do whatever He pleases with whatever He owns. He says that we are dependent on God for everything; we have nothing and we are nothing apart from Him.
Tozer also exposes some of the problems and errors that we have in this relationship. He says that we often forget or deny God's sovereignty; we question or resist His authority; we doubt or criticize His wisdom; we complain or rebel against His will. He says that we often forget or deny our dependence; we claim or assume our independence; we boast or rely on our abilities; we seek or trust in other sources.
need to depend and lean on His grace; we need to seek and find Him as our all in all.
Chapter 9: Meekness and Rest
In this chapter, Tozer talks about one of the most desirable and elusive states that we can have: rest. He says that rest is not just a physical or a temporal condition, but a spiritual and an eternal one. He says that rest is not just a cessation or a reduction of activity, but a peace and a satisfaction of soul. He says that rest is not just a result or a consequence of something else, but a gift and a blessing from God.
Tozer also reveals the secret and the condition of obtaining and enjoying this rest: meekness. He says that meekness is not just a virtue or a quality, but a disposition and an attitude. He says that meekness is not just a weakness or a timidity, but a strength and a courage. He says that meekness is not just a submission or a resignation, but a surrender and a cooperation.
Tozer concludes by saying that meekness and rest are inseparable and interdependent. He says that we cannot have rest without meekness; we need to be meek before God and before men; we need to accept His will and His ways; we need to yield our rights and our preferences; we need to bear His yoke and His burden. He says that we cannot have meekness without rest; we need to rest in God and in His promises; we need to trust His love and His power; we need to enjoy His presence and His fellowship; we need to share His joy and His peace.
Chapter 10: The Sacrament of Living
In this chapter, Tozer talks about one of the most practical and comprehensive implications of pursuing God: living for Him. He says that living for God is not just a duty or a responsibility, but a privilege and an opportunity. He says that living for God is not just a part or an aspect of our lives, but the whole and the essence of our lives. He says that living for God is not just a matter of doing or performing certain things, but a matter of being or becoming certain persons.
Tozer also gives some guidelines and examples on how we can live for God in every area and situation of our lives. He says that we need to consecrate ourselves to God completely and unreservedly; we need to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to Him; we need to dedicate everything that we have and everything that we are to Him. He says that we need to glorify God in everything that we do and say; we need to do everything in His name and for His sake; we need to say everything in His spirit and for His honor. He says that we need to imitate Christ in everything that we think and feel; we need to think as He thought and feel as He felt; we need to have the mind of Christ and the heart of Christ.
Tozer concludes by saying that living for God is not a burdensome or a boring way of life, but a blessed and a joyful one. He says that living for God is not something that we do out of fear or obligation, but something that we do out of love and gratitude. He says that living for God is not something that we do in vain or in isolation, but something that we do with purpose and with fellowship.
Benefits of the illustrated edition
In this section, we will show you how you can benefit from the illustrated edition of The Pursuit of God. The illustrated edition is a special version of the book that contains beautiful and inspiring images that complement the text and enhance the message. Here are some of the benefits of the illustrated edition:
Enhanced visual appeal
The illustrated edition has a more attractive and appealing look than the regular edition. The images add color, contrast, variety, and interest to the pages. They make the book more inviting and engaging for the readers. They also make the book more suitable for different types of learners, especially those who are more visual than verbal.
Improved comprehension and retention
and how he applies them to our lives. They also help the readers to remember better what Tozer says and how he says it.
Increased engagement and enjoyment
The illustrated edition has a more enjoyable and satisfying way of presenting the content than the regular edition. The images add emotion, beauty, humor, inspiration, and motivation to the text. They make the book more fun and interesting for the readers. They also make the book more personal and relatable for the readers, as they can connect with the images on a deeper level.
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