A Cloud by Day, a Fire by Night (DF Christian Bestsellers Book 2)

by A.W. Tozer

I cannot overemphasize this—what we seek is a gift to be received, not a reward to be earned.

I agree. The reward is there. The blessing is there, but we must fight for it. It is our pursuit of what God has that demonstrates ates our reliability upon God and belief of His promise.

God’s gift to them was still available for them, but only on His terms.

We cannot recieve God's promises on our terms.

The ten spies only saw the giants, while the two spies saw the glory of God.

Giants or Glory?

The destination is not of our definition but God’s.

It is from our humanity that we attempt to define where God is taking us. However, when we do so we can only do it from our persepective vantage point and experience, thus limiting the reality that exists in the mind of God.

During the day, the cloud contradicts the light, and at night the fire contradicts the dark. I find it is difficult to get a handle on that.

My circumstances do not define me, but rather, God’s work in me always contradicts them.

That’s exactly where the

church is today. We need to be prodded by some man of God in the direction that God wants us to go.

Have you ever noticed in the Scriptures that the great souls were always eager, even when obedience was extremely hard?

An essential lesson here is that a delayed blessing is still God’s blessing. God is not intimidated by our disobedience. But just like Israel, we will pay dearly for our disobedience, and God will still have His way in the end.

God is not intimidated by our disobedience. But just like Israel, we will pay dearly for our disobedience, and God will still have His way in the end.

"A delayed blessing is still God's blessing" is encouraging. Also, "God isn't intimidated by our disobedience" His will shall be done!

He is disappointed in those who know the way to go but have refused to go in that direction.

That was courage, faith, and cooperation on their part.

Too many people wait for the removal

This is good. Don't wait just step in, and go foraward, eager to obey. Step In! They had to step in the direction of God's promise They had to step in the obstacle barring their way to promise. They hadnto be willing to stay in however long possible to reach the promise.

of all obstacles. They wait for a miracle or providence to smooth the way for them. But Israel stepped into the water, and after they stepped in, the water parted.

Thy faithfulness to me has encouraged my faithfulness to Thee.

My God! Is this not the way it should be? We should be inspired and encouraged by God's continual mercies and faithfulness to us-it should cause to be more obedient and dedicated to Him!

What I want to emphasize is the fact that the true Christian is known. There is no question about that person being a Christian.

Is your Christianity known? Or are you so mingled with the culture that people can hardly see a difference?

Nobody will go to heaven who does not know now that they are going to heaven.

For some reason the inhabitants of the land understood they were up against an enemy they could not handle.

Does your enemy have more faith in your God than you? Its a sad scene when the church is scared of their enemy/obstacle whilst their enemy/obstacle is frightened of their God.

Our conversion is our spiritual circumcision that separates us from the world. If my conversion is not separating me from the world around me, it is not a genuine conversion. What reason is there for conversion if it is not as drastic as circumcision?

Circumcision is not only drastic but painful as well. Our conversion should be similarly.

Conversion is being transformed, not merely updated.

(Joshua 5:10–12).

I missed this point in my daily readings. The provision of manna kept them and carries them until God led them to a greater food supply.

The purpose of coming into Canaan was to move Israel into a state of maturing in the things of God. That was the whole purpose, and for us today we are challenged by God to grow in the things of God.

So Caanan represents a place of maturity in God. Its the place where the mature Christian dwells, the one that understands having to fight battles, endure some hardships, experience delays but yet trusts and follows God obediently wherever He leads, which eventually will be a place of rest, and greater provision.

There is a land here on earth where the soul anoints its altar.

The question that must be asked is, where are you? What is your Christianity? Is it social? Is it formal? Is it entertaining? Is it theological? Is it escapist?

the slough of despond.

A direct allusion to the book by John Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress.

We can become discouraged, but in that discouragement, we begin to see two things. First, our own weakness, and second, how God’s grace is applied to our lives in that weakness.

Discouragement always plays on self-pity.

This is so true, and self pity is pride.

The difference between negative thinking and positive thinking is that negative thinking finds out what is wrong and positive thinking decides how to fix it.

This is a good point.

Discouragement is based on an erroneous belief.

We will dare to believe that with every temptation Thou hast made a way that will turn our tin into silver and our silver into gold

This is the purpose behind trial, that our faith-obedience-consecration-devotion to God transform from a weakly, more malleable state into a strong substance. That we mature in these areas and grow so that we are forever chages. Growth is our portion and aim in Christ.

Take this truth to heart that God’s smiling face is turned toward us. Don’t let anybody sow seeds of doubt concerning this.

It is an interesting picture to imagine God smiling. With our understanding of an austere and holy God, somehow the vision of Him looking upon us with pleasure is abit foreign. Now, the abundant grace crowd take this imagery too far as if God is unable to be displeased, but its necessary to avoid extremes on either end of the spectrum and keep to the biblical revelation of a holy God who is pleased to produce holiness within His children.

The face of God is always turned our way, but if we allow this cloud of stubbornness we will not see His face. Some people are just plain obstinate and will not bend. They will not kneel to man or God or to anybody except the law.

Self-will can become a religious thing and enter right into church with you when you go to pray. Self-will is good-natured only when it’s getting its own way, and it’s grouchy and ill-tempered when it is crossed.

Then there is the cloud of ambition. You know there are even religious ambitions. There are people with religious ambitions for something that perhaps isn’t in the will of God or that’s for self-aggrandizement.

Then relax, for there is nothing you can do. What can a person do? He cannot fill himself with the Holy Ghost, and he cannot cleanse his own heart. God has to do it, and He is anxious to do it,

Just look on Him and let Him work.

This is so easier said than done. The practice of allowing Him to work in you, the self denial it takes, the self repudiation, the self abnegation, the surrender must all be done by faith, as we seek to obey that which God has revealed. This is holiness, becoming and "allowing" God to BE in our lives.