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A Cloud by Day, a Fire by Night: Finding and Following God's Will for You
How can I know God's will for me, personally? It's a question that haunts us all at times--maybe when we're looking for the right job, thinking about moving to a new city, or deciding whether or not to get married. At every stage we have difficult decisions to make, and we long for God's direction and his warm reassurance that we're heading the right way. A Cloud by Day, a Fire by Night captures Tozer's teaching on the will of God taken from sermons he preached just before he left his successful church in Chicago. Tozer was no stranger to facing difficult decisions, and his wisdom and biblical insight will help guide you in decisions of your own. The title comes from the story of God leading his people out of Egypt into the promised land. In the same way, let this book help reveal where he is leading and reassure you that he will be by your side every step of the way.
138 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 5, 2019
2907 people are currently reading
1459 people want to read
About the author
A.W. Tozer
665 books2,051 followersAiden Wilson Tozer was an American evangelical pastor, speaker, writer, and editor. After coming to Christ at the age of seventeen, Tozer found his way into the Christian & Missionary Alliance denomination where he served for over forty years. In 1950, he was appointed by the denomination's General Council to be the editor of "The Alliance Witness" (now "Alliance Life").
Born into poverty in western Pennsylvania in 1897, Tozer died in May 1963 a self-educated man who had taught himself what he missed in high school and college due to his home situation. Though he wrote many books, two of them, "The Pursuit of God" and "The Knowledge of the Holy" are widely considered to be classics.
A.W. Tozer and his wife, Ada Cecelia Pfautz, had seven children, six boys and one girl.
Born into poverty in western Pennsylvania in 1897, Tozer died in May 1963 a self-educated man who had taught himself what he missed in high school and college due to his home situation. Though he wrote many books, two of them, "The Pursuit of God" and "The Knowledge of the Holy" are widely considered to be classics.
A.W. Tozer and his wife, Ada Cecelia Pfautz, had seven children, six boys and one girl.
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April 30, 2019
I'm 3 chapters in and have already written down half a dozen quotes and felt like crying about three times. I had a feeling this would be a "for such a time as this" book for me, and so far that is proving true!
______
I love the writings of A.W. Tozer. They have been personally meaningful to me in the past, so I was immediately interested when I saw that Bethany House was putting out a new compilation of his sermons. When I saw the subtitle for this book was "Finding and following God's will for your life," I had a feeling deep down that this could be a 'for such a time as this' book in my life, and that proved to be true in more ways than expected.
Tozer preached this series of sermons as God began leading him to leave his prosperous Chicago church to take a smaller pastorate in Toronto. These messages sprang from his own desire to follow God's will, and some of my favorite quotes from the book reflect on how God prepares us for His will, makes a way for us, and provides faithfully for everything He ordains. Our responsibilities are to keep ourselves close to God and to obey even when we can only see the next step. God doesn't ask us to understand the whole plan - He asks us to trust, walk in faith, and to receive His blessings. The way may not be easy, and is often incredibly difficult and leads us to destinations that we did not expect, but following Him allows for a life which can be rich in peace and joy despite the trials.
There were a few things Tozer touched upon which were new concepts to me, or at least phrased in ways I understood in a clearer light, and I've been mulling them over and discussing them with friends. One of them is the fact that God's grace is not about us and our weaknesses, it's about Him and His character. "What God has for us not based on who we are, but rather on who He is" (Chapter 8). Another section talks about our enemies, and how our enemies are no obstacle in God's eyes. In fact, they are opportunities for Him to work especially in our behalf! "...When I see my enemy from God's point of view, my heart is filled with rejoicing because that enemy only reveals to me the amazing grace of God in my life" (Chapter 11).
I thought a pivotal part of the book was when Tozer discusses belief versus unbelief. We can believe in God's power and His blessings and still not believe they are for us, for our specific lives. "God is the God of today and tomorrow as well as yesterday. However, to most Christians, God is the God of yesterday alone. They believe in everything that was but cannot rise to believe for today, let alone tomorrow" (page 121). Oh, that is so true! As Tozer says in Chapter 5, "If God said it, then it must be true, and if it's true, then it's true now, and if it's true for someone else, it's also true for me."
Reading this book brought strength to my life and faith. It sparked worship and refreshment in my spirit. Even writing this review has brought Chris Tomlin's song "Good Good Father" to mind, because Tozer really does focus on our wonderful almighty God who will lead us with the cloud and fire if only we will keep our hearts turned to Him. I would recommend this book for believers everywhere.
I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
This review originated at http://reviewsbyerin.dreamwidth.org
______
I love the writings of A.W. Tozer. They have been personally meaningful to me in the past, so I was immediately interested when I saw that Bethany House was putting out a new compilation of his sermons. When I saw the subtitle for this book was "Finding and following God's will for your life," I had a feeling deep down that this could be a 'for such a time as this' book in my life, and that proved to be true in more ways than expected.
Tozer preached this series of sermons as God began leading him to leave his prosperous Chicago church to take a smaller pastorate in Toronto. These messages sprang from his own desire to follow God's will, and some of my favorite quotes from the book reflect on how God prepares us for His will, makes a way for us, and provides faithfully for everything He ordains. Our responsibilities are to keep ourselves close to God and to obey even when we can only see the next step. God doesn't ask us to understand the whole plan - He asks us to trust, walk in faith, and to receive His blessings. The way may not be easy, and is often incredibly difficult and leads us to destinations that we did not expect, but following Him allows for a life which can be rich in peace and joy despite the trials.
There were a few things Tozer touched upon which were new concepts to me, or at least phrased in ways I understood in a clearer light, and I've been mulling them over and discussing them with friends. One of them is the fact that God's grace is not about us and our weaknesses, it's about Him and His character. "What God has for us not based on who we are, but rather on who He is" (Chapter 8). Another section talks about our enemies, and how our enemies are no obstacle in God's eyes. In fact, they are opportunities for Him to work especially in our behalf! "...When I see my enemy from God's point of view, my heart is filled with rejoicing because that enemy only reveals to me the amazing grace of God in my life" (Chapter 11).
I thought a pivotal part of the book was when Tozer discusses belief versus unbelief. We can believe in God's power and His blessings and still not believe they are for us, for our specific lives. "God is the God of today and tomorrow as well as yesterday. However, to most Christians, God is the God of yesterday alone. They believe in everything that was but cannot rise to believe for today, let alone tomorrow" (page 121). Oh, that is so true! As Tozer says in Chapter 5, "If God said it, then it must be true, and if it's true, then it's true now, and if it's true for someone else, it's also true for me."
Reading this book brought strength to my life and faith. It sparked worship and refreshment in my spirit. Even writing this review has brought Chris Tomlin's song "Good Good Father" to mind, because Tozer really does focus on our wonderful almighty God who will lead us with the cloud and fire if only we will keep our hearts turned to Him. I would recommend this book for believers everywhere.
I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
This review originated at http://reviewsbyerin.dreamwidth.org
June 3, 2019
A Cloud by Day, a Fire by Night: Finding and Following God’s Will for You by A.W. Tozer
5 stars
“When we allow God’s Word to beyond our ears and into our hearts, it stimulates us to do that which God is calling us to do.”
“We need to relax a bit, turn away from the noise of the world, and listen to the voice of God because He has everything put together. He has prepared for us a place of service and ministry and will open the doors, despite the obstacles and the confusion we may experience during the journey.”
Whimsical Writing Scale: 5
Plotastic Scale: 5
Cover Thoughts: It’s simple. It’s not a bad cover, but I do think that it could be improved.
Thank you, Netgalley and Bethany House Publishers, for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
5 stars
“When we allow God’s Word to beyond our ears and into our hearts, it stimulates us to do that which God is calling us to do.”
A.W. Tozer is considered to be one of the most famous Christian ministers and writers of the twentieth century. He is widely regarded and this is my first time having the pleasure to read one of his works. This short novel opens up with a prayer before each chapter and ends with poems from famous Christians prior to Tozer’s time in ministry. The theme of A Cloud by Day, a Fire by Night is the presence of God with the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt toward the promise land of Canaan. This novel is fantastic. I adored every chapter and I was moved. I actually picked this one up because God kept whispering this phrase into my mind and after a couple of times, I finally realized that I had a copy of this novel with the exact phrase He was whispering to my soul. This novel was very timely for me. It’s challenging, enlightening, and steeped with spiritual pleadings for the church to turn towards God’s promise and His Jesus instead of the empty promises of the world or that we offer ourselves under the guise of good ideas. Tozer delivers Biblical truth with surety and confidence. It’s beautiful and absolutely uplifting to read. I enjoyed every single minute of the experience that this novel provides. If you are a fan of Tozer, I can’t recommend this enough. If you haven’t read Tozer like me then this is also a great starting place.
“We need to relax a bit, turn away from the noise of the world, and listen to the voice of God because He has everything put together. He has prepared for us a place of service and ministry and will open the doors, despite the obstacles and the confusion we may experience during the journey.”
Whimsical Writing Scale: 5
Plotastic Scale: 5
Cover Thoughts: It’s simple. It’s not a bad cover, but I do think that it could be improved.
Thank you, Netgalley and Bethany House Publishers, for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
February 28, 2019
This was a very encouraging book. Tozer wants us to see that God’s will and guidance are available to us today as they were to Moses and the children of Israel thousands of years ago. As he walks us through the Exodus account, he applies the lessons learned by Israel to our daily lives. He encourages us to take those lessons and allow God to use them to draw us closer to Himself.
Snyder has compiled a good collection of excerpts from Tozer’s sermons and writing. He has organized them into devotional length chapters. Each one starts with a prayer and ends with a verse of an applicable hymn.
The only thing that I could wish was that some of the sections were longer. Many times Tozer stated his position without ever quoting scripture, he referred to it often, but it wasn’t actually written out for us to read. I would have liked to have it quoted in the book.
I really appreciated the cohesion between the quoted Bible version and Tozer’s words. It was helpful to see the phrases that Tozer used as the basis for some of the sections came directly from the Bible.
As always be sure to check everything he says against the Bible. It will either strengthen the impact or save you from error.
I received this as a free ARC through NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers. No favorable review was required. It was my pleasure to provide my honest opinions.
Snyder has compiled a good collection of excerpts from Tozer’s sermons and writing. He has organized them into devotional length chapters. Each one starts with a prayer and ends with a verse of an applicable hymn.
The only thing that I could wish was that some of the sections were longer. Many times Tozer stated his position without ever quoting scripture, he referred to it often, but it wasn’t actually written out for us to read. I would have liked to have it quoted in the book.
I really appreciated the cohesion between the quoted Bible version and Tozer’s words. It was helpful to see the phrases that Tozer used as the basis for some of the sections came directly from the Bible.
As always be sure to check everything he says against the Bible. It will either strengthen the impact or save you from error.
I received this as a free ARC through NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers. No favorable review was required. It was my pleasure to provide my honest opinions.
December 4, 2020
I was really disappointed with this book. After reading Knowledge of the Holy earlier this year and loving it, I was expecting more.
1) The writing style was drastically different from Knowledge of the Holy. This book apparently was compiled after Tozer died, and the chapters are pieced from sermons that he preached before his death. Thus, the sentences are often short and choppy, the chapters feel repetitive, and a lot of general statements are made without any explanation to what Tozer actually meant by them. Likewise, the comparisons of our lives today to the Isrealites following a cloud by day and a fire by fire to go into the land God had prepared for them felt like observations I could draw myself; I'm not sure if this book contributed any novel ideas. Perhaps if this was a book he intentionally set down to write (instead of being compiled posthumously), it might have been more cohesive and detailed?
2) Some of the statements oddly verge on things I would expect to hear from prosperity preachers or teachers with watered-down theology. As Tozer discusses God's will for our lives, he repeatedly refers to both physical and financial prosperity, even offering a story of someone who fasted until they experienced physical healing (as if this were a formula) and using the language of "claiming it." Moreover, many of the cliches ("you can't have a victory without a battle," "we must enter into a deeper life," etc.) were just stated without any explanations or depth. This was confusing and disappointing :-(
All in all, I'm going to try to forget that I read this and just focus on the good things I took from Knowledge of the Holy - lol
1) The writing style was drastically different from Knowledge of the Holy. This book apparently was compiled after Tozer died, and the chapters are pieced from sermons that he preached before his death. Thus, the sentences are often short and choppy, the chapters feel repetitive, and a lot of general statements are made without any explanation to what Tozer actually meant by them. Likewise, the comparisons of our lives today to the Isrealites following a cloud by day and a fire by fire to go into the land God had prepared for them felt like observations I could draw myself; I'm not sure if this book contributed any novel ideas. Perhaps if this was a book he intentionally set down to write (instead of being compiled posthumously), it might have been more cohesive and detailed?
2) Some of the statements oddly verge on things I would expect to hear from prosperity preachers or teachers with watered-down theology. As Tozer discusses God's will for our lives, he repeatedly refers to both physical and financial prosperity, even offering a story of someone who fasted until they experienced physical healing (as if this were a formula) and using the language of "claiming it." Moreover, many of the cliches ("you can't have a victory without a battle," "we must enter into a deeper life," etc.) were just stated without any explanations or depth. This was confusing and disappointing :-(
All in all, I'm going to try to forget that I read this and just focus on the good things I took from Knowledge of the Holy - lol
December 16, 2021
Maybe it depends on what season of life you are in, but I felt like every word was written for my heart. Tozer is incredible. And he continually points to an incredible God. I l know what I'll be asking for for Christmas - every work by Tozer ever.
February 1, 2023
“This Angel before us is leading us under the divine cloud God has provided. We have nothing to fear, knowing that we are going in the direction God wants us to go and that God’s provisions are infinite.”
I loved this because because of the practical reminders of who God is, that he is all-knowing, all-powerful, all-loving, and that wants us to live in full surrender and obedience to Him in order to live in the fullness of Him. I can live in the promises of God by daily surrendering my own thoughts and plans, and be reminded that He is anxious to come through for me and be near to me, and that He is always near.
I loved this because because of the practical reminders of who God is, that he is all-knowing, all-powerful, all-loving, and that wants us to live in full surrender and obedience to Him in order to live in the fullness of Him. I can live in the promises of God by daily surrendering my own thoughts and plans, and be reminded that He is anxious to come through for me and be near to me, and that He is always near.
October 16, 2020
Our church read this during the pandemic.
A.W. Tozer challenges the reader to draw closer to God to know His will.
Lots of wisdom in this book. Highly recommend.
A.W. Tozer challenges the reader to draw closer to God to know His will.
Lots of wisdom in this book. Highly recommend.
September 7, 2019
I am growing to love A.W. Tozer's writings more and more. I really connect to the way he writes and preaches. This is a bold book where Tozer explains how to find and follow God's will for my life. I was at another juncture in my life about 1-2 months ago and my wife read this book and encouraged me to as well. I'm glad I did! This is a fantastic book that is an encouragement to "GO" and serve like Jesus. Page 90 really stood out:
"The problem with many Christians today is that they want to tell God how they are going to serve, as well as the conditions of their serving. This is not acceptable as far as God is concerned. God is my owner, and serving Him means I recognize His ownership and I am complete in allegiance to Him, nobody else. To obey, to trust, to love, to worship--these are the elements that enrich our acts of serving God."
Later down the page he declares: "Whom am I going to trust if I cannot really trust God?"
Also at the start of Chapter 18 is a wonderful prayer for all the blessing you and I and all of us have received from God (p 123)! These blessings I should never forget in my life.
To end, Tozer adds on p. 122:
"I think we all need to be doing things above our personal, human ability. We need to rise above it and begin living in the power of the Holy Spirit. We need to be doing work not that are capable of doing, but work that can only comes through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives."
After reading this book, it was the last little nudge to trust God and "Go". I am leading a Life Group/Bible Study this school year for 10 weeks. And I also took a huge step of faith in God and enrolled in seminary. Something that my wife and I have been discussing and praying over for a long time. The Life Group begins Sept 11 and my seminary start date is October 1st. Trusting God! And thankful for Tozer's book that I read at just the right moment in my life. :)
"The problem with many Christians today is that they want to tell God how they are going to serve, as well as the conditions of their serving. This is not acceptable as far as God is concerned. God is my owner, and serving Him means I recognize His ownership and I am complete in allegiance to Him, nobody else. To obey, to trust, to love, to worship--these are the elements that enrich our acts of serving God."
Later down the page he declares: "Whom am I going to trust if I cannot really trust God?"
Also at the start of Chapter 18 is a wonderful prayer for all the blessing you and I and all of us have received from God (p 123)! These blessings I should never forget in my life.
To end, Tozer adds on p. 122:
"I think we all need to be doing things above our personal, human ability. We need to rise above it and begin living in the power of the Holy Spirit. We need to be doing work not that are capable of doing, but work that can only comes through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives."
After reading this book, it was the last little nudge to trust God and "Go". I am leading a Life Group/Bible Study this school year for 10 weeks. And I also took a huge step of faith in God and enrolled in seminary. Something that my wife and I have been discussing and praying over for a long time. The Life Group begins Sept 11 and my seminary start date is October 1st. Trusting God! And thankful for Tozer's book that I read at just the right moment in my life. :)
February 9, 2024
Recommended by an instagram post from Adie Camp. I am thoroughly enjoying this! Love the prayer in the beginning of each reading and the hymn at the end...krb 4/21/21
Jacob read Y11
Ellie read Y10. Rated 4 stars...krb 2/9/24
Jacob read Y11
Ellie read Y10. Rated 4 stars...krb 2/9/24
February 12, 2019
This is a compilation of short sermon topics that A.W. Tozer preached over his lifetime of ministry. There are 23 short chapters dealing with why we as Christians struggle to Find the Will of God for our lives or why we struggle to Follow the Will of God for our lives.
Each chapter is short enough that it could be read as part of your daily devotions. Thus you can easily work through the book in a month.
A.W. Tozer is a great example of a man who found and followed the will of God in his life. He lead a successful pastoral ministry in Indianapolis and then followed the Lord's leading to Chicago where he had another successful pastorate. What is interesting is that he wasn't look for a change in Pastorates. He was happy where he was. But after accepting a guest speaking engagement in Chicago he felt the Lord's leading to move there and take over a different ministry.
The joy he found in that move has been expressed in many of the books and sermons which he penned.
This compilation from his sermons gives us a great insight into how A.W. Tozer thought and followed the Lord. There is nothing new or earth shattering in this book, but it is a great reminder of how God leads and why we at times don't hear correctly from the Lord.
One simple truth is, Do you Believe God? The answer seems simple to most of us, the answer is yes, I believe God. Well if we do then A.W. asks why don't we seem to be succeeding in the ministries we are doing? Is it because we have listened to ourselves and not to God?
You will be challenged to look in a fresh way on how God speaks to you.
I pray that this little book will give you some much needed clarity for you in how you respond to God's calling and direction in your life.
Each chapter is short enough that it could be read as part of your daily devotions. Thus you can easily work through the book in a month.
A.W. Tozer is a great example of a man who found and followed the will of God in his life. He lead a successful pastoral ministry in Indianapolis and then followed the Lord's leading to Chicago where he had another successful pastorate. What is interesting is that he wasn't look for a change in Pastorates. He was happy where he was. But after accepting a guest speaking engagement in Chicago he felt the Lord's leading to move there and take over a different ministry.
The joy he found in that move has been expressed in many of the books and sermons which he penned.
This compilation from his sermons gives us a great insight into how A.W. Tozer thought and followed the Lord. There is nothing new or earth shattering in this book, but it is a great reminder of how God leads and why we at times don't hear correctly from the Lord.
One simple truth is, Do you Believe God? The answer seems simple to most of us, the answer is yes, I believe God. Well if we do then A.W. asks why don't we seem to be succeeding in the ministries we are doing? Is it because we have listened to ourselves and not to God?
You will be challenged to look in a fresh way on how God speaks to you.
I pray that this little book will give you some much needed clarity for you in how you respond to God's calling and direction in your life.
January 16, 2019
First sentence (from the introduction): A very important theme in Dr. A.W. Tozer’s ministry was the subject of God’s will for each of our lives.
I would recommend using A Cloud by Day, a Fire by Night by A.W. Tozer as a devotional book. I'm not sure if that's what the publishers intended. It's certainly not marketed as being such. The book has twenty-three chapters. Each chapter begins with a prayer and ends with a hymn. It could easily be used as a devotional for a month allowing for grace days and busy schedules.
The subject of this book is GOD'S WILL. Snyder has edited together some of Tozer's writings/sermons on this subject. (Tozer died in the early 1960s--1963, I believe.) Snyder writes, "This book is about more than finding God’s will for your next step or decision in life—it about is following His will to the end." I love that. This one is just as much about obedience and sanctification and worship as it is "God's Will."
Tozer is one of my favorite, favorite authors. Not because we always agree with one another on every little issue but because we're kindred spirits when it comes to the Word of God. Tozer is ZEALOUS and PASSIONATE and IN LOVE with the Lord. Tozer is not afraid to speak the truth--proclaim the truth--to the world.
March 20, 2019
This is the first time I’ve heard of this author, and this is another non-fiction read. I’ve been reading a lot more of them lately, and some I enjoy. Others, not so much. This one falls in the middle of those feelings. The author uses sermons to help to bring this book together, and points a lot of important factors from throughout the Bible in this book.
This book focuses on what it’s like living a daily battle who’s, what’s and why’s, and straying from God’s will. Tozer helps us to see that we need to grasp onto what God has in store for us, and hold on and not stray away. In today’s world, that’s all to often easy to do. Too much second guessing and not enough of the knees hitting the floor, so to speak.
This is a book that would be great for a Bible study among churches, or just for someone who finds they have more questions about their life’s direction than they do answers. While not my favorite, I can still recommend this book with 3.5 stars, and will be looking out for more work from this author!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Chosen Books and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
This book focuses on what it’s like living a daily battle who’s, what’s and why’s, and straying from God’s will. Tozer helps us to see that we need to grasp onto what God has in store for us, and hold on and not stray away. In today’s world, that’s all to often easy to do. Too much second guessing and not enough of the knees hitting the floor, so to speak.
This is a book that would be great for a Bible study among churches, or just for someone who finds they have more questions about their life’s direction than they do answers. While not my favorite, I can still recommend this book with 3.5 stars, and will be looking out for more work from this author!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Chosen Books and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
March 2, 2019
A Cloud by Day, a Fire by Night is a compilation of A.W. Tozer's sermons around Exodus as compiled and edited by James L. Snyder.
Starting off with seeking God's will in your life, each of the 23 sermons is a compact reminder that as God brought the Israelites out of Egypt and into the Canaan with visible, tangible signs of His presence, God will also lead you through your wilderness into the place that He has prepared for you. He doesn't promise it will be easy, doesn't sugarcoat it with the platitudes common in church nowadays, emphasising instead that the journey will be hard and there will be many things that discourage us and disappoint us on the way, and that obedience often means surrender and sacrifice as well.
It's easy to get distracted and to give up, but remember that God goes before you, and stands behind you, providing the cloud by day and a fire by night to get us to where we're meant to be. If you need affirmation of God's truths and guidance to understanding God's will for your life, this is a good book to pick up.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Starting off with seeking God's will in your life, each of the 23 sermons is a compact reminder that as God brought the Israelites out of Egypt and into the Canaan with visible, tangible signs of His presence, God will also lead you through your wilderness into the place that He has prepared for you. He doesn't promise it will be easy, doesn't sugarcoat it with the platitudes common in church nowadays, emphasising instead that the journey will be hard and there will be many things that discourage us and disappoint us on the way, and that obedience often means surrender and sacrifice as well.
It's easy to get distracted and to give up, but remember that God goes before you, and stands behind you, providing the cloud by day and a fire by night to get us to where we're meant to be. If you need affirmation of God's truths and guidance to understanding God's will for your life, this is a good book to pick up.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 12, 2019
The compilation of sermons by A.W. Tozer work to show how you can live a Christian life that is deeper and richer than you may have ever thought. What hit home the most in this book is when Tozer talks about unbelief and how we believe God can do amazing things yet we believe it is for someone else not us. That was so profound to me. I think back in my life to how many times I have believed God for the impossible for others yet limit God to basic needs and necessities in my own life. This book will definitely inspire you to evaluate your own Christian walk and maybe nudge you to move your life to surrender.
February 13, 2021
“God wants to lead us and guide us. He has provided all we need. And as we walk with God, we will access strength and grace, enabling us to rise above our circumstances and our enemy and praise and worship God. God did not save us and lead us out of Egypt so that we could be burdened the rest of our lives. God led us out in order to lead us into a land of milk and honey. A land of rejoicing and praise to enjoy the rest of our lives.”
August 9, 2021
I would like to read Tozer’s actual sermons, I think. While the heart of the message is here and wonderful and full of scripture, the writing seemed a little oversimplified? Has the one page daily devotional feel (which I think was the goal but also thankfully does not have the end of chapter questions and start of chapter stand-alone verses. as a devotional, it was very nicely done. a prayer, lots of words seamlessly mixed with lots of scripture, an excerpt from a hymn. next.)
January 23, 2024
A favorite verse of mine is found in Exodus when the Israelites are wandering in the dessert. This book is based on, cloud by day, fire by night. No matter where we are in life or the circumstances we face God’s with us and makes provision for us. What we want and what God wants may be different things, but God want’s what is best for us. I enjoyTozer’s teachings/writing.
June 12, 2024
Tozer is calling us to enter into the land of promise… to Canaan. “To serve God is to be his bond servant. To obey, to trust, to love, to worship: these are the elements that enrich our acts of serving God…”p. 62
Tozer always calls and exhorts me to go deeper and to trust God more…
Tozer always calls and exhorts me to go deeper and to trust God more…
January 6, 2023
So many of these chapters were meaningful lessons in my current season. I was helped immensely as God provided me with direction, clarity, and correction through Tozer's work here.
October 19, 2023
I love Tozer! I feel like this book was written specifically for me in this season!
July 4, 2024
Would make a great book for your next devotion
September 22, 2023
Sometimes you find a book that fits with exactly where you are currently, and Tozer hit every point. One to add to the personal library.
September 22, 2024
AW Tozer is honestly not good.
October 20, 2022
I loved this book!
April 17, 2019
Pros:
*The setup in the book is pretty cool. The chapters are short and begin with one of A. W. Tozer's prayers - something I normally skip in books but actually appreciated in this one. Then we have the chapter and end with a verse of a hymn that goes along with the subject of the chapter. There's also a lot of white space which makes the book feel clean and bright
*This book does a good job of helping people learn how to find and follow God's will. It talks a lot about the Children of Isreal wandering in the Wilderness, and how that applies to our lives today and what we can learn from them. Since I'm all for learning from other people's mistakes so I don't have to repeat them myself, this was pretty great
Cons:
*It just wasn't my style. That's lame, I know, and I feel bad saying that about a good Christian-living book. This is also an exceedingly subjective feeling that I can't pinpoint the reasons to. Sorry, folks
*I read a lot of nonfiction books and it's easy for me to stay focused on them, but for some reason I found my mind wandering a lot while reading this book. Again, I think it's just because it wasn't my style
CONCLUSION & Rating
Although this wasn't my favorite, there's not anything I found wrong with it, so y'all should give it a try if it sounds good. I’m giving A Cloud by Day A Fire by Night three out of five stars – Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for this review copy. Y'all rock.
*The setup in the book is pretty cool. The chapters are short and begin with one of A. W. Tozer's prayers - something I normally skip in books but actually appreciated in this one. Then we have the chapter and end with a verse of a hymn that goes along with the subject of the chapter. There's also a lot of white space which makes the book feel clean and bright
*This book does a good job of helping people learn how to find and follow God's will. It talks a lot about the Children of Isreal wandering in the Wilderness, and how that applies to our lives today and what we can learn from them. Since I'm all for learning from other people's mistakes so I don't have to repeat them myself, this was pretty great
Cons:
*It just wasn't my style. That's lame, I know, and I feel bad saying that about a good Christian-living book. This is also an exceedingly subjective feeling that I can't pinpoint the reasons to. Sorry, folks
*I read a lot of nonfiction books and it's easy for me to stay focused on them, but for some reason I found my mind wandering a lot while reading this book. Again, I think it's just because it wasn't my style
CONCLUSION & Rating
Although this wasn't my favorite, there's not anything I found wrong with it, so y'all should give it a try if it sounds good. I’m giving A Cloud by Day A Fire by Night three out of five stars – Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for this review copy. Y'all rock.
March 27, 2019
A Cloud By Day and a Fire By Night from A.W Tozer is a collection of sermons answering the question, "how do I know God's will for my life?"
Making decisions at any age is hard and with often times simple language, A.W Tozer delivers the simple message that just as God led the people to the promised land from Egypt, He will do the same in our own lives.
I have to say I'm not much of a sermon reader. I don't read Piper and Surgeon though I've heard good things.
In general after seeing I read this book, a lot of people will probs assume I sit around and read deep books. While yes, I enjoy deep books, sermon-style books are not my favorite. Instead you will normally find me sitting down to C.S Lewis. I just have a hard time focusing on this one without getting a little lost, but still the simple language kept me mainly on track.
A.W Tozer has some deep quotes and his wisdom is something to take into account. I enjoyed trying this book and giving it a chance even though I was a little bored. I've always struggled in finding out God's will for me and being open to whatever He has called me to.
Tozer assures people like me that nothing can mess up God's plan for our lives and that no matter what He is still leading us.
Thank you to Bethany Fiction for giving me a chance at this one in exchange for an honest review.
Making decisions at any age is hard and with often times simple language, A.W Tozer delivers the simple message that just as God led the people to the promised land from Egypt, He will do the same in our own lives.
I have to say I'm not much of a sermon reader. I don't read Piper and Surgeon though I've heard good things.
In general after seeing I read this book, a lot of people will probs assume I sit around and read deep books. While yes, I enjoy deep books, sermon-style books are not my favorite. Instead you will normally find me sitting down to C.S Lewis. I just have a hard time focusing on this one without getting a little lost, but still the simple language kept me mainly on track.
A.W Tozer has some deep quotes and his wisdom is something to take into account. I enjoyed trying this book and giving it a chance even though I was a little bored. I've always struggled in finding out God's will for me and being open to whatever He has called me to.
Tozer assures people like me that nothing can mess up God's plan for our lives and that no matter what He is still leading us.
Thank you to Bethany Fiction for giving me a chance at this one in exchange for an honest review.
October 28, 2023
When I finish a book by A.W. Tozer, I always finish with a desire for more of God in my life, and Tozer never neglects to remind us that more of God in our lives is always possible.
For my own future notes:
Page 43 - “The question that desperately needs to be answered is, How does faith differ from unbelief?
The difference is simply that faith says, "If some other time, then why not now?" And that's the important thing. If God said it for some other time, why does it not apply now?
Faith says emphatically that it does apply to me right now. Faith also says, "If some other place, then why not right here? If it's good wherever, then why can't it be good here where I am standing?"
Faith says, "If someone else, then why not me? Whatever God has done for anybody else, God can do for me."
Faith takes the "I" out of the equation and brings God back to the center. If God said it, then it must be true, and if it's true, then it's true now, and if it's true for someone else, it's also true for me. Somehow, we have taken the Scripture and parsed it to mean "that one" when it means "this one."
Pages 65-66 - “My biggest enemy is not Satan. My worst enemy is myself. If I could let go of the past that God has led me out of and latch on to what God has for me now- the provisions and the access to heaven He has for me I would begin to experience the kind of Christian life that is full of joy, praise, and honor to God.”
Page 99 - “Patrick was a chef in one of the finest hotels in this country. He and his wife had a son in his twenties, Lawrence, who was born unable to walk. Patrick believed the Lord would heal him, but He did not. One day he said to God, "I am not going to eat again until my boy is healed." His wife said, "Do you think that's wise, Patrick?" He said, "Leave that to God and me." So Patrick went to work, and the first day was not so bad, but the second and third days were terrible. In this fine, high-class restaurant, he was dishing up food that was just utterly out of this world for these high-class patrons. Still, Patrick remained steadfast. He told his wife, "Until Lawrence is healed, I am fasting. I am leaning on God.”
One morning he heard his wife's scream that filled the room. He ran into the room and said, "What's the matter?" And she said, "Look! Look!" Lawrence was running around all over the room, perfectly delivered.
I would not say that everybody should do that. I would not go that far, and I could not go along with some of the healing evangelists. I will only say, God did that for a simplehearted man who no one else could help.”
Page 127 - “For example, when we think of the cloud by day and the fire by night, we are thinking of opposites. 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.
My joy is not in my circumstance but in that Angel that is before me.
We are the ones opening our hearts to receive as much of God as we will. God does not determine how much we shall have; we decide how much we are going to accept from God. I have prayed and labored unselfishly, and I believe the Holy Spirit has spoken to my heart. I need to put away selfish ambitions, and I need to set before me the Canaan God has for me. When I see what God has for me, and when I begin to see not through my eyes, but through the eyes of the Lord, I will see something worth sacrificing for.”
Pages 139-140 - “What I want to emphasize is the fact that the true Christian is known. There is no question about that person being a Christian.
It is similar to the birth of a baby. We know that baby has been born because there it is right in front of us. No question about it.
The same goes for that Christian who has been born again.
The spiritual experience is real. There is the struggle, the pain, and the labor, and finally we come into the sunlight of God's redeeming power.
There are some reasonable conclusions I want to state here.
If we do not know that we have crossed a line, we have not. If we do not know when, we have not. An experience is the reality of crossing that line.
I believe it is the same with other aspects of our Christian experience.
If you do not know that you have consecrated yourself to the Lord and do not know when, you probably have not consecrated your life unto the Lord.
If you do not know when you surrendered to the Lord, you have not surrendered.
If you do not know when you were filled with the Holy Spirit, you were not filled with the Holy Spirit.
These personal experiences are landmarks in our walk with Christ. Just as the Israelites had that monument reminding them of crossing the Jordan, so we have monuments reminding us of experiences with Christ. Our conversion, our filling with the Holy Spirit, our surrender to Christ are all landmarks and monuments to our encounters with Him.
Nobody will go to heaven who does not know now that they are going to heaven. It is not guesswork; it is the reality of the personal experience that makes us completely confident in our walk with Christ.”
Page 141 - “You cannot surrender to Christ and have nobody notice it.”
Page 146 - “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?”
Page 156 - “What are you going to do about your discouragement? Remember, the stars in heaven do not shine in the daytime; it is already light upon the earth. Why do they shine at night? Because the darkness makes them visible. So in all the periods of history the saint always stands out when darkness rises upon the earth.”
For my own future notes:
Page 43 - “The question that desperately needs to be answered is, How does faith differ from unbelief?
The difference is simply that faith says, "If some other time, then why not now?" And that's the important thing. If God said it for some other time, why does it not apply now?
Faith says emphatically that it does apply to me right now. Faith also says, "If some other place, then why not right here? If it's good wherever, then why can't it be good here where I am standing?"
Faith says, "If someone else, then why not me? Whatever God has done for anybody else, God can do for me."
Faith takes the "I" out of the equation and brings God back to the center. If God said it, then it must be true, and if it's true, then it's true now, and if it's true for someone else, it's also true for me. Somehow, we have taken the Scripture and parsed it to mean "that one" when it means "this one."
Pages 65-66 - “My biggest enemy is not Satan. My worst enemy is myself. If I could let go of the past that God has led me out of and latch on to what God has for me now- the provisions and the access to heaven He has for me I would begin to experience the kind of Christian life that is full of joy, praise, and honor to God.”
Page 99 - “Patrick was a chef in one of the finest hotels in this country. He and his wife had a son in his twenties, Lawrence, who was born unable to walk. Patrick believed the Lord would heal him, but He did not. One day he said to God, "I am not going to eat again until my boy is healed." His wife said, "Do you think that's wise, Patrick?" He said, "Leave that to God and me." So Patrick went to work, and the first day was not so bad, but the second and third days were terrible. In this fine, high-class restaurant, he was dishing up food that was just utterly out of this world for these high-class patrons. Still, Patrick remained steadfast. He told his wife, "Until Lawrence is healed, I am fasting. I am leaning on God.”
One morning he heard his wife's scream that filled the room. He ran into the room and said, "What's the matter?" And she said, "Look! Look!" Lawrence was running around all over the room, perfectly delivered.
I would not say that everybody should do that. I would not go that far, and I could not go along with some of the healing evangelists. I will only say, God did that for a simplehearted man who no one else could help.”
Page 127 - “For example, when we think of the cloud by day and the fire by night, we are thinking of opposites. 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.
My joy is not in my circumstance but in that Angel that is before me.
We are the ones opening our hearts to receive as much of God as we will. God does not determine how much we shall have; we decide how much we are going to accept from God. I have prayed and labored unselfishly, and I believe the Holy Spirit has spoken to my heart. I need to put away selfish ambitions, and I need to set before me the Canaan God has for me. When I see what God has for me, and when I begin to see not through my eyes, but through the eyes of the Lord, I will see something worth sacrificing for.”
Pages 139-140 - “What I want to emphasize is the fact that the true Christian is known. There is no question about that person being a Christian.
It is similar to the birth of a baby. We know that baby has been born because there it is right in front of us. No question about it.
The same goes for that Christian who has been born again.
The spiritual experience is real. There is the struggle, the pain, and the labor, and finally we come into the sunlight of God's redeeming power.
There are some reasonable conclusions I want to state here.
If we do not know that we have crossed a line, we have not. If we do not know when, we have not. An experience is the reality of crossing that line.
I believe it is the same with other aspects of our Christian experience.
If you do not know that you have consecrated yourself to the Lord and do not know when, you probably have not consecrated your life unto the Lord.
If you do not know when you surrendered to the Lord, you have not surrendered.
If you do not know when you were filled with the Holy Spirit, you were not filled with the Holy Spirit.
These personal experiences are landmarks in our walk with Christ. Just as the Israelites had that monument reminding them of crossing the Jordan, so we have monuments reminding us of experiences with Christ. Our conversion, our filling with the Holy Spirit, our surrender to Christ are all landmarks and monuments to our encounters with Him.
Nobody will go to heaven who does not know now that they are going to heaven. It is not guesswork; it is the reality of the personal experience that makes us completely confident in our walk with Christ.”
Page 141 - “You cannot surrender to Christ and have nobody notice it.”
Page 146 - “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?”
Page 156 - “What are you going to do about your discouragement? Remember, the stars in heaven do not shine in the daytime; it is already light upon the earth. Why do they shine at night? Because the darkness makes them visible. So in all the periods of history the saint always stands out when darkness rises upon the earth.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2020
Really good. Be forewarned, he has no qualms with stepping on your toes.
March 11, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed reading "A Cloud by Day, a Fire by NIght" by A.W. Tozer. I didn't know much about his life, so I enjoyed getting to know more about him and his ministry through his sermons. Did you know that A.W. Tozer did not finish high school? He only went to one day of eighth grade.
Although "A Cloud by Day, a Fire by Night" is a shorter book compromised of 23 sermons, it hit me deeply. I had to read them slowly and over time. I'm so glad I endured because there were a lot of nuggets that encouraged me in my spiritual walk including:
"When we allow God's Word to go beyond our ears and into our hearts, it stimulates us to do that which God is calling us to do."
"It is the voice of God that will guide our way through our personal Jordan rivers and into the promised land. Without that voice of God, our Jordan will never open up, and we will never get across."
"I need to quiet my heart in order to hear God's direction. This must become a daily discipline for all of us."
"No challenge is bigger than God."
"His grace is a reflection of His character and His nature, not our weaknesses."
"If I'm not believing God, I'm not being led by God."
"The cloud by day and fire by night stand between our enemy and us."
"The key ingredient in defeating the enemy is obedience to God."
"Once we are out of Egypt, we do not pitch a tent and say, 'Well, I have arrived.' No the truth is effective only when we emphasize that we have been saved not only from something, but we have been saved unto something."
"What God has for us is not based on who we are, but rather who He is."
"We can have as much of God as we will take."
"I am where I am today because of the wisdom of God in opening up the right doors at the right time."
"We do not need to figure out our own roadmap or how we are going to go to or what we are going to do. We need to stay careful that we stay in His presence, and this is the work of faith. I need to cultivate the presence of God in my own life."
"To know the enemy is the first step, but it is only the first step."
"God wants us to trust Him even though we have no idea what our next step is."
"I think confidence is a part of friendship. My friendship with God has brought me to a place where I have confidence in Him, and that confidence is expressed in trusting Him with everything He sends my way."
"As a believer in Christ, I want my worship of God to be the strongest aspect of my life."
"God enjoys blessing us; His only problem is to get us to believe Him."
"In the will of God, there is no failure."
"Imagine dying without fulfilling the will of God."
"We Christians need to cultivate this passion for the deeper life."
"Every promise of God unfolds to us the character and nature of God."
"Out in the desert they could not enjoy the fruit...That is because they are in the desert, and once they get into Canaan, they will nourish their soul on the fruit of the land."
"Imagine Israel living under the cloud by day and the fire by night. What could be more awesome than knowing and experiencing the amazing presence of God?"
"You do not lose God when you lose a man of God."
"When Israel refused to go into Cannan, Canaan did not disappear. It was there forty years later when they finally decided to obey God and go in. Even after their long years of blundering in the wilderness, God's gift to them was still available to them, but only on His terms."
"How often do we refuse to go into God's blessing because it looks too difficult for us?"
"Everyone has as much of God and His blessings as he or she wants to have. I have said this before, and I will continue to say it: I am today what I am because of my response to God."
"During the day, the cloud contradicts the light and at night, the fire contradicts the dark. If I could simply get a handle on that. My circumstances do not define me, but rather, God's work in me always contradicts them...We are the ones opening our hearts to receive as much of God as we will. God does not determine how much we shall have; we decide how much we are going to accept from God."
"May I see Thee in front of me in such a way that I can see nothing else."
"An essential lesson here is that a delayed blessing is still God's blessing. God is not intimidating by our disobedience."
"You have floundered for years. You have stood at the barrier to the blessed land for a long time, but it's time to rise up. The Lord of all nature commands you."
"The fruit in Canaan was not a result of Israel planting trees. It was a result of Israel obeying God and following Him into that land. They took possession of the land, which included all of the fruit of Canaan."
"We have been to so many altars and read so many books, and still the cloud hovers...Just look on him and let Him work."
*Disclosure: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Although "A Cloud by Day, a Fire by Night" is a shorter book compromised of 23 sermons, it hit me deeply. I had to read them slowly and over time. I'm so glad I endured because there were a lot of nuggets that encouraged me in my spiritual walk including:
"When we allow God's Word to go beyond our ears and into our hearts, it stimulates us to do that which God is calling us to do."
"It is the voice of God that will guide our way through our personal Jordan rivers and into the promised land. Without that voice of God, our Jordan will never open up, and we will never get across."
"I need to quiet my heart in order to hear God's direction. This must become a daily discipline for all of us."
"No challenge is bigger than God."
"His grace is a reflection of His character and His nature, not our weaknesses."
"If I'm not believing God, I'm not being led by God."
"The cloud by day and fire by night stand between our enemy and us."
"The key ingredient in defeating the enemy is obedience to God."
"Once we are out of Egypt, we do not pitch a tent and say, 'Well, I have arrived.' No the truth is effective only when we emphasize that we have been saved not only from something, but we have been saved unto something."
"What God has for us is not based on who we are, but rather who He is."
"We can have as much of God as we will take."
"I am where I am today because of the wisdom of God in opening up the right doors at the right time."
"We do not need to figure out our own roadmap or how we are going to go to or what we are going to do. We need to stay careful that we stay in His presence, and this is the work of faith. I need to cultivate the presence of God in my own life."
"To know the enemy is the first step, but it is only the first step."
"God wants us to trust Him even though we have no idea what our next step is."
"I think confidence is a part of friendship. My friendship with God has brought me to a place where I have confidence in Him, and that confidence is expressed in trusting Him with everything He sends my way."
"As a believer in Christ, I want my worship of God to be the strongest aspect of my life."
"God enjoys blessing us; His only problem is to get us to believe Him."
"In the will of God, there is no failure."
"Imagine dying without fulfilling the will of God."
"We Christians need to cultivate this passion for the deeper life."
"Every promise of God unfolds to us the character and nature of God."
"Out in the desert they could not enjoy the fruit...That is because they are in the desert, and once they get into Canaan, they will nourish their soul on the fruit of the land."
"Imagine Israel living under the cloud by day and the fire by night. What could be more awesome than knowing and experiencing the amazing presence of God?"
"You do not lose God when you lose a man of God."
"When Israel refused to go into Cannan, Canaan did not disappear. It was there forty years later when they finally decided to obey God and go in. Even after their long years of blundering in the wilderness, God's gift to them was still available to them, but only on His terms."
"How often do we refuse to go into God's blessing because it looks too difficult for us?"
"Everyone has as much of God and His blessings as he or she wants to have. I have said this before, and I will continue to say it: I am today what I am because of my response to God."
"During the day, the cloud contradicts the light and at night, the fire contradicts the dark. If I could simply get a handle on that. My circumstances do not define me, but rather, God's work in me always contradicts them...We are the ones opening our hearts to receive as much of God as we will. God does not determine how much we shall have; we decide how much we are going to accept from God."
"May I see Thee in front of me in such a way that I can see nothing else."
"An essential lesson here is that a delayed blessing is still God's blessing. God is not intimidating by our disobedience."
"You have floundered for years. You have stood at the barrier to the blessed land for a long time, but it's time to rise up. The Lord of all nature commands you."
"The fruit in Canaan was not a result of Israel planting trees. It was a result of Israel obeying God and following Him into that land. They took possession of the land, which included all of the fruit of Canaan."
"We have been to so many altars and read so many books, and still the cloud hovers...Just look on him and let Him work."
*Disclosure: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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