Adam and Eve and the Fall - Part 2 — A.W. Tozer

Self-Condemnation and God's Invitation to Forgiveness

Remember when a nurse came to see me and she said mr. Tozer. I'm the backslider. She said I have backslidden. Completely because she's doctors and I find their cats with her expression and she said they're no good and I I've lost my spiritual life.

And she said I am so bad the bothered God about it. She said I just don't think that God would do right if he forgave anybody that's as bad as I am. Well, that was a tough one. Now if you preach when it was you didn't have to convince her when she was a sinner.

She knew it, but she was so self-condemned that she felt that God wouldn't do right it. So I I was thinking hard and praying hard and finally I got enough wisdom. I said well, listen, Elizabeth. You've hurt God off with all I've wounded God by my sin.

Yes, I've wounded God. Well, I said are you willing to give him one more blow to smite God's heart one more time? She said no, but how could I do it? I said one more blow would be to walk out of the kept his forgiveness.

She dropped to her knees and said I'll never do it. I'll never do it. She said I've hurt God so much I won't hurt him anymore me and God forgave and started all over again. So you see self-condemnation almost ruined her.

They drive you into the woods and don't you let it drive you to the end of a rope or to a gas chamber. Remember that God condemns you in order that he moved and he brings conviction in order that he might pardon you and the voice Invites it now.

That's my message tonight. Really that there is a voice that's inviting you into his presence. Did you say I am no good? Whatever. Anyhow, thank God my friend. Thank God for that. There's a lot of a lot of people strutting up and down.

The Folly of Pride and Self-Importance

Maybe some of them right in this campground. Maybe some of them out there sitting in me. They are so proud of themselves and feel as somebody they're so Important, you know as the fella said they can strut to their mouth there's something they are somebody indeed.

They drive a big car. Well. It's too bad for them. Because they think they are somebody and therefore they're nobody. But the man who thinks there's nobody's on his body. If only he'll take Jesus Christ at his word.

The Defilement of Sin Beneath Outward Cleanliness

Oh What a sinner we we've been what a sinner you are man teeth not all not all the chlorophyll Toothpaste in the world can get the nicotine stains off of those up your mouth dirty and your lungs are dirty.

And if you had all the smoke that you run through your system in one place, you could inflate on the continent and your tongue. Dirty. Your tongue's dirty and black guarded and told dirty store. They're dirty.

You look at every woman you see and your mind's dirty and you think evil all the time you're just playing and yet you take two showers a day and rub yourself with the no-smell stick and. You're absolutely Fastidious when it comes to the outside and you're full of dead men's bones in the inside.

And because you smell like mr. Colgate you want me to think you're all right. No, sir. Not all of the after show. They'll take away the smell of pollution that God Almighty smells coming up out of your heart.

Confession Rather Than Psychological Excuses

But it was that kind of came to when he came to the garden. They were already reeking with iniquity. But his presence was there and his voice was inviting them and it's that fellas like you if you'll admit it.

It's fellas like you that God's looking for tonight. Now if you try to cover up God will overlook and you'll never hear a sound of his voice. But if you'll say Oh God, I did it. I did it. God would all very close to you feel it.

God wants to confessing people and honest people the people who won't hide and say I didn't do it. Generation now growing up is cursed with psychology and psychiatry. They have invented other names. David said I have sinned in my sight, but now they call it by some other name.

But you can call a cat or a skunk. Call him a striped pussy if you want to but he's the same old howl reeking and only was before. You can think in dead body by the name of cadaver or some other nice scientific name, but it's the same old howl thing.

Barbie's by another name, but it's garbage still. You can call your sin by another name, but God Almighty knows it. And until you've called it by its right name, God won't do very much for you. The man who's under conviction and pastor goes to a psychiatrist.

And the psychiatrist says the trouble with you is you've got a guilt complex. I Can cure you in teen lessons three dollars less and lie down on that couch? He lies down on his couch now try to remember their back as far as you can.

I know. If I have wasn't a handle one of them, he'd say what's the first you can remember? I'd say when the doctor said it's a boy. We go to the psychiatrist now and get our back scratched in place of going to the preacher wounded.

The Voice Calling Sinners into God's Presence

But we need to go and know that there is a voice of self-condemnation. It's a very good voice and stay away from us. God comes where condemned men are. But he never goes where men are that aren't condemned them man.

The voice of the Lord is drawing near and you can hear the voice of the Lord in the garden calling you into his presence. As Christ has quenched the fiery sword and now you can enter the presence of God and he'll receive you.

Samuel Learns to Recognize God's Voice

Now if you'll only know it, let's talk a minute about Samuel and I remember little Samuel. It was a voice sounding and little Samuel. I don't know how big he was. Let's say it was seven years old. He was so little that he still don't I Don't know how big that would make you maybe six or seven a little chap and God spoke to the boy.

Never heard that voice before but was friendly and he thought was Eli. He jumped up went in the other room said this out. Call me. No, he said I didn't call you go. He went back sleep and he called him again.

God called Samuel a voice was calling a boy. And the boy did what he went back to the old heavy man of God. And he said now this call me. No, he said I didn't call you. But I perceive that God is called so the next time you hear a voice say here am I?

And Samuel went back and I bet he didn't go to sleep that time. I don't know for anything into the text but knowing boys I'm pretty sure that when he found out the high God of heaven and earth was trying to get through to him.

I'm sure he didn't turn this. I'm quite sure he kept tuned in. I don't think he went to sleep he lay there his ears all cocked in the flickering light of the candle and Samuel he said here I am God and there began one of the greatest ministries that the world ever knew.

God was calling Samuel and Samuel didn't know it till an old man told him God's calling some of you tonight, and you didn't know it tonight. Now if you will have as much wisdom as Samuel you listen real hard in the next five minutes.

And you seem to you this presence is here and that voice is speaking now if you listen real hard May be ending of a life such as hasn't been lived on earth for a generation. I Don't promise it, but all I say it'll mean a change.

Tozer's Conversion Through a Simple Prayer

I haven't forgotten I Haven't forgotten how I roamed the hills of Pennsylvania dirty mouth lying. I tempered unsaved boy. I haven't forgotten that Nobody would have loved me then except my mother. Nobody cause they couldn't.

I was I was a little mouse trying to get big enough to be a rat. I was a wicked boy trying to grow up and be a wicked man. And then I heard the voice of the Lord speaking to me over in the city of Akron, Ohio.

And God spoke to me and said if I'd go home and pray and say God have mercy on me a sinner I could be converted. Thank God. I'd never read the Schofield Bible God. I'd never been to Bible school. Thank God I'd never heard the professional evangelist cause if I had I'd have known that that versation Lee for me I'd have known that belonged to somebody else but not knowing it and God knowing that I didn't know it.

I went home and went and got on my knees and said God have mercy on me a sinner and God Converted my poor old soul my poor young soul. Thank to me and tried to explain that verse if they had. Probably I wouldn't have been converted today.

I'd have been lost in the explanation. That's a Mel Trotter. Well, Mel Trotter was a great Christian, you know and a great brother. He was preaching out Biola one time that his Bible evangelists were they're pretty dispensationalistic and He got blessed as he was talking and he just started giving his testimony, you know.

Mel Trotter's Testimony and the Priority of Faith

Here I was and he described himself a terrible I think drug addict certainly a drinker and a wicked kinds of bad habits and the devil Writing him and putting his spurs into him and he was about exhausted and ready to die.

And he said I have mercy on me a sinner and God saved me. Well, he got blessed on it, you know, and he'd had a long lifetime of blessing behind him teachers I think it was came up to him afterward and said mr. Trotter.

That was a good sermon. But you were all mixed up in your exegesis. Sensationally God have mercy on me a sinner wasn't for you. You shouldn't have prayed that prayer and Trotter said well, maybe I didn't know it at the time and he said anyway the mess I was in God would have saved me if I'd have said Mary had a little and God doesn't care about your theology, but he wants to know you got a hungry heart.

You've got a hungry heart tonight man, and you've heard a voice. You can come home and you can come home now. I was in Chicago some years ago preaching down among skid row among the bums. And a young fellow with a bright face.

Maybe 22 years old got up a little do when they get them through jazz. They turned around face the audience to give his testimony. He just been converted maybe a week and he was all boiling over with it your friends.

Conversion, Theological Precision, and a Hungry Heart

God saved my soul, you know how he did it. He saved my soul the day I took his name in vain and he said I wanted his name in vain and your conversion. Well now, of course. He didn't mean that but God knew what he meant and I suppose a theologian there particularly if you had a degree and they'd have Had to brought him to.

With a good stiff a shot of ethyl gasoline. Just to bring him to you know. But that poor fella came up out of paganism and he had an honest heart and he believed in Jesus Christ. God converted his soul.

And there'll be many a theologian. Rightly dividing the word of truth that when he breathes his land where dead men go that have rejected the blood. There'll be many a poor ignorant fellow who didn't know the difference between believe taking his name in vain.

I mean he knew better, but he didn't at that time know better. Now after a few years have gone by and he's ready Bible. It probably he laughs at his own foolishness. He got converted. Yeah, that's all.

Humility Over Appearance, Education, and Wealth

So if you will put your pride aside now, man, you've got a big chest. Yes, sir. You know those big chests are the places where Moses gets first. The bigger the chest the greater the chance you have of tumbling over with a coronary case.

Food fella. God doesn't care about the size of your chest, but he wants to know are you a self-condemned sin hungry man. You're very beautiful. Are you sister very beautiful? Indeed, I'd like to see a 50.

Yeah. You're so beautiful indeed. Those eyebrows are arched beautifully. And those lips done up so gorgeously. Wait, oh mother nature and father time get done doing the tango on your face and see what happens to you.

No, no, you haven't got anything to be proud of if you've got a pretty face on and in front of your head. God gave you that why don't you thank him? And if you why don't you take a yoke on your shoulders and carry it for the Lord Jesus?

And if you've got an education, why don't you put it under your feet and come to the blood? You've got a lot of money. Why don't you thank God for your money and start distributing it right left? Helping the poor and supporting mission.

I Saw a fellow two or three weeks ago. He had the Cadillac and he has a big four porthole. No three porthole Buick a cabin crew and a power motor. But he just wears one pair of pants the same as I do.

He doesn't wear two and he just eats one name as I do. He doesn't eat two meals at a time. He just sleeps in one bed at a time the same as I do. Just walked around one pair of shoes and got any Buick or any Cadillac or any cabin cruisers or any speedboat.

The Final Call to Lay Down Pride and Come to Christ

So let's put away our pride and let's listen for the voice tonight. The gentle sweet inviting voice. Oh how foolish sin is. How damnably foolish the whole business is. Wonderfully wise it is to come to Jesus Christ and believe.

So come tonight. Maybe you're a little Samuel there. Maybe you're a Mel Cotter there. Maybe you're a Jerry McCauley there. Maybe you're another dr. Simpson there. Maybe you're you don't know. But whatever you may be in potentiality.

You're a sinner in actuality. So come just on please. Throw yourself across this altar tonight. Put your pride under your feet and in one sweet happy moment. It's the life Jesus Christ will become your Savior.

Please get silent. Please get quiet. Let's listen. Everyone everyone is you speak into your man into your woman? Get quiet get still. This may be your hour of your visitation. Pray people all you have.

The joyful sound you pray. So there are a lot of people in the earth that aren't happy Christian. It'll lead us in a song. And as he leads us. The altar is open.