We do not agree with Momus, neither are we of his mind who desired to have a window in his breast that all men might see his heart. G. T. Shedd, D. D.)God's presenceArchbishop Temple. But if that knowledge whereby man knows himself is mysterious, then certainly that whereby God knows him is far more so. (Weekly Pulpit. We have received with the utmost gratification the letters of your Fraternity, which have reached us somewhat late by the hands of Donatus and Quodvultdeus, our most reverend brethren and fellow-bishops, and also Victor the deacon with Agilegius the notary. But while all held their peace, the Son [441] said, AthanasiusSelect Works and Letters or AthanasiusCovenant Duties. GOD ACCURATELY AND EXHAUSTIVELY KNOWS ALL THAT MAN MIGHT, BUT DOES NOT, KNOW OF HIMSELF. When it is in progress He will not leave it or suffer it to be marred He will carry it forward through its successive stages until it be finished to the glory of His name. It is perfectly plain from the elevated central point of view where we now stand, and in the focal light in which we now see, that no man can be justified before God upon the ground of personal character; for that character, when subjected to God's exhaustive scrutiny, withers and shrinks away. But God's eye penetrates the darkest abode, the deepest cell, the obscurest corner, the blackest night. 1, 2. For it is written, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace (Gal. Take heed unto me and hear me; how I mourn in my prayer and am vexed.--Psalm iv. Self-consciousness has been the problem of the philosophic mind in all ages; and the mystery is not yet unravelled. Now, in this condition of things, God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him might not perish, but have everlasting life. I will ask you three questions suggested by the words themselves, and according to your answer to these three questions, shall be, I. And do you not know that you, as do even the best of men, often sin, often transgress God's commandment by thought, word, or deed?" But there are other reasons for the comparative neglect into which he has fallen. xviii. We could never discharge our duties properly if we were to be perpetually distracted by the consciousness of what was around us: and, above all, we might be daunted by the perpetual thought of the presence of God, and so be paralyzed instead of helped. He is in (1)Heaven. Is he lacking in power or love? "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15b). Differently to be admonished are those that are at variance and those that are at peace. cxxxviii. 18, 19. Does the Contemplative Life consist solely in the Contemplation of God, or in the Consideration St. Therefore the first natural bond of human society is man and wife. And lest the presence of God should be too much for us, Christ has taken human nature on Him, and has provided that He will be always with us as long as the world shall last. the regular habit of reading the Bible at a fixed time, the occasional reminders of ourselves that God is looking on, these are our chief means of learning to remember His presence. We have received with the utmost gratification the letters of your Fraternity, which have reached us somewhat late by the hands of Donatus and Quodvultdeus, our most reverend brethren and fellow-bishops, and also Victor the deacon with Agilegius the notary. Verse 18: And Jesus will rescue me from every evil dead. But this is more especially true in the work of grace in the heart. S. Thomas, On the Beatific Vision, I., xii. Ps. "Come, and let us return to the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us. [2105] And these without all controversy we take to be humble. The word, "me," in the text, cannot be appropriated by any man, unless he, in some respects, resembles the character of David, who penned this psalm. 1. To reprove some prevalent impieties in human conduct. the various events and vicissitudes of life, even before one of them existed. If that Being has gone down into these depths of human depravity, and seen it with a more abhorring glance than could ever shoot from a finite eye, and yet has returned with a cordial offer to forgive it all, and a hearty proffer to cleanse it all away, then we can lift up the eye in adoration and in hope. To Dominicus, Bishop. For he who is required by the necessity of his position to speak the highest things is compelled by the same necessity to exhibit the highest things. Text-Featuring a sermon is a less expensive way to bring this sermon to the attention of thousands on the right bar with optional newsletter inclusion. And this will generally be just when we are tempted to do wrong, or perhaps just when we are actually beginning to do it: some secret sin of which no one knows or dreams perhaps, some self-indulgence, which we dare not deny that God condemns. 1, 2. 8). "Whatever concerns me," says he, "the Lord will perfect.". Decision # 5: Choosing Daily to Serve the Lord. The self-knowledge, remember, must come in the one way or the other. Topic: The Lord Will Perfect That Which Concerns Me You are listening to the voice of Bill Johnson from a sermon given some years ago, and Johnson is poisoning his flock with the heretical doctrine of kenosis. This is the communion with Him, and with Christ, which unquestionably helps the struggling, the penitent, the praying, more than anything else. This is living with God. the regular habit of reading the Bible at a fixed time, the occasional reminders of ourselves that God is looking on, these are our chief means of learning to remember His presence. But yet there is another, not less powerful than any, which deserves special mention. We do not agree with Momus, neither are we of his mind who desired to have a window in his breast that all men might see his heart. 18, 19. Does the Contemplative Life comprise many Acts? "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." Forasmuch as each man is a part of the human race, and human nature is something social, and hath for a great and natural good, the power also of friendship; on this account God willed to create all men out of one, in order that they might be held in their society not only by likeness of kind, but also by bond of kindred. --The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of Poitiers. Faith In Perfection | The Charles Spurgeon Sermon Collection The Christmas Messengers, Audience and Message. THE DIVINE OMNISCIENCE (vers. Our hearts will put us in mind of God's eye being upon us every now and then involuntarily. His discourse, the first which He delivered to His disciples at greater length, began from this. It is perfectly plain from the elevated central point of view where we now stand, and in the focal light in which we now see, that no man can be justified before God upon the ground of personal character; for that character, when subjected to God's exhaustive scrutiny, withers and shrinks away. It is perfectly plain from the elevated central point of view where we now stand, and in the focal light in which we now see, that no man can be justified before God upon the ground of personal character; for that character, when subjected to God's exhaustive scrutiny, withers and shrinks away. )PeopleDavid, PsalmistPlacesJerusalemTopicsAbandon, Accomplish, Age, Chief, Complete, Concerneth, Concerns, David, Endures, Endureth, Eternal, Everlasting, Fall, Forever, Forsake, Fulfil, Fulfill, Hands, Kindness, Love, Loving, Lovingkindness, Loving-kindness, Mercy, Musician, O, Perfect, Psalm, Purpose, Steadfast, WorksOutline1. The right state of mind plainly is to have the thought of God's presence so perpetually at hand that it shall always start before us whenever it is wanted. Ps. Enter your email address and we will send you a link to reset your password. Rom. It is a simple question of time; a simple question whether it shall come here in this world, where the blood of Christ "freely" flows, or in the future world, where "there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin."(W. The former are made and fulfilled by its glorious Originator; the latter are enjoined and obligatory on man. A History of the Half-Way Covenant. The Lord told David he should be a king. 6. His discourse, the first which He delivered to His disciples at greater length, began from this. The ruler should always be chief in action, that by his living he may point out the way of life to those that are put under him, and that the flock, which follows the voice and manners of the shepherd, may learn how to walk better through example than through words. (Isa. Former President Barack Obama's Faith. Self-consciousness has been the problem of the philosophic mind in all ages; and the mystery is not yet unravelled. Those who live much in a court acquire courtly manners. Said Milton, speaking of his travels abroad when a young man: "I again take God to witness that in all places where so many things are considered lawful, I lived sound and untouched from all profligacy and vice, having this thought perpetually with me, that though I might escape the eyes of men, I certainly could not the eyes of God."4. Those who are always hearing pure and high principles set forth as the guides of life learn to value and to know them even faster than they can learn to live by them. 231 and 1506: "Faith in Perfection", and, "Choice Comfort for a Young Believer." Verse 8. The law and covenant of God are co-extensive; and what is enjoined in the one is confirmed in the other. To Dominicus, Bishop. 19 III. To Dominicus, Bishop. 6. In short, to live with God is to be perpetually rising above the world; to live without Him is to be perpetually sinking into it, and with it, and below it. Our hearts will put us in mind of God's eye being upon us every now and then involuntarily. Thomas AquinasOn Prayer and The Contemplative LifeEpistle Xlvii. --The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of Poitiers. Does the Contemplative Life consist solely in the Contemplation of God, or in the Consideration St. S. Thomas, On the Beatific Vision, I., xii. From the just we learn justice; from the charitable we catch an infection of charity; from the generous we receive the instinct of generosity. Let the path I daily walk in not be a crooked, corrupt and perverse path. The duties of that Covenant are God's law; and the demands of the law are all made John CunninghamThe Ordinance of CovenantingIntroduction. The separate, personal thinking of God toward every one of us.(1)Innumerable.(2)Constant.II. How many are the Scriptures which bid us, by direct precept or by actual example, to fear lest we should come short of eternal life! Thou hast come to Jesus and trusted thy soul in His hands, then it is certain that the Lord hath brought thee to this state of mind. (2)His knowledge of us is entire, complete.2. Verse 8. cxxxviii. That He had made the waters, but had not divided them from the land, or said to the sea, "Hitherto shalt thou go, but no farther"? (Weekly Pulpit. But His mercy endureth for ever. The History of the Great Crime of Simony. I am as certain of this as I am that I am alive; he has given me new tastes, dispositions, and desires; the sins I once loved I now hate, and the holiness which heretofore I had no care for I now long after; hence I am sure the Lord has begun his work in me. The brilliant searchlight sweeping the broad ocean and revealing even the smallest craft on its surface is but a faint type of the Eternal Light from which no sinner can hide his sin. Gregory to Dominicus, Bishop of Carthage [1454] . But he knows it and bows in reverence before the sublime truth. Patience under trial and strength in adversity thrive under the all-seeing eye. And have not many actually made shipwreck of faith and a good conscience? Hence Paul Leo the GreatWritings of Leo the GreatSense in Which, and End for which all Things were Delivered to the Incarnate Son. thou establish my soul in it more and more. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." NOTE THE ROCK ON WHICH HE RESTS. 19 III. Like the air we breathe, like the light we see, it involves a mystery that no man has ever solved. He is in (1)Heaven. From the just we learn justice; from the charitable we catch an infection of charity; from the generous we receive the instinct of generosity. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." Psalms 139:16 "How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. That act whereby another being knows my secret thoughts and inmost feelings is most certainly inexplicable.I. Hear my prayer, O God; and hide not Thyself from my petition. For whereas man sinned, and is fallen, and by his fall all things are in confusion: death prevailed from Adam to Moses (cf. AugustineOn the Good of MarriagePrayer Out of the Deep. AugustineOf Holy Virginity. Since then, the Lord has begun to save you, your confidence must be that He who began this good work will continue to operate in your soul. Take heed unto me and hear me; how I mourn in my prayer and am vexed.--Psalm iv. For it is written, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace (Gal. S. Augustine, Of the City of God, xix. 1, 2. the lord will perfect that which concerns me sermon It's a collection of assorted personal concerns, like "come soon before winter if you can" (verses 9, 21) and "bring my cloak from Troas" (verse 13), and "watch out for Alexander the coppersmith" (verse 15), and "nobody showed up to support me at my defense" (verse 16), "but the Lord stood by me" (verse 17), and "greet . S. Augustine, Of the Perfection of Human Righteousness, viii. But whatever does really concern me, and especially my soul's full salvation, I am sure the Lord will perfect. Dry bones; hopeless situations have a spiritual ear. (4)In the dark as well as the light.3. Hence Paul Leo the GreatWritings of Leo the GreatSense in Which, and End for which all Things were Delivered to the Incarnate Son. What encouragement the sinner has to seek God, seeing He is a God of such mercy. But while all held their peace, the Son [441] said, AthanasiusSelect Works and Letters or AthanasiusCovenant Duties. 5, 6. We become unconscious of everything by long use. There is, therefore, nothing wrong in our forgetting that we are in the presence of God any more than there is anything foolish in our forgetting that we need air to breathe or light to see by, or that if we fall we may hurt ourselves: just in the same way as we very often, and quite rightly, forget that we are in the company of men who will take notice of our faults. If God is omniscient and omnipresent, then the moral character of His creatures is unveiled to His gaze, and clearly and distinctly known to Him. The daily prayer in the closet, the endeavour to keep the attention fixed when praying with others, either in our regular services or in family worship. He must be prepared for the Kingdom that has been prepared for him Saint Bernard of ClairvauxSome Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of ClairvauxThat the Ruler Should be Always Chief in Action. Our hearts will put us in mind of God's eye being upon us every now and then involuntarily. To start saving items to a SermonFolder, please create an account. 2. Does the Contemplative Life consist solely in the Contemplation of God, or in the Consideration St. He compasseth man's path, and his lying down, and is acquainted with all his ways. [2105] And these without all controversy we take to be humble. The text, however, itself, is its own guard. But while all held their peace, the Son [441] said, AthanasiusSelect Works and Letters or AthanasiusCovenant Duties. So, too, by living in the presence of God and, as it were, in the courts of heaven, we shall assuredly learn something of a heavenly tone, and shake off some of that coarse worldliness, that deeply ingrained selfishness, that silly pride and conceit which now spoils our very best service. Forasmuch as each man is a part of the human race, and human nature is something social, and hath for a great and natural good, the power also of friendship; on this account God willed to create all men out of one, in order that they might be held in their society not only by likeness of kind, but also by bond of kindred. In the day when I cried Charles KingsleyOut of the DeepWherefore a Few Witnesses, which the Lord Deigns to Suggest to My Mind32. 17, 18).2. S. Augustine, Of the Perfection of Human Righteousness, viii. If that Being has gone down into these depths of human depravity, and seen it with a more abhorring glance than could ever shoot from a finite eye, and yet has returned with a cordial offer to forgive it all, and a hearty proffer to cleanse it all away, then we can lift up the eye in adoration and in hope. Thomas AquinasOn Prayer and The Contemplative LifeEpistle Xlvii. And this perpetual though not always conscious sense of God's presence would, no doubt, if we would let it have its perfect work, gradually act on our characters just as the presence of our fellow-men does. We cannot get away from God's presence. 7 ad 3m II. Each of us must at some time face the crucial question: "Whom say ye that I am?" ( Matt. Rom. Hoyt, D. D.: This psalm sings of I. Chapter i. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." And now you that are afraid about the future, rest with us in this sweet promise. v. 14), the earth was cursed, Hades was opened, Paradise shut, Heaven offended, man, lastly, corrupted and brutalised (cf. : While the Americans were blockading Cuba, several captains endeavoured to elude their vigilance by night, trusting that the darkness would conceal them as they passed between the American war-ships. He has suffered thus, partly from a certain obscurity in his style of writing, partly from the difficulty of the thoughts which he attempted to convey. The proposals of that Covenant include its promises and its duties. G. T. Shedd, D. D.: One of the most remark. He then that has no care to keep peace refuses to bear the fruit of the Spirit. Gregory to Dominicus, Bishop of Carthage [1454] . His omnipotence (vers. iii. when do trees bloom in the smoky mountains. cxxxviii. He compasseth man's path, and his lying down, and is acquainted with all his ways. (Isa. From the just we learn justice; from the charitable we catch an infection of charity; from the generous we receive the instinct of generosity. Does the Contemplative Life consist solely in the Contemplation of God, or in the Consideration St. Therefore the first natural bond of human society is man and wife. "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me: Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever: forsake not the works of Your own hands." Psalm 138:8. God cares about everything that happens in our lives including the little things. vi. xlix. That of a prayerful seeking of the Divine guidance (ver. He may be an uncommonly thoughtful person, and little of what is done within his soul may escape his notice; nay, we will make the extreme supposition that he arrests every thought as it rises, and looks at it; that he analyzes every sentiment as it swells his heart; that he scrutinizes every purpose as it determines his will; even if he should have such a thorough and profound self-knowledge as this, God knows him equally profoundly and equally thoroughly. 18, 19. Psalm 138:8 says "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me." Notice the word PERFECT. To Dominicus, Bishop. The word, "me," in the text, cannot be appropriated by any man, unless he, in some respects, resembles the character of David, who penned this psalm. (4)In the dark as well as the light.3. Hoyt, D. D.)God's knowledge of manW. There must be a foundation for the promise. Gregory to Dominicus, Bishop of Carthage [1454] . In my trouble I will call upon the Lord, and complain unto my God; so shall He hear my voice out of His holy temple, and my complaint shall come before Him; it shall enter even into His ears.--Ps. AugustineOf Holy Virginity. "(Archbishop Temple. The ruler should always be chief in action, that by his living he may point out the way of life to those that are put under him, and that the flock, which follows the voice and manners of the shepherd, may learn how to walk better through example than through words. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius John Edgar McFadyenIntroduction to the Old TestamentLinksPsalm 138:8 NIVPsalm 138:8 NLTPsalm 138:8 ESVPsalm 138:8 NASBPsalm 138:8 KJVPsalm 138:8 Bible AppsPsalm 138:8 ParallelPsalm 138:8 Biblia ParalelaPsalm 138:8 Chinese BiblePsalm 138:8 French BiblePsalm 138:8 German BiblePsalm 138:8 CommentariesBible Hub, (4)In the dark as well as the light.3. lxxxv. Chapter i. But there are other reasons for the comparative neglect into which he has fallen. 7. (4)In the dark as well as the light.3. xviii. "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me: Thy right hand shall save me."--PS. S. Augustine, Of the City of God, xix. The Lord is nigh unto them that call upon Him; He also will hear their cry, and will help them.--Psalm cxlv. S. Thomas, On the Beatific Vision, I., xii. The Lord Will Perfect That Which Concerns Me 2 | SermonAudio 18 " Ep., cxxx. "How can He be both?" The text, however, itself, is its own guard. So, too, by living in the presence of God and, as it were, in the courts of heaven, we shall assuredly learn something of a heavenly tone, and shake off some of that coarse worldliness, that deeply ingrained selfishness, that silly pride and conceit which now spoils our very best service. "Alas!" Our relation toward such a God should be 1. I will ask you three questions suggested by the words themselves, and according to your answer to these three questions, shall be Charles Haddon SpurgeonSpurgeon's Sermons Volume 5: 1859Question of the Contemplative LifeI. Then is the moment to choose whether or not we will live in the presence of God; then when the finger of conscience is pointing to Him and saying, "He is looking at you. Copyright 2003-2023 | Outreach, Inc., All rights reserved. Is the Contemplative Life wholly confined to the Intellect, or does the Will enter into it? "I am, as Thy creature, wholly dependent on Thee; without Thee, faith must die, and hope expire; without Thee, love must decay and perish. Chapter i. 19-22).3. "O Lord, revive Thy work in the midst of the years."--HAB. (4)In the dark as well as the light.3. He compasseth man's path, and his lying down, and is acquainted with all his ways. One day the Lord spoke to me through a particular scripture. To reprove some prevalent impieties in human conduct.(1)Atheism.(2)Indifferentism.3. This was basically what David was doing when he declared The Lord will perfect that which concerns me., Scriptures:
lxxxv. This is the communion with Him, and with Christ, which unquestionably helps the struggling, the penitent, the praying, more than anything else. He must be prepared for the Kingdom that has been prepared for him Saint Bernard of ClairvauxSome Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of ClairvauxThat the Ruler Should be Always Chief in Action. 1, 2. xviii. A Psalm by David. S. Augustine, Of the City of God, xix. 8). Catholic Church in the United States - The best of the USCCB, For that voice more readily penetrates the hearer's heart, which the speaker's life Leo the GreatWritings of Leo the GreatHow those that are at Variance and those that are at Peace are to be Admonished. 157 views, 7 likes, 9 loves, 29 comments, 4 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Miller Memorial Baptist Church: Sunday, February 26, 2023~ Reverend Damaris Y Walker, Esq., Pastor ~ Scripture: Song of. Wherefore a few witnesses, which the Lord deigns to suggest to my mind, I proceed to mention, from out the teaching of Christ concerning humility, such as perhaps may be enough for my purpose. So, too, by living in the presence of God and, as it were, in the courts of heaven, we shall assuredly learn something of a heavenly tone, and shake off some of that coarse worldliness, that deeply ingrained selfishness, that silly pride and conceit which now spoils our very best service. xviii. Wherefore a Few Witnesses, which the Lord Deigns to Suggest to My Mind32. Justice, in this reference, is out of the question. That of welcoming the Divine searching (vers. To reveal the supreme interest of human life. How it would honor God! Hilary of PoitiersThe Life and Writings of St. Hilary of PoitiersPsalmsThe piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. We become unconscious of everything by long use. Denomination:
ad probam IV. Then is the moment to choose whether or not we will live in the presence of God; then when the finger of conscience is pointing to Him and saying, "He is looking at you. ad probam IV. xviii. Ps. This I apprehend, as it regards David, and as it regards every Christian, may be summed up in two things the work of providence without them, and the work of grace within them. [2105] And these without all controversy we take to be humble. And here let us look upon the bright as well as the dark side of this subject. Nor did God create these each by himself, and join them together as alien by birth: but He created the one St. His omnipresence. 13-16).4. "Show me as much as I can stand, Lord." So what did God show him. Our hearts will put us in mind of God's eye being upon us every now and then involuntarily. 7. 2. Now, in this condition of things, God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him might not perish, but have everlasting life. Those who are always hearing pure and high principles set forth as the guides of life learn to value and to know them even faster than they can learn to live by them. In the day when I cried Charles KingsleyOut of the DeepWherefore a Few Witnesses, which the Lord Deigns to Suggest to My Mind32. Justice, in this reference, is out of the question. Even in its most rudimental form, invisible to any other ken, it is still open to His eyes, and He determines all its subsequent development, recording in His book the days to come, i.e. God has made us so. THE GROUND OF THIS CONFIDENCE GOD'S MERCY. "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me: Thy right hand shall save me."--PS. "Come, and let us return to the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us. Take heed unto me and hear me; how I mourn in my prayer and am vexed.--Psalm iv. We become unconscious of everything by long use. 7. Nor did God create these each by himself, and join them together as alien by birth: but He created the one St. --The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of Poitiers. Pentecostal. The brilliant searchlight sweeping the broad ocean and revealing even the smallest craft on its surface is but a faint type of the Eternal Light from which no sinner can hide his sin.