xviii. 5, 6. He then that has no care to keep peace refuses to bear the fruit of the Spirit. 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. "And among all the people" to say it another way "I will be glorified." So to see, to apprehend, and to reckon with his holiness (and, in some sense, to perceive it) is to see glory and, thus, to glorify him. A Consolatory Letter to the Parents of Geoffrey. 12), while the devil was exulting against us;--then God, in His loving-kindness, not willing man made in His own image to perish, said, Whom shall I send, and who will go?' The worst has been seen, and that too by the holiest of beings, and yet eternal glory is offered to us! It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. "When a foul crime has been perpetrated, tender-hearted Christian women who would not harm a hair of the enemy's head, but would rather feed him, will express keen resentment, and will be disquieted in mind till they hear that the perpetrator has been convicted and duly punished." The Coming Andrew MurrayThe Ministry of IntercessionForasmuch as Each Man is a Part of the Human Race1. xviii. 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. : The fact that God is always present and knows every minute trifle in our lives, and that His unerring judgment will assuredly take count of every detail of our character and our conduct, neither exaggerating nor omitting, but applying absolute justice; this truth is one of those which lose force from their very universality. 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. That of welcoming the Divine searching (vers. 13-18). G. T. Shedd, D. D.: One of the most remark. : The fact that God is always present and knows every minute trifle in our lives, and that His unerring judgment will assuredly take count of every detail of our character and our conduct, neither exaggerating nor omitting, but applying absolute justice; this truth is one of those which lose force from their very universality. 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. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Admonition 23.) Nor did God create these each by himself, and join them together as alien by birth: but He created the one, Hear my prayer, O God; and hide not Thyself from my petition. Nor did God create these each by himself, and join them together as alien by birth: but He created the one St. S. Thomas, On the Beatific Vision, I., xii. We must understand that everything in life has a spiritual ear. 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. 6. To Dominicus, Bishop. 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. AugustineOn the Good of MarriagePrayer Out of the Deep. If we had such a window we should pray for shutters, and should keep them closed.God omniscientWeekly Pulpit. There is no reason to mourn a son as lost who is a religious, still less to fear for his delicacy of constitution. The Lord is nigh unto them that call upon Him; He also will hear their cry, and will help them.--Psalm cxlv. 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. Hence he entreats God to see and disclose it, and then taking his hand to lead him in a way which, unlike the way of the wicked (Psalm 1:6), does not perish, but ends in everlasting life. [2105] And these without all controversy we take to be humble. 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. "He will perfect that which concerneth me." But whatever does really concern me, and especially my soul's full salvation, I am sure the Lord will perfect. 1, 2. The Lord's invitation to follow him is individual and personal, and it is compelling. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." 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. lvii. --The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of Poitiers. That of adoring and constantly thoughtful reverence (vers. The singer revolves in mind the secret processes of man's birth and development, and gratitude overflows into praise. Faith, Perfection, Mercy Of God, 52-week preaching calendar to help you plan your sermons, Customizable sermon manuscripts for verse-by-verse preaching, Preach with creativity and impact throughout the year, [NEW YEAR] 4-Week Series to kick off 2023, [PRODUCTIVITY] Fulfill your full potential, [FOUNDATIONS] Getting back to what matters most. 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. That of a prayerful seeking of the Divine guidance (ver. )God all-seeing:In the mythology of the heathen, Momus, the god of fault-finding, is represented as blaming Vulcan, because in the human form, which he had made of clay, he had not placed a window in the breast, by which whatever was done or thought there might easily be brought to light. Differently to be admonished are those that are at variance and those that are at peace. The proposals of that Covenant include its promises and its duties. The separate, personal thinking of God toward every one of us.(1)Innumerable.(2)Constant.II. ad probam IV. --The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of Poitiers. 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. The proposals of that Covenant include its promises and its duties. 18, 19. His omniscience. The worst has been seen, and that too by the holiest of beings, and yet eternal glory is offered to us! But there are other reasons for the comparative neglect into which he has fallen. 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. That of siding with Him against evil (vers. (Admonition 23.) the lord will perfect that which concerns me sermon. Nay, more, this process of self-inspection may go on indefinitely, and the man grow more and more thoughtful, and obtain an everlastingly augmenting knowledge of what he is and what he does, so that it shall seem to him that he is penetrating so deeply into those dim and shadowy regions of consciousness where the external life takes its very first start, and then he may be sure that God understands the thought that is afar off, and deep down, and that at this lowest range and plane in his experience he besets him behind and before.II. For that voice more readily penetrates the hearer's heart, which the speaker's life Leo the GreatWritings of Leo the Great, How those that are at Variance and those that are at Peace are to be Admonished. Does the Contemplative Life consist solely in the Contemplation of God, or in the Consideration St. 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. OMNIPOTENCE IN THE CREATION OF MAN (vers. Take heed unto me and hear me; how I mourn in my prayer and am vexed.--Psalm iv. )God all-seeing:In the mythology of the heathen, Momus, the god of fault-finding, is represented as blaming Vulcan, because in the human form, which he had made of clay, he had not placed a window in the breast, by which whatever was done or thought there might easily be brought to light. 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. 6. 5, 6. Why should he? In the day when I cried Charles KingsleyOut of the DeepWherefore a Few Witnesses, which the Lord Deigns to Suggest to My Mind32. Ps. "To church, sir," was the reply "What to do there?" For whereas man sinned, and is fallen, and by his fall all things are in confusion: death prevailed from Adam to Moses (cf. Those who live much in a court acquire courtly manners. The Lord Will Perfect That Which Concerns Me. xlix. It is easy for us to talk to God when there is a problem or issue and more often than not, God hears us. We have the help of Almighty God! Our hearts will put us in mind of God's eye being upon us every now and then involuntarily. Is the Contemplative Life wholly confined to the Intellect, or does the Will enter into it? Differently to be admonished are those that are at variance and those that are at peace. G. T. Shedd, D. D.)God's presenceArchbishop Temple. To Dominicus, Bishop. 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. The thought will flash across us that God sees us. "He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. (Admonition 23.) This is living with God. He was saying I am certain, I am confident, I have no doubt in my mind that God will perfect that which concerns me. 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. 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. The proposals of that Covenant include its promises and its duties. To reveal the supreme interest of human life. Do the Moral Virtues pertain to the Contemplative Life? 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. Chapter i. In the day when I cried Charles KingsleyOut of the DeepWherefore a Few Witnesses, which the Lord Deigns to Suggest to My Mind32. In a sermon preached before the Virginia Company in 1610 William Crashaw advanced a range of arguments to justify the Virginia enterprise. 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. 12), while the devil was exulting against us;--then God, in His loving-kindness, not willing man made in His own image to perish, said, Whom shall I send, and who will go?' The Coming Andrew MurrayThe Ministry of IntercessionForasmuch as Each Man is a Part of the Human Race1. You shall be kept and perfected by the Lord in whom you trust. Thomas AquinasOn Prayer and The Contemplative LifeEpistle Xlvii. How full are the New Testament pledges to this effect that He will complete His work in our character Philippians 1:6. 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. Therefore the first natural bond of human society is man and wife. 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. On all hands there are disappointed folk who, thinking of condition rather than character, find life "tame." He then that has no care to keep peace refuses to bear the fruit of the Spirit. (Admonition 23.) Do the Moral Virtues pertain to the Contemplative Life? "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." THE EARNEST PRAYER ACCOMPANYING THIS CONFIDENCE. That of welcoming the Divine searching (vers. 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. The Lord is nigh unto them that call upon Him; He also will hear their cry, and will help them.--Psalm cxlv. Literally, the text says, "You keep him in peace, peace." Rom. "I dwell with him that is of a humble and contrite heart, to revive the heart of the contrite ones."--ISA. In a declaration of faith you are speaking to yourself which was what David was doing in this verse. "Come, and let us return to the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us. "I dwell with him that is of a humble and contrite heart, to revive the heart of the contrite ones."--ISA. GOD ACCURATELY AND EXHAUSTIVELY KNOWS ALL THAT MAN KNOWS OF HIMSELF. When I loved people, and poured out my life, Jesus was doing that through me. Never; but it issues in eternal glory. That of adoring and constantly thoughtful reverence (vers. Before the Searcher of hearts all mankind must appeal to mere and sovereign mercy. "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me: Thy right hand shall save me."--PS. 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. AugustineOf Holy Virginity. 7. v. 14), the earth was cursed, Hades was opened, Paradise shut, Heaven offended, man, lastly, corrupted and brutalised (cf. 15. 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. The Lord is nigh unto them that call upon Him; He also will hear their cry, and will help them.--Psalm cxlv. 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. This is living with God. 12), while the devil was exulting against us;--then God, in His loving-kindness, not willing man made in His own image to perish, said, Whom shall I send, and who will go?' xlix. Hoyt, D. D.: This psalm sings of I. He prophesies that the kings of the earth shall praise God7. "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us." And here let us look upon the bright as well as the dark side of this subject. 12), while the devil was exulting against us;--then God, in His loving-kindness, not willing man made in His own image to perish, said, Whom shall I send, and who will go?' He compasseth man's path, and his lying down, and is acquainted with all his ways. 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. OURSELVES. (Admonition 23.) 24). --The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of Poitiers. But yet there is another, not less powerful than any, which deserves special mention. And though we thought that we had suffered loss from the tardiness of their coming, yet we find gain from their more abundant charity; seeing that from this delay in point Saint Gregory the Greatthe Epistles of Saint Gregory the GreatThe Coming Revival"Wilt Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?"--PS. 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. Nero's sword will not have the final say, but Jesus is going to bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. His omnipotence (vers. How shall we learn to walk by His side? That of siding with Him against evil (vers. The self-knowledge, remember, must come in the one way or the other. 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 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 once let a man or woman reach this assurance that through all the various scenes of life God is moulding them, and even by the "strokes of doom" fashioning them "to shape and use," and all the life sparkles with glad significance. Who conceived the character of Christ, in an age overlaid and penetrated through and through with error? Those who live much in refined and educated society acquire refinement insensibly. cxxxviii. GOD ACCURATELY AND EXHAUSTIVELY KNOWS ALL THAT MAN KNOWS OF HIMSELF. There is no reason to mourn a son as lost who is a religious, still less to fear for his delicacy of constitution. Ps. For if God's exhaustive knowledge of the human heart waken dread in one of its aspects, it starts infinite hope in another. 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. 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. Hence Paul Leo the GreatWritings of Leo the GreatSense in Which, and End for which all Things were Delivered to the Incarnate Son. Denomination:
)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. But there are other reasons for the comparative neglect into which he has fallen. He compasseth man's path, and his lying down, and is acquainted with all his ways. lvii. : 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. able characteristics of a rational being is the power of self-inspection. We cannot stand forever between two opinions. 7-12). 12), while the devil was exulting against us;--then God, in His loving-kindness, not willing man made in His own image to perish, said, Whom shall I send, and who will go?' 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. Did the Almighty pause in the middle of creation and leave His work unfinished? 1. 13-16).4. 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. Ps. 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 proposals of that Covenant include its promises and its duties. For it is written, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace (Gal. Unknown Location. That act whereby another being knows my secret thoughts and inmost feelings is most certainly inexplicable.I. Though the transgressor is ignorant of much of his sin, because, at the time of its commission, he sins blindly as well as wilfully, and unreflectingly as well as freely; and though the transgressor has forgotten much of that small amount of sin, of which he was conscious, and by which he was pained, at the time of its perpetration; though, on the side of man, the powers of self-inspection and memory have accomplished so little towards this preservation of man's sin, yet God knows it all, and remembers it all. We cannot live long with men without catching something of their manner, of their mode of thought, of their character, of their government of themselves. AugustineOn the Good of MarriagePrayer Out of the Deep. (Admonition 23.) 1. Nay, more, this process of self-inspection may go on indefinitely, and the man grow more and more thoughtful, and obtain an everlastingly augmenting knowledge of what he is and what he does, so that it shall seem to him that he is penetrating so deeply into those dim and shadowy regions of consciousness where the external life takes its very first start, and then he may be sure that God understands the thought that is afar off, and deep down, and that at this lowest range and plane in his experience he besets him behind and before.II. The Lord will perfect that which concerns me (Psalm 138:8) Thought for the day, Nov 1, 2017 - YouTube 0:00 2:01 The Lord will perfect that which concerns me (Psalm 138:8) Thought. 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. 2. Chapter i. I had arranged the last remaining hours of my India business trip to stop by several places before heading to the Chennai airport. OURSELVES. 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 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. 13-16).4. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, "Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times." Psalm 34:15 Verse Concepts The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous And His ears are open to their cry. He cannot comprehend it, which is not strange, for how is the finite to comprehend the infinite? 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. But there are other reasons for the comparative neglect into which he has fallen. )God all-seeing:In the mythology of the heathen, Momus, the god of fault-finding, is represented as blaming Vulcan, because in the human form, which he had made of clay, he had not placed a window in the breast, by which whatever was done or thought there might easily be brought to light. ad probam IV. The duties of that Covenant are God's law; and the demands of the law are all made John CunninghamThe Ordinance of CovenantingIntroduction. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." What we may comprehend as seeing a slow response is due to God not listening to us, we are not taking time to be patient. Well," he says, "I know the Lord has begun his work in me. Psalm 138:8 This is a message that grips my heart because I have every reason to believe that the LORD desires to perfect that which concerns His children. 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. For those that are at variance are to be admonished to know most certainly that, in whatever virtues they may abound, they can by no means become spiritual if they neglect becoming united to their neighbours by concord. Differently to be admonished are those that are at variance and those that are at peace. Gregory to Dominicus, Bishop of Carthage [1454] . He learnt his theology, as we shall see, from Eastern authorities, and was not content to carry on and develop the traditional teaching of the West; and the disciple St. So that whenever we are on the point of doing or saying anything cowardly, or mean, or false, or impure, or proud, or conceited, or unkind, the remembrance that God is looking on shall instantly flash across us and help us to beat down our enemy. In the day when I cried Charles KingsleyOut of the DeepWherefore a Few Witnesses, which the Lord Deigns to Suggest to My Mind32. Our relation toward such a God should be 1. His discourse, the first which He delivered to His disciples at greater length, began from this. 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. Now, as we thus in thought gaze upon the man, and. Hoyt, D. D.)God's knowledge of manW. 17, 18).2. Do the Moral Virtues pertain to the Contemplative Life? Beyond the sea, and far out of the sight of man, God's hand would lead him, and God's right hand grasp him. Chapter i. Do the Moral Virtues pertain to the Contemplative Life? )God all-seeing:In the mythology of the heathen, Momus, the god of fault-finding, is represented as blaming Vulcan, because in the human form, which he had made of clay, he had not placed a window in the breast, by which whatever was done or thought there might easily be brought to light. And are not temptations everywhere, and so many of them subtle and strong, and before which many souls have fallen? The Lord is nigh unto them that call upon Him; He also will hear their cry, and will help them.--Psalm cxlv. iii. That of adoring and constantly thoughtful reverence (vers. v. 22). 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. G. T. Shedd, D. D.)God's presenceArchbishop Temple. The Coming Andrew MurrayThe Ministry of IntercessionForasmuch as Each Man is a Part of the Human Race1. Patience under trial and strength in adversity thrive under the all-seeing eye. 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. The strophe closes with a frank confession of the writer's impotence and awe. Our relation toward such a God should be 1. If God makes your son His son also, what do you lose or what does he himself lose? The former are made and fulfilled by its glorious Originator; the latter are enjoined and obligatory on man. IV. 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. Does the Contemplative Life consist solely in the Contemplation of God, or in the Consideration St. (2)Unseen world.(3)Everywhere. 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. Phil 1:6. 7 ad 3m II. For those that are at variance are to be admonished to know most certainly that, in whatever virtues they may abound, they can by no means become spiritual if they neglect becoming united to their neighbours by concord.