Totes oculus

Thomas Brooks

They say of the nightingale, that when she is solitary in 
the woods, she is careless of her melody; but when she 
perceives that she has any auditors, or is near houses—then 
she composes herself more harmoniously and elegantly. 

Truly, this is the frame and temper of the best of hypocrites. 

Oh! but a sincere Christian labors in all places, and in all 
times, to approve himself to God. He labors as much to 
approve himself to God in a forest, where no eye sees him
—as he does when the eyes of thousands are fixed upon him. 

The sun would shine bright, though all men were asleep at 
high noon, and no eyes open to see the glory of his beams. 
Just so, a sincere heart will shine, he will labor to do good; 
though all the world should shut their eyes; yet he will eye 
his work, and eye his God. He knows that God is totes 
oculus—all eye, and therefore he cares not though others 
have never an eye to observe him, to applaud him. Let God 
but secretly whisper to him in the ear, and say, "Well done, 
good and faithful servant!" and it is enough to his soul, 
enough to satisfy him, enough to cheer him, and enough 
to encourage him in the ways and the work of his God.



link

THE HARNESS OF THE LORD

THE HARNESS OF THE LORD

by Bill Britton

There is a terrific operation of the Spirit going on today to bring the Sons of God into an absolute confinement to the perfect will of God. This is the Day of His Preparation the day in which He is preparing the channel through which He shall pour forth His Glory for all the world to see. This channel is His Body in the earth that glorious company of people who are being conformed through much tribulation and fiery tests to the Image of the Son of God. 


This is His "battle axe and weapons of war" with which He shall subdue kingdoms and overcome all His enemies. This is His "mighty and strong One" to whom He shall commit the work of judging this world. This is His Overcomer, His "great army" with which He shall bring the nations into submission. The weapons of their warfare are not carnal, natural weapons but they are mighty weapons, mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. These are those who shall "be strong and do exploits."


But before God can commit this great and tremendous ministry into their hands they must submit themselves to the discipline of the Lord letting Him truly be the Lord of their entire lives. We have long since dealt with the question of open sin but now God is dealing with the inward rebellion of our own wills. Some good Christians are not now being so dealt with for they are not in this Firstfruits Company but nevertheless there is a real dealing of God going on within those who are called into the High Calling of God. This is a very real thing and is the work of the Refiner's Fire. To those who are going through it some of its aspects are horrible but very necessary and the end result thereof is glorious as we are brought into absolute and complete submission to the will of our Lord.


It was in a minister's conference and convention in Tulsa, Oklahoma that God gave me a vision which I want to share with you concerning this harnessing of our own wills. There were more than 30 ministers present in this particular Thursday morning service and God, the Father of spirits, was present to deal with His sons, to correct them and discipline them to absolute obedience to His will. There was such a stern dealing in the Spirit that no one could go to the pulpit and minister, there was a reluctance among the ministers to say anything except that which was directly ordered by the Spirit. And as those men of God sat there in the awesome presence of Almighty God, some of them having many years of ministry, some missionaries, all of them capable of getting up and preaching a powerful sermon, I was impressed by the way they responded to the discipline of the Spirit. And in the midst of this terrific dealing of God with our spirits, the Holy Ghost gave me a vision ...

I SAW THE KING'S CARRIAGE

On a dirt road in the middle of a wide field stood a beautiful carriage, something on the order of a stagecoach but all edged in gold and with beautiful carvings. It was pulled by six large chestnut horses: two in the lead, two in the middle and two in the rear. But they were not moving, they were not pulling the carriage, and I wondered why. Then I saw the driver underneath the carriage on the ground on his back just behind the last two horses' heels working on something between the front wheels on the carriage. I thought, "My, he is in a dangerous place; for if one of those horses kicked or stepped back, they could kill him, or if they decided to go forward, or got frightened somehow, they would pull the carriage right over him." But he didn't seem afraid for he knew that those horses were disciplined and would not move till he told them to move. The horses were not stamping their feet nor acting restless, and though there were bells on their feet, the bells were not tinkling. There were pom-poms on their harness over their heads but the pom-poms were not moving. They were simply standing still and quiet waiting for the voice of the Master.

THERE WERE TWO YOUNG COLTS IN THE FIELD

As I watched the harnessed horses I noticed two young colts coming out of the open field and they approached the carriage and seemed to say to the horses: "Come and play with us, we have many fine games, we will race with you, come catch us." And with that the colts kicked up their heels flicked their tails and raced across the open field. But when they looked back and saw the horses were not following they were puzzled. They knew nothing of the harnesses and could not understand why the horses did not want to play. So they called to them: "Why do you not race with us? Are you tired? Are you too weak? Do you not have strength to run? You are much too solemn, you need more joy in life." But the horses answered not a word nor did they stamp their feet or toss their heads. But they stood, quiet and still, waiting for the voice of the Master.


Again the colts called to them: "Why do you stand so in the hot sun? Come over here in the shade of this nice tree. See how green the grass is? You must be hungry, come and feed with us, it is so green and so good. You look thirsty, come drink of one of our many streams of cool clear water." But the horses answered them not so much as a glance but stood still waiting for the command to go forward with the King.

COLTS IN THE MASTER'S CORRAL

And then the scene changed and I saw lariat nooses fall around the necks of the two colts and they were led off to the Master's corral for training and discipline. How sad they were as the lovely green fields disappeared and they were put into the confinement of the corral with its brown dirt and high fence. The colts ran from fence to fence seeking freedom but found that they were confined to this place of training. And then the Trainer began to work on them with His whip and His bridle. What a death for those who had been all their lives accustomed to such a freedom! They could not understand the reason for this torture, this terrible discipline. What crime had they done to deserve this? Little did they know of the responsibility that was to be theirs when they had submitted to the discipline, learned to perfectly obey the Master and finished their training. All they knew was that this processing was the most horrible thing they had ever known.

SUBMISSION AND REBELLION

One of the colts rebelled under the training and said, "This is not for me. I like my freedom, my green hills, my flowing streams of fresh water. I will not take any more of this confinement, this terrible training." So he found a way out jumped the fence and ran happily back to the meadows of grass. I was astonished that the Master let him go and went not after him. But He devoted His attention to the remaining colt. This colt though he had the same opportunity to escape decided to submit his own will and learn the ways of the Master. The training got harder than ever but he was rapidly learning more and more how to obey the slightest wish of the Master and to respond to even the quietness of His voice. And I saw that had there been no training, no testing, there would have been neither submission nor rebellion from either of the colts. For in the field they did not have the choice to rebel or submit, they were sinless in their innocence. But when brought to the place of testing and training and discipline, then was made manifest the obedience of one and the rebellion of the other. And though it seemed safer not to come to the place of discipline because of the risk of being found rebellious, yet I saw that without this there could be no sharing of His glory, no Sonship.

INTO THE HARNESS

Finally this period of training was over. Was he now rewarded with his freedom and sent back to the fields? Oh no. But a greater confinement than ever now took place as a harness dropped about his shoulders. Now he found there was not even the freedom to run about the small corral for in the harness he could only move where and when his Master spoke. And unless the Master spoke he stood still.


The scene changed and I saw the other colt standing on the side of a hill nibbling at some grass. Then across the fields, down the road came the King's carriage drawn by six horses. With amazement he saw that in the lead, on the right side, was his brother colt now made strong and mature on the good corn in the Master's stable. He saw the lovely pom-poms shaking in the wind, noticed the glittering gold bordered harness about his brother, heard the beautiful tinkling of the bells on his feet -- and envy came into his heart. Thus he complained to himself: "Why has my brother been so honored, and I am neglected? They have not put bells on MY feet nor pom-poms on MY head. The Master has not given ME the wonderful responsibility of pulling His carriage, has not put about ME the gold harness. Why have they chosen my brother instead of me?" And by the Spirit the answer came back to me as I watched: "Because one submitted to the will and discipline of the Master and one rebelled, thus has one been chosen and the other set aside."

This sacred anointing

(J. C. Philpot, "The Unction of the Holy One") "But you have an anointing from the Holy One."     1 John 2:20 Wherever the anointing of the Holy One touches a man's heart it spreads itself, widening and extending its operations. It thus communicates divine gifts and graces wherever it comes. It . . .   bestows and draws out faith,   gives repentance and godly sorrow,   causes secret self-loathing, and   separation from the world,   draws the affections upwards,   makes sin hated, and   Jesus and His salvation loved.

(J. C. Philpot, "The Unction of the Holy One")

"But you have an anointing from the Holy One."
    1 John 2:20

Wherever the anointing of the Holy One touches
a man's heart it spreads itself, widening and
extending its operations. It thus communicates
divine gifts and graces wherever it comes. It . . .
  bestows and draws out faith,
  gives repentance and godly sorrow,
  causes secret self-loathing, and
  separation from the world,
  draws the affections upwards,
  makes sin hated, and
  Jesus and His salvation loved.

When the Holy Spirit preaches the gospel

(J. C. Philpot) We often know the theory of the gospel, before we know the experience of the gospel. We often receive the doctrines of grace into our judgment, before we receive the grace of the doctrines into our soul. We therefore need to be . . .   brought down,   humbled,   tried,   stripped of every prop; that the gospel may be to us . . .   more than a sound,   more than a name,   more than a theory,   more than a doctrine,   more than a system,   more than a creed; that it may be . . .   soul enjoyment,   soul blessing,   and soul salvation. When the Holy Spirit preaches the gospel to the poor in spirit, the humbled, stripped, and tried--it is a gospel of glad tidings indeed to the sinner's broken heart. link

(J. C. Philpot)

We often know the theory of the gospel,
before we know the experience of the gospel.

We often receive the doctrines of grace into
our judgment, before we receive the grace of
the doctrines into our soul.

We therefore need to be . . .
  brought down,
  humbled,
  tried,
  stripped of every prop;
that the gospel may be to us . . .
  more than a sound,
  more than a name,
  more than a theory,
  more than a doctrine,
  more than a system,
  more than a creed;
that it may be . . .
  soul enjoyment,
  soul blessing,
  and soul salvation.

When the Holy Spirit preaches the gospel
to the poor in spirit, the humbled, stripped,
and tried--it is a gospel of glad tidings indeed
to the sinner's broken heart.


link

THE PRAYER OF SOLOMON

JOSEPH CHARLES PHILPOT (1802-1869)


Preached at Eden Street Chapel. Hampstead Road. London, on Lord’s Day Evening, August 3, 1851

"That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there." 2Ch 6:20

THE Tabernacle in the wilderness was a type and figure of the human nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thence it derived all its efficacy and all its blessedness. It was a symbolic representation of "the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man" -of that perfect humanity of the Lord Jesus, in which dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

When the Lord gave David rest round about from all his enemies, it was in his heart to convert this tabernacle into a permanent structure. He said therefore unto Nathan, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains." This intention God did not permit David to fulfil; but promised that he "would set up his seed after him who should build a house for his name." This promise was accomplished in Solomon, who built the temple upon Mount Moriah. The temple thence-forward became what the tabernacle had been. And to signalise this change with his special approbation, God was pleased on the day of its dedication to fill it with his glory, and to consume with fire from heaven the burnt-offering upon the altar as he had done at the consecration of the tabernacle. Upon this solemn day, Solomon, as king of the people, offered a prayer on their behalf to God; a prayer of a very peculiar nature, but full of meaning, significancy, and blessedness.

I shall, with God’s blessing, this evening, attempt to take up some of the leading points of this prayer of Solomon.

As the temple was typical and figurative of the human nature of the Lord Jesus Christ, it became the centre of Israel’s worship, as well as the place on which the eyes of God rested from the beginning to the end of the year. A striking representation of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Mediator between God and man! For he is the true temple in whom the fullness of God dwells: to whom the eyes of all Israel look: in whom all true worship centres: for whose name’s sake all true prayer is breathed into and out of the heart, and all gracious answers come down.

Barren altars!

Barren altars! What reproach!
Empty cribs! The church forlorn.
Hear we ne’er God’s grand approach?
Blessed cry of babes new-born?


Havoc wrought midst Zion’s sons,
Dimly burns the feeble flame.
Few the faithful, burdened ones.
Vision, passion – but a name!

DIRECTION BY IMPULSE

By Oswald Chambers


"Building up yourselves on your most holy faith." Jude 20

There was nothing either of the nature of impulse or of cold-bloodedness about Our Lord, but only a calm strength that never got into panic. Most of us develop our Christianity along the line of our temperament, not along the line of God. Impulse is a trait in natural life, but Our Lord always ignores it, because it hinders the development of the life of a disciple. Watch how the Spirit of God checks impulse, His checks bring a rush of self-conscious foolishness which makes us instantly want to vindicate ourselves. Impulse is all right in a child, but it is disastrous in a man or woman; an impulsive man is always a petted man. Impulse has to be trained into intuition by discipline.