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Thoughts of God

Love Mercy, Do Justice, and Walk Humbly with God

  • Welcome
    • Jesus and the Jewish Festivals
      • Jesus and Shalosh Regalim – Three Jewish Pilgrimage Festivals
      • Palm Sunday
      • Observing the Pascal Lamb
      • Pesach – Passover – Crucifixion – Unleavened Bread
      • Bikkurim – “First Fruits”
      • S’firat HaOmer – “Counting The Omer”
      • Shavuot – “Weeks” – A Week of Weeks
    • Select Reading
      • THE PRACTICE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD – Table of Content
      • The Holy Spirit or Power from on High – Vol 2 by A.B. Simpson
      • Day of Heaven on Earth – AB Simpson
      • The Book of Prive Counseling – Author Unknown
      • The Cloud of Unknowing
      • William James – The Varieties of Religious Experience
    • My Purpose
      • Journal
      • Relational Theology
    • Prayer
      • Addressing God
      • Biblical Words Related to Prayer
      • Prayer, Living the Stations of the Tabernacle
    • Thoughts vs Sin

Fifteenth Letter – THE PRACTICE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD – Brother Lawrence

We only deceive ourselves by seeking or loving God for any favors which He has or may grant us. Such favors, no matter how great, can never bring us as near to God as can one simple act of faith. Let us seek Him often by faith. He is within us. Seek Him not elsewhere.

Let us begin earnestly to be devoted to Him. Let us cast everything else out of our hearts. He wants to possess the heart alone. Beg this favor of Him. If we do all we can, we will soon see that change wrought in us which we so greatly desire.

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Fourteenth Letter – THE PRACTICE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD – Brother Lawrence

I well know that to arrive at this state, the beginning is very difficult because we must act purely on faith. But, though it is difficult, we know also that we can do all things with the grace of God. He never refuses those who ask earnestly. Knock. Persevere in knocking. And I answer for it, that, in His due time, He will open His graces to you. He will grant, all at once, what He has deferred during many years. Adieu.

We must hinder our spirits wandering from Him on all occasions. We must make our heart a spiritual temple so we can constantly adore Him. We must continually watch over ourselves so we do not do anything that may displease Him.

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Thirteenth Letter – THE PRACTICE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD – Brother Lawrence

Have courage. Make a virtue of necessity. Do not ask God for deliverance from your pain. Instead, out of love for Him, ask for the strength to resolutely bear all that He pleases, and as long as He pleases. Such prayers are hard at first, but they are very pleasing to God, and become sweet to those that love Him.

Love sweetens pains. And when one loves God, one suffers for His sake with joy and courage. Do so, I beseech you. Comfort yourself with Him. He is the only physician for all our illnesses.

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Eleventh Letter – THE PRACTICE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD – Brother Lawrence

Be satisfied with the condition in which God places you. However happy you may think me, I envy you. Pain and suffering would be a paradise to me, if I could suffer with my God. The greatest pleasures would be hell if I relished them without Him. My only consolation would be to suffer something for His sake.

I do not pray that you may be delivered from your pains; but I pray earnestly that God gives you strength and patience to bear them as long as He pleases. Comfort yourself with Him who holds you fastened to the cross. He will loose you when He thinks fit.

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Ninth Letter – THE PRACTICE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD – Brother Lawrence

How can we pray to Him without being with Him? How can we be with Him but in thinking of Him often? And how can we often think of Him, but by a holy habit which we should form of it?

We must know before we can love. In order to know God, we must often think of Him. And when we come to love Him, we shall then also think of Him often, for our heart will be with our treasure.

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Sixth Letter – THE PRACTICE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD – Brother Lawrence

I do not say we must put any violent constraint upon ourselves. No, we must serve God in a holy freedom. We must work faithfully without trouble or disquiet, recalling our mind to God mildly and with tranquility as often as we find it wandering from Him. It is, however, necessary to put our whole trust in God.

I cannot imagine how religious persons can live satisfied without the practice of the presence of God. For my part I keep myself retired with Him in the depth and center of my soul as much as I can.

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