========================================================================
  TWO HEAVENS
  by Thomas Brooks
========================================================================

Summary: Communion with God is essential for triumphing over life's
challenges and achieving a deep sense of comfort, strength, and
fulfillment.

Topics: "Communion with God", "Spiritual Strength"
Scripture References: Judges 16:20-21, Psalm 23:4, Psalm 73:28, Matthew 28:20, John 15:4-5, Romans 8:38-39, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Philippians 4:13, James 4:8, 1 John 1:3

------------------------------------------------------------------------
DESCRIPTION
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thomas Brooks emphasizes the vital importance of communion with God,
describing it as a source of strength and courage that enables believers
to overcome all adversities. He illustrates communion as a reciprocal
relationship between Christ and the soul, likening it to Jacob's ladder,
where divine influences flow both ways. Brooks asserts that true
communion provides both a present heaven on earth and a future heaven
after death, making it the most valuable pursuit for a believer. He
warns that without this communion, one loses comfort and strength,
ultimately leading to spiritual captivity, as exemplified by Samson's
downfall. Therefore, he urges believers to prioritize and maintain their
communion with Christ above all else.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTENT
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Communion with God is that which will make you stand

fast, and triumph over all enemies, difficulties, dangers,

and deaths. Communion with God will make a man as

courageous and bold as a lion, yes, as a young lion

which is fearless of any creature.

Communion is a reciprocal exchange between Christ

and a gracious soul. Communion is Jacob's ladder,

where you have Christ sweetly descending down into

the soul--and the soul by divine influences sweetly

ascending up to Christ.

Communion with God is . . .

a shield upon land,

an anchor at sea,

a sword to defend you,

a staff to support you,

balm to heal you,

a cordial to strengthen you.

High communion with Christ will yield you two

heavens, a heaven upon earth, and a heaven

after death.

He enjoys nothing, who lacks communion with God.

He lacks nothing, who enjoys communion with God.

Therefore above all gettings, get communion with

Christ; and above all keepings, keep communion

with Christ. All other losses are not comparable to

the loss of communion with Christ. He who has lost

his communion, has lost his comfort, his strength,

his all, and it will not be long before the Philistines

capture him, and put out his eyes, and bind him

with fetters of brass, and make him grind in a

prison, as they did Samson, in Judges 16:20-21.

========================================================================
Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/thomas-brooks/two-heavens/
========================================================================