The Highest Heavens and the Lowest Hearts
The key to experiencing God's presence is humility, walking humbly with God, which makes one's heart the habitation of God's honor.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes that God's glorious presence dwells in both the highest heavens and the lowest hearts, highlighting the importance of humility in experiencing God's presence. He asserts that humble souls are the ones who truly recognize their need for God, cherish His presence, and long for a deeper relationship with Him. Brooks encourages believers to walk humbly with God, as it is the humble who are favored by Him and who will experience His comfort in times of trouble. The sermon underscores that true greatness in God's eyes comes from being lowly in spirit, and that only those who are contrite can fully enjoy the divine presence.
Text
"For this is what the high and lofty One says--He who
lives forever, whose name is holy--I live in a high and
holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly
in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive
the heart of the contrite." Isaiah 57:15
The highest heavens and the lowest hearts, are the
habitation of God's glorious presence. He who would in
good earnest enjoy the gracious presence of God with him
in his great troubles, deep distresses, and most deadly
dangers, he must keep humble, and walk humbly with
his God. God will keep house with none but humble souls.
There are none who feel so great a need of the divine
presence as humble souls.
There are none who so prize the divine presence as
humble souls.
There are none who so love the divine presence, and who
are so enamored with the divine presence as humble souls.
There are none who so thirst and long for much of the
divine presence as humble souls.
There are none who so lament and bewail the loss of
the divine presence as humble souls.
There are none who make such a singular and thorough
improvement of the divine presence as humble souls.
Therefore, it is no wonder that of all the men in the world,
God singles out the humble Christian, to make his heart
the habitation where His honor delights to dwell.
He who is little in his own account, is great in God's
esteem, and shall be sure to enjoy most of His presence.
God can dwell, God will dwell with none but those who
are lowly in heart; and therefore as ever you would enjoy
the special presence of God with you in your greatest
troubles and deepest distresses--be sure that you walk
humbly with your God. Many may talk much of God,
and many may profess much of God, and many may
boast much of God; but he only enjoys much of God
who makes conscience of walking humbly with God.
Sermon Outline
- I. The High and Holy Place of God
- A. God's presence is available to all
- B. But only the humble can truly experience it
- II. The Importance of Humility
- A. Humble souls feel a great need for God's presence
- B. They prize and love God's presence above all else
- III. The Reward of Humility
- A. God dwells with the humble and makes their hearts His habitation
- B. The humble are great in God's esteem and enjoy His presence
Key Quotes
“He who would in good earnest enjoy the gracious presence of God with him in his great troubles, deep distresses, and most deadly dangers, he must keep humble, and walk humbly with his God.” — Thomas Brooks
“God will keep house with none but humble souls.” — Thomas Brooks
“He who is little in his own account, is great in God's esteem, and shall be sure to enjoy most of His presence.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- To enjoy God's presence, we must walk humbly with Him, making conscience of our humility.
- God dwells with the humble and makes their hearts His habitation, so we should strive to be humble in our hearts.
- The humble are great in God's esteem and enjoy His presence, so we should seek to cultivate humility in our lives.