The Path to Blessing
The sermon emphasizes that following Christ through difficult paths leads to hidden blessings and strength in our struggles.
Charles E. Cowman emphasizes the importance of following the Lord wholeheartedly, as seen in Deuteronomy 1:36, where those who wholly follow the Lord receive blessings. He encourages facing hard duties and challenges, as they often lead to hidden blessings and victories that enrich our lives. The sermon highlights the need to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, even on difficult paths, as they ultimately lead to blessings that we cannot attain otherwise. Every battle we face presents an opportunity for victory and growth, and every burden we carry holds a secret source of strength within it.
Text
"To him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon because he hath wholly followed the Lord" (Deut. 1:36).
Every hard duty that lies in your path, that you would rather not do, that it will cost you pain and struggle or sore effort to do, has a blessing in it. Not to do it, at whatever cost, is to miss the blessing.
Every hard piece of road on which you see the Master's shoe-prints and along which He bids you follow Him, surely leads to blessing, which you cannot get if you cannot go over the steep, thorny path.
Every point of battle to which you come, where you must draw your sword and fight the enemy, has a possible victory which will prove a rich blessing to your life. Every heavy load that you are called to lift hides in itself some strange secret of strength. --J. R. Miller
"I cannot do it alone;
The waves run fast and high,
And the fogs close all around,
The light goes out in the sky;
But I know that we two
Shall win in the end, Jesus and I.
"Coward and wayward and weak,
I change with the changing sky;
Today so eager and bright,
Tomorrow too weak to try;
But He never gives in,
So we two shall win, Jesus and I.
"I could not guide it myself,
My boat on life's wild sea;
There's One who sits by my side,
Who pulls and steers with me.
And I know that we two
Shall safe enter port,
Jesus and I."
Sermon Outline
- I points: - Understanding the call to follow Christ - Recognizing the blessings in hard duties - The importance of obedience
- II points: - The significance of the Master's footsteps - Navigating the thorny paths - Finding strength in struggles
- III points: - The battles we face and their potential victories - Lifting heavy loads and discovering strength - The partnership with Jesus in our journey
- IV points: - The assurance of victory through faith - The role of prayer and reliance on God - Embracing the journey with Jesus
Key Quotes
“Every hard duty that lies in your path...has a blessing in it.” — Charles E. Cowman
“Every heavy load that you are called to lift hides in itself some strange secret of strength.” — Charles E. Cowman
“But I know that we two shall win in the end, Jesus and I.” — Charles E. Cowman
Application Points
- Embrace the hard duties in your life as opportunities for growth and blessing.
- Seek strength in your struggles by relying on Jesus as your guide.
- Recognize that every battle you face can lead to a greater victory through faith.