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  FASHIONED IN THE FIRE
  by Charles E. Cowman
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Summary: The sermon highlights the transformative power of suffering in
shaping our faith and character through God's grace.

Topics: "Suffering And Trials", "Spiritual Growth"
Scripture References: Isaiah 61:3, 2 Corinthians 4:17, Philippians 1:29, Hebrews 12:6, 1 Peter 1:7

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DESCRIPTION
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Charles E. Cowman preaches about the valuable lessons learned through
suffering, emphasizing that God's school often teaches us through tears
and challenges. He encourages believers to endure hardships with
cheerfulness, knowing that the trials we face on earth are temporary
compared to the eternal glory awaiting us in Heaven. Using the analogy
of fine china being refined through fire multiple times, he illustrates
how our trials shape and beautify us by God's grace, leaving lasting
colors of strength and faith in our lives. Just as Earth's most
beautiful flowers grow in the aftermath of upheavals, God's healing and
restoration follow our deepest struggles, nurturing us like tender
plants tended by angels, ready to be gathered by the Beloved at dawn.

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CONTENT
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"Unto you it is given . . .to suffer" (Phil. 1:29).

God keeps a costly school. Many of its lessons are spelled out through
tears. Richard Baxter said, "O God, I thank Thee for a bodily discipline
of eight and fifty years"; and he is not the only man who has turned a
trouble into triumph.

This school of our Heavenly Father will soon close for us; the term time
is shortening every day. Let us not shrink from a hard lesson or wince
under any rod of chastisement. The richer will be the crown, and the
sweeter will be Heaven, if we endure cheerfully to the end and graduate
in glory.--Theodore L. Cuyler

The finest china in the world is burned at least three times, some of it
more than three times. Dresden china is always burned three times. Why
does it go through that intense fire? Once ought to be enough; twice
ought to be enough. No, three times are necessary to burn that china so
that the gold and the crimson are brought out more beautiful and then
fastened there to stay.

We are fashioned after the same principle in human life. Our trials are
burned into us once, twice, thrice; and by God's grace these beautiful
colors are there and they are there to stay forever.--Cortland Myers

Earth's fairest flowers grow not on sunny plain,

But where some vast upheaval rent in twain The smiling land . . . .

After the whirlwinds devastating blast,

After the molten fire and ashen pall,

God's still small voice breathes healing over all.

From riven rocks and fern-clad chasms deep,

Flow living waters as from hearts that weep,

There in the afterglow soft dews distill

And angels tend God's plants when night falls still,

And the Beloved passing by that way

Will gather lilies at the break of day.--J.H.D.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/charles-e-cowman/fashioned-in-the-fire/
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