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  IT MUST BE BOUGHT
  by Charles E. Cowman
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Summary: The greatest things in life and character are not easily won,
but require sacrifice and hard work, and it is through difficulty and
exercise of faith that we experience spiritual growth.

Topics: "Suffering And Faith", "Spiritual Growth"
Scripture References: Psalm 34:18, Proverbs 3:5, Isaiah 49:9, Hebrews 9:22, James 1:2

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DESCRIPTION
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Charles E. Cowman preaches on the concept that the greatest achievements
in life come with a cost, often requiring sacrifice and bloodshed. The
pursuit of holy heights and true heroism involves facing great sorrows
and struggles, not easily obtained like common truths blown by the wind.
The journey to grasp great truths involves a fierce battle within the
soul, where God's hand plows through the heart's depths to bring forth
imprisoned seeds of truth. Our capacity to know God deepens through
faith-testing circumstances, urging us to lean on Him in times of
trouble and difficulty.

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CONTENT
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"On all bare heights shall be their pasture" (Isa. 49:9, RV).

Toys and trinkets are easily won, but the greatest things are greatly
bought. The top-most place of power is always bought with blood. You may
have the pinnacles if you have enough blood to pay. That is the conquest
condition of the holy heights everywhere. The story of real heroisms is
the story of sacrificial blood. The chiefest values in life and
character are not blown across our way by vagrant winds. Great souls
have great sorrows.

"Great truths are dearly bought, the common truths,

Such as men give and take front day to day,

Come in the common walk of easy life,

Blown by the careless wind across our way.

"Great truths are greatly won, not found by chance,

Nor wafted on the breath of summer dream;

But grasped in the great struggle of the soul,

Hard buffeting with adverse wind and stream.

"But in the day of conflict, fear and grief,

When the strong hand of God, put forth in might,

Plows up the subsoil of the stagnant heart,

And brings the imprisoned truth seed to the light.

"Wrung from the troubled spirit, in hard hours

Of weakness, solitude, perchance of pain,

Truth springs like harvest from the well-plowed field,

And the soul feels it has not wept in vain."

The capacity for knowing God enlarges as we are brought by Him into
circumstances which oblige us to exercise faith; so, when difficulties
beset our path let us thank God that He is taking trouble with us, and
lean hard upon Him.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/charles-e-cowman/it-must-be-bought/
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