Climb Upward
The sermon calls us to leave our current limitations behind and strive for a higher, nobler life, closer to God.
Charles E. Cowman preaches about the importance of continually striving upward in our spiritual journey, not settling for a mediocre faith but pressing on towards a deeper relationship with God. He emphasizes the need to leave behind the comfort of the valley and ascend to the heights of spiritual growth and blessings that God has in store for us. Cowman urges believers to cast away any hindrances that prevent them from experiencing the fullness of God's love and to make Christ the center of their lives, aspiring to a higher and nobler existence.
Text
"And there was an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to the side chambers: for the. winding about of the house went still upward round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house was still upward and so increased from the lowest chamber to the highest by the midst" (Ezek. 41:7).
"Still upward be thine onward course:
For this I pray today;
Still upward as the years go by,
And seasons pass away.
"Still upward in this coming year,
Thy path is all untried;
Still upward may'st thou journey on,
Close by thy Savior's side.
"Still upward e'en though sorrow come,
And trials crush thine heart;
Still upward may they draw thy soul,
With Christ to walk apart.
"Still upward till the day shall break,
And shadows all have flown;
Still upward till in Heaven you wake,
And stand before the throne."
We ought not to rest content in the mists of the valley when the summit of Tabor awaits us. How pure are the dews of the hills, how fresh is the mountain air, how rich the fare of the dwellers aloft, whose windows look into the New Jerusalem!
Many saints are content to live like men in coal mines, who see not the sun. Tears mar their faces when they might anoint them with celestial oil. Satisfied I am that many a believer pines in a dungeon when he might walk on the palace roof, and view the goodly land and Lebanon. Rouse thee, O believer, from thy low condition! Cast away thy sloth, thy lethargy, thy coldness, or whatever interferes with thy chaste and pure love to Christ. Make Him the source, the center, and the circumference of all thy soul's range of delight. Rest no longer satisfied with thy dwarfish attainments. Aspire to a higher, a nobler, a fuller life. Upward to heaven! Nearer to God!
--Spurgeon
"I want to scale the utmost height,
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I'll pray, till heaven I've found,
Lord, lead me on to higher ground!"
Not many of us are living at our best. We linger in the lowlands because we are afraid to climb the mountains. The steepness and ruggedness dismay us, and so we stay in the misty valleys and do not learn the mystery of the hills. We do not know what we lose in our self-indulgence, what glory awaits us if only we had courage for the mountain climb, what blessing we should find if only we would move to the uplands of God. --J. R. M
"Too low they build who build beneath the stars."
Sermon Outline
- The Call to Climb
- The Obstacles to Climbing
- The Rewards of Reaching the Summit
- Taking the First Step
- Casting aside sloth and lethargy
- Aspiring to a higher life
Key Quotes
“Still upward be thine onward course: For this I pray today;” — Charles E. Cowman
“Too low they build who build beneath the stars.” — Charles E. Cowman
“I want to scale the utmost height, And catch a gleam of glory bright;” — Charles E. Cowman
Application Points
- Recognize the limitations of your current state and desire a higher, nobler life.
- Cast aside sloth and lethargy, and aspire to a higher life, closer to God.
- Take the first step in climbing by leaving your comfort zone and seeking a deeper connection with God.