God Has Chosen Me
In 'God Has Chosen Me', Charles E. Cowman emphasizes the significance of God's choice in our lives, particularly during times of affliction and suffering.
Charles E. Cowman preaches on the comforting truth that God has chosen His people even in the midst of afflictions, assuring believers that His presence is their comfort and safety in fiery trials. Regardless of the challenges faced, whether poverty or sickness, knowing that God has chosen them brings hope and strength to endure. The sermon emphasizes the importance of trusting in God's sovereign will and holding still in the midst of pain and suffering, believing that He is shaping and refining His chosen ones for a greater purpose.
Text
"I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction" (Isa. 48:10).
Does not the Word come like a soft shower, assuaging the fury of the flame? Yes, is it not an asbestos armor, against which the heat has no power? Let the affliction come--God has chosen me. Poverty, thou mayest stride in at my door; but God is in the house already, and He has chosen me. Sickness, thou mayest intrude; but I have a balsam ready--God has chosen me. Whatever befall me in this vale of tears, I know that He has chosen me.
Fear not, Christian; Jesus is with thee. In all thy fiery trials, His presence is both thy comfort and safety. He will never leave one whom He has chosen for His own. "Fear not, for I am with thee," is His sure word of promise to His chosen ones in "the furnace of affliction." --C. H. Spurgeon
Pain's furnace heat within me quivers,
God's breath upon the flame doth blow;
And all my heart in anguish shivers
And trembles at the fiery glow;
And yet I whisper, "As God will!"
And in the hottest fire hold still.
He comes and lays my heart, all heated,
On the hard anvil, minded so
Into His own fair shape to beat it
With His great hammer, blow on blow;
And yet I whisper, "As God will!"
And at His heaviest blows hold still.
He takes my softened heart and beats it;
The sparks fly off at every blow;
He turns it o'er and o'er and heats it,
And lets it cool, and makes it glow;
And yet I whisper, "As God will!"
And in His mighty hand hold still.
Why should I murmur? for the sorrow
Thus only longer-lived would be;
The end may come, and will tomorrow,
When God has done His work in me;
So I say trusting, "As God will!"
And, trusting to the end, hold still.
--Julius Sturm
The burden of suffering seems a tombstone hung about our necks, while in reality it is only the weight which is necessary to keep down the diver while he is hunting for pearls. --Richter
Sermon Outline
- I points: - Understanding God's Choice - The Purpose of Affliction - The Assurance of His Presence
- II points: - Facing Trials with Faith - The Role of Suffering in Spiritual Growth - Finding Strength in God's Promises
- III points: - The Comfort of God's Selection - Embracing God's Will - The Transformation Through Trials
- IV points: - The Importance of Trust - Living with Assurance - The Hope Beyond Affliction
Key Quotes
“I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.” — Charles E. Cowman
“Fear not, for I am with thee, is His sure word of promise to His chosen ones in the furnace of affliction.” — Charles E. Cowman
“The burden of suffering seems a tombstone hung about our necks, while in reality it is only the weight which is necessary to keep down the diver while he is hunting for pearls.” — Charles E. Cowman
Application Points
- Trust in God's choice for your life, especially during difficult times.
- Embrace suffering as a means of spiritual growth and transformation.
- Find comfort in God's promises and His constant presence in your life.