KEEP FAITH AND TRUST by Elsie A. Brown

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 30, 1901

KEEP FAITH AND TRUST

By Elsie A. Brown

ELSIE A. BROWN

It is not with the expectation that the individual who may read the following lesson will be able to apply it all to his particular case, but with the hope that there may be some portion of it applicable to many, whereby they may be strengthened through the remembrance of the Source of power, that I send it for publication.

1. Why keep faith and trust?

“Your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Cor. 16:58. “We shall reap if we faint not.” Gal. 6:9.

2. But, says one, I don’t see much indication of it.

“But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” Rom. 8:25.

3. Did Abraham see the evidence?

“Who against hope believed in hope.” Rom. 4:18.

4. But I lack faith.

“If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful.” 2 Tim. 2:13.

5. But how am I to get faith?

“Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Rom. 10:17. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” Eph. 2:8. “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19.

6. But I am so weak.

“God hath chosen the weak things of the world.” 1 Cor. 1:27. “My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Cor. 12:9.

7. But I am slow, and do not seem to accomplish much.

“The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.” Eccl. 9:11.

8. Well, there just seems nothing to me.

“And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are.” 1 Cor. 1:28. “Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity.” Ps. 39:5.

9. Who before you has felt his nothingness?

“Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints.” Eph. 3:8. “For I know nothing by myself.” 1 Cor. 4:4.

10. Who was this?

Paul, who “was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.” 2 Cor. 11:5.

11. But things have gone so crooked in my life.

“The crooked shall be made straight.” Luke 3:5.

12. It seems impossible.

“With God nothing shall be impossible.” Luke 1:37. “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” Luke 18:27.

13. What is the assurance if we walk in the path of God’s appointment?

“I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight.” Isa. 45:2.

14. But I am getting old and feeble.

“And even to your old age I am He; and even to hoary hairs will I carry you; I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.” Isa. 46:4.

15. But my health is so poor.

“I will restore health unto thee.” Jer. 30:17. “I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health.” 3 John 2.

16. Note the remedy for weakness, old age, and slowness.

“I have laid help upon One that is mighty.” Ps. 89:19. “My grace is sufficient for thee.” 2 Cor. 12:9. “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isa. 41:10. “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.” Isa. 40:29. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” Zech. 4:6.

17. But I’ve been so afflicted.

“I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.” Isa. 48:10. “For thou wilt save the afflicted people.” Ps. 18:27.

18. But I have been bereft of my children.

“They shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border.” Jer. 31:16, 17.

19. Well, I am fearful of the future, for are we not to have a time of trouble?

“Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” Jer. 30:7. “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer.” Rev. 2:10.

20. Why fear nothing?

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jer. 29:11. “For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations; like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.” Amos 9:9.

21. My associates and family are against me.

“I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion.” Jer. 3:14.

22. I have no one to help me.

“For He shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.” Ps. 72:12. “For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.” Ps. 9:18.

23. But my enemies work so against me.

“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the

heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.” Isa. 54:17.

24. But I have backslidden.

“Return ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.” Jer. 3:22.

25. But no one seems to care for, or particularly to interest themselves in, me.

“He careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:7. “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” Isa. 49:16.

26. The enemy so shapes his temptations to my weakness as to overwhelm me.

“The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee.” Deut. 33:27. “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” Isa. 59:19.

27. But so much is expected of me.

“What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Micah 6:8.

28. But I am unclean and sinful.

“I will also save you from all your uncleannesses.” Eze. 36:29. “Sin shall not have dominion over you.” Rom. 6:14.

29. But I am afraid I shall fall.

“A just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again.” Prov. 24:16. “Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.” Micah 7:8.

30. But I have failed so many times.

“He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities.” Micah 7:19.

31. What further promise have we for those who fear falling?

“Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless.” Jude 24. “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.” Rom. 14:4. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Phil. 2:13.

32. But it seems almost presuming for me to hope.

“The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope is His mercy.” Ps. 147:11.

33. What is mercy?

“Disposition to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves.”—Webster.

34. Having therefore these promises, what shall we do?

“Have faith in God.” Mark 11:22. “Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us.” Ps. 62:8.