Isaiah 7:9

"Handfuls of Purpose"

For All Gleaners

"If ye believe surely ye shall not be established." Isa 7:9

In all these outlines it is presumed that the preacher will read the text and first give the literal interpretation. Many of them are accommodations of singular or pithy sayings, and this fact must not be overlooked by those who use the "Handfuls." Here is a case in point. The prophet had declared that within a given time Ephraim should be broken, that it should be no longer a people. The king would not believe this prophecy, and his incredulity was plainly visible in his face. The special use which may be made of the text is that faith is always necessary to real consolidation of character and success of policy. This is the larger meaning of that which at the time was a merely local and personal incident. Let a man have the impression that he is not going to succeed in what he undertakes, and the probability is that he will fail. On the other hand, let him have a strong conviction that failure is impossible, and his courage will rise in proportion, and all his faculties be set into active exercise under a very solemn and joyous inspiration. This holds good of all personal culture; of all educational efforts; of all social and public reforms; and indeed of the whole range of spiritual life. First of all, let us be assured that the object of our policy is right Unless we have that assurance we have no right to have any faith in it. Note the very right of faith is denied. To have faith in wrong is to squander faith. No wrong can ever come to ultimate success. It will have its risings and fallings, and maybe its many indications of coming to baleful fruition; but the word of the Lord is against it, and all heaven frowns upon it, and all providence will meet it in continual repulsion. The end of evil is overthrow, how strong soever may be the faith of those who have undertaken to support it. No faith can stand against the living God. Having assured ourselves that we are right in our purpose and our methods, what we need is faith, trust, confidence, courage. Do not imagine that even good things intended for our adoption and exercise will prosper unless we accompany their acceptance with the exercise of the requisite energy. The seed is good, and the ground is good, but the seed must be sown or the harvest can never be reaped. Man did not make the seed; man did not make the ground; but man must bring the seed and the ground together under proper conditions; at that point human energy interposes and discharges its responsibility. This text is a word of inspiration and solid comfort to all men who are engaged in carrying out reforms that often wear a hopeless aspect. Believe in God, and he will bring the battle to victory. Consult God at every step in the development of your reforms, and do nothing out of vanity or mere conceit, and the end shall be contentment and blessedness. Many men profess the Gospel who do not believe it. Many men work in a spirit of sentimental hope instead of a spirit of moral courage. Some workers disable themselves by excessive sighing. Instead of giving themselves resolutely to the work, they vaguely hope that the end will be good, and they sentimentally trust that nothing will happen to frustrate the purpose of God. All such feeling is below the dignity of the occasion. Let our daily prayer be, "Lord, increase our faith," then our part of the work will be done well, and God will not forget to do his part, and bring his purposes to consummation.