To make no move that calls for the investment of means unless we have the money in hand to complete the contemplated work, should not always be considered the wisest plan. In the upbuilding of His work, the Lord does not always make everything plain before His servants. He sometimes tries the confidence of His people by having them move forward in faith. Often He brings them into strait and trying places, bidding them go forward when their feet seem to be touching the waters of the Red Sea. It is at such times, when the prayers of His servants ascend to Him in earnest faith, that He opens the way before them, and brings them out into a large place.
(CS 277.1)
The Lord wants His people in these days to believe that He will do as great things for them as He did for the children of Israel in their journey from Egypt to Canaan. We are to have an educated faith that will not hesitate to follow His instructions in the most difficult experiences. “Go forward” is the command of God to His people.
(CS 277.2)
Faith and cheerful obedience are needed to bring the Lord’s designs to pass. When He points out the necessity of establishing the work in places where it will have influence, the people are to walk and work by faith. By their godly conversation, their humility, their prayers and earnest efforts, they should strive to bring the people to appreciate the good work that the Lord has established among them. It was the Lord’s purpose that the Loma Linda Sanitarium should become the property of our people, and He brought it about at a time when the rivers of difficulty were full and overflowing their banks.
(CS 277.3)
The working of private interests for the gaining of personal ends is one thing. In this, men may follow their own judgment. But the carrying forward of the Lord’s work in the earth is entirely another matter. When He designates that a certain property should be secured for the advancement of His cause and the building up of His work, whether it be for sanitarium or school work, or for any other branch, He will make the doing of that work possible, if those who have experience will show their faith and trust in His purposes, and will move forward promptly to secure the advantages He points out. While we are not to seek to wrest property from any man, yet when advantages are offered, we should be wide awake to see the advantage, that we may make plans for the upbuilding of the work. And when we have done this, we should exert every energy to secure the freewill offerings of God’s people for the support of these new plants.—Testimonies for the Church 9:271, 272.
(CS 278.1)
Danger in Extreme Position
It is right to borrow money to carry forward a work that we know God desires to have accomplished. We should not wait in inconvenience, and make the work much harder, because we do not wish to borrow money. Mistakes have been made in incurring debt to do that which could well have waited till a future time. But there is danger of going to the other extreme. We are not to place ourselves in a position that will endanger health and make our work wearing. We are to act sensibly. We must do the work that needs to be done, even if we have to borrow money and pay interest.—Letter 111, 1903.
(CS 278.2)
Guard Against Mistakes on Both Sides
The question now before us is, Shall we try to secure the places that seem desirable in price and location, when we cannot tell where our money is coming from? Brethren ------, ------, and others are opposed to the increasing of debts. But I am not prepared to say that we should not, under any circumstances, purchase land to which the Lord seems to have directed our minds, when there is no hindrance but the question of ready money, and which property, in the providence of God, we could soon pay for. We have to guard against mistakes on both sides.—Letter 167, 1902.
(CS 279.1)
A Brake on Wheels of Progress
The idea that a sanitarium should not be established unless it could be started free from debt, has put the brake upon the wheels of progress. In building meetinghouses we have had to borrow money, in order that something might be done at once. We have been obliged to do this, in order to fulfill the directions of God. Persons deeply interested in the progress of the work have borrowed money and paid interest on it, to help establish schools and sanitariums and to build meetinghouses. The institutions thus established and the churches built have been the means of winning many to the truth. Thus the tithe has been increased, and workers have been added to the Lord’s forces.—Letter 211, 1904.
(CS 279.2)
Loss Through Lack of Faith
God would have the standard lifted higher and still higher. The church cannot abridge her task without denying her Master. Meetinghouses must be built in many places. Is it economy to fail to provide in our cities places of worship where the Redeemer may meet with His people? Let us not give the impression that we find it too great an expense to provide properly for the reception of the heavenly Guest.
(CS 279.3)
In laying plans for building, we need the wisdom of God. We should not needlessly incur debt, but I would say that in every case all the money required to complete a building need not be in hand before the work is begun. We must often move forward by faith, working as expeditiously as possible. It is through a lack of faith that we fail of receiving the fulfillment of God’s promises. We must work and pray and believe. We are to move forward steadily and earnestly, trusting in the Lord, and saying, “We will not fail nor become discouraged.”(Isaiah 42:4)—The Review and Herald, September 7, 1905.
(CS 280.1)