The slightest doubt entertained in the heart and mind of the speaker,

will make itself felt in the hearer, to the weakening of the testimony.

While mere 'self -assurance' must be avoided, it should be manifest that the

speaker utters what he has to say with conviction, that he can at least say,

'One thing I know'; 'We speak that we do know and testify that we have seen'.

He must avoid the 'uncertain sound' as he would the plague.  In the eyes of

the world he must exhibit a strange combination for he must be 'gentle', yet

he must be 'bold'.  He must avoid 'striving', yet he must 'contend earnestly

for the faith'. He must be patient, apt to teach, and mingle 'longsuffering'

with 'doctrine', and 'endurance' with 'evangelizing' (2 Tim. 2:24,25; 4:2,5;

Eph. 6:19).  In his attitude to those to whom he ministers he must be made

'all things to all men'.  He must be both 'father' and 'mother' to his

hearers (1 Thess. 2:11; 1 Cor. 4:15; Philem. 10), and have a ready and

practical sympathy with them in all their joys and sorrows.  He will feel for

the prisoner, as 'being bound with him' (Heb. 13:3).  He will see in the weak

brother one for whom Christ died, so that he will curtail or deny himself

many a legitimate right, lest by offending the weaker brother he should 'sin

against Christ' (1 Cor. 8:7 -13).  'Who is weak, and I am not weak', said

Paul; 'who is offended, and I burn not?' (2 Cor. 11:29).  While it is true

that we might obtain help in the study of the Scriptures or in the knowledge

and use of language from our friends and brethren, where can such unselfish

and truly spiritual characteristics be gained except in fellowship with the

Lord Himself?  Though we be not aware of it, others will 'take knowledge of

us' if we have been in His Presence.  If we cry 'Who is sufficient for these

things?' the answer still stands, 'My grace is sufficient for thee'.  'Not

that we are sufficient of ourselves, to think anything as of ourselves, but

our sufficiency is of God'.

'And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, Always

having All sufficiency in All things, may abound to All good works' (2 Cor.

9:8 author's translation).

Our ministry is a ministry of the Word.  Whatever our thoughts,

experiences or philosophy may be, our ministry deals with revealed truth, and

must be based squarely upon the inspired Scriptures.  'It is written' must

ever be the ground of all our teaching and the final appeal.  This does not

mean that we shall be always and only speaking about the Scriptures, for that

would be as foolish as to try to feed a starving man on a list of vitamins.

Our ministry is the Gospel of the grace of God, Dispensational, Doctrinal,

Prophetic and Practical truth, but these and all other divisions of truth,

must find their basis and origin in the inspired Word of God.

In the present study, the inspiration of Scripture will not be

discussed and the principle of right division will not be prominent.  These

have been dealt with separately.  We hope to apply the Word of Truth to the

various outgoings and activities of the spiritual life, and to show that our

title 'The effectual Word' is fully justified.

We have, of course, taken the words of the apostle in 1 Thessalonians

2:13 for our covering text: