Bible Study Necessary to Efficiency
Those young men who desire to give themselves to the ministry, or
who have already done so, should become familiar with every line of
prophetic history and every lesson given by Christ. The mind gains in
strength, breadth, and acuteness by active use. It must work, or it will
become weak. It must be trained to think, to think habitually, or it will
in a great measure lose the power of thought. Let the young minister
wrestle with the difficult problems found in the word of God, and his
intellect will be thoroughly awakened. As he gives diligent study to
the great truths found in the Scriptures, he will be enabled to preach
sermons which will contain a direct, definite message, and which will
help his hearers to choose the right way.
The minister who ventures to teach the truth when he has only a
smattering knowledge of the word of God, grieves the Holy Spirit. But
he who begins with a little knowledge, and tells what he knows, at the
same time seeking for more knowledge, will become qualified to do a
larger work. The more light he gathers to his own soul, the more of
heavenly illumination will he be able to impart to others.
There is no need for weakness in the ministry. The message of
truth that we bear is all-powerful. But many ministers do not put
their minds to the task of studying the deep things of God. If these
would have power in their service, obtaining an experience that will
enable them to help others, they must overcome their indolent habits
of thought. Let ministers put the whole heart into the task of searching
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the Scriptures, and a new power will come to them. A divine element
unites with human effort when the soul reaches out after God; and the
yearning heart may say, “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my
expectation is from Him.” [
Psalm 62:5
.]
Ministers who would labor effectively for the salvation of souls
must be Bible students and men of prayer. It is a sin to be neglectful of
the study of the Word while attempting to teach it to others. Those who
feel the worth of souls realize that too much is at stake for them to dare
to be careless in regard to their advancement in divine knowledge, and
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