And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house.
The nail driven into a secure place is truth made plain and firmly fixed in mind and life so it can be grasped, held fast, and lived out. It is fastened by gathering every ray of light on vital truth and then presenting only a few essential points clearly, concisely, and forcefully, with straight application and a call for decision, so hearers know they have heard God and not man. It is fastened likewise by teaching more than preaching in small groups with Bibles in hand, making things plainer until slow minds see and take hold, and by wise, untheatrical labor that shows seekers how to receive truth practically in the heart. The work is made firm and lasting when public preaching of testing truth is followed up with personal instruction, prayer, and daytime Bible study that establishes new believers in yielding to the Holy Spirit and experiencing the power of truth within. A fitting word spoken at the right moment is driven home by the Spirit to abide as a lasting influence toward Christ, and even words repeated to those who seem unimpressible become fixed in the soul amid the unseen struggle of truth with error, so workers must labor in faith without discouragement with power from God.
Nail Securely Fixed
The nail is truth made clear and firmly understood. When teaching is explained plainly it is fixed in the mind like a nail fastened in a sure place. Made plain and firmly understood, truth becomes like a nail fixed securely so that people can grasp it and hold fast to it.
The nail is Bible truth taking hold in the life through wise instruction and practical reception. Truth imparted in this way is driven firmly into place, and it must take hold in the life in order to establish new believers firmly in the faith.
The nail is words of truth repeated again and again to people who seem unimpressible. Such words are not lost but are becoming fastened as a nail in a sure place, fixed firmly in the soul. While this fixing goes on, an unseen inner battle of truth against error and error against truth is taking place within. Therefore the worker must center faith in God, hold fast without failure or discouragement, and labor with sudden and desperate effort sustained by infinite power against striving for mastery.
Plain Teaching Methods
To fasten the nail in a sure place is to gather every ray of light on vital truth by earnest study of the Word, and then to present only a few essential points in a clear, concise manner with all possible force. It is the opposite of wandering from the subject and touching here and there without clearness, and it rivets thought in the mind so that hearers carry the points away with them. That riveting is done by making a straight, clear application of the evidence and then calling for a decision, so that those who listen realize they have heard the word of God and not the word of man. The same fastening takes place through less preaching and more teaching, in little groups all over the ground with Bibles in hand, where different ones lead out in free conversational study. There truth is made plain again and again for those who take longer to get hold of things, until they see and catch hold of what is meant, and then it stays fixed and is written on the tablets of their hearts.
Truth becomes firmly fixed and lasting when it is imparted without anything theatrical and without sharp thrusts. It is fixed by wise labor for those who are interested, showing them how to experience its power in their hearts and how to receive it practically in life practice. Such labor cures ignorance of vital godliness, while God works with power upon the hearts of all who seek Him. Lessons for children drawn from nature and from the parables of Christ can fix truth in the mind in this same way, like a nail in a sure place.
Personal Work for Souls
The nail driven into a secure place is firm support given to new converts as they learn to live out the truth, and that support comes through united effort. Public evangelists, Bible workers, and experienced leaders work together, following up awakened interest with personal teaching. By that united personal labor they help new converts to experience the truth for themselves.
To be fastened securely is to make the work for souls firm, stable, and lasting by following up evangelistic preaching. That preaching presents the grand, testing truths of the Bible and the grace of Christ, and it must be followed by daytime Bible studies and personal instruction carried on by men and women of spiritual understanding with much prayer. In that follow-up work new converts are taught how to yield to the power of the Holy Spirit and how to experience the power of truth in the heart, until souls become fully and firmly established in the truth. Those ignorant of vital godliness thus learn truth in practice, and this practical reception of Bible truth is what holds the work secure.
A fitting, timely word of help and guidance spoken to a person in a receptive condition of mind is driven home by the Holy Spirit and fixed firmly and lastingly in the heart and mind. Human speech becomes secure and effective when the Spirit makes it effective, and the word so carried home becomes a lasting influence that helps bring that person to Christ. Therefore believers should use their influence and speak at the right moment with urgency to guide others toward Christ. The reason for urgency is that those who can be reached today may soon be beyond reach, even by tomorrow.
To be firmly established in the proper position is to stand firm for principle in one's appointed work. That firmness is joined with kindness and courtesy and persuasiveness in word and manner, so as to win people. Such a steadfast worker draws others to interest in Sabbath school teaching, and one such worker in a sanitarium is worth a host.
The nail driven into a secure place is truth made plain and firmly fixed in mind and life so it can be grasped, held fast, and lived out. It is fastened by gathering every ray of light on vital truth and then presenting only a few essential points clearly, concisely, and forcefully, with straight application and a call for decision, so hearers know they have heard God and not man. It is fastened likewise by teaching more than preaching in small groups with Bibles in hand, making things plainer until slow minds see and take hold, and by wise, untheatrical labor that shows seekers how to receive truth practically in the heart. The work is made firm and lasting when public preaching of testing truth is followed up with personal instruction, prayer, and daytime Bible study that establishes new believers in yielding to the Holy Spirit and experiencing the power of truth within. A fitting word spoken at the right moment is driven home by the Spirit to abide as a lasting influence toward Christ, and even words repeated to those who seem unimpressible become fixed in the soul amid the unseen struggle of truth with error, so workers must labor in faith without discouragement with power from God.
Nail Securely Fixed
The nail is truth made clear and firmly understood. When teaching is explained plainly it is fixed in the mind like a nail fastened in a sure place. Made plain and firmly understood, truth becomes like a nail fixed securely so that people can grasp it and hold fast to it.
The nail is Bible truth taking hold in the life through wise instruction and practical reception. Truth imparted in this way is driven firmly into place, and it must take hold in the life in order to establish new believers firmly in the faith.
The nail is words of truth repeated again and again to people who seem unimpressible. Such words are not lost but are becoming fastened as a nail in a sure place, fixed firmly in the soul. While this fixing goes on, an unseen inner battle of truth against error and error against truth is taking place within. Therefore the worker must center faith in God, hold fast without failure or discouragement, and labor with sudden and desperate effort sustained by infinite power against striving for mastery.
Plain Teaching Methods
To fasten the nail in a sure place is to gather every ray of light on vital truth by earnest study of the Word, and then to present only a few essential points in a clear, concise manner with all possible force. It is the opposite of wandering from the subject and touching here and there without clearness, and it rivets thought in the mind so that hearers carry the points away with them. That riveting is done by making a straight, clear application of the evidence and then calling for a decision, so that those who listen realize they have heard the word of God and not the word of man. The same fastening takes place through less preaching and more teaching, in little groups all over the ground with Bibles in hand, where different ones lead out in free conversational study. There truth is made plain again and again for those who take longer to get hold of things, until they see and catch hold of what is meant, and then it stays fixed and is written on the tablets of their hearts.
Truth becomes firmly fixed and lasting when it is imparted without anything theatrical and without sharp thrusts. It is fixed by wise labor for those who are interested, showing them how to experience its power in their hearts and how to receive it practically in life practice. Such labor cures ignorance of vital godliness, while God works with power upon the hearts of all who seek Him. Lessons for children drawn from nature and from the parables of Christ can fix truth in the mind in this same way, like a nail in a sure place.
Personal Work for Souls
The nail driven into a secure place is firm support given to new converts as they learn to live out the truth, and that support comes through united effort. Public evangelists, Bible workers, and experienced leaders work together, following up awakened interest with personal teaching. By that united personal labor they help new converts to experience the truth for themselves.
To be fastened securely is to make the work for souls firm, stable, and lasting by following up evangelistic preaching. That preaching presents the grand, testing truths of the Bible and the grace of Christ, and it must be followed by daytime Bible studies and personal instruction carried on by men and women of spiritual understanding with much prayer. In that follow-up work new converts are taught how to yield to the power of the Holy Spirit and how to experience the power of truth in the heart, until souls become fully and firmly established in the truth. Those ignorant of vital godliness thus learn truth in practice, and this practical reception of Bible truth is what holds the work secure.
A fitting, timely word of help and guidance spoken to a person in a receptive condition of mind is driven home by the Holy Spirit and fixed firmly and lastingly in the heart and mind. Human speech becomes secure and effective when the Spirit makes it effective, and the word so carried home becomes a lasting influence that helps bring that person to Christ. Therefore believers should use their influence and speak at the right moment with urgency to guide others toward Christ. The reason for urgency is that those who can be reached today may soon be beyond reach, even by tomorrow.
To be firmly established in the proper position is to stand firm for principle in one's appointed work. That firmness is joined with kindness and courtesy and persuasiveness in word and manner, so as to win people. Such a steadfast worker draws others to interest in Sabbath school teaching, and one such worker in a sanitarium is worth a host.