Perhaps this lesson should be saved for Thanksgiving.

But is not every day one of giving thanks for the Christian? (Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 … “In every thing give thanks.” With no mention of a special Holiday only!)

So I find a little Line in 1 Timothy 6:17 thrilling to my soul. There Paul writes of: “The living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.”

Wow!

The verb “giveth” here is unusual. “Parecho” means “to cause one to have!” It pictorially suggests … God reaching down His hand, Which has been “holding on” to a certain gift and placing it right “beside” you, my Christian friend!

And the adverb “richly” translates a Greek term meaning (at its very root) “to be full!” Abundantly satisfied! Fully furnished!

And the infinitive “to enjoy” derives from the verb “lauo,” indicating great “pleasure!” (God’s “better” gift than the “pleasures of sin,” the only other use of the word in the New Testament!

God’s “gifts” beat the devil’s “gifts” … always, with no real contest!

It is God’s very Nature to so give!

Psalm 68:19 … “Blessed be the Lord, who DAILY LOADETH US with benefits, even the God of our salvation.”

All things to enjoy!

James is right … “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and COMETH DOWN down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness.” (James 1:17, where “cometh down” is a present participle … they just keep on “coming down!”)

Enjoy life today, life in Christ!

That’s His Will for you!

Lamentations 3:23 says of God’s “mercies” … “They are NEW EVERY MORNING: great is thy faithfulness.”

Again I say, ENJOY!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Oh, how WORTHY He is to be PRAISED!

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Yes, Isaiah 40:11 uses those very words when depicting Jesus our Saviour/Shepherd … “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them IN HIS BOSOM.”

Wow!

I am going to Heaven, having been saved by the Grace of God …“in Jesus’ Bosom!”

The Hebrew noun “bosom” is “cheyq,” meaning “midst, lap,” or even “enclosed” within One’s Arms!

As close as He can hold us!

Here is intimacy!

Here is security!

Here is comfort!

Here is continuity!

Here is Love, the Love of God!

The verb “carry” is “nasa,” meaning “to lift” a load! When converted to a noun it can even mean “armor-bearer!”

It is not up to me to get to Heaven. Jesus is ferrying me there, and He is well armed for the Journey. Prepared against any enemy attack!

According to our Verse today …

He gathered us!

He feeds us!

Now he lovingly transports us … to Glory!

Sounds like He is indeed the good Shepherd!

No need for us to fret … just enjoy the Ride!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Paul made this bold claim for us in Romans 8:17. that we Believers are “joint-heirs with Christ!”

It essentially means that we are so “united” with Him, Jesus our Saviour, that … our Father in Heaven gives to us … what he gives to His Darling Son!

And God has certainly “willed” to Jesus much, so much!

And Jesus has asked that we somehow be co-sharers in all that Inheritance!

“Joint-heirs” is one word in Greek … “sugkleronomos!” Literally implying that we Christians have a “share” in all God has apportioned to Jesus! Making Jesus (in this legal sense) our Older Brother!

Then … We really were “born” into God’s Family, made His “children!”

Wow!

Does Jesus mind, is He offended at this beneficence?

I say no.

Based on verses like John 17:22 … “And the GLORY which thou gavest me I (Jesus) have given them (true worshippers; that they may be one, even as we are one.”

Sharing His Glory?

Now His Love!

“And I (Jesus) have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the LOVE wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:26

Joint-heirs!

Jesus is also God’s “Perfect” Carrier of Wisdom. Colossians 2:3 … “In Whom (Jesus) are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” And we know our Lord has given us His Wisdom, or will gladly give it, according to James 1:5.

NOW, DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND ME!

We are not gods!

We are not equal to Jesus in Essence, in Deity, in all His Attributes!

We are all still old sinners saved by Grace!

But we have been put “in the Will” … as co-inheritors with the Lord Jesus!

No telling all that means!

Good things innumerable!

But I noticed back in Romans 8:17 where this thought started a few minutes ago … “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we SUFFER with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Now we have Romans 8:17 in its entirety.

Part of being “joint-heirs” just may involve sharing in some of our Lord’s “sufferings!” (Often according to Jesus, suffering precedes Glory!)

John 15:20 … “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.”

Wow again!

Being saved, that is … “Christ in us” (Colossians 1:27) as well as “us in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:17) … does involve that intimate an identification with our dear Lord Jesus … to the point of “sharing,” literally to the point of “joint-heirship!”

I stand amazed!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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It has often been said that in the Old Testament God blessed His children with physical, literal, material blessings. While in the New Testament God blesses His children with spiritual blessings.

An Old Testament sample, from Deuteronomy 28:11 … “And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in GOODS, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.”

A New Testament example, Revelation 20:6 … “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be PRIESTS OF GOD AND OF CHRIST, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”

Big difference!

This Truth is so patent that Paul in Ephesians 1:3 says: “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings.”

Note those three words: “ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS!”

Such as … the indwelling Holy Spirit!

Such as … love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance!

Such as … sonship with Jesus Christ our Lord!

Such as … communion with the Godhead!

How many of these?

No one really knows!

“ALL spiritual blessings!”

Oh yes, add “the indwelling love of God!”

Add … the privilege “to approach to the very Throne of Grace!”

I suspect these spiritual blessings outclass any material blessings the Old Testament offers.

As does Grace outclass Law!

Either way, I sure am happy in Jesus this morning as I type these words!

Ah, another spiritual blessing, that happiness!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Count THOSE blessings, if you can.

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I have been told nearly all my life that when a person is saved, Christ Jesus moves into that believer’s heart. In a word or two … “Christ in you!”

For example: “Christ (Jesus) IN you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27, what a thrilling Truth, Reality!

Or the same fact can be expressed through the Concept of God the Holy Spirit: “Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is IN you.” 1 Corinthians 6:19

But today’s Text is different.

It is not describing God in us!

Rather the obverse … “Us in God!”

1 John 4:13 being one Proof text … “We dwell in him.” Not Paul or Peter here, but John!

Get that?

“WE DWELL IN HIM.”

But Paul agrees: “IN HIM we live, and move, and have our being.” Acts 17:28, that famous Mars Hill Sermon!

If you are born-again, it’s an assured fact … “You dwell in Him!” Paul again: “Therefore if any man be IN CHRIST, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Therefore, no doubt about that, about us living/dwelling “IN” Him.

Here’s the real issue … Am I consciously dwelling IN Him? Thinking of Him and loving Him and trusting Him and drawing on Him … constantly?

Like this … “If ye abide IN ME, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7, a Promise from Jesus Himself!

No wonder Paul could say truthfully … “For me to live is Christ!” Philippians 1:21

All day, let this be our goal, to knowingly “DWELL IN HIM.”

See what a difference such a Perspective makes!

“In His Hands!”

“In His Heart!”

“In His Life!”

“In His Future!”

The Concept gets bigger than any of us can fathom!

Just … “IN HIM!”

More than amazing!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Who is currently not just in a lovely cabin preaching in a nearby Revival Meeting … but (gloriously) living this very second “IN HIM!”

Praise the Lord!

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