What a rich Latin heritage that noun has, “education!”

It means “to lead out.” (The verb “ducere” in Latin means “to lead” and the prefix “ex” means “out!”)

Thus if one is educated he has learned to “lead out” knowledge and wisdom from textbooks, professors, and practically speaking, life situations. To “educe” such “down to earth” understanding!

Here Daniel Webster and King Solomon are in agreement!

Specifically … “Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water.” (Proverbs 20:5) Inviting us to go “draw it out,” to learn from that fellow man!

But Solomon says something a bit more specific: “Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; BUT A MAN OF UNDERSTANDING WILL DRAW IT OUT. “

I once heard a Preacher say, “Every man knows something I do not know. Hence in that sense, every man is my teacher!”

What a prudent view of life!

What a Solomonic view!

Proverbs 18:4 comes mighty close to the same idea: “The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.” (Hint: Go “draw out” some of that Wisdom!”)

But this is important, a short warning. Only seek and “draw out” proper wisdom, God’s Wisdom … heeding Psalm 64:6. “They (the wicked) search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.” Searching out “iniquities,” meaning “perversions!” (Foolishly studying the depths of depravity!)

The lesson today … Be a perpetual learner! “Draw out” good things from those you meet on the roadway of life!

Even Jesus … “Increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” Luke 2:52

Live today with a big “bucket” in your hand! And with it “draw out” wise counsel/advice everywhere you go.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

I am immediately going to bask in a stack of commentaries on the Epistle to the Hebrews! Five men, long in Heaven now, but they have certainly left deep “wells of wisdom” in their writings!

Yes, I am about to practice our Text verse … “Counsel in the heart of man (even dead saints who left their thoughts/meditations with us) is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.”

Amen!

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As you know, I preach and record a Bible Study Lesson every other day, by video. Theses are available on social media, Facebook and YouTube right now. Studying for these is, of course, time consuming.

For that reason I will begin writing a Lesson here on the Website every other day as well. On the days I do not record the Hebrews (or whatever Book we’re studying) video Lessons.

If you do not have high-speed Internet, if you can’t watch the Hebrews Lessons at home … consider going to your local library and using one of their computers to watch! It’s free of charge!

I simply need to use my time wisely and the videos are reaching far more people right now, I trust making an impact for the Lord.

I will continue to maintain the “Standing with the Bagwells” Page on an every-other-day frequency, the Lord willing.

This policy is not chiseled in stone. If the videos cease, I will likely return to daily Lessons here, though they will be written Meditations only.

Stay “in” the Word, y’all!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

It might even be that I can “Messenger” the Evening Meditation to any of you who do not have sufficient Internet Service to watch it otherwise!

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I am discussing the topic of “self” from a Christian perspective. Keep that in mind please.

Proverbs 18 thunders: “A FOOL hath no delight in understanding, BUT THAT HIS HEART MAY DISCOVER ITSELF.” (Verse 2)

The “fool” here is the “unwise” man or woman. In the sight of God, by God’s criteria. A spiritual “dullard,” a Biblical “simpleton.” (Using this definition for wisdom: “Seeing life from God’s point of view.”)

That individual is NOT interested in “understanding.” Not this kind of understanding: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOLY IS UNDERSTANDING.” Proverbs 9:10

No, this fool is interested in himself, himself only! “That his heart may discover itself!”

But, conversely, John the Baptist sought this lifestyle … “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30, John speaking of Jesus being that highly elevated One! And himself being that demoted, humbled!

Are you aware that most of today’s social sciences (like psychology and psychiatry) are complete self-centered?

Can you imagine positioning yourself on a couch, reclining maybe, then talking about yourself for twenty years, an hour or two a week at least?

Perverted!

To be fair, I am currently reading a Book entitled “Admirable Evasions.” Subtitled “How Psychology Undermines Morality!” Not written by a Christian either. But incisive nonetheless!

I’ve heard it said we are living in the “me” generation. I merely mention that we are also living in most the “ungodly” generation! Since the Flood anyway!

Jesus (as usual) said it best in Matthew 16:24 (repeated in Mark 8:34 and Luke 9;23) … “If any man will come after me, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

Don’t be a fool … living only for self-discovery!

Be like Paul, who testified … “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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I enjoyed Proverbs 17:3 earlier today. “The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.”

But Preacher, you just referred to God as an Assayer!

Yes … here’s the textbook definition for “assayer” … “an analyst who assays (performs tests on) metals.” Then secondarily, “someone who is skilled at analyzing data.”

The white-hot fires of testing also purify the metals our verse mentions, additionally!

Bottom line … GOD TESTS US!

For genuineness!

For absence of impurities!

For, I believe, our own sake’s, for our assurance that we are true Christians!

I think this. God does NOT primarily try us for His Sake. He already knows who is real and who is counterfeit!

He tries us to educe precious virtues from us that can only be extracted by trials and pressure.

Paul nearly says this in 2 Corinthians 13:5 … “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”

And 1 Corinthians 11:31 agrees: “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.”

Christian friends …

Face the purifying, assuring fires of discomfort down here on earth … and you’ll likely not find your works burned by fire at the Judgment Seat of Christ! “

Here’s the Text, in full detail: “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” 1 Corinthians 3:13-17

It’s amazing how one little Line from Proverbs can prompt a lot of Biblical thinking, prodding one’s mind to scan the entire Bible for supporting Truth!

Thank God for the Book of Proverbs!

Specializing in imparting God’s Wisdom to us who believe in its Central Character, the Lord Jesus Christ!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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“The instruction of fools is folly.” So says the Lord in Proverbs 16:22. I personally believe there’s a ton of Wisdom loaded into that short Bible Sentence.

Now let’s add another divinely inspired Line to our discussion …

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” Proverbs 14:1, a verse that capsulizes American education today, in our State Universities! So called schools of “higher learning!” Public education now, by law, can promote no god, no God! That’s atheism, that’s foolishness!

No wonder we have elected (or so we are told they’ve been elected) a hefty crop of “fools” (again, merely using the Bible definition).

Yes, “The instruction of fools is folly.” And here “folly” suggests “mocking, quarrelsomeness, perversity,” especially the sexual kind.

Absolutely accurate in describing the world today!

We’re about back to pre-Flood days, I think. “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil CONTINUALLY.” Genesis 6:5

And when the Universities of “folly” continue poisoning society without hindrance … THE JUDGMENT OF ALMIGHTY GOD WILL (SOONER OR LATER) FALL!

Is there hope anywhere? Not for the Nation any longer but for the individual? For the godly heart?

Yes, the whole verse, Proverbs 16:22, does add: “UNDERSTANDING is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.”

“Then Lord, give us understanding, we pray. “

And the answer comes, reverberates … “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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