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BIBLE NUGGETS...

WE ARE GLAD YOU HAVE VISITED HERE TODAY! LET'S STUDY THE WORD OF GOD TOGETHER!

AFTER ALL, IT IS A LIVING BOOK!

--- Dr. Mike Bagwell

JULY 6, 2007 (FRIDAY)

The word is "separation."

In Christian terminology it implies being different from the world, not identifying with that ungodly system of life.

Like this: "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you." 2nd Corinthians 6:17

However, separation as a doctrine and practice has fallen on hard times lately!

No one any longer seems to be very interested in being "different."

Yet the Lord has laid a Text on my heart, a true "separation" Passage from the Psalms.

To investigate Psalm 101 is an exercise in separation!

Yet David there begins: "I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing."

At first one wonders, "Where's the 'separation' element in this sweet verse?" It's coming, from verse three onward!

Initially David worships!

By the way, maybe that's why people no longer want to hear anything about separation from the world! Or holy living!

Worship is a dying art in today's world, worship of the Lord God Almighty that is!

The one thing that will drive away one's love for the world and its wickedness is ... the love of God! The one love must grow and overcome the other! "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. " 1st John 2:15

So ... David begins Psalm 101 by singing, by worshiping God!

The opening verb is "sing" or "shiyr" in Hebrew. It really means "to travel about, to turn here and there" as do merchants or business people. The idea in this context is to sing so much that one's heart is joyful everywhere he or she goes! A lifestyle of song and praise and worship! Singing as I travel here and there! Singing on Thursday as well as Sunday! Singing on the job as well as at Church!

The "time" sense of "shiyr" here is that of habitual action, constant joy!

The noun "mercy" is spelled "hesed" and is the fundamental Old Testament word for kindness! Originally meaning "to stoop down," it pictures God's condescending to us via the Incarnation and Virgin Birth of Jesus, our dear Saviour!

"Judgment" is "mishphat" and suggests the rightness of God's decrees! The propriety of His verdicts! Things like the expulsion of sin from Eden, the world-wide flood of Noah, the Tower of Babel, such events all the way through to the Battle of Armageddon!

Singing about judgment?

Yes!

Listen to the first song in the Bible, Exodus 15. "Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name. Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea. The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone. Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy." And these are just the opening words! Is this not singing about judgment?

Such singing would really be popular today, wouldn't it?

David's song is directed "unto" the Lord! This preposition is not simply implied, but clearly indicated in the Text. "Le" in Hebrew means "for" as well as "to" the Lord! This is not initially congregational singing! This is worship, one man singing to his God!

"I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing."

Those last three words, repetitious as they are, carry great weight. First of all, a different word for "sing" is used, "zamar" this time! Its history seems to involve this thought: using one's fingers to trim a grape vine! Then it apparently came to mean plucking the strings of a musical instrument, aiding in song and worship to God! To make music accompanied by song! Also "zamar" is here a piel stem verb, intensity being depicted!

The more David sings, the more he reflects on God's sweet loving-kindness and severe judgment, the greater becomes his passion and song and worship!

This thing is building!

Today, dear friend, let's try it!

"I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing."

Amen!

It is likely that the more we sing, praise and worship God ... the more separated from the world we will become!

                                                                        --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

AUGUST 26, 2004 (THURSDAY)

Music and musical instruments go back in time nearly as far as recorded history!

The first human incident concerning music is mentioned in Genesis 4:21 --- "And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ." This first musician was of the ungodly line of Cain! (The devil using music already!)

In fact the devil is even more associated with music in Ezekiel 28:13! "Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created." Wow!

BUT even before that ... the angels of God sang when He created the earth! Describing creation Job 38:7 tells us: "When the morning stars (angels) sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy!"

God loves music!

Even He has been known to sing! He sings to His chosen people! "The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

Much of Bible music is made with "reed" instruments.

Even today clarinets, oboes, saxophones and other woodwinds have those little reeds inside them!

Since reeds from plants and shrubs are so fragile and wear out so easily ... man has started using plastic and other synthetic materials to make his music! BUT the professionals still demand the real thing! (Naturally grown reeds!) Reeds crack, break or splinter quite readily!

Let me share with you a paragraph I found on such "reeds." I quote: "Reeds are fashioned from the giant reed plant. This large grass grows to a height of seven or eight feet. Reeds are made from the sections between the nodes. However, a seven-foot stalk may have only 25 sections that are the right dimensions for an oboe reed. After harvesting and curing, a process that takes nine months, sections are selected on the basis of size and color. One plant may produce only one oboe reed. The goal is to obtain a reed that has a crisp tone over a wide range of notes. Out of a box of 100 reeds, which can cost hundreds of dollars, the professional musician may find two that he considers excellent."

Why all this talk about music on today's Bible Nuggets Page?

Because of this verseof Scripture: "A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth." Isaiah 42:3 Did you get that? Isaiah is prophesying about the coming Lord Jesus! He tells us that the Saviour will be so very gentle ... that He will not even break an already bruised reed! By definition: Even a crushed reed He will not destroy!

What the world would throw away on the trash pile ... Jesus "salvages" (I should say "saves") and set to making godly music!

Am I just making too much of an obscure verse?

Don't think so!

It is quoted again in Matthew 12:20! And again applied to the dear and kind Lord Jesus! "A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory."

Someone today is hurting and broken and crushed!

You feel you will never be able to make music again!

Come to Jesus!

He will NOT throw you away on some landfill of sin!

He will tenderly touch you and "fix" you and deliver you and USE you to His honor and glory!

Come ... and see!

                                                                        --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

AUGUST 24, 2004 (TUESDAY)

Look at what God can do with common dust! "And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt." Exodus 8:16

It seems lately that there are some atheistic scientists who want to believe that they've found some stars with "dust" circling them ... no doubt in the process of forming "planets" ... just like (they wrongly say) our earth was formed billions of years ago.

Now remember that there is not one shred of proof for this! Just scientists' imaginations!

If I were these men (and women), I would be careful!

God can take such "dust" theories and do strange things with them!

Like turning "dust" into lice!

Or changing "dust" into boils and sores! (Exodus 9:8-10)

I truly believe that evolution as a theory has fallen flat on its face!

And I'll assure you that it (evolution) has always been a theological issue rather than a scientific one!

Atheists who are scientists will believe all of creation "happened" by luck all their lives! They WILL NOT acknowledge God as Creator!

For, you see, if one has a Creator ... one needs a Redeemer!

And that involves the Blood of our precious Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

Then that involves being saved and living godly lives!

And there's the whole issue!

Men love their sin too much!

I've got a feeling it's going to get "dusty" around this old world before too much longer!

In closing let me tell you how God did create the world ... not by dust but by ... "the work of His Fingers!" See what I mean in Psalm 8:3 where David says: "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained." Or maybe better yet: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Genesis 1:1

So much for dusty stars!

                                                                                 --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

AUGUST 20, 2004 (FRIDAY)

It's just a short statement in Proverbs 12. In fact, it's not even a full verse. But it IS a full thought!

Solomon, under Holy Spirit inspiration, says that "The root of the righteous yieldeth fruit." Proverbs 12:12

He obviously is using a word picture, a metaphor.

The godly man or woman is being symbolized as a plant or a tree. One with roots! And those roots are producing some good things!

I was just reading on a Christian web-site and discovered something amazing.

Scientists (pharmacologists really) have learned that God has stored within the root systems of many plants (and herbs) substances with amazing chemical properties.

Periwinkle hair roots make 75 different alkaloids, including 2 now used in cancer treatments!

Antidotes for travel sickness and some nerve gases (biological warfare) are made by henbane roots!

Certain cucumber roots make anti-fungal chemicals!

In other words, for a plant or a tree, its "roots" may contribute to its health and stability more than we've ever known!

But the Creator knew!

That's one reason WHY He wrote Proverbs 12:12 --- "The root of the righteous yieldeth fruit."

Glory to God!

                                                                               --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

JULY 4, 2004 (SUNDAY)

Here's the "Source" Verse that Jesus used:

Deuteronomy 8:3 --- "And He (our Lord God) humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live."

Jesus used part of it to battle the devil in the wilderness temptation:

Matthew 4:4 --- "But he (Jesus) answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

Here's Luke's account:

Luke 4:4 --- "And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."

We live in a day when much is being said about diet.

Jesus nearly startles us here when He declares that men MUST have more than just food (bread) to really live!

God's Word is essential to real life as well!

The verb "written" is so beautiful in this text! It's a "perfect" verb in Greek ... suggesting something done in time past ... but with continuing results!

The Word of God was written in the past! It is complete! BUT it still has influence and power today!

Glory to God!

"Alone" here can mean just "by itself!" Jesus is not saying for us to quit eating. Just be sure that we eat God's Word as well as solid food!

What parts of God's Word would then be best "to eat?"

EVERY word! The adjective is "pas" and means all or the whole of something! (Entirely!)

The noun "word" is not "logos" as one would have imagined! It is "rema" (or "rhema") and of course means word or saying ... but it has a particular nuance. It hints at "specific" words chosen for a certain occasion. Surveying ALL of Scripture and selecting just what is needed for the moment! Here's an example: Paul said we are to take "The Sword of the Spirit (ALL the Bible), which is the WORD ("rema") of God (A specific verse)! Ephesians 6:17

And "proceedeth" translates a Greek word that means to go (travel) from one point to another. From God's mouth to my heart (through the Scriptures)! It's a present tense verb too! (On-going action!)

This is being written on a Sunday. Christian friend, be SURE to feed on the Word of God today! (That means tomorrow is Monday also. Feed on it then too!) It is necessary for your spiritual health!

                                                                                --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

JULY 2, 2004 (FRIDAY):

I thought it was a very unusual verse!

Here it is:

"Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread." Isaiah 8:13

The verb "sanctify" (in Hebrew = "qadash") means to reverence, to set apart, to dedicate, to hallow or even to separate or keep different! (The "root" idea is something that is "clean!")

The "Lord of Hosts" is the Name of God that particularly emphasizes His ability to wage war! (His fighting Name!) He is the Head of all the armies of heaven!

And, apparently, if we focus solely on our great God ... He will become the focus of all our emotions, goals and aspirations!

He even will be our "fear" and "dread!"

I think the verse is saying that we should let God be terminal focus (the "end" goal) of all our feelings!

If we reverence Him completely ... our concern ("fear") will be pleasing Him in all things!

The Bible says a lot about the FEAR of the Lord!

Our word here is "mora" (Hebrew for "fear" in this verse) and can literally mean "terror!" Sounds like Paul to me! He said: "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men ...." 2 Corinthians 5:11

The word "dread" is a synonym as well. It comes from a root verb that means to tremble!

A wise old preacher once said: "If we fear men ... it means we don't fear God! BUT if we fear God ... we will not fear men!"

There you have it!

Let God be God in your life!

(He IS whether you let Him or not, by the way!)

                                                               --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

JUNE 24, 2004:

Jesus said it in John 17:17!

"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."

He of course is praying to His Father.

The verb "sanctify" (in Greek = "hagaizo") means to set apart, to consecrate or to regard as cleansed! The verb is in the imperative mood! It's a command! Jesus prayed with great energy and emotion! (And the Father answers His prayers too!)

The little pronoun "them" refers to born-again children of God! In Greek it's "autos." And be sure of this. We were sanctified (set apart) when we first got saved! At least that's what Paul told the Corinthians, who yet had a ways to go to live up to their position of being sanctified! 1 Corinthians 6:11 --- "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." Being sanctified in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30 says: "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.") we are now to so live!

How can we live such godly lives? By the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:13 --- "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.") and by the effectiveness of the Word of God! (The "Truth" of our verse here today!)

Jesus here is plainly saying that the WORD of God sanctifies us!

The preposition "through" is interesting! It's the Greek word "en" and means within! Get INTO the Word of God! There you will be more and more sanctified for pure holy daily living! ("A fixed position of place!")

The noun "truth" means that which is NOT concealing things! Nothing to hide! Jesus said "If it were not so, I would have told you!" (John 14:2) Again ... nothing hidden!

The noun "word" is "logos," our word for "logic!" God is very Logic personified! When He speaks ... His perfect thoughts are delivered word for word! That what we have in the Bible! The literal Word of God! And it has POWER ... to sanctify us!

The more the Word of God gets IN you ... the more you'll get OUT of the world!

The more the Word of God gets IN you ... the more the Holy Spirit with have control IN you too!

The verb "is" ("Thy Word IS Truth!") translates "estin" (a form of "eimi"), the Greek verb "to be." It's an indicative present active 3rd person singular form. It "is" now and will keep on being (as long as the time is "now")! That sounds like for ever to me!

Spend time IN the Word today!

The benefits are staggering!

                                                                                  --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

MAY 10, 2004 (MONDAY)

The verse is found in the great Bible Book of Wisdom, Proverbs. Here it is in its entirety:

"Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him."   Proverbs 26:27

I believe the words of the verse are all pretty common. Therefore I shall not "exegete" each noun and verb ... but try to apply its great truth to everyday life.

Yesterday the news reported that an explosion had rocked a stadium in the Chechen capital of Grozny. (One of the Russian Republics)

The explosion, planted by terrorists, killed the country's President!

It was barely reported by American news sources!

Then I read a little sentence in the Associated Press article that stunned me. It said (and I quote): "Nearly every day Russians soldiers are reported killed in small attacks by rebels and by rebel-set explosions."

Russians soldiers killed daily by terrorists!

Yet we hear nothing of that!

BUT if something happens in Iraq ... anything that can make President George Bush look bad ... get ready! It will be on the news again and again and again!

We are not the only ones terrorists are attacking around the world!

It's just that our news is so twisted and slanted and biased that we hardly know the real truth anymore!

WHY do the major news sources always lean to the liberal side of the scales? Why do they always attack the conservative candidates. Why do they always take the side of immorality? Why can't they at least try to be fair?

Let me tell you what they are doing?

They are digging a pit!

They are rolling a stone up a hill!

And you know what's going to happen to this so-called "press?"

Once the terrorists (whom the media so loves and defends) do take over ... THE FIRST TARGET THEY WILL DESTROY is the press itself!

The news media will then be run by a bunch of rebels and terrorists for sure! (I mean different rebels than run it now!)

Check it out!

Any country that falls to anarchy and terrorism ... looses their free press at once!

News men (and women) ... go ahead! Defend the enemy all you choose!

Your day is coming.

You WILL fall into the very pit you have dug!

You WILL be crushed by the very stone whose "liberties to roll" you have defended!

How do I know?

The Bible tells me so!

Again ... "Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him." Proverbs 26:27

At least that's today's "Bible Nugget."

                                                             --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

APRIL 23, 2004 (FRIDAY)

Yesterday Sister Norma sent me to the coin laundry to wash some clothes! Can you imagine that? She gave me all my instructions ... and off I went ... with a couple of godly books under my arm! As I read (and the machines washed and dried) I found a refreshing verse of Scripture!

It's in Isaiah 27:3. God has just mentioned His People Israel. He had compared them to a vineyard! (HIS vineyard!)

Listen to how God cares for His prized possession!

"I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day."    Isaiah 27:3

What a series of assurances to the Lord's people!

Dear Christian friend, we have New Testament "proof" that we're His vineyard too! (John 15. He is the vine and we are the branches!)

Look what He does for us!

He "keeps" us. The verb "natzsar" means to protect, to guard or to maintain! It is a participle and suggests on-going action. God is STILL guarding us to this day. This great verb is used 65 times in the Bible ... in some very encouraging ways!

Another verb, "water" translates "shaqah." It means "to irrigate!" To cause to drink! It also is a word picturing habitual constant action! God "waters" us constantly (with His Word)! See Ephesians 5:26.

"Every moment" is a unique expression. I find the "string" 4 times in the Bible. In Job 7:18 that suffering saint is "tried" every moment by God! And twice in Ezekiel people are seen trembling every moment! (Ezekiel 26:16 and 32:10.) BUT here ... God is caring for us every moment! Sharing with us His Word and His Spirit! Glory to His dear Name! The word itself ("rega") means a "wink of the eye!"

Lest any "hurt" it! That verb (hurt) is in Hebrew "paqad." Here the word means "to visit with hostile intent!" The word can mean "to visit" either for good or evil. The "context" of a passage determines its precise usage. In our text God VISITS us for good ... so that harm cannot VISIT us for evil!

And the second use of "keep" just repeats the verb "natzsar" defined at the first of this study. The Lord God makes a pretty good Protector! He is our Shield! He is our Fortress! We are "under His Wings!"

Then we have the expression "night and day." Notice it is NOT day and night. The "string" night and day is found 13 times in the Bible! (The "string" day and night however is found 28 times, more than twice as many!)

I believe night and day suggests to us that we may first have to endure the "night" times (the hard times, the trying times) ... but then, be sure ... brighter times ("day" times) are coming! It's like Psalm 30:5 says: "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

I believe this is one of the greatest Bible verses promising God's care that I have ever seen!

Isn't it great to belong to Him!

He surely cares for us!

Old Simon Peter was right when he said "Casting all your care upon him (the Lord Jesus); for he careth for you!" 1 Peter 5:7

Praise His Name!

                                                                      --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

APRIL 22, 2004 (THURSDAY)
^{Revelation 4:8 declares it in the New Testament:
"And the four beasts had each of them six
wings about him; and they were full of eyes
within: and they rest not day and night, saying,
Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come."
And in Isaiah 6:3 in the Old Testament the Seraphim speak:
"And one cried unto another, and
said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of
his glory."
They are speaking of God's major attribute. Maybe I
should say the trait of Almighty God's that is central to His
Being --- His very Holiness!
I know of no verses that say He is love, love, love! Or
eternal, eternal, eternal. Or all knowing, all knowing,
all knowing!
But TWICE we are told that He is
"Holy,
Holy, Holy!"
You see, love without holiness could become lust of some
kind!
Knowledge without holiness could degenerate into idle and
wicked curiosity!
Patience without holiness can become weak tolerance of
anything that comes along!
God is HOLY first of all!
He cannot sin!
I am told that the Hebrew word for "holy" is believed to come
from a stem that means "to cut!" To be separated from the
rest! To be different!
Well, God is certainly That! He is unique. He is
spotless!
And guess what?
Our great God has equipped us to also be holy.
In fact, He demands it of us!
^{Leviticus 11:45 ---
"For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land
of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I
am holy."

^{1 Peter 1:16 ---
"Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."
He even gives us the HOLY Spirit to help us!
I challenge you today ... ask God to help you be more and
more holy ... to His glory! He loves to hear (and answer)
that prayer!
And ... the more holy you become ... the more the Holy Spirit
will control you! The more He will "cut" you apart from
all the world! The more He will "separate" you from evil!
Hebrews 1:9 says of Jesus:
"Thou
hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God,
even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness
above thy fellows."
No wonder Believers are called "saints!" (That's just a
word that means holy ones!)
Let's live like that today ... to the glory of God!
That's today's "nugget" from the precious Word of God!

--- Dr. Mike Bagwell

April 1, 2004
(Thursday)
The Bible
is important for many reasons. After all, God wrote it!
It is not
only of utmost significance for what it says ... but also for

what it does not say!
Let me show
you what I mean.

When
Scripture describes Melchizedek (Genesis 14) it does not give us
his parentage! It mentions no father or mother.
(Usually the Old Testament will do so.)

We perhaps would not think
much of that ... but Paul (thus the Holy Spirit Who inspired
Paul) does!
For in Hebrews when Melchizedek is being discussed we are
told that he was ... "Without father,
without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of
days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God;
abideth a priest continually." (Hebrews 7:3)
Here is a Bible doctrine in Hebrews built partially upon a
Bible omission in Genesis 14! (Wow!)
Today let me focus this principle on the Gospel of Mark.
What did Mark omit in His story of Jesus?
He leaves out the complete genealogy of Jesus!
Nor does he give birth details! (No wise men in Mark!)
In fact (amazingly) the Virgin Birth is not even detailed in
Mark!
He omits the Sermon on the Mount (3 whole chapters in
Matthew)!
In fact, Mark gives no lengthy messages of Jesus!
Also you will find few parables in Mark. (He just does
not emphasize Jesus' teachings!)
There are no "woe" passages in Mark either! (Plenty in
Matthew and Luke though!)
As Jesus dies in Mark there's no mention of His being able to
call the legions of angels to help Him!
Neither is there any thief calling on Jesus to remember him
in the kingdom!
What's the point of all this?
(The Bible teaching by its very omissions!)
Mark presents Jesus in a special way.

Not as the King (that's Matthew)!
Not as the perfect man (that's Luke)!
Not even as the Son of God with eternal credentials (that's
John)!
BUT ... as a lowly servant!
Mark's key verse:
"For even the Son of man came not to
be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a
ransom for many." Mark 10:45
And with a servant ... even the Servant of God ... there's no
need for a genealogy or a detailed birth record or a long record
of his words or any mention of angels being at His command!
That's just not necessary for a servant!
Everything Mark omits ... is compatible with his presentation
of Jesus as God's Perfect Servant!
Wow!
Learn to read the Bible not only for what it says ... but
also for what it does not say!
Did you ever stop to think that David's terrible sin with
Bathsheba is carefully (and shamefully) recorded in 2 Samuel but
is left out in the parallel Chronicles material? Why?
There must be a reason!
Because Chronicles emphasizes God's GRACE! And in God's
grace ... David's sin had been forgiven ... and apparently
forgotten!
Glory to God!
(Another lesson from the omissions of the Bible!)
Hope you got a "nugget" today! I sure did!

--- Dr. Mike Bagwell}}}

March 20, 2004 (Saturday)

I have wanted to study this verse for a while now! Today is a good time. I'd like to invite you to come along with me.

"Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:12

Paul here plainly says that he has been "apprehended" by Christ Jesus!

The little "preposition" translated of ("apprehended OF Jesus Christ) is "upo" (pronounced "hupo") and means "by means of" or "at the hands of!" (That is the meaning "hupo" carries when used with a Genitive case noun ... exactly such as we have here!)

Paul was apprehended by the Hands of Jesus Christ!

"Apprehended" (in Greek = "katalambano") to obtain! To make one's own! To overtake! To attack or seize! Or to catch!

It's in the aorist tense (action completed in time past)! God apprehended Paul when He saved him! Paul's been under God's control ever since.

Also the verb is in the passive voice! God did the work of apprehending ... not Paul!

In Mark 9:18 the word is even used of a demon "taking" a young man!

The Pharisees and Scribes "took" a woman in the act of adultery and brought her to Jesus! John 8:3

Jesus said that at night darkness "comes upon" you! Darkness apprehends the light here.

On the other hand in John 1:5 when the sunlight is brightly shining the darkness cannot "comprehend" it! It's our verb "katalambano!"

It also is used of "perceiving" a thought in one's mind! To fully capture a truth! See Acts 4:13 and 10:34 for examples.

In 1 Corinthians 9:24 Paul want to "obtain" ("katalambano") the prize!

Now back to our verse ... Paul believes that God apprehended him for some reasons ... for some goals! And Paul means to "apprehend" God's goals for his life and ministry.

What could some of those goals be?

They deal with the word "perfect" or perfection! Paul says, "Not as thought I were already perfect!" That word "perfect" is in Greek "teleioo" and means mature ... having reached the goal! It also means to be made complete, to be finished!

Paul has not yet "arrived!" (attained = in Greek "lambano") Paul has not yet achieved all he plans in the Christian life. Here the verb is an aorist in the active voice!

This all sound a little harsh, doesn't it?

All this "taking" and "seizing" and "capturing!"

It reminds me of something Jesus said in Matthew 11:12 --- "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."

Dear Christian friend ... you have been "apprehended" by Christ Jesus.

Now ... get busy ... and "take" the things God has laid out for you in the path of His Will!

Determine to be Spirit-filled!

Capture those "little fox" sins that are hindering your spiritual growth!

Determine to grow up in the grace of God!

Paul says that he "follows after" the goal of being ALL Christ wants him to be! The verb means to pursue, to chase after, to run after!

Major on "maturity" to the glory of God!

That's today's "nugget!"

--- Dr. Mike Bagwell

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