JUNE 24, 2005:
One great Preacher said this: "I did not go
through the Bible. The Bible went through me!"
Isn't that the truth?
And the old English commentator Matthew Henry
said this one day: "The Scripture was written that we might
know what to "hope for" from God!
That's certainly a unique view of the Bible!
Another Believer prayed this while studying
God's Word: "Lord, let me feel the power that is in these
Words!"
Do remember that the Word of God is
powerful! Hebrews 4:12 --- "For the word
of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,
and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts
and intents of the heart."
And the giant Prussian prayer warrior George
Mueller said: "The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact
proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and
thoughts."
So true!
And a preacher of whom I've never even heard
said this one day: Concerning the Bible, "It out-lives,
out-lifts, out-loves, out-reaches, out-ranks, out-runs all other
books. Trust it, love it, obey it, and eternal life is yours!
I was at first not going to use that quote.
But it's true! The Book always points us to Jesus, Who IS
eternal Life!
Folks, having read these few evaluations of
Scripture, let us ponder one more.
This one is the most important of all.
"The words of the LORD
are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified
seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve
them from this generation for ever." Psalm
12:6-7
That says it all!
Friends, study the Bible today!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FEBRUARY 14, 2005:
By the Calendar
this is called "Valentine's Day."
I would not be
writing about it today except for this fact. Forty one years
ago, in a little Bible College, I had just met a young lady
named Miss Norma Wilson. Our first "date" was the school
banquet on Valentine's Day! I still have a picture of her (both
in my mind and in a family photo album) taken that very evening!
That was a long time ago.
Yet ... our love still grows year by year!
Where does the Christian get such capacity
for love?
In 1st Corinthians 13 Paul describes love in
15 different ways ... but he does not answer this question about
love's origin!
But he does answer it in Romans 5:5. Here's
what he says: "... The love of God is
shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto
us."
See that little verb,
"shed abroad?"
It in Greek is spelled "ekcheo" and combines
two other words. "Ek" just means "out of" ... while "Cheo"
means "to pour!" (To pour out!)
Do you see the picture?
When we got saved the Holy Spirit poured
out a generous portion of the love of God into our hearts!
Once in the King James Bible that term is
translated "gushed out!" (Acts 1:18)
Floods of love!
Christians ... we love ... because such love
has been given us of God!
No wonder we are told that the "fruit" of the
Spirit is, among other beautiful qualities, LOVE! (Love is
foremost on the list too!) Galatians 5:22-23
A real Christian is simply a loving person!
He nearly has no choice in the matter!
He has been poured full of love and it
must ooze out day by day ... including when he or she is at home
with the family!
And today ... even though I am in another
State ... I wish to say to Sister Norma my Wife ... "Honey, I
love you!"
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
DECEMBER 5, 2004:
I was reading
earlier this Lord's Day morning and I came across a memorable
term!
The writer said
that Jesus was "the very Source and
the Summit and the
Substance" of the Christian life!
I began thinking
on those words.
Jesus IS the
Source of the Believer's life!
It all starts in
Him.
He is the Author of our faith!
Jesus also is the
Summit of the Christian life!
There is nothing beyond Him!
(In Psalm 16 Jesus said to His Father,
"Lord, My goodness extendeth not to Thee!"
That means ... Jesus' found His goodness only in His Father!"
The Father was The Summit of everything to Jesus!)
Listen to Psalm 73:25 ---
"Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there
is none upon earth that I desire beside thee."
If one has Jesus, he or she has All!
Wow!
Then ... Jesus is the very
Substance of the Christian life!
Paul even went so far as to say:
"For to me to live is Christ, and to die
is gain." Philippians 1:21
And again the Psalmist declares:
"All my springs are in thee."
Psalm 87:7
"In Him (Jesus) we
live, and move, and have our being!" Acts 17:28
thunders!
As we all go to church today, remember that
Jesus is the Reason we are gathering together this Sunday in
December! (The Virgin Born Jesus!)
And ... recall that He is the SOURCE
and the SUMMIT and the SUBSTANCE of it all!
I'm sure glad I saw those words long before
daybreak!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
NOVEMBER 11, 2004:
We say it so often
its meaning is probably lost.
"Good morning!"
Or we just ask,
"Did you rest well?"
We take so much for
granted it seems.
Psalm 127:2 says
the Lord ... "For so He giveth his
beloved sleep."
If we rest
well ... it is because God blessed us with sleep!
And if you are
saved by the Grace of God ... it truly is a "good" morning!
How do you
know that, Preacher Bagwell?
The Bible says
so!
Where?
"It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are
not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are
new every
morning: great is thy faithfulness."
Lamentations 3:22-23
The Lord's
mercies and compassions are new every morning!
When you awake
tomorrow morning, let me give you a few thoughts to filter
through your godly mind. This is a good way to "meditate" early
in the day!
Genesis 19:27
--- "And Abraham gat up
early in the morning
to the place where he stood before the LORD."
Two verses
tell about Jesus' early morning habits. John 8:2 ---
"And
early in the morning
he (Jesus) came again into the temple, and all the people came
unto him; and he sat down, and taught them." Then look
with me at Mark 1:35 --- "And
in the morning, rising
up a great while before day, he went out, and departed
into a solitary place, and there prayed."
Ephesians 5:14 --- "Wherefore he saith,
Awake thou that
sleepest ... and Christ shall give thee light."
And here's
Romans 13: 11-13. "And that, knowing the
time, that now it is
high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our
salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent,
the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of
darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk
honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in
chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying."
Psalm
17:15 --- "As for me, I will behold thy
face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied,
when I awake,
with thy likeness."
Psalm
5:3 --- "My voice shalt thou hear
in the morning, O
LORD; in the morning
will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up."
Psalm 55:17
--- "Evening, and
morning, and at
noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice."
Psalm 59:16
--- "But I will sing of thy power; yea, I
will sing aloud of thy mercy
in the morning:
for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my
trouble."
Psalm 88:13
--- "But unto thee have I cried, O LORD;
and in the morning
shall my prayer prevent thee."
Psalm 119:147
--- "I prevented the
dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word."
Psalm 143:8
--- "Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness
in the morning;
for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I
should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee."
Get a few of
these, memorize them and ponder them when you awake early in the
morning!
Start the day
with God!
Now that's
truly a good morning!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
OCTOBER 31, 2004:
This Lord's Day
morning I am driving to South Carolina to begin a Revival
meeting.
I will today seek
to obey Psalm 118:17.
There the Psalmist
said
"I shall ... declare the works of the
Lord."
That little verb
"declare" is in Hebrew spelled "saphar" and means to number or
to count as well as to speak or tell!
It will truly take
all day (or week or month) to count the works of the dear Lord
in our lives, won't it?
Glory to His Name!
Reading our verse
more fully, it seems as if there are enemies after our godly
writer here!
The complete verse says:
"I
shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD."
His life must have been in jeopardy!
Yet he well knew that if there was work for him yet to do (in
God's will for his life) ... he would NOT die! He would live
until he had finished the course and kept the faith!
Dear friends, what is your purpose in life today?
Do
you live to serve your dear Lord and God?
Or
is your life wrapped up in a thousand other things, things of
the world or the flesh or even of the devil?
And ... as God allows us to live this 31st of October ...
bringing honor to His Name ... must we not also DECLARE His
great works?
Tell someone today something God
has done in your life.
Give HIM the glory!
I
can hear you asking now: "What, preacher, could I tell?"
Tell today to a brother or sister at church how God saved your
soul! Give your testimony!
Relate to someone how God answered that most recent prayer!
Or
how He kept you safe through that last trial!
Glorify the Savior publicly this Lord's Day for something He has
done in a family member's life!
And we ALL should thank God that on this day, Halloween, our
heart's desire is to be in Church, worshipping our Father in
Heaven!
THAT should be our very purpose for living:
"Let every thing that hath breath praise
the LORD. Praise ye the LORD." Psalm 150:6
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
OCTOBER 23, 2004
(SATURDAY)
They
are called "encyclopedias."
The
word is from the Greek language. There
enkyklios means "circular." It is from
en (meaning "in") plus
kyklos (meaning "circle"). Add to
that paideia (meaning "education,"
or literally ... "child-rearing," from
pais (or paidos) which is
Greek for "child." (The foregoing information is taken directly
from a dictionary of etymology.)
Hence
the word picture here is complete.
An
encyclopedia is a textbook designed to educate young folks with
a full and balanced slate of information!
Take as an example the well
known Encyclopedia Britannica. Its first edition was published
in Scotland in 1768. Today it has grown to have 33,000 pages!
It contains 44,000,000 words! It is (by the world's standards)
called a "classic!"
But what if I told you I know
a better encyclopedia?
True, it is not as long in
pages or words! (A pound of gold is more valuable than a pound
of paper!)
Nor was it as recently
published as 1768!
I am talking about THE WORD OF
GOD!
The Bible!
It is truly an "encyclopedia"
of knowledge.
It is a virtual library in one
binding!
It contains 66 Books ... all
inspired of God!
And it (like an encyclopedia)
is well rounded.
It teaches things spiritual
and material and financial and social and even has a good amount
of science added!
The New Testament makes this
valid claim. "All scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable!"
2 Timothy 3:16
It is so "profitable" (in
Greek = "ophelimos") that the Holy Spirit has used an adjective
here that is derived from a verb meaning: to heap up or to
accumulate gain or benefit! Wow!
Now what encyclopedia does
that?
It is believed that over
mankind's history ... 2,000+ encyclopedias have been written and
published!
But since Eden ... only 1
Bible has been given us by Almighty God!
And that one is enough!
So tomorrow morning when your
Pastor enters the pulpit and says ... "Take your Bible and open
it to _____________. Do exactly what he asks, then think:
"It's a Bible indeed, a whole 'encyclopedia' of inspired
knowledge!"
Let's thank God for our Bibles
... all 66 books, 1189 chapters (31,102 verses) ... each without
error and calculated to get us "saved" ... and help us live
right until we reach Heaven!
Study that precious old Book
some today!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
OCTOBER 13, 2004
(WEDNESDAY)
In Romans 2:5 Paul is speaking to lost
mankind. The great Apostle is proving that men everywhere are
sinners! He will conclude that all ... both Jews and Gentiles
... are without God.
A clause from this verse has arrested my
attention. "But after thy hardness and
impenitent heart
treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath
and revelation of the righteous judgment of God."
But first let’s notice the twofold
description Paul gives of an unsaved man’s heart. It is "hard."
The Greek word used here, "sklerotes," means stubborn or
obstinate! (Tough! Callous!)
Then his heart is also "impenitent." This
adjective means not to change one’s mind! (Not to repent and go
another direction in life!)
Obviously this man is a rebellious son of
Adam!
BUT here’s what I want you to see...
It is what the sinner does every day he
lives! (Every day he persists in his antagonism against God!)
He "treasures
up" to himself more wrath!
He adds to his account more and more
of God’s wrath!
Wrath measured upon him because of his daily
rejection of Christ Jesus!
Wow!
That verb "treasurest up" means to put on
deposit! To amass or to reserve! It is the Greek word "thesaurizo,"
which (as any word lover knows) is a vault of precious
treasures! (It obviously gives us the English word "thesaurus!")
The lost man is treasuring up ... adding to
... collecting additional quantities of God’s wrath for himself
... on the coming day of judgment!
I believe the "day of righteous judgment" for
the sinner will be at the Great White Throne Judgment described
in Revelation 20.
And even the loving Apostle John says about
the same thing: "He that believeth on the
Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son
shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."
John 3:36
Did you get that?
He that does not believe on Jesus as Saviour
... has God’s wrath already abiding on him! The verb "abide"
(in Greek = "meno") means to remain upon ... or to dwell upon
... and is in the present tense! It just keeps on dwelling on
him!
God’s wrath is "on" the lost person already!
Then ... it is compounded daily! (Sounds like
a "Savings and Loan" commercial, doesn’t it? "Compounded
daily!")
In all our verses today the noun "wrath" is
the Greek term "orge." It is the specific word for anger that
describes its properties as developing very slowly ... much
patience being exercised here ... but once it’s mature ... it
lasts and lasts with dire consequences!
Dear unsaved reader, listen to me.
Think about this!
Every day you live still lost ... still
resisting the Grace of God ... you are compounding your portion
of God’s very wrath!
Listen to the Holy Spirit of God!
Do what He says!
Be saved today!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
AUGUST 1, 2004 (SUNDAY)
James
5:16 says: "Confess your faults
one to another, and pray
one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual
fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
Today I would
like for us to notice the words I've capitalized in this great
verse!
"Pray one for
another!"
The verb here
("pray") is an imperative! James, under the leadership of the
Holy Spirit, is giving us a command! We are expected to pray
one for another!
The verb is
also in the present "tense." This tells us that such prayer is
to be on-going and habitual in our lives! It's to be a practice
... not just an occasional event!
And the verb
is framed in the "middle" voice, telling us that such action
(prayer) will impact the one who prays! It will change him or
her! (For the better!)
The Greek word
for "pray" is "euchomai" and is only used 7 times in the whole
New Testament! (The usual word for "pray" is a compound of this
one.) Of its 7 appearances in the Bible, it is rendered by its
primary meaning "to wish" 5 times! It is translated "pray" only
twice!
Accurately one may say that the implication
here is to go to God and express to Him your desires, wishes,
aspirations, goals or longings! Wow!
The expression "one for another" is
interesting too. The pronouns are identical ("one" and
"another") in Greek. "Allelon" means another (of the same
kind)! For example, apples compared to apples! This is NOT
apples compared to squirrels! James here is saying that
believers are to pray for other believers! (Scripture of course
does not prohibit us from praying for the lost ... but here
definitely concentrates on prayer for our brothers and sisters
in Christ.)
There are over a dozen "one another" passages
in the New Testament! (Things we should do one to another or
one for another!) What a study that would be! Our verse today
is just one of them!
Lastly let's notice the preposition "for."
In Greek it is spelled "huper." In English it would be
"hyper!" With the genitive case (as here) it means "in behalf
of!" (For example, in Romans 5:6 we can read:
"For when we were yet without strength,
in due time Christ died for the ungodly." Here's "huper"
with a genitive "ungodly." It means that Jesus died "in behalf
of" the ungodly! He took my place! This is substitutionary
atonement! Praise the Lord!)
We are to pray "in behalf of" our loved ones
in Christ! What a difference that activity alone could make in
our churches!
It's plain to see that the prayer James is
describing is a little different than just asking for things YOU
want! It is actually being concerned for others and seeking God
to meet THEIR needs!
This form of prayer is called "intercessory"
prayer. Again, that's praying for others!
Of course, notice that this is reciprocal!
You pray for him ... and he is supposed to pray for you!
Let's just stop right now ... and pray for
someone we love.
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
JULY 7, 2004
(WEDNESDAY)
The verse
blessed me when I first read it.
The Psalmist
is talking to the Lord, his Lord! He had made the God of
heaven and earth his personal Saviour! (That's only possible
through faith in Jesus Christ.)
Here it is:
"All my springs are in
Thee." Psalm 87:7
This is a
statement of adoration and worship!
What's literally being said here is that ALL
the Psalmist has ... comes from the Lord!
ALL his strength!
ALL his joy!
ALL his love!
ALL his peace!
Even ALL his life!
ALL his everything!
Listen to Paul in Colossians 3:11 ---
"But Christ is all, and in all."
Isn't that saying about the same thing?
What does Jesus mean to you, dear friend?
Is He your ALL?
Again, Paul once said:
"For to me to live is Christ!" (Philippians
1:21) Christ Jesus was Life itself to the great preacher!
The Apostle also believed the same would be
true for you and me. He even said so:
"When Christ, who is our
life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in
glory." (Colossians 3:4)
Let us so live then!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
JULY 6, 2004 (TUESDAY)
It was my
Mother's favorite verse in all the Bible.
I can hear her
say it now.
"Thou
wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:
because he trusteth in thee." Isaiah 26:3
Naturally the
verse means a lot to me too!
The whole "mechanism" of the verse is
propelled by the Believer's faith! It's all done because he "trusteth"
in the Lord. The verb is in Hebrew "batach" and means "for one
to hide in a place for refuge!" (It's first Bible use in in
Genesis 34:25 where it is translated "boldly.") It is a Qal
stem verb ... meaning that the action is constant, on-going and
habitual.
But this person who so believes on the Lord
consequently does something else. He next "stays" his mind on
his God! The verb here is "samak" and means "to prop" or "to
lean!" He just brings his mind and places it close to His
Lord! Again, this is constant action. It is (in the King James
Version) translated "established" in Psalm 112:8.
Now ... God's part, His promise! He will
"keep" that trusting person! The verb ("natzsar") means to
guard! To protect! Or even to maintain! This verb pictures
"incomplete action." God is still doing this for the
believing, leaning Christian! It represents on-going action
again. ("Constantly guarded!) In Psalm 64:1 it is rendered
"preserve!"
And the word "peace" is the key Hebrew noun
"shalom!" It has the idea of safety, wellness, health, or even
prosperity ... as well as peace! It is found 236 times in the
Bible! It's a word with a broadly based meaning. It sounds
like one of those general terms for God's "blessing" to me!
But God here offers not just peace! He gives
"perfect" peace! And, look at this! The word "perfect" is also
translated from the noun "shalom." In Hebrew to give great
emphasis one may "double" an expression! The term "perfect
peace" is truly "shalom shalom!"
(That little word "mind" is just a noun that
in Hebrew is spelled "yetzser" and means one's imaginations or
thoughts! It's only found 9 times in the whole Old Testament!
It literally pictures the "things framed" by your thought
processes! One form of this "stem" is translated as "potter" 17
times in the King James Bible. Here's the idea: To take a
thought that comes along ... and press it and form it into a
shape that truly pleases God!)
Folks, today let's make a direct and
conscious effort to "trust" in the Lord! The consequences are
amazing!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
JULY 5, 2004 (MONDAY)
The verse is
in Isaiah. (As are so many great verses!)
"Trust
ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting
strength." Isaiah 26:4
Isn't that a
beautiful thought?
The verb
"trust" (in Hebrew = "batach") means to hide for refuge! It is
in the "imperative" mood here also ... expressing a command!
God is requiring us to lean on Him!
The adverbial expression "for ever" literally
means "to the end!" The Hebrew expression is "ad" and it is
used twice here for emphasis! Just think! We can place full
confidence in our Lord and Saviour from now on! Eternally!
Perpetually! He will NEVER fail us!
The adjective "everlasting" is a Hebrew
expression that means "to the vanishing point" or as far as one
can see in either direction! (And the One seeing is God
Himself!) He is not only our eternal life ... but our eternal
strength too!
The word for strength is "tzsur" and means
rock! Of the 78 times it is used in the Bible, 64 of those it
is translated "rock!"
Our God is The Faithful One!
The Enduring One!
The Dependable One!
And ... The Inviting One! (Come Trust in Me,
He says!)
Praise His dear Name!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
JULY 2, 2004 (FRIDAY)
Let me share
with you a verse of comfort!
Isaiah tells
us about it in his great Prophecy.
"In all their
affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved
them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare
them, and carried them all the days of old." Isaiah 63:9
Here is a
great example of the Lord's love and kindness to His people!
I am particularly "taken" by those opening
words this Friday.
It is here freely admitted that the people of
the Lord do have affliction! The Hebrew word here is "tzsrah"
and means a place of tightness! (The root idea is a "narrow"
place!) The place where things are "squeezing in" on you!
The word is translated "trouble" in Nehemiah
9:27 --- "Therefore thou deliveredst them
into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time
of their trouble,
when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from
heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them
saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies."
Then we are told by Isaiah that our
affliction so impacts the Lord that He Himself is also
"afflicted!" That is amazing!
He "feels" as we "feel!"
These are two slightly different forms of the
SAME verb! When we're in a tight place ... God so "identifies"
with us that He is also in a "tight" place right there with us!
Could you say that when we're "in the fire"
... He is "in the Fire" also? (That sounds like Daniel chapter
3 doesn't it?)
Of course let's don't forget the REST of the
verse!
Our dear Lord is in the "tight place" ... on
a RESCUE mission!
We're next plainly told that He
saved them and
redeemed them and
lifted them and
carried them "all
the days of old!"
May I suggest this to you? Here's an Old
Testament way of saying this New Testament truth:
"For we have not an high priest which
cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities ...." (Hebrews
4:15) Or even ... "Casting all your care
upon him; for he careth for you." (1 Peter 5:7)
Thank you Lord for loving us so!
And WHY does God do this for us?
Our verse, Isaiah 63:9 also tells us this.
It's because of His Love and His Pity!
Praise His dear Name!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
JUNE 30, 2004
(WEDNESDAY):
This week at
the Camp Meeting I have been preaching through Luke 15. The
whole chapter is premised upon an accusation the Pharisees and
Scribes hurled at Jesus!
"This
Man receiveth sinners!" Luke 15:2
I want to say
this Wednesday that I'm sure glad He does receive old sinners!
That verb "received" is from a compound Greek
word, "prosdechomai," which means to vigorously receive or to
gladly receive. It literally has the idea of receiving someone
face to face (with eagerness)!
Even the "tense" of the verb is inspired! It
is a present tense ... suggesting on-going habitual action!
(Grammatically ... He still does this!) It is also framed in
the middle voice ... proclaiming that such "receiving" impacts
not only the sinner ... but the Saviour too! He gets involved
and excited about this "receiving sinners" activity!
Praise His dear Name!
Perhaps it would be good for each of us
Believers to stop a minute this very day and thank Him for
receiving us into His family!
What a joy to be accepted in Jesus!
Here's how Paul put it in Ephesians 1:6 ---
"To the praise of the glory of his grace,
wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." (The
"Beloved" here is Jesus!)
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
JUNE 29, 2004
(TUESDAY):
It is a
frightening verse. It comes from the days of King Hezekiah.
Let me print it here:
"Howbeit
in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of
Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was
done in the land,
God left him, to try him, that he might know all that
was in his heart." 2 Chronicles 32:31
Just notice
the words "God left him!"
That verb "left" is in Hebrew "azab" and
means just what it says! To depart from! To let go! (In our
King James Bibles it is translated "forsake" 129 times!)
God simply stepped back from the King to
"test" him! (Incidentally, he failed this particular test.)
My heart is rejoicing this morning over this
verse!
Why?
Because I full well know in this age of the
marvelous grace of God ... we will NOT be forsaken! (Now I did
not say that we would never be tested! We will! But ... never
forsaken!)
How do we know this?
Such verses as Hebrews 13:5 tell us.
"Let your
conversation be without
covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have:
for he hath said, I will
never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
Or Matthew 28:20 ---
"Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
Amen."
Christian friend, today enjoy the PRESENCE of
the Lord! Acknowledge Him in all you do. Live being
conscious that He is IN you and AROUND you and FOR you!
Praises be unto Him!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
JUNE 10, 2004
(THURSDAY)
Read these words with me
please:
"Thy mercy, O
LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the
clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy
judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and
beast. How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God!
therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow
of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the
fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the
river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life:
in thy light shall we see light. O continue thy lovingkindness
unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright
in heart."
This is a part of Psalm 36!
(Verses 5-10)
Let's count the "traits" of Almighty God that
this passage extols!
God's Mercy!
His Faithfulness!
Then His great
Righteousness!
God's Judgments!
Even His Protection!
(He "preservest" man and beast.)
His Lovingkindness!
The Shadow cast by His great
"Wings!"
Then His "Fatness!"
Plus His "Pleasures!"
Next is God's very
Life!
Then His Light!
I don't believe I've ever seen so many of
God's Attributes clustered in so short a text of Scripture!
Glance over them again this Thursday in June.
If you are saved ... they ALL are operating
on your behalf!
Maybe we should all copy this Passage and
keep it in front of us for a few days!
As the waiter sometimes says down at the
restaurant: "Enjoy!"
What a God we serve!
There is none Other like Him!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
JUNE 9, 2004
(WEDNESDAY)
Look at this verse with me
today.
It is found in 2 Chronicles
26:5. The subject of the verse is King Uzziah of Judah.
"And he sought
God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the
visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him
to prosper."
Overall Uzziah was a good King. (2
Chronicles 26:4 --- "And he did that
which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all
that his father Amaziah did.") His name means "my
strength is Jehovah!" He became King at age 16 and ruled
for 52 years!
Our text says that he "sought" God!
That verb translates the Hebrew word "darash." It occurs in the
verse twice. Both times it is a Qal stem infinitive.
(That means active voice and ongoing continuous action!)
The verb means "to tread, to frequent or to follow!" (If
you go after Someone often enough that you "frequent" His
Presence ... you are seeking Him!)
"Zechariah," a name meaning "Jehovah
remembers," was a godly Prophet in the days of Uzziah. He
had a great (and a good) influence over the young King!
(It is best to keep wise people around you! Proverbs 13:20
says: "He that walketh with wise
men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be
destroyed.")
We are here told that Zechariah had
"understanding" in the visions of God! The noun ("biyn")
means "separating or distinguishing" levels of meaning in a
situation. Now where did Zechariah get such understanding?
I know! Proverbs 2:6 says: "For
the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge
and understanding."
The word "visions" (in Hebrew = "raah")
literally means "things seen." Things revealed by God to
the young King Uzziah.
The term "as long as" uses the little Hebrew
noun "yom," which means "day." As the days came and went
Uzziah sought the Lord. It was not a short lived
experience! It became a way of life for him. (He was
not perfect, mind you. He sinned as do all men and women.
Scripture records his blunders too.)
Lastly let's notice the verb "made to
prosper." In Hebrew it is spelled "tzslach" and means "to
advance, to make progress, to rush out, to push forward, to
break out or even to come mightily!" The verb is housed in
the "Hiphil" stem, the "causative" stem. There was a
"cause" that made King Uzziah so prosper! It was God's
Good Grace. God was rewarding the young King's behavior,
his "seeking" the Lord so faithfully!
I can find the verb 65 times in the King
James Bible. (1st use: Genesis 24:21 where God made
the journey to find a Bride for Isaac "prosperous!") In
fact, the verb's first FOUR occurrences are found in Genesis 24!
Then the next THREE uses of the verb concern the life of Joseph,
a beautiful Type of Christ! Here is the verb translated
"to break out!" Amos 5:6 --- "Seek
the LORD, and ye shall live; lest He
break out like
fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there
be none to quench it in Bethel."
The lesson from our verse is plain! The
more one SEEKS GOD ... the more GOD BLESSES the seeker!
Let us all be God seekers today!
(You can best do that ... with an open Bible
in your hand!)
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
MAY 24, 2004 (MONDAY)
This being Monday I usually begin a new
series of Bible Study lessons. However today I am just going to
post a single mediation for us to ponder throughout the day.
Tomorrow we shall return to our regular series (the Psalm 134
verses).
One reason for this particular layout today
is my travel schedule. I am to leave this morning and fly to
Buffalo, New York, where Pastor Tommy Baucom will meet me and
drive me over the border into Canada. I am looking forward to
preaching there five nights this week, Lord willing.
Here is the verse the Lord laid on my heart
for today:
"He
hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according
to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so
great is his mercy toward them that fear him."
Psalm 103:10-11
The noun for "sins" is "chata" in Hebrew and
has the idea of "missing the mark." Falling short of God’s goal
for us!
The verb "dealt" is "asah" and is translated
"execute" 48 times in the King James Version! I am glad God has
not executed His plans toward us on the basis of our sins!
Aren’t you?
"Rewarded" is "gamal" in Hebrew and means
"recompense" or "to ripen (1 time)!" This may mean that God did
not leave us in our sins (to ripen ... to go on and on)! He sent
Jesus to save us! And the Holy Spirit to convict us!
The noun "iniquities" comes from a root word
that means that which is "twisted or bent" out of its
God-intended shape! (Perversion in other words!)
Instead of killing us all and sending us to
Hell ... what did God do?
He extended to us His
MERCY!
His condenscending love! The word for mercy,
"chesed," means initially "to bend down!" God came down to where
we were (through His Son Jesus) to save us! He entered into
"covenant love" with us! That means He became our Husband,
pledging to save us and be faithful to us in exact fulfillment
of His Word! What love!
But HOW MUCH
Mercy has the Lord given us?
GREAT mercy! The adjective is "gabar" and
means that which "prevails!" Mercy strong enough to overcome
anything! (I’ve seen it pull men and women out of alcoholism and
drug backgrounds and clean them and set them to serving Jesus!)
What strength!
BUT the Psalmist has another way to describe
God’s mercy. It is as high as the heaven is above the earth! The
word for "heaven" is plural in the Hebrew text. The "heavens!"
Paul said there were 3 heavens! (Or at least he knew a man who
had been caught up into the third heaven! 2 Corinthians 12:2)
The adjective "high" is "gabahh" and means
"exalted or haughty or proud" (in a bad sense) ... but "high,
above, upward, height and higher" (in a good sense)! His love
and mercy are such that they reach to the very uppermost skies
and far beyond!
As I fly today I trust the Lord will bring to
mind how very high His Mercy reaches! Higher than those wings
out there! Higher than those clouds over yonder! Higher than
that jet streaking by yet above our heads (and we may be at
30,000 feet)! Higher than the heavens themselves!
I have one thing to say: that is a lot of
mercy and kindness and love!
What a God!
Bless His Name!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
