Proverbs 11:14 says  "Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety."

Believe me here.  I've been your friend today!  This is a Biblical procedure!

                                                                                     --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

January 10, 2004 (Saturday afternoon at 3:56 PM)

January 9, 2004 (Friday at 3:10 PM from Cumming, Georgia)

Once early in his ministry, Charles Spurgeon had considered the strong possibility of attending Bible College.  He even went so far as to schedule an interview with the Principal of Stepney College (which later became Regents Park College, a part of the Oxford University system near London).  On the day of the interview the Principal entered the appointed house (rather large and spacious) and was placed by a servant girl in a certain room.  Shortly thereafter Spurgeon entered and was placed by a different servant in another room!  Neither man ever knew the other came!  After a while, both men departed.  Spurgeon took the "broken appointment" as a leading from the Lord not to pursue formal theological education!

Is that an example of the providence of God, or what?  (By the way, the single greatest sermon I've ever read on God's Providence was preached by Charles H. Spurgeon.  You can't read it and ever be the same again!  It's found in His Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit set.)

Pastor Spurgeon decided that God would have him study the Word by himself!  He (and the Holy Spirit) would spend countless hours in a little room (which later grew into a big room) designed for study purposes.

I am not against Bible education.  Thank God for every school that helps preachers and still stands for the old fashioned principles of Scripture!  But ... listen to me ... that just may not be for everybody!

My Uncle, Dr. Oliver B. Green, never graduated from a Bible School!  But he sure was a student of the Word of God!  (He also tried to go to school!  But after a short time they "kicked him out" for believing and preaching the pre-millennial doctrine of the Second Coming of Jesus!  He later told me that he believed that was the best thing that could have happened to him at that time!  He feared he would have become a "compromiser" without that "jolt!")

Preacher, listen to me.  One of the BEST ways to learn the Word of God is for you and the dear Holy Spirit, Who is The True Teacher anyway, to get alone with an open Bible and "get with it!"

John 16:13 --- "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."

Men, try it!

Now it's true that some of God's most polished Preachers were highly trained (Moses and Paul for example), but equally so ... others were quite "untrained" but powerfully used of God (Amos, Jeremiah, and the Disciples)!

Men, I am trying to encourage those of you who have had little or no College training.  Turn that little bedroom of yours, or that little corner study (or the closet if need be) ... into a lecture hall for Jesus where you master the precious Scriptures of Truth!

It well may be said of you (as of the Disciples of old) ... Acts 4:13 --- "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."

Hand me my Bible, please!

                                                                                        --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

January 8, 2004 (Thursday)

A time or two through the years I've had the privilege of sitting at a meal with some dear saint of God who did an unusual thing!  As we all know, Christians "ask a blessing" or "say Grace" before we eat.  We do this to thank God for the provision of daily bread.  Paul said we should "sanctify" our food with the Word of God and prayer!  (That's why it's a pretty good idea to have a bit of Scripture at each meal too!)  1 Timothy 4:5 --- "For it (our food or "meat") is sanctified by the word of God and prayer." 

But the UNUSUAL thing I have in mind is this.   Next ... that old saint AFTER THE MEAL asked another blessing or (you could say) gave another word of thanks to God!  I thought that a bit strange.   After all, a "meal" is not a worship experience!  (Or ... is it?)

Then (yesterday) I saw it!  I just can't remember it from before!  (I guess you never get too old to learn!)  It's found in Deuteronomy 8:10 --- "When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee."

Did you get that?

When you have eaten ... then give thanks!

When you are "full," bless the Lord thy God!

After a meal we are commanded to express our praise too!

So much for ignorance.

I thought some preacher would like to know this too!

(Lord, get ready!  There's going to be a good bit more praying at mealtimes!)

                                                            --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

January 7, 2004 (Wednesday from a motel room in Albemarle, North Carolina)

There is a question I dearly love to ask Preachers.  I try to do this every time I'm around a man of God.  I simply enquire:  "Preacher, what's your favorite Book of the Bible?"

The answers are just thrilling!

(I wish now that I had kept a "record" of their responses through the years.)

I asked Brother Charles Goodman that question yesterday.  He pastors the gracious Open Door Baptist Church in Richland, NC, where we are this week in a revival meeting.  Without hesitation he said, "EPHESIANS!"

A preacher in Illinois recently told me "ROMANS!"

Another said "REVELATION!"

Often I hear "PSALMS" or occasionally "PROVERBS!"

(I would like for a few of you preachers who read these lines to let me know YOUR favorite Book too!)

Not that we dislike any Book of Scripture!  No!  No!  No!  But some Books (at least at times) sure do seem to help us!

Preacher, I have a suggestion at the start of this new year.

Why don't you pick out a book of Scripture (only 66 from which to choose) and MAJOR on it this year?  (Not leaving out all the other 65 Books ... but studying your selection as if to master its contents!)  Ask God to help you make your decision!  (That alone would be exciting!)

Spend extra time each week in "your" Book!  (I'll tell you right now that the Bible is too vast ... 1,189 chapters ... for you to become an expert in every area!)

I'm sure you'll end up preaching from it some.  But memorize from it.  Live in it. Let it saturate you. 

While I would recommend for you a Bible Book a year, some may want a Book every six months or so.  (Some men such as Spurgeon spent many years in a Book ... Psalms in his case!)

And I'll guarantee you this: someone who takes my challenge will say next year (1-1-05, Lord willing), "I sure am glad I majored on ______________ in 2004!  It has changed my life spiritually!"

I am waiting for some "takers" ...

                                                                                   --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

January 6, 2003 (Tuesday from Albermarle, North Carolina)

Preachers, Paul said in Ephesians 5:16 that we are to be "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil."  He repeated his command in Colossians 4:5 --- "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time."  That verb "redeeming" means "to buy up!"  (It's the exact word the Greeks would use for going to the market and purchasing some commodity!)  Make you time count!  Invest it for the cause of our Lord!

In both the verbs above the mood is "imperative," Paul is expressing a command!

I would like to suggest that we all need to be more careful with our time! 

Why can't we each day set a little Bible study (or some other area of Christian service) "goal?" 

Paul said that he pressed toward a "mark!"  He had some goals.  (High and lofty and spiritual ones, too!)

This week I want to spend some time each day in the Book of Judges.  (Sister Norma is at home studying the Book of James.  We shall share our thoughts together on the phone later today.  I can't wait to hear what she's learned!)

It seems the Lord has laid Judges on my heart.  Perhaps its key phrase is "but every man did that which was right in his own eyes."  (Judges 17:6 and 21:25) That is a precise description of life in America today!  I believe Judges just may have some rich "preaching material" embedded within its chapters.

(I am about to "drift" from my point!)

Judges ... that's my "goal" for today ... and tomorrow, etc.

Preachers, I am no great example of anything ... but I don't want to waste the time God has given me!

I don't want you to waste yours either!

Someone ask God today to give you a little something to "do."  Then ... head toward the goal He's chosen for you. 

That's exciting living!

That's also "Preacher Talk" for this Tuesday!

(Or is it "Preacher Meddling?")

                                                                       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

January 5, 2004 (Monday morning at 7:20 AM)

Preachers, I'd like to give you a bit of a "challenge" this morning.  It will take some "effort" to do this.  But Paul did tell Timothy to "do the WORK of an evangelist!"   (2 Timothy 4:5)

One of the areas where our young folks are being "bombarded" by the enemy is in the field of science.  Evolution is one of the "gods" of this age.

I believe that it would be wise for some of us preachers to sharpen our knowledge in the areas of biology, geology, astronomy, etc., and go on the "attack" against the LIES that are being taught our youth at school and elsewhere.

The Bible is RIGHT even in the field of science.

Last week I finished reading a little hardback book (published in August, 2003) by Dr. John Morris and Dr. Steven Austin.  The Book is titled "Footprints in the Ash."  It is very colorful and has only 127 pages ... but every one of them is "power-packed!"

Basically the book shows (scientifically but not too technically) how the Mount St. Helens disaster back in 1980 produced in hours (or weeks in some cases) the EXACT evidence that is being studied worldwide (in other places) and labeled as "evolutionary." 

Strata layers, sediment deposits and other phenomena that we are being told took thousands (or millions) of years to form ... took just minutes or hours or day, etc. to form at Mount St. Helens! 

Somebody's mistaken ... or just plainly lying!

I personally believe that evolution is NOT a scientific thesis ... but a form of religion that seeks to extinguish God from American thought!

(By the way, scientists were THERE in 1980 at Mount St. Helens and have been observing these things IN PERSON for the past nearly 24 years.  NO ONE OBSERVED THE SO-CALLED MILLIONS OF YEARS OF EVOLUTION OCCUR!  I think I'll take the eye-witness accounts myself!)

But here's my point.  Our young people need to KNOW that this crowd of atheistic evolutionists are misrepresenting the truth!   Preachers, we need to stand up regularly and declare the first verse of Genesis --- "IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH!"

We do not have to be ashamed of anything the Bible teaches.  It IS the inerrant the Word of God!  Paul told Timothy:  "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called."  (1 Timothy 6:20)

Preachers, already you are husbands, fathers, shepherds, counselors, teachers, scholars, nurses, and so much more!  You had just as well be scientists also!

HELP those teenagers and young adults!  Give them the TRUTH!

(And now with every passing month, saved men and women who are experts in their respective fields of science are offering more and more evidence of a God created universe. These are exciting days in which to live for Jesus!  Take advantage of this material!)

                                                                                                                 --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

January 4, 2004 (Sunday)

Preachers, let me mention just one little verse to you today.  I do so realizing that this (I'm writing on a Sunday morning) is undoubtedly your busiest day of the week.  A Pastor's Sunday likely consists of: early morning prayer and study, Sunday School, Preaching, talking to folks and counseling, a quick meal, a bit more studying then evening service with even more "work" to follow.  I know how it feels.  Come Sunday night ... you are exhausted!

(These are all more reasons why you Pastors are my "heroes!"  Only God knows the labour you give for His Name's Sake!)

Now here's my "point" in today's "Preacher Talk."  You men of God just MUST get some time to REST as the days pass! 

If it's no more than a regular quick afternoon "nap."  Or maybe a Monday when you can sleep late or skip some office time ... or take the wife out to eat a relaxing meal.  (Leave the cell phone home or in the car for that hour. Folks can "wait" for 60 or 90 minutes. Most of them will understand!) Nearly everybody has a day off occasionally!  In fact many workers now have two or three days free every week!

I am not being "trivial" with you about this matter.  This REST business is a command from God!  (He set the first example during creation week!  And God did not rest because He was tired either!)

Remember what Jesus said to His disciples in Mark 6:31 --- "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat."  That little verb is in the imperative mood!  It was a requirement, not a request from the Lord!

Wasn't it the old godly preacher Vance Havner who said, "If you don't come ye apart and rest a while ... YOU WILL JUST COME YE APART!"

There may be a lot of truth in that!

I'm telling you because I love you!

(These facts are all the more pertinent because of the many pastors today who serve in small church congregations and HAVE TO WORK another job as well!)

                                                                 --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

January 3, 2004 (Saturday)

In John 21:15 Jesus said to Peter:  "Feed My lambs."

The again in John 21:16 Jesus repeated the words, "Feed My sheep."

Then yet again in John 21:17 Jesus said,  "Feed My sheep!"

Jesus in the context of our verses was "testing" Peter's love for the Lord!  If Peter, the pastor, loved the Lord Jesus, he would PROVE that love by feeding the Lord's little sheep!

Preachers, as far as I know that's STILL the test of your love for the Lord!  (Not how popular you are!  Not necessarily how BIG your church is!  Not the size of the weekly offerings!  BUT are you feeding His sheep?)

Yet in those three commands ("Feed My lambs once and "Feed My sheep" twice), there are different verbs used!  The first verb is "bosko," a Greek term meaning "to fodder" or to allow "to graze."  It is primarily the word for giving food to the hungry animals!  It involves little else!

The other verb used, "poimaino," means "to tend as a shepherd" and involves quite a bit more than just feeding!  It can entail protecting, shearing, administering first aid, etc.!

Preachers, do you see what Jesus is saying.  There are 2 jobs here for the good pastor!  He MUST feed the sheep for sure!  (That's done via God's Word!  It is milk and meat and honey and bread, etc. to the child of God!)

The other job is watching over God's flock ("overseer") to drive away the wolves, to clean their fleece, to keep them from falling into danger, to shear them a time or two a year, etc.!  This also is done through the Word of God!

I admire you Preachers, Here you are "specialists" in two different ways!  You are "nutrition" experts and can feed just the right sustenance to just the right sheep at just the right time!  Plus you are "general practitioners" over the whole flock to help meet their every need as it arises!

By the way, did you notice the two kinds of sheep mentioned?  "Lambs" and "sheep!"  There is a difference.  We'll save that for a future day, Lord willing.  (You must do things for little lambs differently that for mature sheep!)  It's all in the little text here.

May God bless you men as you put the "finishing touches" on the sermons for tomorrow!  May you be "endued with power from on high" as you preach!  (Luke 24:49)

You are my heroes!

                                                                                       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

January 2, 2004 (Friday)

This is just an idea, but it might work for some of you preachers.  Sister Norma and I are trying it for the first time this month. 

As we study in January the book of James (mostly reviewing our material at mealtimes) , I have made a little video!  (Truthfully Brother Joel our son made it.  He's the technical expert in the family.  I just sat in front of the camera and read the Book of James --- all five chapters.)

I, in my Sunday best, sat in our living room and read the Scriptures.  The tape is about 21 minutes long!  Now, at least once a day we shall begin (Lord willing) our meals with Brother Bagwell's first "video."  (That ought to excite the media world!)

This is what I'm thinking.  You preachers couldn't do anything better with mealtimes than hear the Word of God read as you peacefully enjoy your food!  (Paul said we should "sanctify" our food with the Word of God and prayer!  1 Timothy 4:5) 

With children still at home, this might be a good way to get the Word into their hearts further!  For those of you whose children are in Christian schools (or working on Bible memory projects) it might excite them to have "Dad" read their Scriptures to them on tape at each meal!

You may think my "idea" is crazy ... but this would sure beat watching somebody argue on the so-called "news channel!"

Somebody let me know what YOU think about it!

Scripture?  Yes, I found some that might deal with our topic today!  It tells Daddys when to teach their children God's Word.  It's found in Deuteronomy 6:6-7.  "And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:  And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."  I think that covers mealtimes, don't you?

Or Preacher, try this.  Go ahead and video Sunday's texts (for the sermons you're going to preach!)  This way you'll hear yourself reading them a few times before the Lord's Day! 

If you don't know what you'll preach that far ahead (!!!), try it with LAST Sunday's texts.  You need to keep them in your heart also!

Even if you don't have a video camera ... try it with a cassette tape!

(Or am I just too "full of ideas" today?)

                                                              --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

January 1, 2003 (Thursday, New Year's Day)

Today I would like to answer a question a preacher asked several days ago. He was interested in the computer programs that I use.  To be truthful, as much as I travel I'll use any program I can to help me with a text.  (I have even been "caught" before without my laptop and in a distant city ... and I just went to the public library, asked for the use of a computer ... went "on-line" ... and studied that way.  There are a number of sources available on the web.  (blueletterbible.org is a good one to try!) 

THE program that I've found (by far) most helpful is one called BibleWorks. (bibleworks.com is their web-site.  However you must buy the software.  No on-line research is available from them.)  Just a note of caution:  the program is quite expensive and proves most helpful if you've had a year of two of Greek and probably a year of introductory Hebrew.  This is the "cadillac" of Bible study materials available today!  (At least as far as I know.)  It will give you practically everything exegetically that you'll need to know when working with a specific text.  I presently run an antique version of BibleWorks!  I have a 3.5 version and they're now marketing the 6.0 version!  (Someone just called yesterday and plans to update my 3.5 to a 6.0!  Praise the Lord!)

Before I bought BibleWorks, I regularly used a program called the PC Study Bible.  It works fine also!  It gives the Strong's definitions, number of times a word is used in the Bible, etc.

I've seen our preacher son Brother Joel use other programs through the years.  Power Bible works well for him.  He's even used Quick Verse rather profitable.

By the way, I appreciate questions like this!  I have no secrets ... and will be happy to share anything that might be of interest to you preachers.

I really think that it does not matter WHAT program one uses ... just be sure you DO stay in the Word of God!  That's what counts!

(As far as "study habits" go, I'll chat with you about that sometime in the near future, Lord willing.)

Men of God, I salute you this 1st day of January!

Lord, give these dear preachers the most fruitful year they've ever experienced in all their ministries I pray!  Bless them indeed as they faithfully serve Thee!  May they grow in Thy Grace and knowledge exponentially this year!  In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

                                                                                           --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 31, 2003 (Wednesday)

The Lord reminded me of this several days ago.  I made a quick note and continued with my duties.  Again yesterday He prompted my thinking about it. I believe this topic is His Will for today.

In 2 Corinthians 1:15 Paul plainly says --- "And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit!" 

Look at Paul's declaration here!  He says that he plans to visit Corinth again and when he does ... he will be giving a "second benefit" by his very coming!

At another place (Romans 1:11) he asserts --- "For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established."  (Pretty bold speech!)

In both the above references Paul believes (and it's true in its Biblical context) that his very coming would help the Corinthians in their Christian walk!

Paul's "presence" would impart to the a "second benefit" or a "spiritual gift." Go back and read the verses again.  That's EXACTLY what Paul said!

Preacher friend, that brings me to my point today.  While I know full well  that we men of God are NOT Apostle Pauls ... we ARE God-called Spirit-filled servants who seek to obey our Lord's Will. 

Preacher, YOUR very "presence" is a blessing to your people!  I read a little article by a great preacher the other day who was talking about how to minister at the funeral home.  (Then he talked about how to make hospital visits, etc.) He said this ... "It's not just how you conduct yourself at the funeral home or the intensive care unit that matters!  Pastor, It's just THE FACT that you are THERE to be with them (your sheep) as they go through the heartaches of life!"

Get it?  Your very PRESENCE is a help and a comfort to your people! 

If you don't believe me, ask your folks Sunday if there's a difference in a church service when you're absent!  (Preaching a revival meeting or home sick, etc.)  I guarantee you they'll tell you there's a BIG difference when you're gone! 

Again, I say it.  Preachers, your PRESENCE is vital to your people.

The sheep simply must have their shepherd to do well!

Man of God, I salute you today.  Because of the Grace of God you are SOMEBODY to that little flock you tend! 

No telling how many "second benefits" (or third or fourth or fifth, etc.) you have conferred by "being there" with your people.

I just thought you would like to know!

                                                                             --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 30, 2003 (Tuesday)

Earlier today I saw a verse that spoke to my heart.  It's found in the Book of Ecclesiastes chapter seven (verse eight).  I don't know exactly how Solomon meant these words.  But I do know how the Holy Spirit has applied them to my life this morning.

"Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof"

That is so appropriate for this next to the last day of the year. 

Preacher friend, I trust that at the end of 2003 you are a BETTER student of the Word of God than you were twelve months ago!  (Maybe even a BETTER preacher! God intends that we grow in grace!)

How about a BETTER Husband or Daddy?  (And the list goes on ... and on ...!)

But what really interests me today is the long range view!  I want my whole life to end better than it began, don't you?  I want the ministry to which God has called me to become stronger and stronger even as it grows in age!

Preachers, here's what I'm trying to say.  At the END of our ministries, will we still be adhering to the precious truth of the Word of God?  Will we still be preaching against sin?  Will we still be advocates of the premillennial return of Christ?  Will we still be preaching the literal Blood Atonement?

It is far BETTER to end strong ... than just to start well and finish weakly!

(By the way, the whole Christian life is summarized in our verse for today!  Living for Jesus INDEED was good at the beginning!  There's nothing like salvation!  BUT it's getting BETTER and BETTER as the days pass!  "The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows!"  And "Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before!" Indeed, Jesus DOES save the best "wine" until the last!  See John 2!)

Old Vance Havner used to say that he wanted to be "home before dark!"  That was his quaint way of telling us he wanted to finish well! 

Paul did!  He said just before going to heaven:  "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith!"  (2 Timothy 4:7) 

May we preachers be able to say the same.

If we can, by God's grace we will say "AMEN" to Solomon's verse as we stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

I've always tried to use a verse when signing Bibles or letters.  That verse fits today's column so well that I want to give it to you.  "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."  (1 Cor. 15:58)

The end for the Christian is, indeed, better than the beginning!

                                                                                        --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 29, 2003 (The last Monday of 2003)

Preachers, I write this today with some reservation.  However, I believe the Lord has laid it on my heart!  Every man of God with the responsibility of tending or feeding God's "sheep" should listen.

While we all have prayed that God will spare our beloved nation from further "terror" attacks, we must face the reality that there are many who hate our country and would do anything to harm it (and us)!

The idea of terrorism is not just mass death or destruction ... but constantly striking "fear" into the hearts of a people.

I got to thinking about something Jesus said.  Now I realize that He said it in His second "Sermon on a Mount!"  I'm talking about His "Olivet Discourse" near the end of His earthly ministry before the Cross.  There He spoke of the end times and things to come.  It sounds pretty bad!  I personally believe that the Church will be raptured away before the Tribulation comes ... however, things might get pretty scary even prior to that.

One verse I quote.  Jesus said the day would come when men's hearts would be "failing them for fear!"  ("Looking for those things which are coming on the earth ... for (even) the powers of heaven shall be shaken.")  Luke 21:26

Again, I realize that is specifically for the Tribulation days ... but if the terrorists are even partially successful in their wicked plans ... fear could IN ONE DAY grip our nation as never before!  (Or could it happen in one hour?")  Revelation 18:10 says of Babylon:  "Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come."

Preachers, I believe that in these last days we are going to have to help equip the Lord's people to keep on serving Jesus even in the face of great fear and danger.  I've just looked (quickly) and found well over 50 "fear nots" in the Bible!  (I once heard a preacher say that there are 52 of them ... one for every week of the year!)

Of course, to help the people of God to overcome fear ("terror"), we preachers must first well know the Peace of God!  Listen to 2 Timothy 1:7 --- "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Well, this is just a thought for you preachers today.  But I believe it's something we need to keep in the back of our minds and ponder. 

One of these days, it's coming to this wicked God-forsaking nation of ours.  Of that I'm just about sure!

Let us men of God be ready!

                                                                                   --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 27, 2003 (Saturday --- Posted at 5:55 AM from Cumming, Georgia)

Isaiah 58:11 says:  "And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."

Preachers, this is my prayer for you this last weekend of the year 2003!  (What a verse we have found this morning!)

I especially want to concentrate on the first clause of the passage.  "The Lord shall guide thee continually!" 

The verb "guide" is a Hebrew word meaning "to lead" or even "to bring."  (He has surely brought me to some great places!  How about you?)  Out of its total 39 locations in the Bible it is translated:  "lead" (24 times), "guide" (6 times), "bring" (4 times), "bestowed" (1 time), "govern" (1 time) and "straiteneth" (1 time)!

Its first use is in Genesis 24:27 where Abraham's servant (seeking a bride for Isaac) said:  "I being in the way, the LORD led me ..."    Later in verse 48 he worshipped the Lord for so leading him! 

In 2 Kings 11:18 the verb is translated "put them!"  I'm glad God can put us in some places!  He put us in the family of God, didn't He?

The verb also does not ALWAYS mean something pleasant!  In Job 12:23 God can "enlarge" the nations and God can "straiten" them again!  He can give ... or He can take away!

In Psalm 5:8 David prays for this kind of "leadership!"   (King Saul wept for it once it was gone!)  Preachers, we had better thank God that we have it!

It's Biblical to pray that He will lead us in a "plain path" also!  See Psalm 23:3!

In Psalm 43:3 God's TRUTH (Word) can  lead us!  The Bible is a lamp unto our feet!

In Psalm 67:4 our verb is rendered "govern!"  God can govern us continually!

And just "when" will God so lead us?  "Continually!"  Our adverb, which comes from a rare "root" word, means "to stretch!"  How long will God guide us?  Just a little bit longer and longer and longer (stretch it out some more) and longer and longer and forever!  Of  the 104 times it's used in the Bible, we find the word translated by such terms  as:  daily, always, ever, perpetual, and "continual employment" (only 1 time)! It's in Ezekiel 39:14. 

Preacher, I pray God has given you continual employment ... leading you every step of the way as you tend (shepherd) your people!

May all you preachers particularly sense His Presence, His Leadership and His Blessings this weekend is my prayer!  (I believe I've just prayed for you the very "spirit" of this verse!)

                                                                --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

(IF YOU "MISSED" YESTERDAY ... BE SURE TO READ THE COLUMN BELOW.)

December 26, 2003 (Friday)

With 31,102 verses in the Bible, this is bound to happen at times.  I last week came across a verse I simply didn't know existed.  I've read it before .... but just because of my "through-the-Bible" readings (in a year) or because I was studying Deuteronomy for one reason or another!  (I once remember reading through Matthew Henry's commentary on the book of Deuteronomy ... partly for the discipline needed to do so.  I know I read the verse then.  By the way, old Matthew Henry fed me pretty well on that little journey!) 

Anyway, my "discovery" occurred one day last week!  Charles Spurgeon and I were working together on something (via his "Checkbook of Faith" or "Morning and Evening" writings of course) and I saw it! 

Deuteronomy 32:5 says:  "They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation." 

The subject of our sentence ("they") refers to the foolish and unwise people of Moses' day. The deed, corrupting themselves, is a Hebrew verb meaning "to mar or destroy."  It once is translated "battered" (2 Samuel 20:15) where Joab destroyed a wall in battle!  It's a Piel stem indicating the action is INTENSIVE!  They REALLY did a vigorous job corrupting themselves!  The last part of the verse tells us what sin does to someone!  It makes them "perverse" (distorted, knotted, twisted) and "crooked" (from a word meaning "to twine" or to struggle)!  I guess if one is to be "straight" he or she must be godly!

Their sins (corruptions) have resulted in "spots!"  ("mum" in Hebrew)  In the KJV the word is translated blemishes or blots also.  The root verb means "to stain."  It's only used 22 times in Scripture.  Priests couldn't have this kind of spot.  It disqualified them  (Leviticus 21:17).  Nor could sacrificial animals have such marks  (Lev. 22:20).  The Red Heifer (for sacrifice) was to be without "spot!"  (A picture of our sinless Saviour!)  In the Lord's eyes the church will some day have no "spot"  (Song of Solomon 4:7). 

But what interests me today is the statement the verse makes about the "spot" the children of God have!   The corrupters have a spot that is unlike the spot of the Lord's children!  My question is this.  What is the "spot" of God's people to which Moses refers here?  I would not dare hazard a guess.  But the Bible again comes to the rescue!

Spot number 1 --- We are sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise!  That seal is visible to the Lord!  What a lovely "spot!"  This is a mark of security!

Spot number 2 --- And Paul said that he:  "From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus."  There are spots of faithful service that a believer may bear!  Some preachers today innocently carry "hits" upon their character and personalities made by some lying hypocrite on the church membership roll.  (Man of God, the Lord will reward you for these!)

Spot number 3 --- God told Ezekiel that He had "marked" His little ones (children of God) who had a hatred for sin!  These are "separation" spots!  Ezekiel 9:4 --- "And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof." 

Spot number 4 --- Jeremiah said God has marked His people with a special set of "spots" indicating ownership!  Jeremiah 12:9 --- "Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour."  (The Bible speaks of speckled goats, cattle, birds and horses!  There ought to be a sermon in that somewhere!  If you can't find the references, e-mail me.)  These "specks" cause the other birds around Israel to hate her and attack her!

And Spot number 5 --- This is a (now) removed spot!  Jeremiah asks:  "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil."  (Jer 13:23)  As we have already seen, sin spots us terribly!  But when we get saved, the stains of sin are washed away (by the Blood of Jesus our Saviour)!  See 1 John 1:7.  Glory to God! 

I am so grateful to have found that Deuteronomy verse.  This one that mentions in passing the fact that GOD'S CHILDREN ARE SPOTTED!  BUT OUR "SPOTS" ARE DIFFERENT FROM THE SIN-SPOTS OF THE LOST DYING WORLD!  (I guess you could say that there are "bad" spots and "good" spots in the spiritual world!)  Does anyone remember what precious old Dr. Harold B. Slightler used to call his daily radio broadcast?  The Bright SPOT Hour!

Come to think of it --- I can "spot" a godly Preacher a mile away!  Can't you?  You men are surely marked for the Glory of God!  Wear your marks with distinction, Sir!  You're in the Lord's army!

Praise the Good Name of the Lord!

Preacher, I don't know if you've enjoyed our "Preacher Talk" today or not!

I sort of hope somebody will let me hear from you!  (Or did anyone "stick" with me to the end here?)

                                                                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 25, 2003 (Thursday morning at 11:15 AM --- Christmas Day)

You preachers are amazing.  Most of you pastor churches (various sizes and different parts of the country) and provide them (with God's help) capable leadership!

Did you ever stop to think what it is that God has equipped you to do?  You are the virtual "CEO" of your place of ministry!  (Chief Executive Officer)  Now I full well realize that the true Head of the church is the Lord Jesus Christ.  And I know He is in heaven at the Right Hand of God the Father interceding for us right now.  But DEAR PREACHER FRIEND you are His under-shepherd of that little flock you tend!  (Again, you are the equivalent of a CEO in the eyes of this old world!)

By the way, let's not get into this ... but do you know what a CEO of an American company makes financially?  A LOT of money!  Tens of thousands of dollars a year ... or a month ... and many that much a week!  (A few of our nation's CEO's make that much a day!)  And yet you men of God are satisfied with whatever comes your way monetarily!  You do not campaign for raises! You do not grumble about salary!  You just trust the Lord!   (That's one more reason pastors are my "heroes!")

And another thing ... in fact this is the point that brings me to this subject today.  You preachers deal with a vast array of issues week in and week out. You are a polished public speaker.  You are a counselor who has (again, with the help of the Lord) turned marriages around and saved suicides from sure death and encouraged many a depressed believer, etc.  You are an ex-officio committee chairman who has directed scores of meetings successfully.  You are a peacemaker extraordinaire!  You are a husband ... and most of you a Daddy. You have learned "people skills" to the point you know how to love them on one hand and rebuke them on the other ... all without running them away!

And that's not all!  You are experts (or at least that's your goal) at explaining the most awesome Book in the whole wide world, the Bible! 

You preach weekly the whole counsel of God.  You will teach through the course of your ministry from all 66 books of Scripture.  You try to become proficient in Bible prophecy, Bible poetry, Bible biography, Bible history, Bible law, Bible doctrine, Bible vocabulary and so much more!

Scripture says of itself: "I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad."  Psalm 119:96  This is a statement regarding the vastness of the Bible.  It is "exceeding broad!"  (And you preachers are seeking daily to "master" it!)  "Broad" is an adjective meaning large or wide!  It's even once translated "liberty" in the Old Testament!  Strong's says "roomy ... in every direction!"  (We shall never reach the top heights of the Word of God!  Neither shall we plumb its depths!  Nor reach its outermost borders!  It's just too "broad!")  Our word is used in Exodus 3:8 where God says He is going to bring Israel into a (promised) land that is a good land and LARGE!  (Also Nehemiah 9:35 of the land.)  In Job 11:19 our God is said to be BROADER than the sea!  Jeremiah 51:8 says the BROAD walls of Babylon will be destroyed!  (They have!) 

My point:  you dear men of God are seeking to be effective preachers and teachers  of such a BROAD Bible!  This Book of ours is not just "broad" ... but exceeding broad!  Hebrew (maod) that means very, much, great, sore!  (It's believed that the word pictures a poker that was used for turning hot embers or raking them together!  Hence it means briskly or quickly or vehemently!  I guess if YOU were a poker that's the way you would work, too!  It's HOT in that fire!)  We have an EXCEEDING broad Bible!

By the way, here in our verse look at the other thing said about the Word of God!  It is the "END OF ALL PERFECTION!"  The word "end" means "extremity."  It's as far as you can go!  (You can't find anything more perfect that the Bible!  Wow!)  "Perfection" is the word in Hebrew for "completeness!" Don't be looking for any 67th book of the Bible (or a 1190th chapter)!  The Bible is COMPLETE or PERFECT!  The Bible is so unique that this noun is a hapax legomenon. That means it is used only once in the whole body of Scripture.  It describes nothing but the Scriptures.

What a Book! 

And you dear preachers will be spending the rest of your lives right in the middle of it!

Again, I salute you!  Better yet, I "count you worthy of double honour" --- 1st Timothy 5:17!  (You all "who labour in the word and doctrine" are particularly meant here by Paul here.)

I've got to close this column!

May God bless you with a great day!  ... a great Christmas season!  ... a great New Year!  ... a great Ministry!  (I know you'll have a great eternity!)

                                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

  December 24, 2003 (Wednesday morning at 7:45 AM)

Paul said something in Titus 2:7 that has arrested my soul this morning.  To the young preacher Titus Paul declares "IN ALL THINGS SHOWING THYSELF A PATTERN OF GOOD WORKS!"  The verbal "showing" is a participle and is in the IMPERATIVE mood.  It's a command from the old Apostle!

The verb for "showing" is Greek "parecho" (From "para" and "echo" which are 2 Greek words combined!)  Para means alongside.  Echo means to have or to hold! Titus' behavior (being a "pattern" of godliness) is something he is to hold by his side constantly!  (Never to forget it!  Never to "let up!"  Always being diligent!  Never "off-duty!"  In season and out!)  It can even mean "to exhibit!"

And "pattern" is Greek "tupos."  It is a term that refers to the lasting IMPRESSION an object makes when it hits something forcefully!  It's the "imprint" or stamp of something that has really impacted you!  (Root form of the verb = to thump hard!) God the Holy Spirit is here pictured as HITTING us so hard with Holy Ghost conviction and resulting salvation and SANCTIFICATION that we never get over them!  We become a stamped and imprinted PATTERN of "good works!"

Preachers, I've used this verse today for a reason!  Folks are watching us all the time ... but especially during holidays.  If anyone is ever going to "let down" a little bit, it will be during times like these.  Don't you dare do anything or say anything or go anywhere this Christmas that might in any way harm your "pattern" of good works.  Goodness!  You've been establishing that "pattern" all your ministry.  Yet one foolish action can tear it down in an hour!

Does it sound like I'm preaching to you.  I just mean to caution us all.  Remember Paul's admonition.  (Even be careful what makes you laugh!  Someone said that one of the best tests of a man's character is just that:  what makes him laugh!)

We are all products of God's great "tool-and-die" Shop!  He has patterned us after His will.  Let your true godly "pattern" be visible this week!  That's also called witnessing!

May God grant to you a blessed day is my prayer.

                                                                            --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 22, 2003 (Monday evening at 6:35 PM)

I was in bed taking my afternoon nap and the Lord bought this verse to mind.  I jumped up and came to the computer keyboard.  Here goes!

Psalm 15 gives us a list of a little over a dozen things we MUST do if we want to be STEADY AND FAITHFUL in the Lord's work!  The Psalmist puts it this way:  "He that doeth these things shall never be moved!"  (Psalm 15:5)  The word moved means "to waver, to slip or to fall!"  Tell me what I can do to never waver in the Christian walk!

We shall today note only one part of that great Psalm.  It is verse 4 which says:  "He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not!"

What does that mean?

That means that one of the things a man (including us preachers) must do in order to be unwavering and faithful ( in order to never slip or fall) ... is to "change not" when we have sworn to do something ... even if it means that it hurts us to do so!

That's the beautiful old King James way of saying when you make a promise ("swear") ... even if it costs you a great deal (or you have changed your mind or  it's going to take more than you thought to do what you said) ... you had BETTER keep your word!

One of the things necessary for stable Christian living is to KEEP YOUR PROMISES!!!

I'll just about guarantee you that thought knocks some of us preachers off our feet.  Preachers are well known for making many promises ... and forgetting most of them!

Preacher, do you want to be "unmoved" in the Lord's work?

Slide down on your knees and ask the Lord to remind you of any unkept promises.  He can do this rather quickly!  (One preacher went into the pulpit and asked his people that question!  He got about a year's work to do as a result!)

Tithing may be  a promise you've made to God!   Or maybe a visit to someone you've never yet made?  Or a favor you were to pay (or re-pay) to a preacher friend?  Or a book borrowed (to borrow is to promise to return) and kept (accidentally, of course)!

A check written is a promise to pay!  (Right now we have a preacher south of Atlanta who ordered and received $100.00 worth of our tapes ... and will not pay his bill!)  Don't get around him!  He is probably stumbling and slipping and falling all over his side of town! 

That's all right.  We kept our word to him and shipped the tapes.  God can take care of the rest.

A bill created and owed ... is a promise made!

I need to quit writing now. 

I sure do want to be in that crowd that "will never be moved!"

By the way, if you can't think of any promise you've made and not kept, I don't want you to feel all alone.  Go ask your wife!  That will take care of the matter right away!  Then ... you can join the rest of us and figure out how to keep those forgotten promises!

That's "Preacher Talk" for tonight!

If anyone reads this page tomorrow, I'll be surprised!

                                                                                                      --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 21, 2003 (Sunday)

Preachers, today I would like to mention something to you that's rather important.  Often we men of God hear other pastors or missionaries or even evangelists speak of their needs and how they're trusting God to meet them.  In this area a Pastor is at a particular disadvantage. Let me show you what I mean.

A missionary can always write another prayer letter listing his needs ... and often (Praise the Lord!) someone is able to respond to that need with a check or give their time to meet it, etc.

Even an evangelist can have many pastor friends whom God has raised up to help meet his needs.  Some churches now even (and rightly so) support evangelists financially so these men can go into smaller churches and preach!  (Churches so small they may not be able to take care of an evangelist's weekly needs!)

BUT THE PASTOR!  Bless his heart.  Unlike the missionary he can send no prayer letters monthly!  Unlike the evangelist he receives no monthly support from anywhere!  He cannot go into his own pulpit and preach to his own people telling them to better meet his needs! What's the pastor to do?

I really don't know the full answer to that question.  BUT I DO KNOW THIS.  One of the BEST ways a pastor can teach his people to take good care of him is TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF THE MEN OF GOD WHO come to MINISTER TO HIS CHURCH!  (The men the pastor has felt led to have for revival meetings, mission conferences, etc.)

When a church sees a pastor have a revival (for example) and take less-than-the-best care of the guest preacher ... they have been given a lesson in how NOT to take care of their own pastor!  (See what I mean?)

Pastors, it has always been my policy to TAKE EXTRA GOOD CARE OF THAT EVANGELIST WHO HAS LOVED AND FED MY PEOPLE!  I also want my people to see how good I care for that dear man of God!  (For many reasons!  It is being obedient to Scripture.  It brings God's blessings! Etc.)  But it also teaches by example! 

Cheap dirty motel rooms!  No meals!  Minimal love offerings!  What are you thinking, dear pastor?  You will reap what you sow!  Your people will treat YOU just like they see you treating those evangelists and missionaries you have in to speak!

Remember Matthew 10:41.  There Jesus says:  " He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward."

Just thought I would share that bit of "advice" from my little pastoral ministry.  It is written in a spirit of love.

(How very blessed I have been in this area.  I'd like to tell you how very well many a pastor has cared for this evangelist during months and years past!  I love every one of them!)

                                                                                                      --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 20, 2003 (Saturday)  Posted at home in Cumming, Georgia at 7:30 AM

Preacher, today I have a little verse in Titus on my heart.  Let me give it to you.  Titus 1:3 "But (God) hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour."

Look at God's goal for real preaching!  He intends that preaching be a means of "manifesting" His Word!

That little verb is loaded with meaning!  It comes from a Greek term which means to shine!  To lighten!  It usually means a bright and sudden flash of light exploding with rays everywhere!  (Like a flashbulb used to do!)  Vine's word studies adds that it carries the idea of something or someone being revealed in true character.  (Not just a show ... a revelation of reality!)

Also let me add that in the Greek text that gives us the King James Version of the Bible (Textus Receptus), this verb is the first word in the sentence!  That means it is THE word that the Holy Spirit most wished to emphasize in this whole thought!  The Word of God MANIFESTED through preaching!

In this very form the verb is found 4 times in Scripture.  (This alone is unusual.)  It is used in John 2:11 (first mention) when Jesus glory was "manifested" at the turning of water into wine in Cana.  Is this in some way suggesting that real preaching should manifest God's Glory?  I think so.

It is also used in John 21:1 where the resurrected glorified Jesus "showed Himself" to the disciples by the sea side.  Does this imply that real preaching will exalt the glorified wonderful Lord Jesus Christ?  I again think so!

Technically the noun "preaching" implies not only the action of preaching but also the message preached.  Our delivery should be the best we can offer the Lord ... but our content had BETTER be right for sure!  Preach Jesus!

And lastly note that little preposition "through."  God flashbulbs His Word (logos) THROUGH preaching.   It is not "dia" which would imply that the preaching is a channel through which the Word flows.  But it is the word "en" meaning that our preaching is to be soaked with the Word of God.  "En" (Greek) is translated in the KJV:   "in, by, with among, at" and "on."  The preaching we do is to be saturated with the Word of God!

Men, as you stand tomorrow and proclaim the precious truths of Scripture ... remember that you are showcasing, displaying, flashing forth (through the power of the Holy Spirit) the very Word of God! 

May He bless you brilliantly as you preach!  In fact, I pray that as you preach tomorrow  the light of His Countenance might be upon you more than ever!

                                                                                                      --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 19, 2003 (Friday)

Here's just a short note to you preachers this Friday.  I want to glance with you at 2 verses which are critical to your ministries!

I yesterday studied some on the Holy Spirit of God!  Every true man of God longs for the power (the "Unction" as John called Him in 1 John 2:20) of the Spirit!

When we are first saved we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit.  Such verses as 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 and Romans 8:9 prove this.

But we need to be "filled" with the Holy Spirit as well.  (True soul Salvation occurs but once.  However, apparently, the "filling" of the Holy Spirit can occur again and again! As one preacher said, "We are leaky vessels!"

But Paul gives us 2 cautions in regard to the Holy Spirit.  Here they are:

*  Ephesians 4:30  "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."  The verb "grieve" means to hurt, to cause pain, or to make sorry!  It also means "to distress."  (The root word behind it means "sadness!")  This certainly teaches us that the Holy Spirit it a Person of the Godhead!  It is an imperative verb --- meaning Paul commands this of us!  (It is NOT a suggestion!)  And it is present tense ... habitual action!  From now on ... do not insult the Holy Spirit.  His feelings CAN BE HURT!  Now it is our job to figure out what may "hurt" Him!  (Be sure that He WILL let you know!)  Let's stay "sensitive" to the Holy Ghost of God!  Not to do so will result in His being made sad ... and we can lose our power and freshness and sweetness, etc.

*  1 Thessalonians 5:19  "Quench not the Spirit."   Again we are dealing with an imperative verb in the present tense and active voice.  To "quench" something means to extinguish or to put out!  I can find the verb in some form 6 times in the New Testament.  In every occurrence but one (our text here) the verb is used of putting out flames of fire!  (Matthew 12:20 and 25:8 and Mark 9:48 Ephesians 6:16 and Hebrews 11:34.)  Get it?  The Holy Spirit is a burning fire within us!  He is the God of heaven resting in our very bodies and souls!  He can flame as violently as a blow torch (or a firestorm) or burn as meekly and lowly as a single little candle.  He does not operate the same way all the time!  Just BE SURE you do not "quench" or put out the flames.  It CAN be done.  (Loss of salvation is NOT the issue here.  That is eternally secure!  It is loss of fellowship and victory and power that is at stake.)

Men, I probably got a little too long here today.  Just be careful!  You don't want to grieve or quench the dear Holy Spirit of God!

Someone e-mail me today with a comment.  Are these daily columns helpful to you and your ministry?  Your input is critical.

                                                                             --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 18, 2003 (Thursday)

I want to look at a passage of Scripture today that is especially applicable to you preachers.  It is found in 2 Timothy 2:24-25.  "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves ..."

Here Paul calls the preachers "servants of the Lord!"

Look at these instructions!

Preachers, Paul's "model" for us is not a man of God who is mean or belligerent (meaning war like or full of fighting)!  No!  No!  No!  Paul asks us to be kind and loving to those around us!

This reminds me of James' guidelines in James 3:17 where he tells us that godly wisdom is "easy to be intreated!"  The term literally means easily approached or easy to talk to or even easily persuaded.  This does NOT mean a compromiser! 

The preacher is to be reasonable!  (Just like Jesus was with His disciples!)

It would be wise for us to sometime look into these verses in more detail.

In the meantime, be sweet!

(It is not a sin for a real Bible preacher to be kind!)

                                                                                     --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 17, 2003 (Wednesday)

I briefly mentioned this back when we went through Psalm 1.  Yet it's been on my mind since that time.  It's that term "rivers of water!"  The Lord promised the godly man who meditates in the Word and who separates himself from wickedness ... that he would be like a tree planted by the RIVERS OF WATER!

I have just noticed that "rivers of waters" is also mentioned in Scripture.  There well may be a message in that term as well ... but today I want to concentrate on exactly:  "rivers of water."  That "string" is only found 4 times in all of Scripture!

The Lord showed them to me in the following grouping:

Psalm 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.  HERE ARE THE RIVERS OF GROWTH!

Proverbs 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.  here are rivers of guidance!

Isaiah 32:2 And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.  HERE ARE RIVERS OF GRACE!

And then Lamentations 3:48 Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.  HERE ARE RIVERS OF GRIEF!

Christian friend, I will assure you that sometime in your Christian journey the dear Lord will have you "planted" by each of these rivers!  It just seems to me that it would be wise for us preachers to prepare our people to face these four situations and respond to them properly!

How can I best GROW when its that season of my life?  How can I best follow the Lord's GUIDANCE?  How can I best enjoy His amazing GRACE?  And even how can I properly handle GRIEF when it comes my way?

God knows best how much time to let us spend by each river!

Remember that that word "planted" literally means "transplanted!"  God is the heavenly Gardener.  He does have a shovel.  He can transplant us as needed!

Preacher friend, where does He have you "planted" today?

                                                                      --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

  December 16, 2003 (Tuesday)

This morning I want to briefly comment on a verse I've used a few times while at prayer.  It is found in Psalm 119:40 

"Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness."

I am interested particularly in that first verb.  What does it mean to "LONG" after the precepts (the Word) of God?

The verb is of course a Hebrew word ("ta-ab") meaning "to desire!"  (Apparently to desire strongly!)  It is used again by this same Psalmist in Psalm 119:174 where he says:  "I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight." Here he craves and hungers for the final salvation (victory, deliverance) God has prepared for all His children!

Now here is something unusual.  I have found this verb one more time in Scripture. In Amos 6:8 we are told:  "The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I aBHOR the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein."  Here the same word ("ta-am") is translated "abhor."  (The only difference being that our first two examples are in the Qal stem ... meaning simple active voice, while the last example is in the Piel stem ... meaning intensive active voice!)

Truly this is hard to understand!  I believe that the King James translators here are telling us that there are some things we either "love" or "hate!"  In other words, there is NO MIDDLE GROUND!  (It's HOT or COLD here, brethren!)

You know what this implies?  It says that we either LOVE the Word of God ("long" for it, crave it, desire it) or that we actually "abhor" it!  And I AM using Bible language here!  There is (in God's eyes) no such thing as being "lukewarm" on the subject of His precious Word!

I have one more thing to type.  It is a prayer.  Won't you join me in it?

"Lord, give me a deeper LONGING for Thy precious Word!  In Jesus' Name, Amen!"

                                                                           --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 15, 2003 (Monday)

I was going to buy a set of commentaries.  I was just a teenage preacher boy, but God has already turned my heart toward the study of His Word!  One of my evangelist uncles (two of whom were preachers) told me something I have never forgotten.  He said that I should not always buy the biggest and most expensive set of books (some of which can cost hundreds of dollars).  His reasoning sure makes a lot of sense.  He said a man cannot possibly in one lifetime master the whole of Scripture!  It is too vast a body of truth!  (Or just a group of men who possess certain doctorates do NOT make a true board of experts!)

He pointed out to me the fact that some men have spent whole lifetimes studying one book of the Bible ... or one area of truth.  "Get their books!" he advised me!  "You will be buying the BEST available in a given area of Bible study!"

So I began following his advice!  Some men excel in the "Sermon on the Mount!"  Others studied nearly their whole lives on the Gospels.  Some on Prophecy!  Some men are Old Testament men!  There are a few who are unique in books like Leviticus or Psalms or Proverbs! 

Brethren, this advice has helped me in building my library.  It just might be useful to you.  In fact, it could save you lots of wasted money!

Still be mindful of this little fact.  Book advice for one preacher may not work for another preacher!  You will just have to try this way for yourself and see if it works!  It has certainly been one of my guidelines.

                                                                     --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 14, 2003 (Sunday, the Lord's Day)

Brethren, there is a prayer I love to pray both before I preach the Word of God and after I preach it too!  Let me tell you about it!

It's found in Mark 16:20.  "And they (the disciples) went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen."  There it is!   The Lord worked with them as they preached.  The Lord was CONFIRMING HIS WORD! 

I've prayed it time and time again!  "Lord, confirm Thy Word as I preach it today!"  Even on the way home from meetings I'll often find myself again asking the Lord to CONFIRM HIS WORD! 

That verb "to confirm" is a Greek term "bebaioo," meaning to establish or make firm!  It comes from the root word that means "foot," as in the footing of a house!  It is only used 8 times in Scripture!  As a verb in Romans 15:8 it is translated "to confirm!"  (The same is true in 1 Corinthians 1:6 also.  There the Corinthians had the Word of God confirmed in them!)  Paul twice talks about being "stablished" (established) in the faith!  That's our very word! 

Don't let that word "signs" scare you!  It's the Greek term "semeion" and means (among other things) "wonder" or "token" .  God is certainly capable of showing us preachers just how effective His Word can be in hearts and lives!  I've seen God "confirm" His preached Word in many astounding ways!  (Someone recently told me that they had prayed earlier in the day for the Lord to let them hear a sermon on prayer.  They came to revival that night and ... guess what?  God had me preaching out of Psalm 20 ... on the prayer of David!  That is the Lord CONFIRMING His Word!)

I am not even sure of ALL it means to ask God to "confirm" His Word!  I just know He did it for the early Christian preachers ... and He can do it for you and me!

May today you see God's Word confirmed in your very midst is my prayer!

                                                                                      --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 13, 2003 (Saturday morning, Holiday Inn, Harriman, Tennessee at 6:44 AM)

I like to give you something to think about on Saturdays! The Lord laid this verse on my heart in that regard. It is the last part of Psalm 138:2

"FOR THOU (LORD) HAST MAGNIFIED THY WORD ABOVE ALL THY NAME."

The Hebrew verb here for "magnified" is "gadal." It means to grow or to promote or to become great! It is used 115 times in the Bible and is translated: magnify (32 times), great (26 times), grow (14 times), nourish up (7 times), grow up (6 times), greater (5 times) and a couple of dozen other ways too. However, the way a verb is translated depends necessarily on what form of that verb the Holy Spirit chooses to use. GADAL here is a Hiphil perfect and must mean something like "to make great!"

Let's review how our verse's "key" verb is used in the whole Bible!  (Preachers, perhaps the very BEST way to learn the true meaning of a word is to study how the Holy Spirit Himself uses it in Scripture!)

In Genesis 19:19 God is said to "magnify" (gadal) His mercy! Also see Numbers 14:19.

In Exodus 2:10 it is said that Moses the child "grew" in his mother’s house ... then she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter. In this sense the word gadal means to grow! (Let me tell you right now the Word of God will GROW on you!) It just keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger! Praise the Lord!

In Numbers 14:17 the Power of the Lord is said to be great (gadal)! But His Word is apparently even greater yet!

In Deuteronomy 3:24 God loves to show His greatness! See Deuteronomy 5:24 also! I believe He loves to SHOW the beauty of His Word also!

God has redeemed us through His "greatness (gadal)! So says Deuteronomy 9:26. And we learn of that great redemption through God's Word!

God "magnified" Joshua in the sight of Israel! (Joshua 3:7 and 4:14)

In 1 Samuel 20:41 the word is translated "exceeded." David and Jonathan were weeping and saying goodbye and David exceeded ... or wept the most! (God’s Word exceeds everything else!)

In 2 Samuel 7:26 David prayed that God’s Name would be "magnified" forever (gadal)! But now we know something that is magnified ever more than God’s very Name!

1 Kings 10:23 So king Solomon "exceeded" (gadal) all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. 1 Chronicles 11:9

So David waxed greater and greater: for the LORD of hosts was with him (gadal and gadal). 1 Chronicles 22:5 (The Word of God also waxes ... becomes ... grater and greater in my life too!)

And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the LORD must be exceeding magnifical (gadal), of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death. 2 Chronicles 17:12 (Did you get that old King James word?  "MAGNIFICAL!"  We have a magnifical Bible!)

And Jehoshaphat waxed great (gadal) exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles, and cities of store. 2 Chronicles 17:12

There was a man in Scripture named GADAL: Ezra 2:47 The children of Giddel (gadal) , the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah. (We say of Scripture ... HOLY Bible.  Maybe we should also say MAGNIFIED Bible ... or GREAT Bible!  Just name it GREAT!)

Esther 3:1 After these things did king Ahasuerus promote (gadal) Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.  (God has PROMOTED His Word!)  Read Psalm 75:6  --- For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

It is used (gadal) in Job 2:13 of Job’s GREAT grief!

Some things God will not allow to be magnified! See Job 19:5 and Psalm 35:26! (Man is one of those things that will not be allowed to magnify himself against God!)

Psalm 34:3 O magnify (gadal) the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

Psalm 40:16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.

In Psalm 41:9 gadal is "lifted up!"

How can we magnify God or His Word? Psalm 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify (gadal) Him with thanksgiving.  (We magnify God's Word partly by just being thankful for it!)

Psalm 92:5 O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. But, apparently, the greatest of His works ... His Holy Word!

Gadal used twice in one verse: Psalm 150:2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

Our word (as a cognate) is translated "stout" in Isaiah 10:12! (We have a very stout Bible!)

In Isaiah 28:29 our word is translated "excellent!" (How excellent is God's Name says Psalm 8!  Yet His Word is even more excellent!)

Here is nearly a parallel verse: Isaiah 42:21 The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable. (Wow!)

Here is the world’s idea of gadol greatness: Ezekiel 16:26 Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great (gadal) of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke me to anger. (This old world says that the flesh is GREAT!  God says His Word is GREATER!)

Here our word is "boasted:" Ezekiel 35:13 Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me, and have multiplied your words against me: I have heard them.  (This implies that God loves to BOAST in His Word!)

In the future judgment of Gog and Magog, God will magnify Himself! See ... Ezekiel 38:23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.

The coming antichrist will wax gadal: Daniel 8:9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. Also get this of antichrist: Daniel 11:37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. (Wow!)

Here’s something else the lost world magnifies: Amos 8:5 says: When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great (gadal), and falsifying the balances by deceit? (The "shekel" is the equivalent to our dollar bill!  The world makes $$$ great!  God says His Word is GREATER!)

In Obadiah verse 12 our word is translated "proudly!" God is sinlessly PROUD of His Word! (Glory!)

Jesus is great: Micah 5:4 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.

Last use in Bible (Malachi): And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel. Malachi 1:5

What a word we have here! It would take a while to show how dearly God treasures His Own Word!

As you men set out to preach the Scriptures this weekend, remember you are handling Something mighty precious to the Lord! It is a Magnified Book indeed!

--- Dr. Mike Bagwell

Friday, December 12, 2003 (8:52 AM, Wartburg, Tennessee)

Preachers, I have just GOT to share a verse with you today!  I found it last night just before Brother Brent called me to the pulpit to preach!  It is located in Psalm 119 (verse 52).

"I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself."

That thrills me!  As you well know the little word "judgments" there represents the whole of Scripture.  David is as much as saying that he uses the Bible to "comfort" himself!

Preachers, I have been in the ministry long enough to know that occasionally discouraging days do come!  (Jeremiah once wanted to quit!  Even John the Baptist doubted Jesus from that dark old jail cell!  Simon Peter denied the Lord!  Paul wanted to just leave it all behind and go on to heaven!  John Mark failed on that first missionary journey!  Paul and Barnabas had a fight and never worked together again!  David wanted to flee as a bird to the mountains!)

It is not the fact that dark days come (and go, praise the Lord)!  The real question is:  "How does one handle those difficult times?"

The great news today is that the answer to that question is right in front of us! 

David "comforted himself" by means of the Word of God! 

Does that hold true in the light of other Scripture?  YES, it does!  Listen to Paul:  "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."  Romans 15:4  (Did you get that?  The "patience" and "comfort" of the Scriptures!  That Greek word for "Patience" literally means: HOW TO STAND UP UNDER A HEAVY LOAD!  And the term "Comfort" means:  TO COME STAND BY SOMEONE AND WALK WITH THEM TO HELP STRENGTHEN THEM!  Glory to God!  The BIBLE will help me bear the burdensome load and will be by my side ... via the Holy Spirit ... to go with me through the problems!)

Our Hebrew word here for "comfort" also helps.  It means (nacham) "to ease oneself!"  To help lift the load!  It is used in the King James Version in Isaiah 1:24 which says:  "Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies."  Wow!  God just used our verb!  He applies it in the sense of removing the problems and burdens and adversaries in the path of life!

Listen to me:  THE BIBLE WILL HELP YOU IN THOSE HARD TIMES.  READ, STUDY, MEMORIZE, MEDITATE, AND OBEY IT FAITHFULLY!

Hard times will come (again and again)!  Some days will be discouraging.  Just KEEP YOUR BIBLE HANDY!  It is the very medicine you need in such dreary times!

While I today can't comment on it ... listen to the Psalmist as he also says:  "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes." (Psalm 119:71)  It is almost as if he believes the difficulties of our work come our way ... just to drive us into the dear Word of God!

Men, my prayer is that you will have a "comfortable" day in the Scriptures! Many of you are studying for Sunday.  Enjoy!

                                                            --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 11, 2003 (Thursday)

I am preaching this week at the lovely Fellowship Baptist Church in Wartburg, Tennessee. The good Pastor here is Brother Brent Pollotta.  I have learned since being here that the little city gets its name from its German background.  German settlers here many years ago named their settlement after the famous European fortress known as Wartburg Castle!  Have you never heard of it?  It is the place they hid old Martin Luther (for 8 months) while the Pope and Catholics were searching him out ... in order to bring him to trial and certain death!

Martin Luther was born November 10 of 1483.  He as a young man was a Catholic monk who loved to study his Bible!  The problem was that the more he studied Scripture (especially the epistles of Paul), the more he saw places where his church (Catholic) was wrong!  Finally when he was assured that folks are saved by grace ALONE ... he nailed his "95 thesis" on the door of the church in Wittenburg.  The war was on!

During the height of the battle, Luther was "kidnapped" in a friendly manner and taken to Wartburg Castle (today still overlooking Eisenach, Germany) to be hidden (and protected) for 8 months!  While there that hard working man translated the New Testament from Greek into German! 

There are plans here in Wartburg, Tennessee, to build a replica of the old castle right here in town! 

I don't know a lot about Martin Luther ... but I do know "THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH!"  That is the truth (found 3 times in the New Testament) that changed Luther's life for ever!

That got me to thinking about you preachers!  In all likelihood some of you have been "under attack" a few times in your ministry!  (Somebody looking for you head!)  The man who hid Martin Luther was named "Frederick the Wise!"  I'd say anybody that protects and loves a godly preacher is pretty wise!

Dear Brother, today stop a few minutes and THANK GOD for those few but faithful friends He has brought into your life through the years ... folks who have loved you and stood by you as a preacher of the Word!  Some have even defended you in the face of great opposition! 

You see these kinds of people in Scripture.  An Ethiopian eunuch named Ebed-Melech who pulled Jeremiah from a dungeon pit and sure death! (Jeremiah 38)  A little nephew who protected Paul from a death plot!  (Acts 23)  Some folks who lowered Paul over the city wall away from killers at Damascus!  (Acts 9)  Jonathan's "armourbearer" who stood by the prince's side in battle!  (1 Samuel 14)  David's "mighty men!"  (2 Samuel 21)  And there are many more!

Why not let someone know today that you appreciate their loyalty in these hard days of battle.  (Or if it's the case with you right now ... these good days of victory!)

                                                                                     --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 10, 2003 (Wednesday)

It is an honor to write you preachers each day!  (And anyone else who reads this page)  I do believe that God's men are his "anointed" servants for these last days. As I typed the "Bible Nuggets" page earlier this morning I had a thought.  I was mentioning a preacher named Archippus who had a "ministry" in the Lord.  We saw that the word "ministry" is derived from the word that suggests errand running!  I got to thinking about the different word pictures in Scripture for the work God has called preachers to do!  Here are some of them:

1. We are errand runners for the Lord!  (the root meaning behind the word "ministry" or "ministers"  Colossians 4:17)

2. We are fishermen!  (fishers of men!  Mark 1:17)

3. We are ambassadors!  (2 Corinthians 5:20)

4. We are stewards!  (1 Corinthians 4:1   Household slaves who are entrusted with the Master's goods and expected to dispense them wisely!)

5. We are heralds of the King!  (When the verb "preach" is Greek kerusso ... it means to proclaim as a forerunner of the coming king!  2 Timothy 4:1-2)

6. We are witnesses!  (See Acts 4:20.)

7. We are soldiers!  (2 Timothy 2:3)

8. We are sowers!  (Matthew 9:36-38)

9. We are reapers!  (same text)

10. We are priests!  (actual rendering of Romans 15:16 where the word "minister" is the Greek term leitourgos and means the service of a priest)

11. We are shepherds!  (That's the Greek word for pastors!  John 21:15-16 where Jesus told Peter to feed His sheep!)

12. We are spiritual parents!  (Paul told his converts that he was their spiritual father!  1 Corinthians 4:15)

13. We are members of God's rescue squad!  (Remember Jude 23 "Others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire!")

14. We are many other things as well.  The list will take a lifetime to build fully!

May God bless you preachers (and those of you who read these lines in order to better encourage your preacher) is my sincere prayer!

                                                               --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 9, 2003 (Tuesday)

While writing today's "Bible Nuggets" page, I was encouraged by a thought from the Lord!  In the New Testament Paul calls himself three interesting names! 

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.  1 Timothy 1:15

For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.  1 Corinthians 15:9

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.  Ephesians 3:8

He first says that he is the "chief of sinners."

Next he decides that he is the "least of all the apostles!"

Then he is "less than the least of all the saints!"

Don't you see the downward progression of Paul's self attitude.  The more he GREW in Christ Jesus ... the less he thought of SELF!

Brethren, today let's ask God to help us with our humility!  (An English word meaning "ground!"  Low to the ground!  Lowly!  Not "stuck up!")

As a preacher folks look up to you!  You are the "hero" of the godly!  You are the spiritual equivalent of a CEO (chief executive officer) of a company ... and we all know how conceited many of them are!  It just "goes" with the position!

But pride and an attitude of superiority just can't belong to the true man of God!

Here's something.  One can humble himself!  (Proverbs 6:3)

James 4:10 says "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."

Let's ask the Lord to give us the attitude old John the Baptist had in John 3:30.  There he said:  "He must increase, but I must decrease."

God, grant Thy servants today an attitude of lowliness!

                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 8, 2003 (Monday)

Brethren, while studying for a message yesterday I saw an interesting truth in Isaiah 28.  It is a Biblical insight on that great Prophet's preaching style.  It may have come from mocking lips ... laughing at old Isaiah!  Here is the verse:  "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little."  (Isaiah 28:10)

When Isaiah preached he simply expounded the Word of God.  (Now he did not have a New Testament at all!  And much of the Old Testament had not yet been written either!  But he did have the Books of Moses and the Psalms and perhaps other books Scripture as well.  Also he had the direct Word form God from time to time!

Isaiah carefully took his text material and expounded it verse-by-verse!  That is the idea behind the line upon line and precept on precept statement!  I believe Isaiah was an expository preacher!

So was Ezra.  "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading."  (Nehemiah 8:8)  That is a precise definition of expository preaching! 

So was Jesus!  On the road to Emmaus He opened the Scriptures book by book to his two traveling companions! Luke 24:27 "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself."

Preachers, I'd like to encourage you to try something soon.  (I am not asking you to quit preaching topical sermons or just textual sermons if that's what God leads you to do!)  Attempt to preach a text just verse-by-verse.  Take it a word or phrase at a time and work your way through it!   (If anyone tries this, let me know!  I'll be praying for you.)

To me ... the most exciting preaching of all is giving God's Word "word for word" or (as Isaiah did) line upon line!

When I was just a teenager, I well remember my Uncles (Evangelists) using Isaiah's great preaching model as an example to follow!

May God bless you expositors! 

Men, our thoughts don't "count" too much!  God's Words mean everything!

                                                                       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

December 1st through 7th, 2003

Isaiah 49:2 contains one of the Prophet's great "Servant" passages!  (If you have not studied these, please do!  There are 4 of them!  They present some of the greatest preaching on JESUS in Scripture!)

The Servant of the Lord says there:  He hath made me a "polished shaft!"  What a picture of a prepared servant!  "A POLISHED SHAFT!"  It means a well prepared arrow to slip into the quiver of a mighty hunter!  Something designed to deal with the next enemy who comes to harm!

Now I realize that THE Polished Shaft is the Lord Jesus Himself!  But as "under-shepherds" each Man of God is just that ... a polished shaft!

Let me explain.  This shaft is just a common stick found out in the wilderness.  It may have been a little "crooked" even!   The Hunter knows how to straighten a crooked stick!  (First he uses his sharp knife to trim any knots and excess!  Then he binds it to a straight stick and puts it into the fire long enough to bend the crookedness away!  Then comes more trimming!)  Anyone remember when He came where you were and took you out of the miry clay and placed you in His Hands?  Anyone remember the sharp cutting pain of Holy Ghost conviction?  Have you been through his fires of purification?  Has He ever put you in a tight place to straighten you out?  Aren't you glad He bound you to the straight Word of God?

Next the skilled craftsman begins to polish the arrow-to-be!  It takes time to do this! Then comes the placing of a sharp (two-edged) arrowhead on its end!  Maybe some feathers to adorn its other end as well.  Then on it goes to the quiver ... waiting to be used by its Creator!  Some preacher is reading this who is right now being polished for the job! Others are being equipped with the sharp-as-a-sword arrow point!  Still others yet are being adorned beautifully for the battle ahead!

The one day it finally happens!  The enemy appears and you are needed!  Immediately upon call, you fly into action!  Aimed by divine Omnipotence, you hit the mark and fell the enemy!  (How very thrilled that little polished shaft must feel!)  Oh, to be used of God!

By the way, many an arrow strikes one enemy (successfully) and is retrieved and used to fight still another foe ... and another ... and another ... and another!  What success it must sense!

I have to close this meditation. But, fellow arrows (I mean ... fellow Preachers), let's place ourselves in HIS Hands today and let Him use us for His Glory. 

Ready ... aim ... fire! 

                                                      --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

November 29, 2003 (Saturday) 7:25 AM

Somewhere a number of years ago I read this and have never forgotten it.  An old preacher had written it in one of his books. 

He said that he had adopted a certain "habit." I would like to mention it to you preachers today!

He of course would study hard as the days went by ... working on the Sunday sermons.  It would take hours of his time.  (And I hope it takes hours of YOUR time dear preacher friend!)

He had written his notes carefully and was (as far as he knew) "ready" to preach. 

But he always returned to that sacred place of "study" late Saturday evening to do one more thing! 

He reverently entered the room.  He took his notes and slid them into his Bible.  He bend down on his knees.  He began to pray.  He lifted up those notes into the air before the Lord and DEDICATED HIS SERMONS AND THE WEEK'S WORK BEHIND THEM TO THE DEAR LORD WHOM HE LOVED!

He literally gave the messages back to God, yielding them to His Glory!  He asked God to use the texts to save souls and feed Christians and encourage the downcast and whatever else was needed.

You know what he did?  He WORSHIPPED his God with the Bible and notes lifted heavenward!

I just believe some preacher reading these lines will try that tonight!  It might even become a habit for someone else who truly loves the Lord!

Then as you enter the pulpit tomorrow morning and night ... you hold freshly dedicated and genuinely holy matter in your hands.

PREACH ACCORDINGLY!

(I just thought you might like to hear about that old preacher and his Saturday night pattern!)  Our Lord is worthy of such worship, isn't He?

                                                               --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

November 28, 2003 (Friday)  Cumming, Georgia (Home!)  6:15 AM

I thought today I would share with you what little I know about some preachers and their individual "study habits." 

You might be thinking ... study "habits?"  Preachers are so busy!  What preacher on earth could possibly have study "habits?"   Well, plenty of the Men of God have!

I have known of one preacher who through the years has made it a "habit" to study the Scriptures 8 hours a day!  (40 hours a week!)  Please note that I said only ONE preacher I've even known did this.  (Think how "rich" his sermons would be!)

I know several preachers who study 4 hours per day!  (Even some Pastors of rather large churches!)  One asked his church (a First Baptist Church) to allow him the morning hours for study.  Then he committed to give them the afternoons for counseling, hospital visiting, administration, visitation and all the other things a Pastor does!  That church agreed and they reaped a wonderful multi-year ministry of hearing the precious Word of God expounded with knowledge and power!

Some preachers I know study best at night!  Others cannot do so!  They have to study early in the morning!  A few carry their Bible and books with them wherever they are ... and study on the go! 

The point I am trying to make is this!  Whether 8 hours a day ... or 6 ... or 4 ... or 2 ... or only 30 minutes ... WE HAD BETTER GET TO STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD!  The spiritual health of our people depends upon it! 

Men, discipline yourselves!  Get in the Book!  By the way, just as a teacher by preparing well learns more than his students ... so do preachers by preparing well learn more than their congregations!  You will be HELPING YOURSELF by studying diligently!

Preaching is like draining water from a reservoir.  If nothing is put back in ... sometime in the future it will run dry!  Keep the water of the Word flowing into your life!  Do not run "dry!"

I only know of one text in the Bible proving a Pastor's love!  Jesus gave this "exam" to Peter.  Jesus asked: "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?"  (John 21:16)  Then ... here comes the PROOF of a Pastor's love for Jesus:  "FEED MY SHEEP!"  That's pretty clear, isn't it?  (If we love the dear Lord ... we will FEED His sheep!  That involves studying the Word!  And the more ... the better!)

Men, put yourself on a schedule.  MAKE yourself get into the Word of God!  You will never regret it!  (And once you get on a schedule ... each year or so INCREASE the time you spend in Scripture.  Appetite grows as one matures spiritually!)

                                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

NOVEMBER 27, 2003 (THURSDAY, THANKSGIVING,  12:41 AM)

I was reading yesterday and found these words from the pen of the godly Puritan preacher named Richard Baxter. He lived from 1615 to 1691. He wrote the now famous book "The Reformed Pastor," in which he set forth his view of Biblical ideals for the Man of God!

I paraphrase some of his comments. A real Pastor is taken up with a predominant love for God! He is devoted wholly to the Lord. He makes his Lord the center of all his actions! A man must love God above all before he can serve God before all!

As the good of the state must be the goal of the governor ... so must the good of the church be the goal of the pastor!

The model Pastor must set his heart on the life to come. He must be obsessed with matters of eternal life! He must be convinced that the inestimable riches of glory are to be preferred to the trifles of this world!

(Old English is a little difficult even to paraphrase. I am doing the best that I can! But what Baxter has to say is so important to preachers today!)

One more thing I want to add. The preacher (and here I quote directly) "must be addicted to pleasing God!" THOSE WORDS STRUCK ME LIKE A HEAVY HAMMER! "Addicted to pleasing God," Richard Baxter said!

Our world is used to all kinds of addictions! Alcohol, illegal drugs of all kinds, caffeine, nicotine, television, chocolate, pornography, sleeping pills, and so much more! BUT HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF ANYONE BEING ADDICTED TO PLEASING GOD?

I went searching in Scripture. Once that word "addicted" appears! It’s in Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 16:15 says:  "I beseech you, brethren, ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints." That word "addicted" is the Greek verb "tasso." It is a military term meaning "to line up under the commander!" To be in (and stay in) your place! The House of Stephanas just decided they were going to spend their lives serving God’s dear saints ... therefore they would be serving God (Matthew 25:40)! The verb is an indicative aorist in the active voice! They made the commitment to be addicted to the things of God ... and stuck with it all their lives!

I wonder to what I am "addicted!" How about you too, my preacher friend? Would old Richard Baxter approve of our addictions today? Would he consider us "addicted to pleasing God?"

Then I though of Paul himself! He stated in 2 Corinthians 5:9 "Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him." Paul’s great goal? To be accepted of God! (That sounds like an "addiction" to me!)

The word Paul used for "labour" is very unusual! It’s Greek "philotimeomai." It combines 2 Greek words: phileo and time. Phileo = to be fond of, or to love! And time (pronounced ti-may’) = value, reward, honour) It means to be fond of honour! It is an indicative mood, present tense, middle voice verb! Paul spend his time and his days seeking to gain honor from the Lord for all he did! He served to please Jesus! He longed to hear "well done!"

And the verb "accepted" is no less thrilling! It is Greek "euarestos." Eu = well, good! Arestos = agreeable, fit or pleasing! Paul wanted to always everywhere please His heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ His Son! He never wanted to displease (grieve or quench) the Holy Spirit! What high goals!

Now ... that is being a "ideal preacher!"

I thought on this Thanksgiving Day you men might want something "high and noble" which you could strive to give your Saviour  (in thanks for all He’s done for you)!

I love and appreciate you Preachers!

                                                                  --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

NOVEMBER 26, 2003 (MONROE, NORTH CAROLINA, 8:45 AM) THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING

I saw this yesterday and it was a blessing.

Brethren, let me tell you what happens when we preach!

These word pictures are taken from the pages of Scripture!

It tells the story of what God is PERFORMING while you are PREACHING!

Number 1, as you preach God is letting light into dark places!   Psalm 119:130 says: "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple."  I am so glad for the "light" I've received during the preaching of the Word of God!  I often get light not only when I am hearing others preach ... but even while I'm doing the preaching too!  Do you?

Number 2, as you preach God is planting seed!  (Remember the parable of the sower in Matthew 13!)  James 1:21 tells us to: "Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls."  That little word "engrafted" means implanted!

Number 3, as you preach God is giving medicine to the spiritually sick!  He is the Divine Physician!  There is Balm (medicine) in Gilead!  Psalm 107:20 says:  "He sent His Word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions."  We preachers are spiritual pharmacists!  (Dispensing the medicine of Scripture under the direction of the read Doctor of souls!)

Number 4, as you preach God is cleansing defiled lives!  Jesus says in John 15:3 "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you."  Paul adds in Ephesians 5:26 that one of the Lord's goals for us is ... "That he might sanctify and cleanse us with the washing of water by the word!"  Glory to God!

Number 5, as you preach God is skillfully using the Sword against the enemy! Hebrews 4:12 reminds us:  "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword."  And Ephesians 6:17 adds:  "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."  We can say of the Word of God what David said of old Goliath's sword in 1 Samuel 21:9 "There is none like that; give it me."

Number 6, as we preach God is serving spiritual food to the hungry saints!  Jeremiah said,  "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts."  The Bible is milk and meat and honey and so much more for us wayfaring pilgrims!

Number 7, as we preach the Lord is also investing great spiritual wealth in the lives of His people!  The Bible is often compared to gold and silver and precious "deposits" of various sorts!  As you proclaim God's dear Word ... nuggets of great value are being uncovered for their use!  When we leave church (if the Word of God is truly preached) we are by far wealthier Believers!  Psalm 119:14 says:  "I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches."

Dear Men of God, we ought to be excited next time we preach!  There is no telling what God is doing as we stand there proclaiming His Word!

I just thought this might encourage some preacher today as he is preparing Sunday's sermons!

(These points came from a little book named "The Dynamics of Preaching."  If anyone is interested I will be glad to supply you with Publisher and Author and other information.)

                                                           --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

NOVEMBER 25, 2003 (MONROE, NORTH CAROLINA, 7:28 AM)

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:16 "WOE IS UNTO ME, IF I PREACH NOT THE GOSPEL."

The whole verse goes like this:  "For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!"

Every Preacher truly "called" of God knows exactly what Paul means!

That word "necessity" is interesting.  It is a combination of 2 Greek words (ana + agkale).  The main root (agakale) means a "bend" as in the arm at the elbow!  I was living my life and God came along and put a "bend" in my direction!  He CALLED me to preach!  No longer would I plan to be a pilot.  I now MUST plan to be a preacher!  You might say God BENT me all out of the shape I had planned for my life!  (I'm so glad He did!)  That word for "necessity" also gives us the English word "ache!"  Thee are truly some aches that come with preaching!  (Many more "joys" than aches ... but still there are aches!)  I've experienced a few heart-aches in the ministry ... and you have too!  In fact I can remember some head-aches, too!  Can't you?)  It is all a part of the necessity God has laid upon us, brethren!

When the Lord was first "dealing" with me about preaching His dear Word (I was just a young lad), I didn't like the idea too much!  I had other plans for my life!

But my testimony is that after yielding to His Will in this great matter of preaching, I rapidly began to ENJOY it!  (I still clearly realize that I too have no choice!  If I am to obey God, I MUST preach!  But what I am saying is that the NECESSITY has become a DELIGHT!)

I just don't know much I'd rather do than try to PREACH the precious Word of God, do you, preacher friend?

Let us today delight in the calling of God upon our lives.  It's true ... we have no choice!  But it's also true that it's the greatest work on earth!

I wouldn't "stoop" to be a bank president or a national leader or a famous personality or even great hero ....  NO SIR!  I'm a preacher of the Word of God!

I mean this short article as a "salute" to you Men of God today!  This is Thanksgiving week!  I'm grateful to the Lord for so much (for example, my wife and family) ... but you preachers are near the top of the list!  THANK GOD FOR PREACHING!  THANK GOD FOR PREACHERS!   We were all "drafted" into God's Ministry ... but I've become a career officer and I LOVE IT!

Glory to HIS Name!

                                                  --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

NOVEMBER 24, 2003 (7:05 AM)

Preachers, over the week-end I saw the following verse in a new light!   Paul in 1st Corinthians 4:9 says:  "For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a SPECTACLE unto the world, and to angels, and to men."

Maybe there is a preacher reading these lines who had a hard day Sunday! There were some problems ... and, as usual, the preacher got blamed for them.  Maybe someone (again) was gossiping about you!  Perhaps a deacon was upset!  Or did a family tell you they were leaving ... and you know that in some way you'll get the blame even for that!

Look at our verse!  Paul says that we preachers (He as an Apostle ... we as Preachers of the Word) are made a "spectacle" to the world and to angels and to men!  Everyone is looking at us!  They even laugh at us and mock us!  And we take it ALL for for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ!

That word "spectacle" is the Greek word "theatron."  It give us our word theatre!  The place some folks go to see a show!  We preachers are the "show," the laughingstock of many an enemy of the Gospel!  (And, YES, there are some of them in the church too!)  The root of the verb means "to look at closely!"

We are in the "arena" of public ridicule.  We're the subject of their harsh criticism!  The brunt of their "jokes."  A few verses later Paul calls us the "offscouring" of all things!  (That which is wiped off!  As the dirt on the dishes!)

Let me just say this.  While we are spectacles to everyone today ... there is One Other Person watching of Whom I'd like to remind you!  He is the Lord God Almighty!  While the world watches and laughs and offscours us ... the dear Lord loves us and accepts us and some day will say to us, "Well done thou good and faithful servant!"

I wouldn't trade His commendation for the fickle praise of the world any day!  Would you?

Let that crowd laugh!  Lift your eyes heavenward today!  I think (via faith) you will see Someone with a smile looking down on His obedient preacher. 

Therein I find encouragement!

                                                       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

NOVEMBER 23, 2003 11:30 PM

I just love learning about habits of great preachers of the past!  One of my favorites is Dr. Alexander MacLaren.  He lived from 1826 until 1910.  He pastored the same church in Manchester, England, for nearly 50 years!  He preached through the whole Bible to his congregation!

Much of that preaching is captured in his multi-volume (nearly 2o volumes when first published) "Expositions of Holy Scriptures."  I treasure my set of these sermons!

Dr. MacLaren had an unusual habit as he prepared his sermons.  (Some of which took up to 20 hours of hard work!)  Tell THAT to the busy preachers of this day and time!

He would always put on a heavy pair of work BOOTS in which he studied.  If he was involved in sermon preparation ... he had on his BOOTS!  (Not barefooted no slippers, no dress shoes ... but WORK BOOTS!)

Someone one day asked him about his strange habit!  He said that he pastored a lot of hard working men.  He believed that when his men worked ... he should work. While they cut wood, farmed their land or drove their mules ... they all wore their boots!  The preacher decided that as he did his work (preparing messages from God's Word to feed those men on Sundays) HE TOO WOULD WEAR WORK CLOTHES ... INCLUDING HIS BOOTS!

Can you imagine speaking to the same people for nearly 50 years!  A man would have to be IN the Word of God, wouldn't he?

And Dr. Alexander MacLaren WAS a preacher of the Word!

Remember, dear preacher friend, the next time you are studying God's Word preparing Sunday's sermon ... YOU ARE AT WORK!  Do your very best!

I just thought you might like to know.     

                                                --- Dr. Mike Bagwell                       

NOVEMBER 22, 2003 (11:59 PM)

Brethren, just a note of warning here.  We all now use our computers as tools in the Lord's service.  I can now sit down each morning and scan the whole world for news and other such information!

However there are some DANGERS on the internet!  There is a lot of filth out there!  It is estimated that over 75% of the men who access the web (www) visit pornographic sites! (Remember that King David was around 50 when he committed that wicked life-destroying sin with Bathsheba!)  Preachers ... you just can't afford to get wrapped up in some "secret sin" like this!

Here are some "hedges" of protection when on the internet!  Don't go there alone often.  Try to have someone else around when you're on-line.  Keep your computer in a visible place!  (Not in a corner with a screen around it!)  Mine sits in our living room!  It's like Grand Central there!  Do NOT talk to strangers ... especially strange women!  The Book of Proverbs says plenty about that!  DO NOT give any personal information to anyone! (I am  NOT talking about buying a commentary on-line.  I am talking about so called chat rooms, etc.  Even be careful with e-mails!)  MAKE IT HARD TO SIN!

If you are tempted in this area, invest a little extra money and get a filtered internet provider.  It would be well worth the expense!  And if none of these measures work, THROW THE WHOLE COMPUTER IN THE DUMPSTER!  It is not worth the cost you are about to pay!  Your ministry is priceless!

I just thought I would say this for that dear man of God who is under "attack" today! May God give you the victory!  The rest of you download this and help some other preacher who is struggling along the way!

None of us is above temptation, you know!

                                                                           --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

NOVEMBER 21, 2003 (6:32 PM) Cumming, Georgia

*  In reading Charles H. Spurgeon, the great British preacher of years past, I have been impressed with one major thing!  He was hard to STOP!  He preached a series of sermons to the young preachers in his "Pastor's College" that are just thrilling!  (You can view them on-line at "www.spurgeon.org")  Once you enter the site, click on "An All Round Ministry."  There you can read all 12 sermons!

In some of them he tells how much pain he is suffering  even while he is trying to preach!   But he did not quit!  He kept going!

He was also given to discouragement.  In fact many say he endured fits of deep depression.  It seemed to be almost more than he could bear!  But, guess what?  He did't quit.  He kept going!

Preachers, times will be tough for us too as we serve the Lord.  It may not be sickness (at first) or depression ... but it could be church folks opposing your ministry!  Some long tongued woman!  Some hypocrite of a man!  Some rebel teenager or youth worker!  (Not saying all women, men or teens are that way!)

Most preachers anymore when a real fight comes on ... just quit and run!  They feel led to leave!  They "don't want to hurt the church ... so they move on!"  They yield to that old "It's time for the Pastor to go" stuff!

Hey!  Hear me!  DO NOT QUIT!  DO NOT RUN!  DO NOT BE A SISSY!  FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE ... FIGHT!  FIGHT!  FIGHT!  IN THE NAME OF JESUS, FIGHT!  There just may be more people there for you than you know!  Make those troublemakers stand up or shut up!  Bring it to a vote!  Let all the people know what's going on!

Preacher, let me tell you something.  If you run and leave ... the crowd is just going to "get" the next preacher that comes along!  And the "next!"  And the "next!"  It is said that once a wolf gets a taste of sheep blood, he will never stop attacking (and eating) them!  Once a spiritual "wolf" gets a taste of preacher "blood,"  they never quit attacking God's men!  STAND AND FIGHT!  If for no other reason, for that younger preacher who will follow you in your place of service there!

I am reminded what Paul said to young Titus.  Titus had been called to Crete, one of the hardest pastorates in the New Testament.   I believe Titus was ready (and wanting) to leave that hard place of service.  Paul wrote him and said:  "For this cause left I thee (Titus) in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee."  In other words, young Titus ... stay where you are!  There are some problems that must be solved.  There are some mouths that must be stopped!  (He really said this!  "For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision; Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not ...."  Titus 1:10-11)  There were Christians who needed to be strengthened!

Preacher friend, do not be discouraged this weekend!  You and God make a majority anywhere you go!  ("What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?"  Romans 8:31) Do not quit!  Do not run!  Be a modern day "Spurgeon" and fight the good fight of faith!

May God bless you and as old Dr. Bob Jones, Sr., used to say, "MAY GOD GIVE YOU A BACKBONE LIKE A SAW-LOG!"

                                     --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

NOVEMBER 20, 2003 (THURSDAY)

*  I don't know how many Men of God will be interested in this idea, but it sure can add "depth" to one's preaching!  I learned it from an old preacher a long time ago.  He simply got a few boxes of file folders and went to work!  He fixed one for every chapter in the Bible!  (that is 1,189 of them!)  You don't have to start that BIG!  Sixty six (66) will be fine for the beginning. 

Once he was organized with his folders and file drawer space, he began collecting his material!  Every time he read a quote on a certain chapter, he copied it and placed in the appropriate file.  Each sermon he heard, he made notes and filed it where it belonged too!  He added interesting little "clips" of information everywhere he went! 

It took a few years, but ... guess what?  Now he has 1,189 bulging file folders absolutely loaded with all kinds of great data to use when he preaches from any chapter of the Word of God!  (Quotes, poems, illustrations, outlines, commentators paragraphs, etc.)

Like I say, do this only if you can stick to something for the long while!  And do begin small.  It might take a year or two to fill 66 files ... one for every book of the Bible.  Then you can sub-divide into the chapters!

What I have just shared with you can enrich your preaching wonderfully!  Do not misunderstand me.  Let GOD LEAD YOU in sermon direction.  What you are collecting is supportive material.  You would simply be doing your BEST for Jesus!

Anyone interested?

                                              --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

November 19, 2003 (5:34 PM Central Standard Time)  Warrior, Alabama

*  An old Preacher I knew years ago told me this  one day.  The phone had rung and as he answered it he eventually turned the conversation toward the things of God. He said to the other person, "Sure I will pray with you about that.  In fact, let's pray right now before we get off the phone."  And he broke into the loveliest prayer you could ever imagine!

Now that's my point right there!  The next time you get a phone call, do one of two things.  Either pray with that person right then and there on the phone ... or ... as soon as you complete the call immediately pray for them as you cradle the receiver!

That's right!  Make this a habit!  WHY, preacher?  There are several reasons! Number one, we all need to be more and more men of prayer!  It wouldn't hurt us to pray without ceasing!   (1 Thessalonians 5:17)  Secondly, it helps us keep our word! How many times do we tell someone that we'll pray for them ... only to forget to do so? (Ouch, that hurts!)  By praying for them or with them instantly we keep our word, and that's important for a preacher!  Thirdly, by praying for them sincerely we show our love and concern for their needs!  We are to "love one another!"

What was that I heard?  Oh!  It's the phone ringing!  I've got to go answer it!  It means another conversation ... and another prayer!  That will be good for both the caller ... and for me!

This "preacher Talk" article is just a suggestion, but it's a wise suggestion! Someone begin this (lifelong) habit today!  In heaven you will look me up and thank me for it!

                                                                         --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

November 18, 2003 (11:27 AM Central Standard Time)  Warrior, Alabama

*  Several years ago I heard a wise old preacher say that he tried to read a sermon every day!  He believed that his habit had helped him immensely in his Christian growth.

Did you Pastors ever stop to think that of all the people in the church, only YOU do not get to hear a weekly sermon?  Now I know you prepare and deliver one or two (or even three) sermons a week, but that's different.  It could be good to let someone else feed you from the dear Word of God!

Always "putting out" and never "taking in" can have some long term effects on your spiritual life!

For those of you interested in this, at first try reading different preachers. (Sermon books are relatively inexpensive and easily found.)  Just think, you could be walking with old men of God who lived a hundred years ago (or more)!  One preacher may not speak to your heart as much as another one may.  It just depends on how the Lord "moves" you through a certain man's preaching.  Some get a lot out of Spurgeon's preaching and others get nearly nothing!   But those who get little from Spurgeon may get a great deal from MacLaren or Parker.

That wise old preacher to whom I referred earlier said that at times (months or even years) Charles Spurgeon was his "pastor!"  At other times you could listen to old Dr. Bob Jones, Senior.  (Or any other published preacher of your choice!)

This is just an idea, but I do hope someone will try it!  I've recommended it to preachers again and again through he years.  Some have tried it.   Others are still doing so.

If you want some further suggestions, write me (e-mail) and I'll gladly respond to you.  All any of us really wants is to GROW in the Lord, isn't it?

                                                              --- Dr. Mike Bagwell