THE PRECIOUS THINGS OF
GOD ... INTRODUCTION:
Several years ago I saw some study material
that caught my eye. An old preacher had preached a series of
sermons on the things the Bible calls "precious!" He titled his
book THE PRECIOUS THINGS OF GOD!
Deuteronomy 33:13-14 ---
"And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the
LORD be his land,
for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for
the deep that coucheth beneath, And
for the precious fruits
brought forth by the sun."
The word for "precious" means (Hebrew = "meged")
to be "distinguised" or to be "eminent"." Eminent means "to
stand out from!" It is the Hebrew word for "excellence!"
Would you agree with me that there are some
"precious" things in Heaven? I know of absolutely no believer
who would doubt that statement. Of course here Moses is
thinking of such things as the rain and the dew and the clouds,
etc. But I am thinking of the heaven of heavens today. (The
abode of God Himself!) Think of the things of heaven: Our
Almighty God! The very Throne of Grace! An innumerable company
of angels! The body of now departed believers (including your
loved ones)! Mansions prepared and waiting! The atmosphere of
eternal worship!
Then Moses says something so significant. He
mentions the "precious fruits brought forth by the sun." Here
Moses envisions the bountiful crops with which God blessed
Israel again and again.
BUT I am thinking of another sun (SON). You
well know that in Psalm 19 the created sun is a type of the
eternal SON of God!
Would you agree with me that there are also
"some precious things brought forth" by the SON as well?
Jesus has surely brought forth some precious
things in all our lives!
"Put forth" is a verb that means "to yield or
to produce." (This is a forceful verb! It literally has the
idea of causing to burst forth! To explode!)
If you get around JESUS enough ... some
precious things will BURST FORTH from your lives!
For a few days I think we shall notice some
of these PRECIOUS THINGS of God!
We shall begin (Lord willing) tomorrow.
In the meanwhile, I've got my "nugget" for
today. I sure trust that you have too.
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
THE PRECIOUS THINGS OF
GOD ... THE LORD JESUS CHRIST:
I want to study with you today Something that
the Bible calls "PRECIOUS!" (I really should say "SOMEONE!")
1 Peter 2:7 declares:
"Unto you therefore which believe
he is precious."
"HE IS PRECIOUS!" In context Peter is
speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ! Let me show you what I
mean. 1 Peter 2:6 states: "Wherefore
also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a
chief corner stone, elect,
precious: and he
that believeth on him shall not be confounded." That
"Corner Stone" is Jesus, Precious Jesus!
The verb comes from a root that means "to pay
a price." It then (as a noun) assumes the meaning of "the price
or value or worth of a thing." Next it adopts the meaning: a
very worthy thing! Something priceless! Next it carries the
meaning of HONOR OR GREAT WORTH!
Again, let me say JESUS IS PRECIOUS!
Ask God to give you today a "felt conviction"
of the preciousness of the Saviour!
The old Puritans believed that one would not
have a real sense of the preciousness of Jesus until he saw a
real picture of the horror of sin! (Sounds right to me!) If we
could ever really see what He has save us FROM ... we would
value Him as absolutely PRICELESS!
May I add here that Jesus is precious as a
Person (the God-Man)! We preachers often talk of the "Person
and Work" of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me tell you right now
that if He was not right in His Person ... His Work simply would
not matter! (Had He ever sinned once ... His death on Calvary
would have been meaningless!) BUT HE NEVER SINNED! IN HIS
PERSON HE IS HOLY, UNDEFILED, SEPARATE FROM SINNERS ... PERFECT
(AND PRECIOUS)! Tell Him today that He is precious to you
because of Who He is!
Then He is also precious because of His great
WORK! (His work on Calvary, for example. That's how we got
saved!) His great work as an Intercessor today at the right
hand of God illustrates His dear Preciousness to my heart. He's
praying for me now! His great future work in coming again will
be so "precious" too.
Let me summarize and conclude this morning.
WE HAVE A PRECIOUS SAVIOUR!
Amen!
If you're saying, "I don't know what he's
talking about today," it may be that you do not believe! Our
verse did say, "Unto you therefore which
believe ...
He is precious"
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
THE PRECIOUS THINGS OF
GOD ... SAVING FAITH:
I have found something else which Scripture
says is PRECIOUS!
2 Peter 1:1 ---
"Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them
that have obtained like
precious faith with us through the righteousness of God
and our Saviour Jesus Christ."
Our very faith is PRECIOUS!
Not only is our Saviour PRECIOUS, so is our
faith! (For a brief study of the preciousness of Jesus, see
yesterday's column! 1 Peter 2:7 --- "Unto
you therefore which believe HE IS PRECIOUS: but unto them
which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed,
the same is made the head of the corner")
The noun faith ("pistis") is from the Greek
verb which means "to believe" or "to trust." But from our verse
it is obvious that this faith is not our own. It is "obtained"
somewhere! That verb "obtained" literally means "to receive by
lot!" To be given something by divine appointment (the
Christian view)! We did not earn our faith or deserve our faith
or create our own faith. It was given to us!
Just what is the "medium" through which we
received such precious faith? Our verse tells us:
"Through the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God and our
Saviour Jesus Christ." (Glory to His Name!)
Everyone you know does not have this precious
faith! You had better treasure it! It's precious! (Now don't
have faith in your faith! Have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!
But, still "highly value" your faith!)
Faith is precious also because it is a gift
of the Holy Spirit! No one could ever get saved (which requires
faith) apart from the Spirit's convicting and drawing power. No
Spirit ... no saving faith! Also the fruit of the Spirit is ...
love, joy (etc.) ... FAITH! Faith comes via the Spirit of God!
It is precious!
Furthermore faith is precious because it
"links" you to your other brothers and sisters in Christ! They
also are "in the faith." Paul said that all TRUE believers have
"one faith!" (Ephesians 4:5)
Faith should be precious to us because it is
how we please the Father! Hebrews 11:6 declares:
"But without faith it is impossible
to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe
that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of them that
diligently seek Him."
Then faith is precious because it brings
glory to God! It places everything in trust at His Feet!
Colossians 3:17 --- "And whatsoever ye do
in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God and the Father by him."
Lastly (on my short list), faith is precious
because it is available from the dear Word of God. Romans 10:17
--- "So then faith cometh by
hearing, and hearing by the word of God." If the Word of
God is precious to us ... then the faith produced by that Word
must be precious as well.
Is your faith PRECIOUS to you today, dear
friend? If not, ask God to help you begin treasuring it more
and more. After all, that great passage found in Ephesians
2:8-9 does remind us: "For by grace are
ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not
of works, lest any man should boast."
I'm beginning to really enjoy this list of
"the PRECIOUS things of God!" You know what? This could change
our very values system, couldn't it?
What a "nugget" today!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
THE PRECIOUS THINGS OF
GOD ... THE TRYING OF YOUR FAITH:
Here is something else that should be
"PRECIOUS" to the believer. Or at least God says so.
1 Peter 1:7 says:
"That the trial
of your faith, being much more
precious than of
gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be
found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus
Christ."
Both the noun "trial" and the adjective
"precious" are in the same case, the nominative case. That is
grammatical proof that it's the "trials" that are "precious" to
the Lord!
Isn't that ironic?
So far we have learned that JESUS is
precious! (1 Peter 2:7)
Then we saw that our very faith is precious!
(2 Peter 1:7)
Now even the TRIAL of that faith is
precious! (1 Peter 1:7)
It sure looks like Peter loves that word
"precious."
WHY is the "trail" of our faith so precious?
WHO sends these trials? Psalm 11:5 says:
"The LORD trieth the righteous."
The very word "trial" ("dokimion") means a
"test" for the purpose of approval. (An opportunity to prove
oneself!) It apparently thrills our heavenly Father when we are
tested and found faithful to Him and His Word!
Let me promise you something too.
Whenever you are enduring "trials," God will be keenly aware of
your needs ... and: "The eyes of the LORD
are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto
their cry." Psalm 34:15 (Cry out to Him in times of
trail!)
Another reason God loves the trials of His
people is that it seems that only those testings can produce the
maturity we need so badly! Listen to James:
"My brethren, count it all joy when ye
fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the
trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have
her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting
nothing." (James 1:2-4) See the end result of those
trials? Maturity! (Lacking nothing!)
Also let me interject here that God does not
sit in heaven laughing while we are under pressure! Listen to
this verse. Isaiah 63:9 --- "In all their
affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved
them: in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bare
them, and carried them all the days of old." This
plainly says that when we are afflicted, He is grieved too!
Both the noun and the verb are from the same semantic "root."
What we are going through, He is going through! ("Touched
with the feeling of our infirmity!" Hebrews 4:15)
These trials we endure are in reality the
child-training classes our Heavenly Father sends! He "chastens"
(the literal word for child training) those whom He loves! The
next time you're in a trial, remember that it just may be proof
that you're a child of God! Hebrews 12:6 says:
"For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth,
and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth."
I've got to close soon. Get this reason why
trials should be precious to us! In Psalm 119:71 the Christian
declares: "It is
good for me that I have been afflicted;
that I might learn thy statutes." Or even Psalm 119:50
says: "This is my comfort in my
affliction: for thy word hath quickened me." Trials will
draw us closer to the Word of God! We shall learn things about
Scripture during trials that we will not get otherwise!
Without trails we miss so much in the
Christian life! Peter believes that trials (the "patience"
thing ... remaining "under the load" God sends) rapidly
produces other things in our lives. Here's Peter's list:
trials bring: godliness ... brotherly
kindness ... and love! (2 Peter 1:6-7)
This will be a hard concept for us to grasp.
But God values our trails as something PRECIOUS to our spiritual
lives!
Glory to His dear name!
I've found a "nugget" today. How about you?
Here's how Paul puts it: 2 Corinthians 4:17
--- "For our light affliction, which is
but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory!"
Amen!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
THE PRECIOUS THINGS OF GOD ... THE
LORD'S VERY THOUGHTS:
Look at today's verse!
"How precious also are thy
thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!"
Our verse is located at Psalm 139:17.
Let's review. So far we have learned that
the "Precious Things of God"
include: Jesus our Saviour! The saving faith with which we
believed! The "trial" of our faith is precious too!
To this list we now add "God's Thoughts!"
Think of what must be on God's Mind! (A
whole universe is under His control!) And YET He thinks of you
and me, dear believing friends!
Did you ever realize that He must have
thought of you even before you were born. This very Psalm (139)
indicates that the Lord controlled your development in your
mother's womb. He though of you before you were in existence!
(How very "precious!")
The Lord also had you in His thoughts when
you were a sinner! He protected you (no doubt) again and again!
He planned your salvation! When He was on
the Cross ... you WERE on His mind! (Things don't get any
sweeter than that!)
He thinks of your spiritual growth every
day! When He sees a little bit more "patience" (or any other
fruit) growing, He thinks upon you for good!
Look at this verse! Jeremiah 29:11 ---
"For I know the thoughts that I think
toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil,
to give you an expected end." Isn't THAT precious!
God is even thinking about you when you are
thinking about Him! (We should think about Him all the time!
One sign of a wicked man is that he does not have God in his
thoughts! Psalm 10:4 proves my point:
"The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek
after God: God is not in all his thoughts."
Listen to this verse:
"But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh
upon me." Psalm 40:17 (Wow!)
Probably for every thought we have for God
... He has ten thousand thoughts for us! (Just like you can't
out-love Him, you can't out-think Him either!)
He thinks of you when you are discouraged!
When you are sick! When you are lonely! When you are fearful!
Again, that's just precious!
I just noticed this.
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose
mind
is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."
Isaiah 26:3 (The word "mind"
here means "thoughts!")
His thoughts toward us are incomprehensible!
(As is everything else about our Almighty God!)
BUT they surely are "precious" too!
Brethren, today "THINK
ON THESE THINGS!" (Philippians 4:8)
What "Bible nuggets!"
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
THE PRECIOUS THINGS OF
GOD ... THE PROMISES OF GOD:
We have this week been looking at some things
God calls "precious."
The list is impressive!
Our verse for today is found in 2 Peter 1:4.
"Whereby are given unto
us exceeding great and
precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of
the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the
world through lust."
God says that He has given us some "precious"
promises!
In our little verse here these "promises" do
two things!
They make us partakers of the Divine Nature!
The noun "partakers" means "to have in
common." It is the word for "communion."
"Nature" is the Greek word "to puff up, to
grow!" God's very Nature is so great and so big that it seems
to us to be ever expanding! (God is not expanding. He is
already perfect in every way. BUT my little understanding of
God's Person sure IS growing day by day!)
Then the implication is made that these
precious promises have also helped us to escape the corruption
of the world. "Escape" is the verb which means "to flee from!"
"Corruption" is from a stem that means "to wither, to shrivel,
to spoil, and then to rot!" Somehow God's promises can deliver
us from this trash! "Lust" is epithumia, indicating strong
passion or strong desire!
Now let's look at the very Greek word
"promise." It combines two words, "epi" and "agello." It means
a message given just for you (upon you)! It comes from the noun
that gives us the word "angel!" (These promises are like angels
sometimes too!)
Also notice that these promises "are given"
to us! (It's a perfect middle verb in the indicative mood.)
Once given these "promises" continue to "impact" us for the rest
of time! And the middle voice suggests that you can't receive
one of these promises without being yourself changed in some
way! (Glory to God!)
So ... enjoy the promises of God!
One preacher says that there are about 7,000
of them in the Bible!
Peter calls them "exceeding great" promises!
The two English words translate one Greek term, "megistos."
(From "mega" which means BIG!) It is the superlative degree of
"megas" and is only used HERE (in this "superlative" form) in
all of Scripture! (Some more promises!)
Let me add this also.
ALL the promises comes to us because of
Jesus! Listen! "For all the promises of
God in Him (the Son of God, Jesus Christ) are yea, and in
Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." 2 Corinthians
1:20
If I were you today, I would get me a handful
of promises and live off them! You WILL find them "precious" to
your soul!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
THE PRECIOUS THINGS OF
GOD ... THE BLOOD OF CHRIST:
1 Peter 1:18 and 19 say:
"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not
redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold,
from your vain conversation received by tradition from
your fathers; But with
the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without
blemish and without spot."
This adds to our list of "The Precious Things
of God!"
The PRECIOUS Blood of Christ!
Truly the religion of the Bible was a bloody
faith! Just think what a worshipper at the Tabernacle would
have seen! As he stood at the gate before the great brazen
altar the ground would have been soaked in blood! So would the
priests have been covered! And basins filled with blood would
have been evident! The altar itself would have been blood
stained everywhere! And truth would have settled in his mind:
"And without shedding of blood is no
remission." (Hebrews 9:22)
It is the Blood of Jesus that saved us!
It is the Blood of Jesus that keeps us
clean! (1 John 1:7 says: "But if we walk
in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with
another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from
all sin." That verb "cleanseth" is in the PRESENT
tense!)
It is the Blood which defeats the enemy!
(Revelation 12:11 --- "And they overcame
him (the devil) by the Blood of the Lamb, and by the word of
their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.")
It is the Blood that purchased the Church!
Acts 20:28 thunders: "Take heed therefore
unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy
Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which
he hath purchased with His Own Blood."
The Blood did not just save us ... it
sanctifies us! Hebrews 13:20 and 21 say:
"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord
Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep,
through the blood of the
everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work
to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his
sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever
and ever. Amen.
And the Blood still speaks in heaven even
right now! Hebrews 12:24 says:
"And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood
of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of
Abel." If you are going to pray, mention the Blood!
In fact it is obvious! There is just no way
today we could possibly comprehend all the Blood of Jesus has
done for us!
Be absolutely sure that you have been "washed
in the Blood of the Lamb!" Revelation 1:5 ---
"And from Jesus Christ, who is the
faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and
the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us,
and washed us from our sins in his own blood ...."
Let me add one more thing here.
Some things can be over-emphasized. The
Church can! Some believe the church can save! (It can't!)
Baptism can be overly exaggerated also! (It does NOT save!) So
can the Lord's Supper! (It does NOT become the literal body of
our Lord!) BUT ... I DO NOT KNOW HOW THE BLOOD CAN EVER BE
OVER-EMPHASIZED! IT IS WORTHY OF ALL HONOR! Blessed be the
Lamb Who shed His Blood for our every need!
Think today (this Lord's Day) about the
PRECIOUS BLOOD of Jesus!
I believe I've again found a "nugget" of
Bible truth!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
THE PRECIOUS THINGS OF
GOD ... THE HOLY ANOINTING OIL:
I am prepared today to say that the Holy
Spirit of God is PRECIOUS!
But, preacher, where would you get the
Scripture to make such a statement?
From Psalm 133!
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell
together in unity! It is like the
precious ointment upon the head,
that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down
to the skirts of his garments ...."
That "Holy Anointing Oil" is an emblem of the
Holy Spirit of God! And here It (He) is called PRECIOUS!
The High Priest here (Aaron) is a picture of
the Lord Jesus Christ, Who had the Spirit given to Him "without
measure!" John 3:34 tells us: "For he whom God hath sent
speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by
measure unto him."
Notice that once the Spirit (Oil) is poured
out on the Head, It flows down upon the body! It is always so!
Jesus our Saviour, Spirit filled in a measureless way, is the
Source of our filling also!
The adjective "precious" here is the Hebrew
word "tob." It means: good, pleasant, agreeable, excellent,
rich or even glad! (Lovely within itself ... then useful in its
effect!)
The noun "ointment" means oil, often "olive
oil" but here the special holy anointing oil is in view.
The word "head" ("rosh") means chief or
captain!
"Ran down" ("yarad") means to descend, to
fall, or even to light upon. (It is a Qal participle indicating
active voice and continual action! Saturated with the Spirit!)
By the way, the name Aaron means "light
bringer!" When the Spirit falls, He indeed does bring light!
The noun "skirts" is exciting too. It is the
little Hebrew noun "peh," and primarily means mouth! (Wow!)
The Holy Spirit on a mouth! Preach that in a Baptist Church!
And the word for "garments" is even a bit
unusual. It is the Hebrew term "middah" and usually means
measure (37 times) or stature (4 times) or size (3 times). It
is only found 55 times in the whole Bible!
Just think. The anointed Aaron went
everywhere that day spreading the lovely fragrance of that
Precious Oil. We too are to go everywhere as Christian
spreading the precious smell ("savour" Paul says in 2
Corinthians) of the Spirit of God!
In the midst of all these "blessings"
however, let me caution us New Testament Believers of
something. It is possible to quench (put our a "fire") or
grieve (offend or cause pain) the Holy Spirit in our day. See 1
Thessalonians 5:19 and Ephesians 4:30.
We should have by now covered enough
Scripture to reveal a number of Bible "nuggets!" Pick one or
two and ponder them all day long!
The PRECIOUS Holy Spirit of God!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
THE PRECIOUS THINGS OF
GOD ... THE CHILDREN OF GOD:
Today I want you to look with me at a rather
obscure verse in Lamentations.
Lamentations 4:2 ---
"The precious sons of
Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as
earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!"
Here Jeremiah is sorrowful over the tragic
events that have happened to God's people (as a result of their
sins)!
The verse shows us God's evaluation of His
dear little "children."
Now, primarily one can make the case that
these "precious" sons of Zion are Israelites. And they are.
Israel is "the Apple of God's eye!" For example see Deuteronomy
32:10 --- "He (the Lord) found him
(Israel) in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness;
he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of
his eye." God indeed loves the Jewish people. (Notice
the Scriptures here compare them not just to gold ... but fine
gold!)
BUT Simon Peter makes a pretty good argument
that the redeemed of this age are also precious to the Lord
Jesus! 1 Peter 2:9 --- "But ye are
a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a
peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him
who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light."
I therefore say that ALL of God's truly
"saved" people are "precious" in His sight!
Notice what our verse calls its "subjects."
The precious SONS of Zion! What an honor to be called the
"sons" of God. 1 John 3:1 --- "Behold, what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us,
that we should be called
the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not,
because it knew him not."
Dear sons of God, the Lord Jesus also calls
you the "salt" of the earth! (Which is precious in many ways!)
And the "light" of the world! (Which indeed is precious!) See
Matthew 5:13 and 14.
Paul adds to the list. You comprise the BODY
of Christ! Colossians 1:18 --- "And he
(Jesus) is the head of the body, the church: who is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things
he might have the preeminence."
And both Paul and John add the fact that we
New Testament believers are the BRIDE of Christ! Read 2
Corinthians 11:2 --- "For I am jealous
over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one
husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to
Christ."
I would go so far as to say to you dear
Brothers and Sisters in Christ that you are PRECIOUS to the
Father! Precious to the Son! And precious to the Holy Spirit
also!
And if any doubt remains as to the
preciousness of the children of God, read Jesus' High Priestly
prayer (the longest recorded prayer of our Lord that we have) in
John 17.
There He prays for YOU such things as:
Protection (verse 11)! Joy ... but not any joy, Jesus' very joy
(verse 13)! To be kept from evil (verse 15)! Sanctification
(verse 17)! Unity (verse 23)! That we be WITH HIM eternally
(verse 24)! That we be able to behold His Glory (verse 24)!
That we enjoy the same love from the Father that Jesus enjoys
(verse 26)!
What a list!
If THAT does not prove how very PRECIOUS the
Lord's sons and daughters are to Him, I just don't know what
does!
I am overwhelmed! (Nearly too overwhelmed to
pick up the "nuggets!")
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
THE PRECIOUS THINGS OF
GOD ... THE WORD OF THE LORD:
In 1st Samuel 3:1 we are told:
"And the child Samuel ministered unto the
LORD before Eli. And the
word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was
no open vision."
It seems like just a passing comment, but
what weight it carries! "The Word of the
Lord was Precious!"
This is the next to last "precious" thing we
shall study.
In fact if it were not for the written Word
of God ... we would not know what other things are precious
either!
* It is precious because it is
God-breathed! 2 Timothy 3:16,17 --- "All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be
perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." I
believe God's very Breath/Life is in the Book. The noun
"inspiration" literally means "breathed into!"
* It is precious because of the value God
Himself places upon it! Psalm 138:2 ---
"I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for
thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for
thou hast magnified thy
word above all thy name." If God "magnifies" His
Word ... so must I! (Paul asks the Thessalonians to pray that
in his ministry the Word of God would be "glorified!" 2
Thessalonians 3:1)
* It is precious because it tells us how to
be saved! Romans 10:9 --- "That if thou
shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe
in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved."
* I believe that in the Word of God we have
the very "mind of Christ!" (Surely THAT makes it precious!)
That's how I interpret Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 2:16 ---
"For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct
him? But we have the
mind of Christ."
* The Word of God produces in us faith (and
faithfulness)! Romans 10:17 --- "So then
faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
* The Word of God clearly defines for us the
Gospel! In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 Paul declares:
"For I delivered unto you first of all
that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins
according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he
rose again the third day according to the scriptures."
Would that not make any book precious?
* The Word of God "revives" the soul and
spirit! Hebrews 4:12 --- "For the word of
God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,
and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart."
* The Word of God is precious because of the
direction and counsel it gives the believer! Psalm 119:105 ---
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path."
What, then, should be our response to the
precious Word of God?
David said in Psalm 119:161 ---
"But my heart standeth in awe of thy
word." That would be a good starting place!
Let's all get alone today for some time with
the eternal Word of God! (Another reason it's so precious:
"For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in
heaven." Psalm 119:89)
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
THE PRECIOUS THINGS OF
GOD ... CONCLUSION ... AND THE LIST CONTINUES:
Today we shall look (for the last time in
this series) at the PRECIOUS THINGS OF GOD!
There are just MORE than one would have
thought!
I must say this whole study has been
"precious" to me. From it the Lord has given me some preaching
material as well!
Here's our list of "precious things so far:
Jesus (1 Peter 2:7)! Our faith (2 Peter 1:1)! The TRIAL of our
faith (1 Peter 1:7)! God's very Thoughts toward us (Psalm
139:17)! The Promises of God (2 Peter 1:4)! The BLOOD of Jesus
(1 Peter 1:18-19)! The Holy Spirit (the Holy Anointing Oil ---
Psalm 133:1-2)! The Children of God (Lamentations 4:2)! And
... the Word of God (1 Samuel 3:1)!
* Ecclesiastes 7:1 ---
"A good name is better than precious ointment ...."
One's testimony is priceless!
* Proverbs 20:15 ---
"There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of
knowledge are a precious jewel." If you know
someone who is wise, listen to what he or she says!
* Psalm 49:8 --- "For
the redemption of their soul is precious ...."
Thank God for being redeemed. The COST is unimaginable!
* 1 Corinthians 3:12,13 ---
"Now if any man build upon this foundation
gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's
work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it,
because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try
every man's work of what sort it is." The future rewards
of the believer (if he is faithful) are just "precious!" If he
is not faithful, he earns "wood, hay and stubble!
* I think I'll go this far and say that a
godly WIFE is precious. Listen to Proverbs 31:10 ---
"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her
price is far above rubies." While the very word
"precious" is not used here, isn't the thought strongly implied?
* Ezekiel 27:20 --- "Dedan
was thy merchant in precious clothes for chariots."
Just note the comment here about "precious clothes!" To
value earthly garments too highly would be a sin ... but what
about your robe of "righteousness?" (Revelation 19:8 ---
"And to her was granted that she should be
arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is
the righteousness of saints.")
* And, lastly, Psalm 116:15 ---
"Precious in the sight of the LORD is
the death of his saints." I guess we don't fully
understand this one yet. (But we will some day!) The dear Lord
treasures the day when you will "come home!"
But ... here's a warning ... Daniel 11:43 ---
"But he shall have power over the
treasures of gold and of silver, and over all
the precious things of
Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be
at his steps." Just notice the phrase
"the precious things of Egypt."
Egypt in Scripture represents the "world." If one lets the
things of this ungodly world become "precious," he likely will
lose his sense of "preciousness" of the things of God. Be
careful!
I have enjoyed studying these things with you
PRECIOUS students of Scripture!
I pray you have found some real Bible
"nuggets" here (even today)!
I sure have. (My heart is "warm" right now!)
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
