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FROM PROVERBS 1...
PROVERBS 1:23
"Turn you at my reproof: behold,
I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words
unto you."
(Posted January
1, 2003, at 8:45 AM from Cumming, Georgia)
Wisdom is speaking in our verse today! And
she is inviting guests to come. She makes several promises to
her suitors. That's the focus of our verse today.
Would you notice that before we ever COME to
the Lord (Wisdom) ... we have to TURN from our foolish ways!
The word "reproof" means chastisement and comes from a "root"
that means "to be right!" Only GOD can say that He is always
right! (This reproof is a picture of the Holy Ghost
"conviction" we experienced prior to coming to the Lord Jesus as
our Saviour! Prior to being saved!)
The verb "turn" is in the imperative mood!
It is a command. If we want real Wisdom ... we HAVE to turn
from foolishness and sin!
"Behold" is a particle meaning "Lo!" It
expresses surprise! In English it means "Look!"
Now here's the Real Blessing! God promises
that He will "pour out" His Spirit unto us!
The verb literally means "to gush forth!"
Once in the Bible it's translated "belch out! (Psalm 59:7) Of
its 11 uses in the Bible, it is rendered "pour out (3 times),
"flowing" (1 time), "send forth" (1 time) and "to utter" (5
times).
In Psalm 119:71 when the Psalmist says that
his lips will UTTER praise, he means that his mouth will POUR
OUT praises unto God! In Psalm 145:7 God's people are to "utter
the memory of His great goodness!" (Mouths pouring out accounts
of His past mercy!) In Proverbs 15:2 the mouths of fools POUR
OUT foolishness! And in Proverbs 18:4 our wise words are
compared to a FLOWING brook! (See the unique use in Ecclesiastes
10:1 where dead flies cause the ointment to SEND FORTH a
stinking smell!)
I want to follow Wisdom all my days! As a
result the Spirit of God will be constantly poured out upon me!
(Now I realize that in the New Testament we live after Pentecost
and the Holy Spirit indwells us as God's children. BUT I still
believe in the "fresh oil" David mentions in Psalm 92:10.)
I got to thinking about the things God "pours
out" upon His little family! In Malachi 3:10 he pours out
blessings upon tithers! In Romans 5:5 He pours out ("shed
abroad" means exactly to pour out!) His love in our hearts by
the Holy Ghost! In Zechariah 12:10 He pours out a spirit of
prayer upon Israel! (Now God can pour out his wrath and
indignation also!) But by far the most prominent "pouring
out" in Scripture is that of the Holy Spirit! Dear friend, live
in such a place that you receive all the good the Lord has to
pour upon you! (One of you preachers ought to preach on the
things God "pours out" upon His children!)
Our verb "pour out" in this verse is in a
Hebrew form called "imperfect." That just means that the
verbal action is incomplete. God is still pouring out
His Spirit upon those who are still seeking His Wisdom!
I need to close this article, but look at the
result of the Holy Spirit being "poured out" upon someone. The
Words of God will be "made known" unto them! "Yada" (made
known) is here a Hiphil stem verb. That makes it "causative
active," which indicates God only does this for a REASON! A
cause motivates the Lord to teach us His Word! That Cause is
the precious Holy Spirit! He is the Teacher of Truth! Jesus
said in 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." Wow!
Let's spend this new year pursuing Wisdom.
The rewards for doing so are tremendous!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS
2...
PROVERBS 2:6
"For the
LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and
understanding."
(Posted
January 2, 2004, at 8:15 AM from Cumming, Georgia)
Who is the
Source of Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding? This question is
answered in our verse for today. The Lord ("Jehovah") gives
these things. The verb "giveth" reveals that the Lord's
generosity here is constant and habitual! He has a never ending
supply of wisdom and understanding and knowledge and He's always
ready to share it! (Wow!)
But ...
specifically ... what "particular" part of God gives these
things? Look at the verse carefully. They come from God's
MOUTH, His WORDS! (These "blessings then come from the "BIBLE,"
which is God's Holy Word!) Don't you agree that the Bible is
the totally inspired Word of God?
So ... if I am
ever going to get these three great qualities in my life ... I
MUST stay "in" the Word of God diligently! THERE and there
alone will I find God's wisdom, knowledge and understanding.
The three
following definitions are based upon my sense of what the Hebrew
words actually mean.
Wisdom = godly
skill at living life! Someone defined wisdom as "seeing
life from God's point of view!"
Knowledge =
has a nuance of meaning that points toward intimate
experiential knowledge. This is not mere "book" learning.
This is a knowing of the heart as well.
Understanding
= has the idea of discernment. (Being able to see different
shades of meaning in life situations and reacting properly to
them!) That same preacher I mentioned earlier also said that
understanding was "responding to life from God's point of view!"
I guess we
shall spend the rest of our lives trying to comprehend what
those three words mean for the Believer in Christ! BUT I DO
KNOW THIS: THE BIBLE IS THE SOURCE OF GOD'S WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE
AND UNDERSTANDING ... BECAUSE THE BIBLE POINTS ONE DIRECTLY TO
JESUS, THE PRECIOUS SON OF GOD!
Let's go study
the Scriptures!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS
3...
PROVERBS 3:32
"For the froward
is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with
the righteous."
(Posted Saturday
Morning, January 3, 2004, at 7:35 AM)
The "froward" are
those who have (lexicon definition) "turned aside, or departed,
or gone astray, or become crooked." It's a classic Old
Testament description of the wicked man.
An "abomination"
is something "disgusting" to God! It comes from a
root verb which means "to loathe" (to hate)!
BUT the Lord
shares something with the "righteous" person! This noun
means "straight!" (Look at it! The ungodly man is
"crooked" in the Eyes of the Lord, and the righteous man is
"straight!") We who are saved have been made straight by
the Grace of God.
But what does the
Lord give to the godly man here? His "SECRET!" What
does that mean?
The word "secret"
has a background that means "to come together (for a meeting)!"
One lexicon says "to consult!" In the King James Bible our
word is translated "secret" (9 times), "counsel" (6 times) and
"assembly" (5 times)! God literally shares His counsel
with the godly! He "meets" with him and shares "secrets"
day by day! (Glory to God!)
Listen to Amos
3:7 which says:
"Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but
he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."
You all will have
to excuse me. I have a "meeting" to attend!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS
4...
PROVERBS 4:2
"For I
give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law."
(Posted
Sunday, January 4, 2004, at 7:40 AM)
The day
this is written happens to be a Sunday. But it fits any
day of the week! As we go to church, our hearts should be
craving "good doctrine."
The word
"doctrine" means instruction or direction (or even law).
Its background is that of a verb which means "to take" or "to
receive." We had better be GETTING SOMETHING from the Word
of God when we go to church!
And what
"kind" of doctrine are we needing? "GOOD" doctrine!
That little adjective is vast in its shades of meaning! In
the King James Bible it is translated as follows: "good"
(361 of 559 times), "better" (72 times), "well" (20 times),
"best" (8 times), "merry" (7 times), "prosperity" (6 times),
"precious" (4 times), "beautiful" (2 times), "fairer" (2 times),
and even "glad" (2 times). And even these do not exhaust
the list! (Sounds like GOOD doctrine is rather pleasant,
doesn't it? "Milk and Honey")
What are
you hearing when you go to church, dear friend? If it's
some "watered down" message lacking the good doctrine you so
badly need ... you just might need to consider going on down the
road to some place where you can be FED mega-doses of the
Word of God! (That means BIG spiritual meals!)
Why is that
so important, preacher? LOOK AT THE REST OF THE VERSE!
"Good
doctrine" is linked to the concept of being faithful to the Law
of God! Good teaching will keep you from "forsaking" the
Book! That little verb "forsake" means "to relinquish, to
loosen or even to permit!" One nuance of the word means
"to leave when most badly needed!"
Friend, do
not let anything keep you in some cold dead liberal church where
you are robbed of "good doctrine!" Get out! Nothing
is worth forsaking the precious Word of God. We do THAT to
the detriment of our own souls!
I think I
somewhere along here began preaching. All I meant to do
was study a verse in Proverbs with you today! Maybe that
means somebody needed to hear just what this verse thunders out
to us: GET GOOD DOCTRINE! DO NOT FORSAKE GOD'S WORD!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS
5...
PROVERBS
5:8
"Remove thy way far from her
(the
"strange woman"),
and come not nigh the door of her house"
(Posted January 5,
2004, at 6:33 AM)
In Proverbs the
"strange woman" indicates a woman of low (or no) morals!
It often describes an adulteress or a prostitute. She is
mentioned often in the Book ... and the advice is always the
same concerning her. "STAY AWAY!"
For proof just look at
our verse today. "Remove thy way far
from her!" The verb "remove" is an imperative ....
revealing that this is a command! The stem of the verb
literally means "to widen!" That is: increase the
distance between you and her! The cost of being around her
is just too great! In Hebrew the verb is "causative,"
suggesting that there are MANY reasons why one should avoid this
loose woman!
"Come (not) nigh" is a
continual action verb meaning "to approach." She will
CONSTANTLY "draw you!" You, son, must CONSTANTLY widen the
gap between you and her! Do NOT approach (ever) her place.
That's good advice!
However earlier this
morning this verse got me to thinking about others whom we
Christians are to avoid!
Here's a "short" list:
1. Proverbs 22:24 ---
"Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man
thou shalt not go! Lest thou learn his ways, and get a
snare to thy soul."
2.
Proverbs 1:10, 15 --- "My son, if sinners
entice thee, consent thou not. My son, walk not thou in
the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path."
3. 1 Corinthians 5:11 ---
"But now I have written unto you not to
keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a
fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a
drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no
not to
eat."
4. 2 Corinthians 6:14 ---
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with
unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?"
5. Romans 16:17
--- "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark
them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine
which ye have learned; and avoid them."
There are others.
But surely this offers Biblical "proof" that God would have us
stay away from sin! 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 declare:
"Wherefore come out from among them, and
be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean
thing; and I will receive you, And will be a
Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith
the Lord Almighty."
Stay away from immoral
women!
In fact, let's even go
as far as Paul did in 1 Thessalonians 5:22 ---
"Abstain from all appearance of evil."
Sound too "strict?"
Am I right or wrong?
It is Biblical? I believe the Scriptural "evidence" speaks
for itself!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS
6...
PROVERBS 6:32-33
"But
whoso committeth
adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that
doeth it destroyeth his own soul. A wound and
dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped
away."
(Posted
January 6, 2004, at 9:20 AM)
Today's
selection from the Proverbs "chapter-of-the-day" may be a little
controversial. And, of course, you do not have to agree
with me. BUT you had better let the Word of God speak to
you heart!
What does the
Bible mean by committing "adultery?" It's explained
earlier in Proverbs 6:29 --- "So he that
goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall
not be innocent." Need I say any more?
Now we Bible
believers hear a lot about the special "categories" into which
certain sins fall! For example, homosexuality seems to
have brought about the fierce judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah
based upon Jude 7. ("Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the
cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to
fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an
example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.")
Also the sin
of "PRIDE" does seem to bring about God's swift Hand of
retribution! (Herod was eaten of worms when he accepted worship
as God in Acts 12! Lucifer was literally "kicked out" of
Heaven for the same sin!)
BUT I DO NOT
BELIEVE I'VE EVER HEARD A BAPTIST PREACHER CATEGORIZE "ADULTERY"
IN ANY SUCH WAY!
Yet our text
today certainly seems to imply that it's a sin with "special
consequences!"
To "lack
understanding" in common everyday terms means to be "stupid!"
The adulterer or adulteress is plainly "dumb!" (The Hebrew
word for "understanding" here is a bit unusual. It's just
their word for "heart." I wonder if adultery does
something to one's heart? Or does the heart have to "slip"
even before the adultery is committed? I do know this.
David never soared as "high" spiritually AFTER his act of
adultery as he did before his wicked deed!)
"Destroyeth"
means "to decay or to cause ruin!" There simply is a
detrimental effect that adultery has on one's soul that is not
as clearly mentioned in regard to other sins! Want to
destroy your soul (mind will and emotions)? Go have a
"fling" and you'll pay for it forevermore!
(Preachers,
beware! You ministry will be destroyed!)
Adultery
promises at least three terrible consequences here!
1. A
"wound!" (Plague, sore, stroke, stripes ... all are King
James translations of the word here!) The word literally
means "to touch" then to touch HARD as with a blow or stroke!
How ironic of the Lord here! I sometimes believe our God
has a holy sense of humor! He just said ... "You touched a
woman being not your wife! Then you will BE TOUCHED by the
blast of My Mighty Hand!
2. "Dishonour"
(It's translated "shame" 13 times and "confusion" 1 time in the
King James!) Sounds pretty bad, doesn't it?
3. "Reproach"
(The word comes from a root verb meaning "to pull off" or "to
expose!" Again, see the irony! God says, "You pulled
off another's man's wife's clothes, did you? Well, I will
pull off your disguises and pretenses and let everyone see what
you really are!)
Wow!
Men, stay
faithful to your wives!
Ladies, do not
listen to the devil! Keep your marriage vows!
Avoid all
these "pitfalls" of the sin of adultery!
(I don't know
if this was a Bible "study" or a "sermon!" But after God
so laid it upon my heart, I had to share it with you!)
If anyone
reads this far ... I'd sure like some "feedback." (You can
easily e-mail me by clicking the appropriate icon at the tope of
this very page!)
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS
7...
PROVERBS
7:4
"Say unto wisdom,
Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy
kinswoman"
(Posted
January 7, 2004, at 7:59 AM)
This command is from
the discerning father in Proverbs who is instructing his son
about the things of God.
This is an interesting
sentence in the Hebrew text. The first word in the verse
there is SAY! The last word there is CALL! And both verbs
are in the imperative mood! This verse is "bracketed" with
action words. I am literally commanded to "talk" to
wisdom and understanding! (By the way, if wisdom in
Proverbs is just another name for our Lord Jesus Christ ... I am
to "talk" to Him daily anyway!) Remember what Paul said of
Jesus in Colossians 2:3 ---
"In Whom are hid all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge." And there are just some
things said of Wisdom in Proverbs that can only be true of Jesus
our Lord!
But what am I to say to
Wisdom? "Thou art my sister." What does that mean?
The Hebrew word "sister" (achoth) comes from the Hebrew word for
"brother" (ach)! And they both come from the Hebrew word
for "Father" (ab)! Therefore all these words (called
part of a "semantic field") indicate affinity to Father!
Likeness to one's Daddy!
A believer will feel
close to Wisdom because Wisdom is just another aspect of the
Father's likeness! Wisdom talks like the Father, acts like
the Father, walks like the Father! Wisdom is OF THE
FATHER! Wisdom (when feminine as here) is consequently my
"sister!"
But what about
"understanding?" She is my "kinswoman." This is a
Hebrew noun that means "acquaintance" and comes from the key
root verb "yada" (to KNOW)! But not just any knowledge is
meant here! This is detailed knowledge. This is
intimate knowledge. (As in "Adam
knew Eve
his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have
gotten a man from the LORD." Genesis 4:1) Wow!
This kinswoman business insinuates a "very close relative," or
even a "wife!"
Talk to them all day!
Recognize the family
likeness.
Love them dearly!
Maybe that's why in the
previous verse we were told to "Bind them
upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart."
I have on my finger right now a reminder of my wife ... a
wedding ring! (She also is in my heart as I type in this
motel room nearly 300 miles from home!)
It sure sounds to me
like we are to be "in love" with Wisdom and Understanding!
If you are ... you will be blessed abundantly of the Lord!
I'm so glad the Lord
led us on a cold Wednesday morning to THIS verse from our
Proverbs "chapter-of-the-day!"
It has surely helped
me.
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 8...
PROVERBS 8:6
"Hear;
for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips
shall be right things."
(Posted
January 8, 2004, at 7:50AM)
Wisdom is
talking in our verse! She has invited us to come enjoy her
teaching. (I'm going! How about you?)
Wisdom here
promises to "speak!" The verb is "dabar" and means to
carefully select what one is to say ... with the emphasis being
NOT on the act of talking but on the CONTENT of the speech!
(The thrilling thing is not just that God has spoken to us ...
but WHAT He has said!)
Wisdom has
"excellent" things to give us! The word is unique!
("nagiyd" in Hebrew) It's only used 44 times in the Old
Testament. Here are its translations and their frequency
of use: "ruler" (20 times), "prince" (9x), "captain" (6x),
"leader" (4x), "governor" (3x), "nobles" (1x) and "excellent
things" (1x)! This word has a pretty "classy" meaning!
The root stem is the word "front." It is that which stands
out front as the very BEST of anything!
Wow! So
much talk today is mediocre! (Even preachers' talk!)
We wobble (in our words) from sheer gossip to trivia to
downright carnality!
Well, I've got
good news! Wisdom's Tongue is tamed! All she says is
EXCELLENT! That's the very kind of conversation I want to hear!
And the
"opening" of her lips is right! That word for "opening"
means "to open wide!" Wisdom does not stutter or stammer.
What She says ... she says clearly! (I like that kind of
preaching and teaching, don't you?)
"Right" things
are ("mayshar") "even" things or "straight" things or even
pleasant things! (Only used a total of 19 times in whole
Bible!) Song of Solomon 1:4 (using our very word) says to
the Bridegroom" --- "The upright love
Thee!" (Therefore ... Wisdom's words will cause us
to love Jesus!)
Once our word
is translated "sweetly!" (Song of Solomon 7:9)
Of it's 19
Bible uses, 14 of them are in the books of poetry!
Excuse me, I
can't stay long with you today. I've got to go!
Wisdom is about to speak, and I NEED HER EXCELLENT, SWEET
UPRIGHT WORDS!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS
9...
Proverbs 9:13
"A foolish woman is clamorous:
she is simple, and knoweth nothing."
(Posted Friday, January
9, 2004, at 4:25 AM)
Here are three traits you want your daughters
to avoid! They spell trouble for the ladies.
Notice that Solomon says they belong to the
"foolish" woman. The basic idea behind this little noun is
"silliness!" (Remember that Paul speaks of
"silly women, laden with sins." 2 Timothy 3:6)
She is not serious about spiritual matters!
First this woman is "clamorous." The
word means "loud, roaring, noisy, tumultuous or disquieted."
She simply lacks the "meek and quiet
spirit" which Peter recommends! (1 Peter 3:4)
Next she is "simple." This means
someone who is easily misled or even easily seduced! One
lexicon says "naive." (Solomon says in Proverbs 14:15 ---
"The simple believeth every word: but the
prudent man looketh well to his going.") The
girl is "gullible." Also this word is only used here (!!!)
in Scripture. Therefore, we have no way to compare it to other
verses! (But that fact alone puts the word ... and this
woman ... into a "special" category. She is so unique that
God gives her a word all to herself! (Nothing like her in
her sins!)
Lastly she is one who "knoweth nothing."
The word for "nothing" means WHAT. It can mean what as a
question (?) or what as an exclamation (!). She knoweth
what? (Nothing important!) Or ... she knoweth ... WHAT!
(She knows plenty! But what she has learned has no
spiritual value whatsoever! It's a shame to speak of what
she knows! Paul says in Ephesians 5:12 ---
"For it is a shame even to speak of those
things which are done of them in secret.")
I don't think I'm any kind of an expert in
fully describing the godly lady ... but now at least I know
three characteristics she will nor have!
Stay away from these "strange women!"
Yet ... hold the godly ladies in high regard!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 10...
PROVERBS 10:8
"The wise in
heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall."
(Posted
Saturday, January 10, 2004, at 7:20 AM)
This verse gives us
the general attitude of a wise man (or woman) toward the Word of
God (the commandments). He or she will simply "receive"
whatever God says! The verb means to take or even to
"fetch!" (Other Lexicons say: to accept, to infold,
even to seize!)
However I've found 3
places in the King James Bible where our word "receive" here
means to "marry!" In fact, the word's "first use" in
Scripture (Genesis 19:14) translates it as such. For
another example, find it "twice" in Numbers 12:1 ---
"And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses
because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married:
for he had married an Ethiopian woman."
The word "fool" here
is a designation for the man who lacks wisdom. He just has
no interest in seeing life as God does! He is spiritually
bankrupt. The "root" of the word means "to be perverse."
But a specific kind
of fool is mentioned here. What is a "prating"
fool? The noun contains the idea of the lips!
It's a description of this fool's words (his "mouth")! And
... he sure does have one. He seems to use it constantly!
(Language or speech)
Our word "prating"
is found in English three times in the whole Bible. (Twice in
our very chapter, Proverbs 10:8 and Proverbs 10:10 ... where
both times the "prat-er" will fall! Plus once in 3 John
verse 10 --- "Wherefore, if I come, I will
remember his deeds which he doeth,
prating against
us with malicious words: and not content therewith,
neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth
them that would, and casteth them out of the church."
Thee John is talking about the "church boss" named
Diotrephes.
What happens to
"prating fools?" They FALL. The word means to be
cast down! To be overthrown! To be cast aside.
(Something is very rare about this verb. It is only used
three times in all the Bible! That alone makes it extra
significant!)
Friend, stay in
God's Word. It's the antidote to being a foolish person!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 11...
Proverbs 11:31
"Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much
more the wicked and the sinner."
(Posted
January 11, 2004 from Lincolnton, North Carolina, at 1:59 PM)
Today's
verse talks about the matter of rewards. The verse begins
with a bit of an exclamation! "Behold" means "Lo!"
It suggests surprise. It can mean "Look!" In Hebrew
it usually is employed to call attention to something upon which
action is to be taken! (In other words ... be
righteous! God will reward you abundantly! Of course
our "righteousness" comes through the Lord Jesus Christ and His
shed Blood!)
Our word
"righteous" here is a forensic term (from the courts of law).
It means to be judicially declared "just or lawful!" (It
is used 206 times in Scripture.)
The verb
"recompensed" is in Hebrew "shalam" and is derived from their
word "shalom!" It means "to be at peace" or to "be in a
covenant of peace!" (To be safe, to be complete and then to be
recompensed!)
The verse
plainly declares that God is not just going to wait until the
godly man gets to heaven to reward and bless him! No!
No! No! The blessings begin the moment one gets
saved! (In fact they began long before that, didn't they?)
The old timers used to talk of "prevenient" grace! They
meant by that the Grace God shed upon them in keeping them ALIVE
until they got saved! (Prevenient means to go in advance!
What God did for me BEFORE He saved me!)
"Much more"
as a Hebrew term denotes addition ... especially of something
greater! The lexicons say that its use is "very rare" in prose.
It can imply something surprising or unexpected as well!
The noun
"wicked" is from the Hebrew root (ra) meaning to disturb or to
violate and is a word for sin in its active malignant sense!
The wicked here are "lost" folks who violently rebel against
God!
"Sinner" is
the Hebrew stem that means "to miss the mark!" (Falling
short of the glory of God! Not meeting His standards!)
It looks
like we are being clearly taught here to ...
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
(Galatians 6:9)
Many
believe that 1 Peter 4:18 is a commentary on our Proverbs verse!
"And if the righteous scarcely be
saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"
I do know
this. Our verse in Proverbs ought to motivate us all to
live more godly lives! And that for two reasons ... simply
for the GLORY of God and for the prospect of His gracious
rewards on our behalf!
What do you
think?
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 12...
PROVERBS 12:16
"A fool's
wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth
shame."
(Posted
Monday, January 12, 2004, from Lincolnton, NC, at 8:50 AM)
Here's another
practical bit of advice from Solomon!
Here our word "fool"
means "silly one." This is the character who overlooks all
things spiritual and easily mocks them to shame.
The "wrath" of that
fool is his or her "anger" or "indignation." In fact some
fools even seem to "brag" on their short "fuses" and quick
tempers! They are always "flying off the handle!"
The adverb
"presently" comes from the Hebrew word for "day" or "today."
When a "fool" gets mad ... you don't have to "wait" to find it
out! He explodes immediately! (What a "rebuke" this
should be to many of us Christians!)
"Known" is the
common verb "yada," meaning to know experientially! Most
all of us have been there in person when some foolish person
belched forth anger and hatred!
BUT ... (here comes
a contrasting thought) ... a "prudent" man is different!
"Prudent" means "sensible" or even "shrewd!" (Even when a
good man does get angry ... he is smart enough to cover it until
he can later "sort out the issues!")
"Covereth" means "to
conceal or to hide." It is a continual action verb also.
This is truly "longsuffering" in action! (God's anger at
sin has been concealed for millenia! But one day it will
be revealed in full force!)
Lastly, look at what
God calls anger! He equates it with "shame!" The
noun shame means disgrace or dishonor! To the Lord it is a
reproach to a man to lose his temper quickly and frequently!
The principle behind
our verse today: The foolish man is a slave to his temper!
The prudent man is lord over his temper! Into which group
do you fall?
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 13...
PROVERBS
13:10
"Only by
pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is
wisdom."
(Posted
January 13, 2004, at 8:45 AM)
I thought you
might like a little different way today of looking at our verse.
Here is what one commentator said about it:
"Those who are
wise listen to advice rather than argue out of stubborn pride.
The idea of "pride" here describes contempt for other opinions,
a clash of competing and unyielding personalities. This kind of
conceited person creates strife, enflames passions, and wounds
feelings. Only strife can come from him. But the wise are "those
who take advice."
Another (wise
old Matthew Henry) said this:
1. Foolish
pride is the great make-bate. Would you know whence come wars
and fightings? They come from this root of bitterness.
Whatever hand other lusts may have in contention (passion, envy,
covetousness), pride has the great hand; it is its pride that it
will itself sow discord and needs no help. Pride makes men
impatient of contradiction in either their opinions or their
desires, impatient of competition and rivalship, impatient of
contempt, or any thing that looks like a slight ... and hence
arise quarrels among relations and neighbours, quarrels in
states and kingdoms, in churches and Christian societies. Men
will be revenged, will not forgive, because they are proud.
2. Those that
are humble and peaceable are wise and well advised. Those
that will ask and take advice, that will consult their own
consciences, their Bibles, their ministers, their friends, and
will do nothing rashly, are wise, as in other things, so in
this, that they will humble themselves, will stoop and yield, to
preserve quietness and prevent quarrels.
Now let
Brother Bagwell say a few words:
"Contentions"
will come! (But HOW do they come?) The noun
"contention" means "debate!" It is so translated in Isaiah
58:4! The word represents arguments and divisions wherever
they may occur! (Maybe even at church!) It means a
quarrel. (Root verbal idea: "to expel, to go forth!" This
is an argument that gets so heated that someone wants to kick
someone else out of the group!)
Again, who
brings those contentions? ONE kind of a man or woman!
A PROUD one! The word means arrogance ... but comes from a
verb "to seethe" which means to boil in anger! Here's that
person with a short temper again! Always fighting mad!
The "well
advised" are those godly folks who have "deliberated and
resolved their plan of action" (through the precious pages of
the Word of God)! Its first use in in Exodus 18:19 where
Moses' Father-in-Law Jethro says to him ---
"Hearken now unto my voice,
I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be
thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the
causes unto God." Note that this advice here
invites God's very Presence!
And "wisdom"
is the view of life that God takes! It is responding to
life situations as the Lord would! (Again, that's only revealed
in Scripture!)
Let's all
control our attitudes today! After all, doing so reveals
the difference between being wise and foolish!
The next time
you see an old "troublemaker" who won't seek peace (always
calling for his way to be done ... even if it means a fight) ...
label him PROUD!
You may do so
on the good authority of God's Holy Bible!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 14...
PROVERBS 14:2
"He that walketh in his
uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in
his ways despiseth him."
(Posted
January 14, 2004, at 8:26 AM)
Notice immediately
that one's "lifestyle" (at least in this verse) determines one's
attitude about God! The upright man loves the Lord.
The perverse man hates God!
Here a man's
"morality" determines his "theology!"
This teaches (that
at least at times) a man's behavior determines that man's
belief!
Do you want to know
WHY atheists are such vehement enemies of God? It's
because (95% of the time) their lifestyles are such that IF GOD
EXISTS ... hell awaits! (And they just will not allow
themselves to accept the possibility of such a future!)
Look at the real
attitude a perverse man has toward God. He "despiseth" our
Lord! It means "to hold in contempt." ("to
disesteem") It's a participle ... indicating constant
action. He hates God all the time!
Who does this?
The "perverse" man. He's one who "departs, turns aside, or
deviates." (only 6 times in the whole Hebrew Scriptures)
This certainly implies they he once knew the truth ... but
rejected it because of his love for sin!
While the man who is
"upright" (means to be "straight") will always respect, revere,
adore, worship and honor the Lord! (The ideas behind the
Biblical "Fear of the Lord")
This verse surely
paints clearly for us the two ways open to mankind! I've
made my choice ... how about you?
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 15...
PROVERBS 15:3
"The
eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil
and the good."
(Posted
January 15, 2004, at 11:15 AM from Cumming, Georgia)
This verse
is usually taught to the little children of Christian parents
early in life. If for some reason you haven't learned it,
memorize it today!
Someone is
always watching! The Lord Himself sees our every move!
Even the
angels before the Throne of God are "full
of eyes before and behind." Revelation 4:6
An old
Puritan writer penned these words: "Adored be this
All-seeing God!" Heaven, hell, the secret places of the earth,
are all open before Him.
God sees
all the evil in this old world. No sin is every committed
without His knowledge.
BUT, thanks
be to His Name, our God also sees the GOOD! Every little
deed done for His glory is right before His eyes!
Maybe the
real question is this. How do I respond to His all seeing
Eyes? With dread? Or with delight?
We
believers should rejoice in His Presence!
Friend, you
will never be where He is not looking!
The great
"I AM" is also the great "I SEE!"
Worship Him
gladly!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 16...
PROVERBS 16:2
"All the ways
of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth
the spirits."
(Posted Friday
morning, January 16, at 7:20 AM from Cumming, Georgia)
Proverbs 21:2 is a
similar verse. "Every way of a man
is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the
hearts." And Proverbs 12:15 begins
"The way of a fool is right in his
own eyes." (Isn't it thrilling how the Bible is its
own commentary! By comparing Scripture with Scripture we
are illuminated by the Holy Spirit of God!)
The noun for "ways"
(derek) means roads or paths and suggests "habits." By the
time a man has established a certain "behavior" in his life,
he's made it "right" to his conscience. Even homosexuals
and abortionists feel "right" in their own eyes. BUT they
are NOT right according to the God of the Bible! When a man
convinces himself that his "ways" are all right, that's called
"rationalization." There's a whole lot of that going on
nowadays!
Our word "clean"
means pure or even righteous. It's "root" idea is "clear"
or transparent.
The contrasting
conjunction BUT tells us that an altogether different thought is
coming!
Man says that all he
does is clean! GOD SAYS not so. He (and He alone)
will be the Judge! And His "Standard" of judgment is the
Word of God!
The verb "weigheth"
means (obviously) to measure or ponder or test or prove.
Remember that Belshazzar was "weighed in
the balances and found wanting!" (Daniel 5:27)
"Spirits" ("ruach")
would be man's spirit here, not the Holy Spirit of God.
Note that God is not here said to judge the actions ... but the
spirit behind those actions! He knows our hearts!
I'll tell you how it
is all going to end. Revelation 22:11 ---
"He that is unjust, let him be unjust
still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he
that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is
holy, let him be holy still."
But all this is
AFTER God has "weighed the spirits!"
Christian, if I were
you I would live near the "scales!"
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 17...
PROVERBS 17:28
"Even
a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and
he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of
understanding."
(Posted
Saturday morning, January 17, 2004, from Bessemer Alabama, at
8:20 AM)
A "fool" is
one (Strong's definition) who is perverse (twisted) and "silly."
(Not serious about the things of God!) He is not living
"straight" according to God's Rule! "Fool" also carries
the idea of being morally wrong.
But even THAT
wicked man (if he does two things) can be thought wiser than he
really is!
He must "hold
his peace!" To "hold peace" is an unusual word! It
first means "to plow or to engrave" as in agriculture or
metalworking. It is thought to mean here "to cut into"
one's words. To chop them to pieces so that they are
not spoken. (The idea here is: the less words ... the less
foolishness!) It IS POSSIBLE to talk too much!
"Counted"
means esteemed or calculated. (Men think the quiet one is
wiser perhaps than he really is because his words are few!)
"Shutteth" is
a basic verb meaning "to close." It's a "Qal participle"
suggesting that the action here is constant. One must
control and restrain that tongue faithfully!
"Understanding" has the idea of discernment. (Seeing
"shades" of meaning in life situations from God's point of
view!)
It just looks
to me like this advice for a "fool" might be good for us all!
A little less talk equals a little less sin! (For example,
Proverbs 10:19 declares --- "In the
multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth
his lips is wise.")
The previous
verse in Proverbs reinforces this great truth. (Proverbs
17:26 --- "He that hath knowledge spareth
his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent
spirit.")
Excuse me, I
think I'll go off a while (and close my mouth) and think
upon this great Bible text!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 18...
PROVERBS
18:10
"The name of the
LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it,
and is safe."
(Posted
January 18, 2004, at 7:59 AM, Central Standard Time)
This is one of my favorite verses of
Scripture!
To properly "practice"
this verse one must learn a bit about the beautiful Names of God
given in the Bible! (Jehovah, Elohim, Adonai, El Elyon and
so many more. Not counting His Compound Names such as
Jehovah-Nissi! Sister Norma covered a few of Them in
her "Ladies" column several weeks ago.) But if you don't
know much about His Names ... just run to the LORD!
(Jehovah means the "I AM," the eternally existent One! The One
Who is always with you!)
The "righteous" are
those who are declared "just" at God's judgment bar! This
is done through (and ONLY through) the Blood of Jesus!
Now we have mentioned
our two objects in today's verse --- The Name of the Lord ...
and the righteous children of God!
What's the connection?
When "danger" comes ...
or "trials" or "pressures" or the "devil" or anything from which
you must "run," COME TO THE NAME OF THE LORD! He has a
Name for every situation in which you could possibly find
yourself! (Glory to God!)
"Run" means "to dart!"
(To run swiftly! Quickly! Hurriedly!)
Don't wait! Take
your burdens to the Lord!
And what will the Lord
be?
"A Strong Tower!"
This little word "tower" is only used 50 times in Scripture.
(It is translated "tower" 47 of those times and "castle" 1
time!) But ... wait until you hear this. It is once
translated "pulpit!" (Nehemiah 8:4!) And that's the
only time the word "pulpit" is found in the Bible!
The Name of the Lord
can be seen and heard most graphically where? From the
PULPIT, thank the Lord! Go to Church today (written on
Sunday)! As the man of God preaches ... listen to him!
God speaks from that pulpit! Learn to run there and be
safe! (Obeying the WORD OF GOD preached by the MAN OF GOD
will keep the HAND OF GOD on the CHILD OF GOD!)
The last of those 50
translations (in the King James Bible) is "flowers!" (Song of
Solomon 5:13) Guess what? That strong Tower (the
Lord) to Which you run ... is as lovely as any Flower (and as
fragrant) you've ever seen (or smelled)!
Excuse me! I've
got to "run" Somewhere!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 19...
PROVERBS 19:21
"There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the
counsel of the LORD, that shall stand."
(Posted
January 19, 2004 at 7:35 AM)
I am so
thankful that we serve an Almighty God! He truly rules all
His creation!
"Devices" are
plans, thoughts, or even contrivances. (And a man's
"plans" are only as good as that man himself!)
Today across
the earth millions of men and women are busily pursuing their
"goals."
HOWEVER, there
is another force at work! It's the "Counsel of the Lord!"
"Counsel"
means advice, deliberation or resolve!
God already
knows what He's going to do ... and nothing's big enough to stop
Him!
Jesus IS
coming again!
The world WILL
experience great tribulation!
Wickedness
MUST be judged!
God's Word
CANNOT fail!
That little
verb "stand" literally means to rise up or to stand up!
Watch every
day! With keen discerning eyes one can behold God's
Counsel surfacing all around us in this new year! (We live
in exciting days.)
Our verse
truly sets a great contrast between man and God! How frail
are my plans! How FIRM are God's!
It just seems
to me that's it's best then to "Trust in
the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding.In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall
direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
God can even
take the confusion of my plans and turn them into beautiful
patterns of glory to His Name! (Joseph's brothers plotted
his downfall. God brought their "devices" to ruin ... and
engineered Joseph's rising to great power! And all for the
Glory of God!)
"For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in
heaven." (Psalm 119:89)
"Yea, before the day was I am
he; and there is none that can deliver out of my
hand: I will work, and who shall let (to hinder or to
turn) it?" (Isaiah 43:13)
"Declaring the end from the beginning, and
from ancient times the things that are not yet
done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my
pleasure." (Isaiah 46:10)
How can we
help but WORSHIP HIM today?
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 20...
PROVERBS 20:22
"Say not thou, I
will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall
save thee."
(Posted
January 20, 2004, from Knoxville, Tennessee, at 5:03 AM)
This verse (in
principle) is found elsewhere in Scripture. Romans 12:17
says: "Recompense to no man evil for evil.
Provide things honest in the sight of all men." And
in Deuteronomy 32:35 God thunders:
"To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot
shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity
is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make
haste."
"Recompense" in
this context means "to pay back." But the "root" verb has
a rich and deep background! It is in Hebrew "shalam," and
means (from Shalom!) "to be safe or happy" or even "to be in a
covenant of peace!" This alone is a good lesson!
DO NOT BE AT PEACE WITH EVIL IN ANY FORM!
Solomon wisely
knew that trials would come for the godly person.
(Insults, attacks, battles!) He's just telling us how to
handle them!
Paul told us the
same thing. Romans 12:19 --- "Dearly
beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place
unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will
repay, saith the Lord."
"Wait" means "to
look eagerly for!" (Waiting in the Old Testament is
definitely a form of trust!) Using the very same form of
our verb here, Hosea (12:7) says:
"Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and
wait on thy God
continually."
And WHAT will God
do? He will "save" you! ("yasha") The very
first time this verb stem is used in the King James Old
Testament (Exodus 2:17), it is translated "helped." It's
when a man named MOSES at a WELL drove off ENEMIES and met his
WIFE to be! (Do you Bible students see the typology in
that?) God can help us! God can deliver us!
God will handle all the wrongs some great and glorious day!
In the mean time,
we'll just have to "wait" on Him!
God just does not
allow "revenge" for the Christian! Two of Israel's
greatest "enemies" were the Edomites and the Egyptians.
Yet the Lord specifically would not allow His people to hate
them. Deuteronomy 23:7 says ---
"Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother:
thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger
in his land."
One old Puritan
said, "Revenge arises because we have no faith!" God said
He would take care of it. Trust Him to do so! (In
His time!)
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 21...
PROVERBS 21:4
"An high
look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked,
is sin."
(Posted January
21, 2004, at 8:49 AM)
It looks to me
like the verse today is saying that everything the wicked man
does is sin! (Even his everyday work on the farm, his
"plowing.")
For the truly
wicked man leaves God out of all the areas of his life! If
he takes any "look," it's a proud "look" because there's no
thought of God ... to humble him!
His heart has
never been "broken" in Holy Ghost conviction either. It
remains proud and stout.
The adjective
"high" is translated "haughtiness" 3 times in the King James
Version. The word "look" is the Hebrew noun for the "eye!"
This old boy views everything in a lofty manner. (And the
grammar of the term indicates it's a habitual attitude with
him.)
The word for
"proud" literally means large or roomy! (He's NOT one of
those old fashioned "narrow minded" fanatics, is he? He
has a "broad" mind. Room for lots of gods and lots of
heathen ideas!)
While poor
little Paul said, "This one thing I
do...!" (Philippians 3:13)
And David
said, "This one thing have I desired of
the Lord and that ...!" (Psalm 27:4)
But the noun
"plowing" is also captivating. It is Hebrew ("niyr") and
means "fallow ground." Again, I'm pretty sure it
represents this man's daily work.
The verse
proves that God looks through our actions and see the motives
behind them!
If we do
everything to the glory of God (seeking to obey His Word in the
process), God is pleased.
But if we live
an affluent life in today's American culture. leaving God out of
it all, we are sinning constantly!
If this verse
is right (AND IT IS), the vast majority of what is done in
the United States (or even in the whole world) today is SIN in
the eyes of God!
Amazing!
By the way,
when you start you car today (or turn on your computer or clock
in on your job, etc.) ask God to bless all you do to His glory!
(And if you
can't ask Him to bless it ... DON'T DO IT!)
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 22...
PROVERBS 22:14
"The mouth of strange
women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD
shall fall therein."
(Posted
January 22, 2004, from a motel room in Knoxville, Tennessee, at
9:47 AM)
This is an
interesting verse!
It obviously deals
with a moral issue.
The word "mouth" is
in Hebrew spelled "peh." (It comes from a "root" verb that
means "to puff" or "to blow.")
The interesting
thing about the word is that it is also a letter of the Hebrew
alphabet. It's their "p" and is equivalent to our English
"p" as in policeman.
Thing of having a
letter in one's alphabet that means a puff or gentle breeze of
fresh air! (Hebrew is very picturesque!) You ought
to see some of the verses that begin with that letter!
Better yet, notice some of the "alphabet" Psalms that are
associated with the letter "peh." They convey a meaning
similar to their "word pictures!" (Remember that Psalm 119
has eight whole verses all of which begin with the letter!)
A mouth is something
that either gives out (words or breath) ... OR ... takes in
(food or victims)! A predator takes in innocent little
things and devours them! THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S PICTURED HERE!
A "strange" woman is
a harlot or a prostitute! And she is on the prowl, looking
for innocent prey! ("Strange" is a word that has the
implication of "foreign!" Jews were certainly NOT to have loose
morals ... so the ungodly woman MUST be foreign!) That's
how Solomon got into trouble ... all his "foreign" wives!
BUT ... LOOK!
She is compared to a "pit!" The word comes from a verb
that means "to sink!" It is only used 5 times in the Old
Testament and once is translated (in the King James Bible)
"ditch!" (Not very lovely images for an old harlot, are
they?)
Not only that, she's
a "deep" pit! (Deep additionally means "mysterious."
It also can mean "unsearchable.")
Now watch this word
"abhorred!" It means "to foam at the mouth!" It
pictures great rage and anger! God is a God of love
... but when He does finally get angry ... watch out!
And "fall" is a verb
meaning "to be cast down." BUT the verb is in the active
voice ... meaning that the poor "victim" is so deluded by the
harlot that he "jumps" into the pit himself! (Spiritual
suicide!)
However, the verse
also implies that if a man loves God and is "right" with Him ...
he can (by That very God Whom he worships) be protected
(guarded) from the strange woman!
God CAN restrain us
from sin!
If you have trouble
believing that, read Genesis 20:6 --- "And
God said unto him (Abimelech) in a dream, Yea, I know that thou
didst this in the integrity of thy heart;
for I also withheld thee
from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to
touch her (Sarah)."
Wow!
Let's dedicate our
lives to moral living to the glory of God!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 23...
PROVERBS 23:22
"Hearken unto thy father that
begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old."
(Posted Friday morning,
January 23, 2004, at 6:48 AM)
Here is a lovely verse of Scripture!
"Hearken" is the Hebrew verb that means "to
hear, to listen to, or even to obey!" Here it’s in the
imperative mood ... means it’s a command!
"Begat" is to gender or to father or to bring
forth.
"Despise" means "to hold as insignificant or
to hold in contempt!" Now this is an unusual fact. This verb is
NOT an imperative (as was "hearken")! It’s a standard Qal stem
imperfect verb. Perhaps the wise man knew that a prudent son or
daughter would not have to be commanded to respect his or her
Mother! This would be done out of sheer honor!
How long does one honor Mom? (Not just until
one’s teenage years! Not until married! Not even until one’s
adulthood! BUT until she is old! In other words ... all her
days!)
As a further commentary on our verse, listen
to Hebrews 12:9 --- "Furthermore we have
had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave
them reverence." Or the advice of Proverbs 31:28
--- "Her children arise up, and call her
(their Mother) blessed."
Here's one of the signs of the last days of
apostasy --- "This know also, that in the
last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of
their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy...." (2
Timothy 3:1-2)
By the way, Christian Daddy, listen to me.
The very BEST WAY to teach a son or daughter
to love and respect their Mother is for YOU to treat her with
tender love and honor! Children learn how to respond to their
Moms in just exactly the same manner they see us Dads and
Husbands responding to their Moms!
And you know what else you would be teaching
them?
How to live longer!
Exodus 20:12 --- "Honour thy father and
thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the
LORD thy God giveth thee."
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 24...
PROVERBS 24:9
"The thought of
foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an
abomination to men."
(Posted
Saturday morning, January 24, 2004, at 7:12 AM)
Let's just
take it word by word.
First I'd like
to look at that word "scorner." The root word here means
"to make mouths at!" This suggests mockery. (To
scoff or hold in derision!) The word is used 10 times in
Proverbs and paints quite an accurate picture of this person.
(Study that sometime!) He particularly "mocks" sin!
He thinks the godly life-style is a "joke!"
But... the
scorner apparently does not "wear" well. He soon becomes
an "abomination" to others. This word just means
"disgusting!" (That which is abhorred! Repugnant!
--- are other lexicon definitions.)
Even former
Presidents, Generals or other public officials who mocked
sin are soon held in disrepute by the general public!
BUT THE FIRST
PART OF OUR VERSE TODAY IS WHAT HAS CAPTIVATED MY HEART.
"The thought of
foolishness is sin!"
"Thought" is a
noun meaning "plan" or "purpose." (An imagination or plot
... usually used in a bad sense in Scripture!) It is
translated "lewd" or "lewdness" 16 times in the King James
Bible.
And
"foolishness" is silliness. It is thought by some
lexicographers that the word may be derived from a stem meaning
"twisted" or "perverse" (perverted).
Our text today
certainly shows us that even in the Old Testament God expects us
to control our very thoughts! Remember Paul's classic New
Testament passage on thoughts ---
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever
things are honest, whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are
lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there
be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on
these things." (Philippians 4:8)
The pagans
criticize us believers because we allow the Scriptures to
practice "thought-control" over our lives! (They don't
know the "half" of it, do they? What if they knew of 2
Corinthians 10:5!))
Even in Psalm
10:4 it is apparent that God wants to be in ALL our thoughts!
"The wicked, through the pride of his
countenance, will not seek after God:
God is not in all
his thoughts."
I guess my
remarks could be called (and will be) by some sheer
"fanaticism." But I call it godly sanctified Christian living!
How about you?
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 25...
Proverbs 25:2
"It is the glory
of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to
search out a matter."
(Posted Sunday
morning, January 25, 2004, at 8:45 AM)
Our verse today has an
element of "mystery."
We shall use our
word "glory" today as an indication of the "essence" of God! Let
me explain that word. It comes from a Latin verb, esse,
which is a form of the verb "to be." When a preacher
speaks opf God's ESSENCE, He is speaking of Who God IS!
God is Love! God is Light! God is Life! These
things, when all totaled, comprise His ESSENCE! The
complete picture of His being is His ESSENCE!
The Name of God used
here is Elohim and emphasizes God as a Triune Being (Father,
Son, Holy Spirit)!
"To conceal" is to
hide! (To cover or make secret!) Isn't that
interesting! Now for any reader today who does not believe
that God yet conceals things, read Deuteronomy 29:29 ---
"The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but
those things which are revealed belong unto us and
to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of
this law."
I even believe that
God has lovingly placed some "deeper" truths into Scripture ...
just waiting to be "discovered" by the diligent student!
Peter must have thought so too! Listen to him speak about
Paul: "Even as our beloved brother
Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written
unto you; as also in all his epistles, speaking in
them of these things; in which are some things hard to be
understood ...." (2 Peter 3:15-16)
Elsewhere (1
Corinthians 2:10) Paul mentions: "But
God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the
Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the
deep things of God."
The word "honour" is
the same Hebrew term as "glory" earlier in our verse. Man is at
his very best when he is searching out the treasured "buried"
things of God! (That's when mankind "weighs" his most to
the Glory of God! "Heaviness" is the literal definition
for "honour.")
"Kings" is Hebrew "melech"
and indicates "royalty!" (Really somebody!)
And the final verb
"search out" means to examine, to investigate, to explore, or to
ascertain! It's a Qal infinitive stem, meaning that the
action is performed by the student and is a habitual pursuit!
Just think of it!
Spending the rest of your lives searching out the beautiful
deeper things of God!
Of course right now
I am thinking about
Bible Study!
Look, dear friend.
What YOU are DOING RIGHT NOW (SEARCHING OUT THE MEANING OF A
VERSE OF SCRIPTURE), IS an "honourable" activity! (God
says so!)
So ... today ... go
ahead! Live like a KING!
Search out God's
Word!
Excuse me, I have to
go for a minute. I must step over to the other side of the
Palace.
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 26...
PROVERBS 26:1
"As snow in summer, and as rain
in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool."
(Posted December 26, 2003 at 8:35
AM from cumming, georgia)
Snow in summer
is out of place. It just does not belong there!
(Some things are good in season and out of season! Like,
preaching! But NOT snow in summer!)
Likewise rain
in harvest can halt the reaping! Or worse yet ... ruin the
crops! (The first example ... snow in summer ... is
inconvenient! The second example ... rain in harvest ...
is dangerous!)
In like manner
... honor for a fool is unseemly! The word honour (kabod)
is the standard Old Testament word for GLORY! (It's used
in some form of "glory, glorious," etc. 167 of 200 times in the
Old Testament!) The other 33 times = honour or honourable.
(The word comes from a root that means "heavy!" Giving a
lot of "weight" to someone or something. Counting them
valuable or critical to one's views!)
The word for
"fool" can carry the following ideas: stupid, simple,
arrogant (proud), or silly! ("Fat" is the original word
picture here! Sluggish, dull!)
DO NOT RESPECT
OR HONOR A FOOL!
Excuse me!
I'm not going to sit in front of a television and watch a bunch
of Hollywood "reprobates" receive rewards on some Oscar or Emmy
night. I refuse to honor such activities with my time!
Neither (this
will upset someone) will I watch country music "crooners" get
their Grammy awards or other recognitions! I just
think there's better music than songs that center on immorality,
booze (drinking) and broken marriages!
Neither will I
honor folks like Elvis Pressley or Michael Jackson or
_______________ (insert anyone else in their clan).
I'll tell you
what that crowd needs! They need the "medicine" of verse 3
in today's Proverbs chapter ... not honor and respect! (A
whip, a bridle and a rod!)
In Scripture
(Book of Esther) when wicked Haman was honored ... everything
went wrong!
That's one of
the major things wrong in our country today. Men (and
women) such as Judges have been promoted when they should have
been fired! Our leaders have been honoring the wrong kinds
of people!
If you want to
know WHOM to honour, see Psalm 15:4 which speaks of the godly
man who "honoureth them that fear the
Lord!" They are my heroes too!
I'll tell you
who deserves honour. Those to whom God gives it! The
word "promotion" is used only twice in the English Bible.
Once it's used of the godly (Psalm 75:6-7) and once of the
ungodly (Proverbs 3:35). Notice them both:
"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." (the Psalms passage) And
the other: "The wise shall inherit
glory: but shame shall be the
promotion of fools." (the Proverbs
selection)
Well, if anyone's angry ... so be it!
I shall honor those whom God honors!
(Proverbs is not always the quiet sweet little Book many
imagine, is it? It is the BOLD Word of God!)
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 27...
PROVERBS 27:19
"As in water face
answereth to face, so the heart of man to man."
(Posted Saturday, December 27, 2003, at 4:10 AM from Cumming, Georgia)
I've often wondered about
this little proverb. Today I want to "tackle" it.
Remember, "It
is the glory of God to
conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out
a matter."
First of all we need to
notice the expression "heart of man." These 2 men (man to
man) obviously are men of like mind! The heart of a godly
man will NOT answer compatibly to the heart of a wicked man!
The face of a prostitute has nothing in common with the face of
a virtuous pure young lady. Like mindedness is assumed
here. Here we have a "word picture" of true fellowship!
The reflection of a
face in water simply reveals a form identical in appearance.
So does godly communion one believer with another reveal dozens
of "like" features!
I have occasionally
heard Christians say "No one knows how I feel." That's
just not true. (By the way, Jesus certainly knows! Hebrews 4:15)
But if you'll open up and share your burdens ... I guarantee you
there's another saint nearby who has been through just what you
have ... and their face will answer to yours in holy
conversation about the matter!
Hear Paul as he calls
Timothy his son on the faith! (1 Timothy 1:2 and two other
places also) Listen to him "bragging" on that younger preacher
--- "But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send
Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort,
when I know your state.
For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for
your state." Now, that's face answering to
face!
That brings me to my
point today. Few people today are really interested in
Bible study! Yet I feel God may be building a special
ministry here on these web-pages. As I study, pray and
type these line (all dedicated to the study of the Scriptures) I
am seeing God "draw" a few good men (and maybe some ladies)
around this site ... to an open Bible! There we all (I
believe) are conversing "heart to heart" over the good things of
God!
I more and more in my
life and ministry feel a "kinship" to those who love God's Word!
May this Proverbs verse "live" as long as these web-pages go
forth! In Psalm 119:63 David describes exactly how I
want to feel: "I am a
companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that
keep thy precepts." One King James translation of
the word "companion" is "knit together!" (Judges 20:11)
That expression says it all --- "knit together" in Christ Jesus
over an open Bible!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 28...
PROVERBS 28:5
"Evil men
understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand
all things."
(Posted Sunday
Morning, December 28, 2003, at 8:25 AM from Cumming, Georgia)
By "evil men" Solomon means the wicked ...
who know not God! "Understand" is the classic Hebrew verb
that implies seeing "levels of meaning" in situations! The
ungodly just do not know how to comprehend and analyze
"judgment" from God! They would never view "bad" things as
coming because of a nation's disobedience and rebellion against
an Almighty God! (But we know better ... don't we?)
That's the very point of the verse!
Those who "seek" (baqash in Hebrew) the Lord understand all
things! The root idea here is "to search out!'
Furthermore our verb is in the "Piel" stem indicating INTENSIVE
action! These who seek the Lord do so vehemently,
vigorously, diligently!
If one will simply put on the "glasses" of
God's Word (wherein one gets God's Wisdom) ... he or she will
see this old world in clear FOCUS and understand much (if not
most) of the daily global occurrences! Now that sounds like a
bit of bragging ... I'd rather say it's a bit of Bible Truth!
I'm telling you that GOD IS AT WORK EVERY
HOUR IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE UNIVERSE IN WHICH WE LIVE!
Those who seek Him can see His fingerprints! And
footsteps! And sense the very breath of His Presence!
Hallelujah!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 29...
PROVERBS
29:20
"Seest thou a man
that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a
fool than of him."
(Posted December 29, 2003, at 7:45 AM)
The verse very clearly
speaks for itself ! Let me just add a few comments, most
of which I've gleaned from others.
James 1:19 admonishes
us: "Wherefore, my beloved brethren,
let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath"
(No wonder they often call the Book of James "The Proverbs of
the New Testament!")
Proverbs 29:19 speaks
of a man who talks too little. And our verse (the very
next one) speaks of one who talks too much! (Seems God
listens to our words! Does He count them too?) Jesus
says in Matthew 12:36 --- "But I say unto
you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give
account thereof in the day of judgment."
By the way, I'll
guarantee you that a man who is so hasty in his words ... is
also a man who is proud! He's a "know-it-all!" He
thinks he has all the answers! He would have been better
advised to obey Proverbs 17:28 --- "Even a
fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he
that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of
understanding."
The word picture behind
that word "hasty" is "to press!" This foolish man actually
"presses" or forces the words out of his mouth! He can't
wait to blabber! He lives "to talk!" Again, Proverbs
warns us --- "In the multitude of words
there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is
wise." Proverbs 10:19
One of they key steps
to learning anything is to LISTEN! The man of our verse
has no time for that! He must be talking! (Some
so-called Christians do little else that talk ... gossip ... on
the phone all day! You can't do THAT and be anything other
than "hasty of words.")
I fear that the Bible
Judge Jephthah was "hasty in his words" and this just may have
cost him the life of his daughter!
In Matthew 26:73 we
read of Peter --- "And after a while came
unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely
thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth
thee." Get it? His speech betrayed him!
It gave him away! Folks can tell a lot about us by the
words of our mouths!
Well, enough has been
said!
May God give you a good
(and a quiet) day!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 30...
PROVERBS
30:5-6
"Every word of God is
pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in
him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou
be found a liar."
(Posted
Tuesday, December 30, 2003 at 6:55 AM)
Today I'm going to give you an "outline" for
the our verses that I found in a commentary on Proverbs. It is
not mine (alas, for it is borrowed), but I thought it was pretty
good.
Notice ... 1. The
PURITY of the Bible! ("every word")
2. The PROTECTION of the Bible! (a "shield")
3. The PERFECTION of the Bible! (nothing needs to be "added")
The adjective "pure" is a Hebrew word meaning
"to refine, to test, to smelt, to try." It comes from the field
of the goldsmith or silversmith! In the Old Testament it is
translated often "founder or refine or even goldsmith!" The
precious old Bible has been through many a fire ... but the fire
didn't hurt it! It proved its purity! Psalm 12:6 says:
"The words of the LORD are pure
words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified
seven times."
I believe the word "shield" must, in context,
somehow be applied to the Word of God also! Often in Scripture
the Word seems to come "alive!" Sometimes it is just hard to
tell the difference often between the Written Word and the
Living Word! "Shield" (magen) is in the Hebrew a "buckler"
(hand-held shield) or a "defence" or one's "arms" (in the sense
of battle gear). It's from a root verb that means "to hedge
about!" Or "to protect!" I'm telling you right now ... the Word
of God will protect you! (Paul says in Ephesians 6
that the Bible is our sword!)
"Trust" means to "flee for protection!" When
the devil comes, do what Jesus did! Go to the precious Word of
God and say to satan, "IT IS WRITTEN! IT IS WRITTEN!
IT IS WRITTEN!"
"Add" means to increase or to augment! (Like
the Catholics have added the Aprocrypha to their Bibles! Like
the Mormons have to include the Book of Mormon! Like the other
cults add their own "scriptures!" Like liberal preachers like to
add their own interpretations!) This warning is repeated in
Deuteronomy 4:2 and 12:32 and Revelation 22:18-19. I'd say this
is pretty important! (Three times in Scripture!) Of course many
of the modernists today "take away" from the Bible. That is
equally as wrong!
"Reprove" means "to correct or to judge or
even to convince!" It is a "causative" verb ... indicating that
there's a REASON why God so acts! The Reason: the integrity of
the Bible! God will defend His Word!
Isn't it interesting that the very crowd
that's "correcting" the Scriptures ... adding here and taking
away there, effectively calling the Bible "wrong" in places ...
IS THE VERY CROWD GOD WILL PROVE TO BE LIARS THEMSELVES! It is
NOT the Bible that's in error ... it is the crowd that calls the
Bible wrong!
That's our verse (today a couple of verses)
from the Proverbs "chapter-of-the-day." (Proverbs 30 because
it's December 30th.)
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
FROM PROVERBS 31...
PROVERBS 31:1
"The
words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him."
(Posted
December 31, 2003, from Cumming, Georgia, at 7:42 AM)
The name "Lemuel"
means "for God" or "belonging to God!" (That's a pretty
good name!) Some Bible teachers through the years have
associated Lemuel with Solomon. Some even believe it's
another of Solomon's names ... but we do not have Scripture to
prove that. (However, the Jewish "Talmud" does say this.)
We do know that Lemuel was a king. See verses four and
five.
But we do know
THIS about Lemuel. He had a godly Mother who taught him
the Word of God! Here he joins a "great cloud of
witnesses" who can testify to the same thing!
What his
Mother did for him is interesting. She "taught" him!
This is Hebrew ... "yacar" ... meaning to chastise (21 times in
Scripture), to instruct (8 times), to correct (7 times), to
punish (1 time), to reprove (1 time), to reform (1 time) and to
teach (2 times)! Its literal meaning is to chastise (with
blows) ... then to chasten with words! It sounds like his Mother
really got with him!
The word for
"prophecy" initially meant "burden!" (57 of 66 times in
the Bible) That's what a Bible "message" is --- a burden!
(At least in the Old Testament sense!) All the prophets had
"burdens" to deliver! Lemuel's Mother took the truths of
the Bible and indoctrinated them into her son!
Remember
Timothy? Paul says to him ...
"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures,
which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith
which is in Christ Jesus." In 2 Timothy 3:15
Paul had previously told us about Timothy's Mother and
Grandmother. "When I call to
remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee (Timothy), which
dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and
I am persuaded that in thee also."
Someone said,
"The Book of Proverbs begins with the advice of a Father and
ends with the advice of a Mother!" (Wow!)
The home ought to be a central
place of learning the things of God!
Let's stop
today and thank God for Christian Mothers who take the time to
teach their children the precious Word of God! May their
number increase!
For those of
you whose Moms are still living ... you ought today (on this
last day of the year) to tell her what a blessing she is to you!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
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