Paul once, in Romans 1:16, called the Gospel "the power of God unto salvation!" Of course that "Gospel" is learned in the Scriptures!  The first four Books in the New Testament are called just that, the Gospels! As most of you already know, that noun "power" is "dunamis" in Greek, roughly the equivalent of our word "dynamite!"

But let's hear Paul one more time as he describes the ability of God's Word to point men and women, as well as young people, to Christ.  He wrote to Timothy: "From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation." 2nd Timothy 3:15

When a Man of God preaches the Word of God, in purity and in earnestness and with the touch of the Holy Spirit, all kinds of things happen!

Christian are fed, the lowly are encouraged, the sinful are rebuked; in fact, every need present in that Church, whatever it is, can be satisfied!

Including, says Paul under Holy Ghost inspiration, salvation itself!

The noun for "Scriptures" here is a bit unusual. It is not the word for "writings" as such. Rather it is "gramma" which means "letters!" Letters of the alphabet primarily! Paul well might be implying that little Timothy learned his ABCs by means of the Word of God. Our children did! "A" ... All have sinned and come short of the Word of God! "B" ... Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved! "C" ... Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. "D" ... Delight thyself also in the Lord and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. You get the picture.

This also is the same Epistle in which Paul mentions Timothy's Mother Eunice and Grandmother Lois also! They would have been the ones teaching Timothy that alphabet! See 2nd Timothy 1:5. These were godly ladies.

But what's the advantage of such teaching? Or of such preaching?

Those inspired verses, letters of Holy Writ, can "make thee wise unto salvation." That verb "to make wise" translates sophizo," in which one can readily see "sophia," the Greek noun for Wisdom! God's Word reveals God's Wisdom!

And "salvation" is "soteria" and means deliverance, safety or preservation! Here eternal soul salvation is in view for sure!

Preachers, keep it simple!

Give them the ABCs of Scripture as well as the milk and meat and honey of the Bible!

It will, through faith in Jesus and His shed Blood, save their souls!

                                               --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

Recently while reading a certain book, I encountered a phrase that "stuck" in my mind.

The author, with a critical spirit too, mocked the people on earth that still held to a "Single Saviour Complex."

By that he meant men and women who believed that there was only ONE way to Heaven.

Like a heretic, this man taught that there were many saviours! In fact, he really felt that each individual could be his or her own saviour if he got in touch with his "inner" self and tapped into that "spark" of divinity that indwells everybody! So he was saying!

Now I realize that other groups than Christians, a few of them anyway, also believe in a single saviour. It's just that they have selected the wrong saviour, a man or woman or sometimes even an animal or object.

Now listen carefully to what I am about to say.

I myself believe in a single Saviour!

Not one of my own creation, but One Who made me!

His Name is Jesus!

He is the Son of God!

He came to earth around 2,000 years ago, having been born of a virgin Jewish girl.

He lived an absolutely sinless life.

He fulfilled dozens and dozens of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah, the Anointed One of Israel.

He then died on an old rugged Cross, laying His life down vicariously ... for you and for me!

He was subsequently buried ... and rose again, literally and victoriously on the third day!

Forty days later, after appearing to hundreds of people, Jesus ascended to Heaven where He is sitting right now, praying for us, interceding to His Father.

And, He's coming back again!

He is The Saviour!

You might not want to believe me about this vital issue.

Therefore I shall give you His words, verbatim.

"Jesus saith unto them, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:6

                                            --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

Then, obviously, it is possible for the devil to "get an advantage" over a Christian Brother or Sister in Christ!

What does that mean?

"Pleonekteo" combines two Greek words. Its first section, "pleon," means "more!" The second unit, a verb, is spelled "echo" and means "to hold on" to something! Thus, the compound word means that the devil, once he gets a "hold" on a Believer in some way or another, wants "more" and then some "more" and yet "more" again of that area of his victim's life!

I am NOT teaching that the devil or a demon can "possess" a saint of God, a follower of Jesus!

I am just trying to re-state what Paul has written here under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God.

The verb means "to want more, to be covetous, to make a gain!"

But here's an interesting grammatical fact. This verb in the Text is in the passive voice! This fact suggests that Satan is not able to get that "advantage" over us on his own! He is not the instigator of such a victory! It is allowed him!

How?

Paul elsewhere, in Ephesians 4:27, wrote: "Neither give place to the devil."

Maybe the evil one cannot "get an advantage" of us ... without our letting him do so! Without our outrightly "giving" him permission!

After all, as John wrote, "Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world!" See 1st John 4:4 for the exact words.

Back to today's verse: "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices." 2nd Corinthians 2:11

The verb "are ignorant," where Paul states "we are not ignorant," is a translation of "agnoeo." This term gives us our English noun "agnostic." It means just what it says, "not to know" something.

In context Paul uses two negatives here!

To NOT be in the state of NOT KNOWING means to be keenly aware of something, to be positive of it!

In grammar two negatives make a positive, you see.

We definitely know the devil's "devices." Now we have "noema," a noun derived from "noeo," which means "to exercise the mind, to comprehend." In Greek "nous" is the word for "mind."

To know the devil's "devices" indicates our knowing his very thought patterns! We can know how the devil reasons! By means of Scripture of course.

That's exactly what Paul is saying here!

The devil  only has three main tools in his toolbox anyway. He used them in the Garden of Eden against Eve. He used them in the wilderness temptation against Jesus. The same three! And he has used them against you, dear saved friend!

They are "the lust of the flesh," then "the lust of the eyes," and thirdly "the pride of life." We are not ignorant of his devices!

All other vices and sins and failures toward which the devil lures us are derivations of one of these three seminal categories.

I pray someone today will write this verse on a little piece of paper, putting it in his shirt pocket or the side pouch of her purse, reading it enough to memorize it!

Then, if you go that far, proceed to meditate on it, spiritually chewing it until the Holy Spirit begins to reveal to you bit after bit of vital Truth to help you fight the devil and live for Jesus!

That's the kind of Power the unleashed Word of God possesses!

Unashamedly, here it is again: "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices." 2nd Corinthians 2:11

Victory!

Amen!

                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

Moses certainly was no believer in evolution. He was a creationist!

Read with me him words. "Male and female created He them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created." Genesis 5:2

Look carefully at what God did here.

Carefully using nouns that accent their differences, man and woman, we are told that God "created" Adam and Eve. Our old Bible teacher many years ago "locked" into my mind a good definition for "bara," the verb used here. It means "to make something out of nothing." Miraculously, man exists today due to the almighty Hand of God!

But God not only made Adam and Eve, forming and shaping them as He knew best, the Lord also named them. He did so on the very "day" He made them! That noun for "day" is "yom" and I believe refers to a twenty four hour period of time, not an age or generation or epoch! It is derived from a "root" word that means "to be hot" and likely refers to a complete cycle of the sun, from early morning to the noontime HEAT the westward to its recession in the evening sky!

Now, look what God called them!

He "called their name Adam."

The verb "call" is "qara" and means to speak out loud! To utter an audible sound! To clearly proclaim!

To whom was God speaking?

No human existed until that very second!

To the angels?

I believe God is speaking to Himself, His Triune Being!

Look, we have fellowship within the Trinity! The precise Name for God here, being only a Pronoun in verse two, is the Antecedent "God" or "Elohiym" in verse number one. That's God's Name that means "Strong One," emphasizing His omnipotence! But It also is framed as a plural, in Hebrew I mean! And since we do not believe in polytheism, many gods, we must admit that this One God is multiple in His Personhood! He is a Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Spirit!

Just as God's Name is significant in this verse, so is man's name.

In fact, "shem" is the Hebrew noun for "name" and often means "renown, fame or even character" also. The Old Testament builds much more into a "name" than we often do today.

My point today?

Among other things, God called two people by one name!

"He call THEIR name Adam!"

"Their" is a plural pronoun, Adam and Eve are obviously in view here.

But she, Eve, was given Adam's name!

She took His fame and his renown and his character upon herself!

And this whole issue is God's Idea!

In today's feminist society multitudes of women are repulsed by the idea of taking their husband's names!

No Sir!

Excuse me, No Mam!

She will ignore his name and retain her own. Meet Mr. Smith and Ms. Jones, who have been married now ten years!

Or just Ms. Jones-Smith you see!

God will have none of it!

Their name, Adam and Eve, is called by his ... Adam!

Old fashioned?

I prefer to just call it "Biblical!"

Amen!

                                           --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

Job, speaking of our great God, records: "Lo. these are parts of His ways, but how little a portion is heard of Him? But the thunder of His power who can understand?"  These words are found in Job 26:14.

Job has been discussing with his three "friends" the Might of our Lord. And to Bildad particularly he asks these two questions.

In the previous few verses, the context, God is acknowledged as the Creator, hanging the earth upon nothing! He also has knowledge, right now, of everything going on in Hell! He furthermore controls the weather! He even hides Himself when He deems it proper! He restrains the waters of the Oceans! He maintains the daily cycles of sun and moon! He built and named the Constellations of the night sky! He is the Judge of the universe as well! He is omnipotent!

But, Job reasons, even with all these things being so, we have only heard of "parts" of His ways!

We know so little about Him!

He is so great, so vast, so awesome!

The noun "parts" translates "qatzsah" which twice in the King James Bible means just the "edges" of a thing. In this way it's used specifically of the High Priest's shoulder-pieces, part of his Ephod.

We only know the "edges" of the Essence of Almighty God!

So says Job!

The "ends," the "extremities," adds a Hebrew Lexicon.

The "uttermost parts" continues our Bible in places like Numbers 11:1.

Think of the ineffable nature of God, unexplainable!

Beyond words!

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, ponder this great verse today.

It will surely keep us mortals in our places!

And exalt God to His supreme Place on High!

"Lo. these are parts of His ways, but how little a portion is heard of Him? But the thunder of His power who can understand?"

Amen!

                                         --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

Much has been said over the years about memorizing God's Word. But many seem to lose what they have learned, letting it slip from their minds. The Psalmist here is resolved! He will not forget God's Law! This verb is spelled "shakah" in Hebrew and means "to ignore!" It also can carry the idea of "withering," allowing my interest in Scripture to weaken! One grammarian teaches that it also means "to cease to care!"

A "precept" is just a "commandment" or a "statute." And "piqqud" is translated both ways in the King James Bible.

Why are God's Words so precious to the Psalmist?

One reason he gives us immediately!

God has "quickened" him with the Scriptures!

This verb, "chayah," is a key vocabulary word of the Old Testament, occurring over 260 times. As in our Text here, it is rendered "quickened" 14 times. It is also "recovered" 8 times! And it is "revived" 12 times!

You get the idea.

God's Word revives me!

It is so used in such great Texts as Psalm 85:6. "Wilt Thou not REVIVE us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?"

Or, "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt REVIVE me." Psalm 138:7

"O Lord, REVIVE Thy work in the midst of the years." Habakkuk 3:2

Yes, God's instrument of Revival is His Word!

Do remember that the Holy Spirit must assist in such Revival too, but He always works in accordance to God's written Truth!

The next time you're sitting in Church, listening to the Preacher proclaim the Bible, ask the Lord to revive you ... through His mighty Word!

                                           --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

The Church at Laodicea is quite well known. The Disciple John in Revelation chapter three tells us of its luke-warm spiritual condition. In fact, this Assembly made God sick, nauseated!

However, thirty or so years earlier, Paul was concerned about these same Believers too! In Colossians 2:1 he writes: "For I would that ye knew what great CONFLICT I have for you, and for them at Laodicea."

Evening admitting that he had not seen these folks face-to-face, neither the Colossians nor the Laodiceans, Paul still was burdened for their spiritual well-being. Concern for "as many as have not seen my face in the flesh."

The noun "conflict" here is particularly interesting. In Greek it is spelled "agona." It suggests "a struggle, a fight, a contest or an overcoming of great opposition!"

It obviously gives to us our English word "agony!"

Paul is in agony! He is that concerned, perhaps even affecting him physically, praying that even the Laodiceans might be knit together in love, and comforted in Christ and learners of the Wisdom of God! Ultimately being persuaded that in Jesus Christ "are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:3

Praying until it hurts!

Intensely!

Laboriously!

Paul even compared himself to a married lady about to give birth ... in travail ... for the spiritual maturity of the Galatians! "My little children, of whom I travail in birth until again Christ be formed in you."  Galatians 4:19

Someone is reading here today who is about to give up on a loved one.

They are sliding further and further away from the Lord.

But, have they slipped as far as the Laodiceans did?

Maybe not!

I can tell you this. Paul would not have quit praying!  Paul would have entered the arena of spiritual battle and wrestled the devil or fought the world or rebuked the flesh, agonizing every minute of the trial ... until God gave the victory!

For people he had never even seen!

Great conflict!

Great agony!

But of course Paul is now in Heaven.

Who on earth now cares for your loved one?

Who here will do battle for them?

Who will refuse to quit praying?

Does anyone care?

                                            --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

The Word of God is so important ... and so powerful!

To give you an example I shall use part of James 1:21. "Receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls!"

The Word of God can save us?

Yes, but remember that Jesus IS the Word of God, the Living Word!

But to be saved one must believe in Jesus, trusting Him, yielding to Him, being overwhelmed by Him!

And that trust, that saving faith, is only possible as we learn of Jesus the Christ through the Word of God! Yes the Bible, that blessed and sweet revelation of God's Truth to mankind, is critically important here!

Paul said to young Timothy that the Scriptures could make him "wise unto salvation!"

Amen!

"Is able," the verb in today's snippet of Scripture, is spelled "dunamai" and means is "powerful enough" or is "capable" of saving our souls!

Certainly if we understand the "soul," the "pseuche," to include its wider definition too, that of one's mind and will and emotions, the Word of God can surely "save" those areas of a man's life!

But notice how the Holy Spirit describes this Word of God. It's here the "engrafted" Word. This adjective is why we are studying James 1:21 today.

"Emphutos" means "planted deep down within" a person. "Phuo," the root verb used in this expression, means "to grow, to swell or to puff up" and later came to mean "to give birth" or "to spring forth." The prefix "in" both intensifies and internalizes the concept.

The Holy Spirit takes the preached Word, the taught Word, the read and memorized Word, the heard Word of God and deeply plants it within a man's heart. There it powerfully grows and expands and illuminates and can bring about the very salvation of its possessor's soul!

Of course James does tell us that even this awesome Word of God, with all its potential, must be "received" properly.

"Dechomai" can often mean "to accept favorable, gladly, enthusiastically!" Even "to embrace!"

And "meekness" is the opposite of pride or self-sufficiency. "Prautes" means mildness of disposition or gentleness of spirit. The idea is that of allowing the Word of God to teach us and mold us and form us as God sees fit, not according to our own dictates!

There we have it!

One more inspired word picture of the efficacy of God's precious Word!

Folks, familiarize yourselves with this verse and its reference. You will indeed be glad you did!

                                           --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

It's one of the most amazing verses in the Bible!

And one of the most profitable, if learned and diligently practiced by God's children.

"For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him." 2nd Chronicles 16:9

This Text begins with a beautiful "word picture" describing God's omniscience. His eyes rove back and forth, up and down, through all of creation! He see and knows everything!

For whom is He searching?

Someone whose heart is "perfect" toward Himself! That word "perfect" is spelled "shalem" in Hebrew and is related to "shalom." While among its meanings are concepts like "safe" or "peaceful" or "healthy" ... it also means "complete" and "whole" and "full!"

God wants our hearts to be completely dedicated to Him!

One hundred percent so!

He longs for a man's or woman's whole heart!

One fully consecrated to the Saviour!

And if such a man or woman, exists ... with a heart entirely given to God ... our Heavenly Father promises to be "strong" on his or her behalf!

Get this. "Strong" is a translation of "chazaq" which means stout, firm, resolved or even hardened!

What a promise!

Does anyone today long to be that person!

Single heartedly dedicated to God!

                                              --- Dr. Mike Bagwell