It was the airplane that was based near my home (Donaldson Air Force Base, Greenville, South Carolina) during the days of my childhood. Actually teenage years as well. Build by the Douglas Aircraft Corporation, and named the C-124, Globemaster!

Joel (my Son who pastors in Doraville, Georgia) and I were recently driving home from a Revival Meeting near Savannah, and we passed an Air Force Flight Museum (at Robbins Air Force Base in Macon, Georgia). That’s where we saw the beauty pictured above!

Oh yes, one more thing. The “C” in C-124 stands for the word “cargo.” The place could airlift nearly 70,000 pounds of supplies, nearly anywhere in the world!

Now, today’s Bible Lesson …

A “burden bearer” for our nation, that’s what the Globemaster was for years and years!

And we Christians are to be the same, one to another! Paul wrote us in Galatians 6:2 and said: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

The verb “bear” used here is “bastazo” in Greek, likely derived from a word that means “foundation” or even “foot.” Things TOO HEAVY for one person to carry alone! So much so that he or she has dropped the load, at his or her feet. Needing help, clearly!

Moses and Hur come to mind, who LIFTED Moses’ heavy hands in the day of battle! Read the whole account, a spiritual “duo” fulfilling the role of “load lifters.”

“And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, AARON, and HUR went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. BUT MOSES’ HANDS WERE HEAVY; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and AARON AND HUR STAYED UP HIS HANDS, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.” Exodus 17:9-13, lifting a load, for their leader!

Until victory came!

Wow!

Here’s burden bearing in the Old Testament, once again, in command form! Helping here, even an enemy! ” If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his BURDEN, and wouldest forbear to help him, THOU SHALT SURELY HELP with him.” Exodus 23:5

Romans 15:1 also. “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” Helping the weak! Help carry their “cargo,” so to speak!

In 1st Thessalonians 5:14 Paul succinctly says: “Support the weak.” Stand under them and  hold them up, if need be. The liteal meaningof the verb “support!”

Mercy, and remember this too. JESUS CERTAINLY BEARS OUR BURDENS!

Even our sins, on the cross! 1st Peter 2:24 says so. “Jesus Who his own self BARE OUR SINS in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness.” Amen, here “bare” is “anaphero,” actually He “toted our load” of iniquity, into the sea of God’s forgetfulness!

Today … should you meet a brother or sister in Christ who is burdened, you will immediately know WHAT to do!

“Lord, make us stronger. To help carry the ‘cargo’ of others who are temporarily weak in the faith. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Text me, 770-844-7627 if the lesson was a special help.

 

I was driving one day last week. We do a lot of that, over 40,000 miles this past year alone. Not even counting the miles I fly to the Revival Meetings. Anyway, I saw this sign, which would mean absolutely nothing to most motorists. But Oh, what memories they brought to  mind!

Today’s Bible Lesson …

When I first started pastoring (in 1966 while only nineteen years old), the Lord allowed me to serve a precious group of Believers in Newnan, Georgia. Southwest of Atlanta, in Coweta County, Oaklawn Memorial Baptist Church there. One Sunday as I preached a young man walked the aisle and asked Jesus to save him.

He lived near the City of Wedowee, Alabama … and was only temporarily in Newnan.

And now you know the significance of the sign above.

His name was Ronald, the last name still etched in my memory as well, though I’ll not use it here.

A soul had been saved!

A young Pastor had seen more “fruit” in his ministry!

This reminds me of a verse Jesus left us, Matthew 4:19. “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

The verb “to follow” is an imperative here. We are commanded to walk in the steps of our Lord! It’s plural too, every Christian is to be a “disciple” in that sense.

The verb “to make” is “poieo” in Greek, being translated “cause you to become” nine different times! “Poieo” gives us the English words “poet” and “poem” and “poetry!” Works of art, beautiful within themselves!

Yes, Jesus crafts us (as does an artist) into being “fishers of men!” Making us each a “designer model” (a one-of-a-kind soul winner) in His work! “Fishers of men” then must be “beautiful” to Jesus, the works of His Hands!

This too … our Lord employs a unique noun for “fishers,” which is spelled “halieus,” simply being a derivative of the Greek word for “salt.” (Strange, since the Sea of Galilee is really a fresh-water lake!)

Then WHY does Jesus use this word for “fishers,” having that specific background, “salty?” Maybe because “salt” in one’s speech can indicate “choice, of high quality, excellent,” words being utilized! “Winsome words” might apply!

To the point, “soul-winners” for Jesus!

With “wise” words … as in Proverbs 11:30 … nudging men toward the Lord! “He that winneth souls is wise.”

“Fishes of men!”

Can YOU think of a person today to whom you might speak a word for Jesus?

I genuinely believe Ronald was saved that day.

Some “salty” word I spoke (as I preached) was taken by the Holy Spirit and used to create “thirst” in his young soul, thirst for the Water of Life, for Christ Jesus our Saviour!

I still thrill with the remembrance!

Will YOU endeavor to be a better witness for the Lord in the soon-coming year?

I need to be.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

As usual, if the Lesson “speaks” to your heart … let me know!

Text me at 770-844-7627.

Otherwise, I might never know if anyone reads my post this morning.

Plus … I LOVE hearing from you our readers.

 

 

Regularly Rock City guests are given the opportunity of hearing “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” Recently I visited this historic park in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. And I just had to make these pictures!

Today’s Bible Study Lesson …

What story?

About Jesus.

As in 1st Timothy 3:16, the whole Story: “Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” God’s being “manifest in the flesh” summarizes the Christmas Story, folks!

And when the angel announced Jesus’ Birth to the shepherds: “He said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” The noun “good tidings” is “euaggelizo,” actually meaning “to tell good news!”

In fact, the word “Gospel” means just that, “good news!”

That’s exactly what we Christians believe. Listen to Paul the Apostle: “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.” Amen, 1st Corinthians 15:3-4, King James Version.

Yes, no doubt, the greatest Story ever told!

But what impresses me about today’s picture, pictures this time, is that a serving-the-public company, advertising as widely as Rock City does … still is not ashamed to call Jesus’ Incarnation and Virgin Birth … “THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD!”

That fact alone (their being so unashamed, so bold) ought to help encourage each of us to tell the Story … all season long! All year long! All our lifetimes!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Does anyone agree?

Text me: 770-844-7627

 

The picture was taken recently when I was in Revival in Indiana, not far from Indianapolis. We (early Wednesday morning of that week) drove to the Creation Museum, not far from Cincinnati, Ohio. What a learning experience! There, among dozens if not hundreds of subjects, I was captivated by Noah!

Today’s Bible Study Lesson …

In fact, the Lord is leading me to preach a week (somewhere soon perhaps) on the Flood! Which will include the Ark, the fact of sin, and the man whose photo (a life-sized figure, dressed as men of that time would have been) I’ve included above! Yes, the godly man Noah.

We often think of him as a carpenter par excellence, a builder.

But Peter calls him a “preacher of righteousness.” (See Second Peter 2:5 for proof.)

The Flood …

Because of world-wide sin!

Finally God’s patience was exhausted!

“And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I WILL DESTROY man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.” Genesis 6:5-7

But …

(Here used as one of the greatest conjunctions in the Bible … but!)

“BUT … Noah found GRACE in the eyes of the LORD.” Genesis 6:8

Grace, what a theme!

It’s Hebrew parent, “chen,” is translated “favour” 26 times in the King James Bible. Then “pleasant” once. And once again “precious!” In God’s eyes!

Wow, apart from that Grace … Noah would have been destroyed like all the rest of humanity! When I was a teenager our Preachers defined Grace as “God’s unmerited favor!”

Undeserved, but given anyway!

Praise the Lord.

I, too, have found GRACE in God’s eyes.

Jesus died for me!

For you as well, dear reader of these lines.

I am a recipient of God’s GRACE and have been saved, washed in the Blood of Jesus! “For by GRACE are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8

I have a feeling we shall talk about GRACE for all of eternity!

Oh, how we should thank God for His Grace!

In fact, the Greek word for giving thanks includes the very noun “grace” at its root!

I trusted the Blood of Jesus.

And God, in Grace, saved me!

Just as well say, Mike Bagwell found grace in the eyes of the Lord!

You have too!

As did Noah long ago.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

We were in North Carolina, the City of Lincolnton. Our Revival did not being until the following morning. I had driven into Hickory to get some ink for our printer. On the way back to the motel, I saw this sunset! I pulled into a Church parking area, used my cellphone camera, and this is what I got. Well, I edited it just a bit.

Today’s Bible Lesson …

The sun setting in the Church’s back yard, or so it looks! It’s a parable, this picture. Books have been written in the last few years that predict this very thing. That for old fashioned Bible believing Churches … it’s day’s end!

They’ve run their course, are dwindling in size, in a slow state of dying!

I specifically know the name of one book, one atheistic author, who believes he will live to see “the end of faith” in the United States of America!

Others have said that within 50 years … Churches (for the most part) will no longer exist! Darkness is coming … for Christianity, actually for all religions in their estimation.

But Jesus said that He would build the real Church, His Church!

And that nothing would prevail against it!

The Text for such a belief is Matthew 16:15-18.

“Then He (Jesus) saith unto them (the Disciples), But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock … I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH; AND THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT.

What rock?

Surely not Peter!

But … upon the ROCK of the statement Peter had just made to our Lord: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Oh, yes … that’s Who Jesus was! Still is! Always will be!

JESUS IS GOD!

And that’s the Cornerstone (the Rock) on which Salvation is based. “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” I love those words!

Upon that absolute Truth Christ has built His Church, still is doing so!

And NO … Church life is not languishing.

She is not dying, the Church, that body of Blood-washed believers.

Then … what does her future appear to be?

Sounds secure! “And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

The verb “prevail” is “katischuo,” a blend of “kata” and “ischuo.” HELL WILL NEVER BE STRONGER THAN THE CHURCH!

SATAN WILL NEVER OUT-POWER, OVERCOME, OR CONQUER THE REDEEMED!

Folks, it isn’t sunset for the people of God, for the local (genuine, truly saved) Churches of earth … not by any stretch of the imagination.

Fact is, FAITH in Jesus will prevail … for all eternity!

Did I tell you yet?

One of the New Testament’s lovely terms for the redeemed (the Church) is “the Bride of Christ!” And (instead of fading into the sunset) we find the Church (the Bride) quite active in the very last chapter of the Bible! Revelation chapter 22 … where she’s still in existence and still inviting men and women to be “saved!”

“And the Spirit and the BRIDE say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:20

Sunset?

Hardly!

Are you saved?

If not, do you want to be?

Is there any interest in your heart?

If so, there are multiple Churches whose vey reason for existence is helping you meet Jesus, through faith in the Death, the Blood, He shed on Calvary!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Text me occasionally if the Lesson is a blessing to you.

My number … 770-844-7628.