I am excited about today’s verse. Absolutely, it is not politically correct, not in 2017, in the wicked world we inhabit!

In Joshua 1:4 God actually describes to His man the dimensions of the Land of Promise! It’s almost a plat of Israel’s (future) real estate!

“From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.” Wow!

Well, let me give you the preceding verse as well …

“Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.” It’s yours … go claim it! Step it off! To the Glory of God, Joshua 1:3-4.

Note … God is telling Joshua this in real time, as he begins his ministry over Israel. But do keep in mind these facts had already been made known to Moses, several times!

For example, though in far greater detail:

“Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of the salt sea eastward: and your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadeshbarnea, and shall go on to Hazaraddar, and pass on to Azmon: and the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea. And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border. And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor. From mount Hor ye shall point out your border unto the entrance of Hamath; and the goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad: and the border shall go on to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazarenan: this shall be your north border. And ye shall point out your east border from Hazarenan to Shepham: and the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward: and the border shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea: this shall be your land with the coasts thereof round about.”  Numbers 34:3-12

Vast!

From the Mediterranean Sea on the west to the Euphrates River in the east! From Lebanon (maybe even Syria) in the north to the land of Egypt in the south!

Really, I think, more land they Israel has ever literally possessed, in all her history! (Including her “victorious” times under David and Solomon!) Yet this acreage is still promised to her, by God Himself!

This fact alone leads me to believe that there is coming a day in the future when Israel shall possess and enjoy every square inch of the (literally) Promised Land!

Yet the nations of the world today, perhaps without exception, seek to dispossess Israel of her ground … expelling her from this rightful Gift from the Lord.

Yes, I am saying that I believe God will keep His Word … and give His people everything He has told them!

And if a person is a Bible “literalist,” he or she is in favor of the geographical outline given above.

And today they (apostate politicians) want to argue over “settlements?”

Folks, only the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ will ever straighten this situation, which has become so very crooked!

By the way, God has promised each of us some (spiritual) territory as well!

As we occupying it all?

Living up to our full potential?

The Bible and read estate!

Who would have ever thought it?

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

I feel like a lad standing on the shore of a great ocean! Amazed at its breadth, wondering about its depth! Only able to wade out so far, very small in the presence of this huge body of water!

That’s me this morning.

On the brink of a study of the Old Testament Book of Joshua.

Almost overwhelmed!

Yes, the Book of Joshua is a virtual library of Spirit-written Wisdom! Of all things, on this subject … how to better live for Jesus! Or maybe “in” Jesus!

Joshua 1:1-3 begins the odyssey.

“Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.”

The Lord’s promises are … transferrable!

That’s the outstanding fact that impresses me today, from our text.

“That have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses!”

His “guarantees” have now become yours, Joshua!

What I had planned to do for him, I shall now do for you, as leader of my people Israel.

There’s a song entitled “It Is No Secret, What God Can Do!” Among its lines are the truly encouraging words: “What He’s Done for Others, He will do for you!”

Wow!

Then … maybe the Prayer that God led Jabez to pray … will be effective in my life, too! Maybe that’s why God had it so carefully (word for word) notated in the Bible, for folks like me!

“And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.” 1st Chronicles 4:10

Am I saying, “What God did for Jabez, He well might do for me?” Yes, I am! “And God granted him that which he requested.” Incidentally, the Lord has answered that prayer, aspects of it anyway, for me! Time and time again!

A transfer of the promises of God!

Then I wonder … can I also claim such as …

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Psalm 1:1-3, likely first made to David, to some Psalmist for sure. But I have reaped (at least partially) these benefits over the years, due to the Power of the Word of God!

What about thousands of other promises in the Bible?

I am probably “over my head” by now, in that vast sea I earlier mentioned!

But YES, many (if not most)of those promises can be MINE as well!

“That have I given unto you … (just) as I said unto Moses!”

Amen!

Go claim one of God’s previously-given promises today!

They never wear out!

And they are transferrable!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Anyone planning to enjoy this chapter by chapter journey through Joshua? I’d love to know your feelings! My text number 770-844-7627.

 

 

I first read the analogy years ago. Someone, I think Dr. J. Sidlow Baxter, suggested that certain parallels exist between the Old Testament Book of Joshua and the New Testament Book of Ephesians! Such a thought thrilled my soul, my teenage soul at the time.

This much I recall.

In Joshua the people of God (the Israelites) have left Egypt, trekked through the Wilderness, the desert, and are ready to enter the Land of Canaan! The Land God had promised them many years ago. The overarching theme of Joshua … “Living up to one’s inheritance!”

Read with me Joshua 1:2, God speaking to (instructing) young Joshua . . . “Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.”

And likewise in Ephesians we are being taught that there exists a “higher spiritual plane” on which we Christians can live, daily! A life of victory in Christ Jesus our Lord, perennially! Living up to our inheritance, spiritually.

Ephesians 1:3 makes the case. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”

Wow!

The Lord willing, for a few days (maybe even weeks) we shall be studying Joshua, chapter by chapter. I want to learn more about what we already have (in Christ Jesus) to empower us to love righty for the Lord Who loved (loves) us so!

Anyone want to learn with me?

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

770-844-7627

 

The Lesson today is NOT simply an announcement! Or an advertisement! It contains a real “kernel” of Biblical Truth, I believe.

Yes, a four-hour Bible Study! (Truth be told, we are going to take a “break” around Noon for a snack, refreshments!) But still, concentrated Bible Study, Ephesians chapter 6, Paul’s great “Whole Armour of God” Passage.

At a Church perhaps 45 minutes from our home. Next Saturday, January 21st. By the way, since I’ve mentioned this outreach for our Ministry … let me ask you to pray with us about the day. That God will powerfully instill His Word within our hearts.

Today’s Bible Lesson …

Is THAT MUCH Bible Study “overkill,” too much in too short a time?

I think not.

I see examples in the Bible of men who were placed, by God Himself, into such times of accelerated Bible training!

Paul, for example.

Virtually, soon as he was saved … “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I WENT INTO ARABIA, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after THREE YEARS I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.” Galatians 1:15-18

Why would Paul give all that time, up to three years, in the Arabian desert?

I believe … to be taught of the Lord, a multi-year seminary course in “the things of God!”

Wow!

Moses too!

Forty years, in his case, in the wilderness … learning from God!

All I’m saying is this … maybe WE too should set aside some times of dedicated Bible Study, more than just an hour of Sunday School (which isn’t really an hour most places now).

And that’s (partly) the idea behind our Ephesians 6 Class.

I realize most of you can’t be in attendance next week.

BUT I also realize you can do your own focused Bible Class, perhaps just you and the Holy Spirit, next week or next month or anytime the Lord directs you!

Goodness!

I love this idea.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

PS – Tackle that Book of the Bible about which you feel you know the least! Study it diligently a week, or a month! Here 2nd Timothy 2:15 does apply. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Where the verb “study” (in Greek “spoudazo”) liteally means “intensively giving it all you’ve got!” Fervently! Laboriously!

Amen.

 

 

This is the actual Bible owned by Dr. M. R. DeHaan, founder and teacher of the nationally known Radio Bible Class of bygone years. Look how “studied” it is! I saw it in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the offices of “Our Daily Bread.”

Old Bibles, nearly coming to pieces, used time and time again! Handled reverently, truth be told! And before I realized it, the “picture” became a “parable!”

Today’s Bible Lesson …

Every Bible, in one sense, is an old Bible!

Having now been written, completed, for thousands of years. Psalm 119:89 literally does claim for the Scriptures: “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”

Then, in an equally true sense, the same Bible is eternal! Old … but ever fresh! 1st Peter 1:23 preaches about: “The word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

It’s pages may become brittle, but never its Message!

By the way, the Bible Dr. DeHaan loved and used so faithfully was a King James Version … with the Scofield  Reference notes incorporated. It accepted and promoted the “dispensationalist” view of God’s Program!  (Dr. C. I. Scofield)

Old fashioned, that hermeneutic, indeed.

But still accurate!

And off to the left in the photo, barely discernable, is the Preacher’s little plaque which bears the words “Perhaps Today!”

That’s what Dr. DeHaan believed, and Dr. Scofield and their cohorts!

I believe it too.

Jesus can come, is coming … “perhaps today!”

I’ve said it before, quoting thousands …

One picture is (or at least can be) worth a thousand words!

And today’s photo just might be indeed.

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell