Psalm 19:13 … The godly man praying … “Keep back thy servant also from PRESUMPTUOUS sins.”

Again, define that word please.

In Hebrew it is simply spelled “zed.” It’s only used 13 times in the Old Testament, meaning “proud” 12 of those times!

But looks like it is a pretty intense degree of “pride!” Arrogance, impudence, as well. Mean pride! It’s root verb, “zud,” is defined as “cooked, boiled!” As in Genesis 25:29 … “And Jacob SOD pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint.” You know the rest of that story!

Presumptuous sins?

Little sins you’re pretty sure are not ALL THAT WRONG!

Sins that YOU CAN HANDLE, that will not hurt you, mature as you are!

Sins that have become HABIT to you, and you’ve done a pretty good job hiding them too!

Sins that are questionable, PERHAPS NOT EVEN WRONG, but a lot of Christians refrain from them.

Sins that apply to everyone else, BUT NOT TO YOU!

Some possibilities, I think.

But whatever they are … THEY ARE SINS, according to our Verse today! No matter how much we rationalize.

Plural at that, SINS!Must be we all have some!

And the Psalmist (David) wants to be “kept back” from them! “Chasak,” meaning “withhold,, hinder, spare!”

Can God do that?

“Lead us not into temptation.” Matthew 6:13

“And God said unto him (a king named 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.” Genesis 20:6

One more thing about those “presumptuous” sins, according to our Text, Psalm 19:13. They can eventually control a person!

Read with me again, this time with one more Clause added … “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; LET THEM NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER ME.”

“Mashal” (have dominion) insinuates “to govern, to rule over, to reign!” And two times in the King James Version “to have power over” a person!

Wow!

If that old adage is still right … “to be forewarned is to be forearmed,” we have all profited spiritually by reading (absorbing) the lesson this morning. Or should have anyway …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Prepositions can make a “big” difference!

Thank God we who are saved are not strangers in any way “to” our Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, the very definition of eternal life, according to John 17:3, is “knowing” the Lord! Jesus Himself at times calls us His “servants” (that is definitely a “knowing/being known” relationship), and at other times He even calls us His “friends” (an even closer relationship based on knowledge)!

But that is not what our Bible Text says!

What Text (you may be wondering) … only partially quoted in the Lesson Title above?

“Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger WITH thee, and a sojourner (foreigner), as all my fathers were.” Psalm 39:12

Jesus and you, Jesus and me … co-strangers in this old evil world!

Here’s 1 John 3:13, written to us who love Jesus, who are “in” Him spiritually … “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.”

Yes, we are “strangers” (Peter adds “pilgrims”) in this old world. Jesus agrees, adding a further dimension … “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” John 15:18

Now then … we are not merely “strangers and sojourners” (by ourselves) WITH the wicked world. We are (even more so) “strangers” WITH JESUS in this wicked world!

Yes, our dear Lord Jesus was “not received” by sinful mankind. Even though He gladly receives repenting sinners! John 1:11-12 … “He came unto his own, and his own RECEIVED HIM NOT. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”

In our more and more wicked Country, some now calling it “post-Christian” America … we will increasingly become “strangers WITH Jesus.” But at the same time we will be growing into more mature Believers who are NOT “strangers TO Jesus!”

Paul once mentioned desiring to better know Jesus in “the fellowship of His sufferings!” (Philippians 3:10) That’s identical with being “strangers with Him” as we live day by day in a hostile environment!

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:17

Matthew 5:11, an encapsulating verse … “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.” For Jesus’ Sake … strangers “with” Him!

Get ready … harder times are coming!

Especially if this next election goes the “anti-Christian” way!

“O God we pray, give America a few more years of religious freedom we ask. Defeat the politicians who have sold out to the enemies of the Judeo-Christian standards, so clearly established in the Word of God! In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Today’s verse is just a single Line from the Apostle Paul. From 2 Timothy chapter 2, its opening Sentence: “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”

An older Preacher written to a younger Preacher … “Be STRONG in the GRACE that is in Christ Jesus.”

So I have just leaned that a Christian can possibly be “weak” in Grace! The Galatian Believers certainly were, or had become that way … “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4 … I do not believe Paul is here insinuating that they had “lost” their eternal salvation. But they certainly were no longer “strong” in the Grace of God, either!)

If I know my heart, I long to be “strong in Grace.” But I have already been saved by Grace. What else can Grace do in my liife?

It continues to mold me, to make me what I ought to be for Jesus’ Sake! Remember Paul’s inspired words: “But by the grace of God I am what I am.” 1 Corinthians 15:10

Grace also propels me, motivates me to serve the Lord, to work harder for Him! Paul again: “I laboured more abundantly than they all (the other disciples): yet not I, but the GRACE of God which was with me.” Still quoting 1 Corinthians 15:10!

I just found 99 times that Paul uses the word “Grace” in his Epistles, counting Hebrews! He is indeed the Apostle of God’s Grace! (The noun “Grace” is only used 170 times in the whole Bible, folks!) Amazing indeed!

And He (this unique Grace Preacher) admonishes us to be “strong” in that marvellous Grace! That verb, “endunamoo,” essentially means “empowered!” More literally I think, “to be made able!”

Astounding!

But how, just how can I be stronger in this Grace?

Back to our Text … “Be strong in the grace that is IN Christ Jesus.” Go to the Source, the Very Reservoir of God’s Grace! Grace that is “in” Jesus Christ! Ask Him for stronger Grace! He is the Channel through Whom God’s Grace flows!

Watch 1 Corinthians 13:14, a powerful prayer: “THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.” That first part of this compound petition proves that this Grace whereof I so speak is the “property” of the Lord Jesus Christ! “Of the Lord Jesus Christ” is framed in the “genitive” case, the “possessive” case! He so-to-speak “owns” that Grace!

I suggest that to be strong in Grace we must live close to Jesus! Live “in” Jesus, just as well say. (“If ye abide in Me and My Words abide in you ….” Jesus Himself, recorded in John 15:7.)

Wow!

This Lesson is really getting interesting!

Now … you and the Holy Spirit can take this thought from here, surely! “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”

Amen!

I imagine there is living grace, and dying grace, and every other kind of grace one will need too! Peter even called it “multi-colored” Grace, study the word “manifold” in 1 Peter 4:10!

Learn about it.

Exercise yourself in it.

Grow in it, 2 Peter 3:18!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Occasionally I like to remind you that I no longer write new devotionals on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Due to an extra heavy work schedule on the weekends, I have opted to concentrate on the pulpit preaching (verse-by-verse Bible exposition). Oh, how our Nation needs to hear the Word of God!

Meanwhile, in the archives here … there is plenty of Bible Study if you’d care to investigate a bit.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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The first few words of Psalm 39 … “I said, I will take heed to my ways.” Wherein David shows us a principle of life that made him “a man after God’s Own Heart.” (Paul quoting God in Acts 13:22.)

“I said, I will take heed to my ways.”

The opening two words, “I said,” imply that a person will have “to talk himself” (or herself) into living this kind of life, this kind of introspective life. Many will never “say” this … because they would never “do” this.

It takes resolve, decisiveness, determination, a strong will (in a good sense) to “say” (and mean it) such a thing!

Say what?

“I will take heed to my ways.”

The verb “sill take heed” translates “shamar” in Hebrew. It often means “to guard!” And in our King James Bibles it is rendered as “keep” 283 times. And “observe” another 46 times. “Preserve” 21 times and even “beware” 9 times!

Being alert spiritually!

Paul got it … “See then that ye walk CIRCUMSPECTLY, not as fools, but as wise.” Ephesians 5:15

Then, continuing with our Verse today, the noun “ways” is simply spelled “derek,” literally meaning anything from a “road” or a “path,” all the way to a “journey” … then implying “a way of life.”

How many of us are daily making mistakes and not even knowing it? NOT taking heed to our ways, not listening to the Holy Spirit? Not communing with our Saviour as we should?

Maybe we should wake up!

Maybe this is what Jude meant: “Keep yourselves in the love of God.” Jude verse 21, King James Version.

Or the Apostle Paul … “Timothy, take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine.” 1 Timothy 4:16.

This may even be bolder, yet certainly divinely inspired advice … the first part of 2 Corinthians 13:5 … “Examine yourselves.”

David is doing exactly that …

“I said, I will take heed to my ways.”

Again, how about us?

— Dr. Mike Bagwell