Thanks for visiting us today, but for a year or two now, there have been no new lessons written on Saturday or Sunday mornings. However … hundreds of Bible Study Lessons remain for your perusal (and study) on the “Archives” Page, as well as in the right hand column right here in front of you! (Back through June of 2015, in fact!)

Plus, you can always easily go and see last night’s Evening Meditation, a verse-by-verse study of God’s Word! (Facebook or YouTube either, but our YouTube channel groups them best!)

Whatever you do, stay “in” the Word of God!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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In John 17:24 our Lord petitioned Almighty God … “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am.”

The prayer is asking that all us who are genuinely saved some day be “with Jesus,” eternally. Be with Him where He is!

But is that not one of the very fundamentals of soul salvation? Going to Heaven and not to Hell?

IF you are saved … you WILL spend eternity with the Lord Jesus! The very second death occurs, according to Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:8, we go “absent from the body” to “present with the Lord!”

And even should we live to the Rapture … at the very point of meeting Jesus in the air … “so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17

Yet Jesus, knowing these salvation verses better than any of us … still prays: “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am.”

Hence the Lesson title this morning … “Praying the definite Will of God!”

But is that necessary, that type prayer? Jesus sure seemed to believe that was the case!

Is not that (God’s Will) going to happen (come to pass) anyway? Absolutely! No doubt!

Still, looks like God wants US to cooperate with HIM in accomplishing that sure result, His Will being done! To desire the same things He desires!

That’s the example Jesus set anyway!

But even more, such praying of God’s Will is not only illustrated, but clearly commanded!

Where?

“After this manner therefore PRAY ye” … with the verb pray (“proseuchomai” in Greek, going “face-to-Face” with Almighty God, asking the desires of one’s heart) being an imperative! A stark command from God, from Jesus!

But what did He command me to pray? “Thy WILL be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10

Yes … on praying God’s Will!

Then again in Ezekiel 36, another example occurs. With God talking once more! God, Who is determined to bless Israel”

Ezekiel 36:34-36 … “And the desolate land (Israel) shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it.” God’s specific Will, right? “I WILL DO IT!”

Then the very next verse … “Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this BE ENQUIRED OF by the house of Israel, to do it for them.” That is God saying, “I STILL WANT THEM TO ASK ME TO DO THIS, TO PLEAD MY VERY WILL TO BE ENCACTED!”

Wow!

As a lad I prayed often, “God save the lost, if it be Thy Will.” Mom called me aside one night and said, “Mike it is always God’s will to save the lost. But go ahead and pray that anyway. It is extremely pleasing to God to hear such compassion!” (Read 2 Peter 3:9, the verse Mom had in mind: “THE LORD is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH, BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE.”) Mom and Dad taught me the importance of soul-winning early in life. “Whosoever will may come …”

Amen!

So now I understand Jesus’ John 17:24 “Petition” a little better … “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am.”

And so shall we, be with Him!

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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One of the most amazing Statements in the Bible, I think, is found in John 15:9. Jesus said: “As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you.”

Can you imagine?

Had I been told that Jesus loves me “half as much” as the Father loves Him, I’d be thrilled!

But that opening word “as” (in Greek “kathos,” an adverb) means “TO THE SAME DEGREE!”  (By the way, “kathos” is the first word in the Greek Sentence as well as the English Sentence, King James Version, showing ultra-great priority!)

This is almost incomprehensible!

Yet I KNOW it is true!

Jesus, in John 17:23 is praying to His Father: “That the world may know that thou hast … loved them, as thou hast loved me.” Here it is again, with “kathos” still being the modifier, quantifier. Qualifier too!

Again, listen to our Lord: “And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:26

This being so … the Father loving us as He loves Jesus … no wonder the Disciple John later writes: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.” Here citing 1 John 3:1.

But WHY does the Father love us so? Putting in us the same Love He has for His Darling Son?

Here’s Jesus’ Answer to that question. “Why?” John 16:27 … “The Father himself loveth you, BECAUSE ye have loved me.”

Wow!

Sounds like the Very Godhead functions on Love!

In fact, LOVE AND GRACE AND MERCY just may be the crowing attributes of Almighty God, our Triune God in Heaven!

Rest today, my Christian friend, in that supreme Love!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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