This great verse begins: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” And we Christians all consider that Portion of Scripture to be referring to our Lord Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 9:6, but only a small portion have I quoted here today.)

Notice that the “child” is born. There was a day when God came to earth, in flesh, through the womb of a virgin. God miraculously became a little child, a baby. In that sense (only) Jesus the “child” was indeed “born.”

One day God had no human body. The next day (after the glorious birth) God did have a human body!

A child is born!

But also note that the “son” is NOT SAID to have been born! He is “given!” Why not born? Because Jesus as the Son of God, as the Second Person of the Trinity .. was never born as such! He is eternally the Son of God. He could only have been “given” to humanity, as Saviour and Lord!

A Son is given!

Both Aspects of His Being are thus illustrated in this great opening clause of Isaiah 9:6.

His humanity … the child being born!

His deity … the Son being given!

Wow!

Something to ponder on this 10th day of December, 2020.

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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The Season (Christmas Time) is often called “Advent.” That noun is derived from a Latin verb, “venire,” meaning “to come.” Prefixed by a preposition, “ad,” meaning “unto.” So Advent is a time when we realized and delight in the COMING of Jesus God’s Son TO the earth!

And of course we look back on His FIRST ADVENT, around 2,000 years ago. But we look forward to His SECOND ADVENT some time in the future, albeit perhaps soon!

Now, you may be asking, “What does this have to do with John 3:17, that Verse?” (We’re all familiar with John 3:16 … but we need to read and memorize one verse further!)

Let’s read it … “For God SENT not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

GOD sent HIS SON (JESUS) into the world, past tense. JESUS therefore “CAME TO” earth … in obedience to his Father.

All right, WHY?

WHY did God send Jesus (think Virgin Birth, Mary and Joseph and Bethlehem) that first “Christmas?”

“That the world might be saved!”

We would all be on the way to Hell (or already there) had the FIRST ADVENT, the FIRST COMING of Jesus not occurred!

Oh yes, let me quickly say it … the BABY in the manger became the MAN (GOD-MAN) on the Cross, shedding His divine Blood to forgive sins … but the Birth had to precede the Death!

Jesus did not come to condemn (in Greek “krino,” meaning to judge) the world, not at the First Advent anyway. He really came to “save” the lost world!

That’s the meaning of Christmas for the Believer, the true Christian! Or at least should be the meaning of that grand day.

Christmas … not a tinseled tree but an old rugged TREE, the CROSS!

Not a wrapped gift in a box of some sort … but an eternal gift, life in Heaven never ending with Jesus!

Yes, why can’t I associate Christmas with such powerful verses from God’s Word, more readily associate the two anyway?

Here it is again: “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:17

Something to ponder this 9th day of December, 2020 …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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I think Jesus really said it best: “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: THE NIGHT COMETH, when no man can work.” (John 9:4)

Paul adds: “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: WE ARE NOT OF THE NIGHT, nor of darkness.” (1 Thessalonians 5:5)

And when “night” gets here … obviously the sun is already setting in America … we as the Church will need “watchmen” to keep guard. Our enemies lurk at night!

Thus we arrive at my Scripture this morning, a twice asked question in Isaiah 21:11 … “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”

Somebody needs to start warning us … cautioning us … preparing us … for the encroaching night!

We Christians may literally live the truth of Philippians 1:29 some day … “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, BUT ALSO TO SUFFER FOR HIS SAKE.”

We need some modern day Ezekiels, to whom God can charge .. “Son of man, I have made thee a WATCHMAN unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.” (Ezekiel 3:17)

Yet it is also true … “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” … but still, someone needs to sound the alarm, to blow the trumpet! (Psalm 11:3)

When the “hard times” do come … when night settles in … we will probably pray more. Love each other more, study the Word more! Love the world (which is the culprit) far less. Be more humble.

About all you can do during the night is … ENDURE, stay faithful to the Lord, and remember … every night is followed by dawn!

God has promised … “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)

So I say … every true watchmen not only warns during the night … but also announces the rising of the sun!

And in that sense the hymnwriter had it correct … “Some golden daybreak, Jesus will come!”

I must close the Lesson with the words of Habakkuk the Prophet. Listen to his resolve … “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: YET I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength.” (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

That’s faith … with night approaching!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Surely none of us will deny the fact that we as Christians are at war with the world, with our very flesh and certainly with the devil himself!

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11

Yet some sit idly by … while the war rages!

God’s attitude toward such “shirkers?”

“Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.” Lazy, inactive, non-committed citizens! (Judges 5:23)

The question of the day may be the one asked here … “And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?”

Surely you got the question, just posed by Numbers 32:6 … “Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?”

Frankly, some of us need to re-enlist!

The old Hymn titled “Am I a Soldier of the Cross?” says it well …

“Must I be carried to the skies
  On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize
  And sailed through bloody seas?”

Surely, our hearts say NO!

Do we not want to end our early life, as did the Apostle Paul? Truthfully saying “I have fought a good fight!”

Enough has been said.

The Holy Spirit is our Guide!

Jesus is our Commander!

God the Father is our Strategist!

Sounds like, undoubtedly …We are on the winning side!

Then, why not fight!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Daniel 11:32 is our Text … “The people that do know their God shall be strong.”

The verb “know” used here can (and often does) imply “intimate association.”

And the verb “be strong” means “to prevail,” to be an overcomer!

And not much else can be added, the divinely inspired Sentence being that plain!

It’s an equation:the better I know God … the stronger He will make me!

Cause and effect … Knowing God produces Strength within!

Do you need more power as a Christian?

Well, now we know the Solution to that weakness!

Don’t we?

Knowing God … through His Word!

Knowing God … through His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord!

Knowing God … through His Holy Spirit!

Knowing God … through prayer!

Knowing God, though to a lesser degree … through His working in our daily lives! Circumstance, Providence! (Psalm 37:23 … “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD.”)

Little wonder Paul longs, craves, even states as his goal of life … “That I may know HIM.” Philippians 3:10

The the very next Phrase … “And the POWER of His Resurrection!”

Knowing God … and being strong!

This “hungry-to-know-God” Apostle named Paul also wrote to the Philippians … “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13

Do WE want to know HIM like that?

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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