Reading Psalm 37 just a little while ago, I again came across this precious Verse: “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”(Psalm 37:5)

“Commit” is a Hebrew verb (“galal”) meaning “to roll something” onto a person. Or “to roll it off!”

“Way” (“derek”) means one’s “manner” of life. The “route” you’re taking day by day. One’s “lifestyle.”

“Trust” (“batach”) means to have so much “confidence” in a person that all worry is gone, no fretfulness remains at all.

The Verse is clear, if I commit and trust my life to the Lord … pursuing that kind of godly behavior … HE WILL … bring it to pass! The “bring to pass” word is “asah,” He will “do” it, “make it happen!” Even the Pronoun “He” is emphatic here, boldly expressed!

Now I have a question?

WHAT will my trust and reliance (on the dear Lord) bring to pass? What’s the “it” of our Verse?

“Bringing something to pass” sounds to me like an “answered prayer!” A “fulfilled desire!” A “deep longing” met within a person’s heart!

There you have it, folks … another Biblical way of praying … with one’s very life, his or her pure conduct! (Of course such is only possible with the Aid of the Holy Spirit.)

Then the Lord showed me the previous Verse, its last few words … “He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

Wow!

That’s what godly living will do, allow God to furnish you with the very “desires” of your heart! (Not the desires or requests of your mouth, but of you heart! No words may have been involved!)

This kind of trust insures God performing Psalm 68:19 for a Believer, a Christian … “daily loading us with His benefits.”

Selah … stop and ponder this a while!

Then one more thing … Psalm 37:6, the very next verse in sequence … just might amplify those “heart desires” of a growing child of God, a mature saint. “And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.”

Astounding!

Enhancing one’s testimony!

I shall never look at Psalm 37 the same again!

“Thanks unto Thee, O Lord, for a profitable time in Thy Word this morning. And the opportunity to share my findings with a few friends in Christ. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

.

Psalm 36 gives us one of the Bible’s many descriptions of a “wicked man.” At least its opening and closing verses do so.

One trait that impressed me late last night was … “He deviseth mischief upon his bed.” Psalm 36:4

The verb “deviseth” is “chashab” in Hebrew and means “to think, to imagine, to conceive” and even “to count” a few times. The Hebrew word’s “imperfect” sense of tense, sense of action, suggests this is not a one-time act of the wicked man’s part. He deviseth mischief night after night, habitually!

The noun “mischief” is “aven,” and means “wickedness, iniquity, unrighteousness.”

The verb has a root meaning which suggests “panting,” implying enjoying those sinful thoughts with great delight! With rapture even, getting excited (breathing hard) over such (evil) prospects!

This man at night (in his bed) plans his next sinful venture!

Now let’s contrast him with the godly man! Specifically at night I mean, when going to sleep.

Here’s one report, by a Psalmist … “I remember Thee (Lord) upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night watches.” Psalm 63:6

See the differnce?

David too, if you believe he wrote Psalm 119:62 … “At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.”

The point being, what occupies your mind (and mine as well) as we lay down to rest?

Evil imaginations?

Or godly thoughts?

A good idea: start going to bed with a Scripture verse on your mind, on you heart. And mentally roll it over again and again, pondering its truths. Do this until sleep comes!

Nearly` guaranteed … if you will begin this habit, meditating on the Word of God at night … the Lord just might surprise you with a host of blessings!

He just might “plant” you by the rives of waters, and give you spiritual “fruit” season after season, sparing you from ever “withering” as a Christian. And additionally, He can make you prosper in innumerable ways! (Yes, Psalm 1:1-3 says as much!)

Just based on what you do at night, “on your bed!”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

.

We sing “Onward Christian Soldiers.”

And “I want to die on the Battlefield.”

And “When the Battle’s Over, I Shall Wear a Crown!”

Among many other Hymns that depict the Christian life as a struggle.

Paul taught us to “put on the whole armour of God,” to better overcome the Devil.

Jesus depicted the Cross of Calvary as a Confrontation. “Who will contend with me? Let us stand together: Who is mine adversary? Let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? Lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.” Isaiah 50:8-9, Jesus previewing His Death on that Tree of Torture!

And this old world will end (before the Lord creates it as a new earth) in the Battle of Battles! “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city … (to fight) … and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Revelation 20:7-10

Revelation’s very next verse … “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. “

Then the Bible prophesies … “no more war, no more fighting!”

But until that day … Paul wrote Timothy to prepare himself for the war! “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” 2 Timothy 2:3

And … “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies (Scripture) which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare.” 1 Timothy 1:19

Wow!

But keep in mind, we can never overcome the enemy on our own. We need the Lord’s Help!

And that brings me to the verse the Lord used today to prompt this Devotional, this Bible Study.

Just an excerpt from Psalm 35:1 … “O Lord, fight against them that fight against me.”

That’s powerful!

Asking God Himself to fight against them who seek your destruction, seek your detriment, harm!

Literally turning those enemies over to the God Who knows how to judge in all righteousness and wisdom!

That’s where I want to leave you today. Pondering this ineffable Request … “FIGHT AGAINST THEM THAT FIGHT AGAINST ME!”

Somehow there’s peace in that little prayer!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

And I can pray this with all Bible Authority!

The full Context in which our Truth is located … “Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them.”

Amazing!

.

The word occurs 81 times in the King James Bible, best I can count. “Continually,” that is.

All the way from Genesis 6:5 to Hebrews 13:15, the first instance describing mankind living wicked lives “continually.” And the last instance has (saved, born again) mankind praising God “continually!”

Quite a range!

My Text verse for today’s Lesson is found in Psalm 34:1. “I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall CONTINUALLY be in my mouth.” This pretty much eliminates “grumbling,” I’d say!

Then I wondered, “Is there a verse about God’s Word, still using the adverb “continually?”

There is!

It’s a prayer in fact, Psalm 119:117. “Hold thou me up (Lord), and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes CONTINUALLY.”

What about prayer?

Yes, Acts 6:4, true at least for the Apostles. “But we will give ourselves CONTINUALLY to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”

Sounds like the Lord expects faithfulness from His children! For us to be “continually” aware of Him, His Presence, His Work!

But then I remembered this thought. About Jesus, our great High Priest … “The Son of God; who abideth a priest CONTINUALLY.” Hebrews 7:3

Jesus asks nothing of us (“continually” serving Him) … that He is not already giving to us.

Truth be told … “The goodness of God endureth continually.”

Hallelujah!

Let’s not be part-time Belivers!

Let’s abide in our Saviour CONTINUALLY!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

.

There is reason to believe that the Old Testament word for “wisdom” means, at least in part, “having SKILL at godly living!”

“Chokmah,” the actual Hebrew noun translated “wisdom” (145 times in the Bible) … is once expressed this way, in the King James Version anyway: “a skillful man.”

Psalm 33:3 gives us an example: “Sing unto him a new song; play SKILFULLY with a loud noise.” In other words; if you’re going to do something for the Lord (like play some music, for example) do it to the best of your ability!

Ecclesiastes 9:11 might be striking the same cord … “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.”

As well as Paul in Colossians 3:23 … “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord.” here the adverb “heartily” is “ek psuche” in Greek, meaning “out of your soul,” coming from the very depths of your innermost being!

And going back to our Text verse … “Sing unto him a new song; play SKILFULLY with a loud noise” … the word “skilfully” (note the old English spelling) means “being merry” … five times it’s translated that way!

So I deduce … the Lord not only knows WHAT we do for Him, He knows HOW WE DO THAT THING!

He is keenly aware of …

Our heart attitude!

Our spirit!

Our motivation!

Our desire to give Him the best we possibly can!

Wow!

For sure, He is worthy!

Something to ponder indeed!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

.