I know. Some things we should forget! Even Paul said so … “Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before …” Philippians 3:13

But I have learned one thing that we absolutely MUST remember!

Psalm 103:2 teaches us: “Forget not all his benefits.” The Lord’s benefits to us, of course!

The verb “to forget” can also mean to ignore! To let something “wither” in the mind!

The noun “benefits” (spelled “gemul” in Hebrew) means “rewards” and is so translated 3 times in the King James Bible.

Now that could be a long list!

Those benefits!

We had better get started.

But now … let me shows you the result of recalling and savoring those blessings … “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” Still quoting Psalm 103:2!

The result?

Cherishing those benefits leads to BLESSING THE LORD!

“Barak” (to bless) here literally means to fall down on one’s knees and praise the dear Lord!

Wow!

Counting one’s blessings will produce more of a spirit of worship in my heart! And on yours as well!

So … I deduce that it is a sin not to remember His Benefits! This may be a joyful task, on ongoing occupation too. Because … “Blessed be the Lord, who DAILY loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.” Psalm 68:18

We thank Thee, O Lord!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Psalm 102:27 says to our great God … “Thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.”

What a glorious Statement!

Actually written BY God (the Bible being divinely inspired) ABOUT God. And in a way, this is God the Father speaking to Himself!

“The Same,” never changing!

The God Who saved me will never change His Mind! Never rescind His Promise to take me to Heaven, to make me His child!

But that’s Old Testament, how about the New?

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Hebrews 13:8, thrilling!

No wonder I sense His HELP, His ASSISTANCE day by day as I fight evil and promote His Word! He promised “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5, King James Version.

God the Father, “immutable!”

The word is from the Latin, where “mutare” means “to change” and the prefix “im” (really “in”) means “not.” God absolutely does not change, perennially!

Hallelujah!

God the Son, immutable too!

Now, what about the Holy Spirit?

I assume He too is unchanging, since He indeed is God as well.

But a Verse?

Hebrews 4:13 calls Him “the eternal Spirit,” a direct Quote!

God the Holy Ghost (Spirit) immutable!

Wow!

We’ve just discovered that the Godhead (Paul’s word for the Trinity) is always “the Same!” God’s years “have no end!”

This means (given that God is Holy and Faithful too) that every Promise He has made to me is rock solid!

Impossible to be voided by anything Satan can do!

Listen, read …

“I am the LORD, I change not.” Malachi 3:6

James 1:17 presents … “The Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” Creator of sun and moon and stars and well, “light” itself! Non-variable!

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” Jesus speaking in Revelation 1:8.

Delight today in God’s IMMUTABILITY!

The one who saved you (birthed you into the Family) years ago on that old Roman Road, will be waiting to say “ENTER IN” that glorious day you pass from earth to Glory!

For that Truth I can be thankful every day of my life!

“O come let us adore Him!”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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David wrote the Psalm. It clearly says so in the Superscript, “A Psalm of David.”

And in this great Poem (inspired by the Holy Spirit) the King makes some strong resolutions. One of which is … “I will not know a wicked person.” Psalm 101:4, King James Version.

The verb “know” (in Hebrew “yada”) is wide ranging in meaning, in intensity as well. (In the Bible it is translated “to acknowledge” 6 times! Then it is “to consider” 6 more times!)

Plus … it can mean “to barely know as an acquaintance.” Yet it can also mean “to know closely, thoroughly, even intimately!”

Now that we have those verbal parameters in mind, we can better see the determination in David’s commitment here.

This is a classic example of Biblical “Separation.”

Like 2 Corinthians 6:17 … “Come out from among them, and be ye separate.” Yes, “I will not know a wicked person!”

Like “Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” Really meaning “I will not know a wicked person.”

Like Proverbs 4:14 … “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.” Which is essentially saying “I will not know a wicked person!”

Amen, and a hundred other Texts could be cited.

But … if I will not fellowship with a wicked person … what (whom) will I put in his or her place? That “empty” spot in my life?

David, still in Psalm 101, answers that question too. “Mine eyes shall be upon the FAITHFUL of the land, that they may dwell with me.”

Spurn intimacy with the wicked, cling to the righteous, the faithful, the godly people the Lord brings into your life.

Sounds like mighty good advice to me!

In fact, it is the beginning of a much healthier lifestyle … spiritually speaking. Counsel well worth heeding!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Just a Line from Psalm 100, so appropriate for this time of year. (This Lesson is being written in November, late November.) The Verse in question is written as a command, too!

“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise.” Psalm 100:4

It may be too fine a line of distinction to emphasize, but an old Preacher taught me years ago that we THANK God for what He has done. And we PRAISE God for Who He is!

Thank Him for His Deeds. Praise Him for His Essence, His Glory!

That observation has helped me again and again in my Christian walk. (By the way, we all go through an occasional “dry spell” spiritually. And when we do, we might not see a lot God is doing in our lives. Not as many things for which to thank Him. BUT EVEN AT THOSE LOW TRIMES, WE CAN ALWAYS PRAISE GOD FOR WHO HE IS!)

FOR HIS FAITHFULNESS!

FOR HIS LOVE AND KINDNESS!

FOR HIS TRUTHFULNESS!

FOR HIS UNHANGEABLENESS (IMMUTABILITY)!

FOR HIS OMNIPOTRENCE!

AND SO MUCH MORE!

Just a quick thought this week of Thanksgiving, 2021.

Although for us, Debbie and me, I need to both thank Him and praise Him this week! He has indeed done so much this whole year!

How about you?

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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That’s an interesting topic, God’s very abode. The place where the Almighty rests, sits!

According to Psalm 99:1 … “He sitteth between the cherubims.” That undoubtedly means He sits on the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies, in the Jewish Tabernacle!

Exodus 25:17 is specific … “And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.”

Gold implies “Deity” in Bible typology. A proper place for God to rest!

But now that Jesus has come and died and been raised from the grave … having subsequently ascended to Heaven … God is said to sit yet on His Throne in Glory!

Revelation 3:21 quotes Jesus … “I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”

Wow!

Hebrews 12:2 amplifies … “Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

He is worthy, our dear Lord.

But now watch this.

Because of God’s Grace. Because of the Power of the Blood of Jesus! Because of Calvary. Because of salvation … we are now invited to “sit” with Jesus in heavenly places.

Read about it. “God hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6)

All this about sitting!

No wonder then that we are warned about sitting in the wrong places!

Psalm 1 specifically. “Blessed is the man that sitteth not in the seat of the scornful.”

Clearly, our lives must match the place God has provided for us to sit!

“He sat on earth … that we might sit in Heaven,” one could truthfully (Biblically) say.

Amazing!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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