For several months I have been deriving my Lesson Thoughts here on the Website from the Book of Psalms. I suspect that some of you have discerned that fact.

Today Psalm 119 (the longest chapter in the Bible) should be our Text that’s up for discussion.

Note the first word in the Chapter please, “Blessed!”

The first verse … “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.” Psalm 119:1, where the “Law of the Lord” means the Word of God, the whole Bible. The modifier “blessed” is “esher” or “asher” in Hebrew, also meaning “happy” in God’s Eyes! My point here … THE SCRIPTURE CONTRIBUES TO A CHRISTIAN’S HAPPINESS! (1st John 1:4 proves this point as well … “These things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.Then I wondered to myself, “What other Psalms begin with that glorious word, “blessed?”

Here’s what I found, and surprisingly few at that …

Psalm 1 … “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” Here is the blessedness (happiness) of being really godly! Separate from sinners! Clean and pure in one’s living!

Psalm 32 … “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” Which certainly speaks for itself … the sinful man who has learned to confess and forsake his wrongs … he is indeed blessed, happy in the Lord!

Next in line … Psalm 41 begins … “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.” Now we are considering the happy “generous man!” He helps the poor among his neighbors. Strangers too, according to the Old Testament (and Jesus).

Then Psalm 128 … “Blessed is everyone that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.” The reverent (describing the man or woman who truly “fears” the Lord) Believer who continues to walk in God’s Ways, obediently and consistently, faithfully! Yes, he or she would be happy! Worshipping one’s way to happiness, blessedness!

Last of all, Psalm 144 … “Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.” The happy warrior, Christian soldier who fights (and conquers) evil and Satan day by day! Taught his martial skills by the Lord Himself!

What a list … the separated man (Psalm 1), the forgiven man (Psalm 32), the unselfish man (Psalm 41), the Bible-centered man (Psalm 119), the God-fearing man (Psalm 128), and the “whole-armour” equipped man (Psalm 144)!

Worth studying further!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Currently Israel is not saying much, not about the Lord God Almighty. Nor about His Son the Lord Jesus Christ!

That Nation, so near to the heart of God, resides in the Land restored them by a Miracle of the great God so many Jews deny. Yes, they live there in varying stages of unbelief.

Yet we genuine Christians, staunch lovers and supporters of Israel, pray for her conversion to our Lord!

For the day when Israel shall say “Jesus is Lord!”

Israel, perhaps the most hatred nation ever to exist on earth, will one day acknowledge/enact Psalm 118:2 … “Let Israel now say, that His mercy endureth for ever.”

That Israel may … “confess with her mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in her heart that God hath raised him from the dead.” Whereby she will be saved! So says Romans 10:9-10.

We Christians furthermore are expected to model/obey Psalm 122:6. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” And this kind of “peace” only comes through the Prince of Peace (Jesus) according to Isaiah 9:6.

It will take seven years of Holy Spirit “Persuasion” (the future Tribulation) to bring Israel to her knees in repentance and faith in Jesus … but then she will enjoy a millennium of Glory with her Greater Son Jesus (the Son of God) ruling in her midst!

No telling what Israel may say then!

I write this early on a Sunday Morning. Let’s pray the Lord will save another precious Jewish person today! Maybe several in fact!

He is able!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Psalm 117 begins with these words … “O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.”

Both these verbs (identical in English, different in Hebrew) are written by the Holy Spirit as “imperatives!” God is here commanding us to be people of praise!

The first verb for “praise” is the traditional “halal” word, translated “praise” 117 times in our (King James) Bibles. But watch this … it’s “boast” 10 more times! Bragging on the dear Lord!

The second “praise” verb is “shabach” which basically means “to soothe, to gently stroke” Someone! (I think it suggests showing love in a tactile way.) It is only translated “praise” 5 times in Scripture! But it means “to commend” once and “to still” once as well.

Wow!

But the real distinction (in our verse) that caught my eye earlier today was the two nouns, parallel but implying different people groups! Look again …
“O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.”

“O praise the Lord, all ye NATIONS! The noun is “goy,” normally indicating “Gentiles!”

Then … “Praise Him all ye PEOPLE! And this noun is “ummah,” meaning one’s “tribe,” meaning “kinsfolk” being derived from a basic noun spelled “em” which in turn means “mother!” This word indicates the JEWS!

Get it?

All ye Gentiles!

All ye Jews!

Praise the Lord!

Two DISTINCT peoples! Worshipping ONE LORD!

Paul has taught us that the Cross, the Blood of Jesus, the salvation experience (faith in the Lord alone, the Son of God) will remove all distinction between the people of the world!

Look … “For He is (Jesus) our peace, Who hath made both one, and hath BROKEN DOWN the middle wall of partition between us.” Ephesians 2:15

Jews (“ummah”) and Gentiles (“goy”) … praise the Lord!

Amen!

That Day, so far only known “in part” … will finally “fully dawn” … when “every knee will bow and every tongue confess” Jesus as Lord!

Jews and Gentiles!

Let’s get started: “Praise the Lord!”

— Dr. Mike Baagwell

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A phrase my Dad used often, “In the long run.” Which meant … “Maybe not immediately. But we do not live for the moment. We plan ahead. We look to the probable consequences of every action we take. We accept the principle of reaping what we sow. What hurts a bit now very well may pay off handsomely in the future, even if in the distant future.”

Then I grew up hearing a godly old Preacher expound the Word of God. He said from time to time … “Never sacrifice the permanent on the altar of the immediate!” What Wisdom! That too means “in the long run.”

The Apostle Paul also was determined, decades in advance, to … “not count my life dear unto myself, so that I might FINISH MY COURSE with joy” (Acts 24:20). And many years later, standing before a Roman executioner, Paul achieved that long-term goal! He died victoriously, even joyfully. He lived “for the long run.”

In Psalm 116:2 the writer, because God answers prayer, has resolved … “I will call upon him as long as I live.” That means “in the long run.” God has been so good to me; I shall live for Him all my days!

In a way Jesus, our dear Lord, lived for the long run. Here’s one reason He endured the Cross of Calvary … ‘For the joy that was set before Him.” For that long range prospect (now realized I might add) He “endured the cross, despised the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hallelujah!

Have I written t anyone today who is growing discouraged? The devil has you thinking about quitting? He wants you to forget “the long run” and its potential blessings?

I encourage you “resist” that rascal in the Name of the Lord. Put on the whole armour of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and “stand” against that alluring temptation to “live for the moment.”

In other words, one more time, decide you are going to live in a manner that will reward you “in the long run!”

The Psalmist again, although maybe a different one, “I will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore.” That’s indeed planning for “the long run!”

From “today” … until “forever!”

Our eternal God will be waiting for us with a “Well Done” … if we live for the long run!

Demas never even thought about such! “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world,” wrote Paul. The key words there may be “this PRESENT world,” the very opposite of the long run!

Lesson concluded.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Re-enlist today!

Become a career soldier!

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If only two kinds of human beings live on earth, wicked and good, then only two basic types of desire exist.

Lost men’s wants or saved men’s cravings, that’s the great divide!

Can you imagine the inborn desires of the ungodly man? “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Quoting Paul in Galatians 5:19-21.

The lost man spends his time … “fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind,” thus living in sin! Ephesians 2:3

But …

The desires of the Spirit-filled man? Here’s one example, a good contrast too. “Having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ,” Paul again! Or “Behold, thou desirest truth,” now it’s David hungry for the Word of God!

See the difference?

Now let’s ask the Lord God to give us His View of these disparate “desires.” And He will, in His Word.

Psalm 112:10 sums things well. “The desire of the wicked shall perish.” Blunt but true! Proverbs 10:28 agrees. “The expectation of the wicked shall perish.”

But … there is a type person of whom it can be said: “He (the Lord) shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

Wow!

Psalm 145:19 … “He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him.” Pretty straightforward!

One man’s desires will perish with him.

Another man (this time one who knows the Lord) experiences desires that apparently will be realized!

The heart then controls one’s desires!

Therefore … even for eternity it seems … one’s desires will be granted! At least in this context: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11, desires being granted!

God indeed monitors our desires!

Oh, to learn to spurn what God spurns and desire what God desires … that is, my friends, a fairly good definition of Wisdom!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6

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