My “seed” thought comes from Psalm 140:12 … “I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.”

This world is captivated by the successful and the wealthy members of society. People are mesmerized by so-called Hollywood “stars” and the lifestyles of the “rich and famous!”

But not our Lord!

He is drawn to the outcast!

As our Lead Verse says … God will defend those overrun by the world system. (In Psalm 140:12 “maintain the cause” is a legal term, essentially saying God will “represent” the lowly and mistreated “in court, legally.”)

Look at Jesus’ Ministry … as He ministers to the spiritual hunger/thirst of a tax collector? A harlot? A formerly demon-possessed woman? A Gentile Mother?

And in the Book of Acts? An Italian soldier, a eunuch, a godless governor, a secular married couple of tent makers … all of whom the resurrected, ascended and coming again Jesus saved!

Jesus has a passion for the … “meek, brokenhearted, captives” … according to Isaiah 61:1, speaking of the Messiah!

All I am saying is that God loves “nobodies!”

I can testify to that fact, being a “nobody” myself!

I suspect the “whosoever” of John 3:16 includes all those “underlings” of earth as well.

1 Corinthians 1:26-27 … “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence.”

I am delighted to represent such a Saviour!

Is anyone reading here this morning, maybe (you thought) at random … wondering about this Jesus?

The One Who commands … “Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.” Luke 14:22

No wonder it could be truthfully said of Jesus … “The common people heard him gladly.” Mark 12:37

Anyone interesed?

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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The Lesson Title is an excerpt from Psalm 138:4 … “All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.”

A single Phrase here gripped my soul as I read the Passage.

“The Words of His Mouth!”

Clearly those Words (according to our Text) can and will (some day) cause the leaders of the earth (all the Kings) to praise the Lord! During the Millennium, if you interpret the Bible literally.

The Words of His Mouth can save a sinner from Hell, too! Acts 11:14, speaking of Peter preaching the Gospel to Cornelius … “Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.”

The Words of His Mouth can give light to a struggling soul in this old dark world! “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” Psalm 119:30

The Words of His Mouth can also bring sweetness to our lives. “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103, goodbye bitterness!

Let me generalize now.

Anytime we read the Bible, no matter where (Old Testament or New), we are seeing and hearing “the Words of His Mouth!”

And whatever the results … those Words will be extremely profitable to us as Christians!

Proof?

“All scripture (the Words of His Mouth) is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable …!

Yes, God is still speaking … through Scripture.

Are we listening?

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Invest a half-hour in His Book today, “The Words of His Mouth!”

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Psalm 136:5 gives us a wonderful Truth when it voices praise: “To Him that by wisdom made the heavens.”

Here the verb “made” is spelled “asah” in Hebrew. It means “to fashion, manufacture, accomplish, prepare.” This is a totally different verb that “bara,” used in Genesis 1:1, which in essence means “to make something out of nothing!”

So, I deduce that God, when it comes to His “Heavens,” is still making and forming and “dressing” things! (“Made” is a participle here, suggesting “ongoing” divine construction!)

Then, no wonder astronomers are aghast as they view the universe. Literally mankind has not yet got over what the Hubble space telescope has revealed, the color and diversity and activity constantly astir!

No telling what this new telescope (James Webb) will yet see, all of which will be a manifestation of the “Wisdom” of God, thinking back to Psalm 136:5. This noun also is NOT the normal word for wisdom! Here “tabun” means “discretion, reason, intelligence!”

I love looking into the night sky. When the children were younger some Friday evenings I would drive them to a nearby planetarium and telescope to view the heavens! (At the Fernbank Science Center in Atlanta, Friday was “public” night back then.) We saw the rings of Saturn once, and the moon another time, real close it seemed!

Again … God’s Wisdom on display!

As I write this Article our area is forecast to get snow. Falling from the heavens! God once, when speaking to His servant Job, asked: “Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?”

See!

God’s Wisdom again … in a snowflake!

I bought a picture book the other week off the discount shelf at a Books-a-Million store. The Heavens, in full color!

God’s Wisdom captured digitally! Or a display of that Wisdom!

Next time the clouds are gone … look up!

And worship the Wise God who “formed” all that beauty!

Those things did not evolve, they were made!

Do you know the Architect, the Artist?

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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King David, revealing why God called him “a man after Mine Own Heart,” wrote these words …

“One thing have I DESIRED of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.” Psalm 27:4

That word “desire” is quite strong! It means “to ask” 94 times in the Old Testament. It even means “to beg” a few times!

In the New Testament Jesus emphasizes the same Truth, except to an even greater intensity …

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

Now this longing, this yearning, for the things of God is not just expressed as “desire,” but also as “hunger” and “thirst!” Both these verbs are participles as well, indicating perpetual, ongoing, habitual cravings!

Then (in last night’s Evening Meditation) we learned that a little country girl, called the Shulamite, ‘hungered” to be in the Presence of her Bridegroom-to-be, King Solomon. A word picture of us Christians panting after our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ!

“Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon.” Song of Solomon 1:7

She absolutely MUST be by His Side when “flock feeding” time arrives! That’s “desire,” folks!

Now let’s examine ourselves!

To what degree do I “desire” fellowship with the Lord? How about you, my dear Bible student friend?

Loss of appetite (both physically and spiritually) can be an indicator of poor health.

But appetite can return!

Psalm 42:1-2 … “As the hart (deer) panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God.” 

Grant such in our lives, O Lord.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Yes, that’s exactly how Psalm 135:3 characterizes the Name of the Lord. “Sing praises unto His Name; for it is pleasant.”

The adjective (in Hebrew spelled “naiym”) used here for “pleasant” also means “sweet” three times in the Old Testament.

God’s Name … Pleasant!

Actually, the rather long string of words “the name of the Lord” occurs 109 times in Scripture! That’s impressive!

So, I use today’s Lesson to impress upon each of us a greater sense of the importance of studying (and knowing) the Name of the Lord.

Technically the name involved in Psalm 135:3 is LORD, being Jehovah God. The Great “I AM THAT I AM.”

But undoubtedly His other Bible Names (and Titles) are included in the command to praise His “pleasant” (“sweet”) Name!

Books are written, many of them, on the Names of God! Study Bibles abound with lists of His Names as well.

Let’s get busy, folks!

God has Names for times of Battle!

Names for times of Peace!

Times of Trouble!

Times of sheer praise and thanksgiving!

In fact, His Name is above every Name!

Want to spend a sweet hour with the Bible, in the Word?

Dig into the Names(s) of God!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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