Let me share something I recently saw in Psalm 56. it is both surprising and encouraging.

Verse 3 has David saying, admitting … “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”

Here this giant of a man spiritually admits to fear!

But when he is afraid … he will still lean on the Lord.

Actually, the specific verb “to trust” used in this Verse (spelled “batach” in Hebrew) means “to be so confident in a person that you have absolutely no worry about him keeping his word!” So worry free in that regard that you are “careless,” without a fret or doubt or hesitation! The word is literally translated “careless” one time in the King James Bible.

David when afraid … that’s verse 3.

Now, look at Verse 11, near the Psalm’s conclusion. “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.”

Wow!

His fear is gone!

I will NOT be afraid!

Is this not some form of spiritual growth?

From “fear” to “no fear!”

Excellent, dear David the Psalmist!

Now watch …

In Verse 3 … the fear comes before the trust … “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”

But by Verse 11 … the trust comes before the word fear is used! “In God have I put my trust (“batach” again): I will NOT be afraid what man can do unto me.”

Looks like sincere trust can dissolve fear!

Fear-crushing faith, that’s what David has developed!

Yes, that’s growth!

I remembered that perfect love can cast out fear, 1 John 4:18.

Now I know that perfect (mature) faith can as well!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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The Book of Jeremiah consists, basically, of warning after warning! Sermons, word pictures, and events cautioning the little Nation of Judah. God’s “chosen people” who have persisted in sin and rebellion against her Creator and Redeemer.

Yet this is the God who sternly writes … “Behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.” Numbers 32:23

Well, Judah did not listen. In fact, the people tried to kill Jeremiah, God’s man, several times … because he was telling them the truth!

Finally … God put the whole nation “in jail,” in Babylonian “captivity.” For seventy long years!

Yet … and here is the GRACE our Lesson title represents …

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11

God is still thinking of the Jews!

Thoughts of peace!

Not planning evil against them, unlike all the other (false) gods and (false) goddesses of that ancient day. They were filled with revenge, our God with Love!

The words “expected end” suggest that God already knows the “last chapter” in Judah’s/Israel’s eternal Book! (It’s called the Millennium then forevermore in the new heaven and the new earth! With Jesus as their Saviour, Messiah!)

Amazing!

Now … am I writing to someone today, a fellow Believer in Jesus, who is under the disciplining Hand of God? Or (for some reason) going through that “hardest time” of your life? Your world falling apart?

Perhaps deserved, like Judah in Jeremiah’s day. Perhaps undeserved, like Job the great Patriarch. But chaos anyway, either way!

Apply the soothing balm (medicine, ointment) of this verse, our Text today, to your heart and life and situation.

Here it is again … “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Grace!

No wonder they call it marvelous!

Peter (1 Peter 5:10) even calls our dear Lord “the God of all Grace!”

That’s His Name!

PEACE and not EVIL!

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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This week the accommodations we have do not have any Internet connection. (We are, of course, in Revival.) That hinders me from posting a Bible Devotional every other day as normal.

I will resume the regular schedule when we get back home. Next week we will have Internet, those accommodations will, the Lord willing.

Meanwhile … enjoy the archives.

Dr. Mike Bagwell

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The word (“tokens”) in Hebrew (spelled “oth”) simply means “signals” or “signs.”

In the Old Testament the little noun is only used a total of 83 times.

It is first found in Genesis 1:14, on the fourth day of creation … “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for SIGNS and for seasons, and for days, and years.” That’s our word “tokens,” translated as “signs” here in Genesis. Pretty big tokens, the sun and moon!

Then in Genesis 4:15 a “token” is some kind of a mark of protection! “And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a MARK upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.” Safety, which is of the Lord, Proverbs 21:31.

Furthermore, twice “oth” is used to mean “miracles!” Here’s one example, Deuteronomy 11:3 … “And His (God’s) MIRACLES, and His acts, which He did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and unto all his land.” That’s a lot of miracles. ten plagues’ worth!

Now … to the point of today’s Lesson.

Using this magnificent word (“oth” or “tokens”) Psalm 86:17 asks us to pray for a “token, sign, miracle” in certain cases!

Read it with me … “Lord, shew me a TOKEN for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.”

Wow!

Asking God for a miacle!

For a sign!

For protection!

For something “good” (meaning lovely) in His estimation!

This verse has become one of my arrows” to use in my prayer quiver. To shoot heavenward!

And then just let God take care of the rest.

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

I guess I testified a little here this morning.

God sure is faithful!

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Most streets are, of course.

But more and more, in cities at least, one-way streets are in vogue.

But today I mean two-way streets in a spiritual sense.

Like this verse in 1 John 4:19 … “We love Him, because He first loved us.” Two-ways, and Jesus was the initiator!

I sort of hit on this thought reading Psalm 149 a while ago. “For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people.” Psalm 149:4

Can you imagine that?

The Lord taking pleasure in the likes of us? Old sinners saved by Grace? Spiritual babies, too much of the time!

Yet our verse says He does!

The verb translated “taketh pleasure” is “ratsah” in Hebrew. Here are a few of its varied appearances in the King James Version of Scripture. He “accepts” His people, found 22 times. He is “pleased” with His people, 6 times. He is “delighted” with His people, 5 times! Get this thought … He “enjoys” His people, 4 times! He finds “favour” in His people, 3 times. Then the choice our translators felt led to use in Psalm 149, The Lord “takes pleasure” in His people, 6 times!

Wow!

If you’re discouraged today, are doubting God’s Care … read that “definition” Paragraph again!

But like I said, this “delight” thing is NOT a one-way street!

Can I prove that?

One verse alone does, and a well-known verse at that. “DELIGHT THYSELF also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Psalm 37:4 being quoted.

Yet again in Isaiah 58:14, upon obeying God as He commanded, Israel is promised … “Then shalt thou DELIGHT THYSELF in the LORD; and I (the Lord) will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” It’s for sure! He will perform what He said here!

It is perhaps significant that a different Hebrew word is used of our delighting in God than His delighting in us. But our Bible has seen fit (I believe of the Lord) to translate the words identically in English.

Let me show you the verb for our delighting in Jesus. In both the Psalms and Isaiah Texts used above it is spelled “anag.” It is rendered as “delight” in 7 of its 10 appearances in the Bible! Quite conclusive! Elsewhere it is “be delicate” (2 times) and amazingly, “to sport” with someone! To enjoy them to the point of (holy) playfulness! Astounding!

Now then, we KNOW the Lord takes pleasure in us! Question is … am I taking pleasure in Him as I should?

Enjoy Him today.

Love Him and tell Him so!

After all, this is a two-way street!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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