Today’s verse is just a single Line from the Apostle Paul. From 2 Timothy chapter 2, its opening Sentence: “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”

An older Preacher written to a younger Preacher … “Be STRONG in the GRACE that is in Christ Jesus.”

So I have just leaned that a Christian can possibly be “weak” in Grace! The Galatian Believers certainly were, or had become that way … “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4 … I do not believe Paul is here insinuating that they had “lost” their eternal salvation. But they certainly were no longer “strong” in the Grace of God, either!)

If I know my heart, I long to be “strong in Grace.” But I have already been saved by Grace. What else can Grace do in my liife?

It continues to mold me, to make me what I ought to be for Jesus’ Sake! Remember Paul’s inspired words: “But by the grace of God I am what I am.” 1 Corinthians 15:10

Grace also propels me, motivates me to serve the Lord, to work harder for Him! Paul again: “I laboured more abundantly than they all (the other disciples): yet not I, but the GRACE of God which was with me.” Still quoting 1 Corinthians 15:10!

I just found 99 times that Paul uses the word “Grace” in his Epistles, counting Hebrews! He is indeed the Apostle of God’s Grace! (The noun “Grace” is only used 170 times in the whole Bible, folks!) Amazing indeed!

And He (this unique Grace Preacher) admonishes us to be “strong” in that marvellous Grace! That verb, “endunamoo,” essentially means “empowered!” More literally I think, “to be made able!”

Astounding!

But how, just how can I be stronger in this Grace?

Back to our Text … “Be strong in the grace that is IN Christ Jesus.” Go to the Source, the Very Reservoir of God’s Grace! Grace that is “in” Jesus Christ! Ask Him for stronger Grace! He is the Channel through Whom God’s Grace flows!

Watch 1 Corinthians 13:14, a powerful prayer: “THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.” That first part of this compound petition proves that this Grace whereof I so speak is the “property” of the Lord Jesus Christ! “Of the Lord Jesus Christ” is framed in the “genitive” case, the “possessive” case! He so-to-speak “owns” that Grace!

I suggest that to be strong in Grace we must live close to Jesus! Live “in” Jesus, just as well say. (“If ye abide in Me and My Words abide in you ….” Jesus Himself, recorded in John 15:7.)

Wow!

This Lesson is really getting interesting!

Now … you and the Holy Spirit can take this thought from here, surely! “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”

Amen!

I imagine there is living grace, and dying grace, and every other kind of grace one will need too! Peter even called it “multi-colored” Grace, study the word “manifold” in 1 Peter 4:10!

Learn about it.

Exercise yourself in it.

Grow in it, 2 Peter 3:18!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Occasionally I like to remind you that I no longer write new devotionals on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Due to an extra heavy work schedule on the weekends, I have opted to concentrate on the pulpit preaching (verse-by-verse Bible exposition). Oh, how our Nation needs to hear the Word of God!

Meanwhile, in the archives here … there is plenty of Bible Study if you’d care to investigate a bit.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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The first few words of Psalm 39 … “I said, I will take heed to my ways.” Wherein David shows us a principle of life that made him “a man after God’s Own Heart.” (Paul quoting God in Acts 13:22.)

“I said, I will take heed to my ways.”

The opening two words, “I said,” imply that a person will have “to talk himself” (or herself) into living this kind of life, this kind of introspective life. Many will never “say” this … because they would never “do” this.

It takes resolve, decisiveness, determination, a strong will (in a good sense) to “say” (and mean it) such a thing!

Say what?

“I will take heed to my ways.”

The verb “sill take heed” translates “shamar” in Hebrew. It often means “to guard!” And in our King James Bibles it is rendered as “keep” 283 times. And “observe” another 46 times. “Preserve” 21 times and even “beware” 9 times!

Being alert spiritually!

Paul got it … “See then that ye walk CIRCUMSPECTLY, not as fools, but as wise.” Ephesians 5:15

Then, continuing with our Verse today, the noun “ways” is simply spelled “derek,” literally meaning anything from a “road” or a “path,” all the way to a “journey” … then implying “a way of life.”

How many of us are daily making mistakes and not even knowing it? NOT taking heed to our ways, not listening to the Holy Spirit? Not communing with our Saviour as we should?

Maybe we should wake up!

Maybe this is what Jude meant: “Keep yourselves in the love of God.” Jude verse 21, King James Version.

Or the Apostle Paul … “Timothy, take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine.” 1 Timothy 4:16.

This may even be bolder, yet certainly divinely inspired advice … the first part of 2 Corinthians 13:5 … “Examine yourselves.”

David is doing exactly that …

“I said, I will take heed to my ways.”

Again, how about us?

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Rachel, wife of Jacob, named the little baby as she was dying. And she knew she was dying, apparently.

The divinely inspired historian carefully says: “And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni.” Genesis 35:18. And that name means “son of my sorrow!” Indeed that’s what this child was to those around him.

Yet, immediately, his father named him “Benjamin!” The text, same verse: “But his father called him Benjamin.” With Benjamin meaning ” son of my right hand.”

Wherein is a “parable” of sorts … not literally a parable but a symbolic teaching … a Picture of Jesus!

Jesus our Saviour!

Jesus Who is a Jew! Born out of the Sons of Jacob, Judah to be exact. The Royal Tribe, the Kingly Line!

Jesus Who was the true “Son of Sorrow.” Isaiah specifically terms Him “a Man of Sorrows,” Isaiah 53:3 is the Source. Wow!

But to the Father, His Father … Jesus is (gloriously) a Literal Benjamin! The “Son of God’s Right hand!” In the Old Testament we are told this: “The LORD (God the Father) said unto my Lord (Jesus Christ), Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” Psalm 110:1

In the New Testament, too … repeatedly … “Which he (God the Father) wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 1:20

Colossians 3:1 … “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”

Hebrews 1:3 … “Who (Jesus) being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

Hebrews 10:12 … “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” Hallelujah!

Hebrews 12:2 … “Looking unto 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.”

Yes, Jesus!

Once (especially on Calvary) the “Man of Sorrows!”

But Jesus, now, the “Son of God’s Right Hand!”

Humiliated on the Cross!

Glorified in His Father’s Presence!

And I might add … coming again as well!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Yes, Song of Solomon … a little Book in the Old Testament that pictures Christ and His Church most poignantly. Beautiful in its purity (when viewed Biblically through the Eyes of the Holy Spirit) … the Song of Solomon is LOADED with typology. Maybe in that sense the most “type filled” (symbolic, emblematic) Book in all Scripture!

Here’s an example, with the Shulamite Lady (a picture of the Church) speaking: “Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out.” Song of Solomon 4:16

The Literature teacher whould call this inspired Line an “apostrophe.” A figure of speech whereby a person addresses an inanimate object. Here she’s talking to the wind.

Our Text again … “Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out.”

Now let’s interpret this bit of godly Poetry. Here the “wind” represents the different circumstances of life. “North” implies breezes that are cold and bitter and uninviting! “South,” warm and balmy and pleasant, maybe even fragrant too.

But in either of these two extremes, the best days or the worst days … look what occurs! The “spices” (the graces of the Holy Spirit, such as love and joy and peace and longsuffering, etc.) “flow out!”

Wow!

In hard times, she still wants to emit joy and praise and thanksgiving!

In good times too, sweet times; not forgetting God at all, but all the more diffusing the aroma of faith and meekness and brotherly kindness and virtue and all the rest of the Holy Spirit’s Produce in a maturing Christian’s life!

Why?

To witness to the lost world?

Certainly!

But even more important than that, to the Church … the last line of our Text Verse … “Let my Beloved come into His garden, and eat His pleasant fruits.” That the Beloved (the Lord Jesus) may come to us (on windy days, no matter cold or warm) and enjoy the fragrance! And taste “HIS pleasant fruits!”

Now that’s living for Jesus!

Using life’s curves (so-called good or bad) to please our Saviour!

To delight Him!

Excuse me, I just have to say it again … Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Weather warning … I hear it’s going to be a windy day, spiritually, in your life. And do remember, the Lord will drop by to enjoy your company. Make Him delighted in the fruit He sees! The “pleasant fruit” He so deeply enjoys!

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