As many of you know, for years now the Lord has allowed me to preach a Revival Meeting each week. Recently in these Services I have been focusing on Paul the Apostle. (I should say focusing on him again!) He is certainly one of my heroes!

I think no one else (except our Lord) exudes this type of devotion, reverence, worship … “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21, King James Version.

Such sentiment is only the result of God the Holy Spirit filling one’s life and controlling one’s very being!

In these dark (and darkening) days of apostasy, departing from the Christian faith … this Paul-like adherence to our Lord Jesus Christ is going to be essential.

My I encourage you this morning to pray Psalm 119:18 in regard to our Text verse? Ask of the Lord this request … “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.”

The deeper we plumb the meaning of such profound (on the surface simple, agreed) verses as Philippians 1:21 … the more we learn and the more we feel challenged by its example.

Here it is again … “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

This much I know already … Jesus is worthy of such loyalty, such obsession, such glorification!

This much is certain as well. If I can (via the Holy Spirit’s Aid) implement the verse’s first half (“to live completely for Christ”) … the latter half will come to pass … “gain” or reward or satisfaction upon death!

A godly old Preacher used to say … “Never sacrifice the permanent on the altar of the immediate.”

Live for Jesus, with Jesus today.

And some tomorrow, the day you die, will indeed be a blessing, a promotion, maybe even a coronation!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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My title question stems from the Bible Book called “Song of Solomon,” a beautiful Old Testament love story.

I see in that Book a young woman called the “Shulamite” lady (Song of Solomon 6:13). And also a young man, the one whom she loves so dearly, King Solomon himself (Song of Solomon 3:11). I am presenting the old-fashioned, traditional view here.

As their love relationship grows, she is (rightly so) thrilled that “He is hers!” Her first words in Song of Solomon 2:16 are, “He is mine.” (Technically, “My Beloved is mine.”) His love, his protection, his wealth (he being royalty, remember), his prestige, his very name!

And so, in the Christian life, of which Shunamite and Solomon are typical … we believers are initially thrilled that Jesus is ours, our personal Saviour and Lord and Provider and Protector! And truthfully, so much more …!

But the future Bride must grow in her relationship with her Lover. And that leads us to Song of Solomon 6:3, where she says, “I am His!”(Again to be specific, “I am my Beloved’s.”)

She soon realizes that a healthy marriage is not just about what she can derive from it! But it’s also about what she can contribute to it! “I am His,” to help and serve and minister and encourage any way possible!

(Do notice that the Old Testament Biblical Presumption concerning Marriage involves a woman and a man! And the New Testament clearly agrees.)

Is the communion you have with Jesus based only on what He does for you, “He is mine?” (Which might be where all relationships begin!)

Or have you grown and matured to the point that you now can earnestly say, “I am His?” I have yielded my all to Him? I want to “do” for Him? To invest my life for His sake?

If you have come to that point, “I AM HIS,” the distractions of earth will lose a lot of their “pull.” And you will concentrate more and more on the fact that you no longer belong to yourself! You belong to Him!

Oh, what maturity!

Oh, what unselfishness!

Oh, what joy!

Oh, what purpose!

“I am His!”

Now, let’s take a quick inventory.

Which primarily describes your thoughts about the Lord?

He is mine!

I am His!

You and the Holy Spirit can best answer that important question!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

I know at least one Commentary on the Song of Solomon that builds its whole premise around the motif of “spiritual growth!” Stages of ever deepening love the Shulamite (symbolizing the Church) reaches regarding her Solomon (picturing our Lord Jesus Christ)!

Jesus once spoke of Solomon and his “glory!” See Matthew 6:29 if you want to read His exact words. If you want to study the context.

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“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.”

Why do these “believers” depart from the faith? What “influence” has aided their self-destruction?

Our verse gives the answer, sad (and accurate) as it is!

“Giving heed,” the verb (a present participle indicating ongoing, habitual action) is spelled “prosecho” in Greek. It means “to hold onto” something! In the active voice as here, “to hold on” deliberately, persistently!

“Seducing spirits” are nothing but “demons!” The adjective is “planos,” suggesting “wondering about, roving, vagabonds,” but also “leaders into darkness,” deceivers in that sense.

But these evil “spirits” (in Greek “pneuma”) do not simply pull one toward darkness … “planos” becomes the English word “planet” … they give a so-called rationale for their error!

False doctrine!

Here Paul calls this pack of lies “doctrines of devils” (“didaskalia” in Greek means “teachings”) of devils, of demons!

Too many Seminaries in this country now impart these deadly thoughts to future so-called clergy!

Doctrines of devils, de-throning Father God! (“Our Father in Heaven”)

Doctrines of devils, denying God the Son, our dear Lord Jesus Christ!

Doctrines of devils, introducing new so-called “gods and goddesses!”

Also presenting new (with sin no longer an issue) ways of behavior! The Bible calls such “abominations!” (I call them “perversions.”)

Doctrines of devils!

Marginalizing the Bible, blaspheming the Saviour, and all the while making Hell all the hotter for its duped followers!

Why is this verse in Scripture?

To warn us true Believers!

To prepare us for the onslaught of defections!

To give us resolve, determination to stay true to the Lord and His Word!

Let’s be faithful! Jesus is worthy!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Here it is, this amazing Verse … “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.”

Let’s study this little Bible “nugget” today. It certainly describes the current “religious” scene across the globe!

Notice that our (King James Version) translators have capitalized the noun “Spirit.” While not uniformly so, here that means for sure that the Holy Spirit is in view.

So, the Third Person of the Trinity is talking! And equally so, we Christians had best be listening!

The verb unit here is captivating. “Speaketh expressly” consists of two Greek verbs. (Well, more accurately … a verb and an adverb, an adverb which is fundamentally based on a verb!) As here: leg’o rhetos’. The verb roots are leg’o and rhe’o. And both verbs mean “to talk, to speak!” A double Speech by the Spirit of God! “Lego” means to speak with “purposeful thought” (our English word logic) behind one’s utterances. “Rheo” means to know what one is going to communicate so firmly, so deeply, that the words just “flow out” of one’s heart, one’s mouth!

Wow!

THIS VERSE MUST BE VERY IMPORTANT!

“Latter times” is a construction that paints “time” (in Greek “kairos”) as a “opportunity” to serve the Lord. An “open door.” A “window of possibility” in a way. The adjective “latter” occurs only here in this form in the entire New Testament. It suggests the “later” days, prior to our Lord’s Second Coming.

But what will happen in these last days?

The Holy Spirit is forewarning us, forearming us too!

“Some shall depart from the faith.”

The verb “shall depart” is a blend of a preposition and a verb … “apo” (meaning away from, out of) and “histemi” meaning “to stand.” To step away from the old-fashioned things we have been taught! (It is related to our word “apostasy!”)

That’s happening already!

I see more and more folks who are drifting (some slowly, some not so slowly) from the moorings of Biblical Christianity!

And “the faith” is usually a technical term meaning “the Word of God!” Indeed, all “apostasy” begins with a questioning of the Bible. Doubting some portion of Scripture. (Today the Bible is marginalized or outright denied by many a so-called religious group!)

Mercy!

Why are we being told all this?

I suspect to keep us strong in the Lord, to help us not be discouraged when these people depart, leave us.

I also believe this Verse is written here to keep us from following in their deadly paths! To make our goal something like Paul’s … “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” From 2nd Timothy 4:7.

Maybe for this reason too. To help us be faithful to studying the Word of God. To help us cherish the Scriptures as God’s direct Word to men and women of any age.

Now, next lesson, we going to continue looking at this Text, 1 Timothy 4:1.

There is more to say!

—Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Here it is in the King James Version of Scripture … “Whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.”

I suppose it’s a fact every farmer and gardener and maybe even homeowner should know. Snakes like such out of the way places. Hedges, walls, anywhere to hide.

But Ecclesiastes 10:8 is saying more than meets the eye. It almost looks like Solomon here is warning us about tampering with our hedges!

A “hedge” to an ancient mind meant any type of barrier or line of safety … to keep predators out and to keep loved ones in!

And in the spiritual realm, hedges and walls and barriers and lines of separation are absolute necessities!

The devil, in Job 1:10, even accused the Lord of building a “hedge of protection” around Job the faithful man of God.

Oh, how we need hedges today!

For our marriages!

Our families!

Our very own lives!

“Godly parameters,” one writer calls them.

Could it be that the devil, symbolized by the serpent of our Verse today, longs for us to cut down our hedges?

To compromise our standards, convictions, worldview?

Knowing full well, the devil does, that if we “break” those hedges … we expose ourselves to the venom of Satan!

Build some hedges today!

Let them grow!

And never, never break them down!

Out Text again … “Whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.”

Let the wise be warned!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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