I was reading last week, and the author (an old Puritan) compared our thoughts to a blossoming fruit tree! In his illustration, each blossom was a thought. But (as is true in nature) every single blossom did not yield fruit. (Fruit being analogous to our actions, deeds.) But one never knows which blossom will yield fruit and which will not.

The moral of the story … keep every blossom in your life (in your head) wholesome, lovely, fragrant! Because some of them will eventually become fruit; meaning deeds, maybe even habits and lifestyles!

This prompted to consider Genesis 6:5. Where the “blossoms” of this world had all become ugly, sinful! And God was forced (to be true to His Character, a Holy God) to judge the whole world!

“And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

Today check your thought life.

Do not live the Genesis 6:5 paradigm!

Rather, try this …

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, THINK on these things.” Philippians 4:8

Let’s be the right kind of fruit-bearing trees to the Glory of God!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Yes, the first Line of the 45th Psalm uses that very verb, “inditing.”

But what does it mean?

Here’s the first Sentence in the Verse, King James Version … “My heart is inditing a good matter.”

First, let me mention that the Object of this inditing is the noun “matter.” This is simply spelled “dabar” in Hebrew. It’s a word found 1,439 times in the Bible. and over 800 of those times it is translated “word.” Very often as the “Word” of God!

I really think the Psalmist is referring to the Words that proceed out of the Mouth of God. He has been “inditing” Scripture!

Now to our verb … “inditing” is “rachash” in Hebrew. (Accent the second syllable when pronouncing it.)

To complicate matters, the verb is only used one time in all the Bible, obviously right here!

But its lexicon meaning is … “to keep (something) moving!” Actually “to stir” something. In other words, producing life and vibrancy and enthusiasm!

Let’s put together the verb and its object … “inditing a matter, inditing a word.”

“My heart is inditing a good matter.”

And if this Word is God’s Word, Holy Writ, it is here catalogued as “good!” Amen to that! The GOOD (“tob” in Hebrew) Word of God! (“Wealthy, precious beautiful,” a few of the translations of that term in the King James Version of the Bible!)

And now the subject of the Sentence … the Psalmist himself! His heart, his mind, his soul!

And as he (wisely) ponders, recalls, meditates upon the Word of God … His heart is stirred, his mind is warmed, his soul is refreshed!

Now let’s all stop and immediately go to our Bibles!

Spend some time “in” the Word and see if you are not (also) “stirred!”

Excited!

Invigorated!

Yes, the Bible is indeed a living Book!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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I just noticed that on this day in history, August 27, back in the year 1883 … the earth was shaken by what is likely (so far anyway) the greatest explosion she has ever experienced!

Yes, a volcano off the coast of Indonesia erupted with terrific force. Believed to have released as much as 200 megatons of TNT power! It instantly killed 40,000 people or more! The encyclopedias say that 70% of the island on which the volcano was located evaporated that day!

What a detonation, called Krakatoa!

And yet even that pales in comparison to a conflagration the world yet faces! Simon Peter, the Apostle of our Lord, writes … “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (2nd Peter 3:10)

The elements?

The very building blocks of creation!

Will “melt” when the Lord returns.

In fact, He will create a new earth, to match His new heaven!

And every day we get 24 hours closer to that Event!

My question today …

ARE YOU READY?

Do you have peace with God?

Do you know Jesus Christ God’s Son personally?

If you are wondering “how” … several Bible verses teach us the mechanics of being “saved” by the Grace of God.

Acts 16:30-31 … “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

Romans 10:13 … “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

John 1:12 … “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”

Romans 10:9-10 … “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

And my favorite, because these are the Word of Jesus … John 5:24

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

Amen!

Escape the deadly, catastrophic Fireworks of the future. Trust Jesus today …

Dr. Mike Bagwell

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I just came across this quote: “Don’t be afraid of death. It is the stake one puts up in order to play the game of life.”

That’s a politically correct view these days, I suspect. Life is a game. Death has no horrors. (Implied, there is no afterlife.) The noun “stake” might even suggest life as a “gamble” too.

Mankind without God would say a hearty “Amen” to such philosophy. Godless philosophy anyway.

But I think I have a better view. Death not as a gamble but as an appointment. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27, the New Testament.

Death as a time of reckoning, not simply a shot in the dark. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Death as a penalty the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, experienced in my stead! So that I might never die (spiritually) and enjoy an eternity of Bliss in Heaven! “Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died FOR (in our stead) us.” 1st Thessalonians 5:9-10

This too: “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:3

“In due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6

And on that matter of fearing death … “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” 1 Corinthains 15:55 (Jesus has robbed death of its sting! He conquered death the moment He came out of the tomb!)

And the Lord clearly promises to those who have trusted Him as Saviour … “Because I live, ye shall live also.” John 14:19

Now, how does one become a Christian, a follower of Jesus, a victor in Christ?

Jesus answers that question best of all. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:24

I think I’ve said enough.

Are you saved?

Don’t gamble with your life.

Don’t gamble with death.

Trust Jesus!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Here is the verse …

“For I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” Quoting 2nd Timothy 1:12.

Yes, there are many things in life I do not know (we as Christians can’t live on explanations anyway) … BUT ONE THING I DO KNOW … I have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour!

(While we cannot live our Christain lives on explanations, because some things we will NEVER be able to understand here on earth … we can live our lives based on PROMISES, the Promises of God!)

Yes, I am in agreement with Paul the Apostle … “I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIVED!”

Have YOU believed in Him, dear friend?

Now, my favorite song …

I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.

I know not how this saving faith
To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His Word
Wrought peace within my heart.

I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing men of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word,
Creating faith in Him.

I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.

I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noonday fair,
Nor if I walk the vale with Him,
Or meet Him in the air.

This is a lot I do not know!

But now this, the Chorus or Refrain … I do know!

But “I know Whom I have believed,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.”

The song quoting the Apostle!

Again I ask … DO YOU KNOW?

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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