Week after week, Glory to God, we have the privilege of preaching in Revival Services. Verse-by-Verse Bible preaching in fact!

God always honors His Word! “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” So God promised in Isaiah 55:11.

Still, a vital part of our Ministry over the past four years has been the video “Evening Meditation” Bible Classes as well.

Here’s a recent example …

Dr. Mike Bagwell

1 Corinthians 15:58

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Most of my time and effort go into our Revival Meetings these days. Our “Calendar” appears here on the Website. The Tab is at the top of the Home Page.

The rest of the time is invested in our video Bible Studies. We are currently concentrating on the Epistle of 2nd Peter.

Watch one and subscribe if you are “hungry” for the Word of God and are willing to give it 30 minutes every other night.

Whatever you do, stay IN the Word of God!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Though a strange tactic, I begin the lesson with a quote from the Apostle Paul. ” “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” Romans 16:17

Clearly, this is a warning!

But Peter has a whole Chapter of such admonition, cautioning us all to avoid the wicked people he calls “false teachers.”

It’s 2nd Peter 2, with all of its 22 critically serious Verses!

By the way, the entire Book of Jude centers on this apostate crowd too, false Preachers of the Word of God!

Recently a young “modern” Pastor foolishly publicized these thoughts about the Bible. He suggested there were three “eras” (time periods) of Biblical interpretation.

One, the Roman Catholic period when man’s words (the Pope’s for example) took precedent over the Scriptures themselves. The Bible at times then could be “secondary!”

Two, this “preacher” posits, the Reformation era when the Bible was considered the sole Authority. No matter what man may have tried to contradict it!

Then three, our modern society, when (this heretic says) there are so many interpretations of the Bible (on the Internet, in print, taught in seminaries, etc.) that NO ONE VIEW could be considered correct! (This is “pluralism” applied to theology.)

SIMON PETER DEMOLISHES THIS SILLY CURRENT-DAY PHILOSOPHY IN A SINGLE CHAPTER! THEREBY WARNING US TO STAY AWAY FROM THIS BIBLE-MARGINALIZING CROWD!

By the way, this young upstart even has his “history” wrong!

The first view of the Bible ever to be held was the old-fashioned literal view of God’s Word! The view of Moses and David and Malachi and Matthew and Paul and John and yes, PETER!

Then later came the leaven of came Catholicism and Liberalism and now Pluralism.

Anyone trying to change the Bible, or reinterpret it, or mix it with other beliefs to pacify the masses … AVIOD LIKE THE PLAGUE!

The Emerging (their name selected for themselves) Church leaders tell us that multiple interpretations (some contracting others) will give us a “better Bible” than ever! (Not so! These man-made “lies” water down the Bible, diluting it!)

But the Bible speaks for itself … “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this Book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city.” Revelation 22:18-19

Thank you Peter (and others) for the Warning!

I’m sticking with the Book!

Just like it’s written!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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While critics of the Bible try to point to its so-called inconsistencies and contradictions, I find it to be an absolutely Perfect Book!

One of their many accusations deals with the “Call Narratives” in the New Testament. And Peter’s history is no exception! (He is the writer who reminds us that the enemies “twist” God’s Word to their liking! See 2 Peter 3:16, specifically.)

Now, this much is true. We do find three times that the Lord appears to “call” Peter unto Himself! (Come to think of it, David was “anointed” King three times as well!)

There is such a “call” in John chapter 1. And I’m going to label this Peter’s “call” unto salvation! John 1:40-42 tells us: “One of the two which heard John (the Baptist) speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.”

This is a quiet call! Maybe that “sill small Voice” of Whom we have heard! See 1 Kings 19:12, the life of Elijah. Andrew brought Peter to Jesus. Jesus did the rest! And Peter’s life was never the same. He has met Jesus, personally! Jude 1 says of each of us Believers: “Them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and CALLED.” Peter heard and responded to that Call!

In the second place, Peter was called to service, to follow Jesus! We go from John to Matthew for this event. “And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, FOLLOW ME, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:18-19

Again, every Christian should have heard this “call” too. To be a witness for Christ! Proverbs 11:30 speaks of “winning” souls. (“He that winneth souls is wise.”) The verb thee is spelled “laqach” in Hebrew. It means “to lay hold of, to catch,” the same idea as fishing for the lost, as in Peter’s case here! Have you heard and responded, obeyed the “serving Jesus” Call? By the way, Peter is now a saved and serving child of God. Two “calls,” as the Gospels have revealed to us. (Peter is still a fisherman by trade. He is not yet going with Jesus everywhere! And he well may have pursued his craft, casting his nets on the Sea of Galilee, for up to a year before the third “Call” comes! At least that is what the biographers of Peter seem to think.)

So then thirdly, sometime later as I said … the New Testament historian Luke chimes in with these words. “And when they had brought their ships to land, THEY FORSOOK ALL, and followed him.” These favored Galilean fishermen had toiled all night with no results! But at Jesus’ command they moved the nets a few feet and so many fish were captured that their net actually broke! This is the “call” to full-time Apostleship! (Preachers, God-call Preachers, still experience this amazing Thrill yet today!)

Matthew might have a parallel Sentence here. “And when Jesus had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter …” Matthew 10:1-2

See?

No contradictions!

Three calls!

Salvation, service, apostleship!

Or for us … Salvation, Service, and (you Preachers) full time Ministry! (Maybe bi-vocational, but still full-time!)

All I know to write now is this … whenever He calls you … OBEY!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Once the Holy Spirit came, just as Jesus had previously promised, everything concerning our Lord’s followers was different.

I shall use Peter as the “example” for such a bold statement.

Peter who often spoke rashly, after Pentecost, became rather eloquent! As if Someone (the Holy Spirit) outside himself had taken control of his once stammering tongue! Acts 2:14 records for us … “But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words …” (Of course, post-Pentecost the Holy Spirit has actually come to live within Peter!)

Yes, I am saying that the Holy Spirit can affect our words, voices, tongues!

Also, Peter in that great Pentecostal Sermon seems to have been given unusual insight into Scripture. He quotes and properly applies the Prophet Joel, King David, and some of the Psalmists as well! The once called “ignorant” fisherman … is now a skilled expositor!

Yes, the Holy Spirit is the real “Teacher” of Scripture! “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things.” John 14:26

Something else. Peter’s once non-existence grasp of prophecy has now become precise and quite understandable! He comprehends that Jesus is coming again some day. And that God is going to put all enemies under the Feet of our dear Lord. Jesus as Victor! “For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool.” Acts 2:34-35

And in the future, fully so in the Millennium I suspect. Quoting the prophet Joel, Peter relates … “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: and I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come …” Acts 2:17-20

And this new Holy Ghost filled Peter can exalt Jesus as never before. He has become a skilled defender of the Faith! Especially of the Fact of our Lord’s Resurrection! “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.” Acts 2:32 (All the preaching in the Book of Acts is Jesus-saturated! Focusing sharply on the Resurrection of Christ!)

And power? I mean the sheer Power of the Holy Spirit? Look at the harvest of souls … “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Acts 2:41-42 (That morning there were 120 Christians in Jerusalem. That night there were 3,120 of them! Powerful growth!)

And no telling what else. There is no limit to the Holy Spirit’s effectiveness with the sincere saints of God! “And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” Acts 2:40

Verbal accuracy, Bible insight, prophetic acumen, doctrinal boldness, Peter is truly a changed man!

And what the Holy Spirit did for Peter long ago … He is still doing today in the hearts of dedicated Believers in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

Are YOU yielded to Him?

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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