This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&handling) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
HERE
Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the books of
Genesis through 2Kings are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just
mail your request for COMMENTARY ON (BOOK NAME) to the address above.
PSALM
CHAPTER 107
1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
This is another call to "give thanks unto the LORD." God's mercy toward us is great. And the fact that He gives us eternal salvation is proof that His "mercy endureth for ever."
2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.
5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
6 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.
When I wasn't trying to find God, He found me! When I was in the wilderness of sin, on my way to an eternal hell, God interrupted my journey and talked to me about a Saviour Who loved me!
When I was hungry and thirsty for more than just this life, God showed me there IS more!
When God made me aware of my sinfulness and His desire to forgive, I "cried unto" Him begging forgiveness. And He saved me!
Now He's leading me in the "right way." Now He's leading me to an eternal home in glory with Him!
9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
13 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
God has created man with a "longing" in his soul that can ONLY be satisfied by a genuine relationship with Him! Only God can fill the soul with "goodness."
We sit in "darkness" until God shines His light of "counsel" upon us. We are in the darkness of sin until He brings us the light of JESUS!
When God tells us about our sin, we are filled with conviction ("labour" - verse 12), and we fall to our knees and ask for Him to forgive us (verse 13). Then God saves us from sin by giving us His forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9-10).
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
15 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
God brings a repentant soul out of the "shadow of death" that is cast upon him by sin. The result of sin is "bands" (chains of slavery), and ONLY GOD can break them!
YES! We should PRAISE GOD! PRAISE HIM for His GOODNESS, and for His SALVATION!
16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.
17 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.
19 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.
20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
Sin is like a brass gate with bars of iron that separates us from the love and joy of God.
Sin makes "fools" of men, and the consequences of sin is affliction of the soul. We bring all sorts of problems upon ourselves by sin.
When the soul is sick because of sin, man draws "near to the gates of death." He desires nothing except a realization of something better than this life.
When man realizes the way sin is leading him to destruction (both bodily and spiritually), then he cries out to God. God's MERCY answers man with His WORD!
It is by God's WORD that He created all things (John 1:1-3). It is by God's WORD than men are delivered from the power of darkness to the power of light.
21 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
Again there is the call to "praise the LORD for His goodness."
And there is a call to "sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving." The sacrifice of our lips daily should be the PRAISE of our Lord! (See Hebrews 13:15)
23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
24 These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end.
28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
A journey on the sea causes man to realize the power of God. The waves of a stormy sea seem to "mount up to heaven." Then they drop and "go down again to the depths." Men become very sick upon a raging sea.
A sinful life is like the raging sea. Man rides high on his emotions for a while, then the emotions drop to the depths of despair. OH! How we NEED GOD!
And when we cry out to God for help in the raging sea of sin, He sends "calmness" by His forgiveness! He brings us out of the sea of terror and gives us a "spirit of power and of a sound mind" (2Timothy 1:7).
It is only through salvation that we find our "desired haven," which is REST in the arms of a loving God.
31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
Indeed! Let's go to CHURCH and PRAISE GOD! Let us "exalt" HIM!
33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;
34 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.
36 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;
37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.
Just as a river gives the water of life for a wilderness to grow, so God gives the real "water of life" to a dry and thirsty soul.
God provides a place even in this world where the "hungry" soul can be FED! It is in the congregation, the "city of habitation."
There, saved souls, can plant the WORD of God with others and see God give the increase! (See 1Corinthians 3:5-7)
38 He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
39 Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.
40 He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.
41 Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.
God's people are BLESSED people! He multiplies them by the power of the gospel (Romans 1:16).
The saved person might be persecuted by those who are in power in this world. But God brings the powers of the world to death and destruction. And He "setteth the poor" ABOVE affliction!
Those who are saved have a "family" to lean on - the church!
42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.
Those who are saved REJOICE in the family of God! The unrighteous mouth is STOPPED there, and instead is filled with the praises of God.
The "wise" will see this because they will know the MERCY of God "endureth for ever."
What a GREAT GOD we have! Please continue in Bible Study with us.
God's WORD tells us that He has a plan for forgiveness and healing of the sinsick soul! That plan is JESUS - the LIVING Word of God!
"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:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12-13)