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 44
1 To the chief Musician for the sons of Ko'-rah, Mas'-chil.
We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.
2 How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.
3 For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.
Sometimes we meet victory; sometimes we meet defeat. This song is about defeat.
The writer acknowledges that it was God Who gave victory to the Israelites as they conquered the "promised land." It was not the power of the army (verse 3), but it was the power of God that won the victories.
4 Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.
5 Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
6 For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
God is our King. He is "King of kings, and Lord of lords." It is He and He alone that determines victory when we face the enemy both physically and spiritually. We must not rely upon our own strength, especially in our war with sin and the devil. We must rely upon God.
7 But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.
8 In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.
9 But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.
10 Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves.
11 Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.
12 Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.
13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.
14 Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.
15 My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,
16 For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.
Sometimes in our lives we feel that God has deserted us and allowed us to be defeated. We do not know why. We can say that without the bitter taste of defeat we would not understand the sweetness of victory. We can say that through defeat we learn more about depending upon God instead of ourselves. But we still do not understand why God allows defeat to happen.
There are times when we feel the "reproach" (verse 16) of the world and the "derision" of those who do not trust in God. As a pastor, I have seen many people who have been defeated in life over lengthy periods of time. And often they come wanting to know "WHY?" I can only reply that God has a reason and a purpose for everything. As Solomon said, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:..." ((See Ecclesiastes 3:1-7))
In this journey of life which we are given, only our God knows how to weave in the bitter and the sweet in order to make us what He wants us to be.
17 All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.
18 Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;
19 Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;
21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
22 Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
23 Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.
24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.
But however life may be, we can only TRUST GOD! (verse 17).
We must be faithful, for we know that God is faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9, 1Thessalonians 5:24).
A truly saved person can not "turn back" from God (verse 18), because he is "sealed in the Spirit" (Ephesians 1:13). The realization of the sweetness of God's presence, and the hope of eternally being with Him in glory will not allow the Christian to "turn back." Depression, defeat, anquish, sorrow, persecution are all part of life; but they cannot separate us from God.
Yet we can certainly call upon God to deliver us (verse 23). And especially we can call upon Him when we are feeling beaten down (verse 25). It is through prayer and searching out God's faithfulness in Scripture that we find strength to deal with the difficulties of life.
26 Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.
And we KNOW that God will "arise" and save us. One day He will come and deliver us from this paradoxical life in which we reside briefly. He will "redeem" us to Himself for eternity.
Facing the difficult moments in life is certainly easier when we realize the wonderful promise of God. His promise is that even through the defeat of DEATH, we shall be delivered into eternal glory!
CHAPTER 45
1 To the chief Musician upon Sho-shan'-nim, for the sons of Ko'rah, Mas'chil, A Song of loves.
My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
2 Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.
3 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.
4 And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
5 Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.
6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
8 All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.
9 Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.
This song is called a "royal wedding song." It was written about the wedding of King Solomon.
Prophetically, this song speaks very clearly to the wedding of our King Jesus to the church (His "bride").
Our "tongue" should speak very readily of the beauty and glory of King Jesus (verse 1). He is indeed "fairer than the children of men" (verse 2), and He is "blessed" of God forever and ever.
Jesus is the "mighty" power of God and has the "sword" of deliverance for His people (verse 3). He lives and reigns in "majesty," though He is gentle and meek and full of righteousness (verse 4).
Jesus' rulership and authority is eternal (verse 6), and He is certainly above all human beings (verse 7) even though He "became flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14).
Jesus was anointed with sweet-smelling spices (see Matthew 26:7) by "honourable women." What she did, Jesus said, would be TOLD as a "memorial for her" (Matthew 26:13).
The sweet-smelling odor of praise from the "bride" of Christ should be continually anointing Him today. The church should always be giving PRAISE to Him.
10 Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house;
11 So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.
12 And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour.
13 The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.
14 She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.
15 With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king's palace.
16 Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.
"Hearken!" Oh! Hear it my friend! What is it that the KING desires above all else from us? Our WORSHIP! Our PRAISE! (verse 11)
When we are brought into His "house" there will be people who have been saved from all walks of life, out of every nation (verses 12-14).
They shall come REJOICING in great GLADNESS for the salvation of the Lord (verse 15). There, we shall worship and praise Him forever together with our "fathers" and our "children (verse 16)." And we shall all be made "princes" in the kingdom by the grace of God.
17 I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.
God has promised that it shall be, and so it shall be. The Name of Jesus shall be REMEMBERED and WORSHIPPED forever (See Philippians 2:9-11).
What a great KING we have, Who is gracious and kind enough to allow Himself to be "wedded" to the "bride" (His church)!! PRAISE HIS NAME!! PRAISE HIM TODAY AND EVERYDAY!! Please continue in Bible Study with us.
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)
God KNOWS our hearts and all of our feelings and emotions (verse 21). All things that happen to us are for His glory (verse 22). We must account it to be so, and live in trust and faith.