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 138
1 A Psalm of David.
I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
Notice that David says he will praise God with his "whole heart." We only have a WHOLE heart when we give God our WHOLE heart! The realness that man is has an emptiness without being surrendered to our Lord. He has created us for fellowship with Him. And we go lacking if we fail to yield to Him.
The term "before the gods" means he will praise God before princes, judges, kings, and all in authority. It does NOT mean that David is acknowledging other gods.
Verse 2 says that God has "magnified" His WORD above His Name. God is revealed to man by His WORD. The Bible is the revelation of Jesus Christ. The promises of God are absolute. The moral truths found in the Bible are also absolute.
God, unlike man, is "as good as His WORD!"
3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.
5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.
6 Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
God's WORD extends salvation to ALL who will surrender to Him: To kings (verse 4) and to "the owly" (verse 6).
The praise of all mankind is due unto God for His mercy and grace which offers salvation from our sin.
God his "high" because He is HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, and PERFECT. But God CARES for the "lowly" - the unrighteous and unholy. And He offers salvation to ANY who will call upon Him in humble submission.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.
A relationship with God keeps a person "revived" enough to face the difficulties of this physical life. God is a "SPIRIT," Jesus said (John 4:24). And it is with our spirit that we worship Him and have that relationship with Him. It is the spirit in man that determines his ability to cope with this world.
The beauty of seeing this in the Bible, is that God has promised HIS SPIRIT to reside in our spirit when we surrender to Him.
Now THAT'S a REAL revival!!
PSALM 139
1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
God KNOWS!! God knows EVERYTHING! He knows every detail of every blade of grass, and every atom that is in the farthest star.
God knows all that is in our thoughts. He knows where we are going and what we shall say before we say it.
In short - God is OMNISCIENT.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
God is also OMNIPRESENT - He is EVERYWHERE! The presence of God permeates the totality of His creation.
You can run; but you cannot hide!
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
God "possessed." God created mankind with ownership rights! Before God created time and the universe, He already KNEW precisely what and WHO would be IN them.
God KNEW you before you were born! You are HIS CREATION. Though God has given procreation to mankind; and even though mankind has abused the privilege, God knows EVERY CHILD before he or she is born! A human being begins at the moment of CONCEPTION. To commit abortion is MURDER!
Jesus said, if a man would harm a child, it would be better for him to be killed than to live (Mark 9:42). That person who would harm and destroy an unborn child is a menace to society.
Now, I must add this. ALL sin can be forgiven! Yes, even murder. And abortion is murder. According to Jesus (Mark 3:28-29), ANY sin can be forgiven except ONE. And that sin is for a person to absolutely refuse the conviction of God's Spirit upon his spirit, and refuse to submit to Christ for salvation.
Any sin has consequences. The consequences of sin without surrender to Christ is eternal hell. And there are consequences of sin in this life too.
If a man gets drunk, he'll have a hangover. If a man steals, he will be placed in jail. If a man commits murder, he will be given the death sentence. These are CONSEQUENCES of sin against God and society.
While consequences may or may not be removed, forgiveness is offered.
Today, to my sorrow, the only consequences for abortion is a guilty heart. It is an understanding of evil done.
A person (woman or doctor) can be forgiven for the sin of abortion, but they will live with GUILTINESS in their hearts continually.
And for those who are unrepentant for this murder, there is a different story!
19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
One day, God will cause all mankind to stand in judgment for the life they have lived. The unrepentant sinner will be given a sentence of eternal damnation. The repentant sinner has ALREADY received forgiveness today, and in that day will receive the "reward of faith," which is eternal life with God.
The Christian is to be wary of those who speak against God (verse 22). They are to be held as enemies. Hatred is perfect when it does not carry acts of unkindness with it.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
God KNOWS! He knows ALL of our thoughts and intents. If we request that He search out our hearts, and expose any sin, then we can confess the sin and have a right relationship with God.
And THAT is how to be lead in "the way everlasting."
Please continue in Bible Study with us.
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)
The WORD of God is Jesus Christ. He is the FINAL Word of God to mankind.
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11)
With His Word, God utters absolute truth and judgment. And it is only by His WORD that we can be saved.
"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20)
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26)
It is by HIS presence and by HIS power, that God will "perfect" that which He has promised us. He will COMPLETE salvation for those who truly surrender to Him. He will bring them through death to eternal life.
"If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee." (Proverbs 25:21-22)