THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS

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 go to the archive below and find it.

Bruce McGee, Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418

We have a great friend in Gary Godard. He has set up an archive page. To view ALL the prior devotions by Scripture, just clik

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 70

1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance. Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O LORD.

David seeks God to save him from the present troubles. It is David's desire that God HURRY!

There's a story about the very respected preacher Phillips Brooks. One of his church members came to his house and found Bro. Brooks pacing hurriedly back and forth in his living room. The member asked, "Bro. Brooks, what seems to be the matter?" Bro. Brooks answered, "The problem, my dear man, is that I'm in a hurry and God is NOT!"

Sometimes the difficulties of life are so strong that we desire God to help us QUICKLY!!

2 Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt. 3 Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha.

Meanwhile, David prays that God will turn his enemies to "shame." Perhaps that means that they will lose the ability to persecute him. Perhaps it means they will come to conviction and repent. But it certainly means that they will be kept from causing David pain.

We can pray that our enemies be put to confusion, and shame. We can pray that they be convicted and brought to know Christ as Lord and Savior.

4 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified. 5 But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O LORD, make no tarrying.

David is probably accompanied by others who may be suffering also. He prays that they will have JOY in their salvation and that they will glorify God.

Sometimes when we are suffering, those who remain with us suffer because of it. We should certainly remember them in our prayers. We should pray that their JOY of salvation will be increased and that they will enjoy praising God.

David was always a leader. He always had good men beside him to help him. But he considers himself "poor and needy." He is poor because he is hurting, and he is in need of God's deliverance.

David prays that God will HURRY!

God knows our sorrow and distress. God knows our difficulties. But sometimes we need to acknowledge our need of Him quickly!

CHAPTER 71

1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion. 2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me. 3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress. 4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. 5 For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.

The psalmist expresses all his confidence in God, and requests that the Lord will not allow him to be placed in "confusion." Perhaps the "confusion" of which he speaks is that common to older people (see verse 9). Or perhaps the "confusion" of which he speaks is that of so many adversaries (see verses 4 & 13). Whatever the reason, the request is for a sound mind. Only God can grant that request.

The wise man considers that God is a "rock" and a "fortress" for the soul. When all the world is "topsy turvy," and confusion is all around us, God is our SAFETY! He will protect and keep us by His great love. He is our HOPE and our TRUST (verse 5).

6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee. 7 I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge. 8 Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. 9 Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth. 10 For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together, 11 Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him. 12 O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help. 13 Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt. 14 But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.

The Bible, and those who were used of God to write it, acknowledges that life begins at conception.

The Bible also acknowledges that our life is bound up in the power of God (verse 7). Though a man may seem to be powerful, it is God Who grants him strength and knowledge.

In our older years, we are subject to mental disorder and physical weakness. We need God to be close and help us (verse 7).

A few months ago, Ann and I were coming out of a mall. We were quite suddenly aware of 5 young men following us. Ordinarily, I would have had no fear of such a situation. Long ago I was trained quite thoroughly in self-defense, and spent many hours in the gymn training Ann also. But all of a sudden I realized we are 59 and 57 years of age! Our bodies will no longer respond and react in the same way as they did when we were younger!

Cautiously, and yet boldly, I turned to face the young men. And I asked, "Do you fellas know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of your souls?" One of them said, "AW! MAN! A PREACHER! Just what we NEED!" Then the five young men turned to the side and went toward the cars in the parking lot AWAY from Ann and me!

When we need God the most, we should "praise" Him (verse 8)!!

"Old age" (verse 9) comes to all of us. Weakness, inability, frailty, sickness and death are all part of living. These things demonstrate to us how much we NEED God!

When we were fighting gambling in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, many of us pastors would gather for prayer meetings. One of the sweetest, shortest and most effective prayers I heard was, "O God! We plead with you to put confusion in the camp of the enemy!" (see verse 13)

God is NOT far! (See Jeremiah 33:3, Isaiah 55:6)
And God DESIRES to help those who love Him (2Chronicles 16:9)!

Let us determine to "hope continually" in God, and PRAISE Him more and more (verse 14).

15 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof. 16 I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. 17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. 18 Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

When we speak about Jesus and His great salvation "all the day," we have no idea how many "seeds" we are sowing in the ears of those who hear us (See Ecclesiastes 11:6).

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the POWER of God to bring the lost to salvation and the saved to joy (Romans 1:16).

A few years ago, I was kneeling in front of a counter at the local hardware store choosing paint for a room in our house. A big hairy arm dropped down over my shoulder, and a young man knelt beside me. He said, "Bro. Bruce!! It's great to see you!"

I looked into the face of a young man whom I had paddled very often when I taught school! He and I had some very serious conversations in the office about his behavior! But now he was smiling!

He introduced me to his wife and young boy. And then, what he said shocked me! He said, "Bro. Bruce, I just want you to know something. You really influenced my life! I am now a Christian and have married a Christian wife. We are raising our child to know Christ as Lord. And it's partly because of your constant witness to me when I was in school. Thanks, Bro. Bruce!"

WOW! I was speechless! There's a valuable lesson there. Being CONSTANT in witness for our Lord Jesus sows PRECIOUS SEEDS INDEED!

19 Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee! 20 Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. 21 Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.

The psalmist acknowledges a resurrection after death (verse 20). Job had acknowledged the same thing (Job 19:26-27).

There IS going to be a resurrection of ALL those who have died. And God IS going to judge all mankind.

For those who are saved, it is going to be a wonderful time! They will be made greater than ever before because they will be made immortal! (see verse 21, and 1Corinthians 15:42-44, and 15:53)
What a great reason to PRAISE GOD!!

22 I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel. 23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed. 24 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.

Christians should be praising God all the time (verse 24) because of His goodness to us today, and because of what He's going to do for us eternally.

We should "greatly rejoice" because of God's closeness today, and His gift of eternal life!

PLEASE CONTINUE IN BIBLE STUDY WITH US TOMORROW.