Be My Help and Shield

06 Friday Nov 2026

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Listen to the reading from Psalm 115:9-18:

All you Israelites, trust in the LORD—
he is their help and shield.
House of Aaron, trust in the LORD—
he is their help and shield.
You who fear him, trust in the LORD—
he is their help and shield.
The LORD remembers us and will bless us:
He will bless his people Israel,
he will bless the house of Aaron,
he will bless those who fear the LORD—
small and great alike.
May the LORD cause you to flourish,
both you and your children.
May you be blessed by the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
The highest heavens belong to the LORD,
but the earth he has given to mankind.
It is not the dead who praise the LORD,
those who go down to the place of silence;
it is we who extol the LORD, both now and forevermore.
Praise the LORD. (NIV)*

Reflection

As a sharp contrast to placing our trust in the lifeless idols of this world, Psalm 115 calls us to place our trust in God. Today’s reading begins with a threefold call to trust the LORD. All you Israelites, trust in the LORD—he is their help and shield. House of Aaron, trust in the LORD—he is their help and shield. You who fear him, trust in the LORD—he is their help and shield (v. 9-11).

For those who are logically minded, there is a simple equation or formula at work here. Trust in the LORD results in help and protection—he is their help and shield. Our trust or faith in God brings a response from Him. The LORD’s response is both active and passive. He provides help; He intervenes by actively assisting us. From personal experience I know the LORD has been my help. In the nick of time, He has provided words of knowledge and wisdom. He has been my constant guide. When needed most, He has opened the windows of heaven and poured out blessings. He has sent help in various forms, and in ways too numerous to mention.

But the LORD is also our shield. He protects us from the slings and arrows of the evil one. He shields us from the enemy’s attacks, whether it is from physical harm and disease, or spiritual attacks that undermine our faith through faulty reasoning or deceptive philosophies. The LORD is our sure defense. We can draw strength from this promise: He will bless those who fear the LORD—small and great alike (v. 11).

Response

Father God, I trust you to be my help and my shield. Keep me safe from the evil one. Thank you for all your help through the years. You have been faithful to keep your word. Amen.

Your Turn

Can you think of instances when God has helped you? Take time to thank Him for being your help and your shield.

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

People have been praying and praising God using the Psalms for millenia. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord.

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award.

For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look, click here.

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

05 Thursday Nov 2026

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Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”


Today’s Reading: Psalm 115: 1-8 (NIV)*

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

Father God,
show me if there are idols in my life.
In love, correct me when I stray.
I want to serve you—put you first in my life.
Lord Jesus, be my master.
It’s an honor to serve you.
 Amen.

   — — — —

Gospel Reading:
Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives,
a Sabbath day’s walk from the city.
 When they arrived,
they went upstairs to the room where they were staying.
Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew;
Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew;
James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.
 They all joined together constantly in prayer,
along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

In those days Peter stood up among the believers
(a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) and said,
“Brothers and sisters,
the Scripture had to be fulfilled
in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through
David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus.
 He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.”

 (With the payment he received for his wickedness,
Judas bought a field;
there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out.
 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this,
so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

 “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms:

“‘May his place be deserted;
    let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and,

“‘May another take his place of leadership.’

Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men
who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us,
 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us.
For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.
 Then they prayed,
“Lord, you know everyone’s heart.
Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry,
which Judas left to go where he belongs.”
 Then they cast lots,
and the lot fell to Matthias;
so he was added to the eleven apostles.
(Acts 1:12-26).

* * *

 

God sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
We saw his son and are now telling others about him.
(1 John 4:14 NIV)

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return
to Ukraine and Russia!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

New from David Kitz.

To view further details or purchase click here.

Present-Day Idols

05 Thursday Nov 2026

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Listen to the reading from Psalm 115:1-8:

Not to us, LORD, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness.
Why do the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.
 But their idols are silver and gold,
made by human hands.
They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see.
They have ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but cannot smell.
They have hands, but cannot feel,
feet, but cannot walk,
nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them. (NIV)*

Reflection

Where are your idols? “I have none,” you say. Are you sure? Most readers of this post would deny being idol worshippers, but perhaps we have more idols than we care to admit.

Idolatry was commonly practiced during Israel’s kingdom era. In Old Testament times, the nations around God’s people all practiced various forms of idol worship. One might assume God’s redeemed people, who were rescued from slavery, would have nothing to do with such vile practices. But you would be wrong. Time and again Israel fell into idolatry.

King Solomon, who was revered for his wisdom, is a prime example of someone who condoned idol worship. Here’s what we read about this ‘esteemed’ leader: On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods (1 Kings 11:7-8).

When leaders go astray, there will be many who follow. In the church today we have many leaders who have fallen captive to the god of Mammon—material goods. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24).

Before we claim to be free from idols, we need to examine our hearts. Are we yielding to the Holy Spirit, or are we controlled by our desire for what this world has to offer?

Response

Father God, show me if there are idols in my life. In love, correct me when I stray. I want to serve you—put you first in my life. Lord Jesus, be my master. It’s an honor to serve you. Amen.

Your Turn

What things have become idols in your life? What actions can you take to establish Jesus as your Lord?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

People have been praying and praising God using the Psalms for millenia. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord.

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award.

For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look, click here.

Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven

04 Wednesday Nov 2026

Posted by in Psalm 114, Psalms

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Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”


Today’s Reading: Psalm 114 (NIV)*

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:
[

Father God,
thank you for going all out
to save me through the death
and resurrection of your Son, Jesus.
What a display of your love and power!
Help me to love, fear and trust you.
 Amen.

   — — — —

Gospel Reading:
Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven

In my former book, Theophilus,
I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach
 until the day he was taken up to heaven,
after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.
After his suffering,
he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.
He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command:
“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised,
which you have heard me speak about.
 For John baptized with water,
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Then they gathered around him and asked him,
“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

 He said to them:
“It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.”

 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes,
and a cloud hid him from their sight.

 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going,
when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky?
This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven,
will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
(Acts 1:1-11).

* * *

 

God sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
We saw his son and are now telling others about him.
(1 John 4:14 NIV)

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return
to Ukraine and Russia!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

New from David Kitz.

To view further details or purchase click here.

The Purpose of Power

04 Wednesday Nov 2026

Posted by in Psalms, Psalm 114

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Listen to the reading from Psalm 114:

When Israel came out of Egypt,
Jacob from a people of foreign tongue,
 Judah became God’s sanctuary,
Israel his dominion.
The sea looked and fled,
the Jordan turned back;
the mountains leaped like rams,
the hills like lambs.
Why was it, sea, that you fled?
Why, Jordan, did you turn back?
Why, mountains, did you leap like rams,
you hills, like lambs?
Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
who turned the rock into a pool,
the hard rock into springs of water. (NIV)*

Reflection

“Why?” A four-year-old’s favourite question is, “Why?” Here in Psalm 114, the psalmist has some why questions as well. “Why did the sea flee? Why did the Jordan River turn back? Why did those mountains and hills seem to skip and dance? Why?”

The answer of course is because of the jaw-dropping, eye-popping, heart-stopping power of God. God caused the sea to flee. He caused the Jordan to turn back. He caused mountains and hills to skip about and frolic like yearling lambs set free from the stall. What an awesome display! What an awesome God!

Psalm 114 is all about the overwhelming power of God. It is a grand portrayal of the pivotal event in the Old Testament Scriptures. Here within a few short verses, we catch a panoramic view of God’s might on display, starting with Israel’s escape from Egypt to their arrival in the Promised Land.

Why did the miracle-working LORD make the sea flee? Was it simply to display His awe-inducing power? Was it simply to create excitement among the million or more mortals who were eyewitnesses to this divine wonder? In the Exodus account, the reason for this miraculous intervention is stated clearly: That day the LORD saved Israel from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. And when the Israelites saw the great power of the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant (Exodus 14:30-31).

This power display had one primary purpose. That purpose was salvation. The LORD wanted to save people—His covenant people—from the vicious clutches of oppression and a tyranny. In short, the LORD works wonders so He can save people—so He can bring them into His Kingdom—so they can escape the sin systems of this world and come under His loving rule.

Response

Father God, thank you for going all out to save me through the death and resurrection of your Son, Jesus. What a display of your love and power! Help me to love, fear and trust you. Amen.

Your Turn

Why did God save you? Is there a reason for His mercy?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

People have been praying and praising God using the Psalms for millenia. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord.

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award.

For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look, click here.

Jesus Has Risen

03 Tuesday Nov 2026

Posted by in Psalm 113, Psalms

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Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”


Today’s Reading: Psalm 113 (NIV)*

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

Father God,
your love is beyond comprehension.
Thank you for stooping down
and involving yourself in my life.
When I reach out to you,
Father God, you lift me up.
I praise you, LORD.
 Amen.

   — — — —

Gospel Reading:
Jesus Has Risen

 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week,
he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,
 out of whom he had driven seven demons.
 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping.
When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him,
they did not believe it.

Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them
while they were walking in the country.
These returned and reported it to the rest;
but they did not believe them either.

 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating;
he rebuked them for their lack of faith
and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

He said to them,
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved,
but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
 And these signs will accompany those who believe:
In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
 they will pick up snakes with their hands;
and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all;
they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them,
he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.
 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere,
and the Lord worked with them
and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
(Mark 16:9-20).

* * *

God sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
We saw his son and are now telling others about him.
(1 John 4:14 NIV)

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return
to Ukraine and Russia!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

New from David Kitz.

To view further details or purchase click here.

Treasures in the Trash

03 Tuesday Nov 2026

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Listen to the reading from Psalm 113:

Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD, you his servants;
praise the name of the LORD.
Let the name of the LORD be praised,
both now and forevermore.
 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the LORD is to be praised.
The LORD is exalted over all the nations,
his glory above the heavens.
Who is like the LORD our God,
the One who sits enthroned on high,
who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?
He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes, with the princes of his people.
He settles the childless woman in her home
as a happy mother of children.
Praise the LORD. (NIV)*

Reflection

In today’s reading the psalmist has a question for you and here it is: Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? (v. 5)

Who indeed? Why would the exalted One, the enthroned One, stoop down? How undignified! Doesn’t the LORD know kings and potentates don’t bend over or stoop down? They certainly don’t do that sort of thing in public—not where they can be seen by others. Rulers rule from the seat of authority. They sit; they don’t stoop down. But our God stoops down. If the truth be told, it’s even worse than that.

The LORD gets His hands dirty. Actually, He has been getting His hands dirty from the very beginning. The LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being (Genesis 2:7). Now that was a failed experiment if there ever was one. Those living, breathing human dust bags showed no gratitude. They disobeyed God at the first opportunity and down through the generations, humanity has continued that pattern of disobedience and ingratitude.

Now in this psalm we read this: He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap (v. 7. Why would God show such affection for fallen humanity—humans who keep plunging deeper into the mire? There is no greater mystery. Our God keeps finding treasures in the trash—the human trash.

But I keep wondering why anyone would stoop so low. Why would the One, who sits enthroned on high, stoop so low—low enough to die a criminal’s death on a cross? Why did the Lord stoop to rescue me?

Response

Father God, your love is beyond comprehension. Thank you for stooping down and involving yourself in my life. When I reach out to you, Father God, you lift me up. I praise you, LORD. Amen.

Your Turn

When did the LORD lifted you from the ash heaps of this life? How did that make you feel?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

People have been praying and praising God using the Psalms for millenia. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord.

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award.

For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look, click here.

Jesus Has Risen

02 Monday Nov 2026

Posted by in Psalm 110, Psalms

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Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”


Today’s Reading: Psalm 112 (NIV)*

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

Father God,
I thank you for every blessing
that comes from fearing you and living uprightly.
When my way seems dark, shine your light on me.
Lead me forward in the way of Christ.
 Amen.

   — — — —

Gospel Reading:
Jesus Has Risen

When the Sabbath was over,
Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James,
and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body.
 Very early on the first day of the week,
just after sunrise,
they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other,
“Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone,
which was very large, had been rolled away.
 As they entered the tomb,
they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side,
and they were alarmed.

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said.
“You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.
He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.
But go, tell his disciples and Peter,
‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee.
There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

 Trembling and bewildered,
the women went out and fled from the tomb.
They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
(Mark 16:1-8).

* * *

God sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
We saw his son and are now telling others about him.
(1 John 4:14 NIV)

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return
to Ukraine and Russia!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

New from David Kitz.

To view further details or purchase click here.

Those Who Are Generous

02 Monday Nov 2026

Posted by in Psalm 112, Psalms

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Listen to the reading from Psalm 112:

Praise the LORD.
Blessed are those who fear the LORD,
who find great delight in his commands.
Their children will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in their houses,
and their righteousness endures forever.
Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
who conduct their affairs with justice.
Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever.
They will have no fear of bad news;
their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,
their righteousness endures forever;
their horn will be lifted high in honor.
The wicked will see and be vexed,
they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
the longings of the wicked will come to nothing. (NIV)*

Reflection

Is there a blessing to be had for those who fear the LORD? Absolutely yes, according to Psalm 112! When we put the LORD first in our lives and honor Him in all we say and do, He takes note. Blessings come from the LORD. Those blessings can come in various forms.

The psalmist begins by speaking of the blessing that flows to our children. A home where the love of God reigns is blessed indeed. Children grow up in a secure environment with loving role models and that sets the stage for their advancement as adults in society. The psalmist asserts the generation of the upright will be blessed (v. 2b).

 Are you finding great delight in the LORD’s commands? There are positive consequences for that. You may be blessed with wealth and riches as a result. Fearing God brings a reward, but that reward must be used wisely in the service of God and others. Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice (v. 5).

But this psalm does not promise us a trouble-free life. Though bad news may come, those who fear God will trust in Him and overcome adversity. Even in darkness light dawns for the upright. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes (v. 8).

Response

Father God, I thank you for every blessing that comes from fearing you and living uprightly. When my way seems dark, shine your light on me. Lead me forward in the way of Christ. Amen.

Your Turn

In what ways have you experienced God’s blessing? Which blessings do you value most?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

People have been praying and praising God using the Psalms for millenia. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord.

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award.

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A Devotional Journey through the Epistle of James

01 Sunday Nov 2026

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Day 13: Freedom under the Perfect Law

But you must never stop looking at the perfect law that sets you free.
God will bless you in everything you do,
if you listen and obey, and don’t just hear and forget.
(James 1:25, CEV)

Reflection

We live in a consumer culture and that culture permeates our daily life. We are consumers of food and drink, products and services. We are consumers of sports, music, and entertainment. Furthermore, when we step inside a church we become consumers of religious services.

God help the poor pastor who doesn’t realize that the people gathered before him have arrived with a consumer mentality. Will the pastor rise to the occasion and meet their expectations, or will they leave disappointed with the message they hear? Will the message that is preached make it to the parking lot, or will it be forgotten and neglected?

James addresses our consumer mentality head-on. First, he urges us to continually look to God’s word:

But you must never stop looking at the perfect law that sets you free. (James 1:25a, CEV)

James is not writing his epistle to full-time pastors. He is addressing all believers in Jesus Christ. All believers must never stop looking at the perfect law that sets [them] free. This means our Bibles should not be gathering dust on a shelf somewhere. A good Bible is a Bible that is worn, marked, and tattered through daily use.

Why is immersing ourselves in the Word—the perfect law—so important? James tells us this perfect law sets us free. Free from what?

In his epistle to the Colossians, Paul answers that question.  For he [the Father] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14, NIV)

We are set free from the dominion of Satan and our fetters of sin. Now through the redemptive work of Christ, we are living under new management—the management of a loving heavenly Father. All this happens through the cleansing power of the Word that in the person of Jesus comes to dwell among us. (See John 15:3.)

For the Word to become effective in our lives we must become more than consumers of Sunday sermons. We must become doers of the Word. Doing triggers God’s blessing.

God will bless you in everything you do, if you listen and obey, and don’t just hear and forget. (James 1:25, CEV)

Response

Lord God, help me to genuinely value your Word. I want to be a doer of your Word by applying what I hear and read. Lord Jesus, I want to know your Word experientially in my day-to-day life. Her my prayer. Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law (Psalm 119:18).  Amen.

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