Monthly Archives: April 2016

Shout Triumphantly!

29 Friday Apr 2016

Posted by in Friday's Focus, Psalms

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , ,

Shout triumphantly to the LORD, all the earth! Be happy! Rejoice out loud! Sing your praises!(Psalm 98:4, CEV).

IMG_20160414_171233

Streaming sunshine sings its praises — photo by David Kitz

Reflection

This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is victory.

Who brings victory over death, hell and the grave? His name is Jesus. Who leads people in triumph over temptation, sin and addiction? His name is Jesus. Who defeated the devil and the hordes of hell? His name is Jesus!

Shout triumphantly to the LORD, all the earth! Be happy! Rejoice out loud! Sing your praises!(Psalm 98:4, CEV).

We have ten thousand reasons to thank and praise the LORD. Let’s not be shy about letting Him know that we love Him. We appreciate His marvelous creation. We rejoice in our redemption through Jesus shed blood. We are amazed that He would personally choose us and welcome us into His family.

What a wonderful God! He loves even me!

Response: LORD God, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. You send your undeserved love and grace streaming into my life. I praise you with uplifted hands. Amen.

Your Turn: Has the LORD brought joy and victory into your life? Do you praise Him even in difficult times?

We Will Triumph

28 Thursday Apr 2016

Posted by in Psalms, Thursday's Thought

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , ,

With God we will triumph; he’s the one who will trample our adversaries (Psalm 60:10, CEV).

IMG_20160417_153212

Early spring cycling triumph — photo by David Kitz

Reflection

This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is victory.

Who are my adversaries? I think that’s a very important question to ask before I head off to battle. If I don’t know who or what I am fighting, how can I properly prepare? How can I advance against my enemies, when I know nothing about them? I might meet up with my foes and join their side by mistake.

I think many Christian believers find themselves in this situation. In many cases our enemies are not physical humans, but temptations, ideas and philosophies that draw us away from God. The first enemy that must be defeated often resides within. Wrong thinking and crippling habits keep us from achieving God’s will.

Our first concern needs to be our relationship with the Lord.

With God we will triumph; he’s the one who will trample our adversaries (Psalm 60:10, CEV).

The first fight we must win is against the enemy within. When we give the Lord Jesus full control, victory is sure to follow. He’s the one who will trample our adversaries. 

Response: LORD God, help me to identify the adversaries that war against my soul. I want to live in the victory you already won for me through the cross and the resurrection. Amen.

Your Turn: Are there thoughts and habits you need to overcome? Have you taken them to the Lord?

A New Song, a New Victory

27 Wednesday Apr 2016

Posted by in Mid-Week Medtiation, Psalms

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,

Sing to the LORD a new song because he has done wonderful things! His own strong hand and his own holy arm have won the victory! (Psalm 98:1, CEV).

IMG_20160417_163229

First Crocus — a sign of spring’s victory over winter — photo by David Kitz

Reflection

This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is victory.

If the resurrection of new life in spring is viewed as a victory over the cruelty of winter, then in this season we can see reasons to rejoice and sing all around us. The blooming crocus can be seen as a symbol of victory over death and decay.

The psalmist and nature itself call us to praise:

Sing to the LORD a new song because he has done wonderful things! His own strong hand and his own holy arm have won the victory! (Psalm 98:1, CEV).

New victories call forth new songs of praise. But let’s never forget the source of those victories. If it appears that our talents and intelligence have brought us success, we need to remember the One who gave us those talents and quickened our mind.

My life—your life—is found in God. As the apostle Paul states, “In God we live, move, and exist” (Acts 17:28, CEV). Our victory—our resurrection comes from Him. His own strong hand and his own holy arm have won the victory!

Response: LORD God, I sing my praise to you. Every personal joy and triumph comes from you. Put a new song in my heart today, because you have done wonderful things. Amen.

Your Turn: Has God given you new songs of praise to sing?

Your Name is near

26 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by in Psalm 75, Psalms

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , ,

Reading:                                       Psalm 75

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A psalm of Asaph. A song.

We praise you, God, we praise you, for your Name is near;
people tell of your wonderful deeds.

You say, “I choose the appointed time;
it is I who judge with equity.
When the earth and all its people quake,
it is I who hold its pillars firm.
To the arrogant I say, ‘Boast no more,’
and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns.
Do not lift your horns against heaven;
do not speak so defiantly.’”

No one from the east or the west
or from the desert can exalt themselves.
It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.
In the hand of the Lord is a cup
full of foaming wine mixed with spices;
he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth
drink it down to its very dregs.

As for me, I will declare this forever;
I will sing praise to the God of Jacob,
who says, “I will cut off the horns of all the wicked,
but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up” (NIV).

Reflection

I find the opening verse of this psalm to be very thought-provoking. Let’s take a moment to consider it: We praise you, God, we praise you, for your Name is near; people tell of your wonderful deeds.

IMG_20160409_123019

In Praise of His Name — photo by David Kitz

Ask yourself how many, “Oh my G*ds!” do you hear in a day? How many “OMGs” do you see posted on Facebook? I dare say quite a few. Are these exclamations expressed in praise to God? Of course not. They are meaningless expressions of surprise—or are they?

They are meaningless expressions to those that believe this command from the LORD is a meaningless expression. “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name” (Exodus 20:7, NIV).

The Common English Bible translates this command with these words, “Do not use the LORD your God’s name as if it were of no significance; the LORD won’t forgive anyone who uses his name that way” (Exodus 20:7, CEB).

God’s commands are not meaningless expressions. There is power in the name of the LORD. Perhaps we need this reminder. It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.

Response: LORD God, I want to treat your Name with the respect and honor it deserves. Please forgive me if I have misused your name in any way. I pray in the powerful name of Jesus. Amen.

Your Turn: Why do you think the LORD makes a big deal about His name? Why is it important?

A Bad Bet for Victory

25 Monday Apr 2016

Posted by in Monday Meditation, Psalms

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

, , , , , ,

A warhorse is a bad bet for victory;
    it can’t save despite its great strength.
But look here: the LORD’s eyes watch all who honor him,
    all who wait for his faithful love (Psalm 33:17-18, CEV).

IMG_20160417_153230

River Marsh in Early Spring — photo by David Kitz

Reflection

This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is victory.

There is something very puzzling, very uncertain, about victory. Victory doesn’t always go to the strongest man, the largest army, or the fastest runner. Sometimes victory goes to the least expected; it goes to the underdog.

Today’s verse from the Psalms draws attention to the uncertainty of victory.

A warhorse is a bad bet for victory; it can’t save despite its great strength.
But look here: the LORD’s eyes watch all who honor him, all who wait for his faithful love (Psalm 33:17-18, CEV).

Victory does not come solely from man’s ingenuity, talent or strength. Ultimately, victory comes from the LORD. The outcome of every race, every battle, every sporting event is determined by the LORD. He foreknew the outcome before there was time. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me.

My only response to such an awesome God is to honor Him, to yield my will and my very life to Him.

Response: LORD God, I wait for your faithful love. My personal struggles and victories are known to you. Your eyes are always on me. Help me to live responsibly in that knowledge. Amen.

Your Turn: Is it a comfort or a constraint to know that God is watching you?

Remembering Your Words

22 Friday Apr 2016

Posted by in Friday's Focus, Psalms

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

I will take pleasure in your laws and remember your words (Psalm 119:16, CEV).

IMG_20140818_201347

Ottawa River Sunset – photo by David Kitz

Reflection

This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is remembering.

It seems that Bible memorization is a thing of the past. There was a time when both children and adults routinely committed large portions of the scriptures to memory. For the most part this practice has gone into decline. Memorization has fallen out of favor in the educational realm as well. There is so much information so readily available through handheld devices, why bother memorizing anything?

Today’s verse from the Psalms reminds us that memorization is an important skill.

I will take pleasure in your laws and remember your words (Psalm 119:16, CEV).

Remembering God’s word should be more than a skill. It should be a pleasure—a pleasure because God’s word has transformative power. It changes our thinking and our lives.

Joshua, the great conqueror, succeeded because he meditated on God’s word. It’s hard to meditate on something you haven’t committed to memory. Joshua conquered God’s word as he conquered the Promised Land. Perhaps we should follow his example.

Response: LORD God, I want to know your word far better. Help me to memorize and meditate on your precious word. You have the words of life. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you memorized portions of God’s word?

Forgetting and Remembering

21 Thursday Apr 2016

Posted by in Psalms, Thursday's Thought

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Forget each wrong I did when I was young. Show how truly kind you are and remember me (Psalm 25:7, CEV).

IMG_20160414_164809

Treed Flood Plain, Ottawa River — photo by David Kitz

Reflection

This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is remembering.

How can God forget? He knows everything. He knows everything I have done and everything I will do, before it has even entered my mind. The petition prayed here in Psalm 25 must be doomed to fail.

Forget each wrong I did when I was young. Show how truly kind you are and remember me (Psalm 25:7, CEV).

Strange as it may seem God can be forgetful. When we repent of our sins, He chooses to forget that those sins ever happened. But don’t take my word on this topic. The prophet Jeremiah declares this word from the LORD, “I will forgive their sins and forget the evil things they have done” (Jeremiah 31:34, CEV).

That’s an amazing promise. If God can forget our sins, maybe we should do the same. We should not allow the guilt of them torment us any longer. Our sins are forgiven and forgotten when we confess them to our gracious heavenly Father.

Response: LORD God, I am so glad that you choose to remember me and forget my sins. You love like no one else can. Thank you for the forgiveness that is available because of the shed blood of Jesus. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you spend too much time remembering sins that the Lord has forgiven and forgotten?

Remembered Wonders

20 Wednesday Apr 2016

Posted by in Mid-Week Medtiation, Psalms

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Remember his miracles and all his wonders and his fair decisions (Psalm 105:5, CEV).

Dragon Fly

Dragonfly – photo by David Kitz

Reflection

This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is remembering.

Not all of us have experienced personal miracles—clearly identifiable, direct interventions of God in our lives. But I believe we have all experienced wonders. When I look at the photo of the dragonfly above, I am looking at a wonder. The gossamer transparent wings are a marvel. The vibrant colors are spectacular. It’s agility in flight is amazing to behold. If God created only one insect like this it would be wonderful, but our world is filled with a variety of diverse life forms that are simply astonishing.

Is it any wonder then that the psalmist gives us this advice?

Remember his miracles and all his wonders and his fair decisions (Psalm 105:5, CEV).

We are surrounded by God’s wonders. We simply need to open our eyes to them. How sad it is when we lose an appreciation for the beauty and awe in God’s creation.

Response: LORD God, awaken me to the beauty in your creation around me. Give me young eyes and an eager mind to grasp how wonderful you are. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you see and appreciate God’s wonders in nature? Reflect on a time when God’s miracles and wonders made a strong impression on you.

Rise up, O God!

19 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by in Psalm 74, Psalms

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

, , , , , ,

Reading:                                         Psalm 74

Verses 18-23

Remember how the enemy has mocked you, LORD,
how foolish people have reviled your name.
Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts;
do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever.
Have regard for your covenant,
because haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land.
Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace;
may the poor and needy praise your name.
Rise up, O God, and defend your cause;
remember how fools mock you all day long.
Do not ignore the clamor of your adversaries,
the uproar of your enemies, which rises continually (NIV).

Reflection

Psalm 74 was born in a time of disaster and distress. The enemies of the people of God had triumphed. The sanctuary had been destroyed and God was openly mocked. If the LORD was all powerful, why didn’t He prevent this disaster? Why didn’t He shelter His people from this violent storm? There are no quick easy answers to such questions.

IMG_20150503_090438

North Gower United Church — photo by David Kitz

Today many of God’s people are living the reality of Psalm 74. Throughout the Middle East, the birthplace of Christianity, churches have been destroyed. Young Christian men have been martyred. Women and girls have been raped and sold into slavery. The pleas expressed in this psalm are an urgent reality. Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts; do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever.

But we need not live in a land ravaged by jihadists to feel the sting of the LORD’s enemies. Daily at our universities and through various media the Christian faith is mocked. Believers are treated as imbeciles and those who stand for righteousness are ridiculed. We are not being thrown to the lions, but the wisdom of the ages is being tossed on the dung heap, so the godless can pursue their sin without the voice of conscience nattering in the background.

Over all this dissonance the voice of the psalmist—the voice of the martyr—the voice of the believer—cries out: Rise up, O God, and defend your cause; remember how fools mock you all day long. Do not ignore the clamor of your adversaries, the uproar of your enemies, which rises continually.

The help of man, though it has value, falls short. We need the help of God. The whispered voice of God has more power than the most eloquent spokesman. Know this child of God: He will arise.

Response: LORD God, defend the helpless. Arise and save your people. Show yourself strong by turning back the enemies of the cross. Our hope is in you. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you confident that God will arise and defend His people? Why is our hope in Him secure?

Remembering Miracles

18 Monday Apr 2016

Posted by in Monday Meditation, Psalms

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,

Our LORD, I will remember the things you have done, your miracles of long ago (Psalm 77:11, CEV).

IMG_1581 (2)

Shine in me – photo courtesy of Donald Adam

Reflection

This week’s I Love the Psalms theme is remembering.

I am by nature a skeptic. Faith does not come to me easily; I struggle with it. I am the sort of person who demands proof. Thomas, the doubter, and I are good friends. But when miracles happen, they grab my attention. When they happen to me personally, I am all ears, so today’s verse from the Psalms has special meaning for me.

Our LORD, I will remember the things you have done, your miracles of long ago (Psalm 77:11, CEV).

For seven years as a young man I suffered from chronic pain in my left knee. I had arthroscopic surgery, cortisone shots, and extensive physiotherapy. I frequently asked for prayer. Nothing brought lasting relief. Then at an all-night prayer meeting something happened. I went home with a sore knee but when I awoke the next morning I was completely pain free. It was miraculous–physically and spiritually transformational.

God’s miracles are worth remembering. They instill hope for today and faith for the future.

Response: LORD God, thank you for your past interventions in my life. They have brought me close to you. As I recall those times fill me with faith in you for today. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you experienced a miracle in your life?