You Need Only to Be Still

20 Thursday Jun 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 13, Psalms

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

deliverance, Father God, praise, Prayer, salvation, the LORD, trouble, trust in God

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

Reading: Psalm 13

Father God,
thank you that I can call out to you
in times of trouble.
Show me the way forward.
Open my eyes to the help you are providing
and will provide.
I trust and thank and praise you in advance.
Amen.

— — —

Moses answered the people,
“Do not be afraid.
Stand firm and you will see the deliverance
the LORD will bring you today.
The Egyptians you see today
you will never see again.
The LORD will fight for you;
you need only to be still.”
(Exodus 14:13-14), NIV)*

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

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

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.

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Escaping a Downward Spiral

20 Thursday Jun 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 15, Psalms

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David, difficulties, faithfulness of God, God, Goodness of God, hard times, praise, Prayer, problems, Psalms, salvation, the LORD, trust in God

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365

Reading: Psalm 13
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Look on me and answer, LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the LORD’s praise,
for he has been good to me (NIV). *

grayscale photo of man leaning on refrigerator

Photo by Aleksandr Neplokhov on Pexels.com

Reflection
Have you hit a low point in your life? Are you facing a personal downturn when nothing seems to go right? Problems may arise whether it’s in your career, your finances, your family, or your relations with others. Often difficulty in one area leads to difficulty in other aspects of life. It may seem circumstances are conspiring to bring you down. Are you caught in a downward spiral?

David begins this psalm in such a state. His life and career appear to be in a death spiral. He pleads with God, “Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.”

We can learn a lot from David’s response to hard times. First, he brought his problems before God. He poured out his frustration, and in desperation he called out to the LORD for help. He didn’t pretend everything was fine, when clearly, they were not. Call out to God in times of trouble.

Secondly, David asked for the light of God to shine into his situation. “Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death…” When we are going through a dark time often, we can’t see our way out. Many times, the solution is right in front of our eyes, but we can’t see it. We need God to illumine our path. There is a way forward. We need Him to show us. Open your eyes to God’s solution.

Finally, David trusted in the unfailing love of God. He rejoiced in God’s salvation. God is in the rescue business. The solution had yet to arrive, but in advance David sang his praise to God. David reflected on the goodness of God. The LORD had been good and faithful in the past. David knew God would show him His goodness once again. Trust and praise God in advance.

Response: LORD God, thank you that I can call out to you in times of trouble. Show me the way forward. Open my eyes to the help you are providing and will provide. I trust and thank and praise you in advance. Amen.

Your Turn: Has God rescued you in difficult times in the past? Trust Him to do the same now and in the future.

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

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

A gripping summer read from David Kitz
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Faith and Deeds

19 Wednesday Jun 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 12, Psalms

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

clothes, deeds, faith, Father God, food, Jesus, oppressed, the poor

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

Reading: Psalm 12

Father God,
give me a caring heart
for those who are poor and oppressed.
Help me to demonstrate care
not just in thought
but in practical ways as Jesus would.
Amen.

— — —

What good is it, my brothers and sisters,
if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?
Can such faith save them?
Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes
and daily food.
If one of you says to them,
“Go in peace;
keep warm and well fed,”
but does nothing about their physical needs,
what good is it?
In the same way,
faith by itself,
if it is not accompanied by action,
is dead.
(James 2:14-17), NIV)*

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

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

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Profit Trumping All Concerns

19 Wednesday Jun 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalms

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bank executives, caring, defending the oppressed, God, Jesus, Psalms, Suffering, the LORD, the needy, the poor

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365

Reading: Psalm 12
For the director of music. According to sheminith. A psalm of David.
Help, LORD, for no one is faithful anymore;
those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.
Everyone lies to their neighbor;
they flatter with their lips
but harbor deception in their hearts.
May the LORD silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue—
those who say,
“By our tongues we will prevail;
our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”
“Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan,
I will now arise,” says the LORD.
“I will protect them from those who malign them.”
And the words of the LORD are flawless,
like silver purified in a crucible,
like gold refined seven times.
You, LORD, will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked,
who freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race (NIV). *
Psalm 119_72

Reflection
Who cares for the needy? The corporate titans and bank executives don’t. It seems they are far too busy lining their pockets and preparing their golden parachutes to give a thought or a hard-earned dollar to low paid employees or the poor. The relentless pursuit of profit trumps all other concerns.

Who cares for the poor? The political leaders and power brokers don’t. When called upon, they mouth meaningless platitudes and profess concern. But policy is dictated by those with fat bank accounts and the right connections. They ensure very little trickles down to those in need. In their hearts these are those who say, “By our tongues we will prevail; our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”

Who cares for the poor and needy? According to the words of this psalm the LORD does. “Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will protect them from those who malign them.”

God has always demonstrated concern for the poor. The prophet Amos declared the LORD’s severe judgment on Israel because of their mistreatment of the poor. “For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not relent. They sell the innocent for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed” (Amos 2:6-7).

Will God judge us for how we treat the poor? Absolutely. God has not changed. He defends the poor, and He remains true to His word. Call out to Him in your time of need. The word of the LORD is tried, tested and true. You can count on it.

Response: LORD God, give me a caring heart for those who are poor and oppressed. Help me to demonstrate care not just in thought but in practical ways as Jesus would. Amen.

Your Turn: What can you do today for someone who is needy or suffering? Let your actions speak.

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

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

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TheElishaCodeCVR5

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The LORD Rescued Me

18 Tuesday Jun 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalms

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attack, devotional, faith, God, grace, Jesus, lion, Philistines, Prayer, Psalms, rescue, the LORD

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

Reading: Psalm 11

LORD God,
you are my refuge.
Help me to stand my ground
when my faith is under attack
and help other believers to do the same
by the grace of Jesus.
Our faith rests on you, Lord.
Amen.

— — —

Saul replied,
“You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him;
you are only a young man,
and he has been a warrior from his youth.”

But David said to Saul,
“Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep.
When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep
from the flock,
I went after it,
struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth.
When it turned on me,
I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.
Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear;
this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them,
because he has defied the armies of the living God.
The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion
and the paw of the bear
will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Saul said to David,
“Go, and the LORD be with you.”

(1 Samuel 17:33-37), NIV)*

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

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

New from David Kitz
TheElishaCodeCVR5

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Standing Our Ground

18 Tuesday Jun 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 11, Psalms

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armor of God, arrows, Bible attacked, David, faith, foundation, Jesus, myths, Paul, science, the LORD, victory

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365

Reading: Psalm 11
For the director of music. Of David.
In the LORD I take refuge.
How then can you say to me:
“Flee like a bird to your mountain.
For look, the wicked bend their bows;
they set their arrows against the strings
to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.
When the foundations are being destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”
The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne.
He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them.
The LORD examines the righteous,
but the wicked, those who love violence,
he hates with a passion.
On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur;
a scorching wind will be their lot.
For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice;
the upright will see his face (NIV). *

a man shooting an arrow while riding a horse

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

Reflection
Do you feel like your faith is under attack? It seems everywhere there are people who are mocking those who have faith in God. Believers are openly ridiculed. We are blamed for every war since time immemorial. We are told science has rock-solid evidence, while God followers rely on concocted myths handed down by unscrupulous manipulators.

The enemy is firing arrows of accusation, doubt, and distrust from the shadows at the upright in heart. The very foundation of our faith, the word of God—the Bible—is being attacked as outdated, unreliable, and historically inaccurate. Along with David we ask, “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

The righteous can do what David does in the first line of this psalm. David says, “In the LORD I take refuge.” For David, God was not a mystical concept. God was a rock-solid reality. David had a memory bank full of experiences with the LORD. The LORD was David’s helper, healer, and deliverer. In the tough times of life, God was there—was present in David’s life. The LORD brought victory for David over Goliath and over every enemy that exalted itself above God.

The same can be true for you. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes (Ephesians 6:11). Remember the LORD is on his heavenly throne. Nothing takes Him by surprise. The LORD is with you, and He is watching your response. We need not be intimidated; we need not flee. We need to stand our ground like David and like Paul the apostle. The LORD is with us.

Response: LORD, you are my refuge. Help me to stand my ground when my faith is under attack and help other believers to do the same by the grace of Jesus. Our faith rests on you, Lord. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you have a memory bank full of experiences with the LORD you can draw on? How does reflecting on those past experiences help you now?

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

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

B1P95Jv-LtS._SY300_

Every Spiritual Blessing

17 Monday Jun 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 10, Psalms

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blameless, blessing, conception, creation, Father God, grace of God, Jesus Christ, praise, Prayer, Psalms

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

Reading: Psalm 10:12-18

Father God,
father me.
Thank you for caring for me
from the moment of conception until now.
Your abiding love has made
all the difference in my life.
Help me become the father (or mother),
I need to be.
Amen.

— — —

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in the heavenly realms
with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
For he chose us in him
before the creation of the world
to be holy and blameless in his sight.
In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship
through Jesus Christ,
in accordance with his pleasure and will—
to the praise of his glorious grace,
which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
(Ephesians 1:3-6), NIV)*

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

* GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

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A Good Father

17 Monday Jun 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 10, Psalms

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defender, Father God, fatherless, fathers, Jesus, prisons, Psalms, the LORD, trouble

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365

Reading: Psalm 10:12-18
Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless.
Why does the wicked man revile God?
Why does he say to himself,
“He won’t call me to account?”
But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked man;
call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
that would not otherwise be found out.
The LORD is King forever and ever;
the nations will perish from his land.
You, LORD, hear the desire of the afflicted;
you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror (NIV). *
Psalm 134 -365

Reflection
From the beginning, it has always been so. At the start of life there is a father. Without a father there is no life. Ponder those words for a moment.

Of course, those words are true of a mother as well. But today’s psalm focusses on fathers. To be more accurate, the psalmist calls attention to the fatherless. Apparently, fathers aren’t just needed at conception; they are needed throughout life.

There are voices in our society that question the need for fathers. Life can go on without them. In some cases, life is better without them. But I would argue that’s not life as life should be—as life was designed to be from the beginning. Our prisons are filled with fatherless men. A huge chunk of the misery, distress and degradation in this world is caused by the absence of fathers—men who fail to assume their role as fathers.

A good father—an active, involved father—makes a world of difference in the life of a child. As a public-school teacher, I saw the truth of this every day. The well-fathered child of either gender has advantages beyond compare on every social, economic, and intellectual scale. We need fathers. I need a father—a perfect Father.

That’s why we can draw comfort and encouragement from this psalm. Twice the LORD promises to be a helper and defender of the fatherless. Jesus came to introduce us to our Father—a heavenly Father who cares.

Response: LORD God, father me. Thank you for caring. Help me become the father (or mother) I need to be. Amen.

Your Turn: Has your father made a difference in your life for good or bad? Are you letting God be your Father today?

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

New from David Kitz
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You Uphold Me

16 Sunday Jun 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 41, Psalms

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enemy, God, Israel, mercy of God, praise, praise the LORD, Prayer, the LORD, triumph

I will praise the LORD!

Buttercups — photo by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 41:7-13

All my enemies whisper together against me;
    they imagine the worst for me, saying,
“A vile disease has afflicted him;
    he will never get up from the place where he lies.”
Even my close friend,
    someone I trusted,
one who shared my bread,
    has turned against me.
But may you have mercy on me, LORD;
    raise me up, that I may repay them.
I know that you are pleased with me,
    for my enemy does not triumph over me.
Because of my integrity you uphold me
and set me in your presence forever.
Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen. *

Happy Father’s Day!

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

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

B1P95Jv-LtS._SY300_

Holiness Here by Karen Stiller

15 Saturday Jun 2024

Posted by davidkitz in book review

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author, beauty, book review, books, church, forgiveness, grace, holiness, holy living, humility

A Book Review

Holiness. As followers of Jesus, we are called to be holy. But are we? The Scriptures call us God’s chosen and holy people (1 Peter 2:9), but how do we live out that truth? Is it even possible?

Karen Stiller explores our call to holiness in a soul-exposing, heart-touching way that leaves us hungering for more. There is no pretension here. Living holy is hard. Failures are frequent, and grace, blended with forgiveness is essential as we walk and stumble forward. The author makes this perfectly clear as we join her on her intimate journey. 197885931

To be authentic, holiness must permeate every area of our life. So, chapter by chapter, the author builds a case for holiness with chapters on subjects such as the physical body, money, humility, beauty, remembering, and the church.

I have read other books on the topic of holiness. They were good books, but this one stands above them all. This is due to the very personal way in which the author approaches her topic. This is not an academic exercise. We see into her life and see our own struggles and momentary triumphs reflected there.

I highly recommend Holiness Here by Karen Stiller.
Paperback, 192 pages.

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

Reading: Psalm 13

Father God,thank you that I can call out to you in times of trouble. Show me the way forward. Open my eyes to the help you are providing and will provide. I trust and thank and praise you in advance.Amen.

— — —Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”(Exodus 14:13-14), NIV)*

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

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

Reading: Psalm 12

Father God, give me a caring heart for those who are poor and oppressed. Help me to demonstrate care not just in thought but in practical ways as Jesus would. Amen.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

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

Reading: Psalm 11

LORD God, you are my refuge. Help me to stand my ground when my faith is under attack and help other believers to do the same by the grace of Jesus. Our faith rests on you, Lord. Amen.

Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you.”

(1 Samuel 17:33-37), NIV)*

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

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

Reading: Psalm 10:12-18

Father God,father me.Thank you for caring for mefrom the moment of conception until now.Your abiding love has madeall the difference in my life.Help me become the father (or mother),I need to be.Amen.

* GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 41:7-13

Happy Father’s Day!

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

A Book Review

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

Father God,
thank you that I can call out to you
in times of trouble.
Show me the way forward.
Open my eyes to the help you are providing
and will provide.
I trust and thank and praise you in advance.
Amen.

— — —

Moses answered the people,
“Do not be afraid.
Stand firm and you will see the deliverance
the LORD will bring you today.
The Egyptians you see today
you will never see again.
The LORD will fight for you;
you need only to be still.”
(Exodus 14:13-14), NIV)*

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

Father God,
give me a caring heart
for those who are poor and oppressed.
Help me to demonstrate care
not just in thought
but in practical ways as Jesus would.
Amen.

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

LORD God,
you are my refuge.
Help me to stand my ground
when my faith is under attack
and help other believers to do the same
by the grace of Jesus.
Our faith rests on you, Lord.
Amen.

Saul said to David,
“Go, and the LORD be with you.”

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

Father God,
father me.
Thank you for caring for me
from the moment of conception until now.
Your abiding love has made
all the difference in my life.
Help me become the father (or mother),
I need to be.
Amen.