Author Archives: davidkitz

How Do You Learn?

14 Wednesday Apr 2021

Posted by in Psalm 119, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 119
ה He
(Verses 33-40)
Teach me, LORD, the way of your decrees,
that I may follow it to the end.
Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law
and obey it with all my heart.
Direct me in the path of your commands,
for there I find delight.
Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.
Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to your word.
 Fulfill your promise to your servant,
so that you may be feared.
 Take away the disgrace I dread,
for your laws are good.
How I long for your precepts!
In your righteousness preserve my life (NIV).*

students smiling inside the classroom

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

Reflection
How do you learn? We live in an era when education and learning are highly valued, so this is an important question. In recent years psychologists have discovered what good teachers have recognized intuitively. Not everyone learns in the same way.

We all learn by taking in information through our senses, but that’s where individual differences begin to emerge. Some of us are primarily auditory learners. We learn best by listening. Others are primarily tactile or kinesthetic learners; they learn through touch and physical activity. Some learn best by reading. Visual learners grasp concepts best by engaging with pictures, maps or diagrams. Personally, visual learning is one of my strong suits.

The psalmist begins today’s reading from Psalm 119 by expressing his desire to learn from the LORD: Teach me, LORD, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart.

Now that’s a noble request. We all need to pray that prayer. But how exactly do we learn from God? The psalmist goes on to provide some answers. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.

It all begins with turning our hearts—our affections—toward the LORD. You can’t expect to learn much if you turn your back on the Teacher. And that requires a repentant heart. What are your eyes taking in? Is it worthless things, or the glory of God in nature, or in the face of Jesus Christ?

Response: Father God, I want to see you. Open my eyes to your wonders around me. Teach me your ways in practical life altering steps that draw me close to you. Open your word to me. Amen.

Your Turn: What kind of learner are you? What are you learning from the LORD?

* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

The first volume of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer by award-winning author David Kitz is now available. For a closer look at this 262-page daily devotional book click here.

A Right Understanding

13 Tuesday Apr 2021

Posted by in Psalms, Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer

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Today’s quote and prayer from Psalms 365
Psalms 365 Laid LowFather God,
 you are right to call me to account.
I humble myself before you.
Keep me from deceitful ways;
be gracious to me and teach me your law.
I want to please you.
Amen.

Volume II of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer by award-winning author David Kitz will soon be available. For a closer look at Volume I click here.

Open My Eyes

12 Monday Apr 2021

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Today’s quote and prayer from the Psalms
Psalm 119_18Father God,
 open my eyes and my heart
to the truths of your glorious Word.
Day by day I want to grow in my knowledge
and love for you.
I need to be transformed by your Spirit.
Remove the veil from my eyes.
Amen.

The first volume of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer by award-winning author David Kitz is now available. For a closer look at this 262-page daily devotional book click here.

Bible Blindness

12 Monday Apr 2021

Posted by in Psalm 119, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 119
ג Gimel
(Verses 17-24)
Be good to your servant while I live,
that I may obey your word.
Open my eyes that I may see
wonderful things in your law.
I am a stranger on earth;
do not hide your commands from me.
My soul is consumed with longing
for your laws at all times.
You rebuke the arrogant, who are accursed,
those who stray from your commands.
Remove from me their scorn and contempt,
for I keep your statutes.
Though rulers sit together and slander me,
your servant will meditate on your decrees.
Your statutes are my delight;
they are my counselors (NIV).*

2021-04-04a

Early spring on Petrie Island — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
My wife knows all about my blindness. Actually, it’s a condition that afflicts many men. You see I have difficulty seeing what is right in front of me. She will tell me to get a certain item from the next room, but can I find it? Of course not. Eventually, my longsuffering wife will arrive to point out the obvious. To which I will respond with, “Now, why couldn’t I see that?”

She will then reply with, “Because you’re blind.”

I’m sure domestic scenes like this are repeated in homes all over the world. But something very similar happens when we open our Bibles. We read a passage and though we take it in with our eyes, it seems the words go nowhere. The thoughts expressed by those words do not register on our minds or in our spirits. I’m ashamed to admit there are times when I have read a chapter from the Bible and walked away completely unaware of what I have read. Nothing has registered. The psalmist’s prayer in today’s reading needs to become my own: Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

Unless God opens our eyes when we read His word, we are engaging in an exercise in futility. The Holy Spirit inspired the apostles and prophets to write the Bible, and we urgently need the same Holy Spirit to bring those words alive for us as we read. The god of this world has blinded our eyes. Often God’s truths are veiled. We need the Holy Spirit to remove that veil. Something marvelous happens when that occurs. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3: 18).

Response: Father God, open my eyes and my heart to the truths of your glorious word. Day by day I want to grow in my knowledge and love for you. I need to be transformed by your Spirit. Remove the veil from my eyes. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you regularly read God’s word? Do you sometimes suffer from Bible blindness?

* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

The first volume of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer by award-winning author David Kitz is now available. For a closer look at this 262-page daily devotional book click here.

His Love Endures Forever

11 Sunday Apr 2021

Posted by in Psalm 118, Psalms

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I will praise the LORD!

img_20210406_1634306-pano

Early spring marsh panorama — photo by David Kitz

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.

Let Israel say:
    “His love endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say:
    “His love endures forever.”
Let those who fear the LORD say:
    “His love endures forever.”

(Psalm 118:1-4, NIV)*

* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

The first volume of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer by award-winning author David Kitz is now available. For a closer look at this 262-page daily devotional book click here.

Psalm 117

10 Saturday Apr 2021

Posted by in Psalm 117, Psalms

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I will praise the LORD!

img_20210409_1058083

Crocuses announce spring’s arrival — photo by David Kitz

Praise the LORD, all you nations;
    extol him, all you peoples.
For great is his love toward us,
    and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.

Praise the LORD.

(Psalm 117:1-2, NIV)*

* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

The first volume of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer by award-winning author David Kitz is now available. For a closer look at this 262-page daily devotional book click here.

Hidden in My Heart

09 Friday Apr 2021

Posted by in Psalms

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Today’s quote and prayer from the Psalms
Psalm 119_11
Father God,
 I want to live my life according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you (Psalm 119:10-11).
Amen.

The first volume of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer by award-winning author David Kitz is now available. For a closer look at this 262-page daily devotional book click here.

The Path of Purity

09 Friday Apr 2021

Posted by in Psalm 119, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 119
ב Beth
(Verses 9-16)
How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
    By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart;
    do not let me stray from your commands.
 I have hidden your word in my heart
    that I might not sin against you.
Praise be to you, LORD;
    teach me your decrees.
With my lips I recount
    all the laws that come from your mouth.
I rejoice in following your statutes
    as one rejoices in great riches.
I meditate on your precepts
    and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees;
    I will not neglect your word (NIV).*

2021-04-04

On an icy resurrection morning stroll — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
In the age of the internet and one-click-away pornographic websites, the opening question in today’s reading from Psalm 119 has never been more salient. How can a young person stay on the path of purity?

Why would a young man want to keep his way pure? Why not chase every skirt in town? Why not have some fun? Why not eat, drink and be merry? We only pass through this life once. Why not live it up?

But if the God of the universe has called men and women into relationship with Him, then purity and holiness are at the very core of that relationship. If we are called to be with God—to dwell in harmony with Him—then we must embrace holiness. To embrace God is to embrace holiness. Those filthy sin spots have got to go. If we are to walk with God, we must willingly walk away from mind and soul-fouling sin.

The writer of the Book of Hebrews urges on the young faith runners with these words: Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2, NIV).

In a world awash in pornography, we all need fixed eyes—eyes fixed on Jesus—eyes that see the cross— eyes that see the blood-drenched cross. Purity comes at a price. It cost the heavenly Father the life of His very own Son. A young man named Jesus—in flesh like my own—in skin like my own—poured out his life’s blood to make me pure. Fix your eyes on Him!

Response: LORD, I want to live my life according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you struggle with impure thoughts? Are you neglecting God’s word?

* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

The first volume of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer by award-winning author David Kitz is now available. For a closer look at this 262-page daily devotional book click here.

A Steel-Tipped Bullet to the Heart

08 Thursday Apr 2021

Posted by in Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer

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Today’s quote and prayer from “Psalms 365”
Psalm 119 Aleph
Father God,
like the psalmist
I want to fall in love with your word.
Here is the purpose to my desire:
I want to live a blameless life
that brings honor to my Maker
because you are good.
Amen.

The first volume of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer by award-winning author David Kitz is now available. For a closer look at this 262-page daily devotional book click here.