Category Archives: book review

A Recent Review of “psalms alive!”

27 Saturday Jan 2018

Posted by in book review, Books by David Kitz, Devotionals, Psalms

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This week I came upon this review of my devotional study “psalms alive!” I find it encouraging to know the word of God is coming alive for those who read and meditate on it. Thanks goes to Pam Godard Mytroen for the following thoughts on my book:

David Kitz’s devotional, “psalms alive!” is a book I bought for my friends and family this past Christmas and I plan to read it a second time. It is one of the best devotionals I have ever read for the following reasons:

  • The Scripture is printed at the beginning of each devotional. This makes it so convenient and for me it meant reading and then re-reading that Psalm many times as I studied Kitz’s devotional which followed. Many devotionals only quote the reference which you are to study. Tell me – how many of you actually look up this passage? Lol. It’s too easy not to get your Bible and look it up. It’s such a simple thing to print the Psalm right in the devotional but it made the study so much more helpful.
  • Secondly, this was an excellent resource because of the cultural and historical insights Kitz provided. These brought the Psalms to life and helped me remember and apply them.
  • Theologically, I believe Kitz is sound and credible; he often cross-referenced his thoughts with other biblical passages.
  • The whole picture – Kitz provided each Psalm in light of the sweep of biblical history and revelation, often showing how the Psalm prophesied Christ. I appreciated this and it helped me see the relevance and power of the Psalms in my daily life.

Reading “psalms alive!” was a highlight of October/November 2017. I looked forward to it every day; it was a feast every morning that I will indulge in again. My copy is highlighted, underlined, tear-stained, and I have several pictures I drew in response to the insights I learned. It is a treasure that I recommend with the highest confidence.

http://www.davidkitz.ca/bookcart/index.php?route=product/product&path=60&product_id=62

 

Good News to Start 2018

03 Wednesday Jan 2018

Posted by in book review, Books by David Kitz, Psalms

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It’s always encouraging to get good news as you start the new year. That was my experience on New Years Day this year as I got word that my novel The Soldier Who Killed a King was voted the top book in the biblical fiction category for 2017, by the Christian book service, Interviews and Reviews.

biblical-fiction-award-2017_origYes, I was pleased! Winning this award bodes well for book sales as we approach the Lent and Easter season which will commence in mid February.

The book details the events of Passion Week as seen through the eyes of the Roman centurion, Marcus Longinus. He is the centurion who at the foot of the cross made this startling confession about Jesus, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (See Matthew 27:54, NIV.)

What led this hardened soldier to reach such a conclusion?

I think we often underestimate the power of the cross and the heart-gripping story that unfolded there. Paul, the apostle, did not make that mistake. Paul writes: Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:22-24). Biblical fiction winner 2017

The real good news for 2018 isn’t that my book won an award. The true good news is that Jesus suffered and died a wretched death on a wooden cross, so that I can be redeemed and forgiven.

He did the same for you. Do you believe that?

Have you been to the foot of the cross lately? I dare you to go there. Go there and be changed—truly changed.  That’s the real power of the cross. And that my friend is absolutely the best news of 2018!

This year I pray that you will fully experience the transformational power of the cross.

 

 

A Review of “Psalms Alive!”

12 Tuesday Dec 2017

Posted by in book review, Books by David Kitz, Devotionals, Psalms

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By Janis Cox

Nothing could have prepared me for the amazing revelations that came from readingSample Cover and studying this book. The combination of reading the assigned scriptures and reading each chapter opened many doors for thoughts and creativity. As I look back over what I have studied I know that God has made many inroads into my spirit.

“psalms alive!” is spirit-filled. With humour, some tongue-in-cheek, godly insight and sharing of life experiences, David Kitz brings the psalms to life.

I hope David considers writing “More Psalms Alive”.

Trade paperback — 240 pages with built in study questions, available from the author and through multiple online sources.

Coloring Outside the Lines

30 Thursday Nov 2017

Posted by in book review, Books by David Kitz, Psalms

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This book review of The Soldier Who Killed a King caught my eye for a number of reasons. Sabrina Wade captured the spirit and the essence of this book. Here is her five star review:

At first, the beginning of this novel took my mind back to the movie Risen. As I kept reading, the novel blossomed into so much more.

Kitz, did an excellent job staying super close to the biblical accounts4485 SHARABLE-1 surrounding the death, burial, and resurrection of my Lord Jesus Christ. The fictional details of the ”what ifs” concerning not only the centurion, but also the many bystanders held me captivated. Those scenes were like coloring outside the lines. They gave the reader an additional piece of art without tampering with the original.

If hearing the truth about Jesus Christ through Bible study, around Easter, or from a neighbor isn’t appealing or worth believing PICK UP A COPY. Kitz will have your heart in his hand from the beginning until the end. He will make you question why you are still in denial. And for others he will lovingly remind you why Grace is sooooooooooo AmAzINg!

For more details visit Interviews and Reviews.

 

 

 

Walking off the Pages

22 Wednesday Nov 2017

Posted by in book review, Books by David Kitz, Devotionals, Psalms

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There’s something innately powerful about good literature. The characters and events we read about can become very real to us. We come to know these people; their experiences become our own.

For nearly 3,000 years people have been getting in touch with God through the sacred literature from the Book of Psalms. Generation after generation has drawn strength, comfort and inspiration from the words of the psalmist.

In times of calamity the psalms bring peace. When storms rage within, a psalm can provide a haven of rest. When anger erupts, a psalm can act as a release valve. When God seems distant, the psalms bring us near.

Lila Diller Collage - all photos courtesy of Unsplash

Collage composed by Lila Diller with photos selected from Unsplash

Psalms Alive! Connecting Heaven and Earth is a devotional study of thirteen selected psalms. Each chapter is designed to help the reader interact with God’s word, and connect with their Creator in a fresh and living way.

There is something surprisingly practical about the psalms. They are meant to be lived.

sample-cover

237 pages, trade paperback

The Bible is in fact a living document that must be applied to life to be effective. This should not surprise us since, “The word of God is living and active” (Hebrews 4:12a). Author David Kitz draws from other biblical sources and real life experiences to make these psalms come alive for you.

There is power in the unchanging word of God. Why not experience that power for yourself? Discover Jesus, the Good Shepherd, walking off the pages of the psalms and into your life.

Pre-Christmas Sales Begin

15 Wednesday Nov 2017

Posted by in book review, Books by David Kitz, Psalms

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This week I noticed something different when I checked on the status of The Soldier Who Killed a King on Amazon. The price has dropped from $14.99 to $12.59US. There has been a similar drop on the Canadian website from $19.99CAD to $15.92CAD.

Since I have no control over prices, I can only guess that the corporate world wants to increase the sales volume, and as a result we the reading public can enjoy the benefit of a great book at a reduced price. The best deal I have seen online for a new edition of this book is at Christianbook.com where the list price is $10.99US.Soldier book

If you have been considering purchasing this historical novel, this is an ideal time. Here’s the book descriptor:

A stunning story of Holy Week through the eyes of a Roman centurion

Watch the triumphal entry of the donkey-riding king through the eyes of Marcus Longinus, the centurion charged with keeping the streets from erupting into open rebellion.

Look behind the scenes at the political plotting of King Herod, known as the scheming Fox for his ruthless shrewdness.

Get a front-row seat to the confrontation between the Jewish high priest Caiaphas and the Roman governor Pontius Pilate.

Understand as never before the horror of the decision to save a brutal terrorist in order to condemn the peaceful Jew to death.

If you’ve heard the story of Passion Week so often it’s become stale, now is the time to rediscover the terrible events leading from Jesus’s humble ride into the city to his crucifixion. The Soldier Who Killed a King will stun you afresh with how completely Christ’s resurrection changed history, one life at a time.

Now discover for yourself the transformational power of the cross and the resurrection.

Holy Week Through the Eyes of a Roman Centurion

28 Saturday Oct 2017

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A stunning story of Holy Week through the eyes of a Roman centurion

Watch the triumphal entry of the donkey-riding king through the eyes of Marcus Longinus, the centurion charged with keeping the streets from erupting into open rebellion.

Look behind the scenes at the political plotting of King Herod, known as the scheming Fox for his ruthless shrewdness.

Get a front-row seat to the confrontation between the Jewish high priest Caiaphas and the Roman governor Pontius Pilate.

Understand as never before the horror of the decision to save a brutal terrorist in order to condemn the peaceful Jew to death.

If you’ve heard the story of Passion Week so often it’s become stale, now is the time to rediscover the terrible events leading from Jesus’s humble ride into the city to his crucifixion. The Soldier Who Killed a King will stun you afresh with how completely Christ’s resurrection changed history, one life at a time.

A Review by Laura Davis Soldier book
I love Biblical Fiction and this story, written from the perspective of the Roman centurion who nailed Jesus to the cross, is a keeper. We don’t often get a glimpse into the minds of those who had contact with Jesus, and the author, David Kitz, did an excellent job in drawing me into the story.

Kitz did an incredible job of making me feel like I was there. I could clearly see the blood on the centurion’s hand and feel his anger over having to kill what he considered, an innocent man. I never considered before how the soldiers would have reacted at having to release a known terrorist – Barabas – in favour of a “harmless” prophet from Galilee. And when Marcus (the centurion) realizes who Jesus really is and his subsequent transformation because of it, well . . . you almost forget it is fiction.

I loved this story and you will too! A great novel to read at Easter, but more importantly at any time of the year.

 

 

Psalms Alive! Connecting Heaven and Earth

11 Wednesday Oct 2017

Posted by in Bible, book review, Devotionals, Psalms

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Psalms Alive! Connecting Heaven and Earth can be best described as a devotional study of thirteen selected psalms. The writing is devotional in that its goal is to have the reader reflect, ponder and apply the truths of the psalms, but unlike a typical devotional these readings do not end after a page. Each chapter or reading is about 5-6 pages in length and it ends with a number of questions or suggested activities to make that psalm come alive for the reader. In this way the author examines thirteen psalms in the space of twenty-six chapters—237 pages. The questions or application portion of each chapter make this book ideal for small group discussion. The goal throughout, as the subtitle suggests, is for the reader to connect to connect with God—to connect heaven and earth by means of the psalms.

Jenny Burr’s Review Sample Cover
How can words written so long ago be relevant today? In Psalms Alive! author David Kitz reveals how the Lord has spoken to him through the Psalms. Kitz draws on his experiences as a pastor, teacher, writer, father and dramatist to bring these words alive. His personal accounts of the scripture and how they relate to his life provide connections for the reader to make in their own life. He adds historical background information to the Psalms and this enhances the reader’s experience. Reading “Psalms Alive!” will certainly make the Psalms come alive!

 

 

Absolutely Stunning!

27 Wednesday Sep 2017

Posted by in book review, Books by David Kitz, Psalms

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An Amazon Book Review by CafinatedReads2009

When it comes to fiction books that are centered around Biblical times, it takes a really good author to hook me into the story line. Don’t get me wrong, I love reading my Bible, however, not every author can create a story that brings the Biblical portion off the book pages and to the reader like a movie screen. David Kitz, however, truly hooked me with this book, and took me on a first-class whirlwind ride through history.

I absolutely felt every emotion of this book, watching, most often on the edge of my seat, Soldier bookas Christ was crucified. This book really brings to life the Biblical and the historical detail. As I watched the Roman centurion who was tasked with awful task, I found myself with tears in my eyes, both for him, and for Christ. It was a heart-wrenching, gut twisting, thought provoking story of sacrifice and pain.

This book……anything less than a 5 star review would be a disgrace. The style of which David Kitz wrote this novel is stunning and captivating.

This book is definitely not for everyone though. If you are a reader of Biblical fiction, if you want to see what happened during that eventful week in time, then this book is for you. You will not be disappointed and you will want more! I know I am already ready for another beautifully written novel of Biblical times by this superbly talented author! Grab The Soldier Who Killed a King and be prepared for a jaw dropping experience of watching the crucifixion come into play.

A Book Review by Glynis Belec

21 Thursday Sep 2017

Posted by in book review, Books by David Kitz

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The Soldier Who Killed a King is not a light read that fills me with superficiality andSoldier book indifference about something that happened in history. Instead I am transported to a place filled with conflict, violence, emotional turmoil, restlessness and intrigue via the powerful character of Marcus Longinus, the Centurion in charge of keeping law and order during a tumultuous time.

David Kitz has created a character in Marcus Longinus that helps me consider the internal battle the Centurion faces and what stirs in his heart to make the declaration that the Donkey King really is the Son of God.

The minor characters are relate-able in emotion, too, and I especially appreciate the insight Kitz gives about the tenderness of Marcus Longinus as is presented beautifully in his interaction with family. The Soldier Who Killed a King kept me riveted and even though I tried to put the book down (one has to sleep) I found myself having to turn just one more page.

Confrontation after confrontation; from the Passover crowd to the nail-scarred hands of the Man who was to change the course of history—I was fascinated, compelled to read it and moved sometimes, to tears. This is a book that doesn’t hold back, yet it is not gory nor does it contain gratuitous violence.

Even though this is a work of fiction, it contains accuracy as outlined in the Gospels. I appreciate the timeline and the steady pace of The Soldier Who Killed a King. I would recommend this book highly for it approaches the week of Christ’s suffering and resurrection from a unique and genuine viewpoint and offers a fresh look at forgiveness and Divine love unleashed.

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