LORD God,
have mercy on me. Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with those who do evil.
I put my trust in the redeeming sacrifice
of your Son, Jesus.
Jesus,
you are just,
and you are my help and salvation.
Amen.
I saw the Holy City,
the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride
beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“Look!
God’s dwelling place is now among the people,
and he will dwell with them.
They will be his people,
and God himself will be with them
and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain,
for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:2-4 NIV)*
Pray for enduring peace in Israel and Gaza, 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.
Also available from David KitzIs a return-to-Jesus revival possible in our time?
This book points the way forward.
For details click here.
To you, LORD, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit. Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.
Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts. Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work; repay them for what their hands have done and bring back on them what they deserve.
Because they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord and what his hands have done, he will tear them down and never build them up again. (NIV)*
Reflection
David begins Psalm 28 with a plea for God to hear him. As the psalm progresses it becomes clear this is a plea not only for mercy, but also for justice. Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place. Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts (v. 2-3).
The cry for fairness is perhaps the most universal of all human desires. What is the most oft repeated complaint in a kindergarten class? If you guessed, “That’s not fair!” you win the gold star. A desire for equality of opportunity and fairness is simply part of our human constitution; it’s bred into us.
Governments are defeated and revolutions happen when leaders fail the test of fairness and equality under the law. But all too often we do not see justice served in this life. The murderous Pol Pot was never brought to justice though three million Cambodians died under his regime. On a personal level, you too may have suffered a grievous injustice. When we become aware of such offences and heinous crimes, David’s call for justice rings true and clear. Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work; repay them for what their hands have done and bring back on them what they deserve (v.4).
The oppressed and the oppressor will meet the God of justice in the afterlife. But the redeemed have this assurance,‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
Response: LORD God, have mercy on me. Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil. I put my trust in the redeeming sacrifice of your Son, Jesus. You are my help and salvation. Amen.
Your Turn: When you see injustice around you, do you take it to God in prayer? Are there other biblical ways to respond to injustice?
May you and your family draw near to God as we begin 2026.
Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, Russia 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.
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
James—the brother of Jesus—who was this man? What evidence do we have that this “brother of our Lord” even existed?
David Kitz digs deep into archeology, family dynamics, church history, and the biblical texts. What emerges from his research is a portrait of a decisive, pivotal leader who embodied the will and character of Jesus Christ.
But how did James—James the unbeliever—transform to become a leader who changed the course of world history? In these pages you will uncover the answer and rediscover for yourself the life-changing power of the gospel.
To view further details or purchase directly from the author click here.
LORD God,
as I begin this new year,
this is my confession, “I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living”
I will, “Wait for the LORD,”
and I will, “Be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD” (Psalm 27:13-14).
Amen.
— — — —
Our Confidence
I write these things to you
who believe in the name of the Son of God
so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence
we have in approaching God:
that if we ask anything according to his will,
he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—
whatever we ask—
we know that we have what we asked of him. (1 John 5:13-15 NIV)*
Pray for enduring peace in Israel and Gaza, 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.
Also available from David KitzIs a return-to-Jesus revival possible in our time?
This book points the way forward.
For details click here.
If you have ever been thrilled by the sights, songs, or antics of birds you will surely enjoy this collection of forty stories about birds. These true accounts are written by authors from various locations across United States and Canada. Furthermore, the stories cover a broad range of birds, both domestic and in the wild.
We all need a lift to brighten our day, and each story did just that for me. I often read a chapter in the morning and another one before bed. Some of the stories are lighthearted. Others are poignant or deeply spiritual. All are very uplifting! They reflect an appreciation for creation and our Creator.
I am pleased to be a contributing author to this newly released book. Much thanks to editor, Callie Smith Grant for including my story in this anthology. Her animal themed story collections have sold over 350,000 copies.
As we begin 2026 why not take some time to soar with the birds?
Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; Be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek. Do not turn your servant away in anger; You have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior. Though my mother and father forsake me, The LORD will receive me. Teach me your way, O LORD; Lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, For false witnesses rise up against me breathing out violence. I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; Be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD (NIV)*
Reflection Is God listening? Do I have His full attention? Is He even there? Even people of great faith ask questions such as these. Listen to David’s plea, “Hear my voice when I call, O LORD“ (v. 7).
David’s psalms are replete with calls for God to listen and then quickly respond to his cries for help. These pleas for a listening ear happen with such frequency throughout the Book of Psalms that one can be forgiven for wondering if God is deaf. In our minds we know this is an absurd proposition. He who formed the ear can surely hear the faintest whispered prayer or unvoiced thought. But despite what our intellect knows, we still plead for His listening ear. Along with David we cry out, “Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me” (v. 7).
I suspect the problem in prayer is not that we are speaking to a deaf God, but rather we, the petitioners, are deaf to God’s answers. The patriarchs and prophets of old heard the voice of God. They conversed with the LORD Almighty. Many of these conversations are recorded verbatim in the Old Testament. A fine example of this is found in Exodus as Moses speaks with the LORD at the burning bush.
Have we lost the ability to hear God? Has a great collective deafness settled across humanity?
In a cold world filled with rejection, there is a God. There is a God of mercy the lonely soul can turn to. There is one who understands. There is one who listens to our anguished prayers. David discovered and knew that reality. We can join with David and say, “Though my mother and father forsake me, the LORD will receive me” (v. 10).
Response: LORD God, this is my confession, “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living” I will, “Wait for the LORD,” and I will, “Be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD” (v. 13-14). Amen.
Your Turn: Are there times when you doubt God is listening to your prayers? How do you know He is there? Has the LORD spoken to your heart?
May you and your family draw near to God as we begin 2026.
Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, Russia 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.
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
James—the brother of Jesus—who was this man? What evidence do we have that this “brother of our Lord” even existed?
David Kitz digs deep into archeology, family dynamics, church history, and the biblical texts. What emerges from his research is a portrait of a decisive, pivotal leader who embodied the will and character of Jesus Christ.
But how did James—James the unbeliever—transform to become a leader who changed the course of world history? In these pages you will uncover the answer and rediscover for yourself the life-changing power of the gospel.
To view further details or purchase directly from the author click here.
Lord Jesus,
I want to be with you.
I want to live my life close to you now
and close to you forever.
Show me how to do that. Be near me, Lord Jesus.
I ask you to stay
close by me forever,
and love me I pray.
Amen.
— — — —
The Boy Jesus at the Temple
After the festival was over,
while his parents were returning home,
the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem,
but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company,
they traveled on for a day.
Then they began looking for him
among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him,
they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him
in the temple courts,
sitting among the teachers,
listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed
at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him,
they were astonished.
His mother said to him,
“Son, why have you treated us like this?
Your father and I
have been anxiously searching for you.”
“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know
I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand
what he was saying to them.
Then he went down to Nazareth with them
and was obedient to them.
But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:43-52 NIV)*
Pray for enduring peace in Israel and Gaza, 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.
Also available from David KitzIs a return-to-Jesus revival possible in our time?
This book points the way forward.
For details click here.
One thing I ask of the LORD, This is what I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To gaze on the beauty of the LORD And seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle And set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; At his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD. (NIV)*
Reflection No matter where we travel, or how pleasant the journey, within us all there is a longing to be home. The same longing for the safety and comfort of home can be found in this psalm of David, but for David, being at home meant being in the presence of God. The LORD God was David’s refuge and comfort. To be near the LORD was to be safe, at rest and fully at peace. Nearness to God was the paramount desire of David’s heart.
Now hear David’s heart cry, “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORDall the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and seek him in his temple.”
David’s statement here delineates a clear priority. For David the house of the LORD was of first importance. But I do not believe it was the physical structure or house that attracted and captivated David. It was the LORD of the house who captured David’s heart. He wanted to be with Him. He longed to see Him and be at home in His house.
Like many preschool children, my youngest son Joshua had some difficulty pronouncing the t-h sound, so in his four-year-old vocabulary the word ‘with’ became ‘whiff’ instead. He would make odd sounding statements such as this, “Daddy, I want to come whiff you,” or “I want to do that whiff you.” Doing something ‘whiff’ someone brings to mind the notion of being so close to them you can smell each other. That’s close—really close; bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh close—father and son close—intimate in a family kind of way.
Something deep and soul changing transpired as David tended that flock of sheep on those Judean hillsides. In his youth David met God. The LORD was ‘whiff David,’ so close they could smell each other. David in his youth tasted and saw that the LORD is good. So even now in his adult years he yearns for that intimacy. He yearns for the house of the LORD. He is filled with a longing for home.
Response: Lord Jesus, I want to be ‘whiff’ you. I want to live my life close to you now and close to you forever. Show me how to do that. Be near me, Lord Jesus. I ask you to stay close by me forever, and love me I pray. Amen.
Your Turn: Are you at home with the LORD now? How at home will we feel with Him in eternity, if we aren’t at home with Him now?
May you and your family draw near to God as we close out 2025.
Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, Russia 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.
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
James—the brother of Jesus—who was this man? What evidence do we have that this “brother of our Lord” even existed?
David Kitz digs deep into archeology, family dynamics, church history, and the biblical texts. What emerges from his research is a portrait of a decisive, pivotal leader who embodied the will and character of Jesus Christ.
But how did James—James the unbeliever—transform to become a leader who changed the course of world history? In these pages you will uncover the answer and rediscover for yourself the life-changing power of the gospel.
To view further details or purchase directly from the author click here.
Lord Jesus, help me to truly walk in confident faith. I ally myself with you. You are my light and my salvation. Help me now to face my day and my future with confidence that comes from you, my Savior. Amen.
— — — —
The Return to Nazareth
When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him. (Luke 2:39-40 NIV)*
Pray for enduring peace in Israel and Gaza, 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.
The LORD is my light and my salvation – Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life – Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. (NIV)*
Are you afraid of the dark? That may seem like a rather empty-headed question. Most adults have overcome their fear of the dark a long time ago, back in the dark ages of childhood. But have you really overcome your fear of dark places?
I would like to suggest we have not overcome that most basic of fears. We have only learned to mask our fears and conveniently avoid those dark unknown recesses. Our fear of the dark is at its core a fear of the unknown. Hidden out there in the dark unknown regions is a whole battalion of hidden risks—the lurking boogeymen—who keep us close to home, who keep us on the well-beaten path, the well-marked path, a path of no-risk and least-resistance. How often do you dare to go where others have never gone? Are you still certain you are not afraid of the dark?
So then, what was the secret to David’s success? It resides in his overwhelming confidence in the LORD. Surely, common sense would dictate a wet-behind-the-ears shepherd boy is no match for an experienced warrior, such as the towering Goliath. But David exudes confidence: The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORDis the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? (v. 1)
In this psalm, David, the fearless warrior, reveals the secret to his victorious life—a life spent overcoming insurmountable obstacles. With reckless confidence this insignificant, no-rank shepherd boy took on the Goliaths of his time, and he rose to each and every challenge, time after time throughout his storied career.
Response: Lord Jesus, help me to truly walk in confident faith. I ally myself with you. You are my light and my salvation. Help me now to face my day and my future with confidence that comes from you, my Savior. Amen.
Your Turn: How often do you take a plunge into the unknown? Is God asking you to take a step of faith in the year ahead?
Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, Russia 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.
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
James—the brother of Jesus—who was this man? What evidence do we have that this “brother of our Lord” even existed?
David Kitz digs deep into archeology, family dynamics, church history, and the biblical texts. What emerges from his research is a portrait of a decisive, pivotal leader who embodied the will and character of Jesus Christ.
But how did James—James the unbeliever—transform to become a leader who changed the course of world history? In these pages you will uncover the answer and rediscover for yourself the life-changing power of the gospel.
To view further details or purchase directly from the author click here.
Come, Lord Jesus, dwell among. This is my confession: “LORD, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells.” Lord come and dwell in my local congregation. Manifest your presence there, so many will see it and be changed by your Spirit. Amen.
— — — —
Anna’s Testimony
There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child [Jesus] to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36-38 NIV)*
Pray for enduring peace in Israel and Gaza, 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.
Is a return-to-Jesus revival possible in our time?
I love the Psalms 