Tag Archives: Christ

Resurrection Hope

27 Wednesday Dec 2017

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 71, Psalms

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Reading:                                      Psalm 71

(Verses 19-24)
Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,
you who have done great things.
Who is like you, God?
Though you have made me see troubles,
many and bitter, you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
you will again bring me up.
You will increase my honor
and comfort me once more.
I will praise you with the harp
for your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,
Holy One of Israel.
My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you—
I whom you have delivered.
My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long,
for those who wanted to harm me
have been put to shame and confusion (NIV).

Reflection
Typically Christians view resurrection as a New Testament concept, but here in the conclusion to Psalm 71, we can see that the Old Testament psalmist had a solid grasp of resurrection truths. Consider his words. Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.

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Icy sunset, Grey Nuns Park, Ottawa, ON — photo by David Kitz

That sounds like resurrection to me. Jesus fulfilled the prophetic words of the psalmist when he stepped out of the tomb on resurrection morning. Elsewhere David spoke prophetically of Christ and his resurrection when he wrote, “I am your chosen one. You won’t leave me in the grave or let my body decay” (Psalm 16:10).

Peter sited this verse as proof of Jesus’ resurrection when he preached to the crowd that gathered on the Day of Pentecost. See Acts 2:22-36.

The promise of the resurrection filled the psalmist with hope and it should do the same for us. Because Jesus is alive now, we too will be raised to life. That thought should buoy us on tough days. When we lose a loved one, whose faith was rooted in God’s redeeming love, we can rest assured that our farewell is not forever. We will see them again at the resurrection. On that great day we can join with the psalmist and declare, “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you—I whom you have delivered.”

Response: LORD God, thank you for the promise of resurrection. Thank you for the hope we have in Jesus. Through Jesus’ shed blood we have redemption, and the forgiveness that makes resurrection possible. Hallelujah! Amen.

Your Turn: Why is the resurrection meaningful to you?

Our Resurrection Victory!

19 Thursday Oct 2017

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 47, Psalms

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Reading:                                         Psalm 47

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
For the LORD Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth.
He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.
Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise.
God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.
The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted (NIV).

Reflection
I appreciate God’s timing; it brings a smile to my face. Yesterday’s psalm reading seemed particularly appropriate as we reflected on the events of Good Friday. This Today’s psalm posting is fitting as we rejoice in the triumph of the resurrection. I can’t help but think of the risen Christ as I read these words: God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.

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He is coming in the clouds — photo by David Kitz near Johnson, Vermont

Psalm 47 calls forth a spontaneous joy. It is a song of celebration to the LORD for the victories of the LORD. He has conquered! What has He conquered? The LORD has conquered the nations. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. 

In its original context, Psalm 47 celebrated the victory of Israel over the surrounding nations. But that is a feeble victory compared to Christ the King’s triumph over death, hell and the power of the grave. Hallelujah! The King is alive. He arose from the dead. The power of sin and Satan are defeated, and because He lives and reigns we too will live and reign with Him through eternity. For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (Romans 5:10).

In the resurrection of Jesus we have the ultimate cause for celebration. Shout to God with cries of joy!

Response: LORD God, I thank you for the victory of Jesus! He is my forerunner. I will live and reign through Him, because of His resurrection. Amen.

Your Turn: The resurrection means the dead in Christ will be raised. Who will you want to greet first?

The Oil of Joy

13 Friday Oct 2017

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 45, Psalms

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Reading:                                       Psalm 45

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil. A wedding song.
(Verses 1-9)
My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.
You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace,
since God has blessed you forever.
Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one;
clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
In your majesty ride forth victoriously
in the cause of truth, humility and justice;
let your right hand achieve awesome deeds.
Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;
let the nations fall beneath your feet.
Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.
All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad.
Daughters of kings are among your honored women;
at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir (NIV).

Reflection
The introductory words of Psalm 45 describe it as a wedding song, but it is not merely depicting the wedding of a commoner. This is the wedding of a king. No, this is not just a king; He is the King—the King of kings and Lord of lords. There is none like Him in heaven or on earth.

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Misty morning sunrise on Petrie Island, Orleans, ON — photo by David Kitz

The New Testament writer of the Book of Hebrews quotes directly from this psalm: But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy” (Hebrews 1:8-9).

Of course, Jesus is the Son that the writer of Hebrews is referring to. The throne of Christ will last for ever and ever; His kingdom reign will never end. But how did Jesus come to occupy this exalted position? Though conceived by the Holy Spirit, He was nevertheless fully human. He was subject to the same frailties and temptations that we face.

This psalm tells us that Jesus was elevated to the highest throne because He loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Can the same be said about you and me? Do we love righteousness? Do we hate what is evil? The same oil of joy is available to those who follow in the footsteps of our Lord.

Response: LORD God, help me to love what you love and hate what you hate. Anoint me with your joy as I seek to follow you in every aspect of my life. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Your Turn: What do you love? What do you hate? Do some of these things need to change?

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.

The Soldier Who Killed a King

19 Saturday Aug 2017

Posted by in Books by David Kitz, Psalms

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The ebook version of my Passion of Christ novel is available for just $0.99 for the next 24 hours on Amazon.

Here is a look at the most recent Amazon review:

4485-e BLOG 160x375When 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, as 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 this book and be prepared for a jaw dropping experience of watching the crucifixion come into play. 

CafinatedReads2009

 

Loving the House of God

25 Tuesday Jul 2017

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 26, Psalms

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Reading:                                      Psalm 26

(Verses 8-12)
LORD, I love the house where you live,
the place where your glory dwells.
Do not take away my soul along with sinners,
my life with those who are bloodthirsty,
in whose hands are wicked schemes,
whose right hands are full of bribes.
I lead a blameless life;
deliver me and be merciful to me.
My feet stand on level ground;
in the great congregation I will praise the LORD (NIV).

Reflection
In America, Canada and much of the western world, people have been abandoning the house of God in droves. In the most recent census survey, by far the largest growth has been among those who identify themselves as having no religion. This move to “no religion” is most pronounced among our young people. There are many factors that have led to this decline. Perhaps a hard look in the mirror is needed for us to see what we are doing wrong. Jesus attracted people. Why are his followers today repelling people?

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North Gower United Church — photo by David Kitz

David had a completely different attitude toward the house of God. Hear the cry of his heart, “LORD, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells.”

No one had to drag David to the LORD’s house. He was eager to meet with God there. Really, that’s the secret. If God is in the house—if His glory is present—it will be hard to keep people away. The question we need to be asking ourselves is, “Is God in the house? Is His glory dwelling here among us?”

If God is truly, tangibly present among you, look out! The transformational power of God will overwhelm individuals and ignite the congregation. I have seen it happen and there is no experience quite like it.

I live in expectation of His appearing among us. The living Christ visits His church. Are you anticipating His coming? Have you set the table for Him? Have you prepared your heart and your mind? Have you put out the welcome mat?

All too often church has become program maintenance. The focus is entirely wrong. Church in its most vibrant form is God dwelling among us—God breathing upon us. That was the Book of Acts Church. That’s the church I love. When we have found that place—when we experience the LORD of that place—we will join David in declaring, “My feet stand on level ground; in the great congregation I will praise the LORD.”

Response: 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 that many will see it and be changed by your Spirit. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you love the house of God? Why or Why not? Is God showing up at your church? What are you doing to make the place ready for Him?

The Ends of the Earth Will Turn to the LORD

13 Thursday Jul 2017

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 22, Psalms

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Reading:                                      Psalm 22

(Verses 27-31)

All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
for dominion belongs to the LORD
and he rules over the nations.
All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the LORD.
They will proclaim his righteousness,
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it! (NIV)

Reflection

This final portion of Psalm 22 signals the ultimate triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the first half of this psalm Christ’s humiliation, suffering and death by crucifixion are vividly portrayed. With stunning accuracy and detail, David depicts these events from Christ’s perspective. Only God-breathed prophetic insight could reveal such truth through a human vessel. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21).

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Dominion belongs to the LORD — photo by David Kitz

With today’s reading we discover the worldwide impact of Christ’s redemptive death and resurrection. All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.

Christ’s gospel—the good news of the Kingdom—has been voiced abroad. Death, hell and the grave have been conquered. Jesus Christ is Lord over all! Keep in mind that this turning to the LORD by all the families of the nations was an alien concept to the people of Israel during David’s time. Yet again, David spoke prophetically of the time when the gospel message would burst forth from its Jewish cocoon and be declared and received by ready hearts all over the world. Our Savior’s commission will be fulfilled. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

We have the promise of the worldwide spread of the gospel from generation to generation. Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the LORD. They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!

Response: Father, thank you for the good news of the gospel. Jesus is alive and reigns forever. Help me to do my part in bringing the message of your love and redemption to the world. I want to see people from all nations turning to you in repentance and faith. Amen.

Your Turn: How can we spread the good news? What are you doing to tell His story?

Can You Believe in Bible Prophecy?

07 Friday Jul 2017

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 22, Psalms

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Reading:                                      Psalm 22

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.”
A psalm of David.
Verses 1-8

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.
Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises.
In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
“He trusts in the LORD,” they say, “let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him, since he delights in him” (NIV).

Reflection
Do you believe in prophecy?

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Gatineau Park, Quebec, view toward the Ottawa River — photo by David Kitz

Psalm 22 is the most graphic description of Christ’s crucifixion found anywhere in the Bible. Yet here it is—tucked away among the Psalms—written roughly 900 years before the birth of Christ. How can this be? During David’s time, crucifixion as a form of execution had not yet been invented. Furthermore, crucifixion is portrayed from the victim’s point of view—Jesus’ point of view.

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” These are the words of Jesus on the cross and they form the opening line of this psalm. Of course, Jesus knew he was quoting this psalm when he cried out in anguish.

But did his arrogant mockers know that they too were fulfilling scriptural prophecy as they hurled their insults, “He trusts in the LORD,” they say, “let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.” These words from Psalm 22 find an uncanny parallel in the verbal abuse thrown at Jesus in Matthew 27:43 where we read, “He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”  

Remarkably, David saw it all. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he beheld the cross nine centuries in advance. I believe in prophecies to come, because of prophesies fulfilled.  

Response: Father, thank you for sending your Son Jesus to this cruel world to suffer on my behalf. Thank you that I can put my trust in Your Holy Word. It was, is and will be forever true and trustworthy. Amen. 

Your Turn: Why do you have confidence in God’s word?

Our Rock

20 Tuesday Jun 2017

Posted by in Devotionals, Psalm 18, Psalms

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Reading:                                            Psalm 18

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD.
He sang to the LORD the words of this song
when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies
and from the hand of Saul. He said:
Verses 1-5

I love you, LORD, my strength.
 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I have been saved from my enemies.
The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me (NIV).

Reflection

Psalm 18 is one of the longer psalms in the Book of Psalms. Step by step, day by day we will glean wisdom from the psalmist, David, as we make our way through this psalm.

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Early morning Petrie Island reflections — photo by David Kitz

In many respects Psalm 18 is a psalm of culmination. The introductory note tells us that David composed and sang this psalm when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. For many long years David had been fleeing for his life from his master King Saul. At long last, after repeatedly calling on God in great distress, David has triumphed. And now through the words of this psalm, he gives all the credit and all the glory to God.

Notice the list of attributes that David ascribes to the LORD: my strength, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, my rock, my shield, my salvation and my stronghold. To David the LORD had proven Himself repeatedly during years of hard times to be the embodiment of each of those attributes. If you call on Him, the LORD can be all of those things for you as well.

Did you notice that my rock is the only attribute that is repeated in this list? Why repeat the phrase my rock? In the prophetic realm, during all those years of severe testing, Christ was the rock on which David took his stand. David did not build his life on the shifting sands of public opinion or popularity. He built his life on Christ. A thousand years in advance, David was putting into practice the words of Jesus, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock” (Matthew 7:24-25).

Now that’s wisdom—applied wisdom for the ages!

Response: Heavenly Father, help me daily to build my life on the rock, Christ Jesus. Lord Jesus, you are my fortress, my salvation and my stronghold. I put my full trust in you. Amen.

Your Turn: How is God like a rock in your life? Has He sustained you during difficult times? Is He helping you through tough times right now, or has He already turned the tide in your favor?

The Soldier Who Killed a King

01 Thursday Jun 2017

Posted by in Books by David Kitz, Psalms

≈ 5 Comments

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It’s very gratifying to have reputable people say good things about a book you have written. The following endorsements mean a lot to me:

“The best book I have read in years. A compelling read—I couldn’t put it down.” Doug Sprunt, One Way Ministries

“The most gripping account of the crucifixion I have ever read.” Wilf Wight, eastern Ontario district director, Canadian Bible Society

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New from David Kitz and Kregel Publishing — now available for preorder

“I was at the foot of the cross. I stepped inside the empty tomb. This book took me there.” Robert DuBroy, cofounder of CHRI-FM, Ottawa, Ontario

“An awesome read: captivating, spellbinding, inspiring! Through the author’s masterful writing, the centurion stood out as a real and personable individual. . . . The book also helped me visualize Jesus, my Savior, and his person and work for the forgiveness of my sins, for my daily walk, and for the eternal life he has in store for all who believe.” Cliff Kentel, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Regina, Saskatchewan

“A readable and accurate novel about Jesus Christ’s last week on earth. David Kitz’s portrayal of the collision between pagan Rome and temple Judaism is completely plausible. And as a perfect antidote to the faux expertise of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, Kitz provides over a hundred endnotes and a handful of thumbnail biographies at the end of his book.” Joe Woodard, Calgary Herald

“Story has a way of capturing our attention and enabling truth to move from head to heart. David Kitz creatively unpacks the events of Passion Week as seen through a Roman centurion’s eyes. Through vivid word pictures, we see the whip-sliced back of our Savior and hear the pounding of each nail that affixed him to the cross. We walk these last steps of Jesus’s earthly ministry, leading to his death, burial, and triumphant resurrection from the dead. Kitz better helps us to do as the apostle John encourages: ‘See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!’ (1 John 3:1).” Dean Ridings, author of The Pray! Prayer Journal and communications director of Navigator Church Ministries

“This engaging, hard-hitting narrative is a distillation of Kitz’s study and prayer over fifty years as a pastor and educator, steeped in the wonder of this story. As a novelist, he reveals profound respect for the historical record through his characterization of Marcus Longinus, a Roman centurion who is unwillingly caught in the power struggles of the day. In contrast to the stench of these political machinations, the donkey-riding King emerges in the Roman world offering an entirely new way for humankind to be reborn. The Roman centurion is like us, caught between worlds. Who is king? Why? The Son of God shows unlimited compassion through healing the sick and feeding the hungry, and his purity catches the attention of the masses in a drama that still shakes the world, one aching, open, humble heart at a time.” Dr. Darlene L. Witte-Townsend, former professor of education, Johnson State College

“One of the most exceptional biblical fiction books I have ever read. I was struck by the everyday events and people affected by the dramatic climax of the cross, which Kitz presents on an equal level with Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. Extremely well documented historically and biblically, the narrative transports you back in time and evokes both grief and thanksgiving as you follow the soldier’s own emotional turmoil in grappling with the dramatic events of the darkest day in history. Like him you will be led to cry out in both despair and trust, ‘Surely this was the Son of God!’” Heather Goodwin, former manager of the Baptist Bookroom, New Brunswick

“David Kitz has written an intriguing book. Taking the point of view of the centurion who crucified Christ is new and fresh and gives the reader much to contemplate. Even though I knew the story, I felt compelled to read on to see how Kitz would unfold the drama. Excellently done!” Tami Waring, Officers’ Christian Fellowship, Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base

For the month of June The Soldier Who Killed a King is available for preorder from Kregel Publishing for the early bird price of $10.99. The worldwide release date is July 25th.

Place your order today: http://www.kregel.com/fiction/the-soldier-who-killed-a-king/