Tag Archives: Christian

Life in a City under Siege

09 Wednesday Jan 2019

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 31, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 31
(Verses 21-24)
Praise be to the LORD,
for he showed me the wonders of his love
when I was in a city under siege.
In my alarm I said,
“I am cut off from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.
Love the LORD, all his faithful people!
The LORD preserves those who are true to him,
but the proud he pays back in full.
Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD (NIV).

2018-02-13 L Kranz

Photo courtesy of Liz Kranz

Reflection
David ends Psalm 31 with a testimony to God’s great love and mercy. Hear his declaration: Praise be to the LORD, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege. In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight!” Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.

Are you living in a city under siege? My quick and simple answer is no. My city is not surrounded by enemy troops who are lobbing artillery shells down on my neighborhood.

While in the physical sense that may be true, in the spiritual realm my city is caught up in active warfare. Demonic forces are firing their missiles into my city. The airwaves and social media feeds are filled with smut and pornography. In the public square Christian faith is routinely mocked and under attack. Atheists trumpet their cause with bestselling books and spew venom on any who dare to embrace the faith.

Meanwhile, pop culture plunges headlong into the deep end of gothic horror, vampire blood lust and zombie self-identification. Then we stand back in amazement when those same young people lash out in murderous deranged madness as happened when five young people were stabbed to death in Calgary or in my hometown when an eighteen-year-old killed his mother.

When you shun God and bed down with the devil, many are going end up hurt. My city is under siege, but with the help and grace of God, I will not succumb to the enemies attack. I will emerge triumphant. David did. And here is his advice for you and me: Love the LORD, all his faithful people!

David’s advice is counterintuitive. Take your eyes off the enemy. Don’t be mesmerized by the devil’s devices and machinations. Your salvation comes from the LORD. Set your heart and your affections on Him. The LORD preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.

Response: LORD God, have mercy on me. I love you, LORD. Preserve me through the unfailing love of your Son, Jesus. I will be strong and take heart because I set my hope on you. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you feel that your faith is under attack? How do you respond? Do you cower or advance?

A River in the Desert

30 Monday Apr 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 105, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 105  

(Verses 39-45)
He spread out a cloud as a covering,
and a fire to give light at night.
They asked, and he brought them quail;
he fed them well with the bread of heaven.
He opened the rock, and water gushed out;
it flowed like a river in the desert.
For he remembered his holy promise
given to his servant Abraham.
He brought out his people with rejoicing,
his chosen ones with shouts of joy;
he gave them the lands of the nations,
and they fell heir to what others had toiled for—
that they might keep his precepts
and observe his laws.
Praise the LORD (NIV).

Reflection
In the previous readings from Psalm 105, the psalmist described the LORD’s covenant relationship with His chosen people, the descendants of Abraham. The psalm then proceeds to outline the redemption and release of the people of Israel from cruel bondage and oppression in Egypt. Today’s reading celebrates God’s provision for them in the wilderness and their arrival in the Promised Land.

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The waters of Georgian Bay, Bruce Peninsula National Park — photo by David Kitz

He brought out his people with rejoicing, his chosen ones with shouts of joy; he gave them the lands of the nations, and they fell heir to what others had toiled for—that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws.

There is a striking parallel between the Old Testament redemption of the people of Israel and the New Testament redemption of the Christian believer. Paul, the apostle draws our attention to this parallel experience in the tenth chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians. For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:1-4).

In today’s psalm portion we read: He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert. From Paul’s writing we understand that the opened rock was Christ. On the cross he was opened and water and blood gushed out. Life-giving—life-changing redemption flowed out to all who will receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God (John 1:12-13).

Response: Father God, I live in thanksgiving for the rock that was opened for my redemption. By faith I receive you. Today, I drink in your new life and your redemptive purpose for me. Praise the LORD! Amen.

Your Turn: Is the Rock accompanying you as you travel through the wilderness of this life?

Defend Your Cause

08 Monday Jan 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 74, Psalms

≈ 6 Comments

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Reading:                                      Psalm 74

(Verses 18-23)
Remember how the enemy has mocked you, LORD,
how foolish people have reviled your name.
Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts;
do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever.
Have regard for your covenant,
because haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land.
Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace;
may the poor and needy praise your name.
Rise up, O God,
and defend your cause;
remember how fools mock you all day long.
Do not ignore the clamor of your adversaries,
the uproar of your enemies,
which rises continually (NIV).

Reflection
Psalm 74 was born in a time of disaster and distress. The enemies of the people of God had triumphed. The sanctuary had been destroyed and God was openly mocked. If the LORD was all powerful, why didn’t He prevent this disaster? Why didn’t He shelter His people from this violent storm? There are no quick easy answers to such questions.

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The old oak tree along Green’s Creek, Ottawa, ON — photo by David Kitz

 Today many of God’s people are living the reality of Psalm 74. Throughout the Middle East, the birth place of Christianity, churches have been destroyed. Young Christian men have been martyred. Women and girls have been raped and sold into slavery. The pleas expressed in this psalm are an urgent reality. Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts; do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever.

But we need not live in a land ravaged by jihadists to feel the sting of the LORD’s enemies. Daily at our universities and through various media the Christian faith is mocked. Believers are treated as imbeciles and those who stand for righteousness are ridiculed. We are not being thrown to the lions, but the wisdom of the ages is being tossed on the dung heap, so the godless can pursue their sin without the voice of conscience nattering in the background.

Over all this dissonance the voice of the psalmist—the voice of the martyr—the voice of the believer—cries out: Rise up, O God, and defend your cause; remember how fools mock you all day long. Do not ignore the clamor of your adversaries, the uproar of your enemies, which rises continually.

The help of man, though it has value, falls short. We need the help of God. The whispered voice of God has more power than the most eloquent spokesman. Know this child of God: The day will come. The LORD will arise.

Response: LORD God, defend the helpless. Arise and save your people here in our nation and abroad. Show yourself strong by turning back the enemies of the cross. Our hope is in you. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you confident that God will arise and defend His people? Why is our hope in Him secure?

Blessed Are the Peacemakers

05 Tuesday Sep 2017

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 35, Psalms

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Reading:                                     Psalm 35

(Verses 22-25)
LORD, you have seen this; do not be silent.
Do not be far from me, Lord.
Awake, and rise to my defense!
Contend for me, my God and Lord.
Vindicate me in your righteousness, LORD my God;
do not let them gloat over me.
 Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!”
or say, “We have swallowed him up” (NIV).

Reflection
There’s an old saying, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” That certainly is true of the conflict in the Holy Land. About 3,000 years ago, in David’s time the Kingdom of Israel was in a struggle for survival. Chief among its enemies were the Philistines along the Gaza coast. On the day when I originally wrote this post, Israel’s chief enemy Hamas was firing rockets into Israel from the Gaza coast.

2017-08-13

Peaceful Petrie Island morning — photo by David Kitz

David’s words from Psalm 35 have a present day resonance. LORD, you have seen this; do not be silent. Do not be far from me, Lord. Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord. Many in present day Israel are praying this prayer with the fervour of those who are being attacked.

But the residents of Gaza could pray this prayer with equal fervour. Their homes and businesses are also under bombardment. Where is God in all this suffering? Whose side is He on? Many in the Christian community affirm with great confidence that God is on the side of Israel. Does that make God complicit in the deaths of innocent children in Gaza?

Jesus gave this counsel to his disciples, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also” (Matthew 5:38-39). Present day Israel (and America for that matter) has a well-established policy of hard-hitting retaliation when attacked. What are the long term consequences of this policy? Is the conflict resolved or is it inflamed?

Jesus’ admonition to turn the other cheek goes unheeded. Most feel that turning the other cheek implies weakness. In reality it requires far more strength, but in the end it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness—not a righteousness that insists on its own way—but a righteousness that sees both sides of an issue and works hard for peace and reconciliation.

Jesus asks us to do the far harder thing. Retaliation is easy. It’s the natural response. Forgiving when we are wronged, that requires far more effort. Whose side is God on? He is on the side of peace. That’s something worth fighting for.

Response: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9). LORD God, help me to be a local peacemaker in my world today—someone who builds bridges between people and communities. Amen.

Your Turn: Forgiveness and turning the other cheek works on a personal level. Can it work on an international level as well?

REVIEW OF: The Soldier Who Killed a King

31 Thursday Aug 2017

Posted by in Books by David Kitz, Psalms

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REVIEW OF: The Soldier Who Killed a King
SUB-TITLE: A True Retelling of the Passion
PUBLISHER: Kregel Publishing, 2017, 285 pages Soldier book
CLASSIFICATION: Historical Christian fiction
ISBN: 978-0-8254-4485-2
AUTHOR: David Kitz

BY: Wilf Wight, Director, (retired)
Eastern Ontario District
Canadian Bible Society

Maybe it is because I am left-handed, or maybe it demonstrates impatience, but when I first pick up any book, I invariably flip to the concluding pages. Call me a cheater if you will, but I am looking for a conclusion worthy of the time required to read the book! When I turned to the back of The Soldier Who Killed a King, the concluding pages of this story accomplished what every well-written book should do. The author reached back into the plot for a brief review and then projected the reader toward the future. In this case, the plot obviously had elements of violence and suffering which were being transformed through forgiveness and healing. And the future held promise of hope and excitement.

My attention next is concentrated on the first couple of chapters. Has the author grasped my attention in the opening paragraphs? Was sufficient detail given to introduce the plot, while only hinting at more intrigue to follow? Were the characters being carefully introduced in a way that begged my investigation? Yes, the author passed the basic tests. He had been successful in reaching out to me and I wanted to read this book!

Our western world has had major exposure to the Christian Gospel and most readers know at least something of what has come to be known as Holy Week, the week between Palm Sunday and Easter. However, the Bible makes only passing reference to two of the main characters in the story, the Centurion (military officer) who carried out the crucifixion and Barabbas (the convicted murderer) released by the authorities. The author seizes upon this opportunity to give them personalities, develop their thoughts and articulate their opinions. This proved to be a clever and effective tool to experience the unfolding of the drama in a fresh perspective.

For readers who have the mistaken idea that the biblical account is far removed from reality, here is fiction that will help them discover truth. As the author effectively paints the picture of the process of first century justice, political influence and compromise become realities. We cringe as the sentence is carried out by the most cruel and violent method. This is the most gripping account of the crucifixion that I have ever read! One could almost hear the hammer fall, feel the pain, sense the dishonor and share the guilt of that scene. After reading the description of the crucifixion of the first two victims, I hesitated, in fact halted.  I was not sure if I wanted to tackle the third one—that of the Christ. And yet, despite the graphic description of this horrible experience, the author accomplished his goal without resorting to gross descriptions of the mangled human body.

We are confronted with the enigma of the Christ. He is the one who has demonstrated miraculous power to heal the lame and restore sight to the blind. He is the one who gently took children on his knee to teach them. Yet he set aside the exercise of his powers to submit to the terror of the Cross. The terrorist, Barabbas, was released—set free from prison and back into society—as the peoples’ alternative choice. And the sentence was carried out under Pilate’s  orders by the Soldier. Through the eyes of these two characters we see another perspective, which does not usually come to the mind of the worshiper during Passion Week.

One device the author uses effectively is the introduction of each chapter with a day and time orientation. In this way the unfolding of the drama is situated on the calendar. Those who know the biblical account realize that Friday is coming but that is not the end of the story because Easter Sunday will be the revelation of the resurrected Christ.

As we approach the chapter dealing with Easter Sunday, the reader is rewarded with the hope and excitement of an amazing new day. The darkness of the crucifixion is not forgotten but rather dims in the light of the resurrection. The despair of death is replaced by the hope of new life. The willing submission of Jesus, the Donkey King, to the soldiers is now recast as the power of the One who can forgive and restore.

The concluding pages of the story bring us to a climax, so well-crafted and tensioned that I dare not give it away.

The epilogue provides further details of the main characters of the plot, gleaned from historical research. The endnotes reference biblical and other texts, which document the main course of events. The author has done his homework. His account of these events is well researched and credible.

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Living in a City Under Siege

14 Monday Aug 2017

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 31, Psalms

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Reading:                                     Psalm 31

(Verses 21-24)
Praise be to the LORD,
for he showed me the wonders of his love
when I was in a city under siege.
In my alarm I said,
“I am cut off from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.
Love the LORD, all his faithful people!
The LORD preserves those who are true to him,
but the proud he pays back in full.
Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD (NIV).

Reflection
David ends Psalm 31 with a testimony to God’s great love and mercy. Hear his declaration: Praise be to the LORD, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege. In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight!” Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.

2017-07-10a

The Rideau Canal in downtown Ottawa — photo by David Kitz

Are you living in a city under siege? My quick and simple answer is no. My city is not surrounded by enemy troops who are lobbing artillery shells down on my neighbourhood.

While in the physical sense that may be true, in the spiritual realm my city is caught up in active warfare. Demonic forces are firing their missiles into my city. The airwaves and social media feeds are filled with smut and pornography. In the public square Christian faith is routinely mocked and under attack. Atheists trumpet their cause with bestselling books and spew venom on any who dare to embrace the faith.

Meanwhile, pop culture plunges headlong into the deep end of gothic horror, vampire blood lust and zombie self-identification. Then we stand back in amazement when those same young people lash out in murderous deranged madness as happened when five young people were stabbed to death in Calgary or in my hometown when an eighteen-year-old killed his mother.

When you shun God and bed down with the devil, many are going end up hurt. My city is under siege, but with the help and grace of God, I will not succumb to the enemies attack. I will emerge triumphant. David did. And here is his advice for you and me: Love the LORD, all his faithful people!

David’s advice is counterintuitive. Take your eyes off the enemy. Don’t be mesmerized by the devil’s devices and machinations. Your salvation comes from the LORD. Set your heart and your affections on Him. The LORD preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.

Response: LORD God, have mercy on me. I love you, LORD. Preserve me through the unfailing love of your Son, Jesus. I will be strong and take heart because I set my hope on you. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you feel that your faith is under attack? How do you respond? Do you cower or advance?

David: Brave Heart or Lonely Heart

21 Friday Jul 2017

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 25, Psalms

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Reading:                                      Psalm 25

(Verses 16-22)

Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
Relieve the troubles of my heart
and free me from my anguish.
Look on my affliction and my distress
and take away all my sins.
See how numerous are my enemies
and how fiercely they hate me!
Guard my life and rescue me;
do not let me be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.
May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope, LORD, is in you.
Deliver Israel, O God,
from all their troubles! (NIV)

Reflection
David begins Psalm 25 on a note of confidence, but as this psalm draws to a close he truly bears his heart. David plaintively calls out to the LORD, “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.”

2016-04-30

Sunrise over Departure Bay, Nanaimo, BC — photo by David Kitz

The warrior king let’s his guard down and we see into his soul. There is a time for putting on a brave face, and there’s a time for open and transparent honesty. Here within the context of this psalm we see both; David the brave heart and David the lonely heart. Earlier in this psalm David showed absolute confidence in his God, but now he pours out his soul in humble petition. Hear the cry of his heart, “Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins.”

David recognized his greatest need. David’s greatest need was forgiveness. That’s our greatest need too. We need the peace of mind that forgiveness brings.

David was surrounded by mortal enemies, but then so are we. The legions of hell are arrayed against the Christian believer. At this moment worldly philosophies and demonic forces are conspiring to destroy your home, your marriage and your life. Along with David we pray, “See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me! Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.”

Our hope must always be centered in the LORD. Integrity and uprightness form a wall of protection around the people of God. But our deliverance comes from the LORD. Along with David we affirm, “No one who hopes in you [LORD] will ever be put to shame.”
Response: Lord Jesus, help me to be open and transparent before you. Take away all my sins. My hope is in you. Protect me the attacks of the enemy. Deliver me from all my troubles. Amen.

Your Turn: How much do you need God? Do you need His forgiveness?

Rise up, O God!

19 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by in Psalm 74, Psalms

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Reading:                                         Psalm 74

Verses 18-23

Remember how the enemy has mocked you, LORD,
how foolish people have reviled your name.
Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts;
do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever.
Have regard for your covenant,
because haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land.
Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace;
may the poor and needy praise your name.
Rise up, O God, and defend your cause;
remember how fools mock you all day long.
Do not ignore the clamor of your adversaries,
the uproar of your enemies, which rises continually (NIV).

Reflection

Psalm 74 was born in a time of disaster and distress. The enemies of the people of God had triumphed. The sanctuary had been destroyed and God was openly mocked. If the LORD was all powerful, why didn’t He prevent this disaster? Why didn’t He shelter His people from this violent storm? There are no quick easy answers to such questions.

IMG_20150503_090438

North Gower United Church — photo by David Kitz

Today many of God’s people are living the reality of Psalm 74. Throughout the Middle East, the birthplace of Christianity, churches have been destroyed. Young Christian men have been martyred. Women and girls have been raped and sold into slavery. The pleas expressed in this psalm are an urgent reality. Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts; do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever.

But we need not live in a land ravaged by jihadists to feel the sting of the LORD’s enemies. Daily at our universities and through various media the Christian faith is mocked. Believers are treated as imbeciles and those who stand for righteousness are ridiculed. We are not being thrown to the lions, but the wisdom of the ages is being tossed on the dung heap, so the godless can pursue their sin without the voice of conscience nattering in the background.

Over all this dissonance the voice of the psalmist—the voice of the martyr—the voice of the believer—cries out: Rise up, O God, and defend your cause; remember how fools mock you all day long. Do not ignore the clamor of your adversaries, the uproar of your enemies, which rises continually.

The help of man, though it has value, falls short. We need the help of God. The whispered voice of God has more power than the most eloquent spokesman. Know this child of God: He will arise.

Response: LORD God, defend the helpless. Arise and save your people. Show yourself strong by turning back the enemies of the cross. Our hope is in you. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you confident that God will arise and defend His people? Why is our hope in Him secure?

Standing up for conscience rights

05 Saturday Mar 2016

Posted by in News Reports, Psalms

≈ 2 Comments

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Euthanasia 2

Photo by Robert Stanley | Dollar Photo Club

“This has huge implications for the medical profession and it has huge implications for the people who will select medicine as a career.”

Craig Macartney
Spur Ottawa Writer

While Canadians wait for the Liberals to introduce legislation on physician assisted suicide, numerous Christian organizations are sounding alarm bells about the importance of protecting doctors’ conscience rights. Although the new laws have not yet been tabled, several provincial medical colleges are already demanding their members provide referrals and in some cases actually perform contentious procedures.

At a February 24 press conference on Parliament Hill, the Christian Heritage Party called for clear protection of conscience rights in the upcoming assisted suicide legislation.

“All Canadians, including doctors and other healthcare professionals, deserve the protection of their consciences,” says Rod Taylor, Leader of the Christian Heritage Party. “If we want a citizenry focused on the needs of others, and the rights of others, we must allow those citizens to honourably carry out their duties with a clean conscience.”

The day after the press conference the government committee exploring the issue recommended that the new laws require all doctors to provide referrals for assisted suicide, regardless of their beliefs.

“This has huge implications for the medical profession and it has huge implications for the people who will select medicine as a career, especially in the long term,” says Larry Worthen, Executive Director of the Christian Medical and Dental Society (CMDS). “It’s a question of respect for human rights. Doctors with conscientious objections should be respected by our society, as any other minority.”

“If somehow the courts believe it’s someone’s democratic right to end their lives, under certain circumstances, I don’t feel it’s a doctor’s obligation to fulfill that role.”

Worthen warns that Canadians with conscientious objections will likely avoid medicine if their rights are not respected.

One local doctor shared his concerns with Spur Ottawa.

“Even though I can think of scenarios where physician assisted suicide might be, in some way, defensible, I think it’s a really tiny minority of cases. My big concern about the potential legislation is the harm that can come to thousands of individuals who might feel pressured to make decisions to end their lives.”

The doctor, who declined to be named because of potential of repercussions, says there is so much room for abuse of vulnerable people. One example he gave is for adult children of chronically ill parents to pressure them into ending their lives.

“As physicians, we are trained to protect and help the vulnerable. It doesn’t seem the role of a physician to counsel someone to end their life. If somehow the courts believe it’s someone’s democratic right to end their lives, under certain circumstances, I don’t feel it’s a doctor’s obligation to fulfill that role.”

“We need concerned Christians to express their support.”

Like Worthen, the doctor is also concerned about the impacts this could have on future doctors.

“I would be concerned for the generation of physicians behind me. When the government made it legal to do abortions, initially it was easy for physicians to not refer for abortions. But twenty years down the line, you have scenarios where there can be a lawsuit against the physician for wrongful birth. In the 1980s that wasn’t an issue, but now it’s commonplace.”

Following the Supreme Court decision to allow assisted suicide, CMDS formed a coalition of Christian organizations lobbying parliament and provincial legislatures to protect conscience rights. Worthen says it’s really important that concerned Christians voice their opinions with government officials—and the coalition has made that extremely easy.

“We need concerned Christians to express their support. Our website www.moralconvictions.ca has a platform that allows people to directly contact officials to express their concern about these issues.”

As they wait for the legislation to be tabled, CMDS is also fighting the battle on another front, with what they hope will be a trump card. Last spring they took the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons to court, challenging their policy that requires all doctors to refer and sometimes perform abortion and assisted suicide.

“If the legislation does not protect conscience rights, we still have our court challenge. We filed a legal application in the Ontario court on behalf of five doctors who are all concerned about the fact that the Ontario College is taking away their conscience rights.

“There are extreme challenges in the work we are doing. We would really appreciate if people would keep us in their prayers.”