Tag Archives: encourage

Build Each Other Up

26 Friday Sep 2025

Posted by in Psalm 145

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Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”

Today’s Reading: Psalm 145:1-7

LORD God,
I just want to praise you.
 Great is the LORD
and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom (v. 3). 
I will meditate on your wonderful works (v. 5). 
You LORD
are the lifter of my head (Psalm 3:3). 
Amen.

— — — —

For those who sleep,
sleep at night,
and those who get drunk,
get drunk at night. 
But since we belong to the day, 
let us be sober,
putting on faith and love as a breastplate, 
and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 
For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath 
but to receive salvation
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
He died for us so that,
whether we are awake or asleep,
we may live together with him. 
Therefore encourage one another 
and build each other up, 
just as in fact you are doing.
(1 Thessalonians 5:7-11 NIV)*

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

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* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, Sudan, 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.

A gripping read from David Kitz.
Is a return-to-Jesus revival possible in our time?
This book points the way forward.

You Encourage Them

03 Sunday Sep 2023

Posted by in Psalm 10, Psalms

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I will praise the LORD!

Psalm 7a -365

Reading: Psalm 10:12-18

Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God.
    Do not forget the helpless.
Why does the wicked man revile God?
    Why does he say to himself,
    “He won’t call me to account”?
But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
    you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
    you are the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked man;
    call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
    that would not otherwise be found out.
The LORD is King for ever and ever;
    the nations will perish from his land.
You, LORD, hear the desire of the afflicted;
    you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
    so that mere earthly mortals
    will never again strike terror.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to 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.

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Unity and Encouragement

01 Tuesday Jun 2021

Posted by in Psalm 133

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Today’s quote and prayer from the Psalms
Psalm 133_1Psalms 133:1

Father God,
help me sow words of love and unity.
Open my eyes to see where I can bring a word of encouragement
and affirmation to those around me.
Make me an instrument of peace,
love and unity today.
Amen.

Volume II of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer by award-winning author David Kitz is available now. For a closer look at this #1 new release click here. For a look back at Volume I click here.

The LORD is King

02 Sunday Sep 2018

Posted by in Bible, God's word, Psalm 10, Psalms

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I will praise Him!

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Shine down on your people, LORD — photo by David Kitz

The LORD is King for ever and ever;
    the nations will perish from his land.
You, LORD, hear the desire of the afflicted;
    you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
    so that mere earthly mortals
    will never again strike terror.

(Psalm 10:16-18, NIV)

The Pleasure of Blessing

21 Monday May 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 109, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 109   
(Verses 16-20)
For he never thought of doing a kindness,
but hounded to death the poor
and the needy and the brokenhearted.
He loved to pronounce a curse—
may it come back on him.
He found no pleasure in blessing—
may it be far from him.
He wore cursing as his garment;
it entered into his body like water,
into his bones like oil.
May it be like a cloak wrapped about him,
like a belt tied forever around him.
May this be the LORD’s payment to my accusers,
to those who speak evil of me (NIV).

Reflection
Right now we are a long way from the giving season. I am of course referring to the pre-Christmas shopping binge, when gifts are purchased, wrapped and hidden away for the big celebration. Many rail against this tradition, but in reality the scriptures are filled with admonitions that encourage us to be generous and bless others. Christmas and year-end provide us with wonderful opportunities to do just that. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed (Proverbs 11:25).

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Early evening in Canmore, Alberta — photo by David Kitz

If we find no pleasure in giving, we may be suffering from more than a simple case of Scrooge-like stinginess. Soul sucking self-centeredness destroys us from within. It defaces the image of God that is stamped upon us from birth. God our heavenly Father is the picture of generosity. He gave His only Son for us. In light of this sacrifice, there’s something terribly wrong if we can’t spare a dime or a kind word for the less fortunate. Generosity is never out of season.

Today’s reading provides us with a negative contrast to the generosity of God. The individual being described withheld his blessing. He loved to pronounce a curse—may it come back on him. He found no pleasure in blessing—may it be far from him. 

How generous am I with words of encouragement, praise and blessing? How generous am I with this world’s goods that have been lavished on me by a gracious Father? Throughout the year, and in the pre-Christmas season, I need to check my heart and my bank account, but above all my heart. Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously (2 Corinthians 9:6).

Am I generous with words of praise and thanks for those around me—with the clerk at the shopping mall or the life partner who shares my bed? Am I reflecting or defacing the image of God?

Response: Father God, today I want to be a blessing and pronounce a blessing on those around me. I am thankful for the generosity of your love, forgiveness and grace. It’s more than I deserve. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you too tight fisted or too lavish with your giving?