Tag Archives: Jesus Christ

Who Will Rescue Me?

10 Tuesday Sep 2024

Posted by in Psalm 35

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Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.Psalm 35_7-10 -365

Reading: Psalm 35:7-10

Heavenly Father,
I thank you that you have provided armor
so I can stand against the wiles of the devil.
I praise you for the power of your holy Word.
I have victory through your blood,
Lord Jesus.
Amen.

— — —

So I find this law at work:
Although I want to do good,
evil is right there with me.
For in my inner being
I delight in God’s law;
but I see another law at work in me,
waging war against the law of my mind
and making me a prisoner
of the law of sin at work within me.
What a wretched man I am!
Who will rescue me from this body
that is subject to death?
Thanks be to God,
who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
(Romans 7:21-25), NIV)*

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

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

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

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

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Songs from the Spirit

28 Wednesday Aug 2024

Posted by in Psalm 33, Psalms

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Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.Psalm 33_1-5 -365

Reading: Psalm 33:1-5

Thank you,
LORD God,
for each day you set before me.
Give me a heart of praise for you.
You sustain me.
Today give me a new song to praise you,
O LORD.
It’s always good, right and fitting
to sing my praise to you.
Amen.

— — —

Therefore do not be foolish,
but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Do not get drunk on wine,
which leads to debauchery.
Instead, be filled with the Spirit,
speaking to one another with psalms, hymns,
and songs from the Spirit.
Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,
always giving thanks to God the Father for everything,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Ephesians 5:17-20), NIV)*

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

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

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

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

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New from David Kitz
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To purchase or for a closer look click here.

Every Spiritual Blessing

17 Monday Jun 2024

Posted by in Psalm 10, Psalms

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Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.Psalm 10_12-18 -365

Reading: Psalm 10:12-18

Father God,
father me.
Thank you for caring for me
from the moment of conception until now.
Your abiding love has made
all the difference in my life.
Help me become the father (or mother),
I need to be.
Amen.

— — —

 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in the heavenly realms
with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
For he chose us in him
before the creation of the world
to be holy and blameless in his sight.
In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship
through Jesus Christ,
in accordance with his pleasure and will—
to the praise of his glorious grace,
which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
(Ephesians 1:3-6), NIV)*

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

* GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

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

New from David Kitz
TheElishaCodeCVR5

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

Exalted to the Highest Place

29 Wednesday May 2024

Posted by in Psalm 2, Psalms

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Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.Psalm 2_7-8

Reading: Psalm 2

Dear Lord Jesus,
thank you for your unconditional love.
You want only the best for me.
I yield to you.
Help me to embrace your will
and purpose for my life.
I trust in you.
I love you, Lord.
With my lips I kiss the Son.
Amen.

— — —

And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name
that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth
and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.
(Philippians 2:8-11), NIV)*

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

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

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

New from David Kitz
TheElishaCodeCVR5

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

How Do I Hide Myself in God?

26 Friday Apr 2024

Posted by in Psalm 143, Psalms

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Today’s Devotion from the Psalms

Reading: Psalm 143:7-10
Answer me quickly, LORD;
my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me
or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.
Rescue me from my enemies, LORD,
for I hide myself in you.
Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
lead me on level ground (NIV). *

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My hiding place — Carcassonne, France — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Can you hide in someone else? That sounds like the plot for a sci-fi thriller. Maybe I could reduce myself to the size of a microbe and be injected into another person’s body? That would truly be a mind-boggling adventure, presumably with a good outcome for all.

But here in Psalm 143, David speaks of hiding himself in the LORD. Rescue me from my enemies, LORD, for I hide myself in you.

David, please tell me how I can do that? How do I hide myself in the LORD? This idea of hiding in God is well developed throughout the psalms. David sees the LORD as his strong tower and his shelter. See Psalm 61:3. David says this of the LORD: For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock (Psalm 27:5).

Again, in Psalm 32 David makes this statement about the LORD. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance (Psalm 32:7).

How do I hide myself in God? Let me suggest that it begins by immersing oneself in God’s word. Jesus is the living logos—the Word of God. See John 1:1-5. But in addition to reading and receiving the written word of God, we need to connect with the Spirit of God. Our human spirit must come alive to and through the Spirit of God. Receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior is not merely an intellectual experience. It is a spiritual experience—a from the inside out transformational experience.

When our human spirit comes alive to God, these words become our prayer. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

Response: LORD God, I have put my trust in you. I want to connect with your Holy Spirit. I want to be fully alive in you, body, soul, and spirit. Show me the way forward to a vibrant relationship with you. LORD, may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Amen.

Your Turn: Has your spirit connected with God’s Spirit? How has your life changed as a result? See also Colossians 3:3.

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

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

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, 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.TheElishaCodeCVR5

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

Your Holy Unchanging Word

16 Friday Feb 2024

Posted by in Psalm 119

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Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.Psalm 119_114

Reading: Psalm 119:113-120

Father God,
I need your wisdom to live right in this world.
I want to escape the corruption that is in the world
by drawing close to you
and obeying your holy and unchanging Word.
I call on you for help.
Amen.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
(Hebrews 13:8), NIV)*

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

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, 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.4485 SHARABLE-2

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At the Core of Revival

03 Saturday Feb 2024

Posted by in The Elisha Code

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Today’s revival principle from “The Elisha Code & the Coming Revival.”
#8 Life-changing repentance
“The time has come,” he [Jesus] said. “The kingdom of God has come near.
Repent and believe the good news!”
(Mark 1:15, NIV)

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
(Acts 2:38, NIV)
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Turning My Heart and My Mind

02 Friday Feb 2024

Posted by in Psalm 119

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Reading: Psalm 119:33-40
ה He
Teach me, LORD, the way of your decrees,
that I may follow it to the end.
Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law
and obey it with all my heart.
Direct me in the path of your commands,
for there I find delight.
Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.
Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to your word.
 Fulfill your promise to your servant,
so that you may be feared.
 Take away the disgrace I dread,
for your laws are good.
How I long for your precepts!
In your righteousness preserve my life (NIV). *

img_20220226_0859111

Early winter morning — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
How do you learn? We live in an era when education and learning are highly valued, so this is an important question. In recent years psychologists have discovered what good teachers have recognized intuitively. Not everyone learns in the same way.

We all learn by taking in information through our senses, but that’s where individual differences begin to emerge. Some of us are primarily auditory learners. We learn best by listening. Others are primarily tactile or kinesthetic learners; they learn through touch and physical activity. Some learn best by reading. Visual learners grasp concepts best by engaging with pictures, maps, or diagrams. Personally, visual learning is one of my strong suits.

The psalmist begins today’s reading from Psalm 119 by expressing his desire to learn from the LORD: Teach me, LORD, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart.

Now that’s a noble request. We all need to pray that prayer. But how exactly do we learn from God? The psalmist goes on to provide some answers. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.

It all begins with turning our hearts—our affections—toward the LORD. You can’t expect to learn much if you turn your back on the Teacher. And that requires a repentant heart. What are your eyes taking in? Is it worthless things, or the glory of God in nature, or in the face of Jesus Christ?

Response: Father God, I want to see you. Open my eyes to your wonders around me. Teach me your ways in practical life altering steps that draw me close to you. Open your word to me. Amen.

Your Turn: What kind of learner are you? What are you learning from the LORD?

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

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, 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.TheElishaCodeCVR5

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

The Grave Is Not the End

06 Wednesday Dec 2023

Posted by in Psalm 104

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Reading: Psalm 104:27-35
All creatures look to you
    to give them their food at the proper time.
When you give it to them, they gather it up;
when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.
When you hide your face, they are terrified;
when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust.
When you send your Spirit, they are created,
    and you renew the face of the ground.
May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
    may the LORD rejoice in his works—
he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,
    who touches the mountains, and they smoke.
I will sing to the LORD all my life;
    I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
    as I rejoice in the LORD.
But may sinners vanish from the earth
    and the wicked be no more.
Praise the LORD, my soul. Praise the LORD (NIV). *
Jesus & boy

Reflection
A few years ago, my wife and I attended the funeral of my brother-in-law, Victor. He was a man of deep faith, who was always active in the church. At no point was he ashamed to call himself a follower of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Victor loved his Savior, and I am sure his spirit rejoiced to see Jesus face to face.

There is a line from today’s reading from Psalm 104 which is particularly relevant as we think about life and death: when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.

In context of this psalm, the author was speaking of all creatures, in other words the animal kingdom, but these words apply to all that breathe the breath of life, including humans. For Victor, who struggled for every breath during the last years of his life, the words of this psalm had true meaning. But the second part of this psalm reading is also pertinent in the context of a funeral: When you send your Spirit, they are created.

I believe in the resurrection of the dead. The grave is not the end for those who have placed their faith in Christ. A great re-creation will happen. The grave could not hold Jesus, and a day is coming when it will not hold Victor, or any who have died in the faith. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first (1 Thessalonians 4:16).  

Response: Father God, send your reviving Spirit. Renew our faith in your risen Son. Come, Lord Jesus. I long for your return. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you believe in the resurrection of the dead? Who do you long to greet on the other side?

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

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

Please pray for peace to return to Israel 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.TheElishaCodeCVR5To purchase or for a closer look click here.

The Word Incarnate

26 Monday Dec 2022

Posted by in Psalm 147

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Reading: Psalm 147:19-20
He has revealed his word to Jacob,
his laws and decrees to Israel.
He has done this for no other nation;
they do not know his laws.
Praise the LORD (NIV). *

img_20221218_1002301

Grey Nuns Park, Orleans, ON — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Have you ever asked yourself this question: Where is God?

It’s a valid question. But when we ask that question, it may indicate a lack of faith or at least a level of doubt. When disaster strikes it’s not unusual to wonder, where is God in all this? 

There are several theologically correct answers to that question. One could reply that God is in heaven, where He always has been. Or we could say God is everywhere because the Bible teaches that the LORD is omnipresent. See Psalm 139:7-10. Still others may say that the Lord is in their heart. St. Paul reminds us of this truth with this admonition: Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

The simple truth is God needs to reveal Himself to us. The most obvious way that God does this is through His written word. Today’s reading from Psalm 147 speaks of the importance of that revelation. He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. 

But the written word of God can be nothing but dead words on a page to us unless those words are activated—made alive by the Spirit of God. We need the intervention of God—a revelation from God. When that happens, the written words dance off the page and into our hearts. The writer of Hebrews expresses it this way. For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

Just as God revealed His word to Jacob, we need God to speak to us today. He does that through His written word, but He also does that through the direct prompting of the Holy Spirit. God still speaks to people today. Are your ears open to hear His voice?

The greatest revelation of God came through the person of Jesus Christ. He is the word incarnate—the logos of God who came to dwell among us. At Christmas we celebrate the miracle of Jesus’ birth—God revealed in human flesh.

Where is God? He is in the person of Jesus. Jesus, come and dwell in my heart.

Response: LORD God, I need a greater revelation of you. When you show yourself to me, I am changed. Come, Lord Jesus. Invigorate my life. Help me to know you better. Speak deeply to my heart.  Amen.

Your Turn: How does God speak to your heart? Does He reveal Himself to you in a variety of ways?

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

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

Your prayers for the people of Ukraine are making a difference.

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.