• Home
  • About
  • DavidKitz.ca
  • Youtube Videos
  • Books by David

I love the Psalms

~ Connecting daily with God through the Psalms

I love the Psalms

Tag Archives: Luka Magnotta

Do you have an upholder?

14 Thursday Sep 2017

Posted by davidkitz in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 37, Psalms

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Bruce Peninsula National Park, depravity, evil, fanatics, God, hatred, ISIS, Jun Lin, Luka Magnotta, righteous, upholds

Reading:                                      Psalm 37

(Verses 12-17)
The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
but the L
ORD laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.
The wicked draw the sword
and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.
But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.
Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;
for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the L
ORD upholds the righteous (NIV).

Reflection
As stated in my first post on Psalm 37, this psalm is a stark night and day comparison of the life of the evil person with the life of the individual who does right in God’s eyes. The contrast is profound.

2017-08-24c

Where land ends, Bruce Peninsula National Park — photo by Karen Kitz

I cannot read the passage above without thinking of the evil that is loose in the world today. Here in Canada in recent years, we had the trial of Luka Magnotta for the slaying of Jun Lin, a Chinese born university student. Magnotta posted his killing of Jun Lin with an icepick on YouTube. After dismembering his body Magnotta mailed various body parts to schools and political party headquarters.

In Iraq and Syria, ISIS militants defiantly beheaded journalists and international aid workers in a cowardly display of their depravity. Any who hold different religious views have been executed, their women raped, their children enslaved. It appears we live in a wicked world where hatred and evil are trumpeted as worthy pursuits—pursuits that attract adoring young fanatics.

The opening line of this psalm posting is as true today as when it was written three thousand years ago. The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them… The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.

The sin process is still at work in the hearts of men.  When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death (James 1:13-15).

But thanks be to God! We have this promise: for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. God will uphold us as we put our trust in Him.

Response: LORD God, you are my my upholder—my help in evil times, in times of trouble. I put my trust in you. Hold me in the palm of your hand. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Your Turn: How do you fight evil? Where does it start? We must examine our hearts.

Who is upholding you?

01 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by davidkitz in Psalms

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

beheading, evil, ISIS, Luka Magnotta, Psalms, Syria. Iraq, the LORD, wicked

Reading:                                     Psalm 37

(Verses 12-17)

The wicked plot against the righteous     

and gnash their teeth at them;

but the LORD laughs at the wicked,     

for he knows their day is coming.

The wicked draw the sword     

and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy,     

to slay those whose ways are upright.

But their swords will pierce their own hearts,     

and their bows will be broken.

Better the little that the righteous have     

than the wealth of many wicked;

for the power of the wicked will be broken,     

but the LORD upholds the righteous. (NIV)

Reflection

As stated in my first post on Psalm 37, this psalm is a stark night and day comparison of the life of the evil person with the life of the individual who does right in God’s eyes. The contrast is profound.

Petrie Island -- David Kitz

Petrie Island — David Kitz

I cannot read the passage above without thinking of the evil that is loose in the world today. Here in Canada, this week marks the start of Luka Magnotta’s trial in the slaying of Jun Lin, a Chinese born university student. Magnotta posted his killing of Jun Lin with an icepick on YouTube. After dismembering his body Magnotta mailed various body parts to schools and political party headquarters.

In Iraq and Syria, ISIS militants defiantly behead journalists and international aid workers in a cowardly display of their depravity. Any who hold different religious views are executed, their women raped, their children enslaved. It appears we live in a wicked world where hatred and evil are trumpeted as worthy pursuits—pursuits that attract adoring young fanatics.

The opening line of this psalm posting is as true today as when it was written three thousand years ago. The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them… The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.

The sin process is still at work in the hearts of men.  When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death (James 1:13-15).

But thanks be to God! We have this promise: for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. God will uphold us as we put our trust in Him.

Response: LORD God, you are my help in evil times, in times of trouble. I put my trust in you. Hold me in the palm of your hand. I pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Your Turn: How do you fight evil? Where does it start? We must examine our hearts.

Psalms Alive! devotional study

A Devotional Study

Discover for yourself what a soul-bonding relationship with God looks like. As never before, let the psalms come alive for you. $17.95 (237 pages)

Psalms

Recent posts

  • Written from a Male Perspective February 17, 2019
  • Listen to my Cry! February 17, 2019
  • Before Him I Tell my Trouble February 16, 2019
  • The Source of Salvation February 15, 2019
  • What is my Motivation? February 14, 2019
  • Delighting in God February 13, 2019
  • Takers Versus Givers February 12, 2019

Calendar

February 2019
M T W T F S S
« Jan    
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728  

Blog Posts

Blogroll

  • David Kitz Website
  • Discuss
  • Get Inspired
  • Get Polling
  • Get Support
  • Learn WordPress.com
  • Theme Showcase
  • WordPress Planet
  • WordPress.com News

Comments

  • Vincent S Artale Jr on Listen to my Cry!
  • Vincent S Artale Jr on Before Him I Tell my Trouble
  • SLIMJIM on The Source of Salvation

Blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel