Tag Archives: rescue

Rescued by Grace

08 Tuesday Oct 2024

Posted by in Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 40:1-5
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the LORD
and put their trust in him.
Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.
Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done,
the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many to declare (NIV).

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Reflection
Psalm 40 begins as a testimony of David. We do not know at which point in his life David penned this psalm, but it is clear David was speaking from personal experience. Many times, this shepherd of Israel waited patiently for the LORD; on numerous occasions he cried out to the LORD. The remarkable truth is despite all his troubles, David can testify the LORD “turned to me and heard my cry.”

Is that your testimony too? Have you been rescued by the LORD? Has He heard your cry and lifted you out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire? I am continually amazed at how the LORD stoops down to the level of humanity. The high and lofty LORD of Hosts, seated in the heavens stoops down to rescue the likes of me.

And it’s not as though I deserve to be rescued. In most instances, the mud and the mire in which I am stuck is mud and mire I have produced. All too often I fall into the slimy pit I have dug. Why should God rescue me? By my own devices I have gotten myself into this mess. But when I call to Him, the LORD hears my voice and stoops to rescue me. God did it for David three thousand years ago and He is still doing it today. Two thousand years ago, God came to the city of David. He stepped into the mud and the mire of a Bethlehem stable. He came on a rescue mission that extends to you and me. Jesus was born to lift us from the dung into heights of heaven.

With David I can testify, “Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.”

Response: LORD God, I thank you for Jesus. I am thankful I can put my complete trust in you. I am rescued by your amazing grace not by my effort. When I fall, you lift me up. Hallelujah! Amen.

Your Turn: Reflect on occasions when God rescued you. What emotions did you experience?

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

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

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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
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Discovering God’s Purpose in Adversity

06 Friday Sep 2024

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Reading: Psalm 34:19-22
The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;
he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
The LORD will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned (NIV).

god-in-boat-web-edit

Reflection
This final portion of Psalm 34 reflects David’s faith in a God who saves. He began this psalm with praise because he experienced the saving power of God. Now David states that the LORD delivers, protects, and rescues. But for these words to be meaningful, the LORD must deliver, protect, and rescue from various forms of trouble and adversity. There is no rescue if there is no danger. There is no deliverance if there is no oppression.

If you choose to follow the LORD, you are not guaranteed a trouble-free life. Jesus told his disciples, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Many of us believe that if we do our best to lead a good life, following the commandments as found in the Bible, God will exempt us from hardship and trouble. But Jesus, the sinless Son of God, did not have a trouble-free life. Why should we expect our lives to be trouble free? God has not promised me a trouble-free life; He has promised to be with me when trouble and adversity comes.

About three years ago a close friend of mine suffered a debilitating stroke. He lost his position as a teacher, his finances took a hit and he struggled mightily to get his mobility back. In an instant every movement became much more difficult for him—every step a monumental effort. Last week he made a startling confession. He said, “If I had it to do over, I wouldn’t go back. I wouldn’t return to my pre-stroke days. God has drawn me so much closer to Himself through this. I wouldn’t wish this on any man. But God has changed me and used me in new ways that wouldn’t have been possible unless this happened.”

All of us desperately try to avoid the furnace of affliction. It’s too hard—too unpleasant—full of things we cannot bear. But God meets us there. He bears us up on eagle’s wings. When our resources and abilities run out, He takes over. He becomes our help and our deliverer in ways we cannot fathom. God is present in times of trouble.

His promises are tried, tested and true: “The LORD will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned” (v. 22).

Response: Heavenly Father, I can’t always see what is genuinely in my best interest, especially when that involves adversity. Be my sure help and protection in troubled times. May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Your Turn: Has God met with you in a time of trouble? Do you know Him as your strength and rescuer in times of hardship and difficulty?

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.

New from David Kitz
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He Rescues Me Unharmed

24 Saturday Aug 2024

Posted by in Psalm 55, Psalms

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I will praise the LORD!

Psalm 141_8-9Reading: Psalm 55:16-19

As for me, I call to God,
    and the LORD saves me.
Evening, morning and noon
    I cry out in distress,
    and he hears my voice.
He rescues me unharmed
    from the battle waged against me,
    even though many oppose me.
God, who is enthroned from of old,
    who does not change—
he will hear them and humble them,
    because they have no fear of God. *

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, 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 summer read from David Kitz
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A Place of Refuge

15 Thursday Aug 2024

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Reading: Psalm 31:1-5
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, LORD, my faithful God (NIV).

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Reflection
We all need a place of refuge. Here as David begins Psalm 31, he pleads with God to hear him, and become a rock of refuge for him. “Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me” (v. 2).

David spent many of his early years fleeing from King Saul. At other times, the Philistines were a threat. There were many occasions in which David needed a fortress—a rock of refuge from his enemies. Often, he found himself calling out for the LORD to rescue him.

Are we any different? We may not have physical enemies who are seeking to kill us, but in the spiritual realm the demonic forces of hell are constantly seeking opportunities to trip us up, so they can launch their vicious assault. Trouble and affliction come to every human life. We are not immune simply because we have put our faith in Christ. We too need a safe place—a rock of refuge.

But the rock to which we flee is not an inanimate object, fixed and unmoving. No, we come to the living rock which is Christ. He travels with us on this earthly pilgrimage. The apostle, Paul reminds us that even the people of Israel wandering in the wilderness were not alone. “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 10:3-4).

The veins of that rock were opened wide for us. Jesus bled and died so we could experience new life and complete forgiveness. As he hung dying, Jesus called out to his Father with the words of this psalm, “Into your hands I commit my spirit” (v. 5a). Now daily that living rock accompanies you. He is the fount of forgiveness and a sure refuge in a time of need. Have you put your trust in him for your salvation now and in eternity?

Response: LORD God, I thank you for Jesus. You alone are my rock and my eternal fortress. Guide my spirit into the right path today. Keep me safe from the traps of the enemy. I trust in you. Amen.

Your Turn: Is Jesus your living rock? Why is the analogy of Jesus as a rock a comfort to you?

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.

New from David Kitz
TheElishaCodeCVR5

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

The LORD Thundered from Heaven

01 Monday Jul 2024

Posted by in Psalm 18, Psalms

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365

Reading: Psalm 18:6-15
In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.
The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.
He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.
He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare at your rebuke, LORD,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils (NIV). *

lightning over sea against storm clouds

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Reflection
Maybe you are like me? I love thunderstorms. But watching a thunderstorm in a city is like watching a Christmas light display in broad daylight. There’s something missing. There’s no sense of broad expanse or sweeping grandeur.

I grew up on the prairies and for sheer awe there’s nothing quite like viewing a thunderstorm slowly building in the western sky. There you are on a slow-moving tractor working a field. There’s you, there’s miles of flat land, and there’s the sky. And the most active thing is the sky. Sometimes the storm clouds can hang there boiling and brooding for hours—lightning flashing in the distance. Then suddenly the air changes, the wind picks up, and look out! Lightning! Thunder! Fierce gusts of wind. Rain. Hail. It all comes at you—comes at you with a vengeance.

I love a thunderstorm. It puts me in my place. It lets me see who I am. I am a small man in a big world—a world I cannot control. I’m a man at the mercy of God. I’m always at the mercy of God whether I see the storm clouds building or not.

In this psalm, David pictures the LORD riding the wings of the wind, thundering from heaven, not to harm him, but storming in to rescue him in response to his cry for help. That’s my God. That’s the picture of God I need etched into my mind. He is the God who hears and answers, the God who helps in times of need. In a vast world, He hears the cry of little, insignificant me. I love a thunderstorm. It lets me see the LORD’s love and grace.

Response: Heavenly Father, may I always see you as my helper. Ride to my rescue when times are tough, and I am in need. You are my help and defender. You are worthy of my praise. Amen.

Your Turn: Do the storms of life help you see God at work around you? Take time to reflect on how God brought you through one of those storms.

Happy Canada Day to my Canadian readers.

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

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

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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.

A gripping summer read from David Kitz
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The LORD Rescued Me

18 Tuesday Jun 2024

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Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.Psalm 11 -365 summer

Reading: Psalm 11

LORD God,
you are my refuge.
Help me to stand my ground
when my faith is under attack
and help other believers to do the same
by the grace of Jesus.
Our faith rests on you, Lord.
Amen.

— — —

Saul replied,
“You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him;
you are only a young man,
and he has been a warrior from his youth.”

But David said to Saul,
“Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep.
When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep
from the flock,
I went after it,
struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth.
When it turned on me,
I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.
Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear;
this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them,
because he has defied the armies of the living God.
The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion
and the paw of the bear
will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Saul said to David,
“Go, and the LORD be with you.”

(1 Samuel 17:33-37), 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.

New from David Kitz
TheElishaCodeCVR5

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

Beyond Comprehension

11 Thursday Jan 2024

Posted by in Psalm 113

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Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.Psalm 113 -365

Reading: Psalm 113

LORD God,
your love is beyond comprehension.
Thank you for stooping down
and involving yourself in my life.
When I reach out to you, Father God,
you lift me up.
I praise and thank you,
Lord Jesus.
Amen.

* 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.

Stories of Redemption

21 Thursday Dec 2023

Posted by in Psalm 107

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Reading: Psalm 107:1-9
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.
Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.
They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things (NIV). *

img_20220218_1033440

Photo by David Kitz

Reflection
This psalm is different. It’s unique among the 150 psalms in the Bible because it presents us with various vignettes of redemption—brief stories or scenes where the LORD rains down his mercy and rescues the wayward and downtrodden.

In verse two the psalmist declares, “Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story.” Then as the psalm progresses, he goes on to describe five scenes or stories of redemption. The desert-stranded traveler is rescued; the prisoner is set free, the rebellious are brought healing and encouragement, those lost in a storm-tossed sea find a safe harbor, and prosperity returns to the inhabitants of a parched wasteland. In every situation, the great God of heaven hears the cries of His people and shows them His plenteous mercy.

What a good God we serve! With the psalmist we exclaim, “His love endures forever!”

If you are a follower of Jesus, you too have a story of redemption to tell. He rescued you from a downward hellish spiral just as real as those described in this psalm. Some rescues come in the nick of time; others come early on, before we sink neck-deep into trouble. We might call them pre-emptive rescues. Whatever your personal story, it’s a testimony worth telling. God intervened in your life, and the good news is He stands ready to intervene again at the very moment you cry out to Him.

God loves to redeem His people. It’s in His nature. Spiritually, are you in a desert place? Call out to Him.

Response: Father God, I am thankful that I have a story of redemption. You intervened in my life. Today I thank you for satisfying my thirst and filling my life with good things. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you have a story of redemption to tell? Was it pre-emptive or in the nick of time?

* 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.

Redemptive Action

12 Tuesday Dec 2023

Posted by in Psalm 105

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Reading: Psalm 105:23-38
Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob resided as a foreigner in the land of Ham.
The LORD made his people very fruitful;
he made them too numerous for their foes,
whose hearts he turned to hate his people, to conspire against his servants.
He sent Moses his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
They performed his signs among them,
his wonders in the land of Ham.
He sent darkness and made the land dark—
for had they not rebelled against his words?
He turned their waters into blood, causing their fish to die.
Their land teemed with frogs,
which went up into the bedrooms of their rulers.
He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,
and gnats throughout their country.
He turned their rain into hail, with lightning throughout their land;
he struck down their vines and fig trees
and shattered the trees of their country.
He spoke, and the locusts came, grasshoppers without number;
 they ate up every green thing in their land, ate up the produce of their soil.
Then he struck down all the firstborn in their land,
the firstfruits of all their manhood.
He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold,
and from among their tribes no one faltered.
Egypt was glad when they left, because dread of Israel had fallen on them (NIV).

ocean during sunset

Photo by Jacub Gomez on Pexels.com

Reflection
In its entirety Psalm 105 celebrates the redemption and release of the people of Israel from cruel bondage and oppression in Egypt. They are the LORD’s called out people. That call began with Abraham and was passed down and renewed through the generations as the patriarchs had their own personal encounter with the LORD. With each succeeding generation their covenant with the LORD was reaffirmed.

Today’s reading recounts the actions the LORD undertook to free His people. This psalm portion is filled with powerful verbs—action words. Take a moment to scan through them. The LORD made, sent, turned, spoke, struck and brought. He did not sit back and watch from afar. He got directly involved in rescuing His people.

Redemption takes a concerted effort. It took a determined effort to redeem and rescue Israel from Egypt. And it took a determined effort for Father God to redeem you and me from the allure of the world and the power of the devil. Redemption came at a price. It cost the life of every firstborn in Egypt. But for you and me, who live under the New Covenant, it cost the life of Jesus, God’s only begotten Son.

Response: Father God, thank you for the effort expended to rescue me from the grip of sin. I appreciate you, Lord Jesus. You were willing to lay down your life for me. What awesome, undeserved love! Amen.

Your Turn: Do you appreciate the New Covenant that was sealed by the blood of Christ? What are some ways you can show your appreciation? Take time to journal your thoughts.

* 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.

New Every Morning

18 Monday Sep 2023

Posted by in Psalm 81

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Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.Psalm 81_1-9 -365

Reading: Psalm 81:1-9

LORD God,
I thank you for rescuing me from a life of sin and futility.
I praise you for redeeming me, Lord Jesus.
I rejoice in your continual goodness.
Your mercies are new every morning.
Amen.

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

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

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.