Tag Archives: salvation

He Rescues us at our Lowest Point

16 Thursday Aug 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 136, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 136
(Verses 17-26)
to him who struck down great kings,
His love endures forever.
and killed mighty kings—
His love endures forever.
Sihon king of the Amorites
His love endures forever.
and Og king of Bashan—
His love endures forever.
and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love endures forever.
an inheritance to his servant Israel.
His love endures forever.
He remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.
and freed us from our enemies.
His love endures forever.
He gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever (NIV).

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Wild marsh blossoms — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
In recent months I have transitioned from attending an established church to involvement in a new church plant. In many respects the change has been refreshing. This new church has a clear focus on reaching the lost in our city, specifically those who are trapped in addictions. Almost weekly new converts are coming forward to put their trust in Christ. The church itself is a place of transition, as deadly habits are broken, and the healing power of Jesus is applied to long festering inner wounds.

So how does this connect with our reading from Psalm 136? In his description of Israel, the psalmist makes this statement: He remembered us in our low estate… and freed us from our enemies.

We serve a God who rescues us at our lowest point, in our low estate. In our foolish pride, we would never turn to God. But when we hit bottom—when there is no way forward, put up—then we turn to the Lord. You see, Christ has been patiently waiting for us to acknowledge our need. But Jesus doesn’t rescue the proud. He doesn’t save those who see no need for salvation. He only comes to the humble—those who admit they need a lift from the hole they find themselves in.

Sadly, there are many who sit in fine churches that have never discovered their low estate. Actually, they have become experts at hiding it. We all have a secret addiction to sin. Even St. Paul wrote, “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing” (Romans 7:19). The only one who can turn us around is Jesus, our Savior. See Romans 7:25.

Response: Father God, I admit my need for Jesus, your Son, my Savior. His love endures forever. Amen.

Your Turn: Why do we hide our sins rather than confess them? Does pride hold you back?

I am Being Persecuted Without Cause

28 Thursday Jun 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 119, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 119
כ Kaph
(Verses 81-88)
My soul faints with longing for your salvation,
but I have put my hope in your word.
My eyes fail, looking for your promise;
I say, “When will you comfort me?”
Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke,
I do not forget your decrees.
How long must your servant wait?
When will you punish my persecutors?
The arrogant dig pits to trap me,
contrary to your law.
All your commands are trustworthy;
help me, for I am being persecuted without cause.
They almost wiped me from the earth,
but I have not forsaken your precepts.
In your unfailing love preserve my life,
that I may obey the statutes of your mouth (NIV).

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Let the light of your truth shine forth, LORD. — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Christians around the world are going through an unprecedented time of persecution. Broadly speaking the news media has done very little reporting on this topic. In China, new church buildings have been bulldozed to the ground. In Syria and Iraq, Christians have fled for their lives as Islamic extremist rampage through their communities raping and killing any who remain. In India several states have passed anti-conversion laws in an attempt to halt the spread of Christianity. Christmas celebrations were cancelled in Manipur state because of clashes and threats of violence from Hindu radicals.

For those who are suffering, these verses from Psalm 119 are particularly pertinent: All your commands are trustworthy; help me, for I am being persecuted without cause. They almost wiped me from the earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts.

Satan and his minions are determined to wipe Christians from the face of the earth. Sensing that his end is near, he has inflamed a host of religious extremists and fanatics to attack the bride of Christ. Though he rages, he will not succeed. Closer to home court rulings have frequently trumped religious freedom, while openly promoting an LGBTQ agenda.

In their suffering, persecuted believers turn to the Lord and to his holy word. These words are their prayer: In your unfailing love preserve my life, that I may obey the statutes of your mouth.

We ought to thank the Lord daily for the freedom we have to assemble and worship our Savior. It’s a freedom we may one day lose.

Response: Father God, have mercy on those who are suffering for their

faith. Be with those who are fleeing persecution. Travel with them and be their guide. Show me how I can help. Amen.

Your Turn: Do we take our freedoms for granted? Have you faced opposition because of your faith?

May my Lips Overflow with Praise

24 Sunday Jun 2018

Posted by in Bible, God's word, Psalm 119, Psalms

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I will praise Him!

2018-06-10

Wild flowers — photo by David Kitz

ת Taw

May my cry come before you, LORD;
    give me understanding according to your word.
May my supplication come before you;
    deliver me according to your promise.
May my lips overflow with praise,
    for you teach me your decrees.
May my tongue sing of your word,
    for all your commands are righteous.
May your hand be ready to help me,
    for I have chosen your precepts.
I long for your salvation, LORD,
    and your law gives me delight.
Let me live that I may praise you,
    and may your laws sustain me.
I have strayed like a lost sheep.
    Seek your servant,
    for I have not forgotten your commands.

(Psalm 119:169-176, NIV)

Great Peace Have Those Who Love Your Law

23 Saturday Jun 2018

Posted by in Bible, God's word, Psalm 119, Psalms

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I will praise Him!

2018-05-21c

Great peace have those who love your law — photo by David Kitz

ש Sin and Shin

Rulers persecute me without cause,
    but my heart trembles at your word.
I rejoice in your promise
    like one who finds great spoil.
I hate and detest falsehood
    but I love your law.
Seven times a day I praise you
    for your righteous laws.
Great peace have those who love your law,
    and nothing can make them stumble.
I wait for your salvation, LORD,
    and I follow your commands.
I obey your statutes,
    for I love them greatly.
I obey your precepts and your statutes,
    for all my ways are known to you.

(Psalm 119:153-160, NIV)

Your Compassion, LORD, is Great

17 Sunday Jun 2018

Posted by in Bible, God's word, Psalm 119, Psalms

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I will praise Him!

2018-05-21 lilacs
Lilac blossoms — photo by David Kitz

ר Resh

Look on my suffering and deliver me,
    for I have not forgotten your law.
Defend my cause and redeem me;
    preserve my life according to your promise.
Salvation is far from the wicked,
    for they do not seek out your decrees.
Your compassion, LORD, is great;
    preserve my life according to your laws.
Many are the foes who persecute me,
    but I have not turned from your statutes.
I look on the faithless with loathing,
    for they do not obey your word.
See how I love your precepts;
    preserve my life, LORD, in accordance with your love.
All your words are true;
    all your righteous laws are eternal.

(Psalm 119:153-160, NIV)

My Defense and my Salvation

11 Monday Jun 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 118, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 118
(Verses 8-14)
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in humans.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.
All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the LORD I cut them down.
They surrounded me on every side,
but in the name of the LORD I cut them down.
They swarmed around me like bees,
but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the LORD I cut them down.
I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the LORD helped me.
The LORD is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation (NIV).

2018-05-16

The LORD is my strength and my defense — Banff National Park — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Psalm 118 is perhaps the most militant psalm in the Bible. The psalmist assumes a combative stance. He is ready to take on the world and everything his adversaries can toss at him. These are the words of a fighter—a courageous warrior: All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the LORD I cut them down. They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the LORD I cut them down.

Some may find the aggressive words of this psalm offensive. To be frank, I prefer the more passive psalms that speak of quiet waters, grassy hills and star-filled night skies, but life is more than tranquil repose. It also includes moments of conflict and combat. As the author of Ecclesiastes reminds us, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 9). There is a time to be conciliatory, but there also are times when we need to stand our ground and defend our faith and our way of life.

Joshua is a Bible character who exemplifies the attitude and intent of this psalm. He was a man on a mission. His mission, assigned to him by God, was the conquest of Canaan. If you read the Book of Joshua, you will discover that he pursued his mission with a ruthless passion that ultimately brought victory and success. In his farewell speech to the nation, Joshua had these words of advice: “The LORD has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. One of you routs a thousand, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as he promised. So be very careful to love the LORD your God” (Joshua 23:9-11).

The God of peace is also the God who fights for you. Very little in this life is accomplished without rugged determination and a fighting spirit. Joshua proved that great nation-changing things are possible when we move forward with courage and tap into the power of God.    

Response: Father God, there are battles that you want me to fight. Help me to personally tap into your power. Give me courage to stand for you and your truth though a thousand oppose me. Amen.

Your Turn: Are there great things that God has called you to accomplish? Is He fighting for you?

Lift up the Cup of Salvation

05 Tuesday Jun 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 116, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 116
(Verses 10-14)
I trusted in the LORD when I said,
    “I am greatly afflicted”;
in my alarm I said, “Everyone is a liar.”
What shall I return to the LORD
for all his goodness to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation
  and call on the name of the LORD.
I will fulfill my vows to the LORD
    in the presence of all his people (NIV).

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Policeman Creek, Canmore, Alberta — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Today started a bit different. Rather than beginning my day with a hot cup of coffee, I had a few sips of water and then headed off for some blood tests. I missed that cup of coffee, but in reality going without it was no great hardship. Some view their morning shot of caffeine like a cup of salvation—early morning salvation. Today’s reading from Psalm 116 speaks of the cup of salvation. I’m sure the psalmist wasn’t speaking of his morning cup of java. What was he speaking of?

The psalmist lifts up the cup of salvation and calls on the name of the LORD in response to this question: What shall I return to the LORD for all his goodness to me? The psalmist lifts up his cup as an expression of thanksgiving to the LORD for the salvation he has received from God.

But salvation came at a price. To purchase our salvation, Jesus lifted up a cup and brought it to his lips. It was a cup of unimaginable suffering. In the Garden of Gethsemane he prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). He was referring to the anguish he would endure. In the hours that followed, Jesus drained that cup of suffering dry, even as his body was drained of blood on a cruel Roman cross.

In the great plan of redemption, Jesus’ cup of suffering became for us a cup of salvation. He drank it down to save us from the cruel consequences of our sin. Jesus assumed the full penalty of our disobedience, rebellion and devious ways. But now by faith, we can become active recipients of the salvation that he won on our behalf.

The next time you bring the communion cup to your lips you are remembering—acknowledging in a tangible way—that Jesus’ blood was shed for you. Salvation came through a cup of suffering. We can rejoice in that truth because early on a Sunday morning Jesus’ dead body was jolted back to life. He was resurrected by the power of the Father, and one day the body of every believer will be resurrected too. In that moment we will experience the fullness of our salvation.

Tomorrow morning, I’ll return to my usual routine and I’ll enjoy my hot cup of coffee. But the cup I savour most is the cup the Lord provides—the cup of salvation.

Response: Lord Jesus, I thank you for your sacrifice. You gave yourself fully for me. On a crude wooden cross you purchased my salvation. Today, help me fulfill my vows to the LORD. Amen.

Your Turn: Which cup do you appreciate most? How can you show your appreciation?

My Hope Is in Your Word

19 Saturday May 2018

Posted by in Bible, God's word, Psalm 119, Psalms

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I will praise Him!

2018-05-05 LKranz

Algonquin Park — photo courtesy of Liz Kranz

כ Kaph

My soul faints with longing for your salvation,
    but I have put my hope in your word.
My eyes fail, looking for your promise;
    I say, “When will you comfort me?”
Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke,
    I do not forget your decrees.
How long must your servant wait?
    When will you punish my persecutors?
The arrogant dig pits to trap me,
    contrary to your law.
All your commands are trustworthy;
    help me, for I am being persecuted without cause.
They almost wiped me from the earth,
    but I have not forsaken your precepts.
In your unfailing love preserve my life,
    that I may obey the statutes of your mouth.

(Psalm 119:81-88, NIV)

I Have Put my Hope in Your Word

12 Saturday May 2018

Posted by in Bible, God's word, Psalm 119, Psalms

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I will praise Him!

2018-04-22

Late April spring melt — photo by David Kitz

כ Kaph

My soul faints with longing for your salvation,
    but I have put my hope in your word.
My eyes fail, looking for your promise;
    I say, “When will you comfort me?”
Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke,
    I do not forget your decrees.
How long must your servant wait?
    When will you punish my persecutors?
The arrogant dig pits to trap me,
    contrary to your law.
All your commands are trustworthy;
    help me, for I am being persecuted without cause.
They almost wiped me from the earth,
    but I have not forsaken your precepts.
In your unfailing love preserve my life,
    that I may obey the statutes of your mouth.

(Psalm 119:81-88, NIV)

Is Bad News Good News in Disguise?

26 Thursday Apr 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 105, Psalms

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Reading:                                   Psalm 105                                                                 

 (Verses 16-22)
He called down famine on the land
and destroyed all their supplies of food;
and he sent a man before them—
Joseph, sold as a slave.
They bruised his feet with shackles,
his neck was put in irons,
till what he foretold came to pass,
till the word of the LORD proved him true.
The king sent and released him,
the ruler of peoples set him free.
He made him master of his household,
ruler over all he possessed,
to instruct his princes as he pleased
and teach his elders wisdom (NIV).

Reflection
Here is a question for you. Is bad news always bad news, or is it good news in disguise?

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Barbwire horizon — photo by David Kitz

Sometimes what initially appears to be a very bad change of circumstances can over time turn out for the better. The story of the patriarch, Joseph, illustrates this truth perfectly. No one would be foolish enough to call Joseph’s betrayal by his brothers a good news event. Being sold as a foreign slave in Egypt was in many respects a death sentence. How could something good or meaningful come from the life of an obscure young slave?

But that obscure young slave rose above his circumstances and changed the course of nations. His faith and actions more than three millennia ago still have ramifications for us today. How would Egypt have survived seven years of famine without the foresight and wisdom of Joseph? Would there be a Jewish nation today without the guiding hand of Joseph, who was strategically positioned at such a critical time in history?

What began as a bad news story, turned into the salvation of a nation. Joseph told his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20).

Sometimes I wonder what thoughts, hopes and dreams sustained Joseph during his darkest hours. God most certainly was with him. He did not go down to Egypt alone. When we receive bad news, is it always genuinely bad? If God is with us in the hard times, great good may yet come from our most negative experiences. He is a redemptive God who turns darkness to light, mourning to gladness, and curses into blessings. Surely, this is why St. Paul admonishes us with these words: give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Response: Father God, when bad news comes give me a thankful heart and a right perspective. Your ways are higher than mine. You know the end before the beginning starts. I choose to trust you. Amen.

Your Turn: Over time has the Lord turned bad news into good news for you?