LORD God,
have mercy on me. Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with those who do evil.
I put my trust in the redeeming sacrifice
of your Son, Jesus.
Jesus,
you are just,
and you are my help and salvation.
Amen.
I saw the Holy City,
the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride
beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“Look!
God’s dwelling place is now among the people,
and he will dwell with them.
They will be his people,
and God himself will be with them
and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain,
for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:2-4 NIV)*
Pray for enduring peace in Israel and Gaza, and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!
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.
Also available from David KitzIs a return-to-Jesus revival possible in our time?
This book points the way forward.
For details click here.
LORD God,
as I begin this new year,
this is my confession, “I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living”
I will, “Wait for the LORD,”
and I will, “Be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD” (Psalm 27:13-14).
Amen.
— — — —
Our Confidence
I write these things to you
who believe in the name of the Son of God
so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence
we have in approaching God:
that if we ask anything according to his will,
he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—
whatever we ask—
we know that we have what we asked of him. (1 John 5:13-15 NIV)*
Pray for enduring peace in Israel and Gaza, and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!
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.
Also available from David KitzIs a return-to-Jesus revival possible in our time?
This book points the way forward.
For details click here.
Lord Jesus,
I want to be with you.
I want to live my life close to you now
and close to you forever.
Show me how to do that. Be near me, Lord Jesus.
I ask you to stay
close by me forever,
and love me I pray.
Amen.
— — — —
The Boy Jesus at the Temple
After the festival was over,
while his parents were returning home,
the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem,
but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company,
they traveled on for a day.
Then they began looking for him
among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him,
they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him
in the temple courts,
sitting among the teachers,
listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed
at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him,
they were astonished.
His mother said to him,
“Son, why have you treated us like this?
Your father and I
have been anxiously searching for you.”
“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know
I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand
what he was saying to them.
Then he went down to Nazareth with them
and was obedient to them.
But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:43-52 NIV)*
Pray for enduring peace in Israel and Gaza, and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!
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.
Also available from David KitzIs a return-to-Jesus revival possible in our time?
This book points the way forward.
For details click here.
One thing I ask of the LORD, This is what I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To gaze on the beauty of the LORD And seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle And set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; At his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD. (NIV)*
Reflection No matter where we travel, or how pleasant the journey, within us all there is a longing to be home. The same longing for the safety and comfort of home can be found in this psalm of David, but for David, being at home meant being in the presence of God. The LORD God was David’s refuge and comfort. To be near the LORD was to be safe, at rest and fully at peace. Nearness to God was the paramount desire of David’s heart.
Now hear David’s heart cry, “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORDall the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and seek him in his temple.”
David’s statement here delineates a clear priority. For David the house of the LORD was of first importance. But I do not believe it was the physical structure or house that attracted and captivated David. It was the LORD of the house who captured David’s heart. He wanted to be with Him. He longed to see Him and be at home in His house.
Like many preschool children, my youngest son Joshua had some difficulty pronouncing the t-h sound, so in his four-year-old vocabulary the word ‘with’ became ‘whiff’ instead. He would make odd sounding statements such as this, “Daddy, I want to come whiff you,” or “I want to do that whiff you.” Doing something ‘whiff’ someone brings to mind the notion of being so close to them you can smell each other. That’s close—really close; bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh close—father and son close—intimate in a family kind of way.
Something deep and soul changing transpired as David tended that flock of sheep on those Judean hillsides. In his youth David met God. The LORD was ‘whiff David,’ so close they could smell each other. David in his youth tasted and saw that the LORD is good. So even now in his adult years he yearns for that intimacy. He yearns for the house of the LORD. He is filled with a longing for home.
Response: Lord Jesus, I want to be ‘whiff’ you. I want to live my life close to you now and close to you forever. Show me how to do that. Be near me, Lord Jesus. I ask you to stay close by me forever, and love me I pray. Amen.
Your Turn: Are you at home with the LORD now? How at home will we feel with Him in eternity, if we aren’t at home with Him now?
May you and your family draw near to God as we close out 2025.
Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, Russia 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.
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
James—the brother of Jesus—who was this man? What evidence do we have that this “brother of our Lord” even existed?
David Kitz digs deep into archeology, family dynamics, church history, and the biblical texts. What emerges from his research is a portrait of a decisive, pivotal leader who embodied the will and character of Jesus Christ.
But how did James—James the unbeliever—transform to become a leader who changed the course of world history? In these pages you will uncover the answer and rediscover for yourself the life-changing power of the gospel.
To view further details or purchase directly from the author click here.
Lord Jesus, help me to truly walk in confident faith. I ally myself with you. You are my light and my salvation. Help me now to face my day and my future with confidence that comes from you, my Savior. Amen.
— — — —
The Return to Nazareth
When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him. (Luke 2:39-40 NIV)*
Pray for enduring peace in Israel and Gaza, and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!
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.
The LORD is my light and my salvation – Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life – Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. (NIV)*
Are you afraid of the dark? That may seem like a rather empty-headed question. Most adults have overcome their fear of the dark a long time ago, back in the dark ages of childhood. But have you really overcome your fear of dark places?
I would like to suggest we have not overcome that most basic of fears. We have only learned to mask our fears and conveniently avoid those dark unknown recesses. Our fear of the dark is at its core a fear of the unknown. Hidden out there in the dark unknown regions is a whole battalion of hidden risks—the lurking boogeymen—who keep us close to home, who keep us on the well-beaten path, the well-marked path, a path of no-risk and least-resistance. How often do you dare to go where others have never gone? Are you still certain you are not afraid of the dark?
So then, what was the secret to David’s success? It resides in his overwhelming confidence in the LORD. Surely, common sense would dictate a wet-behind-the-ears shepherd boy is no match for an experienced warrior, such as the towering Goliath. But David exudes confidence: The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORDis the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? (v. 1)
In this psalm, David, the fearless warrior, reveals the secret to his victorious life—a life spent overcoming insurmountable obstacles. With reckless confidence this insignificant, no-rank shepherd boy took on the Goliaths of his time, and he rose to each and every challenge, time after time throughout his storied career.
Response: Lord Jesus, help me to truly walk in confident faith. I ally myself with you. You are my light and my salvation. Help me now to face my day and my future with confidence that comes from you, my Savior. Amen.
Your Turn: How often do you take a plunge into the unknown? Is God asking you to take a step of faith in the year ahead?
Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, Russia 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.
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
James—the brother of Jesus—who was this man? What evidence do we have that this “brother of our Lord” even existed?
David Kitz digs deep into archeology, family dynamics, church history, and the biblical texts. What emerges from his research is a portrait of a decisive, pivotal leader who embodied the will and character of Jesus Christ.
But how did James—James the unbeliever—transform to become a leader who changed the course of world history? In these pages you will uncover the answer and rediscover for yourself the life-changing power of the gospel.
To view further details or purchase directly from the author click here.
Come, Lord Jesus, dwell among. This is my confession: “LORD, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells.” Lord come and dwell in my local congregation. Manifest your presence there, so many will see it and be changed by your Spirit. Amen.
— — — —
Anna’s Testimony
There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child [Jesus] to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36-38 NIV)*
Pray for enduring peace in Israel and Gaza, and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!
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.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon,
who was righteous and devout.
He was waiting for the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he would not die
before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit,
he went into the temple courts.
When the parents brought in the child Jesus
to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms
and praised God, saying:
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
The child’s father and mother marveled
at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them
and said to Mary, his mother:
“This child is destined to cause the falling
and rising of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts
will be revealed.
And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” *
(Luke 2:25-35, NIV)
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.
Available now…
James—the brother of Jesus—who was this man? What evidence do we have that this “brother of our Lord” even existed?
David Kitz digs deep into archeology, family dynamics, church history, and the biblical texts. What emerges from his research is a portrait of a decisive, pivotal leader who embodied the will and character of Jesus Christ.
But how did James—James the unbeliever—transform to become a leader who changed the course of world history? In these pages you will uncover the answer and rediscover for yourself the life-changing power of the gospel.
To view further details or purchase directly from the author click here.
The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God their Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob (NIV).*
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.
Available now…
James—the brother of Jesus—who was this man? What evidence do we have that this “brother of our Lord” even existed?
David Kitz digs deep into archeology, family dynamics, church history, and the biblical texts. What emerges from his research is a portrait of a decisive, pivotal leader who embodied the will and character of Jesus Christ.
But how did James—James the unbeliever—transform to become a leader who changed the course of world history? In these pages you will uncover the answer and rediscover for yourself the life-changing power of the gospel.
To view further details or purchase directly from the author click here.
Vindicate me, LORD, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD and have not faltered. Test me, LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness. I do not sit with the deceitful, nor do I associate with hypocrites. I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked. I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, LORD, proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds (NIV)*
Reflection The opening lines of Psalm 26 certainly catch my attention. David claims to have led a blameless life—a rather audacious statement in my opinion. But he doesn’t stop there. He goes on to invite God to test him. David pleads, “Test me, LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.”
Now that takes some nerve. Do I really want the LORD to examine my heart and my mind? If I underwent a heart and mind exam, what would my test scores be? Most of us would shy away from being tested by God, but David’s response is completely different. He is clearly saying, “Bring it on!”
How could David be so self-assured—so confident—to the point of sounding arrogant? David’s confidence was not so much in his own performance, but rather his confidence was in God. He states he is mindful of the LORD’s unfailing love. He is relying on the LORD’s faithfulness. David knew the unfailing love and faithfulness of God, and this wasn’t merely head knowledge—a bit of mental information. No. David knew God experientially. He experienced the LORD’s unfailing love. He experienced the faithfulness of God over and over in his life. As a youth he slew a marauding lion and a bear. He brought down the mighty Goliath. He fled for his life, but ultimately triumphed over the madness of King Saul. David knew his God experientially in the grit of battle and the daily humdrum.
What about you? Do you have a memory bank full of great experiences with God? If the answer is no, why not ask God for a deposit today? If you put your faith in Him, He will not let you down.
Response: LORD, examine my heart and my mind. I want to grow in my knowledge of you and my confidence in you. Help me to have a pure heart and mind before you. I want to experience your presence in my life. Amen.
Your Turn: Have you experienced God’s love and faithfulness recently? Do you let Him examine you?
Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, Russia 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.
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
James—the brother of Jesus—who was this man? What evidence do we have that this “brother of our Lord” even existed?
David Kitz digs deep into archeology, family dynamics, church history, and the biblical texts. What emerges from his research is a portrait of a decisive, pivotal leader who embodied the will and character of Jesus Christ.
But how did James—James the unbeliever—transform to become a leader who changed the course of world history? In these pages you will uncover the answer and rediscover for yourself the life-changing power of the gospel.
To view further details or purchase directly from the author click here.
Is a return-to-Jesus revival possible in our time?
I love the Psalms 