Jesus Questioned About Fasting

11 Monday May 2026

Posted by Victor Uduh in Psalm 66, Psalms

Tags

Called By Jesus, Faith And Grace, Follow Me, gospel, gospel reading, Grace And Mercy, Grace Over Tradition, Jesus, Jesus Saves, Jesus Teaches, Living Faith, Mercy Over Sacrifice, Prayer, Preserved By Christ, Psalms, Renewed By God, Transformation In Christ, Walk In Truth, Walk With Jesus

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”

Today’s Reading: Psalm 66:1-12 (NIV)*

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

LORD God,
help me appreciate the tests you bring into my life.
I praise you in advance
because you are working to perfect me
through the hardships I face.
Change me for the better.
Amen.

— — — —

Gospel Reading:
Jesus Questioned About Fasting

Then John’s disciples came and asked him,
“How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often,
but your disciples do not fast?”

Jesus answered,
“How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them?
The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them;
then they will fast.

“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment,
for the patch will pull away from the garment,
making the tear worse.
Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins.
If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out
and the wineskins will be ruined.
No, they pour new wine into new wineskins,
and both are preserved.”
(Matthew 9:14-17).

* * *

Dear children,
let us not love with words or speech
but with actions and in truth.
(1 John 3:18 NIV)

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

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

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
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.

New from David Kitz.

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Welcoming God’s Testing

11 Monday May 2026

Posted by Tim K in Psalm 64, Psalm 66, Psalms

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hardship, praise, shout for joy, sing praise, test, the LORD, the Psalms

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

Reading: Psalm 66:1-12 (NIV)*

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious.
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
    So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.
All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name.”
Come and see what God has done,
    his awesome deeds for mankind!
He turned the sea into dry land,
    they passed through the waters on foot—
    come, let us rejoice in him.
He rules forever by his power,
    his eyes watch the nations—
    let not the rebellious rise up against him.
Praise our God, all peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard;
he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping.
For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver.
You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs.
You let people ride over our heads;
    we went through fire and water,
    but you brought us to a place of abundance.

Reflection

I can’t answer for you, but I for one did not enjoy writing tests at school. It’s not that I did poorly on tests, the exception being high school math. But let’s not go there. I haven’t used algebraic equations for the last forty years and have suffered no ill effects.

Simply put, tests are stressful. No matter how well you know the material, you can’t be sure of the outcome. Will there be a trick question? Will you experience a momentary brain burp? Have you studied the right subject matter?

Despite my aversion to tests and major exams as a student, I quite enjoyed administering them after I became a teacher. They provided so much information. They let me see into a student’s head and heart. Was learning happening behind those big brown eyes or were they only going through the motions?

But why would God test us since He knows the outcome in advance? For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver (v. 10). God tests us to bring out the very best in us. When we are tested, we discover for ourselves what lies below the surface. In the furnace of affliction God removes the dross from our lives so His glory can shine through. Only then can we properly reflect His glory.

Response

LORD God, help me appreciate the tests you bring into my life. I praise you in advance because you are working to perfect me through the hardships I face. Change me for the better. Amen.

Your Turn

How have you performed during times of testing? What have you learned during such times?

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

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

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

Your Work Partner

10 Sunday May 2026

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 65, Psalms

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Tags

abundant blessings, bounty, God's provision, praise, praise the LORD, Prayer, Psalms, songs of joy, worthy of praise

Listen to Psalm 65:9-13 read by Jonathan Dent

Reading: Psalm 65:9-13 (NIV)*

You care for the land and water it;
you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
to provide the people with grain,
for so you have ordained it.
You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
you soften it with showers and bless its crops.
You crown the year with your bounty,
and your carts overflow with abundance.
The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;
the hills are clothed with gladness.
The meadows are covered with flocks
and the valleys are mantled with grain;
they shout for joy and sing.

Photo by Zen Chung on Pexels.com

Reflection
In our toil we are not alone. There is something sacred about work. God ordained it. He planted a Garden for Adam and Eve to tend. Whether we are rooting out weeds, extracting teeth or rooting out unproductive habits, God is present in our work. Welcome Him as your partner.

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

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

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

Take a journey to the cross.

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The Hope of All the Ends of the Earth

09 Saturday May 2026

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 65, Psalms

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Tags

confidence in God, David, forgiveness of sins, Lamb of God, praise, praise the LORD, Prayer, Psalms, redeemed, songs of joy, worthy of praise

Listen to Psalm 65:1-8 read by Jonathan Dent

Reading: Psalm 65:1-8 (NIV)*

Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion;
to you our vows will be fulfilled.
You who answer prayer,
to you all people will come.
When we were overwhelmed by sins,
you forgave our transgressions.
Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
of your holy temple.
You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,
God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas,
who formed the mountains by your power,
having armed yourself with strength,
who stilled the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations.
The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
where morning dawns, where evening fades,
you call forth songs of joy.

All creation speaks its praise — photo courtesy of Karen Kitz

Reflection
David was thankful for the forgiveness of his sins. There is no better feeling than knowing you have been washed clean from the inside out by the cleansing blood of the Lamb of God. And now you are accepted—welcomed with open arms into God’s family. Oh, hallelujah! I’ve been redeemed.

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

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

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

Take a journey to the cross.

To view further details or purchase click here.

The Calling of Matthew

08 Friday May 2026

Posted by Victor Uduh in Psalm 65, Psalms

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Called By Jesus, Faith Journey, Follow Me, gospel, gospel reading, Grace And Mercy, Healing In Jesus, Jesus, Jesus Delivers, Jesus Forgives, Jesus Saves, Jesus Welcomes Sinners, Mercy Over Sacrifice, Prayer, Psalms, Redeemed By Grace, Set Free By Jesus, Son of Man, Transformed By Christ, Walk With Jesus

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”

Today’s Reading: Psalm 65:9-13 (NIV)*

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

LORD God,
I am thankful for my calling
and the work you have set before me.
You are my partner in it and my provider.
I give myself to your service today.
Amen.

— — — —

Gospel Reading:
The Calling of Matthew

As Jesus went on from there,
he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth.
“Follow me,” he told him,
and Matthew got up and followed him.

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house,
many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.
When the Pharisees saw this,
they asked his disciples,
“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

On hearing this, Jesus said,

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’
For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
(Matthew 9:9-13).

* * *

Dear children,
let us not love with words or speech
but with actions and in truth.
(1 John 3:18 NIV)

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

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

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return
to Ukraine and Russia!

New from David Kitz.

To view further details or purchase click here.

Harvest Psalm

08 Friday May 2026

Posted by Tim K in Psalm 64, Psalm 65, Psalms

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

abundance, David, land, partner, provider, the LORD, the Psalms, work

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

Reading: Psalm 65:9-13 (NIV)*

You care for the land and water it;
    you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
    to provide the people with grain,
    for so you have ordained it.
You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
    you soften it with showers and bless its crops.
You crown the year with your bounty,
    and your carts overflow with abundance.
The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;
    the hills are clothed with gladness.
The meadows are covered with flocks
    and the valleys are mantled with grain;
    they shout for joy and sing.