Tag Archives: spiritual growth

The Parable of the Net

27 Wednesday May 2026

Posted by in Psalm 69, Psalms

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


Today’s Reading: Psalm 69:19-28 (NIV)*

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

LORD Jesus,
you suffered rejection on my behalf.
Help me be faithful to you
when the world mocks you.
Help me stand true.
Give me courage through the power
of your Holy Spirit.
Amen.

   — — — —

Gospel Reading:
The Parable of the Net

“Once again,
the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down
into the lake and caught all kinds of fish.
When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore.
Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets,
but threw the bad away.
This is how it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the blazing furnace,
where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

“Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.

“Yes,” they replied.

He said to them,
“Therefore every teacher of the law
who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven
is like the owner of a house
who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
(Matthew 13:47-52).

* * *

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.

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* 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.

To view further details or purchase click here.

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl

26 Tuesday May 2026

Posted by in Psalm 69, Psalms

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


Today’s Reading: Psalm 69:13-18 (NIV)*

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

LORD God,
favor me. Show up in your perfect timing.
I need you now. I need you always.
You know best. Teach me patience and grant me peace.
Answer me with your sure salvation.
Amen.

   — — — —

Gospel Reading:
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.
When a man found it, he hid it again,
and then in his joy went and sold all he had
and bought that field.

“Again,
the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.
When he found one of great value,
he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
(Matthew 13:44-46).

* * *

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.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* 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.

To view further details or purchase click here.

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

25 Monday May 2026

Posted by in Psalm 69, Psalms

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


Today’s Reading: Psalm 69:6-12 (NIV)*

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

LORD God,
give me a zeal for your house and your presence.
As the months and years roll by,
I want my values to be reflected in my actions
and my passion for you.
Replace my lukewarm heart with a burning desire
to know and love you.
Amen.

   — — — —

Gospel Reading:
The Parable of the Weeds Explained

Then he left the crowd and went into the house.
His disciples came to him and said,
“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

He answered,
“The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.
The field is the world,
and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom.
The weeds are the people of the evil one,
and the enemy who sows them is the devil.
The harvest is the end of the age,
and the harvesters are angels.

“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire,
so it will be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send out his angels,
and they will weed out of his kingdom
everything that causes sin and all who do evil.
They will throw them into the blazing furnace,
where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears, let them hear.
(Matthew 13:36-43).

* * *

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.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* 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.

To view further details or purchase click here.

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast

22 Friday May 2026

Posted by in Psalm 69, Psalms

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


Today’s Reading: Psalm 69:1-5 (NIV)*

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

LORD God,
thank you for showing us mercy when we don’t deserve it.
Thank you for coming to rescue the likes of me.
For this mercy and a thousand more,
I give you thanks.
Amen.

   — — — —

Gospel Reading:
The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast

He told them another parable:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed,
which a man took and planted in his field.
Though it is the smallest of all seeds,
yet when it grows,
it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree,
so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

He told them still another parable:
“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour
until it worked all through the dough.”

Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables;
he did not say anything to them without using a parable. 
So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:

“I will open my mouth in parables,
    I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”
(Matthew 13:31-35).

* * *

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.

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* 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.

To view further details or purchase click here.

Receiving Rebuke with Grace

12 Friday Sep 2025

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Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 141:5
Let a righteous man strike me—
that is a kindness;
let him rebuke me—
that is oil on my head.
My head will not refuse it,
for my prayer will still be
against the deeds of evildoers (NIV). *

Reflection
I don’t like being proven wrong. I like to think I have this world figured out. I am wise in my own eyes. A proud heart tells me I am right. Isn’t that so?

Am I the only one who suffers from this affliction—this deceptive pride that blinds me to my errors? Of course not. Human pride puts blinders over our eyes. We have trouble seeing our own faults. We often need others to bring them gently, or sharply to our attention. Better is open rebuke than hidden love (Proverbs 27:5).

Here in Psalm 141, David confesses his need for correction: Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness; let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head.

Do we see sharp correction as a kindness? Do we see a rebuke as a blessing like oil poured on our head? In today’s culture the thought of oil being poured on someone’s head has little appeal. But that was not the case in ancient times. Olive oil was a high-value commodity. Using it for personal grooming was considered a luxury. Only the wealthy would lavish themselves with such extravagance.

For David, these words would bring back the memory of the occasion when the prophet Samuel anointed him to be king over Israel in place of King Saul. So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David (1 Samuel 16:13).

Earlier, Samuel had rebuked Saul for his disobedience. See 1 Samuel 13. Saul did not receive that rebuke well. There was no repentance on his part. On the other hand, years later when Nathan, the prophet, rebuked David for his sin with Bathsheba, David repented and sought the LORD with prayer and fasting. See 2 Samuel 12. The contrast between Saul’s response and David’s response to corrective rebuke is striking. David, the man after God’s own heart, received forgiveness and the mercy of God, while Saul became embittered and ultimately descended into witchcraft.

How we handle correction will determine the rise or fall of our career, our marriage, and ultimately our life with God. David learned to love rebuke. For him and for us, it can result in a course correction of eternal worth.

Response: LORD God, please correct me when I err. When others point out my faults, help me to receive that correction with grace and not anger. Lord Jesus, you alone are faultless. Forgive me. Amen.

Your Turn: Is it difficult for you to receive correction? What can make receiving correction easier?

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

bgbg_v4.3_1501818
* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, Sudan, 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 read from David Kitz.
Is a return-to-Jesus revival possible in our time?
This book points the way forward.

The Power of Waiting on the Lord

23 Monday Sep 2024

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Reading: Psalm 37:7-11
Be still before the LORD
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy peace and prosperity (NIV).

tears on face of crop anonymous woman

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

Reflection
When I consider this passage from Psalm 37, two thoughts stand out: Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him and do not fret—it leads only to evil.

My natural tendency is not to wait or be still. I tend to fret and worry and then charge ahead simultaneously in different directions. Trust me; it’s hard to go in different directions at the same time. The result is usually a bad case of self-inflicted paralysis, which often results in—you guessed it—a renewed bout of fret and worry. When will I learn? When will we learn?

Being still before the LORD requires practice. It is a learned response, not a natural reaction. When we wait for the LORD, we show that we trust Him. We know that He has not forgotten us or the problems we face. In every situation He has our best interests in mind, even if we don’t understand the reasons, causes or solutions to our difficulties.

By being still and waiting before the LORD we demonstrate that we don’t have the answer within in ourselves. The answer—the solution—lies in Him. If we wait patiently, He will show us the way. And having waited patiently for Him, we can move forward with confidence when He gives us the green light.

It is quite likely that Jesus had the words of this psalm in mind when he gave these instructions in his Sermon on the Mount: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:25-27).

We are to live in quiet confidence. In this psalm we read this promise, “But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity” (v. 11). We can put our trust in the God who stands behind that promise.

Response: LORD God, help me to trust you today. Give me a peaceful heart that I may wait patiently for you even when the storms of life descend. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you tend to fret? Does quiet prayer still your worries?

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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To purchase or for a closer look click here.