PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Sunday

Scripture lesson: Matthew 13:1-9;18-23 The sower

Time to reflect: Jesus explains this parable himself.

Moving through the day:  Which type of soil do you think you are most like?

Scripture:

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear."

 "Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

 

 

 

PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Saturday

Scripture lesson: Romans 8:1-11 Fleshly or Spiritual?

Time to reflect: The phrase “things of the flesh” and its variants in this passage refer to being focused on what we call “material things” -- things that are both tangible and self-serving. “Things of the Spirit” is being focused on God and God's expectations for us.

Moving through the day: Pray about what proportion of your life and thinking is centered on “things of the flesh?”

Scripture:

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

 

PrayerBits for Friday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Friday

Scripture lesson: Psalm 119:105-112 I am miserable but won't stop trying

Time to reflect: Out of this very long and systematic Psalm is this chaotic passage where the writer seems to be in mental distress flitting back and forth between his anguish and his determination to be faithful to God. The Psalms were written by real people with real emotions.

Moving Throughout the day: Meditate on how hard it is to keep doing what is right and what God expects of you during times of trial.

Scripture:

Your word is a lamp to my feet
       and a light for my path.

  I have taken an oath and confirmed it,
       that I will follow your righteous laws.

  I have suffered much;
       preserve my life, O LORD, according to your word.

  Accept, O LORD, the willing praise of my mouth,
       and teach me your laws.

  Though I constantly take my life in my hands,
       I will not forget your law.

  The wicked have set a snare for me,
       but I have not strayed from your precepts.

Your statutes are my heritage forever;
       they are the joy of my heart.

My heart is set on keeping your decrees
       to the very end.

PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Genesis 25:19-34 Some Puns

Time to reflect: The Hebrew writers took their puns seriously. They used plays on words, like on Jacob and Esau's names, to teach and to graphically make a memorable point. The important point here is that Jacob (“heel-grabber”) supplants his older brother.

 

Moving through the day: Often God seems to choose the wrong person. But this shows that we too can be chosen and serve God. Pray for guidance on how you are supposed to be serving God – even if it is “unnatural.”

Scripture:

This is the account of Abraham's son Isaac.
      Abraham became the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean.

 Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, "Why is this happening to me?" So she went to inquire of the LORD.

 The LORD said to her,
       "Two nations are in your womb,
       and two peoples from within you will be separated;
       one people will be stronger than the other,
       and the older will serve the younger."

  When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau. After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau's heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.

  The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was a quiet man, staying among the tents. Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

  Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" (That is why he was also called Edom. )

  Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright."

 "Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?"

 But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.

 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left.
      So Esau despised his birthright.

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: 1 Chronicles 16:8-11 A Psalm

Time to reflect: There are psalms all through the Bible. Some are unique others may be borrowed from the Book of Psalms or be composites (many think this psalm is a composites of a number of different psalms.) Defining a psalm is difficult, but they are singable units that are not other forms of writing (The prophets are mostly singable units but serve a specific purpose, for example.)

Moving through the day: If you have time, read this entire psalm.

Scripture:

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
       make known among the nations what he has done.

Sing to him, sing praise to him;
       tell of all his wonderful acts.

  Glory in his holy name;
       let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

Look to the LORD and his strength;
       seek his face always.

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Isaiah 55:10-13 God speaks and things happen

Time to reflect: Just as rain causes things to grow, when God intends for something to happen it is just as inevitable.

Moving through the day: Think and pray about the idea that God is actually in control of the universe – that is not just all mechanical processes.

Scripture:

^{As the rain and the snow
       come down from heaven,
       and do not return to it
       without watering the earth
       and making it bud and flourish,
       so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,}

so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
       It will not return to me empty,
       but will accomplish what I desire
       and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

  You will go out in joy
       and be led forth in peace;
       the mountains and hills
       will burst into song before you,
       and all the trees of the field
       will clap their hands.

  Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree,
       and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
       This will be for the LORD's renown,
       for an everlasting sign,
       which will not be destroyed."