PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Exodus 16:2-15 The Manna story

Time to reflect: Why would God bother with such cranky and unappreciative people? But God did, giving them enough to survive. But they continued being greedy and complaining...

 

Moving through the day: When have we been cranky and unappreciative toward God? Pray for humility and a willingness to trust.

 

Scripture:

In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the LORD's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death."

 Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days."

  So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, "In the evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of Egypt, and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?" Moses also said, "You will know that it was the LORD when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the LORD."

  Then Moses told Aaron, "Say to the entire Israelite community, 'Come before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling.' "

  While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the LORD appearing in the cloud.

 The LORD said to Moses, "I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, 'At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.' "

  That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was.
      Moses said to them, "It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat.

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Psalm 145:1-8 God's Glory

Time to reflect: A wonderful, straightforward Psalm of Praise. This would have been song in the temple after having received good news from God. We have all received good news in the person of Jesus Christ. We all can and should sing this Psalm.

Moving through the day: Sing/say this Psalm to yourself. With passion!

 

Scripture:

I will exalt you, my God the King;
       I will praise your name for ever and ever.

Every day I will praise you
       and extol your name for ever and ever.

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
       his greatness no one can fathom.

One generation will commend your works to another;
       they will tell of your mighty acts.

They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
       and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

They will tell of the power of your awesome works,
       and I will proclaim your great deeds.

They will celebrate your abundant goodness
       and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
       slow to anger and rich in love.

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Jonah 3:10-4:11 God's love

Time to reflect: A wonderful parable story with many great points, but the point of the parable and its conclusion is that whether we like it or not God is a loving and forgiving God. It is not up to us whether or not a person or people are forgiven. This would be like if you were Jonah and you were sent to preach to al-Qaeda and they repented and God forgave them.

Moving through the day: Who do you need to forgive? What resentment do you need to let go of?

 

 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.

Jonah 4

Jonah's Anger at the Lord 's Compassion

 But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. He prayed to the LORD, "O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live."

  But the LORD replied, "Have you any right to be angry?"

 5Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. Then the LORD God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine. But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the vine so that it withered. When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah's head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, "It would be better for me to die than to live."

  But God said to Jonah, "Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?"
      "I do," he said. "I am angry enough to die."

  But the LORD said, "You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?"

PrayerBits for Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson: 1 Timothy 6:17-19 Riches

Time to reflect: Being rich and successful is not a problem, only a danger. We need to use our riches to do good things in God's behalf.

Moving Through The Day: Pray for wisdom on this matter.

Scripture:

  Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.