PrayerBits for Tuesday

Scripture lesson: James 3:11-13 Show your wisdom?

Time to reflect: This is an odd verse grouping. Normally verses 11&12 are paragraphed with verse 10. Verse 13 should be taken alone (not grouped with any other verses).

Moving through the day: The point is that that wisdom is not knowledge but a trait that shows itself in our actions.

Scripture:

Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Two Kinds of Wisdom

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

PrayerBits for Monday

Scripture lesson: Jeremiah 2:10-13 gods of our own choosing

Time to reflect: People like creating their own gods or versions of God – same name, different god. We want one that is convenient and manageable/

Moving Through The Day: Pray about the ways you twist your definition of God to suit yourself.

Cross over to the coasts of Kittim and look,
send to Kedar and observe closely;
see if there has ever been anything like this:

Has a nation ever changed its gods?
(Yet they are not gods at all.)
But my people have exchanged their Glory
for worthless idols.

Be appalled at this, O heavens,
and shudder with great horror,"
declares the LORD.

"My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken me,
the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

PrayerBits for Sunday

Scripture lesson: John 3:1-17 Born-again

Time to reflect: This passage is not about conversion but about baptized into the community and becoming connected with the Holy Spirit

Moving through the day: Read and meditate on verse 17.

Scripture:

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."

In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.

"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

PrayerBits for Saturday

Scripture lesson: Romans 4:1-5,13-17 Salvation through Jesus Christ

Time to reflect: We all want to earn our salvation. But in so many ways in the Bible, including here we are told that we cannot earn it – it can only be a free gift (grace) from God, which we accept through faith.

Moving through the day: Think about the fact that we cannot be good enough to earn salvation but because we are saved we strive to be good.

Scripture:

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.

It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.

Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.

PrayerBits for Friday

Scripture lesson: Psalm 121 My help comes from the Lord

Time to reflect: This is one of the most comforting of all Psalms. It can sustain us through any trial.

Moving Throughout the day: Slowly read this Psalm three times, they sit quietly for five minutes. See how your day goes. Try using this Psalm whenever you are feeling agitated.

Scripture:

I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

PrayerBits for Thursday

Scripture lesson: Genesis 12:1-4 “Go... and he went”

Time to reflect: This is so stark and simply stated but can you think about what it must have been like for Abraham to leave everything he knew for a new and barbarous land?

Moving through the day: Have you ever felt that God wanted something impossibly hard from you? How did you react? How would you react if you became convinced God wanted you to drop everything and go serve elsewhere?

Scripture:

The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.

"I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."

So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.

PrayerBits for Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Ezekiel 33:10-11 “no pleasure in the death of the wicked”

Time to reflect: This is an amazing statement isn't it? This shows so clearly God's compassion.

Moving through the day: Meditate on this passage and apply it to your own life – can you say you would not get some pleasure out of the destruction of your enemies?

Scripture:

"Son of man, say to the house of Israel, 'This is what you are saying: "Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live?" ' Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?'