PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Psalm 145:14-21 When, O Lord?

Time to reflect: We all want the things listed in this Psalm but all know that it doesn't seem to work this way in real life. We first need to keep in mind that this is an expressed wish by the Psalmist more than a statement of fact. As we know from other passages, God will take care of “in due season” not just whenever we would prefer.

Moving through the day: Pray about the ambivalent feelings you may have about wanting God's intervention and not getting it when you want it.

Scripture:

The LORD upholds all those who fall
       and lifts up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to you,
       and you give them their food at the proper time.

 You open your hand
      and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

  The LORD is righteous in all his ways
       and loving toward all he has made.

  The LORD is near to all who call on him,
       to all who call on him in truth.

  He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
       he hears their cry and saves them.

  The LORD watches over all who love him,
       but all the wicked he will destroy.

  My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
       Let every creature praise his holy name
       for ever and ever.

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Isaiah 55:1-5 A passage reinterpreted

Time to reflect: Although this passage was originally intended to be taken literally for a time in the future when everyone's needs would be taken care of, we apply this passage to Christ and make the language metaphorical – Christ is the “living water” that ends thirst, etc.

Moving through the day: Think this passage through, phrase by phrase applying it to our Christian faith.

Scripture:

"Come, all you who are thirsty,
       come to the waters;
       and you who have no money,
       come, buy and eat!
       Come, buy wine and milk
       without money and without cost.

  Why spend money on what is not bread,
       and your labor on what does not satisfy?
       Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
       and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

  Give ear and come to me;
       hear me, that your soul may live.
       I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
       my faithful love promised to David.

  See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
       a leader and commander of the peoples.

  Surely you will summon nations you know not,
       and nations that do not know you will hasten to you,
       because of the LORD your God,
       the Holy One of Israel,
       for he has endowed you with splendor."

PrayerBits for Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson: Job 38:1-21 God being sarcastic

Time to reflect: Job has been challenging God's wisdom and fairness. God comes back with a long poem that puts Job in his place. In short who are we, mere mortals, to second guess the creator of the universe?

Moving Through The Day:  Can you think of a time when you didn't have all the information you needed for a judgment and could have/did make the wrong decision? Can you think of a time when you second guessed God?

Scripture:

Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said:

  "Who is this that darkens my counsel
       with words without knowledge?

  Brace yourself like a man;
       I will question you,
       and you shall answer me.

  "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?
       Tell me, if you understand.

  Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
       Who stretched a measuring line across it?

 On what were its footings set,
       or who laid its cornerstone-

 while the morning stars sang together
       and all the angels shouted for joy?

 "Who shut up the sea behind doors
       when it burst forth from the womb,

 when I made the clouds its garment
       and wrapped it in thick darkness,

  when I fixed limits for it
       and set its doors and bars in place,

  when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther;
       here is where your proud waves halt'?

  "Have you ever given orders to the morning,
       or shown the dawn its place,

 that it might take the earth by the edges
       and shake the wicked out of it?

 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;
       its features stand out like those of a garment.

  The wicked are denied their light,
       and their upraised arm is broken.

  "Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
       or walked in the recesses of the deep?

 Have the gates of death been shown to you?
       Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death ^[b] ?

  Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?
       Tell me, if you know all this.

  "What is the way to the abode of light?
       And where does darkness reside?

  Can you take them to their places?
       Do you know the paths to their dwellings?

  Surely you know, for you were already born!
       You have lived so many years!

 

 

PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday

Scripture lesson: Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 The Kingdom of God

Time to reflect: So what is the Kingdom of God like???? It is something that takes a massive investment on our part, but the rewards far outshine the sacrifices.

Moving through the day:  Try writing modern analogies to match these ancient ones.

Scripture:

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 your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air 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 a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."

"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.

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 fiery 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 been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."

PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: Romans 8:26-39 The Spirit helps us

Time to reflect: It is a recurring theme in Paul's writing that our faith, faithfulness, and spiritual life all require direct intervention by God, through the Spirit, to happen. That we are too locked into sin and the material world to do this on our own. This may seem a little insulting, but really, without that “still small voice” from God would we be religious at all?

Moving through the day: Try a silent prayer where you simply open yourself up to God's influence.

Scripture:

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

More Than Conquerors

 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
   "For your sake we face death all day long;
      we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

PrayerBits for Friday

PrayerBits

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

Friday

Scripture lesson: Psalm 128 A wedding toast

Time to reflect: If you are female, translate this to apply to a female friend.

Moving Throughout the day: Pray this blessing on one or more friend.

Scripture:

Blessed are all who fear the LORD,
       who walk in his ways.

You will eat the fruit of your labor;
       blessings and prosperity will be yours.

  Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
       within your house;
       your sons will be like olive shoots
       around your table.

  Thus is the man blessed
       who fears the LORD.

  May the LORD bless you from Zion
       all the days of your life;
       may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem,

  and may you live to see your children's children.
       Peace be upon Israel.

PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Genesis 29:15-28 Jacob the Grabber gets taken

Time to reflect: How many people today would work 14 years to get their spouse? This is certainly outside of our Culture! But out of this nasty trick by Laban comes the 12 tribes of Israel. In the end it was a good thing...

 

Moving through the day: Think about something in your life where an bad thing had a good outcome.

Scripture:

Laban said to him, "Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be."

  Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was lovely in form, and beautiful. Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, "I'll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel."

  Laban said, "It's better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me." So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

  Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to lie with her."

 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and Jacob lay with her. And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter as her maidservant.

  When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn't I? Why have you deceived me?"

  Laban replied, "It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. Finish this daughter's bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work."

  And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.