PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 The Holy Spirit

Time to reflect: Among the many wonderful elements in this passage there are a number of references to the work of the Holy Spirit. We often don't think much of the Holy Spirit, but this is an important subject (one of the Trinity, after all) . But the Holy Spirit works subtly and not always obviously, it is easy to ignore or feel the Holy Spirit only was active “back then” or somewhere else, not in our lives or the lives of our church. But we know from Scripture that the Holy Spirit is always active.

Moving through the day: What is your view of the Holy Spirit? Where do you see the Holy Spirit at work in your church? Say a prayer of thanks for the work of the Holy Spirit.

 

Scripture:

Paul, Silas and Timothy,
      To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
      Grace and peace to you.

Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians' Faith

 We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.