PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday

Scripture lesson: John 1:6-8, 19-28 John the Baptizer

Time to reflect: John was an important figure but exactly what his role was confusing. John, the Gospel, tries to clarify it in this passage. But we see the confusion in several places in Scripture. Did you know that there is a sect still in existence – the Mandeans, in Iraq – who are followers of John? They were still a factor during the early years of the Christian Church.

Moving through the day It has always been easy to be a follower of this person or that. What makes Jesus unique and beyond all those we are tempted to follow?

Scripture:

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ."

 They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?"
      He said, "I am not."
      "Are you the Prophet?"
      He answered, "No."

 Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "

 Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

 "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."

 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: 1Thessalonians 5:16-24 Charges and benediction

Time to reflect: A lovely, caring conclusion to a letter.

Moving through the day: Pray and meditate about “giving thanks in all circumstances.”

Scripture:

 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

 Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.

 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

PrayerBits for Friday

PrayerBits

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

Friday

Scripture lesson: Psalm 126 Joy

Time to reflect: This is a song of joy of a people saved from suffering. Interestingly, it is being sung before the fact. The restoration hadn't happened yet, but they had received to promises of restoration (Isaiah and others) and that was good enough for them. They could go ahead and start the celebration.

Moving Throughout the day: Do you always have to wait for a situation to be fixed before you can praise God? Thinking about the promises of God, the coming of Jesus, make this a joyful day of celebration knowing that God is with you.

 Scripture:

When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion,
       we were like men who dreamed.

  Our mouths were filled with laughter,
       our tongues with songs of joy.
       Then it was said among the nations,
       "The LORD has done great things for them."

 The LORD has done great things for us,
       and we are filled with joy.

 Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
       like streams in the Negev.

 Those who sow in tears
       will reap with songs of joy.

  He who goes out weeping,
       carrying seed to sow,
       will return with songs of joy,
       carrying sheaves with him.

PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Isaiah 61:1-4,8-11 Hope

Time to reflect: This passage needs to be read as it was intended by Isaiah – words of hope for the people of Israel in exile. What would these words have meant to a suffering Israel in exile? But these words also indicate something about the nature of God. Therefore they did not only apply to that one people at that one time. They are words of hope for all oppressed and discouraged people. They proclaim a God that could/would come personally, as Jesus, to give this comfort to all of us in person.

Moving through the day: Meditate on what Isaiah's original message means today and to your life. Then meditate on how Jesus proclaims this message in his person, life and nature.

Scripture:

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
       because the LORD has anointed me
       to preach good news to the poor.
       He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
       to proclaim freedom for the captives
       and release from darkness for the prisoners,

to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
       and the day of vengeance of our God,
       to comfort all who mourn,

  and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
       to bestow on them a crown of beauty
       instead of ashes,
       the oil of gladness
       instead of mourning,
       and a garment of praise
       instead of a spirit of despair.
       They will be called oaks of righteousness,
       a planting of the LORD
       for the display of his splendor.

  They will rebuild the ancient ruins
       and restore the places long devastated;
       they will renew the ruined cities
       that have been devastated for generations.

"For I, the LORD, love justice;
       I hate robbery and iniquity.
       In my faithfulness I will reward them
       and make an everlasting covenant with them.

 Their descendants will be known among the nations
       and their offspring among the peoples.
       All who see them will acknowledge
       that they are a people the LORD has blessed."

  I delight greatly in the LORD;
       my soul rejoices in my God.
       For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
       and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness,
       as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
       and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

  For as the soil makes the sprout come up
       and a garden causes seeds to grow,
       so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise
       spring up before all nations.

PrayerBits for Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson: Luke 3:1-6 John the Baptizer, take 2

Time to reflect: Compare todays reading to yesterdays. Luke probably had Mark in front of him when he wrote. What and why are the differences?

Moving Through The Day: We take the saying from Isaiah to be figurative, not a desert highway construction project. In what ways can your life be prepared for the coming of the Lord?

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
   "A voice of one calling in the desert,
   'Prepare the way for the Lord,
      make straight paths for him.
 Every valley shall be filled in,
      every mountain and hill made low.
   The crooked roads shall become straight,
      the rough ways smooth.
 And all mankind will see God's salvation.' "

PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday

Scripture lesson: Mark 1:1-8 John the Baptizer

Time to reflect: John had two purposes. His primary purpose was to be an Old Testament type prophet, pointing out people's sin and calling them to repentance. He was eventually killed for this. The other purpose was to set the stage for the coming of Jesus. In this Advent season, we need to look AHEAD to the coming of Jesus and prepare ourselves for that.

Moving through the day Are there areas of your life you need to repent of? What will the coming of Jesus into your life mean this Advent?

Scripture:

 The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

 It is written in Isaiah the prophet:
   "I will send my messenger ahead of you,
      who will prepare your way"
 "a voice of one calling in the desert,
   'Prepare the way for the Lord,
      make straight paths for him.' "And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: 2 Peter 3:8-15a One more time with the thief in the night bit

Time to reflect: People are impatient aren't we? How may times did the Bible tell us that we won't know when the Second Coming will be, but we still keep speculating.

Moving through the day: “Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by God at peace, without spot or blemish...”

Scripture:

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.

PrayerBits for Friday

PrayerBits

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

Friday

Scripture lesson: Psalm 85:1-2,8-13 Righteousness and Peace will kiss each other

Time to reflect: These are promises that seem impossible in this world. They are like the New Testament concept of the “Realm of God.” We must always be doing our part to bring this to pass, but it won't finally come to pass at the Second Coming. (For the Psalmist, this would have been expected to come to pass with the coming of the Messiah.)

Moving Throughout the day: Meditate on what you can be doing to help usher in the Realm of God.

 Scripture:

You showed favor to your land, O LORD;
       you restored the fortunes of Jacob.

  You forgave the iniquity of your people
       and covered all their sins.
       Selah

I will listen to what God the LORD will say;
       he promises peace to his people, his saints—
       but let them not return to folly.

  Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
       that his glory may dwell in our land.

  Love and faithfulness meet together;
       righteousness and peace kiss each other.

  Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
       and righteousness looks down from heaven.

  The LORD will indeed give what is good,
       and our land will yield its harvest.

  Righteousness goes before him
       and prepares the way for his steps.