PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 An unbelieving spouse

Time to reflect: From the beginning this has been a problem. I like the line “It is to peace God has called you.” Our faith is not supposed to cause strife and discord in the family. But perhaps a faithful loving relationship can bring an unbeliever to the faith.

Moving through the day: Maybe this doesn't apply directly to your situation, but can you think of a relationship where being more “Christian” would make a relationship better rather than worse?

Scripture:

Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything. "Food for the stomach and the stomach for food"—but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh."But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

PrayerBits for Friday

PrayerBits

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

Friday

Scripture lesson: Psalm 62:5-12 Trust in God

Time to reflect: I find the list in 8-10 interesting. Especially the “if riches increase, do not set your heart on them.” Wise words at this time...

Moving Throughout the day: Meditate on what you put your trust in. What things really are trust-worthy.

 Scripture:

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
       my hope comes from him.

 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
       he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

My salvation and my honor depend on God ;
       he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

  Trust in him at all times, O people;
       pour out your hearts to him,
       for God is our refuge.
       Selah

  Lowborn men are but a breath,
       the highborn are but a lie;
       if weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
       together they are only a breath.

  Do not trust in extortion
       or take pride in stolen goods;
       though your riches increase,
       do not set your heart on them.

  One thing God has spoken,
       two things have I heard:
       that you, O God, are strong,

  and that you, O Lord, are loving.
       Surely you will reward each person
       according to what he has done.

PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Jonah 3:1-5, 10 The Sign of Jonah

Time to reflect: Jonah was opposed to this whole project of getting Ninevah to repent and therefore not be destroyed by God. He finally carried out his responsibility, but just barely. He walked into the city, spoke his sentence of a message and then went outside the city to watch them be destroyed. But the Ninevans repented!!!!

Moving through the day: Think about times when you disagreed with God's will (perhaps having to forgive someone or give a hard message). Would you (did you) fight it like Jonah or buy into God's program?

Scripture:

Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you."

 Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city—a visit required three days. On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned." The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

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.

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Luke 1:46b-55 The Magnificat

Time to reflect: As is God's practice, God passes over the rich and famous and powerful and picks a normal person for the most important job of giving birth to and raising the Messiah. God is full of surprises.

Moving through the day: Can you think of other ways in which “God's ways are not our ways?”

 Scripture:

And Mary said:
   "My soul glorifies the Lord
  and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
 for he has been mindful
      of the humble state of his servant.
   From now on all generations will call me blessed,
   for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
      holy is his name.
 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
      from generation to generation.
 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
      he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
      but has lifted up the humble.
 He has filled the hungry with good things
      but has sent the rich away empty.
 He has helped his servant Israel,
      remembering to be merciful
 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
      even as he said to our fathers."

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Jeremiah27:1-13 Nebuchadnezer God's servant?????

Time to reflect: Another hard to grasp passage. First of all, Nebuchadnezer would not have recogized the idea that he was God's servant. He didn't even believe in this God. Secondly, he was the “Chosen People's” worst enemy and who would eventually destroy Judah, Jerusalem and the Temple. Jeremiah's message, however, was that the “Chosen People” had blown it and lost God's protection. Destruction was at hand, and Babylon was going to provide the punishment Judah deserved.

Moving through the day: If Jeremiah was active today, what would be his message to us?

Early in the reign of Zedekiah ^[a] son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD : 2 This is what the LORD said to me: "Make a yoke out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck. 3 Then send word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4 Give them a message for their masters and say, 'This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "Tell this to your masters: 5 With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please. 6 Now I will hand all your countries over to my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him. 7 All nations will serve him and his son and his grandson until the time for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate him.

 8 " ' "If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish that nation with the sword, famine and plague, declares the LORD, until I destroy it by his hand. 9 So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your interpreters of dreams, your mediums or your sorcerers who tell you, 'You will not serve the king of Babylon.' 10 They prophesy lies to you that will only serve to remove you far from your lands; I will banish you and you will perish. 11 But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to live there, declares the LORD." ' "

 12 I gave the same message to Zedekiah king of Judah. I said, "Bow your neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and you will live. 13 Why will you and your people die by the sword, famine and plague with which the LORD has threatened any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?