PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: 1 John 1:1-2:2 Fellowship with one another

Time to reflect: This passage is packed with important statements and it would be worth your time to read it sentence at a time and think about each thought being presented. For this PrayerBit I'd like to highlight one thought: that if we “walk in the light... we have fellowship with one another” So if our fellowship is broken, we are not walking in the light.

Moving through the day: Pray about broken fellowships: family, friends, church, denomination, the Universal Church.

Scripture:

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.

Walking in the light

 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

1 John 2

 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

PrayerBits for Friday

PrayerBits

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

Friday

Scripture Lesson: Psalm 133 “When kindred live together in unity”

Time to reflect: Family living (whether literally or figurative, such as the Church family) is tough and sometimes doesn't go so well. But living together in unity is the goal and is wonderful when it happens.

Moving Throughout the day: Think of a more modern image of how family unity feels. Renew your efforts today for constructing family unity – whether literal family or figurative family.

 Scripture:

How good and pleasant it is
       when brothers live together in unity!

  It is like precious oil poured on the head,
       running down on the beard,
       running down on Aaron's beard,
       down upon the collar of his robes.

  It is as if the dew of Hermon
       were falling on Mount Zion.
       For there the LORD bestows his blessing,
       even life forevermore.

PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson Acts 4:32-35 Communism or Generosity

Time to reflect: The key to this passage is that the sharing wasn't legislated (the sin of Ananias and Sapphira, in the following passage was lying) but a result of their faith and fellowship. They would put up with one of their number not having the bare necessities of life, they'd do whatever it took to take care of each other. As we know from Paul's writing and the Book of James, it didn't take long for them to get over this...

Moving through the day: What can you do to help move your church back toward this type of thinking and behavior?

Scripture:

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Joshua 24:15-22 “Choose today”

Time to reflect: This passage speaks clearly and without need for commentary.

Moving through the day: How will you respond to the challenge in this passage?

 Scripture:

But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

 Then the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods! It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. 1And the LORD drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God."

  Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you."

  But the people said to Joshua, "No! We will serve the LORD."

  Then Joshua said, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD."
      "Yes, we are witnesses," they replied.

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Psalm 2 A Royal Psalm

Time to reflect: This was originally the introductory psalm to the first “book” of Psalms, Psalms 2-41 (Psalm 1 is an intro Psalm to the whole book of Psalms). It is, technically, an “Enthronement” Psalm to be sung at the invigoration of a national leader. It clearly states that everyone, no matter how important, is subordinate to God, and that it is better to be with God than against God (not “God is our our side” but “we are on God's side”).

Moving through the day: Pray for the President and all world leaders that they may may chose wisely.

Why do the nations conspire
       and the peoples plot in vain?

 The kings of the earth take their stand
       and the rulers gather together
       against the LORD
       and against his Anointed One.

  "Let us break their chains," they say,
       "and throw off their fetters."

 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
       the Lord scoffs at them.

 Then he rebukes them in his anger
       and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,

"I have installed my King
       on Zion, my holy hill."

  I will proclaim the decree of the LORD :
       He said to me, "You are my Son ;
       today I have become your Father.

  Ask of me,
       and I will make the nations your inheritance,
       the ends of the earth your possession.

 You will rule them with an iron scepter ;
       you will dash them to pieces like pottery."

  Therefore, you kings, be wise;
       be warned, you rulers of the earth.

  Serve the LORD with fear
       and rejoice with trembling.

  Kiss the Son, lest he be angry
       and you be destroyed in your way,
       for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
       Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

PrayerBits for Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson: Isaiah 25:6-9 Swallow up death

Time to reflect: There are some nice quotes in this passage, but the overall meaning of the passage is that Israel will be restored. That happened (from Isaiah's perspective) millennia ago. As far as a prediction being fulfilled, that is a thing of the past. However, the reason these passages are kept in the Bible is that they illustrate God's faithfulness and love. It is a comfort and encouragement to us to know that God took care of Israel so long ago. We can expect God to take care of us in the same way.

Moving Through The Day: Give a prayer of thanksgiving that God has this kind of extreme faithful caring toward us.

On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare
       a feast of rich food for all peoples,
       a banquet of aged wine—
       the best of meats and the finest of wines.

 On this mountain he will destroy
       the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
       the sheet that covers all nations;

  he will swallow up death forever.
       The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears
       from all faces;
       he will remove the disgrace of his people
       from all the earth.
       The LORD has spoken.

  In that day they will say,
       "Surely this is our God;
       we trusted in him, and he saved us.
       This is the LORD, we trusted in him;
       let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."