PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson:1 Kings 2:10-12, 3:3-14 The Wisdom of Solomon

Time to reflect: Solomon at least started out right. He was more concerned with being a good and wise leader than about getting riches or honor or success for himself. God liked that and helped him rule (at least for awhile).

Moving through the day: Pray that the leaders of the world learn to think about their people rather than themselves.

Scripture:

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¹⁰ Then David rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. ¹¹ He had reigned forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. ¹² So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.

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³ Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.

 ⁴ The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. ⁵ At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."

 ⁶ Solomon answered, "You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

 ⁷ "Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. ⁸ Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. ⁹ So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"

 ¹⁰ The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. ¹¹ So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, ¹² I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. ¹³ Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both riches and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. ¹⁴ And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Matthew 19:16-30 Jesus keeps challenging us

Time to reflect: This passage is one of several in Matthew of people called to be disciples that turned down the opportunity. An unwillingness to sacrifice what was important to him, wealth, was the deterrent for this young man.

Moving through the day: What would keep you from being a follow of Jesus? Possessions, responsibilities, family, unwillingness to face hardships, other interests?

Scripture:

The Rich Young Man

 ¹⁶Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

 ¹⁷"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

 ¹⁸"Which ones?" the man inquired.

   Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, ¹⁹honor your father and mother,'^[a] and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'^[b]"

 ²⁰"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

 ²¹Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

 ²²When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

 ²³Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

 ²⁵When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"

 ²⁶Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

 ²⁷Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"

 ²⁸Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother^[c] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 19:19 Exodus 20:1216; Deut. 5:16-20

2. Matthew 19:19 Lev. 19:18

3. Matthew 19:29 Some manuscripts mother or wife

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: 1 John 2:15-17 Love of this world

Time to reflect: It is natural to be concerned if not desperately committed to the things of this world. However, the Bible points out again and again that the things of this world are temporary, transitory and impermanent while the things of God are eternal. This is tough. This is something we have to work at all the time to overcome focusing on the impermanent.

Moving through the day: What things or things (not family or other eternal values) would be the hardest for you to give up?

¹⁵Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. ¹⁷The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.