PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday

Scripture lesson:Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 The source of impurity

Time to reflect: As long as there was a Temple there was a great concern about ritual purity – it was considered improper to come into the presence of God “dirty” in some fashion. (This is a huge topic that cannot be adequately covered here.) A big debate of the time was whether simply observing the rules was sufficient or whether intent and other behavior also made one impure. Jesus was on the radical left that felt that intent and behavior was more important than the mechanics of remaining ritually pure.

Moving through the day: To what extent does this debate continue in a modern form? We don't have to worry about ritual purity in the Temple, but we do worry about “proper” behavior, attire, etc. Are you more inclined to worry about form or intent?

Scripture:

The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were "unclean," that is, unwashed. (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.

 So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with 'unclean' hands?"

 He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
   " 'These people honor me with their lips,
      but their hearts are far from me.
 They worship me in vain;
      their teachings are but rules taught by men.'You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."

 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.' "

For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.' "

PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: James 1:17-27 A list of Proverbs

Time to reflect: James is actually a New Testament collection of proverbs with a few extended sermonettes in chapter 2. Translators tend to add connectives (“but” “and” “therefore”) that aren't there and to form the proverbs into paragraphs, but actually each proverb should stand alone and be thought of separately. Although the proverbs do not always coincide exactly with the verse markings, they mostly do.

Moving through the day: Read and contemplate each verse separately. If possible read a verse an hour or half hour through the day.

Scripture:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

PrayerBits for Friday

PrayerBits

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

Friday

Scripture Lesson: Psalm 45:1-2,6-9 The King

Time to reflect:This Psalm is a “Royal Psalm” that was to be sung in behalf of the King, undoubtedly at his wedding. It is language and imagery that doesn't apply well in our current society. But the underlying sentiments in verses 6-7a can apply to any ruler, even a President.

Moving Throughout the day: Pray for the President, especially praying that his rule will be with equity and righteousness.

Scripture

My heart is stirred by a noble theme
       as I recite my verses for the king;
       my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.

  You are the most excellent of men
       and your lips have been anointed with grace,
       since God has blessed you forever.

Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
       a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.

  You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
       therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
       by anointing you with the oil of joy.

  All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
       from palaces adorned with ivory
       the music of the strings makes you glad.

 Daughters of kings are among your honored women;
       at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.

PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Song of Solomon 2:8-13 “Arise, my love...”

Time to reflect: This is probably the oddest book in the Bible. The poems in it were originally bawdy love songs. We are not sure if they were officially love songs of a king, bar-room songs or satire. (Scholars are generally slow to recognize satire in the Bible, but in the Hebrew this is actually a rather amusing set of poems and a lot cruder than they appear in English.) So what in the world are they doing in the Bible? Early on they became interpreted metaphorically, viewing God as the suitor and Israel as the bride. The Early Church kept the book and the metaphor, making Christ the suitor and the Church as the bride. Read this way, the book becomes a meaningful as well as entertaining book and worthy of the Bible – even if it is difficult for those who want to read everything literally.

Moving through the day: To take the metaphor one step further, picture yourself as the young woman being pursued by Christ who is calling you to a joyful life of faithfulness.

Scripture:

Listen! My lover!
       Look! Here he comes,
       leaping across the mountains,
       bounding over the hills.

  My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag.
       Look! There he stands behind our wall,
       gazing through the windows,
       peering through the lattice.

 My lover spoke and said to me,
       "Arise, my darling,
       my beautiful one, and come with me.

  See! The winter is past;
       the rains are over and gone.

  Flowers appear on the earth;
       the season of singing has come,
       the cooing of doves
       is heard in our land.

The fig tree forms its early fruit;
       the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
       Arise, come, my darling;
       my beautiful one, come with me."

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Ezekiel 11:14-20 God will get there eventually

Time to reflect: There was a huge crisis for the Judaeans while they were in exile in Babylon. Some abandoned their religion entirely. Some just didn't think about it and accommodated to their situation, becoming satisfied. Others were angry with God. Others made excuses for God. Others felt they had gotten their just desserts – what the prophets said would happen happened and that was the end of it. But new prophets arose that said that this wasn't the end. That God would restore them to their land and they will get another chance to have the relationship with God that they had neglected in the past. And it happened shortly after Ezekiel made these promises.

Moving through the day: Where are you in the cycle of turning away from God, realizing the consequences of being away from God, repentance, accepting God's presence again, faithfully serving God?

Scripture:

 The word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, your brothers—your brothers who are your blood relatives and the whole house of Israel—are those of whom the people of Jerusalem have said, 'They are far away from the LORD; this land was given to us as our possession.'

Promised Return of Israel

  "Therefore say: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.'

 "Therefore say: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.'

  "They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.