PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday

Scripture lesson: John 18:33-37 Are you a king?

Time to Reflect: Pilate was trying to prove that Jesus was a revolutionary and claiming to be a King, contrary to Roman Law. This would have then justified having him executed. Jesus makes clear that he was not a revolutionary or usurper with a really strong argument in verse 36.

Moving through the day: “Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice” Pray that you may clearly listen to Jesus voice as it is found in Scripture.

Scripture:

John 18:33-37

33 Then Pilate entered the headquarters* again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ 34Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’ 35Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ 36Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ 37Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’

PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: Revelation 1:4b-8 Who is God, who is Jesus

Time to reflect: While I have this opportunity it needs to be said that the Book of Revelation is NOT a time table for the end of the world. It is a sermon of exhortation and encouragement to a persecuted and discouraged people. It is written in code (and we mostly know the code now) and uses vivid and dramatic imagery that is not to be taken (cannot actually be taken) literally. The “seven churches” translates to “every church,” the “seven spirits” is “the spirit of every church.” “Alpha and Omega” translates to “First and Last.” The point of this passage is to clearly state John of Patmos' basic theology, what he believes about God and Jesus.

Moving through the day: Unpack the passage, recognizing what John is saying about God and Jesus. Does his ideas make sense to you? Do you agree? Do you ever really think about God and Jesus in these terms?

Scripture:

Revelation 1:4b-8

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and freed* us from our sins by his blood, 6and made* us to be a kingdom, priests serving* his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
7Look! He is coming with the clouds;
   every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
   and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.
So it is to be. Amen.

8 ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

PrayerBits for Friday

PrayerBits

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

Friday

Scripture Lesson: Psalm 132:1-12 A Psalm of Ascents

Time to reflect: This is probably was a Psalm pilgrims to Jerusalem sang when approaching the Temple. It is affirming the importance of the Temple and the connection between the Temple, the Royal line of David and God.

Moving Throughout the day: Presbyterians don't have “sacred spaces” since all of God's creation is viewed as sacred. Through the day think about God being present and blessing and making holy everywhere you go.

Scripture

Psalm 132

A song of ascents.

 1 O LORD, remember David
       and all the hardships he endured.

 2 He swore an oath to the LORD
       and made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:

 3 "I will not enter my house
       or go to my bed-

 4 I will allow no sleep to my eyes,
       no slumber to my eyelids,

 5 till I find a place for the LORD,
       a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob."

 6 We heard it in Ephrathah,
       we came upon it in the fields of Jaar

 7 "Let us go to his dwelling place;
       let us worship at his footstool-

 8 arise, O LORD, and come to your resting place,
       you and the ark of your might.

 9 May your priests be clothed with righteousness;
       may your saints sing for joy."

 10 For the sake of David your servant,
       do not reject your anointed one.

 11 The LORD swore an oath to David,
       a sure oath that he will not revoke:
       "One of your own descendants
       I will place on your throne-

 12 if your sons keep my covenant
       and the statutes I teach them,
       then their sons will sit
       on your throne for ever and ever."

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Luke 13:18-19 The Mustard Seed

Time to reflect: For the horticulturalists out there, this was probably the wild black mustard plant, which was, in ancient Palestine, the smallest known seed and, growing wild, could reach 6+ feet in height. The point, of course, is that a little faith can go a long way

Moving through the day: Rather than focusing on how little faith we might have, focus on growing it.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

18 He said therefore, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? And to what should I compare it? 19It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.’

PrayerBits for Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson: Matthew 6:24-32 The good news: humans can plan. The bad news: humans can plan

Time to reflect: It is a special gift that humans can plan and prepared and solve problems. But when the process becomes an end in itself, when taking care of our self becomes an obsession and the center of our focus, we are abusing this gift. This takes our focus away from God and our sense of trust and dependence on God.

Moving Through The Day: Pray a prayer of praise and thanksgiving for God's love and support.

Matthew 6:24-32

Serving Two Masters

24 ‘No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.*

Do Not Worry

25 ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,* or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?* 28And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, 29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” 32For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday

Scripture lesson: Mark 13:1-8 Give us a sign!

Time to Reflect: Humans would like a email from God spelling out when we need to get ready for the end of time. We don't get one! In this passage Jesus warns us against trying to second guess God. It will happen when it will happen and nothing on earth can be used to predict it.

Moving through the day: Pray that this lack of knowledge doesn't make us complacent.

Scripture:

Mark 13:1-8

The Destruction of the Temple Foretold

13As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ 2Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’

3 When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 4‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?’ 5Then Jesus began to say to them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. 6Many will come in my name and say, “I am he!”* and they will lead many astray. 7When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. 8For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: Hebrews 10:23-25 “provoke one another”

Time to reflect: This is a small thing but the wording here is amusing: it really does say “provoke (irritate) one another to love and good deeds.” The line “meeting together” is important also – Christianity is a team effort. The most important line, however is verse 23 that gives meaning to the following verses.

Moving through the day: Contemplate about how good a team player you are.

Scripture:

Hebrews 10:23-25

23Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.