PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday

Scripture lesson: Luke 3:1-6 Baptism

Time to Reflect: The rite of Baptism seems to have come from John the Baptist and to be unique with him. It really doesn't line up with the concepts of the Jewish Mikveh or any other predecessor practice. The key to John's baptism was the idea of symbolically washing away confessed sin.

Moving through the day: Pray a prayer of confession, then praise to God for washing away these impurities.

Scripture:

Luke 3:1-6

The Proclamation of John the Baptist

3In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler* of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler* of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler* of Abilene, 2during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
   make his paths straight.
5Every valley shall be filled,
   and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
   and the rough ways made smooth;
6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” ’

PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: Philippians 1:3-11 Pastor Paul

Time to reflect: Paul is sometimes a controversial character, but one thing that we should always keep in mind was that he was a real Pastor serving real churches. He had to deal with all the things that go on in modern churches. He had good days and bad days. Sometimes his churches exasperated him and sometimes excited him. But through it all, he loved his people and was most concerned about their spiritual well being.

Moving through the day: Picture this passage being read in your church from a former minister.

Philippians 1:3-11

Paul’s Prayer for the Philippians

3 I thank my God every time I remember you, 4constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, 5because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. 6I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. 7It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart,* for all of you share in God’s grace* with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel. 8For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. 9And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10to help you to determine what is best, so that on the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

PrayerBits for Friday

PrayerBits

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

Friday

Scripture Lesson: Luke 1:68-79 A Psalm of Praise

Time to reflect: This psalm, prayed by Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, is not so much celebrating John's role or relationship with God, but rather what John's birth means – that it means that the Messiah is coming.

Moving Throughout the day: It is hard to think of ourselves as being of value only as a servant, a servant of God. Contemplate how your servanthood is supposed to play out.

Scripture

Luke 1:68-79

68‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
   for he has looked favourably on his people and redeemed them.
69He has raised up a mighty saviour* for us
   in the house of his servant David,
70as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71   that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
72Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
   and has remembered his holy covenant,
73the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
   to grant us 74that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, 75in holiness and righteousness
   before him all our days.
76And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
   for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77to give knowledge of salvation to his people
   by the forgiveness of their sins.
78By the tender mercy of our God,
   the dawn from on high will break upon* us,
79to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
   to guide our feet into the way of peace.’

PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Malachi 3:1-4 Surprise, surprise

Time to Reflect: This passage does not refer to John the Baptist or Jesus. It is about the expectation that God would send a prophet with good news about God's coming. The prophet of Malachi (the name translates into English as “My messenger”) is warning that for many of them, this would be bad news, not good. We all want “cheap grace” where nothing is expected of us and to have everything work out to our benefit... We might be in for a surprise.

Moving Through the Day: The next time you say (or hear) “Oh, my God!” Think about whether, at that moment, you really want to have God respond.

Scripture:

The Coming Messenger

3See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; 3he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness.* 4Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday

Isaiah 45:5-8 God forms light and creates darkness

Scripture lesson:

This is not a past tense, once and for all statement. There is an wonderful ancient Hebrew idea that God has to consciously hold the universe together, moment by moment. That God has to consciously hold us together, keep us alive, moment by moment. That if God got distracted, we'd all go poof.

Time to reflect:

Through the day try to think about the idea that God was consciously keeping the laws of the universe working, moment by moment.

Scripture:

Isaiah 45:5-8

5I am the Lord, and there is no other;
   besides me there is no god.
   I arm you, though you do not know me,
6so that they may know, from the rising of the sun
   and from the west, that there is no one besides me;
   I am the Lord, and there is no other.
7I form light and create darkness,
   I make weal and create woe;
   I the Lord do all these things.

8Shower, O heavens, from above,
   and let the skies rain down righteousness;
let the earth open, that salvation may spring up,*
   and let it cause righteousness to sprout up also;
   I the Lord have created it.

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Psalm 96 “For all the gods of the peoples are idols”

Time to reflect: We are not conscious of our idols because they are not little statues. But if we ascribe power and control to anything except (ultimately) God, then we have a idol. For many of us Science is an idol. Whenever we believe that science can fix any problem and that science for science sake, regardless of moral implication, is a good thing. We have an idol. When we fixate on money being the solution to everything, we have an idol. And so forth.

Moving through the day: Think about what are the idols in your life. Repeat the phrase “for all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the Heavens” every time you are confronted with one of your idols today.

Psalm 96

Praise to God Who Comes in Judgement

1O sing to the Lord a new song;
   sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
   tell of his salvation from day to day.
3Declare his glory among the nations,
   his marvellous works among all the peoples.
4For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
   he is to be revered above all gods.
5For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
   but the Lord made the heavens.
6Honour and majesty are before him;
   strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

7Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
   ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
   bring an offering, and come into his courts.
9Worship the Lord in holy splendour;
   tremble before him, all the earth.

10Say among the nations, ‘The Lord is king!
   The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.
   He will judge the peoples with equity.’
11Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
   let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12   let the field exult, and everything in it.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13   before the Lord; for he is coming,
   for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
   and the peoples with his truth.

PrayerBits for Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson: Psalm 13 ”How long, O Lord”

Time to reflect: Even the greatest of Saints sometimes feel abandoned by God, and wonder how long they will have to suffer. But eventually the faithful learn to be confident in God.

Moving Through The Day: What areas of you life cause you to want to say “How long, O Lord?” What % of your total life is that? Pray to God for confidence and patience.

Psalm 13

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader. A Psalm of David.
1How long, O Lord? Will you forget me for ever?
   How long will you hide your face from me?
2How long must I bear pain* in my soul,
   and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

3Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
   Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
4and my enemy will say, ‘I have prevailed’;
   my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.

5But I trusted in your steadfast love;
   my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6I will sing to the Lord,
   because he has dealt bountifully with me.