PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday

Scripture lesson: John 17:20-26 We are one

Time to Reflect: This speech is referring to his followers, which should include us. Are we living up to our part of this charge? And what about the emphasis on our being one – all followers, all christians are one?

Moving through the day: Does being one mean we all agree on everything and are all a part of a single denomination? How much variety and difference is possible before we become splintered and divided?

 Scripture:

 20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: Ephesians 1:15-23 Jesus as Lord

Time to reflect: The latter part of this passage focuses on the concept that Jesus is Lord of all. Everything and everyone, without exception is greatly subordinate to Jesus. Nothing is even close.

Moving through the day: If Jesus is the highest authority and power and nothing else comes close, how does this affect the way we think and act?

15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[a] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

PrayerBits for Friday

PrayerBits

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

Friday

Scripture Lesson: Psalm 47 Babylon's time is coming

Time to reflect: We see this theme in Ezekiel also, that Babylon's job was to punish Judah for its wickedness, but it did too good a job, enjoyed it too much and it also was wicked. Therefore, it too would be destroyed, which happened around 70 years after its conquest of Judah. No nation is exempt and needs to remain humble and curb its natural tendency to wickedness.

Moving through the day: How would you feel if this was addressed to the United States (or your home country)?

 1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
       shout to God with cries of joy.

 2 How awesome is the LORD Most High,
       the great King over all the earth!

 3 He subdued nations under us,
       peoples under our feet.

 4 He chose our inheritance for us,
       the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
       Selah

 5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
       the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.

 6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
       sing praises to our King, sing praises.

 7 For God is the King of all the earth;
       sing to him a psalm [a] of praise.

 8 God reigns over the nations;
       God is seated on his holy throne.

 9 The nobles of the nations assemble
       as the people of the God of Abraham,
       for the kings [b] of the earth belong to God;
       he is greatly exalted.

PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Acts 1:1-11 What are looking at?

Time to Reflect: The “first book” is the Gospel of Luke. With the ascension of Jesus, everything changes. The “Disciples,” students, become “Apostle's,” those sent out. The angels tell the Apostles to get with it!

Moving Through the Day: Maybe you don't stand there looking into heaven, looking for Jesus, but are there things that keep you from proclaiming the

Scripture:  

Acts 1

Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven

 1In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

 6So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"

 7He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 9After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

 10They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday: John 17:20-26 Jesus prays for the disciples

Scripture lesson: Part of a long prayer (starts in 17:1), Jesus is praying for his disciples. It is included here not for historical interest but because it is instructive to all disciples, throughout time and space.

Time to reflect: Picture Jesus laying his hand on you, then praying this prayer in your behalf.

20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Revelation 22:12-14 Being cleansed

Time to reflect: Elsewhere in Revelation we find out that that our baptismal robes are to be washed, at the Resurrection, in the blood of Jesus which, paradoxically, makes them whiter than white and pure. This is the prerequisite to eternal life.

Moving through the day: Renew your commitment to and faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

 12"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

 14"Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city

PrayerBits for Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson: Acts 16:16-22 Greed knows no bounds

Scripture lesson: We are all tempted by greed. This story is about people who were willing to use a slave-girl's talent for their own gain and when they lost that source of income would result in lies to have Paul destroyed.

Time to reflect: Pray that greed not blind you to what is right and wrong. Pray that the excessively greedy of the world wake up and repent.

16Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." 18She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.

 19When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20They brought them before the magistrates and said, "These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice."

 22The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten.