PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4 If it seems to tarry, wait for it

Time to reflect: Only by looking at history in the broad do we see the work of God and the failure of evil people and destructive forces. God's world is not structured to always favor individuals but over time humanity as a whole and people in large groups are preserved and good eventually prevails. So if things don't work out for us, it is enough that it works out for humanity.

Moving through the day: Pray that you and people remain hopeful and patient.

Scripture:

Habakkuk 1

 1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet received.

Habakkuk's Complaint

 2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help,
       but you do not listen?
       Or cry out to you, "Violence!"
       but you do not save?

 3 Why do you make me look at injustice?
       Why do you tolerate wrong?
       Destruction and violence are before me;
       there is strife, and conflict abounds.

 4 Therefore the law is paralyzed,
       and justice never prevails.
       The wicked hem in the righteous,
       so that justice is perverted.

Habakkuk 2

 1 I will stand at my watch
       and station myself on the ramparts;
       I will look to see what he will say to me,
       and what answer I am to give to this complaint. [a]

The LORD's Answer

 2 Then the LORD replied:
       "Write down the revelation
       and make it plain on tablets
       so that a herald [b] may run with it.

 3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
       it speaks of the end
       and will not prove false.
       Though it linger, wait for it;
       it [c] will certainly come and will not delay.

 4 "See, he is puffed up;
       his desires are not upright—
       but the righteous will live by his faith [d] -

PrayerBits for Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson: Lamentations 3:19-26 Being a refugee

Time to reflect: The Book of Lamentations are set of poems by Judaean exiles from Jerusalem bewailing their fate. They are actually, in the Hebrew, amazing pieces of literature.

Moving Through the Day: Pray from all the refugees around the world – regardless of why they are refugees and the politics involved.

Scripture:

19 I remember my affliction and my wandering,
       the bitterness and the gall.

 20 I well remember them,
       and my soul is downcast within me.

 21 Yet this I call to mind
       and therefore I have hope:

 22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
       for his compassions never fail.

 23 They are new every morning;
       great is your faithfulness.

 24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
       therefore I will wait for him."

 25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
       to the one who seeks him;

 26 it is good to wait quietly
       for the salvation of the LORD.

PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday: Luke 16:19-26 The Parable of the rich man and the poor man

This is a parable and the name Lazarus is not connected to the story of Lazarus in John. The point of the parable is in verses 30-31: If someone isn't inclined to believe there is nothing that will convince them.

Moving through the day: Pray for those who seem to have a hard time accepting the Gospel – what humans can't do (bring people to Christ) God can do.

Scripture:

The Rich Man and Lazarus

 19"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

 22"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In hell,[a] where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

 25"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'

PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: 1 Timothy 6:6-16 What are your priorities?

Reflections:There are a lot of things to think about in this passage.

Moving Through the Day: Focus on either or both the ways you might be “trapped by many senseless and harmful desires” caused by money or the list of things we should be pursuing in verse 11.

Scripture:

 6But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Paul's Charge to Timothy

 11But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.