PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Isaiah 6:1-8 Here I am, send me

Time to reflect: I'm sure it would have been a lot easier to say “send me” when Isaiah felt he was in the presence of God. Maybe the call of God isn't so dramatic for the rest of us, but we are called, never-the-less.

Moving through the day: Whenever you feel you know what God wants you to do do you say “here I am, send me” or, like Moses and Jeremiah start making excuses? What does God want you to do today?

Scripture:

1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.

 5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs-we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"

 13Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine.[b]"

Peter Addresses the Crowd

 14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
 17" 'In the last days, God says,
      I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
   Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
      your young men will see visions,
      your old men will dream dreams.
 18Even on my servants, both men and women,
      I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
      and they will prophesy.
 19I will show wonders in the heaven above
      and signs on the earth below,
      blood and fire and billows of smoke.
 20The sun will be turned to darkness
      and the moon to blood
      before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
 21And everyone who calls
      on the name of the Lord will be saved.'[c]

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Matthew 3:1-11 Brood of Vipers and other insults

Time to reflect: The problem that John the Baptist and so many of the Old Testament Prophets were up against is the tendency for the “elect” to think that an apparent “election” is enough (e.g. “things are going well, so God must be on our side”). That God will favor them no matter what. This is a mistaken notion. John was trying to get the people's attention anyway he could.

Moving through the day: Do you ever presume that God can't get put out with you? Or our nation? In what ways are you and we testing God's grace? Do you/we need to do any repentance?

 Scripture:

1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea 2and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." 3This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
   "A voice of one calling in the desert,
   'Prepare the way for the Lord,
      make straight paths for him.' "[a]

 4John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

 7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

 11"I baptize you with[b] water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Matthew 16:13-17 Who is Jesus

Time to reflect: I am one of the worst about answering direct questions with lots of words and qualifications and nuances. Peter got it right: “you are the Messiah, Son of the living God.”

Moving through the day: Try making this affirmation to God in a prayer.

Peter's Confession of Christ

 13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

 14They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

 15"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"

 16Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ,[a] the Son of the living God."

 17Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Matthew 16:13-17 Who is Jesus

Time to reflect: I am one of the worst about answering direct questions with lots of words and qualifications and nuances. Peter got it right: “you are the Messiah, Son of the living God.”

Moving through the day: Try making this affirmation to God in a prayer.

Peter's Confession of Christ

 13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

 14They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

 15"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"

 16Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ,[a] the Son of the living God."

 17Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Matthew 16:13-17 Who is Jesus

Time to reflect: I am one of the worst about answering direct questions with lots of words and qualifications and nuances. Peter got it right: “you are the Messiah, Son of the living God.”

Moving through the day: Try making this affirmation to God in a prayer.

When I consider your heavens,
       the work of your fingers,
       the moon and the stars,
       which you have set in place,

 what is man that you are mindful of him,
       the son of man that you care for him?

  You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
       and crowned him with glory and honor.

 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
       you put everything under his feet:

 all flocks and herds,
       and the beasts of the field,

the birds of the air,
       and the fish of the sea,
       all that swim the paths of the seas.

O LORD, our Lord,
       how majestic is your name in all the earth!

PrayerBits for Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson: Malachi 2:10 One God

Time to reflect: I really don't like taking this one verse out of context, but what is actually a passing comment in the larger passage is a significant one: there is only one God and therefore we are one people.

Moving Through The Day: Pray for specific ethnic groups and nations around the world.

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

 14They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

 15"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"

 16Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ,[a] the Son of the living God."

 17Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.

PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday

Scripture lesson: John 16:4b-15 Mourn or rejoice?

Time to reflect: There is a lot in this long passage. To focus on one thing, Jesus comments on how is friends seem to be focused on his impending death and their sorrow about this. He wants them to instead focus on the salvation that that comes with his death and resurrection.

Moving through the day: Picture in your mind a visual image of the details of your current life and trials, “pan” back away to see more and more of your life, past and present – seeing the “big picture.” Continue to pan back until you visualize your resurrection and move to be with God.

Scripture:

I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

 "Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

 "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.