PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Exodus 12:1-14 The Passover

Time to reflect: Let's not worry about all the blood and stuff. The important thing is that “God saves.” That God can act in this world in a real and tangible way.

 

Moving through the day: Think of times when you felt that God intervened in your behalf, no matter how subtly. Make that a “day of remembrance” and celebrate it.

 

Scripture:

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in water, but roast it over the fire—head, legs and inner parts. Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD's Passover.

  "On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn—both men and animals—and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

  "This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD -a lasting ordinance.

 

 

 

 

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Psalm 119:33-40 God's leadership

Time to reflect: None of us like rules and regulations and are inclined to ignore them if we can. Generally speaking we're pretty good at selecting only the Biblical rules that we find easy to live up to. But the Psalmist is asking God's help in learning, knowing, obeying a much wider range of commandments from God.

Moving through the day: Since this is a prayer, try praying it as if it was from you.

 

Scripture:

^NRS Psalm 119:33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end. ³⁴ Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. ³⁵ Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. ³⁶ Turn my heart to your decrees, and not to selfish gain. ³⁷ Turn my eyes from looking at vanities; give me life in your ways. ³⁸ Confirm to your servant your promise, which is for those who fear you. ³⁹ Turn away the disgrace that I dread, for your ordinances are good. ⁴⁰ See, I have longed for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life.

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Hebrews 3:5-14 Remind each other

Time to reflect: Hebrew reminds us in this passage that Israel, following the Passover, crossing of the Red (Reed) Sea and everything still became discouraged and complaining when things became a little tough. Hebrews then goes on to tell us to encourage and shore one another up.

Moving through the day: Pray for strength in trying times. Pray for strength for others who are going through trying times. Encourage those in need.

 

Scripture:

^NRS Hebrews 3:5 Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken later. ⁶ Christ, however, was faithful over God's house as a son, and we are his house if we hold firm the confidence and the pride that belong to hope. ⁷ ¶ Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice, ⁸ do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, as on the day of testing in the wilderness, ⁹ where your ancestors put me to the test, though they had seen my works ¹⁰ for forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'They always go astray in their hearts, and they have not known my ways.' ¹¹ As in my anger I swore, 'They will not enter my rest.'" ¹² Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. ¹³ But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴ For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end.

PrayerBits for Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson: Matthew 5:21-24 The law of reconciliation

Time to reflect: Recognizing that it may not be possible to completely live up to this standard, we are still encouraged to be reconciled with everyone.

Moving Through The Day: Are there any estrangements in your life? What can you do to repair them?

Scripture:

 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder,and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brotherwill be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.

 "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

 

 

PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday

Scripture lesson: Matthew 16:21-28 Instant Gratification or...

Time to reflect: Most of the world wants comfort, glory, honor, etc now, not “in the sky, by and by.” But Jesus reminds us that sometimes it is better to suffer not and to enjoy God's grace and glory later.

Moving through the day: Think of some time when you compromised what you knew was right in order to gain some temporary benefit.

Scripture:

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"

 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: Romans 12:9-21 No summary possible

Time to reflect: This is an amazing list of attitudes and ideas.

Moving through the day: I have turned the passage into bullet points. Post these somewhere and try to work on one a day. Then repeat.

 

Scripture:

^NRS Romans 12:9 

• Let love be genuine

• hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good

• love one another with mutual affection

• outdo one another in showing honor

• Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit

• serve the Lord

• Rejoice in hope

• be patient in suffering

• persevere in prayer

• Contribute to the needs of the saints

• extend hospitality to strangers

• Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them

• Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep

• Live in harmony with one another

• do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly

• do not claim to be wiser than you are

• Do not repay anyone evil for evil

• take thought for what is noble in the sight of all

• If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all

• Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."

• No, "if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads

• Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

PrayerBits for Friday

PrayerBits

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

Friday

Scripture lesson: Psalm 105:1-6 Sing to God

Time to reflect: A very joyful opening to this Psalm (not all of the Psalm is so joyful).

Moving Throughout the day: Think of a particularly joyful relgious song that has meaning to you and sing it through – out loud or in your head.

 

Scripture:

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
       make known among the nations what he has done.

 Sing to him, sing praise to him;
       tell of all his wonderful acts.

 Glory in his holy name;
       let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

 Look to the LORD and his strength;
       seek his face always.

  Remember the wonders he has done,
       his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,

  O descendants of Abraham his servant,
       O sons of Jacob, his chosen ones.