PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Psalm 1 The two ways

Time to reflect: This Psalm was added as an introduction to the whole book of Psalms and indicates the two paths people can follow: folly or (Godly) wisdom. It is pretty much self explanatory

Moving through the day: Analyze your life based on this Psalm.

Scripture:

1 Blessed is the man
       who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
       or stand in the way of sinners
       or sit in the seat of mockers.

 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
       and on his law he meditates day and night.

 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
       which yields its fruit in season
       and whose leaf does not wither.
       Whatever he does prospers.

 4 Not so the wicked!
       They are like chaff
       that the wind blows away.

 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
       nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

 6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
       but the way of the wicked will perish.

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Job 19:23-27 I statement of faith

Time to reflect: After all Job had gone through he still could make this statement of faith. And his wish is that it be preserved for others to read.

Moving through the day: Write a one line statement of faith to carry around with you today.

Scripture:

23 "Oh, that my words were recorded,
       that they were written on a scroll,

 24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool on [a] lead,
       or engraved in rock forever!

 25 I know that my Redeemer [b] lives,
       and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. [c]

 26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
       yet [d] in [e] my flesh I will see God;

 27 I myself will see him
       with my own eyes—I, and not another.
       How my heart yearns within me!

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Luke 22:24-27 A counter culture religion

Time to reflect: A lot of what Jesus demands of us goes against our culture and our nature. Everyone else is driven by the need for power and control, we are called to be servants of all. This does not mean we have to be unsuccessful or a loser, only that we have different priorities and ways of doing things.

Moving through the day: Meditate about how you can be successful and competent and humble and a servant of others at the same time.

 24Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

 

PrayerBits for Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson: Exodus 3:9-15 God's name

Time to reflect:The presentation of God's name has all kinds of things in it that may not be obvious. First, Moses was being sly: it was believed back then that if you knew the personal name of a God you had control over that God. So Moses' question was probably not innocent. On the other hand, God, not such a fool, comes back with a smart remark: translated, the name he gives Moses means “I am who I am” (it can also be translated “I exist in that I exist”). This is pretty much a “none of you business.” But people immediately took God literally, calling him “YHWH” (usually spelled out as “Yahweh” This came into German and English as Jehovah, but that's another story) or “I am.” So they started using this “name” in blessings and cursings -- they tried to have control over God. So, finally, God forbid such behavior by the commandment “You shall not make wrongful use of the name of Yahweh your God” (NRSV translation). “Wrongful use” is trying to manipulate God.

Moving Through The Day: Do you every find yourself trying to use any kind of ritual, superstition, Bible verse, religious phrase or attitude to force God to do you what you want?

Scripture:

And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."

 11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"

 12 And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you [a] will worship God on this mountain."

 13 Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"

 14 God said to Moses, "I am who I am . [b] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "

 15 God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, [c] the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.

PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday

Scripture lesson: Mark 8:27-38 Who do you say I am?

Time to reflect: Even the Apostles didn't always get it right.

Moving through the day: Who do you say Jesus is?

Scripture:

Peter's Confession of Christ

 27Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?"

 28They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."

 29"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
      Peter answered, "You are the Christ."

 30Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

Jesus Predicts His Death

 31He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

 33But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

 34Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson:Proverbs 1:20-23 Wisdom personified

Time to reflect: If “wisdom” were a person she would be railing at us for choosing to be stupid. (Heavenly) wisdom is available to us if we would only choose to listen.

Moving through the day: Scripture, including Proverbs, has a lot to teach us about wisdom, if we'll only listen. Pray about any unwise things you do.

Scripture:

Warning Against Rejecting Wisdom

 20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street,
       she raises her voice in the public squares;

 21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out,
       in the gateways of the city she makes her speech:

 22 "How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?
       How long will mockers delight in mockery
       and fools hate knowledge?

 23 If you had responded to my rebuke,
       I would have poured out my heart to you
       and made my thoughts known to you.

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Luke 7:11-23 Some things to think about

Time to reflect: The point of the passage was that Jesus was fulfilling the expectations for the Messiah. But few side points to think about: “Blessed be anyone who takes no offense at me.” You wouldn't think healing people and raising the dead would be offensive, but people can be offended by pretty much anything. Along with the the other signs of the Messiah was “the poor have good news brought to them.” This is as extraordinary as raising the dead. If Jesus hadn't raised this only son of a widow, there would have been no one to financially take care of her in her old age.

Moving through the day: Perhaps take one of these issues to think about.

Scripture:

11Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry."

 14Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" 15The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

 16They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." 17This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea[a] and the surrounding country.

Jesus and John the Baptist

 18John's disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19he sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"

 20When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?' "

 21At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[b] are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 23Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."