PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday:  Luke 10:25-37?The Good Samaritan Story

Time to Reflect: The Priest and the Levite are generally viewed as bad people, but it wasn't that simple. The man was ?left for dead.? If the Priest or Levite touched him and he was dead they would be ?unclean? and out of work for an extended time. They would not have been able to do any work or serve their people. The Samaritan wasn't under such a constraint. So it was a tougher decision for the Priest and Levite than for the Samaritan.

Moving through the day: Are there situations where it is more reasonable for you to not get involved in something ? but you should?

Scripture:

Luke 10:25-37

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. ?Teacher,? he said, ?what must I do to inherit eternal life?? He said to him, ?What is written in the law? What do you read there?? He answered, ?You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.? And he said to him, ?You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.? But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ?And who is my neighbor?? Jesus replied, ?A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ?Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.? Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?? He said, ?The one who showed him mercy.? Jesus said to him, ?Go and do likewise.?

 

 

PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: Colossians 1:1-14 Hope

Time to reflect: Paul demonstrates his love for his congregations in this opening. It is filled with love and support. The word ?hope? reflects a Greek word that is a lot stronger than the English word. I like to translate it as ?absolute confidence in something yet to happen.? It is not a wish or preferred outcome, it is a sure thing ? in the future. Reread the passage with that understanding of hope.

Moving through the day: Do you wish for, think it is possible, or actually have hope in your resurrection?

Scripture:

Colossians 1:1-14

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God. This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God?s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully

giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

 

 

PrayerBits for Friday

PrayerBits

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

Friday

Scripture Lesson: Psalm 82 -- True justice

Time to reflect: Re-read verses 3-4. These are what God considers to be the people most needing just treatment.

Moving through the day: Are the weak, orphan, lowly, destitute, and needy able to get full justice and care in our society? Is the church on the forefront of protecting and serving these?

Scripture:

Psalm 82

¹God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:

²?How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah

³Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.

⁴Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.?

⁵They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk around in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

⁶I say, ?You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you;

⁷nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince.?

⁸Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you!

 

 

 

 

PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Amos 7:7-17 Don't cross a prophet

Time to Reflect: True prophets often had to give negative oracles. Words from God that the people and kings did not want to hear. Words of criticism and condemnation. So the people tended to find “prophets” that gave them messages the people and kings wanted to hear: words of comfort and support and promises of victory and prosperity. The false prophet Amaziah told the true prophet Amos to go away. Read Amos' response.

Moving Through the Day: Think about who might be the true prophets and who might be the false prophets of our society.

Scripture: 7 This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the LORD asked me, "What do you see, Amos?"
      "A plumb line," I replied.
      Then the Lord said, "Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.

 9 "The high places of Isaac will be destroyed
       and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined;
       with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam."

Amos and Amaziah

 10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: "Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. 11 For this is what Amos is saying:
       " 'Jeroboam will die by the sword,
       and Israel will surely go into exile,
       away from their native land.' "

 12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, "Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. 13 Don't prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king's sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom."

 14 Amos answered Amaziah, "I was neither a prophet nor a prophet's son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. 15 But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.' 16 Now then, hear the word of the LORD. You say,
       " 'Do not prophesy against Israel,
       and stop preaching against the house of Isaac.'

 17 "Therefore this is what the LORD says:
       " 'Your wife will become a prostitute in the city,
       and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword.
       Your land will be measured and divided up,
       and you yourself will die in a pagan [a] country.
       And Israel will certainly go into exile,
       away from their native land.' "

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Scripture Lesson: James 3:13-18 Gentleness

Time to reflect: A recurring word in this passage is “gentle” and it is contrasted to a variety of ungentle vices. Probably none of us are so gentle as is called for in this passage, but it speaks of “wisdom that comes from above.” This is calling us to use God's wisdom to strive to be gentle.

Moving through the Day: Which of the vices are you inclined to? Pray for wisdom in how to keep those vices minimized.

Scripture:

Two Kinds of Wisdom

 13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

 17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Luke 6:36-38 “... as we forgive our debtors”

Time to reflect: This is a clear, straightforward passage that means what it says.

Moving through the day: Who do you need to forgive? Pray for strength to do so and the wisdom to know how to do so.

Scripture: 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others

 37"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

PrayerBits for Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson: Psalm 24 Entrance Psalm

Time to reflect: This Psalm is generally viewed as a song that was sung by groups approaching the temple in Jerusalem in preparation for one of the major festival days.

Moving through the day: Picture yourself in line to enter God's heavenly temple and sing this Psalm.

Scripture:

 1 The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it,
       the world, and all who live in it;

 2 for he founded it upon the seas
       and established it upon the waters.

 3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ?
       Who may stand in his holy place?

 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
       who does not lift up his soul to an idol
       or swear by what is false. [a]

 5 He will receive blessing from the LORD
       and vindication from God his Savior.

 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
       who seek your face, O God of Jacob. [b]
       Selah

 7 Lift up your heads, O you gates;
       be lifted up, you ancient doors,
       that the King of glory may come in.

 8 Who is this King of glory?
       The LORD strong and mighty,
       the LORD mighty in battle.

 9 Lift up your heads, O you gates;
       lift them up, you ancient doors,
       that the King of glory may come in.

 10 Who is he, this King of glory?
       The LORD Almighty—
       he is the King of glory.
       Selah