PrayerBits for Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson: Amos 7:7-9 The plumb line

Time to reflect: Other people saw a carpenter checking whether a wall was perpendicular. Amos, with God's help saw that God also checks how “true” the people of God are and whether the “wall” needs to be taken down.

Moving Through The Day: Think of some modern measuring devices that determine whether or not a product is to be accepted or rejected. Think about God applying that device on America...

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. 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.

"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."

PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Numbers 21:4-9 Short-sighted people

Time to reflect: The Israelites could only focus their present condition and concerns, oblivious to the suffering they had escaped, oblivious of the promise of the “promised land” they were heading toward.

Moving through the day: Meditate on the tendency of humans (collectively and individually) to be short sighted and bring on woes as a result.

Scripture:

The Bronze Snake

  They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"

  Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

  The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Jeremiah 8:18-22 Is there no balm in Gilead?

Time to reflect: It is generally understood that Jeremiah is speaking here. If, so this is Jeremiah who has been abused, ridiculed, treated with disrespect and there had even been a murder attempt against him. Yet, instead of revenge, when his people suffer he suffers even more greatly in their behalf.

Moving through the day: We are each called, like Jeremiah, to challenge society but also to love it. Pray about where and how you are called to do both of these things.

 Scripture:

O my Comforter in sorrow,
       my heart is faint within me.

  Listen to the cry of my people
       from a land far away:
       "Is the LORD not in Zion?
       Is her King no longer there?"
       "Why have they provoked me to anger with their images,
       with their worthless foreign idols?"

 "The harvest is past,
       the summer has ended,
       and we are not saved."

 Since my people are crushed, I am crushed;
       I mourn, and horror grips me.

Is there no balm in Gilead?
       Is there no physician there?
       Why then is there no healing
       for the wound of my people?

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Jeremiah 8:18-22 Is there no balm in Gilead?

Time to reflect: It is generally understood that Jeremiah is speaking here. If, so this is Jeremiah who has been abused, ridiculed, treated with disrespect and there had even been a murder attempt against him. Yet, instead of revenge, when his people suffer he suffers even more greatly in their behalf.

Moving through the day: We are each called, like Jeremiah, to challenge society but also to love it. Pray about where and how you are called to do both of these things.

 Scripture:

O my Comforter in sorrow,
       my heart is faint within me.

  Listen to the cry of my people
       from a land far away:
       "Is the LORD not in Zion?
       Is her King no longer there?"
       "Why have they provoked me to anger with their images,
       with their worthless foreign idols?"

 "The harvest is past,
       the summer has ended,
       and we are not saved."

 Since my people are crushed, I am crushed;
       I mourn, and horror grips me.

Is there no balm in Gilead?
       Is there no physician there?
       Why then is there no healing
       for the wound of my people?

PrayerBits for Friday

PrayerBits

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

Friday

Scripture Lesson: Psalm 19 The heavens are telling

Time to reflect: Remember a time when you were just overwhelmed by the beauty or complexity or amazing unity of the universe? From solar system to electron, the whole thing cries out without making a sound that there has to be a God behind it all.

Moving Throughout the day: Take time to think about what you find to be the most amazing aspect of the creation. Praise God for this.

 Scripture:

The heavens declare the glory of God;
       the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

  Day after day they pour forth speech;
       night after night they display knowledge.

There is no speech or language
       where their voice is not heard.

  Their voice goes out into all the earth,
       their words to the ends of the world.
       In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,

 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
       like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

 It rises at one end of the heavens
       and makes its circuit to the other;
       nothing is hidden from its heat.

  The law of the LORD is perfect,
       reviving the soul.
       The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
       making wise the simple.

  The precepts of the LORD are right,
       giving joy to the heart.
       The commands of the LORD are radiant,
       giving light to the eyes.

  The fear of the LORD is pure,
       enduring forever.
       The ordinances of the LORD are sure
       and altogether righteous.

  They are more precious than gold,
       than much pure gold;
       they are sweeter than honey,
       than honey from the comb.

  By them is your servant warned;
       in keeping them there is great reward.

  Who can discern his errors?
       Forgive my hidden faults.

  Keep your servant also from willful sins;
       may they not rule over me.
       Then will I be blameless,
       innocent of great transgression.

 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
       be pleasing in your sight,
       O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Exodus 20:1-17 The Ten Commandments

Time to reflect: We all take these for granted, but when was the last time you slowly and carefully read through them and thought about their meaning for your life.

Moving through the day: Ok, so you keep the “Thou shalt not kill” commandment. Which commandment(s) are harder for you? Pray about these.

Scripture:

And God spoke all these words:

 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

  "You shall have no other gods before me.

  "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

  "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

  "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

  "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

  "You shall not murder.

  "You shall not commit adultery.

 "You shall not steal.

  "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

  "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Habakkuk 2:18-20 Idols are really dumb

Time to reflect: One of several OT passages that ridicule the idea that anything human made is worthy of veneration or respect. We don't have “idols” in this traditional sense but of course we end up worshiping money, fame, achievement, etc. All of which are just as inanimate and temporary as an idol.

Moving through the day:What are your idols. Take a moment to compose a bit of ridicule, similar to this passage, attacking that which you think to be so important.

 Scripture:

Of what value is an idol, since a man has carved it?
       Or an image that teaches lies?
       For he who makes it trusts in his own creation;
       he makes idols that cannot speak.

Woe to him who says to wood, 'Come to life!'
       Or to lifeless stone, 'Wake up!'
       Can it give guidance?
       It is covered with gold and silver;
       there is no breath in it.

But the LORD is in his holy temple;
       let all the earth be silent before him."