PrayerBits for Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson: 1 Peter 4:7-11 Instructions to prepare for the “end-time”

Serious instructions for “getting right with God” before the Second Coming. And what do these instructions include? Love, being hospitable, being good stewards, serving one another... It isn't about “being” good or buttering up God, but taking care of others.

Pray for God's guidance on keeping focused on what really matters.

The end of all things is near;* therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. 8Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. 11Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday

Scripture lesson: Luke 3:15-17,21-22 John the Baptist

Time to Reflect: Even John was expecting a different kind of Messiah than Jesus turned out to be. John was expecting an angry Messiah that would “clean house,” destroying all those who didn't repent.

Moving through the day: Think about how different things would have been, and how it would have affected you if Jesus had been this kind of harsh, judgmental kind of Messiah.

Scripture:

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,* 16John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with* the Holy Spirit and fire. 17His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

The Baptism of Jesus

21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved;* with you I am well pleased.’*

PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Isaiah 43:1-7 There is always hope

Time to Reflect: This part of Isaiah was written after the first part's prophesies of doom and gloom had been fulfilled and the Jewish people were in exile in Babylon and Jerusalem destroyed. When things were the darkest comes a new message of hope. Never give up!

Moving Through the Day: Meditate on times when you felt hopeless. Make a pledge that when things are bleak, to remember that God has a LONG history of making things come out alright, sooner or later.

Scripture:  

Restoration and Protection Promised

43But now thus says the Lord,
   he who created you, O Jacob,
   he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
   I have called you by name, you are mine.
2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
   and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
   and the flame shall not consume you.
3For I am the Lord your God,
   the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
   Ethiopia* and Seba in exchange for you.
4Because you are precious in my sight,
   and honoured, and I love you,
I give people in return for you,
   nations in exchange for your life.
5Do not fear, for I am with you;
   I will bring your offspring from the east,
   and from the west I will gather you;
6I will say to the north, ‘Give them up’,
   and to the south, ‘Do not withhold;
bring my sons from far away
   and my daughters from the end of the earth—
7everyone who is called by my name,
   whom I created for my glory,
   whom I formed and made.’

PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday

Scripture lesson: John 1:10-18 THE Child of God and the children of God

Time to Reflect: Verses 10-13 speak of our being “children of God” born not of human action but God's. This is like being adopted by God. Verses 14-18, however speaks of Jesus as the “natural” Son of God.

Moving through the day: Pray a prayer of thanksgiving for having Jesus as a sibling.

Scripture:

John 1:10-18 

 10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent,[a] nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

 14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,[b] who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 15John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' " 16From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only,[c][d]who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: James 3:13-18 Instructions to a Church

Time to reflect: Part of this is a sermonette on the disastrous consequences of envy. On the positive side are verses 17-18.

Moving through the day: Pray first about any “envy and selfish ambition” in your life. Then pray about each of the qualities in verse 17.

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 Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson: Psalm 126 “reap with shouts of joy”

Time to reflect: “The watercourse of the Negeb” are deep ravines that will be bone dry one minute and full the next. They are used as images for being unpredictable and dangerous, but also for sudden abundance. This Psalm can help us keep perspective, recognizing that good things can happen just as suddenly as bad things and that while we may suffer for awhile, better times are possibly coming.

Moving Through The Day: Think of a time when things seemed hopeless -- but wasn't. Pray for strength in hard times and joy in good times.

Psalm 126

A song of ascents.

 1 When the LORD brought back the captives to [a] Zion,
       we were like men who dreamed. [b]

 2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,
       our tongues with songs of joy.
       Then it was said among the nations,
       "The LORD has done great things for them."

 3 The LORD has done great things for us,
       and we are filled with joy.

 4 Restore our fortunes, [c] O LORD,
       like streams in the Negev.

 5 Those who sow in tears
       will reap with songs of joy.

 6 He who goes out weeping,
       carrying seed to sow,
       will return with songs of joy,
       carrying sheaves with him.

PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday

Scripture lesson: Luke 3:7-18 Don't count on it

Time to Reflect: The Israelites, the Judeans, the Jews, (the Americans?), all kept thinking that there was something about them that would cause God to protect them even when they didn't deserve to be protected. Again and again they were in for an unpleasant surprise. John was calling on them to not count on their heritage alone, but to straighten up an fly right.

Moving through the day: Do we as a people, a church, or as individuals think God will bless us even when we are not behaving as “children of God?” Pray about this

Scripture:

Luke 3:7-18

7 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’

10 And the crowds asked him, ‘What then should we do?’ 11In reply he said to them, ‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.’ 12Even tax-collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’ 13He said to them, ‘Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.’ 14Soldiers also asked him, ‘And we, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.’

15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,* 16John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with* the Holy Spirit and fire. 17His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.