PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Genesis 15:1-6 The Covenant with Abraham

Time to Reflect: With hindsight we can say that this very unlikely promise from God has been fulfilled!

Moving Through the Day: It is always hard to trust God, but wouldn't we like it be said of us “And (s)he believed believed the Lord, and the Lord reckoned it to him/her as righteousness?” Practice trusting God today.

Scripture:  

God’s Covenant with Abram

15After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’ 2But Abram said, ‘O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’* 3And Abram said, ‘You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.’ 4But the word of the Lord came to him, ‘This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.’ 5He brought him outside and said, ‘Look towards heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ 6And he believed the Lord; and the Lord * reckoned it to him as righteousness.

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday: Jude 24-25 A blessing

Scripture lesson: This is a beautiful way to end a letter. We use it to end worship services.

Time to reflect: Who do you need to give this blessing to?

Jude 24-25

Benediction

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, 25to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and for ever. Amen.

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Lamentations 3:24-33 How to respond to a disaster

Time to reflect: The 5 poems of Lamentations are sad responses to the destruction of Judah, Jerusalem and the Temple. It was the worst of all possible disasters to the Jews. Yet, while bemoaning their fate and cry out to God one of the poets was able to express the hope and confidence of this passage.

Moving through the day: Contemplate how your respond to sorrow, pain, disappointment, or even a personal disaster. Would you naturally be able to pray a prayer such as these verses?

Lamentations 3:24-33

24‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul,
   ‘therefore I will hope in him.’

25The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
   to the soul that seeks him.
26It is good that one should wait quietly
   for the salvation of the Lord.
27It is good for one to bear
   the yoke in youth,
28to sit alone in silence
   when the Lord has imposed it,
29to put one’s mouth to the dust
   (there may yet be hope),
30to give one’s cheek to the smiter,
   and be filled with insults.

31For the Lord will not
   reject for ever.
32Although he causes grief, he will have compassion
   according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
33for he does not willingly afflict
   or grieve anyone.

PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Exodus 34:29-35 The Khavod of God

Time to Reflect: The Khavod or “Gloly” of God is a physcial manifestation of God. It is usually visualized as a shine beyond earthly reality. This reflects an understanding of the nature of God which is somewhat foreign to modern people. The idea in this story is that the “glory” of God is so great that when one comes into God's presence it “rubs off” on one.

Moving Through the Day: Visualize coming into God's presence and what that must feel like.

Scripture:  

The Radiant Face of Moses

 29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. 32 Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai.

 33 When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. 34 But whenever he entered the LORD's presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday: Isaiah 42:1-4 God's beloved

Scripture lesson: This passage originally described anyone who would be God's beloved. It is a list of ideal qualities. In retrospect, we realize that the best implementation of these qualities was our Messiah, Jesus.

Time to reflect:

Pray a prayer of thanksgiving for Jesus, then pray for guidance and help in being more like the person described in this passage.

The Servant of the Lord

 1 "Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
       my chosen one in whom I delight;
       I will put my Spirit on him
       and he will bring justice to the nations.

 2 He will not shout or cry out,
       or raise his voice in the streets.

 3 A bruised reed he will not break,
       and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
       In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;

 4 he will not falter or be discouraged
       till he establishes justice on earth.
       In his law the islands will put their hope."

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Isaiah 58:6-8 The better form of Spiritual Practice

Time to reflect: This passage is not an argument against fasting or other formal religious practices, but rather a putting things in perspective. Many of the prophets were disturbed by people taking care of the required religious practices without FIRST taking care of God's people.

Moving through the day: Look through the list in these verses, translate into modern life (we're not going to find someone actually naked, but we will find people in desperate need of an overcoat or shoes) and find someone you can help TODAY.

6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
       to loose the chains of injustice
       and untie the cords of the yoke,
       to set the oppressed free
       and break every yoke?

 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
       and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
       when you see the naked, to clothe him,
       and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
       and your healing will quickly appear;
       then your righteousness [a] will go before you,
       and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

PrayerBits for Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson: Malachi 4:4-6 Families

Family strife is a given... But we are called on to work at concord.

Pray that you and your family can demonstrate the love of God.

 Remember the teaching of my servant Moses, the statutes and ordinances that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.

5 Lo, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. 6He will turn the hearts of parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents, so that I will not come and strike the land with a curse.