PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Isaiah 55:1-9 The true necessities of life

Time to Reflect: This is a wonderful poem, with a lot to think about. To pick just one: the more time we spend worrying about the necessities of life, food, clothing, shelter, the less time we spend on learning about, praying to and serving God. In our lives, how much do we really need to worry about the physical things?

Moving Through the Day: Make a worry list, then put at the top – “Pray to God” Before you can access the rest of the list you have to always start with that first item.

Scripture:  

Isaiah 55

Invitation to the Thirsty

 1 "Come, all you who are thirsty,
       come to the waters;
       and you who have no money,
       come, buy and eat!
       Come, buy wine and milk
       without money and without cost.

 2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
       and your labor on what does not satisfy?
       Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
       and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

 3 Give ear and come to me;
       hear me, that your soul may live.
       I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
       my faithful love promised to David.

 4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
       a leader and commander of the peoples.

 5 Surely you will summon nations you know not,
       and nations that do not know you will hasten to you,
       because of the LORD your God,
       the Holy One of Israel,
       for he has endowed you with splendor."

 6 Seek the LORD while he may be found;
       call on him while he is near.

 7 Let the wicked forsake his way
       and the evil man his thoughts.
       Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
       and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

 8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
       neither are your ways my ways,"
       declares the LORD.

 9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
       so are my ways higher than your ways
       and my thoughts than your thoughts.

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday:Amos 5:21-24 Justice not sacrifice

Scripture lesson: The commentaries all point out that Amos is not condemning the sacrificial system as a whole, but the insincere use of it while injustice and unrighteous behavior abounded. Right service and behavior should accompany worship.

Time to reflect: Think of two, perhaps small, things, one having to do with helping others, one having to do with behavior, that you can do before the next worship service you will attend.

Amos 5:21-24

 21 "I hate, I despise your religious feasts;
       I cannot stand your assemblies.

 22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
       I will not accept them.
       Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, [a]
       I will have no regard for them.

 23 Away with the noise of your songs!
       I will not listen to the music of your harps.

 24 But let justice roll on like a river,
       righteousness like a never-failing stream!

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Malachi 1:6-8 Shortchanging God

Time to reflect: God was complaining about people cutting corners in their worship to save money. The comment “Try presenting that to your governor” should bring us up short. God calls for a tithe – the Federal government a tax. Try getting by presenting 2% of your income to the Federal government. God calls for a tithe of our time – try getting away with giving your employer whatever of your time is left over... Etc. [I doubt that we're any happier with Malachi than were the original hearers of this oracle.]

Moving through the day: Think/pray about ways you might be shorting God.

 6 "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the LORD Almighty. "It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name.
      "But you ask, 'How have we shown contempt for your name?'

 7 "You place defiled food on my altar.
      "But you ask, 'How have we defiled you?'
      "By saying that the LORD's table is contemptible. 8 When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the LORD Almighty.

PrayerBits for Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson: Ephesians 1:15-19 A charge from Paul

Scripture lesson: The “saints” here are not the statues or even dead people, it is the “holy ones” the Apostles in Jerusalem and other church leaders.

Time to reflect: Read this as if it were addressed to you specifically. Pray that it all may work out as Paul wishes.

Ephesians 1:15-19

Paul’s Prayer

15 I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love* towards all the saints, and for this reason 16I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, 18so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, 19and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.

PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday

Scripture lesson: Luke 13:31-35 Jerusalem, O Jerusalem

Time to Reflect: A foreshadowing of what was waiting for Jesus in Jerusalem. For such a “holy city” Jerusalem is continually the city of violence and destruction.

Moving through the day: Contemplate on why religion continually causes violence.

Scripture:

Luke 13:31-35

The Lament over Jerusalem

31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ 32He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me,* “Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. 33Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed away from Jerusalem.” 34Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when* you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” ’

PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: Philippians 3:17-4:1 Focused on earthly things

Time to reflect: “shame” in vs 19 is actually “disgraceful behavior” and often has sexual connotations. The picture in verse 19 is of people who are completely self-indulgent and self-centered. Being focused on Godly things helps us to rise above our human instincts – we do not have to be only animals.

Moving through the day: Think about negative human instincts that some humans overcome. Think about such that you have overcome and what you need to work at overcoming.

Philippians 3:17-4:1

17 Brothers and sisters,* join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. 18For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. 19Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. 20But our citizenship* is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21He will transform the body of our humiliation* so that it may be conformed to the body of his glory,* by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. 41Therefore, my brothers and sisters,* whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

PrayerBits for Friday

PrayerBits

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

Friday

Scripture Lesson: Psalm 27:1-6 Confidence in God

Time to reflect: It is not easy to have this kind of confidence, but it makes a difference in how you feel about all of life.

Moving Throughout the day:Continue practicing trusting in God. Carry verse 1 with you to be a reminder.

Psalm 27

Triumphant Song of Confidence

Of David.
1The Lord is my light and my salvation;
   whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold* of my life;
   of whom shall I be afraid?

2When evildoers assail me
   to devour my flesh—
my adversaries and foes—
   they shall stumble and fall.

3Though an army encamp against me,
   my heart shall not fear;
though war rise up against me,
   yet I will be confident.

4One thing I asked of the Lord,
   that will I seek after:
to live in the house of the Lord
   all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord,
   and to inquire in his temple.

5For he will hide me in his shelter
   in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
   he will set me high on a rock.

6Now my head is lifted up
   above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
   sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.