PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: Galatians 1:11-24 The conversion of Saul/Paul

Time to reflect: Not all of us will have such a dramatic movement from doubt to faith. This may be the “gold standard” but it is not the only option. Most of us become believers in other, quieter ways. These conversions are equally valid. What is important is knowing that we, as individuals are called by God to serve in our own unique way.

Moving through the day: Think about how/when you came to accept Jesus as the Lord of All.

Scripture:

Paul Called by God

 11I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. 12I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

 13For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15But when God, who set me apart from birth[a] and called me by his grace, was pleased 16to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, 17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.

 18Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter[b] and stayed with him fifteen days. 19I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord's brother. 20I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie. 21Later I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." 24And they praised God because of me.

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Proverbs 8:4-21 Wisdom

Time to reflect: This is a personified Wisdom speaking, promoting the value of wisdom and learning. Much of Proverbs was intended to lessons for children and youth, teaching them to read and write and teaching them wisdom at the same time.

Moving through the day: Contemplate on the difference between just plain knowledge and true wisdom. For example, knowledge can be used for wickedness but wisdom cannot (verse 7).

Scripture:

 4 "To you, O men, I call out;
       I raise my voice to all mankind.

 5 You who are simple, gain prudence;
       you who are foolish, gain understanding.

 6 Listen, for I have worthy things to say;
       I open my lips to speak what is right.

 7 My mouth speaks what is true,
       for my lips detest wickedness.

 8 All the words of my mouth are just;
       none of them is crooked or perverse.

 9 To the discerning all of them are right;
       they are faultless to those who have knowledge.

 10 Choose my instruction instead of silver,
       knowledge rather than choice gold,

 11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
       and nothing you desire can compare with her.

 12 "I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
       I possess knowledge and discretion.

 13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
       I hate pride and arrogance,
       evil behavior and perverse speech.

 14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
       I have understanding and power.

 15 By me kings reign
       and rulers make laws that are just;

 16 by me princes govern,
       and all nobles who rule on earth. [a]

 17 I love those who love me,
       and those who seek me find me.

 18 With me are riches and honor,
       enduring wealth and prosperity.

 19 My fruit is better than fine gold;
       what I yield surpasses choice silver.

 20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
       along the paths of justice,

 21 bestowing wealth on those who love me
       and making their treasuries full.

 

 

PrayerBits for Tuesday

PrayerBits

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

Tuesday

Scripture lesson: Matthew 3:1-11 Trying to limit doing good

Time to reflect: A debate in the time of Jesus was on the boundary between obeying the Sabbath law and doing good. Jesus obviously fell on the side of helping others no matter what. A recent state law in the Midwest declared it a “crime” to help an illegal alien and that all churches should check for documentation before helping someone in need. The church, from liberal to conservative, and everything in between said explicitly or implicitly – We will help those in need whether it is a crime or not.

Moving through the day: Can you think of situations where helping other is limited unnaturally like these two examples?

Scripture:

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

 1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea 2and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." 3This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
   "A voice of one calling in the desert,
   'Prepare the way for the Lord,
      make straight paths for him.' "[a]

 4John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

 7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

 11"I baptize you with[b] water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

 

 

PrayerBits for Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson:   Leviticus 10:8-11 The Sacred and the Profane

Time to reflect: There are a lot rules in Leviticus that give restrictions for everything that enters the Temple. We no long have temples. Most of these rules no longer apply. However we are now called to view all the world and life sacred. How do we honor this sacredness?

Moving through the day:  Pray and meditate about the sacredness of God's creation.

Scripture: Leviticus 10:8-11

 8 Then the LORD said to Aaron, 9 "You and your sons are not to drink wine or other fermented drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. 10 You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean, 11 and you must teach the Israelites all the decrees the LORD has given them through Moses."

PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday

Scripture lesson: John 16:12-15 The Spirit

Time to Reflect: The Holy Spirit is sometimes the quiet one: that aspect or person of God that points away from itself to Jesus. But it is how God communicates with us today.

Moving through the day: Silently sit still for 5 minutes, devoid of agendas and wishes and prayers of words. Try to be in a receptive mode to ?hear? (intuit) God's spirit.

Scripture:

 John 16:12-15

¹²?I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. ¹⁴He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

 

 

PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: Romans 5:1-5 The value of suffering

Time to reflect: With varying images, the teacher is trying to get students to not take these important lessons lightly but be thoroughly committed to them.

Moving through the day: Think through the sequence in verses 3-5. Do you agree? Has this been your experience? Where has it broken down for you? Do you know what you should be hoping for?

Scripture:

Romans 5:1-5

5Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ²through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. ³And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵and hope does not disappoint us, because God?s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

 

 

PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: Romans 5:1-5 The value of suffering

Time to reflect: With varying images, the teacher is trying to get students to not take these important lessons lightly but be thoroughly committed to them.

Moving through the day: Think through the sequence in verses 3-5. Do you agree? Has this been your experience? Where has it broken down for you? Do you know what you should be hoping for?

Scripture:

Romans 5:1-5

5Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ²through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. ³And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵and hope does not disappoint us, because God?s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.