PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

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

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Isaiah 60:1-6 Zion will be restored

Time to reflect: This song is actually “addressed” to Jerusalem. It is a promise to be restored after its destruction by the Babylonians. This is not, now a future event. That restoration happened about 75 years after the destruction. But the passage also tells us, indirectly, something about God's nature, that a bright future is always promised – sooner or later we each receive restoration.

Moving through the day: In what way was Jesus a form of restoration and wholeness for all?

Scripture:

"Arise, shine, for your light has come,
       and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

  See, darkness covers the earth
       and thick darkness is over the peoples,
       but the LORD rises upon you
       and his glory appears over you.

  Nations will come to your light,
       and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

  "Lift up your eyes and look about you:
       All assemble and come to you;
       your sons come from afar,
       and your daughters are carried on the arm.

  Then you will look and be radiant,
       your heart will throb and swell with joy;
       the wealth on the seas will be brought to you,
       to you the riches of the nations will come.

  Herds of camels will cover your land,
       young camels of Midian and Ephah.
       And all from Sheba will come,
       bearing gold and incense
       and proclaiming the praise of the LORD.

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Ephesians 1:3-14 An inheritance

Time to reflect: One of the characteristics of an inheritance is that someone else has done all the work. That the heir is getting an essentially free gift.

Moving through the day: Meditate on what we have “inherited” from Christ, and what that means to you.

 Scripture:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

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

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Ephesians 1:3-14 An inheritance

Time to reflect: One of the characteristics of an inheritance is that someone else has done all the work. That the heir is getting an essentially free gift.

Moving through the day: Meditate on what we have “inherited” from Christ, and what that means to you.

 Scripture:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

PrayerBits for Monday

PrayerBits

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

Monday

Scripture lesson: Isaiah 9:2-7 No more boots

Time to reflect: The Old Testament often gets the reputation of being full of violence and warfare. Warfare was then and is now a fact of life. But God's will is always suggesting that peace is a better way and that in the end when God reigns, all warfare and violence will cease.

Moving Through The Day: Read again the message of verses 6 and 7. Pray for peace.

Praise the LORD.
       Sing to the LORD a new song,
       his praise in the assembly of the saints.

 Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
       let the people of Zion be glad in their King.

Let them praise his name with dancing
       and make music to him with tambourine and harp.

 For the LORD takes delight in his people;
       he crowns the humble with salvation.

Let the saints rejoice in this honor
       and sing for joy on their beds.

May the praise of God be in their mouths
       and a double-edged sword in their hands,

  to inflict vengeance on the nations
       and punishment on the peoples,

  to bind their kings with fetters,
       their nobles with shackles of iron,

to carry out the sentence written against them.
       This is the glory of all his saints.
       Praise the LORD.

PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

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

Sunday

Scripture lesson: Luke2:22-40 Simeon and Anna

Time to reflect: Two touching stories of faithful people who had waited a lifetime with hope for their people and hope for the coming of the Messiah. Their hope was rewarded by an opportunity to see the Christ child before they died.

Moving through the day Pray a prayer of thanksgiving that you, too have had an opportunity to see the Christ child. But you also have the blessing of knowing the end of the story. Of how exactly Christ became the Redeemer.

Please note, West Side's computer will be done on Monday and Tuesday. There will not be any prayerbits.

Scripture:

2When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"^[a]), 24and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."^[b]

 25Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
 29"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
      you now dismiss^[c] your servant in peace.
 30For my eyes have seen your salvation,
    31which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
 32a light for revelation to the Gentiles
      and for glory to your people Israel."

 33The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

 36There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.^[d] She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

 39When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

PrayerBits for Saturday

PrayerBits

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

Saturday

Scripture lesson: Galatians 4:4-7 A child of God

Time to reflect: This is a recurring theme in the New Testament and is a rather startling thought if we stop to think about it. In what way are we God's children. This is to be more than a vague analogy. Paul says we are heirs of God – we receive some kind of “inheritance” from God. What does that mean?

Moving through the day: Meditate on how you view your relationship with God. In what way do you view yourself as God's “Child?”

Scripture:

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba,^[a] Father." 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

PrayerBits for Friday

PrayerBits

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

Friday

Time to reflect: Can God really get the praise and glory God deserves?

Moving Throughout the day: Visualize all the creation, animate and inanimate, praising God. Visualize yourself joining in.

 Scripture:

Praise the LORD.
       Praise the LORD from the heavens,
       praise him in the heights above.

  Praise him, all his angels,
       praise him, all his heavenly hosts.

  Praise him, sun and moon,
       praise him, all you shining stars.

 Praise him, you highest heavens
       and you waters above the skies.

 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
       for he commanded and they were created.

 He set them in place for ever and ever;
       he gave a decree that will never pass away.

Praise the LORD from the earth,
       you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,

lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
       stormy winds that do his bidding,

  you mountains and all hills,
       fruit trees and all cedars,

  wild animals and all cattle,
       small creatures and flying birds,

  kings of the earth and all nations,
       you princes and all rulers on earth,

  young men and maidens,
       old men and children.

  Let them praise the name of the LORD,
       for his name alone is exalted;
       his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

  He has raised up for his people a horn,
       the praise of all his saints,
       of Israel, the people close to his heart.
       Praise the LORD.