Listen to Pastor Nick read the Firestarter and Matthew 27:38-54.

We enact through ritual, the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The mood shifts, however, with the reading of the Passion account later in worship. Matthew unfolds twenty-one scenes in telling the story. Hold your palm branches while prayerfully reading Matthew’s Passion throughout the day, a few scenes at a time.

Matthew wants us to feel the connection of this Passion with the Infancy Narrative. Now the chief priests, scribes, and elders are in the place of Herod. As Jesus partakes of the Passover meal with his apostles, he relives the Exodus theme, just as he did in the flight to Egypt. Matthew alone tells the story of the death of Judas, the dead rising at the moment of Jesus’s death, and the guards to be placed at the tomb. The New Testament’s only references to God’s appearance through dreams are in the divine messages to Joseph and to Pilate’s wife.

What does the Holy Spirit tell you personally, as you pray?

Matthew 26:14—27–66

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: “Not my will but Thine be done.” 26:42

Sundays are dedicated to the Gospels from the Revised Common Lectionary.
During Lent and Easter, we read from the Gospel of John.

For all the Firestarters I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet. Check the menu options at the site for more information.

Listen to Pastor Nick read the Firestarter and Leviticus 9:22-24.

Here is one of the principal places in the Bible that describes ordination to ministry. Again, the presence of God is described as fire. While consuming the offering of Aaron, the fire elevates it to heaven. On the other hand, the profane offering of Nadab and Abihu is simply reduced to ashes; nothing ascends. Idol worship has contaminated their offering.

You and I are to live immersed in Jesus, one with his offering in the fire of his love on the cross. We are one with him as priest, prophet, and king. Whether or not you are an ordained deacon, priest or elder, you still have a call to ministry placed upon your life. May there be nothing frivolous or contaminated with other “gods” in what you bring—nothing less than the offering of your self in service to the Lord.

Leviticus 9:1—10:11

This is the first of three parts of the Torah Portion Shemini (Eighth)
Conservative and Reform Jewish congregations read only this part this year,
as also in this Bible plan.
Here is the entire portion in all three parts.
Leviticus 9:1—11:47

Learn about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: My heart, a burnt offering 9:1ff

The Saturday passages follow the reading list that Jewish people use in their synagogue worship
throughout the world. They are taken from
“The Torah,” the first five books of the Bible from Genesis to Deuteronomy
that are read each year beginning with autumn.

For all the Firestarters I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet. Check the menu options at the site for more information

Listen to Pastor Nick read the Firestarter and Leviticus 6:8-13.

An ever-burning candle in sanctuaries in many church traditions bears witness to the command given to Moses in chapter 6, verse 13. From the appearance of God in the ever—burning bush before Moses and later the faithfully burning fire by night that led God’s people out of Egypt, fire has been a sign of the presence of God.

The burning of the grain offering suggests taking this basic element of life as a symbol of the substance of you. Offer yourself to the Lord. You might take a candle as a way of recalling this offering. As it burns during your prayer, your essence, your substance, your “grain,” is offered to God.

St. Paul enjoins us to “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Light the candle of the heart to ever burn before the Lord.

Leviticus 6:1—7:10

This is the first of three parts of the Torah Portion Tzav (Command) 
Conservative and Reform Jewish congregations read only this part this year,
as also in this Bible plan.
Here is the entire portion in all three parts.
Leviticus 6:1—8:36

Learn about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: My heart, a burnt offering 9:1ff

The Saturday passages follow the reading list that Jewish people use in their synagogue worship
throughout the world. They are taken from
“The Torah,” the first five books of the Bible from Genesis to Deuteronomy
that are read each year beginning with autumn.

For all the Firestarters I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet. Check the menu options at the site for more information