Listen to Pastor Nick read the Firestarter and Isaiah 10:20-23.

There is joy in Isaiah’s announcement of a remnant that will survive the devastation of Assyria. The glory of God rises as God uses the very instruments of war as symbols of victory. The list of vulnerable cities that lay in the path of Assyria serves to give the people strength in the face of the indignation of God against the adversary. God will avenge all enemies.

All enemies—especially those from the spiritual world of darkness and the forces set against you. They are nothing when it comes to the power of God. You will find verses of Isaiah as faith-tools to tear down the strongholds of the Enemy that may yet lurk within you. Go to that place in your heart where the remnant lives— the part of you that is faithful to the Lord because of the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon your life.

Isaiah 10:20–34

Mondays are dedicated to the reading of the Hebrew Prophets.
In the seasons of Advent to Epiphany this year we read Isaiah 1-13.

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: God greater than my burdens v. 27

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 the Gospel.

Mount Sinai and the Mount of the Beatitudes stand beside each other in our imagination. From the former comes the foundation of how to live a godly life. Moving beyond the “Thou shalt nots,” the Beatitudes begin with positive expressions of blessing: How blessed and fortunate you will be, that now having the foundation, you understand how to live in the Kingdom.

Imagine that you are salt and light—one at a time. Salt offers zest to others’lives; light illumines the way of Jesus.

In the second half of our reading, Jesus uplifts “both-and” of his teaching, referring to the Law and to his words. It is not “either-or” for Jesus, but rather “both-and.”

Matthew 5:13–20

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: My light shining for others v. 16

Sundays are dedicated to the Gospels from the Revised Common Lectionary.
In year A, we generally read from the Gospel of St. Matthew.

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 Exodus 18:13-23.

A brief, but decisive moment of intervention comes from a tender meeting with Moses’s father-in-law. Likely Moses had sent his wife and children to him during the ravages of the plagues. Now that the Exodus is complete, Jethro brings Moses’s family to him.

While the Midianites were descendants of Abraham through his concubine Keturah, they were considered as foreigners. However, God is at work in faith in Jethro through Moses’s witness. In addition, Jethro’s outside view of God’s work affords him a perspective often missed by those inside. Jethro suggests that Moses delegate leadership according to the numbers indicated in Exodus 18:21.

Is there someone to whom you can turn who loves you, yet is not so involved in your life that he or she is still able to give you insight into areas that you are missing?

Exodus 18

This is the first of three parts of the Torah Portion Yithro (Jethro)
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.

Exodus 18:1—20:26

Learn about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Seeking the discerning voice

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