The Hebrew name for this portion of the Torah is Bemidbar, meaning “In the wilderness.” It is also the Hebrew name for the book itself, since this portion begins the book of Numbers. Greek people called this the book of Numbers, since it begins with census lists of the names of God’s people and how they were arranged around the Tabernacle, the special portable temple in the wilderness.

The twelve tribes were divided into four groups of three tribes, each gathered about the Tabernacle in the four directions—north, south, east and west. Today’s reading describes the arrangement on the eastern side.

Look how important it was for the people to know that God is the center of their lives. What can you do today to be reminded that God is meant to be the center of your life as well? Is there a place in your room that would remind you that the most important relation you have is with Jesus?

Numbers 2:1-9

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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.

These Firestarters are for families with children. For the Firestarters in the original edition, 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.

Jesus’ eyes are lifted upward to talk to his Father in this wonderful prayer. Is has been called another Lord’s Prayer: that’s how very special is this prayer of union with Jesus’s Father. We go right from the heart of Jesus to the heart of the Father.

The prayer has three parts to it. Verses 1-5 are about the glory of God that is going to shine out through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Imagine: such a death on the cross is part of the glory of God! The glory is in God’s love for us, even in the face of the ultimate meanness in crucifying Jesus.

In verses 6-19 Jesus prays for his friends, his close disciples, that they be protected from all evil and that they be holy. Finally in verses 20 to 26 we are included, as Jesus stretches his prayer down through the years to include all of us in his church—that we all may be one.

Take this prayer in its different parts and let the Spirit of Jesus who lives in you, pray this prayer through you.

John 17

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Fridays are dedicated to the Gospels. This year, we generally read from the Gospel of Mark,
except during most of Lent and Easter when we read from the Gospel of John.

These Firestarters are for families with children. For the Firestarters in the original edition, 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.

The land of Greece has two parts. There are northern and southern halves connected by a tiny piece of land called an isthmus. If it weren’t for that little area of land, the southern half would be an island.

You can imagine how important that piece of land was, for it meant the ships could sail west and after a brief trip on land, products from the east could then continue to sail westward. An important city was found right there called Corinth. Because it was on a trade route, people from many different countries lived there. It was the center of trade in the ancient world.

You might think that Corinth would be just like Athens which we saw last week was a city of “Know-it-alls” who could care less about all the wonderful good news that Paul was telling them. But Corinth was different. All the various kinds of people with their different ways of thinking had them open to the surprises that Paul had in store for them when they accepted Jesus. Paul wrote two great letters to the Church in Corinth. Let’s be open to God’s surprises!

Acts 18:1-11

We’re using The Message translation of the Scriptures.
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Thursdays are dedicated to the letters of Paul, other letters,
the Book of Acts, and the Book of Revelation.

These Firestarters are from a new edition of The Bible Through the Seasons being developed for families with children. For the Firestarters in the original edition, 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.