(For the story of the Ascension of Jesus, see Acts 1:6-11)

Paul and his friend Silas travel to the capital of Greece and one of the great centers of art and writing in the ancient world, Athens.  Paul preaches in the very theater where famous Greek teachers used to give their speeches.   Greeks gather around to listen to him.  

Let’s tune in on the speech that Paul gave.  He stirs their curiosity, but not their faith.  Among all the letters in the Bible that Paul wrote, none is addressed to the Athenians.  The pride in their culture prevented them from finding a fresh, new and wonderful belief in Jesus.

How sad for them!  Today let’s pray for ourselves and for others, that there be nothing in our minds that gets in the way of knowing and loving Jesus.

Acts 17:16-34

Find out all about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example:
“In You we have our being.” v.28

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.

Tomorrow is Ascension Thursday, the day we recall Jesus’ return to his Father after forty days of visiting with his disciples after Easter.  The psalm for today is just right for the Ascension where we praise the Lord Jesus as King of all the earth.

Just as Wednesday is the center of the week, so is verse 4 the center of this psalm of seven verses.  You might take this verse and memorize it, praying for every country on the earth that each one might come to know and love Jesus as their king.  You and I and all of us praying this psalm today become the ones that God is asking that we pray in this special way for unity and peace on this earth.

Psalm 67

Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example:
“You are Lord of all the earth.” v. 4

We follow a reading of the Psalms in numerical order.

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.

No sooner is there joy in the beginnings of rebuilding the temple, when some jealous neighbors begin to make trouble.  They question whether there was an official decree allowing the reconstruction.  Thanks to King Darius, who came after his father, Cyrus, as King, they found the decree giving permission for the rebuilding of the temple, and King Darius made sure that it would continue.

Today’s reading introduces Ezra. It is many years after the completion of the temple, when the successor to King Darius, King Artaxerxes authorizes Ezra to come to Jerusalem and be the special priest to help the people understand God Word.  

I love verse 6, where we learn that the gracious hand of the Lord was upon Ezra.  Imagine how excited he must have been, to be the one to help God’s people fully return to God!  Is there anything better that you could do with your life than to help others find God? You will always have God’s loving and gracious hand upon your life.

 Ezra 7:6-10

Examples of Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example:
“Studying Your ways, O Lord”

Tuesdays are dedicated to the Old Testament books of history
and the Hebrew “Writings.”

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.