This Firestarter and reading was published last Friday, by mistake. Check it out again!

Every once in awhile we hear about someone who has dislocated a shoulder. The joint where the arm meets the shoulder is pulled apart; it’s very painful.

Something like this happened to the first disciples in a spiritual sort of way.  Jesus tells them that there will come a time when they will be “dislocated” from their roots as Jews.  John 9 tells about a person born blind and when healed was thrown out of the synagogue.  Jesus’s disciples couldn’t worship in the synagogues either.

  Sometimes when a person loves in a special, even courageous way, others are mean toward the person. Perhaps something similar has happened to you as you live love Jesus’s way. Jesus wants us to find joy in his promise of sending the Holy Spirit as a special comfort to those who are mistreated in any way.  God loves and cares for those who are on the “outs” with others.  God wants you to know that you are “in” with God!

John 16:1-15

Create your own Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example from v. 7
“Holy Spirit–my Helper”

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.

When I was a boy I used to enjoy going lake fishing in Spring Lake, the name of a lovely lake and town on the New Jersey shore.  Perhaps you’ve liked this as much as I did, throwing a pebble into the lake and watching a ripple of water make a small circle, gradually expanding and widening as the energy of the pebble pushes water away.

The Acts of the Apostles tell of the rippling of the Good News spreading out in circles with Jerusalem as the center.  Today we read about what happened when the widening circle reached Macedonia in northern Greece.  

At the clear and gentle directions by the Holy Spirit, Paul and Silas have been moving from city to city throughout Asia Minor, in what is now Turkey.  They are now about to make a cross over into Europe. The Holy Spirit speaks to Paul through the dream of a man from Macedonia pleading for Paul to come to that place and share the Good News of Jesus. 

Acts 16:6-10

Find out all about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example:
“Where do I next bring Your love?”

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.

Tap the image to open the YouTube video, “Meditation on Psalm 66.

Like the shouts of the people in yesterday’s reading, the sacred writer of this prayer is into shouting praises to God and inviting us to do the same.  He recalls the great events that brought God’s saving help to God’s people.  

In verse 13 there is a change to encourage us to make offerings to the Lord.  No longer do we bring burnt animals sacrificed on great altars. Rather then set fire to these animals, God prefers that our hearts be filled with love—on fire with love!  When we want to love and serve God, then other habits that do not help us to do this, can burn away as though in a fire.  Then we can burn on with the pure fire of God’s love.

Hang around a long time with the final verse till you feel the joy and comfort that the sacred writer feels and wants to share with you.

Psalm 66

Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example:
“Shouting for joy in my heart” v. 1

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.