We make distinctions between civil and religious laws; there were no such differences for God’s people. All law came from God. The Lord ordained six cities of refuge for the Israelites, places where a murderer might find protection. There is care about the various kinds of death dealing and justice.

How good it is to know that there is some place where we can be safe from the consequences of wrongdoing—a place where the anger, hatred, and revenge of enemies cannot enter! This refuge is in Jesus. Many have found the image of the open side of Jesus as the place to find this protection. This gaping wound, fashioned by our sin, becomes the place of protection against sin. Look how God turns evil into good!

Chapter 36 is a plan to insure that ones inheritance stays within the tribe of one’s family. You have received all the inheritance of the very Son of God. Stay with his body.

Numbers 35:8—36–13

Learn about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: My refuge in Your body

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

 The disciples long to enter those spaces of communion that Jesus demonstrates he has with the Father. Join with their longing and their cry: “Lord, teach us to pray!”

What follows is Luke’s version of The Lord’s Prayer. Embrace every word until the familiarity of this prayer becomes brand new.

Jesus confronts the temptations that often lurk within us to distrust prayer. Jesus offers images for confidence in prayer. Fervently believe that the Lord wants to share his saving grace with you, inviting you to ask with the same confidence of a child to a loving Father. After all, this was the experience of Jesus. He shares with you the total intimacy in the bond of trust and love that he has with the Father.

Luke 11:1–13

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: Give each day our daily bread. v. 3

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

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.

The wholly Other becomes one with us. Ponder the verses that tell again of Jesus’ absolute identity with us. Jesus knows the weakness in being human. Our experience is his experience—all of it—sin alone excepted.

Dwell on the comfort of the words that tell of Christ’s compassion for you. The rejection of others and ourselves comes from what we do not know. If the thread from our own pain to others’suffering were not broken, we would be compassionate, not critical.

Jesus is one with you in all that you suffer. He will teach you how to surrender your suffering and become one with him. Verses 12–14 invite us to reflect upon the level of spiritual maturity we bring to the faith facts of this letter. Are you ready to live the truths held before you?

Hebrews 5

Find out all about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: How gently You deal with me! v. 2

Thursdays are dedicated to the letters of Paul, other letters,
the Book of Acts, and the Book of Revelation.
In the season of Pentecost this year we read 1 Timothy and Hebrews.

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