Listen to Nick read the Firestarter and the reading.

There are three songs in two chapters: what a way to begin a Gospel! The first is the song of Zechariah in today’s reading; the second is the song of Mary we considered last Friday; the final one is the song of Simeon in 2:29–32. Religious communities have been singing these songs for centuries as part of morning, evening, and night prayer.

The song of Zechariah is the first sound of praise that flows from his lips after he was struck dumb. After the silence of the night, a faith-filled praying of this song will have you begin your day aware of God’s power. God is faithful to you now, just as in past ages. You will be “the child” to go before him to prepare the way for Jesus— the bright “Son-Light” for others in your day.

Luke 1:57–80

Create your own Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Giving light to those in dark v. 79

Fridays are dedicated to the Gospels.
In the Winter Season of Advent to Epiphany this year we read Luke 1-2; Mark 1-3.

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 Nick read the Firestarter and the reading.

If you were to describe your spiritual states before God as a member of a family, what would you call yourself? Are you a “father,” a “spoiled child”? How might others in a family see you with an honest perception of how you are? John does this in the church community to whom he is writing.

Whatever is your assessment of spiritual growth, the words in verses 15–17 need to be taken to heart. Reflect upon what is passing in your life and what lasts forever. Take the three-fold assessment that John makes of the world and meditate on them until their truth comes home to you. Take this with you today and always: “He who does the will of God abides forever.”

1 John 2: 12–17

Find out all about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Abiding—doing Your will v. 17

Thursdays are dedicated to the letters of Paul, other letters,
the Book of Acts, and the Book of Revelation.
In the Winter Season of Advent to Epiphany this year we read the Letters of John and Jude.

For all the Firestarters 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.

Listen to Nick read the Firestarter and the Psalm: verses 1-6.

For a video meditation on today’s Psalm created three years ago, Tap here.

As intense as is the brightness of the sun from its rising to its setting, so is the brilliance and the fullness of God’s presence in this psalm. Each verse is a ray of light to shine on you and shake you from routine acts of worship that fail to honor the God of light due to the dullness of the soul.

More than the sacrifices of animals, the Lord longs for us to express thanks and trust in God. Outer offerings are meaningless without expressions of inner surrender.

The strong admonitions from verse 16 confront you in those areas of sinfulness, which may yet lurk in the dark corners of the soul. May the light of God be as a search light into those areas, revealing any vestige of dishonesty and hypocrisy that the Lord abhors. The divine fire seeks to burn away everything in you, until there is nothing but radiant expressions of thanksgiving, trust, and praise.

Psalm 50

What are Bible Breaths? Learn More
Example: Gathering Your faithful ones v. 5

We continue to follow the Psalms in numerical order.

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