Month: June 2024

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The Victory Parade

Listen to Pastor Nick read the “Firestarter” 2 Corinthians 2:1-11.

Paul refers to someone who has offended him grievously. Feel his pain. Yet even more, sense his desire that there be healing and reconciliation. Unforgiveness gives Satan a foothold leading toward death instead of life.

Victory parades in ancient times had captives as well as conquerors march. There was no ticker tape. Instead, burnt fragrant spices filled the air as the way to expand the pervading sense of joy.

The victory parade of Jesus is on. The fragrance of the Holy Spirit is all about. Do not be in the parade as a captive of darkness through unforgiveness. The aroma will mean spiritual death for you. Let go. Forgive. When you do, you immediately march as a victor with all the joy of Christ who has won this victory for you.

2 Corinthians 2

Find out all about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Fragrance comes from knowing Him v.14

Thursdays are dedicated to the letters of Paul, other letters,
the Book of Acts, and the Book of Revelation.
In this season of Pentecost this year,
we read 2 Corinthians.

For the next several weeks, the Firestarters will be from the original version of this program. For these 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.

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Deliver Me, O God!

Listen to Pastor Nick read the “Firestarter” and the reading.

To view a video on this Psalm created three years ago, tap here.

This small psalm of five verses has strong similarity with the first Beatitude in Matthew 5:1. “Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” The New English Bible translates it this way: “Blessed are those who know their need of God.” To be poor in spirit means awareness of a total need for God. Absolute need becomes absolute blessing. The only other alternative to choosing God is despair. The Hebrew word ‘ebyon in verse 5 carries this same concept of “poor in spirit.” A group of Jewish disciples of Jesus gave themselves the name “Ebionites.” They found joy in their needy state, for then they knew that the riches of the resurrected life would be theirs.

When you have given up on everything and everyone as being the source of your happiness, then you are in the place where only the Lord alone can meet your soul’s deepest need.

Psalm 70

This is the second of thirteen weeks in the season of Pentecost, Year B
Wednesdays are dedicated to the Psalms,
One each week over the three-year cycle.

Example of a Bible Breath: O Lord, make haste to help me! v. 1

 

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A River in God’s Hands

Listen to Pastor Nick read the “Firestarter” and Proverbs 21:1-10.

Rafts roll over rocks in mild white water rafting as though one were riding gently on horseback. This is the image of the first proverb. As your read, gently let your spirit dip and rise as you flow over the waters of life in God’s Word.

How are you with the Lord? Do you resist and push the gentle holding of the Lord, or are you as waters that take their shape and movement from the contours of God’s hand? Sense in your spirit this image in the rest of the Proverbs for today. The positive halves flow with abandon; the negative sides are resistive, self-willed, and unresponsive to the call to justice intended to flow into the seas of God’s peace. Pray until you are one with the wisdom of the proverbs.

Proverbs 21

All about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: No friendship with the angry v. 2

Tuesdays are dedicated to the Old Testament books of history
and the Hebrew “Writings.”
In this season, Proverbs 20-11; 1 Kings

 

For the next several weeks, the Firestarters will be from the original version of this program. For these 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.