Listen to Pastor Nick read the Firestarter and Psalm 118:1-14.

Tap here for a video meditation on Psalm 118.

The psalm stretches to God beyond the grasp of enemies. This made it the favorite of Martin Luther. As a lover of sacred music, Luther must have found solace recalling our Israelite ancestors and the festival marches to Zion, the hill where Jerusalem rests. Jesus sang this and the other Hallel psalms (113–118) while going from the Last Supper to the Garden of Gethsemane. As did Jesus, Luther knew how many and great were the adversaries against him as the vision of a more pure church gripped his entire being. He writes, “This is the psalm that I love … for it has often served me well and has helped me out of great troubles, when neither emperors, kings, wise men, clever men, nor saints could have helped me” (Quoted by Kittel, Die Psalmen, p. 371).

Psalm 118 is the traditional psalm for Easter. The sun on that day the Lord made has never set!

Psalm 118

What are Bible Breaths? Learn More
Example: Your steadfast love forever v. 1

We continue to read 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

Listen to Pastor Nick read the Firestarter and 1 Chronicles 19:10-15.

(See 2 Samuel 8; 11–12)
Declaring the triumph of David over God’s enemies is the motive that the writer of 1 Chronicles finds to encourage God’s people having just returned from exile. Continuity with sacred history brings inner strength to the people. With God at the center of life, victory comes in great measure. “The LORD preserved David wherever he went” (18:6).

Military images might not appear fitting for successes that have come your way. Still, there is spiritual warfare taking place as evil giants seek to come against you. Do what David does and victory will be assured—prayer, recourse to God, confidence in the Lord, worship, and that joy that comes from knowing that you are very special to the Lord. Remember Paul’s words in Romans 8:31: If God is for us, who is against us?

1 Chronicles 18—20

What are Bible Breaths? Learn More…
Example: God for us: who against us? Rom 8:31

Tuesdays are dedicated to the Old Testament books of history
and the Hebrew “Writings.”
In the season of Pentecost this year we read Proverbs 27—29 and 1 Chronicles.

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 Pastor Nick read the Firestarter and Micah 2:12-13.

Waves of judgment and compassion clash against each other throughout Micah’s prophecy. His poetry and personal gestures are as shock treatments. He walks through the streets naked to awaken people from the evil of idolatry. The English translation misses the impact of Micah’s word-plays on the names of cities. For example, Achzib means “Town of Deceit.”

The ultimate intent of God is that there be repentance and not punishment for the evils against the First Commandment. There is the promise intimated here and prophesied later more fully, of a Shepherd King that will come to redeem. With this image, God dismisses the charges against the people and instead, comes to their aid. Is there anything that you are doing that you need to be shocked into undoing?

Micah 1—2

Mondays are dedicated to the reading of the Hebrew Prophets.
In the season of Pentecost we read Amos to Nahum with Lamentations 4—5 in the Ninth Week.

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: The world in awe before You 1:4

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.