Listen to Pastor Nick read the Firestarter and the Gospel.

Here is a parable with contrasts of energy—the lazy judge and the relentless widow, the care of God and the weak faith of God’s children. The widow has the persistence of a battering ram against the hard heart of the judge. Lack of faith blocks God’s people from receiving the current of God’s healing grace. Jesus said previously that the faith of a tiny mustard seed would be sufficient to hurl a mountain into the sea—certainly enough to move the heart of God already filled with love and tender care for God’s children.

What are the obstacles to your faith that prevent God’s grace from gushing into your soul? Recall the root meaning of the word, “usher.” It is about opening a way for God to move. Let the parable literally usher in a week of flowing communion between you and God.

Luke 18:1–8

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: Praying and not losing heart v. 1

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.

Listen to Nick read the Firestarter and Deuteronomy 34.

Open your hand to receive God’s abundant blessings poured out upon the tribes of Israel. God is faithful. All that is asked is acceptance of the covenant and to walk in God’s ways; the Lord will provide all the safety and protection needed. 

The name “Jeshurun” as was also used in the Song of Moses in 32:15, is found also in Isaiah 44:2. It is a nickname for Israel, a term of endearment for God’s people.

Moses dies on Mount Nebo. Read with awe, the death of this great man of God. Be moved by the grief of the people. Joshua is ready. Find comfort in the One who would be the prophet-like-Moses to come, whom God knew face to face as Father and Son.

With this passage, we join Jewish people as they rejoice at completing the cycle of readings from the Torah.

Deuteronomy 33—34

This portion, along with the first one in Genesis is read at Simchat Torah, “The Joy of the Torah”
at a celebration at the end of the eight day festival of Tabernacles.

Learn about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Future stretching before me 3:1

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

Listen to Pastor Nick read the Firestarter and Luke 22:24-38.

 Jesus faces one of the Twelve about to betray him, another who will deny even knowing Jesus at all. Added to this, all of them argue with each other about who is the greatest among them. Betrayal, denial, and pride mix themselves together, playing themselves out among the most intimate of Jesus’s disciples.

Listen in upon the commotion at the Last Supper—this, just minutes after the Apostles had received Holy Communion for the very first time. Contemplate the scene with all its shifts of energy and focus—from communion to commotion, from fellowship to loneliness, from pure love to agony, from friendship to betrayal, from the One who sets others free to the One who is arrested.

Will you be awake for at least an hour, to the full Jesus who is praying in his Spirit within you right now?

Luke 22:24–46

Create your own Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Not my will but Yours be done. v. 42

Fridays are dedicated to the Gospels.
In the season of Kingdomtide this year we read Luke 19:28 to 24:53.

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.