Listen to Pastor Nick read the Firestarter and the Gospel.

The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years because they were so often lost in sin. Complaining, lack of faith, idolatry, and pride: all these held them back from a free-flowing movement into the Promised Land.

The Blessed Trinity says with great love, “We will intervene once again. This time, the Son will take upon himself the sin of the past, gathering new followers for a new Promised Land.”

The days of Lent are as the years of wandering. Beset with the same temptations of God’s people in the desert, Jesus reduces each one to ashes by the power of God’s Word from Deuteronomy. These are the same verses that the Israelites could have applied to their temptations, but did not. Cling to Jesus and let him move you into the Promise.

Matthew 4:1–11

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: I live by words from Your mouth. v. 4

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

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 Exodus 25:1-16.

God turns his attention to instructing Moses to build a sanctuary for God’s presence in the wilderness. Though they are a people on the move, they are to come to rest for times of worship, enjoying the presence of their God in an uninterrupted manner. The tent-like tabernacle will prefigure the Temple to come, anticipating even more, that permanent resting place of Christ Jesus in the Church: “The Word became flesh and pitched His tent among us.” (John 1:14)

The design of the tabernacle begins first with the Ark of the Testimony, the place where the Ten Commandments are to be reserved. As you read these instructions, imagination saturates inner senses with colors, smells, and beauty of design.

The two angels that face each other with hovering wings … leap forward to the tomb of Jesus in John 20:21 where a similar description is given: “(Mary Magdalene) saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.”

Exodus 25

This is the first of three parts of the Torah Portion Terumah (Portion) 
Conservative and Reform Jewish congregations read only this part this year,
as also in this Bible plan.
Here is the entire portion in all three parts.

Exodus 25:1—27:19

Learn about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: You pitched Your tent among us. Jn 1:14

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 the Gospel.

Jesus uses the image of the secret place in his teaching about fasting. This is one of the six “means of grace,” taught by John Wesley and uplifted in other spiritual traditions. By setting a limit to our response to the appetite for food, the soul is purified, the focus shifting to God alone as nourishment, as is found in found in Deut. 8:3 and Matt 4:4: “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (NRSV). The other four means of grace are prayer, searching the Scriptures, Holy Communion, and holy conversation.

Listen to these words from the Sermon on the Mount as special inspirations from the Lord to live this season in the grace that flows from that mountain.

Matthew 6:16–34

Create your own Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Where my treasure, there my heart v. 21

Fridays are dedicated to the Gospels.
In the seasons of Advent to Epiphany this year we read Luke 1 2; Matthew 1 7.

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.