Listen to Pastor Nick read the “Firestarter” and 2 Kings 15:1-7.

If you think it is tedious to read about wicked king after wicked kind who “did evil in the sight of the Lord,” how do you think God feels about all this! A brief phrase brings to an end the history of a king: “He was buried with his fathers.” It is sobering to wonder just where they all wound up!

As the list of kings and a summary of their reigns flow along, remember that you too will be part of a long history of people in your own family and community in which your life will be summarized along with all the others. When you are buried in the family plot along with your ancestors, what do you want to have written on your tombstone? How will you want to be remembered? May every act of love engrave itself as an epitaph.

2 Kings 14—16

What are Bible Breaths? Learn More…
Example: Love engraves my epitaph.

Tuesdays are dedicated to the Old Testament books of history
and the Hebrew “Writings.”
In the season of Kingdomtide this year we read Proverbs 22—23; 2 Kings; Ecclesiastes 5—8.

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 Daniel 9:4-8.

[From the version for young people]

Laser beams: one of the amazing inventions in modern times. These beams can reconnect delicate areas of the eyes as well as do other wonderful things.

Praying for someone is like sending a laser beam of your love and God’s love into their souls and bodies. That’s the way Daniel prays in the reading for today. As you read his prayer, let your mind and heart be open to how you too can pray for the people of this earth, all of whom are God’s children. 

You will notice four aspects of Daniel’s prayer that can be summarized under the following acronym: ACTS: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving and Supplication—another name for prayer requests. So let’s you and I do ACTS today and everyday, sending laser beams of prayer to those for whom we are called to pray.

Daniel 9

Mondays are dedicated to the reading of the Hebrew Prophets.
In the season of Kingdomtide this year, we read the Book of Daniel.

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: You—mercy and forgiveness v. 9

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.

One of my spiritual directors in life was a priest who became blind late in his life. He was also a very talented violinist. It was very difficult for him to learn how to be blind and continue to play the violin. Yet he told me that he had become an even better violinist, because his hearing had become extremely sensitive. He also witnessed that he had come to see things spiritually that he might never have understood if he had his eyesight. 

The joy of the man in the Gospel who came to see was made even greater because before he received his miracle, he had seen Jesus with his heart and knew Jesus could heal him. It’s as though his heart had been given eyes long before he received his sight.

Come to Jesus today with the same intense desire to know and love Jesus as the blind man of today’s Gospel. Be aware of keeping the eyes of your heart upon Jesus.

Mark 10:46-52

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: Throwing off all defenses v. 50

Sundays are dedicated to the Gospels from the Revised Common Lectionary.
In year B, we read from the Gospel of Mark

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.