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

[From the version for young people]

Slowly, but surely, a King who was God’s enemy for being so proud, gradually comes around and worships the one true God.  But look at all the King of Babylon had to go through before he surrendered his whole being to praise, reverence and adore God!  

The key to the King’s growth was in Daniel, the humble young man open to God who gave the king the meaning of the king’s dreams.  I hope you enjoy this chapter just as the last ones.  Daniel continues to be a model for the king of how humility and giving oneself to God are the ways to win.  Doesn’t this sound something like an example of the reading from yesterday?  The king, who wanted to be first, turns out to be last of all.  While he’s eating grass like a cow, he finally comes to his senses.  There’s a story in the Gospel of Luke chapter 15 that has a similar message; you might like to look it up.

Take the last verse of the chapter, verse 37.  It would be a good idea to memorize that verse and let it be with you all this day so that you too can learn in your own way what the King of Babylon had to learn the hard way.  

[From the original version]

Though we can be inspired by another’s faith, there comes a point when faith needs to become one’s own. Nebuchadnezzar is moved by the faith of Daniel and his friends in the power of the God of Israel, but the King has not come to personal faith and abandon. His is self-centered. The Lord confronts him about this in the dream that comes to him in the night, brought to the light of day by Daniel.

Notice familiar themes about exalting self and being humbled. Recall the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11, the Parable of the Rich Fool in Luke 12:13, ff., as well as themes being read in Proverbs. The Lord accepts no substitutes; God wants the “real thing.” Place God at the center of your world and give God alone the glory. If you find that you are being humbled by some event or by some person, then give God even more praise.

Daniel 4 

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: There’s no one who stays Your hand. v. 35

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.

[From the version for young people]

Can you imagine being in a race and wanting to take last place?  It doesn’t make too much sense, does it! But Jesus says that the last place in his Kingdom is really the first. 

The world says that getting ahead is the thing to do. Being promoted in a company often makes people proud, for they have lots of people under them that they can tell what to do. Jesus’s disciples get caught in this type of thinking, wondering who is the most important among them in Jesus’s kingdom.  Jesus notices his friends talking quietly among themselves on the road about who is the greatest; they are trying to keep their voice down so that Jesus can’t hear.  

Listen to the strong words of Jesus about all that competition going on—all that selfish thinking that his disciples got into.  What is it about being in the last place in his Kingdom that makes it so important to Jesus?  Who does Jesus use as an example to show what he means? Will you do something this day and this week that will show that you’re catching on to Jesus’s teaching in this reading?

[From the original version]

How often the disciples are “missing the boat” that Jesus is on! For the second time, Jesus tells about his coming suffering and death. So strong is their denial, they distract themselves arguing about who is the greatest and most important among them.

Jesus confronts them with their foolishness. Values are reversed when it comes to being with Jesus; the humble are exalted, the littlest become the biggest, the greatest is the one who serves; the one that dies is the one that lives. Serving the poor, the forgotten, the cast aside—they will reveal the face of the Anointed One. Pray fervently that you understand this teaching of Jesus to the full.

Mark 9:30-37

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: “Welcome child—welcome Me.” v. 37

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.

Listen to Pastor Nick read the “Firestarter” and Deuteronomy 27:1-10.

Verse 18 of chapter 26 of our reading has a word in Hebrew that describes God’s people as “special” to Him: segullah. Used only eight times in the Old Testament, the underlying meaning of this word is “treasure.” God’s people are God’s prized possessions. The final reference in Malachi 3:17 refers to God’s people as his “jewels.”

In Matthew 6:10–22 Jesus urges us not to lay up treasures on earth, but in heaven. “Where you treasure is, there your heart will be also.” You are God’s treasure, held in God’s heart. The heart of Jesus opened on the cross for you, remains open right now to love you. Jesus has already laid you up as a treasure in heaven.

Paul expresses it this way in Colossians 3:1–4, where we are encouraged to “seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Deuteronomy 26:12—28:6

This is the second of three parts of the Torah Portion Ki Tavo (When You Will Come)
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.
Deuteronomy. 26:1—29:8

Learn about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Blessed as I go in and out 28:6

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