Listen to Pastor Nick read the “Firestarter” and 1 Kings 22:14-18.

Conspiracy to steal and murder—all evils break out when there is the kind of contempt for the Lord that Jezebel has. How terrible are the descriptions of these evils! Jezebel has violated the first commandment; how easy it becomes to violate all the others. Beauty found in the beginning of the book in the death of King David, the glory of his son Solomon and the building of the Temple, all fade into the ugliness of two kingdoms with mostly evil kings reigning on both sides.

How the Lord must have been grieved! Now you know God’s sadness in Hosea’s time as well as in our day. Grieve with the Lord until your groaning is one with the groans of the Spirit. These are the birth pangs of new life.

1 Kings 21—22

What are Bible Breaths? Learn More…
Example: What God says, that will I speak. 22:14

Tuesdays are dedicated to the Old Testament books of history
and the Hebrew “Writings.”
In this season, Proverbs 20-11; 1 Kings

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 Hosea 14.

As two pictures that face each other, so are the final two chapters of Hosea. Infidelity to God is on one side, God’s mercy is on the other. The Lord’s loving kindness wins out over God’s anger. Though in justice God could banish God’s unfaithful people, God chooses faithful love, which eventually draws the people back to the Lord.

Persistent faith needed for healing is similar to faithful, long lasting love. Failing to place faith in the Lord to answer all our needs is to be unfaithful to God in a spousal sense.

Take the last verse of Hosea as the theme for the whole. May you know the ways of the Lord and walk in them down the aisle in union with your Spouse.

Hosea 13—14

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: This moment: turning to You 14:1

Mondays are dedicated to the reading of the Hebrew Prophets.
In this season we read Hosea; in the 9th week, we read Lamentations 3.

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 reading.

Sense the struggle between flesh and spirit. Flesh is power, dominance, control; spirit is surrender, love, service, and strength in weakness. Flesh is bound to law; the spirit is freed by love. Surpassing doctrines and systems, law and love is now a person. It is only by assimilation into that person of Christ that keeping the law has any validity and energy.

Jesus said at the Last Supper, “Do this in memory of me.” The “this” to which he is referring is Communion, the sacramental gesture of sharing in the death of Christ and a sign of our own willingness to die for one another.

This fulfills the new commandment to love one another as Jesus loved us.

What do you think became of those who once were disciples of Jesus, and then no longer?

John 6:56–69

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: “Eat this bread; live forever.” v. 58

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.