Listen to Pastor Nick read the Firestarter and Ezekiel 24:15-27.

Ezekiel confronts the people with three powerful symbols, convicting them with their chronic unfaithfulness to God. First, Samaria and Jerusalem are harlots. They prostitute themselves in alliances with foreign nations, placing trust in them, instead of in the Lord. Second, there is a filthy pot. Just as we clean a modern oven by emptying it and turning up the heat, so the pot, which is Jerusalem, is to be emptied and burned in exile, so that the city becomes clean again for the Lord. Third, Ezekiel’s wife dies and God forbids him to mourn her. So too are the people forbidden to mourn for the Temple which will be destroyed in the near future.

How do you relate to these symbols? Let the fire of the Holy Spirit cleanse the “pot” which is your life so that you can be whole and pure in the Lord’s sight.

Ezekiel 23—24

Mondays are dedicated to the reading of the Hebrew Prophets.
In the Season of Easter this year we read Ezekiel 17-32.

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: Purify my heart, O Lord.

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.

Jesus appears to the frightened disciples. There is a tone of delight as Jesus gently releases them from their fears. The first signs of Jesus’s presence are not enough to shake them loose from their embedded fears. They think he is a ghost.

However, ghosts do not eat. The disciples recognize Jesus when he eats some fish and honeycomb. Then they recognize the Lord, just as did the Emmaus disciples when Jesus broke bread and gave them to eat. There is honeycomb; Jesus’s presence is sweet.

Jesus opens the Scriptures for them just as he had done for the two at Emmaus. I pray that the Spirit of Jesus will open the Scriptures every day for you. May you find the presence of Jesus soaking Genesis to Revelation, transforming your fears by the overwhelming presence of your Lord who is ever with you.

Luke 24:36b–48

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: Touching the body of Christ v. 39

Sundays are dedicated to the Gospels from the Revised Common Lectionary.

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 Leviticus 13:12-17.

Leprosy was a sign of death in a body alive. Such afflicted persons must keep apart from the rest of the people. No one was permitted to touch a leper, for fear of contagion and uncleanness coming upon the person. Such a person was obliged to call out “Unclean, unclean,” so that people would stay away.

Wholeness of body and holiness of spirit were always seen together for a Jew. That is the significance of Jesus’s approach to the leper, of not being afraid of becoming unclean by such contact. Jesus reverses the principle; only what Jesus does touch becomes whole and holy!

Invite Jesus to inspect your life and diagnose your ills. Jesus heals. Do not be afraid to touch those lacking in wholeness; they can become whole through contact with you, if you are in Jesus.

Leviticus 13:29–59

This is the second of three parts of the Torah Portion Tazria (Conceives)
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.

Leviticus 12:1—13:59

Learn about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Cleanliness within my heart

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