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

[From the version for young people}

The Lord-Will-Provide—what a lovely name for a place! This is the name that Abraham gave to the place where the ram was offered instead of sacrificing his son, Isaac.

There’s a very simple way of praying that takes a seven syllable phrase and connects it with our breathing—three syllables on the inhale, three on the exhale, and one for rest…like the Sabbath! Here’s a way you can take Abraham’s name for this place and make it into such a prayer. “The Lord will provide for me.” As this prayer becomes one with your breath, with each breath you take, the meaning and comfort of the prayer will sink into you. You might also take a post-it note and write the prayer-phrase on it and put it in a place where you will see it. If you do something like this every day, then the daily reading will become personal to you. You’ll be breathing the essence of each day’s Bible reading.

Genesis 22:1-19

This is the third of three parts of the Torah Portion Vayera (And He Appeared)
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.

Genesis 18—22

Here is a sample of a seven-syllable breath-prayer
from today’s reading:
The Lord will provide for me. v. 14
For more information about this creative way to pray,
see Bible Breaths.

Saturdays are dedicated to the Sabbath Torah portions
read in synagogues throughout the world.
This plan follows those traditions that take a third of the portion
over a three year cycle, this year, the second part.
For more about the Torah portions and thoughtful commentaries, visit
The Jewish Theological Seminary.

For the Firestarters in the original edition, I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand Firestarters with you on your phone or tablet.  More information…

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

[From the original version]

The silence between Pilate and Jesus is awesome. Jesus refuses to defend himself or negotiate his outcome with this spineless man. Pilate is nothing but a puppet administrator, a lackey for the Roman emperor in this distant province.

Jesus’s hour has come—humiliating, painful, and overwhelmingly sad. Yet his hour moves closer to death and resurrection; Jesus surrenders himself for your salvation.

When you experience injustice, mockery, and suffering, may you discover a unique joy in Jesus and love for him, for being found more like him; so was Jesus treated out of love for you. When you come away from suffering with more union with your Lord, how can you lose?

Mark 15:1–20

Create your own Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Silence before all Pilates v. 5

Fridays are dedicated to the Gospels. This year, we generally read
from the Gospel of Mark, this season, chapters 10 to 16.

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.

 “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes
and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Revelation 7:14

Listen to Pastor Nick read the “Firestarter” and Revelation 7:9-17.

[From the version for young people]

Let your imagination go and slowly look at the wonderful picture that the sacred writer is painting for you. Notice how symmetrical are the images; they are mirrored in units of four, like a kaleidoscope—one of those tubes you look through that has mirrors reflecting the colored stones in all kinds of star-like shapes.

Imagine: clothing becoming white when it is drenched in blood!  What’s amazing is that blood-stains are very hard to get out of clothing. In this case, the blood of Jesus poured out upon us inside and out makes us white.  Jesus’s blood flowed so that we could become pure white; how’s that for a miracle!    Verses 10 and 12 contain refrains that must have been really sung in the first years of the church, right after Jesus’s death and Resurrection.  Sing them to yourself—even out loud!  You are singing verses that have been sung down through the ages—right up to today, if you’re singing them!  

[Final paragraph from the original version]

The chapter begins with an awesome stillness as the winds of strife and evil are held in check. The tribulation for God’s servants comes only after they have been sealed. Nothing can harm them; nothing can harm you, if you are sealed by the blood of the Lamb.

Revelation 7

Find out all about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Robed in white before the throne v. 9

Thursdays are dedicated to the letters of Paul, other letters,
the Book of Acts, and the Book of Revelation.
In season of Kingdomtide this year,
we read 1 and 2 Thessalonians; Revelation 4—11.

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.