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.

Listen to Nick read the Firestarter and Genesis 6:1-8.

Methuselah lived 969 years! He was not alone in great life spans listed for the ten Patriarchs from Adam to Noah and the flood. One of the purposes of this list is to give continuity to long periods of elapsed time and to keep the connection to our deepest roots in the human family. The shortening of the life span has been seen as a consequence to the degrading levels to which the human family had fallen. Everything went downhill. Some see the shortening as actually an act of mercy on God’s part, as we might say: “Quit, while you’re ahead,” or “Stop before things get worse!” And worse indeed did things get with the reference that even “sons of God” (fallen angels?) took human wives. God was grieved at creating us. However, there was one good man: Noah.
     How does God feel about having created you?

Genesis 5:1—6:8

This is the third of three parts of the Torah Portion Bereshith (Beginning)
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 1:1—6:8

Learn about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Thank You for creating me.

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

Listen to Pastor Nick read the “Firestarter” and Mark 13:28-37.

[From the original version]

You have heard the expression: “Things have to get worse before they get better.” Jesus describes the end times in this way. There are many indicators that today’s world resembles the picture that Jesus makes. However, speculation about the time of the end distracts from the personal work that still needs to be done right now.

The end can always be near—the end of your life uncommitted totally to the Lord; the end of resentment, pain, confusion. Once you have died to yourself and are alive in Jesus, you are in heaven. You need not worry when “the curtain comes down” on everything. Watch for the signs that come your way telling you that you need more trust in the Lord.

Mark 13:14–37

Create your own Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Alert for signs of the times v. 29

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.