Listen to Nick read the Firestarter and Exodus 19:1-11.

There is a pause in the journey through the desert of our Jewish ancestors. The horizon of the Promised Land is still distant, but right in front of them is wondrous Mount Sinai. God will be face to face with Moses. A cloud covers the base of the mount as the Glory of the Lord settles in.

Lose yourself at the foot of Mt. Sinai. Stone tablets of the law are coming. But another stone is coming too— the one in front of Jesus’s tomb. Then the two stone tablets will become one law of flesh upon our hearts when the resurrection-stone is rolled away. The other two stones of law yield to the one commandment that we love one another as Jesus has loved us.

How God loves his people! In the wilderness, God shares the wonders of relating to him.

Exodus 19

This is the second of three parts of the Torah Portion Yithro (Jethro) 
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.
Exodus 18:1—20:26

Learn about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Bearing me on eagles’ wings v. 4

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 Nick read the Firestarter and the reading.

This is Mark’s version of a typical day in the life of Jesus, beginning in the evening. People from all over crowd about him, longing to be healed. His fame spreads.

Let there arise a longing in your heart to press about Jesus. Remember, the victory over the world is faith. The world wants to control, bind, and have power over others. However, greater than what is pressing against you is Christ who presses about you. Think of this at evening time when you and other families come home. Come close to Jesus at that hour, bringing with you the crowds that are bound in traffic on their way home. Bring them to the Lord for healing, restoration, comfort, and rest.

Jesus finds the night for prayer. Let part of your nights be for that as well; rest itself can become prayer. If you rise in the morning to commute, remember that Jesus too, went on to other towns!

Mark 1:32–45

Create your own Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: In the night, I pray to You. v. 35

Fridays are dedicated to the Gospels.
In the Winter Season of Advent to Epiphany this year we read Luke 1-2; Mark 1-3

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 Nick read the Firestarter and the reading.

 John Wesley, eighteenth century founder of the Methodist movement, said that we have a sixth sense. While today we often hear a sixth sense referred to as “intuition,” John affirmed that this is faith—the capacity to claim as true, realities that escape our five physical senses. Faith is at the heart of the reading for today: “This is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”

I once had a spiritual director who was a priest and a concert violinist; his name was Cyril Schommer, S.J. Later in life, he became blind. He claimed that he could play the violin better than ever, as hearing became more sensitive to compensate for his loss of sight.

So it is with faith. When outer senses recede, the sense of faith has a chance to grow.

Though it be only the size of a mustard seed, Jesus said that faith can move mountains (Matthew 17:20).

1 John 5:1–12

Find out all about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Our faith is the victory. v. 4

Thursdays are dedicated to the letters of Paul, other letters,
the Book of Acts, and the Book of Revelation.
In the Winter Season of Advent to Epiphany this year we read the Letters of John and Jude.

For all the Firestarters I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these Firestarters with you on your phone or tablet. Check the menu options at the site for more information.