Jesus presents five images as ways to understand the Kingdom of Heaven. All of them, especially the first four, have something in common. What is it? A hint: Firestarters might be included in the list.

The first two illustrations are similar: something small becomes big over time. The flowers that are delighting your summer were once seeds in the ground. Each day they were stitched from within until their leaves and petals played in the sun. The persistence of planted seeds has something to do with the Kingdom of Heaven: it grows inside of you.

The time you spend with the Word each day is as a fire-seed for what can grow within you during the day, then day after day, until your whole life is bathed in the awareness that God is reigning, protecting, covering, and directing your life. What other words and images can you discover to express what the Kingdom means to you?

Matt. 13:31–33; 44–52

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: Treasure hidden in my heart v. 44

Sundays are dedicated to the Gospels from the Revised Common Lectionary.
During the Seasons of Pentecost and Kingdomtide, we read the Gospel of Matthew.

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.

There are Five references to fire in this passage. Life-giving as well as destructive aspects are given. Relate your awareness of fire here with others instances of fire in the Bible. Fire manifested God to Moses in the Burning Bush (Ex 3:2–3); it was fire that revealed the fullness of God’s outpoured present to the disciples on Pentecost (Act. 2).

Though Moses speaks about the presence of God in the fire on Mount Sinai, here God’s word comes to the people with Moses on a level plain, similar to the contrast of Matthew and Luke. For purposes of theology, and not only history, Matthew places the words of Jesus in a sermon “on the mount,” while Luke has Jesus speak “on the level.”

So let Moses speak to you—“level” with you—about God as the absolute priority in your life. You are not only reading, but also listening to the Spirit as fire in your heart is set by these words that burn within.

Deuteronomy 3:23—4:49

This is the first of three parts of the Torah Portion Vaethanan (I Implored) 
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.

Deuteronomy. 3:23—7:11

Learn about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: You are near me when I call 4:7

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

 Two kinds of persons are before us today. The first are blind nit-pickers who see only what they want to see—Jesus violating some laws. The second is a foreign woman who also sees only what she wants to see—a daughter healed. Listen to Jesus respond to each of them. The first group is the Pharisees and scribes; Jesus angrily confronts them with truths that go far deeper than external regulations. Jesus does a kind of spiritual karate, seeking to chop through the resistance with blows of truth. He praises her for pursuing what she wants, after passing a test in humility as Jesus pretends to put her off.

Find yourself in these two episodes. Is there anything that Jesus is telling you about what you are seeing, and what you refuse to see? Take to the heart the teaching of Jesus about what makes for a defiled life.

Matthew 15

Create your own Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Nurture flowing from my mouth v. 17

Fridays are dedicated to the Gospels.
In the season of Pentecost this year we read Matthew 8 to 18.

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.