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.

We continue to follow the Psalms in numerical order.

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

The awesome presence and power of God in strong weather moves David in this psalm. You might ask yourself, “If God already possesses glory and strength, what does it mean for us to give God these attributes?”

The answer lies in the intimacy between God and creature. God receives expressions of glory and strength through God’s people. The creature participates not only in receiving the Creator’s life and its power, but also in returning it to God through worship and offering of self.

Jewish people pray this psalm on the festival of Pentecost. Likely, St. Luke had this psalm in mind and this Jewish celebration when he describes the coming of the Holy Spirit in the image of today’s verse.

An earthquake can split great cedars down the middle. The images of the psalm will split your heart apart by flames of inner fire.

Psalm 29

What are Bible Breaths? Learn More
Example: You bless Your people with peace v. 11

We continue to follow the Psalms in numerical order.

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