Movement and stillness are carefully contrasted in the Christmas Story. First, there is the tedious moving of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem, a journey by donkey of some seventy miles. Accompany them. Take the reigns of the donkey so that Joseph can tend to Mary without distraction. Kneel with them in the stillness and awesomeness of the birth. Drink in all the power of that silent night.

Energy shifts to the angels announcing and singing before the shepherds. By faith your spirit mounts with theirs. From the stillness of a winter’s night-watch over their sheep, they run in haste to the manger. Their outof-breath-ness slows to an immense peace, and then energy again as they become the first missionaries of the new presence.

Where does all this leave you? Take your cue from Mary who “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

Luke 2:1–20

Create your own Bible Breaths Learn More…
Examples: The donkey to Bethlehem v. 4 Laying Him in a manger v. 7
Hosanna in excelsis v. 14 Mary ponders in her heart. v. 19

Fridays are dedicated to the Gospels.
In the seasons of Advent to Epiphany this year we read Luke 1 2; Matthew 1 7.

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.

Tap here for a video meditation on Psalm 4

King David’s anointing for intimacy with the Lord comes through deeply and sweetly in this psalm. Pray it often throughout the day and especially as your night prayer. Commit all or part of it to memory.

The verse 4 deserves special reflection. If you fulfill the second part of the verse first, then you will be less likely to sin. When we yield in a reactive manner to anger, sin occurs. Place a silent buffer zone between the feeling of anger and your response to it.

Whatever might have made David angry, his meditative space has enlarged his awareness. The overwhelming sense of God’s protective presence to him makes the source of his anger a mere speck against the shining light of the Lord’s countenance before him.

Psalm 4

What are Bible Breaths? Learn More
Example: You put gladness in my heart. v. 7

We read 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

War is being waged, not for land, but for a spiritual space in your heart where you can live with God alone. Advent is a time to take possession of this space. However, there are spiritual enemies that have “dug in” to that same territory—perhaps old family strongholds passed on to you through negative, prideful, sinful tendencies that seek to sap the peace that God wants to share with you. Name those “enemies.” Recall in the letter to the Ephesians: “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood … but against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (6:12).

God gives you the heart of Joshua and especially the heart of Jesus, born in the silence of the night in the stable of your heart.

Joshua 9—10

What are Bible Breaths? Learn More…
Example: Cleansed of enemies within

Tuesdays are dedicated to the Old Testament books of history
and the Hebrew “Writings.”
In the seasons of Advent to Epiphany this year we read Joshua and Proverbs 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