Karate chops of Jesus’ blessings and woes of last week continue in today’s reading. The heart of Jesus’ revolution is about non-violent violence. Your enemy expects you to fight back, to hate, to curse, to strike out. When he receives the unexpected, he is thrown off balance and becomes disoriented and confused. The wind is taken out of the “sails” of violence.

The underlying message of the one turning the cheek is, “Your first attempt to insult and hurt me has failed; would you like to try it again? Is there not an alternative to violence?” The turned cheek has a spiritual violence about it—a karate chop to the soul.

Notice how Jesus gives a way out of chronic anger on the part of one attempted to be made a victim by some evil persecutor. If your heart is filled with prayer, blessing, and love for your enemy, joy can never be taken away from you.

Luke 6:27–38

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: Loving all my enemies v. 27

Sundays are dedicated to the Gospels from the Revised Common Lectionary.
In year C, we generally read from the Gospel of Luke.

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.

 This half chapter is neatly divided into five sections. Spread them through the hours of the day. Stay with what the Scriptures say about Mary Magdalene, resisting popular traditions about her as a prostitute. She was a demon-possessed person, as were others in the Gospel. Gratitude for her deliverance plummeted her into a profound devotion to Jesus, right up to the tomb, the morning of the resurrection, as recalled in John 20.

Your life is the field of “The Parable of the Sower.” What kind of soil is your soul? Learn about what it takes to become part of the family of God, and about the faith that we need when the storms of life tempt us to plummet into despair, instead of into devotion.

Luke 8:1–25

Create your own Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Cleanse my ears so I can hear. v. 8

Fridays are dedicated to the Gospels.
In Advent through Epiphany this year we read Luke chapters 1 to 8.

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.

Passionate pleas of Peter fill this chapter. There are strong words of warning to those who have come to know the Lord, yet are subject to the arrogance and lawlessness of the proud. Pride pits itself against the Lord. It seeks to soak others with its poison, dragging its victims away from the truth. We are reminded of what happened to the fallen angels.

Watch the company you keep. While not being tempted to deny faith outright, reflect upon how media producers work us over—those whose values and motives hardly come from a devotional attachment to the Word of Life.

Is there anything or anyone undermining your faith?

2 Peter 2

Find out all about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Lord, cover me with Your love. v. 9

Thursdays are dedicated to the letters of Paul, other letters,
the Book of Acts, and the Book of Revelation.
In the seasons of Advent through Epiphany this year,
we read the letters of Peter.

For all the Firestarters in the original version, 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.