Five times in verses 3 and 4 the word “comfort” appears. Paul begins his letter with the assurance of the comfort of God in all sufferings, this comfort being the source of the same for others. Read slowly; savor these verses.

The word for “comfort” is the same word used in John’s Gospel for the Holy Spirit, “the Comforter,” from the Greek, Paracletos, “to be called to one’s side.” The Holy Spirit is the one at your side, poured forth to heal, restore, and deeply comfort your entire being.

Belief in the Holy Spirit is also the guarantee of all the promises of God in this world and the next. When the Holy Spirit is in evidence in you, you have a passport to the heavenly places you are entering right now.

2 Corinthians 1

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Thursdays are dedicated to the letters of Paul, other letters,
the Book of Acts, and the Book of Revelation.
In this season of Pentecost this year,
we read 2 Corinthians.

For the next several weeks, the Firestarters will be from the original version of this program. For these 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 on the image for a video meditation on today’s Psalm.

“Dear Diary”: perhaps these are the most familiar words we associate with keeping a journal. It is always there for you, always ready to listen and receive without judgment, criticism, blame, or condemnation.

This is the way David approaches his Lord in the many psalms attributed to him. They are personal. He hardly imagined that you and I would be praying them thousands of years later!

This psalm is typical of many that move from pain to praise. Do what David does. Share your pain with the Lord in writing. You will find images emerging as vehicles for the pain to move out from you. Image gives birth to image as deliverance takes place. Your soul will then be free and empty to be filled with the praises of the Lord. The more you pray, the less likely your struggles with evil will be a cause for your neighbor to stumble.

Psalm 69

We’re using The Message translation of the Scriptures.
Learn about this. unique translation

Bible Breaths Learn More…

We follow a reading of the Psalms in numerical order.

For the next several weeks, the Firestarters will be from the original version of this program. For these 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 often consider an examination of conscience as a judgmental, knitted eyebrow, pointing the finger at our own soul, bringing up feelings of guilt and shame. The word comes from the Latin examen, which literally means the “marker on a scale.” Think of the careful, gentle look you give a postal scale to see if you need to add extra postage to that special piece of mail.

The scale, or a see saw, is how Proverbs are. Each side is balanced with its opposite. Read today’s proverbs slowly, placing your soul in the balance of each one, literally weighing your life according to the measure of each proverb.

Notice how your soul tilts as you pray them. Speaking of scales, beware of any double standards in your life. The ancient Greek philosopher, Socrates said: “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Proverbs 20

We’re using The Message translation of the Scriptures.
Learn about this. unique translation

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Tuesdays are dedicated to the Old Testament books of history
and the Hebrew “Writings.”
In this season, Proverbs 20-11; 1 Kings

For the next several weeks, the Firestarters will be from the original version of this program. For these 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.