Living the Kingdom

Chapters of instruction now shift to exhortation in the last two chapters of Hebrews. Savor the love of the writer as he longs that the final expressions of his letter ignite readers with a holy enthusiasm for living in Jesus. There is great beauty here. Take time to let each verse soak your soul; every one could be selected as a verse for the day. Which one will most move your heart?

The reading is especially appropriate as summer ends. Children will soon return to school and familiar schedules of home life will come once again. Take the reading as encouragement for the weeks to come. The final season of the year, Kingdomtide, begins next week. How could you more perfectly live in Christ’s heavenly kingdom now, because of what you take to heart from God’s Word today?

Hebrews 12—13

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Example: Making straight paths for my feet v.13

Thursdays are dedicated to the letters of Paul, other letters,
the Book of Acts, and the Book of Revelation.
In the season of Pentecost this year we read 1 Timothy and Hebrews.

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.

Outside Jesus—Exile

By the Waters of Babylon 1852 Philip Hermogenes Calderon 1833-1898 Presented by Mrs George Calderon 1922 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/N03677

For a video meditation on Psalm 137, Tap Here.

Imagine what it is like to be in exile. You no longer feel that special connection to life that comes with the simple joy of coming and going as you wish. Exquisite was the pain of God’s people in Babylon. Once in bondage in Egypt to the west, now in exile in Babylon to the east, there are evil enemies on either side of the sacred land of promise.

Pray this psalm for those persecuted right now in foreign prisons just because they want to spread the name of Jesus and for encouraging people to live in the Lord. Living outside of Jesus is to live in exile.

When you come to the shocking last verse, receive, and accept the feelings of anger on the part of those with such bitterness in their heart. Even for the psalmist, more important than these atrocities actually happening is the experience in prayer that God accepts his deepest feelings and receives his anguish.

Psalm 137

What are Bible Breaths? Learn More
Example: You above my highest joy v. 6

We continue to 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

The Everlasting Temple

We conclude the description of the tightly organized community around King David with the army’s twelve divisions, one for each month of service. We catch a glimpse into the economy of the kingdom in 27:25. Finally, as the architect of the Temple, David charges Solomon with the task of actually building it.

The prayer of David from 29:10 is acclaimed as one of the finest in the Old Testament. It is David’s way of saying what Jesus did from the cross: “It is finished!” The prayer flows from David’s serene and joyous heart at one with God. His task is over; the rest is in the hands of Solomon.

Jesus’s task on the cross is finished. But as the Temple yet to be built by Solomon, you are the one in whose hands is the task of continuing to build up the Body of Christ, the everlasting temple.

1 Chronicles 27—29

What are Bible Breaths? Learn More…
Example: Your purpose kept in my heart 29:18

Tuesdays are dedicated to the Old Testament books of history
and the Hebrew “Writings.”
In the season of Pentecost this year we read Proverbs 27—29 and 1 Chronicles.

 

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