Listen to Nick read the Firestarter and the Gospel reading.

Jesus quotes from the first half of the Jewish Shema which pious Jews repeat twice daily (Deut. 6:4–5). After many questions on the part of the scribes, Sadducees and Pharisees, Jesus now takes the offensive. He presents a dilemma, forcing his listeners to face the question of how the Messiah would come to be. They are finally rendered speechless.

Life poses many questions about how, when or even whether God is intervening or not. There needs to come a moment when questions are silenced by the very presence of the Lord, perhaps by further questions, such as those posed to Job. God’s questions reduce Job to silence. They remind him about how incapable he is to dominate questions for which the Lord alone has answers.

Ponder these words of the song of Scott Wesley Brown: “When answers aren’t enough—there is Jesus.”

Matthew 22:34–46

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: Surrendering to silence v. 46

Sundays are dedicated to the Gospels from the Revised Common Lectionary.
During the Seasons of Pentecost and Kingdomtide, we read the Gospel of Matthew.

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.

Listen to Nick read the Firestarter and Genesis 15:1-6.

As though wrenching a prized object from a fire, Abram moves in to rescue his nephew, Lot, held captive. The tradition of tithing has its beginnings as Abram gives to Melchizedek a tenth of his spoils of war. The gift of Christ’s body and blood is anticipated in this King of Salem, King of “Peace,” as he brings out bread and wine to meet Abram. (In Chapter 17 v. 5 Abram is given the new name, Abraham.)

Chapter 15 is one of the great moments in Hebrew History. The Lord tells Abram that he will be the father of a people special to the Lord above all nations of the earth.

God acts when hopelessness sets in for Abram and Sarah, childless in their old age. The Lord acted then and is acting now in your life. May the light of God’s Spirit pass between what is separated and broken in your life and make it ablaze with the fire of God’s healing love.

Genesis 14—15

This is the second of three parts of the Torah Portion Lech L’cha (Go Yourself).
Conservative and Reform Jewish congregations read only this part this year,
as also in this Bible plan.
Here is the entire portion in all three parts.
Genesis 12—17

Learn about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Lord my God, You are my shield. 15:1

The Saturday passages follow the reading list that Jewish people use in their synagogue worship
throughout the world. They are taken from
“The Torah,” the first five books of the Bible from Genesis to Deuteronomy
that are read each year beginning with autumn.

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

Listen to Nick read the Firestarter and Matthew 26:1-16.

There are strong contrasts of good and evil in this half chapter. It is the beginning of Jesus’s Passion. Until now, Jesus has been in action against the domains of evil in disease, hypocrisy, and unbelief. Now he allows himself to be acted upon, to be in passion.

There are contrasts in the plot to kill Jesus and the extravagant gesture of the woman who pours costly oil upon Jesus expressing her great love.

In the face of coming death, Jesus gives us the promise of his body’s resurrection in the gift of Communion— even as he faces the evil of Judas’s betrayal and the imminence of Peter’s denial.

The shifts between absolute good and absolute evil will move you. Be shaken, humbled and awed by all the grace this is quietly triumphing.

Matthew 26:1–35

Create your own Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Pouring out my soul in love v. 7

Fridays are dedicated to the Gospels.
In the season of Kingdomtide this year we read Matthew 19 to 28.

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.