Listen to Pastor Nick read the Firestarter and the Gospel.

A woman in a church I served claimed that we needed to come to the defense of Martha in this story. After all, she was offering hospitality and needed her sister’s help.

Yet instead of quietly, politely asking her sister to help, Martha turns to the guest and scolds Jesus for not sending Mary her way! Beneath this charming incident that only Luke reports, there are two kinds of dispositions. Martha is the impulsive type, quick to help another right away; Mary is open, receptive, needing time with Jesus before she does anything else.

There comes a time to move from the feet of Jesus to share more widely, as the Gadarene demoniac of a few chapters before. However, beware of the Martha in you who has no time to be at the feet of Jesus—being first fed by the one whom she will later serve. If you never rest and listen at Jesus’s feet, what good is it wherever else you go?

Luke 10:38–42

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: Choosing first to be with You v. 42

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

Listen to Pastor Nick read the Firestarter and Numbers 28:16-25.

Spring or autumn—which one is the beginning of a new year? Obviously, there is a connection with spring as the beginning, as new life comes into existence. It was then that new life emerged from the Red Sea in the Exodus. There is also the sense that autumn is the beginning, the time when Jewish people celebrate the New Year. Jewish tradition has it that creation took place in autumn, since God created all things in their fullness.

Keep this tension in mind as God outlines all the major festivals of the Jews gathered into this passage. Burnt offerings are to be made. The phrase occurs 267 times in the Old Testament, 22 of them in this passage alone!

While what is burnt is no longer in effect, the fact of burning remains. Are you willing to let yourself be set on fire by the Holy Spirit and burn on for the Lord? God wants no other offering than you.

Numbers 28:16—30:1

This is the third of three parts of the Torah Portion Pinhas (Phineas)
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. 
Numbers 25:10—30:1

Learn about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: My life: sweet odor for You 28:24 etc.

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 Pastor Nick read the Firestarter and Luke 13:22-30.

Jesus continues to make his way to Jerusalem. Along the road, opportunities for teaching, healing, and confrontation offer themselves, depending upon the kind of response that Jesus needs to give.

As an image of movement from one place to another, Jesus speaks about the narrow door—that special opening through which one enters into Kingdom life. This is not unlike the narrow barriers that we pass through on toll highways. We must slow down in order to make the entry safely.

Take this chapter and its simple divisions and let them be as moments in your day to slow up and pass through the narrow gate of God’s Word. Take nourishment, take heart, and be on your way. Remember: any toll that has to be paid was already done by Jesus on the cross!

Luke 13

Create your own Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Planting my life to bear fruit v. 9

Fridays are dedicated to the Gospels.
In the season of Pentecost this year we read Luke 9—19:27.

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.