Listen to Nick read the Firestarter and the reading.

Hezekiah is better at praying than at being a diplomat. Recalling the prayer of King Hezekiah in last week’s reading and contrasting it with today’s chapter, we discover a king who is a mixture of fervor in prayer on the one hand, weakness and co-dependency on the other.

Our last taste of Hezekiah is in his weakness. Look at the final verse of the reading. He displays the treasures of the kingdom to foreigners. He has no boundaries. He reveals precious articles intended only for the worship of the Lord, to a people with no respect for God. Jesus would say that he is “Giving pearls to swine” (Matt. 7:6).

Have respect for what the Lord says to you in the privacy of your own prayer, revealing and witnessing to others according to God’s invitation. Beware of sharing emotions and personal graces with those who at best could care less or who worse, despise the things of the Lord.

Isaiah 39

Mondays are dedicated to the reading of the Hebrew Prophets.
In the season of Kingdomtide this year we read Isaiah 28 – 39.

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: Consequences to my acts

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 the reading.

There comes a time of judgment for you and me—the moment at our deaths when we will stand before King Jesus with the Book of Life open. While salvation depends upon accepting Jesus as Lord and not upon our works, there is a connection to accepting Jesus that must be seen in action. There are consequences in our surrender to the Lord that need to be evidenced in our sensitivity to the needs of others and to meeting those needs. No one ever presuming to give his or her life to the Lord ought to be blind to the needs summary that Jesus offers in this chapter.

Jesus said, “The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven” (Matt. 7:21). Are you doing the will of the Lord now as was outlined in the criteria for eternity in the reading for today? Spend time in the quiet, until any defensiveness within yields to surrender in action to the Lord.

Matthew 25:31–46

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: Finding You in those in need 

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 30:14-24.
(Note: Mandrakes were believed in the Bible to have fertility power.)

The narrative continues with the births of more of Jacob’s sons and one daughter. Names of children in Hebrew are derived from some circumstance surrounding their births.

Naming is important. If you are a parent, you will recall the careful thought you gave to the naming of your children, perhaps to remember your own parent or grandparent. Jewish people never use the name of God directly, because naming gives power over whom or what is named. Naming God, we have “power” over God, which would be blasphemous in the Hebrew mind.

If you were to give names to the members of your family associated with divine intervention and blessing in their lives, what would those names be? Such names could be the focal point for prayer for each family member.

Genesis 30:14—31:16

This is the second of three parts of the Torah Portion Vayetze (And He Departed) 
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 28:10—32:3

Learn about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: You with me, no matter what 31:42

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