Contemplative Bible Reading

Hebrews 13:3 (New Living Translation) Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies. The writer is concluding a letter sent to Jews. This request seems odd, but consider the nature of the prison: Gentiles invented prisons. Jews did […]

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Matthew 14:29 (New Living Translation) “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. We know the story. Peter walks on water. Then, when we looks away from Jesus, he sinks. Let’s pause a moment to consider this “walking on water” thing. We tend […]

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Philippians 1:17-18 (New Living Translation) 17 Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. 18 But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, […]

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John 3:21 (New Living Translation) But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants. There are days when I want everyone to see what I am doing. Arrogant? Boastful? Prideful? Please pause a moment. I want people to see the actions, not […]

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John 3:20 (New Living Translation) All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. Question to ask (especially to ask myself): What are you (what am I) doing? Will that lead to something? Will that lead to something you (I) want? Do I want […]

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Romans 8:15 (New Living Translation) So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” God gives spirit, and spirit lives in us all. What kind of spirit do I want living in me? […]

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John 3:19 (New Living Translation) And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. Funny thing about being in a well-lit place: I can see everything I am doing. And…everyone else can see everything I am […]

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John 3:18 (New Living Translation) There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. Some translations use the word “condemnation” instead of “judgement.” That is because if God judges me alone, well, I’m […]

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Romans 7:24 (New Living Translation) …Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? The above words are preceded by “Oh, what a miserable person I am!” Such is life as a human being in this world. What did I do? How did I get here? And… Who will free […]

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Romans 6:18 (New Living Translation) Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. I don’t like the use of “slavery” in Romans. In America, we often hear “slavery” and immediately stop thinking about what God is telling us and start thinking of American history, the Civil […]

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