Contemplative Bible Reading

Matthew 6:31-32 (New Living Translation) 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. What is in the minds of unbelievers? What consumes their thoughts? Conquering the […]

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Luke 5:3 (New Living Translation) Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. Once again, note the position of the great teacher. As in many cases, Jesus sits while He addresses the crowds. […]

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John 1:46 (New Living Translation) “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” “Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied. I have heard Philip described as, “The Apostle for the rest of us.” Philip provides what may be the most powerful statement in spreading the good news about Jesus the Messiah, “Come and see […]

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Luke 1:78-79 (New Living Translation) 78 Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace. Words of poetry and promise too grand to […]

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John 20:22-23 (New Living Translation) 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” Jesus changes the world. He imparts the ability for a bunch of average Joes to forgive sins. Up to […]

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1 Peter 3:9 (New Living Translation) Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. Here is a little different contemplation on this verse. I usually read this […]

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James 1:2 (New Living Translation) Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. This is one of the more annoying verses in the Bible. How did God put it in here? I suppose I am to put the emphasis on the word opportunity. That […]

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James 5:19-20 (New Living Translation) 19 My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, 20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins. One way that I […]

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1 Peter 2:24 (New Living Translation) He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. Why did Jesus the Messiah die on the cross? One of the reasons is so that I can […]

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1 Peter 2:10 (New Living Translation) “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.” Who am I? What is my title? What do people call me? What is it I want people to call me? What identity do I […]

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