Contemplative Bible Reading

Luke 2:15 (New Living Translation) When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” Where do angels go after they complete a mission to earth? Simple, they return to heaven. At least that […]

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Luke 9:23 (New Living Translation) Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. Jesus is talking to a crowd. Consider the subject: a cross. The cross was an instrument of capital punishment. Like a […]

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Mark 6:12 (New Living Translation) So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God. This isn’t complicated. The followers of Jesus went out with a two-point message: repent of sins turn to God I wonder how many missionary seminars they attended before they traveled with this […]

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Luke 18:9-14 (New Living Translation) 9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I […]

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Mark 7:32-35 (New Living Translation) 32 A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him. 33 Jesus led him away from the crowd so they could be alone. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then, spitting […]

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Malachi 3:5 (New Living Translation) “At that time I will put you on trial. I am eager to witness against all sorcerers and adulterers and liars. I will speak against those who cheat employees of their wages, who oppress widows and orphans, or who deprive the foreigners living among you of justice, for these people […]

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Mark 5:4 (New Living Translation) Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. This verse described a demon-possessed man.  The man was possessed by “Legion, because there are many of us inside this man” […]

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John 1:4-5 (New Living Translation) The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. Just like that, God flipped the switch and there was light. And the darkness can never extinguish it. Never is […]

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Mark 2:27 (New Living Translation) Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. This verse is part of yet another of those instances when the lawyers were after Jesus concerning obedience of the Sabbath day. Let’s be clear about […]

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Luke 1:67-80 (New Living Translation) 67 Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: 68 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. 69 He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, 70 just as […]

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