Contemplative Bible Reading

1 John 4:18 (New Living Translation) Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. A little research shows that I blogged about this verse back in 2009. Time flies, and […]

[Read more →]

Yesterday was Christmas Day. I suppose I should write something about that. I am older than I used to be. One of the things about that is that persons who were always part of Christmas are not here anymore. They have died. My wife’s mother and grandmother died in the last 18 months. My mother […]

[Read more →]

Matthew 4:12-16 (New Living Translation) 12 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee. 13 He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This fulfilled what God said through the prophet […]

[Read more →]

Matthew 2:1-3 (New Living Translation) Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” 3 […]

[Read more →]

Micah 4:3 (New Living Translation) The Lord will mediate between peoples and will settle disputes between strong nations far away. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore. At first, I thought this was the famous phrase that […]

[Read more →]

1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 (New Living Translation) 4 We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people. 5 For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what […]

[Read more →]

Mark 6:19-20 (New Living Translation) 19 So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod’s approval she was powerless, 20 for Herod respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, […]

[Read more →]

Jude verse 23 (New Living Translation) Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives. Interesting balancing act here. Then again, life is made interesting by these occasions when we walk along the top of a […]

[Read more →]