Contemplative Bible Reading

Ephesians 5:8-9 (New Living Translation) …So live as people of light! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. God puts a light within us. God asks that we merely live what he has given us, i.e., live the light. The result is a life that is good and […]

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Luke 20:20 (New Living Translation) Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent spies pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus. There is much happening in this (hi)story. Let’s focus on the spies. A group of respected […]

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Luke 20:20 (New Living Translation) Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent spies pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus. Jesus had told a story to illustrate what God wanted and didn’t want in our lives. […]

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2 Samuel 8:15 (New Living Translation) So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people. This is the start of the reign of David, King over all of God’s people. What words are used to describe it? Peace? Prosperity? Security? Military might? Health Care? Or one of […]

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Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (New Living Translation) 19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by […]

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Luke 2:8-9 (New Living Translation) 8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, This is part of the familiar (hi)story of the birth of Jesus […]

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Ecclesiastes 12:13 (New Living Translation) That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. There is much that can be written about fearing God. For today, let’s consider it in light of the rest of the sentence: obey his commands. I should be […]

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1 Thessalonians 5:26 (English Standard Version) Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. We usually joke about this verse. Then we dismiss it as something cultural that was done a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. I think we miss the key word in this little sentence: HOLY. Throughout this letter […]

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Matthew 11:25 (New Living Translation) At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike…” God sent His Son to bring the good news to man on earth. Some understood […]

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Luke 19:26 (New Living Translation) ‘Yes,’ the king replied, ‘and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away…’ Jesus is telling what many call “The Parable of Ten Talents.” This verse is near the […]

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