Contemplative Bible Reading

James 1:3 (New Living Translation) 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. James is writing to Jews who believed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God. These groups of believers had been scattered to the winds and found themselves in little groups here […]

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Ezekiel 18:31 (New Living Translation) 31 Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel? There is a sermon in every phrase in this sentence. Let’s consider the first one. God is talking to the people through the prophet […]

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1 Timothy 1:13 (New Living Translation) In my insolence, I persecuted his (God’s) people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. This is Paul telling of his past sins and God’s mercy. Paul would smash into gatherings of Christians and kill and torture those he found. That is […]

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Ezekiel 2:6 (New Living Translation) 6 “Son of man, do not fear them or their words. Don’t be afraid even though their threats surround you like nettles and briers and stinging scorpions. Do not be dismayed by their dark scowls, even though they are rebels. God is speaking to the prophet Ezekiel. Words can hurt. […]

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Genesis 6:9 (New Living Translation) 9 This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God. So begins the (hi)story of Noah, the ark, the flood, the rainbow, and all that goes with […]

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Lamentations 1:3 (New Living Translation) She (Judah) lives among foreign nationsand has no place of rest. The writer is lamenting or mourning the fate of Judah. Hauled away from home, the Judeans live in other countries. They never rest. They mourn continuously. In what country do Christians live today? Oh, well, uh, just about every […]

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Ezekiel 33:11 (New Living Translation) 11 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die? God is speaking […]

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Galatians 1:4 (New Living Translation) 4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. I hate to mention it, but we live in an evil world. Evil is everywhere. You don’t have to look far or long […]

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