Contemplative Bible Reading

John 11:25 (New Living Translation) Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Jesus is speaking to Martha. This is part of the (hi)story of the death of Lazarus and when Jesus raised him after being dead four days. While consoling Martha and before raising Lazarus, Jesus says the above almost as an […]

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Mark 11:25 (New Living Translation) 25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too. Jesus taught the followers how to pray. Here, Jesus is talking to them about the power of prayer with an example of throwing a […]

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Luke 2:8-14 (King James Version) The most-heard sermon of all time was delivered by an 8-year-old boy voicing a cartoon in 1965. Christopher Shea spoke the words below in A Charlie Brown Christmas. That sermon has been heard by millions or hundreds of millions of persons in the sixty years since. It isn’t a long […]

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Matthew 11:20 (New Living Translation) 20 Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God. Folks don’t like this verse. I don’t “like” this verse and the ensuing discourse from Jesus. Jesus denounced people for not repenting […]

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2 Chronicles 14:12-13 (New English Translation) 12 The Lord struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled, 13 and Asa and his army chased them as far as Gerar. The Cushites were wiped out; they were shattered before the Lord and his army. The men of Judah carried off a huge amount […]

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This is part of the back-and-forth among Job and his close friends as they discuss the plight of Job and his misery. And, let’s not forget, Job had been struck with big calamities. And, let’s not forget, Job’s friends were friends. While some of their arguments and advice were poor, they were present when Job […]

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2 Chronicles 25:8 (New Living Translation) If you let them go with your troops into battle, you will be defeated by the enemy no matter how well you fight. God will overthrow you, for he has the power to help you or to trip you up. A man of God is speaking to King Amaziah […]

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1 Peter 1:18 (New Living Translation) For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. Peter is writing to God’s chosen people—they have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus […]

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2 Chronicles 30:18-19 (New Living Translation) 18 Most of those who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not purified themselves. But King Hezekiah prayed for them, and they were allowed to eat the Passover meal anyway, even though this was contrary to the requirements of the Law. For Hezekiah said, “May the Lord, […]

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2 Chronicles 2:6-7 (New Living Translation) 6 But who can really build him a worthy home? Not even the highest heavens can contain him! So who am I to consider building a Temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices to him? 7 “So send me a master craftsman who can work with […]

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