As you know, probably 95% of the weekly posts I write each year deal with the Person and work of the Holy Spirit, another 4% with divine healing, and the annual Christmas picture/greeting finishes off the 52 posts. Through these posts, individuals across America and several nations are reading each week mini-teachings about the present-day working of the Holy Spirit. To God be the glory.
This week, I want to deviate from the “norm” and share what I consider a practical “insider” secret about my ministry and these blog posts, one that you can apply to your walk with Christ. Here’s the secret – while I preach and quote from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, the majority of my study and preparation time for ministry is spent reading from multiple translations of the Bible. Believe me when I write that I am not anti-KJV. I love, love, love its beauty and richness but gain my greatest insights from reading other translations and paraphrases.
Is this beneficial? You be the judge with this example. A few weeks ago, I felt a strong prompting to write a post titled “It’s the Word” based upon Psalm 107:20. Consider how the translations amplified the message as I shared that the Word will…
CHANGE YOUR NEED FOR A FUNERAL HOME. The sent and received Word will change YOUR medical prognosis and renew your life. Heeding and acting on the Word will cause the term “stage four cancer” to be replaced with the words “totally, completely, 100% healed”. The funeral home will have to wait because the door to death has been closed!
Good News Translation – “He healed them with his command and saved them from the grave.”
International Children’s Bible – “God gave the command and healed them. So they were saved from dying.”
James Moffatt Translation – “He sent His word to heal them and preserve their life.”
Message Bible – “He spoke the word that healed you, that pulled you back from the brink of death.”
New Living Translation – “He spoke, and they were healed—snatched from the door of death.”
Can you see how investing time to read these and other translations can shed new light on keywords or phrases and enhance your time in the Word?
And, are you ready for some really great news? These and so many other translations are available online at no cost. Check out these links:
BibleGateway.com: A searchable online Bible in over 150 versions and 50 languages.
literalnewtestament.com/wp-content/uploads/DLNT.pdf
Study Bible – Online Greek Hebrew KJV Parallel Interlinear Tools
Interlinear (knowing-jesus.com)
YouVersion Bible App – YouVersion
Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages
Now that I’ve “spilled the beans” about my “insider” secret, I’ll go back and finish working on the “Three Reasons Every Believer Should Be Healed” message that I will preach this weekend. (It’s found in Luke 13:16.)
Thank you Pastor Billy,
Great information there. I like Bible Gateway for that purpose, seeing all the other translations to get a better view of the Word. I also like Blue Letter Bible or BLB. It goes deeper into the Greek, Aramaic and the Hebrew. It’s really good. Have a Blessed day!
Ron, it is well worth the time to explore other translations and paraphrases. So many times in reading these, a word or phrase will jump out providing an insight that I previously hadn’t seen.