Jonah Flees From the Lord The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. 4 Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6 The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.” 7 Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” 9 He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.) 11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” 12 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” 13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.” 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him. Jonah’s Prayer17 Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
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Jesus Prophesies His Crucifixion After Jesus had completed his teachings, he said to his disciples, 2 “You know that the Feast of the Passover begins in two more days. That’s when the Son of Man is to be betrayed and handed over to be crucified.” 3 Meanwhile, the prominent priests and religious leaders of the nation were gathered in the palace of the high priest Caiaphas.[a] 4 That’s when they made their decision to secretly[b] have Jesus captured and killed. 5 But they all agreed, “We can’t do this during the Passover celebrations or we could have a riot on our hands.” A Woman Anoints Jesus 6–7 Then Jesus went to Bethany, to the home of Simon, a man Jesus had healed of leprosy. A woman came into the house, holding an alabaster flask[c] filled with fragrant and expensive oil.[d] She walked right up to Jesus, and in a lavish gesture of devotion, she poured out the costly oil, and it cascaded over his head as he was at the table. 8 When the disciples saw this, they were offended. “What a total waste!” they grumbled. 9 “We could have sold it for a great deal of money and given it to the poor.” 10 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Why are you critical of this woman? She has done a beautiful act of kindness for me. 11 You will always have someone poor whom you can help, but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured the fragrant oil over me, she was preparing my body for burial.[e] 13 I promise you that as this wonderful gospel spreads all over the world, the story of her lavish devotion to me will also be mentioned in memory of her.”[f] Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus 14 One of the twelve apostles, Judas the locksmith,[g] went to the leading priests 15 and said, “How much are you willing to pay me to betray Jesus into your hands?” They agreed to pay him thirty silver coins.[h] 16 Immediately Judas began to scheme and look for an opportunity to betray him. Jesus Celebrates Passover with His Disciples 17 On the first day of Passover,[i] the day when any bread made with yeast was removed from every Jewish home, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where should we prepare the Passover meal[j] for you?” 18 He answered them, “My heart longs with great desire to eat this Passover meal with you.[k] Go into Jerusalem and you will encounter a man.[l] Tell him that the teacher says, ‘My appointed time[m] is near. I am coming to your home to eat the Passover meal with my disciples.’” 19 The disciples did as Jesus had instructed them, and they prepared the Passover meal. 20 When evening came he took his place at the table and dined with the Twelve. 21 While they were eating, Jesus spoke up and said, “One of you is about to betray me.” 22 Feeling deeply hurt by these words, one after another asked him, “You don’t mean me, do you?” 23 He answered, “It is one who has shared meals with me as an intimate friend.[n] 24 All that was prophesied of me will take place, but how miserable it will be for the one who betrays the Son of Man. It would be far better for him if he had never been born!” 25 Then finally, Judas the traitor spoke up and asked him, “Teacher,[o] perhaps it is I?” Jesus answered, “You said it.” The Lord’s Supper 26 As they ate, Jesus took the bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to his disciples. He said to them, “This is my body. Eat it.” 27 Then taking the cup of wine and giving praises to the Father, he entered into covenant with them,[p] saying, “This is my blood. Each of you must drink it in fulfillment of the covenant. 28 For this is the blood that seals the new covenant.[q] It will be poured out for many for the complete forgiveness of sins. 29 The next time we drink this, I will be with you and we will drink it together with a new understanding in the kingdom realm of my Father.”[r] While in prayer yesterday, the Lord showed me a vision, but it was not like any vision I had before. This time, I didn’t just see or view it in front of me, I experienced it just like I was there while it was happening. I am at a loss for words and cannot convey just how horrified and completely overwhelmed I felt from this. The whole thing was so beyond my being able to adequately describe the horror and devastation of what took place. I was able to see, hear, and smell everything as it was happening all around me. After it was over, I broke down and began sobbing and weeping. My wife came over and put her arms around me. She said I held my face in my hands and cried over and over, “I couldn’t help them! I couldn’t help them! I tried to help them, but they wouldn’t take my hand! I kept trying to reach them to pull them out, but they wouldn’t take my hand!” Here is the vision: I had been praying and began asking the Lord to reveal to me what was coming. I opened my Bible and began to read, and then He said to me, “I want to show you this. Write what you see.” I picked up my notebook and pen, and instantly I was at the scene of an event that was taking place, which looked to me like somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. I was standing on a riverbank, watching a swollen river with very rough rapids. I thought to myself while I was observing that this must be the spring melt. I could smell and hear the water that was roaring so loudly and very violently. Then I noticed a large tree float by, then another and another. What was once just violent waters was now filled with debris, trees, and branches. Then the water started turning brown, light at first, still with all the trees, and it looked like soup. I then noticed the water was now turning darker brown and then became more muddy and then thicker mud. I asked what is causing this as it was now apparent that it was not just a spring melt. I then saw the body of a person floating by me, face down, and I knew he was dead. Then more and more bodies, all face down. I cried out to God, “What is this?” He then took me up a little higher to what seemed about 30 feet up, and I saw thousands of bodies. Some people were alive and clawing at anything to rise above the mud. Some people were riding on the tree logs. They were covered with mud, screaming, and had looks of horror and fear on their faces. I saw some praying and crying out to God to save them. I was then at this time standing on the bank, trying to reach out to anyone I could. I stretched out my hand, but the person would not reach for it. I said, “Lord, I am trying to save them, but they refuse my hand!” I was then taken back up in the air, and I saw why the rivers were in torrents. It looked like the Northwest. I saw lots of smoke and fire everywhere, all over the ground. Everything was on fire. It looked like an earthquake had taken place and destroyed everything I could see. Then the Lord brought to my attention the mountains. I saw what looked like a volcano erupting, causing all the snow to melt and causing the mud to flow. I heard exlosions and could smell wood burning and also a sulfur, rotten egg kind of smell. I followed the mountain range down and noticed a second volcano erupting. I am not sure which mountain, but it was very tall. I asked the Lord when is this going to happen, and He said, “Very soon, My son, and no one will expect it.” He then said to me, “Tell My people, I am coming soon – Get ready!” Messiah Jesus Scripture Reference: 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8 But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. (Matthew 24:7-8) Author: Byron Searle Byron Searle was in the US Air Force Security Service and worked intercepting and copying electronic communications.. He has been married for over 40 years to a wonderful woman who was also in the USAF. Byron gave his life to Jesus Christ in 1981, but lately the Lord has led him into a deeper walk and is now revealing secrets. Joined Together in Perfect Unity
2Look at how much encouragement[a] you’ve found in your relationship with the Anointed One! You are filled to overflowing with his comforting love. You have experienced a deepening friendship with the Holy Spirit and have felt his tender affection and mercy.[b] 2 So I’m asking you, my friends, that you be joined together in perfect unity—with one heart, one passion, and united in one love. Walk together[c] with one harmonious purpose and you will fill my heart with unbounded joy. 3 Be free from pride-filled opinions, for they will only harm your cherished unity. Don’t allow self-promotion to hide in your hearts, but in authentic humility put others first and view others as more important than yourselves. 4 Abandon every display of selfishness. Possess a greater concern for what matters to others instead of your own interests. 5 And consider the example that Jesus, the Anointed One, has set before us. Let his mindset become your motivation. The Example of Jesus Christ 6 He existed in the form of God, yet he gave no thought to seizing equality with God as his supreme prize.[d] 7 Instead he emptied himself of his outward glory by reducing himself to the form of a lowly servant. He became human! 8 He humbled himself and became vulnerable, choosing to be revealed as a man and was obedient.[e] He was a perfect example, even in his death—a criminal’s death by crucifixion![f] 9 Because of that obedience, God exalted him and multiplied his greatness! He has now been given the greatest of all names! 10 The authority of the name of Jesus causes every knee to bow in reverence! Everything and everyone will one day submit to this name—in the heavenly realm, in the earthly realm, and in the demonic realm.[g] 11 And every tongue will proclaim in every language: “Jesus Christ is Lord Yahweh,”[h] bringing glory and honor to God, his Father![I] Believers Shine Like Lights in the World 12 My beloved ones, just like you’ve always listened to everything I’ve taught you in the past, I’m asking you now to keep following my instructions as though I were right there with you. Now you must continue to make this new life fully manifested as you live[j] in the holy awe of God—which brings you trembling into his presence. 13 God will continually revitalize you, implanting within you the passion to do what pleases him.[k] 14 Live a cheerful life, without complaining or division among yourselves. 15 For then you will be seen as innocent,[l] faultless, and pure children of God, even though you live in the midst of a brutal and perverse culture.[m] For you will appear among them as shining lights[n] in the universe, 16 offering them the words of eternal life.[o] I haven’t labored among you for nothing, for your lives are the fruit of my ministry and will be my glorious boast at the unveiling[p] of Christ! 17 But I will rejoice even if my life is poured out like a liquid offering to God over your sacrificial and surrendered lives of faith.[q] 18 And so no matter what happens to me, you should rejoice in ecstatic celebration with me! The Example of Timothy 19 Yet I’m trusting in our Lord Jesus that I may send Timothy to you soon, so I can be refreshed when I find out how you’re doing. 20 Timothy is like no other. He carries the same passion for your welfare that I carry in my heart. 21 For it seems as though everyone else is busy seeking what is best for themselves instead of the things that are most important to our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 You already know about his excellent reputation, since he has served alongside me as a loyal son in the work of ministry. 23 After I see what transpires with me he’s the one I will send to you to bless you. 24 And I’m trusting in my Lord to return to you in due time. 25 But for now, I feel a stirring in my heart to send Epaphroditus[r] back to you immediately. He’s a friend to me and a wonderful brother and fellow soldier who has worked with me as we serve as ministers of the gospel. And you sent him as your apostle to minister to me in my need. 26 But now he is grieved to know that you found out he had been sick, so he longs to return and comfort you in this. 27 It’s true he almost died, but God showed him mercy and healed him. And I’m so thankful to God for his healing, as I was spared from having the sorrow of losing him on top of all my other troubles! 28 So you can see why I’m delighted to send him to you now. I know that you’re anxious to see him and rejoice in his healing, and it encourages me to know how happy you’ll be to have him back. 29 So warmly welcome him home in the Lord,[s] with joyous love, and esteem him highly, for people like him deserve it. 30 Because of me, he put his life on the line, despising the danger, so that he could provide for me with what you couldn’t, since you were so far away. And he did it all because of his ministry for Christ. Footnotes:
The Passion Translation (TPT)The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC. Used by permission. All rights reserved. thePassionTranslation.com Introduction
Dear friends in Colossae, 1–2 My name is Paul and I have been chosen by Jesus Christ to be his apostle, by the calling and destined purpose of God. My colleague, Timothy, and I send this letter to all the holy believers who have been united to Jesus as beloved followers of the Messiah. May God, our true Father, release upon your lives the riches of his kind favor and heavenly peace through the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. Paul Prays for the Colossians 3 Every time we pray for you our hearts overflow with thanksgiving to Father God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we have heard of your devoted lives of faith in Christ Jesus and your tender love toward all his holy believers. 5 Your faith and love rise within you as you access all the treasures of your inheritance[a] stored up in the heavenly realm. For the revelation of the true gospel is as real today as the day you first heard of our glorious hope, now that you have believed in the truth of the gospel. 6 This is the wonderful message that is being spread everywhere, powerfully changing hearts throughout the earth, just like it has changed you! Every believer of this good news bears the fruit of eternal life as they experience the reality of God’s grace. 7 Our beloved coworker, Epaphras,[b] was there from the beginning to thoroughly teach you the astonishing revelation of the gospel, and he serves you faithfully as Christ’s representative. 8 He’s informed us of the many wonderful ways love is being demonstrated through your lives by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. 9 Since we first heard about you, we’ve kept you always in our prayers that you would receive the perfect knowledge of God’s pleasure[c] over your lives, making you reservoirs of every kind of wisdom and spiritual understanding. 10 We pray that you would walk in the ways of true righteousness, pleasing God in every good thing you do. Then you’ll become fruit-bearing branches, yielding to his life, and maturing in the rich experience of knowing God in his fullness! 11 And we pray that you would be energized with all his explosive power from the realm of his magnificent glory, filling you with great hope.[d] 12 Your hearts can soar with joyful gratitude when you think of how God made you worthy to receive the glorious inheritance freely given to us by living in the light.[e] 13 He has rescued us completely from the tyrannical rule[f] of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom realm of his beloved Son. 14 For in the Son all our sins are canceled and we have the release of redemption through his very blood. The Supremacy of Christ 15 He is the divine portrait, the true likeness of the invisible God, and the first-born heir of all creation. 16 For through the Son everything was created, both in the heavenly realm and on the earth, all that is seen and all that is unseen. Every seat of power, realm of government, principality, and authority—it was all created through him and for his purpose! 17 He existed before anything was made, and now everything finds completion in him. 18 He is the Head of his body, which is the church. And since he is the beginning and the firstborn heir in resurrection,[g] he is the most exalted One, holding first place[h] in everything. 19 For God is satisfied to have all his fullness[i] dwelling in Christ. 20 And by the blood of his cross, everything in heaven and earth is brought back to himself--back to its original intent, restored to innocence again![j] Made Holy through Christ 21–22 Even though you were once distant from him, living in the shadows of your evil thoughts and actions, he reconnected you back to himself. He released his supernatural peace to you through the sacrifice of his own body as the sin-payment on your behalf so that you would dwell in his presence. And now there is nothing between you and Father God, for he sees you as holy, flawless, and restored,[k] 23 if indeed you continue to advance in faith, assured of a firm foundation to grow upon. Never be shaken from the hope of the gospel you have believed in. And this is the glorious news I preach all over the world. The Divine Mystery 24 I can even celebrate the sorrows I have experienced on your behalf; for as I join with you in your difficulties, it helps you to discover what lacks in your understanding[l] of the sufferings Jesus Christ experienced for his body, the church. 25 This is the very reason I’ve been made a minister by the authority of God and a servant to his body, so that in his detailed plan I would fully equip you with the Word of God. 26 There is a divine mystery—a secret surprise that has been concealed from the world for generations, but now it’s being revealed, unfolded and manifested for every holy believer to experience. 27 Living within you is the Christ who floods you with the expectation of glory! This mystery of Christ, embedded within us, becomes a heavenly treasure chest of hope filled with the riches of glory for his people, and God wants everyone to know it! 28–29 Christ is our message! We preach to awaken hearts and bring every person into the full understanding of truth. It has become my inspiration and passion in ministry to labor with a tireless intensity, with his power flowing through me, to present to every believer the revelation of being his perfect one in Jesus Christ. Footnotes:
The Passion Translation (TPT)The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC. Used by permission. All rights reserved. thePassionTranslation.com God’s Witnesses
For the Pure and Shining One A poem of praise by King David, his loving servant God’s Story in the Skies 1 God’s splendor is a tale that is told; his testament is written in the stars.[a] Space itself speaks his story every day through the marvels of the heavens. His truth is on tour in the starry vault of the sky, showing his skill in creation’s craftsmanship. 2 Each day gushes out its message[b] to the next, night with night whispering its knowledge to all. 3 Without a sound, without a word, without a voice being heard, 4 Yet all the world can see its story. Everywhere its gospel[c] is clearly read so all may know. 5 What a heavenly home God has set for the sun, shining in the superdome of the sky! See how he leaves his celestial chamber each morning, radiant as a bridegroom ready for his wedding, like a day-breaking champion eager to run his course. 6 He rises on one horizon, completing his circuit on the other, warming lives and lands with his heat. God’s Story in the Scriptures 7 God’s Word is perfect in every way; how it revives our souls! His laws lead us to truth, and his ways change the simple into wise. 8 His teachings make us joyful and radiate his light; his precepts are so pure! His commands, how they challenge us to keep close to his heart! The revelation-light of his word makes my spirit shine radiant. 9 Every one of the Lord’s commands is right; following them brings cheer.[d] Nothing he says ever needs to be changed. 10 The rarest treasures of life are found in his truth. That’s why I prize God’s word like others prize the finest gold. Nothing brings the soul such sweetness as seeking his living words. 11 For they warn us, his servants, and keep us from following the wicked way, giving a lifetime guarantee: great success to every obedient soul! 12 Without this revelation-light, how would I ever detect the waywardness of my heart?[e] Lord, forgive my hidden flaws whenever you find them. 13 Keep cleansing me, God, and keep me from my secret, selfish sins; may they never rule over me! For only then will I be free from fault and remain innocent of rebellion. 14 So may the words of my mouth, my meditation-thoughts, and every movement of my heart be always pure and pleasing, acceptable before your eyes, my only Redeemer, my Protector-God.[f] Footnotes:
The Passion Translation (TPT)The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC. Used by permission. All rights reserved. thePassionTranslation.com By Taffie Beisecker The Lord is more than able and absolutely willing to be your Healer, Restorer, Repairer, Redeemer, Savour of your mind, body & spirit. What the enemy has brought against you for harm, God has a plan to turn it all around, reshaping & reforming it into something good for you. Praise Him even while the solution remains unseen. Liken it to this scenario; when we are traveling to our vacation getaway, we are excited in anticipating all the fun and enjoyment we're about to have even prior to actually reaching the destination. Why? Because that's what a vacation is all about - fun & enjoyment, therefore we expect nothing less. Likewise, our Father God is all about being a good & loving Father Who restores & redeems therefore we should excitedly anticipate the manifestation of His goodness into our lives and expect nothing less. Introduction Dear friends, My name is Paul[a] and I have been commissioned as an apostle[b] of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. My apostleship was not granted to me by any council of men, for I was appointed by Jesus, the Anointed One, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead. 2 I am joined by all the brothers and sisters[c] who are here with me as I write you this letter, which is to be distributed to the churches throughout the region of central Turkey.[d] 3–4 I pray over you a release of the blessings of God’s undeserved kindness and total well-being[e] that flows from our Father - God and from the Lord Jesus.[f] He’s the Anointed Messiah who offered himself as the sacrifice for our sins! He has taken us out of this evil world system[g] and set us free through our salvation, just as God desired. 5 All the glory will go to God alone, throughout time and eternity. Amen! One Gospel 6 I am shocked over how quickly you have strayed away from the Anointed One who called you to himself by his loving mercy. I’m frankly astounded that you now embrace a distorted gospel! 7 That is a fake “gospel” that is simply not true. There is only one gospel—the gospel of the Messiah! Yet you have allowed those who mingle law with grace to confuse you with lies. 8 Anyone who comes to you with a different message than the grace gospel that you have received will have the curse of God come upon them! For even if we or an angel appeared before you, to give you a different gospel than what we have already proclaimed, God’s curse will be upon them. 9 I will make it clear: Anyone, no matter who they are, that brings you a different gospel than the grace gospel that you have received, let them be condemned and cursed! 10 I’m obviously not trying to flatter you or water down my message to be popular with men, but my supreme passion is to please God. For if all I attempt to do is please people, I would not be the true servant of the Messiah. How Paul Became an Apostle 11 Beloved ones, let me say emphatically that the gospel entrusted to me was not given to me by any man. 12 No one taught me this revelation, for it was given to me directly by the unveiling of Jesus the Anointed One. 13 By now you have heard stories of how severely[h] I harassed and persecuted Christians and did my best to systematically destroy God’s church, all because of my radical devotion to the Jewish religion. 14 My zeal and passion for the doctrines of Judaism distinguished me among my people, for I was far more advanced in my religious instruction than others my age. 15 But then God called me by his grace; and in love, he chose me from my birth to be his. 16 God’s grace unveiled his Son in me so that I would proclaim him to the non-Jewish people of the world. After I had this encounter I kept it a secret for some time, sharing it with no one. 17 And I chose not to run to Jerusalem to try to impress those who had become apostles before me. Instead, I went away into the Arabian Desert for a season until I returned to Damascus, where I had first encountered Jesus. 18 I remained there for three years until I eventually went up to Jerusalem and met the apostle Peter[i] and stayed with him for a couple of weeks so I could get to know him better. 19 The only other apostle I met during that time was James,[j] the Lord’s brother. 20 Everything I’m describing to you I confess before God is the absolute truth. 21 After my stay in Jerusalem, I went to Syria and southeast Turkey,[k] 22 but remained unknown to the Jewish believers in Judea. 23 The only thing they heard about me was this: “Our former enemy, who once brutally persecuted us, is now preaching the good news of the faith that he was once obsessed with destroying!” 24 Because of the transformation that took place in my life, they praised God even more![l] Footnotes:
The Passion Translation (TPT)The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC. Used by permission. All rights reserved. thePassionTranslation.com “So above all, constantly chase after the realm of God’s kingdom[a] and the righteousness that proceeds from him. Then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly.[b]
Footnotes:
The Coronation of the King Act I – The Nations Speak2 How dare the nations plan a rebellion. Their foolish plots are futile![a] 2 Look at how the power brokers of the world rise up to hold their summit as the rulers scheme and confer together against Yahweh and his Anointed King, saying: 3 “Let’s come together and break away from the Creator. Once and for all let’s cast off these controlling chains of God and his Christ!”[b] Act II – God Speaks4 God-Enthroned[c] merely laughs at them; the Sovereign One mocks their madness! 5 Then with the fierceness of his fiery anger he settles the issue[d] and terrifies them to death[e] with these words: 6 “I myself have poured out my King on Zion,[f] my holy mountain.[g] Act III – The Son Speaks7 “I will reveal the eternal purpose of God. For he has decreed over me, ‘You are my favored Son. And as your Father I have crowned you as my King Eternal. Today I became your Father. 8 Ask me[h] to give you the nations and I will do it, and they shall become your legacy. Your domain will stretch to the ends of the earth. 9 And you will shepherd them[i] with unlimited authority, crushing their rebellion as an iron rod smashes jars of clay!’” Act IV – The Holy Spirit Speaks10 Listen to me, all you rebel-kings and all you upstart judges of the earth. Learn your lesson[j] while there’s still time. 11 Serve and worship the awe-inspiring God. Recognize his greatness and bow before him, trembling with reverence in his presence.[k] 12 Fall facedown before him and kiss the Son[l] before his anger is roused against you. Remember that his wrath can be quickly kindled! But many blessings are waiting for all who turn aside to hide themselves in him! Footnotes:
The Passion Translation (TPT)The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC. Used by permission. All rights reserved. thePassionTranslation.com If your faith remains strong, even while surrounded by life’s difficulties, you will continue to experience the untold blessings of God! True happiness comes as you pass the test with faith, and receive the victorious crown of life promised to every lover of God!
Revelation 1 The Passion Translation (TPT)John’s Introduction1 This is the unveiling of Jesus Christ,[a] which God gave him to share with his loving servants[b] what must occur swiftly.[c] He clearly made it known[d] by sending his angel[e] to his loving servant John.[f] 2 I, John, bore witness to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 A joyous blessing[g] rests upon the one who reads this message and upon those who hear and embrace the words of this prophecy, for the appointed time is in your hands.[h]
4 From John to the seven churches[i] in western Turkey:[j] May the kindness of God’s grace and peace overflow to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come,[k] and from the seven spirits[l] who are in front of his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the Faithful Witness,[m] the Firstborn from among the dead[n] and the ruling King, who rules over the kings of the earth![o] Now to the one who constantly loves us and has loosed us from our sins[p] by his own blood,[q] 6 and to the one who has made us to rule as a kingly priesthood[r] to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and dominion throughout the eternity of eternities! Amen! 7 Behold! He appears[s] within the clouds,[t] and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him.[u] And all the people groups of the earth will weep with sorrow because of him. And so it is to be! Amen. 8 “I am the Aleph and the Tav,”[v] says the Lord God, “who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” 9 I, John, am your brother and companion in tribulation,[w] the kingdom,[x] and the patience that are found in Jesus.[y] I was exiled on the island of Patmos[z] because of the ministry of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the spirit realm[aa] on the Lord’s day,[ab] and I heard behind[ac] me a loud voice sounding like a trumpet,[ad] 11 saying to me: Write in a book what you see and send it to the seven churches:[ae] to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamum, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. 12 When I turned[af] to see the voice that was speaking to me, I saw seven golden lampstands.[ag] 13 And walking among the lampstands, I saw someone like a son of man,[ah] wearing a full-length robe[ai] with a golden sash over his chest.[aj] 14 His head and his hair were white like wool—white as glistening snow.[ak] And his eyes were like flames of fire![al] 15 His feet were gleaming like bright metal,[am] as though they were glowing in a fire,[an] and his voice was like the roar of many rushing waters.[ao] 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword.[ap] And his face was shining like the brightness of the blinding sun![aq] 17 When I saw him, I fell down at his feet as good as dead,[ar] but he laid his right hand on me[as] and I heard his reassuring voice saying: Don’t yield to fear. I am the Beginning and I am the End, 18 the Living One! I was dead, but now look—I am alive forever and ever. And I hold the keys[at] that unlock death and the unseen world.[au] 19 Now I want you to write what you have seen, what is, and what will be after the things that I reveal to you. 20 The mystery of the lampstands[av] and the seven stars is this: the seven lampstands are the seven churches, and the seven stars in my right hand are the seven messengers[aw] of the seven churches.[ax] Footnotes:
The Passion Translation (TPT)The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC. Used by permission. All rights reserved. thePassionTranslation.com By Taffie Beisecker
During a time of worshipping and singing to the Lord (3/15/18), I heard Him speak; "Do not fear the crash, for this will only clear the way for bigger and better investments. Consider it to be a way of purging of that which is toxic to your economy. Out with the old and in with the new. New wine - new stocks - new days to look forward to as has been unlike any other of this time. The Catalysts have performed well - now watch as they return with a new stamina of performance under their belts. It's high time for the tightening up of a belt or two as the trade winds sweep across the land - sweeping and dusting away debris that has for the longest time sat idle. TIME FOR CHANGE! Real change. My change. The hour has come and is now upon you to witness the sound of freedom and to see the scope of victory. Here's your portion to celebrate from; New skin for new wine - drink up!" (Catalyst - an agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action) By Kimberly Hathaway I was staring at this picture the other day and felt the presence of the Lord. And then He gave me the following Word.... Become like a child, armed with the Sword of the Spirit and see what God will do. For even the tiniest hand when thusly armed with the full knowledge of God is able to slay the greatest dragon. The tiniest face lifted toward Heaven, eyes locked on Jesus causes all of Hell to tremble. For it is not the size of the person nor the monsters they face that determine the outcome. It is the might and glory of the God that stands behind them. It is HIS Power and HIS ability upon which all things rest. How can we question how things will end for us when we look and see all that He has already done? So pick up your sword little one. Stop questioning whether or not your hand is large enough to grasp the hilt. Stop disqualifying yourself based on size or stature. Take it in hand regardless of your doubts and look up. See Who is standing beside you. See the love in His eyes. See the joyful pride as He lays His hand on your tiny shoulder and know... That as He walks by your side "no weapon formed against you shall prosper." For you are His beloved. "But for you who revere My Name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet." Malachi 4:2-3 In this time of great opposition it is important to remember. Pick up your sword. (Photography by Davy Desmond) https://www.facebook.com/notes/kimberly-hathaway/take-up-your-sword/10150458209034274/
Jeremiah 33 New International Version (NIV)Promise of Restoration33 While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him a second time: 2 “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name: 3 ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ 4 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege ramps and the sword 5 in the fight with the Babylonians[a]: ‘They will be filled with the dead bodies of the people I will slay in my anger and wrath. I will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness.
6 “‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. 7 I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity[b] and will rebuild them as they were before. 8 I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. 9 Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’ 10 “This is what the Lord says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate waste, without people or animals.” Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more 11 the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord, saying, “Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures forever.” For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,’ says the Lord. 12 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In this place, desolate and without people or animals—in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks. 13 In the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand of the one who counts them,’ says the Lord. 14 “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah. 15 “‘In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it[c] will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.’ 17 For this is what the Lord says: ‘David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel, 18 nor will the Levitical priests ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.’” 19 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 20 “This is what the Lord says: ‘If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time, 21 then my covenant with David my servant—and my covenant with the Levites who are priests ministering before me—can be broken and David will no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne. 22 I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless as the stars in the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.’” 23 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 24 “Have you not noticed that these people are saying, ‘The Lord has rejected the two kingdoms[d] he chose’? So they despise my people and no longer regard them as a nation. 25 This is what the Lord says: ‘If I have not made my covenant with day and night and established the laws of heaven and earth, 26 then I will reject the descendants of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his sons to rule over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes[e] and have compassion on them.’” Footnotes:
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Growing in Holiness So abandon[a] every form of evil, deceit, hypocrisy,[b] feelings of jealousy and slander. 2 In the same way that nursing infants cry for milk, you must intensely crave the pure[c] spiritual milk of God’s Word.[d] For this “milk” will cause you to grow into maturity, fully nourished and strong for life[e]-- 3 especially now that you have had a taste of the goodness of the Lord Jehovah and have experienced his kindness.[f]
4 So keep coming to him who is the Living Stone[g]—though he was rejected and discarded by men but chosen by God and is priceless in God’s sight. 5 Come and be his “living stones”[h] who are continually being assembled into a sanctuary for God. For now you serve as holy priests,[i] offering up spiritual sacrifices that he readily accepts through Jesus Christ. 6 For it says in Scripture: Look! I lay a cornerstone in Zion,[j] a chosen and priceless stone! And whoever believes in him will certainly not be disappointed.[k] 7 As believers you know his great worth—indeed, his preciousness is imparted to you.[l] But for those who do not believe: The stone that the builders rejected and discarded has now become the cornerstone[m] 8 And A stone that makes them stumble and a rock to trip over.[n] They keep stumbling over the message because they refuse to believe it. And this they were destined to do. 9 But you are God’s chosen treasure[o]—priests who are kings,[p] a spiritual “nation” set apart as God’s devoted ones. He called you out of darkness to experience his marvelous light, and now he claims you as his very own. He did this so that you would broadcast his glorious wonders throughout the world.[q] 10 For at one time you were not God’s people, but now you are. At one time you knew nothing of God’s mercy, because you hadn’t received it yet, but now you are drenched with it![r] Living Godly Lives 11 My divinely loved friends, since you are resident aliens and foreigners in this world, I appeal to you to divorce yourselves from the evil desires that wage war within you.[s] 12 Live honorable lives as you mix with unbelievers, even though they accuse you of being evildoers. For they will see your beautiful works and have a reason to glorify God in the day he visits us.[t] 13 In order to honor the Lord, you must respect and defer to the authority of every human institution,[u] whether it be the highest ruler[v] 14 or the governors he puts in place to punish lawbreakers and to praise those who do what’s right. 15 For it is God’s will for you to silence the ignorance of foolish people[w] by doing what is right. 16 As God’s loving servants, you should live in complete freedom, but never use your freedom as a cover-up for evil. 17 Recognize the value of every person and continually show love to every believer. Live your lives with great reverence and in holy awe of God. Honor your rulers. The Example of Christ’s Sufferings 18 Those who are servants,[x] submit to[y] the authority of those who are your masters—not only to those who are kind and gentle but even to those who are hard and difficult. 19 You find God’s favor by deciding to please God even when you endure hardships because of unjust suffering. 20 For what merit is it to endure mistreatment for wrongdoing? Yet if you are mistreated when you do what is right, and you faithfully endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 In fact, you were called to live this way, because Christ also suffered in your place, leaving you his example for you to follow. 22 He never sinned and he never spoke deceitfully.[z] 23 When he was verbally abused, he did not return with an insult; when he suffered, he would not threaten retaliation.[aa] Jesus faithfully entrusted himself into the hands of God, who judges righteously. 24 He himself carried our sins[ab] in his body on the cross[ac] so that we would be dead to sin[ad] and live for righteousness. Our instant healing flowed from his wounding.[ae] 25 You were like sheep that continually wandered away,[af] but now you have returned to the true Shepherd of your lives—the kind Guardian who lovingly watches over your souls. Footnotes:
The Passion Translation (TPT)The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC. Used by permission. All rights reserved. thePassionTranslation.com Words for Oregon
7-11-10 Listen to the new sound. One generation is weeping and the next generation is rejoicing. When these sounds mix the ground comes alive. The quaking in the ground is a sign in a region where death was and is now coming to life. Awakenings will occur in Washington State, Oregon, Northern Oklahoma, St. Louis, Northern New York – shaking – the earth is saying, “Life is springing up from what died last season.” Life is in the ground. Land will move. 1-13 Chuck: Lord we say, "New strength is being infused by your Spirit into the people of Oregon and through this region of the world so that we can walk in new strength. Father, we receive a renewal. We receive a healing move of God in his state." We tell witchcraft and divination, "Your game is up in this state." you know what that means? It means you don't have to run out and burn all the witches in the state. It means that you are moving one step beyond the power of what the occult saw doing in this state. Just as Moses was one step beyond he magicians, we say that the body if Christ will have a greater demonstration this year than occult powers, in Jesus name. No date Dutch Sheets: We say, Lord, that the fires of revival will burn again in San Francisco in this house, up and down the west coast of America, California will burn, it will burn up into Oregon and Washington, down through California and into Mexico. We say all of the west , all the way down the coast of South America will burn with a holy fire, that the fire of revival is coming, that miracles are coming, that the river of the Spirit of God is going to flow once again. We appeal to the God of heaven, the God of heaven, the God of heaven, the God of heaven who is greater than every opposing force of the enemy. We say let the fires of heaven burn again all up and down this west coast, all up and down, all the way up into Alaska, and over up into Russia! We say it will jump across the waters even into Asia! We decree it in Jesus’ name! 7-10-07 Chuck: We speak to the state of Washington, the least evangelized state along with Oregon and say that there will be an outcry that comes saying, “Come and visit us! Come and visit us!” We speak to all of the liberalism of those states and the hurts and pains of those states and say, “Rise up and cry out today.” 10-17-06 Chuck: The Lord would say, “I’m going to start loosing sound that has been captured on the west coast and sent in wrong directions. I’m going to cause that sound to start calling in the wave of my Spirit. We speak for a new wave of revolution to come into Berkley and UCLA and USC, into Pepperdine, into University of Oregon and Oregon State, even into Gonzaga. There will be an opening up and a shaking forth in Washington. We call forth the revolution in San Diego State. Let the sound come forth on the west coast to prepare them for the wave that is coming. 2-22-14 Chuck Pierce to Washington State & Oregon: Wow! When John was saying that; I heard pray for Washington State and Oregon. I send an alarm from Zion across Washington State and Oregon and I say wake up and watch for there is a change coming to your ground and a new; new opening is coming from Heaven but now the ground will make a shift. 3-1-15 Chuck Pierce: Wow! Now remember last week we started prophesying about the West Coast, Washington, Oregon. Let’s continue to prophesy. The Lord would say I’m going to be moving along the West Coast I’m gonna be coming down and the waters will begin to churn. I’m gonna churn in Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon and California. I say there’s a Move that I’m funneling in even the resources are going to be restructured along the West Coast. And then I say all of those that receive the Next Move of the Oil of My Anointing I say I’m going to send that Move, it’s gonna come it’s gonna be moving underground through Nevada, through Arizona, through Mexico. And I say there will be an explosion here in the center that causes that Move of God to unfreeze the East Coast saith the Lord. 7-20-12 Chuck Pierce: Washington State, Oregon and Northern California there’s a rumbling, tumbling, earthquake shaking move about to happen. Romans 15 The Passion Translation (TPT)Love Is the Key to Unity15 Now, those who are mature[a] in their faith can easily be recognized, for they don’t live to please themselves but have learned to patiently embrace others in their immaturity.[b] 2 Our goal must be to empower others to do what is right and good for them, and to bring them into spiritual maturity. 3 For not even the most powerful one of all, the Anointed One, lived to please himself. His life fulfilled the Scripture that says:
All the insults of those who insulted you fall upon me.[c] 4 Whatever was written beforehand is meant to instruct us in how to live. The Scriptures impart to us encouragement and inspiration so that we can live in hope and endure all things. 5 Now may God, the source of great endurance and comfort, grace you with unity among yourselves, which flows from your relationship with Jesus, the Anointed One.[d] 6 Then, with a unanimous rush of passion, you will with one voice glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 You will bring God glory when you accept and welcome one another as partners, just as the Anointed One has fully accepted you and received you as his partner. The God of Hope for Jews and Non-Jews8 I am convinced that Jesus, the Messiah, was sent as a servant to the Jewish people[e] to fulfill the promises God made to our ancestors and to prove God’s faithfulness. 9 And now, because of Jesus, the non-Jewish people of the world can glorify God for his kindness to them, fulfilling the prophecy of Scripture: Because of this I will proclaim you among the nations and they will hear me sing praises to your name.[f] 10 And in another place it says: “You who are not Jewish, celebrate life right alongside his Jewish people.”[g] 11 And again: Praise the Lord Yahweh,[h] all you who are not Jews, and let all the people of the earth raise their voices in praises to him.[i] 12 And Isaiah prophesied: “An heir to David’s throne[j] will emerge, and he will rise up as ruler over all the non-Jewish nations, for all their hopes will be met in him.”[k] 13 Now may God, the inspiration and fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope! Paul’s Ministry and His Plans14 My dear brothers and sisters, I am fully convinced of your genuine spirituality. I know that each of you is stuffed full of God’s goodness, that you are richly supplied with all kinds of revelation-knowledge, and that you are empowered to effectively instruct[l] one another. 15 And because of the outpouring of God’s grace on my life to be his minister and to preach Jesus, the Anointed One, to the non-Jewish people, I have written rather boldly to you on some themes, reminding you of their importance. 16 For this grace has made me a servant of the gospel of God, constantly doing the work of a priest, for I endeavor to present an acceptable offering to God; so that the non-Jewish people of the earth may be set apart and made holy by the Spirit of holiness. 17 Now then, it is through my union with Jesus Christ, that I enjoy an enthusiasm and confidence in my ministry for God. 18–19 And I will not be presumptuous to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me. For many non-Jewish people are coming into faith’s obedience by the power of the Spirit of God, which is displayed through mighty signs and amazing wonders, both in word and deed. Starting from Jerusalem I went from place to place as far as the distant Roman province of Illyricum,[m] fully preaching the wonderful message of Christ.[n] 20 It is my honor and constant passion to be a pioneer who preaches where no one has ever even heard of the Anointed One, instead of building upon someone else’s foundation. 21 As the Scriptures say: Those who know nothing about him will clearly see him, and those who have not heard will respond.[o] Footnotes:
Read More The Good Shepherd David’s poetic praise to God[a] 1 The Lord is my best friend and my shepherd.[b] I always have more than enough. 2 He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love.[c] His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss. 3 That’s where he restores and revives my life.[d] He opens before me pathways to God’s pleasure and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness[e] so that I can bring honor to his name. 4 Lord, even when your path takes me through the valley of deepest darkness, fear will never conquer me, for you already have! You remain close to me and lead me through it all the way. Your authority is my strength and my peace.[f] The comfort of your love takes away my fear. I’ll never be lonely, for you are near. 5 You become my delicious feast even when my enemies dare to fight. You anoint me with the fragrance of your Holy Spirit;[g] you give me all I can drink of you until my heart overflows. 6 So why would I fear the future? For your goodness and love pursue me all the days of my life. Then afterward, when my life is through, I’ll return to your glorious presence to be forever with you! Footnotes:
The Passion Translation (TPT)The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC. Used by permission. All rights reserved. thePassionTranslation.com Revelation 5 The Passion Translation (TPT)The Unopened Scroll5 And I saw that the one seated on the throne was holding in his right hand an unopened scroll with writing on the inside and on the outside,[a] and it was sealed with seven seals. 2 Then I saw an incredibly powerful angel[b] proclaiming with a great, loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break[c] its seven seals?” 3 But no person could be found, living or dead, in all of creation[d]—no one was worthy to open the scroll and read its contents. 4 So I broke down weeping with intense sorrow, because there was found no one worthy to break open the scroll and read its contents.[e]
5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping. Look! The mighty Lion of Judah’s tribe,[f] the root of David—he has conquered! He is the worthy one who can open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6 Then I saw a young Lamb[g] standing in the middle of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders. He appeared to have been slaughtered but was now alive![h] He had seven horns[i] and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out to the ends of the earth. 7 I saw the young Lamb approach the throne and receive the scroll from the right hand of the one who sat there. 8 And when the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures saw the Lamb had taken the scroll, they fell facedown at the feet of the Lamb and worshiped him. Each of them had a harp and golden bowls brimming full of sweet fragrant incense—which are the prayers of God’s holy lovers. 9 And they were all singing this new song of praise to the Lamb: “Because you were slaughtered for us, you are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals. Your blood was the price paid to redeem us. You purchased us to bring us to God out of every tribe, language, people group, and nation. 10 You have chosen us to serve our God and formed us into a kingdom of priests who reign[j] on the earth.” Angelic Worship of the Lamb11 Then I looked, and I heard the voices of myriads of angels in circles around the throne, as well as the voices of the living creatures and the elders—myriads and myriads![k] 12 And as I watched, all of them were singing with thunderous voices: “Worthy is Christ the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive great power and might, wealth and wisdom, and honor, glory, and praise!” 13 Then every living being joined the angelic choir. Every creature in heaven and on earth, under the earth, in the sea, and everything in them, were worshiping with one voice, saying: “Praise, honor, glory, and dominion be to God-Enthroned and to Christ the Lamb forever and ever!” 14 Then the four living creatures responded: “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders threw themselves facedown to the ground and worshiped.[l] Footnotes:
The Passion Translation (TPT)The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC. Used by permission. All rights reserved. thePassionTranslation.com To Theophilus,[a] the lover of God.
I write to you again, my dear friend, to give you further details[b] about the life of our Lord Jesus and all the things that he did and taught.[c] 2 Just before he ascended into heaven, he left instructions[d] for the apostles he had chosen by the Holy Spirit.[e] 3 After the sufferings of his cross, Jesus appeared alive many times[f] to these same apostles over a forty-day period.[g] Jesus proved to them with many convincing signs that he had been resurrected.[h] During these encounters, he taught them the truths of God’s kingdom realm 4 and shared meals with them.[i] Jesus instructed them, “Don’t leave Jerusalem, but wait here until you receive the gift I told you about, the gift the Father has promised. 5 For John baptized you in water, but in a few days from now you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit!”[j] 6 Every time they were gathered together, they asked Jesus, “Lord, is it the time now for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” 7 He answered, “The Father is the one who sets the fixed dates and the times of their fulfillment. You are not permitted to know the timing of all that he has prepared by his own authority. 8 But I promise you this—the Holy Spirit will come upon you and you will be filled with power.[k] And you will be my messengers[l] to Jerusalem, throughout Judea, the distant provinces[m]--even to the remotest places on earth!”[n] 9 Right after he spoke those words, the disciples saw Jesus lifted into the sky and disappear into a cloud![o] 10 As they stared into the sky, watching Jesus ascend, two men in white robes suddenly appeared beside them. 11 They told the startled disciples, “Galileans, why are you staring up into the sky? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but he will come back the same way that you saw him ascend.” A New Apostle Is Chosen 12 The disciples left the Mount of Olives and returned to Jerusalem, less than a mile away.[p] 13–14 Arriving there, they went into a large second-floor room to pray.[q] Those present were Peter, John, Jacob, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, Jacob (the son of Alpheus), Simon (the zealot), Judas (the son of Jacob), and a number of women, including Mary, Jesus’ mother. His brothers[r] were there as well. All of them were united in prayer, gripped with one passion,[s] interceding night and day. 15 During this time Peter stood up among the 120 believers who were gathered and said, 16 “Fellow believers,[t] the Scripture David prophesied by the Holy Spirit concerning Judas had to be fulfilled.[u] Judas betrayed our Lord Jesus and led the mob to the garden to arrest him. 17 He was one of us, and he was chosen to be an apostle just as we were.[v] 18 He earned the wages of his sin,[w] for he fell headfirst, and his belly split open, spilling his intestines on the ground. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem knows what happened to him. That’s why the field where he died is called in Aramaic[x] ‘Haqel Dama,’ that is, ‘The Bloody Field.’ 20 For it is written in the Psalms: ‘Let his house be deserted and become a wasteland. No one will live there.’[y] And also: ‘Let another take his ministry.’[z] 21 “So then, we must choose his replacement from among those who have been with us from the very beginning,[aa] 22 from John’s baptism until Jesus’ ascension. And, like us, he must be a witness of his resurrection.” 23 They proposed two candidates: Joseph, who is also called Barsabbas the Just, and Matthias.[ab] 24 They all prayed, “Lord Yahweh,[ac] you know the heart of every man.[ad] Please give us clear revelation to know which of these two men you have chosen 25 to be an apostle and take Judas’ place because he renounced his apostleship to go where he belonged.”[ae] 26 They cast lots[af] and determined that Matthias was the Lord’s choice, so he was added to the eleven apostles. Footnotes:
The Passion Translation (TPT)The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC. Used by permission. All rights reserved. thePassionTranslation.com The Passion Translation (TPT)
Our Living Hope From Peter, an apostle of Jesus the Anointed One, to the chosen ones[a] who have been scattered abroad like “seed” into the nations living as refugees,[b] to those living in Pontus,[c] Galatia, Cappadocia,[d] and throughout the Roman provinces of Asia and Bithynia.[e] 2 You are not forgotten, for you have been chosen and destined by Father God. The Holy Spirit has set you apart to be God’s holy ones, obedient followers of Jesus Christ who have been gloriously sprinkled with his blood. May God’s delightful grace and peace cascade over you many times over![f] 3 Celebrate with praises the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has shown us his extravagant mercy. For his fountain of mercy has given us a new life—we are reborn[g] to experience a living, energetic hope[h] through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.[i] 4 We are reborn into a perfect inheritance[j] that can never perish, never be defiled, and never diminish. It is promised and preserved forever in the heavenly realm for you![k] 5 Through our faith, the mighty power of God constantly guards[l] us until our full salvation[m] is ready to be revealed[n] in the last time. 6 May the thought of this cause you to jump for joy,[o] even though lately you’ve had to put up with the grief of many trials.[p] 7 But these only reveal the sterling core[q] of your faith, which is far more valuable than gold that perishes, for even gold is refined by fire. Your authentic faith will result in even more praise, glory, and honor when Jesus the Anointed One is revealed.[r] 8 You love him passionately although you did not see him, but through believing in him you are saturated with an ecstatic joy, indescribably sublime and immersed in glory.[s] 9 For you are reaping the harvest of your faith—the full salvation promised you—your souls’ victory![t] Overcoming Grace10 This salvation was the focus of the prophets who prophesied of this outpouring of grace that was destined for you. They made a careful search and investigation of the meaning of their God-given prophecies 11 as they probed into the mysteries of who would fulfill them and the time period when it would all take place. The Spirit of the Anointed One was in them[u] and was pointing prophetically to the sufferings that Christ was destined to suffer and the glories that would be released afterward. 12 God revealed to the prophets that their ministry was not for their own benefit[v] but for yours. And now, you have heard these things from the evangelists[w] who preached the gospel to you through the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—the gospel containing wonderful mysteries that even the angels long to get a glimpse of.[x] A Call to Holiness 13 So then, prepare your hearts and minds for action![y] Stay alert and fix your hope firmly on the marvelous grace that is coming to you. For when Jesus Christ is unveiled,[z] a greater measure of grace will be released to you. 14 As God’s obedient children, never again shape your lives by the desires that you followed when you didn’t know better. 15 Instead, shape your lives to become like the Holy One who called you. 16 For Scripture says: “You are to be holy, because I am holy.”[aa] 17 Since you call on him as your heavenly Father, the impartial Judge who judges according to each one’s works,[ab] live each day with holy awe and reverence throughout your time on earth.[ac] 18 For you know that your lives were ransomed once and for all from the empty and futile way of life handed down from generation to generation. It was not a ransom payment of silver and gold, which eventually perishes, 19 but the precious blood of Christ—who like a spotless, unblemished lamb was sacrificed for us.[ad] 20 This was part of God’s plan, for he was chosen and destined for this before the foundation of the earth was laid,[ae] but he has been made manifest in these last days for you. 21 It is through him that you now believe in God,[af] who raised him from the dead and glorified him,[ag] so that you would fasten your faith and hope in God alone. Love and Purity22 Now, because of your obedience to the truth,[ah] you have purified your very souls, and this empowers you to be full of love for your fellow believers. So express this sincere love toward one another passionately and with a pure heart.[ai] 23 For through the eternal and living Word of God[aj] you have been born again. And this “seed” that he planted within you can never be destroyed but will live and grow inside of you forever. For: 24 Human beings[ak] are frail and temporary, like grass, and the glory of man fleeting like blossoms of the field.[al] The grass dries and withers and the flowers fall off, 25 but the Word of the Lord endures forever![am] And this is the Word[an] that was announced to you! Footnotes:
The Passion Translation (TPT)The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC. Used by permission. All rights reserved. thePassionTranslation.com Introduction
Dear friends in Philippi, 1–2 My name is Paul and I’m joined by Timothy,[a] both of us servants of Jesus, the Anointed One. We write this letter to all his devoted followers in your city, including your pastors,[b] and to all the servant-leaders[c] of the church. May the blessings of divine grace and supernatural peace that flow from God our wonderful Father, and our Messiah, the Lord Jesus, be upon your lives. Paul Prays for the Philippians3–4 My prayers for you are full of praise to God as I give him thanks for you with great joy! I’m so grateful for our union 5 and our enduring partnership that began the first time I presented to you the gospel. 6 I pray with great faith for you, because I’m fully convinced that the One who began this glorious work[d] in you will faithfully continue the process of maturing you[e] and will put his finishing touches to it until the unveiling[f] of our Lord Jesus Christ! 7 It’s no wonder I pray with such confidence, since you have a permanent place in my heart![g] You have remained partners with me in the wonderful grace of God even though I’m here in chains for standing up for the truth of the gospel.[h] 8 Only God knows how much I dearly love you with the tender affection[i] of Jesus, the Anointed One. 9 I continue to pray for your love to grow and increase beyond measure, bringing you into the rich revelation of spiritual insight[j] in all things. 10 This will enable you to choose[k] the most excellent way of all[l]—becoming pure and without offense until the unveiling of Christ.[m] 11 And you will be filled completely with the fruits of righteousness[n] that are found in Jesus, the Anointed One—bringing great praise and glory to God! Paul’s Imprisonment 12 I want you to know, dear ones,[o] what has happened to me has not hindered, but helped my ministry of preaching the gospel, causing it to expand and spread to many people. 13 For now the elite Roman guards and government officials[p] overseeing my imprisonment have plainly recognized that I am here because of my love for the Anointed One. 14 And what I’m going through has actually caused many believers[q] to become even more courageous in the Lord and to be bold and passionate to preach the Word of God, all because of my chains. 15 It’s true that there are some who preach Christ out of competition and controversy, for they are jealous over the way God has used me. Many others have purer motives—they preach with grace and love filling their hearts,[r] 16 because they know I’ve been destined for the purpose of defending the revelation of God.[s] 17 Those who preach Christ with ambition and competition are insincere—they just want to add to the hardships of my imprisonment. 18 Yet in spite of all of this I am overjoyed! For what does it matter as long as Christ is being preached? If they preach him with mixed motives or with genuine love, the message of Christ is still being preached. And I will continue to rejoice 19 because I know that the lavish supply[t] of the Spirit of Jesus, the Anointed One, and your intercession for me will bring about my deliverance.[u] 20 No matter what, I will continue to hope and passionately cling[v] to Christ, so that he will be openly revealed through me before everyone’s eyes.[w] So I will not be ashamed![x] In my life or in my death, Christ will be magnified in me. 21 My true life is the Anointed One, and dying means gaining more of him. 22–24 So here’s my dilemma: Each day I live means bearing more fruit in my ministry; yet I fervently long to be liberated from this body[y] and joined fully to Christ. That would suit me fine, but the greatest advantage to you would be that I remain alive. So you can see why I’m torn between the two—I don’t know which I prefer. 25 Yet deep in my heart I’m confident that I will be spared so I can add to your joy and further strengthen and mature your faith.[z] 26 When I am freed to come to you, my deliverance will give you a reason to boast even more in Jesus Christ. 27 Whatever happens, keep living your lives based on the reality of the gospel of Christ, which reveals him to others. Then when I come to see you, or hear good reports of you, I’ll know that you stand united in one Spirit and one passion—celebrating together as conquerors[aa] in the faith of the gospel.[ab] 28 And then you will never be shaken or intimidated by the opposition that rises up against us, for your courage will only prove as a sure sign from God of their coming destruction and that you have found a new life. 29 For God has graciously given you the privilege not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for him. 30 For you have been called by him to endure the conflict in the same way I have endured it—for you know I’m not giving up. Footnotes:
The Passion Translation (TPT)The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC. Used by permission. All rights reserved. thePassionTranslation.com By Michael King
I had a private discussion recently with some friends regarding prophecy, and specifically when they don’t come to pass. While we didn’t all see eye to eye on every point, I thought it was an enlightening discussion, and I want to share some of what we reviewed with you all. First, we looked at why prophecies might fail. The most obvious reason is that the word wasn’t from God to begin with, and therefore had almost no chance of coming to pass in the first place. While this is a definite possibility, even if a word doesn’t originate from God, we have creative power and can speak forth words of life, calling things that have not yet existed into reality by faith. Thus, whether a word originates directly from God or not isn’t a guarantee whether it will happen or fail. Sometimes prophecies fail because there was demonic resistance. Actually, I personally think this is the primary reason they fail. When God speaks destiny to someone, the first thing the enemy wants to do is steal it so they can destroy it. If a prophetic word is given to us, it is so we can apply our faith and action to it, pray over the realities contained therein, and engage heaven to see it come to pass. It’s often not sufficient to let a word sit there and expect it to work all by itself. On the other hand, some words simply don’t need an action. A word that is encouraging or comforting often doesn’t need any response other than to receive God’s goodness in our hearts, but then, those words aren’t in danger of failing to happen either. If a word does require a response, our best answer is prayer. As we continue to pray over what God has shared with us, we empower angels to remove all demonic resistance against it, and in doing so we create room in the spirit for it to occur. On the other hand, failure to do this may result in the word failing. Does this mean the prophecy was false? Not necessarily, which is hard for some to hear. It could be a missed opportunity. Likewise, as mentioned above it is also possible that the word was false, and therefore didn’t come to pass. In these situations it means we might have failed to use adequate discernment in the first place. It’s a fact that people make mistakes, and the prophetic is no different. I have given people prophecies before that were obtuse-sounding but extremely accurate, and some that were very simple but I couldn’t have missed it further. On rare occasion I will give a word in a situation where I physically cannot correct myself as the person has already left, and I later think to myself “Wow, how did I miss that so badly?” It happens. We all must learn to walk in both grace and discernment. Grace for when people miss it, and discernment so we know when we are hearing from God and when a word just isn’t what it seems to be. I remember a while back when someone posted a very drastic prophetic word with specific dates. He had received confirmation after sign after sign after confirmation that everything he was hearing was correct. The dates came and went and literally nothing happened. He was pretty badly beaten down by other people when this happened, which I don’t think was kind or appropriate, but was also somewhat unavoidable. When prophecies have dates attached it can be that we either heard wrong, misinterpreted what we heard, or heard correctly and something changed. Prayer alters reality, and even in the face of doom and disaster we can pray and see things change. Does that mean the man heard correctly? In spite of the signs it is possible he missed it. It’s also equally possible he hit it square on and prayer changed the outcome, averting potential disaster. How do we know which it is? We don’t—which is why I believe it is always best to extend grace to people when they mess up. It could be me in that position someday, and I’d rather receive grace, so I should probably give it to others. We reap what we sow. One of the pitfalls of the prophetic is that there are so many variables. More often than not a prophecy is an invitation from God to engage with Him to see His will manifest on the earth. It’s rarely a statement of absolute that says what will or will not come to pass without fail, and more often it is a telling-forth of God’s highest plan and purpose. If we engage with God then those plans will probably occur, and if we do not adequately engage then we might miss out. We could engage heavily and the warfare might just be so intense that it still fails, or the situation could change in prayer and the whole scenarios just ends up very different than we originally thought. Or, we could sit on our laurels and do nothing and it still happens. When we hear the original word do we ignore it, or do we activate our faith? And how much of a difference does that even make? My purpose in making this as confusing as possible is to point out that there are a number of spiritual dynamics at play when a prophecy is given. It is rarely as cut-and-dry as some try to make it seem, and very rarely is a failed prophecy the result of a false prophet who intentionally misleads. More often than not it’s the result of any or all of the dynamics mentioned above and then some. Regardless of the reason that a word doesn’t come to pass, I encourage you to keep your head up and don’t let disappointment get the better of you. God has good plans for you to bring health, life, and abundance your way. He doesn’t cause bad things to happen to you, and He only works toward your good. Draw a bit nearer to Him today and listen with your own heart at the things He would share with you. Let Him minister to your soul in every place of disillusionment and frustration. Let Him lead you beside still waters and restore your soul. http://www.thekingsofeden.com/2018/03/when-prophecies-fail/ A song by King David composed after his escape from
the king when he pretended to be insane 1 Lord! I’m bursting with joy over what you’ve done for me! My lips are full of perpetual praise. 2 I’m boasting of you and all your works, so let all who are discouraged take heart. 3 Join me, everyone! Let’s praise the Lord together. Let’s make him famous! Let’s make his name glorious to all. 4 Listen to my testimony: I cried to God in my distress and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears! 5 Gaze upon him, join your life with his, and joy will come. Your faces will glisten with glory. You’ll never wear that shame-face again. 6 When I had nothing, desperate and defeated, I cried out to the Lord and he heard me, bringing his miracle-deliverance when I needed it most.[a] 7 The angel of the Lord stooped down to listen as I prayed, encircling me, empowering me, and showing me how to escape. He will do this for everyone who fears God. 8 Drink deeply of the pleasures of this God.[b] Experience for yourself the joyous mercies he gives to all who turn to hide themselves in him. 9 Worship in awe and wonder, all you who’ve been made holy! For all who fear him will feast with plenty. 10 Even the strong and the wealthy[c] grow weak and hungry, but those who passionately pursue the Lord will never lack any good thing. 11 Come, children of God, and listen to me. I’ll share the lesson I’ve learned of fearing the Lord.[d] 12–13 Do you want to live a long, good life, enjoying the beauty that fills each day? Then never speak a lie or allow wicked words to come from your mouth. 14 Keep turning your back on every sin, and make “peace” your life motto. Practice being at peace with everyone.[e] 15 The Lord sees all we do; he watches over his friends day and night. His godly ones receive the answers they seek whenever they cry out to him. 16 But the Lord has made up his mind to oppose evildoers and to wipe out even the memory of them from the face of the earth. 17 Yet when holy lovers of God cry out to him with all their hearts, the Lord will hear them and come to rescue them from all their troubles. 18 The Lord is close to all whose hearts are crushed by pain, and he is always ready to restore the repentant one. 19 Even when bad things happen to the good and godly ones, the Lord will save them and not let them be defeated by what they face. 20 God will be your bodyguard to protect you when trouble is near. Not one bone will be broken. 21 But the wicked commit slow suicide. For they hate and persecute the lovers of God. Make no mistake about it, God will hold them guilty and punish them; they will pay the penalty! 22 But the Lord has paid for the freedom of his servants, and he will freely pardon those who love him. He will declare them free and innocent when they turn to hide themselves in him. Footnotes:
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