passion |ˈpaʃ(ə)n|noun1 [ in sing. ] an intense desire or enthusiasm for something:

I have a passion for the Word of God.

I am so passionate about the Word of God. I believe that it is living truth, inspired by God and full of wisdom for our daily lives. The stories and scriptures from the Bible have changed my life and given me insight into knowing the heart of my Heavenly Father. I have witnessed the truth of this Word as it transforms lives, heals brokenness and restores relationships. The Word of God is powerful when we read, study and believe it!

The Bible contains Christian scriptures, consisting of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments (written by about 40 authors, in three different languages, on three different continents, over approximately 1,600 years). There are hundreds of translations of the Bible into the English language. Many are authentic and beautifully written, but several contemporary translations have received scepticism and debate on the accuracy of their interpretation.

I enjoy reading from many different translations (contemporary and traditional versions) of the Bible because I find that with each new interpretation, I gain something new from the scripture that I never saw before. Reading the same verse from a different perspective sheds light and reveals revelation from a different angle. I always want to read the Word of God with humility and gain insight from those whom God has inspired and anointed to interpret His Word from their understanding.

I have recently been reading out of the Passion Translation Bible–and love it! The Passion Translation was published by BroadStreet Publishing and Dr. Brian Simmons using Aramaic, Greek and Hebrew manuscripts to convey the emotion and truth of God’s Word in a way that is faithful to scripture, yet comprehensible and easy to understand for the reader.

This is a passionate interpretation of the Scriptures (I might be drawn to it because I am a passionate Latina! *wink*) that brings God’s fiery heart of love and mercy to life through the imagery of the poetic language used throughout the pages. I wanted to share a few verses from my favorite chapters of this translation in hopes that they might encourage you and shed light on scriptures that you have read over and over before–but might need to be read from a new perspective!

Psalm 62:1-8, 12
“I stand silently to listen for the One I love, waiting as long as it takes for the Lord to rescue me. For God alone has become my Savior. He alone is my Safe place; his wrap-around presence always protects me. For he is my Champion Defender; there’s no risk of failure with God. So why would I let worry paralyze me, even when troubles multiply around me? But look at these who want me dead, shouting their vicious threats at me! The moment they discover my weakness they all begin plotting to take me down. Liars, hypocrites, with nothing good to say. All of their energies are spent on moving me from this exalted place.

I am standing in absolute stillness, silent before the one I love, waiting as long as it takes for him to rescue me. Only God is my savior and he will not fail me. For he alone is my Safe Place. His wrap-around presence always protects me as my Champion Defender. There’s no risk of failure with God! So why would I let worry paralyze me even when troubles multiply around me? God’s glory is all around me! His wrap-around presence is all that I need, for the Lord is my Savior, my Hero, and my life-giving strength. Join me, everyone! Trust only in God every moment! Tell him all your troubles and pour out your heart-longings to him. Believe me when I tell you–he will help you!

..’All the love you need is found in me!’ And the Almighty said, ‘The greater your passion for more, the greater reward I will give you!'”

Proverbs 30:7-9
“God, there are two things I’m asking you for before I die, only two: Empty out of my heart everything that is false–every lie, and every crooked thing. And give me neither undue poverty nor undue wealth–but rather, feed my soul with the measure of prosperity that pleases you. May my satisfaction be found in you. Don’t let me be so rich that I don’t need you or so poor that I have to resort to dishonesty just to make ends meet. Then my life will never detract from bringing glory to your name.”

I hope that you will challenge yourself to not only read the Word of God daily, but to find translations and interpretations that resonate with your heart. I pray that God will speak to you through His Word and show up in your life today!

If you ever have a specific prayer request that you would like to share with me, please don’t hesitate to write to me. I want to pray and believe with you!

XO-
Sabrina

PS: If you’re interested in reading the Passion Bible Translation for yourself, it can be found on Amazon!