Message In A Bottle

I have owned many translations of the Bible, over my years as a Christian. .....KJV, NIV, NEB, NKJV, Parallel Bible, The Rhyming Bible, Wuest's New Testament, J.B. Phillips...to name a few.

I may have mentioned that my current Bible, is The Message Bible! I like the language and slang of the 40's. It reads "real" to me and gives a fresh perspective, on overly familiar verses. I would like to share some portions of The Message Bible.

The bottle? That's me...God's vessel! I hope you are blessed, by the Message, as much as we have been!

Here is Psalm 43:

1 Clear my name, God; stick up for me against these loveless, immoral people. Get me out of here, away from these lying degenerates.
2 I counted on you, God. Why did you walk out on me? Why am I pacing the floor, wringing my hands over these outrageous people?
3 Give me your lantern and compass, give me a map, So I can find my way to the sacred mountain, to the place of your presence,
4 To enter the place of worship, meet my exuberant God, Sing my thanks with a harp, magnificent God, my God.
5 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God - soon I'll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He's my God.

 

Yeah, I agree, Ken. I am no longer into deep word studies, and read for the enjoyment and fun of it! The Wuest' New testament was translated from the Greek, and there was a lot of "present tense" in it. I loved the "Good News For Modern Man", in the early sixties. You could buy the New Testament for 25 cents! We gave away a good number of them It's pages contained wonderful "stick figure" illustrations, by Swiss artist, Anie Vallotton. They later came out with the Psalms and Proverbs. The Phillips was very good, as well. The paraphrased Bible was all over the map, and not good for study. One time, we asked a young lad in our SS Class, what version he was reading. He said "I have the Reversed Standard Version"! HA!

 

Funny story about the amplified Bible. One church we attended, had an assistant Pastor, who always read from the Amplified Bible. His name was Dan Long! His "Long" readings kept going, and going, and going.....!

Here's Psalm 15, from the Message Bible! Must be close to dinner time, somewhere!

1 God, who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list?
2 "Walk straight, act right, tell the truth.
3 "Don't hurt your friend, don't blame your neighbor;
4 despise the despicable. "Keep your word even when it costs you,
5make an honest living, never take a bribe. "You'll never get blacklisted if you live like this."

 

Have you ever tried the Living Bible? It's also paraphrased. I used it as a new Christian and liked it a lot but then I wanted the closest I could come to the original for the sake of purity. The Message Bible looks fun and easy to understand too. If one uses it solely though, they'll miss a lot, for example:

Psalm 15:2 says "walk straight" in the Message Bible, It says, "walk with integrity" in the non-paraphrased Bible. Integrity says so much more to me.
15:3 says "don't blame your neighbor" in the Message Bible but says "do not speak slander nor do evil to your neighbor" in the non-paraphrased Bible.
15:4 and 5 are good

I've never heard of the New Century Bible. Is it a new version? I'll check it out.

 

I use other versions for study, but when I read the message, I just enjoy it, as is. What I like about it, is that it is a fresh read. ...that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

Here's Psalm 19:

1 God's glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.
2 Madame Day holds classes every morning, Professor Night lectures each evening.
3 Their words aren't heard, their voices aren't recorded,
4 But their silence fills the earth: unspoken truth is spoken everywhere. God makes a huge dome for the sun - a superdome!
5 The morning sun's a new husband leaping from his honeymoon bed, The daybreaking sun an athlete racing to the tape.
6 That's how God's Word vaults across the skies from sunrise to sunset, Melting ice, scorching deserts, warming hearts to faith.
7 The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road.
8 The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes.
9 God's reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree.
10 God's Word is better than a diamond, better than a diamond set between emeralds. You'll like it better than strawberries in spring, better than red, ripe strawberries.
11There's more: God's Word warns us of danger and directs us to hidden treasure.
12 Otherwise how will we find our way? Or know when we play the fool?
13 Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh! Keep me from stupid sins, from thinking I can take over your work; Then I can start this day sun-washed, scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
14 These are the words in my mouth; these are what I chew on and pray. Accept them when I place them on the morning altar, O God, my Altar-Rock, God, Priest-of-My-Altar.

 

I don't know what to read some days, or whether to believe. I saw some info on people saying the bible teaches the Earth is flat. I believe there is a Creator of all I see, and I know I'm told if I am confused by anything, it is the enemy pushing my buttons, geesh, so discouraged

 

Joe, I see what you mean. It's really well written in practical terms that make it easy to apply to our lives.

@Abby Normal , God tells us in the Bible that He's "not the author of confusion" and to "beware of false prophets". So, the best thing for us to do is to look directly to God's Word (aka Bible) for the truth. In order to be able to discern what He's really saying in the Bible, it helps to prepare ourselves to receive what's really intended in the scriptures before we open it. There aren't any contradictions in there. If you ever have any questions you are welcome to start a conversation with me anytime.

It helps to pray first before you start to read the Bible and ask for discernment (clear understanding according to His purpose). It helps to ask him to open your eyes, your mind, and soften your heart (not that it's hard but it just helps to ask him so that you can be free and clear of any hinderances) and to fill you with His Holy Spirit whose purpose is to be our "Helper". Ask Him to fill all empty places with love. I always ask for him to make me clean inside of any of my wrong thoughts or wrong doings before I read the Bible too. It's because, He says, our bodies are His temple….like his house and He doesn't want to dwell in a dirty house so to speak.

I started in the New Testament and specifically started with the Book of John (right after Luke) and read all the way to the end except for Revelations which you might want to do later since it's difficult to understand when you're new to the Bible. Psalms and Proverbs are fun to read in the middle of the Bible. Finding a good church can also be helpful if you join in with the activities and reach out to others for friendship.

 

I like to read the Psalms. I try to avoid the distractions, that would come along, to keep me out of the word. The more I read, the more His Word is planted in my heart. It becomes part of me. Like installing updates & upgrades, we become transformed. The plan is to read it and then live it. Avoiding distractiing arguments is key, for me.

 

It's good to see that I am not the only outcast. While I truly do enjoy the KJV for both study and casual reading I see absolutely nothing wrong with looking toward other translations for thought, reference and quiet, casual Psalms 119:11 reflection.

Once, when attending a new church, I was in the morning adult Bible study (Sunday school) and we had a group round-house reading. When my turn came up I only read about 3 or 4 words into the scripture and was stopped and asked what translation I was using. I told her it was the Thompson's Chain Reference Bible and she went quietly ballistic stating that they ONLY used the KJV in their class and church. I closed my Bible, got up and they never saw me again.
Heck, when I was teaching at the Hebron Colony in N. Carolina, while in a staff Bible study, the director, a Westminister Presbyterian Phd, told me I needed to trash my Scolfield KJV because Scolfield was an alcoholic. No doubt, between that and a couple of other reasons, I was going down the road a week later to another teaching position.

In my life, I have seen many, many people who are brought closer to the Lord because they like the "feel" of other translations and as long as The Word still remains The Word I not only believe but know that God honors it.
Wherever the Holy Spirit leads us........................!!

 

For God's message to reach every "bottle", it must be translated, in order to be read by all. The person must be motivated to actually read God's Word. I find that the best way is to make the message, readable, to each new generation.

 

Here is Chapter 104, of Psalms, from the Message Bible:

1 O my soul, bless God! God, my God, how great you are! beautifully, gloriously robed, 2 Dressed up in sunshine, and all heaven stretched out for your tent. 3 You built your palace on the ocean deeps, made a chariot out of clouds and took off on wind-wings. 4 You commandeered winds as messengers, appointed fire and flame as ambassadors. 5 You set earth on a firm foundation so that nothing can shake it, ever. 6 You blanketed earth with ocean, covered the mountains with deep waters; 7 Then you roared and the water ran away - your thunder crash put it to flight. 8 Mountains pushed up, valleys spread out in the places you assigned them. 9 You set boundaries between earth and sea; never again will earth be flooded.

10 You started the springs and rivers, sent them flowing among the hills. 11 All the wild animals now drink their fill, wild donkeys quench their thirst. 12 Along the riverbanks the birds build nests, ravens make their voices heard. 13 You water the mountains from your heavenly cisterns; earth is supplied with plenty of water. 14 You make grass grow for the livestock, hay for the animals that plow the ground. Oh yes, God brings grain from the land, 15 wine to make people happy, Their faces glowing with health, a people well-fed and hearty.

16 God's trees are well-watered - the Lebanon cedars he planted. 17 Birds build their nests in those trees; look - the stork at home in the treetop. 18 Mountain goats climb about the cliffs; badgers burrow among the rocks. 19 The moon keeps track of the seasons, the sun is in charge of each day. 20 When it's dark and night takes over, all the forest creatures come out. 21 The young lions roar for their prey, clamoring to God for their supper. 22 When the sun comes up, they vanish, lazily stretched out in their dens. 23 Meanwhile, men and women go out to work, busy at their jobs until evening. 24 What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.

25 Oh, look - the deep, wide sea, brimming with fish past counting, sardines and sharks and salmon. 26 Ships plow those waters, and Leviathan, your pet dragon, romps in them. 27 All the creatures look expectantly to you to give them their meals on time. 28 You come, and they gather around; you open your hand and they eat from it. 29 If you turned your back, they'd die in a minute - Take back your Spirit and they die, revert to original mud; 30 Send out your Spirit and they spring to life - the whole countryside in bloom and blossom.

31 The glory of God - let it last forever! Let God enjoy his creation! 32 He takes one look at earth and triggers an earthquake, points a finger at the mountains, and volcanoes erupt. 33 Oh, let me sing to God all my life long, sing hymns to my God as long as I live! 34 Oh, let my song please him; I'm so pleased to be singing to God. 35 But clear the ground of sinners - no more godless men and women! O my soul, bless God!
Psalm 104 MSG

 

Psalm 42:1-5 was the reading in the Message Bible, for today!

1 A white-tailed deer drinks from the creek; I want to drink God, deep draughts of God. 2 I'm thirsty for God-alive. I wonder, "Will I ever make it - arrive and drink in God's presence?" 3 I'm on a diet of tears - tears for breakfast, tears for supper. All day long people knock at my door, Pestering, "Where is this God of yours?" 4 These are the things I go over and over, emptying out the pockets of my life. I was always at the head of the worshiping crowd, right out in front, Leading them all, eager to arrive and worship, Shouting praises, singing thanksgiving - celebrating, all of us, God's feast! 5 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God - soon I'll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He's my God.

 

Here is the reading for today, from the Message Bible. It is Luke 1:46-55:

46 And Mary said, I'm bursting with God-news; 47 I'm dancing the song of my Savior God. 48 God took one good look at me, and look what happened - I'm the most fortunate woman on earth! What God has done for me will never be forgotten, 49 the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others. 50 His mercy flows in wave after wave on those who are in awe before him. 51 He bared his arm and showed his strength, scattered the bluffing braggarts. 52 He knocked tyrants off their high horses, pulled victims out of the mud. 53 The starving poor sat down to a banquet; the callous rich were left out in the cold. 54 He embraced his chosen child, Israel; he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high. 55 It's exactly what he promised, beginning with Abraham and right up to now.