Hi Brian!


The word for this week is "escape"! We will look at two different passages of Scripture; one from the Old Testament and one from the New. First we'll look at  the Hebrew word "palat", which means: to escape, to save, to deliver, to slip away, to bring into security, to deliver, to bring to safety according to Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon. This is found in Psalm 71:1-3:


1 IN YOU, O LORD, do I trust and confidently take refuge; let me never be put to shame or confusion! 2 Deliver me in Your righteousness and cause me to escape; bow down Your ear to me and save me! 3 Be to me a rock of refuge in which to dwell, and a sheltering stronghold to which I may continually resort, which You have appointed to save me, for You are my Rock and my Fortress.


Next is the Greek word "ekbasis", which means: to go out, an exit (literally or figuratively), end, way to escape according to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance. This is found in 1 Corinthians 10:13-14:


13 For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where is leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear] But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently. 14 Therefore, my dearly beloved, shun (keep clear away from, avoid by flight if need be) any sort of idolatry (of loving or venerating anything more than God).


There is no situation we could ever face that would take God by surprise! He not only has the answer to every question and the solution to every problem, but He IS the Answer and the Solution! In order for us to walk in that Truth powerfully, we MUST keep HIM first place in our lives! He must be our "first love". When He is, then everyone else in our lives is loved far better by us than they were before! Kristine and Avery KNOW that you love them SO MUCH! As you get to know and love HIM more every day, your love for THEM will only grow deeper and more powerful! And THEY will recognize it! How awesome is that! Here is a new song from Hillsong called "The Difference":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!