I'm so glad you were blessed by the blog last week! I wanted a way to honor your "blessings"! This week the word is "provoke". We'll be looking at two verses of Scripture where the original words are different! The first is found in Ephesians 6:4:
4 And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. KJV
"Provoke to wrath" is the Greek word "parorgizo". Strong's Concordance says: to anger alongside, i.e. enrage. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds: to rouse to wrath, to exasperate, to anger. The Amplified Bible says this:
4 Fathers, do not irritate and provoke your children to anger [do not exasperate them to resentment], but rear them [tenderly] in the training and discipline and the counsel and admonition of the Lord. AMP
It's an awesome responsibility to bring up children in such a way that they will understand right from wrong, and how to be disciplined, without making them fearful or discouraged! Children who are nurtured will be, like your girls, open, loving, bold, happy, inquisitive and free to be themselves because they KNOW that they are loved! The next example is more like that! Hebrews 10:24:
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: KJV
In this verse, "provoke unto" is the Greek word "paroxusmos". Strong's Concordance says: incitement to good or dispute (in anger). This "provoking" in Hebrews 10:4 is "unto love and good works"! Vine's Expository Dictionary adds: a stimulation. The Amplified Bible is even more clear:
24 And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities, AMP
This is followed by verse 25:
25 Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching. AMP
One of the important roles of a local church family is to "provoke" or inspire each other to continue growing up in the things of God and to become all that God intends for us to become! Not belonging to a good local church will hinder spiritual growth and will deprive believers of the multiplied power of agreement in prayer. This is important enough that Jesus has Paul emphasize this! AND, he says that it is "much more" important in these last days before the return of Jesus for the Church! I am very glad that you and your family have found the local church that is right for you! I KNOW they are blessed to have the Weber family! Here is Hillsong Young and Free (youth) with "Alive":
Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!
