Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "hospitality". I had forgotten this was even in the Bible! We'll look at Romans 12:9-13 and 1 Peter 4:7-11:

9 [Let your] love be sincere (a real thing); hate what is evil [loathe all ungodliness, turn in horror from wickedness], but hold fast to that which is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another. 11 Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord. 12 Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of God's people [sharing in the necessities of the saints]; pursue the practice of hospitality. 
AMP

7-11 But of all things the end has come near. Be of sound mind therefore, and be calm and collected in spirit with a view to [giving yourselves to] prayer; before all things in order of importance, having fervent love among yourselves, because love hides a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without murmuring. In whatever quality or quantity each one has received a gift, be ministering it among yourselves as good stewards of the variegated grace of God. WUEST

These are the Greek words "philonexia" and "philoxenos". They are almost the same in meaning. According to Strong's Concordance, "philoxenos" means: fond of guests. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds: generous to guests and of "philonexia" it says: love to strangers. We are no longer strangers, but you and Kristine REALLY know how to be hospitable! We have always felt welcomed and loved in your home. As for the rest of the verses, neither one of you "lag in zeal or in earnest endeavor". In spite of the busyness of your lives and the responsibility of your family, you both make guests feel very welcomed. We can tell by the pictures that you post that your friends love and appreciate you, too! We love you both, and your girls, and look forward to seeing you again soon! I believe that tremendous blessings are coming to your family because of your "hospitality"! THAT is love in action! Here is a very old song by Hillsong called "God is in the House":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

It was SO good to see you and your beautiful family! The word for this week is "blessing". We'll look at both the Old Testament and the New Testament for this one. First Proverbs 10:22 and Malachi 3:10:

22 The blessing of the Lord — it makes [truly] rich, and He adds no sorrow with it [neither does toiling increase it]. AMP

10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. KJV

This is the Hebrew word "Berakah". Strong's Concordance says: a benediction; by implication prosperity.  Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon adds this: a blessing; prosperity; praise of God; a gift; a present; a treaty of peace. Some of the "blessings" we have received from the Lord require nothing on our part except to believe and receive, such as the new birth. Other blessings require diligence in the Word of God in order to build faith to receive, such as healing or prosperity (Romans 10:17). God has already given the gift, we need to build the faith to receive it! The blessing promised to tithers requires obedience to the Word concerning the tithe. In 1 Peter 3:9 we see a Greek word for blessing:

9 Never return evil for evil or insult for insult (scolding, tongue-lashing, berating), but on the contrary blessing [praying for their welfare, happiness, and protection, and truly pitying and loving them]. For know that to this you have been called, that you may yourselves inherit a blessing [from God — that you may obtain a blessing as heirs, bringing welfare and happiness and protection]. AMP

"Blessing" here is the Greek word "eulogia". Strong's Concordance says: fine speaking; elegance of language; commendation; adoration; benediction. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds this:  praise, laudation. God's blessing upon our lives is a powerful force! Everything we need is available to us if we will simply seek Him to find it, and then act on it! HE wants us to walk in the Blessing even more than we want to walk in it! As a born again believer, as a tither and a giver, as a pray-er and a praiser and a worshiper, You are in position to always walk in the blessing of God! My prayer for you and your family is that God will continue to make His Word abundantly clear to you so that your family can continue to be awesomely blessed! Our God is a GOOD God! Here is Hillsong with "Everyday":

"Everyday"

What to say, Lord? It's
You who gave me life and I
Can't explain just how
Much You mean to me now
That You have saved me, Lord
I give all that I am to You
That everyday I could
Be a light that shines Your name

Everyday, Lord, I'll
Learn to stand upon Your word
And I pray that I
I might come to know You more
That You would guide me in every single step I take, that
Everyday I can
Be Your light unto the world

Everyday, it's You I live for
Everyday, I'll follow after You
Everyday, I'll walk with You, my Lord

Everyday, Lord, I'll
Learn to stand upon Your word
And I pray that I
I might come to know You more
That You would guide me in every single step I take, that
Everyday I can
Be Your light unto the world

Everyday, it's You I live for
Everyday, I'll follow after You
Everyday, I'll walk with You, my Lord

It's You I live for, everyday
It's You I live for, everyday
It's You I live for, everyday
It's You I live for, everyday

Everyday, it's You I live for
Everyday, I'll follow after You
Everyday, I'll walk with You, my Lord

Everyday, it's You I live for
Everyday, I'll follow after You
Everyday, I'll walk with You, my Lord

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "able". I'm amazed that we haven't used that one yet! There are a couple of different words translated able in the Word of God. We'll be looking at two of them. The first is found in Matthew 9:28 and Acts 20:32:

28 When He reached the house and went in, the blind men came to Him, and Jesus said to them, Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said to Him, Yes, Lord. AMP

32 And now [brethren], I commit you to God [I deposit you in His charge, entrusting you to His protection and care]. And I commend you to the Word of His grace [to the commands and counsels and promises of His unmerited favor]. It is able to build you up and to give you [your rightful] inheritance among all God's set-apart ones (those consecrated, purified, and transformed of soul). AMP

This is the Greek word "dunamai". Strong's Concordance says this: to be able or possible. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds: to have power. Vine's Expository Dictionary also adds this: to have power, whether by virtue of one's own ability and resources or by permission of law. Those who came to Jesus to be delivered had to believe that He was capable, but also that He had the authority and the will to do so. Anyone listening to the services at The Spoken Word Church will realize that we believe that God is 100% ABLE, and He IS! We also believe that He is 100% WILLING. In fact, we believe that He is even more willing than He is able, if that would be possible! He desires for us to be blessed (3 John 2; Ephesians 1:3; John 10:10 AMP). Now THAT is something to be excited about! The next "able" is found in Romans 4:21; Romans 11:23; Romans 14:4:

21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. KJV

23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. KJV

4 who are you to pass judgment on someone else’s servant? It is before his own master that he will stand or fall; and the fact is that he will stand, because the Lord is able to make him stand. CJB

This is the Greek word "dunatos". It comes from "dunamai" above. Strong's Concordance says: to be powerful or capable. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds: mighty; strong. The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament adds this: one who has ability or power; one who is powerful. Of course, having the power and ability, and then being capable of using it, is true of the One, True God of the Bible! It is ALSO true of each one of us that has received Jesus as Lord and Savior! He said this in 1 John 4:17:

17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. KJV

YOU have all of the ability of Almighty God present within you to accomplish everything that He has called you to do! You can also stand on THIS promise from Philippians 4:13:

13 I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency]. AMP

How exciting it is that we are no longer limited to mere human strength and ability! Here is Hillsong Live with the acoustic version of "God Is Able":

"God Is Able"

[Verse 1]
God is able
He will never fail
He is almighty God
Greater than all we seek
Greater than all we ask
He has done great things

[Chorus]
Lifted up
He defeated the grave
Raised to life
Our God is able
In His name
We overcome
For the Lord
Our God is able

[Verse 2]
God is with us
God is on our side
He will make a way
Far above all we know
Far above all we hope
He has done great things

[Chorus]
Lifted up
He defeated the grave
Raised to life
Our God is able
In His name
We overcome
For the Lord
Our God is able

[Bridge]
God is with us
He will go before
He will never leave us
He will never leave us
God is for us
He has open arms
He will never fail us
He will never fail us

[Chorus (x2)]
Lifted up
He defeated the grave
Raised to life
Our God is able
In His name
We overcome
For the Lord
Our God is able

For the Lord
Our God is able
For the Lord
Our God is able

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

Congratulations! You are a WONDERFUL daddy to your daughters and I know this will continue with the two new and precious blessings! The word for this week is "anchor". I am repeating this word, which we also had in August, because I don't believe I captured everything that God had to say about it where YOU are concerned! It's found only one time in the Word, in Hebrew 6:19. Here is the full context from Hebrews 6:17-20:

17 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. ESV

We already covered what the Greek says. I like the Dictionary definitions even better. The first is obvious, of course: a heavy device that is attached to a boat or ship by a rope or chain and that is thrown into the water to hold the boat or ship in place. The second one says this: a person or thing that provides strength and support. I like that! I know that YOU are an anchor for your family. They have great confidence in your strength and support! It has been such a joy to see Kristine be free to grow into the beautiful and accomplished professional that she is, as well as a joyful and loving wife and mother! You are both raising your daughters to have confidence and boldness to be themselves, too. In the verses above we see that our confidence is in the sure Word of God's promise and in all that Jesus accomplished for us. I also like the Message Bible for this, where the anchor is referred to as a lifeline:

17 When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee —   18 God can't break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. 19 It's an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God 20 where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us, in the order of Melchizedek. THE MESSAGE

So YOU are a lot like Jesus! A "lifeline" for your family! Well done! Here is a new song from Hillsong Young and Free called "Lifeline", of course! :)

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!