Hi Brian! 

Have a wonderful Memorial Day celebration with your family! The word for this week is "overflow". It isn't found in the KJV, but it is in the Amplified Bible. John 10:10:

10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). AMP

The KJV says "more abundantly". This is the Greek word "persissos". Strong's Concordance says :in the sense of beyond; superabundant (in quantity) or superior (in quality); excessive. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: over and above; more than is necessary; super-added; superior; extraordinary; surpassing. The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament adds: superfluous and noteworthy. The online Dictionary defines superfluous, in addition to the above, as : extravagant. THIS is how GOD desires to bless US! In order to have that abundance of Life, we must make sure that we are maintaining our intimate fellowship with Him through prayer and His Word. I especially like the way the Amplified adds: to have AND ENJOY life! Some people have a real problem with God being "extravagant" when they see all the hurting and poverty in the world. God is NOT broke and He gave the same promises to "whosoever will". How can ANYONE ask more from God? He gave the ultimate in His Son so that we COULD have extravagance in every area of our lives. He draws the line, however, at spoon-feeding us! ALL of His promises are "YES" for HIS part. Now He waits for US to add the "AMEN" and expect (2 Corinthians 1:20)! I love to see how He has blessed your family with favor and opportunity, and how you have added diligence, hard work and generosity to be in a position for the EXTRAVAGANT! Never weary in your well-doing (Galatians 6:9)! You have only just begun to see all that HE has planned for you (Jeremiah 29:11)! It's a blessing and a privilege to be a witness to it! We love you and your beautiful family and you have all been such a blessing to us! Here is Hillsong United with "Freedom Is Here/Shout Unto God":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian! 

Happy 5th Anniversary to you and Kristine! THAT time went by fast! The word for this week is "fitly". This is actually part of a phrase and we find it in Ephesians 4:15-16:

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. KJV

The phrase "fitly joined together" is the Greek word "sunarmologeo". Strong's Concordance says: to render close-jointed together, to organize compactly. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds this: to frame together. This verse is specifically speaking of the way each individual member of the Church, the body of Christ, is joined by God. The Holy Spirit takes each of us, with our individual gifts, talents and strengths, and fits us all together to form a whole, united and powerful unit. In Ephesians 5, Paul discusses the marriage relationship, and then says this in verse 32:

32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. KJV

What is the mystery? It is the way that God "fitly joins together" the members of the Body, of the Church, and the two partners in a marriage! HE causes the two of you to be joined together in a way that matches and knits together your strengths and weaknesses to make a perfect whole, dependent on each other! I would say that HE has done a wonderful job in your marriage! The atmosphere in your home, the joy and love evident in the faces of your wife and your daughters, all point to a commitment on both of your parts for your family, but also of the powerful work of the Spirit of God in and through you! We LOVE visiting the Weber home! Love lives there! Here is another song by  Hillsong called "With You":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

I hope you had a fun weekend! The word for this week is "took". There are a few different Greek words translated "took" in the New Testament, but we'll just look at one of them. This is a word we covered at the Women of the Word meeting on Friday night. The verse is Matthew 8:17:

17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. KJV

This is the Greek word "lambrano". Strong's Concordance says: to take; to get hold of; Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds this: to lay hold of; to take in order to carry away; to seize; to take away forcibly. This is the fulfillment of Isaiah 53:4-5:

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. KJV

When Jesus "took" our infirmities (sin, weakness, sickness, pain, poverty, lack and any other work of darkness) He had a purpose! He didn't just stand there and "take it like a man". Jesus, in the spiritual realm, TOOK forcibly all of these things upon Himself so that He could remove them from US! We saw above that this word means to take away forcibly in order to carry away. When Jesus descended into hell, He took ALL the works of darkness back to hell where they belong! He did NOT bring them back when He rose from the dead! The only way the enemy can get them back on us is for us to NOT stay full of the Word and filled with the Spirit so that we will NOT be in position to stand against these things. Now that we understand this, we should be able to stand stronger against all of the attacks the enemy will try to bring against us! Remember that he is a liar and the father of all lies (John 8:44), and he wants YOU to believe those lies! I am so glad that you and Kristine love the Word! I have confidence that your girls will be even stronger in the Word than you are! They WILL affect their world! Here is another new song from Hillsong Young and Free called "In Sync":

VERSE 1:
My life's filled with Your melody
And I'll cry of a life redeemed
My heart's tuned to Your mystery
In sync with You, in sync with You

VERSE 2:
My heart beats to Your rhythm now
My life's song an eternal sound
For all You've done Lord I sing it loud
Forevermore, forevermore

PRE-CHORUS:
In Your freedom here I stand
Letting go of all I am
Jesus take control

CHORUS:
(I'm) Caught up in the middle of Your embrace
All I have surrendered Lord to Your Name
Jesus I'm forever singing Your praise

VERSE 3:
The skies echo Your love for us
Your anthem raised from the empty cross
The earth shakes as Your truth resounds
That You're alive, You're with us now

BRIDGE:
Let our hearts keep beating
To the sound of Heaven's song
No we won't stand silent
We will sing like never before

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "quicken". It's found only once in the New Testament. Romans 8:11:

11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you. KJV

This is the Greek word "zoopoieo". Strong's Concordance says: to re-vitalize. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds: to cause to live, to make alive. The same Holy Spirit Who raised the lifeless body of Jesus from the dead lives IN us! I LOVE that one of His responsibilities is to revitalize MY mortal body! I am REALLY looking forward to that resurrection body that will never age and can move at the speed of thought, but for now, it's a GREAT promise that I can count on this body to be healthy and active for as long as I need it! The Old Testament"quicken" is very similar. It's found 12 times, all in the Psalms. All but 3 of those are found in Psalm 119, the Psalm that is all about the Word of God. We'll look at Psalm 119:159:

159 Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O Lord, according to thy lovingkindness. KJV

This is the Hebrew word "chayah". Strong's Concordance says this: to live; to revive. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon expands on that a little: to live, to sustain life, to live prosperously, to live forever, to be restored to life or health. The Holy Spirit and the Word of God together are a mighty force for good in every area of our lives! Our physical bodies, our finances, our families, our careers, our interests and our ministries are all included in this. This just reminds me once again of the Scripture I used in Adult Bible Study this week: John 10:10:

10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). AMP

I LOVE that! HIS plan is always for our GOOD! Some believers think that this life should always be serious, and nothing could be further from Truth! Loving our lives is what causes others to notice that there IS something different about us. We are praying that you, Kristine and your girls will continue to enjoy your lives, your families, your careers, your interests, your friends, and to walk in an abundance of health and prosperity, being an excellent witness to the grace and glory of God! Here is another new song from Hillsong Young and Free called "Back To Life":

VERSE
Here in my heart You have found Your place
Replacing fear with Your freedom
You lift me up
You lift me up

When all seems lost in my brokenness
I call Your Name and You answer
Held by Your love
Held by Your love

CHORUS
In the night
Through the struggle through the trial
You have made my burden light
You have brought me back to life again

VERSE
Your love it wipes every tear away
You calm the storms that surround me
You carry me
You carry me

Your light breaks through in my darkest hour
Your love is strong in my weakness
You are enough
You are enough

PRE-CHORUS
You won't let go
So I will follow
All I am
Yours now and forever
You won't let go
So I will follow
With all I am

Love and Shalom from the Swovey!