Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "alive"! Though there are verses that speak of being alive physically, we'll be looking at this verse: 1 Corinthians 15:22:

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. KJV

This is the Greek word "zoopoieo". Strong's Concordance says: to revitalize. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds this: to produce alive, to cause to live, give life. This is speaking of the New Birth! When Jesus said, in John 3:3 that we must be born again, this is what He was speaking of. 2 Corinthians 5:17 describes what happens when we are made alive in the spirit man.

17 Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! AMP

We can't see the difference with our natural eyes, but when we who have been born again spend time with those who have not, we begin to notice the difference in the very atmosphere. It can be very subtle to us, but in the spirit realm it is drastic! I once heard the marriage of a believer to an unbeliever described as the one who is alive in the spirit carrying around a corpse! (Yikes!) It is so exciting to hear your girls talk about Jesus and to  know that they will be alive forever! I am believing that all of our family members and extended family will receive Jesus as Lord and Savior and be truly ALIVE! Here is a song by Hillsong Kids called, of course, "Alive"!

Alive
I, I am alive and in You I am free
I, I will not hide what You mean to me
And I shout it out loud, I'm not missing out
Gonna make the world see what You've done in me

I have found You and I'm not ashamed
I live for You
I will never be the same
You changed me within, washed away my sin
In everything I do, I keep my eyes on You

I, I am alive and in You I am free
I, I will not hide what You mean to me
And I shout it out loud, I'm not missing out
Gonna make the world see what You've done in me

I build my life on a solid Rock
I will not fall, I will stand upon Your word
You are the truth, You will lead the way
In everything I do, I keep my eyes on You

I, I am alive and in You I am free
I, I will not hide what You mean to me
And I shout it out loud, I'm not missing out
Gonna make the world see what You've done in me

And I shout it out loud, I'm not missing out
Gonna make the world see what You've done in me

And I shout it out loud, I'm not missing out
Gonna make the world see what You've done in me

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "higher"! We will be looking first of all at Psalm 61:2:

2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. KJV

This is the Greek word "ruwm". Strong's Concordance says: to be high actively, to rise or raise. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon adds this: to be lofty, to be exalted, to be uplifted. When we have a problem, a question, a situation, a need, we REALLY want to KNOW that the person we turn to for help is "higher" in wisdom, intelligence, knowledge, understanding, love, patience and mercy than WE are! HE is that Person! Amen! The next example of "higher" is found in Isaiah 55:8-9: 

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. KJV

This is the Hebrew word "gabahh". Strong's Concordance says: to soar, be lofty. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon adds: to be exalted. Because HE is "high and lifted up" (Isaiah 57:15; Isaiah 6:1), then His thoughts and Words are also higher than our natural thinking. But, contrary to the belief that some people have, His thoughts are NOT beyond our finding out! We CAN know His thoughts and we CAN think like Him, but it takes a diligent commitment to do so! His high thoughts are hidden FROM the world and those believers who have no delight in His Word. They are hidden FOR us to find! (Psalm 25:2; Mark 4:11) Every time we study and meditate on the Word, His thoughts become more logical to us. As we continue to put that Word into practice, we will begin to think more and more like Jesus. What we think on consistently is what we will begin to say consistently and when we speak the Word, we will HAVE the things we speak! John 15:7:

7 If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. AMP

What a wonderful, powerful and blessed life we have! Here is a new song from Hillsong Young and Free called "Where You Are":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "pursue". We'll be looking at Psalm 34:14:

14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. KJV

This is the Greek word "radaph". Strong's Concordance says: to run after. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon adds: to chase, to attend closely to, to aim to secure. In this verse we are pursuing peace. Notice that the very first thing we are to do as we pursue this peace is to depart, or to turn away from, evil. Then we are to do good. Departing from evil keeps us in God's protection, provision and safety. Doing good towards someone else sows good seeds into someone else's life that will be multiplied back to us in God's timing. Then the very next action in pursing here is to seek, which Strong's Concordance says means: to search out by any method; and Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon says: to require. The thing that we are to pursue so diligently is "peace". This is "shalom", which we have looked at before and means, according to Strong's Concordance: safe, well, happy, friendly, welfare, health, prosperity. I think that sounds like something definitely worth the effort of pursuing (running after, chasing, attending to, and aiming to secure)! Here is Psalm 34:14 from the Amplified Bible:

14 Depart from evil and do good; seek, inquire for, and crave peace and pursue (go after) it! AMP

 I am sure that you are already operating in these principles of seeking and pursuing every day at work in order to be as successful as you have been. When we apply these principles in the quest to walk in the fullness of what God has provided for us in our new, and better, Covenant (Hebrews 8:6), the people we associate with will definitely see something in us that they may not see in any other person in their lives! You are doing a wonderful job of showing HIM off! I am praying for great favor, anointing, provision and opportunity for you to continue to show Him off to everyone watching! Here is a song from Hillsong Young and Free called, of course, "Pursue"!

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

Well, that game was a heart-breaker! As I was thinking about how much it hurt, I realized that the pain is all a part of being passionate about something! BECAUSE we care so much, we hurt with the failures, but those victories and winning games are so much sweeter, too! I believe that God desires for us to be passionate about the things we're involved in. He says as much in the letter to the Church at Laodicea in Revelation 3:15-16:

15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would you were cold or hot. 16 So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue you out of my mouth. KJV

He desires, first of all, that we love HIM with our whole being. The word for this week is "fervent". It's found in Romans 12:10-11:

10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; KJV

"Fervent" is the Greek word "zeo". Strong's Concordance says this: to be hot or to glow. Our Father God does NOT want us to be lukewarm. Instead, we should obey this Word until we have a natural force of joy operating! I Love the Amplified Bible for verse 11:

11 Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord.  AMP

When we put the things of God as our top priority, then we are free to pour ourselves into our interests and be "aglow" about them! HE loves being around passionate people! I KNOW that He loves living at your house, where both you and Kristine are passionate about Him, about the Word, about your wonderful family, about your work, and about your interests! You are an example of His grace, in great times and not so great times. I am confident that HE will honor that where our interests are concerned, and the timing will be PERFECT! I love you both and your girls so much! Here is a song from Hillsong called "Love Like Fire":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

This week I am posting a phrase rather than just a word. The phrase is "beauty for ashes". That phrase is found only in Isaiah 61:3:

3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. KJV

"Beauty" is the Hebrew word "pe`er". Strong's Concordance says: an embellishment; i.e. a fancy head-dress. "Ashes" is the Hebrew word "eper". The Theological Wordbook says: It  is used figuratively for what is without value or loathsome. It signifies misery, shame, humility before God, and repentance and contrition. The James, Fausset and Brown Commentary on Isaiah 61:3 says this: Beauty for ashes. There is a play on the sound and meaning of the Hebrew word p­'eer ... 'eeper: literally, 'ornamental head-dress' or tiara (Ezek 24:17), worn in times of joy, instead of a head-dress of "ashes," cast on the head in mourning (2 Sam 13:19.) This whole verse speaks of the Lord doing something for His people to remove them from misery and mourning and to place them in a place of blessing. The Amplified Bible shows this even more:

3 To grant [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion — to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit — that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. AMP

Notice that HE is glorified when this happens for His people! Now, another fun Truth about this verse comes from the verses just before it. Isaiah 61:1-3 from the Amplified Bible:

1 THE SPIRIT of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound,  [Rom 10:15.] 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord [the year of His favor] and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,  [Matt 11:2-6; Luke 4:18,19; 7:22.] 3 To grant [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion — to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit — that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. AMP 

THIS is the portion of Scripture that Jesus read from in Luke 4:18-21:

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. KJV

Those first verses were fulfilled in their presence that day because He was there, doing that very thing. Verse 3 was fulfilled for the Church at His Resurrection, and for Israel when He returns. It brings Him glory when WE walk in honor, favor and the Anointing! It's not just a list of verses that we stand on, but the promises of the Covenant taken together and enhanced by the study of the Word that ties it all together! I LOVE that! Here is another song from the new Hillsong Worship album. This one is called "Jesus, I Need You". It refers to "beauty for ashes" and shows that it all goes back to Jesus and our reliance on what He has done! 

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!