We hope you had a great time in New York! The word for this week is "boast". We'll be looking at two portions of Scripture, one from the New Testament and on from the Old! First of all, Ephesians 2:8-10:
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. KJV
This is the Greek word "kauchaomai". Strong's Concordance says: to vaunt. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds: to glory. The Dictionary definition for vaunt is: boast about or praise (something), especially excessively. Synonyms are: to make much of, to crow about, to parade, flaunt, extol. Since everything good about us comes from God, we should be giving HIM continual praise for Who He is and for what He's done! The next Scripture is Psalm 34:2 and Psalm 44:8:
2 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. KJV
Psalm 44:8 In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah. KJV
These are both the Hebrew word "halal". Strong's Concordance says: to be clear, to shine, to make a show, to be clamorously foolish, to rave, to celebrate, to stultify. (Stultifly means: to cause to appear foolish or absurd.) It's where we get the word "hallelujah" from! We SHOULD be 'giddy' with joy over who He is and what He's done! THAT is the type of praise, thanksgiving and worship and that we should be pouring back to HIM from our! AMEN! Here is another new song from Hillsong Worship called "I Will Boast In Christ":
Now and forever
All I have because of Jesus
All this promise
Won for me
When He paid the highest ransom
Once for always
For my freedom
I will boast in Christ
alone
His righteousness
Not my own
I will cling to Christ my hope
His mercy reigns
Love will never lose its
power
All my failures could not erase
Now I walk within Your favour
Grace unending
My salvation
What can wash away my sin
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
O precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
We are to Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!
