Hi Brian!

Another great win! The word for this week is "always". We see it used in these verses:

2 Cor 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. KJV

2 Cor 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: KJV

2 Cor 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: KJV

Philem 4 I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, KJV

This is the Greek word "pantote". Strong's Concordance says: every when; at all times. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds: ever, in any and every way, by all means, doubtless, surely, certainly. There are other words translated "always" in the Bible, but I really like these 4 verses and what they are saying to encourage us in our walking through this life! We can courageously fight the fight of faith with confidence when we KNOW that HE will ALWAYS cause us to WIN! Also, though each situation may be different and look different, we still ALWAYS have everything we will need, IN HIM, to come out on top again! And, the last verse above reminds us that we must ALWAYS be before His face in prayer and fellowship. My favorite definition of always has to be the very first one: every when. Just that unique way of saying it causes us to keep in mind that there will never be a 'when' that HE doesn't have the answer for that will cause US to be "more than conquerors" (Romans 8:36)! Appropriately, here is Hillsong with "Always Will"!

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

Another great win! The word for this week is "fables".  It's found in these verses: 

1 Timothy 1:4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. KJV

1 Timothy 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. KJV

2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. KJV

Titus 1:14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. KJV

2 Peter 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. KJV

These are all from the Greek word "muthos". Strong's Concordance says: a tale, fiction (myth). Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: a speech, word, saying. A narrative, story. Vine's Expository Dictionary breaks it down a little more! It says speech, conversation. Then it adds: the first 

syllable comes from a root mu—, signifying "to close, keep secret, be dumb"; whence, muo, "to close" (eyes, mouth) and musterion, "a secret, a mystery"; hence, "a story, narrative, fable, fiction" (English, "myth").  2 Peter 1:16 calls them 'cunningly devised' fables. This is the Greek word "sophizo", which Strong's defines as: to form sophisms. {Sophisms are defined in the Dictionary as: an argument that seems true, but is really false and is used to deceive people.} 

Basically, these are all referring to those ideas and doctrines that religions have developed that may appear to be true, but are not. Many denominations began with a TRUTH of the Word, but then stressed a particular point of difference from other denominations to the point that this difference became the main focus of their theology. The Catholic church had added so many man-made ideas, rituals and doctrines that are not found anywhere in the Word that Luther's Reformation was needed to get the Word back to the people. He stressed salvation by faith rather than by works to the point that, not understanding the Word, he wanted the entire Book of James deleted from the Bible. Other denominations stressed water baptism to the point that they did not believe that one could be fully saved without it and made it a 'requirement' for salvation. Then their are the Spirit-filled denominations that say that you can't be saved without speaking in tongues. We avoid all of those 'fables' by being students of the Word, as the Bereans mentioned in 

Acts 17:10-11:

10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 

11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 

KJV

Which is why I LOVE The Spoken Word Church, and others like ours, because we are taught the Word, but then given the responsibility to get into the Word ourselves to make sure that what we are hearing is the Truth! The most exciting aspect of the Word over fables and doctrines of men is that the Word itself brings faith. Romans 10:17:

17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 

KJV

Meditating on the Word gives Holy Spirit the opportunity to bring the understanding of the Word so that we can put it into practice. Listening to teaching, reading for ourselves, doing Word studies like these, talking with others about the Word, are all ways to meditate. Then we can stand on this promise from Joshua 1:8:

8 This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success. 

AMP

I would say that YOUR meditation of the Word has produced much in your life that has resulted in wisdom, success, prosperity, favor and accomplishment, in every area! Now keep letting patience work in your favor, knowing that you are undergirded with a great support system in all of us! We love you and your precious family so much! Here is Hillsong UNITED with an older song called "One Way":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

What a great game to win! The word for this week is "declare". There are many Greek words translated declare and we will cover two of them. These are found in 1 John 1:1-5:

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. KJV

The first one is the Greek word "apaggello". Strong's Concordance says: to announce. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds: to bring tidings (from a person or thing), bring word, report; to proclaim. The second one is the Greek word "anagello". Strong's Concordance says: to announce in detail. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds: to announce, to make known. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: to announce, report, bring back tidings. There is just a subtle difference between the two words and Young's Literal Translation shows it best:

3 that which we have seen and heard declare we to you, that ye also may have fellowship with us, and our fellowship [is] with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ; 4 and these things we write to you, that your joy may be full. 5 And this is the message that we have heard from Him, and announce to you, that God is light, and darkness in Him is not at all; YLT

In the first instance they are reporting back what they had observed with their own senses so that the people they were reporting to could 'be on the same page' as them. In the second instance they were relaying the actual message that they had received from the LORD and that He wanted them to know about Himself. As you train up your daughters you will be doing both! You will be teaching them what the Word of God says (His message to them), and then you will be adding to that the experiences that you have had with the Word as examples of how to walk it out. What a blessing is for them to be brought up this way! I had no knowledge of the Lord and had no one to 'declare' any of this to me! Our children were born before we knew the Lord and we had to try to catch them up on these things. Your daughters will have such boldness and simple, strong faith to 'declare' the Word because you have brought them up this way from the very beginning! And then you have THIS promise from Proverbs 22:6:

6 Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it. AMP

You can count on it! So keep declaring! Then they will follow your example and declare Him, too! Here is Hillsong Kids with "Tell The World":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

Congratulations on your great 'good news'! God is GOOD! The word for this week is "quake". We'll be looking at Hebrews 12:18-21:

18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) KJV

This is the Greek word "entromos". Strong's Concordance says: terrified. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds: trembling. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: trembling with fear. Under the Old Covenant, the people had no direct access to the God of the Bible. If they wanted to communicate with Him, they had to go through the prophet, the priest or the king, because they were the only ones anointed by Holy Spirit. They were not Spirit filled, but they had Holy Spirit UPON them for service. This is the position that Adam put us all in when he gave his God-given dominion over all things to satan. He went from being in control of all that God had created, and walking with God Himself in the Garden, to trembling in fear at the presence of God and the voice of God. Verse 29 tells us why:

29 For our God is a consuming fire. KJV

But that is NOT for us! What JESUS accomplished for us is so much more than what satan took! Look at verses 22-24:

22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. KJV

Our New Covenant, sealed in the Blood of JESUS, puts us in a position even greater than what Adam had in the Garden! Adam walked WITH God, but we walk with God IN us! We no longer have to travel somewhere to hear someone tell us what God is saying! We can simply close our eyes and be alone with God, and hear His voice for ourselves! Now we no longer tremble in fear and dread in His presence, but we stand in awe and amazement that the God of all creation, the God of our Salvation, the God of the Bible, speaks to us directly in power, wisdom, peace, joy and LOVE! You would think that believers today would press into His presence more than they do, but many do not! The ones who DO, though, really stand out! The wonderful atmosphere in your home, and the 'joy unspeakable' that shines on the faces of your beautiful girls, is witness that you and Kristine DO! We are SO blessed to learn of your latest supernatural blessing from GOD! He is GOOD, ALL the time! Here is Hillsong with "This Is Our God":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

It was so good to see you, Kristine and those beautiful girls! I wish the game would have turned out better, but just a few minutes in your home and you know what is MOST important! The word for this week is "abased". We see it in these three verses in the New Testament:

Matthew 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. KJV

Luke 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. KJV

Phil 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. KJV

This is the Greek word "tapeinoo". Strong's Concordance says: to depress, to humiliate. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: to make low, bring low, to bring to a humble condition, reduce to meaner circumstances, to assign a lower rank to. In Matthew and in Luke it is basically saying that we should never try to elevate ourselves, but allow HIM to do so. When WE try to "make a name for ourselves", we will end up losing that elevated position and it could be heartbreaking! When we do what we do for the right reasons and motives, to be obedient to what God has called us to, then HE will "make a name for us" and we will find favor and blessing wherever we go! In Philippians we see that Paul is not moved by his circumstances. He trusts the Word of God, and the promises in it, over any circumstance or situation. His confidence is in the God of the Bible, so he will do the same things whether he is living in the blessings or living in the 'waiting' time of the blessing manifestation! There is one more verse that has this Greek word in it that explains how WE can do this! The verse is Philippians 2:8 and "tapeinoo" is translated "humbled":

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. KJV

JESUS made Himself of low degree by becoming sin so that He could forever release us from the penalty OF sin! And, in keeping with Matthew 23:12 and Luke 8:14, above, when JESUS did this, then God was able to lift Him up and exalt Him above everyone and everything! Look at Philippians 2:9-11:

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. KJV

So, while we wait for the manifestation of the promises of God, we KNOW how to be immoveable in every situation, KNOWING that HE is working behind the scenes to bring it to pass! This is the heart attitude that always results in VICTORY! While doing this, we remind ourselves of the times when God has come through for us before, getting our mindset back on faith and power and off of feeling anxious and worried. Here is the only song on the new Hillsong UNITED CD (Wonder) that we haven't used so far, and it pertains perfectly to our word for this week! It's called "Splinter and Stones":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!