Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "Almighty". This sounds self-explanatory, but I like to dig a little deeper! This is found in a few verses in Revelation and 1 in 2 Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 6:18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. KJV

Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. KJV

Revelation 11:17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. KJV

In all of these verses, it is the Greek word {pantokrator}. Strong's Concordance says: the all-ruling God (as absolute and universal as sovereign). Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: He who holds sway all things; the ruler of all, almighty; used of God. Vine's Expository dictionary says: to hold or to have strength, and is used of God only! The Theological Dictionary says: The reference is to God's universal supremacy .

I had always thought of Almighty as being all powerful! While that IS one aspect of it, I think the stronger message from this is that God is All in All! He IS the Sovereign God! There IS no one higher in authority than JESUS! He IS the One referred to in Revelation! So when we KNOW that we have the Spirit of Almighty God living IN us, then we can move forward in any and every situation with the boldness that comes from knowing the ONE to whom every knee WILL one day bow down and every tongue WILL confess JESUS as LORD! I'm so very grateful that WE get to do so NOW! Here is Hillsong  with "One Thing": 

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "breadlessness". It's not found in the Bible, but in Jonathan Cahn's "Mysteries" - Day 245. 

THE WAY OF BREADLESSNESS

The teacher was seated on top of a hill with the sun behind him partially silhouetting his form. In front of him at the beginning of the slope sat the students. He was holding in his hand a loaf of bread.

"Messiah," he said, "taught His disciples to pray, 'Give us this day our daily bread.' Why?"

"Because we need to eat," said one of the students.

"But why should that be part of a prayer to God?" asked the teacher.

"Because God wants us to bring Him our most basic needs," said another.

"Yes," said the teacher. "Messiah was teaching us to bring our most basic needs to God. But how many of you is it that don't have bread for the day ... or food for today? Raise your hands."

No one raised their hand.

"Then why did He tell you to ask for bread you already have? How can He give you what is already yours? And how could you receive what you already possess?"

"If we have it," said one of the students, "then we can't receive it."

"Then we must not have it," said the teacher.

At that, he began breaking the loaf into small pieces and passing them to the students. When he finished, he continued with the teaching.

"You can't ask for what you already have. Yet we are told to ask for our bread every day. So what does it mean to pray that prayer? To pray that prayer you must relinquish your ownership. You must let go even of your daily bread. But it is in that relinquishing that you open yourself up to a miracle ... It is only what you don't have that you can receive from God. And if you don't have anything, then God can bless you with everything ... everyday. Then possessions you once took for granted are freed up to undergo a transformation, to be turned into blessings given and blessings received from heaven. For when you take no blessing for granted, then everything in your life is transformed into a gift. Learn the power of this prayer and the blessings that come in the letting go even of your daily bread. It is then that your life will be filled with miracles and blessings ... the inheritance of those who have attained the state of breadlessness."

The Mission: Practice the state of breadlessness. Empty yourself of all possessions - even the most basic of things - and receive it all anew as a gift from God.
(Deuteronomy 8:3; Joshua 13:33; Matthew 6:9-11)

I LOVE this one! This attitude will keep us from ever getting selfish or self-centered. It will also keep us in the right frame of mind where no matter how much He blesses us with, our possession will never possess us! When we realize that everything good in our lives has come from HIM, then we will be more apt to maintain that grateful attitude and realize that there is nothing that HE won't do to bless us and cause us to walk in the fullness of all that He has! As in 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 think that you and Kristine have mastered this attitude already! You have always made us feel so welcome in your home. We have been there when many people have been there, and you treat everyone so warmly! Your blessings have grown over the years through your diligence, hard work and trusting in God, but you have never changed who you are and how you treat people. I believe that you are in position for some excellent and unexpected blessings to come, even more than you already have known! Here is Hillsong with an older song that I have always liked called "Blessed":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "fearfully". It is found only one time in all of the Bible. Psalm 139:14:

14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. KJV

This is the Hebrew word "yare`". Strong's Concordance says: to fear, to revere. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon adds: to stand in awe of, to cause astonishment and awe, to inspire reverence and godly fear or awe. Vine's Expository Dictionary also adds this: used of a person in an exalted position, "yare`" connotes standing in awe. NOT simple fear, but reverence, whereby and individual recognizes the power and position of the individual revered and renders him proper respect. This word absolutely recognizes that GOD is the source of all human life, AND, that every human life is precious BECAUSE He has made us! As the father of four beautiful, smart, talented, creative and uniquely individual daughters, as well as the uncle of many, you KNOW first hand that this is so very true! 

Now, to take it a step further, KNOWING this, and having experienced the wonder of it all, you need to realize that YOU are also God-made and God-blessed with unique and individual gifts, talents, strengths, personality, and anointings, to be able to DO what He has called you to do! You are affecting the eternity of all of those who have contact with you, simply by being YOU! The LIGHT and LIFE that is within you, the strength of character and integrity that mark your life, the testimony of your beautiful family, all point people, whether they actually realize it or not, to the ONE Who fearfully and wonderfully made YOU! Our prayer is for a wonderful birthday and an abundance of blessings, answered prayers and fulfilled dreams in this next year of your life! Here is Hillsong with "Look To The Son":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "neighbour". We find it in these portions of Scripture:

Matt 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. KJV

Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. KJV

This is the Greek word "plesion". Vine's Expository Dictionary says: the one near. The Theological Dictionary says: the person next to one; fellow human being. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: friend, any other person.   We tend, in this country and culture, to think of a neighbor as those living next door or on the same block or area as we do. The Bible gives the word a broader meaning. Jesus widened even that in this next  account from Luke 10:29-37:

29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? 30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. KJV

It's comfortable for us to get to know the people we see often, or that we have something in common with, but God sees every person as precious and valuable. He so loved every person in the entire world that He sent JESUS to die for every one of us. I believe that He wants each of us to broaden our areas of influence by seeing beyond the narrow scope of our everyday lives and to begin to expect Him to bring new and different people across our paths. This is especially hard for me as a very private person, but obedience brings blessings, so I intend to get out of my comfort zone! I know that living in the Cities and having the careers that you and Kristine have, you come in contact with different people on a regular basis. But I foresee Him using you both even more in the days and weeks to come! The Light and Life within you shines so bright in that area, so don't be surprised when people begin to gravitate toward you! SOME of them will be sent specifically to bless you! God is GOOD like that! Here is Hillsong with a brand new song that I LOVE called "Who you Say I Am":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!