The word for this week is "nourished". We find it in these portions of New Testament Scripture:
Acts 7:20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months: 21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son. KJV
1 Tim 4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. 6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. KJV
Acts 12:20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country. KJV
These are all three different Greek words, with two of them based off of the one found in Acts 12:20. This would be "trepho". Strong's Concordance says: strength, to stiffen, to fatten, to cherish, to pamper, to rear. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds: to support, to feed. In Acts 7:20 it is the Greek word "anatrepho". Strong's Concordance says: to rear. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds: to nurse up, to bring up. In 1 Timothy 4:4 it is the Greek word "entrepho". Strong's Concordance says: to educate. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds: to nourish in, a person in a thing. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: to train up. All of these aspects are important in a local church like The Spoken Word, where our vision is to: "train believers to be bright lights in and to the world"! They are also important in training people for the workplace, as Greg has to do when he hires someone. It is important for each of us to desire this training, educating, and supporting from the Lord as we grow up in the things of God and in the Word of God. But for parents, the very most important 'nourishing' that we do is in the raising of our children. This involves the natural things that they need to learn and know. Our kids LOVED veggies as babies because we introduced those first before the sweet fruits. We trained them in the way they should go nutrition wise! The same is true for their spiritual growth! In fact, Ephesians 5:29 and Ephesians 6:4 both use another form of this word:
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord the church: KJV
4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. KJV
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 and Kristine are doing a wonderful job of balancing all of the various 'nourishing' and 'nurturing' that your lovely ladies need to be the best they can be! They are all so interesting and unique, and it takes a real commitment to train while also allowing them to BE who GOD called them to be! Here is Hillsong again with "Who You Say I Am", because that is exactly what we want for ourselves and those we love! To BE all they can BE!
Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!
