Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "preeminence". It is found in these two places in the New Testament:

Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. KJV

3 John 9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. KJV

In Colossians we are looking at the Greek word "proteuo". Strong's Concordance says: to be first in rank or influence. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds: to be first, hold first place. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: used of Christ in relation to the Church. The Theological Dictionary of New Testament words says: This word means "to be first in rank", often with a genetive and the person over whom one takes precedence.

 In 3 John 9 we have the compound Greek word "philoproteuo". Strong's Concordance says: to be fond of being first, i.e. ambitous of distinction. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: to aspire after preeminence, to deisre to be first. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: to love to be preeminent, to strive to be first. 

So, in Colossians we see the position that JESUS holds! There is no one above JESUS! He is first place in all good things! WE take our example from Him in how to think, speak and act! He is our 'paragon', our standard, our example! In 3 John we see someone who desires to have a position that does not belong to him! Our position IN CHRIST is unique! HE is the One with the preminence over all of creation. BUT, when we are IN HIM, then we have been given a special place of authority and dominion! Look at Ephesians 2:6:

6 And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

That position is NOT meant to be taken lightly, or to be used to 'lord it over' others. We have that unique and powerful position ONLY because of JESUS! HE is the truly preeminent One! Here are Hillsong Kids with "My Number One":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The 'word' for this week is the phrase "upper room". There are two different Greek words translated "upper room" in the New Testament. The first is found in these verses:

Mark 14:15 And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. 16 And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. KJV

Luke 22:12 And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. 13 And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. KJV

These are both the Greek word "anogeon". Strong's Concordance says: above the ground, the second floor of a building or the balcony on the upper story. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: anything above the ground, a room in the upper part of a house. This room would have been large enough for JESUS' traveling party to fit and to share the Passover meal together. The second phrase is found in only one place in the New Testament. Acts 1:13-14:

Acts 1:13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. KJV

This is the Greek word "huperoion". Strong's Concordance says: a higher part of the house, an apartment in the third floor. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: the highest part of the house, a room in the upper part of a house, sometimes built upon the flat roof of the house. This 'upper room' was different than the first in that at least 120 people fit in this room. We see that in verses 14-15:

Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. 15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) KJV

This room was large enough to accomodate those who had heard JESUS tell them to gather here and wait to be "endued with power from on high" (Acts 1:4-5 & 8)! When we toured Israel, one of the places that they took us to was said to be the Upper Room, but in 70AD Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, so the original room is no longer there. Now that Holy Spirit lives IN us, we have our  very own personal  'upper room' and we can be the 'upper room' for others as we allow Him to operate through us. That is the essence of this new song from Hillsong Worship on there "Awake" album called, of course, "Upper Room"!

This Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The 'word' for this week is going to be a phrase! "No longer" is what we'll be looking at and this is found in 1 Peter 4:1-2.

4 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. KJV

This phrase is the Greek word "meketi". Strong's Concordance says: no further. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: no longer, no more, not hereafter. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: a condition no longer in existence. The same principal can be found in Galatians 2:20, although the actual words used are different, but the TRUTH is still the same message!

I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

We are NO LONGER who we WERE when we were without JESUS as our Lord and Saviour! 2 Coninthians 5:17 tells us that we are no longer who we were, but we have been MADE new IN HIM

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!

In THIS life we will never get to the end of learning all that belongs to us as children of the Most High God! But we can have SO MUCH FUN exploring  all there is to learn about who HE has made US to be! THEN we can begin to EXPECT to see these things happen, quicker than ever before! Here is Hillsong Worship with another new song from their "Awake" album called "See The Light". 

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "breath". We find it in the New Testament only in Acts 17:24-25:

24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;  KJV

This is the Greek word "pnoe". Strong's Concordance says: respiration, a breeze. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: the breath of life, wind. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: to blow, a blowing. The Theological Dictionary of New Testament Words says: This word means 'blowing' (wind or fire). snorting, afflation (a breathing into, inspiration), a mighty wind. This same Greek word is translated 'mighty wind' in Acts 2:2. From the very first man (Adam), God has been 'breathing' His life into us! When we received JESUS as Lord and Saviour, that 'breath' caused our previously dead human spirit to be replaced with a brand new spirit created in God's image! We now walk around with the Life of God within us! Then in Acts 2, the Spirit of God came 'like' a wind, blowing the anointing into and upon everyone in that upper room! We continue to stir up that 'breath' of God in us when we pray in the spirit. When we know that someone blowing their own breath into someone else can revive that person, just imagine what the breath and life of God within us can do! I love to just 'breathe' in His presence during Worship when we know that He is present among us as we gather together! I pray that in all of the busyness of life, you and Kristine can take the time to simply breathe in His presence and receive that refreshing that can only come from Him! This newest song from Hillsong Worship is called "Every Breath":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!