Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "covering". We find it in several places in the Old Testament, but we are looking at only one particular verse for this one! We find this in Psalm 105:39 concerning the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire that God put between the fleeing Israelites and the Egyptians who were after them again. 

Ps 105:39 He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night. KJV

This is the Hebrew word "macak". Strong's Concordance says: a cover, a veil. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon adds: a screen. The dictionary definition of 'covering' is: a thing used to cover something else, typically in order to protect or conceal it. Something laid over or wrapped around a thing, especially for concealment, protection, or warmth. 

The Israelites, before they crossed the Red Sea, were protected from the enemy chasing them by this supernatural 'covering' of cloud and fire so that the enemy could not touch them. Once they crossed over, the 'covering' was lifted and the enemy gave chase, only to be caught by the resurging waters. They are said to have discovered chariot wheels and other things that give evidence to the army that perished there! Our GOD does NOT take our protection, provision and safety from the enemy lightly when we are standing in faith on His Word and promises! We can count on the same powerful 'covering' when we stand on Psalm 91 and other promises in His Word! There is a new song out now by Hillsong Worship called "Never Walk Alone" that declares that He is our 'covering'. I am counting on THIS for my family and yours! I am also thanking Him daily for His 'covering' of Wisdom, knowledge and understanding in order to stay in this protection and to operate to the highest level of success and properity in order to continue to BE a BLESSING! Here is that song:

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "hap". It is found only one time in the entire Bible. 

Ruth 2:2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. 3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech. KJV

This is the Hebrew word "miqreh" (mik-reh'). Stong's Concordance says: something met with, i.e. an accident or fortune. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon says: unforseen meeting or event, accident, happening, chance, fortune. Ruth had come with her mother-in-law Naomi back to Israel after the death of her husband. They had nothing, and going to the next of kin for help was their solution. They were trusting in God and He caused this 'happening'! He had prepared Boaz for such a time as this and their child is found in the line of JESUS! I LOVE accounts like this because it shows the everlasting goodness of God toward his people and those who have faith, trust and confidence in Him! During these last two challenging years, we have been blessed beyond measure and have been healthier and more properous with great favor than we had ever been before! MULTIPLIED! God is GOOD! All the time! Here is a new song from Hillsong Worship called "That's The Power":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

 Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "answer". We'll be looking at two verses with two different Greek words. First is Colossians 4:6:

6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. KJV

This is the Greek word "apokrinomai". Strong's Concordance says: to conclude for oneself, to respond, to begin to speak (where an address is expected). Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: to give an answer to a question proposed. This is mainly speaking of our attitude and manner of answering questions so that we draw the questioner TO Jesus rather than away from Him! The next is found in 1 Peter 3:15: 

15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: KJV

This is the Greek word "apologia". Strong's Concordance says: a plea. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: verbal defense, speech in defense. It comes from the Greek word "apologeomai" which means: to answer by way of making a defense for oneself. This is instructing us to prepare ourselves to be able to answer the 'whys' that come when people are interested in the things of God. By getting to know Jesus and His Word more every day, we will be able to answer with a confidence that shows them that we DO know something that they do not yet, but will want to! There are so many people interested in 'something more' than what and who they have known all of their lives. When they see your successful, kind, loving and very fun and interesting family, they do and will want to know more! I am sure that this is already happening for you all! Here is a new song from Hillsong Worship, along with Cody Carnes, called "Hope of the Ages":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "railed". We find it in these two New Testament portions of Scripture:

Mark 15:28 And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors. 29 And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, 30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross.  KJV

Luke 23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation. KJV

These are both the Greek word "blasphemeo". Strong's Concordance says: to vilify, specially to speak impiously. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: to speak reproachfully, rail at, revile, calumniate (make false or defamitory statements about). Vine's Expository Dictionary says: to blaspheme, revile, speak evil of. The Theological Dictionary says: abusive speech, personal mockery. in both of the instances above people were mocking JESUS for hanging on the cross. In Mark we see an account of those passing by Him 'railing' on Him! Then in Luke we see one of the two thieves who were crucified next to JESUS mocking Him and speaking 'reprocahfully ' at Him! I have noticed in my life that there are more people than ever before who, if given an ear, would speak evil even of their own families! WE are NOT to be 'railers' of other people but we are also instructed  in God's Word to notice and remember the BLESSING that comes with simple obedience to His Word! Remember, we CANNOT outgive God, but it sure is fun trying! Here is Hillsong with "Who You Say I Am":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

This week I want to share this devotion from Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest".

The Bias Of Degeneration

Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. — Romans 5:12

The Bible does not say that God punished the human race for one man’s sin; but that the disposition of sin, viz., my claim to my right to myself, entered into the human race by one man, and that another Man took on Him the sin of the human race and put it away (Hebrews 9:26) — an infinitely profounder revelation. The disposition of sin is not immorality and wrong-doing, but the disposition of self-realization — I am my own god. This disposition may work out in decorous morality or in indecorous immorality, but it has the one basis, my claim to my right to myself. When Our Lord faced men with all the forces of evil in them, and men who were clean living and moral and up right, He did not pay any attention to the moral degradation of the one or to the moral attainment of the other; He looked at something we do not see, viz., the disposition.

Sin is a thing I am born with and I cannot touch it; God touches sin in Redemption. In the Cross of Jesus Christ God redeemed the whole human race from the possibility of damnation through the heredity of sin. God nowhere holds a man responsible for having the heredity of sin. The condemnation is not that I am born with a heredity of sin, but if when I realize Jesus Christ came to deliver me from it, I refuse to let Him do so, from that moment I begin to get the seal of damnation. “And this is the judgment” (the critical moment) “that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light.”

I love reading and meditating on these because he spoke from a different time period, so it means taking extra time to get what he is actually saying. So many people that I have spoken to over the years have the mind set that God is taking account of our evil deeds and that these are why some people will end up in hell. That is NOT the case at all. It isn't the evil deeds and wrong doing that sentence people to hell, but the refusal to realize that we are (all) sinners by virtue of the first sin, and we NEED a Savior! Nothing less than perfection is acceptable for the Heaven of the Bible! The ONLY WAY to attain to that perfection is to identify with the ONE Who BECAME sin with OUR sin, taking upon Himself the price to be paid for sin. Because He DID this when He was completely innocent, His innocence is applied to OUR account, IF we receive HIM. That's why the Gospel message is such GOOD NEWS! We do NOT have to 'confess all of our sins' in order to receive JESUS, but we DO need to confess (acknowledge) that we ARE sinners. People have really complicated the message when it is really SO simple! I am, by being human, a sinner, and I NEED a Savior! His Name is JESUS and all I have to do is BELIEVE that He IS Who HE says He is, and RECEIVE all that He has done for ME! Everything good about me now comes from HIM! HE gets all of the credit and I get HEAVEN in the future, and all of it's resources now! What a blessed life we have here while we are waiting to be there! Here is one of my favorite songs from Hillsong Kids called "My Best Friend":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!