Hi Brian!

I just returned from a whirlwind road trip to Colorado with my daughter and her three daughters. We were taking the middle daughter there for a two week stay at Summit Ministries which prepares Christian young people to take their place in the world and how to deal with current issues. It also creates lasting friendships through fellowship and adventures! Instead of a word for this week, I want to share a testimony that we have that Romans 8:28 works so powerfully!

28 We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.

We had booked a hotel for our one night stay. I had put in a reuest for a room for 3 adults and two teens. They brought up a list of rooms and I selected the one we liked. I filled in everything and printed off my confirmation. When we got to the hotel at 9pm I was told that the rooom only holds 4 people and we could not have 5 because of a fire hazard. They had no other rooms available, so I couldn't book another room for the three girls. I went back out to the car, praying for FAVOR and told Kori what had happened. It 'just happened' that there was a Holiday Inn Express right next door. I called them and the only room left was a suite with a king bed in one room and two queens in the other. The price was only a little more than the previous hotel, so I booked it right away and went over there and got settled. The suite was amazing! So comfortable and spacious with so many nice features! I called back to the other hotel and the check in person told me that her manager had said that she could let us in the room. I let her know that we had already made other arrangements and she canceled the reservation. The LORD knew that we needed something better and He provided for it! We rejoiced for that and when I returned home, someone had given Greg money for me for the trip and it made up the difference in price! GOD is SO good! I know that you and Kristine have had some amazing testimonies of the goodness and favor of God in your lives. I hope that this is an encouragement that He will ALWAYS do so, no matter how impossible the situation may seem! We love you and your beautiful family! Here is a song that I love that worships JESUS for Who He is! Hillsong's "For Who You Are":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "betrayed". We find it only in the New Testament and in these verses:

Matthew 17:22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: 23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry. KJV

Mark 14:41 And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand. KJV

Luke 22:22 And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! KJV

John 18:4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? 5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. KJV

1 Corinthians 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: KJV

In each of these verses we have the Greek word "paradidomai". Strong's Concordance says: to surrender, yield up, transmit. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: to give over, to give over into one's power or use. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: to hand over, to deliver a person to be kept by another, to deliver over treacherously. I think that we have all probably been betrayed to some degree by those we trusted or cared about. I think it is pretty safe to say that not one of us have ever been betrayed to this extent! When we meditate on all that JESUS suffered for us and on our behalf, this is one that I sometimes forget about. Even though we know that He actually knew from the start that this would happen, it still had to hurt! Any time that I feel hurt, disappointed or pressured, I simply meditate on what JESUS went though and realize that my problems are so small compared to that! Here is a new song by Hillsong UNITED called "Blown Away" that speaks to all of this! 

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "impossible". We find it in these verses in the New Testament.

Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. KJV

Mark 10:27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. KJV

Luke 18:27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. KJV

Hebrews 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: KJV

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. KJV

These are all the Greek word "adunatos". Strong's Concordance says: unable, weak, passively, impossible. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds: without strength, impotent, impossible. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: unable, void of power. The Theological Dictionary says: no ability or strength. In all of these instances the idea is that these things are NOT possible for us without the help and siistance of God! The only thing that is revealed to be impossible for God is to lie! His WORD is TRUTH and HE cannot lie! So if we desire for impossible things to be made possible, we must rely on the promises of God and HIS ability to do what we on our own cannot! I LOVE that when we stand on His Word, all the responsibility moves from us to Him! We can count on Him! ALWAYS! Here is Hillsong with another new song called "Show Me Your Heart" that speaks of impossible things being possible in HIM! Another song that I really love called "That's The Power" says: "You do impossible like no one else can!" I LOVE that! 

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "mourning". We will be looking at Psalm 30:10-12:

10 Hear, O Lord, have mercy and be gracious to me! O Lord, be my helper! 11 You have turned my mourning into dancing for me; You have put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, 12 To the end that my tongue and my heart and everything glorious within me may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.  AMP

This is the Hebrew word "micepd". Strong's Concordance says: lamentation and that it is also translated as lamentation, mourning, wailing. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon says: a wailing. The Theological Wordbook of the Old Tetsament says: wailing, 'beat the breast as a sign of wailing'. It is also found in reference to mourning rites at someone's death. "At such times, all who sensed the loss of the departed would come to share their grief with the members of the family. Their grief could be demonstrated in many ways: going barefoot, stripping off one's clothes, cutting one's beard or body, fasting (or banqueting), scattering ashes, or beating some part of the body. Some of these rituals were proscribed for the Israelite, doubtless because of pagan association (Leviticus 19:28). Shrill cries or loud wailing often accompanied the mourning, which in time became stereotyped and structured into formal laments. Of course, weeping, especially by the women, was greatly in evidence. These verses above show that we, as born again believers have had our mourning turned into a celebration as we KNOW that our loved one has simply moved on to Heaven and is among those who are waiting for our reunion one day! THAT is why we can DANCE! Here is Hillsong with "Delight (The Sower Never Wastes a Tear)" Those with no hope will continue to mourn, but we who do know our God will rejoice that the believer is about to see JESUS! 

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "author". We find it in these two verses in the New Testament:

Hebrews 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. KJV

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. KJV

In the first instance we have the Greek word "aitios". Strong's Concordance says: causitive, a causer. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: that in which the cause of anything resides. Vine's Expository Dictionary adds this: Christ is not the merely formal cause of our salvation. He is the concrete and active cause of it. He has not merely caused or effected it, He is, as His name, "Jesus," implies, our salvation itself. In the second instance we have the Greek word "archegos". Strong's Concordance says: chief leader. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: leading, furnishing the first cause or occasion, the chief leader, one that takes the lead in anything. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: one who takes the lead in or provides the first occasion of anything. When we understand this about JESUS, it will be SO easy to hear His voice and to know and obey His Word! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "God Song":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!