Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "learning". We find it in three different places in the New Testament with three different Greek words. The first is found in Acts 26:23-25:

Acts 26:23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. 24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. 25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. KJV

This is the Greek word "gramma". Strong's Concordance says: a writing, letter, note, epistle, book, etc.; plural learning. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: that which has been written, a document or record. A letter, an epistle, the sacred writings. The second is found in Romans 15:4:

Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. KJV

This is the Greek word "didaskalia". Strong's Concordance says: instruction. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: teaching, instruction, that which is taught, doctrine. The Theological Dictionary says: in the early church the word comes to mean the "sum of teaching" which has come down from the apostles. The third is found in 2 Timothy 3:7:

2 Tim 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. KJV

This is the Greek word "manthano". Strong's Concordance says: to learn in any way. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: to learn, be aprised, to increase one's knowledge, be informed, to learn by use and practice, to be in the habit of, accustomed to. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: to learn by inquiry or observation, (so applying the knowledge as to walk differently from the rest.)

When it comes to the born again believer, there are different aspects of learning. We are all triune beings. We are spirits beings, we have souls (minds, emotions and wills) and we live, while on the earth, in physical bodies. We have the written Word of God which we can read, memorize, meditate on and put into practice. The born again believer has the added advantage of having our own personal Teacher in the Spirit of God Who lives IN us! When WE meditate on the Word, especially when we pray Psalm 25:5:

5 Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day long. AMP

HE will teach us what the Word means to each of us, individually and uniquely, and how to act on it in our own lives. Many believers, who do have Holy Spirit in them, don't take advantage of their right and ability to make the Word come alive to them. One of my favorite portions of Scripture is  John 8:31-32:

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

The "learning" that JESUS wants for us is that! Learning to KNOW so that we can BE free and STAY free! My prayer for you and your family is that the Word of God will become even more real to you throughout this next year than it ever has before! TRUE freedom in every area will be the result! Here are Hillsong Kids with "Ask, Seek Knock":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "carry". There are a few different Greek words for "carry" in the New Testament. Here are a few:

Mark 6:55 And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.  KJV

Luke 10:4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. KJV

John 21:18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. KJV

1 Timothy 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. KJV

In Mark we have the Greek word "periphero". Strong's Concordance says "to convey around, transport hither and thither. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: to bear about everywhere with. In Luke we have the Greek word "bastazo". Strong's Concordance says: to lift. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: to take up with the hands, to take up in order to carry or bear. In John we have the Greek word "phero". Strong's Concordance says: to bear. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: to move by bearing, to move to, to bring forth, to lead or conduct. In 1 Timothy we have the Greek word "ekphero". Strong's Concordance says: to bear out. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: to bring forth, to lead out, to produce. In all of these slightly varied meanings we still have the idea of something moved from one place to another, for whatever reason. There have been a few times in our lives when others had to "carry" us. Our mothers carried us in the womb. As babies and even as toddlers, our parents or care givers had to "carry " us from one place to another. Even when we were older there may have been times when we had to be carried someplace because we couldn't make it under our own power. Then there may be times when we are going through things and someone has to "carry" some of our responsibilities until we are able to get back into it. Then there WILL BE a time when our work here is done, our race is run and we have accomplished all that God has put us here to accomplish. THEN HE or the angels will "carry" us to HIM! There is a new song by TAYA (Gaukrodger - Hillsong worship leader) that speaks of the desire to be "carried" when things get tough! BUT, we must make the determined purpose that we will NOT allow the enemy to push us into calling for an "early carry"! Holy Spirit will, at those times and when we call on Him, lift us up in the Spirit and ease the burden of things until we can build ourselves back up through the Word, Prayer, Praise and Worship and fellowship with HIM! Here is the song by TAYA called "Carry Me Home":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

I know that the language can sometimes be strange, but I have been enjoying some of Charles Spurgeon's devotional lately and this one is SO good and encouraging!

"Do as thou hast said."— 2 Samuel 7:25

God's promises were never meant to be thrown aside as waste paper; He intended that they should be used. God's gold is not miser's money, but is minted to be traded with. Nothing pleases our Lord better than to see His promises put in circulation; He loves to see His children bring them up to Him, and say, "Lord, do as Thou hast said." We glorify God when we plead His promises. Do you think that God will be any the poorer for giving you the riches He has promised? Do you dream that He will be any the less holy for giving holiness to you? Do you imagine He will be any the less pure for washing you from your sins? He has said "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Faith lays hold upon the promise of pardon, and it does not delay, saying, "This is a precious promise, I wonder if it be true?" but it goes straight to the throne with it, and pleads, "Lord, here is the promise, 'Do as Thou hast said.'" Our Lord replies, "Be it unto thee even as thou wilt." When a Christian grasps a promise, if he do not take it to God, he dishonours Him; but when he hastens to the throne of grace, and cries, "Lord, I have nothing to recommend me but this, 'Thou hast said it;'" then his desire shall be granted. Our heavenly Banker delights to cash His own notes. Never let the promise rust. Draw the word of promise out of its scabbard, and use it with holy violence. Think not that God will be troubled by your importunately reminding Him of His promises. He loves to hear the loud outcries of needy souls. It is His delight to bestow favours. He is more ready to hear than you are to ask. The sun is not weary of shining, nor the fountain of flowing. It is God's nature to keep His promises; therefore go at once to the throne with "Do as Thou hast said."

To KNOW that everything single thing that God has promised in His Word to us is backed by the guarantee of what Jesus has already accomplished for us! It is ALL ours for the asking and receiving! I am believing for an even greater and more powerful clarity of His Word to you for your family this year! We love you all So much! Here is Hillsong again with a song that is such a powerful reminder! "Behold (Then Sings My Soul)":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

I cam going to share another devotional from Charles Spurgeon! 

"Thy love is better than wine." — Song of Solomon 1:2

Nothing gives the believer so much joy as fellowship with Christ. He has enjoyment as others have in the common mercies of life, he can be glad both in God's gifts and God's works; but in all these separately, yea, and in all of them added together, he doth not find such substantial delight as in the matchless person of his Lord Jesus. He has wine which no vineyard on earth ever yielded; he has bread which all the corn-fields of Egypt could never bring forth. Where can such sweetness be found as we have tasted in communion with our Beloved? In our esteem, the joys of earth are little better than husks for swine compared with Jesus, the heavenly manna. We would rather have one mouthful of Christ's love, and a sip of his fellowship, than a whole world full of carnal delights. What is the chaff to the wheat? What is the sparkling paste to the true diamond? What is a dream to the glorious reality? What is time's mirth, in its best trim, compared to our Lord Jesus in His most despised estate? If you know anything of the inner life, you will confess that our highest, purest, and most enduring joys must be the fruit of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. No spring yields such sweet water as that well of God which was digged with the soldier's spear. All earthly bliss is of the earth earthy, but the comforts of Christ's presence are like Himself, heavenly. We can review our communion with Jesus, and find no regrets of emptiness therein; there are no dregs in this wine, no dead flies in this ointment. The joy of the Lord is solid and enduring. Vanity hath not looked upon it, but discretion and prudence testify that it abideth the test of years, and is in time and in eternity worthy to be called "the only true delight." For nourishment, consolation, exhilaration, and refreshment, no wine can rival the love of Jesus. Let us drink to the full this evening.

I LOVE this TRUTH: that nothing compares with our relationship/fellowship with JESUS! He knows us better than we know ourselves, loves us more than anyone else ever could, and shows us off as HIS when we trust completely in HIM! My goal is to stay so close to JESUS that it will be said of me: SHE has been with JESUS! I am far from there - YET - but I am pushing forward into HIS presence more now than ever before! The BLESSING and FAVOR of the LORD is very evident in your life and family! You HAVE been pressing in to Him and it shows. Now my declaration of faith for you, Kristine and your beautiful girls is that you will each come to know JESUS more intimately than ever before, which means that you will spend more time in HIS presence and that will lead people to know and say: THEY have been with JESUS! Here is Hillsong with "Song For His Presence":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

This week I am going to share again from Charles Spurgeon's evening devotional from my PC Study Bible. 

"We will be glad and rejoice in Thee."— Song of Solomon 1:4

We will be glad and rejoice in Thee. We will not open the gates of the year to the dolorous notes of the sackbut, but to the sweet strains of the harp of joy, and the high sounding cymbals of gladness. "O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise unto the rock of our salvation." We, the called and faithful and chosen, we will drive away our griefs, and set up our banners of confidence in the name of God. Let others lament over their troubles, we who have the sweetening tree to cast into Marah's bitter pool, with joy will magnify the Lord. Eternal Spirit, our effectual Comforter, we who are the temples in which Thou dwellest, will never cease from adoring and blessing the name of Jesus. We WILL, we are resolved about it, Jesus must have the crown of our heart's delight; we will not dishonour our Bridegroom by mourning in His presence. We are ordained to be the minstrels of the skies, let us rehearse our everlasting anthem before we sing it in the halls of the New Jerusalem. We will BE GLAD AND REJOICE: two words with one sense, double joy, blessedness upon blessedness. Need there be any limit to our rejoicing in the Lord even now? Do not men of grace find their Lord to be camphire and spikenard, calamus and cinnamon even now, and what better fragrance have they in heaven itself? We will be glad and rejoice IN THEE. That last word is the meat in the dish, the kernel of the nut, the soul of the text. What heavens are laid up in Jesus! What rivers of infinite bliss have their source, ay, and every drop of their fulness in Him! Since, O sweet Lord Jesus, Thou art the present portion of Thy people, favour us this year with such a sense of Thy preciousness, that from its first to its last day we may be glad and rejoice in Thee. Let January open with joy in the Lord, and December close with gladness in Jesus. 

I LOVE this! The attitude here is that we are SO blessed as children of GOD that we should never allow ourselves to get down, defeated, discouraged or hopeless. It doesn't matter what we may face each day, the answers for overcoming are ALWAYS found in the Word of God. Out attitude towards these things should be from the great confidence that we KNOW what God will do and therefore fear nothing! That kind of powerful faith in HIM causes great JOY to rise up in US so that we CAN DO ALL THINGS that HE requires of us! I LOVE the freedom that we have in JESUS to simply BE wo HE has called us to be! Here is Brooke Ligertwood again with one of my new favorite songs called "A Thousand Hallelujahs":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!