Hi Brian!

I think that Rick Renner's "Sparkling Gems From The Greek - Volume 2" devotional  for today is excellent advice for ending the past year and beginning the new one powerfully!

FORGET THE PAST

…forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto the things which are before…. — Philippians 3:13

Well, today one year is closing, and another year is about to begin. Is your year ending the way you prayed it would? Or do you need to make alterations in your heart quickly to get back on track with what God wants to do in your life so you can start the next year right?

Many times as I’ve come close to the end of a calendar year, I’ve wondered if I was going to accomplish everything I sensed the Lord instructing me to do in that year. But if it’s too late to do what you should have done this year, it’s time for you to forget those things that are behind and to reach forth unto the things that are before you (see Philippians 3:13). The word “forget” in this verse is the Greek word epilanthanomai, which depicts something that is done with, accomplished, and no longer an issue before you. The word “behind” is the word opiso, which describes something that no longer has relevance in your life. It is old, antiquated, outdated, and no long applicable.

Rather than focus on things of the past that no longer have relevance in your life, it’s time for you to “reach forth” unto those things that are before you. The words “reach forth” are translated from the Greek word epikteinomai, and it pictures a runner in a race — running with every ounce of strength he can muster to get around that final bend in the stadium one last time and finish as the winner! His whole body and eyes are fastened on that goal as he leans forward and runs with all his might to break through that finish line.

Today is your last day to make wrongs right and to do things that you know you ought to do. This year is closing in a mere matter of minutes or hours. But before you is a glorious new beginning! The Holy Spirit wants to divinely energize you to run your race in the new year with your eyes and your whole being fixed on the goal. It may be challenging, but if you’ll surrender to the Holy Spirit’s control, He’ll take you where you never could have gone by yourself!

When you lay your head on your pillow tonight and say farewell to this year, make sure that you also welcome the new year with faith, confidence, and commitment that in this new year you will accomplish every dream, goal, and desire that God has put in your heart to accomplish over the next 12 months!

I LOVE this idea! I know of so many people who carry baggage around of disappointments and then no longer have the energy to reset and begin again! I know that this is probably not you or Kristine, but I believe that, especially this coming year, you are going to encounter people with that mindset and this will help you to encourage them! I am praying that this next year will be the VERY BEST and MOST BLESSED year for you and your family! Here is another new song from Brandon Lake that I LOVE because kids sing with him on part, but also because of the promise that he mentions about God: "You don't ever let your kids down". 

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

 Hi Brian!

MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and your beautiful family! We have family things going on so I am simply posting this Christmas greeting for you and one of my favorite Christmas songs! I'll be back to regularly scheduled blog posting next week! Until then, here is Hillsong with "We Have A Saviour":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys! 

Hi Brian!

This week I want to share Charles Spurgeon's evening devotional with you! 

"I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." — John 10:9

Jesus, the great I AM, is the entrance into the true church, and the way of access to God Himself. He gives to the man who comes to God by Him four choice privileges.

1. He shall be saved. The fugitive manslayer passed the gate of the city of refuge, and was safe. Noah entered the door of the ark, and was secure. None can be lost who take Jesus as the door of faith to their souls. Entrance through Jesus into peace is the guarantee of entrance by the same door into heaven. Jesus is the only door, an open door, a wide door, a safe door; and blessed is he who rests all his hope of admission to glory upon the crucified Redeemer.

2. He shall go in. He shall be privileged to go in among the divine family, sharing the children's bread, and participating in all their honours and enjoyments. He shall go in to the chambers of communion, to the banquets of love, to the treasures of the covenant, to the storehouses of the promises. He shall go in unto the King of kings in the power of the Holy Spirit, and the secret of the Lord shall be with him.

3. He shall go out. This blessing is much forgotten. We go out into the world to labour and suffer, but what a mercy to go in the name and power of Jesus! We are called to bear witness to the truth, to cheer the disconsolate, to warn the careless, to win souls, and to glorify God; and as the angel said to Gideon, "Go in this thy might," even thus the Lord would have us proceed as His messengers in His name and strength.

4. He shall find pasture. He who knows Jesus shall never want. Going in and out shall be alike helpful to him: in fellowship with God he shall grow, and in watering others he shall be watered. Having made Jesus his all, he shall find all in Jesus. His soul shall be as a watered garden, and as a well of water whose waters fail not.

I really love this! THIS is who we are IN HIM! We have only begun to find what belongs to us as children of GOD! HE is ALWAYS desiring to BLESS us! The more that we truly understand and BELIEVE this, the more HE is glorified THROUGH us and people take notice! Here is another new song from Brandon Lake called "Miracle Child":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "confidence". We'll be looking at these portions of Scripture from the New Testament:

Acts 28:30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, 31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. KJV

Hebrews 3:4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. 5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; 6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. KJV

1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. 28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. KJV

1 John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. KJV

1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. KJV

These are all the Greek word "parrhesia". Strong's Concordance says: all out-spokenness, frankness, bluntness, publicity, assurance. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech, free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: rendered 'confidence' in the KJV, is in all such instances rendered 'boldness' in the RV. The Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament says: openness, publicness, candor, joyous confidence. I LOVE that our GOD desires for us to have this powerful confidence in HIM and in HIS WORD! We were meant to operate in this confident boldness in every area of life as we continue in His Word and in fellowship with HIM. I really like several of the songs in Brandon Lake's new album, "Coat of Many Colors". The song for you today is "Adoption Song". It is all about who we are IN HIM. Adopted into His family! Part of the chorus says:

I am adopted, I am beloved
It's my inheritance, I'm a child of God
So when the liar starts mouthing off
I'll sing in confidence my adoption song

Here is that song with the lyrics:

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "count". We have used a different form of this word in the past. Today we are looking at these Scriptures:

Job 31:4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? KJV

Psalm 87:6 The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah. KJV

Psalm 139:17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. KJV

These are all the Hebrew word "caphar". Strong's Concordance says: to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e. to inscribe, also to enumerate, to recount, to celebrate. Brown-Driver-Briggs Herew Lexicon says: to count, to recount, to relate, to number, to take account of, to reckon, to be numbered, to count exactly or accurately. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: to number, count, proclaim, declare. The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament says: is used of general mathimatical activity. One can count objects, people, periods of time, actions, thoughts. As well, it is emplyed with a negative to indicate innumerable things. 

In particular, today we are looking at the negative as we look at the lyrics of the song for today! Brandon Lake has a song on his new album called "COUNT 'EM". He uses this in referring to the number of wonderful miracles, healings, deliverances that JESUS and HIS people (including US) have done! Because we "Can't Count 'Em"! 

Lov and Shalom from the Swoveys!