Hi Brian! (Sorry! I accidently posted this on my own teaching blog!) 

I hope that you all are thoroughly enjoying your overseas getaway! This week I want to use the deovtional from Charles Spurgeon about the sacrifice that JESUS paid as we CELEBRATE His RESURRECTION for US! 

"With His stripes we are healed." — Isaiah 53:5

Pilate delivered our Lord to the lictors to be scourged. The Roman scourge was a most dreadful instrument of torture. It was made of the sinews of oxen, and sharp bones were inter-twisted every here and there among the sinews; so that every time the lash came down these pieces of bone inflicted fearful laceration, and tore off the flesh from the bone. The Saviour was, no doubt, bound to the column, and thus beaten. He had been beaten before; but this of the Roman lictors was probably the most severe of His flagellations. My soul, stand here and weep over His poor stricken body.

Believer in Jesus, can you gaze upon Him without tears, as He stands before you the mirror of agonizing love? He is at once fair as the lily for innocence, and red as the rose with the crimson of His own blood. As we feel the sure and blessed healing which His stripes have wrought in us, does not our heart melt at once with love and grief? If ever we have loved our Lord Jesus, surely we must feel that affection glowing now within our bosoms.

"See how the patient Jesus stands,
Insulted in His lowest case!
Sinners have bound the Almighty's hands,
And spit in their Creator's face.

With thorns His temples gor'd and gash'd
Send streams of blood from every part;
His back's with knotted scourges lash'd.
But sharper scourges tear His heart."

We would fain go to our chambers and weep; but since our business calls us away, we will first pray our Beloved to print the image of His bleeding self upon the tablets of our hearts all the day, and at nightfall we will return to commune with Him, and sorrow that our sin should have cost Him so dear.

WHen we appreciate the COST, then we MUST realize tha HE did it ALL so that WE could be HIS! And HE showers HIS OWN with all good things! So to remember and celebrate that, here is Brandon Lake again with "Count 'Em":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "fret". We find it in these verses:

Psalm 37:1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. KJV

Psalm 37:7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. KJV

Psalm 37:8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. KJV

Proverbs 24:19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; KJV

These are all the Hebrew word "charah". Strong's Concordance says: to glow, to glow warm, to blaze up, of anger, zeal and jealousy. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon adds: to be hot, to be furious, to burn, to be angry, to be kindled. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: to get angry, be angry. The word refers to the burning of anger, with a zeal for work. 

One of the enemy's favorite 'tricks' and 'strategies' is to get us to STOP having faith, trust and confidence in the Word of God, and to put our trust in humam efforts! I know that YOU KNOW that there is a different, and better way! When we put God and His Word top priority in our lives, we give GOD something to work with to get us all to a better situation than the one we left behind! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with a song called "Keep On" that addresses these things! 

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Shalom,

Today we read Romans 5 in our Spoken Word Bible Reading Plan. Verses 1-2:

5 Therefore, since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us {CHOICE}[grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 2 Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God’s favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us {CHOICE} rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God.

It is SO exciting to KNOW that JESUS has alreay provided LIFE, SALVATION, RESTORATION and anything and everything else that we will ever need, in this life, to succeed! BUT, the CHOICE to grab hold of this and in it is OURSE ALONE! HE will NOT 'make us' receive! WE CHOOSE! SO CHOOSE LIFE that HE has provided! And then YOU can declare with this as OURS! Verses 3-11:

3 Moreover [let us { CHOICE} also be full of joy now!] let us {CHOICE} exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. 4 And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. 5 Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us. 6 While we were yet in weakness [powerless to help ourselves], at the fitting time Christ died for (in behalf of) the ungodly. 7 Now it is an extraordinary thing for one to give his life even for an upright man, though perhaps for a noble and lovable and generous benefactor someone might even dare to die. 8 But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us. 9 Therefore, since we are now justified (acquitted, made righteous, and brought into right relationship with God) by Christ’s blood, how much more [certain is it that] we shall be saved by Him from the indignation and wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more [certain], now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved (daily delivered from sin’s dominion) through His [resurrection] life. 11 Not only so, but we also rejoice and exultingly glory in God [in His love and perfection] through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received and enjoy [our] reconciliation.

AMEN! Let's do a better job of getting these POWERFUL TRUTHS inside of us so that we have HOLY SPIRIT BOLDNESS to NEVER GIVE UP and NEVER GIVE IN to the LIES of the enemy! Here is Hillsong with "THAT'S THE POWER" which WE HAVE IN HIM! 

Shalom in Him!

 Hi Brian!

Instead of a word this week, I really want to share this Charles Spurgeon devotional from my PC Study Bible program! 

"As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you." — John 15:9

As the Father loves the Son, in the same manner Jesus loves His people. What is that divine method? He loved Him without beginning, and thus Jesus loves His members. "I have loved thee with an everlasting love." You can trace the beginning of human affection; you can easily find the beginning of your love to Christ, but His love to us is a stream whose source is hidden in eternity. God the Father loves Jesus without any change. Christian, take this for your comfort, that there is no change in Jesus Christ's love to those who rest in Him. Yesterday you were on Tabor's top, and you said, "He loves me:" to-day you are in the valley of humiliation, but He loves you still the same. On the hill Mizar, and among the Hermons, you heard His voice, which spake so sweetly with the turtle-notes of love; and now on the sea, or even in the sea, when all His waves and billows go over you, His heart is faithful to His ancient choice. The Father loves the Son without any end, and thus does the Son love His people. Saint, you need not fear the loosing of the silver cord, for His love for you will never cease. Rest confident that even down to the grave Christ will go with you, and that up again from it He will be your guide to the celestial hills. Moreover, the Father loves the Son without any measure, and the same immeasurable love the Son bestows upon His chosen ones. The whole heart of Christ is dedicated to His people. He "loved us and gave Himself for us." His is a love which passeth knowledge. Ah! we have indeed an immutable Saviour, a precious Saviour, one who loves without measure, without change, without beginning, and without end, even as the Father loves Him! There is much food here for those who know how to digest it. May the Holy Spirit lead us into its marrow and fatness!

This is such a powerful and valuable TRUTH! It is especially powerful for those of us who have had rather disfuntional childhoods! I know that you have wonderful parents, but the LOVE that God has for US is even greater than that love! It is difficult for our finite minds to grasp that TRUTH! As we continue to meditate on this message, we will develop such a powerful understanding of what that means for us personally. And what HE will reveal to everyone who LOVES HIM! Here is Brandon Lake with "Gratitude":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "defend". I have been meditating on the words to another song from Brandon Lake's new album  called "God Is Not Against Me". One part says: 

"This is not my fight, You are my defense, You hold my life, This is my confidence"

Defense isn't in the Bible, but the word defend is. Psalm 59:1 says this:

1 Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me. KJV

This is the Hebrew word "sagab". Strong's Concordance says: to be or make lofty, especially inaccessible, safe, strong. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon says: to be high, to be inaccessibly high, to be too high for capture, to be exalted. The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament adds: Associated with the notion of height, it frequently has the connotation of security. Whereas man's most secure defenses are proved vulnerable, the name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runs into it and are safe. There are times when unexpected things happen and we are sometimes caught off guard, but knowing this TRUTH about God, we can keep ourselves in faith when we remember that GOD is ALWAYS on our side and He ALWAYS has a way out of every situation for our benefit and protection. Romans 8:28 promises us this:

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. KJV

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.  AMP

I believe that HE has many wonderful blessings planned for you and your family this year. The enemy hates to see us blessed, but he has no defense against a believer who KNOWS who he is and WHOSE He is! Here is that song!

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

It was SO good to see you, Kristine and your girls at the game! The word for this week is "honour". We'll be looking at two verses in the New Testament. 

Ephesians 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. KJV

1 Tim 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. KJV

In Ephesians we have the Greek word: "timao". Strong's Concordance says: a verb which means: to prize, to fix a valuation upon, to revere. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds: to estimate, to fix value, to venerate. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: used of valuing (Jesus, parents, people). In 1 Timothy we have the Greek noun "time". Strong's Concordance says: valuable, esteem (especially of the  highest degree), or the dignity itself. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: honor which belongs or is shown to one, pre-eminence. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: Used in ascriptions of worship to God. Honoring God first helps us to honor the other important people in our lives. 

This was very evident to me in the 'honor' you bestowed on your parents at the game! I have always noticed that you honor them, your parents-in-law and US whenever we see you! I know that many people use the verse in Ephesians to train children, but one thing that made a big difference in my life was realizing that we are to ALWAYS honor our parents! We don't necessarily 'obey' them when we are older, but we ALWAYS treat them with honor and respect! I had to learn this lesson from Holy Spirit when I found myself thinking judgementally about my own parents! Jesus expects us to ALWAYS honor our parents!  We are honoring HIM when we honor THEM! And the PROMISE for doing so is that it will be WELL with us! I am expecting so many more BLESSINGS come into your lives as you continue to HONOR them! Here is Brandon Lake with "Jesus Be Praised" where he says that it is an honor to praise HIM!

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!