Hi Brian!

This week I am sharing again from Charles Spurgeon's devotional.

"A living dog is better than a dead lion." — Ecclesiastes 9:4

Life is a precious thing, and in its humblest form it is superior to death. This truth is eminently certain in spiritual things. It is better to be the least in the kingdom of heaven than the greatest out of it. The lowest degree of grace is superior to the noblest development of unregenerate nature. Where the Holy Ghost implants divine life in the soul, there is a precious deposit which none of the refinements of education can equal. The thief on the cross excels Caesar on his throne; Lazarus among the dogs is better than Cicero among the senators; and the most unlettered Christian is in the sight of God superior to Plato. Life is the badge of nobility in the realm of spiritual things, and men without it are only coarser or finer specimens of the same lifeless material, needing to be quickened, for they are dead in trespasses and sins.

A living, loving, gospel sermon, however unlearned in matter and uncouth in style, is better than the finest discourse devoid of unction and power. A living dog keeps better watch than a dead lion, and is of more service to his master; and so the poorest spiritual preacher is infinitely to be preferred to the exquisite orator who has no wisdom but that of words, no energy but that of sound. The like holds good of our prayers and other religious exercises; if we are quickened in them by the Holy Spirit, they are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ, though we may think them to be worthless things; while our grand performances in which our hearts were absent, like dead lions, are mere carrion in the sight of the living God. O for living groans, living sighs, living despondencies, rather than lifeless songs and dead calms. Better anything than death. The snarlings of the dog of hell will at least keep us awake, but dead faith and dead profession, what greater curses can a man have? Quicken us, quicken us, O Lord!

Simply put, having the LIFE of GOD living IN us gives us a powerful edge over those in the world without HIM! You have that edge in all that you do just because HE lives IN you! Then when you apply Wisdom, knowledge, patience, prayer and hard work to HIS presence, you give HIM access to make you even more successful! Here is Brandon Lake with "Coat of Many Colors":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

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

Psalm 18:39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. KJV

Proverbs 21:31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord. KJV

These are both the Hebrew word "milchamah". Strong's Concordance says: a battle, engagement, generally war or warfare. Vine's Expository Dictionary adds: skirmish, combat.

I love the Bible account of the battle at Engedi, where the king was instructed to put the praisers in the front and they did not even have to fight because God took care of it all! Under our New Covenant we fight against a different and defeated enemy and with spiritual weapons that the enemy cannot answer! Ours is the fight of faith in what God has promised against the lies of the enemy! When we know the TRUTH, and we declare the TRUTH and then stand on it in faith, the enemy has no recourse but to flee! I love this song by Tauren Wells called "Take It All Back". THIS is how WE fight!

Love and Shalom in Him!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "lamp". We find it in this verse in the Old Testament:

Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. KJV

This is the Hebrew word "niyr" (neer). Strong's Concordance says: Meaning to glisten; a lamp (i.e. the burner). The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament says: The small bowl like objects which contained oil and a wick to be lit to provide light. We have covered the word "light" a few times here but not lamp yet! The light is His presence which illuminates everything around Him, which makes the lamp the container that the Light shines from. WE are the present day 'lamps' who are filled with His presence, His glory, His Wisdom, His Light and His LIFE! We really do not have to work at being the lamp, we must keep ourselve in His love and joy and peace in order for the LIGHT to not be hindered from being seen and received! I LOVE that! Everywhere you go, YOU SHINE! You and Kristine have done a wonderful job of guiding your girls to be the LAMPS that allow HIS LIGHT to shine! My prayer is that you will become more aware of the POWERFUL effect that YOUR presence as the LAMP who allows HIS presence as the LIGHT to shine, changing peoples' lives! Here is another Brandon Lake song called "Running To The Light":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

This week I want to share again from Charles Spurgeon's Evening Devotional from my PC Study Bible! 

"The exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead."
— Ephesians 1:19,Ephesians 1: 20

In the resurrection of Christ, as in our salvation, there was put forth nothing short of a divine power. What shall we say of those who think that conversion is wrought by the free will of man, and is due to his own betterness of disposition? When we shall see the dead rise from the grave by their own power, then may we expect to see ungodly sinners of their own free will turning to Christ. It is not the word preached, nor the word read in itself; all quickening power proceeds from the Holy Ghost. This power was irresistible. All the soldiers and the high priests could not keep the body of Christ in the tomb; Death himself could not hold Jesus in his bonds: even thus irresistible is the power put forth in the believer when he is raised to newness of life. No sin, no corruption, no devils in hell nor sinners upon earth, can stay the hand of God's grace when it intends to convert a man. If God omnipotently says, "Thou shalt," man shall not say, "I will not." Observe that the power which raised Christ from the dead was glorious. It reflected honour upon God and wrought dismay in the hosts of evil. So there is great glory to God in the conversion of every sinner. It was everlasting power. "Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him." So we, being raised from the dead, go not back to our dead works nor to our old corruptions, but we live unto God. "Because He lives we live also." "For we are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God." "Like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Lastly, in the text mark the union of the new life to Jesus. The same power which raised the Head works life in the members. What a blessing to be quickened together with Christ!

THIS TRUTH has meant more to me this year than any other time before! God the Holy Spirit is the ONE Who works IN us to be more like JESUS! We have everything we will ever need within us when we receive JESUS as Lord and Saviour! When we put the time in through His Word or through intimate fellowship with HIM, we will see HIS LIFE operating IN us and THROUGH us for the benafit of those we know and love! I believe that your beautiful young ladies have absorbed SO much by the way that you and Kristine have trained them and brought themm up accoring to HIS WORD! Here is Brandon Lake with "That's Who I Praise":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "worthy". we find it in these New Testament verses:

1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. KJV

1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. KJV

Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. KJV

Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. KJV

Revelation 5:11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. KJV

These are all the Greek word "axios". Strong's Concrdance says: deserving, comparable, suitable. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: Having weight, befitting. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: Weight, of worth, said of a person and their deeds. The Theological Dictionary says: Bringing into balance, equivalent, being appropriate, deserving. JESUS is WORTHY because He is GOD and He is GOOD! His WORD is WORTHY because it is TRUTH (John 17:17). WE are worthy because HE has MADE US WORTHY by HIS BLOOD, His LOVE and His unwavering support! Our GOD does MIRACULOUS and seemingly IMPOSSIBLE things! ALL because HE loves US! When WE give HIM the praise, thanksgiving and worship that HE deserves, then HE lifts us up out of the ordinary world and into HIS KINGDOM here on earth! YOU are WORTHY of ALL of HIS promises! Here is Brandon Lake with "Angus Dei":

[Chorus]
Holy, holy
Are You Lord God, Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
C'mon, You are holy, holy
Yeah, are You Lord God, can we just lift up His Lordship tonight? Almighty
C'mon tell Him who He is tonight, lift Him over your city, lift Him over your family, hey, hey
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
For You are holy, holy
Are You Lord God, Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
For You are holy, holy
Are You Lord, are You Lord God, Almighty
And worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
'Cause You are, You are holy, holy
Are You Lord God, Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
Oh, amen, amen, amеn, amen, yeah

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!