Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "trucebreakers". The only place this is found in the Word of God is in 2 Timothy 3:1-5:

2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. KJV

This is the Greek word "aspondos". Strong's Concordance says: without libation (that usually accompanies a treaty), truceless. Thayers Greek Lexicon adds: without a treaty or covenant; cannot be pursuaded to enter into a covenant, inplacable (not able to be,  not capable of being appeased, significantly changed, or mitigated. Unyielding, relentless, inflexible, uncompromising, ruthless, and inexorable.  

These things are said to be true of people in the time near the end of this age. My prayer for both you and Kristine in your businesses is that Holy Spirit will continue to bring good and Godly people into your lives and your businesses so that you can trust them and count on them! That is all a part of the promises of God to tithers and givers! Here for inspiration is another of my favorite songs from Brandon Lake called  "Kids", because HE doesn't ever let His kids down!

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

This week I want to use "thanksgiving"  again for obvious reasons! We've already covered this word, so this is a repeat! We will look at 

Colossians 4:2  Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; KJV

The Amplified Bible says this:

Colossians 4:2 Be earnest and unwearied and steadfast in your prayer [life], being [both] alert and intent in [your praying] with thanksgiving.  AMP

This is the Greek word "eucharistia". Strong's Concordance says: gratitude; actively, grateful language (to God, as an act of worship): Vine's Expository Dictionary adds: "Thanksgiving" is the expression of joy Godward.

As I think about celebrating Thanksgiving this week, one of the things that I am most thankful to God for is that He brought you into Kristine's life at just the right time! When I saw that bright light of joy back in her beautiful eyes, I knew that prayer had been answered! Then to see your marriage so loving and the way you both raise your beautiful young ladies to be who God has called them to be is another joy! I know that we don't see as much of you all as we used to, but know that we are continually praying for you all. Have a greatly blessed Thanksgiving celebration with your family, knowing that you are all greatly loved and appreciated! Here is one of my favorite thankful songs by Brandon Lake called "Gratitude"! 

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys! 

Hi Brian!

This week I want to share a recent devotional from Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest".

The Eternal Goal

By Myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing,…that in blessing I will bless thee.… — Genesis 22:15-19

Abraham has reached the place where he is in touch with the very nature of God, he understands now the Reality of God.

“My goal is God Himself…
At any cost, dear Lord, by any road.”

“At any cost, by any road” means nothing self-chosen in the way God brings us to the goal.

There is no possibility of questioning when God speaks if He speaks to His own nature in me; prompt obedience is the only result. When Jesus says — “Come” I simply come; when He says — “Let go,” I let go; when He says — “Trust in God in this matter,” I do trust. The whole working out is the evidence that the nature of God is in me.

God’s revelation of Himself to me is determined by my character, not by God’s character.

“Tis because I am mean,
Thy ways so oft look mean to me.”

By the discipline of obedience I get to the place where Abraham was and I see Who God is. I never have a real God until I have come face to face with Him in Jesus Christ, then I know that “in all the world, my God, there is none but Thee, there is none but Thee.”

The promises of God are of no value to us until by obedience we understand the nature of God. We read some things in the Bible three hundred and sixty-five times and they mean nothing to us; then all of a sudden we see what God means, because in some particular we have obeyed God, and instantly His nature is opened up. “All the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen.” The “yea” must be born of obedience; when by the obedience of our lives we say “Amen” to a promise, then that promise is ours.

I am sharing this because it speaks to me of how easily we become more and more like Jesus simply by trusting Him and His nature becomes our own! I didn't pray to become born again until 1980 when I was 25, but I remember certain things that occured in my life that could only have been God even when I didn't know Him. That's why it was so easy for me to believe everything else I saw in the Word. Now, when I look back, there was never a time in my life when He wasn't leading me. I see so much of God's nature in you as you take care of your family! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family! Here is another of my favorite songs by Brandon Lake and Cody Carnes called "Too Good To Not Believe":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

 Hi Brian!

This week I want to share from Kenneth E. Hagin's "Faith Food" devotional. It is just a refresher on something I know that YOU already know, but sometimes reviewing Truths from the Word of God helps bring them to the forefront and that helps renew our complete faith in HIM and HIS WORD!

Praying And Saying

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. — MARK 11:24

Faith will work by saying without praying (notice Mark 11:23 doesn’t mention praying), but faith also works by prayer.

However, when you pray it, you still have to say (or confess) it.

Let me repeat that: Faith will work by SAYING it, or it will work by PRAYING it, but when you PRAY it, you still have to SAY it.

Mark 11:23 and 24 brought me off a bed of sickness many years ago. After I had prayed, then I began to say (not think) out loud in my room, “I believe that I receive healing for my body.” Then I specified each thing that was wrong with me: “I believe I receive healing for the heart condition. I believe I receive healing for this paralysis. I believe I receive healing for the incurable blood disease.”

And just in case I had missed anything, I concluded, “I believe that I receive healing from the top of my head to the soles of my feet.”

Within the hour every symptom of physical deficiency disappeared from my body, and I was standing on the floor beside the bed — healed!

Confession: What things soever I desire, when I pray, I believe that I receive them. I confess what I believe. I hold fast to my confession. And I never fail to receive them.

Holy Spirit has been reminding me lately of the simple, powerful TRUTHS that we first learned years ago. I have found that a fresh look at things like this has really deepened my faith and increased my expectation! I hope that it does the same for you! Here is a video version of Brandon Lake's "Tear Off The Roof" song that used scenes from the Chosen movies.

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!

Hi Brian!

The word for this week is from the song that has been on my heart again! The word is "borders" and it is found in the song: Oceans by UNITED. One of the meanings of the word is: A border is the outermost edge of an area, a line separating one political or geographic region from another. In other words, a border defines the limits of something. This song is about going beyond! Part of the bridge says this:

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Saviour

We know after all of our years of studying the Word of God that HE sees us as the indiividuals that HE has created us to be. He sees all that we CAN be if we DARE to believe and to step out in faith! So this song is like a cry to the Lord to help us to expand and extend where we presently are. My prayer for you and your family is that you will all continue to dare to believe that you can do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that HE has put in your hearts to do! Here is that song:

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!