Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

At the beginning of their wilderness journey, the children of Israel tempted God by saying, "Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?" (Psalm 78:19). There is no wilderness that is too horrible or too difficult for God to furnish a table for His covenant people. To be truthful, God furnishes two tables for us, both the natural and the spiritual.

Elijah experienced this when God said to him, "I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there" (1 Kings 17:4). When he went on his journey to Zarephath God told him "I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee... For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth." (1 Kings 17:9-16).

If you are going through a dry wilderness experience--finances have dried up, bills are mounting up, you can't see any daylight at the end of the tunnel, or you are worried for your wife and family, start calling on the Lord. Ask Him to reveal to you His table of miraculous provision. Don't ever question God's ability to furnish a table for you in the midst of your wilderness.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, the table the Great Shepherd/Father prepares is not behind, or to the side of the sheep, but BEFORE the sheep. Psalm 23:5 says, "Thou preparest a table BEFORE me in the presence of mine enemies."

As under spiritual shepherds , what do we put on the table before our family? Is the Bible to the side or on the shelf somewhere? I notice many churches provide Bibles on the shelf or in the pew in front because many Christians do not take their own Bible to church. It's not beside them, but on a shelf somewhere and is not a priority in their daily lives.

Men, the Scriptures and prayers must be put BEFORE our children's faces. Just as our natural meal is placed on the table before us, we should place their spiritual meal before them. Our wives know the children need healthy meals and place them directly in front of them. After the giving of thanks they are expect to begin eating without any fuss. How would our children feel if we decided to let them forage in the cupboards or side shelves for their natural meals.

Aren't their spiritual meals even more important?

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Psalm 78:24-25 says, "Yet he had rained down manna on them to eat, and given them of the bread of heaven. Men ate angels' food; He sent them FOOD TO THE FULL." How sad that many Christian families have a very limited and meager appetite for the fresh daily Word of God. No wonder the average Christian family is so malnourished and weak in their spiritual lives.

The children of Israel gathered one omer for each member of their family every day. Most translations of the Bible say that one omer equals two quarts. Dake's Annotated Reference Bible says it equals three quarts, one pint. It goes for reason that a small child could not eat as much as a grown man, therefore what the child could not eat, an adult could possibly eat more. Even though every family received approximately two quarts for each member, they were not to leave any over for the next day. If they did, it bread worms and stank.

Christian families, as well as our churches, have not emphasized enough the importance of the FRESH daily spiritual food that God rains down from Heaven to be gathered and eaten every day.

It had to be gathered each new morning, for when the sun waxed hot it melted. There is something to be said about families getting up early to gather to the Living Bread as soon as the dew lifts from the ground.

Anointed fresh bread from Heaven. Wow.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

The way to have victory as we travel through this earthly wilderness is to feast at God's table. It is a table He prepares for us every day, even in the presence of our enemies. Our enemies are subtle and sometimes pose as our friends as it was with "Job's comforters."

As we eat daily at God's table and fellowship with Him we will discern who are true friends and who are enemies. Discernment is part of the menu on God's daily table.

Jesus taught us in the Lord's Prayer, "Give us this day our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11). The question is, how can we expect to overcome our daily enemies if we do not partake liberally of the daily bread He prepares for us at His table? I suggest that far too many Christians fail in life for the lack of partaking of the daily bread which Christ, the Great Shepherd of Israel, prepares for them.

To be continued.

Be encouraged,

Colin Campbell

Men, it's good for us to know that no matter how many enemies surround us and who would like to devour us at any given moment, the Great Shepherd has prepared and provided us with an amazing table, overflowing with the most wonderful, miraculous, and delicious food. Exactly what we need for each new day.

Psalm 23:5 says, "Thou preparest a table before me in the PRESENCE OF MY MINE ENEMIES." I believe God wants our attention to be more on the table than our surrounding enemies. The devil wants us to be taken up with his works of darkness, even though we despise every aspect of them. The more we negatively get absorbed with all his crafty, subtle, and evil works, the more anxious we become and more likely to panic.

I believe as Christians that we should not be overly consumed or concerned with what the devil is doing. Rather, our undivided attention should be on what God is doing. We find out what God is doing as we eat and fellowship at His PREPARED TABLE. As we eat at this table we will be so filled with His Spirit and power that no matter how big the Goliath we face, like David we will slay him like a fly on the wall.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

What is in your hand, father? A newspaper? The latest computer game? A top selling novel? Study books in order to gain your degree? Or, is it a firm grasp of God's Word?

The rod and staff of Psalm 23 have their New Testament fulfillment in the application of the Holy Scriptures as a powerful weapon against all evil spiritual attacks against our soul. Paul made mention of these spiritual weapons in 2 Corinthians 10:4, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, used what was in His hand to defeat the devil's temptations. Matthew 4:1-11 tells us that He used the Scriptures to defeat the enemy.

It is interesting to note that the devil used the twisted word to bring about the fall of the first Adam, but because the second Adam had the rod and staff of the Word of God so firmly fixed in His "hand" and mouth that He quickly sent the devil packing.

Men, the family flock of sheep that God has entrusted into our care need to be aware that God's Word is a powerful rod and staff in our hands to deliver our marriage and our sons and daughters from the carnage and destruction of the present family break-down in our nation.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

The rod and staff mentioned in Psalm 23:4 are a source of comfort to the sheep. The primary reason is that the rod and staff represent authority to bring discipline and correction as needed, but also to give protection to the sheep which were surrounded with enemies that sought to devour them. If there had been no rod and staff in the hand of the Psalm 23 shepherd the sheep would have experienced no comfort at all. Instead, they would have been in a state of fear of certain death.

Men, the rod that was in Moses' hand when he first met God at the burning bush was a shepherd's rod.

Exodus 3:1 says, "And Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb." Then in Exodus 4:2 God asks Moses, "What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod."

Moses was about to learn that the humble shepherds' rod he held in his hand had authority to not only destroy the natural predators of his flock, but also to perform signs, wonders, and miracles and to destroy all of Pharaoh's armies. It was a humble weapon with outstanding potential.

To be continued tomorrow.

Be encouraged

Colin Campbell

Every challenge in life is an opportunity for you to bring forth fruit. In every situation you face you can be fruitFULL or fruitLESS. Is love needed? You can choose to lavish love or be fruitLESS. You can choose to show longsuffering, or be fruitLESS.

John 15:8 says, "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear MUCH fruit, so shall ye be my disciples."

~ Colin Campbell

No one has peace, rest, or comfort where the rod is not applied to the "seat of learning." The so-called better ways have failed us as a nation. Men, there is obviously a big difference in the use of the rod in the discipline of the lost, helpless, and unintelligent sheep and the use of the rod in the discipline of intelligent, rebellious children who are of a much higher level or creation.

Just because some over-bearing fathers have abused the use of the rod does not mean the rod of discipline in defiant, rebellious situations does not have legitimate merit in the raising of the godly seed. We now live in a world where moods, negative attitudes, tempers, anger, and lusts are out of control. I am sure that much of this is because of insufficient discipline, including the rejection of the rod as a godly spiritual form of correction.

The timeless slogan says, "Spare the rod and spoil the child." It comes from the Bible of course. Proverbs 13:24 says, "He that spareth his rod hateth his son, but he that loveth him chasteneth him quickly."

Here are a few more Scriptures of what God has to say on this subject: Proverbs 10:13, "In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding."

Proverbs 19:13, "Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying."

Proverbs 22:15, "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."

Proverbs 23:13-14, "Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell."

Proverbs 29:13, "The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame."

Proverbs 29:17, "Correct thy son and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul."

Hebrews 12:6-11, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which correct us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."

If we do not use the rod when bad conduct demands it, we will find that the bad conduct will be a rod that beats us down every day. Our prisons are overloaded and our streets and public places are becoming more and more dangerous. Much of this is because of a failure to make appropriate use of the rod as a valuable tool of correction."

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Psalm 23:4 says, "Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me." Men, as far as natural sheep are concerned, no matter where in this world, whether it be in the Holy land or in any western country, the rod is not used to beat the sheep. It is primarily used to beat the enemies or predators of this defenseless animal.

Having been brought up on a sheep farm in a sheep farming community in New Zealand, we used the rod and staff as one instrument. As a young man I had my own shepherd's crook which was a fairly long staff, a little thicker than walking stick and much longer. It also had a crook or handle at one end. Rather than beating the sheep with this instrument, we used it to gently prod the sheep to go in a certain direction. When the sheep acted stubbornly, the prod would be a little more than gentle, especially when the sheep had to cross over a narrow bridge or pass through difficult a difficult and scary passage in mountain regions.

The Great Shepherd scolds the shepherds that beat the flock. Isaiah 3:15 says, "What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord God of hosts." To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, as fathers we must make every endeavor to make ourselves available to our wife and family, for they are our flock and we are their shepherd. How tragic it is when a son or daughter says, "I do not really know my father." Or, "He was never there for me when I needed him." This should never be the case amongst Christian families.

How wonderfully secure are the sheep and lambs who can say, "My daddy is always with me, especially when I need him." The absentee father is one of the great tragedies of our society and has greatly weakened this generation. It is essential for us to see ourselves as true father/shepherds who will always be interested and available, as much as possible, to our own flock. We must never become too busy doing our own thing, taking care of our own interests, and neglecting the thing which is most important, and that is, to be an available father.

I love what Abraham said to his anxious son, Isaac in Genesis 22:7, "And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son." Men, we must be "Here am I" fathers. Far too many sons and daughters are crying out and needing their fathers to answer their deep anxieties. Yet, many fathers cannot say, "Here am I." They are too busy doing their own thing.

Down in New Zealand when we looked for a job we looked in the newspaper under the column, "Situations Vacant." Unfortunately, many homes across our nation, even Christian homes, have a "Situation Vacant" problem that needs an available father to apply for the job!

Let's read Ezekiel 34:2-4, "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them."

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

We are not guaranteed to have a bed of roses every day of our lives. Quite the opposite. Even as it was in the life of our Savior, we can also expect to go through some troublesome times. 2 Timothy 3:12 says, "They that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."

Fathers, as family shepherds we must always be available to each member of our family, especially when they go through sickness, accident, or great emotional trials or stress. None of us know what the future holds, but as they hymn says, "We know who holds the future."

As good shepherds of our flock we must be prepared, if necessary, to give our very lives for the sheep that God has put in our charge. We must never stand aloof or be too busy to attend to their needs for counsel, comfort, concern, and our presence and loving touch. This is what fatherhood is all about. Never let it be said about your fatherhood that you did not care to relate or to be with your children. They most desperately need you.

Psalm 23:4 says, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: FOR THOU ART WITH ME."

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Proverbs 2:8 says, "He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints."

Fathers, we certainly cannot afford to take these truths regarding the paths of righteousness lightly. Otherwise, we do so to our own peril. We are living in unstable times. We do not know what troublesome times lie ahead for us a nation or as individuals. We fathers should know all the principles in God's Word on the subject of preservation and diligently teach them to our families.

There are many principles and they are an absolute MUST for all fathers to know and make sure our children are well acquainted with them. If we do not, we have failed our children. Psalm 91 is just one of the many Scripture passages on this most important subject. Psalm 127:1 says, "Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."

God says to us, "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if you seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures...
THEN shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God...THEN shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path ...Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee..." (Proverbs 2:1-12).

These are the paths of righteousness where the Great Shepherd leads his flock. We fathers should do the same.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

We continue the paths of righteousness God wants us to lead our families into.

7. The paths of righteousness are mercy and truth

Psalm 25:10 says, "All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies." Mercy and truth and grace and truth are twins. It was said of Jesus in John 1:14 that He was "full of grace and truth."

John 1:17 says, "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." The law was the truth. It was cold hard facts. It showed no mercy and grace on its own, but rather condemnation to all who broke it.

Jesus Christ was FULL of mercy and truth. Fathers who profess to be His followers should also be FULL of mercy and truth. Do our wives and children know us to be FULL of grace and truth?

Mercy and grace without truth can be sloppy grace, compromise, and lack justice. We have far too much of this in our 21st century homes and churches. Mercy and grace must be tempered and balanced by truth, otherwise grace can be abused and cheapened.

Men, let us mirror God's true mercy and grace before our families.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Jehovah Raah, The Lord is My Shepherd, is one of God's redemptive names. It means, "to tend the flock, to pasture the flock, to graze the flock as a friend of the flock." Just as the Chief Shepherd watches over His flock, we as under shepherds must tend the flock God has given us. He, as the Chief Shepherd does all these things for His name's sake, which is Jehovah Raah.

As fathers, we have another name. It is called Shepherd. It is important for us to see the truth of this passage of Scripture for it applies to us as we lead our own family flock in paths of righteousness for the sake of Jehovah Raah.

Continued from yesterday...

6. The paths of righteousness are as shining lights.

Proverbs 4:18 says, "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." God has called us to be father/shepherds who will lead our flocks into MORE AND MORE shining paths of righteousness.

Are we ourselves walking in the MORE AND MORE shining pathway? Are our children's faces shining MORE AND MORE? Or, are they somewhat clouded with shadows of darkness? For "His name's sake" we must make every endeavor to bring loving correction and guidance to restore righteous paths for our family to dwell in (Isaiah 58:12).

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Fathers, our children need to know the experience of being in a family that walks in the paths of righteousness.

1. We must pray for God's paths of righteousness.
David prayed, "Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not" (Psalm 17:5). We should also be concerned enough about our feet walking in God's paths (for it is easy for us to slip away) that we earnestly pray about this matter.

2. The paths of righteousness are described as paths of life.
"Thou wilt show me the path of life" (Psalm 16:11). God's paths do not lead to death and destruction, but rather to life and healing.

3. The paths of righteousness are described as plain paths.
Again David prays, "Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies" (Psalm 27:11). They are not slippery, crooked, devious, twisted, or questionable. Like plain bread that is not mixed with spices, the paths of the Lord are not mixed with worldly, fleshly enticements. They are obviously righteous without any doubt.

4. The paths of righteousness must be taught to God's sheep.
Psalm 25:4 says, "Show me thy ways O Lord; teach me thy paths."

5. We must delight on God's paths of righteousness.
The Psalmist prays in Psalm 119:35, "Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; ;for therein do I delight." God's paths do not contradict His Word and we His people should delight in them. They should never be a burden.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, sending our children to be educated by the unrighteous should cause us serious concern. Not only are subjected to the liberal agenda which is pro-abortion, pro-homosexual, anti-Christian values, and out-lawing prayer and the Bible, but many of their classmates are from homes that have broken morals and are drug infected.

The Great Shepherd of our souls does not lead us in paths were the pop culture of today goes. Their music is not His music if it does not ring with righteousness. Their image is not His image if it does not promote righteousness.

Fathers, we are to raise our children to be lovers of the paths of righteousness. Speaking of Jesus, the Son of God, Hebrews 1:9 says, "Thou has loved righteousness, and hated iniquity, therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." The oil of true gladness is found in those who walk in the paths of righteousness. The world's gladness is false and temporary. Hebrews 11:25 says that there are "pleasures of sin for a season." Only for a season.

Fathers, we are not to lead our children to watch movies that promote any form of unrighteousness. Honestly, does Harry Potter promote righteousness? I think not. Do electronic games that promote violence promote righteousness? I doubt it.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

As fathers and undershepherds of our families we are to follow the example of our Chief Shepherd who always leads His sheep in the paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:2). Men, whatever we do should always have the stamp of God's approval on it. His stamp or seal of approval is one of righteousness.

We live in a time of "anything goes" type of Christianity. There was a time in Israel when it was "anything goes" too. Judges 17:6 says, "In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes." Guess what? Do we not know that we have a King? His name is Jesus Christ, who is King of kings and Lord of lords. We must seek the eyes of His approval on all the paths we choose to walk in.

Do the films we watch have the seal of righteousness on them? Do the clothes we wear have the stamp of God's righteousness on them? Do we allow our wives and daughters to dress, walk, and act immodestly? What about some of the pictures on Facebook sites of Christians? It seems that those who dress the most lascivious get the most likes these days!

Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." The straight gate is one of modesty. It does not permit lustful clothing (or unclothing) that promote lust and body worship.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Jesus Christ, the Great Shepherd is a restorer of the soul. David experienced this when he confessed in Psalm 23:2, "He restoreth my soul."

Within a 24 hour period, our physical body needs to be restored with food and approximately eight hours of sleep. In the same way, our spirits and souls need daily restoration. As fathers, we need to teach our children the necessity of soul and spirit restoration. Most fathers instinctively know when it's time for their little children need sleep or food, but how many realize that it is just as necessary to do whatever is needed to restore their souls? Individually, and as families, we must do whatever it takes for daily restoration.

Although we ensure our children receive enough food and rest, only God can feed and restore the inner man. But, even in this we fathers have a part to play. We must teach our children by example and instruction what it means to wait upon the lord. Isaiah 40:31 says, "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary and they shall walk, and not faint."

We must encourage our children to wait upon God in their own personal devotions as well as being part of corporate family devotions. Otherwise, their bodies may be strong, but their spirits and souls will be weak and shriveled up.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, whose voice are you listening to? Psalm 97:7-8 and repeated again in Hebrews 3:7, 15 and 4:1 says, "Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart."

As fathers, how can we teach our children to hear the voice of the Shepherd if we have not tuned our own ears to hear His voice? Perhaps, because of Israel's dullness of hearing God raised up certain prophets among them who could hear His voice and proclaim it to the people.

Every father owes it to His family to hear God's voice on the behalf of the children until they are old enough to discern His voice for themselves. And even then, he still listens to God's voice on their behalf, to fill in the gaps.

Eli failed to prophecy and speak God's messages adequately to his own sons and it cost him dearly (1 Samuel, chapters 1- 4). What a shame it is that fathers can and will prophecy to others and yet fail to give God's Word to their own children. Every day, God wants to speak through fathers to their children. Where are the fathers who will take the time to seek the Lord for their families?

Isaiah 38:19 says, "The father to the children shall make known thy truth."

Fathers, be reminded, that Jesus Christ lives in us as Prophet, Priest, and King. Because of this we can, and must, be a prophet, priest, and king to our children.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell