Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

1 Thessalonians 5:18 is a daily challenge to me, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” I remember the first time I really faced this challenge. I was newly married and pregnant with our first baby. Colin and I were already in full-time work for the Lord and the mission organization we were with sent a team to the Philippines. They felt I should stay back because they did not know what circumstances would await them. It would have been fine if I knew he was coming back in a certain time, but he went out not knowing when he would return! Would it be months or years?

I was devastated. I didn’t weep. I heaved. I wondered when my little baby would see his father! As I cried and wallowed in self-pity, God spoke to my heart, “Do you want to do my will?” “Yes, Lord,” I answered. “Then, thank Me,” I heard God say. Did I want to thank God for taking away my husband? No way. But, I began to thank Him in obedience, against everything I felt inside. As I continued to thank Him in cold-blooded faith, victory came into my soul, and I continued to walk in victory until the day he came home (which was after the baby was born), but sooner than I thought may happen. Obedience to God’s principles always brings victory.

Nancy

I’ve coined a new word—ordinariness. It’s a place where many people live. I’m not talking about the “sameness” of your everyday tasks in the home, for even the most mundane tasks are sacred and therefore extraordinary when you allow God into them. I am talking about living in the state of thinking like the status quo, fitting in with the humanist agenda of our society, and trusting in your own resources and understanding. There is no other word for this state than ordinariness.

To move out of this comfortable state and live in biblical mindset takes you into extraordinariness. It is a challenging life--a realm of faith, hanging on the edge of a limb, adventures of trusting God when you cannot see where His provision is coming from, battles against the adversary, speaking up for truth and God-given convictions in the face of popular opinion, and receiving ridicule from family members and neighbors. We are out of step with the world but in step with God. We are out of sync with public thinking in the media and humanistic education, but we seek to listen to the mind of God. It’s not the easy life, but it’s definitely not ordinary.

Why live in ordinariness when you can live in extraordinariness? If God has anything to do with your life, it will be extraordinary, for God is anything but ordinary. Where do you and your family live?

Love from Nancy

Does your spirit cringe as you see evil encroaching more and more upon the land? My heart grieves, even though God’s Word tells us that “darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people.” But my heart is inspired by the rest of the prophecy, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee… the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee” (Isaiah 60:1-2).

It’s time for us to arise and shine and to eradicate all darkness and sin from our lives and homes. A little glimmer of light is not enough to push back the darkness. We have to be a GREAT light. This is what Jesus was. Speaking of Jesus Matthew 4:16 says, “The people which sat in darkness saw GREAT light.” What kind of light do people see in us? A faint glimmer? Or a great light? It won’t just happen. We have to ARISE and shine.

Let’s remember that THE GREAT LIGHT dwells in our hearts and wants to shine His light through us. Let’s make our marriages and homes lighthouses and beacons of God’s truth to point the way to those who are groping in darkness. We know the Way, the Truth and the Life. Why do we hide it? “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Love from Nancy

“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice:
but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn” (Proverbs 29:2)

 5. DEFEND JUSTICE IN THE GATES

Proverbs 17:15 says, “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord.” We are tired of this state of affairs and God says it is an abomination. We see it happening all around us, and even in our courts. Because of lies and warped judgment, innocent parents are in jail. The humanist media loves to trap and ridicule the righteous. Justice is distorted (Isaiah 59:14-15 and Amos 5:10).

There will come a day when all this will change. The Bible tells us about “the defender of justice in the gate.” How we need men today who will defend justice in the gates. We need to train up young men in our homes who know how to defend and battle in the gates for truth and justice. Isaiah 29:21 MLB speaks of the day when “the tyrant shall have vanished; the scoffer shall have ceased; and all those intent on doing evil shall be cut off, who for a word declare a person guilty, and entrap the defender of justice in the gate, and with empty arguments turn aside the person who is in the right.”

God has also promised that He will give a “spirit of justice to him who executes justice, and of valor to those who turn back the battle to the gate” (Isaiah 28:6 MLB).

Read More of POSSESSING THE GATES, Pt 2

Have you ever worn a crown? Yes, you have, perhaps without realizing it! As we read from The Daily Light in our morning devotions, we read Psalm 103:1-3, “Bless the Lord, O my soul… who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.” Every morning God puts a crown on your head of His lovingkindness and tender mercies. Thank Him for this beautiful crown and be consciously aware of wearing it as you walk through this day. It will change your attitude and turn your heart to God in gratitude and awe.

The Hebrew word, “lovingkindness” is chesed, one of the most beautiful words in the Bible. It descries God’s unfailing love and mercy to undeserving sinners and relates to “grace” in the New Testament which can be understood as “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.”

Psalm 103 gives us more understanding. Verse 8 tells us that God ABOUNDS in lovingkindness. Verse 11 says that God is GREAT in lovingkindness, and verse 17 says that His lovingkindness is from “EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children.”

Tell your children about this wonderful blessing. Encourage each one in the family to be consciously aware of God’s crown upon their head.

Love from Nancy

What possibilities lie in the new-born babe! He is like a ship sailing out into the sea of life. There will be calm sailing, but also adventures and storms along the way. As parents, we will teach him to know and trust his Captain, and to understand the ways of the sea.

The new born is like a new plant waiting to be watered with prayer, and nurtured, trained, and encouraged with God’s Word and big doses of encouragement in order for him to grow into a mighty oak that will bring shelter and blessing to many people.

The new born is like an unwritten book. God has the story already written, but He waits for the child to write on the blank pages. With much prayer, godly wisdom, and teaching, the parents will help to guide him as he writes the story.

The new baby is like a precious jewel, waiting to be cut and polished so he will shine more and more brightly as he walks in this world. He will not only shine in this world, but Daniel 12:3 tells us that those who turn many to righteousness will shine “as the stars forever and ever.”

Every new life is another revelation of the image of God in this world. Each new life comes with the potential to shed God’s light into the darkness and destroy the works of the enemy. The child is not a life to itself. He will influence everyone he meets. Many more lives will be born as future dynasties come forth from this one child and shape generations to come. No wonderful the devil hates new life!

Nancy

My purpose as a wife and mother is to:

• Passionately love my husband and minister to his needs.


• Unflinchingly keep my eyes upon the goal of raising a godly generation.


• Resist all temptation to come down from my high calling.


• Persevere in building my marriage and home in the face of all obstacles.


• Order my home with diligence.


• Saturate my children with God’s Word, and loads of encouragement.


• Embrace my life-giving role of mothering and nurturing.

Nancy

Do you think you are incapable of teaching your children? Dear mother, you are the best teacher in the world. God ordained you to teach, and He gave you this ability.

You begin teaching your children from the moment they are born. In their first few years, you teach them everything about life—how to talk, walk, etiquette, to understand God’s world, and all the basic foundations of life. And you are still the best teacher for the rest of their lives.

God reminds children, “Do not forsake your mother’s teaching” (Proverbs 1:8). Whose teaching? The state school teacher’s? “ The Sunday school teacher’s?" No, it is the mother’s teaching.

Again, in Proverbs 6:20-22 NASB we read, “Do not forsake the teaching your mother; bind them continually on your heart; tie them around your neck. When you walk bout, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk to you.” That’s the most powerful and influential teaching I have read about.

You can do it, mother. You are the best! You have been ordained for the task!

Love from Nancy

Are you waiting to hear an answer from God? Don’t give up. Keep waiting. Keep patiently waiting. God will come to you in His time, not your time. But He will come. Do not doubt it.

David testifies in Psalm 409:1, “I waited patiently (the Hebrew means “in waiting, I keep on waiting”) for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry.”

The word “incline” literally means “stretched down to.” A number of translations say, “He bent down to me.” Others say, “He stopped down to me.” Isn’t that wonderful? God, who is Ruler of all and above the heavens, hears your continual cry and stretches down from heaven to deliver you.

David tells us what God did when He bent down to him, “He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord” (Psalm 40:2-3).

No matter how horrible the pit you are in, it’s not too deep for God to stretch down to you.

His deliverance is so great, that He not only gives you a song to sing, but everyone will “see” the song in you and it will cause them to trust the Lord.

Love from Nancy

“As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate” (Psalm 127:4-5).

Why is it a blessing to have a quiver full of children? Why will parents not be ashamed who have many children? They are training their children to know how to fight enemies. They are preparing them for war. And what is more powerful than swords and spears? Words! Words of truth!

We don’t have children just for the sake of having children. We have a purpose to raise children who know how to combat the enemies of darkness and who know how to contend for their faith. We raise children who know the truth, who will stand for truth, and who will keep on standing for truth even when everyone is trying to knock them down! We teach them to not only know the truth, but to speak the truth knowledgably and articulately.

Read the rest of "Possess The Gates, Pt 1"

Yesterday we talked about our great task of building a godly marriage and home. Sometimes you feel like fainting and giving up along the way.

Zerubbabel felt like that too. The prophet continued encouraging him in Zechariah 4:9, “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it.”

You have begun building a godly dynasty. Don’t give up until you finish. God is with you now and will be with you all the way through! His plan is for you to finish your task and He will not forsake you until you have finished--and finished in triumph!

Are you getting overwhelmed with homeschooling? You’re tempted to send them back to school! That’s the adversary tempting you! Cry out to God for His help and don’t give into the enemy. You are going to finish your task! Are you thinking you are ready to stop having babies? Why stop before the finishing line? God may have one more special baby for you. You are going to finish your race!

I love the Living Bible translation of this passage, “Therefore no mountain, however high, can stand before Zerubbabel! For it will flatten out before him! And Zerubbabel will finish building this Temple with mighty shouts of thanksgiving for God’s mercy, declaring that all was done by grace alone” Zechariah 4:7).

You won’t finish your great project in your own strength; it will be all by the grace of God.

Love from Nancy

Zerubbabel (along with others), came back from Babylon, their land of captivity, to rebuild the temple of God. They faced difficulties, challenges and persecution on every hand as they attempted this great building project. You, too, are involved in a great building program. Maybe, like Zerubbabel and his team, you find you cannot do it in your own strength.

The prophet came with a word from God to encourage him, “This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6). I cry out these words nearly every day of my life. I cannot face all my challenges in my own wisdom. I cannot make my family members walk in God’s ways. I cannot accomplish the task with my limited capacity. It is only by the moving and working of the Holy Spirit in my life, and in their lives. I am totally reliant upon the power of the Holy Spirit.

Praise God for His power which works in us mightily (Ephesians 3:20; Philippians 2:13; Colossians 1:29) and Hebrews 13:21). The prophet continued, “Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain.” (Zechariah 4:7). Do you have mountains in the way of your building a strong marriage and family? Through the power of the Holy Spirit the mountains will become a plain! Claim this promise and the Word of the Lord to you.

Love from Nancy

What does it mean to be faithful? The Hebrew word is aman which means “to stand firm, to endure, long continuance, reliable, trusty.” I like the word, “trusty” don’t you? Faithfulness is not a flashy thing. It is not always an exciting thing. It can often be part of the drudgery of life. We do the same thing day after day as we mother in our homes. Life may seem monotonous. It may seem boring compared to the exciting life that others are leading outside the home. But, dear mother, be encouraged. You are fulfilling the most far-reaching and influential career in the nation!

Catherine Booth said, “I seek to make myself fit to be a mother, and being that in every sense, I shall be ready for any destiny God has for me.” Be faithful in your home--your marriage, mothering, and all the little things you do in the “daily grind.” This is your greatest training for life and eternity.

All your daily moments of faithfulness add up. They add up to a life of faithfulness. They add up to the reward of those wonderful words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter into the joy of thy lord” (Matthew 25:21).

Love from Nancy

God cannot do anything but good, because He is inherently good. This is His nature. We look out upon the world and see so much evil and suffering, but in it all, God is still good. Because we have evil in the world does not change God’s goodness. Because we go through difficult and traumatic times does not change God’s goodness. God is Sovereign and working all things out for good.

I think of Joseph who was torn away from his family as a young teen and taken to a foreign country. He was put in prison and faced disappointment after disappointment. But God was working it out for good. When the time came to be reconciled to his brothers, he confessed, “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive” (Genesis 45:7-8 and 50:20).

God is working everything in your life for good, too. Trust Him and acknowledge His goodness.

Love from Nancy

Proverbs 15:13 says, “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance.” What an amazing difference it makes to the home when the mother has a cheerful countenance!

How can you do it when you feel grumpy, tired and irritable? Dear mother, did you know that you can change your countenance by the attitude of your heart? It’s your attitude, not your feelings. What a sad household when you live by your feelings. You are miserable. Your children are miserable. And your husband doesn’t want to be around!

Come on now, lift up your head. God is on the throne. He is your strength and your joy. Against everything you feel, acknowledge His joy that dwells in you because He lives in you. Praise the Lord. Count your blessings. And your countenance will change.

Love from Nancy

How often does the name of Jesus fall from your lips during the day? How often do your children utter the name of Jesus? His name brings salvation. His names brings healing. His name brings delieverence. Acts 4:12 says, “Neither is there salvation in any other:  for there is none other name under heaven given among men, where by we must be saved.” I love the words of the old hymn by John Newton,

How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds in a believer’s ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, and drives away his fear.

It makes the wounded spirit whole, and calms the troubled breast;
’Tis manna to the hungry soul, and to the weary, rest.

Speak His name often today.

Love from Nancy

God says, “I will come!”

Do you want God to come to you? He comes into your life when you invite Him (Revelation 3:20). He comes to deliver you when you cry out to Him (Romans 10:13). He is coming again to take us to His eternal home (John 14:1-3).

But there is another way He comes. Romans 9:9 says, “For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have son.” Sarah did not have a son of her own accord. God had to come first! We cannot have conception without God coming! God comes to you when you conceive a baby!

How amazing, awesome and incredible to think back on the times when God visited you and you conceived a baby by His will and power. And He may come to you again!

Love from Nancy

“His name shall be called… Wonderful” (Isaiah 9:6). God cannot be fathomed. He is mysterious (Job 11:7-10). Judges 13:18 says His name is “secret.” We should always be in awe of God and teach our children to have this awe and wonder of Him. May God save us from ever putting Him in a box or allowing our children to put Him in a box.

“Wonder” is an emotion that God has given to us. Firstly in relation to Him, and then regarding creation and life. Even daily life. Sadly, many have lost the emotion of “wonder” today. Their brains have been so stimulated with the media and iphones, ipads, and ipods that they have no room left in their brains for “wonder” and expectation in life. Little children are born with this wonder. Encourage it in your children, and give daily opportunities for it. I love the lines of Sara Teasdale, “Children’s faces looking up, Holding wonder like a cup.”

Live in the expectation of wonder today.

Love from Nancy

John 1:14 tells us, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” What an amazing fact that Jesus Christ, the Son of God became flesh and lived in this world. Even more amazing is that Jesus Christ still wants to become flesh and dwell in this world. He now dwells in His redeemed saints.

How did He reveal His glory? Jesus came “full of grace and truth.” He wants to manifest His grace and truth through me. And through you--in your home, as you daily interact with your children. He wants us to be messengers of His truth, never compromising. But He also wants us to walk in grace, showing compassion and undeserving love even when people do not accept the truth.

Dear Mother, ask God to show you how to walk in “grace and truth” as you train your children. Truth on its own can become legalistic; grace on its own becomes sloppy and does more harm to our children. Ask God to give you the balance and to work these

Love from Nancy

Although Ruth the Moabitess was a foreigner to Israel, she earned the testimony of being known as a “virtuous woman”—a woman of valor, strength and courage. Boaz confessed, “All the city knows thee for a bride worth the winning” (Ruth 3:11 Knox).

Mother, we have the privilege of training daughters to be a “bride worth the winning.” What a wonderful vision. Many young women today are not ready for marriage. They have been educated for the market place instead of the high calling of motherhood and managing a home. But we can prepare daughters who understand their destiny and know that embracing children and establishing a godly family is the highest privilege upon which a woman can embark.

We are not only preparing a “bride worth the winning”, but a “nation strengthener.”

Love from Nancy