Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

11e) "ON FIRE" ARROWS continued again.

The primary purpose of the Holy Spirit fire is to purify and cleanse us of all that is unclean, fleshly, and worldly. This fire is often manifested through fiery trials. 1 Peter 1:7 says, "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."

On fire arrows represent God's people who are going through, or have come through the fiery trials of persecution or affliction, and have allowed their faith in Christ to be purified. These are the ones who are red hot in love with Jesus. They are red hot in their obedience to be His true disciples. They are red hot to proclaim His message of salvation to a lost and dying world.

Although we shy away from the idea of welcoming fiery trials, yet I am forced to think that the hotter the trial, the hotter the arrows will be on the other side of them. Have you ever thought that in order for God to heat up the church He must lovingly allow it to pass through the fiery furnace of trials and afflictions? This true doctrine is supported by what the Children of Israel faced for 40 years in the wilderness after leaving Egypt.

Jesus Christ, after His baptism, was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted and tried for 40 days (Luke 4:4). We notice in Luke 4:14 that Jesus returned from the wilderness "in the power of the Spirit." Obviously, the wilderness experience did Jesus no harm. On the contrary, it endorsed His power.

The lesson to learn from all this is that God's arrows, in order to be on fire, must of necessity go through the fire. The fire of the Holy Spirit will always burn up the self life. Sin and the flesh always hinder the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

11d) "ON FIRE" ARROWS continued again.

John the Baptist proclaimed in Matthew 3:11-12 says, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather this wheat into the garner: but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

John the Baptist makes it clear that the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire is infinitely more powerful and significant than the baptism of water. Most Christians have been baptized in water.

However, if we are honest to ourselves as well as God, we have little evidence of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, let alone the fire that consumes the chaff. Chaff is what's left after the wheat is harvested. It is sterile and cannot reproduce any fruit. In Bible days, they burned the chaff. The chaff represents the works of man, the self nature, the flesh nature, the cross-less Christian.

Men, God has provided us with the baptism of the Holy Spirit and unquenchable fire in order to consume what is not of God in our lives.

We need to ask ourselves why the church seriously limits fiery arrows. We ourselves need a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit's power and fire in order to affect our own generation, as well as future generations. Men, always remember that the Holy Spirit knows how to get rid of all the chaff. The answer is power and fire.

Jesus promised in Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts 2:3 says, "And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as fire, and it sat upon each of them."

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

11c) "ON FIRE" ARROWS continued again.

Men, we must never forget that our God is a "consuming fire" (Deuteronomy 4:24; 9:3).

Hebrews 12:29 says, "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire."

It stands to reason that if our God is not only a God of grace and mercy, but also a consuming fire towards His enemies who refuse to repent, that we who claim to be His sons should also have the self-same attribute toward all that is dark and evil and an offence to our God.

I am not suggesting that we should run around like "hell fire preachers" who are always ready to judge and condemn anyone who does not conform to their way of thinking. These show no love towards sinners and rarely see anyone really converted. And yet, we must be "on fire" in our hearts towards all things in our lives that are "wood, hay, stubble."

This consuming fire needs to be in our homes and churches. When we allow tolerance towards sin to override our resistance towards it we immediately become weaker until we reach the point where we become enemies of God.

We must allow and welcome God's consuming fire to consume all that is consumable in ourselves, our homes, and our churches. If we don't, we will ourselves will be consumed and will suffer great loss.

Men, we must pray that God's consuming fire will burn up all false tolerance.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

11b) "ON FIRE" ARROWS continued.

There can be no revolution of any consequence without people being fired up for a cause that means a lot to them--a cause of deep personal concern or conviction.

Revolution to many is something to steer away from because of the mass hysteria that often surrounds it. There is often much death and destruction caused by the negative extremism of revolution. However, when things go dramatically wrong, and there is just cause for a righteous revolution in order to bring about change, then we must not shy away from what is needed. The truth is that there can be no revolution without certain people to fire it, and keep on firing it, until the revolution sought has accomplished its goals.

For this reason we need to be praying for the people of Egypt who righteously realize that their future is bleak under the repressive regime of a never increasingly fanatical Islamic Brotherhood.

We Christian men need to get on fire for God now for the sake of our own country. May God save us from being status quo when our God is calling us to stand up against lies, corrupt morals, and all ungodliness.

This we must do in the grace and love of our Sovereign God.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

11) "ON FIRE" ARROWS.

Psalm 120:4 says, "Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper." Evidently they attached hot coals from the juniper wood to these arrows. They were very damaging because of their ability to set the ancient cities on fire. These arrows could be shot right over the city walls to land on the roofs of the dwellings. In this chapter, God uses these hot "on fire" arrows against the lying, false, deceitful tongues (Psalm 120:2-3).

Psalm 127 mentions that children of the youth are as arrows in the hand of a mighty man and that our quivers need to be full of them. We Christian men, along with our wives, need to understand that our individual families are our quivers. Whatever it takes to make our arrows "on fire" with the Holy Spirit of God, we must pay the price for this to happen.

We parents are also arrows and we need to be "on fire" The devil sends forth fiery arrows against us. His arrows are made hot from hell itself. How much more on fire from Heaven should God's arrows be.

We are living in a world of deceitful, lying, false tongues and they are growing bigger every day. It is high time for us men to reach into the burning foundry of the Holy Spirit and get ourselves and our children on fire so that all the lying tongues of our politicians will be burned into ashes.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

10c) HITTING THE MARK ARROWS continued again.

Despite all that has happened to us through our coldness of heart and indifference to God, we must repent and rise up to hit the mark.

Psalm 78:9 says, "The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle."

Psalm 78:57 says that they "turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow."

Unfortunately, this pretty much describes the present state of most, if not all, of our Christianized western nations. The whole of Psalm 78 speaks of God's goodness and faithfulness towards His covenanted people and yet verses 10-11 tell us, "They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; and forgot his works, and his wonders that he had showed them."

The question we have to ask is, Will God who chastised them for such coldness of heart and ungratefulness of spirit refuse to chastise and discipline us? We must also remember that Israel only had the law, plus types and shadows represented in the Old Testament.

Hebrews 10:28-29 says, "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"

In spite of all that God has done for us in Christ Jesus, western Christianized nations have missed the mark. Our bow is deceitful (twisted, not accurate). The greatest need of this hour is for us to turn back to God and repent for the way we have been despiteful to His amazing grace.

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

10b) HITTING THE MARK ARROWS continued.

"None shall return in vain" says the prophet in Jeremiah 50:9.

When God sent Moses to deliver His people, it was not "in vain." Hebrews 3:5 says, "And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after."

When God sent His only beloved Son, Jesus Christ into the world, it was not in vain. Hebrews 3:2 says, "He was faithful to him that appointed him." He was the greatest of all the arrows God had in His quiver, and without doubt, He flew straight and hit the mark, destroying not only the penalty for our sins but also the power of sin with which we were powerless to help ourselves. If Christ had not hit the mark by enduring the cross none of us would ever be able to hit the mark for which we have been sent.

The apostle Paul in no way wanted to miss the mark for which he had been called. He confesses in Philippians 3:14, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Paul was always concerned that he would not fall short of his calling. He states in 1 Corinthians 15:10, "His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

Men, how much are we concerned about hitting the mark for which Christ Jesus has called us? Are we really serious about our calling to be the real men of God this world so desperately needs? How serious are we about raising the arrows of our own sons and daughters to hit the mark?

What a shame it would be to live this "once in a lifetime opportunity" in vain! For once this life is over there are no second chances.

Be encouraged. Colin.

10) HITTING THE MARK ARROWS

Jeremiah 50:9 says, "Their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain." The truth concerning the arrows of this Scripture is that God can and does use nations that are not His by covenant to expertly fire arrows. This is to bring discipline to nations that He deems past the point of usefulness to His sovereign plan. In this case, Babylon that had been chosen by God to bring discipline to many nations and primarily God's own covenanted people, Israel is now being disciplined. God is now raising up an army of mighty expert bowmanship to hit the mark in Babylon and destroy it.

When God sends His Word through whoever He sends it, His Word will not return to Him void. It will accomplish that which God pleases and prosper where He sends it (Isaiah 55:11).

Babylon had been powerfully used by God, and in a real sense, it was accomplishing the word spoken through the prophets. These nations, although heathen, were the "sent" word prophetically speaking. If God's people will not be in a place where He can use them, God can and does use even the heathen to accomplish His will. If God can and does us the heathen to hit the mark and accomplish His will, how much more would God be pleased to use His own righteous people to accomplish His "sent" word through them.

Men, arrows that hit the target, and not miss or fall short, are desperately needed in this nation and world today.

John 1:6 says, "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John." What a mighty arrow he was.

Be encouraged. Colin

9b) DESTROYING ARROWS (IT'S TIME TO PUT THE TOYS AWAY).

Jesus says in John 10:10, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

Men, the greatest thief of all is the devil himself. He knows clearly what his objective is to steal, kill and destroy and he has no misgivings about his objective. Unfortunately, most of the Christian church is not clear at all concerning its objective to thwart the devil's attacks. Some Christians are not even aware the devil even exists, let alone have any strategy to defeat him.

The overcoming destroying arrows mentioned in Revelation 12:11 are not deceived through ignorance concerning the devil's wicked devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). These arrows "overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death" (Revelation 12:11).

Jesus Christ had a clear objective when it came to dealing with his chief adversary, the devil. 1 John 3:8 says, "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." Jesus Christ was, and still is, the most destructive of all arrows when it comes to warring with Satan.

Men, may God open up our eyes to the areas where the devil is attacking us in this our day of battle. May we, in the name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, destroy all His wicked works. We can learn a lesson from Jeremiah 48:10, "Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully (negligently, slothfully), and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood." Men, that sword is the Word of God and your testimony. Does your sword have any stains of the enemy's blood upon it?

God is calling for all Christian couples to raise up children as arrows and swords that are dripping with the blood of God's spiritual enemies. Jesus never played hide and seek with Satan. We are in serious warfare. We haven't time to play games with the devil? It is high time for us men to put the toys away and be the destructive arrows and swords God wants us to be.

Be encouraged. Colin

9) DESTROYING ARROWS

Christian parents must raise sons and daughters with spiritual military mindsets. Psalm 144:6 says, "Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them."

Men, I believe this nation has become far too soft in its warfare. Today's politics have weakened our military's resolve to destroy our enemies. There is no question when it comes to the power of our weapons and our capabilities to destroy, but there are serious questions regarding our resolve.

Instead of aiming at the enemy, we aim at soft targets. It appears that this soft approach is caused by a feminized leadership in Washington that really doesn't care if the enemy is identified or not. And, if our enemy is identified, there are so many hoops to go through and rules to be adhered to that by the time they are completed, the enemy has got away or brought destruction to us. This must be so frustrating to our troops who must feel that they are sitting ducks amongst enemies who have no such crazy restrictions and who have no qualms about "kill and destroy."

Men, I believe that we Christians can and often have the same attitude as our feminized leaders in Washington when it comes to our spiritual warfare. How much do we really want to wipe out our spiritual enemies? Do we really want to identify them in order to "kill and destroy" them? Do we realize that our spiritual enemies have only one thing in mind regarding us Christians? That is, to kill and destroy.

Men, we cannot fraternize, compromise, apologize, or rationalize the enemy of our souls for Satan and his hordes are out to destroy Christianity in America.

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

8c) GOING ABROAD ARROWS continued

Men, this country is in desperate need to raise its own arrows. We need a fresh revelation of God's original mandate in Genesis 1:28; 9:1 6-7. We need a great multitude of righteous arrows to influence many other nations that are in a greater state of darkness than we are currently. Of course, we all know that God not only loves Americans, but all the nations of this earth (John 3:16). As righteous God-fearing arrows we must do all that we can to influence the whole world with the great and glorious message of the Gospel of Christ.

It's not only being fruitful and multiplying children, but multiplying arrows for righteousness (Psalm 127). More children is not the only statement in the Genesis mandate. There is the fruitfulness and multiplication of the divine image of God manifested through the righteous seed. This is the image of Christ being propagated and spread abroad through all the earth. Somehow, and one day, this will happen.

Numbers 14:21 says, "But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord." God has solemnly given this promise and if our generation does not have the faith to do it, God will raise up another generation that will believe Him for it.

Obviously God's ultimate intention is that this whole world will be filled with the glory of the Lord, which is all that He is and stands for. Will we believe God enough to fill our quivers with the GOING ABROAD arrows?

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

Men, concerning the border immigration issue, it seems strange to me that both major parties are so desirous of getting the Latino vote, which would amount to many millions of votes, that they are prepared to give them amnesty and many privileges to which the average US citizen is not entitled. What this nation is doing is buying votes in order to gain power. All this is done at the expense of an ever increasing restricted border control, plus a huge expense to the American taxpayer.

If votes are so important to both parties, why are we so gung ho on limiting our own families, which ultimately limits our ability to win elections? I, for one, believe with all my heart that all conservative American families should raise up as many God-fearing, God-honoring children (who will become voters) as possible, in order to take this country back from the clutches of secular progressive humanism. The truth of the matter is that we are so dumbed down that we cannot see the utter foolishness of our actions.

Exodus Chapter One tells us about Pharaoh and the multiplying children of Israel. Verse 7 says, "And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them." Pharaoh said in Verse 9, "Behold, the people of the children of Israel are MORE AND MIGHTIER than we." Verse 12 tells us, "But the more they afflicted them, the MORE THEY MULTIPLIED AND GREW. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel."

The big questions is: Is the present day Christian conservative population grieving the secularist and progressive humanists?

BE encouraged. Colin Campbell

8b) GOING ABROAD ARROWS

Jesus said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest" (Matthew 9:37-38).

There was a time when American missionaries seemed to be prolific in all the nations of the earth. These days have changed somewhat. There does not seem to be the same urgency to evangelize the world. I remember church days as a young man. There was such a strong emphasis on reaching the lost and getting people saved as well as sending forth missionaries to make disciples for Christ in far off distant lands. Today, many of the missionaries from needy fields have had to return home through the lack of support.

Not only do we need to pray that God would send forth laborers into the harvest, but we first need to pray for Christians to fill their quivers full of arrows.

It is imperative for the church to take back the truth which we have lost through the deception that children should be limited through the means of contraception, sterilization, and abortion. We must wake up to the truth that we are not only limiting children through these means, but we limit "arrows" for God's army, apostles, prophets, pastors, evangelists, and teachers. And of course the godly workforce that even in the smallest sense can greatly influence the vote, and in the widest sense, can greatly influence the nation with their every day righteous witness for Christ.

Men, we not only need arrows to go abroad to distant lands, but we need arrows to go abroad, right here in our own country.

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

GOING ABROAD ARROWS

Psalm 77:17 says, "Thine arrows also went abroad." This verse speaks of lightning arrows striking, not only the immediate vicinity, but also at a distance,; outside the walls, outside in the field, without the camp, going forth into the highways or streets.

The Lord encourages us in Psalm 127 to fill our quivers with arrows for all will be different. Some will be evangelistic arrows, those who go into the streets and highways and byways to proclaim the gospel of Christ and urge people to come out of the kingdom of darkness.

The truth is that the missionary force is failing in this century. The fields are indeed white unto harvest, but the laborers are few. The 1.8 national average size family is seriously and adversely affecting the "going abroad" arrows.

The fact that the average Christian family is of similar size to the national average reveals just how little Christian couples care about filling their quivers in order to fulfill the great commission to "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:15-16).

Matthew 28: 19 says, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

7d) BRIGHT AND LIGHT-GIVING ARROWS ARE ON HIGH ALERT!

Psalm 125:3 says, "For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous."

Ever since 911, from time to time, our nation has been on high alert in order to thwart terrorist attack . The tragic reality is that while we, the citizens, patiently bear with all the security checks at air ports, our own government is deceitfully attacking our own freedoms and liberties and our constitution. It appears that while they give lip service publically to our constitution, privately they hate almost everything it stands for. One cannot help but wonder whether our government, along with all its intelligence agencies FBI, CIA, IRS, Health Care, etc., are not as big a terrorist threat as any El-Qaeda or extreme Islamic organization.

We must be on equally HIGH ALERT to the destructive power of big government and its corrupt policies and morals. The antichrist, in a very real sense, is not only one man deceiving the whole world that he is "the great Messiah." Laws and policies that force citizens to be disobedient to Christ are in a sense antichrist.

As Christians, we must be on HIGH ALERT in these days to all that is going on. We must be spiritually aware to pray effectively against it, as well as, stand up against it.

We men need to realize how imperative it is for us, along with our families, to pray for all righteous leaders, that all corruption will be exposed, and the leaders who are lying and perpetrating ungodliness will be held accountable. The doctrine of the Bible on the subject of "Watching" is vast and powerful and is spoken of liberally in both testaments.

Jesus Christ spoke strongly on this subject. He said in Mark 14:38, "WATCH AND PRAY, lest ye enter into temptation." We must pray that God will keep us on HIGH ALERT!

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

7c) BRIGHT AND LIGHT-GIVING ARROWS REFUSE TO BE DUMBED DOWN!

May God save us men from being dumbed down, blithery-eyed, slow thinkers, low information thinkers (uninformed), or saturated and intoxicated with the world, the flesh, and the devil. In fact, refuse to be dumbed down. Do not let the state, the church, or anyone or anything dumb you and your family down. Be aware. Be alert. I am sure that you would want any of your daughters to marry a man such as I have described.

Some may protest this statement with the argument that your daughters, who go to church with you, would be protected from such a man, because the young men in your church are not like this. All I can say is, don't be too sure about all these "church going young men." Keep your eyes open and be well-informed about their background and character before it is too late. And the same applies for the daughters your sons will marry.

Through the left wing media and public schooling, homosexuality, same-sex marriage, and all kinds of immoral behavior are now accepted as normal, along with abortion and pornography. Even our president appears to openly encourage all types of double standards and falsehoods, which in turn filter down to infect every branch of government. This is what is dumbing down this whole nation, as well as the church.

The present government wants us to rely on government, to depend on government, to believe in government, and not in any way resist or protest government. Whistle blowers are condemned for exposing corruption.

May God help us to be the opposite to all that has now become normal and acceptable in the state, as well as much of the church. Immoral behavior, a low work ethic, and lack of discipline dumbs men down, hinders creativity, and ultimately destroys us.

Hosea 4:6 says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Most church going people know more about current worldly trends than they do about knowing God."

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

There is a rock of much strength filled,
For upon this rock the nations build.
As granite cliffs rise strong and tall
The rock of fatherhood should never fall.

When fathers of wisdom, strong and bold,
Stand up for their families, God’s ways to hold,
Blessing will flow from heaven above
And fill those families with God’s great love.

But forces of darkness, cunning and sinister,
Much disturbed that fathers should minister
To the needs of their families, small or great,
Have unanimously decided, ‘Fatherhood – liquidate!’

The fight is on, hell’s in a storm,
Destroy this image to which man was born,
Get rid of fatherhood, whatever the cost
And earth will suffer man’s greatest loss.

Make fathers small, make them a shrimp,
Turn them into a jellyfish wimp,
Alcohol, drugs, anything goes,
Even to bash his family with blows.

Make him too busy to take the family away
On a fine day’s outing or school holiday,
Better to hit golf balls around the green
Than take family away to a nice mountain stream.

“Adultery, adultery,” the devil cries.
This wrecks the family and fatherhood dies.
Let feminists rise and take his place
And this will give God a slap in the face!

Let’s change his appetites, make man a boar
Who follows his lusts for a sleazy whore.
Oh yes, oh yes, if that’s not effectual,
We’ll turn him into a gay homosexual.

Yet ignorance, plain ignorance is the best tool
To destroy fatherhood and make man a fool.
For who will take time to study, excel
To raise sons and daughters, God’s ways to tell?

Fathers arise, stand up and be counted,
Be part of the army that God has mounted
To revive, restore and bring back from the sand
The highest role God has given to man.

~ COLIN CAMPBELL

Father, hear us, we are praying,
Hear the words our hearts are saying,
We are praying for our children.

Keep them from the powers of evil,
From the secret, hidden peril,
Father, hear us for our children.

From the whirlpool that would suck them,
From the treacherous quicksand, pluck them,
Father, hear us for our children.

From the worldling's hollow gladness,
From the sting of faithless sadness,
Father, Father, keep our children.

Through life's troubled waters steer them,
Through life's bitter battle cheer them,
Father, Father, be Thou near them.

Read the language of our longing,
Read the wordless pleadings thronging,
Holy Father, for our children.

And wherever they may 'bide,
Lead them Home at eventide.

~ Amy Carmichael

7b) BRIGHT AND LIGHT-GIVING ARROWS TURNING THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN!

Luke 1:79 says that Jesus came "To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."

Ancient arrows with fire on their tips set the cities of their enemies on fire. These arrows lit up the skies as they zoomed toward their targets. They were bright because they were on fire.

Fathers, God wants our quivers to be filled with arrows of this nature. The darkness in the cities all over this world cannot be removed by any other force than the light and fire that comes through the true anointed testimony of the real followers of Christ, those whose hearts and lives are on fire with the love of Christ. If only Christian parents could catch this vision, and by the grace of God, fill their quivers to overflowing with bright, light-giving arrows.

The Bible is full of the testimonies of "on fire" arrows. It was said of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ in Isaiah 9:2 and also Matthew 4:16, "The people which sat in darkness saw GREAT LIGHT; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up."

Although there have been many bright lights burning hot and on fire for God through the centuries, there has never been any that burned brighter than Jesus Christ himself.

When the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in the upper room, these arrows (living testimonies) became on fire, physically and spiritually. Remember, it was "cloven tongues as of fire" that sat on each one of these fearful disciples, filling them with power and boldness from on high (Acts 2:3).

These 120 disciples left that upper room blazing with a fire, and despite all the devil's opposition and persecution, ransacked the gates of hell and turned the then known world upside down for Christ. What a headache for the devil (Acts 17:6)!

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

7) BRIGHT AND LIGHT-GIVING ARROWS

Jeremiah 41:11 says, "Make bright the arrows, gather the shields."

Men, God's desire for us is that we be BRIGHT AND LIGHT-GIVING arrows. Habakkuk 3:11-12 says, "At the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear. Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou dist thresh the heathen in anger."

None of God's usable weapons are rusty, defaced, dirty, dumbed down, or without luster. Who would want to use a dirty or rusty weapon to fight the powers of darkness? In the same way, God's weapons are revealed as an armor of light. Romans 13:12 says, "The night is far spent, the day is at hand, let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light."

This nation desperately needs men who are packed full of light (the revelation of truth), who will speak only the truth, expose all the works of darkness, and hold our enemies' feet to the fire until they confess their guilt. This nation is being corrupted by leaders in high places of government and education who think nothing of lies and all manner of falsehood. The conscience of this nation is fast becoming seared with a hot iron.

1 Timothy 4:1-2 says, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron."

Fathers, bright and light-giving arrows are indeed needed to fill the quivers of Christian families. The devil masquerades as an angel of light, but he is the prince of darkness. Only true light-filled and light-giving arrows can defeat him and his deceiving hordes.

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell