Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

Why is it that we love to hear news of how some Christian celebrity has failed in some form of iniquity? Is it because we believe ourselves to be better than them? Is it because their failure gives us a reason to gossip?

Why do we love to gossip about other people’s failures even if they are not celebrities? We love to say that we would never do anything like that.

Why is it that after we have gossiped about those who have failed that we seek to cover ourselves by offering up a word of prayer for them? We should have been praying for them at the beginning and then we may have delivered ourselves from a gossiping, slanderous spirit.

We set ourselves up for failure when we gossip about other people’s failures.

To be continued.

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

He knows not all that is before;
He little dreams of hidden snares.
He holds my hand, and o'er and o'er
I find myself beset with fears.

Father, as this boy looks to me
For guidance, and my help implores,
I bring him now in prayer to Thee;
He trusts my strength, and I trust Yours.

Hold Thou my hand as I hold his,
And so guide me that I may guide.
Teach me, Lord, that I may teach,
And keep me free from foolish pride.

Help me to help this boy of mine,
To be to him a father true.
Hold me, Lord, for everything
As fast as I hold my boy for You."

~ N. W. Brapham

And I must illustrate these tales,
Must imitate the northern gales
That toss the Indian’s canoe,
And show the way he paddles, too.
If in the story comes a bear,
I have to pause and sniff the air
And show the way he climbs the trees
To steal the honey from the bees.

And then I buzz like angry bees
And sting him on the nose and knees
And howl in pain, till mother cries;
“That pair will never shut their eyes,
While all that noise up there you make;
You’re simply keeping them awake.”
And then they whisper: “Just one more,”
And once again I’m forced to roar.

New stories every night they ask,
And that is not an easy task;
I have to be so many things;
The frog that croaks, the lard that sings,
The cunning fox, the frightened hen;
But just last night they stumped me, when
They wanted me to twist and squirm
And imitate an angleworm.

At last they tumbled off to sleep,
And softly from their room I creep
And brush and comb the shock of hair
I tossed about to be a bear.
Then mother says: “Well, I should say
You’re just as much a child as they.”
But you can bet I’ll not resign
That story-telling job of mine.

By Edgar A. Guest

Romans 12:17-21: “Recompense to no man evil for evil . . . as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men . . . Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Hebrews 10:30: “Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord.”

The above Scriptures have their basis in Deuteronomy 32:35: “To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence.”

1 Samuel, chapter 25 tells the story of how David was on his way to repay vengeance upon a rich and evil man called Nabal who had a very beautiful and virtuous wife called Abigail.

All David requested of Nabal was some food for himself and his men who had worked hard to protect Nabal’s men from robbers and violence. Nabal did not reward David and his men for guarding and protecting his shepherds and stock men in the dangerous wilderness. Instead, he scoffed at David’s help and sent his servants back to David empty-handed.

This got David really riled up and he was ready to take vengeance himself rather than let God do it His way.

Fortunately, Nabal’s wife put together a sizeable gift of food and drink and sent it ahead of her by her servants. When she met David, she softened David concerning his taking vengeance on her evil husband.

She said to him: “When the LORD has done all he promised and has made you leader of Israel, don’t let this be a blemish on your record . then your conscience won’t have to bear the staggering burden of needless bloodshed and vengeance. And when the LORD has done these great things for you, please remember me, your servant.”

If David and his 400 mean had attacked there would have been a lot of bloodshed. Abigail did not want David to have grief of heart over shedding blood causelessly.

David had not sought the Lord about this revenge and when it was all over (if God had not intervened through Abigail) he would have been ashamed for over-reacting in the heat of the moment.

It is interesting to note that David had been very careful about the life of King Saul who had done greater evil to David than Nabal. And it was to David’s credit that he was teachable and humble enough to let go of his own revenge and let God revenge Nabal.

Instead of stubbornly going ahead, David humbly replied to Abigail: “Praise the LORD, the God of Israel who has sent you to meet me today! Thank God for your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murder and from carrying out vengeance with my own hands.”

We must never take vengeance into our own hands. We will always do it the wrong way. When we leave it to God, He will do the job in the right time and the right way, which he did with Nabal. Read Verses 35 – 39.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

The Greek word for “thinketh” is “logizomai” meaning “to take an inventory, to occupy oneself with reckonings or calculations, to estimate, impute by number, despise, esteem, reckon, reason, suppose, and think on.” All these words are interpretations of the same Greek word.

It is a difficult temptation when people you know and consider your friends speak against you and falsely accuse you. It’s not so bad if they are casual acquaintances. Sometimes they are members of your own family or even your own spouse.

Immediately we think of some sort of retribution. We may even think of some way we could teach them a lesson or two. By so doing we only harm ourselves and get into a heated and angry state. Or perhaps even feel sorry for ourselves.

We can share the injustice of the way we have been betrayed with others and a root of bitterness springs up whereby many are defiled (Hebrews 12:15).

In Matthew 18:15 Jesus said: “Morever if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.”

We are better to fix our thoughts on ways to bring healing and reconciliation rather than scheming ways to bring our own retribution of evil upon our accusers. We are told in the Scriptures not to pay back evil with evil, but rather to give them a blessing (1 Peter 3:9). God want us to retaliate with blessing.

Psalm 37:1-8: “FRET NOT thyself because of evildoers . . . TRUST IN THE LORD, and do good . . . DELIGHT thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart . . . COMMIT THY WAY unto the LORD; trust also in him . . . REST IN THE LORD, and WAIT PATIENTLY for him: FRET NOT thyself because of who prospereth in his way . . . CEASE FROM ANGER, and forsake wrath: FRET NOT thyself in any wise to do evil.”

To be continued.

Be encouraged Colin Campbell

This may take time for the devil doesn’t give up easily. You must bring out the big guns against him. Toy guns don’t fool him.

Our biggest weapons are found in Revelation 12:11: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

We also learn from 2 Corinthians 10:4, 5: “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

This Scripture instructs us how to deal with negative, destructive evil thoughts that the devil uses to make us disobedient to Christ in our thought life. We must resist him and not give place to them.

Our thought life is where we win or lose; or where the devil wins or loses. Our thought life is where the devil raises his strongholds. We must teach ourselves, our families, and our friends how to get the victory and maintain the victory over every thought.

We must get into the habit of bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

We can use the Second Amendment entitling us to carry guns on our hips to protect ourselves and others physically, and yet be totally unarmed around our thoughts and minds. This is where spiritual ISIS or any other terrorist spiritual force takes control of our unarmed minds.

This is where our number one battle is won or lost. It’s all in our thought life. No wonder the high priest wore a bonnet with an engraving across the front, HOLINESS TO THE LORD (Exodus 28:36-38). God wants holy minds. He wants clean minds, not unclean.

Read again 2 Corinthians 10:4: ”For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but MIGHTY THROUGH GOD TO THE PULLING DOWN OF STRONG HOLDS.”

1 Peter 1:13: “Gird up the loins of your mind, be sober.”

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Moods can be so strong that anyone coming into the home can immediately feel them. You can literally cut the air with a knife.

Parents must take the child aside and quietly, but firmly, explain how wrong the child’s behavior or attitude is. Sharing God’s Word and praying with the child is important. If the behavior is serious enough a spanking may be appropriate. A full apology by the child is essential to anyone who may be a victim.

When one is older and cannot be treated like a child, it is still important to address the matter maturely and not in anger. The Scripture says: “A gentle response turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath” (Proverbs 15:1 NET).

Galatians 6:1 applies to adults who could be part of the family or part of the church fellowship. “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, let thou also be tempted.”

We notice the importance of meekness in Scripture when it comes to counseling, bringing correction, and disciplining.

1 Corinthians 4:21: “What will ye? Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?”

2 Corinthians 10:1; “Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ . . . “

2 Timothy 2:25: “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.”

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

There are many Scriptures that tell us of God’s patience and longsuffering towards the backsliding of His people. But if God’s people do not heed His warnings and the many times He sends His servants, the prophets, to warn them, the day comes when God says, “Enough is enough.”

Psalm 81:11, 12: “But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.”

Many of the judgments which God gives, both to His own people as well as to the heathen nations, come after much patience and longsuffering on God’s part. Do you remember the story of Nineveh?

There are some exceptions to the rule, e.g., Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1-3 and Numbers 3:4) in the Old Testament and Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1—11) in the New Testament. Read their examples again.

Romans 15:18: “A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.” In other words, he quietens down strife. This is a necessary attribute for fathers.

A man may be brave enough to capture a city, but Proverbs 16:32 says: “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.”

Proverbs 19:11: “The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.” The word discretion in the Hebrew (sekel) means “wisdom, understanding, knowledge, prudence.”

2 Chronicles 2:12: “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence (sekel) and understanding.”

The truth of the subject is that 1 Corinthians 13:5 says that agape love is not easily provoked. There are far too many Christians who are easily provoked. Even a wrong look can cause a volcanic eruption. However, a prudent man will be slow to retaliate.

Our whole society is endangered by a very violent sub-culture who, through drugs and bad upbringing, have become angry and violent. None of us know when the “hot head” may strike next and what method they or he will use to kill and destroy.

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

The word provoked in the Greek language is “paroxumo” meaning “to exasperate, to stir.”

In John 2:14-17, we read that Jesus Christ, the perfect example of agape love was provoked to righteous indignation, especially when it came to corrupting the purity and holiness of God’s house.

John 2:17 states: “And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.” This was stated from Psalm 69:9.

It’s a shame that we who call ourselves the followers of Christ do not have the same zeal and righteous anger regarding God’s house when it is corrupted and defiled in so many ways.

Our Father God is agape love (1 John 4:8). However, Psalm 7:11 says: “God is angry with the wicked every day.” The next Scripture, verse 12 says: “If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.”

The NLT says: “If a person does not repent, God will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow. He will prepare his deadly weapons and shoot his flaming arrows.”

More tomorrow.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

The love or “charity” mentioned in the KJV is the Greek word, agape. This is a very challenging subject because we who call ourselves Christians can do so many thigs in the name of love and yet may find out on Judgement Day that the love we thought we had was not the true type of love God requires.

False love seeks to draw attention to itself. It does things for others, which is a good thing to do, but the motive is wrong because it is done for self-satisfaction. It seeks the praises of men.
It seeks to be noticed.
It seeks recognition.
It seeks applause.
It seeks rewards.

God’s love does not do things for others to receive ward. It may be rewarded but that is not the motive. God’s love does not care for itself, but rather for other’s needs.

The same word in the Greek is used for John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

God’s love is self-sacrificial. It loves to the point where no cost is too high to pay to bring help, deliverance, and blessing.

God’s love does not consider the worthiness of the individual requiring help.

This agape love is also mentioned in Romans 5:8: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” We were totally unworthy.

When we exercise this agape love (selfless love) which is the purest form of love, God sees to it that we will be rewarded, but from the giver’s perspective reward is not the motivation.

Isaiah 53: 10, 11: “When thou shalt make his soul an offering for us, he shall see his seed (those who will be saved through His sacrifice), he shall prolong his days (He shall live forever following His resurrection), and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied.”

Jesus Christ will be satisfied with the reward of all who have passed from death unto life. However, the reward was never the reason for such a display of agape love. The true reason for agape love is purely selfless love for someone else’s need.

When the day comes when God will give rewards for our love to others in their time of need, or to obey whatever Gpd calls us to do, the rewards will be based upon the true motive of our love. Self-seeking love will never be rewarded by God.

As parents we must show to our families this sacrificial, selfless love and teach them that this the way God wants them to love others in need.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give into them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”

We go over to the New Testament in Luke 4:21, 22 and Jesus said after reading these words: “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.” His words matched His conduct.

A few Scriptures later we read that they failed to accept that He was the Messiah that Isaiah spoke of saying, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” Jesus responded to their failure to know Him by speaking the uncompromising truth. They were filled with wrath to the point of killing him (verses 23-29).

Grace does not compromise the truth when the truth needs to be spoken. On the other hand, truth does not compromise grace when grace needs to be revealed and preached to those who will receive it.

Jesus showed grace in healing the broken-hearted.

He revealed grace in liberating those who needed deliverance from demonic captivity and addictions.

He demonstrated grace when giving sight to the blind and deliverance to the bruised.

Jesus did not act unseemly or rudely so that the people would be offended at His lack of grace. He did not come to deflect or compromise righteous behavior.

He did not come approving fornication so that fornicators would be attracted to him. He came to set the fornicators free from their sin.

He did not come approving of drugs and addiction. He came to liberate the victims from their addiction.

He did not come sporting tattoos all over His healing hands and arms to attract action to His physical appearance. He wanted people to see the glory of God.

He did not come using offensive, slang words. He came speaking gracious woods.

He did not come trying to get as much money from the people as He could. He came to serve freely and to give to the poor.

He did not come dressed in glamorous clothes looking like a king. He dressed in appropriate clothes, so He did not detract rom the glory of God.

He came in humility, riding on a donkey. “Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

In no way could you say that Jesus lived or acted unseemly. He did nothing that would hinder people receiving salvation.

Whatever sin hindered people from being saved He called it what it was so that people would be convicted, repent, and be converted. He called the Pharisees “hypocrites,” “blind guides,” and “fools.”

Love does not act unseemly therefore it is love that motivates us to be like Jesus in all areas of life.

There are times when we must stand up and speak the truth in love even when we run the risk of being misunderstood or persecuted. The sinner needs to know that we love them, but they also need to know that we hate the sin that is destroying them.

If we love the person that is dying because of cancer, surely, we are not expected to love the cancer that is killing them! We do not tolerate cancer just because we love the person that is afflicted by it. Never.

We must not tolerate an evil thing. We must eek with all our hearts to help the victim to be set free, healed, and delivered.

We can so easily let our children who we love, become involved with Internet games that on the surface may seem harmless, but down the road will damage them. We cannot love our children and be tolerant of that which will eventually destroy them.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Our God is very great, majestic, and holy. He does not lower His righteous, holy standards when dealing with mankind. He sent His only beloved Son, Jesus Christ into this sin-filled world to redeem us with his precious, sinless blood so that we would become new creatures.

2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore if man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

We must not fashion ourselves after the ways and culture of this present age, but rather be fashioned in the likeness of his Son.

Romans 8:29: “For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

As new creatures still living in these earthly bodies, our whole aim and objective in life should be to live , act, look, and speak exactly as Jesus did when He was physically alive here on this earth.

How wonderful that God our Father has given to us His precious, Holy Spirit to enable us to be like Jesus in every aspect of life. Jesus Christ is our perfect example and we should seek to emulate Him in every dimension of His life.

When people look at us, they should see Jesus Christ in all that we do, speak, and behave. In other words, Jesus Christ should still be walking on this earth in all his glorious character through His people, which is His body.

John 1:14: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we behold his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Jesus Christ, our perfect prototype and example, was full of grace and truth. Therefore, we His people should also be full of grace and truth through the power of his indwelling Spirit.

More tomorrow.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

These Gadites, whose faces had a lion-like look about them must have indeed been bold men. All these mighty bold men came to help King David. But our King Jesus, who is the heavenly David, is surely worth nothing less than the earthly David.

Don’t you agree?

Let’s be bold in this hour to stand up for truth.

Be encouraged, men.

Colin Campbell

Although the King James Version uses the word “unseemly,” most translations use the word “rude.” The Strong’s concordance says this word means “indecency, shame, unbecoming.”

I believe it is important for all Christian parents to repeatedly teach their children this truth so that it enters deeply within them that God’s love flowing through them will not allow them to behave unseemly, rudely, indecently, or shamefully.

We are living in a generation that is far too disrespectful in their behavior and speech towards their parents, elders, peers, the elderly, and those who have rule and authority over them.

There was a time in our culture when we were taught to stand up, bow down, and kneel in the presence of those whose position rightfully deserved our honor and respect.

Proverbs 25:6; “Put not thyself forward in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men. For better is it that it be said of thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.”

To put oneself forward into an honored position in someone else’s home without being invited is rude and unseemly. Do not take the chair of honor in the dining room nor at the dinner table unless you are asked.

Leviticus 19;32 (NET): “You must stand up in the presence of the aged, honor the presence of an elder and fear your God. I am the LORD.”

This appropriate behavior is not only for special occasions, but for normal everyday life. Many of our English-speaking nations have departed from our Judeo /Christian culture norms to our own discredit. We no longer address an older stranger whose name we do not know as Sir or Mister, or an older lady we do not know as Ma’am or Madam.

It is now normal to be uncouth, brash, arrogant, and down right disrespectful in the presence of the opposite sex and innocent children.

Freedom of speech does not give us the right to say whatever we like for God will judge every man according to what comes out of his mouth. Even when we share a testimony or a word before God’s people at church or a Christian gathering, we must be careful to be honorable with our words.

Matthew 12:36, 36: “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words that shalt be condemned.”

Ephesians 4:29, 30: “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your nouth but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

Colossians 4:6; “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

James 3:8-10: “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith cruse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceeded blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”

Unseemly speech will be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Unseemly words or behavior do not promote the love of God nor are they motivated by the loved of God.

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell