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Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs
Through the weekly and daily devotionals you can be constantly encouraged in your great role of parenting, the highest career in the nation. You can also stay updated on what's happening with the Above Rubies ministry.
TURN YOUR LIGHTS ON. WE ARE DRIVING IN A DARK WORLD!
The hearts of the fathers are turned toward their children when the light of their spirits is turned on!
1 John 1:6, 7 says: “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
Men, just as it is impossible for us to have true fellowship with other Christians if we are in any way walking in darkness (dark lusts of the flesh), even so it is impossible to have heart and spirit fellowship with our own family (wife and children), if we allow ourselves to be caught up in any type of darkness.
Proverbs 20:27 says: “The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.”
Men who watch pornography or look lustfully upon the opposite sex cause God’s light in their spirits to be extinguished. When the light of the Lord does not shine through our spirits, it is impossible to have true fellowship with one another.
The light of God shining through our spirits, unhindered by hidden sins, is important beyond measure to the wellbeing of our wives and families.
To be continued.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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10. YOU WILL HAVE A PRAYING HEART
Men, I believe it is impossible for anyone to have their hearts turned toward children as God intends without heart-felt praying. Of course, there are some unbelieving parents that often put some Christians to shame in the way they love their children. Shame on us! Despite these inconsistencies, I think we would agree that our own Christian culture, for a multitude of reasons, is suffering enormously because of broken parent/child relationships.
While we continue to shed innocent blood like an ever-flowing river of evil through abortion, how can we say that our hearts are turned to children? Are we any different to Islamic extremists who say they love their children and yet allow explosives to be strapped to their innocent bodies to be blown up in a crowded supermarket?
Our new President Elect is careful in appointing good people to major cabinet positions and we rejoice as we see the stock market “going through the roof.” However, the blood of the innocent continues to flow. We need to pray and urge our churches and government to drain this morally evil part of our national swamp. We must pray for the sake of our nation’s innocent children, both unborn and born, that God will be gracious unto us and take away from us all the hardness of heart.
By putting jobs and economy first rather than the moral foundation of the priceless value of innocent blood in the sight of our loving and yet holy God, we will make a grave mistake. Like everybody else, I want to see our nation prosper, but not at the expense of innocent blood. Even the appointment of Supreme Court justices in the moral mindset of Anthony Scalia will not necessarily stop wholesale abortion, although it will help.
It will take tenacity and courage to turn the tide. This means heart-felt praying!
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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9) IT WILL BE REVEALED THROUGH YOUR EYES continued
f) ENCOURAGING EYES are the opposite of being critical and condemning. Instead, they convey to your child that you believe they can make it through the tests and disciplines of life. Even when the child fails, your eyes will not convey a sense of hopelessness and failure, but rather a look of encouragement and optimism to try again.
g) PURE EYES look for righteousness. Pure eyes will not look upon evil. No man can look righteously at his wife and daughters if his eyes look at pornography. God is calling His men to have pure eyes that are full of light.
The description of Jesus in Revelation 1:14; 2:18; and 19:12 describes his eyes as “a flame of fire.” Daniel’s vision reveals His eyes as “lamps of fire” (Daniel 10:6).
Conversely, icy, cold eyes reveal that our hearts have not yet been turned toward God’s heart for children. This includes indifferent eyes, uninterested eyes, critical eyes, unloving eyes, prideful eyes, and dishonest and lying eyes.
Shifty eyes cannot be trusted. Flattering eyes also cannot be trusted. Eyes that will not look you full in the face signify dishonesty. Winking eyes denote trickery. Flirting eyes promote unholy relationships. Unholy eyes are full of lust.
Let’s live in God’s presence and in His Word to keep pure eyes.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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9. IT WILL BE REVEALED THROUGH YOUR EYES
a) LOVING EYES reveal love even when it is not deserved. Every child should see the message of love in your eyes. No question about it.
b) ADORING EYES go a step further than loving eyes. Adoring eyes reveal a special attraction to the object of attention (the son of your own bowels). God spoke of His own son: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Adoring eyes are devoted and intimate eyes in a godly sense. The Scriptures speak of God’s people as “the apple of His eye” (Zechariah 2:8).
c) ATTENTIVE EYES are more than willing to give attention to the child that seeks your attention.
d) MERCIFUL AND COMPASSIONATE EYES are the eyes of a parent that are more than willing to forgive. They are more than willing to identify with the pain of the hurt or offended one. The father of the prodigal son revealed merciful and compassionate forgiveness in his eyes towards his repentant son.
e) LONGING EYES reveal the longing cry of the parent’s heart for the wayward child who has lost their way. They reveal remorse and disapproval of the sinful behavior of their loved one, yet at the same time, their hearts cry out to God for their child to turn back to the way of truth.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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8. SMILE AT YOUR CHILDREN
When your heart is turned toward your children, you will find yourself smiling at them more. A loving smile does wonders, even when child does not deserve it. A smile of agreement and approval always gives encouragement. A knowing smile gives comfort and assurance to a child who needs to overcome insecurity and uncertainty.
Smiling lights up your home and family. Smiling is the language of love. Smiling that comes from spirit that is in a healthy relationship with the indwelling Christ can melt the hardest rock and break the most solid ice.
Many times, when words don’t bring healing to deepening wounds, why not try smiling? Too many religious Christians think that smiling and laughing are too worldly, frivolous, and carefree and that Christianity is a pious, straight-faced business. Just look at some of the older generation photographs.
And yet smiles are the most healing of all influences. They are also very contagious.
Hebrews 1:9 gives a testimony of Jesus: “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." He was full of joy, gladness, and smiles more than anyone else!
Be encouraged to smile more in your home,
Colin Campbell
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3. CONDUCT FAMILY DEVOTIONS WITH YOUR FAMILY
2 Timothy 3:15 says: “And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
Be concerned for the over-all well-being of your children. This means their spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being. Be concerned enough to earnestly bring about positive and constructive changes.
4. WATCH OVER YOUR CHILDREN’S WELL-BEING
This means their spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being. Be concerned enough to earnestly bring about positive and constructive changes.
5. BE RELATIONAL TO YOUR CHILDREN
Take time to converse in a positive, friendly way, as regularly as possible, depending upon the age of your children. In most cases, daily.
6. SHOW GENUINE INTEREST IN THE THINGS THAT INTEREST YOUR CHILDREN
Talk to them about the books they like to read, the hobbies they enjoy, their sporting activities, the food they love to eat, the wholesome movies they like to watch, the friends they have, and much more.
7. TAKE YOUR CHILDREN TO FUN PLACES
Take your little children to places where they can have fun on the swings and slides etc. Take them for walks in the woods and around the rocks at the beach. Take them to creeks and caves.
To be continued.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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2. A TURNED HEART INVOLVES CHANGED PRIORITIES
Next to God, who is without doubt the highest priority, a man’s wife and family is his highest priority.
1 Timothy 5:8 says: “But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” Even though a man may mentally agree with the high degree of family priority, it may not necessarily translate into action. It takes more than agreement to accomplish the result. A man who has a bad valve in his heart may agree with his doctor that he needs an operation. However, his agreement must be backed up with action to get the job done.
James 1:22-25 says: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”
It takes the divine Elijah anointing to turn hearts. Malachi 4:5, 6 says: “Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”
Just as mental agreement is not sufficient to make one a good parent, desire can also be insufficient unless we submit our desires to God’s enabling. Agreement and desire both need to be bathed before God in earnest prayer.
Some men think that so long as God sees they AGREE that parenting should be a high priority and they DESIRE to be a better parent, that this should be enough. And yet they still drop their children off at daycare centers. They continue to let the state (with all its ungodly, worldly agenda, plus the uncontrolled peer pressure of the playground) teach their children. There is something wrong with this mindset.
Mental agreement and uncommitted desires that do not result in righteous actions to materialize godly priorities will not “cut it” in these critical days.
It is high time for each one of us who call ourselves Christian parents to take a fresh stock on just how our top priorities affect our families, right now.
Is there anything today in my life that hinders my family from being my highest priority, next to God?
Be encouraged,
Colin Campbell
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1. POSITIVE ATTENTION VERSUS NEGATIVE ATTENTION
There is something seriously wrong when a father is so absorbed in himself, his own interests or needs that he shows very little attention to the emotional and physical needs of his children.
Some fathers think that so long as they provide the financial needs of their family, that is all that is required of them. There are some fathers who have succumbed to the entitlement mentality that the world owes them everything, that they do not have any responsibility to find a job and diligently work for their own needs, as well as their wife and family. Such men are not worthy to be called fathers. They have grown up with a deceived mentality.
While fathers need to be at some form of employment, they miss the mark if they do not see the importance of positively imparting into the lives of their children. Ephesians 6:4 states: “Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up (don’t pull them down) in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
Children need the positive influence of both parents daily.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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Isaiah 49:15: “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.”
Men, it is imperative to guard our hearts, so they will be alert and sensitive to the needs of our children. The end time Elijah revival is primarily about the “turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers" (Malachi 4:6).
How sad that we live in an age of such disintegration of parental love for their own children. Divorce creates great havoc in multitudes of Christian families, turning the hearts of the children away from one or even both parents. One of the greatest gifts parents can give to their children is a very loving and secure marriage. This creates a stabilizing sense of security that every child deserves. Children born out of wedlock in a relationship where they refuse to get married does not provide an environment of loving, parental care and protection.
All these things stint the heart relationship that can only come from hearts that have been truly turned by God toward children (their own children and embracing God’s heart toward children). This enables the children to have their own hearts turned to their parents.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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“God Forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you” (1 Samuel 12:23).
“I exhort therefore, that, first, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty . . .” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
Pray daily. Pray individually, and pray corporately as a family for Donald Trump, our President Elect:
1. That he will personally seek God. Pray that instead of being a man of the flesh, he will become a man of the Spirit. 2 Chronicles 26:5 says of Uzziah: “As long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.”
2. That he will seek God for:
a. Wisdom (2 Chronicles 1:7-10).
b. Godly counsel
c. Humility before God and man
d. Righteousness
3. That he will choose righteous people to take the key positions in our federal government, cabinet, Supreme Court, etc. Mike Pence is heading up the transition.
4. That he will be fearless and strong against all national and international ungodly, unjust, liberal agendas, especially foreign policies; and that all government corruption will be exposed and dealt with.
5. That he will not compromise on all matters of importance, e.g. life (against abortion and euthanasia), Common Core, national security, Obama Care, Israel, border control, military, etc.
6. That he will continually have his eyes opened to God’s ways. That he will have discernment between good and evil, right and wrong, clean and unclean, e.g. homosexual agenda. Ezekiel 44:23 states: “They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.” Read also Jeremiah 15:9 and Ezekiel 22:6.
7. That God will give divine protection over him and his family, Mike Pence and his family. Pray against assassins.
8. That he will take the office of the presidency seriously (not casually), and be a godly example to the nation and the world.
9. That he will be a great example for good, that he will be respected both at home and abroad, and that his enemies will shut their mouths.
10. That he will be gracious and kind, but bold and strong when appropriate.
Keep praying,
Colin Campbell
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Millions of God-fearing people prayed around the world the night of the elections. It was a miraculous deliverance from a government sold out to an agenda of extreme socialism, big government, legalization of moral perversions (such as abortion and homosexuality) and anti-American constitutionalism. This nation was about to go over the cliff and down into the abyss of anti-Christ extreme liberalism and moral bankruptcy.
God, in His great mercy heard our prayers and gave us another window of His mercy and grace. We were so close to losing without God’s divine intervention.
You may remember from my earlier writings during the time of the primaries that I did not endorse Trump, but voted for Ted Cruz. However, that was not to be. In the end, it came down to the fact that we had to vote for a conservative or extreme liberal agenda. God knows what He is doing far beyond our finite minds and has given us a man who will make things happen. But ultimately He saved us from disaster.
Many prophetic words have come to God’s people (some of these given a long time ago) stating God would give Trump for president and that he would be like a Cyrus who helped the people of God, even though he was a heathen. Read Isaiah 45 of God’s word to Cyrus, the king of Persia. God says to him: “I have even called there by thy name . . . though thou hast not known me.” (It’s interesting that Trump will be our 45th President).
The day before the election I felt the Holy Spirit speak to my heart: “Colin, if I give you Trump, will you be faithful to pray for him every day?” I was taken aback. Could I do this in my own strength? I answered, “Yes, Lord, only by your grace.”
I believe we must all arise against every entrenchment of the devil and apply ourselves with earnest and heart-felt prayers, coupled with every endeavor to live a godly lifestyle that will impact the nation and the world.
Will you join with me in praying for our President Elect every day? This is a man who walked in the flesh. However, as God’s people arise and pray, he can become a man who walks in the Spirit. Imagine what can happen to our nation and the world if every God-fearing Christian interceded for him every day?
I will write a separate post with 10 points to pray for Trump. You can print this off and keep it in your Bible, or of course, keep it on your iPhone to remind you.
We must also pray against any evil agenda Obama would seek to enforce in his last 90 days of office. Pray for God’s divine protection.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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My heart is filled with gratitude to God this morning for the historical win of President Elect Donald Trump in this 2016 presidential elections. As some of you know, I fasted and prayed for Senator Ted Cruz to win the GOP nomination. I loved his uncompromising stand for truth and righteousness. However, after he was dropped from the race, I had to re-examine my personal preferences and look at the bigger picture. Rather than voting for Donald Trump versus Ted Cruz etc., I felt obligated to vote for the Republican agenda which is light years ahead on conservative, godly values than the liberal, ungodly, extreme socialist agenda of Hilary Clinton and the Democrat party.
One thing above all that President Elect Donald Trump espouses in his agenda for Americans is victory for pro-life through the appointment of conservative pro-life judges to the Supreme Court. The slaughter of 50 - 60 million unborn babies since Roe v. Wade, including partial birth abortions, smears the ground of our beautiful country with innocent blood. This blood cries out for justice to the God of all justice.
Even more importantly, abortion sends a strong message to God that we do not believe that every baby He creates in the womb has the right to be born. Or have the opportunity through hearing and receiving the gospel message, to be conformed into the image and likeness of God. Abortion is a slap in the face of our creative God who wants his righteous image to be fruitful and multiplied.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is for every person in the whole word, no matter what color, location, or culture. Every baby born into this world should have the privilege to hear the gospel at least once in their lifetime. The declaration of the truth found only in Jesus has the power to transform every man and woman, and boy and girl into the image and likeness of God.
We received a great victory for life last night. Let’s be encouraged to pick up our swords and continue the fight for life.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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Many Christians who say they believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God fail to realize that God’s first mandate for all husbands and wives to be fruitful and multiply. It is just as important today as it was to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
“Why is it important?” you ask. It’s all about the image and likeness of God. How amazing that God should entrust to frail human beings the propagation of His glorious likeness and image.
I wonder how many Christians have stopped, or even paused to ask themselves these questions: What is His likeness and image? Why is it so important to take time to prioritize this subject?
Some may think that God’s image is His business and not ours. Surely there are other things about God that are more important. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Our very existence in this world is primarily for this express purpose. We should look and act entirely different to the way the world looks and acts.
Are we a clear revelation to this needy world of how God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit looks and acts like? Wouldn’t this world be a better place to live in if the image and likeness of God was multiplied and manifested everywhere—in all its glory and clarity? A thousand times, yes.
Is it possible that every child born to a Christian couple and raised in the ways of God, born again, and filled with the Holy Spirit could be like a great neon sign, showing to the world the image of God? Absolutely, yes. Your street, your family, your city, your country, and your world would be far better off with the multiplication of God’s image and likeness. God’s love, His truth, mercy, holiness, faithfulness, gentleness, kindness, and all His virtues are what it is all about.
It all begins with a newborn baby being raised in the ways of God. And why would we stop with only one? We need to multiply God’s image with two, three, four, or however many God plans to give us. This truth needs to be shouted from the roof tops.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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The very first mandate God gave to the husband and wife was: “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth” (Genesis 1:28).
If God believes in fruitfulness and multiplication, so should we. When God gave these words to Adam and Eve, He spoke of the natural and physical. Anyone with an honest mindset must agree.
There are some who argue that God is only interested in spiritual fruitfulness and multiplication, such as John 15:16: “I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” Jesus spoke these words, primarily regarding spiritual fruitfulness.
However, to argue that we do not need to be naturally fruitful to produce a world full of spiritual fruit is plain, straight, ridiculous. Go wants fathers and mothers who are spiritual fruitful to bring forth natural sons and daughters. He wants them to raise them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord in order to multiply spiritual fruitfulness that will influence the whole world—every nation, every city, every village, every home, and every individual.
It is for this purpose God has called and mandated every husband and wife to be fruitful and multiply, both naturally and spiritually. The more children we permit God to give us, the greater potential we have as parents to influence the world for righteousness. We cannot increase righteousness if there is no one created to receive it. As we teach and train our children in the ways of the Lord, the whole earth will be filled with His glory (Numbers 14:21).
Those who call themselves Christians, and yet have no vision to increase and multiply sons and daughters, obviously have no vision to see the world influenced with the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 15:46 tells us: “First which is natural . . . and afterward that which is spiritual.”
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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Today we begin a new series:
The importance of propagating God’s image and likeness is eternal and planned by God before the world began.
Men, fatherhood from a biblical perspective is primarily not about the furtherance of man’s image, Adam’s image, the image of man from an earthly perspective, or the furtherance of our own family name or image. As Christians, we must see ourselves as the “children of God.”
Genesis 1:26 says: “And God said, Let us make man in our image after our likeness: and let them have dominion . . .” Basically, man was created for the sole purpose of revealing the image and likeness of God. In this image of God, he rules over all of God’s creation on earth.
Genesis 1:27 says: “So God created men in his own image, in the image of God created he him; female and female created he them.”
GOD’S FIRST MANDATE TO MANKIND
Genesis 1:28: “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion . . ." I firmly believe God only wants His image to rule over His created earth. Tragically, after the fall of man, revealed in Genesis chapter three, man lost the image and likeness of God. He even hid himself from the glorious presence of God amongst the trees of the garden.
However, by the grace and mercy of God, His eternal plan for the redemption of fallen man back to His image immediately came into action (Genesis 3:21). God, as the prototype of all true fatherhood, in His great love and mercy, despite the great fall of man away from His likeness and image, did not give up on His eternal plan to restore man through Jesus Christ, the second Adam (1 Corinthian 15:45-50).
God’s eternal purpose is for His heavenly image and likeness to fill the earth with His glory. To this end and purpose we are created. To this end we must be fruitful in Christ Jesus.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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Men, we must make sure that both we and our families attend churches that embrace the cross.
Ruth, as a type of the bride of Christ, made a life commitment to follow the God of her mother-in-law. Naomi and Ruth had a commitment that contained great depth. Ruth was prepared to go with Naomi even if it meant great sacrifices or hardships. She saw something in her mother-in-law, even as she watched her face the losing of her husband and then her two sons.
Ruth had also lost her own Jewish husband along with Orpah, but Orpah’s decision to be committed to following Naomi back to Israel and the God of Israel was somewhat shallow and temporary. Yes, she wept at the parting, but the cost of following Naomi could mean more pain than she had already experienced. She was easily discouraged by the prospects of continued widowhood if she continued with Naomi.
Orpah seems to me to be the type of the uncommitted church who respects the things of God demonstrated through her mother-in-law, but the cost of leaving her own family, country, and friends was too much for her. Sadly, she went back to her family and their false gods and we hear no more about her.
She did not understand that with the God of Israel suffering may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Satan always tries to turn us away from the cross, but the cross of Christ is the only true doorway to freedom. Sad to say, much of the church today is not the church of the cross. Like Orpah, it may love certain aspects of the Bible. It always agrees with the blessings of the kingdom, but the cross is distasteful and unattractive to the Orpah church who still love to worship the idols of the world, especially if they offer more fun, the good life, and pleasing yourself.
Ruth did not want to ever hear one more word about returning to the old life. Ruth, like Moses, had a greater commitment: “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.” Ruth, like Moses, chose to “suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ great riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward” (Hebrews 11:25, 26).
Jesus will only marry a Ruth-type bride!
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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Naomi asked the people back home not to call her Naomi any more, but Mara, meaning “bitter” for “the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me” (Ruth 1:21).
Naomi did not forget God in Moab. She taught her Moabite daughters-in-law about Him and both these Moabite women loved Naomi. Initially both Orpah and Ruth wanted to return to Israel with Naomi and both wept when Naomi graciously requested them to return to the house of their own families. They still wanted to go to Israel with Naomi, their mother-in-law.
After further explanation by Naomi concerning their hopeless possibility of remarriage into her family, Orpah decided to return to her own family and their gods (1:7-14).
However, we see Ruth’s most amazing commitment to her mother-in-law as well as to her God Jehovah as she refuses to return to her own people in the land of Moab.
Ruth 1:16, 17: “And Ruth said, entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.“ This is the reason why Boaz was so willing to provide Ruth with the wedding garment covering.
Boaz (who is a type of Christ) speaks to Ruth about her commitment and virtues: “Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter, for thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. . . . for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman” (Ruth 2:1 and 3:8-11).
After certain duties and protocol were performed Boaz granted her the request for covering, which is a type of the wedding garment.
What about us. Is our heavenly Boaz (Jesus Christ) willing to stretch out His covering over us? The punch line to the above is this: why would Christ extend His covering to a bride who is not prepared to give the same kind of commitment Ruth gave to her mother-in-law?
WHITHER THOU GOEST, I WILL GO
Are we going where Christ, our bridegroom wants to take us? Do we take notice of His great commission to “go into all the world”? It seems to me that much of the church wants Christ to follow them!
WHERE THOU LODGEST, I WILL LODGE
Is this the language of today’s church? In other words, is my home a home where Christ really feels at home? Or are there things in my home that make Him feel uncomfortable? Does Jesus accept a bride that does not want her home to be His home?
THY PEOPLE SHALL BE MY PEOPLE
Really? Do we who call ourselves the bride of Christ love to fellowship regularly with His people?
WHERE THOU DIEST, I WILL DIE
Jesus died on the cross. Are we willing to take up our cross and follow Him?
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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Things go wrong for us when we mistakenly step out of the will of God. However, God still draws us back to a better end.
The account of Ruth’s marriage to Boaz in the Bible is indeed a beautiful type of Christ and His marriage to the grafted in Gentile church. Because of a famine in the land of Bethlehem/Judah, Elimelech took his wife, Naomi, and his two sons to dwell in the land of Moab. This proved to be a bad decision. Despite the possibilities of a better life among the Moabites as far as physical wellbeing was concerned, tragically everything went wrong.
The Moabites were pagan, idol worshippers. Abimelech died in the land of Moab and left Naomi a widow with two sons who eventually married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. Sadly, for whatever reason, the two sons died leaving Naomi.
Perhaps Naomi and her husband had not sought God for direction. Perhaps they had not waited for the Lord and instead taken matters into their own hand. How easy it is for us to do the same thing. Naomi confesses in Ruth 1:13: “The hand of the LORD is gone out against me.”
Both her and her husband had got off course with God. They had been well off when they left Israeli borders. She mentions in Ruth 1:21: “I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty.” Naomi pleads with her daughters-in-law to return to their own families and not to travel with her back to her home for she knew there was little hope for them to find husbands in Israel.
Somehow she had got news that “the LORD had visited his people in given them bread” (Ruth 1:6). I am sure by this time she wished she had stayed in Israel and stuck it out through the famine. Moving away is not always the right choice when things go wrong. Instead, when things go wrong, don’t panic and run. Stay and pray.
2 Chronicles 7:14 states: “If my people, which are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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Dear Fellow Believers,
As you can tell from my greeting, I am writing primarily to you, the American church. I am doing so personally, not representing Dutch Sheets Ministries. Though this is longer than the blogs I normally send, please read it as an urgent, heartfelt appeal. The sense of urgency I feel is hard to put in words. I have prayed and wept much over the condition of our nation, and continue to be deeply burdened. We are so close to the precipice of a complete self-destruction—a devastation of such magnitude that it would take decades to recover. Some believe a complete recovery would never be possible. The America we have known and loved is being systematically dismantled and reshaped.
Voting is a precious right and a serious responsibility; I realize it is also a very personal and private one. We do it by secret ballot in America for a reason. I don't want to be another voice of manipulation—there are so many in presidential election campaigns—therefore, it is with the utmost caution and conviction that I do this.
I also want to state upfront that I am neither a registered Republican nor Democrat. Years ago, I concluded that if my "calls to prayer" were to be trusted by believers across the board, I would have to issue them as an independent voter. With this in mind, I relinquished my party affiliation, along with the rights to vote in primaries, help shape party platforms, possibly become a delegate, etc. and became an Independent. Since then, like many of you I have become fed-up with both parties—disillusioned with the Republicans, offended and appalled by the Democrats. I say this to assure you that I am not making this appeal in order to stump for "my party's candidate."
Finally, I want to also preface my appeal by saying I have not been a huge Trump fan. Had I been allowed to vote in the primaries, he would not have been my first choice. His seeming arrogance, insults, history of philandering, personal ambition, etc. were very disconcerting to me. I kept an open mind, however, knowing God uses imperfect people and that He is very merciful—I don’t condone sin, but neither do I cast the first stone—and knowing that people do, indeed, change. I was also challenged to remain open-minded about Trump by the fact that several spiritual leaders I trusted were convinced God wanted to use him to overthrow an ineffective and corrupt system. Over time, I came to agree with them. However, for me, this election is not nearly as much about who I am for, as it is who and what I am against; and frankly, even with my initial concerns, the decision has never been easier.
One of the most devastating occurrences in America in our lifetimes, ranking up with The Supreme Court's decisions of Roe vs. Wade and Engel vs. Vitale (the removal of prayer from schools), was the election of Barack Obama. I gave a strong warning about what would happen to our nation if he was elected. Sadly, it has all come to pass: a continued liberalization and empowerment of the judicial system in America; a weakened economy (our national debt has doubled in 7 years to $19 TRILLION!)[1]; further moral deterioration, along with a rebellion to and mockery of God (does anyone remember the White House lit up in the colors of the LGBT movement after marriage was re-defined by the Supreme Court? If that wasn't an "in your face" to God and those of us who "cling to their God, guns and religion" by the man who mockingly said it, I don't know what could ever be!); increased violence; a weakened position in the world, along with a weakened military; the advance of radical Islamist terrorism; a setback in race relations; and more. I rejoice that our nation has been able to elect our first black president. I am deeply saddened, however, that it was Barack Obama.
The damage has been so great that America is now one president away from a complete transformation to secularism, a loss of our Judeo-Christian foundation, the loss of our position as the stabilizing force for good in the earth, and the leading voice of the gospel to all the world. If elected, Hillary Clinton will be the president who finishes the job. She stands almost entirely against everything we, the church, are for, and for everything we are against. Hillary is pro-abortion, including partial-birth abortion, the most insidious evil of the last century; will raise taxes while continuing out-of-control spending; will further weaken our military; is for completely open borders[2]; is pro-gay marriage; supports Obamacare; has no respect for our Judeo-Christian heritage; sells influence; and is a proven liar. Do not be fooled—she will completely finish what Obama started.
The notion peddled by some "Never Trump" Republicans that they can keep Hillary from accomplishing what she wants for 4 years, then replace her with someone they prefer, is laughable. The fact that they should know this, and don't, is truly scary. Even more frightening is...perhaps they do. The Republican Congress has done nothing to stop Obama; why should we believe they will do so with Hillary? When they threaten to curb Obama with "the power of the purse," he simply calls their bluff and either bullies them into giving him what he wants, or simply does as he pleases through unconstitutional executive orders. A Republican controlled Congress has done nothing to defund Obamacare, slow down the TRILLIONS of dollars of debt he has accrued, prevent his treasonous acts with Iran, defund Planned Parenthood and their selling of babies' body parts (can you even believe such a thing even exists, and that the Obama’s and Hillary condone it?!), or stop any number of other inappropriate actions and wasteful expenditures. Much of Washington, DC is an out-of-control cancer that must be cut out.
To be sure, there are Republican leaders who desperately want to change things but the entrenched, lobbyist-owned, career politicians–many of them liberals in conservative clothing–have neither the will, backbone, and perhaps not the intellect needed to change it. Radical surgery is necessary. Again, it is laughable to think that the leadership of this weak and diluted Republican Congress would be able or willing to stop the agenda of the libs once they enjoy an even greater momentum from another White House win. Someone please tell me why we should believe that. If the Republican Party has not sold us out, why did they spend $18.2 million on Bush's election in 2004, $53.5 million for McCain in 2008, $42.4 million for Romney in 2012, and $0 on ads to elect Trump?![3] They have sold us out.
It is also ridiculous, and perhaps insincere, for the "Never Trump" Republican leaders to suggest "we would only need to reverse 4-8 years of damage if Hillary is elected, which in the long run isn't much." Again, these leaders are either lying or horribly deceived. The damage presently occurring to our nation is—in the sense of time—exponential. Every year of damage means closer to 10 years in it's longevity.
• How long will it take America to reverse another $4-8 trillion of increased debt? Decades!
• How long will it take us to recover from the decimating of our military? Decades!
• How long will it take to defeat a now entrenched Obama/Clinton-enabled ISIS? Decades! (And honest military and intelligence leaders admit that we now have many radical Islamist terrorists here in the US, not just abroad.)
• How long will it take to undo the loss of appropriate fear, which our enemies, and the enemies of freedom around the world, once had toward us? Decades! (Our enemies now laugh at us, while attacking us with our own weapons, or weapons purchased with millions in ransom money we paid them. While Putin rebuilds the Soviet empire and China makes plans to rule the world, we are disarming. We can’t even identify our enemies. Obama and those around him are foolish and spineless, and our military leaders know it. We are the laughingstock of our enemies. Hillary helped to set this debacle of foreign policy, and she will continue it.)
• How long will it take to recover from 2–5 Clinton lifetime appointees to the Supreme Court? Decades! If she appoints five, which is feasible, she will have single-handedly appointed over half of the Supreme Court, and will have given the liberal, non-constitutionalists a 30-40 year, 7–2 majority advantage! (There is one vacancy now, and of the other 8 Justices, the three oldest are 77, 79 and 83; two more are in their late 60’s.) Then there are the several hundred lifetime Federal Judges she would appoint. Obama has already appointed nearly half of our Federal Judges—all liberals—and Hillary would appoint the other half. This entire scenario is unthinkable! If all this occurs, these overreaching, legislating ideologues will finish the job of decimating everything you and I stand for. America as we have known it may then be gone forever. We have less than three weeks to stop this.
Do not listen to the "only four years" crowd!
I also want to make an appeal to those who say their conscience won't allow them to vote for either Trump or Clinton, so they simply won't vote at all. I sincerely respect your convictions, but in this election, that argument fails the logic test (as does voting for someone who cannot possibly win). Trump’s potential negative developments do not come close to the magnitude of those Hillary would produce. We simply cannot—regardless of our concerns regarding Trump—allow all the above-mentioned consequences to happen. I respectfully appeal to you to turn your "conscience" and "principles" toward the unborn, your children, grandchildren, and the destiny of this nation. Please! We have already been down this “not voting” path once before when millions of evangelicals refused to vote for Romney because he was a Mormon. As disgusted as I am with Romney’s current choice of Hillary over Trump, how much better off would we have been with him, rather than 4 more years of Obama?
To see how Trump would actually lead, I would challenge you to look at those with whom he has surrounded himself: Pence; Carson; Huckabee; Giuliani; Christie; Gingrich; Palin; trusted generals; law enforcement officials; border patrol officials; evangelical leaders of all races; and otherwise, ethical, conservative leaders. What does this tell us? It is probably the greatest indicator of who Trump now is, clearly making the case that he has changed his moral ways over the past 10 years, as he claims. I personally believe he has changed. I also believe God has gripped his heart for the nation, and is in the process of further transforming Mr. Trump. God has certainly allowed him to be humbled. Of course, the statements made by Trump on the video released from 2005 were despicable. However, if we reject him because of the sins of his past, we would also have to reject Abraham, King David, Rahab, “the woman at the well”, Mary Magdeline—all adulterers in their unrighteous past. And don’t forget murderers like the Apostle Paul. A lot of formerly despicable people will be in heaven! And a lot of them, by the way, became great leaders and champions for God. Some changed the world.
These associations also tell us that Trump’s stated conservative bent is genuine, and they state that he is wise enough to know what he doesn't know! I believe Trump is showing us that he will function, if elected president, as any wise businessperson does: find qualified people who know how to get the job done, as in the above examples, and empower them to do it. I like those whom he is signaling to us would be those leaders. They are proven, trustworthy and honorable. If you cannot vote for Trump, vote for them.
Hillary, on the other hand, would give us 4–8 more years of polytheists, liberal progressives, media elites, police-haters, global statists, financially irresponsible leaders and a weak military.
Perhaps a better way for the disenchanted to approach this election is to vote AGAINST someone. I would suggest to you that voting against a candidate is a good reason to vote! "Neutrality" is not a valid option at this critical crossroads in history. The times demand that we make a stand! If not for, make your stand against:
• Vote against the foolish, selfish, shortsighted, establishment Republicans fighting to maintain their power.
• Vote against an immoral, ungodly Democratic Party. (To those who take issue with this characterization, don't forget that they booed God at their convention in 2012.)[4]
• Vote against an unelected, unaccountable, overreaching, out of control Judiciary that believes it has the right to reshape America.
• Vote against the unethical, biased, lying and untrustworthy media. (We will never reclaim America until we reject their influence. They may be the single greatest obstacle to America's recovery.)
• Vote against a weakened military.
• Vote against a loss of national sovereignty and a one-world government.
• Vote against open borders.
• Vote against policies that enable radical Islamist terrorism.
• Vote against the removing of our 2nd Amendment rights.
• Vote against higher taxes.
• Vote against Obamacare.
• Vote against the redefining of marriage. (It is not too late to reverse this.)
• Vote against abortion-on-demand, partial-birth abortion, and Planned Parenthood with its selling of babies' body parts.
• Vote against liberalism and progressivism.
• Vote against the silencing of the church. (Only the totally naïve do not see this coming quickly.)
• Vote against revising our history and the loss of our Judeo-Christian heritage.
• Vote against the politicization and exploitation of racism, and the polarizing of America.
• Vote against the slandering and weakening of law-enforcement.
• Vote against the politicization of the Justice Department, the FBI and other important departments of government. (Both departments are now undeniably and shamelessly used for political purposes and to oppose Christians and conservatives.)
Pastors, if you've ever made a stand, make one now—it may be your last chance. Tell your people the truth…clearly. Pray and fast! Turn your services into prayer meetings.
To all believers, if you agree with what I have written, forward it to all of your friends and family members. Most of them hear only from a hypocritical, lying media, which is now the propaganda arm of the liberal agenda. Speak up. Appeal to them to read this and think about it.
And vote!
Vote for a future, one that includes what you love and believe in. Trump has flaws, but Hillary will be fatal.
Sincerely,
Dutch Sheets
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