Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

I talked to a friend recently who is going through a fiery trial. Heartache beyond compare. At one stage her daughter came to her sobbing, “Mother, what shall we do?”

She told me: “I said, ‘We will rejoice in the Lord. We will pray without ceasing. We will give thanks in the storm. We will forgive and love in the face of rejection. We’ll do all that God wants us to do.’”

Every mother also has the unique honor of nurturing and developing the bit of divine greatness in her child . . . Yes, a good mother can reach beyond the sanctuary of her home and help
renew the face of earth.”

~ James Keller.

Isn’t it amazing how we go to Google to check out all the information we need to know? It is true, we can find out some amazing information through Google, but we have to be careful. Through experience, I have now found that to find the real truth, I cannot rely on the first URL links that come up. In fact, I must go way, way down the list to eventually find what is the real truth.

This is a good thing to remember. It’s the secret. Don’t rely on the first URL that comes up. Keep going down and down. Keep searching. Don’t take as gospel truth the first thing you read. All of social media is controlled by the liberals and therefore all liberal, brainwashing, propaganda is at the top. If you keep that in mind, you can keep searching for the truth.

For example, if you want to find out about Vaccines, you’ll find all the top links say that there are no risks with vaccines. ou’ll need to keep searching for the naked truth and the horrendous things that so many parents have experienced through vaccinating their precious children.

You want to find out about vasectomies? All the top articles will tell you that they are completely safe. You’ll have to really search to find the truth that they increase a man’s risk for prostate cancer and many other problems.

What about Fat Check and other liberal fat checkers? I think it is important to check the Fat Checkers because they are protecting the liberal agenda. They will say something is not true, and we are meant to believe them. We must search for the facts to find out what we believe.

If you want to read about masks, the first thing you’ll read is that they are necessary to stop the virus. But if you keep searching, you will find much more scientific information to show they do not stop the spread of the virus and are harmful in many other ways. We need discernment regarding what we will believe.

For example, I read how many noticed a wire showing on Joe Biden’s shirt during the debate and then pictures to prove it. Fortunately, I saved one of those pictures. However, if you look up Fact Checker and any other similar sites you will read that they say No, it wasn’t true. They don’t give evidence but just say No and we are meant to believe it.

If you search the Internet, you can no longer find any picture that shows he wore a wire and the strange thing peeking out from his sleeve. They have all been taken down like every Youtube, video, or message about what is really going on behind the scenes. They are taking down immediately.

Above is the picture. I don’t know the truth, but Fact Check says that what looks like a wire on his shirt is actually a crease in the shirt. Look closely and see what you think. They say that the thing poking out of his shirt sleeve is part of the rosary beads that he wears on his wrist. But I thought that the rosary beads would go around the wrist, not poke out in this way. Interesting!

Anyway, the moral of the story is that we should not believe every link we first see on the Internet. We must look at who wrote it. What is their agenda? And we must keep searching for truth.

And we must teach our children to not believe the first thing they read. We must teach them how to search for truth. We must teach them how to discern! True discernment only comes from God and His living, infallible Word. We must return to God and to His Word. We must fill ourselves and our children with His Word. When we have His truth filling our minds and hearts we will have true discernment.

Malachi 3:18 says: “Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.”

Let’s be truth-searchers,

Nancy Campbell

Some ministers of the Gospel think it doesn’t matter who gets into government in this next election because God is in control.

Yes, God is in control, but I believe it does matter. God wants His people to be involved in the matters of life and government. Why would the Bible exhort us to pray for all those who are in authority that we “may lead a quiet and peaceable life” if it doesn’t matter? We wouldn’t need to bother.

Of course it matters because God wants us to live peaceful lives. Let’s read the Scripture, shall we? “I exhort therefore, that, FIRST OF ALL, 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. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Is this the FIRST thing yo do when you come to church>

If the left comes to power in this next election we will not live “peaceable lives.” This nation will immediately move into extreme socialism and then communism. Christian persecution will arise instantly. Even now they want to stop churches, stop people singing in church, and arrest people singing hymns in public when our constitution (the highest authority in the land) gives us this freedom. Imagine what it will be like when they have full power to execute their leftist agenda. The preaching of the gospel will be curbed. But God wants us to pray for a government that will bring peace and freedom for “all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

Of course it matters! What about the precious babies being murdered in the womb? This nation already stands guilty for the murder of 63 million babies. What will it be like when there is no curb on their agenda to eliminate life and kill babies right up to birth, and even after birth if they have been designated for abortion? It is horrific to think about. As God’s set-apart people we have a responsibility to work, to pray, and to vote against this horrendous evil. And all the other anti-God, anti-family, anti-marriage agendas of the left.

We see a counterpart in the Old Testament. God told the Israelites to pray for the cities where they lived, even while in captivity! Why? For the same reason — that they may have peace. Jeremiah 29:7 says: “Seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof ye shall have peace.” The word peace is “shalom” and the root word of shalom is “shalam” which means “to be safe.” Isn’t that what we want? This is what God wants for us too.

The NLT and NET translations say: “Work for the peace and prosperity of the city.” We don’t wait to see what happens. We must work for the peace. We must get involved. We must “pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

Did you get that? Your welfare and the welfare of your children and children’s children is bound up in the welfare of what happens in the nation! Therefore, as parents, we must work and pray for the right government (that one whose agenda the closest to God’s ways) to come into power.

This is why I am so concerned. This is why we cry out to God daily. I am not only thinking of now. I am not only thinking of the kind of country I want to live in. I am burdened for my children’s children and their children.

Do you think about the future generations? We have a responsibility to do all we can for them to live peaceable lives. I don’t want my future generations living in a situation that Venezuelans now live in. Or China where there is another wave of intense persecution of Christians.

Of course it matters. Why would God tell us He would “heal our land” if we “humble ourselves, and pray, and seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways” (2 Chronicles 7:14)? He wants our land to be healed but we must do our part.

Why would God promise us that He will not send His judgment if we turn from our wicked ways? Jeremiah 18;8 (NLT) says: “If I announce that a certain nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed, but then that nation RENOUNCES ITS EVIL WAYS, I will not destroy it as I had planned.”

We have it our hands to turn God’s hand back from judgment if we do what He requires of us. Judgment, heartache, and persecution will come to the people of God if this extreme socialist government is voted in. But God has promised He will turn from His judgment if we repent, pray, and turn from wickedness.

When we turn back to God, He puts the power within our hands to turn His hand of judgment. What a powerful thing. We can determine the kind of country we want. And it does matter who we vote for.

Blessings to you today,

Nancy Campbell

Today he said, “”Let’s come up higher today—a higher place of joy, a higher place of hope and faith, a higher place of victory.”

How true. We don’t have to live in the basement of doubt and gloom and despair. Unless you want to. You have the option! But who wants to live in the pits? You can come up higher. You don’t have to live by what’s happening in your life or by your feelings. Jesus Christ not only died for you to save you from your sins, but He comes to indwell you by the power of the Holy Spirit to deliver you from sin and despair and from this present evil world (Galatians 1:4).

You can live in joy, above your circumstances, because Christ who is Joy lives in you.

You can live in rest, above the turmoil of life, because Christ who is Rest dwells within you.

You can live in victory, above your doubts and feelings of failure and worthlessness, because Christ, the Overcomer dwells in you.

Come up higher in your home today, dear mother. In the midst of your little children and all you have to do, you can live on the higher plane. Live in the realm that Jesus died to give to you. Take hold of His life that is in you and part of you.

Live the higher life.

Love from Nancy Campbell

P.S. Here are the words to the hymn if you don’t know it.
I'm pressing on the upward way,
New heights I'm gaining every day;
Still praying as I'm onward bound,
"Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."

CHORUS:
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith, on Heaven's tableland,
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where those abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

I want to live above the world,
Though Satan's darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.

I want to scale the utmost height
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I'll pray till heav'n I've found,
"Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."

How can we live in continual rest? God commanded the people that they must not bring any burdens through the gates of the city on the day of rest. The word for burdens is “masa” and depicts the packs upon the backs of the donkeys or camels. It can even mean an utterance, especially of doom.

If you want to live in the rest of Christ, you must leave your burdens at the gate of your heart. Yes, many trials, heartaches, and burdens come your way. But you must not lift them up and carry them through the gate of your heart and mind. Leave them outside! God is able to bear the burden that you cannot bear. Don’t bring self-pity, depressions, constant worrying, and tensions inside your heart.

God continued His message: “If ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day . . . Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David . . . “ (verses 24, 25).

There can only be one king on the throne of your heart. It is either King Jesus or your burden which you make king. When you choose to bring burdens into your soul, they become king! They rule your thought life and everything else. When Jesus reigns as King in your heart, you will live in rest. When you make your burdens preeminent, you live in tension nod stress.

Who is king in your life today? Jesus Christ who is your Rest, or your problems and worries?

Live in rest today,

Nancy Campbell

I am feeling very sad and burdened. When I posted the message about listening to THE RETURN, the National and Global Day of Prayer and Repentance, I thought it would be such a blessing for all those who were not able to attend.

Instead, there was an onslaught of negativity. It so saddened my heart. This was not a day for holding up theological doctrines. It was a day to repent and confess the sins of this nation. The message given by Jonathan Cahn was a message from God’s Word about repentance, salvation, and lifting up Jesus the Messiah as the only answer. It was a cry to repent of the national sins of abortion, same-sex marriage, transgenderism, and so on. It was a kingdom message.

Dear fellow believers, we may not all agree theologically. And not every spokesman for God is perfect in everything he says. Help. Who is perfect? We are only human. I can’t think of how many things I wished I had never said. I was wrong in many of my beliefs and over the years God has changed me and enlightened me. We are all in a process of growth by the power of the Holy Spirit.

But one thing we can all agree on is that this nation deserves God’s judgment. We have sinned more than Sodom and Gomorrah. We have murdered 63 million babies in the womb. We have changed God’s infallible law He established at creation of marriage between one man and one woman. Our Supreme Court has defied God! We could go on and on. This is not a time for theology debate or saying who is a false prophet or who is not.

This is a time for all of us to repent for the sins of this nation. It’s a time to cry out together for the mercy of God as thousands and thousands did on Saturday. For those of us who could not attend, we have the privilege of joining them in our homes. We must continue joining in the spirit of this sacred occasion as we gather our families together and GET DOWN ON OUR KNEES and intercede before God every morning and evening for God to save our nation. Please forget all these other petty things. They will only hold back the move of God that we long for.

As Jonathan Cahn said himself: “This is not a rally, it’s not a seminar, it’s a SACRED ASSEMBLY.” And it was. All day long, godly men and women, from rose to the microphone to repent of national sins and cry out to God for revival. Thank you, Lord, for this great happening. Thank you Lord, for the thousands and thousands who came to pray and march for life and for God’s mercy on this nation.

Can I plead with you, dearest friends, please put aside all your own ideas of what you think is theologically right. Let’s get with the bigger picture. This nation is at the crossroads. If we don’t repent. If we don’t turn back to God—to life, to righteousness, to family, and to prayer, we can only expect judgment.

But if we humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, AND TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS, then God will hear from Heaven, and will forgive our sin and HEAL OUR LAND! 2 Chronicles 7:14 was the theme of this sacred assembly. Please don’t get in the way of this.

And do you notice that God doesn’t say that if we get all our theological doctrines correct that He will heal our land? No, He says if we will seek His face and PRAY.

Let’s walk with soft and repentant hearts and commit ourselves and our families to praying and crying out to God every day. Not just quick prayers. But down on our knees interceding before God.

This is all I long for. I long for revival. I long for God’s people to turn back to Him. I long for this nation to be saved. I long for abortion to be stopped. These things don’t come theologically, they came through prayer.

Let’s keep praying,

Nancy Campbell

I read again the words of Jesus this morning in John 10:3-5: “The sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.”

What powerful words. We must certainly get to know the voice of Jesus and discern the voice of strangers, for WE WILL NOT LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF STRANGERS! That means all that is foreign to God, His truth, and His word.

What a powerful mandate we have from God to teach our precious children to hear the voice of God and to discern the voices of strangers. We are most careful to teach our children to never listen to a stranger on the street or go with a stranger. But are we teaching them to NEVER LISTEN TO THE VOICES OF STRANGERS IN THEIR EARS?

The voices of humanism, feminism, equalism, agnosticism, same-sexism, transgenderism, and atheism, etc. are all around in our society. Thye are strangers to God’s truth. And let’s get the message again. Jesus said that His sheep will NEVER LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF STRANGERS. They will run from them.

When we put our children in public school, we sit them down to listen to the voice of strangers, not because the teacher maybe a stranger, but the ideologies of our current school system are anti-God ideologies. They advocate alternative lifestyles rather than biblical, evolution rather than creation, abortion rather than life, and anarchy rather than patriotism, etc. Many of the young people who have been rioting and destroying with Antifa and Black Lives Matter are victims of our high school and college brainwashing.

Psalm 1:1, 2 states: “Blessed is the man that walks NOT in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the Law of the LORD.”

Do your children hear the words of Jesus each day? Are you filling them with the truth of God’s word? Or are they being filled with strange voices from public school or from their iPhones and social media in their own homes?

We must teach our children to RUN FROM the voice of strangers. This is a huge part of your parenting.

Be filled with courage today,

Nancy Campbell

We face this principle every day as wives and mothers. Constantly we choose whether we will demand our own way, do what pleases us, or lay down our life for our husband, our children, and sacrifice our own selfish desires.

Sometimes this is a battle. We need to be constantly reminded of Psalm 118:27: “Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.” We willingly lay our life upon the altar as we feel the moving of the Holy Spirit in our lives. But then we get back to the challenges of daily life and mothering and off the altar we jump!

We need His cords to bind us. What are the cords? God says in Hosea 11:4: “I drew them with cords of compassion, with bands of love.” He says again in Jeremiah 31:3 “Yes, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

Because Christ now dwells in our hearts (if we have been born again), we no longer live to ourselves, “but unto him which died and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:14). This lifestyle of dying daily to our own selfish desires does not ruin our lives. Instead, it releases us into the joyful life of serving and sacrifice. This is the life of Christ that resides in us and the example He gave us to follow (Mark 8:35).

I read about a mission board that had an ox for its seal. On one side of the ox was an altar, on the other side a plough. Their motto was “Ready for either.” There are millions of Christians being martyred for their faith today (more than at any other time). They are literally dying upon the altar. Others (like you and me) become a living sacrifice as we take up the plough of the daily grind of life. Not doing it grudgingly, but with joy and exhilaration.

May God save us from being jumping jacks--jumping off the altar as soon as anything becomes too difficult, looms bigger than we can imagine, or does not work out the way we planned. Instead may it become our lifestyle to be bound with joy to the altar. This is the least we can do in response to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ for us.

Love from Nancy Campbell

Painting by Edna Hibel

People say they will do something but don’t keep to their word. People inform a host they are coming to a function but never turn up (not even a call to inform them of the reason).

We all need reminding to keep to our word, don’t we? But we must also be faithful to impart this character into our children’s lives—and not let them get away with it. It should be a habit of their lives.

The Bible speaks about it in Psalm 15. The psalm begins with the question of who can enter into God’s presence and then gives give ten character qualities. One of them is: “He that sweareth to his own hurt, and CHANGETH NOT.”

Most translations say: “who keeps his word whatever the cost.”

The New Living Translation says: “who keep their promises even when it hurts.”

The Moffat says: “He keeps his oath, though he may lose by it.”

I believe it is important to always keep to our first commitment. Sometimes we commit our selves to something and then something far more exciting or enjoyable comes up that coincides with our first appointment. It’s very tempting to choose the second, but that’s not keeping to our word

I remember one time I committed myself to speak at a Ladies Seminar in California. They said it was only going to be small, about 12 – 15 ladies, but they desperately needed me to come. So I gave my word.

But then I received an invitation to speak at a big family conference on the same weekend where there would be thousands attending. I was very tempted to change my commitment thinking that it would be far more beneficial to get the word out to so many more people. But my faithful husband was right there to remind me: “No, Nancy, you have already given your word. You cannot change.” And so I kept to my word because it was the right thing to do.

Let’s teach this important principle to our children, even when it seems like a sacrifice to do it. Doing what is right, even when it is hard, works character in our lives.

Many blessings to you and your family today,

Nancy Campbell

The challenge to us is that if we do not work to guard our home and family, the devil will outdo us with his works. If mothers would rather work outside their home than in their home, they give room for the devil to work in their home behind their backs! This is one of the reasons the devil woos women out of the home. He can then get his hands upon the minds and hearts of our precious children.

If mothers are not protecting, guiding, teaching, and nurturing their children in the home, who is? Who is that person? Are they godly? Are they righteous? Are they anointed from God for the task? Are they teaching our children the truth?

We must work to keep our home a place of love, joy, delight, and holiness—and truth! It takes work to keep deception out of your home. The enemy always looks for a foothold where he can get in.

Keep working dear mother. Don’t let up. Don’t let the devil work havoc in your marriage or your children while you are busy with other things.

One of the greatest ways we destroy the “works of the devil” is through the work of fervent prayer. How much are you praying for your children? Your home? Future generations?

Keep the devil at bay from your marriage and home.

Be blessed today,

Nancy Campbell

Painting: “A Mother’s Joy” by Bessie Pease Gutmann

Or maybe you have a different line?
“Grumbling and groaning
All the day long.”

It’s easy to get into a grumbling mode, isn’t it? But this not only makes your husband and children miserable. It makes you miserable too! Groaning and self-pity and the worst things we can do to ourselves. They bring us down to despair. They make us look ugly. And we are no good to anyone! Why do we bother doing it?

Or perhaps you have another line?
“Frowning and fuming
All the day long”

Once again, these negative attitudes are easy to fall into. Mother, your children look at you all day long? What do they see? A frowning and downcast mother? Or a smiling mother? Your children will become what they see in your face?

Let them see a smiling happy face. You may not feel like smiling, but that’s not the point. You don’t live by your feelings. That’s a terrible way to live. Feelings comeand feelings go, but they are not the real truth. Instead, by faith, put on a smile. Look at your children and smile at them. You’ll be amazed how your attitude catches up with your face. And you won’t believe the difference it makes to the atmosphere of your home.

Are you upset about something and fuming inside? Forget it. You are only destroying yourself and everyone around you. Give your problem to the Lord and look to Him. He is BIGGER than any problem you face.

Has someone said something unkind and untrue about you? Don’t worry. It’s not the end of the world. Forget thinking about yourself all the time. Bless and pray for the person. Instead of stewing over it, bless them instead!

You’ll soon be praising your Savior all the day long again!

Have the greatest day of your life,

Nancy Campbell

Oh dear ladies, this is not the way God intended us to live. It’s the devil’s way. God intends us to interact with one another. To smile at people. Give a kind word where we can.

Those of us who are believers should be revealing the image of God wherever we go. That’s God intention for us. We are God’s letter to the world, “known and read of all men” (2 Corinthians 3:2). And how do we reveal His image? Through our faces. Of course the devil knows this and he’s making sure it doesn’t happen. And you can just feel the depression.

We cannot go on living like this. And the interesting thing is that we don’t have to. The only reason that governors and mayors and businesses can do this is because the majority are caving into their tyranny. Total submission.

I can’t believe it. For so long submission has been a dirty word. There are many Christian wives who don’t like submitting to their husbands. They are all in for egalitarian marriages. But the mask comes along, and they willingly submit! I simply can’t believe it!

Now I know I’ll get feedback from the people who say I’m not caring about others. Oh please, that’s one of their great brainwashing slogans. If I was sick, or coughing germs, I would not go out. I wouldn’t think of spreading my germs over anyone. But I am not sick. I am healthy. I don’t have a thing wrong with me. I diligently and daily boost my immune system and I have the Spirit of God living in me who raised Jesus Christ form the dead! Read Romans 8:11.

And I didn’t notice anyone who was sick in the shops I entered. Well, if they were, they should not have been there. They should stay at home because masks don’t stop the virus. The size of most cloth coverings range from 20 – 100 microns whereas the virus is 200 and up to 1,000 times smaller at 0.1 microns! The mask is a fraud.

More people die of the seasonal flu each than have died of this virus (except for those with one, two, or even three other medical issues).

Don’t you think we should be living how God wants us to live? Breathing freely. Enjoying the sunshine. Smiling at one another. Bringing happiness and hope wherever we go instead of gloom and despair. Revealing the image of God through our radiant faces.

Love to you all,

Nancy Campbell

I think the Prayer Sticks are a wonderful idea. Jennifer also sent her list of subjects which I’ll post in the next post. If you would like to do this too, you could print out this list.

Be blessed from Nancy Campbell