Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

According to "Open Doors," who reach out to persecuted Christians worldwide, "The year 2014 will go down in history for having the highest level of global persecution of Christians in the modern era." They expect that the worst is yet to come.

Dear families, can I again encourage you to pray for the persecuted believers around the world? While we enjoy our "cushy" lives here in the West, hundreds of thousands of Christians are being imprisoned and tortured for their faith. In the midst of all our busy activities we must not forget them. That's why I wrote about the idea of having PRAYER CARDS in the latest issue of Above Rubies. We find this a great help to us as we pray for the persecuted believers. We have prayer cards for what is happening in the different countries so we don't forget to pray for them as we gather for Family Devotions each morning and evening

There are 50 countries that are listed as persecuting countries. The top 10 in order of extreme persecution are North Korea, Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan, Iran, Pakistan, Eritrea, and Nigeria.

It's hard to believe what is going on in North Korea. I pray that as you read the following link that you will be encouraged to gather your family daily to pray for these precious people. Hebrews 13:3 (NLT) says, "Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies."

~ Nancy Campbell

Go to: http://www.christianpost.com/news/north-korea-appears-to-be-starving-mass-killing-prison-inmates-130806/

Yesterday's post was about how easy it is to be distracted. In order to counteract this we must get into the habit of becoming disciplined and focused. How can we FOCUS? I'll share an acrostic with you, and as I do, I'll point three fingers back at me!

F FOLLOW the Lord closely. Don't lag behind where you are too far away to hear His voice. When distractions get in between you and the Lord, be ruthless and shove them out of the way. What are the things that you have allowed to come in that have dimmed His voice. Are you a Facebook time-waster? Blogaholic? Movie-addicted? Whatever . . . Take stock and discipline your time. Stipulate what time you allow yourself to use your electronics. Read Numbers 14:24; Psalm 63:8; and Philippians 3:12.

O OPEN your heart to the Holy Spirit instead of all the media and technology all around you (James 4:8). Open your heart to God's Word, which means you have to discipline yourself to read it.

C CALL upon the Lord to help you (Romans 10:13). You can't do it in your own strength.

U UNDERSTAND your calling (Ephesians 5:17). If God has blessed you with children, motherhood is your highest calling. The devil will tempt you to get involved with so many extra "good" things, but they will weaken your power and influence as a mother.

S SIMPLIFY your life. The more stuff you have the more it fills up your life, and the more work it takes to look after it all. Get rid of everything you don't need (more fingers pointing back at me!). My daughter, Evangeline, loves to say: "I'm not wasting my time running around after stuff; I'm using my time for God and my children." But it's not only material stuff we have to throw out. It's all the time-wasting hours we spend on so many other things. Knock off some things you are involved in. Go out less. Focus on the important. Eliminate the less important. Discipline your life. Read Proverbs 25:28; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Philippians 3:13, 14; and Titus 2:12.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

Mankind has always faced distractions because distractions are mainly in our heart and mind. However, I am sure we would admit that there has never been a time when there is so much around us to distract our minds and attention. This electronic age is a temptation to us and to our children. I notice young people who can hardly focus on looking you in the eye and talking to you because they are constantly looking down at their IPhone to check messages.

How are we relating? We are either disciplined or distracted. We are either focused or fragmented. Firstly in our relationship with the Lord. I am inherently a disciplined person, but I have to confess that I am also tempted. It is convenient to have God's Word on our IPads or IPhone, but it can be a distraction. There are times when I may think, "I'll just check my Facebook before I read the Word" and lo and behold I have wasted much valuable time when I could have been doing the most important--listening to God speak to me through His living and powerful Word. I find it less tempting to use my Bible!

And what about the most important career God has given to us of motherhood? Satan is a pro at keeping us distracted from our highest calling. There are so many things we can get involved in outside the home even if we are a stay-at-home mother. We have the Internet, organizations, and people pulling at us from every direction. And most of these things that compete for our time are good or we wouldn't even contemplate them. But they distract us from the most important.

Another thing we have to watch is being caught up with the present circumstances rather than keeping our eyes on the long-term goal. Oh yes, as a mother we have to attend to interruptions that continually happen throughout the day, but we still must watch that we don't allow something that looms up in front of us to take us away from our calling. Keep your eyes on the goal. Keep your eyes on eternity (2 Corinthians 4:18 and Philippians 3:13, 14).

Will you be distracted today or disciplined? Will you be focused or fragmented by everything that pulls at you?

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

Yesterday we talked about being VALIANT for the truth. Actually, I have found 31 ways God wants us to respond to the truth. There are 31 days in the month so you can take one for every day of the month. Print it out and pin it up on your wall to inspire your whole family. Take hold of one each day and apply it to your lives:

WOMEN OF TRUTH

Our God is a God of Truth. He lives in truth and all His words are truth. Because He lives in us, our lives should also testify to the truth. Truth should be in every fiber of our being.

1. I will choose the way of truth (Psalm 119:30).
2. I will hear the truth (Matthew 7:24, 25; Ephesians 1:13).
3. I will walk in the truth (2 John 4; 3 John 3, 4).
4. I will love the truth (Zechariah 8:19).
5. I will obey the truth (Galatians 3:1; 5:7 and1 Peter 1:22).
6. I will believe the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13).
7. I will know the truth (1 Timothy 4:3; 2 John 1).
8. I will understand the truth (Daniel 9:13).
9. I will rejoice in the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6).
10. I will serve the Lord with truth (1 Samuel 12:24).
11. I will lean upon the Lord in truth (Isaiah 10:20).
12. I will love in deed and truth (1 John 3:18, 19).
13. I will think on the truth (Philippians 4:8).
14. I will buy the truth and sell it not (Proverbs 23:23).
15. I will speak the truth (1 Kings 17:24; Psalm 15:2; Proverbs 8:7; 12:17; Ecclesiastes 12:10; Zechariah 8:16; 2 Corinthians 6:4, 7; 7:14; Ephesians 4:14, 25; and 1 Timothy 2:7).
16. I will buckle the belt of truth around my waist (Ephesians 6:14).
17. I will bind the truth around my neck (Proverbs 3:3).
18. I will write truth upon the table of my heart (Proverbs 3:3).
19. I will manifest the truth (2 Corinthians 4:2).
20. I will acknowledge the truth (Titus 1:1).
21. I will seek the truth (Jeremiah 5:1).
22. I will show the strictest regard for truth (Titus 2:7, 8).
23. I will display the truth as a banner (Psalm 60:4).
24. I will worship God in truth (John 4:24).
25. I will live in the truth (3 John 3 [AMP]).
26. I will be sanctified through the truth (John 17:17, 19).
27. I will be established in the truth (2 Peter 1:12).
28. I will be valiant for the truth (Jeremiah 9:3).
29. I will rightly divide the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).
30. I will plead for the truth (Isaiah 59:4).
31. I will bear witness to the truth (John 5:33).

One of the Scriptures in our Bible reading at Family Devotions this morning was Jeremiah 9:3 (if you use THE DAILY LIGHT as we do, you would have read the same Scripture). It talks about being VALIANT for the truth. We commented that this is not a word that is used very much these days. Maybe because there are not so many valiant people around. We are more prone to be wimpy, pampering to the flesh, doing what feels good rather than disciplining our lives, and giving in to the status quo rather contending for truth. The NLT says: "They refuse to stand up for the truth." And Isaiah 59:14,15 tells us that truth has fallen and failed!

I think we need a revival of being VALIANT for the truth, don't you? How can this happen? It starts with each one of us individually, and then as a family. We dare not compromise regarding truth. With each little compromise we become weaker in the faith. Each time we stand up for the truth we become stronger in our inner man.

I believe it is important to confess the truth. When you speak it out, the truth becomes cemented in your soul. The more you speak it out, them more it becomes part of you. And the more it becomes part of you, the less you will be intimidated by what others say and think. Lies and deception will run off you like water off a duck's back. However, when you stay silent, you are in danger of being influenced by deception. You become insipid and you are no longer the salt in the earth.

Come on, ladies, no more sickly silence. Let's be VALIANT women for the truth, and lets raise children who are valiant for the truth.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

Truth never dies. The ages come and go.
The mountains wear away, the stars retire.
Destruction lays earth’s mighty cities low;
And empires, states and dynasties expire;
But caught and handed onward by the wise,
Truth never dies.

Though unreceived and scoffed at through the years;
Though made the butt of ridicule and jest;
Though held aloft for mockery and jeers,
Denied by those of transient power possessed,
Insulted by the insolence of lies,
Truth never dies.

It answers not. It does not take offense,
But with a mighty silence bides its time;
As some great cliff that braves the elements
And lifts through all the storms its head sublime,
It ever stands, uplifted by the wise;
And never dies.

As rests the Sphinx amid Egyptian sands;
As looms on high the snowy peak and crest;
As firm and patient as Gibraltar stands,
So truth, unwearied, waits the era blest
When men shall turn to it with great surprise.
Truth never dies.

~ Sam Jones

Does everything seem to be going wrong? Take heart. It won't ever be perfect, but as you continue to be faithful to your daily mothering (during the hard times and the good times), there will come a day when you will look back and see the beautiful song God has created in your family.

Love from NANCY

In Titus 1:1 Paul shares that he is a servant of God according to the "acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness." The word "acknowledging" means far more than having a knowledge of the truth. It speaks of truth that powerfully influences our day-to-day lives. That's what we want, isn't it?

It is knowledge that produces the fruit of godliness in our lives (2 Peter 1:2-8). It is knowledge that keeps us from the pollutions of this world (2 Peter 2:20). It is knowledge that releases us into God's perfect will (Ephesians 1:17-19). It is knowledge that causes us to mature and grow into the image of Christ (Ephesians 4:13-15). It is knowledge that causes us to walk worthy of the Lord and to do that which is pleasing in His sight (Colossians 1:9-12).

Ask God to work His truth into your life so that it doesn't stay in the Bible on our shelf, or even in your head, but works its way out through your hands and feet, through your words, and through your smiles. Ask God to work His truth into the lives of your children. This sure takes a lot of prayer, doesn't it? But this is what God wants. He wants His Word to not only be in their heads, but in their mouths and lives.

Isaiah 59:21 (HCSB) says, "'As for Me, this is My covenant with them,' says the Lord: 'My Spirit who is on you, and My words that I have put in your mouth, will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouth of your children, or from the mouth of your children's children, from now on and forever,' says the Lord."

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

"I'm a servant of the King of kings." I'm sure each one of us want this testimony. It sounds important, doesn't it? Paul addressed himself as "Paul, a servant of God" (Titus 1:1). But what does this word "servant" actually mean? The word is "doulos" and means "a bond slave, one who is in a permanent relation of servitude to another, one whose will is altogether consumed in the will of the other." Wow! This gets to the nitty-gritty. I wonder if I truly am a bond slave of God after all?

A bond slave is always ready to obey the will of his master. He/she doesn't rebel or react, but delights to do the Master's will. And if we are truly a servant of God, it will start right in our home. It's easy to be a servant of God while singing in the choir, leading a Bible Study, or going on a mission trip. It's not quite so easy when you are serving your husband instead of yourself and serving as a mother in the home. But this is the reality. When we delight to serve our husband; when we delight to lay down our lives as a mother to serve our family and build a home for God's glory, we are serving God.

Is this the attitude we have to all the work and constant interruptions and challenges we face in our home each day? Is our response, "I delight to do thy will, O my God" (Psalm 40:8)?

A servant does his duty, but there is a higher level. Jesus said, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them he it is that loveth me, and He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him."

Rather than being duty slaves, let's be love slaves in our home.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

Monique Levesque-Strachan shared this lovely testimony with me about their New Year's Eve gathering. I'm looking forward to lots of great feedback:

"Eleven years ago I became a new momma to a beautiful little girl. I am so amazed by the journey God has lead us on, and so humbled by the beautiful, imaginative, precious six children He has now entrusted to me. By faith, we received each of our little blessings with love, and eventually started to home educate them. After eleven years, the fruit of following the call to embrace children is starting to shine through.

Dear Mother,

There is no one who can take your place as a mother. Other people can take your place in positions outside the home, but never your place in the home.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

Do you remember reading about Asaph in the Bible? He was in charge of the music and was the lead worship singer and cymbalist in the reigns of David and Solomon. Heman and Jeduthun and all their families were also involved. In 1 Chronicles 16:37 it tells us that they were "to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required." 2 Chronicles 8:14 tells us that it was their duty of every day.

As the priests performed the daily sacrifice every morning and evening, the singers and musicians praised and worshipped the Lord. It was their duty, but it was also their joy and privilege. These things all happened as an example and type for us today (1 Corinthians 10:11). It is our privilege to worship our great God, the Potentate, King of the universe. And yet it is also our duty for He is worthy of our praise.

Is this part of your every day's work in your home too? As we come together as a family morning and evening to pray, read the Word, and worship, I always feel that it is the very least that we can give to God. How small are these two times a day in comparison with the rest of the day and all that we do? Isn't our God worthy of our morning and evening sacrifice of praise the worship?

Let's not hold back the worship due to the great I AM, the Everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth and each one of us. Anything less and we are not doing our duty before God.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

I have never been one to make New Year's resolutions. I just keep plodding on from one year to the next. I know my purpose and it doesn't change from year to year. Of course, it often changes in the way I implement it, but the vision is the same:

To know God in a more intimate way,
To receive more understanding and revelation from His Word, and
To reveal and publish His truth in whatever way I can.

The above is not only my vision, but my greatest longing. I am sure this is also the longing of each one of you mothers--to make Christ known to your children, and then to all you meet. There is no higher calling than this, is there? But we cannot make Him known to our children unless we know Him first. It's not enough to know about Him; we must know more and more of Him. We will find more and more of Him in His presence and in His Word.

It's when we know Him that we can trust Him. It's when we know Him that we can endure whatever challenges we may face in the coming year. We hear conflicting information. I am sure you receive emails and information telling you that USA is in for a huge financial recession. That could happen, I don't know. Then again, George Friedman, a leader in the field of global intelligence states that the United States "grew at a rate of five percent in the third quarter of 2014" whereas Europe, China, and Japan have no growth.

Things could better, or they could get worse. Whatever is ahead, we must seek to live close to the Lord and to truly know Him. When things are difficult, we run to the Lord. When life is easy and affluent, we can often forget Him. I think that prosperity is a greater challenge than adversity. Whatever situation we face, let's press in to know God. Let's take our families with us pressing in to know God.

Good times or bad times, we will not be moved, for we know our God.

May each one of us come to know God in a greater way in this coming year.

Love from Nancy Campbell

It's easy to get lazy about teaching our children God's words, isn't it? Life becomes so full and busy that it goes by the wayside. Some parents are quite content to make sure their children go to Sunday school once a week, but do not feel the responsibility to daily teach their children God's words at home.

What attitude does God want us to have? Deuteronomy 32:46-47 says: "Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall COMMAND YOUR CHILDREN to observe to do, all the words of this law. For it is not a vain thing for you; BECAUSE IT IS YOUR LIFE."

These are strong words, aren't they? God wants us to command our children to walk in them. He wants us to teach our children in such a way that they will not only know His words, but they will become their life.

God looked with favor upon Abraham because of how he trained his household. Genesis 18:19 says: "For I know him, that he will COMMAND HIS CHILDREN and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment."

Do you think this word "command" (which is used over and over again in God's word) is too strong? Well, you could use another word. The Hebrew word is also translated "charge," but I think that's just as strong, don't you? Obviously, God wants parents to take this seriously. The challenge is: What are we doing about it?

Isaiah 59:21 says: "As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and forever." Not only do we have to get God's word into the hearts of our children, but into their mouths. And we have to make sure it passes on from one generation to the next.

Instead of being passive and preoccupied with so many things, lets become passionate about passing on God's words to our children.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

Recently the Billy Graham Association published some astounding statistics:

Apparently 7 million people google for answers about loneliness.
22 million Americans ages 12 and older abuse or are addicted to drugs and alcohol.
21 million Americans struggle with depression.
30,000 commit suicide each year.
An estimated 40 million people in the US are trapped or crippled by fear.

This is not the plan God intended for mankind. The devil delights in it for he is the one who comes to "steal, kill, and destroy" (John 10:10). He seeks to rob us of God's plan which is family. God's plan is for every person to live in a loving, stable, God-fearing family.

With so much unfaithfulness in marriage, so many single mothers, so many living on their own, more and more people choosing alternative life styles, and so many choosing their own way instead of God's way, we are reaping the devastating havoc in society.

The greatest need of this nation is strong, healthy, intact families. The greatest thing you can do as a mother is to strengthen your own family. Build your family life. Don't get involved in too many things outside your home. You will become flustered, frazzled, and the family will become fragmented. Instead, think of ideas to gather the family together. Think of things to do that will strengthen your family. Daily gather around your family meal table for your meals.

As you strengthen and build up your family, also seek to encourage and bless other families.

Let's be an answer to this nation's greatest need.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

When God was looking for a king to rule over His people Israel, what did He look for? He looked for a "man after his own heart" (1 Samuel 12:14). When Samuel the priest beheld each of the seven sons of Jesse, he was tempted to think that each one of them could be the new king of Israel, because of their height and good looks. But God rebuked Samuel, "Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart" (1 Samuel 16: 7).

Interestingly, David was not an ordinary looking young man. He was very handsome and had beautiful sparkling eyes (1 Samuel 16:12). In fact, there is more written about David's good looks than any other man in the Bible. But that's not what God was looking at. He was looking at the heart.

As parents, do we see things the same way God sees them? Sometimes we can get caught up with the outward appearance. How can I prepare my children to be great in this world? Where can they get the best education? We can spend a lot more time developing the intellects of our children and even their physical bodies (carting them around to their various sports). I'm not saying these things are unimportant, but we need to challenge ourselves as to whether we are spending as much time (and actually it should be a WHOLE LOT MORE time) in ministering to the hearts of our children.

Of course, we cannot change their hearts. It is only the power of the Holy Spirit working in them. But we can provide the tools for God to move by spending time in prayer for each of our children, daily filling them with the principles of God's Word, and seeking God's wisdom to adjust their heart attitudes. This should be our consuming passion.

When david was eventually brought from way out in the fields where he was tending the sheep, God said to Samuel, "Arise, anoint him, for THIS IS HE" (1 Samuel 16:12). This is the one. This is one who has a heart like my heart. This is the one I can use. This is the one I can trust to lead and care for my nation (Psalm 78:70-72).

Are we preparing children to fit into this world's system or are we preparing children who have hearts after God and hearts like God's heart? Will He be able to say of our children, "This is the one."?

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

As my husband and I were praying for each one of our family (as we do each day) and for people facing great trials, my husband prayed, "May they run to the Tower." I love that. May we be those who run to the Tower. Not one of us are exempt from facing trials, heartaches, and challenges. If we are not at this moment, we are sure to face them in this coming year. Instead of going into panic mode, worrying ourselves sick, or feeling desperate, may we get into the habit of running to the Tower. May this be the first thing we automatically do.

What is the tower? It's the name of the Lord. The mighty, powerful, awesome name of the Lord that is more than able to overcome anything that comes against us. The name of the Lord to which the enemy must bow.

Proverbs 18:10 says, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." And Psalm 61:3 says, "For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy."

Be blessed today. Nancy Campbell

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing!

When Isaac Watts wrote the great lines of the carol, "Joy to the world, the Lord is come" he wrote biblical truth. In his old age, John, the apostle, wrote, "And WE KNOW that the SON OF GOD IS COME, and hath given us an understanding, that we may KNOW him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen" (1 John 5:20-21).

Some biblical commentators say these words may have been the last chronological words written in the Bible, even before Revelation. We should prick up our ears and listen. When John wrote these words, Jesus had already come into this world as a little baby and fulfilled His mission of sacrificing His life for our sins. He had already returned to Heaven and promised He was coming again. But John doesn't say, "He came," or "He will come again." He emphatically states that "HE IS COME."

When we are born again, He comes to dwell in our hearts by His Holy Spirit. He abides in us and wants us to abide in Him. A mystical union. He is Emmanuel, God with us. This is the apex of Christianity, "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).

If you are saved by the blood of Jesus, Christ IS come to you. He is in you. He is with you in your home, in your situation, whatever is happening in your life right.

This is the message of Christmas--Christ is come! What rejoicing!

Blessings from Nancy Campbell