Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

I'd love to also share the challenging words of the hymn by Charles D. Meigs:

OTHERS, LORD, YES OTHERS

Lord, help me live from day to day
In such a self-forgetful way
That even when I kneel to pray
My prayer shall be for others.

OTHERS, LORD, YES OTHERS,
LET THIS MY MOTTO BE,
HELP ME TO LIVE FOR OTHERS
THAT I MAY LIVE LIKE THEE.

Help me in all the work I do
To ever be sincere and true
And know that all I’d do for You
Must needs be done for others.

Let self be crucified and slain
And buried deep: and all in vain
May efforts be to rise again,
Unless to live for others.

And when my work on earth is done,
And my new work in Heav’n’s begun,
May I forget the crown I’ve won,
While thinking still of others.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God wants to sow good things into our lives. But, the enemy of the kingdom of darkness wants to sow negative things to destroy our lives. Because of sin, or situations that happen to us in life, the devil sows seeds of fear, bitterness, hurt, and despair. However, these seeds are not planted by God, therefore don't allow them to root and grow in your life. Allow the Holy Spirit to come in His mighty power and flow through your life.

Jesus said in Matthew 15:13, "Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, SHALL BE ROOTED UP." Don't you love that? God didn't plant these destructive seeds. They are not from God and therefore you don't have to have them! As you yield to Him, God will root up every evil seed the devil tries to plant in your life.

Let God have His way, not the devil.

Love from Nancy Campbell

We live in a fleeting world. God says this life is only a vapor, that appears for a little time and then vanishes away (James 4:4). And yet there is another world. It is the enduring world. The forever world. Hebrews 10:34 tells us that we have "in heaven a BETTER and an ENDURING SUBSTANCE." But, somehow it is easy to get totally entrenched in this fleeting world and think this is where we have our substance, isn't it? No, our real substance is in the eternal world. Let's use every moment of every day to build into the substance of the eternal world (Hebrews 13:14).

The wonderful thing is that motherhood builds into the eternal world. What a privilege and blessing to embrace the divine career of motherhood. Each one of our children is an eternal soul that will live forever. As we lead them to salvation and in the ways of God we prepare them for the truly lasting world. What an awesome commission.

Forget "grasping" after material things and possessions. They will all be left behind. Pour your life into mothering and establishing a godly home and you will build up substance in the forever world.

I read an article yesterday about a woman who survived the holocaust. When she died at 93 she left behind 2,000 living descendants! Two thousands eternal souls! " What a legacy!

Here is the article about the Jewish woman, Yitta Schwartz, who I mentioned above.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/21/nyregion/21yitta.html

Love from Nancy Campbell

While I am on a role about the great missionary, C. T. Studd, here is another poem written by him. Great stuff. Pass it on to your husband and your sons. Nancy

GOD'S DREADNOUGHT
by C. T. Studd

Old Daniel was a Dreadnought!
If he was here to-day,
He'd make it hot for the pious lot
Who don't do as they say.

He didn't speak behind folks' backs,
But met them face to face;
He called spades spades, and dubbed knaves
knaves,
And always proved his case.

He neither cared for place nor power,
Nor feared the lions' den;
A godly cause will lock the jaws
Of beasts, or jealous men.

Whatever God at any time
Might write upon the wall,
He'd up and say, without delay,
To King and Court and all.

Dan didn't say "Belshazzar, Sire,
Your faults are peccadilloes";
He hit his sin with a rolling pin,
And not with feather pillows.

Dan didn't sugar-coat his pills,
Half doses didn't please him;
To save a life he'd use the knife
And bleed a fool to ease him.

Old Daniel ran a college once
Which turned out three invincibles;
A verse or two will let you know
What things he taught as principles.

Dare to be a Dreadnought,
With purpose true and firm;
Dare to live on simple fare,
And don't become a worm.

Dare to be a Dreadnought,
Dare to beard a King;
Tell him all the truth and don't
Emasculate the thing.

Dare to be a Dreadnought,
Faithful, loyal, bold,
Scorning under any threats
To worship man or gold.

Dare to be a Dreadnought,
Not a dressed up "toff,"
Nor glorified policeman,
Nor gun that won't go off.

Make a bold confession,
Though it means the rod;
Dare to kick the devil hard,
And dare to trust in God.

"Lord, send us lion-hearted men
With good courageous habits
Who ne'er will run from the devil's gun
Like hares and bunny rabbits!"

"When we are in hand-to-hand conflict with the world, the flesh, and the devil himself, neat little Biblical confectionery is like shooting lions with a pea-shooter; God needs a man who will let go and deliver blows right and left as hard as he can hit, in the power of the Holy Ghost. Nothing but forked-lightning Christians will count."

"Some want to live
within the sound
of church or chapel bell;
I want to run
a rescue shop
within a yard of hell!"

"Genuine soldiers are heroes,
'Chocolate soldiers' are shams,
The soldiers of Jesus are lions,
Not hares or timid lambs."

Here is the full poem from the lines I quoted below. The poem is written by C. T. Studd (1860-1931), the great English missionary who gave up wealth and fame to serve the Lord in China, India, and Africa. The motto of his life was: "If Jesus Christ is God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him."

Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,
And stand before His Judgment seat;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, the still small voice,
Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave,
And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, a few brief years,
Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its clays I must fulfill,
Living for self or in His will;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
When this bright world would tempt me sore,
When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way,
Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Give me Father, a purpose deep,
In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife,
Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Oh let my love with fervor burn,
And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone,
Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, “twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one,
Now let me say, "Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call,
I know I’ll say “'twas worth it all”;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

* * *
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be,
If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.”

~C. T. Studd (1860-1931)

As we begin this year, I want to encourage you with the words God gave to Joshua as they began their journey into the Promised Land. Deuteronomy 31:7-8 says, "Be strong and of a good courage... the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed."

Joshua and the people of Israel faced the unknown, as we also face an unknown year. The Israelites faced giants and the dread of conquering nations "greater and mightier" than they were, and "cities great and fenced up to heaven" (Deuteronomy 9:1-3). We also may face situations bigger than we can handle in our own strength. But, God's words to us are "BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS."

I believe we should daily pray together as a family that God will put new strength bravery in our hearts for whatever lies ahead. This is not a time for hiding the truth because of fear or shrinking back. It's a time to be bold and stand up. We must also embed these words, "Be strong and courageous" in the hearts of our children. This is not a time to raise wishy-washy wimps. As responsible parents, we must prepare our children for battle.

"Be strong and courageous" are not idle words. God speaks them to us over and over again in His Word. We can receive them because they are backed by God Himself. Whatever you may face, GOD WILL NOT FAIL YOU, OR FORSAKE YOU! He has promised.

Blessed New Year to you and your family.

Love from Nancy Campbell

Did you know that you are a letter? You are a personal letter from God to your husband. A personal letter to your children. A letter to everyone you speak to and come in contact with. Who writes this letter? It is the Spirit of the living God. But, He can only write on certain people.

2 Corinthians 3:3 HCSB says, "You are Christ's letter, produced by us, not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God--not on stone tablets but on tablets that are hearts of flesh." God has now done away with the stone tablets and He looks for hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26-27). Soft hearts. Pliable hearts. Willing hearts. When the Holy Spirit finds a soft heart, He writes in it the ways of God.

Then He wants it declared for all to read and see. The KJV says we are to be "manifestly declared." These words actually mean "to remove the lid." Are you lifting the lid on your life so that everyone around you can see what the Holy Spirit is writing on your heart? Are you blessing your family through the anointing of the Holy Spirit working in your life?

Love from Nancy Campbell

Yes, we've all experienced the following, but it's still AWESOME!

Proverbs 26:8 tells us that to bind a stone in a sling is as bad as giving honor to a fool! A stone in a sling is not meant to be bound up but to go forth to hit the target. It goes forth to slay the enemy. In the same way, we are foolish to bind up God's truth and hide it. God intends His words to go out from our mouths to accomplish God's plans and purposes (Isaiah 55:11). The spoken word has great power. God created the world with His Word. Many times, we hold back divine miracles from happening in our lives because we are too shy, too afraid, or too lazy to speak out the word of the Lord.

Let's not hide the precious stones of God's truths in our slings of ignorance, intimidation, fear, and shyness. Read God's Words to your family daily. Speak the words God puts on your heart to your children, and to those you come in contact with. Open your mouth and pray for your children and others when they are hurting, either emotionally or physically. Speak the powerful name of Jesus to resist the devil. Never hold back. Never keep these stones in your sling. Shoot them forth.

Psalm 107:20 says, "He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions." He didn't hide His word but SENT IT FORTH! Miracles happened when He sent forth His word. Miracles will happen to your family and to others when you open your mouth, too!

God works in verbs, not nouns. Here are some of the things Psalm 147:2-20 tells us that God does:

• He builds up Jerusalem,
• He gathers together the outcasts of Israel,
• He heals the broken-hearted,
• He binds up their wounds,
• He lifts up the meek,
• He strengthens the bars of your gates,
• He blesses your children in your home,
• He makes peace in your home,
• He sends forth His commandments upon the earth,
• He sends out His word,
• and He declares His word to Israel.

He wants to do these same things through us. He wants you to get out these God-given stones and send them out to bind up, strengthen, bless, make peace, and declare the words of the Lord.

Don't hold back divine miracles.

Love from Nancy Campbell

I love the words from Joy Williams' song:
It's still a mystery to me
That the hands of God could be so small,
How tiny fingers reaching in the night
Were the very hands that measured the sky!

It's still a mystery to me
How His infant eyes have seen the dawn of time
How His ears have heard an angel's symphony,
But still Mary had to rock her Savior to sleep!

~ Joy Williams

What are you filled with this Christmas? Many folks have cars filled with gifts, homes filled with decorations, tables filled with food, and stockings filled with things we will never use. We are filled to over the top. However, when we read about the birth of Jesus we find that instead of being filled with the things of the world, they were filled with the Holy Ghost!

* The angel came to Zacharias and told him that he would have a son who would be "FILLED with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb" (Luke 1:15-17).
* When Mary came to visit her cousin Elisabeth during her sixth month of pregnancy, the moment she greeted her “the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was FILLED with the Holy Ghost: and she spake out with a loud voice” (Luke 1:41-42).
* At the circumcision celebration for John the Baptist, his father, Zacharias was "FILLED with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied” (Luke 1:67).
* Jesus was conceived by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT COMING UPON Mary (Matthew 1:20 and Luke 1:35).
* When Joseph and Mary took baby Jesus to the temple to be dedicated, Simeon, a man FILLED with the Holy Spirit and waiting for the coming of the Messiah, took him up in his arms and blessed God (Luke 2:25-28).
* During Jesus' childhood he was FILLED with wisdom (Luke 2:40).

The challenge is:

What are we filled with as we remember the birth of Christ? Are we filled with anxiety and busyness, or are we filled with the Holy Spirit?

Imagine if we spent as much time seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit as rushing around buying gifts and preparing for Christmas. What would happen?

Imagine if we took time to listen to the Holy Spirit. What would He say to us? What difference would it make in our lives and in our homes?

Imagine if we asked the Holy Spirit to lead us instead of doing our own agenda. How would He direct us?

Can we enjoy a FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT Christmas?

Love from Nancy Campbell

* Jesus didn't come with pomp and ceremony. He came as a babe. Luke 2:12 tells us, "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a BABE wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." Yes, a baby! God chose the One who will rule over all kings and nations to come as a baby. No wonder the devil hates babies, for this is the way Jesus came.
* He didn't come with riches, but in poverty. Instead of bringing a lamb to the temple when they dedicated Jesus, Joseph and Mary could only afford pigeons (Luke 2:22-24 and Matthew 8:20).
* Although He was divine, He took on our humanity to feel our infirmities (John 1:14; Romans 1:3 8:3; Galatians 4:4; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14, 17 and 4:15).
* He didn't hold on to His glory but made himself of no reputation. He became a servant. He humbled himself and submitted himself to the death of the cross (Philippians 2:7.
* In coming in this way, He showed us the way to live. The birth of Jesus shows how to live in humility and lay down our lives for one another.

Love from Nancy Campbell

Two thousand years ago in a stable all forlorn,
Wise men brought to Jesus precious gifts when He was born.
“What precious gifts do I have that are worthy of a King?
For I’m a lowly mother, Lord, what treasure can I bring?

I know that You seek hearts, Lord, that will trust You and obey,
So I give You mine, Lord Jesus, take it, Lord, I pray.
But, I cannot seem to find the time to give You of myself,
These little ones do drain me and deplete my store of wealth.

My days are full of diapers and feeding hungry mouths,
Of washing, cleaning, ironing--this work it takes me hours.
And when at last there’s quiet and all are asleep in bed,
I think that I might serve You, but nod off to sleep instead!"

But, as I dream in slumber, Your voice to me does speak…
“If you were like the wise men, you’d know the gift I seek,
For these men in their wisdom knew gifts cannot be used
If they are always hidden with tinsel and subterfuge.

They unwrapped their treasures; you too must do the same,
Removing all self-consciousness, even sin and needless blame,
For the wondrous gift of motherhood is given by God above
And when you “mother” children, you show My greater love.

So let not your heart be troubled, weary mother, for you see,
When you are building children, then you are serving Me.
This gift from every mother whether she be great or small
Is a very special gift, one I treasure from you all.

For I too had a mother who suffered shame for me,
She nurtured me and clothed me, wept, and mourned like thee.
I know to have a mother who will give her very best
Is a very worthy treasure, so come to Me, dear mother, and
I will give you rest!

By Val Stares,

Above Rubies Director in Australia

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at a soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties, and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug your child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss your husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the children to get out of the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust. But giving the gift of love will endure.

~ Unknown.

Dear Lovely Ladies,

We are now in this time of celebrating the birth of our dear Savior and Redeemer, who is King of kings and Lord of lords. We know that this time of the year is not the actual time when Jesus was born, but it is still an opportunity to meditate on this miraculous event.

I know that many of you love to celebrate Christmas, and there are many who do not believe in celebrating Christmas.

Dear ladies, can we please put aside our differences and just remember our Savior in whatever we choose in our family. I may post some encouraging posts about this time of the year, but can I ask that we don't begin to debate whether we should or should not celebrate Christmas?

Thanks dear ladies.

Love from Nancy Campbell

I am meditating on the awesomeness of Christ coming into this world. Bible commentators agree that Jesus was not born at this Christmas time when the world remembers His birth. He would most probably have been born about the month of September during the Feast of Tabernacles. However, this is most probably that time that He was divinely conceived by the Holy Ghost. Amazing. God coming to the earth as a "seed" from the Father.

Although it happened without the world knowing, it was not insignificant. It was the most powerful event in history. Christ, the Son of God, growing inside a mother's womb, becoming flesh, dying and shedding His blood for our sins, and bruising the head of Satan. Although it was all prophesied, it was not how the Jews expected their Messiah to come.

But, from the womb of a lowly woman God brought forth His Son to fulfill His plan for the ages. He came as a baby, but it was to deal a death blow to the enemy, to bruise his head (Colossians 2:14 and Hebrews 2:14-18). This is a time to remember that we are in a battle, a battle between the kingdom of darkness, and the kingdom of light.

God spoke to the serpent in Genesis 3:15 NET, "I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel." Satan still tries to bruise our heel, but Christ has bruised his head and He will have the final victory when all nations and all people will be brought into subjection to His power and authority.

One translation of Genesis 3:15, "There will be war." There is still a war against the womb of the woman. Satan tried to thwart Jesus, the Holy Son of God, being born into this world. But, because he hates life, and especially the godly seed, he continues to stop children being born into this world. Let's not be tricked by the devil's plan.

Love from Nancy Campbell

God fulfilled the plan of eternity by miraculously bringing His Son into the world from the womb of a woman. God still continues to fulfill His purposes, in a smaller way, through babes who come from the wombs of women.

Psalm 8:2 WEB says, "From the lips of babes and infants you have established strength, because of your adversaries, that you might silence the enemy and the avenger."

It is a very important aspect of parenting to build a hedge around our family and home. Truthfully, it is actually God who builds the hedge, but we have to do our part. God built a hedge around Job's home. Satan was not able to touch Job until God removed the protective hedge He had put around him. Satan tells God in Job 1:10, "Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side?"

God was able to build a hedge around Job, his family, and everything he owned because:

1) He was blameless and upright (a man of integrity).
2) He feared the Lord.
3) He turned away from all evil. Even allowing a little compromise of sin in our home gives an opening for enemy to come through the hedge.
4) He rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings for his children. In other words, he interceded before God for his children. Job 1:5 says he did this CONTINUIALLY! He was most concerned that his children could have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts, and therefore He interceded continually on their behalf.

I believe that you can build a hedge around your family as you and your husband pray daily and earnestly for your children. We can't afford not to. No matter how busy our lives, we must find time to do this together. If we don't pray for our home and children, who else will? There are so many areas where Satan can subtly creep into our home.

Sadly, in many homes today, there is such a spirit of worldliness that the devil fits right in. In fact, he feels quite comfortable. There's not much chance for God to build a protective hedge around the home because the devil has already come in!

May you and your husband be protecting parents who daily pray the hedge of protection around your family.

Love from Nancy

What is the atmosphere like in your home? Is it filled with bickering, arguments, criticisms and complaining? Or, is it filled with the sweet presence of Christ? God wants us to live in an atmosphere of His sweet presence, just as He wanted His priests to live in the aroma of sweetness in the tabernacle. The recipe for the incense in the holy place was to be made of SWEET spices that were to be tempered until they were PURE and HOLY (Exodus 30:34-38).

2 Corinthians 2:14 WEB says that Christ "reveals through us the SWEET AROMA of his knowledge in every place." Did you notice that it says "IN EVERY PLACE"? That means your home. That means in your kitchen. That means when the baby is crying, the toddler is having a fit, the pots are boiling over on the stove, and your husband is demanding your attention! In every place and in every situation. Because, dear mother, it doesn't matter what is happening in your life, Christ lives in you and His attitude is SWEET! You can't do it in your own strength, but as you acknowledge His sweet and holy presence in you.

I love the J. B. Phillips' translation of this verse, "Thanks be unto God who leads us, WHEREVER WE ARE, on his own triumphant way and makes our knowledge of him spread through the world like a lovely perfume! We Christians have the unmistakable 'scent' of Christ." Do I? Do you?

My husband also mentioned this Scripture in his post to men this morning. He comments, "This means it begins in the home. How? By singing the Lord's songs, speaking encouraging words, smiling from your heart, helping one another, bearing one another's burdens, speaking the truth in love, sharing testimonies of Christ working in our lives, and opening ourselves up in a bright and positive way to one another. All these, and many more, fill the home with the fragrant atmosphere of Christ."

May your home be filled with the unmistakable scent of Christ today.

Love from Nancy Campbell