Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

We fool ourselves if we say we fear God and at the same time we are soft on things that God hates.

Should we not hate what God hates? Absolutely.

God hates idols (Exodus 20:5). Regarding idols, God reveals Himself to be a righteous “jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon their children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.” At the same time, God shows “mercy unto thousands that love him and keep his commandments.”

Colossians 3:5: “Covetousness which is idolatry.” To covet is to greedily want what belongs to another. This type of idolatry causes people to make wrong decisions to obtain the thing they covet. We must teach our children to hate covetousness.

Proverbs 6:16: “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that deviseth wicked imagination, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”

1. God hates a proud look. Do I?
2. God hates a lying tongue. Do I?
3. God hates hands that shed innocent blood. This includes abortion. Do I?
4. God hates a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations. These are schemes to do evil. Do I?
5. God hates feet that are swift to run to mischief. Gossipers could be included in this. Do I?
6. God hates a false witness that speaks lies. Do I?
7. God hates those who sow discord among the brethren. Sowing discord among our brothers and sisters in the family as well as in the church is something God hates. Do I?

Our political TV channels are full of sowing seeds of discord and God hates it. Certain things need to be exposed. It is right to expose evil, but we must be careful not to be involved in fake dossiers, etc. to break down righteous unity.

God wants us to employ our tongues to bring about righteous unity, to heal broken relationships and broken hearts, and to be righteous peace-makers.

To be continued.

Be encouraged,

Colin Campbell

Psalm 2:9-11: “Thou shalt break them with a rod if iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.”

In this passage of Scripture, we have the tension between two truths. On the surface they appear to oppose one another. However, to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, they complement each other.

We are to greatly rejoice in the Lord and yet at the same time, we must be careful not to disrespect His awesome power and holiness. We must tremble at His awesome, glorious presence and holiness and yet at the same time not allow ourselves to be so extreme with fear and trembling that we lose our joy, gladness, worship, and praise at the remembrance of His goodness and grace toward us.

A great example of these two truths complementing each other was when David sought to bring the ark of God to himself and to Jerusalem the second time. This time, he had learned the ark, representing God’s presence, had to be brought back by God’s methods as outlined in the Holy Scriptures, not by his own ideas or methods.

When David, the king of Israel brought the ark of God’s presence from the house of Abinadab we see how offensive our conduct can be before the Lord when we do something which displeases God (2 Samuel l6:1-11). In one sense David did right in that He wanted the presence of God with him at Jerusalem. On the other hand, the way he went about bringing the ark back was wrong. He did not seek God’s “due order” (1 Chronicles 15:12-15) for carrying the ark which resulted in death and destruction. This caused David to be afraid of God. 2 Samuel 6:9 states: “And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?”

Even though David and all the house of Israel played on all manner of instruments before the Lord it did not stop the anger of God from being kindled. Even when we decide to do a good thing, we need to seek God on how He wants it accomplished.

In 1 Chronicles 15 we read how David brought the ark back from the house of Obed-Edom to Jerusalem according to the “due order.” In this second attempt, Kind David realized that the presence of God could not be manipulated by man’s methods.

1. He prepared a place to receive the ark (v. 3).
2. He realized that no one had the right to carry the ark but the God-appointed Levites (v. 15).
3. He realized only the Levites could play the instruments, not all of Israel (v. 16).
4. They offered seven bullocks and seven rams after they had taken six steps (v. 26 and 2 Samuel 6:13).
5. They did not do anything until they had sanctified themselves (v. 12).
6. They brought back the ark with joy, singing, shouting, and the noise of musical instruments (v. 25-28).
7. David danced before the Lord with all his might (2 Samuel 6:14).
If they could do all these things under the Old Covenant, how much more should we rejoice with trembling under the New Covenant? Read Hebrews 10:28-31 and 128, 29).

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

As fathers, we should pray that God will help us train our children to be respectful and reverential towards the amazing grace of God. The grace of God was never meant to be taken lightly, flippantly, or in a casual manner. This grace that God liberally showered upon us in Jesus Christ is not to be cheapened by our worldly, disrespectful attitudes.

We must never forget the enormous price Jesus paid for our sin by His atoning blood. This grace, “wherein we stand” cost Heaven everything. How dare we bring despite to the Spirit of grace by our failure to be awestruck by its magnitude and glory?

Hebrews 10:29-31 says: “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

We must not allow the irreverent spirit that pervades our present world to creep into our own hearts and those of our families. We serve a very great God who is the greatest of all Gods. He is the “only Potentate, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords” (1 Timothy 6:15). There is no dignity or majesty that can compare to His glory.

When we fathers conduct family devotions with our families, we must be reverent and honorable as we talk about our great God. We should be joyful, but at the same time fearful. We never want to cheapen the great treasures of His grace.

Hebrews 12:15-17 says: “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”

We do not want our children to grow up like Esau, who was a fornicator and a profane person. The word “profane” means “heathenish, wicked, to defile the holy things of God as did King Belshazzar (Daniel 5:2-28)”.

We are exhorted in Psalm 2:11 to “rejoice with trembling.”

Philippians 2;12: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

1 Peter 1:17: “And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.”

2 Corinthians 7:1: “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.’

Hebrews 12:28, 29: “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.”

Be encouraged,

Colin Campbell

Hebrews 5:7 “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared.”

To say that Jesus feared His Father in Heaven is a big statement to make, especially because as the Son of God He is part of the Holy Trinity. Some may reason: why would Jesus, being God, fear God? It appears in this verse that Jesus feared Himself. Even the Jews accused Jesus of blasphemy for saying that God was His Father and making Himself equal with God (John 5:18).

However, when Jesus Christ took upon Himself human flesh, He submitted Himself to God the Father as all sons should submit themselves to their own fathers. Every son should respect his natural father, even if his father does not do things worthy of respect. We must always honor the office of fatherhood even as we honor the office of the president. God holds people accountable for their disrespect for those who have authority over them, even if those people do not do things that are worthy of respect.

David knew that God had anointed him to be king of Israel. However, even those he had several miraculous opportunities to kill Saul. he would not touch him. He left him in the hands of God. David greatly honored the anointed office of kingship.

We are living in days of great disrespect and dishonor. People, to their own peril, mouth off disrespectfully to all who are in authority. However, they will not be blessed by God for this disrespect of leadership and those over them. In this matter we must all fear God and fear respectfully all who are in authority over us.

Romans 13:1-5: “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shall have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.”

Some may say that it is more correct to say that Jesus loved His Father God, rather than feared Him However, our opening Scripture in Hebrews 5:7 plainly states the “he was heard in that he feared.”

Love can be righteous or unrighteous. For example, we are told to “Love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” and to love thy neighbor as thyself (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Mark 12:33). But we are also told to not love the world, the flesh, and the devil (1 John 2:15-17).

We are told in Scripture many times to fear God, to be in awe, to tremble at His Word and at the same time we are told that “perfect love casteth out fear” (1 John 4:18). Even when seeking to please God we can be overcome by unrighteous fears such as the fear of man, the fear of death, destruction, and judgment. However, God’s perfect love casts out these fears.

The reason Jesus always had his prayers answered was because He feared His father. He never ever wanted to displease the One who had all authority over him. This is the true essence of fearing God—we fear to displease Him or offend Him in anyway because we love Him.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

How we thank God for His goodness. How we thank God for his mercy. It is only because of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed (Lamentations 3:22).

However, we cannot experience His goodness and mercy without first knowing the fear of God. We must learn to walk in the fear of God. This is not only Old Testament teaching, but New Testament teaching.

1 Peter 1:17 states: “And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.” The word “fear” is “phobos” and means “terror, godly fear, reverence.”

It is very important for us fathers to teach our children the fear of the Lord. Fathers who fail to teach their children how to walk in the fear of God deprive them of God’s blessings. Churches who are afraid to speak about the fear of God rob their people of many blessings.

Deuteronomy 6:2 tells us that we PROLONG OUR LIVES when we walk in the fear of God: “That thou mighest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statues and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of they life; and that THY DAYS MAY BE PROLONGED.”

As fathers, we must show to our children by example what it means to fear the Lord in a godly way. If we have no fear about offending our holy God, we are most unfortunate people. It is much easier to fall into sin when we have no fear of God.

The psalmists speak much of the fear of God. The following are 25 Psalm Scriptures about the rewards of fearing God.

When we walk in the fear of the Lord . . .

1. GOD WILL TEACH US HIS WAYS (Psalm 25:12).
2. GOD WILL SHOW US HIS SECRETS (Psalm 25:14).
3. GOD WILL SHOW US HIS GOODNESS (Psalm 31:19).
4. GOD’S EYE WILL BE UPON US (Psalm 33:18).
5. GOD WILL ENCAMP AROUND US (Psalm 34:7).
6. WE WILL HAVE NO WANT (Psalm 34:9).
7. GOD WILL GIVE US A BANNER (A BATTLE STANDARD) (Psalm 60:4).
8. GOD’S SALVATION WILL BE NEAR TO US (Psalm 85:9).
9. GLORY WILL DWELL IN OUR LAND (Psalm 85:9). What a wonderful promise for the nation. Oh, to have a nation of people who fear the Lord.
10. GOD WILL PROVIDE US WITH FOOD (Psalm 111:5).
11. GOD WILL BLESS FATHERS WITH MIGHTY OFFSPRING (Psalm 112:1, 2).
12. GOD WILL BE OUR HELP AND SHIELD (Psalm 115:11).
13. GOD WILL BLESS OUR FAMILY AND INCREASE US (Psalm 115:11-14).
14. GOD WILL BLESS FATHERS WITH PROVISION, PROSPERITY, AND HAPPINESS (Psalm 128:1, 2, 4).
15. GOD WILL BLESS US WITH A WIFE IN THE HEART OF THE HOME (Psalm 128:3).
16. GOD WILL BLESS US WITH MANY CHILDREN AROUND OUR TABLE (Palm 128:3).
17. GOD WILL BLESS WITH GRANDCHILDREN (Psalm 128:1, 6).
18. WE WILL SPEAK OF HIS EVERLASTING MERCIES (Psalm 118:4).
19. GOD’S WORD WILL BE ESTABLISHED, ACCOMPLISHED, AND CONFIRMED IN US (Psalm 119:38).
20. WE WILL SEEK GOOD COMPANIONS (Psalm 119:63).
21. OTHERS WHO FEAR THE LORD WILL BE GLAD TO SEE US (Psalm 119:74, 79).
22. WE WILL DELIGHT TO BLESS AND PRAISE THE LORD (Psalm 22:23; 135:20).
23. GOD WILL FULFIL OUR HEART’S DESIRE (Psalm 145: 19).
24. GOD WILL HEAR OUR CRIES AND SAVE US (Psalm 145:19).
25. GOD WILL TAKE PLEASURE IN US (Psalm 147:11).

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Painting by Barret - Father and Son Embrace

Proverbs 1:7: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

I wonder why the fear of the Lord is not such a strong emphasis as it used to be among Christian congregations. Divorce, fornication, immorality, homosexuality, abortion, and pornography, etc. are a few of the common sins we face in our churches today. They do not seem to shock us like they used to.

There are increasing numbers of people in main line churches who are not married and yet live together. They get up on Sunday morning and feel quite comfortable about sitting together with the rest of God’s people without any fear of God and without any solid connection that our God is a holy God who will judge His people unless they repent.

These same people are quick to condemn others who seek to bring correction to them. It has become politically correct to not judge or condemn the sin of anyone, even if they are living in serious sin such as adultery, fornication, or homosexuality.

Ananias and Sapphira dropped dead when Peter condemned them for lying about the sale proceeds of a certain piece of land. It was not just lying to man, but lying to the Holy Ghost. Read Acts 5:1-11. This resulted in GREAT FEAR coming upon all the church.

Acts 1:11,12: “And GREAT FEAR came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people.”

When the apostle Paul confronted Elymas the sorcerer who withstood Paul’s preaching, he conferred blindness upon him for a season (Acts 13:8-12). What was the result? “When the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord (v. 12).

As kingly men, we must teach our families what it really means to fear the Lord.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Not all wisdom is righteous. To be clever, intellectual, and a brilliant thinker can often generate self-conceit, pride, and arrogance--all which God hates.

Some of our nation’s politicians are clever and wise in their own eyes, but they do not reign in the fear of God. Prideful wisdom often seeks self-aggrandizement and loves the praises of men.

Although kings should be respected for their wisdom, they are not respected for pride. True wisdom must be guarded and controlled by the fear of God.

As Christian men who are called to be kings and priests, whatever we reign over, whether it be ourselves, our families, or our occupation in life, our wisdom must always be seasoned with humility and sincere love for what is good, wholesome, and righteous.

Wisdom that has God’s approval will always detest and resist evil.

To be continued.

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

Picture by Colin Dye

Good kings use their eyes to scatter evil.

Proverbs 20:8: “A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away evil with his eyes.”

Revelation 1:14: “His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire.”

God has ordained that all men who call themselves Christians should be like kings, even if they are servants. In every area of life, there is a right way and a wrong way to act, to conduct one’s self, and to make decisions.

Fathers should use their eyes to scatter evil. We call it a look of disapproval. I think that eyes should be the first means of discipline against wrong doing, especially in your own family. In many cases of correcting children, your disapproving eyes may be all that is needed to correct the matter.

We live in a permissive world, and like the good kings, God wants us to scatter evil by every means possible.

Good kings don’t turn a blind eye towards evil when it shows itself. Good kings will not look the other way and ignore what they see is wrong. Never! Not only will they look with disgust in their eyes, they will speak out in opposition against the evil. Not only do they speak against it, they also employ the threshing wheel to crush and separate the chaff from the grain.

Proverbs 20:26: “A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.”

The threshing wheel represents the rod of discipline or a crushing form of discipline. If the eye of disapproval does not stop evil, then we must speak out. If speaking does not stop evil, then we need the threshing wheel.

It is the solemn duty of kings to stand against all evil. As kings, yet at the same time humble servants, we must rule not only our own lives, but our families. We must also resist evil in the work place.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Today we check out the final Scriptures from Proverbs about the words that come from our mouths. These are the negative words that do no belong to kings. Make sure these words do not come from your mouth as a kingly man, who reveals the image of God to your family and those you work with.

We mold our own character with the words we speak. We mold our children’s lives with the words we speak to them. Teach your children the power of words.

This is the fourth post giving your Scriptures about our words. Don’t leave these Scriptures wasted. Not only meditate on them yourself, but gradually read them through and talk about them with your children. You could use them during your Family Bible Time you have each day.

You may like to start with positive words with your children.

CONTENTIOUS LIPS

Proverbs 18:6: “A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.”

CROOKED LIPS

Proverbs 19:1: “Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.”

FALSE LIPS

Proverbs 14:5: “A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.”

Proverbs 17:4: “A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips.” Read also Proverbs 12:17.

Proverbs 19:5, 9: ”A false witness shall not be unpunished.”

Proverbs 25:18: “A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.”

FOOLISH LIPS

Proverbs 10:14: “The mouth of the foolish is near destruction.”

Proverbs 18:7: “A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.”

DECEITFUL LIPS

Proverbs 24:28: “Deceive not with thy lips.”

FLATTERING LIPS

Proverbs 10:19: “He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.” Read also Proverbs 26:22.

GOSSIPING LIPS

Proverbs 18:8: “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.” Repeated again in Proverbs 26:22.

HARSH LIPS

Proverbs 15:1 (ESV): “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Remember the advice to fathers in Ephesians 6:4: “Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: abut bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

HASTY LIPS

Proverbs 29:20: “Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? There is more hope of a fool than of him.”

LYING AND SLANDEROUS LIPS

Proverbs 10:18: “He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.”

Proverbs 17:4: “A liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.”

Proverbs 17:7: “Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying nips a prince.”

Proverbs 19:5, 9: “He that speaketh lies shall not escape.”

MISCHIEVOUS LIPS

Proverbs 24:2: “For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.”

PRIDEFUL LIPS

Proverbs 14:3: “In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride.”

WICKED LIPS

Proverbs 8:7: “Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.”

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell