Exodus 28:28, “Thus the two will be joined in a workmanlike fashion and will never come apart.”

I am always amazed at how practical the Bible is. God is interested in the practical details of our every day lives. God gave explicit instructions how to make everything for the tabernacle in the wilderness. He told Moses exactly how He wanted each piece of furniture and each piece of clothing to be made. God is even a clothes designer. He planned the glorious garments for the High Priest to wear.

The High Priest also wore a breastplate and God gave precise instructions how the rings of the breastplate were to be tied to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, “thus the two will be joined in a workmanlike fashion and will never come apart.” (Exodus 28:28 Knox) I was arrested when I read this Scripture. God is concerned about good workmanship. He showed Moses how to do it so it would never come apart. God wants things done properly. He does not want shoddy work.

I was brought up with the maxim, “If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.” I am sure you did too. And now you are training your children the same way. We continue this training from generation to generation. And it is important that we keep passing on this baton, because it is a biblical one.

Not only should we do each job we tackle to the very best of our ability, but if we start something, we should finish it. Sometimes we face obstacles in the things we start and we want to give up. My 90 year old father is staying with us at present. Whenever he faces a problem he says, “A good man’s never stuck!” He will always find a way to fix the problem and finish the job. His father passed on these words to him and they became part of his life. He passed them on to his children and grandchildren! All my children and grandchildren know this statement by heart and I continually hear them quoting it.

God Himself shows us the example when He created the world. “And God saw every thing that he had made and, behold, it was very good… thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.” (Genesis 1:31; 2:1)

Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work.” (John 4:34; 17:4)

Paul had the same spirit when he confessed in Acts 230:24, “None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

We also read about Zerubbabel in Zechariah 4:9, “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it.”

How about one more example? 2 Chronicles 3:1 says, “Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem in mount Moriah.” We then read in chapter 5:1, “Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the Lord was finished.”

To see a job through to the end is a godly trait.

Let’s carry on God’s example of good workmanship in our own lives and impart this godly character trait into the lives of our children and grandchildren.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

Prayer:

Affirmation

Matthew 28:30, “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

When God told the Israelites about the new home He was taking them to, He said, “The land, into which you are entering to possess it, is not like the land of Egypt from which you came, where you used to sow your seed and water it with your foot like a vegetable garden. But the land into which you are about to cross to possess it, a land of hills and valleys, drinks water from the rain of heaven, a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning even to the end of the year.” (Deuteronomy 11:10-11 NAS)

They could not rely on the rain from heaven in the land of Egypt. They had to do all their irrigation by hand, or I should say, by foot, for this is how it was done. They dug man-made channels for the water which they forced along by wheels operated by their feet. It was hard laborious work. It was a daily grind. They didn’t have to do this in the Promised Land. They relied totally upon God to send the rain to water the crops.

Egypt is a type of the world. It is a type of walking in the flesh and doing things by our own energy. This contrasts to our new life in the kingdom of God where we walk in the Spirit and trust God instead of our own resources.

How are you living each day? Are you still living back in Egypt, or are you basking in the rest of the Lord? Often mothers feel that their life is a daily grind, with no joy or hope. They are living like the Israelites were when they were slaves in Egypt. But we are no longer slaves. We are free people, saved by the suffering and shed blood of Jesus Christ upon the cross. He died to deliver us from relying upon the flesh.

“But don’t you realize the financial difficulties that we are going through. I have to work this extra job to help my husband pay all our bills.” Has God asked you to take on your husband’s responsibility? Or are you taking on this yourself?

 “But don’t you realize how many things I have to do? I’m pregnant! I’m homeschooling my children. Plus I am involved in this Ladies’ group at church and I’m also helping with the Sunday school.” Who told you to get involved with these extra activities? Was it God, or was it pressure from people? Many times our life becomes a daily grind because we take on things that God hasn’t told us to do. We cannot live our lives by what everyone else wants us to do. We must be led by the Holy Spirit.

God promises in Isaiah 40:11 that “He gently leads those who are with young.” If you are pregnant or have little children, God does not expect you to be involved in anything else, apart from your mighty and divine calling of nurturing and raising your children for Him! He doesn’t expect you to be involved in extra church and other activities (except for your commitment to meeting with the saints each week.)

 “But don’t you realize that I have to take Susie to ballet lessons, Grace to violin lessons, Johnny to soccer and Brian to baseball, as well as keep up with the home and everything else.” Who told you that you have to take your children to all these lessons? Did God? Or are you trying to keep up with the Joneses who think that their children should be involved in everything that is going? We often think that our children will not make it in life unless we take them to all extra lessons and sports. That is not true. God is able to make a way for your children without putting extra pressure on your life and gadding about in the car everywhere.

“But don’t you realize? I have to make my children finish the lessons I have given them for the day. I have to get this done and that done.” Who said you have to do this? Is it what God has planned for the day or what you are setting? Are you teaching your children what God wants them to be taught, or what you think others expect of you?

Life is hard work, but it does not have to be a grind. It will seem drudgery when we do it in the energy of the flesh. God wants us to live according to the Spirit. The Israelites worked in the Promised Land, but they enjoyed their work, because they were cast upon God’s resources, not their own energy. They no longer irrigated they way they did in Egypt. They had to rely on God to send their rain.

Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

Prayer:

“Father, I thank you that you have brought me into a new kingdom, a kingdom where I cannot rely on my own strength, a kingdom where I must trust you wholly. Please show me where I am doing things in my own energy for I want to be led by your Holy Spirit. Thank you that you are watching over my life and your eye is upon me from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. I can trust you to lead me. Amen.”

Affirmation:

Exodus 14:14 Knox, “It is the Lord that will do battle for you; your part is silence.”

God blessed us with a voice to communicate and fellowship with Him and to communicate with one another. However, there are certain times when we need to keep silent! Let’s look at some examples in Scripture.

IN TIMES OF UNBELIEF

After God delivered the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt, they camped by the Red Sea. But soon the Egyptian army pursued them! Now they were hedged in with no way of escape—the sea in front of them, the Egyptians after them. Their song of victory soon turned to doubt and fear and they turned against Moses with bitter complainings. Isn’t that what we often do when things are going wrong? We complain and grumble!

But what did Moses say? “It is the Lord that will do battle for you; your part is silence.” (Exodus 14:14 Knox) If only we could take these words to heart in the situations that we face! I grew up with the saying, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all!” I think we should add this adage too, “When faced with insurmountable problems, if you can’t speak faith and trust in God, don’t say anything at all!”

I am also reminded of the battle of Jericho. The strategy God gave Joshua was for all the men of war to compass the city every day for seven days and seven times on the seventh day. Joshua commanded the people, “You shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall you shout.”  (Joshua 6:10)

God had a good reason for this. If He had allowed them to talk, they would have doubted and complained, “How can we take a city by just walking around it? How dumb! We’ll be defeated. This is madness!” God did not one doubt to come forth from their mouths until the moment of victory! And this was the shout of deliverance!

Do you think you could make this a precedent in your life? When you face a situation where there is no hope unless God breaks through, instead of speaking negativity, fear and hopelessness, keep silent! Your part is to stand still, keep quiet and see the salvation of the Lord.

IN TIMES WHEN YOU THINK IT IS NOT FAIR

One terrible day, two of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, offered strange fire before the Lord. God suddenly blazed forth fire from heaven and consumed them! Aaron was stunned! He could not understand God’s severity of punishment on his sons whom he loved. In his agonizing grief, Aaron must have complained bitterly until Moses told him what the Lord said, “By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, and before all the people I will be honored.’ So Aaron, therefore, kept silent.” (Leviticus 10:3 NAS)

When God revealed His holiness, Aaron was reduced to silence. Many times things happen in our lives that we do not think are fair. Once again, we complain and argue with God. We must be careful that we do not reduce God down to our level and our puny understanding. God sees things from eternity. He is the Sovereign God. If we cannot confess our trust in God, then we should be silent!

I am sure Job did not think it was fair that he had to suffer in the way that he did. In one day his ten children were killed and all his sheep, oxen and camels were taken away. And then he was covered with boils, living in pain and misery. He had many arguments with his three friends and with God!

Eventually Job got the message that God is in control and that He holds us in the palm of His hand. God said to Job, “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? …Then Job replied to the Lord, ‘I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers? I will put my hand over my mouth in silence. I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say.’” (Job 40:1-4)

It was when he became silent, instead of putting up his ideas and arguments, that God revealed Himself to him. Soon he was healed and God blessed the latter end of Job even more than his beginning.

David cried, “Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you. Rescue me from my rebellion… I am silent before you; I won’t say a word. For my punishment is from you.” (Psalm 39:9 NLT)

Arguing with God will never get us anywhere. We will do better when we see things from an eternal perspective rather than an earthy perspective. When we see things from God’s perspective, we will keep silent. We will have no more arguments.

IN TIMES OF PERSECUTION AND RIDICULE

When we are persecuted, or people say unkind things to us or behind our back, we want to answer back. We want to defend ourselves. This is the natural way. But God has a better way. Silence! What? You mean to say that I can’t even defend myself?” Do you mean to say I have to shut my mouth when my husband is accusing me?

Jesus gave us this example when he was accused.

Isaiah 53:7, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, ye he opened not his mouth.”

Matthew 26:62-63 NLT, “The high priest stood up and said to Jesus, ’Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?’ But Jesus remained silent.”

Matthew 27:12 NLT, “When the leading priests and other leaders made their accusations against him, Jesus remained silent.”

1 Peter 2:23, “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.”

David also shut his mouth in the face of accusers.

Psalm 38:12-15, “They that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long. But... I was as a dumb man that opens not his mouth.”

Remember, there is a time to speak and a time to keep silent!

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

Prayer:

“Father, please strengthen my trust in you, to know that you are the Sovereign Lord and nothing is out of your control. Take away all arguments from my mouth and please save me from speaking negative and complaining words that only bring destruction and do not help the situation. Amen.”

Quote:

Genesis 2:8, “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden.”

Do you like to enjoy pleasures in your life? I am sure you do. Well, listen to this. God wants you to enjoy pleasures too. He wants your life and your home to be filled with pleasures and delights. When God created the first home for Adam and Eve, He called it Eden. The Hebrew meaning of this word is, “pleasures, delicates, delights.” Knox translates it correctly, “God had planted a garden of delight, in which he now placed the man he had formed.”

Everything God did in the beginning, He did as a pattern for the future of mankind. God made the first home a place of delight. This was his intention for all future homes. He wants your home to be a delight too.

Yes, it is true that God put Adam in the garden to work. This is the pattern of life. Work and pleasure. We have to work hard in our homes to keep them in running order. But God also wants them to be filled with joy and delight.

This should be a top priority in our thinking.

How can I make my home a more delightful place to live?

How can I bring more enjoyment into our marriage relationship?

How can I bring more pleasure into the lives of each of my children?

How can I make my home a treasure house?

Proverbs 15:6 says, “In the house of the righteous is much treasure.” I believe this treasure is more than beautiful furnishings and wealth. I believe it is the true treasures of love, joy, peace, harmony and the richness of fellowship. I have walked into homes with beautiful décor and felt unmoved. And yet I have dined in humble homes where the atmosphere was rich with the joy of fellowship.

Isaiah 51:3 says, “For the Lord shall comfort Zion… he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.” Maybe it’s like a wilderness in your home. It doesn’t have to stay like that. If you will let Him, God wants to help you make your home a place of joy and gladness. He wants you to fill it with thankfulness, instead complaining; songs of praise instead of grumbling.

He wants you to take care of the relationships in your home too—with your husband and your children. Eden also means, “delicate”. Relationships can easily be broken or damaged. A few hurtful or negative words or a mean look and the relationship is weakened. We must handle each one delicately, considerately and with loving care.

What about children? I think they are the greatest treasures we can have in our homes. They are eternal treasures. They are the treasures we don’t have to leave behind. We can take them with us into eternity. Isn’t it unbelievable that many families have more TV’s in their homes than children? This is in the case of Christian homes too!

No wonder the CJB translation says, “The home of the righteous is a storehouse of treasure.” What do you have stored up in your home? Are there lots of “things”? Or is it filled with children and the delights of joy, thanksgivings and praises?

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

Prayer:

“Lord, you had a plan for the first home and you have a plan for my home. Please fill my home with your presence that it will become an Eden. Help me to see that one of my greatest roles is to bring pleasure and delight to everyone in my home. Amen.”

 

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