PODCAST TRANSCRIPT | EPISODE 180: FIVE NECESSARY QUALITIES FOR END TIME LIVING - PT 2
LIFE TO THE FULL w/ Nancy Campbell
EPISODE 180: Five Necessary Qualities for End Time Living – Part 2
We continue our series of F F P P and K. Today we talk about FAITHFULNESS - faithful in our marriages, faithful in our mothering, and faithful in the daily grind of life.
Announcer: Welcome to the podcast, Life to The Full, with Nancy Campbell, founder and publisher of Above Rubies.
Nancy Campbell: Hello, ladies. Today we are continuing our series about the five attributes we need to have in our lives as we prepare for end times. They are F F P P and K. Last week we talked about FEARLESSNESS. Today our next F is about FAITHFULNESS. So, we’re going to talk about that today.
I find it easy to remember when we use some letters like F F P P and K. You’ll be able to remember them. The five things that you need, and we’ll continue to find out what they are in the next session
This is something that my husband often does when we’re having our family devotions together, and he’s reading the Word of God. He’ll come across a Scripture, and he’ll ask the children or whoever’s in our home, a question. He’ll say, “OK, do you know what this is?” Let me give you an example.
For example, Philippians 4:8. You all know that Scripture where it tells us the things that we are to think upon. If he was reading this Scripture, he might do something like this.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are. . . Ok, who can tell me what the first one is?” Now, they most probably don’t remember, so he’ll give them a clue. He’ll tell them the letter. “OK, it starts with T, children. Who can guess?” And children love guessing.
Of course, you don’t let them all scream out. You get them to put up their hands. So, they put up their hands. “OK, Bobbie, what do you think it is?” And maybe he says, “Tenderness!” “No, that’s not the one. Who can think of another one?” And someone says, “Truthfulness!” “That’s right, it’s truth. That’s the first one. OK, who can remember the next one? It starts with H. OK.”
Then maybe someone says, “Humble!” “That’s a good one, but it’s not the one for this verse.” Maybe someone else says, “Happy!” “Well, that’s a good one, too, but that’s not the one.” Then someone will eventually get it. “It’s honest.”
So, then we keep going through and give the first letter of the word so they can guess to see what it will be. As they do that, it gets them to be familiar with the things that God wants them to think about. Then we can all say them over together.
Let’s take another example. OK, he’s reading in Titus. Titus 2:10-12: “For the grace of God which bringeth salvation has appeared to all men. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live. . . OK, children, do you how God wants us to live? There’s three ways, three things it says. Now the first one starts with S. OK, who knows what it is? Put your hand up if you think you know.”
So, maybe they have a try. “Does it mean sweetly?” “Oh, that’s a good answer, but no.”
“Ok, Johnny, what do you think?” “Selflessly!” “Oh, that’s another good answer, but no. OK.”
Then someone hopefully, hopefully someone will be able to guess. The word is “soberly.” Then you’ll have to tell them what it means, because it means more than just not getting drunk. “Soberly” in the Bible means “to live, having a good understanding in your mind of what is right.”
“And then the next one is R.” So, they keep guessing until they get “righteously.”
“The next one is G.” “Godly.”
But rather than just reading them, “We should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world,” they most probably will never ever remember the words. But when you give them a little competition and give them the first letter of the word, and they’ve all got to have a guess and see what the word is, they will remember it.
When they get the right word, “OK, let’s all say it together! Soberly. OK.” And then they guess “righteously.” “Righteously! And then, we can all say it together. We should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world."
So, they’re really getting to know the Scripture. It’s getting into their hearts, all by having a little fun guessing game.
Often, my husband will do this as he’s reading the Word in our family devotions. That’s just one little trick you can play with the children to help them keep their attention and help them to get the Word into their hearts.
In the book The Daily Light on the Daily Path, which are Scriptures for every morning and evening from different parts of the Bible. So, it’s rather lovely. You get New Testament AND Old Testament Scriptures on a certain theme for every morning and every evening. But I published one of those books and added at the beginning of each month an idea that you can do with your children to keep them listening and keep them on their toes. So, there’s other ideas in that book, too if you want to order it.
FAITHFULNESS
Anyway, let’s get back to our series. We’re on to the second F, which is Faithfulness. All right, so, we go to Revelation, because we are finding out this from the book of Revelation. Of course, Jesus Himself is called “faithful” in the book of Revelation.
Revelation 1:5: “Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.” He is the chief ruler of all kings of the earth, all kings are in subjection to Him.
Well, they may not think they are, at this time, but there is coming a day when all kings and all dominions, and everything in earth and in heaven and under the earth is going to bow to the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But did you notice it says: “The One who is the faithful witness.” That word “witness” in the Greek is the word martus. Do you know what it means? It means, “martyr.” It’s the same word that’s used in Acts 1:8 where Jesus told them to wait until they received power from on high. And then they would become “witnesses unto him in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the world.” That word “witnesses” in that Scripture is also martus, which means “martyr.”
Many times, it doesn’t really happen here in the USA, but in many countries of the world, even today, when they witness boldly for Jesus, they can be martyred. There are many martyrs for the faith at this current time, around the world.
Revelation 3:14: “These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness.” Once again, that word is “martyr.”
Revelation 19:11: “And I saw heaven open.” Revelation is so wonderful, because John keeps saying, “And I saw. And I saw. And I saw.” And he reveals what he saw in heaven, or what he saw as it’s going to come in the end times. In this Scripture he says: “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.”
It’s interesting that Jesus is called “faithful” many times in the Book of Revelation. The words of the Book of Revelation are also true and faithful.
Revelation 21:5: “And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold I make all things new. And he said unto me, write: for these words are true and faithful.”
Revelation 22:6: “And He said unto me again, these sayings are faithful and true.” But we also notice something else, ladies. We notice that not only does it state that Jesus is faithful, but that He also wants us to be faithful.
Revelation 17:14: “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” This is the criteria of those who will be with Christ in this end time. The ones who He wants to be with Him will be those who are faithful, “called, and chosen, and faithful.” Therefore, it is important, precious ladies, that we have this attribute in our lives.
Now, we are not right yet at the end times, but we are preparing for them. And so, these characteristics, we’ve got to get them into our lives now, so they are part of us. We don’t suddenly think, “Oh, wow! The end time’s come! I’m facing all this persecution. I’m facing incredible things. How am I going to do it? I’d better be faithful.”
Well, if you haven’t had practice in being faithful, it’s not the time to start then. We have to start NOW. This is why I feel this message that I am sharing with you is so important. Share these series with others. Encourage others to listen. Share it with your children. Let them listen too. Or at least share the truth with them, because every one of these points that we’re going to talk about, we must be practicing in our lives right now. If we’re not faithful now, we’re not going to be faithful in the end. IT ALL STARTS NOW.
Now, what is this word “faithful”? It is the word pistos in the Greek. There are two aspects to this word. It is translated “believe” nine times in the New Testament. It means “to believe the gospel,” to stand fast in your belief that Jesus died for you and was buried and rose again, and that He is your Lord and Savior, and you will never deviate from that.
But it also means “to be faithful in the context of being trustworthy.” Trusty. Have you ever heard that word before? Yes, trusty is in the dictionary. Trustworthiness. Genuine, steadfast to one’s trust, to your word, and to promises that you’ve made. So, it’s being trustworthy and faithful. This word is used 54 times in the New Testament.
FAITHFULNESS IN LITTLE THINGS WILL ADD UP TO FAITHFULNESS IN BIGGER THINGS
So, I think we should look at it a little bit more, don’t you? Let’s look it and look at it in the literal things of life. because I believe, lovely ladies, that faithfulness begins in the little things. Just the very little things of life. If we begin to be faithful in the little things, this faithfulness will add up to our being faithful in bigger things.
As we’re faithful in little things, our faithfulness grows, and it becomes stronger. It becomes something that is part of our lives. Now, I thought of about seven little practical things, and my, I have not, that’s not all of them. That’s just a little peak, but I thought we’d just start with the little peek at some of the practical things we face in life. Let’s check how we’re being faithful in them, shall we?
1. FAITHFUL TO YOUR MARRIAGE
I believe we should, firstly, if you are married and listening to this session, we are to be faithful in our marriage. OK, we always hear about this, being faithful to your marriage, yes, but even in our marriage, faithfulness begins with the little things in our marriage. Just the daily things. I think it actually starts with being faithful to the same attitude that we had when we fell in love with our husbands.
So many marriages, so many husbands and wives, fall out of love. But what happened? They were in love at one time. Did you know that there is actually a word called “in-loveness”? I love that word. It was coined by the guy named Sheldon Vanauken who wrote “A Severe Mercy,” who wrote a book about his beautiful marriage. He and his wife called it “in-loveness.” They never grew out of their being in love. They called their whole marriage “in-loveness.” Isn’t that beautiful?
I think that’s how it’s meant to be. If we were in love, well, why do we fall out of love? We have to keep doing the things and saying the things that we did when we fell in love. What did we do then? We said beautiful, lovely things, didn’t we? We said kind things and lovey-dovey things. These were the things we spoke to one another when we fell in love.
So, therefore, when we get married, we are faithful. We keep faithful to doing and saying those same lovely things to one another. If we are faithful in doing those little things, we will keep in love. That’s just how it works.
We’re faithful in the mundane things in our marriage, in caring for our husbands, making sure he has a good healthy breakfast before he goes out to work. I know there are many wonderful wives who get up early to get their husband a good breakfast, even to make a good wholesome and healthy lunch for him to take with him. Maybe it’s very, very, early. They’ll go back to bed afterwards. But they will do that. They don’t just sleep on and let him do it all on his own, or don’t do it.
Because when you let your husband go out without feeding him, without giving him something, you know what happens, don’t you? They’ll just go out and eat junk. That’s what men love to do. In fact, every time my husband goes out and I’m not hovering over him, well, he’s going to be eating junk!
So, I have to look after him. Help! Goodness me! He doesn’t know how to look after himself. You know, most men, well, there’s a few men who love to be healthy. But most men, they’ll just eat whatever they see. It’s usually junk. So, if we really care about our husbands, we will take time to make sure they have a healthy breakfast. We look after them, and we make sure, when they come home from a day where they’ve been working hard that we have a meal ready for them—a wholesome, nutritious, good, lovely meal that they’re going to love and just want and come and sit down to eat.
That’s just one of the basic things of the of being faithful in marriage. Now, today, there’s lots of wives who really don’t cook a good meal for their husbands. Oh, he comes home, and they’re still on their own project, or doing whatever they want, or maybe even coming home from work. Many times, the poor guy has got to get dinner himself. Or it’s just grab something out of the cupboard.
No! Being faithful is thinking about how you’re going to feed your husband and give him healthy food and look after him. These are little things of faithfulness. Faithfulness is not just some lovely word out there, floating in the clouds. It’s down-to-earth, nitty-gritty, doing the things that we need to do in the home.
We need to be faithful in intimacy with our husbands. That’s the first thing God speaks about marriage.
Genesis 2:24: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be one flesh.” That is the very first thing that God speaks about marriage. And this is a very important part of marriage.
1 Corinthians 7:3-5 in the New Living Translation: “The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife. Do not deprive each other of sexual relations.”
And so, if we are depriving, if we are not being faithful in intimacy, well, we’re not being faithful to the marriage. This is also a very important part of being faithful. It’s practical things, ladies.
2. BE FAITHFUL TO YOUR MOTHERING
Then, of course, we get to mothering. Oh, my. We, as mothers, have the greatest opportunity in the whole of the world to practice faithfulness, don’t we? Because as we manage our homes, so often we’re doing the same thing every day. We’re cleaning up the messes every day. We’re doing the laundry every day. We’re washing the dishes every day. We’re cooking those meals every day. Breakfast, lunch, and supper, and then they want food in between. Help!
Dear ladies, this is all part of your mothering. Yes, it’s very, very practical. It’s right in the nitty-gritty. But be faithful. Be faithful in these little things, even as you’re being faithful in your home, keeping your home, managing it so you’re keeping on top of things. You’re not letting everything get out of hand. In doing this, dear ladies, you are being faithful.
DUTY IS A BEAUTIFUL THING
Do you know what? You are preparing for end times. When you are faithful to even that which is not glamorous, that is working something in your life. I love this quote:
“It takes character to cope with life when duty,
rather than excitement, is the sustaining force.”
Duty is a very powerful thing.
Sometimes it seems, oh, such a boring thing to do that which is duty. But there’s a lot of things in life that really, we do need to do as a duty. You can actually make duty a delight. It’s all in your attitude. If you see duty as a drudgery, well, you’re not going live a very nice happy life.
But if you see duty as a delight, because it’s what needs to be done, it’s not just because you have to do it. Because duty actually makes wonderful things. Out of duty comes amazing things. When you are faithful to keep to the duties of your home, of keeping your home right, of cooking your meals, of keeping up to date with everything, and doing it with joy and delight, you’re going to build a wonderful home.
You’re going to build a beautiful home, a home where your husband loves to be, where your children will delight to be, where people will love to come. You will bless so many people. Oh, homes are the places where you can bless people. When you make your home a delight, and you invite other people into your home, you’re going to bless them and encourage them.
But if you see duty as a drudgery, your attitude will be such that you’ll never want to invite anybody into your home because you don’t even like your home. No, you’ve got to make what you’re doing in your home such a delight that you want others to come and share it. And duty becomes glorious! So never despise duty. Never despise the faithfulness of the little things.
Let’s go, shall we, ladies, to Matthew 25:14-30. We won’t read it all, but it’s the parable of the talents, and how God gave five talents to one, and he gave two talents to one, and to another He only gave one. But we go down to verse 20, and it says: “And he that received five talents came and brought the other five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you gave me five talents. Now I have gained five talents more.’ And his lord said unto him, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant.’”
That word “faithful” is pistos, the same word where it says that those that are going to be with Jesus are those that “are called, and chosen, and faithful.” Yes, faithful. “Good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things.” Yes, a few things. “Now, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
So, God sees faithfulness as a very precious thing. And God sees you, dear mother, being faithful in the little things, the mundane things. Yes, changing 20 diapers a day! Oh, doing dishes again, and they keep piling up. You get the dishes done, and then they start piling up even before you’ve had the next meal.
But you keep on, and you keep on doing because it needs to be done. You do it with the right attitude. You do it with delight. And as you do it, even in these little things, God sees, and He speaks over you: “Good and faithful servant.”
The same thing with the one who brought the two talents. Verse 23: “And the Lord said unto him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things. I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy lord.’”
And the one, of course, that buried his talent in verse 26, the Lord calls him, “Thou wicked and slothful servant.” Wow, that isn’t too good, is it? And so, lovely ladies, just keep being faithful.
Let’s go to Luke 16:10: “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.” So, when we are faithful in our homes, in our marriages, in our mothering, we are preparing to be faithful in much, in bigger things. When it comes to the end time (many people are facing so much even now, they’re losing jobs). Oh, and as I shared last week, we have in Australia, we have so many friends and family. So, we are feeling this even personally.
They are facing incredible odds, even now. In fact, I was talking last night to Val Stares, the director of Above Rubies in Australia. Not only is she the director of Above Rubies, but Val is such a dear friend of mine. Val has been with me in Above Rubies from the very day I first got the vision, over 44 years ago. In fact, I was visiting the hospital of another dear friend. Her little boy was in hospital, so we went to visit them. Val was there too.
It was at that time, I got this vision, and I turned to Val, and I said to her, “Val, I’ve got this great vision! We’re going to get a magazine out, and we’re going to encourage wives and mothers all over the land.” She looked at me, just stared at me. Interesting thing, her name is Val Stares.
She just stared at me, didn’t say anything. I didn’t know that she had said to the Lord that very morning, “If Nancy Campbell comes up with any more of her great ideas, I’m not getting involved!” Well, she got involved. And from that very beginning she has been involved with me in New Zealand, where we started the magazine. When we moved to Australia, she and her family moved with us, like many other families.
And then when we, ten years later, moved to the USA, Val took over, and has been continuing this ministry. Talk about faithfulness! I mean, goodness me, she is the epitome of faithfulness. But anyway, I was talking to her last night and saying, “How are things in Australia?”
She said, “Nancy, we’re really facing it here. December 17 is the D Day. On that day, if we haven’t taken this poisonous vaccination, we will be isolated. We will not be able to have jobs. Our children, grandchildren, who are all working people, they will not have jobs. We will not be able to shop. We will not be able to do anything.” She said, “We’re getting prepared. We are gardening like we’ve never gardened before.”
And that is a big challenge because down in Australia, they are in the hottest time of the year, especially on the Gold Coast. Very hot there and it’s not easy to garden over there. You have to water just about all day. But they are doing what they can and preparing food and preparing for this.
They’re facing challenges, even now. But it’s not the end of the world. And we’re going to face greater challenges in that time. So, we’re preparing now to be faithful. If we do, we’ll find that that faithfulness will be in us and will enable us to be faithful in those greater challenges.
All right, the next thing. This is from the New Living Translation. It’s also Luke 16:10: “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?”
Now, that’s interesting. That’s going to take us into another point. But I think we are coming to the end. What is the time, girls? Oh, time is up! Wow! I hardly got started! Well, that means we’ve got to continue next week. We’ll look at a few more practical things. OK, don’t forget to tune in next week! Let’s pray.
“Dear Father, we pray that You will help us to be faithful. This is what You’re looking for. Lord, the ones You are looking for, the ones You’ve called and chosen. You want us to be faithful. Faithful. Teach us what it means to be faithful, Lord God. We ask it in the Name of Jesus. Amen.”
Blessings from Nancy Campbell * www.aboverubies.org
Transcribed by Darlene Norris * This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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