Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

We discover in this Scripture that the indwelling Holy Spirit is a Spirit of intercession who helps us in our human weakness when we don’t know how to express in words the cries of our hearts. The Spirit does this with unutterable groanings. In times of grief over the state of loved ones, or the loss of loved ones when our minds and bodies are too exhausted to pray intellectually, and in times of personal pain or weakness when our own bodies are sick or broken, we understand that our intelligent groanings may not just be ourselves, but the Holy Spirit praying through us.

It is very much part of the Holy Spirit’s ministry within us to turn us into a golden altar of intercession and worship. We who claim to be Christians should make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit’s ministry of intercession within us. I do not think that the present church knows much about this all-important work of the Holy Spirit in their daily prayer lives.

We are very limited when we try to fit the Creator of the universe, who is so much great than our wildest imaginations, into the exact and appropriate language of our needs.

Hebrews 5:7 says of Jesus our Savior: “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.” This same Jesus dwells in us by the Holy Spirit to do the same type of praying.

I think we all have a lot to learn.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Hebrews 7:25: “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing HE EVER LIVETH to make intercession for them.”

Hebrews 9:24: “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD FOR US.” Our great High Priest enters heaven itself, the very presence of God, on our behalf. It is mind boggling grace that Jesus Christ is right now interceding and praying for us, His people, in the holy presence of God.

Romans 8:34: “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” In the light of this truth, what can Satan or any form of condemning power do to counteract this blessing on our behalf?

Because Christ is in us and we are in Him, surely this means that what Christ is doing, we should also be doing!

The question is: what difference or what impact should these truths have on our lives? The answer is found in 1 John 4:17: “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.” Did you get this truth?

“AS HE IS, SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD”!

Jesus Christ is right now, and forever, making intercession for us in the heavenly places. Therefore, if He is in us, we will be making intercession in our earthly places. Intercession should be constantly flowing from us for one another. This will certainly make our love perfect. This will give us boldness in the day of judgment for we will not be ashamed.

I believe that prayer, intercession, and worship are the life blood of the church. As we intercede for one another, just as Jesus Christ is doing of us, we become this most amazing golden altar.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Therefore, keeping our eyes on the worthiness of the Lamb of God sets us free from the flaws and weakness of our own self-image. Psychology tries to find new ways for us to feel good about our self-image. However, this can only be found in our position in Christ which God has so graciously granted to us.

Outside of Jesus Christ our self-image is greatly flawed. Outside of Christ our self-image can be very self-assured or self-confident. Some may consider themselves as self-confident, self-accomplished, self-prideful, and self-made. In such a person, there are many flaws and deceptions. Others may be flawed with a very low self-esteem and have no confidence to get through life.

The truth is that if we lift up our eyes to the worthiness of Christ and all His benefits toward us, then and then only, will we be set free from ourselves and the pull of this earth.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

We should never ever regard prayer, intercession, praise, and worship with a halfhearted attitude. We cannot treat them casually. We must consider them the most important part of our everyday lives. To have a lukewarm attitude toward God’s WORTHINESS is most sacrilegious and we should repent.

As people who have received such amazing grace and love, we should make every endeavor to mightily increase our gratitude and make our whole lives a golden altar that grows higher and higher.

Philippians 2:8-11: “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath HIGHLY EXALTED him, and given him a name which is ABOVE EVERY NAME: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Hebrews 3:3: “For this man was counted WORTHY OF MORE GLORY than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honor than the house."

Revelation 4:10, 11: “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art WORTHY, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for that hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

Only the Lamb of God was worthy to open the book and loose the seven seals containing the prophetic judgments of the world. Revelation 5:8-10: “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors (incense), which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art WORTHY to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”

Revelation 5:12: “And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, WORTHY IS THE LAMB that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.” Do you notice the seven-fold worthiness of the Lamb?

His worthiness is indeed VERY HIGH.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

1. As the highest piece of furniture in the Holy Place it represents the HIGH PRIORITY we must give to worship and intercessory prayer. Christ’s ministry of intercession is now His highest and most important ministry on behalf of the church (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25; 9:24; and 1 John 2:1). Therefore it should also be the highest ministry of the church, not the least attended service. We see the lack of spirituality in the modern-day church by its lack of attendance to worship and intercession.

All I can say is that if it’s good enough for Jesus, our high priest, to make prayer and intercession His No. 1 priority, should it not be the same for His body?

I believe this is the main reason the church is weak in all aspects of its life, including marriage and family. Fatherhood and motherhood in the modern-day church are barely different from that of the world.

2. As the highest piece of furniture in the Holy Place it represents the HEIGHTS to which worship and intercession can take us. We become “the mounting up people.”

Isaiah 40:31 says: “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall MOUNT UP with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

Paul reminded the Ephesians Christians that they are RAISED UP together with Christ and to experience all the blessings of this truth. Ephesians 2:6 says: “And hath RAISED US UP together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” If we do not live our lives at this high altar of prayer and worship, how can we possibly know the things that are ours in the heights?

Colossians 3:1, 2: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are ABOVE, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things ABOVE, not on things on the earth.” It is only at this high altar of prayer and intercession, coupled with praise and worship, that we enter into the high heavenly blessings.

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

If we have not taught them how to pray daily and seek God through reading and meditation of His Word, from an eternal perspective we fail to teach them what matters most.

Many will say, “This is why we take our family to church once a week.” But prayer and the study of God’s Word was never ever meant to be a once a week ritual, but rather a daily habit.

How can our children possibly survive in this morally corrupt world, with all the deceptions that go along with it, if we do not wake up to the truth that we need God every moment of every day?

The Bible says in James 4:8: “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” We need to encourage a daily experience of drawing near to God. How can we expect God to walk with us if our fathers never taught us how to walk with Him. How can we expect our children to walk with God if we don’t teach them how to walk with Him?

The ministry of the golden altar is needful so we can experience its value in our lives every day, from the cradle to the grave.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Picture: Henry-Mosier-Pilgrims-Grace

2. THE GOLDEN ALTAR (Exodus 30:2; 39:39; and 40:26). These Scriptures emphasize the high value, inestimable worth, and preciousness of the ministry of prayer. The golden altar was the highest piece of furniture in the holy place.

3. THE GOLDEN ALTAR WHICH IS BEFORE THE THRONE (Revelation 8:3) which emphasizes prayer and worship connecting us to the throne of God enabling Him to rule and reign in us over all the earth.

4. THE WHOLE ALTAR WHICH IS BY THE ORACLE, the ark bearing the ten commandments, the covenant and truth (1 Kings 6:22). Prayer and worship open our hearts to the oracle or words of God’s truth and keep us close to it.

5. THE ALTAR BEFORE THE LORD (Leviticus 16:12-18). This emphasizes the nearness of God’s heart. We become close to the presence of God when we pray. We are to be the people of His presence. Exercising this ministry at the altar of prayer and worship releases God’s presence in our midst.

6. THE ALTAR TO BURN INCENSE (Exodus 30:1). This emphasizes the need of fire to burn the incense on the altar of our lives. There needs to be Holy Ghost fire in our prayer lives. Speaking of Jesus, John the Baptist said: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.”

This Holy Spirit fire burns up the chaff in our lives and causes prayer and praise to be sweeter and stronger in devotion and fervor.

7. THE ALTAR OF SWEET INCENSE BEFORE THE LORD (Leviticus 4:7). This Scripture emphasizes the need for our prayer/praise/worship to be very sweet before the Lord. No bitterness or critical spirit is acceptable to God. The Lord’s prayer teaches us that when we pray, we must also forgive (Matthew 6:12-16).

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Picture: Martin-Luther-Prayer

Despite all the craziness going on in and out of the church, God is calling men and fathers to pioneer a revival of certain truths that He wants to use in these evil days to counteract and push back the powers of darkness. These truths assist to establish His kingdom of righteousness and peace in our families and individuals that make up His body, the true church.

Through the appropriation and activation of these truths, both individuals, families, and churches will become powerful instruments in God’s arsenal to change and destroy the evil powers over many nations.

Fathers, like the patriarchs of old, we must raise up this golden altar of prayer, praise, and worship in our families again.

Just as God calls parents to take their children away from the humanistic, public school system to the morally protected environment of their homes, He is also raising up families and churches to be involved in this golden altar ministry of prayer.

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Painting: “The Family at Prayer” by Haddon Sundblom

Exodus 39:38: “The golden altar . . . “

Pure gold speaks of gold in its purest form. It also speaks of great value and worth. It is likened to God himself. The ministry of prayer and worship is of endless worth and should never be treated as unworthy of serious attention.

Many people underestimate the enormous value of prayer and worship and tend to have a neglectful attitude towards it. But God puts a high priority on prayer. He ordained this ministry to be the way we communicate with Him, the Almighty God.

Profanity is the sin of taking the holy things of God, making them light, and cheapening them. Esau did this over his birthright and no amount of tears could restore it back to him (Hebrews 12:15-17).

By and large, the modern-day church has very little involvement in prayer and as a result we have shut ourselves off from God’s involvement in our lives. When we are too busy to pray, we show God that this ministry is not a golden ministry to us.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

References about the golden altar of incense: Exodus 30:1-10, 34-38; 37:25-29; 39:38; 40:5, 26; Psalm 141:2; Luke 1:9-11; Revelation5:8; 6:9; and 8:3-5.

If God wants His house to be called a HOUSE OF PRAYER, should not our homes also be houses of prayer? Sadly, we have allowed thieves to come into our homes and steal away the most important thing God wants in our homes. This is how He wants His house to be named. This is how He wants your home to be named! A HOUSE OF PRAYER!

Prayer distinguishes the place where God delights to call home from all other homes. Prayer turns ordinary, humble dwellings into homes of great power.

“My house” implies that the owner of the house is God. The devil tries to steal payer from our lives and our homes. When we allow the world, the flesh, or the devil to steal prayer from our homes and churches, we can no longer call them “God’s house” any more. This refers to the church gathering we attend, the home we live in, and even more importantly, our physical bodies which house the Holy Spirit.

Prayer denotes a humble dependence upon God. Prayer brings the presence of God to bear against all enemies.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

It is possible that we have become nation highly educated in the secular, but highly uneducated in prayer and seeking God daily.

How can America ever become great again if we do not emphasize, in our Christian families and churches, the need to call upon the Lord? It is only families who know how to pray to the only true God that will make America great again.

We all know 2 Chronicles 7:14. When will it become our testimony? “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

It is only God, through the prayers of His people, who can make America great again.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

God wants His influence (we are the salt and light) to impact every area of human involvement. Many occupations of life require a high degree of education. However, this does not mean that a greater emphasis should be put on secular education in place of spiritual education. We can only be the salt and light and a godly influence on our fellow man if we are daily prayed up and have strong daily doses of God’s Word.

God wants His kingdom, like leaven, to infiltrate every area of our lives, both in our homes and in our places of work. Matthew 13:33 says: “The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the WHOLE WAS LEAVENED.”

As fully surrendered Christians, what’s the point of being successful in our natural calling in life if we are not successful in our spiritual calling?

Jesus aid in Matthew 6:33: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” This does not mean we should put His kingdom first only on the day we first decided to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord, but every day following.

Some people thing that this Scripture only applies to the one day a week, e.g. Sunday. There could be nothing further from the truth.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

We are asleep if this does not concern us.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Many of our precious young people in this country of liberty and freedom are weighed down with social problems at home, as well as with their friends at school and work. This multiplies suicide and drug overdose to try and escape the mental and emotional pressures.

It all boils down the fact that they do not have praying parents who in turn taught them how to seriously, and I must say, gratefully and cheerfully, bring everything in their lives to God in prayer.

PRAYER SHOULD BE THE TOP PRIORITY FOR EVERY DAY OF OUR LIVES!
James 1:6 says: “You have not because you ask not.”

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Many are deceived into believing it is godly to limit the number of children they should birth and raise. Many are deceived into pushing their children into socialistic state schools where liberalism and anti-conservative values are taught and practiced.

If you are a conservative guest speaker, you may be attacked and screamed down. What happened to freedom of speech in many of our college/universities today?

It is increasingly evident that we are in the midst of a big spiritual battle for the heart and soul of our nation. If the early church believed they needed the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit, how much more do we need Him at this critical time of our history.

As parents, there some important things we can and must do for our children. Firstly, we must teach them about the Holy Spirit having His rightful place in their lives. How can they desire Him if they don’t know Him?

Secondly, we must daily pray for them so their hearts will be open and desirous of His involvement in their lives.

Thirdly, we must find some place of worship where the Holy Spirit is moving so they will become more familiar with the Holy Spirit’s moving in other people’s lives.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell