Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

Why are many young people and students voting for Bernie Sanders and his extreme socialist/communist policies? He believes that even Obama and Hilary Clinton are not far enough left in socialism and makes no apologies that he is an outright socialist. This reveals how far the USA, one of the most blessed countries of the world has, and still is, drifting away from our biblical, conservative foundations.

The other night I listened to Trump on Hannity where he stated that because he is a great deal-maker he would use his skills to try for a peace treaty between the Palestinians and Israel. He admitted that it would be a great challenge, even to him. “But I will give it one hell of a shot,” he said (Trump language!).

To be honest, this is one of the things that scares me most about Trump. We should all be aware of the natural disasters that have hit the United States of America every time we have forced Israel to give up the West Bank, which is THE HEARTLAND OF ISRAEL and includes part of Jerusalem. (Have you read the book, “As America has Done to Israel?” by John P. McTernan?)

Ezekiel, chapters 36 - 37 are prophetic promises to His people, Israel. (Take time to read these amazing chapters). They are God’s specific promises about the mountains and waste places of Israel which are all in the West Bank. They have all been prophetically promised to be restored and populated with God’s ancient people.

Will Trump seek to negotiate with Israel to give the West Bank back to the Palestinians, as if it always belonged to them? The Heartland of Israel is filled with the evidence of certain tribes of Israel living there. They also took it back by a miraculous war after they were attacked by Arab armies coming at them from strategic parts of the West Bank.

Israel needs these center of their land, firstly because it was given to them by God for an “everlasting possession,” and secondly, because when Israel controls the West Bank it lessens their vulnerability from enemy attack .

We must pray for our own sakes that America will not go against God’s will for ALL of Israel’s promised land. The United Sates of America is a big and powerful nation, but like banks and motor companies, is it too big to fail? I think not.

If we meddle with the foundations of little Israel we could find ourselves fighting against our God who is still the God of Israel! God can easily take America down from its pedestal. * **

We need a president who understands these biblical truths. Our own foundations have been seriously eroded under Obama. We must be prayerful and careful who we chose this time.

May God have mercy on us for we have become deceived by glamour and surface popularity. Foundations are meant to be deep and solid, not glitzy, showy, prideful, and deal-making. These things are just surface, building on the sand.

Be encouraged Colin Campbell

P.S. Check out this link:
http://aboverubies.org/EverlastingPossession

* Genesis 12:3; Psalm 129:5; Jeremiah 51:24; Ezekiel 25:7; 35:1-15; 36:1-7; 38:18-23; Joel 3:1, 2; Obadiah 15; and Zechariah 12:1-9.

** Our God is called THE GOD OF ISRAEL 203 times in our Bible, although He is also called THE GOD OF JACOB and many other similar names. If our God is not the God of Israel, we worship a different God from the Bible. And if He is the God of Israel, as He is, we had better have His understanding of Israel and the land.

The picture for this post is of vineyards growing on the Mount of Blessing, Har Brakha, on the West Bank of Israel. This area is where the Israelites first came into Israel when they came into the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 11:29-32). This picture is a fulfillment of biblical prophecy as these luscious and fruitful vineyards grow out of stones and barren dirt. Only according to the Word of the Lord which states in Ezekiel 36 that when God brings His people back to the land that these barren mountains will “shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come”

The picture for this post is of vineyards growing on the Mount of Blessing, Har Brakha, on the West Bank of Israel. This picture is a fulfillment of biblical prophecy as these luscious and fruitful vineyards grow out of stones and barren dirt. Only according to the Word of the Lord which states in Ezekiel 36 that when God brings His people back to the land that these barren mountains will “shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come”

No one in their right mind would build a house on the ground without a solid foundation or the storms, floods, and severe winds would quickly destroy it.

One of the first things we do when purchasing a house that has already been built is to employ a qualified building inspector to check its foundations. Even though the house may be of the finest design, expensive trimming, superb paint work, and the surroundings look like a beautiful park; if the foundations are weak, cracked, or compromised, who would be foolish enough to purchase it?

If America is to hold its stand of being a powerful and leading nation of prosperity, it will need to have leadership that God approves.

I take no pleasure in any type of negativity or judgment upon this great country. Even though I was not born in this country (although I now have American citizenship) I have been blessed to live here for the past 25 years. I have loved every minute of the freedom and liberty this nation affords, as well as the great largeness of heart that is inherent in most of the citizens of this great land.

However, honest Christians can’t help but ask ourselves some very sober questions:

1. Why is this nation losing its greatness?
One of Donald Trump’s campaign slogans is “I will make the United States of America great again.” Obviously this resonates with a lot of Christian people who realize we are already losing our greatness. But can a worldly man, who has little, if any respect for the reverential fear of God, make America great again? God always blesses godly leadership as He did when His servant David ruled over Israel.

2 Samuel 5:12 says: “And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake.” Is it possible for the USA to have a David in the White House?

We read of a 16 year old king called Uzziah. 2 Chronicles 26:5 says: “As long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.”

Proverbs 29:2 states: “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.”

The question is: who amongst the three leading republican contenders for the White House would be the most righteous? Trump, Cruz, or Rubio? Who would be most likely to humbly seek after God so that God would enable them to prosper? The answer is obviously Cruz or Rubio.

In 2 Chronicles 31:21 we read of the great revival in Israel under the leadership of King Hezekiah: “And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.” In 2 Kings 18: 1-7 we read that Hezekiah “Did that which was right in the sight of the LORD . . . For he cleaved to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses. And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth.”

We read in Genesis 29:2-3 about Joseph who served in Potiphar’s house: “And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.”

Why do many Christians vote for Trump instead of righteous candidates? Why do Christians think that a worldly man who has a history of immorality, and does not believe he should ever ask God for forgiveness, could give them prosperity? It boggles my mind how fickle we can be. Is Trump a biblical example of a righteous man?

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

The framers of our constitution were undoubtedly inspired by God. The constitution is an amazing foundation stone that has been tried and tested over 200 years with great success and prosperity. The nation began operating under this constitution on March 4, 1789.

The liberals regard our founding documents as archaic, outdated, and non-applicable to our modern times. Liberalism, socialism (with its new name of progressivism) also regard the divinely inspired Holy Scriptures as outdated and restrictive to our 21st century appetites.

However, liberalism and socialism, with all its so-called liberating and anti-God philosophies, have been tried by nations dating back to Rome and ever further to Sodom and Gomorrah, with devastating effects.

When nations cast away biblical values, they erode and destroy their prosperity and protection. USA has risen to super-power status faster than any nation in the history of the world. I believe this is because they adhered to biblical values upon which our founding fathers framed our constitution and the Bill of Rights.

It seems an insanity to me that as we race down the track towards socialism, etc that in other parts of the world, nations that have been oppressed and depressed by these same philosophies are doing their best to rid themselves of such tyranny. They cannot understand that the most blessed country in all the world looks to an ultra-socialist like Bernie Sanders to take “America the blessed” to the delusion other nations struggle to be free of.

Obama and Hillary Clinton are really not that much different to Bernie Sanders. They are all communistic, Saul Alinksy disciples. Sadly, people who have no desire to follow God are easy prey to all their promises to take from the rich and give to the lazy, good-for-nothings who do not know how to do one day of hard work.

America was built on a hard work ethic and lazy people who look for hand-outs will quickly destroy it. Real money does not grow on trees. It is rightly earned by hard-working people.

Socialists are not at all concerned for the welfare of the masses. They want revolution and power they never worked for. Socialism and communism has a long track record or repression and poverty, e.g. China, Russia, North Korea, Vietnam, East Germany, and the list goes on.

It is very important that we pray for a God-fearing president at this time. America cannot afford to be deceived again. The stakes are too high. We cannot take the risk of appointing man that has no proven track record of honoring godly values, as well as conservative principles. Not only do we need a president who seeks with all his heart to protect us from enemies without, but also enemies within. He must also be one who will nominate conservative judges to the Supreme Court.

Psalm 2:1-5 exclaims: “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.”

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Jesus said in Matthew 7:24: “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock." Matthew, chapters five to seven, gives the laws and principles of Jesus Christ’s teaching in a nutshell. The Mosaic law covered most of Exodus and all of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

Jesus said that His teachings, which covered only three chapters, are a rock solid foundation on which all His true followers are to build their lives. Added to this, He promises in Matthew 7:11 (compare Luke 11:13) good things: “How much more shall your Father which is in heaven give GOOD THINGS to them that ask him?” Luke 11:13 says that He gives the Holy Spirit to enable us to keep His teachings.

Psalm 11:3: “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

We must beseech God as never before, that we, and the people of this country will not be deceived.

The battle for our nation is heating up even more. Now that the Supreme Court Judge, Antonin Scalia, has passed away, it puts the conservative cause in a very precarious position. President Obama will undoubtedly seek to elect a liberal judge to take his position. This would tip the delicate balance of interpreting and making final judgment on the American supreme legal system in favor of liberalism. It would affect the very tenuous stand we already have on such important values as abortion, planned parenthood, the right to bear arms, the homosexual agenda on gay marriage, and the list goes on.

1Timothy 2:1-4 states: “I exhort therefore, that, FIRST OF ALL, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior:
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

Some Christians think God is not interested in a nation’s politics. Therefore, they surmise that pastors and Christian leaders should not promote any particular candidate, nor should they voice their own political opinions to others in any way, shape, or form. They believe Christian leaders should keep their teaching and exhortations entirely to spiritual matters only. I personally respect these people’s opinions.

However the basis of their argument cannot be supported by Scripture. Spirituality and righteousness are required of all men, in every aspect of our lives-church attendance, our marriage, our family life, our career, the organizations we belong to, and our political persuasions.

The current GOP candidates all say they are pro-life. However, some are not totally pro-life, but compromise according to circumstances. They are happy to kill a baby in the womb because it was conceived through rape. And yet, if someone ended the life of that same person years later, they would be guilty of murder:

Ted Cruz: Opposes exceptions for rape and incest.
Marco Rubio: Opposes exceptions for rape and incest.
Ben Carson: Opposes exceptions for rape and incest.

Who should we elect to be our next president? A very important question. As a nation we stand on the brink of a very important election which will test our national discernment.

In 1 Chronicles 12:32 we read of the children of Issachar “which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.”

Luke 12:56; “Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?”

Hebrews 5:14: “Strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

Job 39:25: “He smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.”

The warhorse has heightened senses. He is warned by the smell of the battle. Even though the battle is far off he can still smell it, hear it, and taste it.

It’s high time for the true people of God to begin laughing the laugh of faith. There is such a thing as the laugh of faith and there is such a thing as the laugh of unbelief.

The warhorse that prances and charges among the trumpets is not laughing in unbelief. Absolutely not. He laughs at the utter foolishness of the enemy because he knows from whom his strength and salvation come. The Lord Sabbaoth (the God of armies) is riding on his back.

Job 39:25: “He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha.”

People may laugh, but God will always have the last laugh. Psalm 2:4 says: “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.”

The warhorse described in Job 39 is a well-trained horse. In a proverbial sense he is like the horse that Jesus Christ, the Conqueror of conquerors rides upon in Revelation 19:11.

Are you familiar with the words of “Chariot of Fire”? The words are by Jack Hayford to the tune used in the move, “Chariots of Fire.”

I rise up to worship,
I stand to acclaim,
The King of all Glory,
Christ Jesus, His name.
I ask you Lord Jesus,
Fulfill my desire;
Please light me and make me
A Chariot of Fire

Job 39:24: “Neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.”

Job’s warhorse has only an ear for battle. If the sound of the trumpet says, “Retreat,” he does not believe it. If the trumpet says, “Stand Down.” as at Benghazi where brave men died because they put American lives and honor before the trumpet of neutrality and indecisiveness.

These navy seals were true warhorses. They would not accept the trumpet call to stand down, even in the face of death. These men knew that whoever was blowing the trumpet to “Stand Down” was out of touch with truth and honor. To stand down when an American consulate, along with all the staff, were about to be overrun by blood thirsty terrorists could not be accepted, even if it came from the White House. It’s high time that the American warhorse be unshackled from the chains of feministic diplomacy.

Likewise, the Christian church needs to wake up and realize that if it’s going to win in the battle against the hordes of darkness, it needs to have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches (Revelation 2:17).

One thing for sure, the trumpet that sounds from Heaven does not call for its warhorses to stand down. It never has said “Stand Down” and it never will say “Stand Down.” Let’s have a thousand Amen’s to that!

We must not listen to those who stand behind polished pulpits and never challenge us towards spiritual warfare. If the church does not learn to wrestle and fight with the powers of darkness, how can we ever win?

We must be very careful who we listen to in this hour. There is something wrong if the trumpet does not call us to prayer. Or to engage in battle. Especially in this crucial hour with failing marriages, crumbling families, and all manner of advancing evil.

All evangelical leaders need to examine their trumpets at this election hour to see whether they are calling on their members to vote for a man who has used his own trumpet to the cause of righteousness or evil in his past. We must be careful not to lay hands on a man suddenly if his track record is questionable No matter how appealing he may be, if his record is dubious and clouded, stay away from his trumpet.

I do not believe we should listen to the trumpet of a billionaire who has amassed his fortunes through gambling casinos. What are these evangelical leaders thinking about? There is something very wrong with their trumpets, as well as their hearing. What foolishness.

1 Timothy 5:22 says: “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.”

Stand up, stand up for Jesus! The trumpet call obey:
Forth to the mighty conflict, in this His glorious day;
Ye that are men now serve Him against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.

Ezekiel 33:3-6 states: “When he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life

“But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.”

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Job 39:24: “He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage.” This describes the warhorse speeding along, motivated by anger and rage. I think the terminology used here of “swallowing the ground” means that the distance between him and the target is quickly diminished by the adrenalin rush, the righteous indignation and fierce rage that possesses the spirit of the warhorse.

Politically speaking, we now live in a world where all anger and rage are regarded as evil. Tolerance is the politically correct attitude toward all evil. No one is allowed to be angry at evil. As a result, western nations have become “milk toast” and mushy.

We are taught that civilized people should never get angry at anything, let alone evil. We are told we must take our time in the face of evil and must never rush to identify the target in case we hit the wrong one. We are told that our war planes cannot drop bombs on ISIS in case there are innocent civilians in the building, in the oil tanker or truck, etc. The rules of engaging the enemy have now become so feminized and emasculated that we can no longer win a war.

In the meantime the enemy punches us right between the eyes and scoffs at our so-called tolerant and sissy behavior. There are too many progressive, socialist, educators both within the church and the nation who want to destroy and take away our manhood. They want to take away our guns and fighting spirit. They want to turn us into a bunch of jelly fish wimps.

We see a different spirit in David. 1 Samuel 17:45-47 states: “Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.”

Verse 48 tells us : “And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David HASTED, AND RAN toward the army to meet the Philistine.” In the face of great danger, David is filled with the same spirit of Job’s battle horse. He ran towards the enemy.

As believers, we are called to do battle with God’s enemies. We are to be “slow to anger” with one another, but never with the devil. We should not drag our feet to man the battle stations, the prayer meetings, where we fight it out with the devil.

Ephesians 6:12 says: “For we wrestle (hand to hand combat) not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

May God hasten our steps to run to the prayer meetings where we can start slinging our stones at the Lord’s enemies. It’s high time for us who dare to call ourselves Christians to get really mad at the devil, and not at each other. Tolerance can only be towards each other as brethren, but not towards sin or the powers that tempt us to sin.

We need to be clothed with the zeal of the Lord, the same zeal that caused Jesus to cast out the money changers in the temple (John 2:15-17). It’s high time we 21st century Christians cast off this wimpy tolerance toward evil and become eaten up by the same zeal for God’s house that Jesus had.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Job 39:23: “The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield.”

The church must wake up to the battle that, never for a single day, ceases to rage against the cause of Christ. Every born again believer, without exception, must quickly come to the realization that they have a divine calling upon their lives to fight, resist, and stand solidly against the armies of hell.

We must clearly understand that we have not been purchased by the redeeming precious blood of Christ to have an easy life of self-pleasing and catering to the desires of our flesh while the enemy tears our nation’s morality to shreds.

How is it possible for us to not stand up and resist the ever-increasing holocaust of abortion, abuse of alcohol, drugs, marriage and family breakdown, sexual abuse within the church, let alone resisting it in the world which is outside the church. It will only get worse until we, the true church, rise up and mount our own white battle horses. We must willingly follow our Commander in Chief, The Lord Jesus Christ, who has already mounted His white horse and leads the charge against the enemy.

It’s time to get rattled by the rattling quivers. God’s warhorse gets rattled (yes, angry) at the sound of the enemy’s rattling quivers. King David was rattled (angry and indignant) at the arrogancy and mockery of the Philistine giant, Goliath (1 Samuel 17:41-47).

David says in verses 45-46: “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee: and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth: that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.”

Jesus Himself was rattled (righteously indignant) as the quivers of the devil rattled against him with the buying and selling in the temple (John 2:13-17).

What’s it going to take to get the sleeping church righteously angry at the enemy? Has our present leadership in Washington DC not rattled our cages enough? When will we say, “Enough is enough”?

Are we tempted right now to elect an immoral, compromising president who will lead the country into more immorality and sin? Are we not rattled enough to bust out of our cages and elect a president who will stand up against abortion, same-sex marriage, and all the evils of our times?

But that is just the beginning. The riders of God’s battle horses realize that the battle is only won through prayer and daily intercession. Yes, it is time to get mad at the devil who cleverly sucks us into lethargy, sin, and deception. In Ephesians 6:11-18 Paul exhorts us to “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (v. 11).

And he gives reasons why:

1. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (v. 12).

2. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (v. 18).

Only when we do these two things can we effectively ride the white horse of Revelation 19:11 and follow our Commander in chief into battle.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

We continue studying the characteristics of the warhorse.

Job 39:22: “Neither turneth he back from the sword.”

Job’s description of the warhorse states that it will never turn back from the sword. Though swords flash all around it, it still charges forward. There is not an atom of retreat in God’s warhorse.

There is no retreating in God’s service. God’s warhorses always charge onward. “Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war” is a mockery to a retreating church.

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banners go!

Such a magnificent song should never be sung by those who have no understanding of spiritual warfare.

Song of Solomon 6, 10 describes the church as “Terrible (majestic, inspiring) as an army with banners.” These banners display the declaration of God’s truths which are an awesome sight to behold. Psalm 60:4 says: “Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth.”

In Revelation 19:11 the Commander in Chief of the church, Jesus Christ, rides a white warhorse. White represents purity and righteousness. Jesus Christ was called “Faithful and True” and all those who followed Him also rode white horses. Revelation 19:14 says: “And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.”

They would never follow a Commander in Chief who made his reputation through building gambling casinos and all the sexual perversions that go with it. They would never follow a Commander in Chief whose wife posed herself nude for a pornographic magazine in Europe.

Men, we are in a great spiritual battle for the souls of the citizens of USA. We had better make sure the one we elect to follow as Commander in Chief is riding a pure white horse, as much as possible for an American president to ride.

He must be one who is faithful and true to his word--the testimony and character of one who is worthy to rule. He should not have a track record of flip-flopping on major issues of morality and justice. There should be no signs of retreat from the foundational truths on which our nation was founded.

I wonder, could it be that a people who lack moral backbone, who themselves flip-flop all over the place regarding morality, could easily elect a Commander in Chief who will hopefully amass them more money to follow more of their lusts?

I believe this is what we face in these coming elections. We must not retreat from the sword of our enemies. Never. But we will retreat if we as a nation, and as a church, do not take a strong stand for righteousness and truth. Righteous morality is the only thing that gives us backbone.

May we never be like the Ephraimites. Psalm 78:9-10 says: “The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law.”

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Job 39:22: “He mocketh at fear and is not affrighted”

Proverbs 29:1 says, “The righteous are bold as a lion.” Just as the warhorse mocks at fear, even so we should mock at the enemy’s strategy to put fear upon us. Fear is debilitating. It paralyses the strongest of men. A physically small man that has no fear is stronger than a physically strong man who is full of fear.