Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

I must now get upstairs and start peeling the potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Blessings and love from Nancy Campbell

Blessings from Nancy

How can we ever comprehend such a plan? God’s ways are certainly far above our ways. And yet it also reveals how God thinks about the womb and birth. Do we see them the way God does?

Imagine if Mary was not willing to embrace Jesus in her womb? She knew she would face persecution and ridicule. She could not even image what lay ahead for her. And yet she responded with total submission: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38).

As we think about the miraculous conception and birth of Jesus, let’s ask God to give us soft and tender hearts like Mary. Let’s be willing to say, no matter what the cost: “Be it unto me according to thy word.”

May you have a blessed Christmas.

Nancy Campbell

They had no room for the Light of the World in Bethlehem. Do we make room for Him in our lives? Do we allow Him to expose the darkness and flood our lives with His light? Every time we respond to the moving of the Holy Spirit in our lives and say Yes to God we open up to His light. When we are stubborn, want our own way, and say No to the convicting of the Holy Spirit, we choose darkness.

Dear mother, we must teach our children this powerful principle, too. Every time they say Yes to you and Yes to the Holy Spirit they receive more and more light into their lives. When they are disobedient and say No to you, and No to the voice of their conscience they allow darkness into their lives.

May we open up MORE AND MORE to the Light and less and less to the darkness. Proverbs 4:18: "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth MORE AND MORE unto the perfect day." Each new day, individually and as a family, ask God to FLOOD YOU WITH HIS LIGHT.

Love from Nancy

Maybe one of my grandchildren will recite this poem on Christmas night. After our big Christmas Dinner at midday and speeches and toasts, we will wait until the later in the day to have dessert. After this we’ll have a family concert where adults and children will sing or recite poems. Then we’ll have Quizz time--children against the adults! The competition will be fierce!

Love from Nancy Campbell

So keep trusting, dear one.

Psalm 4:1: “Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast ENLARGED ME when I was in distress; have mercy upon me , and hear my prayer.”

Blessings from Nancy

Parents! You are fashioning the destinies of immortal souls!

~ James Russell Miller 1882

You may think, “How on earth could I ever cope with another child? My hands are full already.” Dear mother, God is your Strength. He promises to give you strength for each new day. He doesn’t give you strength for tomorrow, but for TODAY. And He doesn’t give you strength and energy for a baby that has not arrived yet. But if God sends you another blessing from Heaven, He will give you the strength when that baby comes. What a wonderful God we have.

Look to Him for His strength for today.

Love from Nancy Campbell

In a lesser and yet still powerful way, God does GREAT THINGS through every baby that is conceived in a mother’s womb. Every new baby is born in the image of God. Each one is a fresh revelation of God to the world. Each one has the possibility of accomplishing marvelous things.

Let’s think for a moment of all the amazing things that have happened, are happening, and will happen in this world--the remarkable inventions, the amazing feats both intellectually and physically, the astounding advancements, and the brilliant discoveries. None of this happens on its own. Every single thing happens through a person. And that person comes through the womb. Without the womb NOTHING happens in this world. It all comes to a halt.

All the GREAT THINGS that take place in the world happen because of a mother’s womb. The womb is a place of destiny.

Can we grasp the fullness of this truth? God privileges women with the gift of a womb, a sanctuary from where God brings forth GREAT THINGS to fulfill His purposes and glorify His name. And not only for this world, but for eternity, for every child who is conceived is an eternal soul that lives forever.

Dear precious mother, don’t hold back your womb from God. Your finite mind cannot even fathom what great things God has ordained to happen in this world through creating a God-destined life in your womb (1 Corinthians 2:9). We are privileged and blessed beyond measure.

Be blessed today,

Nancy Campbell

And there is one more! You'll never guess!

It is found in Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." The word "train" is "hanuk," the verb of hanukkah, meaning "to initiate, dedicate, consecrate." It is not enough to celebrate Hanukkah for eight days. As parents, we are FULL TIME HANUKKAH CELEBRATORS!

When we realize that training our children means to dedicate them to the Lord, it gives us a much larger and loftier vision. Everything we do and plan for our children is now in the light of dedicating our them to the Lord and setting them apart for His service. It's not a one-time dedication. It is a verb which requires daily action.

When our children are disobedient or don't complete what we have asked them to, we can sometimes be lazy and let it go. But not if we understand we are daily dedicating them to the Lord. How can we let things go when we consecrating them to God's holy service. We have the responsibility to train them to obedient so they will be obedient to the Lord!

As children get older, they can become more worldly and want to do what other more worldly teens are doing. We could think, "Oh that's the stage they are going through." But not if we understand that we are daily consecrating them to the Lord. We will pray up a storm. We will fight the devil. We will work with our children to keep them on the narrow road that leads to life. We will do everything to save them from the broad road that leads to destruction. WE ARE PROVERBS 22:6 HANUKKAH PARENTS!

When we "hanuk" our children, it determines how we educate our children. It would be ludicrous to send our children into a an ungodly education system each day if we are daily consecrating them for God's purposes.

As we consecrate our children to the Lord, we recognize that they totally belong to the Lord for whatever time God has for them on this earth. Above everything else, we know that we are ultimately preparing them for eternity.

Blessings from NANCY CAMPBELL

Proverbs 20:27 says "The spirit of man is the candle (light) of the Lord." Have you noticed that when a new baby is born into a family that a heavenly atmosphere fills the home? There is an "awe" that we only experience with a new babe. I believe we are experiencing a new light from heaven. I think this is why little children are so open to God. Recently I watched my little three-year old grand-daughter sing all day about how Jesus is in her heart and how she loves God.

Why then do many walk in darkness? The answer is in John 3:19-21. We are all born with a light from God, but we can either push back the light or open up more and more to the light. It is a privilege for children to be born into a home where parents love God. These children have an opportunity to open up more and more to the light. In an ungodly home, the light with which they are born can be gradually extinguished or often smothered completely.

I believe that every time we say Yes to God and obey the prompting of His Holy Spirit within our hearts, we experience more light in our lives. Every time we say No to God and are disobedient to the Word, we accept darkness. Teach your children this principle, dear mother. Teach them that saying Yes to you and Yes to God will bring them to more and more light (Proverbs 4:18). Teach them that when they say No to you and No to God's ways, their minds and hearts will cloud with darkness.

Job 18:5-56 says, "Yes, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him." I don't want it to be dark in my home, naturally and spiritually. I hate to have curtains and blinds pulled over and everything looking dark. My curtains are always open (just as well I live in the country!). I love the light and the more the better. And it’s the same spiritually. I want more and more spiritual light in my home and less and less of darkness. I'm sure you don't want it to be dark in your home either.

Let's open our hearts and minds MORE AND MORE to the light of God. Begin each day by praying, "Oh Lord God, please flood my mind, my heart, and my home with your light, today. Amen."

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

The Israelites also had to face enemies far bigger than them. Deuteronomy 9:1-3 says: “Hear O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations GREATER AND MIGHTIER than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven, a people great and tall, the children of the Anakims (giants), whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak! Understand therefore this day, that the Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the LORD hath said unto thee.”

I know that you, too, often face dilemmas that loom much bigger than you can handle. Don't focus on your difficulty. Look to God. He is your Strength. He is your Source. He is your Sufficiency. He will always do what you cannot do. When we try to handle our problems we usually make a mess of the job. Put them in God's hands for He knows what is best to do.

Victory does not come by intelligence or fleshly strength. It only comes from God. Just as God delivered the Maccabees over and over again as they faced insurmountable armies, so God will deliver you as you trust in Him. Make sure you have the right confession. Don't confess your problems; confess your trust in God. It's the way to victory.

Love from Nancy Campbell

This is a type for our lives today. When the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, He fills us with His light, but it is very easy for the light to dim or even go out. There are many temptations, deceptions, and evils around that diminish our light. To keep the light burning, we must tend to it every morning and evening. We need to do this individually and as a family.

A powerful way to keep God's light burning in every member of our family is to have Family Devotions (or whatever you call it in your home) every morning and evening. Each time we come together as a family, read the Word, and spend time in prayer, we relight our lamps. If we fail to do this, our light will go out very quickly.

How big is the flame in your family? We are not meant to be a flickering light, but a great light. If your flame is only smoldering, get back to God's "morning and evening" principle. It's the only way that works. Let the light in "the holy place" of your temple and your home shine for all to see God's light.

Love from Nancy Campbell

The wonderful thing is that God’s presence is not limited to church meetings. God’s presence is available to you constantly. And please remember, dear mother, it is not the hassles, the difficulties, or even sorrow that hides God’s face from you. The only thing that hides His face is our sin and rebellion against Him.

As we seek to walk in holiness because we fear the light of His countenance, we also walk in the unspeakable joy of His constant presence because of His nearness to us--to strengthen us, give us peace, wisdom, and continual rest.

The Bible commentator, Alexander Maclaren calls it living in “continual sunshine.”

Live in the sunshine of His presence today.

Love from Nancy Campbell
I would encourage you, when you have a spare moment, to go to the following link. It is the commentary of this Scripture by Alexander Maclaren. You will be so blessed:
http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mac/view.cgi…

The Hebrew word for “enlighten” means “to luminate, to kindle, to set on fire.” It is also a picture of the break of day. God’s Word eradicates the darkness and awakens us to see as we never have before.

We can’t live without it. Your children can’t live without it either. Make time each day to gather your children around to listen to God’s Words.

Love and blessings,

Nancy Campbell

Because they would not bend and turn from God's laws this dear mother watched as Antiochus tortured her fourth, fifth, and sixth sons the same way. The mother had only one son left, her beloved youngest. Antiochus tried to influence the mother to save his life. He promised he would make him rich and prosperous and even a political advisor. She obliged by turning to her youngest son saying, "Son, pity me who carried you in the womb nine months, nursed you for three years, nurtured you, and brought you into this stage of life with care. I beg you, child . . . Don't fear this killer but prove worthy of your brothers. Accept death so that in God's mercy I should recover you with your brothers" (2 Maccabees 7:27-29). She watched her last son die before she was put to death herself.

This mother was a nurturing and caring mother. But she had a vision for her children beyond this earth. She raised her sons to fear God rather than man. She raised them to stand for truth, no matter what the consequences. She raised them to see beyond this earth to the endless life of the heavenly.

May God help us to be courageous mothers. May He save us from raising wimpy, mediocre children who are seduced by the humanist trend of an ungodly society. May He anoint us with the mighty power of God to raise children who will have the courage to stand for God and for truth, no matter what persecution they face.

(You can read the whole of this amazing story in the Apocrypha in 2 Maccabees chapter seven).

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

Let’s look at some of the things we should experience MORE AND MORE each day.
Abound MORE AND MORE in loving one another (1 Thessalonians 3:12; 4:10 and 2 Thessalonians 1:3).
Abound MORE AND MORE in pleasing God (1 Thessalonians 4:1).
Abound MORE AND MORE with thanksgiving (Colossians 2:7).
Change MORE AND MORE into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29 and 2 Corinthians 3:18).
Filled with MORE AND MORE joy (Romans 14:17; Hebrews 1:9 and 1 Peter 1:8).
Gather MORE AND MORE with the saints (Hebrews 10: 25).
Increase MORE AND MORE in the knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10).
Increase MORE AND MORE in righteousness (2 Corinthians 9:10).
Increase MORE AND MORE in wisdom (Proverbs 4:5, 7; 8:11; 19:8; and Proverbs 31:26).
Learn MORE AND MORE of God’s heart for mothering (1 Timothy 2:15).
Live MORE AND MORE by faith (Luke 17:5 and 2 Thessalonians 1:3).
Praise the Lord MORE AND MORE each day (Psalm 71:14).
Shine MORE AND MORE of God’s light to others (Proverbs 4:18).

And what about this wonderful promise? “The Lord shall increase you MORE AND MORE, you and your children” (Psalm 115:14).

We certainly have no opportunity to stay stagnant, do we?

Let’s be families who never stay the same, but instead are always growing in the knowledge of God, shining His love and light to one another and others, and strengthening and building up our marriage and family a little more each day.

Love from Nancy Campbell

How does this affect our lives? God no longer lives in the Holy of Holies in the temple, but in our bodies, which are the temple of His Holy Spirit. In fact, we are not just the temple of the Holy Spirit, but the "naos" which is the Holy of Holies. This is the very word which is used in 1 Corinthians 6:19 and 2 Corinthians 6:16. What an indescribable truth!

Our temple may not be desolate, but it is very easy for us to allow things to come into our lives which grieve the Holy Spirit and spoil and dirty our “naos.”

It is a lovely idea to have a re-dedication service one night during Hanukkah and dedicate our temples again to the Lord. Choose which morning or evening you would like to do this together as a family. Explain to your children about it, and then ask each one of them to confess to the Lord anything in their lives that grieves the Holy Spirit and to rededicate their "body temple" to the Lord. This includes mom and dad too, of course. Each one can do this silently or orally as you feel led of the Holy Spirit.

When we have all dedicated ourselves individually, then the father can rededicate the whole family to be a living sacrifice to the Lord and to be set apart for His purposes (Romans 12:1-2).

I know that the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you mightily as you experience this dedication service in your home.

Love from Nancy Campbell

Jesus was not a flickering little light. He came to shine a huge light into the darkness of this world. And this is where He came--to those who “sit in darkness.” It was a dark and sinful time when Jesus entered this world. Sometimes we despair of what is happening in our country at this time. Darkness and evil is increasing. But this is when Jesus wants us to shine even GREATER! He has chosen us to bring light to the darkness.

Every child, born in the image of God, especially born into a godly home is another opportunity to reveal the light of God to the darkness of this world. The more lights born into this world the more God’s plan is fulfilled. Don’t hold back having children because you may think this world is too evil to bring children into. This is the reason we need more children-- to bring more of the light of God into this world.

Jesus still wants to be a GREAT light in this world, and now His plan is to SHINE BIG AND BRIGHT through our lives (Matthew 5:16). Ask Jesus to expose all darkness in your life and in your home. Repent of anything that grieves the Holy Spirit. And then, filled with the LIGHT OF THE WORLD, shine MEGA. When you go out with your children be conscious of SHINING A HUGE LIGHT for the glory of God in this dark world.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell