Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

Here are four more areas where God wants us to do or have MORE AND MORE.

MORE eternal rewards (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

This Scripture encourages us to look beyond the trials that we go through in life to see the eternal reward. Are you going through a difficult time? It seems as though it is forever, doesn't it? It feels heavy and bows you down. But, in the eyes of eternity, God calls it a "light affliction, which is but for a moment." As you trust God in your trials, look what it will do for you. It will work for you a "far MORE exceeding and eternal weight of glory." Isn't that amazing? Let's see everything we go through in life in the light of eternity. It makes all the difference.

MORE fellowship with believers (Hebrews 10:25).

Of all the animals that God created, He chose to call us His sheep. Over and over again He calls us His "flock" because sheep always stay together in a flock. A sheep cannot function independently. A sheep that gets separated from the flock is sad and irritable. When the sheep is found and put back with the flock it becomes contended and secure again. God intends us to have the flock mentality. He wants us to fellowship together to encourage and inspire one another, and also to sharpen one another to save us from getting off on the wrong track doctrinally. A person with a independent spirit has the goat mentality, and remember, it is the sheep who belong to the shepherd.

MORE fruitfulness (John 15:2, 5, 8)

God is a God of fruitfulness.

MORE gladness (Psalm 4:7).

David starts off this psalm telling how he was in distress. But, he didn't let his distress get to him. He focuses on God and his testimony becomes that he has more gladness than in the time of great harvest (and that's when they really rejoiced, danced, and made merry). The full understanding of "gladness" in the Hebrew is " blithesomeness or glee, exceeding joy, joyfulness, mirth, pleasure). God doesn't want us to be scraping the bottom of the barrel, but to have MORE!

Which MORE speaks to your heart today? Which one are you going to do MORE AND MORE of today?

Love from Nancy

Every day there is more and more to enter into in our journey in the land of God's kingdom. There is also more and more to enter into in our land of motherhood. We'll discover some MORE Scriptures today.

MORE blessings (Psalm 40:5; 139:17 and Luke 18:29-30).

They are MORE than can be numbered! Let's not forget to count all the little blessings of each day. The more we acknowledge our blessings, the more we will experience. And especially when you have children, you have a myriad of blessings happening around you all the time.

MORE boldness (Philippians 1:14).

We certainly need MORE boldness to proclaim God's truth in the midst of deception all around us, don't we? But, it is available to us in Christ.

MORE conquering (Romans 8:37).

I was sharing these 20 plus points with my grandchildren and asking which MORE they wanted more of. The boys all wanted MORE conquering! This is the life God has for us in His kingdom. Not only conquering, but MORE THAN CONQUERING over all evil, all deception, and all temptation of the flesh. Thank Him for His conquering spirit that is IN YOU because Christ dwells in you.

MORE diligence (Hebrews 2:1).

MORE diligence in the areas the Holy Spirit is speaking to you about. It maybe that you are needing more diligence in establishing daily Family Worship in your home, or more diligence in managing your home and keeping it clean, or more diligence in getting up in time to have a good start to the day and not let it run away with you. God will help you in whatever area He is speaking to you about.

Love from Nancy

MORE tomorrow.

We never get to the end in God's land. It never comes to a stalemate. It is always MORE AND MORE. Proverbs 4:18 says, “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth MORE AND MORE unto the perfect day.”

May God save us from dipping our toes in the shallow waters of God's vastness when there is an ocean of treasures of wisdom and understanding and more than we can ever dream of (Isaiah 64:4; 1 Corinthians 2:9 and Colossians 2:2-3).

A friend of mine shared with me a true story of how her brother in New Zealand purchased some land, but it was only enough for a hobby farm. Years later, he decided to sell the land and only then found out that he actually owned another 10 acres that he didn't even know about. These acres were fertile and wonderful land and would have provided him a full income. But, he missed out because he didn't know what he owned! Often, we don't live in all that God has for us because we don't even know what we have! We've got to constantly seek God and His Word so we don't miss out.

Recently I checked out all the things that God wants us to have MORE of in His Word. I'll start with a couple today and share more during the week. There are over 20 of them so keep watching for them each day.

MORE abundant life (John 10:10).

The words "MORE ABUNDANTLY" in this Scripture come from the Greek word perissos which means, "exceedingly, above the normal, beyond measure, above and beyond, extraordinary." This is the life that God provides for us. It exceeds the normal. God doesn't want your marriage to be normal or average, but above the normal. He doesn't want you to be a "survival mother" but an "above the normal" mother. Press in for more and more each day. Always be pressing in for more of God and more of His understanding for you as a mother.

MORE angelic protection (2 Kings 6:16).

We certainly want more of this, don't we?

Love from Nancy

P.S. Look out for more tomorrow.

A dear friend shared with me today a beautiful understanding of God who is our El Shaddai which means "The Breasted One." She reminded us how when a baby is born, we as mothers long to nurse and nourish our baby and meet their every need. Where does this instinct come from? Of course, it comes from God who is El Shaddai. The understanding of this name also means, "The God who is Enough." He longs to supply our every need and His wells are inexhaustible. He waits for us to come and feed from Him so we can grow and mature. As 1 Peter 2:2 says, "As newborn babies, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby."

As I thought about this, I thought of the FAILURE TO THRIVE syndrome where a child has very low weight gain or low increase in weight gain. This is a serious condition. And yet so many are living in the SPIRITUAL Failure to Thrive syndrome. Our El Shaddai who waits and longs to pour out of His inexhaustible riches to satisfy and feed us often waits in vain. We do not come to Him. We do not come to His precious Word to feed. We take a little sip on Sunday when we go to church, but starve during the week! We eat three meals a day to satisfy our physical body, but except for a tiny crumb here and there, we starve our spirit!

What about our children? We wouldn't think of not feeding them three nutritious meals a day, but how often a day to we feed their spirit? This is the most important part of our children? We need to feed them God's Word at least every morning and evening, as we start and end the day. They can't grow "strong in spirit" on anything less (Luke 1:80).

May God save us from having a diagnosis of  "Failure to Thrive" over our lives. And please, may God save us as mothers from being guilty of putting our children in a position of "Failure to Thrive" because we starve their spiritual beings.

Love from Nancy

A wonderful day of rich revelation in God's Word and fellowship with His people. A dear friend shared a wonderful miracle of healing this morning. Her little boy poked himself in the eye. It was so bad that he couldn't stand the light, even the tiny sliver of the moon shining in. She and her husband prayed over him, but in the morning things didn't look good.

"Mummy, I can't open my eyes," he said, but his eyes were open and looking at her. But, he couldn't see!  This was scary and this dear mother was desperate, "Is my child blind?" God prompted her to read Isaiah 53 with her little boy and explain to him that Jesus died for our sins and our sicknesses. Then she felt to take communion with him, explaining it carefully to him. After he had taken the bread and the juice, he immediately exclaimed, "Mummy, I can see!"

What a wonderful miracle. God is so good.

Love from Nancy

Are you feeling despondent today? Don’t stay in this attitude any longer. Encourage yourself in the Lord.

I think of a situation David faced that I am sure was worse than you are facing now. David and his men came back from a battle to find their city burned with fire and ALL their wives and children taken captive! They wept until they had no more power to weep! But, then all the men were so grieved they talked of stoning David.

In his desperation, what did David do? 1 Samuel 30:6 says, “But David ENCOURAGED HIMSELF IN THE LORD HIS GOD.”  He STRENGTHENED his trust in God. He acknowledged that God was in control. As he looked to the Lord and confessed his trust in God, God showed him what to do.

We will never hear an answer to our problem when we think of nothing but the troubles. It is when we take our eyes off the situation and put them on the Lord that He can then speak to us. Read the whole of 1 Samuel 30 to see how God gave David the answer and how they were able to recover everyone and everything they lost.

You may not have anyone else to encourage you, but you can encourage yourself in the Lord. Speak to your soul to hope in God just as the psalmist did, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? HOPE IN GOD” (Psalm 42:5, 11; 43:5).

Love from Nancy

Are you bold to speak the truth when deception and lies are being proclaimed? Or, do you find it easy to stay silent because you feel too timid or you are concerned what people think of you?

I believe it is a time to rise up in boldness. Proverbs 28:1 says, “The righteous are as BOLD AS A LION.” 

If we are not bold to speak the truth when we are not even facing persecution, how we will stand for truth in more difficult times? Our freedoms are being taken away. God’s timeless truths for marriage and family and the way He wants us to live are being shaken. Our current administration would like to take over the control of our families. They want to even take control of our bodies (Nehemiah 9:37). Are we standing up? If we don’t stand up now, we will lose more and more.

In a wedding ceremony the minister asks the question, “If anyone has any reason why these two should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace.”  If someone had a concern, it was their only chance to speak! I believe that this is our last opportunity. If we don’t speak now, we may not have another chance.

Imagine if ALL God-fearing families began to boldly speak the truth! Let’s start! Soak your children in God’s Word and His truth. Speak seeds of truth wherever you go. Never let a deception go unchallenged. Ever. Come on, let’s start being bold for God and His truth. Let’s hold up the banner. This may be our only chance.

Love from Nancy

Check out Acts 1:8; 4:13, 18-20, 29-31; 5:28-29; 9:27; 13:45-46 14:2-3; 2 Corinthians 4:13 and Ephesians 5:11.

I read this morning in Ecclesiastes 34:13, "Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king."

It's not riches that make a child. It is learning the wisdom of God which is greater than worldly wisdom. A child with riches may be foolish; but a child from a poor family can be rich in wisdom if he or she is taught in the ways of God.

I have a friend who went through a difficult financial time and could no longer afford any homeschooling curriculum. She was devastated. But, her husband reminded her that she had the best textbook available! So she began teaching her children their lessons from the Bible and raised three wonderful girls to adulthood.

Love, Nancy

Two and a half centuries! That's a long time, isn't it?

Check out this amazing testimony! Jonadab gave certain commandments to his family that he wanted them to keep throughout ALL THEIR GENERATIONS AND FOREVER. Two and a half centuries later, the prophet Jeremiah tested Jonadab's family! After 250 years they were still keeping to the commandments of their father, to the absolute letter. Not just some of them, but every one of them--husbands, wives, sons, and daughters.

What a testimony! Can you imagine your descendants still talking about you and keeping to what you said 250 years down the line? God was so blessed with this family that He gave them a blessing that no one else in the Bible received apart from the patriarchs, "Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me FOREVER" (Jeremiah 35:19, read the whole chapter).

It seems that we often fail in passing on God's ways to children in just one generation! I think of how the standard of holiness amongst God's people has degenerated even since I was a child! What about 250 years of generations?

May God help us to understand His plan. We can't be casual about being parents. We have a responsibility to keep God's Word continuing down the generations. Remember the FOREVER MENTALITY?

Love from Nancy

It's so easy to get stuck in the grind of what we are doing each day, isn't it? Often we can't get our mind past the moment. But, God is a forever God and He wants us to have a forever mentality. And especially in the raising of our children. He wants us o be faithful in imparting His Word and His ways to our children so that they will be so ingrained in them that they will pass them on to their children, and their children to their children, continuing down through the generations.

Listen to what Isaiah 59:21 says, "'As for me, this is my covenant with them,' says the Lord: 'My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring's offspring,' says the Lord, 'from now AND FOREVER."

God wants His words to be in the mouths of our children and their generations FOREVER! This takes vision. This takes prayer. This takes reading God's Word daily to our children (morning and evening). This takes more than getting it into their hearts. It takes getting it into their mouths, SO THEY WILL KEEP PASSING IT ON to each generation and FOREVER.

Can we raise our vision to get a FOREVER MENTALITY?

Love from Nancy

IF I LOVE MY HUSBAND--REVISED COPY
(Thank you for all your contributions. I added them to mine so you now have a fuller list. If you haven't commented, you may still like to add further comments. I know you will be blessed and encouraged.)

If I love my husband I will...

Love to serve him.
Love to cook his meals.
Love to have a wholesome meal prepared for him when he comes home in the evening.
Love him to come home to a clean and fresh smelling house.
Love to keep an orderly home for him.
Love to make sure he always has clean laundry.
Love to make him coffee.
Love to make his lunch to take to work.
Love to purchase special goodies for him that he loves.
Love to buy him his favorite dark chocolate.
Love to do nice things for him.
Love to satisfy him sexually.
Love to follow him even though I may not agree with him.
Love to praise him instead of criticize him.
Love to wake up and cuddle with him.
Love to greet him passionately when he comes home from work.
Love to run a bath for him.
Love to encourage and compliment him with my words.
Love to make him smile and laugh.
Love to tell him that he is the best.
Love to text him during the day to remind him how much I love and appreciate him.
Love to speak well of him to my friends and to praise him in front of others.
Love to be his BEST and closest friend.
Love to be his only confidante.
Love to pray with him.
Love to respect him and his decisions.
Love to pay attention to him when he talks to me.
Love to help the children do special things for him.
Love to give him massages.
Love to softly tickle him.
Love to rub his back, shoulders, legs and feet.
Love to be with him while he works.
Love to do what he asks me with a smile and cheerful attitude.
Love to listen to his dreams and ideas and support them.
Love to raise the children in the way that pleases him.
Love to take an interest in his passions.
Love to do everything I can to keep him healthy.
Love to give him surprises.
Love to appreciate him for working hard so I can stay home with our children.
I love to hold hands with him.
Love to admire and adore him.

Thank you for your wonderful contributions!
Nancy

Mother, God has given you a little flock to care for. You are to shepherd them as God shepherds His flock. I know that sometimes you feel overwhelmed and everything seems to be on top of you. But, be encouraged.

Listen to how God feeds His flock. Micah 5:4 says, "And He shall stand and feed his flock in the STRENGTH OF THE LORD." If Christ feeds His flock in the "strength of the Lord,"  surely that's how you should nurture, feed, and tend your little flock.

Don't try to do it in your own strength. Trust in God's strength. He is with you every moment to refresh you, strengthen you, and revive you. Confess your trust in Him and stop confessing all the negatives.

Love from Nancy

Because God is a Creator, He loves to create. He delights in creating each new baby that is born. And every human being God creates is unique, different, and special--a new divine creation that has never been created before. Just think, that when we stop God from giving us another baby, we stop His creativity. We stop the Creator in His work. We interfere in His creative worship.

Not only do we stop God in His work, but we deprive ourselves, the world, and eternity of the special creation God has planned from the foundation of the world.

I think it's time we got our thinking in line with God, rather than our puny human thinking, don't you?

Love from Nancy

What do YOU do?

When the children of Israel were grumbling and complaining and ready to stone Moses, He CRIED OUT to the Lord, "What shall I do?"

God immediately gave him an answer. "And the Lord said unto Moses..."  When you cry out to the Lord, He will give you an answer, too.

Don't try to work it out yourself. Don't become anxious, desperate, and overwhelmed. CRY OUT to the Lord.

Love from Nancy

"‘Tis better far to let Him choose the way that we should take;
If only we leave our life with Him, He will guide without mistake;
We, in our blindness, would never choose a pathway dark or rough,
And so we should never find in Him the GOD WHO IS ENOUGH!
In disappointment, trouble, or pain, we turn to the Changeless One,
And prove how faithful, loving and true is God’s beloved Son."

As a woman, we long for love and security, but more than anything else, a man longs for RESPECT AND HONOR from his wife. It is a God-given instinct that we as wives need to understand. He will never be truly happy until he has it, but when he does, look out world! He will feel that he can face anything.

I'm sure not preaching to you, because I can fall down on this one too. We can love our husband, and yet not show the respect and honor that he needs.

The Amplified Version of Ephesians 5:33 explains the Greek word very clearly, “Let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband (that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly).”  What a challenge.

Honor him with your words and they way you speak to him. Honor him with the way you look at him. Does your husband sit at the head of the table? Does he have his special chair? We show our honor in little practical things, too.

Love from Nancy

I’m setting the table for my wonderful brood,
I’m furnishing it with love and nourishing food,
I’m making it a place where they all love to be,
A place of enrichment and lasting legacy!

Love from Nancy

When Mother Teresa of Calcutta was asked by a young mother about the best way to proceed with pro-life work, she responded emphatically,

“Have a big family. That is the best way to end abortion!”

The confession of the old kingdom is, “Why pray when I can worry?” The confession in God’s kingdom is, “Why worry when I can pray?” We are to live in a world of prayer for we belong to a kingdom of prayer. Philippians 4:6 NLT says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.”

Love from Nancy

In our home I find that it is as important for me to think about what we will talk about at the table as it is to think about what we will eat for supper. The meal table can be boring--or lively, interesting, and educational, according to how we prepare for it.

Quite frequently I ask the girls living in our home to bring something to the table to read to us--a poem, a passage from a book they are currently reading, or a powerful quote. Recently I asked each one to share the book that had impacted their life the most, and why. We learned a lot that night and everyone wanted to read the book each one talked about.

The other night I asked them to come prepared to speak about some person who has influenced the world in some way. Some of the people we learned about were Annie Oakley, C. T. Studd, Eliezer Ben Yehuda, and John Newton.

Of course, if you currently only have little children, you can ask simple questions such as, "What was the best thing you did today?" Or, "What was something new you learned today?"

Put on your thinking cap and create wonderful discussions at your table. It not only engages everyone in heart-to-heart conversation, but becomes a place of learning.

Love from Nancy