Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

Recently, I saw a picture of an old lion sitting and surrounded by a pack of 20 hyenas . . . despicable hyenas! The lion was in real trouble, and he knew it. The hyenas had not yet attacked the lion, but they were closing in for the kill. To be sure, the lion would be able to take down a few of the hyenas, but what was left of the pack would take down the lion.

In his extremity the lion called out. Thankfully, another lion came to his aid. The hyenas knew that to attack two lions . . . they could do it but would lose many of their pack (an “unacceptable loss” to the pack). Instead, they withdrew and let the lions go.

I immediately thought of our president, Donald Trump . . . and the hyena pack surrounding him in Washington. No matter which way he turns, no matter what he does, the “pack” attacks him. Why? Because Mr. Trump is a Nationalist, and the “pack” are Globalists.

As I looked at the picture and learned of the arrival of the second lion (that rescued the first), I began to pray for Mr. Trump. I prayed that God will give him great wisdom and that God will send another lion to “cover his back.”

As I thought on this, I “saw” a mental picture (of sorts) of a group of lions surrounding the first two . . . and the hyenas backed further away. Then, in the picture I saw the circle of lions became flames . . . a wall of fire (the prayers of the saints?) around the old lion and his rescuer. The hyenas were (by
then) nowhere to be seen.

Dear ones, America is hanging in the balance. If the "Deep State" is able to take down Mr. Trump, it is likely that they will take down America too. After all, they're Globalists: their purpose is to bring about a New World Order (a one-world system), replacing the old system of nation-states. (As Angela Merkel recently said: "Nations must be prepared to give up their national sovereignty." Angela Merkel is a Globalist.)

Not long ago, this thought came to me (and I believe it was from Holy Spirit): "What they are now doing to Trump, they will do to you who are Christians." That is, relentless and unending enemy attacks from all sides!

Folks, we'd better get ready! We need to pray such that our prayers build a “wall of fire” (Zechariah 2:5) around the President, and around each other! We better live in a state of continual repentance and drawing close to God. Daily, daily, daily. And we'd better pray as if our nation depended upon it. It does!

~ Patricia Holmes * This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

I have to admit that I love winter Christmases. I love the atmosphere of the warm fire, the twinkling lights, and snow outside (although we haven't had snow yet this winter)!
~ Nancy

"Notice the mismatched corelle dishes and glasses! Soft lighting, a tablecloth, and a few candles change a regular meal into a feast!

"If we put dinner time at the top of the list of priorities for our families these fancier dinners are completely do-able! The key is to making meals part of a daily routine and to encourage proper table etiquette!”

By the way, Vera is joyfully expecting their 14th blessing in the spring. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

May you have a blessed Christmas Day as you remember our glorious Savior.

~ Nancy Campbell

P.S. Don't you love this painting of Simeon and Jesus? It's one of my favorites.

Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be called Emmanuel—God with us. “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

What love! What purpose God has for us in the gift of His son, Yeshua. He gave him to be the Savior of the world—to save us from our sins, to deliver us from our selfishness and bondages, but also to be with us. He wants to be close to us. He wants to fellowship with us. He wants to be present in every detail of our lives. There is no greater gift we could receive than Emmanuel.

Because Jesus died to take the punishment of our sin, we have cleansing and forgiveness—and the infilling of the Holy Spirit—God with us.

This gets to the very nitty-gritty of our lives. Dear mother, God is with you in every moment of your mothering. He is with you when you feel overwhelmed and even when you feel you can’t cope any longer. He is with you in all your frustrations and challenges. He is with you as you tackle another mound of dishes. He is with you as you scrub and clean.

He is with you as you face all the extra activities you take on at this Christmas season. He is with you as you sort out squabbles and sibling rivalry. You are not doing all this on your own. Emmanuel is with you. Acknowledge that He is with you. Thank Him that He is with you. It makes all the difference.

All these moments, the good and the difficult, are sacred moments because of Emmanuel. He is with you as you curl up on your sofa and nurse your baby. He is with you as you read stories to your children, and He is with you in the daily disciplines of teaching and training your children. Your whole attitude, and the atmosphere of your home, changes when you understand that God is powerfully with you in every mothering moment.

He is with you in the dark times. He is with you when you do not feel Him and think that He is far away. Your feelings have nothing to do with it. Your feelings do not change Emmanuel!

You may feel you are drowning in the waters, but in the midst of the deep waters, God says “I am with you . . . they shall not overflow you.” The waters of adversity may be swirling around you. They look fearful and you wonder how you will survive. But remember, you cannot drown when God is with you. It is impossible. Read Isaiah 43:2 again. Instead of talking about all that you are going through, thank God that He is with you in your trial. When you understand that God is with you, you can rejoice.

Perhaps you are going through a fiery trial. The flames are engulfing your life and family. They feel as though they are consuming you. But, once again, please remember the promise of God—"You will not be burned!” The flames will not consume you. Why? Because God is with you! God is bigger than your fiery trial. Read again Isaiah 43:1-3.

The greatest gift we have in this earthly life is that God with us. We are not citizens of this world. We are only sojourners here, ambassadors for the King of kings on our way to eternity. He does not leave us here to grovel and exist on our own. He has sent Emmanuel to be with us—to teach us, guide us, and fill us with His wisdom and His glorious presence as we fulfill our destiny.

Make this be the glorious theme of your Christmas celebrations. Share this wonderful revelation with your family. As you thank God, encourage each one in the family to thank God that He is Emmanuel--God with us.

May you and your family be filled with joy at this Christmas season,

Nancy Campbell

Read the meaning again. Do you notice that God did not create us to be the same as our husband? He created us differently. He created us to complement our husband in things that he cannot do himself.

God’s divine and glorious plan is to bring two people together and make them one—a man and a woman. Not two males. Not two females. Each are different, so they can accomplish the ultimate purposes of God.

God has created us with a womb to conceive and nurture life in our womb. Our husbands cannot do this. He created us to nourish a babe at our breast. Our husbands cannot do this. He created us to love home and make a nest and a safe sanctuary for our husbands and family. Our husband cannot do this. Without a wife in the home it looks and feels like a “bachelor pad.” No ambiance. No feminine touches. No hominess

This is God’s glorious plan. But because it is God’s plan, the devil hates it. He hates everything that is of God. Therefore, he seeks to destroy marriages. He woos women out of the home. He deceives them to take on their husband’s role and vacate the role God ordained for them.

Dear wives and mothers, let’s not be betrayed by the devil who is a liar and a deceiver. He has already two-timed thousands of women. Don’t be another of his statistics. Let’s be who God created us to be.

I was reading a commentary by Matthew Henry the other morning. He describes the wife as a “companion to her husband, manager of domestic concerns, trusted to form the minds of children.” I thought of how many women would despise these words today, and yet they are biblical.

It’s time to stop joining the devil’s plan (while he laughs up his sleeve), and instead embrace God’s eternal purpose.

Loads of love to you in your home today,

Nancy Campbell

Painting by Johann Georg Meyer von Bremen

By Jackie Gunderson * 1993 in Legacies, vol 3. No.3.

This petition will be sent to the Israeli Parliament, United Nations, and the White House, and shared online to let the world know just how many people believe in free and open access to the site that once housed God’s palace.

https://www.israel365.com/prayer-temple-mount/…

SIGN THE PETITION TO UPHOLD THE SCIENTIFIC DEFINITION OF SEX IN FEDERAL LAW AND POLICY
Read the following excerpt from the petition, that shows that God creates the male or female from the beginning of conception. If you agree, sign.

“Human sex is a binary, biologically determined, and immutable trait from conception forward. The norm for human design is to be conceived either male or female. Human sexuality is binary by design for the obvious purpose of the reproduction of our species. This principle is self-evident. “XY” and “XX” are genetic markers of male and female, respectively, and are found in every cell of the human body including the brain. Sex is established at conception, declares itself in utero, and is acknowledged at birth.

“Sex differences are real and consequential. The Institute of Medicine recognized the singular importance of sex to health and the field of medicine nearly two decades ago. Sex chromosomes impart innate differences between men and women in literally every cell of our bodies.[i] There are over 6500 shared genes that are expressed differently in human males and females.[iii] These differences impact our brains, organ systems, propensity for developing certain diseases, differential responses to drugs, toxins and pain, differential cognitive and emotional processes, behavior and more.[i]”

"Petition to Uphold the Scientific Definition of Sex in Federal Law and Policy"
https://www.ipetitions.com/…/uphold-the-scientific-defintio…

1. He enjoys the fruit of his labor (verse 2). He is a hard-working man who takes responsibility to provide for his family. He provides sufficiently for his wife to be in the home. He knows that he can’t afford for her to leave the home. His children are too precious to be given to someone else to care for.
2. He enjoys the blessings of his wife being in the home (verse 3). He is at peace because he knows his children are nurtured, trained, and guarded by his wife at home. They are not left to the others who do not have the same principles to shape their lives.
3. He enjoys the blessings of coming home to a wife who is in the heart of her home (verse 3). He comes home to a lovely meal that his wife has ready and waiting for him. He enjoys the blessing of sitting around the table with his wife and children where they interact and talk together about the day’s happenings. He is happy that he not only blesses his children with food and fellowship but feeds their inner man and read God’s Word to them.
4. He enjoys watching his children growing up--healthy, vigorous, and full of life.
5. The Israeli man sees “the good of Jerusalem” all the days of his life (verse 5). If more and more families would embrace the lifestyle of this psalm, we will also see “the good of our nation.” We cannot expect God’s blessings unless we walk in His ways.
6. He embraces the promise that he will enjoy the blessings of grandchildren (verse 6).
7. And lastly, he enjoys peace in his home and in the land (verse 6).

God uses the word “esher” meaning “extra happy” three times in this psalm, plus He uses the word “blessed” two times. It’s filled with God blessings for families that walk in His ways.

The picture God paints in this psalm of the family that He wants to bless is different to the lifestyle in many homes today, even Christian homes. However, no matter how much we think we know better than God, our human wisdom is foolishness. It’s only God’s ways that bring His ultimate blessings.

Love from Nancy Campbell