Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

They built a new altar with whole, unpolished stones (because the altar had been desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes), brought in the Lampstand, the Altar of Incense, and the Table of Showbread, and offered sacrifices as God originally commanded. "So they celebrated the rededication of the altar for eight days" (1 Maccabees 4:56).

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. We are not only the temple of the Holy Spirit, but the “naos” which speaks of the Holy of Holies in the temple. This is the word which is used in 1 Corinthians 6:19 and 2 Corinthians 6:16. What an indescribable truth!

1 Corinthians 6:19, 20: “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple (naos—which is the word for Holy of Holies) of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” You are now the place where God wants to reside in all His glory.

Our temples may not be desolate, but it is easy for us to allow things to come into our lives which grieve the Holy Spirit and spoil and dirty our naos. Just as the Maccabees had to cleanse and rededicate the temple, so we need times in our lives when we rededicate our bodies to the Lord.

Therefore, it is a good idea to have a rededication service one night during Hanukah and dedicate our temples again to the Lord. Choose which morning or evening you would like to do this together as a family. Explain it to your children. 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. Each one can do this silently or aloud, as you feel led of the Holy Spirit.

When we have all dedicated ourselves individually, 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.

Be blessed,

Nancy Campbell

* Although He was divine, He took on our humanity to feel our infirmities (John 1:14; Romans 1:3 8:3; Galatians 4:4; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14, 17 and 4:15).

* He didn't hold on to His glory but made himself of no reputation. He became a servant. He humbled himself and submitted himself to the death of the cross (Philippians 2:7.

Coming into the world this way, He showed us the way to live. The birth of Jesus shows how to live humbly and lay down our lives for one another.

Love from Nancy Campbell

* When Mary came to visit her cousin Elisabeth during her sixth month of pregnancy, the moment she greeted her “the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was FILLED with the Holy Ghost: and she spake out with a loud voice” (Luke 1:41-42).

* At the circumcision celebration for John the Baptist, his father, Zacharias was "FILLED with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied” (Luke 1:67).

* Jesus was conceived by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT COMING UPON Mary (Matthew 1:20 and Luke 1:35).

* When Joseph and Mary took baby Jesus to the temple to be dedicated, Simeon, a man FILLED with the Holy Spirit and waiting for the coming of the Messiah, took him up in his arms and blessed God (Luke 2:25-28).

* During Jesus' childhood he was FILLED with wisdom (Luke 2:40).

The challenge is: what are we filled with as we remember the birth of Christ? Are we filled with anxiety and busyness, or are we filled with the Holy Spirit? Imagine if we spent as much time seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit as rushing around buying gifts and preparing for Christmas. What would happen? Imagine if we took time to listen to the Holy Spirit. What would He say to us? What difference would it make in our lives and in our homes? Imagine if we asked the Holy Spirit to lead us instead of doing our own agenda. How would He direct us?

May you enjoy a FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT Christmas?

Love from Nancy Campbell

In the Bible Egypt speaks of darkness, deception, and the spirit of this world. God does not want us to have any part of Egypt. Read Isaiah 30:1-3; 31:1-3; 2 Corinthians 6:17, 18; and Revelation 18:4. He wants us to separate from the kingdom of darkness. Separate. Sever. No blur. No grey.

When dark thoughts come into our minds, or evil tendencies from the enemy, we separate immediately!

As parents, we must guard against the dark things of evil that can subtly enter our homea. We must watch the little grey areas. They gradually multiply. You can be outside at dusk and the darkness slowly comes. Then suddenly it is black. We must guard against the encroaching darkness in our homes.

Job 5:5, 6 (GW) speaks of the wicked and says: “The flame of his fire stops glowing. The light in his tent becomes dark.” We must not let the light in our homes become dark. We must expose and push out all darkness and daily open our homes to the light of God.

Isaiah 670:1-3: “Arise shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.”

Shine in your home today,

Nancy Campbell

In the midst of this thinking Jesus boldly and publicly declared, "I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). In other words, He confessed that He was God, which of course, He was! This was too much for the Jews who, remembering Antiochus Epiphanes the evil blasphemer, took up stones to stone him (John 10:22-33).

It was no coincidence that Jesus chose this timing to speak these words. Everything about Hanukkah speaks of standing up for truth even in the face of danger.

May we never cringe to speak the truth, no matter what the consequences.

"The righteous are bold as a lion" (Proverbs 28:1).

Have a blessed day,

Nancy Campbell

Isaiah 49: 1, 5 is another messianic prophecy which also speaks boldly of the womb: “Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far (God wants the whole world to receive this amazing news!); The LORD hath called me from the WOMB; from the bowels (WOMB) of my MOTHER hath he made mention of my name. . . . And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the WOMB to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him . . . “

Because God put such favor and importance on the womb to bring forth His Beloved Son, Satan hates the womb (Genesis 3:15). There is still war against the womb today. Satan seeks to delude and deceive women about the power of their womb. The Son of God came through a womb to deal a death blow to the enemy and bring salvation to the world. But God still wants children to come forth from the womb to bear His image and to bring salvation to many.

The womb is God’s blessing to us. It is His blessing to the world. Nothing in this world can happen except through the womb. All the mighty works God wants accomplished can only happen through His servants and they must come into the world through a womb. All the great feats and accomplishments of this world only happen through someone who was conceived and birthed from the womb.

Why do so many women today choose to close their womb? To stop the function of their womb? Many reject their womb, and yet GOD CHOSE A WOMB for His Only Beloved Son who is King of kings and Lord of lords.

Mary’s response was: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38). What is your response?

Be blessed today, Nancy Campbell

Painting. The beautiful picture of Mary and Elizabeth meeting. Not only do the mothers meet, but their babies recognize one another! When John the Baptist (in the womb) supernaturally recognized Christ the Lord in the womb of Mary he “leaped in her womb” (Luke 1:39-45). So powerful. This is such an irrefutable truth that babies in the womb are fully human!

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant.

It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around.."

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper That he got from a grocery bag Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume.. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left, she cried for at least an hour.

On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets.."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling* her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.

Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for* believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)

Warm someone's heart today. . . pass this along. I love this story so very much, I cry every time I read it. Just try to make a difference in someone's life today? tomorrow? Just "do it".

Random acts of kindness, I think they call it?

"Believe in Angels, then return the favor."

It all happened because of a very brave family. Antiochus Epiphanes ruled over Israel and commanded all Jews to renounce their way of life, practice pagan observances, and live like the Greeks. He erected the "abomination of desolation" in the temple. Many Jews assimilated to avoid persecution and being killed. BUT NOT THIS FAMILY!

Mattathias was a godly older man with five brave sons—John, Simon, Judas (known as Maccabeus), Eleazar, and Jonathan. When the officials came to their town of Modein, they tried to get Mattathias to influence the people of his town to turn away from God. Listen to his reply, “Mattathias answered in a LOUD VOICE: What do I care if everyone in the king's entire kingdom turns from their own religion and starts obeying his laws? MY FAMILY AND I WILL ALWAYS KEEP THE PROMISES OUR ANCESTORS MADE TO GOD. WE WILL NEVER GIVE UP OUR FAITH OR DISOBEY EVEN ONE OF GOD'S LAWS. WE WILL NOT OBEY ANTIOCHUS!" (1 Maccabees 2:19-20).

When a cowardly Jew stepped forward to obey the king by offering a sacrifice, Mattathias was so furious that he rushed over, killed the man, destroyed the altar, and killed the official who ordered the sacrifice. He and his sons then ran to the hills leaving everything they owned behind. This began the bravery of the Maccabee family who conducted continual battles against the enemy and eventually delivered Israel and Jerusalem and the temple of God.

We don't face being killed for our faith today here in our Western countries, although this is currently happening in many countries of the world. Will we be those who give in or will we have courage, individually, and as families to stand true to God, even if no one else is standing? The Scripture says: "Let God be true, but every man a liar" (Romans 3:4).
May God give us the strength and anointing to be bold and courageous and to raise children who will have courage and boldness to stand up for truth and never give up their faith.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah. We lit our first candle and read our first Scriptures about the light. If you would like a copy of these Scriptures to read in your home, I will list them for you below.

HANUKKAH SCRIPTURES
Below is a list of Scriptures for you to read during the Hanukkah Celebration, if you would like to do this.

As a family, we love to celebrate Christmas, not the tinsel and glamor, but the preciousness of gathering together as a family. We also love to remember the most amazing event in the world when God sent His Son to this world—into the womb of a woman and to be born as a little baby.

Bible commentators agree that Jesus was not born at this Christmas time when most people remember His birth. I don’t think anyone has the last say on the exact time of His birth. It may have been during the Feast of Tabernacles. If so, December could have been the time He was divinely conceived by the power of the of Holy Ghost. Incredible. God coming to the earth as a "seed" from the Father. I am in awe. I am sure you are like me and can do nothing less than fall to your knees in wonder and worship!

John 1:14 says: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” The word dwelt is skenoo and means “to tent, to encamp, to reside as God did in the tabernacle of old, a symbol of protection and communion.” Jesus came and tabernacled with us. He took on our flesh and blood for a temporary time for He was truly “the Everlasting Father” (Isaiah 9:6). The Young’s Literal translation says: “And the Word became flesh, and did tabernacle among us.” The Feast of Tabernacles is a time to live in booths and remember how the Israelites dwelt in temporary tents.

Even God Himself tabernacled with them in a tent! When David was preparing to build a permanent temple God said to him: “For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another” (1 Chronicles 17;22).

Although we do not know the day or the hour when Jesus returns, some Bible scholars think He may return during the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. Once again, He will tabernacle with us—even in the eternal kingdom. When the apostle John saw the new Jerusalem coming down from Heaven he wrote: “And I heard a great voice out of heaven say, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell (skenoo) with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God” (Revelation 21;32).,

We also love to celebrate Hanukkah. We love to light the Hanukkah candles each night and because Hanukkah celebrates the relighting of the menorah (the seven branched candlestick) in the temple, we like to read Scriptures about God and Christ who are the light and how He also wants us to be His light in this world. We do this at our Family Devotions each morning and evening.

Why do we celebrate Hanukkah?

1. It is a celebration that Jesus celebrated. Read John 10:22, 23.

2. Hanukkah in the Hebrew means "dedication." God's temple was desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes in 167 BC, but the Maccabees family led a revolt against the Seleucid armies and called the nation back to God. After they had driven them out of Judea and Jerusalem, the Maccabees consecrated and rededicated the temple. However, God no longer lives in a temple in Jerusalem, but lives in the temple of our hearts. We like to take one night during the eight days of Hanukkah to rededicate the temple of our lives to God.

3. It is called the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22) and also the Festival of Lights. It celebrates the re-lighting of the Menorah. History and tradition tell us that they could only find enough oil for one day, but miraculously the lights kept burning for eight days while they prepared the anointing oil, specifically commanded in the Scriptures.

You can read the history of the family of the Maccabees in the Apocrypha. The Apocrypha was not included in the canon of Scripture, but it is interesting reading. The story of the Maccabees is especially significant to read because they were used to save the Jewish people at that time in history. Throughout the generations the devil has tried to eliminate the Jewish people and thus hinder the coming of the Messiah. The Maccabees were instrumental in saving their people from extinction. No wonder our Savior, Jesus Christ celebrated Hanukkah.

Here are the Scriptures that we read during Hanukkah. Read and meditate on them in your personal devotional time. Then choose the ones you would like to use with your family. For each day, you may like to take half the Scriptures at Family Devotions in the morning and the other half in the evening, or whatever works out in your home.

If you have older children, it's a lovely idea for each one to have their own Bible and give a Scripture for each one to read aloud—and to share what they feel God is saying through the Scriptures. If you have little ones, you may only want to take one Scripture from the list and talk about it. And don't forget to ask your children questions

SCRIPTURES FOR YOU TO READ EACH DAY FOR HANUKKAH

Day 1
God is the Source of Light and gives Light
Genesis 1:3-5
Exodus 27:20, 21; 40:24, 25; cf. Leviticus 24:1-4; and Numbers 8:1-3
Exodus 13:21; Nehemiah 9:12, 19
Psalm 36:9
Psalm 104:1, 2
Matthew 17:2 (You can read the whole story in Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-13; and Luke 9:28-36).
1 Timothy 6:16
James 1:17

Day 2
Jesus is the Light of the World
Isaiah 9:2; cf. Matthew 4:12-17
Luke 1:76-79 and 2:27-32
John 1:4-9, cf. Job 18:5, 6; 21:17; Proverbs 13:9; 20:20; and 24:20.
John 3:19-21
John 8:12
John 9:5
John 12:44-46
Acts 26:22, 23
Ephesians 5:14
1 John 2:8

Day 3
Shine the Light of Jesus to the world
Daniel 12:3
Judges 5:31
Proverbs 4:18
Song of Songs 6:10
Isaiah 58:6-8, 10
Isaiah 60:1, 2
Matthew 5:14-16
Matthew 6:22, 23
Luke 12:35
John 5:35
Acts 13:47
2 Corinthians 4:4-6
Philippians 2:14, 15

Day 4
God's Word is our Light
Ezra 9:8
Psalm 19:7-11
Psalm 43:3
Psalm 119:18, 105, 130
Proverbs 6:20-24
Luke 24:30-32 (You can read the whole story in verses 13-32).
Ephesians 1:17, 18
2 Peter 1:19-21

Day 5
Walk in the Light
Psalm 44:3
Psalm 89:15
Proverbs 4:18
Isaiah 2:5
Isaiah 58:8 (Read the whole passage: verses 6-12)
Luke 12:35
John 12:35, 36
Romans 13:12-14
2 Corinthians 4:4-7
1 John 1:6-9
1 John 2:8-11
Ephesians 5:8-20

Day 6
Out of Darkness into Light
Exodus 10:21-23
2 Samuel 22:29 (Psalm 18:28)
Job 24;13
Job 29:2-5
Psalm 18:28
Isaiah 42:16
Isaiah 50:10
Psalm 90:8
Luke 11:33-35
Acts 26:17-18
1 Corinthians 4:5
1 Thessalonians 5:5
1 Peter 2:9
1 John 2:9-11

Day 7
Living in God is to live in Light
Psalm 4:6
Psalm 27:1
Psalm 34:5
Psalm 36:9
Psalm 37:3-6
Psalm 43:3, 4
Psalm 112:4
Micah 7:8

Day 8
God is the Light of Heaven
Isaiah 24:23 and 30:26
Isaiah 60:19, 20
Revelation 1:16
Revelation 21:22-25
Revelation 22:3-5

Many blessings from Nancy Campbell

Simeon, like Zacharias also prophesied that Jesus came to bring LIGHT. Jesus is the LIGHT GIVER! When He comes in with His light, He also brings His glory.

Job 18:5-56: "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." What a terrible indictment it would be to have people say, "The light is dark in their home!" I don't want there to be any darkness in my home, do you? I don't want our light to die out. I want the light of Christ to increase.

Is your home filled with light? Or are their shadows of darkness? Let's make room for the light of Christ Jesus to shine into our hearts, into the hearts of our children, into our plan of every day, and into every room in our home. Let's push out any darkness that creeps in and make fill our homes with light.

Be blessed today, Nancy

Picture: Don’t you love this amazing painting of Simeon taking baby Jesus up in His arms, knowing that he is privileged to behold the Messiah and embrace Him in his arms? Read the whole story in Luke 2:22-38.

1 Timothy 5:10 tells us we must have a REPUTATION FOR GOOD WORKS. And what are these specific good works?
1. Embracing child rearing
2. Practicing hospitality
3. Washing the saints’ feet
4. Helping those in distress
5. Exhibiting all kinds of good works

This Scripture also tells us to DILIGENTLY fulfil all these good works.

Acts 9:36-42 gives us the example of how we are to be FULL OF GOOD WORKS.

1 Timothy 2: 10 tells us to DRESS ourselves with good works. We should be more concerned about doing good works than worrying about what we wear.

Titus 2:3 exhorts the older women to be TEACHERS OF GOOD THINGS. And what are these specific good things? I Know you know them but it’s good to remind ourselves, isn’t it?

1. To be self-controlled
2. To love our husbands
3. To love our children
4. To be discreet
5. To be pure
6. To be keepers at home
7. To be good and kind
8. To be submissive to our own husbands

Do you notice that all these things are to do with home and family? They are not only good things, but BEAUTIFUL things. The word also means “lovely and beautiful.” The Passion translation says the older women are to be “teachers of beautiful things.” God doesn’t us to do them in a skimpy way. Grudgingly. Or survival mode. No, He wants us to do them exuberantly.

Colossians 1:10 says: “Being FRUITFUL IN EVERY GOOD WORK.”

Dear mother, you are DOING A BEAUTIFUL WORK in your home as you pour out God’s nurturing heart to your children and to the needy around you.

Be encouraged and blessed today,

Nancy Campbell

Artist: Katherine Roundtree

Patience kisses the red swollen face,
Bathes the bare knees that you warned not to race,
Answers the questions though weary she feels,
And smiles at the wonder found in orange peel.

Gentleness carves through old gnarly walls
Dwells in the peaceful, though fiercest of all,
Power to defeat what battalions can’t,
Teaching and guiding and holding small hands.

Joy sees the beauty in cereal and milk,
And dinosaur paintings, ignoring what’s spilt,
Opens the curtains with fresh new delight,
Freeing a spirit to soar as a kite.

Love, now love, how mighty she is,
Love smashes walls pride built over years,
Love steps through storms, walks on water, raises dead,
Love meets the husband’s harsh words with a kiss.

Motherhood answers the scariest call,
As tiny creations require you for all,
Demanding your courage and wonder and grace,
Supplied by our Maker as he cheers on your race.

LORNA OLIVER (England)
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Painting: Mother Reading to Son by Svetlana Jenkins

May our sons and daughters know the fullness and the sweetness of Your everlasting love for them.

May the practices of kindness, tenderness, and selfless love guide our words and actions toward one another.

May we strive to work with all diligence in the tasks of home, resting content in the center of Your will.

May each guest in our home sense Your gentle presence and be nourished with manna freely given from Your bountiful table.

May You equip us daily to live godly and fruitful lives.

May Your purposes for our home be accomplished, for we offer ourselves to You as living sacrifices. Amen

Prayer by Jennifer Anne Messing.

~ Elisabeth Snell
Elisabeth wrote this poem to tell her husband a new baby was on the way.

Only a short time to teach you,
To know of God's love for you;
To trust Him and seek Him for everything,
To follow His call for you.

Too soon the day is coming
When toys are all stored away;
When our home that's been your shelter
Won't be the place you'll stay.

So I will savor these moments,
Even the trying times too,
Knowing that one of God's greatest gifts
Has been the pleasure of raising you.

2019, Val Halloran
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www.valhalloran.com

Remember, all these beautiful attributes are not only nouns, but also verbs! Love is a noun, but also a verb. Love doesn’t become effective until we verb it. We love, not because we feel like loving, or because the person is nice or doing what we want them to do, but because Christ wants to love through us.!

Joy is a noun, but also a verb, usually translated rejoice! The joy of the Lord doesn’t change just because you feel lousy. It’s still the same. It’s always there. Rejoice that you are a child of God. Rejoice that you have eternal life. Rejoice that God has blessed you with your precious children. Rejoice that you trust in a God who will never fail you. Rejoice even when everything looks hopeless. “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice!” (Philippians 4;4).

Did you know that apart from rejoice, joy also has two other verbs? They are “joyed” and “joying”? Have you heard those words before? They are in the King James Version of the Bible (2 Corinthians 7:13 and Colossians 2:5).

Why not do some joying in your home? Everyone is getting upset and tense? Forget your schedule and go out a-joying with your children. Think of something fun to do. Your marriage is getting a bit boring. Think of something creative to do and a-joying with your husband.

Peace is a noun, but the Bible makes it a verb. It tells us to extend peace, follow peace, love peace, make peace, ordain peace, preach peace, publish peace, pursue peace, seek peace and speak peace.

God wants to bring a bit of heaven to your home today. Yield yourself to Him so He can shine His attributes through you. Invite Him to fill you to overflowing so you will overflow with His love, His joy, His longsuffering, His patience, and His self-control.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

Verbs for peace:
Isaiah 66:1, 2; Hebrews 12:14; Zechariah 8:19; Isaiah 27:5; Ephesians 2:15; Isaiah
26:12; Acts 10:36; Acts 2:17; Isaiah 52:7; Nahum 1:15; Psalm 34:14; 1 Peter 3:11; Esther 10:3; and Psalm 85:8.

She sets the table for supper. She shuts out her own household duties when she sees her mate coming home from work. She kisses him reverently and helps him with his coat and snowy shoes. She fixes his chair and gives him his mail. She sits on a chair beside him and asks him about his day. She speaks softly to the children and asks them to pick up their toys before supper.

She hears her husband praise her as he speaks to friends, “My wife stays at home with our children. Her prayers keep our family together. I love having my wife at home.”

This mother tells a story to the world. She is like Mary who entertained the angel with an obedient heart and gave birth supernaturally to God’s Son, Jesus. She is like Sarah who called her husband, lord, and gave birth to Isaac in her old age. She is like Hannah who gave birth to the prophet, Samuel.

The things of this world and all that glitters cannot compare to the spiritual treasures in this mother’s holy temple. She is a handmaiden for Christ, a covenant keeper. She is the King’s daughter and she is all glorious within.

What kind of an atmosphere should be in our homes? Jesus showed us when He told us how to pray. Read the Lord’s Prayer again in Matthew 6:9-13. The Luke 11:2 passage says: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth . . . ”

What a powerful statement: “as in heaven, so in earth.” Read this over and over. Let the amazingness of this truth sink into your mind and heart. Let it fill your being. Write it out in big letters and pin it up in your kitchen.

Can you believe it? God wants His will to be accomplished in our homes, just as it is in Heaven, His home. God wants the atmosphere of heaven to be the atmosphere of your home. God’s wants His presence to fill your home. This is His perfect will for you. This is the prayer Jesus wants you to pray for your home every day. Start praying it today.

What’s the atmosphere like in heaven? We haven’t been there yet, but we know it is filled with harmony and unity. We know it is filled with light and glory. We know it is filled with love and joy. We know that it is “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

We know that it embraces children. When the disciples tried to shoo the little children away from Jesus, He rebuked them and said: “Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” Children are very much part of the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:14; Mark 10:13-16; and Luke 18:15 16).

We know that it involves eating together around the table for when Jesus spoke to His disciples, He told them about His table in His heavenly kingdom (Matthew 8:11; Luke 13:29; 22:29-30; and Revelation 19:9).

When I have spoken on this subject, I have sometimes asked this question, “What kind of atmosphere does God want you to have in your home?” Here are some of the responses women have given to me . . .

appreciation, acceptance,
beauty,
cheerfulness, commitment, communication, compassion, consideration, contentment, courteousness,
encouragement, excitement and fun (in the home rather than having to find it outside the home),
eliminating unnecessary telephone calls,
faithfulness, forbearance, forgiveness, fruitfulness,
generousness, gentleness, godliness, goodness, God-centeredness, God’s Word, graciousness,
harmony, heavenliness, helpfulness, holiness, hospitality, humility,
interaction,
joyfulness,
kindness,
longsuffering, love, loving discipline, laughter,
mercy, meekness, motherliness
opportunities for creativity, opportunities to dream and think great thoughts, order and routine without rigidity and legality,
patience, peace, praise and worship, prayer, purity, a place of refuge, pleasantness, politeness, positiveness, putting others first,
respect, rest, righteousness,
self-control, selflessness, serenity, servanthood, singing, submission, sweetness,
teachableness, tenderheartedness, thankfulness, thoughtfulness, truthfulness,
unity,
warmth, willingness,
quietness.

“Help,” you cry out. “This is beyond me! How can I have the atmosphere of heaven when I often scream and yell at the children?” “I’m tired of being a servant and I’m angry with my husband and he does nothing to help me,” another mother sighs.

Don’t worry, dear mother, you can’t do it on your own, so stop trying. 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 says: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, THAT THE EXCELLENCY OF THE POWER MAY BE OF GOD, AND NOT OF US

God has shined in your heart so you can reveal His light to your children and to all you meet. You are just an “earthen vessel” with no power to do anything. It’s not your light, but God’s light that shines through you. It’s not your longsuffering, but God’s patience that flows through you. It’s not your love, but God’s love in you. Your love runs out easily, but God’s love never runs dry. Psalm 107:1 (Msg) says: “His love never runs out!”

Each new day you can come to Him and replenish from His inexhaustible well.

God wants to bring a bit of heaven to your home today. Yield yourself to Him so He can shine His attributes through you. Invite Him to come in and fill every room in your home. Invite Him to take His place at the table with you when you sit down to eat. Invite Him to fill you to overflowing so you will overflow with His love, His joy, His longsuffering, His patience, and His self-control.

And don’t forget to write these words and pin them up in your kitchen a daily reminder . . .

“As in God’s home, so in my home!”

Love from Nancy Campbell

Today we discover that the word “obey” is in the Scriptures regarding marriage. This time it’s the Greek word “hupakouo.”

“hupo” meaning “to place under, to be under obedience.
“akouo” meaning “to hear, to obey, to hearken, give heed, yield.”

Where do we find it? 1 Peter 3:5, 6: “For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection (hupotasso) unto their own husbands: Even as Sarah obeyed (hupakouo) Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.”

So there it is. The Bible says that we are Sarah’s daughters when we “obey” our husbands.

In fact, this is how the women who lived ”once upon a time” adorned themselves. Actually, it was how they made themselves beautiful.

Beck translation: “This is how long ago the holy women who trusted in God used to make themselves BEAUTIFUL: they submitted to their husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him lord.”

NCV translation: In this same way the holy women who lived long ago and followed God, made themselves BEAUTIFUL, yielding to their own husbands.”

HCSB translation: “For in the past, the holy women who put their hope in God also BEAUTIFIED themselves in this way, submitting to their own husbands, just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord.”

The Bible calls it a beautiful thing. Peter was referring to women who lived long ago. Now we are even further into the future and even further (yes, f-u-r-t-h-e-r) away from God’s original pattern! Why do we think we know best? Why do we spurn God’s way? Why do even Christian women reject God’s pattern?

The word “hupakouo” is the same word used for “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1).

We learn more of what it means when we read other passages where this word is used. It’s the word that is used when Jesus “rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marveled, saying What manner of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey (hupakouo) him!” (Mathew 8:26, 27). Also Mark 4:41 and Luke 8:25). The winds didn’t resist Jesus. They obeyed Him.

It’s used when Jesus cast out unclean spirits: “For with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey (hupakouo) him.”

It’s used in Scriptures about obeying the gospel (Acts 6:7; Romans 6:17; 2 Philippians 2;123; Thessalonians 1:7-1-0; 3:14; Hebrews 5:9; and 11:8).

Because God ordained marriage as the glorious picture of Christ and the church, we should embrace the spirit of obedience. The paramount thing Jesus talked about in the gospels was to obey His commandments (John 14:15, 21, 23; and 15:19). How can we be part of Christ’s body if we do not obey His commandments? In the same way, as the church hears and obeys Jesus’ commandments, so we reveal this picture by hearing and obeying our husbands.

But we notice that our obedience is “as unto the Lord” (Ephesians 5;22). A wife does not obey her husband if he asks her to sin or do anything that is contrary to God’s Word. If it is contrary to Christ and His Word, it does not reveal the picture of the bride without “spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing” (Ephesians 5:26, 27).

Be blessed today,

Nancy Campbell

Picture: Sunny-side-up Eggs art print by Soosh