Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

Recently a reader posted a reply to one of my posts saying that the word “obey” for marriage was not in the Bible.

Well, it seems that most women don’t want that word to be in the Bible, but if we are those who want to live by truth, we had better check it out. Who wants to check it out with me?

Let’s begin with the word submit. Perhaps that is not as frightening as obey. The Greek word is “hupotasso.”
“hupo” means “to place under, to be under obedience.”
“tasso” is a military word meaning “to arrange in an orderly manner, to assign to a certain position, to appoint.”

Therefore, we see that it is a voluntary coming under the protection, covering, and leadership of the husband for the wife’s blessing.

Isn’t it amazing that in our culture of feminism it seems that even the majority of Christian women now reject any form of submission? And yet where does submission originate? In the Godhead. Our God is one God, but three persons, The Father, His Beloved Son, and the Holy Spirit. All have equal authority, and all are worshipped and adored. And yet in this total unity but diversity there is difference of authority. All have authority but the Father is head over the Son.

The Father sent His son into the world (John 3:34, 5:30; 17:18; 20:21; and 1 John 4:9, 14) and Jesus delighted to do the will of His Father (Psalm 40:6-8) and “obeyed” (Philippians 2:8). Not only does marriage reveal the glorious picture of Christ, and His church, His bride who delights to obey her heavenly bridegroom, but we also represent the Trinity. We are made in the likeness and image of God. And in our marriages, we have the privilege to reveal the relationship of the Trinity.

And why are so many adamant about behind “under” ?

“Hupo” is used in the story of the centurion who was in command of 100 men! He said to Jesus that he was “a man under authority” and yet he had soldiers under him. He recognized the authority in Jesus and told him He didn’t have to come to his house to heal his servant, but to just speak the word.

Although we come under the authority of our husbands, God has also given us authority to manage and rule our homes. We are not without authority, but we must exercise the authority God has given us in the sphere He has given to us, rather than seeking to usurp authority that doesn’t belong to us. Read Matthew 6:5-10.

We have a powerful warning in Jude as Jude 1:7 (ESV) states: “And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day.”

Jesus used the word “hupo” when He wept over Jerusalem. Matthew 23:37: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under (hupo) her wings, and ye would not!”

Do you notice the last three words, and with an exclamation mark? “You would not!” Why do we want to refuse “hupo” blessings? "Hupo" is a beautiful word of protection and covering.

God protected the Israelites in the wilderness with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. 1 Corinthians 10:1 tells us that they were all “under (hupo) the cloud.” What a blessing to be under the protection of the cloud, just as it is a privilege to be under the protection and covering of our husbands.

Mark 4:32 speaks of the grain of mustard seed that “groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under (hupo) the shadow of it.” How lovely it is to take respite from the hut sun under the shade of a big tree. It’s the "hupo" blessing!

Because Jesus Christ, the Son, was willing and obedient to go to the cross, God has exalted Him and “hath put all things under (hupo) his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body the fullness of him that filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:22,23). ” Read also 1 Corinthians 15:24-28, most important Scripture.

But I am getting lengthy although I haven’t finished yet. Tomorrow I’ll give you the specific “obey” word for marriage. Are you ready for it? Or are you too scared?

See you tomorrow.

Love from Nancy Campbell

God has more for you, dear mother. He wants you to flourish and bloom. I believe we only come into the flourishing mode when we embrace our mothering role with all our hearts. No matter what the hardships and challenges, we face them with joy. We are not dreaming of some day when we will be finished with these mothering days. Instead, we live every moment to the full. Every moment is an abounding moment because Christ lives in us and His life is not wilting, but full of life and power (John 10:10).

Embrace your powerful calling of motherhood. Make every moment a God moment. Think of yourself as a flourishing plant—abounding, blooming, blossoming, enlarging, expanding, flowering, growing luxuriantly, increasing, and thriving (Isaiah 54:2-3)! This is God's plan for you.

God bless you today,

Nancy Campbell

Painting: ORIGINAL FERRÁNDIZ - EDICIONES SUBI -N. 1958.1- DIPTICA 11,5X17CM

IT ALL HAPPENS IN THE HOME. Without this training in the home the nation will be impaired.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

It would be enough to take one of these and work on them for a few weeks, wouldn’t it? And yet we have 26 of them!

Love from Nancy Campbell

You can waste hours of time talking and gossiping on the telephone. Not only is it timewasting, but this is usually when your children get into trouble or be naughty because they realize the phone has taken mother’s attention away from them.

2. SOCIAL MEDIA – FACEBOOK, IPHONES, IPADS, ETC.
Too many women spend too much time on their iPhones. These iPhones prove how disciplined we really are. Use them to serve you, but don’t become a victim to them. Don’t be checking your iPhone when you should be giving time to your children, reading to them, enjoying them, and doing things that need to be accomplished in the home.

I think there needs to be an etiquette list for iPhones. Here is a list to start with. Let me know others you think of.

a) It is rude to check your iPhone when in conversation with other people. Put it away and give your attention to those you are speaking to.

b) It is rude to bring an iPhone to the table and be checking it and listening for every ding when it is the time to interact and fellowship with your family. Don’t allow any iPhones at your family meal table. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT RULE IN MY HOME!

c) It is rude to be glued to your iPhone when your children need your attention.

d) It is rude to go out for dinner and look at your iPhone instead of being engaged with your husband or family around the table. You see this all the time, don’t you? A family at a restaurant able and everyone looking at their iPhones and no one engaged in conversation. Let’s train our children the true way to live.

e) It is sacrilege to use your iPhone Bible app at church and get side-tracked with messages etc. Use great discipline here. Turn off messaging while you are in church. I think it is still the greatest thing to take your real Bible to church. If you are going to use your iPhone, discipline yourself to not look at one other thing other than the Scriptures you are checking. I have observed people checking social media in church! I have observed it while I have been speaking! I feel grieved. How does God feel?

3. T.V.
I would rather live life than watch it! Teach your children to “live” life rather than watch it go by. Remember that the day is for work, the evening is for relaxation. A good rule for your home is to never turn the TV on during the day. (It can be a timewaster in the evening too)!

4. READING NOVELS WHEN THERE’S WORK TO BE DONE
Don’t be tempted to read a novel during the hours of the night only to wake up too tired to cope with your children during the day.

5. SELF-PITY AND WORRY
Thinking about yourself is a deadly timewaster. You can’t adequately nurture your children or bless others while you use all your emotional energy on yourself.

6. LACK OF ORGANIZATION
If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it. It is important to have long-range goals, and a goal for each day, even if you don’t accomplish it all.

7. LACK OF DISCIPLINE
Do what needs to be done, not just what you feel like doing. This develops character.

8. TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING AT ONCE
Tackle one job at a time and finish it completely. Then start another job. Clean one room at a time. You don’t have to get everything done in one day. Praise the Lord!

9. INABILITY TO SAY NO
Stay focused. Don’t get sidetracked. Your first priority is to be a wife, a mother, and homemaker. Everything else comes second. Don’t be afraid to say No to extra things.

10. TOO MUCH STUFF
The more “stuff” you have in your home, the more you must clean. The more gadgets and ornaments you have, the more you must dust. The more toys your children own, the more you must pick up. They only need two or three at once. Put the others away. Continually de-junk your house. Keep only what you need.

11. INEFFICIENCY
When cleaning up, don’t carry one thing to another room and then come back for something else. Put everything for one room in a box, and then take one trip to that room. Save on unnecessary movements. Now, I’ve got to leave this computer and get on to cleaning up. Friday is my Cleaning Day. I’ll start downstairs and put everything I need to take upstairs in a box, instead of loads of trips up and down the stairs. Then when I start upstairs, I’ll put everything in the box to come down. Isn’t it amazing how things gradually get all over the house instead of where they’re meant to be?

12. GETTING SIDETRACKED
Stay focused.

Have a great day,

Nancy Campbell

Weary and homesick and distressed,
They wander east, they wander west,
And are baffled and beaten and blown about
By the winds of the wilderness of doubt;
To stay at home is best.

Then stay at home, my heart, and rest;
The bird is safest in its nest;
O’er all that flutter their wings and fly
A hawk is hovering in the sky;
To stay at home is best.

~ Henry Wadswoth Longellow

Homeness is in every one of us. God put it there as He as designed us to love home which is also family. The words for home in the Hebrew and Greek are also used for family. We understand the power of homeness when we see the opposite, homeless. No one is meant to be homeless. God intends every person to live in a family. He sets the solitary in families.

When a child leaves their home to stay with friends it is common for them to be homesick. In fact, homesickness can be debilitating and can be painful for some children, even as they get older. We’ve all felt the sickening feeling of homesickness and understand that it is a vey real thing.

Sometimes we can feel homesick even when we are at home! I think that’s a homesickness for our eternal home. Home is very much tied to our lives.

Once again, because it is a God breathed thing, the devil hates it. The devil hates everything that is of God. He hates life, family, the home, the womb, and babies. The devil is having a heyday as he has successfully wooed thousands of women out of their homes, away from the God-ordained post, away from their children, and away from the nest where God wants to give them sanctuary and rest.

In Psalm 68:11, 12 God talks about the army of women in the home, but they have gone AWOL!

I believe it is time for women to come back to the home. It’s not coming back to nothingness. It’s coming back to the highest career in the nation.

It’s coming back to pour our lives into our children to teach and train them to be mighty for God. It is coming back to the home to have time to prepare meals where we can sit around the table together and fellowship as families. It’s coming back to the home to have time to establish a family meeting with God morning and evening. It’s coming back to the home where we have the opportunity to use all the gifts God has given to us to build godly families and create and make and sew and paint and write and accomplish all the artistic gifts God has put within us.

Creating a home is revealing the likeness of God. He already has a home, but He is still creating. Jesus told us He is preparing a place for us (John 14:1-3). His ultimate plan is to welcome us into His eternal home. When we turn away from home, thinking it is insignificant, we are turning away from God’s ultimate plan. Everything we do in this life is a type and a preparation for our eternal home.

It is time for mothers to make their homes a home, a place where everyone wants to be, and they are homesick when they are not there. He wants us to make delightful homes. The first home was called the Garden of Eden. Eden means “delight” which was the prototype for all homes to come.

The more time we spend away from home, the more we weaken the home. The more we build into our home and family, the more we strengthen it. In fact, it is a good idea when making decisions for your family to have this goal: whatever weakens the family, don’t do it; whatever strengthens the family, go for it.

Let’s get back to homeness, dear mothers. Strong homes make a strong nation.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

Do we as older women have this quality about us? Are we showing it and teaching it to our daughters and the next generation? It is one of beautiful attributes of a Christlike character.

Perhaps we should ask ourselves some questions:

Am I clean in my mind? Chasteness begins in the mind. You will remember that Philippians 4:8 tells us to think on the things that are “pure.” That is the same word that is translated chaste.

Am I sexually pure and faithful to my marriage??

Am I chaste in my conduct and how I dress? Morally pure? Modest? It is sad that you could not describe much of the clothing in the Christian church today as “chasteness.”

1 John 3:2, 3: “We know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth (hagnizo – to keep clean and pure) himself, even as he is pure (hagnos).”

Let’s not take this lightly dear ladies but know that God has called us to chasteness and to reveal it to the next generation. Can we be true examples of this beautiful quality that God loves and longs to see in His daughters?

Love from Nancy Campbell

There are lots of “ness” words that belong to the home. We listed a load of them in the post, LOVELY WORDS TO ADD TO YOUR VOCAB (check below if you missed it). In this post we talked about homeness, wombness, and femaleness. In yesterday’s post we talked about softness.

What about kindness? Proverbs 31:26 gives a description of the mother in the home: “In her tongue is the law of kindness.” Kindness personifies a woman. That’s a challenge, isn’t it? For when we resort to our fleshly ways, we lose the anointing of kindness. The Hebrew word is “chesed” which is one of the most wonderful revelations of God in the entire Bible. It’s closely related to “grace” in the New Testament. It’s God’s unfailing love even when we don’t deserve it. It reveals His mercy, forgiveness, loyalty, goodness, and kindness.

It’s more than kindness. Lovingkindness is a better word. It’s a kindness which involves two parties. It speaks of God’s covenant with Israel which is an everlasting covenant. His dealings with Israel show how He deals with us. Because of their waywardness and rebellion, God had to continually judge and punish His people. Because He is God, He cannot let go His justice and righteousness, and must execute judgment on sin. Eventually, He could not tolerate the evil of the Israelites any longer and scattered them to the four corners of the earth.

Nevertheless, God had made a covenant. He is lovingkindness (chesed). His lovingkindness will not let go. He will not wash His hands of Israel, nor of us. He judges, but never gives up. Rebellion cannot destroy His love. It is the essence of that lovely old hymn, “O love that will not let me go.”

After vomiting the Israelites out of the land because of their sin, God sent hundreds of promises through His prophets to tell them that He will one day bring them back to the land again. These prophecies are being fulfilled before our eyes. We saw the miracle of Israel become a nation again on 14 May 1948 and now Jews are pouring back to the land from all over the world. This is God revealing Himself as chesed.

It is also related to the old English word “troth.” Have you heard this word before? At the end of their vows, the bridal couple says: “And thereto I give thee my troth." Our children used these original wedding vows on their wedding days. I was pleased that our eldest granddaughter also used the same vows. It was quite fun to hear her practicing to say "troth" on their wedding rehearsal night. It’s not an easy word to pronounce! It means that the couple confesses publicly that they will be faithful to their marriage covenant.

Because God is a God of lovingkindness and we are created in His image, He desires us to show forth this grace too.

Let’s practice being kind. Kind to our husband. Kind to our children. Kind to the people around us. Do you notice this Scriptures says that the virtuous woman reveals kindness through her tongue? Are your words kind? Did you speak kind and loving words to your husband today? Did you speak kind words to your children?

Let’s establish kindness in our homes today.

Love from Nancy Campbell

But although we need to be strong, we must not lose our softness. It is one of the beautiful characteristics of being female. I love the way the Hebrew uses organs of the body to express emotions and affection. There are four different Hebrew words for “womb“ in the Bible. Let me share the meaning of just two of them.

“Racham” comes from the root word “to fondle.” It means “to cherish a babe in the womb, to love deeply, to be compassionate, to show tender mercy and pity.” This word is used interchangeably in the Bible for the womb of a woman and also to describe God’s compassion and mercy.

“Meah” comes from a root word meaning “to be soft.” It refers to the internal organs including the reproductive organs. It speaks of man’s emotions and also of God’s emotions.

The womb is more than a literal place to conceive and nurture a babe. It is the seat of our compassion and tenderness. As we embrace our womb and childbearing, we return again to a soft and tender spirit. Little babies keep our hearts soft and at the same time we reveal the compassionate and tender heart of God.

God has chosen His female creation to reveal His mercy and tenderness to the world--firstly to our children and then to a hurting world. No wonder 1 Timothy 2:15 says that we will be preserved through embracing childbearing. We are saved from becoming tough and hard. Motherhood keeps us soft, tender, and beautiful in our femaleness.

Be encouraged today,

Nancy

You filled my life with purpose,
With hope for what lay ahead.
My greatest wish was for you to go
Wherever your Savior led.
He gave me you as an arrow
To send where He would call.
Though so many times I faltered,
I longed to give you my all.

I'm so thankful for the privilege
That too short a time was mine.
I didn't know then as the years flew by,
Just how fast would pass the time.
But I was blessed to savor
The best life that God can give-
To be a wife and mother,
There was no better way to live.

And if you have some little ones
At home, but just on loan,
Cherish every moment left
For all too soon they're grown.

2019, Val Halloran
www.valhalloran.com

Painting by Sheri Dinardi

Ho, my comrades! see the signal waving in the sky.
Reinforcements now appearing; victory is nigh!
"Hold the fort, for I am coming," Jesus signals still.
Wave the answer back to Heaven, "By Thy grace, we will!"

Fierce and long the battle rages but our help is near.
Onward comes our Great Commander. Cheer, my comrades, cheer!
"Hold the fort, for I am coming," Jesus signals still.
Wave the answer back to Heaven, "By Thy grace, we will!"

I am passing it along to you as an encouragement and an instruction. God has not forgotten us, even when the world situation (and our own) may see hopeless. Be strong and of good courage, dear friends: Jesus will at the appointed time.

PATRICIA HOLMES
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And in the face of all obstacles and trials, keep holding the fort in your homes, ladies.
~ Nancy

You were so much more than a “product,”
Even though you were very small.
Why does size determine terms?
That shouldn’t matter at all!

“Yes, you were so wanted,”
I hated that the question was routine.
You were cherished from the first thought,
You were a hope, a LIFE, a dream.

This world has become a hostile place for life,
They don’t understand why we love being a
mother and wife.
Little ones are quickly tossed aside
by the thousands every day.
“Don’t be sad ma’am, carry on, your product is
gone away.”

They think it’s so simple and freeing, to choose
a path of loss,
It’s called self-care in our culture, without even
counting the cost.
Scientists have discovered that when you’re gone.
Some of your DNA can be found in my brain,
That brings me comfort and helps ease my sadness
and pain.

We chose to name you Faithful, when we learned
you were in Heaven that night.
Reminding us that God is faithful,
And how everything He does is right.

Your tiny life made a difference, Little One.
We will always remember you.
I can’t wait to meet you in Heaven
And tell you that “Mommy loved you.

LAUREN BECK
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Lauren miscarried after five children.

I love to discover new words, don’t you? Here’s some new words you may have not used before, but I think they are beautiful words to add to our vocabulary.

Recently I read the book, “A Severe Mercy” by Sheldon Vanauken which also includes 18 unpublished letters by C. S. Lewis. It is the true story of Sheldon and Davy’s romance and life together. They lifted love to a new plane and called their love relationship “INLOVENESS.” To them it was “the greatest glory ever known.” Isn’t this a lovely word to aspire to in our own marriage relationships?

Awhile back I read another new word in one of George McDonald’s books. He talked about “HOMENESS,” picturing the warmth, love, and joy of home. I love this word too. It takes thought, time, love, and prayer to make our home a place of “homeness,” doesn’t it? It’s never wasted time. It’s a beautiful thing. Can we experientially add this word to our vocab?

Let’s keep going. What about “WOMBNESS”? Yes, there’s such a word. It’s not some imaginative word. It’s a reality. It’s very much part of who we are as women. In fact, you would not be a woman if you did not have a womb!

However, did you know that that wombness also applies to God? The Hebrew word “racham” is used in the Bible to describe the literal womb of woman and to also reveal God’s compassion and tender mercy. It is translated “mercy” 32 times. When we embrace our wombness, we reveal the compassion and mercy of God.

The meaning of “feminine” in the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary is as follows: “The first syllable is probably from womb . . . The last part of the word is probably from man, quasi, “femman,” womb-man. To be feminine is to be ‘a womb man.’”

And what about all the other beautiful “ness” words which should fill our home? Don’t gloss over these words, but think about which ones you need to incorporate more into your home life.

Amiableness, availableness,
chasteness, cheerfulness, cleanliness, courteousness,
faithfulness, femaleness, forgiveness, fruitfulness,
generousness, gentleness, godliness, goodness, graciousness, greatheartedness,
heavenliness, helpfulness, holiness, humbleness,
joyfulness,
kindness,
loveliness,
meekness, mercifulness, motherliness,
nestingness,
peacefulness, positiveness, prayerfulness, pureness,
respectfulness, restfulness, righteousness,
selflessness, steadfastness, submissiveness, sweetness,
teachableness, tenderheartedness, thankfulness, thoughtfulness, truthfulness,
uprightness, usefulness,
virtuousness,
wifeliness, willingness, and you’ll think of more. (And if you, do please let me know)!

Why not write out in BIG LETTERS the words that speak to you and pin them up in your kitchen and other appropriate places in the home. Change to different words each week. They will inspire you and your children!

We’ll talk more about some of these words in the next few days.

Love from Nancy Campbell

Picture: mike savad art | ... Chair Photograph - Porch - Garwood Nj - Granpas Chair Fine Art Print

When you are going through trouble and everything seems dark, bleak, and even impossible, remember that God brings His deliverance in the morning! Don't take your worries to bed with you. Give them to the Lord. While you sleep, God will work on your behalf. He will give you His help in the morning. Yes, this is true, because it’s God’s infallible word!

Psalm 30:5: Weeping may endure for a night, but JOY COMES IN THE MORNING.”

Psalm 49:14 promises that you will have dominion “in the morning."

And you know that God’s mercies and compassion are “new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22, 23).

Now we must also remember that God does everything in His perfect timing. It may not be tomorrow morning that you receive your deliverance but know with all your heart that God is working, and your morning of deliverance and joy will come! Amen and Amen!

Psalm 127:2: “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.”

And you can also be practical and take some “Natural Calm” (The Anti-stress Drink) before you go to bed. Order it from the Internet.

Blessings to you today from Nancy Campbell