Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

When we focus our ordinary, daily life on the eternal, it takes us from the doldrums to delight, from misery to the miraculous, from pre-occupation with self to praising God. Instead of being overwhelmed about all we have to do and all our problems, we lift our eyes to Christ who sits at the right hand of the Father. We give our difficulties to Him. Nothing is too big for Him to handle. He never gets in a state of confusion or tension.

Instead of being conditioned by the delusionary mindset of this world, we train our children in the light of eternity and for the eternal realm. We lives as “strangers and pilgrims on this earth” (Hebrews 11:13).

Moses gave us an example. In the midst of impossible circumstances He kept right on going, keeping His eyes on God, the one who is INVISIBLE! Hebrews 11:27 (NLT) says: “It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing he king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible.”

Live in the true reality today. The invisible world is more powerful than the earthly world.

Love from Nancy Campbell

Mothers, we must be watchwomen, constantly on the alert for his crafty ways. 1 Peter 5:8, 9 says: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith.”

When you notice him putting his toe in your door, boot him out before he gets any further. Speak the name of Jesus out loud. Confess the Scriptures out loud. Don’t allow the enemy to get entrenched in your home. Raise up the stand of righteousness. Cast out all worldly practices and entertainment, and “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:15-17). Deal strongly with negative and evil habits.

God spoke to His servant, David: “I have cut off all thine enemies OUT OF THY SIGHT” (1 Samuel 7:9). God reveals the way He wants us to also deal with Satan’s temptations. We cast them OUT OF OUR SIGHT! We don’t allow them to linger around. We don’t tolerate them. We send them kicking, OUT OF SIGHT AND OUT OF MIND.

James 4:7 says: “RESIST the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Blessings to you today from Nancy Campbell

Dear mother, your daily faithfulness in the home is not in vain. As you commit your life to building your ark, you will save your family. Also the generations to come, and for eternity.

Hebrews 11:7 says: “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark TO THE SAVING OF HIS HOUSE; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”

It’s another building day. Keep at it.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

Every day we face the fight. But we don’t face it in defeat. We have the power of Christ living within us to overcome. The rewards are for the overcomers. Peter continues to tell the believers how to react to their reproaches and sufferings. His words are a little different to what we would expect.

1. REJOICE (verse 13). It is joy that comes as a result of God’s grace in our lives. We don’t rejoice because we feel like it, but because we know that God is in control. He has the bigger picture. He is working everything out for final good.

2. EXCEEDING JOY (verse 13). These words are “agalliao” in the Greek which comes from two roots words: “agan” meaning VERY MUCH; and “aliomai” meaning TO LEAP. It is the same word used in Matthew 5:11, 12: “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be EXCEEDING GLAD: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

When going through trials and persecution we are to leap for joy. Not only a little skip. We are to leap VERY MUCH. Or in others words, “to leap and skip about with excessive or ecstatic joy and delight.” My, I sure have to change my attitude. What about you?

3. HAPPY (verse 14). This word means more than a superficial ”happy.” It is to be fully satisfied in whatever situation I am in (favorable or not), because Christ lives in me. Because Christ indwells me-- and nothing takes Him by surprise or gets Him in a state of tension--I do not have to cave in. And God says that when we are reproached for the name of Christ His glorious spirit rests upon us.

Keep your chin up. Look up to the Lord and trust in Him. He has everything that is happening to you in His control, even when it looks impossible.

Be blessed today,

Nancy Campbell

You also have lovely dresses of love, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23). You have delightful garments of tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, and forgiveness. (Colossians 3:12-17).

Don’t leave them hanging in your wardrobe. God gives them to you, but you have to actually put them on! Read Ephesians 4: 22-24 and Colossians 3:10). The strange thing is that although we have this expensive wardrobe, we don’t always bother to wear the clothes. We are so used to our old shabby clothes of the flesh. We feel more comfortable in them. They feel familiar, so we stick with them instead of wearing our new clothes. But they belong to you! They are yours!

The J. B. Phillip’s translation says: “Fling off the dirty clothes of the old way of living … And put on the clean fresh clothes of the new life.

Let me tell you a secret. You won’t feel like putting it on these new clothes. You’d much rather put on your dirty old dress of grumbling and complaining. But do it by faith. Don’t worry about your feelings. Put on your praise garment. Start praising and thanking the Lord.

You can even change garments as you need them throughout the day. Are the children driving you crazy? Your anger is rising. Quick! Change into your garment of long-suffering or patience. Put it on by faith. Thank the Lord for His patience which is in you because He lives in you.

Are you starting to shout and yell because everything is getting on top of you? Put on the garment of gentleness. Thank the Lord for His gentle Spirit which lives in you.

These are your new clothes. Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Blessings to you,

Nancy Campbell

Galatians 2:20 says: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself or me.” When Jesus died, positionally I died with Him. When He was buried, I was buried and finished. When He arose, I also rose with Him to walk a new life.

We have to “put off” the old man and “put on” the new man, which is Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:22-24). Every day we come to the cross and die to the “old man”--our flesh, our own way, our selfishness, self-pity and so on. As we leave it at the cross, we put on the “new man.” We yield to the life of Jesus Christ who lives within us.

The wonderful news is that Jesus died to save us, not only from the power of this evil world, but from living to ourselves. 2 Corinthians 5:15 says: “And that he (Jesus Christ) died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”

When you are dead, you’ll really begin to live.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

P.S. I will therefore send to you my amended copy of HOW DO I LIVE FOR CHRIST?
http://tinyurl.com/HowLiveForChrist

Do you love being in your home? He created you to love being in your home. The Creator of the first home called it the “Garden of Delight.” He came to this home every day and walked and talked with Adam and Eve. He wants to walk and talk with you in your home. He wants to be part of happenings of your home.

Does He delight to be in your home? Do you delight to have Him in your home? And therefore, do you delight to be IN YOUR HOME?

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

There are many families who are not happy with church and therefore no longer attend. This does not adhere to God’s plan. Of course we’ll never find a perfect church. Even if we miraculously could find a perfect church, it sure wouldn’t be perfect the moment we stepped foot in it.

Although saved by God’s wondrous grace, many of God’s people are flawed, hurting, and still learning day by day to walk in God’s ways. We haven’t made it yet, so we blow it, we offend one another, and we often don’t agree. However, we have to put these things aside. We have to forgive. We’ve got to be bigger than all these flaws and failings. We’ve got to commit ourselves because God wants us to do this. It’s not about us personally. It’s all about blessing and encouraging God’s people. To stay home because we can’t find a church fellowship good enough reveals pride and selfishness. Why do we think we are better than everyone else?

If you don’t think you’ll be blessed personally, go to bless others. Go with a smile. Go with the presence of the Lord, richly filled with God’s Word to “brighten up” and “cheer up” some hurting soul who is discouraged.

Hebrews 10:24, 25 (ESV) reminds us again that it is not about us, but about others: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, NOT NEGLECTING to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Instead of dragging our feet, let’s get excited about going into the house of God. Let’s discipline and organize ourselves to get their on time. Let’s go with a smile on our face, joy in our hearts, and ready to encourage whoever we get to talk to.

Let’s go for the front seats. Yes, even with children! You’ll be amazed. When you sit at the back with children, they are much more difficult to manage. They get distracted by what everyone is doing in front of them. Take them up to the front seats, right under the eye of the preacher, closer to the anointing, and see what happens.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine,
I have two legs, the world is mine.

I stopped to buy some candy,
The lad who sold it had such charm.
I talked with him, he seemed so glad,
If I were late, it'd do no harm.
And as I left, he said to me,
"I thank you, you've been so kind.
It's nice to talk with folks like you.
You see," he said, "I'm blind."

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine,
I have two eyes, the world is mine.

Later while walking down the street
I saw a child with eyes of blue.
He stood and watched the others play,
He did not know what to do.
I stopped a moment and then I said,
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
He looked ahead without a word,
And then I knew, he couldn't hear.

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two ears, the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I'd go,
With eyes to see the sunset's glow,
With ears to hear what I'd know,
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I've been blessed indeed, the world is mine.

~ Red Foley

However, whether our problem is small or it is huge, it always seems big to us, doesn’t it? But God tells us that in the light of eternity, they are “light” afflictions. Oh they seem so heavy and overwhelming to us, but we have to learn to look beyond the temporal to the eternal.

The trial you are going through may seem as though you will never see the light at the end of the tunnel. It is endless. It keeps getting worse. But God says that in the light of eternity it is “but for a moment.” Who do we believe?

Dear precious ladies, we have to learn to look at our problems like God, who lives in eternity, sees them. We have to stop looking at them from our earthly point of view and see them from an eternal point of view.

And there’s more yet. God says that our trials are working for us a “far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” Wow, can you get that? God doesn’t waste words. And yet He uses five adjectives to describe the glory that we will one day receive--FAR--MORE--EXCCEEDING--ETERNAL--WEIGHT of glory!

We’ve got to change our thinking. We’ve got to change our perspective. We’ve got to think eternally! Our thinking changes our behavior. Our thinking changes our attitude. Let’s side with what God says rather than our selfish thoughts.

Be encouraged, dear nation builder, your trials are working the glory of Gold in you, now and for eternity.

Love from Nancy Campbell

The dishes and laundry are piled up high,
When I look ‘round the house I have to sigh,
And for supper my husband’s expecting a pie!
Don’t look around – LOOK UP!

We can’t pay the mortgage; bills are overdue,
I’m tired and have headaches, not a few,
These children are driving me crazy too!
Don’t look around – LOOK UP!

My husband comes home late; he doesn’t care,
He doesn’t help with the children; it’s not fair!
I don’t want to smile; I just want to glare!
Don’t look around – LOOK UP!

Take your eyes off your problems, look up to Him,
God’s presence is with you, even in the din!
Confess your bad mood and He’ll cleanse your sin.
He is your God – LOOK UP!

He will show you how to order your place,
He will give you direction as you seek His face,
He wants to pour upon you His anointing of grace.
He is your God – LOOK UP!

Keep your eyes fixed on Him; He is your Stay,
He is your Wisdom for problems each day,
He’ll bring His presence right into your fray.
He is your God – LOOK UP!

Each morning He comes as the refreshing Dew
To revive your body, and your spirit too,
He is your Deliverer and He’ll make you new,
He is your God – LOOK UP!

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

This Scripture does not say “year by year,” or even “month by month.” It says “day by day”! Take hold of this, dear mother. It’s DAY BY DAY. The Holy Spirit who dwells within you is alive and constantly working in you. He wants to refresh, revitalize, and renew you each new day.

How does it happen? Paul goes on to say, “While we look not at the things which are seen: but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal: but the things which are not seen are eternal.” When you put all your energy and focus on the problems you face at hand they wear you out and grind you down. When you concentrate on how tired or how sick you feel, the more tired and sick you feel. There’s nothing like being depressed, despondent, and full of worry and self-pity to wipe you out and make you feel lousy.

However, when you look up to the Lord and see beyond the temporal, to understand that your problem is only a light affliction compared with eternity, to believe that God is bigger than your problem, and that you can totally trust Him, you will be carried along by the strength and anointing of the Holy Spirit who indwells you. Your problem may not be fixed immediately, but you are no longer bogged down by it. You are renewed and lifted up in your spirit as you trust in God.

Don’t look past today. Jesus said in Matthew 6:34 (HCSB): “Don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Instead, trust in the “day by day” renewing of the Holy Spirit. He wants to come to you like the dew that waters and refreshes the grass each new day.

Live in His anointing today,

Nancy Campbell

Our faith in the blood of Jesus atones for our sins, cleanses us, washes us, redeems us and reconciles us to God, justifies us, brings us near to God, purifies us, sanctifies us, saves us from the wrath to come, gives us peace, gives us eternal life, protects and covers us, and enables us to enter into the presence of God.

We cannot have salvation without faith in the blood of Jesus that was poured out for us. Hebrews 9:22 states: “Without shedding of blood is no remission.” Every blessing we have is through the blood of Jesus. It is also the power through which we overcome the enemy, the accuser of our souls. Revelation 12:11 says: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

That’s why I believe it is very important to praise the honor the blood of Jesus. If it is the central theme of the Bible, how much preeminence does it have in our lives and our homes? Do we consistently thank Him for His eternal salvation through His blood? It is my own personal conviction to thank the Lord Jesus Christ each new day at our Family Devotion time for His wondrous salvation and pouring out His blood for me. I don’t want to let a day go by without giving Him my grateful thanks, love, and praise.

It is also such a blessing to sing about the blood of Jesus. In the midst of our beautiful worship songs it is often hard to find many written about the blood and the cross. That’s why it’s good to also sing some of the good old hymns of the faith that lift up the blood of Jesus. Here’s a few you can sing together at your Family Devotions:

Are you Washed in the Blood?
Nothing But the Blood of Jesus
There is Power in the Blood
There is a Fountain Filled with Blood
Lead me to Calvary
Redeemed
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
He Hideth my Soul

Blessings to you today from Nancy Campbell

CHORUS:
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my pardon, this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Now by this I’ll overcome—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
Now by this I’ll reach my home—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

LOVING GOD WITH ALL MY HEART, SOUL, MIND, AND STRENGTH
Deuteronomy 6.5 and Mark 12.30.

LIGHTING MY HOME, AND THE WORLD AROUND ME, WITH THE GOSPEL OF TRUTH
Matthew 5:16; Luke 12:35; and Philippians 2:15.

LABORING FOR GOD’S KINGDOM, FIRSTLY IN MY HOME
Matthew 9:37, 38; John 6:27; 1 Corinthians 3:9; 15:10, 58; and Revelation 2:2, 3.

LETTING GOD CHANGE MY ATTITUDE WHEN THINGS DON’T GO MY WAY
Psalm 40:8; Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36; and John 6:38.

LOOKING OUT FOR THE NEEDS OF OTHERS RATHER THAN MY OWN
Matthew 16:24; Philippians 2:3, 4; and 1 Corinthians 10:24.

LOSING MY OWN LIFE TO SERVE OTHERS
Matthew 10:39; 16:25; 2 Corinthians 5:15.

LIFTING UP THOSE WHO ARE DISCOURAGED AND DOWNCAST
Proverbs 12:25 (TLB); Isaiah 50:4; Luke 4:18; Galatians 6:9-10; 2 Thessalonians 3:13; 1 Timothy 5:10; Hebrews 3:12, 13; and 6:10.

LISTENING CLOSELY TO GOD'S VOICE TO GUIDE ME
Psalm 32:8; 48:14; John 10:27; 16:1, 3; and Mark 4:24.

LEARNING DAILY FROM GOD’S WORD
Psalm 119:71, 73, 105; Matthew 11:29; and 2 Timothy 2:15.

LAUGHING WHEN THINGS GO WRONG
Habakkuk 3:17, 18 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

LEAPING FOR JOY WHEN I AM FALSELY ACCUSED
Matthew 5:10-12 and 1 Peter 4:14.

LOATHING THIS WORLD SYSTEM
Matthew 6:24; John 7:7; Romans 12:1, 2; James 4:4; and 1 John 2:15-17; 5:19.

LAYING UP TREASURES IN HEAVEN
Matthew 6:19-21.

~ Blessings to you from Nancy Campbell

1. Humble ourselves (2 Chronicles 7:14).
2. Return to God with all our hearts and souls (verses 24, 37, 38).
3. Confess our sins, “saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly” (verse 38).
4. Turn from our sin (verse 26 and 2 Chronicles 7:14)).
5. Confess (acknowledge) the name of the Lord (verses 24, 26).
6. Pray (verses 24, 26, 29, 324, 35, 37, 38, 39, 40, and 2 Chronicles 7:14).
7. Make supplication (beseech) (verses 24, 29, 35, 39).
8. Seek God’s face (2 Chronicles 7:14).
9. Spread forth our hands toward the Lord in our home (verse 29).
10. Fear the Lord again (verse 31).

God always turns His heart toward us when we come before Him in humility and confess our sins. Each one of us fail, even as Solomon reminded God in his prayer, “for there is no man which sinneth not” (verse 36). But we have a forgiving heavenly Father. We have an advocate in Jesus Christ through His blood that flowed from His side upon the cross.

When we keep a soft and tender heart toward the Lord and toward one another, when we seek to have humble hearts instead of stubborn and proud hearts, and when we continually pray and seek the Lord in our homes He promises: “Mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually” (2 Chronicles 7:16). Oh what a wonderful promise. Don’t you long for God’s eyes and His heart to be continually upon your home?

Let’s keep close accounts with God. Let’s not let the enemy take over our homes.

Amen from Nancy Campbell

This house was the temple Solomon built for God. But dear ladies, you are also building a house for God. It is a sanctuary for His holy presence and where you raise your children in the ways of God. Your home either belongs to the spirit of this world, or it belongs to God. Do your children experience God’s name in your home. I think that Solomon’s prayer is a good prayer for us to pray too, don’t you?

How will folks know your home is truly God’s home? It will be a house of prayer. Jesus said, “My house will be called a house of prayer.” Sadly, not much prayer happens in Christian homes today, but if our home is called by God’s name it will be filled with prayer. It will be filled with confessing the name of the Lord throughout the day. It will be filled with the riches of His Word. It will be filled with joy, singing, and God-inspired music. It will be filled with the inspiration of a mother who delights to be in her home, nurturing, feeding, and training her children to be God-seekers and God-lovers.

How are people on the earth going to know the name of the Lord? When they see our homes called by the name of the Lord. When they see that He lives in our homes. Everything comes back to the family and the home. We can get involved in all kinds of ministry, but if God doesn’t fill our homes, we miss the boat. It grieves my heart to see many people serving the Lord in different organizations and yet their families are in disarray.

Our true testimony is what goes on in our home.

Blessings to you today from Nancy Campbell

WAR ROOM
Have you been to see the movie, WAR ROOM yet? Colin and I took some friends the other night, our second time. We enjoyed it even more the second time. I would encourage you to go and take friends. This movie is such a great encouragement to pray for marriages to be healed and for God to move in our nation. And the more who go to see it, the more Hollywood sees the kind of movies we want to have come to our theaters.

~ Nancy

You may not think you are accomplishing great things. But dear mother, to steer a life in the right direction--to teach them the ways of God and prepare them for God’s service is a powerful thing. But you are most probably not only guiding the life of one child, but two, or even ten! You are determining the course of your nation. You are preparing children to change communities and even nations. You are influencing generations to come.

You won’t accomplish much in your own strength, but only eternity will reveal the power of your career as you trust in God. Moses’ rod became the “rod of God” (Exodus 4:2). Embrace your motherhood, the rod God has put into your hand. Yield yourself to the sovereignty of God. Don’t do it in your own strength, but trust in God’s miraculous power. Believe God to do miracles in your children’s lives as you daily pray for them and impart God’s Word and ways richly into their lives. Trust in God’s provision. Trust in His strength and wisdom and discernment.

Your rod of motherhood is your “rod of God.” He has given it to you and He wants you to experience it in His strength. He wants you to use it with His power, anointing, and authority. He wants you to know that you are walking in the perfect will of God. He wants you to walk in faith, believing God to do miracles in your marriage, your home, and your children each new day.

Take up your rod. Hold it high. Don't let the enemy bring it down to the dust.

In His love, Nancy Campbell