WHAT IS OUR DUTY? Part 1
Beyond our Normal Selfish Lives

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another, as I loved loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”
(John 13:34, 35).

There are certain things in life that we have a duty to perform. But because they are duty, it does not mean they need to be drudgery. Duty is either a delight or a drudgery, depending on our attitude! Our aim should be to make every duty in life a delight!

The Greek word for duty in the New Testament is “opheilo” and means “to owe, to be morally obligated, pay the debt, express human and ethical responsibility, to be bound, to fall in duty.” It literally means “it’s a must.”

It’s good to remind ourselves of duty in a general way, but the Bible mentions some things specifically, therefore we should take note of them, don’t you think? Let’s take a look:

1. LOVING ONE ANOTHER

1 John 4:11 says: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought (opheilo, meaning duty) to love one another.” That means beginning in the home with our husbands and children. That means those we don’t really like or who are not our type. That even means those who have spoken against us and treated us badly.

This word is used again in Romans 13:8: “Owe (opheilo) no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” In other words, we have a duty to love one another whether we feel like it or not.

2. SEXUAL INTERCOURSE FOR MARRIED COUPLES

Is this a duty? When God brought the first couple together, the first thing He told them was to be “one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). That’s it! God’s ultimate plan. His first description of marriage. Therefore we owe it to one another.

1 Corinthians 7:3 calls it “due benevolence.” Now that doesn’t sound very romantic, does it? The Syriac version calls it “due love.” But let’s read it from a modern version: “The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife. Do not deprive each other of sexual relations . . . “ (NLT).

The wonderful thing about this moral obligation in marriage is that although it’s considered a duty, God has created it to be a DELIGHT. God knows that both the husband and the wife need this oneness together. It is for their blessing and good. It enhances joy and harmony and diffuses stress. God is amazing.

Proverbs 5:19 describes it as “ravishing.” The full meaning of the Hebrew word is to be “enraptured, intoxicated, transported with delight, captivated, entranced, stealing away the senses.”

How often should this happen? This Scripture tell us “at all times” and “always.” Check it out to make sure I am not making it up.

There may be times in your marriage when you do not experience it as a delight. That’s when you move into “duty” mode. As you are faithful to do your duty, delight will come rolling back to you. It’s a divine law. It’s like the ebb and flow of the tide. Sometimes the tide goes out, but it is a universal law that tide always comes flowing in again.

God is so concerned regarding this that in Exodus 21:10, He states that if a man takes another wife (not allowed in the New Testament) he must not diminish sexual intimacy with his first wife.

PRAYER:

“Dear Father, thank You for showing me that You have created duty to be a blessing. Save me from living by my feelings and instead living by that which is right in Your sight. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I am learning from experience that duty can be a delight.

Yes, It Matters!
Part 2

“If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; if thou sayest, Behold we knew it not: doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? And shall not he render to every man according o this works?”
(Proverbs 24:11, 12).

We continue to discuss our involvement in politics. Does it matter or does it not?

We see a counterpart to 1 Timothy 1:1-4 in the Old Testament. God told the Israelites to pray for the cities where they lived, even while in captivity!

Jeremiah 29:7 says: “Seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof ye shall have peace.” The word peace is shalom and the root word of shalom is shalam which means “to be safe.” Isn’t that what we want? We want to be safe in the city and nation in which we live. This is what God wants for us too.

The NLT and NET translations say: “Work for the peace and prosperity of the city.” We don’t wait to see what happens. We not only pray but we must work for peace. We must get involved. We must “pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

Did you get that? Your welfare and the welfare of your children and children’s children is bound up in the welfare of what happens in your city and in the nation! Therefore, as parents, we must work and pray for the right government (the one whose agenda is the closest to God’s ways) to come into power.

The prophets of old did not hide from politics. Remember how Elijah challenged King Ahab? (1 Kings 18:17-20). They spoke the word of the Lord to the kings. They reproved them when they were wrong.

John the Baptist was not afraid to challenge Herod (who was known as King of the Jews) for taking his brother Philip’s wife! (Read Matthew 14:1-3).

Jesus was not afraid to challenge the sins of the scribes Pharisees who were the leaders of the people in that day. Who would even dare to say the things that Jesus said to them in Matthew 28:13-36?

We must not only think of the “now.” We must think of the kind of country our children will live in in the future. I am burdened for my children’s children and their children.

Do you think about the future generations? We have a responsibility to pray and do all we can so that they will live peaceable lives. I don’t want my future generations living in a situation that Venezuelans now live in. Or Eritrea, or other tyrannical countries, or China where there is another wave of intense persecution of Christians.

Of course it matters. Why would God tell us He will “heal our land” if we “humble ourselves, and pray, and seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways” (2 Chronicles 7:14)? He wants our land to be healed but we must do our part.

Why would God promise us that He will not send His judgment if we turn from our wicked ways? Jeremiah 18;8 (NLT) says: “If I announce that a certain nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed, but then that nation renounces its evil ways, I will not destroy it as I had planned.”

Judgment, heartache, and persecution will come to the people of God if this extreme socialist government is voted in and abortion, homosexuality, and the evil of transgender continues. At this time, Biden is wanting to bring in Palestinian refugees to this country. And yet these people are brainwashed from birth to hate and eradicate Americans! They call Israel “the little Satan” but America the “the big Satan!” Instead of standing with Israel, he supports Hamas who were the perpetrators of the most horrific atrocities since the Holocaust!

But God has promised He will turn from His judgment if we repent, pray, and turn from wickedness. We have it our hands to turn God’s hand back from judgment if we do what He requires of us.

And yes, it does matter who we vote for.

Blessings from NANCY CAMPBELL

www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

“Dear Father, the Most High God, I come to You in Jesus’ name and ask that You will send a great repentance to the people of this nation. That we will repent for our evil ways. That there will be a great turning to righteousness and a great hatred toward evil. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I will not be silent in the face of evil but will pray and speak out boldly for truth.

Yes, It Matters!
Part 1

“Who will rise up for me against the evildoers?
Or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?”
(Psalm 94:16).

Some people think it doesn’t matter who gets into government in this next election because “God is in control.”

Yes, “God is in control,” but He is moved by our prayers. And He commands us to pray for those who are in authority. In fact, this is the first thing we are commanded to do when we come together to worship. Let’s read the whole passage, shall we?

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

God wants us to pray and be involved in who is elected for three reasons:

1. That we will live a quiet and peaceable life. We all want this, don’t we?
2. That many people will be saved. We also long for this to happen.
3. That many will come to the knowledge of the truth. Amen.

These are very important reasons. God wants us to enjoy a quiet and peaceable life and He wants an environment where many people can hear the gospel and be saved. Sadly, we are now moving into a season of resistance and persecution against those who believe in God.

Isaiah 59:14 (NLT)is being played out before our eyes: “Our courts oppose the righteous, and justice is nowhere to be found. Truth stumbles in the streets, and honesty has been outlawed. Yes, truth is gone and anyone who renounces evil is attacked.”

We have innocent people being kidnapped at gunpoint by the FBI. Hundreds of J6 patriots are innocently in jail. The evils of abortion, homosexuality, transgender, sex trafficking, and lies and deception prevail while righteousness is trampled on. All this evil will increase if the left comes to power in this next election as this is what they advocate.

It mattered in times in history. For example, during the time of Henry VIII in England, it was a survival time for Christians but when Edward VI came to power, it was a time of freedom and through the preaching of the gospel thousands were born again and became stronger in the ways of God. King Edward’s short reign shaped the course of English history.

Sadly Edward VI only reigned for six years before he died and then came Mary I. She was known as “Bloody Mary” because of burning so many at the stake for their faith. They estimate she ordered 382 godly men( and some women) to be martyred through being burned to death—and more than a thousand fled to Europe to escape her tyranny. It certainly matters who is in power!

Our Christianity is not only for Sunday. It is part of every facet of our lives. All things are sacred when we abide in Christ. Our lives should also include all political matters because they affect every part of our life and the lives of our children and future generations.

Dear wife and mother, as God’s set-apart people we have a responsibility to work, to pray, and to vote against evil and all the anti-God, anti-family, anti-marriage agendas of the left.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

PRAYER:

“Thank You, dear Father God, that You have given into our hands the weapon of prayer. You want us to pray. You have promised that You will heal our nation when we pray and turn from our wicked ways. Help me to be a faithful prayer warrior. Help us to be a faithful praying family. Amen.”

AFFIRMATON:

I will be faithful to stand in the gap for our nation, interceding for God to move.

We have seen the intrusion of the FBI to an innocent family in our own neighborhood. You catch up with this by listening to these two podcasts:

Podcast 277: THE VALUE OF LIFE

Introducing Bethany Vaughn, wife of Paul Vaughn who faces 11.5 years in prison for saving babies. Bethany, mother of 11 children and 8 grandchildren (so far) tells the beginning of their story.

Bethanyvaughn.substack.com

Go to: https://www.buzzsprout.com/183665/13707383

Podcast 278: “VIOLENT CRIMINALS”

These are the words our government and the FBI call God-loving, children-loving, freedom-loving families. Bethany Vaughn is with me again today as she tells the horrific story of how the FBI kidnapped her husband in the early hours of the morning at gunpoint, without even showing a warrant! Do you really know what is happening in our country?

www.stifledcry.com * bethanyvaughn.substack.com * https://www.givesendgo.com/prolifedad

Go to: https://www.buzzsprout.com/183665/13749850

You can also listen to the story of a great-grandmother who is now pronounced guilty for praying in the capitol.

Podcast 301: ANOTHER JANUARY 6 VICTIM

Go to: https://www.buzzsprout.com/183665/14720497

Podcast 302: ANOTHER JANUARY 6 VICTIM. Part 2

Go to: yhttps://www.buzzsprout.com/183665/14771018

To keep up with what is happening with Rebecca Lavrenz got to:

https://restoringgodlyculture.com/

On this webpage you can sign up for her daily email. You will find her emails very inspiring.

A PICTURE TO THE WORLD

“Let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself;
and the wife see that she reverence her husband”
(Ephesians 5:33).

One of my favorite quotes about marriage is from John Piper: “There has never been a generation whose view of marriage is high enough.”

I believe this is so true. The Bible reveals that marriage is a picture of the relationship of Christ and His bride, the church. That is a big thing for us to reveal in our marriages, isn’t it? And how can we reveal it when we don’t understand the fullness of what it means? I don’t think many of us really do.

Thinking about this, I was challenged when reading the Ten Commandments again in Exodus 20. I saw them in a new light. As I read again, I began to see something of God’s relationship with us which should also be revealed in our marriages.

Let’s look again, shall we? “And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage: thou shalt have no other gods before me.” God is saying to His people Israel and to us: I have delivered you out of the kingdom of darkness. I have made a marriage covenant with you and you and are mine. You now belong to me and no one else (Exodus 16:8-14; Song of Solomon 2;16; 6:3; 7:10; and Isaiah 54:5).

This commandment comes from God’s heart of love for His people. Because we belong to Him, He wants our total allegiance. Because our marriages are pictures to show this relationship between Christ and His bride, we should have this same attitude toward our husbands. When we are married, we belong to our husband, and he belongs to us, and no one else. The marriage vows say: “forsaking all others.”

The next commandment says: “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image . . .  thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them for I am the LORD thy God am a jealous God . . .” God is a jealous husband over us. He gave His only Beloved Son to die and shed His blood to purchase us to Himself. It’s not wrong for a husband or wife to be jealous if either one is looking at someone else!

The third commandment says: “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”

To take the name of the LORD in the Hebrew means to “carry His name or to bear His name.” We are created in His image to bear His likeness and image. We take on His name when we belong to Him and He wants to manifest His character and image through us.

When we marry, we give up our old name and take our husband’s name. We now carry his name wherever we go. As we live in a way that honors our husband’s name, we not only bring honor to him but honor to ourselves. If we dishonor his name, we literally dishonor ourselves.

But then God goes on to say that we must not take His name in vain. That means to speak of it lightly or worthlessly. This also speaks to us in our marriages. It is a serious thing to speak critically, dishonoringly, or lightly of our husband’s name.

How sad to hear a wife criticizing her husband, pulling down his image, or speaking of him disparagingly or lightly. It is the opposite of what God intends for us in our marriage relationship. He wants marriage to reveal to the world the same attitude we have to God and to Christ.

We honor God’s name because it is hallowed. It is worthy. It is holy. It is great. Maybe you don’t feel your husband is worthy and you can only think of negative things to say about him. Well, keep your mouth shut. If you can’t say something that is honoring, don’t open your mouth.

Because remember, we are to be a picture of the relationship of God and His people.

Isn’t it amazing how God reveals this even in the first few commandments?

I am challenged. Are you?

Be blessed. Nancy Campbell

www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

“Dear Father, please teach me how to reverence my husband like I reverence You. Help me to see that You planned marriage to be a picture of Your relationship with us. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I am learning to reverence my husband as I allow the spirit of Jesus to reign in me.