CHEER UP!

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me”
(John 14:1).

“Please don’t give me these words,” you reply. “You don’t know what I am going through. I’m depressed, discouraged, and disappointed.”

BE OF GOOD CHEER

Listen to these words from Jesus in John 16:33: “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but BE of GOOD cheer; I have overcome the world.” Some translations say, “Cheer up!” Others say, “Take heart!”

Jesus says these words to you when you are going through tribulation, not just when everything is rosy. He has the authority to say them to you because He has already overcome the world! He doesn’t only say “Cheer up,” but “be of GOOD cheer.”

BE OF GOOD COURAGE

God is an affirming God. He is always encouraging us through His Word. Psalm 27:14 says: “Wait on the LORD: be of GOOD courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” Perhaps you feel weak and inadequate. Not only physically, but emotionally, and spiritually? Look up to the Lord. Wait on Him. He will bring courage and strength to your heart. Not just courage, but GOOD courage!

BE OF GOOD COMFORT

2 Corinthians 13:11 states: “Be of GOOD comfort.” And please read 2 Thessalonians 2:16, 17: “Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work.”

 Are you sorrowing or grieving? Have you lost a loved one? Have you suffered a miscarriage? Who can comfort the ache in your heart except God? He will comfort your sorrowing heart if you let him. And His comfort is GOOD comfort.

BE FREE FROM CARES

Are you cheered up yet? Just in case you haven’t taken hold of God’s wonderful promises to you yet, here is another one. 1 Peter 5:7 says: “Casting ALL your cares upon him; for he careth for you.”

Why can you give Him all your anxieties and troubles? Because, dear one, He cares for you. The word “cares” means “interested in.” God is interested in everything that happens in your life. He is Omniscient. He knows your every thought. He knows your thoughts next week and next month even though you don’t know them yet. He knows what is happening in your home right now. And He cares about it.

But He can’t do much about it until you give Him your anxieties. Instead of clasping them to yourself and constantly worrying about them, give them to Him. He is a GOOD God.

You don’t have to stay in the doldrums. God waits to cheer your heart.

Love from Nancy Campbell

www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

“Dear Father God, please forgive me for worrying about everything. I do not have to fret over one thing knowing that You are in perfect control. Help me to trust You completely. Amen,”

AFFIRMATION:

Because Jesus Christ lives in me, I can be cheery and full of joy instead of being in the doldrums and down in the mouth.

Don’t miss the podcast for wives and mothers each week:

LIFE TO THE FULL w/ Nancy Campbell

https://ARPoddy.buzzsprout.com

WHICH WORLDVIEW?

“Thy word is true from the beginning;
and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever”
(Psalm 119:160).

Are we teaching our children from a biblical worldview or a humanist worldview? Here are some scenarios:

1. Your car is stolen. What is your response?

a) Mother: "Isn't it terrible that our car is stolen, children? However, even though it is so inconvenient for us we must not judge the one who stole it as God doesn't want us to judge anyone."

Or b) Mother: "Children, last night our car was stolen. We must pray for the person who stole it that God will convict him, and he will return it. You can see, children, how stealing is very selfish because it hurts and inconveniences the people they steal from. God's Word tells us that we must not steal (Exodus 20:15; Leviticus 19:11 and Ephesians 4:28). In fact, God says in 1 Corinthians 6:10 that no "Thieves . . . shall inherit the kingdom of God." God's puts His laws into the universe to bless us.

2. Your children lie to you. What is your response?

a) Mother at the breakfast table: "Remember yesterday I told you all that no one was to take any of the special cookies I baked for the party we are going to tonight? This morning I find that three cookies are missing. Who took them?"

Jacob: "I didn't, Mommy."

Ethan: "Neither did I!"

Olivia: "I would never do that."

Mother:  "There is no one else in this house who could take them. We're not starting breakfast until you own up." After a long time and children getting rather hungry, they own up!

Mother: "I'm so glad you owned up, but we shouldn't judge one another, so let's just get on with breakfast."

Or b) "Thank you for owning up children. But even worse than stealing the cookies is the fact that you lied to Mommy. Did you know that lying is very serious to God? The Bible says that "all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" (Revelation 21:8). When we are on God's side, we love truth because He is the God of truth. When we lie, we are on the devil's side because THE Bible tells us that the devil is a liar and the father of lies (John 8: 44). I want you to be children who are always on God's side. Therefore, Mommy is going to have to discipline you so you can learn the importance of not telling lies. We are going to cancel going to the party tonight." (Or whatever discipline is appropriate).

3. Neighbors are different. What is your response?

Emma: "Mommy, who are those people who moved in over the road from us? They have a little child, but they have two mommies instead of a mommy and a daddy."

a) Mother: "Yes, they are different from us, Emma. They are "gay" people, but we mustn't judge them. We wouldn't live that way, but today people are free to live whatever alternative lifestyle they want."

Or b) Mother: "Emma, I am so very sorry to have to tell you that these people are living the opposite way God intends us to live. God tells us in His Word that if two men or two women live together like a husband and wife that it is an abomination in God's sight. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 5:3 that these things shouldn't even be mentioned among God's people. We'll look up some Scriptures later so you can see what God says. Of course, we will love them and pray for them because Jesus loves them, died for them, and wants to forgive them of their sin if they will repent and turn to Him. But we must always stand on God's side and stand against what God says is an abomination."

Dear mothers, of course you are seeking to lead your children in the ways of righteousness which means standing with God's Word, no matter what society says. We are either filling our children with the truth of God's Word or being sucked into the mantra of the humanists and the "religion of tolerance."

It doesn't matter whether it is disobedience, lying, abortion, euthanasia, "dying with dignity" or sexual immorality, we must always check out what God says in His Word and stick by it. And we must always remember that the truth of a subject in God's Word is not one Scripture, but what God says about that subject from Genesis to Revelation. Don't be mesmerized or propagandized along with so many in the church today who have succumbed to the "judge not that ye be not judged" chant in reply to all judgment of evil.

NANCY CAMPBELL

www.abovewrubies.org

PRAYER:

“Oh God, please save me from being caught up in the “t      tolerance movement” in our society today. Please help me to always be strong and stand fast to the truth of Your eternal Word. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I refuse to be dumbed down by the foolish philosophies of this world. I am living my life by the truth of God’s Word. It is my plumb line for every subject and every situation.

SSCRIPTURES OR SCENARIO 3:

Leviticus 18:22; 20:13, Romans 1:26-28, 32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-12; 1 Timothy 1:10; Jude 1:7; Revelation 21:8.

Don’t miss the podcast for wives and mothers each week:

LIFE TO THE FULL w/ Nancy Campbell

https://ARPoddy.buzzsprout.com

YOU HAVE A BIG CAREER

“And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them,
if any man desire to be first, the same shall be the last of all,
and servant of all”
(Mark 9:35).

In what capacity do you like to introduce yourself? Some folks may introduce themselves as a teacher, singer, nurse, lawyer, or even a mother. Many pastors like to introduce themselves as Pastor So and So. They make sure they precede their name with the word, Pastor!

How did Paul introduce himself? When writing to the Romans Paul begins: “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ” and then he adds “called to be an apostle” (Romans 1:1).

What about Peter? Simon Peter also introduces himself as “a servant” and then he adds secondly “and an apostle of Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:1). Both these mighty men of God considered themselves to firstly be servants.

The word servant is “doulos” and literally means “a bondslave, one who is in permanent relation of servitude to another.”

Jesus himself confessed that He did not come “to be served but to SERVE, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28 ESV).

How do you look upon yourself? In this day of feminism and liberal theology a “servant” would be unthinkable. Isn’t it amazing that many Christians think they are better than the early apostles and even Jesus Himself? Are we too proud to be servants?

Dearest mother, when you feel overburdened and overworked and you have no time to do anything you want to do because all you do is serve others all day long, don’t despair! You are following the footsteps of Jesus. You are like the early apostles. You are in the perfect will of God.

Oh, I know you don’t like being a servant. None of us do. We are so fleshly and selfish. But do we really want to be increasingly more like Jesus? There’s no greater way than to serve. How blessed we are as wives and mothers. We are right in the very place where we can fulfil our serving ministry. We can joyfully serve in our homes all day long. We are in the very sphere where we can become like Jesus.

What way do you like to serve? We can serve grudgingly—sighing and complaining. Or we can serve joyfully. That takes the sting out of serving and relegates it to a high place.

We can serve faithfully. This is the serving that Jesus talks about in Matthew 25:21 where He says: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”

You may have dreams of big things you want to do in your life and yet you feel there is no way you can fulfil them with all your little children hanging around you every minute of the day. Dear mother, be faithful to your menial, daily tasks. God sees them. As He sees you faithful in the little things, He will bless you in His time with bigger things.

Although I must interrupt my writing here. I don’t believe exactly what I have just written. Because I believe that no matter what “bigger things” you may one day accomplish in your life, nothing is as big as what you are doing now. Nothing is as big a bringing into this world an eternal soul that will live forever. Nothing is as big as pouring out your nurturing heart to your children. Nothing is as big as preparing and training them for God’s destiny here on earth. Your God-given mothering career influences nations, governments, generations, and eternity!

I hope you have the most wonderful day SERVING your husband and family.

NANCY CAMPBELL

www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

“Dear Lord Jesus, I am in awe that although You were the delight of Heaven, You were willing to come to this earth to serve. Please help me to see the blessing and power of serving and that serving is one of the BIGGEST things that I can do in my life. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

Don’t miss the podcast for wives and mothers each week:

LIFE TO THE FULL w/ Nancy Campbell

https://ARPoddy.buzzsprout.com

HOW LOVELY!

"HOW LOVELY is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heaven's Armies."
Psalm 84:1 (NLT).

The psalmist longed to dwell in the house of the Lord. There was no place he wanted to be more.

Because Jesus Christ died and rose again, we now have the privilege of living in His presence continually. Yes, in the midst of all that is happening in your home, even with your little ones needing you all at once. No matter what you are facing, Jesus wants you to "abide in Him" (John 15:4, 5, 7).

Dear mother, you can live a “lovely life” as you dwell in the One who is all wisdom, love, joy,   peace, and holiness. It is the loveliest place to be.

It is also the most powerful place to be--He is the Lord of the armies of Heaven!

Sadly, we don't always live where God wants us to live in our daily lives, do we? We forget what Ephesians 2:6 tells us that He has "raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."

What is the result of dwelling in Him? Psalm 84:4 (AMP) goes on to tell us that those who dwell in His presence "will be singing Your praises all the day long." All day long?

"You don't know what's going on at my house," you reply. Dear mother, you can experience this "how lovely" as you dwell in Christ Jesus. Instead of allowing your circumstances to overcome you, live in Christ.

Thank Him that you live in His presence where there is fullness of joy. Thank Him that you are seated with Him in the place of authority and power over all your enemies.

Psalm 84, known as the "pearl of psalms," speaks of the joy and loveliness of dwelling in God's presence. This word also means “beloved." It is the beloved place to live. And it is your inheritance through Jesus Christ's death upon the cross for you.

Verse 6 tells us how that even when we go through the "valley of Baca" which means "the valley of tears or weeping" that it becomes a fountain or a place of refreshing springs. Maybe you are facing heartache and tears are flowing down your face. Perhaps you are in a desperate situation. When you dwell in Christ and put your trust in Him, He makes your valley into a place of refreshing.

There is yet more in this psalm. Verse 8 tell us you will go "from strength to strength." In the midst of hardship you can become stronger and stronger every day. In fact, your sorrows and tribulations are for the purpose of growing you in Christ. When you dwell in God and trust Him to do His work in you, your difficulties mature you. Don't let your mothering challenges frustrate you. Dwell in the lovely presence of God and instead of weakening, you will become a stronger mother each new day.

But the half has not been told! Not only can we dwell in God's presence, but He wants to dwell in us! In the past God dwelt in the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle, and then in the temple. But now God has a different dwelling place. When Jesus died upon the cross the thick curtain that separated the Holy of Holies was torn apart and now, He comes to dwell in our hearts.

First Corinthians 6:19 also reminds us that we are the dwelling place of God. The word "temple" in this Scripture is "naos" and literally means "the Holy of Holies." This is too awesome to take in. God wants your body to be His Holy of Holies where He can abide. In John 15:4 Jesus not only said: "Abide in me," but He also said, "And I in YOU."

The big question is: is my heart and my body a "lovely" place for the dwelling place of God? Is He welcome? Does He feel at home in my heart? Is it a holy place?

What about our homes? God is a dwelling God who loves to dwell in our hearts, but He also wants to fill our homes with His presence. Is your home a beloved place for God? Ask God to show you anything in your home that grieves His Holy Spirit. Ask Him how to show you how to make your home a “lovely” place for His presence.

Be encouraged today.

NANCY CAMPBELL

www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER

“Dear Father, I can hardly take it in that You want my body to be Your temple. Please help me to keep a pure and holy temple for Your presence. I long to be filled with Your presence as I live each day in my home. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Don’t miss the podcast for wives and mothers each week:

LIFE TO THE FULL w/ Nancy Campbell

https://ARPoddy.buzzsprout.com