YOUR PLACE OF POWER
Part 1

“I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house,
give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully”
(1 Timothy 5:14).

Have you read the book of Jude recently? Only one chapter, but it is a very challenging book. Jude exhorts the believes to “earnestly contend for the faith” and gives examples from the Old Testament of those who started well but didn’t make it in the end. These words were written for our warning and admonition.

In Jude 1:6 he uses the example of the angels who rose in rebellion against God and left the habitation God gave them. These angels lived in a glorious realm, adorned with precious jewels, and with authority and rulership in their God-given domain (Ezekiel 28:13-18). But it wasn’t enough. They wanted more and left their God-appointed home.

This Scripture also speaks to us as women. God has given to us a domain, a realm that He destined for us and where He wants us to be queens. He planned and showed us clearly in His Word that He wants His female creation to be the keepers of the homes of the nations. God first created Adam, but He did not create the women until He prepared the delightful Eden home. He had it ready for her. When Eve woke up to life, she was already in her home.

God chose His female creation to bring forth His children and to be the nurturers of life and the builders of homes and families which ultimately builds the nation.

It is sad that many women today are temped like the angels of old to leave the domain God has given to them. They are not content with what God has given.  They want more. They want something else.

I’d love to share this Scripture from the King James Version and then some different translations. I find that each one reveals another nuance of the message of this powerful Scripture.

KJV: “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.”

The Greek word for “first estate” is arche meaning “beginning, first, power, principality, dominion, rule.” God wants us to keep to the first mandate He gave at  the very beginning. God’s plans do not change. His plans for mankind were planned in the eternal realm and purified seven times (Psalm 123:6). They are perfect.

This word also means “principality and rule.” God has given to each of His creations a realm where they rule and reign. These angels were given power and authority in their domain. Even with the animals it is the same. The whales and dolphins and fish of the sea have freedom and rule in the oceans. Imagine if they were not content with their domain and decided they would rather be like the lion and become king of the jungle. It would be to their destruction.

Imagine if the lion who rules the jungle decided he’d rather live in the great ocean. It would be ridiculous.

God has given to male his mandate to go forth and lead, provide, and even fight to protect. He has authority in this realm.

But God has also given to His female creation a sphere of rulership. He has given her the domain of her home over which she is to rule and manage (1 Timothy 5:14). The power, vision, creativity, and productivity that can be accomplished in the home is immeasurable. He has given her the privilege to bring forth life and to be the nurturer in the home and in society. He has given her the privilege to teach and train the next generation which will either make or break the nation.  This is her sphere and where she has God-given rulership over her domain. She is queen. Why does she want to leave?

CJB: “And the angels that did not keep within their original authority, but abandoned their proper sphere . . .“ They did not keep to the original authority. It is sad to see so many women departing from their original glory and authority God has given to them.

TPT: “In the same way, there were heavenly messengers in rebellion who went outside their rightful domain of authority and abandoned their appointed realms . . .” These angels “went outside” their “appointed realms.” Mothers also have an appointed realm. Appointed by God. When we go outside of this realm, we move out of the realm God has placed us. It is a dangerous place to be outside the will of God.

More thoughts to share with you next week.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

www.aoverubies.org

PRAYER:

“Dear Father, I thank you that You have created me for a realm that is totally suited to me, a domain where I will find blessing and glory. Please help me to understand Your ways in the midst of this deceived culture. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I am embracing the domain that God has given to me.

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

LIFE TO THE FULL w/ Nancy Campbell

https://ARPoddy.buzzsprout.com

EVERY SEAT FILLED

“Ánd he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass,
and took the five loves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven,
he blessed, and he broke, and gave the loaves to his disciples,
and the disciples to the multitude”
(Matthew 14:19)

1 Samuel 20 tells the story of David trying to save his life from King Saul who wanted to kill him. David and Jonathan had to work out their plan together.

David was currently living in the palace and expected to sit with the royal family for mealtimes. David said to Jonathan: “Tomorrow is the new moon and I SHOULD NOT FAIL TO SIT with the king at meat” (v. 5). In the Hebrew the infinite absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis! It means “I am CERTAINLY EXPECTED to sit with the king to eat.” It was mandatory.

So, they devised a plan. David would stay away from the evening meal until the third night, and they would wait to see the reaction of the king.

Jonathan said to David: “Tomorrow is the new moon and YOU WILL BE MISSED FOR YOUR SEAT WILL BE EMPTY” (v. 18).

We notice from this story that it was the expected and normal thing for every member in the household to be seated at the table for the evening meal. It is a sad thing to see an empty seat. That means someone in the family or extended household is missing. And it is always disappointing when someone is missing.

Later that night the King sat down for the evening meal. The Bible is so explicit that it even tells us where everyone sat. “The king sat down to eat. He sat at his usual place against the wall, with Jonathan sitting opposite him and Abner beside him. But David’s place WAS EMPTY” (verses 24, 25 NLT).

This shows us that it is important to have order in our home and at the table. Each person has their assigned seating rather than everyone trying to compete for their own seat. At our table, Colin always sits at the head of the table as he is the head of the home and I sit beside him. Each person then has their particular seat.

On the second night again verse 27 tells us that “David’s place was EMPTY.” This was when King Saul got really mad and they knew that David would have to flee from the palace.

When our children grew older and were out at work with their own jobs, I still expected them to be home every evening for the family meal. They had to call me in good time to let me know if something very important cropped up. Otherwise, they were expected to fill their seat. This is normality, and yet it is passing away from families today. Do you make it a priority for all the seats around your table to be filled each night?

I also remember how that when Jesus fed the five thousand plus people and later the four thousand, that He did not distribute any food to them until they were all sitting down. In fact, in the account of every gospel it tells us that Jesus “commanded” or “made” His disciples to make the people sit down.

Mark 6:39:  ”And he (Jesus) COMMANDED them to MAKE ALL SIT DOWN  by companies upon the green grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.”

Do you have to do some commanding in your home sometimes to keep children seated at the table? Well, you are being biblical. And you are following the steps of Jesus.

I believe God intends us to sit for our meals. We are not meant to eat standing up or walking around. We are meant to SIT and eat and fellowship together. We don’t receive the same goodness and value from our food when we walk around eating. We need to sit to receive. That means physically and spiritually. We cannot even receive from the Lord when we try to get something from Him in a rush. We must sit to receive, just as Mary “SAT AT JESUS’ FEET and heard his word” (Luke 10:39).

Blessings to you today, Nancy Campbell

PRAYER:

“Thank you, dear Father, for showing me in Your Word, that You love order at the table. You love everyone to sit down for their meals as You know this is the best way for us to enjoy our food. Please give me wisdom and help me in establishing this principle in my home. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

We are learning to sit together as a family to enjoy our meals.

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

LIFE TO THE FULL w/ Nancy Campbell

https://ARPoddy.buzzsprout.com

WHAT IS YOUR IDENTITY?

“And Adam called his wife’s name Eve: because she was the mother of all living”
(Genesis 3:20)

I often hear some women saying that they should not find their identity in motherhood, but only in Christ. That’s something to think about, isn’t it? Let’s chat.

I believe that every born-again Christian has their identity in Christ. I live my life by the truth of Colossians 1:27: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

However, the fact that Christ dwells in us and is our LIFE does not negate our gender. God is the Creator of genders. The dictionary says that identity is “the state of having unique identifying characteristics held by no other person or thing.”

A baby’s identity is that it is a baby, hopefully with fat chubby cheeks and roly-poly thighs and arms—the only time we drool over being fat! A child’s identity is in being a child. We put up with their childishness and enjoy their free, innocent, and uninhibited ways.

We expect a male to walk in the identity of a male—showing strength and courage and offering protection to women and children. We expect fathers to show the identity of a father by taking the responsibility to provide for their home and children and lead the family in God’s ways.

What about mothers? To say we do not have an identity as a mother is to go against everything God says. It goes against the way He created us. God created women with a womb and breasts to embrace, nurture, and nourish life. Being female is our identity. It’s who God created us to be. To resist motherhood and oppose the great career of homemaking is to deny the identity God mandated at the very beginning of creation (Genesis 3:20; Psalm 113:9; Titus 2:4, 5; and 1 Timothy 5:10).

You do not negate your identity as a mother because of your identity in Christ. Rather, because Christ indwells you, your motherhood is enhanced, intensified, and abundantly more joyful, overcoming, and glorious! Isn’t that exciting? When Christ dwells in you, He changes how you think and everything you do so you become a greater mother!

Be blessed and encouraged today. Embrace your identity. But remember, you’ll only walk in the fullness of it as Christ dwells in you and lives His beautiful life through you.

Nancy Campbell

www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

“Dear Father, I thank you that because You dwell in me, I have your power and anointing to enable me each day in my great calling of motherhood. I thank You that I don’t have to mother in my own strength but through Your enabling. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I am blessed to be a “Christ in me” mother! What could be more powerful?

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Are you listening to the Podcast for wives and mothers? 

LIFE TO THE FULL w/ Nancy Campbell. I know you will be so blessed. A new podcast comes out each Tuesday morning. You can go to the home page of Above Rubies to click on to it or go to: http://ARPoddy.buzzsprout.com

DO YOU HAVE IT ALTOGETHER?

“My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise”
(Psalm 57:7).

Some women think they have it all together. Others want to fall on the floor in a heap as they know they could never have it all together, especially if it means keeping a perfect home, perfect children, and perfect situations! Let’s face it. There is not a day that goes perfectly. Every day poses new challenges.

Yet Titus 2:5 tells the older women to teach the young women to “have it all together.” Well, it says “to be discreet” in the King James Version. Would you like to find out what this word truly means? I love the adventure of discovering what the Bible really says, don’t you?

The Greek word for “discreet” is sophron and comes from two root words: sozo which means “to save, deliver, protect, heal, cure, preserve, keep safe, and make whole.” And phren meaning “the mind.” Therefore, it means to have a sound and whole mind.

We can never have it all together in our circumstances because we cannot control our circumstances. If we have babies and little children around us, we can never have a perfect house with laundry and every household duty up to date. However, in the trenches of chaos, babies and children, crying and loud noise, and the weight of more to cope with than we think we can accomplish, we can still have a sound and steady mind. We can experience peace in the storm. This is what it truly means to have it all together.

Let’s look at some other translations:

“To be mistress of themselves” (Moffat). This means that we are in control of ourselves. We have command of our emotions. We are self-disciplined. Not freaking out. Not falling to pieces. No matter what happens around us, our hearts and minds are fixed upon the Lord.

What would I do without the wonderful promise in Isaiah 26:3, 4? It says: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” I believe this is the underlying secret of having it all together—to keep our minds stayed upon the Lord, no matter what the situation.

“Orderly behavior” (Knox). Our example as a wife and mother must not bring discredit to God’s word but be a good advertisement for the Christian faith (Titus 2:5).

“To live wisely” (NLT). Not foolishly. Not gadding about. Not hankering after the material things of this world and worldly entertainment. Not possessed by social media. Instead, we speak wisely, act wisely, and walk in obedience to God’s plan for wives and mothers rather than the ways and trends of this current society.

“To be self-controlled” Most translations use this phrase (I counted 10 of them). How can you be self-controlled? Do you stoically repress your emotions? No. We surrender to the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, for He is self-control. He is everything we need to have it all together. His life in us is “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22, 23). That’s everything you need. Instead of yielding to the flesh, yield to the Holy Spirit.

“To be sensible” (AMP, CEB, CEV, NASB, and RSV). Being sensible keeps our feet on the ground and acting in a way that brings glory to God.

Dear mother, you may feel overwhelmed, and the house may look chaotic, but you can still “have it all together” as you look to the Lord and allow His peace to fill your heart and mind despite everything that happens around you.

PRAYER:

“Thank You, dear Father, that You are my Peace. You are my Rock and my Fortress. You are the One who keeps me sane during the chaos. I thank You that I can trust You, no matter what circumstances I face. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

My eyes are upon the Lord instead of my troubles around me.