PODCAST TRANSCRIPT | EPISODE 241: What Does God Want Us to Do in the Land, Part 14A
LIFE TO THE FULL w/ Nancy Campbell
EPISODE 241: What Does God Want Us to Do in the Land, Part 14A
What are your plans for Saturday or Sunday? Do you set one of those days aside for God and for His people—and what do you do?
Announcer: Welcome to the podcast, Life to The Full, with Nancy Campbell, founder and publisher of Above Rubies.
Nancy Campbell: Hello, ladies! Always great to be with you. This morning, before I came to sit down here and do this podcast with you, I received last year’s stats from our podcast that we do with Buzzsprout.
I was quite pleasantly surprised to find that LIFE TO FULL is actually in the top five of all Buzzsprout podcasts. That’s wonderful, isn’t it? And I found out that it’s actually going to 98 different countries. That’s wonderful too! So, whatever country you are in today, wow! It is so great to have you listening and to know that we can all be connected together as we do these podcasts together.
And what else did I find out? The most popular podcast of last year was the series, “WE LOVE OUR KITCHENS, Parts 1-3.” I wonder if any of you listened to them. Well, lots of you must have been because that was the most popular one, especially number three. That was a very special one. I did those podcasts with Erin Harrison. If you never got to listen to them, you can go down the list and pull them up. “WE LOVE OUR KITCHENS.” The other two were from “THE LAND OF MOTHERHOOD” series.
And then, I found out that most of our listeners are in the USA, which, of course, that would be right. Then comes Canada. Then Australia, then UK, then New Zealand (down at the bottom of the world, where I originally came from). Then, of course, there will be lovely mothers of 93 other countries. How wonderful! May the Lord pour out His blessings upon you all! Upon your husbands and upon your precious children that God has given to you.
May you be blessed as you listen to these podcasts this year of 2023. Do encourage other moms to listen because they are especially for wives and mothers. There are thousands of podcasts going on in the world, but there are really not so many that are specifically geared to the mother in the home, and encouraging her to be in the home, because this is where God has placed her. So, do encourage your friends and your enemies, and everyone you know to listen. Send it out on your social media or whatever. Let’s encourage many more mothers to listen to these podcasts.
COMING FAMILY RETREAT FLORIDA - APRIL
I was also talking to Allison Hartman yesterday. Allison and her husband Daniel are the ones who organize the Above Rubies family retreats down at Laguna Beach in Florida. She was telling me that Laguna Beach Christian Retreat Center have now just finished renewing 22 more apartments. That means that we can fill up 22 more apartments!
It’s already just about filled up for what we usually have. Now we have just got a few more available, so if you want to be part of this wonderful, glorious retreat on the beach in April, April 19th to the 26th, go to my webpage, AboveRubies.org. You can look up “Retreats and Camps” and look up the information there to contact them. If you can come, well, be in quick, because they are filling up fast too.
COMING LADIES RETREAT IN WASHINGTON STATE – OLYMPIA
There will most probably be at least a thousand who will be coming to this April retreat, but before then, we have a ladies’ retreat in Olympia, Washington state. Oh, we’ve had so many wonderful ladies’ retreats up there in Washington, year after year after year!
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to have them the last couple of years because they closed down. But they’re open again and we’re all getting together again! If you live anywhere in Washington or Oregon, or around that area, do come. It will be a wonderful time together. Go to the webpage and look up the information for that too.
All right. Now, we are plodding along in our series, “What Do We Have to Do in the Land of Our Motherhood?” I think we’re just climbing down. We’re getting it down, and I think we will finish either this podcast or the next one.
We’re up to point number 12.
No. l2. WE ARE TO WALK RIGHTEOUSLY AND UPRIGHTLY IN THE LAND
Deuteronomy 16:20: “That which is altogether just shall thou follow” (that means that which is righteous, and upright, and godly) “that thou mayest live and inherit the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”
Psalm 37:29: “The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell therein forever.”
Proverbs 2:21: “For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.”
So, we see how God’s plan, His vision for us in the land, is for us to walk righteously, that we would be righteous families.
No. 13: HE WANTS US TO C HOOSE LIFE IN THE LAND
Let me take you to Deuteronomy 30. As you know, this book of Deuteronomy was God’s Word through Moses, God’s Word to His people through Moses, and it was a great big, long word! Deuteronomy 1 right up to chapter 34. The whole thing was a word to the people, God’s vision for them, His plan for them, His heart for them, and His commandments for them in the land that He was taking them to.
And, of course, we are looking at this land as our land, the land of motherhood. This is the land that God has given us. In Deuteronomy, over and over again, it says, “This is the land I have given to you. It is yours. I have chosen it for you.” God has chosen this land of motherhood for us.
This whole book of Deuteronomy is telling us how to live in the land, and what He wants us to do in the land.
In Deuteronomy 30:15, it says: “See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil. And that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgements, that thou mayest live and multiply. And the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.”
Verses 19, 20: “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey His voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto Him: for He is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”
In this land that the Lord has given to us, He wants us to choose life. Always choosing life. Amen? From birth, well, before birth, while a little baby is in the womb, right up until the Lord takes that one home, we choose life. From birth to the grave. Yes, we’re even choosing life at the grave. We choose life to that very moment.
We’re not helping people to die and helping people to commit suicide, even medical suicide. No, we’re choosing life to the very end, because God is the author of life. He will take that person, and He will take that breath when He chooses. God is in control, and we trust Him for life, because He is the God of life, and He is the author of life.
In this hour, we’ve got to keep standing for life, keep fighting for life, keep speaking out for life. We were all rejoicing when Roe v Wade was brought back to the states and reversed. That was a wonderful, blessed thing. And yet, we have to keep watching.
Even here in Tennessee, some of our Republican senators (these aren’t the Democrats) but the Republicans are now trying to weaken the law in our state. They want to weaken it so that abortion is allowed for either rape or incest or the health of the mother. Now, of course, that sounds good, doesn’t it? The ways of the world always sound wise. They sound good, just like the devil tempted Eve in the very, very beginning. He made the tree look wise and look good (Genesis 3:6).
But it’s not the truth, because a little baby that is conceived and growing in the womb is a separate life than the mother. Even though something as tragic as rape or incest, even in such tragic circumstances, we cannot murder life. There is never an excuse for murder—and taking a life in the womb is murder. These people are speaking out of ignorance. They don’t understand truth. You cannot counteract one sin with another sin.
I have to tell you, and I’m sure you also know people. I personally know people who have been born from their mother being a victim of rape. And yet, they are living beautiful lives today. Mothers who are married and have children! Their testimony is, “Thank God for my life! I am blessed! I have a husband. I have children. I am blessed to be alive!” In the eyes of these people who think that they’re doing something good, they would be dead. Murdered!
I personally know people who were born from incest. And these people are living happy, beautiful lives today. We do not have any excuse for the taking of life. Let’s be those who stand for life. We choose life. We stand for life. We fight for life. We will not be silenced as people would come to try and take life.
I was thinking of my little eight-year-old granddaughter. She is staying with me at the moment. Oh, every time we have prayer time, at the prayer meeting last night, this morning at family devotions, she’s praying this same prayer. “Lord, please, help us NOT TO BE SILENT, but to be a voice!” I love it! She’s got the message. We dare not be silent in the face of this evil because we are a people who chose life, and we choose life in the land of motherhood! Amen? And amen!
Number 14: WE KEEP THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN THE LAND
It’s interesting. God gave the Ten Commandments back in Exodus, chapter 20, when He brought them out of Egypt. They were there in the wilderness at that time, at Mount Sinai, and He gave them the Ten Commandments.
But here we come to Deuteronomy. It’s now at the end of Moses’ life, and he reminds them again. In Deuteronomy chapter five, he once again brings back to remembrance to the people all the Ten Commandments. He says, “I want you to make sure that you do them in the land which I have given you.”
These commandments are not just something we turn aside, or maybe we say, “Oh, that’s just Old Testament, or legality.” No, they came from the very heart of God. We won’t go through them all, of course, because you all know them, don’t you?
But I do notice, in Deuteronomy 5 here, I notice when it speaks of the commandment to honor thy father and mother, verse 16: “Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” So, once again, it’s reminding them, when you get to the land, make sure you keep doing these things.
What about verses 12-15? “Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee. Six days thou shalt labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work.” And so, it goes on.
I do want to share a few little thoughts about this, but, oh, goodness me, ladies. Ladies, I do want to tell you I am not going to be speaking about or giving a discussion about which day people should keep. Now, the Bible says that we are to keep the Sabbath Day. There are so many commandments throughout the Word of God about this.
WHO DO YOU DO ON THE ‘LORD’S DAY’?
Many who are listening to my podcast, you are beautiful, faithful Sabbath keepers. And there are so many who are listening to my podcast who are also faithful Sunday worshippers. I’m not going into a discourse of which day we should keep.
But I want to go into, whichever day we keep, whether it is the Sabbath Saturday, or some believe the Sunday because that was the day of resurrection, the day Jesus rose from the dead—but whatever day we choose to keep, what do we do on that day? That’s what I want to talk about. What do we do on that day?
Before I do, I will read these Scriptures.
Romans 14:5: “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.”
Colossians 2:16-17: “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come.”
Other Scriptures speak of how all these things in the Word that we read about are shadows of the heavenly things. The Shabbat Day, the Sabbath Day is a reality, but it’s also a shadow of things to come. It’s a shadow of our rest in Christ. It’s a shadow of the seventh millennial day. It’s a shadow of the eternal realm of rest.
But it is a reality also. In fact, some people could say, “Well, I’m walking in the revelation of Shabbat. I walk in the rest of Christ,” and yes, that’s what we all need to learn to do, whether we’re Sabbath-keeper or Sunday-keeper. We all need to learn what it means to live in His rest, because that’s what Sabbath is.
But it doesn’t negate the day. The day is a day, a day that God has given, a day to rest. It has to be a day, because if we rested every day, we would be lazy! Because we wouldn’t be working. “Six days shalt thou work.” It is a rest in Christ but it is also a day.
I know that there are all you beloved, precious ladies. Some are Sabbath-keeping, some are Sunday-keeping. Oh, how I love you all! And I have so many friends who are Sabbath-keeping, who are beautiful, godly women. And I have so many Sunday-keepers who are also my friends, and who are also wonderful, godly women. So, what we’re going to do is just forget about which day we are keeping and talk about what we do on that day.
I think this is important, as families, to talk about, because it’s a family thing. What do we do on Saturday or Sunday as a family? Of course, we, as mothers, are the HEART of the family. So, really, it gets down to us. What are our convictions for this day? Because that will really determine what we do on that day.
I will concede that our beautiful Sabbath-keeping mothers keep the Sabbath more diligently, more seriously, more holily, and more unto the Lord, than often Sunday-keepers. Somehow, Sunday-keepers, and although I love the Sabbath (we have Shabbat in our home, my husband spends the day in the Word on the Sabbath, we don’t do our Above Rubies on the Sabbath, but we have our worship day on Sunday).
SET APART UNTO THE LORD
But I find that so many Sunday-keepers don’t keep their day so seriously. Oh, they used to. I was brought up in a family of Sunday-keepers, but we kept that Sunday just like Sabbath-keepers keep the Sabbath, according to the Word. We kept it as a day of rest. We kept it as a day set apart unto the Lord. It was a different day than all the rest of the week. It was totally unto the Lord! I believe that’s how we must keep our day, whichever day we keep.
I just wanted to talk about a few little things. In fact, I was looking up the other day and found a study that I had done years and years ago about all the different things God talks about for His day of rest. I found 35 different things that God speaks about for this day of rest that He has given. I’m not going to give all of those to you. I just want to talk about a few little things, but firstly, as I mentioned, it is a day of REST.
Exodus 35:2: “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day, a sabbath of rest” and many other Scriptures of how it is a day of rest.
I love this Scripture in Exodus 23:12. Let me take you to it. As we read this, I want us to read any of these Scriptures, taking them to us personally, whether we worship on the Saturday, or the Sunday, because we do need to have a day. God want us to have a day that is set apart unto Him.
THE REFRESHING
Exodus 23:12: “Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.” Isn’t that beautiful? God didn’t give us a day, “OK, there’s a day you’ve got to give to Me.” No, it wasn’t given like that. He gave us a day to rest and to be refreshed.
Say that word: “refreshed.” Oh, don’t we all need refreshing? God is so good, isn’t He? He gives us day and night. He gives us the night to go to sleep and be refreshed. So many of you lovely mothers, especially with little ones all around you, you come to the end of the day, and you’re so tired! Oh, sometimes you feel totally worn out. You can hardly keep your eyes open. And you just go to bed—and you wake up refreshed.
Oh, maybe the baby woke in the night. Well, if you’re nursing your baby and bring him or her to bed, you’ll find that will be much easier. You’ll go back to sleep and you’ll both sleep. You will still wake up refreshed.
Then He gives us a day to be refreshed. Oh, I think that’s so wonderful.
I love the Knox Translation, an old, old translation. He says: “Six days shalt do thy tasks thou hast to do. On the seventh day, leave off working. So shall ox and ass have rest, and home-born slave and alien that works for thee, revive their spirits.” There’s another translation. To have our spirits revived.
That’s why, before the Shabbat Day, the Sabbath Day, God instituted another day. Did you know what it was? Yes, there’s another day mentioned in the Bible. It starts with “P.” Can you think of it? Yes, it’s called “The Preparation Day.” In some versions of the Bible, it actually gives it a capital “P,” “Preparation Day.”
That was the day before the Sabbath where they had to get everything ready. Clean the house, cook the food for the next day, and do everything to get ready for it, so that on the rest day, they could rest. It is impossible to rest, have a day of rest, unless you have a preparation day.
In our home, usually, we have Friday. I seek to try and do the Preparation Day so that we clean the house, and we get things ready for the next day so we can rest. If you’ve done it all, then you don’t have to do it, and have another day of work. That’s what God wants you to do.
I believe, ladies, I am such a believer in meeting with the people of God. Oh, that is part of our day of rest, of course, whether you keep the Sabbath (of course, you’ll be meeting together with the saints). If you keep the Sunday, you’ll be meeting together with the saints. I do believe we should make this a commitment.
Another thing we do find about the Sabbath Day is that it’s not only a day of rest, but it is a DAY of rest. Did you get that? It’s not only a day of rest, to be refreshed, but it is a day of rest. God didn’t say, “I give you an hour of rest on the Sabbath.” Or if you’re choosing to have the Sunday. No, He didn’t say, “I’ll give you an hour,” or “I want you to take two hours of rest and refreshing.” No, He said, “It’s a day. A DAY!” Did you get that, ladies? A day. A day.
Most Sabbath-keepers keep the day.
Sunday-keepers, are you keeping the day? Am I keeping a day? Well, that’s a challenge to me, because I remember, growing up, where it was easy to keep a day.
Do you notice, ladies, for those of you who are younger, you won’t be able to believe this, but I grew up, and not only did we, as God-fearing people, keep the day, but do you know what? Even the secular people kept the day, because no shops were open on Sunday. The whole place shut down just like in Israel. The whole place shuts down on Saturday, on Sabbath. You won’t be able to buy one thing on Sabbath.
Well, there was a time when, in our country of New Zealand, it was the same in our western countries, and here in USA, where you could not buy anything on Sunday. You could not do anything. There were no sports. There was no entertainment. It was a day set apart unto God.
We grew up like that. We would go to church in the morning. We would come home and have our Sunday dinner together. Then we would, us children, we would walk back to our church and have Sunday school for the children. Oh, we didn’t have it in the main service. We didn’t have all the families separated, and children going to this class and that class. No, we worshipped together as families. That was the norm back then.
But we would have our special children’s Sunday school class in the afternoon. Then we would walk home. We would just hang around home. We could read and play, but we didn’t go out. Then Sunday night we would come back for service again. It was a day set apart for the Lord.
But things have changed. Wow, how they have changed! Now we live in a nation, every country in the world, every shop is open on Sunday, although I think it’s still, what is that fast food that doesn’t open on Sunday? Chik-Fil-A! Hallelujah! Goodness, there’s one company that’s still sticking to God’s one day! And they’re not even going for an hour. “Ooh, we could go for an hour and just get people all coming home from church.” No, they stick to their day.
Now, ladies, not only should we stick to a day, but do we stick to meeting with the people of God? I cannot believe how many people I know who are really not fellowshipping with other saints. They think they can live unto themselves. No, we can’t. No. God wants us to meet together.
NEVER FORSAKE ASSEMBLLING YOURSELVES WITH OTHER SAINTS
What does He say in Hebrews 10:25? “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.” The assembling of yourselves. That doesn’t say, “Oh, you could stay at home and worship, or you could just listen to the preacher on TV or on Zoom.” Oh yes, now, you might just get blessed by the message. But that is not the assembling of yourselves! And that’s what God told us not to forsake, “the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
Look at Romans 1:12. Paul is writing to the new Roman Christians, and he says to them in verse 11, “For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.”
Do you get the picture there? He’s explaining, describing our faith. It is not a singular faith. It is a plural faith, a mutual faith. Look at these words. “Together.” “Together.” It’s not isolation. It is together. And then he says: “our mutual faith.” The word in the Greek there is translated everywhere else in the New Testament “one another.” It’s a one-another faith.
I wonder if you’ve purchased yet my 100 Days of Blessing, No. 4. In this particular volume, I talk about our one-anothering faith for our families and even in our church lifestyle. I found 41 different one-anothers that God wants us to do to one another. They’re all listed in that book, The 100 Days of Blessing, Volume 4 It’s a one-anothering faith.
And then he says “both of you and me.” My faith is not just me. It’s you and me. You and me. We can’t do without one another. Now, I’m talking to you over a podcast, and I trust you are being blessed. But you need more than this. You need the assembling together of the saints, because this is where we one-another each other. We pray for one another, and love one another, and show hospitality to one another, and be kind to one another, and minister to one another, and bless one another. We’ve got to see one another to do these things.
I do believe, lovely ladies, that we must be committed to the gathering of the saints, and not just when we feel like it. There are too many people who do it when they feel like it. No, we are committed, because we are training our children in this most powerful, God-given, biblical habit. Even as Jesus Himself. It tells us, let me see. I’ll give you the reference. In Luke 4:16, it says: “And as His custom was, Jesus went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day.” It was His custom, His habit.
Then we read about Paul in Acts 17:2, as he went to this particular place, “as was his custom.” He went into the synagogue, and he preached in the synagogue for three Saturdays (Sabbaths) in a row while he was there, because it was his custom to do it. It should be our custom, our habit.
We don’t, when there’s something, “Oh, wow! I heard about that festival down in the city. My, it would be so good to go to that! But it’s on Sunday. Oh well, we can miss church for the day. We’ll go to that.” I beg your pardon? I beg your pardon? Do you mean to say some bit of a festival is more important than your commitment to God? Your commitment to His people?
Oh, I’ve heard of people who say, “It’s a beautiful sunny day. Oh, let’s go to the zoo today!” And they go to the zoo! And they forget about church! Truly, where is our commitment? Where is God in our lives? I don’t believe there is anything, any entertainment, or any. . . “
Oh, visitors arrived! Oh, help! Oh well, we’ll stay home and entertain.” No! If the visitors arrive when you’re going to church, take them along with you! We don’t have any excuse ever! Because we’re a committed people.
And what are we teaching our children? Oh, any little excuse comes up. “Lovely day. Some entertainment. Just people, whatever. Or just can’t be bothered.” And we don’t go. And our children learn, what do they learn? “Oh, well, God is secondary in our lives. If it fits in, my parents can take us to church, but whatever works out.” No, we are training them in habit, in commitment, just as Jesus did, as it was His custom.
Oh, precious ladies, let’s get back to God’s heart. Let’s be those who are people who are truly committed to Him and His people, to understand that our faith is going to grow stronger when we meet with others, because it’s a mutual faith, a together faith, a one-anothering faith.
Well, maybe we’ll talk some more next podcast. Let’s pray.
“Dear Father, we thank You so much again. How we love Your Word! It always keeps us on our toes. Lord, we pray that You will save us from being lukewarm. Oh, God, Lord, You said You’ll spew us out of Your mouth if we are lukewarm. Oh, God, help us to be those who are totally committed to You, committed to Your people, Lord God. We ask it in the Name of Jesus. Amen.”
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Transcribed by Darlene Norris * This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
100 DAYS OF BLESING, Volumes 3 and 4
These books will bless you and give you meat for your mothering soul. You have the most powerful career in the nation as you teach and train the new generation. You determine the destiny of this nation. But it is not an easy task. I know you often feel overwhelmed and worn out. That’s why I make these devotions available to you—
So you can get fuel for your soul.
So you can be strengthened each new day.
So you can receive fresh vision and inspiration.
You will be blessed as each devotion brings Word revelation to you each day. There is a prayer and affirmation (which relates to the devotion) at the end of each devotion.
You can purchase these books separately, or DISCOUNT PRICE FOR BUYING
THE TWO TOGETHER! ONLY $25.00!
These books are a beautiful gift to yourself and for others.
Go to: https://tinyurl.com/100DaysBlessingV4
MARCH 10 – 12, WASHINGTON
LADIES RETREAT at Black Lake Bible Camp, Olympia
Contact Heather Bryant
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
April 19 – 26 THE POPULAR ANNUAL RETREAT
Above Rubies Gulf Coast Spring Family Retreat 2023
Registration fee: $200 (non-refundable)
Meals $60/person ages 3+
Housing is assigned through Gulf Coast Above Rubies Organizers, but payment for your housing will go directly to Laguna.
This is our biggest retreat serving over 100 families during our week of fellowship, sessions with Nancy and Colin Campbell, breakout sessions with gifted speakers and teachers, family activities, and incredible worship! Come as a friend but leave as family! If you aren’t already registered, sign up now! We still have room!
If you have any questions about this family retreat, please email us at .">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Registration link:
https://forms.gle/iERkREjdmgkA6D1V7