Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

It saddens me when I see a worn-out, frustrated mother trying to control an undisciplined rebellious child. I wonder if the father is taking his responsibility in the home. Men, we must not leave all the responsibility of disciplining our children to our wife. It will make motherhood a frustrating experience for her, rather than a joyful one.

The Scriptures teach discipline. Discipline is God-ordained for fathers to wisely administer to their children as needed. Discipline that is appropriate for misbehavior will put an end to misconduct and will also produce peace and order in the home. Proverbs 29:17 says, “Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.”

Wise non-abusive spanking is biblical and should not be withheld from an unruly child. Time-out and withholding of certain privileges is often insufficient to stop bad behavior.

In certain cases, time-out and withholding privileges maybe all that is required. In some cases, a strong word of correction may be sufficient. In certain instances a soft word of correction may be all that is needed. However, a strong will that is defiant of parental instructions must be overcome and spanking must not be ruled out.

Good character is not something that we are born with unfortunately. Rather, good character requires training and discipline by loving, caring parents. Our over-filled prisons and correctional facilities are clear evidence that modern, humanistic, no-spanking parenting does not work, and will never work.

Parents who have violent tempers are the result of inadequate parenting when they were young.

If parents cannot control their children, for whatever reason, what hope do the children have to succeed in this world? Very little, I think. It is a definite disadvantage to a child to have parents who have little understanding on child discipline.

An undisciplined child is a deprived child.

We must raise children of character who will make their mark in this world.

Be encouraged. Colin

The second chapter of II Samuel gives great lessons to us fathers on how to restrain our children from evil.

1. We should give godly admonishment. Eli gave very godly admonishment (I Samuel 2:23-25).

2. If the admonishment is ignored, we must take appropriate action and discipline. Eli failed in this point. His sons should have been dismissed from the ministry because of their evil behavior.

3. If we do not effectively restrain our children from evil by appropriate discipline we open the door for God’s severe judgment to fall on them, on ourselves, and future generations (I Samuel 31-36).

4. We must warn our children of coming discipline if our admonishment is ignored.

5. The process of admonishment, with appropriate discipline, should start early in a child’s life. If not, not only your children, but you and your wife, and others will suffer much grief.

6. It is wrong for the father to want to discipline. This reveals meanness, harshness and over-bearing severity. It is better for the child to know that the father has to discipline rather than wants to discipline. Loving discipline will help overcome resentment and rebellion.

7. We fathers must realize that in many cases of wayward children, the father is most likely the main problem. We do not love your children by being soft on them.

To be continued tomorrow.

Be encouraged. Colin

Men, we must pray daily with our families for the sake of our nation. Do not delay. Time is running out! Strange children, speaking vanity and falsehood, will eventually destroy the economy (Psalm 144:11).

Read the prayer David prayed for his nation in Psalm 144:13-15, “That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets: that our oxen may be strong to labor; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets. Happy is that people, that is in such a case, yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.”

David cried out that God would deliver him from the false deceivers who teach erroneous agendas that pervert and dumb down the sons and daughters of God, and which will eventually bring about the nation’s economic collapse.

Men, I believe it will take much more than electing a conservative, right wing president to reverse the huge inroads of false, progressive, socialistic, communistic Saul Alinsky damage that has reached into almost all areas of our society. The media is full of it, the education system is full of it, much of government is full of it, and much of the judicial system is full of it.

David was a God-fearing king who realized full-well that it would take much more that what he could do to reverse the inroads of evil in his nation. He desperately needed God’s divine help and intervention, and this is the reason he prays.

Men, the winning of an election for the restoration of our economy is not enough. We Christian men must gather our families around us and pray daily, not only for the elections, but that God Himself would stretch our His mighty right arm against all our enemies, especially all doctrines of men and devils.

Be encouraged to pray with your family. Colin Campbell

We continue to discuss Psalm 144. Men, along with our wives, we need to repent for subjecting our sons and daughters to the liberal and socialist mindset that is ever-increasingly being taught in our state schools and colleges.

The Holy Bible, which is the only foundation of truth upon which a true Christian stands, declares that God created all things in a six day period. Yet, state education text books teach evolution as an undeniable fact. All things came into existence over a period of millions of years without any Creator to order it so.

Many years ago, this teaching had a very negative effect upon me as a young child in a state school. I was raised in a Christian home, where my mother taught my Sunday school class and my grandfather was the teaching elder at the family church. I was caught in the midst of conflicting views. Only God Himself knows the incredible turmoil my soul endured as I struggled to reconcile the atheistic teaching of Darwinism with the divinely inspired Word of God. One was a falsehood. Which one?

The bottom line is that it is plainly ludicrous and utterly foolish to subject our children to the teaching of atheistic, humanistic and socialistic textbooks. The textbooks on certain subjects are fast becoming more and more opposed to the Word of God. Homosexual teachers cannot be refused to teach our children. What are we doing? How crazy can we get?

The truth is that even although there may be many dedicated Christian teachers in the state schools, this does not guarantee that our children will not be subjected to classes that will introduce them to a humanistic viewpoint that opposes the Bible.

By the grace of God, there are those who seem to get through it almost unscathed, but have they really avoided the tarnishing of their souls? The state education introduces our daughters to feminism and careerism. Our sons are taught that is wrong to be competitive in sports and that tolerance and equality are the new norm. I am told that in some cases, over-achievers have their results marked down in order to equal the class average. God does not intend our sons to be feminized. Guns are part of a boy’s life growing up. Come on!

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

Psalm 144:11-12 says, “Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood… that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace.”

David prayed that the Lord would deliver him from the strange brethren who were sowing seeds of false doctrine. Men, this should also be our prayer. The enemy of our souls is forever seeking ways to sow seeds of falsehood into our families. He wants to distort the image of God which God wants to reveal in us.

He wants our daughters to be like the polished cornerstones of a palace. Gem stones are not attractive until they are cut and polished. The Lord wants to use us men, along with our wives, to work with Him in the cutting and polishing. As fathers, we must keep close to God, for only God is the Master Diamond Cutter, and only God can guide our hands to polish our daughters to be the cornerstones of our society and culture.

The cornerstone was always the most important stone in the foundation of the ancient buildings. In this Scripture, the Holy Spirit highlights the importance of daughters in God’s plan. How sad it would be if we should allow some false teaching to distort the cutting and polishing. The building becomes less than a palace because of our ignorance, haphazardness or lack of patience and understanding.

Men, our daughters need us fathers almost as much as their mothers to see this beautiful palace come into being.

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

Psalm 144:2 says “That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth.”

What a huge blessing it is to a family to have sons “grown up in their youth.” This blessing also extends to the nation. This is a picture of sons who are mature and acting as adults in their behavior and character, even though they are still in their youth. The reason for this is that these sons have been brought up and nourished in a loving, godly environment in the home, as well as the church. These sons have also been protected from the influence of bad company. They have not been indoctrinated by the education of false teaching such as evolution, humanism, social justice and the strong influence of the gay agenda.

What a joy it is for me to be surrounded with many godly grandchildren who are homeschooled. Even though some of them are still quite young, because they are not daily surrounded with foolish ungodly peer pressure, the generational age gap is not a problem. They are as willing to talk to an adult as they are to their siblings. Isn’t it great when your grandchildren are your close friends?

I can always tell who are homeschooled and who are state schooled in the meetings I conduct with fathers and sons. In many cases, the most goofy, disruptive, disrespectful sons are those who are familiar with this kind of behavior in their state school classrooms.

Let’s not follow the crowd to the state school. What we need are pure, bright-eyed, respectful, mature, godly and courteous children that are “grown up in their youth.”

We’ll talk about the daughters tomorrow.

Be encouraged. Colin

Psalm 144:11-12 says, "Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood: that our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be a s corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace.”

David mentions this same prayer twice in this chapter. In fact, the whole chapter, is a prayer for deliverance from subtle enemies who are using their mouths to subvert the truth. Through falsehood, they were, and still are, seeking to destroy the godly values of the nation. This psalm informs us that this false teaching also destroys the nation’s economy. Without a doubt, we need to make this psalm our prayer for our nation right now.

At this very moment the youthful sons and daughters of this nation are being dumbed down, perverted and weakened through a socialistic, humanistic educational system that has thrown out the Bible and prayer. At the same time, public education flirts with the teachings of other religions, including progressive, socialist communism, which in itself is a religion that seeks to replace God with man.

I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce you to two very enlightening DVD documentaries, Indoctrination and Agenda. They are a “must” to inform you of what is happening to our nation and our state school system. I would encourage you to order them both, watch them, and gather in others to watch them with you.

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

Here are the links for you to purchase the DVDs:

http://bit.ly/AgendaDVD
http://bit.ly/IndoctrinationDVD
http://bit.ly/IndoctrinationCA

We read in Genesis 1:26-27, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness… So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Even after the fall in the Garden of Eden God never gave up His agenda that man was created to be in His likeness and image (Genesis 9:6).

In Hebrews 1:3, we are told that Jesus Christ is the brightness of the Father’s glory and the express image of His person. Jesus Christ is our true role model. He is the No. 1 pattern man. God, in His infinite grace and mercy has not left us to flounder around searching for the right role model to follow.

Men, we have no excuse for bearing the image of this humanistic world. We also have no excuse for bearing the image of the old self nature. We need to sit down and ask ourselves afresh, “What is my most driving ambition in this life as a Christian man?” If it is not to bear the likeness and image of God’s pattern Son, Jesus Christ, then we have lost our way.

How important to know that our sins are forgiven and that we have been delivered from hell. Yet, from God’s perspective, it is even more important that we should ever increasingly bear the image of Christ, His beloved Son. This simple truth is at the very heart of our Christian manhood.

Earnestly pray that you will be the most Christ-like man your wife and family will ever have the privilege to know, except for Christ himself. By leading your family in devotions each day you can invite your family to join with you in pursuing Christ likeness.

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

In the context of this passage, the comparison is drawn between Moses with a veil over his face to cover the glory of the Lord, and believers who should have an unveiled face to reveal the ever increasing glory of the Lord.

Paul explains that Christ has written a letter on the hearts of the believers and the glory of that letter is to shine upon their unveiled faces. Our faces are to be as a glass mirror, reflecting the glory of the Lord. As others behold this glory upon our faces, they themselves are changed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.

Men, we are to be a living reflection of the glorious image of Christ through our faces, first to our wives and families, and then to others we meet. A grumpy, grouchy, critical face does not reflect the glory of the Lord. An unloving, unkind and dominating face does not reflect the glory of the Lord. These negative attitudes put a veil over our face that hides God’s glory.

Men, we must throw away the veils that hide the glorious image of the first begotten Son of God. Men, there are many that do not read the Scriptures to find His glory, but they can see your face.

May the world want what they see by looking at your face.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Romans 12:1-2 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Men, we cannot be half-hearted regarding our conformity to the image of Christ. It cost Christ Jesus His life blood for us to have the privilege of bearing His image. He gave His all, whole-heartedly, with drops of blood falling to the ground even before the whipping and excruciating pain of His cross. How can we be so nonchalant and casual over any trace of our self-life of which we have not yet abhorred and repented? Whatever is abhorrent to God should be abhorrent to us.

Some may say, “If only I had been with Jesus like the disciples were, then I know I would be more like Jesus”. Another might say, “If only some great painter would provide me with His exact likeness, then I would be able to be like Jesus.” But none of these aids can make us like Him. There is only one way. It is by acknowledging as a fact that my old self-nature was crucified with Christ and I cannot allow any trace of this odorous self to be manifest. Ever!

I must also count as a fact that I am raised with Christ from death to self, to put on the nature of His resurrection life. Every day we have the privilege and power to put on Christ. One cannot paint a picture of what Christ looks like, yet by His indwelling Spirit we can manifest His fruits of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self control (Galatians 5:22-23).

We will then be a living portrait of what Christ really looks like, first of all to our family, and then to the world.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Whose image do we reveal to the world?

Romans 8:29 says, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son.” Your family has the privilege to see the image of Christ in you!

Men of God are not conformers, but rather transformers. We will not let the world squeeze us, or our families, into its mold. Never! God has chosen us men for better things. We have been predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. The image of Jesus Christ is vastly different to the image of this world.

The image of the world is selfishness--self-image, self-accomplishment, self-centeredness, self-appearance, self-space, self- opinionated, self-reliant, self-aggrandizement and self-consciousness.

Opposed to the self image, the image of Christ is to be crucified with Christ. We cannot be transformed into the image of Christ without a radical denunciation of self. The self-life is at enmity with the image of Christ. The self-life is at the very heart of sin.

The self-life is very subtle, to say the least. Self loves to disguise itself through religion. Religious self is most abominable and nauseating to God as Jesus exposed in the Sadducees and Pharisees.

The Apostle Paul, when facing this dilemma, cried out, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:24-25).

I believe it would be a good thing for each of us men to read a chapter each day from the Bible in order to see what Jesus is like and to hear what He says. We can then pray that the Holy Spirit will change us into His image.

Men, we are called to be non-conformists in this self-centered world.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Let’s talk a little more about Psalm 94:16, “Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? Or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?”

RISE UP is not the call the wimpy neutralist wants to hear. His ear is not tuned to the call of battle. All he wants to hear are lullabies to help rock him back into his apathetic sleep. These words are like thorns poking through his cozy nest and like spears piercing his soft delicate flesh. The signs, “Please do not Disturb” are posted all over his bedroom door. You can hear him snoring blocks away!

STAND UP are words that are likely to give the neutralist a fit of high blood pressure, not to mention the possibility of a heat rash! If this man gets to his feet, you better make sure a chair is nearby, preferably a rocking chair!

The tragedy is that this picture of the wimpy neutralist is what most of our western 21st century Christianity is like. To prove my point, let me ask you how many prayer warriors attend the battle station prayer meetings of your church? Compare this to the number who sit in their comfortably padded pews being entertained by yet another sermon for which few have prayed.

Men, perhaps the greatest thing we can do to take away wimpy neutralism is to pray about it. Things soon change when men pray. The Lord will enable us to RISE UP and STAND UP.

I believe there is not much time left. Make the most of what God has given you to spread the good news of Christ’s love while there is still time. One very good idea is to start showing hospitality, even once a week.

Be encouraged to pray and also pray with your family.

Colin Campbell

“Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty” (Judges 5:23).

Real men despise the “do nothing” spirit of neutrality. I don’t know about you, but I would not want the angel of the Lord to pronounce a curse on me, as he did on the inhabitants of Meroz, for refusing to get involved in the battles of the Lord.

Neutrality is a paralysis that is crippling the church everywhere. Let’s be honest, how many take the Great Commission seriously? One would almost think that by the amount of Christians doing nothing for God during the week and showing up on Sunday that the Great Commission means ”attend church once a week.” Many people even struggle with church attendance! How pathetic is that?

Men, we must learn to despise the spirit of neutrality and teach our families to despise it also. The Great Commission commands us to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. Most will not even go across the street to make a disciple! The devil has neutralized the church.

Let’s face it men, if your car is in neutral, it’s going nowhere! It is high time to put the car into drive. It is imperative that each one of us be involved in some way, along with our families, to assist in the battles of the Lord. Ask God what you and your family can do.

God has given us all different gifts and talents. Each father should seek the Lord to find some way, as a family, to show the love of Christ to a needy person or family. There are many lonely widows and needy people. Pray about it with your family and God will show you what to do.

Be encouraged to act. Colin Campbell

Men, we must teach our children the evils of neutralism.

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

The dictionary defines “neutralize” as “not participating in war, not inclining toward actively taking either side in a matter under dispute.”

The educationists of this day and age are trying all they can to turn the men of this nation into a bunch of "mamby pamby" neutralists and pacifists. They do not even want us to buy toy guns for our little boys. I, for one, do not believe that God created men to be wimps.

Recently I read a very interesting account of the 180 or so men, plus some woman and children, who defended the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. What bravery--bravery that is hardly ever heard of these days!

I am sure that there are many crazy, infantile disputes that would waste our time to be involved in, let alone take sides.

However, I firmly believe that, under God, we most certainly do have a responsibility to rise up against the evil “Hitlers” of the world, the Islamic extremists and Israel haters who want to drive Israel into the sea.

We do have a responsibility to fight evil child abusers, molesters and ethnic cleansers wherever they are in this world.

We do have a responsibility before God to fight for the life of the unborn.

We do have a responsibly to fight for our constitution.

We do have a responsibility to vote for godly politicians in order to stem the tide of evil, Christian-hating, progressive, socialistic communism that threatens our freedoms and liberties.

We do have a responsibility to protect the sanctity of marriage against the homosexual agenda.

There are some who do not believe that America has any responsibility to intervene against evil in this world. However, Jesus said to go into the all the world, preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15). Part of this gospel is to raise up orphanages, feed the poor and defend those who cannot defend themselves.

Luke 12:48 says, “For unto whosoever much is given, of him shall be much required.” This nation has been so blessed because it has given so much.

We must not be neutral!

Be encouraged to act. Colin Campbell

Do not let the enemy inject you with doubt regarding capitalism. Use your business to serve the Lord, not yourself. This is why Moses would not leave their herds and flocks in Egypt. The bigger the business, the more opportunity you have to serve God.

COMPROMISE NO. 4. EGYPT REQUIRES YOUR DEPENDENCE

Exodus 10:24-25 says, “Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you. And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the Lord our God. Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the Lord our God.”

Men, we need to take a leaf out of Moses’ book. Moses was not a wimp!. He was not an easy pushover! These compromises were requested by the most powerful king in all the earth at that time. Added to this, the compromises were not impersonal, but face to face encounters with Pharaoh himself. This must have been very intimidating, to say the least. But Moses stood firm, steadfast and unmovable.

These are days when the state-like Egypt wants to take control of our livelihood, our business and every area of our lives. In the end, if we acquiesce and do not stand up for our liberties and freedoms, the Pharaoh’s of this world will quickly bridge the three day gap of separation that God requires. They will quickly turn us into their slaves.

Men, the Scriptures exhort us not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14). Resist the temptation to be unequally yoked together, even with a weak Christian, let alone an unbeliever.

This means marriage as well as business. Keep the three day separation. Be like Moses and refuse to allow Egypt to make you dependent upon them.

I like the phrase in verse 25, “There shall not a hoof be left behind.” If possible, run your own Christian business without any ties to the ungodly.

When we let the state educate our children we will leave them behind. They will turn our sons to be mediocre, tolerant and feminine pushovers. They will turn our daughters into career-driven, dominant feminists.

The Egyptian state of this world wants to destroy marriage, motherhood and fatherhood, family and parenting and replace them with state parenting via nurseries, day care and public schooling.

Be encouraged to act.

Colin Campbell

 

Men, we must take full responsibility for the training of our children. Let Egypt (the world) train Egypt, but Israel (God’s people) train God’s people. If we deliberately, or ignorantly, let Egypt train God’s people we will soon become salves to Egypt’s ways.

COMPROMISE NO. 3. BECOME SLAVES TO EGYPT’S WAYS

Exodus 10:8-11 says, “And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the Lord your God: but who are they that shall go? And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the Lord. And he said unto them… Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the Lord.”

This third compromise is very applicable to our 21st century. Pharaoh sought to hold back the little children, the old people and all Israel’s flocks and herds from leaving Egypt. Moses could have been tempted to make this compromise, because at this stage of the world’s history Egypt would have had the best schools of learning. Moses, as Pharaoh’s daughter’s son, was tutored in the finest schools of Egypt.

The world will always seek to make us Christians believe that we are not the best ones to educate our children. The end result is that our children may have a heart to serve God, as encouraged by the parents at home, but have an Egyptian mindset because of their education.

The goats amongst the sheep will try and contest the truth about Christian home education. But Moses knew better. God’s true sheep listen to His voice, not the voice of a stranger. (John 10:5). Moses realized the danger of leaving the young ones and the old in Egypt. They would certainly draw the men back to Egypt.

God wants His people to have His mindset. There are more than enough Christian educators to educate our children.

Men, we must resist the Pharaohs of today as they try to squeeze us into their mold. America is battling a socialist, progressive (communist) mindset in order to create a one world socialist government. State education is its chief tool to accomplish this end.

Be encouraged to act.

Colin Campbell