Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

A church that is strong with the high praises of God and yet does not have a strong two-edged sword soon becomes sloppy and like a ship without a compass.

Hebrews 4:12 states: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the diving asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Revelation 2:16 says: “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.”

Revelation 19:15 says: “Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”

A two-edged sword cuts both ways and inflicts much more damage to the enemy. The high praises of God releases the anointing to accompany the proclamation of the the “two-edged sword” (preaching of the Word). Without the anointing, the Word can sometimes be heavy, flat, light and frothy, or the letter of the law.

Men, we must also incorporate more of the high praises of God into our Family Devotions. This livens up our family prayer times.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

God is worthy of much more than low-key praising. He is worthy of high praises, especially in the day of battle. Usually, in the day of battle, our flesh is less inclined to praise and worship God. We are much more inclined to talk about how hard life is and all the negative things we face. However, the truth is that the hotter the battle, the higher our praises should be. Without doubt, prayers are for the day of battle.

David says in Psalm 55:17-18: “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me.”

All prayer should also be accompanied by the ministry of thanksgiving.

Philippians 4:6: “Be careful for nothing (don’t worry about anything); but in every thing by prayer and supplication WITH THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known unto God.,”

Colossians 4:2: “Continue in payer, and watch in the same WITH THANKSGIVING.”

Thanksgiving should never be a postscript. It seems wrong to me that we are so taken up with the woes of the battle when we pray that we have so little time or concern for even the low praise, let alone the high praises.

What are high praises? We’ll talk about this in the next post.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

In the midst of great spiritual warfare the people of God are exhorted to be “joyful in glory.” I believe that means that we should be joyful as we seek to honor and glorify God. In Romans 4:20, 21 we read that in his battle against spiritual unbelief Abraham “staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”

Praise releases faith. The absence of praise and worship is conducive to an atmosphere of fear, doubt, unbelief, and defeat.

Psalm 149:5 says, “Let them sing aloud upon their beds.” A bed is a resting place, but when the battle rages, sleep and rest are hard to find. In fact, one is more inclined to be restless and toss and turn all night long. At times like this we can sing for joy and sing aloud upon our beds.

Paul and Silas did this very thing in the midnight hour with their feet in stocks (not socks!). Acts 16:25 tell us: “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.” They must have been loud because everyone heard them!

At the battle of Jericho seven trumpets led the procession and on the final day the people of Israel gave a great shout. I am sure it was a shout of praise to God. And we all know what happened. They more than likely shouted JEHOVAH. Joshua means “Jehovah saves” and Jesus is the English equivalent for Joshua.

We must at all times, along with our families, shout out repeatedly the name of Jesus. Do not wait to do it in church. You might have to wait a long time!

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Because the three branches of our current government do not exercise or invoke the name of Jesus when they come together, how can they ever expect to know the blessing and power of Almighty God operating through them to make peace, blessing, and prosperity happen? This is why praying families are all important for they can impact, not just one nation, but all nations and individuals.

I think the main reason why the world is in such turmoil is because there are so few families who know and understand this truth. Our own nation, right now, desperately needs fathers and mothers, along with their children, to pray over the many major issues and challenges we face.

We must pray for our leaders. They will fail if we do not pray for them. The success of our nation is directly tied to the prayers of praying families.

Jesus taught us about the prayer of agreement: “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 18:19). Oh what power is our disposal. We must use it--or lose it! Families gathered together can have so much agreement.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

This country desperately needs a God-fearing truth-loving, and righteous president. We need a president who believes in morality and who will pray over the important decisions he will have to make. We need a president who will, at all times, speak the truth and stand by the truth without compromising. We need a president who will not only have the favor of the people, but more importantly, the favor of God.

We must pray that we will not fall into a different, yet similar deception, as we did last time by favoring the man who has the greatest natural appeal. What’s in his heart is more important.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

The person lying in hospital loves you, but they really need a visit from you. In this way you return your love to them. The person confined to a wheelchair loves you, but in order to show your love to them it may require you showing some practical assistance to help them negotiate difficult circumstances.

But even in all this we are doing what is normal and expected of those who love each other. In this matter, Jesus said, “What reward have ye?” We have the rewards of knowing we did what was right to do, plus the gratefulness of the person we helped. But the biggest rewards from God are to those who, through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, show actions of love to those who literally hate them. This is what God the Father sits up and takes notice of. God has special rewards for them.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Jesus taught that God loves all men. Even though they are unclean through sin, He still loves them. If they despitefully use us or persecute us we must pray for them and come against the powers of darkness that control them.

Right now, here in our nation of USA, we are seeing almost every day police (who are seeking to do their job to protect the people of our cities) being gunned down by black men who are deceived and under the control of the powers of darkness. As Christian fathers we have an obligation to our nation, our cities, and our police force to pray that this evil will stop.

We must pray for all the black people of America that they will be delivered from the murders being committed by their own people upon themselves. Of course, black lives matter, but even more importantly, all lives matter, no matter what the color. The lives of our policemen matter also. We must pray for divine protection to be upon their lives so that they will not be afraid to do their job. The devil wants to put fear into our police force, because of concern for their own safety, so that crime will increase.

Even when we are despitefully used by people of a different color we must pray for them, right now. We must never let the enemy divide us and cause us to hate one another.

Men, please gather your families together each day to pray for our nation and against the hate which the enemy seeks to stir up amongst the races. Color is only skin deep.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

However, in order to convict, if possible, the one who is doing the evil and make them realize just how mean and unkind they are, Jesus exhorts us to repay their evil with acts of kindness. In the Christian movie, WAR ROOM which is currently playing in the theaters, the woman who was about to lose her marriage was encouraged to stop fighting with her husband and reacting with bad attitudes in response to his bad behavior. Instead, she began to pray in the closet for him and go to war against the evil powers that were controlling her husband. This paid off and her marriage was saved. Praise be to God.

I do believe that the Holy Spirit will show us when enough is enough. He will show us when it is time to take action. Yet, even when we return love for evil done to us we should remember that love is taking righteous action. Prayer is taking righteous action. In doing so we heap coals of fire upon their heads.

Romans 12:20, 21 says: “Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Every act of love is another coal of fire. Every act of kindness done in Jesus’ name is another coal of fire upon your enemy’s head. Eventually, if our enemy does not repent, God Himself will come to our aid. All the coals of fire will explode and there will be nothing left of our enemy.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Jesus said all these things belong to the children of God who do for others the same as their heavenly Father does for His enemies. All this is part of the “exceeding righteousness” (Matthew 5:20).

Men, this is the why we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This exceeding righteousness is far beyond the righteousness required by the law and can only be accomplished by a Spirit-filled life. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit we step out of natural righteousness into the miraculous righteousness which alone enables this to happen.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, when God is with us, who dare lift his finger against us? However, when an individual or nation rebels against God, He can eventually turn to become their enemy.

Isaiah 63:10 says: “But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.”

1 Samuel 12:15 states: “But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers.”

I believe we are living in a time when God’s amazing grace towards this nation is being abused, taken for granted, misunderstood, and treated with disdain. To those who have never known Him, He is patient and longsuffering, not willing that any should perish. But to those who claim they know Him, and yet think they can do despite to His grace by continuing to live in sin without repenting, may be shocked to find that God is no longer for them, but against them.

When we forsake truth, we forsake God, When we forsake integrity, how can the God of integrity preserve us? Our nation has largely forsaken both truth and integrity. No wonder we as a nation are falling so fast.

Men, it is imperative that we educate our children in truth and integrity for it is for the preservation of their souls.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Not all that left Egypt truly trusted in the Lord, for there was a mixed multitude among them. Exodus 12:8 says: “And a mixed multitude went up also with them.”

Nehemiah 13:3 says: “Now it came to pass when they heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.”

Likewise, the United States was founded primarily by people who trust in God. However, there has always been a “mixed multitude” of people of other faiths, or no faith at all.

Numbers 11:4 says: “And the mixed multitude among them fell a lusting.” It appears that the mixed multitude who did not really fear or trust in God caused Israel to sin. They were most likely the people who dwelt in the “uttermost parts of the camp” (Numbers 11:1).

There were gates God wanted Israel to go through but the mixed multitude weakened their stand for truth and integrity. The same principle applies today. We must not allow the doctrines of the mixed multitudes to dilute our nation’s truth, “In God we trust.” If we as a nation allow other faiths or doctrines of the mixed multitude amongst us to dilute our integrity we will not be able to possess the gates of our enemies either.

The only way to possess the gates is to “keep the truth.” God gave Abraham promises because of his obedience. Genesis 22:16, 17 says: “Because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.”

If we do not keep the truth, not only will we not be able to possess the gates of our enemies, but sad to say, our enemies will possess our gates. This is happening in our land even as I write. Our colleges are full of the philosophies of the mixed multitudes. Our president is very pro-Islam. Our churches are invaded with political correctness, which in itself if a bunch of lies, and anything but correct as far as God’s truth goes.

Jesus said to Peter in Matthew 16:18: “Upon this rock I will build my church: and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Integrity is soundness, completeness, and without fault.

In today’s world signatures, handshakes, and covenants or oaths are almost meaningless. If you have a smart and slick attorney you can get away with almost anything. Consequently, integrity is regarded as old fashioned and obsolete by many. Although, thank God, not all.

This last weekend I was speaking on the subject of Truth and Integrity and mentioned some examples where integrity still means a lot to us, especially in the area of safety.

How would we feel about boarding an aircraft that lacked in integrity in the landing gear or instrument panel? Coming into Phoenix on a Southwest airline we had the hardest touchdown I had ever experienced. We literally landed with a big bang. I was so glad there was integrity built into the landing gear. I was glad we landed very smoothly at Nashville. I was somewhat anxious as was the chief stewardess who voiced her concern at Phoenix and her approval at Nashville.

I believe that moral integrity is much more important than the integrity we place on our physical safety. Moral integrity provides safety for body, soul, and spirit.

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

If Pilate only knew when he asked the question of all questions, “What is truth?" that THE TRUTH was standing right in front of Him, the One condemned to be crucified by the High Priest as well as the leaders of Israel.

The answer to Pilate’s question was confirmed to the world three days later by Jesus’ rising from the dead. Jesus had stated: “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). He also said in Matthew 12:40: “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

In the final analysis, the only basis for all truth is God. We can only know Him through His Son, Jesus Christ who said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Jesus said: “Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice” (John 8:37).

What our country desperately needs to lead us are men and woman who hear Jesus’ voice. In the end, no one else, no matter how good-looking, how talented, how worldly-wise, how well-educated, or how appealing in personality can be trusted. This country and the world needs the real truth, not the counterfeit.

We parents must raise up sons and daughters who are of the truth--who seek the truth, who recognize and know the truth, who daily hear the voice of Jesus Christ who is the only truth, and who speak the truth.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

We need to check out the following regarding those who want us to vote for them:
1. Can they be trusted to do what they say they will do?
2. Are they compulsive liars?
3. What is their integrity and track record?

The last time we elected a president nobody really knew. In 2012 we still did not learn our lesson. Are we not in danger of committing the same mistake again? We are in desperate need of a president who has a solid track record of always telling the truth. Blessed is the nation that can find an honest man to lead them. Political correctness is a nice term for lying, cheating, and deceiving if the party politics do not agree with the honest truth.

We must ask ourselves. Why is it so hard to find a man of strength, courage, and power to speak the truth? If we are honest, we will realize the answer lies in our failing homes, families, churches and schools of learning.

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

As America faces the coming election of a new president, the polls show that the citizens are fed up and sick and tired of leaders who lie through their back teeth. To them political correctness is far more important than speaking the truth. When a nation looks to elect a new president, the last thing they need is a man or woman who says all the right things but does exactly the opposite when they come into office. Lying is one of the main ingredients of corruption.

There is a famine in the land for truth speakers. We have far too many politicians in Washington who are corrupting the nation with lies. Our country is being morally weakened, on a daily basis, by leaders who have no stomach for the truth and who ostracize and criticize those who stand up against them.

What sort of parents did these liars have? What sort of church did they attend? What sort of college education did they receive? We must pray them off their thrones and vote them out once and for all. America needs people who will only speak the truth.

The world desperately needs people of truth. We will destroy ourselves quickly if this country does not quickly honor the truth, praise the truth, and love the truth. We urgently need a revival of speaking the truth and doing what we said we would do.

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, the righteousness we have in Jesus Christ not only fulfils the law on our behalf, but also far exceeds the law on our behalf. The righteousness we have in Christ works in us love and reconciliation towards those who oppose us. Instead of anger and retribution reigning (often without a just cause), we discover through our abiding relationship in Christ a desire to reconcile.

In Matthew 5:22-26 we find that in Christ’s righteousness we are to actively seek an agreement with our adversary as quickly as possible, before the matter deteriorates. Despite all our faults, weaknesses, and failures, the righteousness we have in Christ is not to be seen as something separate from us. On the contrary, the Holy Spirit, actively involved within us, sanctifies us with the righteousness found in Christ Jesus.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:30: ”And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.” I don’t think Jesus actually intended people should pluck out their right eye or cut off their right hand because of heart adultery (which is the lust of the heart), but realize the absolute seriousness of appropriating the righteousness of Christ in order to deal with lust, fornication, and adultery.

The truth is that even as we actively seek to apply the righteousness of Christ to ourselves we must never plead our own righteousness for we miss the mark in so many ways.

The old hymn by Edward Mote says: “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” I love hearing our grandchildren sing this hymn with all their hearts.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

The teaching of Jesus relating to righteousness and the law makes it very clear that man is hopelessly lost and in desperate need of a righteousness that is not self-generated. We have no righteousness of our own. 1 Corinthians 1:30 states: “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.”

The scribes and Pharisees were all about keeping the law. They prided themselves in their strict adherence to the law, even though they had all broken it one time or another. However, Jesus explains that even the letter of the law did not fully convey the depravity of sin. In the Sermon on the Mount He explained that those who thought they were righteous according to the letter of the law, e.g. the scribes and Pharisees, were hopelessly lost. Although they had not committed murder physically, they revealed the spirit of murder through anger and evil accusations against their fellowman. On the basis of this teaching we are all murderers as far as the righteousness that EXCEEDS is concerned.

The Pharisees and scribes were very strict about committing adultery, but Jesus explained to them that the sin of adultery is much deeper than the act. Jesus stated in Matthew 5:28: “But I say unto you, That whosever looketh on a woman to lust after he hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Therefore they were also guilty of adultery and needed a righteousness which EXCEEDED what they had.

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell