Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

"Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him" (Psalm 37:7).

Psalm 37 is a great chapter to read and pray over when you are going through the trial of patience. Impatience has a number of evil kin and close cousins. Here are three of them:

FRETTING

Psalm 37:1, 7, 8: "Fret not thyself because of evildoers." Impatience causes us to fret which gives us anxiety, stress, and panic attacks.

ENVY

Psalm 37:1 "Neither be envious against the works of iniquity." Impatience causes us to envy the temporary success and prosperity of others.

ANGER

Psalm 37:8: "Cease from anger, and forsake wrath." Wrath is more than anger because you can have anger that is cold, e.g. "the cold war." Wrath is hot anger. It is fierce heat.

The above are all related to impatience. I believe it is a devilish thing when people allow themselves to get angry at God for various reasons. Jonah got angry at God and it cost him a rough ride in the belly of the big fish. He still did not learn the lesson of God's patience with Nineveh even while he sat under the booth (Jonah 4:1-6). God is often far more patient with the wicked than His people are.

Twice in Psalm 37 we are exhorted to "wait patiently" for God to intervene.
Psalm 37:7: "Rest in the Lord, and WAIT PATIENTLY for him."
Psalm 37:34: "WAIT on the Lord, and keep his way."

Psalm 37 describes patience as "resting in the Lord" and "waiting" for God to move.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, another great test that David (the most loved king in all the history of Israel) had to experience was patience. King Saul's ascendance to the throne of Israel, from the time of his anointing in 1 Samuel 10:1 until the time of his beginning to reign was almost immediate (1 Samuel 13:1). One of King Saul's greatest weaknesses was the lack of patience (1 Samuel 13:8-14).

From the time of David's anointing in 1 Samuel 16:13 until the beginning of his reign over Judah was approximately seven years (2 Samuel l2l:4). He then had to wait another eight years before he reigned over all of Israel--fifteen years in total. Surely David's patience was certainly tried. There were several times that David had the opportunity to kill King Saul--to have exercised presumption and forced his own reign upon Israel. After all, had he not been anointed to be king over all Israel by the same prophet who anointed Saul? Somehow David knew in his heart that God's timing was very important for him to begin his reign.

Men, just because we may have been divinely anointed to accomplish certain things in our lives, does not mean that we do not have to exercise patience to wait for God's timing.

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Jeremiah 33:3: "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."

Men, although we must always emphasize the absolute importance of the fruit of the Spirit as the sole evidence and qualification of who is one of Christ's disciples, we must not ever discount the truth that our God is, was, and ever will be a God of signs, wonders, and miracles. Even redemption, as typified in Exodus with the children of Israel being delivered from the bondage of Egypt (the type of the world, the flesh, and the devil) came through mighty signs, wonders and miracles such as the world has never seen before or since.

The power of the sacrificial blood placed on the door posts and lintels of God's covenanted people delivered them from the Angel of Death. The families of Egypt, including Pharaoh, lost their first born of both man and beast.

We cannot even be born again without a miraculous new birth. How much more then do we need the Spirit's miraculous working in our lives from day to day to enable us to live in victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil?

According to "The Christian Post" North Korea is closing down several of its concentration camps, which on the surface appears to be good news. However, the article suggests they are they closing them down because of the brutal extermination program going on in these camps where "there are at least 100,000 Christians in that nation's harsh prison camps, where prisoners face torture, forced labor and possible execution." They also write: "Up to 50,000 prisoners of conscience were brutally starved and enslaved at Yodok concentration camp, having been subjected to arbitrary executions, systematic torture, and sexual violence, the coalition believes." I read an article on New Year's Eve about the massive fireworks celebrations where 2,000 political prisoners in North Korea were put to death.

As you already know, there are far too many evil regimes and governments in this world that are raging barbaric evil and slaughter on innocent people. It is imperative that Christians, who still live in the free world, pray in the name of Jesus Christ that God, through signs, wonders, and miracles, will speedily bring down every corrupt, evil, and murderous government, religion, and organization. God has ordained that His people should first pray with believing and interceding prayers and then He will respond with signs, wonders, and miracles.

Men, pray with your wife and family today for North Korea, China, the Middle East countries, and all those in the 10/40 window. Do not put it off.

For your information and daily prayer:
http://www.christianpost.com/news/north-korea-appears-to-be-starving-mass-killing-prison-inmates-130806/

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

The question is: How would most of our present day church prayer meetings even remotely compare to this prayer meeting? Many would freak out and brand it as Pentecostal or Charismatic. They may say it is some religious cult that is whipping up emotionalism or sensationalism and out of touch with normalism. Most adults would certainly not want their children to come under the influence of such extremism.

Unfortunately most Christians defend their church's dead, lifeless, and powerless programs where they do not expect or pray for the miraculous. Not so the early church. Listen to how they prayed. "And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth hine hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus" (Acts 4:29, 30).

They requested holy boldness to speak the Word. They prayed that God would stretch forth His hand to heal. They were not limited only to believe God for doctors, hospitals, and drugs etc (although I do not decry these things). They requested God for signs and wonders be done by the name of Jesus. The early church had been taught by Jesus Christ to evangelize with the miraculous, just as Jesus had Himself. They all believed for they all lifted up their voice with "ONE ACCORD" (V. 24). God was well-pleased with this united prayer for boldness to proclaim Christ and power to heal the sick as well as miraculous signs and wonders. So much so that He shook the house, filled them afresh with the Holy Spirit, and poured out a spirit of boldness upon them.

Men, we must lift up our vision this year, along with our wives and families, and pray the same type of prayers. We need to pray that we will see a great harvest of souls coming to Christ from an ever-increasing dark, unbelieving, and dangerous world. We must train our children to believe, pray for, and expect the miraculous.

Jesus Christ has not changed. He is still "the same yesterday, and today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

And they went forth and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen" (Mark 16:20).

If we do not believe in miracles, or to put it plainly, we do not subscribe to those who testify to the miraculous, we might as well stop praying, for answered prayer is miraculous. What a strange prayer it would be if we said to God, "Lord, please help the Christians who are suffering in prison for their faith. Please give them strength to go through their great trials, even if it means death. I pray that if it is your Sovereign will, that you will speedily deliver them from prison and their tortuous guards. But, Lord, I really don't believe that miracles are for today, for that's what the church has taught me. Amen."

Men and Fathers, we must teach our children to pray for miracles. We must teach them to expect miracles. Many Christians in Iraq and Syria are living in tent cities and need miracles of provision of food, blankets, and healing. Most of all, they need their daily supply of heavenly bread for their spirits. Many of the people in these tent cities need to be told of the love of God who is able to miraculously keep them safe, and from further attack.

Many so-called Christians do not know what it is to be miraculously born again. Even true repentance is in essence a miraculous thing that can only happen as God enables (John 6:44; Acts 5:31; and Romans 2:4).

As we start this New Year, let us renew ourselves to believe that God is still more than willing to grant us miracles in so many different ways. There are multitudes amongst us who have cancer, pain, and life-threatening diseases, and to be honest, they need miracles. How can we not teach our children to believe in a miraculous God who still loves to do miracles? We also need to expose ourselves and our children to members of the overall Christian church who really believe in prayer that incorporates the miraculous.

The fact that there are those who have no fruit in their lives (Matthew 7:15-23) and yet espouse the miraculous should not cause us to deny the truth. The church should firstly seek the miraculous fruit of the Spirit and secondly, the miraculous gifts of the Spirit. Both are needed in this increasingly evil and unbelieving world.

In our next post we will discuss the prayer meeting of Acts 4:23-31. Men, we need to take the shackles off the church when it comes to prayer.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Nicodemus said to Jesus: "No man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with him" (John 3:2). I believe that one of the greatest things that could ever be said about us is that there is unmistakable evidence about our lives that God is with us. Men, our wives and families should be those who most feel and notice God's presence with us. It is not enough that they know we regularly read the Bible and pray, although that is important. They should be aware of God's presence in us and around us.

There are those who do all these necessary things and yet still have little evidence that God is with them. The reason for this is that the fail to make application of what they read and pray for in their personal lives. I am sure that there was no shortage of prayer and reading of the Scriptures in Nicodemus' life, as well as the lives of his fellow elders, yet they all recognized that there was a big difference between them and Jesus.

Jesus said in John 3:3: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." The new birth is in itself a miracle and the kingdom of heaven is a miraculous kingdom. Many in the church have been born into the church along with all its programs which are often devoid of the miraculous. Men, it is imperative that we understand that when we have been miraculously born again that we have not been born into a natural kingdom but a supernatural kingdom. This kingdom is evidenced in supernatural ways.

Some Christians may try to draw a distinction between the supernatural gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit as if one group was miraculous and the other was not. The fruit of the Spirit as shown in Galatians 5:22,23 is not the fruit of the natural man, but the supernatural fruit of the Spirit. It is love in the midst of the unlovely. It is joy in the midst of unhappiness. It is peace in the midst of the storm, etc. This is very miraculous.

As born again believers, we must have all the doors of our lives wide open to live, breath, and reveal the miraculous kingdom into which we have been born. If the gifts of the Spirit are a real part of this kingdom (1 Corinthians 12:1-11), and without a doubt they are, then we deprive ourselves, our families, our churches, and the world if we close the doors on this aspect of the kingdom. Jesus Christ never closed the doors on the miraculous. Neither should we.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

"FOR GOD WAS WITH HIM" (Acts 10:38).

Men, in my last post, I wrote briefly about the fragrance, power, and refreshing life that accompanies the anointing of the Holy Spirit. King David knew this blessing in his life. King Saul also knew this blessing until the presence of the Lord departed from him.

David was very repentant for his sin with Bathsheba and in Psalm 51:10, 11 he earnestly prayed that God would not take His Holy Spirit from him. David highly regarded and respected the anointing that God gave to him in order to perform the duties of his calling life. In the same way, we men, and fathers, should also highly honor the anointing that God has for each one of us in order to accomplish all that God wants to do in our lives.

Acts 10:38 says:"God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." During Jesus life on earth, God wanted the people to know that "GOD WAS WITH HIM."

The question is this: Does not God want this world, and of course our immediate families, to also know that God is with us, just as He was with His beloved Son?

I firmly believe that God still requires evidence that "God is with us." There are still multitudes that are oppressed of the devil, multitudes that need to be set free from all types of sickness and disease, and multitudes that are not born again by the Spirit of God. Men, we must covet the presence of God to be manifested in our lives to the point that others cannot help but recognize it. His presence should be very obvious. No one should ever have to take a microscope to see if there is any evidence of God's anointing in our lives.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, how sad it was for Israel to be under the leadership of king Saul after the Spirit of the Lord departed from him and an evil spirit was permitted by God to trouble him (1 Samuel 16:14). We read that the evil spirit would only depart from Saul when David (the anointed one) played his anointed music in his presence.

Saul became a hindrance and trouble to all Israel and his own household after the Lord departed from him. How difficult it must have been for Jonathon to see the way his father became so jealous and hateful to the anointed David whom Jonathan loved as his own soul (1 Samuel 18:3).

Men, our children need to know that their father is in touch with God. They need to know that their father seeks God. They need to know that he is a godly man, a man who relies on the wisdom of God. They need to know that their father prays for them. They need to see and know that God is with their father. They also need to know that he is not just a religious man who has "a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" ( 2 Timothy 3:5).

Jesus said in Acts 1:18: "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." The anointing is something we must sincerely respect because it is all about divine enabling to fulfill whatever call to leadership God gives us. We can be ordinary fathers or we can be extraordinary fathers.

Jesus Christ was the most anointed man that ever walked this earth. Colossians 2:9, 10 says, "For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power."

In Colossians 2:3 we read: "In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." All this wisdom is potentially ours. However, we must ask God for specific wisdom. James 1:5 says, "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."

Some think that because we are "in Christ," there is no need for any personal appropriation of anointing. However, just as we need to seek God for wisdom, so we need to seek Him for His anointing and power to flow through us. The disciples understood this more after they experienced the anointing power of the Holy Spirit empowering them to be effective witnesses (Acts 2:4).

Oh how this nation and world needs anointed fathers who will raise up anointed sons and daughters. Natural fatherhood can only go so far. In these days of great temptations, we most certainly need more of what the early church fathers experienced.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, the third requirement for God's men in leadership is that they are anointed. This is important for leaders of households as well as leaders of nations and cities.

King Saul was anointed to be king (1 Samuel, chapters 9 and 10). Immediately after he was anointed, "God gave him another heart" and he also "prophesied among the prophets" (1 Samuel 10:9-12). He spoke under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit anointing. Even the people recognized that was miraculous utterance and divine prophesy from the mouth of God.

The world desperately needs leaders that are anointed of God to prophesy what God wants the people to hear. Father/leaders also need to know what it means to be anointed so they can speak words to their families and associates which is divinely inspired from God.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Revelation 4:11: "Thou art worthy, Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created."

Revelation 5:12: "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing."

Revelation 22:1, 3: "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb . . . And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him."

Men, the Scriptures do not infer that a lion is worthy to reign, nor does it mention any other creature of exalted stature or strength. Out of all God's creatures that have been created, only one could typify the worthiness of the eternal Messiah's kingly reign--the humble, innocent, submissive Lamb, slain for the sins of the world.

When it comes to leadership the proud world would never pick a lamb-like man to reign. It would not even enter into the most remotest area of man's thinking. Saul's reign had no lamb-like characteristic. David's reign was one of humble, submission towards God, and in some cases even towards his enemies, e.g. Saul (1 Samuel 24:14, 15) and 2 Samuel 16:5-1`2).

Revelation 14:4 says, "These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth." The question is: Are we followers of the sacrificial Lamb? If so, we will need to follow humility. We will need to follow submission and obedience. We will need to follow laying down our lives and daily carrying our cross. This is character of the Lamb of God.

Men, when God looks for leaders, He looks for lambs--lambs in their humility and sub mission towards God and lambs who in their fight against evil will not love their lives unto the death (Revelation 12:11).

Think about it. It was a lamb that slew Goliath, the mighty giant from the Philistines. Men, gentle lambs make the boldest lions. David came from following the sheep. He was not clothed in armor, nor was he a physical match for the fierce giant. To God, David was a lamb. To the Philistine David was a lamb.

God loves lambs for He lifts up the humble and puts down the proud.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

God's primary requirement for choosing leadership is humility.

King David, the predominant writer of the psalms, speaks a lot on the subject of humility and meekness. He was the youngest of eight sons and considered unworthy to be called to the anointing service. He was the keeper of the sheep which was a humble task amongst the tribes of Israel, even to this day.

Most likely, out on the hills with his small harp, he wrote and sang Psalm 23 which is all about God being His own personal Shepherd. From this most humble position of being a Bedouin shepherd, God chose a young man to become the most godly and honored king of Israel. His prayers, songs of worship, and teachings have brought great comfort and consolation to millions upon millions of people from every nation all over the world, and continued over countless generations.

Many of David's psalms are prophetic of the life, sufferings, and coming reign of our true Messiah, Jesus Christ, who humbled Himself more than all other men. He left the glories of heaven and came to earth to be born in a manger to parents who were also very humble. Jesus Christ did not live a life of opulence Even though He was born to be the King of Israel and the Eternal King of all the earth, He had no place of His own to lay His head. He had no transport He called His own.

God has always required that humility should be the primary characteristic of all leadership. Although David was a very humble man and refused to kill King Saul who hated him, yet he was at the same time the bravest of the brace.

Men, this is the challenge we all face. God is still requiring that all His men, in every area of leadership, should first of all be humble. This is also the requirement of fathers.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

THE HUMBLE SEEK GOD'S FACE AND PRAY
2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

THE HUMBLE LOVE TO WORSHIP
Psalm 34:1-3: "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together."

Psalm 69:30-32: "I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God."

THE HUMBLE KNOW IT'S THE GOOD WAY TO LIVE
Micah 6:8: "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God."

THE HUMBLE KEEP UNITY
Ephesians 4:2, 3: "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

THE HUMBLE ESTEEM OTHERS BETTER THAN THEMSELVES
Philippians 2:3: "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves."

THE HUMBLE PUT ON THEIR CLOAK OF HUMILITY EACH DAY
Colossians 3:12-15: "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another. . . "

GOD LISTENS TO THE CRY OF THE HUMBLE:
Psalm 9:12: "He forgetteth not the cry of the humble."

Psalm 10:17, 18: "Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress."

GOD GUIDES AND TEACHES THE HUMBLE
Psalm 25:9: "The meek will he guide in judgment; and the meek will he teach his way."

GOD GIVES WISDOM TO THE HUMBLE
Proverbs 11:21: "When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom."

GOD HONORS THE HUMBLE
Psalm 138:6: "Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly."

Proverb s 15:33: "Before honor is humility."

Proverbs 18:12: "Before destruction the heart is man is haughty, and before honor is humility."

Proverbs 22:4 "By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honor, and life."

Proverbs 29:23: "A man's pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit."

GOD LIFTS UP THE HUMBLE
Matthew 18:4: "Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 23:12: "And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."

James 4:10: "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.,"

1 Peter 5:6: "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time."

GOD GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE
James 4: 6: "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." (1 Peter 5:5).

GOD SAVES THE HUMBLE
Job 22:29: "He shall save the humble persons."

Psalm 34:18: "The Lord is night unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." (Psalm 76:9 and 149:4).

GOD GIVES JOY TO THE HUMBLE
Isaiah 29:19: "The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord."

GOD DWELLS WITH THE HUMBLE
Isaiah 57:15: "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."

GOD REVIVES THE HUMBLE
Isaiah 57:15b: "To revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."

GOD LOOKS TO THE HUMBLE
Isaiah 66:2: "But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word."

THE MEEK WILL INHERIT THE EARTH
Psalm 37:11: "The meek shall inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:5).

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Revelation 21:15: "There were great voices in heaving, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever."

Men, the leadership that God requires is so different to that of the world. The world requires a sense of pride and boastfulness, the ability to dominate and exert superiority over others. The world loves a slick, clever mind that is able to manipulate others to their own advantage. A good-looking, charismatic personality with a commanding voice is a big plus to the world's selection of good leadership. Money is another plus for the world has a lot of respect for wealth. Finance and publicity can buy a lot of votes. Education and degrees are also important for worldly leadership.

When electing leaders, godliness and Christian character is viewed negatively in Washington as in most nations of the world. This is because the whole word lies in wickedness. 1 John 5:19 (HCSB) says, "The whole world is under the sway of the evil one."

God rejected Saul because of his pride. In 1 Samuel 15:17, Samuel said to Saul: "When thou wast LITTLE IN THINE OWN SIGHT, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?" Samuel was referring to when they couldn't find Saul to make him king because he had hid himself, most likely because he felt unworthy (1 Samuel 10:22). What a shame that power so quickly corrupted him.

David, on the other hand, was a man of great humility and his reign is a type of the reign of Christ.

Psalm 25:9: "The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way."

Psalm 10:17, 18: "Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress."

Psalm 34:2: "My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad."

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, there is a big difference between doing the will of God out of a sense of duty and doing it out of a heart that delights to do His will. It is our duty to seek to know God's will for our lives, and having discovered that knowledge, to do it. Duty demands we do it. It is not wrong in itself. However, David not only had a sense of duty to do God's will but a heart that delighted to do it. This is what pleases our Father God.

There are those who give to the cause of Christ, and those who give CHEERFULLY to His cause. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a CHEERFUL GIVER."

We need to ask ourselves the question: As a father, am I serving the Lord as a father by leading my family out of duty? Or am I doing it cheerfully and with delight?

The words of Psalm 40:6- 8 are spoken prophetically of Jesus: "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire: mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I DELIGHT TO DO THY WILL, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart."

It is not that our Father has no pleasure in sacrifice and offerings for Romans 12:1, 2 tells us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices. We are also told in Hebrews 13:16 (ESV): "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." However, when we drag our feet and don't show a willing heart, it gives God no pleasure. It was a drag and a bother for Saul to do the will of God completely, resulting in only partial obedience. But partial obedience is disobedience (1 Samuel 15:20-23).

David's heart was the heart was the heart God was looking for, the heart that delights to do the will of God (Psalm 40:8).

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Acts 13:22: "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man AFTER MINE OWN HEART, WHICH SHALL FULFILL ALL MY WILL." A man after God's own heart who will pass the test to be a father/leader must be a man who surrenders his own will to do the will of His heavenly Father. Whatever God wants to accomplish in and through his life is now his all consuming passion. Speaking of Jesus, John 2:17 says, "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up."

King Saul failed the test of surrendering his own will, resulting in disobedience, which in turn cost him his kingly dynasty. Men, obedience to the will of God is paramount to our family leadership, and all types of leadership.

Jesus Christ was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). The lamb is the symbol of submission, meekness, and innocence. Christ Jesus was obedient in all things. He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:6-8).

Jesus Christ took all the sin of our disobedience to the cross in order that we, through application of His cross to our lives, would be able to live in victory over all disobedience on a daily basis. Without this application of the cross of Christ to our lives we will be like Saul, disobedient and unworthy to reign as fathers or in any other form of leadership.

I believe the main difference between King Saul and King David was disobedience versus obedience. Although David sinned terribly with Bathsheba, he was quick to humble himself, repent, and confess his sin before God. He begged God to not take away His Holy Spirit from him as He had done to the unrepentant Saul (Psalm 51).

Men, we will never be the leading fathers God has called us to be without fully accepting the cross of Christ to put to death our own disobedience. We men must learn what it is to walk a crucified life so that we can, by example, teach our families the true Christian faith. I say this for I believe much of what we call Christianity these days has no application of Christ's cross canceling out our own will so that we will do His will.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

When God is looking for someone to lead His people, He first looks at the heart of the man.

King Saul, the first king of Israel, failed the heart test in the early years of his reign, although he was permitted to reign for another 15 - 20 years after the Spirit of the Lord left him. King Saul's' reign was approximately 40 years and half of that was without the presence of God upon his life.

After Saul's failure, God looked for a man after His own heart. 1 Samuel 13:14: "The Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart." And then in 1 Samuel 16:12 the Bible states that when Samuel eventually found David, the youngest of Jesse's family, God said, "THIS IS HE."

The New Testament reiterates it again in Acts 13:22: "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man AFTER MINE OWN HEART, WHICH SHALL FULFILL ALL MY WILL."

God desires that all men should be leaders, whether they are leaders of nations, states, cities, churches, or families. To be honest, no man is qualified to be a leader of anything if he has not first learned to lead his family (1 Timothy 3:4, 5).

The most important requisite for all forms of leadership is for a man to have a heart like God's heart. As it was with King Saul, what a tragedy to have the presence of God leave your life. It left an opening for an evil spirit to attack him and his leadership. So it is with us if we fail to keep our hearts right with God.

To be a man after God's own heart we must desire with all our hearts to do all the will of God that He has chosen for us. This is what God requires from all leadership and this preeminently includes leaders of households.

A heart that earnestly desires to fulfill all God's will for the duration of one's life is the heart that God delights to anoint with His Holy Spirit.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

To be continued.

9. Failing to take your own responsibility

Relying on others to pass on biblical values to your family is copping out on one of the most important principles of fatherhood.

Many men will negate their own responsibilities by passing it on to their wives, or to the church with all its Sunday school land youth programs. The truth is that God has squarely placed this responsibility primarily on fathers. This is what fathering is all about.

It is better for the children in the everyday course of life to have fathers who will take the time to instruct their children as to the rights and wrongs of their own behavior, as well as the behavior of friends and associates. For example, the anger, looting, and vandalism in Ferguson, Missouri by youths who have not been raised in biblical values, gives an opportunity for fathers to share with their families about what is right and wrong and the lessons to be learned.

What do we teach our children about a young man who has just robbed a convenience store, bullied aside the owner when asked to pay for the goods, walks down the middle of the road, assaults a police officer in his car, tries to take his weapon, and then ends up getting shot to death? This has resulted in outrage and rioting by angry mobs who refuse to acknowledge that the policeman shot him in self defense. This now threatens to cause more riots in other cities and states across the nation.

Men, we can teach certain aspects of all this with our growing families and explain to them the lessons that we, as well as our nation, need to learn regarding such incidents.

There are so many teaching moments in everyday life. What a pity it is to not seize them, learn from them, and teach our children the right way.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell