Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

"Prayers must be red hot. It is the fervent prayer that is effectual and that availeth. Coldness of spirit hinders praying; prayer cannot live in a wintry atmosphere. Chilly surroundings freeze out petitioning; and dry up the springs of supplication.

It takes fire to make prayers go. Warmth of soul creates an atmosphere favorable to prayer, because it is favorable to fervency. By flame, prayer ascends to heaven. Yet fire is not fuss, not hear, noise. Heat is intensity--something that glows and burns. Heaven is a mighty poor market for ice."

~ E. M. Bounds

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7).

Men, perhaps one of the reasons that we have such conflicting news coming out of the Middle East war zones is that it is too dangerous for our journalists to go. These terrorists believe in subjugation by fear, but fear is of the devil and is not of God. We note that the gathering together of the allied forces is not for the purpose of "boots on the ground" but rather providing air strikes and aid. This could be because of the fear of soldiers being captured and brutally treated. This reveals that the West is afraid. We should not be afraid. This is not the message we should send to these murderous people who desperately want us to be afraid of them.

As Christians, we should not fear the sword of Islam. If we fear it to the point, that like journalists, we are afraid to go and help, and take the message of Christ to them, have we not fallen into the same snare of fear? The early church faced the wrath of Rome, fighting lions in the colosseum, brutality, and being burned at the stake, but they still put their "boots on the ground and "turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6).

We should not forget that Israel sent in over 65,000 troops into Gaza to deal with the terrorist group, Hamas, which is twice the size of ISIS! I personally heard an IDF soldier (released because of injuries) \speaking in Nashville who said "We were not afraid." They put their "boots on the ground." Should we do less? We Christians should not be afraid.

We are encouraged by many who are going into help in the war zones in Syria and Iraq with such organizations as Samaritan's Purse. We rejoice that 500 believers are joining Tommy and Sherri Waller and their family to harvest the grapes for the Judean farmers on the West Bank, even in time of war.

May God help us to be bold in this current hour. May we say with David, "How say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?" (Psalm11:1).

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Matthew 16:18 says, "Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Men, while we face a very real battle in the spirit realm over the darkness of Islam and its endeavor for world domination through the sword, we must be constantly reminded of the absolute triumph and victory of Christ's kingdom.

Psalm 60:12 says, "Through our God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies."

Psalm 118: 16 says, "The right hand of the Lord is exalted: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly."

We must meditate on the awesome power of our God to deliver the righteous. We must remember and take courage of how God used Gideon and only 300 men to defeat a vast army of Midianites and Amalakites (Judges 7:6-25).

In Genesis 14:14-16 we read how Abram rescued "Lot, and his goods and the women also, and the people" with only 318 men, even though they had been captured by a powerful confederacy of kings.

In 1 Samuel 14:6 we read: "Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armor, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few."

Martin Luther said, "One man with God is a majority." David proved that against Goliath (1 Samuel 17).

Men, let us not be tempted to think that we, along with our families, are too insignificant to make any difference in the great battles of the world. We can make a difference. As a praying, humble family we have the power to throw a big monkey wrench in the devil's strategies.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Colossians 2:15 tells us that at the cross Jesus "Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it" (Colossians 2:15).

Men, these blood thirsty terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Hamas, Boko Haram, and the Muslim Brotherhood, etc., have no match to the earnest prayers of God's humble servants who understand that Jesus Christ has defeated them and has made an open display of His victory over them at His cross. What the devil intended to be an open display of Christ's defeat at the cross turned out to be an open display of his own defeat.

These arrogant, ranting, unteachable, demon-inspired Imam clerics of the Muslim faith (who think nothing of lopping off the heads of all who oppose them, or even those who seek information such as journalists), must be shown through the prayers of God's people that all authority is now in the hands of our risen Christ Jesus. He shares this victory and authority with His praying people. They have learned what it means to bind and to lose (Matthew 16:19 and 18:18). The devils need to be reminded of defeat at the cross of Christ by the believers who know the privilege and authority of binding and losing.

I believe that this ISIS group has arrogantly over-stepped their cause by beheading journalists on YouTube for the world to see. With righteous indignation we must declare their defeat. We must not fear or be afraid of them for that is what they want. We do not have to beg them to release our loved ones for they love to torment mothers. This just encourages their sense of perverted superiority. We must earnestly pray that God will do whatever needs to be done to bring them down quickly.

Be encouraged

Coin Campbell

"Prayer is God's business to which men can attend. Prayer is God's necessary business, which men only can do, and that men must do. Men who belong to God are obliged to pray. They are not obliged to grow rich, nor to make money. They are not obliged to have large success in business. These are incidental, occasional, merely nominal, as far as integrity to Heaven and loyalty to God are concerned. Material successes are immaterial to God. Men are neither better nor worse with those things or without them. They are not sources of reputation nor elements of character in the heavenly estimates. But to pray, to really pray, is the source of revenue, the basis of reputation, and the element of character in the estimation of God."

~ E. M. Bounds

"For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name's sake . . . Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you " (1 Samuel 12:22, 23).

I heard last night that the city of Falusia in Iraq has been taken by the terrorist group, ISIS. We must continue pray that these ruthless terrorists will be stopped dead in their tracks. I was so pleased to hear that last night people all over the world prayed for the persecuted church between 7.00 - 8.00 pm. Some of our grandsons were returning home from a basketball practice and were eating in Taco Bell. At 8.00 pm the stopped what they were doing and prayed for the Christians in Iraq right there in front of everyone. May God bless these boys for being so bold.

I think that many Christians would not regard it is as a sin against the Lord when we cease to pray for one another. Some may feel that Samuel had a special calling upon his life as a priest and therefore was obliged to pray, and this is true. However, as New Testament priests we also have the same obligation to pray for one another that Samuel had.

Fathers, you are the priests of your home and you are raising children to be priests. Our children will be greatly blessed by fathers and mothers who will educate their children in the priestly art of prayer. Through this education the kingdom of God will be greatly advanced.

Prayer has the power to change the world. Without it the world has the power to change us! This would be a sin against the Lord whose help to His people is reliant on prayer.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

We dare not stay silent in this hour. We may not always have the chance to speak up.

"Thou therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah. They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth ear? But thou, O Lord, shall laugh at them: thou shalt have all the heathen in derision" (Psalm 59:5-8).

Men, we can be encouraged because it seems to me that God is answering our prayers regarding the ISIS terrorist group that have been spreading fear and terror throughout Syria, Iraq, and Libya. This group are well-armed and have swift, blitzkreig-like methods of taking over cities and nations. They show no mercy to all who oppose them and boast in their bloody style of executing their warfare. They especially hate Israel and USA as well as all the Islamic groups that do not unite with their fanaticism. They have already planted their sleeper cells all over the western world and will strike when the time is right.

The spirit of tolerance that is exercised by the western world has given them the advantage to further their caliphate plans of world domination. However, in answer to our prayers, western nations are rising up to deal crushing blows to their strategies. Even Islamic countries are rising up against them, not seeking the approval of the overly tolerant western nations. In answer to our prayers there seems to be a real sense of urgency and, thank God, not before time!

Multitudes of Christians and minority religious groups have lost their lives already and many have been and are being tortured.

Keep praying for Israel who are in the front lines of the battle against Hamas who are a similar evil terrorist regime who are bent on establishing an Islamic world ruled by Sharia, devil-inspired law. They have duped the world to believe that it is all Israel's fault and that if Israel was removed there would be worldwide peace. This anti-Semitism is a lie from the pit of hell and has caused much western hatred towards the small nation of Israel that is fighting valiantly for its right to exist.

But the Bible is an eternal book of truth and all the prophecies concerning Israel are faithful and true. From the beginning God has loved Israel and has given them the land as an everlasting possession. Read again Genesis 17:1-9 and Ezekiel, chapters 36 - 39. As Christian families we must side with God's truth and not be duped with liberal, propagandized media.

Keep on praying. God is answering.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

God spoke to the nation through the prophet in Jeremiah 7:28: "This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished and is cut off from their mouth."

Question: Was the earthquake north of San Francisco a warning from God's gracious hand for California to repent? If we do not repent, could something worse follow?

Men, of a certainty, nothing is too hard for God. God can save us from judgment and discipline if He in His sovereign wisdom believes it is the right thing to do at this time of our history. One thing for sure is that God is very patient, not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9).

Yet there comes a time when even God's patience runs out. The history of Israel bears testimony to his fact, that after many warnings over many years, God's patience ran out and judgment, always as a form of loving discipline, had to be given. All that happened to Israel, both good and bad, was not only for their own sakes, but a lesson to all nations throughout all history (Romans 15:4 and 1 Corinthians 10:11, 12).

I do not subscribe to those who believe that national catastrophes have nothing to do with God. Those who believe that God is only in the good times and can only bless and never bring discipline or judgment have never read the Bible with an open mind. But who wants to talk about bad times and coming judgment? Most certainly I would rather be a bearer of good tidings than of bad ones, and yet someone has to face the facts that if judgment is to be averted, we must repent. That's for sure!

God will never ever despise a repentant, contrite heart that cries for forgiveness. We must ask ourselves the question: Has our nation's heart become too hard to repent? I earnestly pray that it has not reached that point. Nineveh averted judgment through repentance even though Jonah was not happy about it.

Please read the whole passage of Jeremiah 7:23-28.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, THIS IS OUR MOMENT. Other men before us had their opportunity to take their stand for what was right in their generation. Now it is our turn.

There is a huge difference between actually being involved in the game and sitting in the grandstands. The trophies are not given to the onlookers but to the winning players. It takes real men who will seize the moment to get the work done. Don't delay any longer.

Enlist to serve with all your heart in the battle of all battles in this hour.

~ Colin Campbell

In Genesis 28:14 God asks a rhetorical question: "Is there anything to hard for God?"

Men, we will be greatly encouraged in prayer as we remember and reflect upon the mighty power of our God who is more than able to defeat every last one of our enemies. In this hour we need to encourage ourselves by singing hymns and worship songs that boast of the greatness of the might and power of our God to save, no matter what the circumstances may be.

In Genesis 18:13, 14 it tells us that when the three angelic visitors came to visit Abraham that "The Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of lie and Sarah shall have a son." I am sure we will agree that for Sarah and Abraham to have a son at a time when they were both old and well stricken in age and Sarah was no longer ovulating was a very hard thing.

At a time when Jeremiah was in great sorrow of heart, knowing that God was giving his beloved city over to the Chaldeans, he prays, "Ah Lord God! behold thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee" (Jeremiah 32:17).

The Lords answers Jeremiah in Jeremiah 32:27: "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?" In the rest of the chapter God tells Jeremiah why judgment was coming and that after a period of seventy years they would return and great blessing would follow.

Men, the USA had better sit up and take notice. But let us always take heart. Nothing is too hard for God!

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Psalm 37:7 says, "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass."

Men, the need of the hour in which we live is prayer, and then more prayer. We are being attacked on many fronts, not only in our own country, but also in many nations of the world. Christians are under tremendous attack from antichrist spirits. We must be careful not to be overwhelmed.

I firmly believe that we must draw our families together around us, especially through Family Devotions and Prayer Time and roll the burden of whatever is happening to us on the Lord. God does not want us to be overcome with despair, fear, or stress. He wants us to remember that the battle belongs to the Lord and He will fight for us.

Prayer is the greatest way to be delivered from fretting (verse 4).
Prayer is the greatest way to express our trust in God (verse 3).
Prayer and praise are the greatest way to delight ourselves in the Lord (verse 4).
Prayer is the greatest way to commit our way to Him (verse 5).
Prayer is the greatest way to rest in the Lord (verse 7).
Prayer is the greatest way to cease from anger and forsake wrath (verse 8).
Prayer is the greatest way to enable us to depart from evil and do good (verse 27).
Prayer is the greatest way to wait on the Lord (verse 34).

As we read the Scriptures and pray we realize that God is indeed "a man of war: the Lord is his name" (Exodus 15:3). As the Lord of hosts (the God of the armies of Heaven) took the wheels off the proud and arrogant Pharaoh's chariots and all his army as they pursued God's people across the road He made for them in the Red Sea, even so He is well able to crush all His enemies, and our enemies.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Joel 2:1: "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain."

Men, it is high time for each one of us to blow an alarm amongst all the people of God. We must blow the alarm to urge all Christians everywhere to repent of all that offends the holiness of our God. We must pray that God will have mercy on our country and deliver us from the serious judgments that our own backslidings are bringing upon us.

Is it possible that with all the innocent blood that is being shed through the abortion industry, the growing darkness of the vile porn industry, the mounting tide of child trafficking (stealing children from our streets to be used in the slave brothels of the world), the teaching of homosexuality in our schools, plus one hundred and one other evils that are happening on our streets every day, that we will escape the wrath of Almighty God? I think not. That's for sure. God would have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah if He did not judge us.

I, for certain, do not like talking about God's judgment coming upon us. But even as the courts of our lands have to punish law breakers, so God has to judge righteous punishments upon nations who, despite His patient calls to repentance, continue to commit crimes against the Righteous Judge of the Nations. We who say we believe in Him and yet continue to live as if God did not exist or notice, or that He really cares, or that He loves us so much that he would never do anything to hurt us, are simply fooling ourselves.

Hebrews 10:30 says, "For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people."

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

P.S. Serious matters for prayer:
More than 2.8 million children run away each year in the US. Within 48 hours of hitting the streets one third of these children are lured into the prostitution or pornography (approximately 800,000 each year).

Over the years, more than 1.6 million American children have become victims of the sex trade.

The FBI estimates as many as 18,000 are trafficked every year in the US.

It takes men of backbone to speak the truth.

Men who are wishbones wish that things were better. They wish they had the prosperity of past years. They wish God would answer their feeble prayers. They wish that someone else would speak up for them. But they themselves will not lift a finger or a toe to make a solid stand for truth.

IT'S HIGH TIME FOR MEN WITH REAL BACKBONE TO SPEAK UP FOR TRUTH.

~ Colin Campbell

Men, I am stirred up. I believe God wants me to call families all over the world and crossing all denominations, to pray that God will intervene against the evil that is increasing in this world. I firmly believe that small or large families crying out to God can accomplish major exploits on many national and international fronts.

God is more moved by humble fathers and mothers praying daily with their children over the great needs of the world than He is by professional, religious, and prideful prayers that lack simplicity, sincerity, and humility.

At the end of the morning and evening meal each day in our home, I read the Scriptures, then we pass around a box of prayer cards. Each person takes a card out of the box on which is written a major need for prayer. When each person has their turn to pray, they pray over the subject they have picked out of the box. This way, we make sure that we don't miss praying for the current and critical needs that are happening in the world.

In a sense, the great God of Heaven limits Himself to act in the matters that concern men by waiting for us to do the asking. Matthew 16:19 and 18:18 speak of God's servants binding on earth first before Heaven binds.

John 16:24 says, "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." Read also James 4:2, 3.

Men, if you have not yet started praying with your family, start now. You will be rewarded.

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

Numbers 10:9 says, "If you go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets: and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies."

Men, the enemy is attacking in many ways, not only in our own land where he is weakening and destroying the morals of our nation and is sowing liberalism and humanism in the hearts and minds of young people, but he is making more and more serious attacks upon the lives of tens of thousands of Christians worldwide.

If we have ears to hear, we will hear that THE WAR TRUMPET IS SOUNDING. We must not fail nor faint in the day of battle.

Psalm 18:3 says, "I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from mine enemies."

Psalm 78:9 says, "The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle."

Proverbs 24:10 says, "If you faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small."

Jeremiah 48:10 ESV says, "Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord with slackness, and cursed is he who keeps back his sword from bloodshed."

Men, we must by all means gather our families around us and GO TO WAR IN PRAYER. It is in prayer that we win or lose our battles. May God help us to raise up strong battle stations of prayer in our families. This IS THE LEAST WE CAN DO, AND YET THE GREATEST THING WE CAN DO!

Thank God for Fox News who is not holding back on sharing the news concerning the brutal atrocities that are happening to Christians by the bloodthirsty terrorists such as ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Hamas, Boko Haram, and the Muslim Brotherhood. We need to pray that God will do whatever has to be done to break the back of these and other terrorist groups. Continue to pray that the Islamic people themselves will stand up and speak out against the evil terrorists that want to mass slaughter innocent people.

Also, contact your local state and federal leaders to stand strong to support Christians who are suffering because of these terrorist groups.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

This following prayer/poem written by Rudyard Kipling, although written in 1897, is a prayer we should continue to pray today. It is known as the RECESSIONAL and is also sung as a hymn.

God of our fathers, known of old,
Lord of our far-flung battle-line,
Beneath whose awful Hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

The tumult and the shouting dies;
The Captains and the Kings depart:
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

Far-called, our navies melt away;
On dune and headland sinks the fire:
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

If, drunk with sight of power, we loose
Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe,
Such boastings as the Gentiles use,
Or lesser breeds without the Law—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

For heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube and iron shard,
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And guarding, calls not Thee to guard,
For frantic boast and foolish word—
Thy mercy on Thy People, Lord!

Psalm 24:7, 8, 10 says, "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle . . . Who is the King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah."

Men, as the priests of our homes we must not delay, or make excuses any longer, for our failure to rally the troops (members of our families) to gather morning and evening to hear God's Word and to call upon the Lord for His divine assistance in this day of battle.

If you do not believe that you and your family can make any significant difference, all I can say is that you are sadly mistaken. You and your family can be recorded in heaven as the movers and shakers of the earth. You can be known as those who called upon God and stood in the gaps for not only their own nation, but all the nations of the earth that are desperately in need right now.

How can the cry of persecuted Christians go unheeded? There are currently 400,000 Christians in Iraq who are under serious threat (and even annihilation) from the ISIS. Thousands have fled from the city of Mosul after ISIS gave them an ultimatum to convert to Islam, pay protection money, or leave on pain of death.

We must be prepared to take time and sacrifice in whatever way we can in order to pray for them. We must pray that our government will send food and the necessities of life to them. We must pray that our own great nation will deal a crushing blow to these murderers that will stop them in their tracks and send them fleeing. We must pray in Jesus' name that the Islamic people themselves will stand up against these terrorist regimes and groups that glory in murder, rape, and brutality.

Prayers open up the gates and doors to Heaven's abundant resources. We must lift up our prayers and open the gates to invite the King of glory who is the Lord of the heavenly armies to come in. He is MIGHTY IN BATTLE.

Men, it is a slander and shame against our Christian manliness to do nothing to help when women and children and the poor and needy are being raped, beaten, and killed by these murderous, fanatical thugs who call themselves Islamic. We must also pray for Christians receiving persecution from the Buddhists in Burma (Myanmar) and the Communists in North Korea and China.

We must pray that the Lord strong and mighty, they Lord mighty in battle, the King of glory who is the Lord of hosts will give us the strategies on how to defeat these cruel enemies.

Keep up the good work, for you will be rewarded.

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

Psalm 2:8 says, "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession."

Men, it is at the humble table when the meal is ended and the dishes are not even cleaned away that we encourage our children, both young and old, to pray. This is where the battle for the nations is drawn and won. It is around the humble table where we pray the prayers of agreement and ask our Heavenly Father, in the name of His beloved Son, for the great needs of the nations.

This is where we teach our children they are soldiers of the cross, and together as an unassuming family, we make a huge difference to the nations that are still bound and imprisoned by spiritual darkness. The humble kitchen table becomes a center point of the war room, for this is where we gather to do battle against the powers of darkness.

We do not need to build a pentagon to write up our battle plans. All God needs is humble Christian families who will learn to fight His battles around their breakfast and supper tables. This is utter foolishness to the wisdom of this world, Who could possibly believe that little, or even large families, praying around their tables morning and evening could make one atom of different to the vast, complex issues and problems of this world? The unbelieving world scoffs at such ludicrous and simplistic thinking.

However, the battle is the Lord's and no pentagon on earth can compete with His strategies. He has legions of warring angels at His disposal who are more than able to conquer any attack that the powers of darkness rage against the nations. All that God requires is that we humbly agree together in prayer.

1 Corinthians 1:27 HCSB says, "God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world--what is viewed as nothing--to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, so that no one can boast in His presence."

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

"The scaffold of truth sways the future."
It's good to be reminded again of these great words of James Russell Lowell:

Once to every man and nation, comes the moment to decide,
In the strife of truth with falsehood, for the good or evil side;
Some great cause, some great decision, offering each the bloom or blight,
And the choice goes by forever, ’twixt that darkness and that light.

Then to side with truth is noble, when we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and profit, and ’tis prosperous to be just;
Then it is the brave man chooses while the coward stands aside,
Till the multitude make virtue of the faith they had denied.

By the light of burning martyrs, Christ, Thy bleeding feet we track,
Toiling up new Calv’ries ever with the cross that turns not back;
New occasions teach new duties, time makes ancient good uncouth,
They must upward still and onward, who would keep abreast of truth.

Though the cause of evil prosper, yet the truth alone is strong;
Though her portion be the scaffold, and upon the throne be wrong;
Yet that scaffold sways the future, and behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above His own.