Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

"The worst sin is prayerlessness."

~ Peter Taylor Forsyth

Proverbs 4:18 says, "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."

Are you walking in the MORE AND MORE pathway? Does your face shine? Are your children's faces shining MORE AND MORE? Or, are they somewhat clouded with shadows of darkness?

It's your responsibility to lead them MORE AND MORE into the light.

~ Colin Campbell

"Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance; it is laying hold of His highest willingness."

~ Richard French

Fathers, there is only one thing in all creation that resists darkness and that is the light. Both forces are at war with one another.

Jesus said in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world" and in Matthew 5:14 He says to us, "You are the light of the world."

As far as God and heaven are concerned, there is no other true light apart from His people. If we do not shine brightly, gross darkness will increase. Shine your light, first in your home, and then when you go out into your workplace.

~ Colin Campbell

Fathers, do not abdicate your responsibilities to your own flesh and blood. Be careful not to speak too harshly to them. Don't be too critical of them. Seek to be their best friend. Kind and loving words always win the day.

~ Colin Campbell

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, was 42 generations from Abraham. He was "the seed" in the loins of father Abraham 42 generations before He was born.

Fathers, you do not know what powerful seed may be within your loins that could greatly influence the world for righteousness, even in FUTURE GENERATIONS.

Every child we stop from coming in this world, not only deprives the world of a child who has the potential to become a powerful influence for righteousness, but also deprives the world of future dynasties.

~ Colin Campbell

Fathers, never be too busy to take time for your children. Take time  to communicate. Show a genuine interest in all they are doing. Go places with them. Play with them. Have fun with them. Tell them stories. Give loving discipline. Daily teach them from the Bible. Pray with them. And pile upon them heaps and heaps of encouragement.

~ Colin Campbell

"Nothing brings such leanness into a man's soul as lack of prayer. It is well said that neglected prayer is the birthplace of all evil. All good is born in prayer, and all good springs from it. But if one neglects his closet, then all evil comes of it. No man can progress in grace if he forsakes prayer."

~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon

If we don't discipline our children when they require it, we will be disciplined instead. It will come back on us to torment us. There is no rest and peace in the home with undisciplined and rebellious children. Proverbs 29:17 says, "Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul."

~ Colin Campbell

"To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than being alive without breathing."

~ Martin Luther

Allow the Holy Spirit to pulsate your heart and mind. Put a smile on your face. Love on your wife and children. When everyone else is glum, be joyful.

~ Colin Campbell

Exodus 25:30 says, "And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me always." The bread upon the table was called by many different names.

1. SHEWBREAD.

"To shew" means "to tell forth or declare" speaking to us of the New Testament Bread of Life who showed Himself to His disciples (Matthew 16:21; John 21:1-2; Acts 1:3). Jesus Christ, who is the true Bread of Life, still wants to show Himself to our families and to feed us with His Word. We remember that Christ revealed Himself at the table to two of His disciples as He broke the bread (Luke 24:28-32).

Jesus Christ loves to show Himself at meal times. In Revelation 3:20 He says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." In the Greek, the word "sup" is the word that is used for the chief evening meal of the day where we "supper" together and fellowship as a family.

How sad it is when Christian families do not invite Christ to their family meal table. How sad when they do not open up the Word and "sup" on it together on a daily basis. Instead, Christ is left standing outside knocking.

2 Chronicles 16:9 says, "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to SHOW HIMSELF STRONG in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him."

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

The table in the tabernacle of the wilderness (Moses' tabernacle), was made of shittim wood, also called acacia wood, and covered with gold. (Exodus 25:23-30; 37:10-16; 40:22-23).

The shittim wood was an incorruptible wood and represented the sinless humanity of Christ. This wooden table, with its double crown around the top edges was completely covered with gold which represented the divine nature of Christ. The double crown represented Christ's royal offices of Priest and King. On this table were set the twelve loaves of bread which were kept on the table for seven days in the presence of God. After the seven days were complete the priests were permitted to eat the bread.

We Christians are New Testament priests and kings unto God (Revelation 1:6). As such we are privileged, with our families, to eat at His royal table just as Mephibosheth, the crippled lame son of Jonathan was privileged to eat at King David's royal table until he died (2 Samuel 9:3-8). Fathers, when we read the Scriptures and pray and worship together at the conclusion of every family meal, we turn our ordinary table into the most royal golden table and dine with the King of Kings and Lord of lords.

Be encouraged

Colin Campbell

Every Christian father is called to raise his children to be disciples. On one occasion our Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, fed 5,000 men, plus women and children. On another occasion He fed 4,000 men, plus women and children. Both times were in wilderness areas where food was not easy to procure (Matthew 14:15-21 and 15:32-39).

On these occasions, after He had blessed and broken the bread, He gave it to His disciples and His disciples gave it to the multitudes. Men, as fathers raising families I believe this truth is important for us to see and understand. We are the disciples of Christ. We are to take the blessed and broken bread from the hands of Jesus and distribute it to our families. As we faithfully do this each day, they in turn will become disciples of Christ and minister this same broken bread to the great hungry multitudes of this world.

Men, you are not just raising children. With God's help, you are raising disciples. We cannot leave the work of raising our children to be the disciples of Christ to the church when the Scripture says "The father to the children shall make known thy truth" (Isaiah 38:19).

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

At the beginning of their wilderness journey, the children of Israel tempted God by saying, "Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?" (Psalm 78:19). There is no wilderness that is too horrible or too difficult for God to furnish a table for His covenant people. To be truthful, God furnishes two tables for us, both the natural and the spiritual.

Elijah experienced this when God said to him, "I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there" (1 Kings 17:4). When he went on his journey to Zarephath God told him "I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee... For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth." (1 Kings 17:9-16).

If you are going through a dry wilderness experience--finances have dried up, bills are mounting up, you can't see any daylight at the end of the tunnel, or you are worried for your wife and family, start calling on the Lord. Ask Him to reveal to you His table of miraculous provision. Don't ever question God's ability to furnish a table for you in the midst of your wilderness.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, the table the Great Shepherd/Father prepares is not behind, or to the side of the sheep, but BEFORE the sheep. Psalm 23:5 says, "Thou preparest a table BEFORE me in the presence of mine enemies."

As under spiritual shepherds , what do we put on the table before our family? Is the Bible to the side or on the shelf somewhere? I notice many churches provide Bibles on the shelf or in the pew in front because many Christians do not take their own Bible to church. It's not beside them, but on a shelf somewhere and is not a priority in their daily lives.

Men, the Scriptures and prayers must be put BEFORE our children's faces. Just as our natural meal is placed on the table before us, we should place their spiritual meal before them. Our wives know the children need healthy meals and place them directly in front of them. After the giving of thanks they are expect to begin eating without any fuss. How would our children feel if we decided to let them forage in the cupboards or side shelves for their natural meals.

Aren't their spiritual meals even more important?

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Psalm 78:24-25 says, "Yet he had rained down manna on them to eat, and given them of the bread of heaven. Men ate angels' food; He sent them FOOD TO THE FULL." How sad that many Christian families have a very limited and meager appetite for the fresh daily Word of God. No wonder the average Christian family is so malnourished and weak in their spiritual lives.

The children of Israel gathered one omer for each member of their family every day. Most translations of the Bible say that one omer equals two quarts. Dake's Annotated Reference Bible says it equals three quarts, one pint. It goes for reason that a small child could not eat as much as a grown man, therefore what the child could not eat, an adult could possibly eat more. Even though every family received approximately two quarts for each member, they were not to leave any over for the next day. If they did, it bread worms and stank.

Christian families, as well as our churches, have not emphasized enough the importance of the FRESH daily spiritual food that God rains down from Heaven to be gathered and eaten every day.

It had to be gathered each new morning, for when the sun waxed hot it melted. There is something to be said about families getting up early to gather to the Living Bread as soon as the dew lifts from the ground.

Anointed fresh bread from Heaven. Wow.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

The way to have victory as we travel through this earthly wilderness is to feast at God's table. It is a table He prepares for us every day, even in the presence of our enemies. Our enemies are subtle and sometimes pose as our friends as it was with "Job's comforters."

As we eat daily at God's table and fellowship with Him we will discern who are true friends and who are enemies. Discernment is part of the menu on God's daily table.

Jesus taught us in the Lord's Prayer, "Give us this day our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11). The question is, how can we expect to overcome our daily enemies if we do not partake liberally of the daily bread He prepares for us at His table? I suggest that far too many Christians fail in life for the lack of partaking of the daily bread which Christ, the Great Shepherd of Israel, prepares for them.

To be continued.

Be encouraged,

Colin Campbell

Men, it's good for us to know that no matter how many enemies surround us and who would like to devour us at any given moment, the Great Shepherd has prepared and provided us with an amazing table, overflowing with the most wonderful, miraculous, and delicious food. Exactly what we need for each new day.

Psalm 23:5 says, "Thou preparest a table before me in the PRESENCE OF MY MINE ENEMIES." I believe God wants our attention to be more on the table than our surrounding enemies. The devil wants us to be taken up with his works of darkness, even though we despise every aspect of them. The more we negatively get absorbed with all his crafty, subtle, and evil works, the more anxious we become and more likely to panic.

I believe as Christians that we should not be overly consumed or concerned with what the devil is doing. Rather, our undivided attention should be on what God is doing. We find out what God is doing as we eat and fellowship at His PREPARED TABLE. As we eat at this table we will be so filled with His Spirit and power that no matter how big the Goliath we face, like David we will slay him like a fly on the wall.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

What is in your hand, father? A newspaper? The latest computer game? A top selling novel? Study books in order to gain your degree? Or, is it a firm grasp of God's Word?

The rod and staff of Psalm 23 have their New Testament fulfillment in the application of the Holy Scriptures as a powerful weapon against all evil spiritual attacks against our soul. Paul made mention of these spiritual weapons in 2 Corinthians 10:4, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, used what was in His hand to defeat the devil's temptations. Matthew 4:1-11 tells us that He used the Scriptures to defeat the enemy.

It is interesting to note that the devil used the twisted word to bring about the fall of the first Adam, but because the second Adam had the rod and staff of the Word of God so firmly fixed in His "hand" and mouth that He quickly sent the devil packing.

Men, the family flock of sheep that God has entrusted into our care need to be aware that God's Word is a powerful rod and staff in our hands to deliver our marriage and our sons and daughters from the carnage and destruction of the present family break-down in our nation.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell