Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

Men, how true it is that you can give without loving, but you can never love without giving. Rejoicing in the truth is a form of giving the right response toward truth. Just as "God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7), He also loves His people to rejoice in the truth.

Fathers, as we seek to role model this love that rejoices in the truth, may our wives and families never observe us dragging our feet when it comes time to attend church services. They should see us rejoicing to worship, pray, and seek truth together.

Psalm 122:1 says, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."

Psalm 100:4 says, "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name."

Fathers, we must demonstrate before our families at our Family Devotions each morning and evening that we actually ENJOY Family Devotions. We should show that we ENJOY reading God's Word and ENJOY our prayer times together. If we rejoice in the things of God, our families will be motivated to do the same.

We must resist the temptation to drag our feet in the call to prayer. Not only will God not accept this attitude, but our families will be negatively affected. When it comes to all matters concerning God's truth, wouldn't it be good if our families could observe our enjoyment, smiles, hearty agreement, our brightened eyes, and glad exclamations? This will encourage them in a godly way.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

It is possible to live to know the truth, grudgingly adhere to it, give lip serve to it, but not rejoice in it. As Christian role models of God's divine love we must deplore and resist such an abhorrent attitude.

God Himself warns against this happening amongst His people. Our wife and family must never observe such behavior in us, for it will influence them to also be casual and slack towards serving God.

In Isaiah 1:10-14 God likens His people Israel to Sodom and Gomorrah, "Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of the he goats... Bring no more vain oblations, incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them."

Jesus Christ revealed the right attitude we must have towards the truth. Speaking of Jesus, Psalm 40:6-8 says, "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." Read also Hebrews 10:5-9.

As fathers and mothers we must role model this important aspect of God's true love. We must role model the knowledge of truth as well as delight to obey the truth.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

To rejoice when your persecutors are being judged would be iniquity. Jesus said, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).

Proverbs 24:17-18 says, "Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him."

Psalm 141:5 says, "Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head, for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities."

Men, there are times when well-meaning, and even good men, will reprove us out of their own wisdom and understanding. At the time, it can often add more burden for our hearts to bear, like Job's so-called comforters. In reality, they were his discomforters.

Job could have easily rejoiced when calamity struck them, but instead he prayed for them. Job 42:7-10 says, "The Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept... And the Lord turned the captivity of Job when he PRAYED FOR HIS FRIENDS: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before."

Men, this is a great lesson for us to role model before our families of the love of God that rejoices not when trouble comes to our friends who have troubled us and who may have committed iniquity against us. God will repay in His time and when He does we must not rejoice with our family, but rather pray for them.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, God's love that "rejoices not in iniquity" is also saddened and offended at news proclaiming iniquity. In 1 Samuel chapter 31 we read how King Saul, having lost three of his sons (including Jonathan), was also seriously wounded by arrows. Saul called upon his armor bearer to slay him before the uncircumcised Philistines could get to him. The armor bearer would not kill his master. Therefore, Saul fell on his own sword and died, as also did his armor bearer.

In 2 Samuel chapter 1 a young man runs to inform David of how he had personally killed Saul at Saul's request and brought the crown from his head and the bracelet from his arm as proof. Even though Saul was an enemy toward David, this news did not please David. He did not rejoice in the iniquity of slaying the Lord's anointed. As a result, this young man was slain for the news he thought would cause David to rejoice.

The truth was that David had already had the opportunity to slay Saul himself but refused because of the anointing God had given to Saul while he lived. King Saul was also an Israelite, meaning that he was of the chosen seed, despite all his sins.

Men, how casual and flippant we can be when and evil report reaches us. How easy it is to say, "Well, they deserved it."

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, it is better to inform our families of what God is doing rather than what the devil is doing. Our children need to be led by fathers and mothers who refuse to be captivated by scandalous behavior, whether it is within the family or outside the family. The publishing of iniquity is big business in this country. The checkout stands, tabloids, and media are full of it, openly glamorizing sin with glossy front covers to get our attention.

God's love eeds to be role modeled in our homes in order to raise a generation who will be powerful in the truth and revolutionary promoters of righteousness. We want to raise children who will push back the powers of darkness, replacing leaders that promote corruption and perversion throughout the hallways of our government, media, and state education.

Today, the news coming out of our media is choked full of scandalous iniquity which is indicative of the evil times in which we live. I am not saying that we should not know and be aware of the dangerous laws being laid upon us or of the scandalous lies and cover ups in which government is involved. We must certainly be aware of these so we can do all that is possible to expose and thwart the evil as well as protect ourselves and families.

However, we must not be entertained by it, find pleasure in sharing it, or in any way make fun or light of it. Ephesians 5:11 says, "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove (expose) them."

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, our thought life is much more important that we realize because evil thoughts are not in any way compatible with God's unselfish love. They dilute, contaminate, and destroy it. Instead, wholesome, unselfish, giving thoughts, without expecting anything in return, should flood our thought life. This is why we men need to be filled with the Holy Spirit, especially in our hearts and minds.

We must not let our thought life dwell on negative, impure, ungodly, resentful, mean, selfish, and stingy thoughts. Instead, we should have minds filled with thoughts on how we can bless and be generous to others. The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) role modeled the love of God perfectly, but the priest and Levite, through thoughts of pride and indifference (evil thoughts) refused to demonstrate the pure love of God that thinks no evil.

This is why we need to read only literature that stirs our minds to think thoughts of blessing and loving others. God's Word contains many passages that encourage us in this direction. Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there by any virtue, and if there by any praise, think on these things."

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, believing an evil report about someone or a certain group of people without thoroughly investigating the facts is not the love that thinks no evil. I know through experience what a horrible thing it is to have lies and an evil report spoken or published against you. It makes you feel like you want to lash out and set the record straight, or even take someone to court for deformation of character. However, I have found that the best thing to do is to put it all in God's hands and let Him take vengeance if He wants to in His own time. I usually make matters worse when I am too quick to set things straight.

Hebrews 10:30 says, "Vengeance belongs unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people."

We have to be on guard when we listen to an evil report. Our natural inclination is to want to hear it and pass judgment using our opinions before checking out the truth. This sort of thing is a huge problem with man in his fallen state and should not be so with professing born again Spirit filled believers. In Numbers 13:22 it tells us how the children of Israel fell into a 40 year judgment by listening to an evil report which was based on fear and unbelief.

Men, our wife and children need to see that we are men who do not rush to judgment and do not believe everything we hear on TV news or just plain gossip.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

“The wimpy Christian does not feel the convictions that motivate him to cry out to God. This sort of thing is completely foreign to his casual way of thinking. He likes to stay cool, calm and undisturbed. If he attended the prayer meetings, he might feel a little of God’s heart, and what would that do to his smooth, delicate constitution? It may make him feel a trifle uncomfortable about watching his next unclean movie!”

Men, keep your minds CLEAN AT ALL TIMES! It is one thing to say we believe in love that "thinks no evil" but it is quite another thing to role model this love before our family. Evil thoughts can not only be thoughts of anger, resentment, and retribution, but also thoughts of impurity, lust, envy, jealousy, and selfishness. Evil thoughts can be triggered by what we watch, read, or listen to. For these reasons we must be careful about the company we keep, the movies we watch, and the literature we read. Our friends and acquaintances may think a movie is harmless, but the truth is, the love of God that is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit "thinks no evil."

This is the love we must role model for the sake of Christ who certainly role modeled it, as well as for our immediate family's sake with whom we live our lives every day.

Men who call themselves Christians, but watch porn, whether occasionally or frequently, cannot role model God's love to their wife and family. They are deceived if they think they can for they have adulterated and diluted the pure love of God that "thinks no evil." God's love flows only through CLEAN HEARTS AND MINDS that have not been defiled by the evil of lustful pornographic movies or literature.

Men, we must not fool ourselves. Our wife and family deserve the best from us.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, how can we say we role model the love of God when we think or meditate on anything evil? Evil thoughts of resentment, retribution, or how we may pay back someone who has hurt us, now or in the past, grieves the Holy Spirit within us. In turn, this eclipses and hinders the love of God from flowing through us.

Matthew 5:45 says, "That we may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

Romans 12:17-19 says, "Recompense to no man evil for evil... Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves... for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the lord."

This is why, as Christians, we should not take one another to court. We should not think or plan on how we may destroy or damage anyone who may have harmed us.

Jesus Christ, in His famous Sermon on the Mount speaks much on this subject. Matthew 5:44-45 says, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love they neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute your: that ye may be the children of your Father which is heaven."

Men, our sons and daughters need to see us role modeling this kind of love. This is real love.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men who are easily angered cannot role model the love. Anger that is not under strict self-control has great destructive potential. There is such a thing called righteous indignation which Jesus Christ Himself manifested when He cleansed the temple and yet He did not sin. Ephesians 4:26 says, "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil."

Anger is not a sin in itself. It is a sin when it gets out of control. There are many times God's sinless anger is manifested in Scripture.

Children should be role-modeled by fathers that are not easily provoked to anger. Children should not have to tip toe around their father lest the slightest infraction should start an avalanche of anger.

Anger has great potential for both wife abuse and child abuse. This abuse can be both verbal and physical. The truth is that both forms of anger are destructive and not acceptable. Both forms are ungodly and sinful. If a man cannot disciple his anger, no woman or child should be forced to suffer it. The father should seek serious counsel and, if this problem continues, no one should be bound to live with it.

I loathe separation, but I loathe abusive anger more. If you can't control your anger, you should live with it on your own. Why should others suffer?

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

In the end, after sharing strong convictions from our hearts, we have to have to walk in God's love that allows others their own freedom of choice to do what they think is right for them. We all know that even God does not force people to accept the salvation He offers them in Christ Jesus. He allows them to make their own decision to believe or disbelieve. Their rejection does not stop God loving them.

I have wondered why God did not slay Cain for killing his brother Abel, even though he was forced to be a fugitive and go outside the covering of God's presence that was over Adam and Eve. Yet, God put a mark of protection on Cain that would hinder others from slaying him. God showed Cain mercy in His judgment even though Cain said, "My punishment is greater than I can bear" (Genesis 4:13).

God continues to show mercy to sinners whereas we can so quickly write them off. Jesus still loved the rich young ruler who walked away from Him (Mark 10:21). As husbands, we must be careful about bullying our wives to agree with every opinion we hold. As our children grow up there will come times when we have to allow them to pursue their own careers and leadings from God. Even where there is a difference of opinion, we must still be careful about demanding our own way.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

"A woman needs a man she can trust and a man who will be true to his word. His word should be his bond. A man of integrity is a man who can be respected and honored. The lustful eyes of the porn-peeping womanizer do not belong to the man of integrity."

~ Colin Campbell

This is hard for us to take as we face this problem daily from political enemies who live in the same country, dine at the same restaurants, and shop and the same shops. Some even attend the same church. And yet they vote for leaders that we would not vote for, "not even with a forty foot pole" as the saying goes. This is the problem with American's brand of nationalized health care which the majority of voters do not want, but are being forced to go along with it, or pay an ever increasing fine.

What makes things worse is when members of our own family do not agree with the viewpoints we hold so dear. When we share our deepest convictions on what we regard as very important to us and to God, and family friends or foes hold an opposite opinion, we have to allow them to have their opinions, so long as they do not force us to go along with them. We cannot demand our own way.

My wife and I believe, from the untwisted Word of God, that Christian families should embrace all the children God wants them to have, regardless of what society and even the church is doing. However, the love of Christ within us does not force them. We share with "GRACE and TRUTH" (John 1:14).

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

There are those who do many good deeds for the nation, church, friends, and family. Although they may appear to not want attention brought to themselves, secretly they are disappointed when they don't receive appreciation. This Scripture plainly tells us that the godly love we are to model does not "seek her own." This means we are to live a lifestyle of love that does not want to draw attention to ourselves in any way. Our only desire should be that praise and attention should be given to Christ Jesus. In this way, we die to ourselves.

I do not believe it is wrong to acknowledge deeds of kindness and show gratefulness to those who bless us, but the person receiving praise should be quick within their hearts to pass it on to the Lord. If it was not for His grace working in our lives we would not be able to do anything worthy of praise.

Love that is given for the exaltation of self is not the pure love of God. Self love should not be the motive for any service or giving.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

This aspect of God's love must be constantly role modeled in our home first, and then to others. It would be hypocritical to be known by our friends and acquaintances to be polite and gracious and yet be coarse and roughshod with our wife and family at home.

Christian men should act godly toward the opposite sex at all times. To be overly familiar with women, even in a general sense, can be rude, inappropriate, suggestive, and unseemly. We should not love in any way that appears questionable or that would stir up base instincts in the opposite sex. Unseemly behavior is often manifested in the form of coarse joking which contains elements of suggestive sexual innuendos. This type of conversation is not becoming to the love of God.

Talking other people down is also very demeaning and offensive. When others are speaking, we should not interrupt them, especially in public. It is unseemly to act impolitely without using common courtesy. Anger, shouting, and physical or verbal abuse to get our own way is uncalled for behavior. Even facial expressions, pounding of fists on tables, or cold icy moods are unseemly. Meanness to others is also unseemly to the love that God wants us all to role model.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

The main reason why any generation degenerates in its conduct or behavior is the failure of godly role modeling in the home. It can never be underestimated the privilege families have when their parents have truly caught the vision of the power and righteous influence of godly role modeling.

Despite the industrial, scientific, and technological advancements of our western nations, the flip side of the coin reveals that this has done nothing to halt the downward degeneration into vulgarity and rude, unseemly behavior. I think the advancement of some types of electronic communication and media have advanced the destruction of good wholesome generational values at an alarming rate. Our state education refuses to see the importance of moral education being of any value to the preservation of our 21st century civilization.

History abundantly reveals that when morals degenerate so the civilization degenerates and eventually destroys itself.

The home is the foundation of the nation and the state (government) is only as godly as its homes and families. Godly parents are called to be godly role models of the love that is pure, innocent, and wholesome. To resist this kind of role modeling results in national vulgarity and ultimate civil destruction.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Lord, give me sons like Daniel of old
Who for the truth will be strong and bold,
Sons who would dare to the Lord be true,
Striving to please Him in all that they do.

Lord, give me sons who would dare to do right
When father and mother are nowhere in sight,
Though down in Egypt they stand alone
In the midst of a crowd to evil prone.

Lord, give me sons who are pure in heart;
Who ignore the “sights” in the busy mart
Of girls, too careless to clothe their frame
Yet some even profess to love Jesus’ name!

Lord, give me sons so yielded to Thee
That the world at a glance Thy likeness can see;
O give me sons with ambition so pure
That naught from the path of right can allure.

Lord, of the sons Thou hast lent to me–
I gladly return them for service to Thee,
Nor would I ever in sadness repine,
If Thou should’st reclaim in death what is Thine.

Vera Miller
Reprinted with permission from Heart Throbs of Motherhood.

Last night my little boy
Confessed to me
Some childish wrong;
And kneeling at my knee
He prayed with tears:
"Dear God, make me a man
Like Daddy--wise and strong;
I know you can."

Then while he slept
I knelt beside his bed,
Confessed my sins,
And prayed with low-bowed head,
"O God, make me a child,
Like my child here--
Pure, guileless,
Trusting Thee with faith sincere."

~ Unknown.