Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

10b) HITTING THE MARK ARROWS continued.

"None shall return in vain" says the prophet in Jeremiah 50:9.

When God sent Moses to deliver His people, it was not "in vain." Hebrews 3:5 says, "And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after."

When God sent His only beloved Son, Jesus Christ into the world, it was not in vain. Hebrews 3:2 says, "He was faithful to him that appointed him." He was the greatest of all the arrows God had in His quiver, and without doubt, He flew straight and hit the mark, destroying not only the penalty for our sins but also the power of sin with which we were powerless to help ourselves. If Christ had not hit the mark by enduring the cross none of us would ever be able to hit the mark for which we have been sent.

The apostle Paul in no way wanted to miss the mark for which he had been called. He confesses in Philippians 3:14, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Paul was always concerned that he would not fall short of his calling. He states in 1 Corinthians 15:10, "His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

Men, how much are we concerned about hitting the mark for which Christ Jesus has called us? Are we really serious about our calling to be the real men of God this world so desperately needs? How serious are we about raising the arrows of our own sons and daughters to hit the mark?

What a shame it would be to live this "once in a lifetime opportunity" in vain! For once this life is over there are no second chances.

Be encouraged. Colin.

10) HITTING THE MARK ARROWS

Jeremiah 50:9 says, "Their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain." The truth concerning the arrows of this Scripture is that God can and does use nations that are not His by covenant to expertly fire arrows. This is to bring discipline to nations that He deems past the point of usefulness to His sovereign plan. In this case, Babylon that had been chosen by God to bring discipline to many nations and primarily God's own covenanted people, Israel is now being disciplined. God is now raising up an army of mighty expert bowmanship to hit the mark in Babylon and destroy it.

When God sends His Word through whoever He sends it, His Word will not return to Him void. It will accomplish that which God pleases and prosper where He sends it (Isaiah 55:11).

Babylon had been powerfully used by God, and in a real sense, it was accomplishing the word spoken through the prophets. These nations, although heathen, were the "sent" word prophetically speaking. If God's people will not be in a place where He can use them, God can and does use even the heathen to accomplish His will. If God can and does us the heathen to hit the mark and accomplish His will, how much more would God be pleased to use His own righteous people to accomplish His "sent" word through them.

Men, arrows that hit the target, and not miss or fall short, are desperately needed in this nation and world today.

John 1:6 says, "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John." What a mighty arrow he was.

Be encouraged. Colin

9b) DESTROYING ARROWS (IT'S TIME TO PUT THE TOYS AWAY).

Jesus says in John 10:10, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

Men, the greatest thief of all is the devil himself. He knows clearly what his objective is to steal, kill and destroy and he has no misgivings about his objective. Unfortunately, most of the Christian church is not clear at all concerning its objective to thwart the devil's attacks. Some Christians are not even aware the devil even exists, let alone have any strategy to defeat him.

The overcoming destroying arrows mentioned in Revelation 12:11 are not deceived through ignorance concerning the devil's wicked devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). These arrows "overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death" (Revelation 12:11).

Jesus Christ had a clear objective when it came to dealing with his chief adversary, the devil. 1 John 3:8 says, "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." Jesus Christ was, and still is, the most destructive of all arrows when it comes to warring with Satan.

Men, may God open up our eyes to the areas where the devil is attacking us in this our day of battle. May we, in the name that is above all names, Jesus Christ, destroy all His wicked works. We can learn a lesson from Jeremiah 48:10, "Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully (negligently, slothfully), and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood." Men, that sword is the Word of God and your testimony. Does your sword have any stains of the enemy's blood upon it?

God is calling for all Christian couples to raise up children as arrows and swords that are dripping with the blood of God's spiritual enemies. Jesus never played hide and seek with Satan. We are in serious warfare. We haven't time to play games with the devil? It is high time for us men to put the toys away and be the destructive arrows and swords God wants us to be.

Be encouraged. Colin

9) DESTROYING ARROWS

Christian parents must raise sons and daughters with spiritual military mindsets. Psalm 144:6 says, "Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them."

Men, I believe this nation has become far too soft in its warfare. Today's politics have weakened our military's resolve to destroy our enemies. There is no question when it comes to the power of our weapons and our capabilities to destroy, but there are serious questions regarding our resolve.

Instead of aiming at the enemy, we aim at soft targets. It appears that this soft approach is caused by a feminized leadership in Washington that really doesn't care if the enemy is identified or not. And, if our enemy is identified, there are so many hoops to go through and rules to be adhered to that by the time they are completed, the enemy has got away or brought destruction to us. This must be so frustrating to our troops who must feel that they are sitting ducks amongst enemies who have no such crazy restrictions and who have no qualms about "kill and destroy."

Men, I believe that we Christians can and often have the same attitude as our feminized leaders in Washington when it comes to our spiritual warfare. How much do we really want to wipe out our spiritual enemies? Do we really want to identify them in order to "kill and destroy" them? Do we realize that our spiritual enemies have only one thing in mind regarding us Christians? That is, to kill and destroy.

Men, we cannot fraternize, compromise, apologize, or rationalize the enemy of our souls for Satan and his hordes are out to destroy Christianity in America.

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

8c) GOING ABROAD ARROWS continued

Men, this country is in desperate need to raise its own arrows. We need a fresh revelation of God's original mandate in Genesis 1:28; 9:1 6-7. We need a great multitude of righteous arrows to influence many other nations that are in a greater state of darkness than we are currently. Of course, we all know that God not only loves Americans, but all the nations of this earth (John 3:16). As righteous God-fearing arrows we must do all that we can to influence the whole world with the great and glorious message of the Gospel of Christ.

It's not only being fruitful and multiplying children, but multiplying arrows for righteousness (Psalm 127). More children is not the only statement in the Genesis mandate. There is the fruitfulness and multiplication of the divine image of God manifested through the righteous seed. This is the image of Christ being propagated and spread abroad through all the earth. Somehow, and one day, this will happen.

Numbers 14:21 says, "But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord." God has solemnly given this promise and if our generation does not have the faith to do it, God will raise up another generation that will believe Him for it.

Obviously God's ultimate intention is that this whole world will be filled with the glory of the Lord, which is all that He is and stands for. Will we believe God enough to fill our quivers with the GOING ABROAD arrows?

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

Men, concerning the border immigration issue, it seems strange to me that both major parties are so desirous of getting the Latino vote, which would amount to many millions of votes, that they are prepared to give them amnesty and many privileges to which the average US citizen is not entitled. What this nation is doing is buying votes in order to gain power. All this is done at the expense of an ever increasing restricted border control, plus a huge expense to the American taxpayer.

If votes are so important to both parties, why are we so gung ho on limiting our own families, which ultimately limits our ability to win elections? I, for one, believe with all my heart that all conservative American families should raise up as many God-fearing, God-honoring children (who will become voters) as possible, in order to take this country back from the clutches of secular progressive humanism. The truth of the matter is that we are so dumbed down that we cannot see the utter foolishness of our actions.

Exodus Chapter One tells us about Pharaoh and the multiplying children of Israel. Verse 7 says, "And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them." Pharaoh said in Verse 9, "Behold, the people of the children of Israel are MORE AND MIGHTIER than we." Verse 12 tells us, "But the more they afflicted them, the MORE THEY MULTIPLIED AND GREW. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel."

The big questions is: Is the present day Christian conservative population grieving the secularist and progressive humanists?

BE encouraged. Colin Campbell

8b) GOING ABROAD ARROWS

Jesus said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest" (Matthew 9:37-38).

There was a time when American missionaries seemed to be prolific in all the nations of the earth. These days have changed somewhat. There does not seem to be the same urgency to evangelize the world. I remember church days as a young man. There was such a strong emphasis on reaching the lost and getting people saved as well as sending forth missionaries to make disciples for Christ in far off distant lands. Today, many of the missionaries from needy fields have had to return home through the lack of support.

Not only do we need to pray that God would send forth laborers into the harvest, but we first need to pray for Christians to fill their quivers full of arrows.

It is imperative for the church to take back the truth which we have lost through the deception that children should be limited through the means of contraception, sterilization, and abortion. We must wake up to the truth that we are not only limiting children through these means, but we limit "arrows" for God's army, apostles, prophets, pastors, evangelists, and teachers. And of course the godly workforce that even in the smallest sense can greatly influence the vote, and in the widest sense, can greatly influence the nation with their every day righteous witness for Christ.

Men, we not only need arrows to go abroad to distant lands, but we need arrows to go abroad, right here in our own country.

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

GOING ABROAD ARROWS

Psalm 77:17 says, "Thine arrows also went abroad." This verse speaks of lightning arrows striking, not only the immediate vicinity, but also at a distance,; outside the walls, outside in the field, without the camp, going forth into the highways or streets.

The Lord encourages us in Psalm 127 to fill our quivers with arrows for all will be different. Some will be evangelistic arrows, those who go into the streets and highways and byways to proclaim the gospel of Christ and urge people to come out of the kingdom of darkness.

The truth is that the missionary force is failing in this century. The fields are indeed white unto harvest, but the laborers are few. The 1.8 national average size family is seriously and adversely affecting the "going abroad" arrows.

The fact that the average Christian family is of similar size to the national average reveals just how little Christian couples care about filling their quivers in order to fulfill the great commission to "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:15-16).

Matthew 28: 19 says, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

7d) BRIGHT AND LIGHT-GIVING ARROWS ARE ON HIGH ALERT!

Psalm 125:3 says, "For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous."

Ever since 911, from time to time, our nation has been on high alert in order to thwart terrorist attack . The tragic reality is that while we, the citizens, patiently bear with all the security checks at air ports, our own government is deceitfully attacking our own freedoms and liberties and our constitution. It appears that while they give lip service publically to our constitution, privately they hate almost everything it stands for. One cannot help but wonder whether our government, along with all its intelligence agencies FBI, CIA, IRS, Health Care, etc., are not as big a terrorist threat as any El-Qaeda or extreme Islamic organization.

We must be on equally HIGH ALERT to the destructive power of big government and its corrupt policies and morals. The antichrist, in a very real sense, is not only one man deceiving the whole world that he is "the great Messiah." Laws and policies that force citizens to be disobedient to Christ are in a sense antichrist.

As Christians, we must be on HIGH ALERT in these days to all that is going on. We must be spiritually aware to pray effectively against it, as well as, stand up against it.

We men need to realize how imperative it is for us, along with our families, to pray for all righteous leaders, that all corruption will be exposed, and the leaders who are lying and perpetrating ungodliness will be held accountable. The doctrine of the Bible on the subject of "Watching" is vast and powerful and is spoken of liberally in both testaments.

Jesus Christ spoke strongly on this subject. He said in Mark 14:38, "WATCH AND PRAY, lest ye enter into temptation." We must pray that God will keep us on HIGH ALERT!

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

7c) BRIGHT AND LIGHT-GIVING ARROWS REFUSE TO BE DUMBED DOWN!

May God save us men from being dumbed down, blithery-eyed, slow thinkers, low information thinkers (uninformed), or saturated and intoxicated with the world, the flesh, and the devil. In fact, refuse to be dumbed down. Do not let the state, the church, or anyone or anything dumb you and your family down. Be aware. Be alert. I am sure that you would want any of your daughters to marry a man such as I have described.

Some may protest this statement with the argument that your daughters, who go to church with you, would be protected from such a man, because the young men in your church are not like this. All I can say is, don't be too sure about all these "church going young men." Keep your eyes open and be well-informed about their background and character before it is too late. And the same applies for the daughters your sons will marry.

Through the left wing media and public schooling, homosexuality, same-sex marriage, and all kinds of immoral behavior are now accepted as normal, along with abortion and pornography. Even our president appears to openly encourage all types of double standards and falsehoods, which in turn filter down to infect every branch of government. This is what is dumbing down this whole nation, as well as the church.

The present government wants us to rely on government, to depend on government, to believe in government, and not in any way resist or protest government. Whistle blowers are condemned for exposing corruption.

May God help us to be the opposite to all that has now become normal and acceptable in the state, as well as much of the church. Immoral behavior, a low work ethic, and lack of discipline dumbs men down, hinders creativity, and ultimately destroys us.

Hosea 4:6 says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Most church going people know more about current worldly trends than they do about knowing God."

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

There is a rock of much strength filled,
For upon this rock the nations build.
As granite cliffs rise strong and tall
The rock of fatherhood should never fall.

When fathers of wisdom, strong and bold,
Stand up for their families, God’s ways to hold,
Blessing will flow from heaven above
And fill those families with God’s great love.

But forces of darkness, cunning and sinister,
Much disturbed that fathers should minister
To the needs of their families, small or great,
Have unanimously decided, ‘Fatherhood – liquidate!’

The fight is on, hell’s in a storm,
Destroy this image to which man was born,
Get rid of fatherhood, whatever the cost
And earth will suffer man’s greatest loss.

Make fathers small, make them a shrimp,
Turn them into a jellyfish wimp,
Alcohol, drugs, anything goes,
Even to bash his family with blows.

Make him too busy to take the family away
On a fine day’s outing or school holiday,
Better to hit golf balls around the green
Than take family away to a nice mountain stream.

“Adultery, adultery,” the devil cries.
This wrecks the family and fatherhood dies.
Let feminists rise and take his place
And this will give God a slap in the face!

Let’s change his appetites, make man a boar
Who follows his lusts for a sleazy whore.
Oh yes, oh yes, if that’s not effectual,
We’ll turn him into a gay homosexual.

Yet ignorance, plain ignorance is the best tool
To destroy fatherhood and make man a fool.
For who will take time to study, excel
To raise sons and daughters, God’s ways to tell?

Fathers arise, stand up and be counted,
Be part of the army that God has mounted
To revive, restore and bring back from the sand
The highest role God has given to man.

~ COLIN CAMPBELL

Father, hear us, we are praying,
Hear the words our hearts are saying,
We are praying for our children.

Keep them from the powers of evil,
From the secret, hidden peril,
Father, hear us for our children.

From the whirlpool that would suck them,
From the treacherous quicksand, pluck them,
Father, hear us for our children.

From the worldling's hollow gladness,
From the sting of faithless sadness,
Father, Father, keep our children.

Through life's troubled waters steer them,
Through life's bitter battle cheer them,
Father, Father, be Thou near them.

Read the language of our longing,
Read the wordless pleadings thronging,
Holy Father, for our children.

And wherever they may 'bide,
Lead them Home at eventide.

~ Amy Carmichael

7b) BRIGHT AND LIGHT-GIVING ARROWS TURNING THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN!

Luke 1:79 says that Jesus came "To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."

Ancient arrows with fire on their tips set the cities of their enemies on fire. These arrows lit up the skies as they zoomed toward their targets. They were bright because they were on fire.

Fathers, God wants our quivers to be filled with arrows of this nature. The darkness in the cities all over this world cannot be removed by any other force than the light and fire that comes through the true anointed testimony of the real followers of Christ, those whose hearts and lives are on fire with the love of Christ. If only Christian parents could catch this vision, and by the grace of God, fill their quivers to overflowing with bright, light-giving arrows.

The Bible is full of the testimonies of "on fire" arrows. It was said of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ in Isaiah 9:2 and also Matthew 4:16, "The people which sat in darkness saw GREAT LIGHT; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up."

Although there have been many bright lights burning hot and on fire for God through the centuries, there has never been any that burned brighter than Jesus Christ himself.

When the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in the upper room, these arrows (living testimonies) became on fire, physically and spiritually. Remember, it was "cloven tongues as of fire" that sat on each one of these fearful disciples, filling them with power and boldness from on high (Acts 2:3).

These 120 disciples left that upper room blazing with a fire, and despite all the devil's opposition and persecution, ransacked the gates of hell and turned the then known world upside down for Christ. What a headache for the devil (Acts 17:6)!

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

7) BRIGHT AND LIGHT-GIVING ARROWS

Jeremiah 41:11 says, "Make bright the arrows, gather the shields."

Men, God's desire for us is that we be BRIGHT AND LIGHT-GIVING arrows. Habakkuk 3:11-12 says, "At the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear. Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou dist thresh the heathen in anger."

None of God's usable weapons are rusty, defaced, dirty, dumbed down, or without luster. Who would want to use a dirty or rusty weapon to fight the powers of darkness? In the same way, God's weapons are revealed as an armor of light. Romans 13:12 says, "The night is far spent, the day is at hand, let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light."

This nation desperately needs men who are packed full of light (the revelation of truth), who will speak only the truth, expose all the works of darkness, and hold our enemies' feet to the fire until they confess their guilt. This nation is being corrupted by leaders in high places of government and education who think nothing of lies and all manner of falsehood. The conscience of this nation is fast becoming seared with a hot iron.

1 Timothy 4:1-2 says, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron."

Fathers, bright and light-giving arrows are indeed needed to fill the quivers of Christian families. The devil masquerades as an angel of light, but he is the prince of darkness. Only true light-filled and light-giving arrows can defeat him and his deceiving hordes.

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

Father, today I bring to Thee
This boy of mine whom Thou hast made.
In everything he looks to me;
In turn, I look to Thee for aid.

He knows not all that is before;
He little dreams of hidden snares.
He holds my hand, and o'er and o'er
I find myself beset with fears.

Father, as this boy looks to me
For guidance, and my help implores,
I bring him now in prayer to Thee;
He trusts my strength, and I trust Yours.

Hold Thou my hand as I hold his,
And so guide me that I may guide.
Teach me, Lord, that I may teach,
And keep me free from foolish pride.

Help me to help this boy of mine,
To be to him a father true.
Hold me, Lord, for everything
As fast as I hold my boy for You."

~ N. W. Brapham

6e) SHARP ARROWS continued, HOW TO GET THE ARROW SHARP!

Ecclesiastes 10:10 TLB says, "A dull axe requires great strength; BE WISE AND SHARPEN THE BLADE."

Men, it is one thing to bring arrows into the world. It is another thing to make them sharp. It takes sharp parents to make sharp children. It takes sharp Christians to sharpen fellow Christians.

Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Christian fathers, must at all cost, daily impart God's Word to their children. We can do this at Family Devotions following the morning breakfast and again after evening supper.

We must not ever think that the pastor's sermon once a week is sufficient. It is not. One meal per week is not enough to keep the physical body alive and one spiritual meal per week is certainly not enough to keep us alive, let alone sharp! Blunt Christians are blunt because of insufficient exposure to the sharp two-edged sword of God's Word.

We also must regularly expose ourselves to sharp Christian fellowship. We must also make sure that our children's companions are sharp, at least for their age, in the Christian faith. Proverbs 27:17 says, "Iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend."

Do not be naive regarding the friends you keep, nor the peers of your children. Our companions influence us far more for good or bad than we realize. And especially the peers of our teens. Proverbs 13:20 says, "He that walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed."

How sharp is your countenance these days? This is largely determined by the company you keep. What we are in our heart is revealed on our countenance and the discerning eye will observe it. Isaiah 3:9 says, "The show of their countenance doth witness against them."

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

6d) SHARP ARROWS continued, "MORE SHARP ARROWS MEANS MORE VICTORIES!"

Men, it is plain to see that in order to win the many battles that we face in life we will need a lot of arrows. And these arrows will need to be sharp.

Psalm 127:4-5 states, "As arrows in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate."

It is foolish of the church to adopt the world's mindset and limit the arrows in their quivers to one or two per family. This mindset has no military (natural or spiritual) understanding. If God, in His sovereignty, holds back children, we must prayerfully hold on. However, woe unto us if we purposefully limit the arrows God wants to give us for we will stand ashamed in the day of battle.

How can we possibly win over evil, even in the ballot box at election time, if the Christian conservatives have not the wisdom and foresight to fill their quivers with arrows? We stood ashamed in the last election and quite likely will continue to do so, unless we repent and start filling the quivers with sharp arrows.

The ballot box is not the only place where we need sharp arrows. We need them in Washington, and in every city every day of the week, in order to gain victory over all evil and wickedness. Evil will continue to triumph if we Christian parents do not get the revelation of the importance of raising children to be sharp arrows.

We must also fill our quivers with them. The more sharp arrows means the greater victories.

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

6c) SHARP ARROWS continued.

In Exodus 17:8-16 we read the account where "Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed."

Fighting in the natural, Joshua desperately needed Moses, Aaron, and Hur on the hill, fighting in the spiritual.

Men, when it comes to fighting evil and corruption, whether in our government, city, church, workplace, or family, spiritual weapons are far more sharper and effective than natural weapons. They are "mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:4).

Our House of Representatives seeks to expose the corruption that is in our government over what happened in Benghazi, what happened with the "fast and furious scandal (provision of high powered weapons to Mexico to fight drug cartels, but ending up in the hands of the cartels), the targeting of media reports (AP scandal), and the IRS scandal (the targeting of conservative groups seeking Non Profit status).

While conservative politicians fight it out with special hearings or enquiries (natural weapons), the Christian church needs to lift up its hands to God in prayer, calling on the mighty spiritual weapons to defeat and bring to justice the agents of evil.

Men, the current battle over evil can be won or lost according to the way we fight it--natural weapons only, or coupling the natural with the spiritual. There are some who think that only the physical warfare is all that is needed. There are others who think that only spiritual weapons are needed, e.g. "Just pray, there is no need to stand up and be counted"). I believe that both are needed.

Men, if we are truly going to win in this battle over all types of evil, we must seek the assistance of the Lord of the armies of Heaven. Men, do not wait for your church to call for special prayer meetings. Start praying yourself as well as with your family. Start Family Devotions today and pray earnestly for this nation as well as other needs. Be a sharp arrow.

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

6b) SHARP ARROWS continued.

In 1 Samuel 17:45 David spoke to the giant, Goliath, "Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied."

Men, unless we have a sharp spiritual edge, we are of little threat to the enemy. As Christian men we must, at all costs, increase the sharpness of our spiritual edge. There are two ways to fight evil.

The first is physical, using natural weapons (guns etc) or human intellect or argument (the courts of our land). The current problem is that even our justice system is increasingly being taken over by corrupt people. Even the physical force of high powered weapons has limited value to crush evil, for the enemy soon arms himself with equally high powered weapons. This is why Iran and North Korea are such a threat to the free world.

The second way to overcome evil is through spiritual weapons. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and brining into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

The world and much of our leadership, e.g. the Pentagon, have virtually no understanding of this second realm of weapons and warfare. Without the exercise of spiritual weapons, all natural weapons have limited use for righteousness.

Yet, at the same time, they may have dangerous use for the spread of evil. The truth is that spiritual weapons can enhance the use of inferior natural weapons, We see this in David's simple sling and stones versus Goliath's height, strength, and armor. But, David also used spiritual weapons as well as the sling and thus won the victory.

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell

6a) SHARP ARROWS

 Psalm 45:5 says, "Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee." The New Living Translation says it clearly, "Your arrows are sharp, piercing your enemies' hearts. The nations fall beneath your feet."

Men, if we want our children to be sharp arrows, we ourselves must be sharp arrows. Sharp arrows beget (create) sharp arrows. If we are sharp, we will influence, not only our family to be sharp, but all with whom we make contact.

The above Scripture states that sharp arrows affect the heart of God's enemies. The heart is the center of affections, emotions, feelings, and convictions. The heart of the matter is the place where it really counts. The heart of Israel is its capital city, Jerusalem. The heart of USA is Washington DC. This is the place where the laws are made and government seats and rules.

God wants arrows that will effectually influence the heart of both individuals and nations. God's Word, coupled with the Holy Spirit's anointing, is a sharp arrow to destroy all evil that may lurk in our own hearts and minds. This is why we constantly need to immerse ourselves in the Scriptures.

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

Men, we need to be a sharp and cutting edge in all areas of our lives. Good, healthy, daily doses of God's Word, coupled with prayer, will do it. Our sharpness in every area of our lives will not only affect the hearts of our children, but it will also affect the heart of our nation. Washington DC needs more and more sharp conservative godly arrows!

Be encouraged. Colin Campbell