Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

Men, the opposite of faithfulness is faithlessness. Now here is something to really think about.

I believe that one of the reasons why Christianity is so weak and ineffective in this 21st century, compared to the Christianity of the 1st century early church is that today's church has separated faith from faithfulness. And what do we have left?

• Faith without fullness.
• Faith without works (James 2:20).
• Faith without commitment.
• Faith without adherence.
• Faith without Christian discipline.
• Faith without following.

When Jesus saw Simon Peter and Andrew casting their nets into the sea, He said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him" (Matthew 5:18-22). This is faith with commitment. This is faith which is legitimized by following.

In the Greek, the two words "faith" and "faithfulness" are the same, "pistos." Check the Strong's concordance 4102 and 4103.

Each one of us will have to give an account to God as to our faithfulness. In this dark hour God is calling for men who are like Himself, created in His own image. A big part of this image is FAITHFULNESS.

Revelation 3:14 says of Him, "These things saith the Amen, the FAITHFUL AND TRUE witness."

Be encouraged. Colin

We love to sing the amazing hymn, "Great is Thy faithfulness." It seems a pity to me that the same words cannot always be sung about us men who profess to be His followers. And yet, the great faithful One dwells within us (1 Corinthians 3:16). What a paradox!

Men who profess Christ should be faithful in every area of their lives. God is calling for faithfulness in marriage, fatherhood, business deals, employment, prayer, and reading the Word of God. A man's word should be his bond. It should never be said that a Christian man cannot be trusted to keep his word.

One cannot be faithful, and at the same time go back on his word. It is wrong that politicians do it all the time. In some cases, they are respected by men, but they are certainly not respected by God. And in the end, they will have to answer to Him.

All stewards must be faithful. This is a number one requirement. 1 Corinthians 4:2 says, "Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful."

Stewards are household managers. They are in charge of all the affairs and servants of the house or estate and are answerable only to the owner.

Men, we are steward of our body which is the house of God. We are also steward of our families that belong to God.

Be encouraged. Colin.

Christian men should be the kindest and most gracious men on the planet earth today.

A big powerful guy who can play a great game of rough football should also be a very kind man to all who know him. It would be wrong for a physically strong man to use his strength to bully and be roughshod with his fellow man. All men, whether weak or strong physically, should be known by all, including their wife and family, to be gracious and kind.

Manliness should never be used as an excuse to be mean and abusive to any one, especially to women (mothers, wives, and daughters). The Son of God may not have looked stronger physically than the average man, but He was not short on power to raise the dead, cast out strong devils, give sight to the blind, and hearing to the deaf. He was a real man in the fullest sense of the word.

I do not agree at all with those who paint Jesus as feminine, or who preach a feminine Jesus. A man does not have to be physically strong to have authority. Jesus had authority to rebuke the wind and the waves and to bring forth Lazarus from the tomb. Yet, He was full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 says, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH."

If Jesus Christ lives in us, should not we also be full of grace and truth?

Be encouraged. Colin

Men, we should never equate graciousness only with femininity. It is wrong for us men to think that only women should be gracious and that men are to be rugged and tough and what we equate with real masculinity.

Talking of Jesus, Luke 4:22 says, "And they wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth."

While toughness and roughness tend to exemplify the masculinity of our nature, it must be kept in balance. To be continued.

Be encouraged. Colin

Christmas is all about loving and giving.

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." 

Scripture reveals what the cradle of Bethlehem was all about. God never intended that loving and giving should be only demonstrated annually at Christmas. Christmas giving should only be the ICING ON THE CAKE.

May God open our eyes to the full revelation of becoming men who know and practice the love that causes us to be the greatest givers at ALL TIMES.

Be encouraged, Colin

Men, we who call ourselves born again Christians firmly believe that Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. This truth is one of the strongest pillars of our faith. The paradox is that this truth is not manifested as it should be in and through the daily lives of us "Christian" men who dare to call ourselves believers.

We know little of laying down our lives for Him who laid down His life for us. The obvious question is, how do we lay down our lives for Christ? The answer is not at all complicated. It is laying down our lives without reservation for others with the new dynamic that only the new birth in Christ can give.

Men, I do believe that before the fall in the Garden of Eden that loving and giving were like a great river that was not tainted or restricted, but flowed deep and wide. After the fall, love and giving became contaminated by self gratification and self idolatry. In other words, what can I benefit from giving and loving? The new birth must change this old selfish mindset of loving and giving to be all that Christ Himself exemplified by the laying down of His life.

Be encouraged. Colin

Men, there are too many of us who are somewhat tight-fisted when it comes to giving. This is not Christ like. I heard a testimony once from a daughter of missionaries who received a Christmas package from the USA. Part of it consisted of used tea bags! How disgusting!

The wise men that came from the Orient far brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the baby Son of God. Our Lord and Savior gave His all for us, even to the shedding of His precious blood.

I believe one of the greatest evidences of our new birth in Christ is that we lose our stingy selfishness and become givers in thousands of different ways. It is possible to give with loving, but it is impossible to love without giving.

Our giving back to God cannot be separated from our giving to one another.

Be encouraged, Colin Campbell

Men, we often stir ourselves with desires to be more godly and more and more filled with the Holy Spirit. We may give earnest endeavor through much prayer and study of the Scriptures and yet in the end fail to reach out desired end.

I am a strong believer in the doctrine of earnestly seeking God, coupled with fasting and prayer, and yet there must come a time in which the seeking heart must come to the place or believing that our heavenly Father has heard our prayers and will faithfully provide us with the answers in His own time and way.

All physical and natural endeavor, even though pointed toward spiritual attainments, must in the end cease from struggle and in childlike faith and trust yield to the truth that "It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). The truth is that every aspect of our salvation is a free gift from God and can never be earned by our most earnest endeavors. This is not saying that there is no need to seek God for higher plains, but rather that this endeavor is only that God can get our attention away from ourselves and earthly things. When God gets our attention, and not that we need to forever try to get Luke 11:13 says, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"

Men, I believe that one of the greatest deceptions in our lives is to think that all that is required of us is to be good men. No, a thousand times, no. This is not good enough. Now, please do not misunderstand me. I am not putting down the truth that men need to be good. What I am saying is that just being good as far as God is concerned is not good enough.

In all religions there are some very good people who love their wives and families and are prepared to lay down their lives for their country and friends. There are many good men who are hard workers and faithful in their convictions as to what the believe. Even some atheists can be good men in many ways.

Likewise, in Christianity there are many "just good men," born again, but that's it! That's the beginning and the end of it!

But, this is not all that God is looking for in us men. He wants men who are born of the Spirit, led by the Spirit, empowered by the Spirit, and filled with the Spirit. This indeed is real New Testament Christianity.

The old covenant written on stone lacked the power and fullness of the Spirit. All Christian men must shake the deadness of what is called "normal" in their church and learn what it means to experience the fullness of the Spirit.

Acts 6:3 says, "Look ye out among you seven men of honest report, FULL OF THE HOLY GHOST AND WISDOM, whom we may appoint over this business."

The fullness of the Holy Spirit is certainly not normal!

Be encouraged. Colin

Men, our greatest example of good works is Jesus Christ, whose life on this earth was full of good works. Jesus said in John 10:32, "Many good works have I showed you from my Father." If it was good enough for Jesus Christ to live a life full of good works, it should also be good enough for who say we are His followers.

Acts 10:38 says, "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." Jesus "went about doing good." Sometimes we just "go about."

Why is the church is reticent when it comes to preaching good works? Many evangelical churches avoid the subject like the plague which they do to their own detriment.

The neglect of the doctrine of "good works" has come about by the danger of churches believing that we can be saved by good works, which we cannot. However, justifying faith, which is not evidenced by a life of good works, is dead.

James 2:17 says, "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." This means that true saving faith is manifest by good works. The truth is that just as an over emphasis on good works is dangerous doctrine, so is an over emphasis on saving faith without being substantiated by a changed life full of good works. This has possibly led many people in today's church to believing they are saved because they said a sinner's prayer.

But, we must ask ourselves, "Where is the evidence?" And "What is the evidence?"

Be encouraged. Colin.

God is looking for these men. Where are they?

Titus 2:14 says, "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

The word "peculiar" in the Greek means "being beyond usual, special, over and above, super abundance." In other words, we are God's "treasured people, His special chosen ones." I realize how much I need to claim in prayer this special zeal for good works in my own life, as well in all my fellow Christians around me.

Good works should not be something we do grudgingly and miserably measure out to our fellow man. We men, who claim to be Christians, should literally be oozing with creative and helpful ways to assist our fellow many on a daily basis.

Ephesians 2:8-10 makes it very clear that we are not saved by good works, but rather by faith. However, it also makes it very clear that we are saved by faith "UNTO GOOD WORKS, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

Putting it plainly, we are to walk in nothing else but GOOD WORKS. And we are to be very zealous about them. This is what makes us special and different to everyone else.

Be encouraged. Colin

The Greek word for "zeal" is "zecos" meaning "heat, ardor, fervent mind." It's most important for us men to be zealous for our work, our families, our homes, our principles, and most important of all, our service to God.

A man without zeal will tend to be overly casual. He will be a "moocher" (Do you know this word? We use it in New Zealand and Australia for loitering about aimlessly.)

A man lacking a zeal is like trying to drag around a heavy weight. He has no spring in his step, no oomph in his personality, no twinkle in his eye, and no passion for anything. He is like a dead man walking. He is a bore to be around, a fire without heat, a drag on society.

This is not the man created in the image and likeness of God. The devil creates zombies. God creates men with fire in their bones.

Zeal knows no apathy. It deplores laziness and slackness. It believes in creativity, enthusiasm, and a job well done. Zeal cannot tolerate sitting around and accomplishing nothing (mooching!)

Zeal loves motivation. It rejoices in challenges. It will fight for what is right.

Seven times God is mentioned as possessing and acting with zeal. Zeal is a great motivator. If God uses it to get things done, so should we.

Isaiah 9:7 says, "The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this."

Be encouraged. Colin

Men, if we have no zeal we are like gasoline without octane. What man wants to drive a car that has no "get up and go"? Come on! Sluggishness is definitely something we men cannot stand when it comes to driving cars or working any time of machinery, including computers.

Some may thank that zeal sounds a little fanatical, but the truth is that most of us could do with a bit more of it! Some, a lot more of it!

True zeal spurns compromise, especially when it comes to principles.

Most of us conservatives are somewhat anxious as to whether the Republican led House of Representatives will cave in to Obama's liberal agenda on spending and raising higher taxes on the rich. I think in the end they may "cave in" out of fear of being blamed for causing America to go over the Fiscal Cliff. It's better for conservatives to have enough zeal for standing true to righteous principles than to cave in to compromise. Perhaps the economy needs to take the cliff in order for the country to wake up.

Jesus acted with fanaticism to cleanse the house of God. John 2:17 tells us that it was zeal that motivated his actions.

It's okay for communists and socialists to be zealots. What about Christians?

Be encouraged. Colin

THE BEST LEARNERS ARE THE BEST LISTENERS.

Proverbs 1:5 says, "A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels."

How important it is for us men to have a teachable spirit. I believe that God has a special love for men who have a yearning to learn more and more, especially about God and His ways.

Romans 8:14 says, "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." The sons of God in this Scripture means the mature sons, compared to the immature children who have not yet learned how to listen in order to be led. Many Christian men know how to listen to their own minds, and the thoughts and ideas of others, but have not yet learned how to listen to the voice of the Spirit of God in their daily lives. I find this most challenging myself.

Romans 8:19 says, "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God." The words, "earnest expectation" in the Greek come from "kara" meaning "head" and "dokao" meaning "to expect." The full meaning is "to look anxiously with the neck stretched out and the head thrust forward." Learning to be led by the Holy Spirit of God, hear His voice, and interpret the Scriptures to individually directing our lives daily should be the most consuming passion of our lives. This hunger and desire should, spiritually speaking, STRETCH US OUT.

Be encouraged. Colin

Our life here on this earth is a teaching/training experience from beginning to end. The earthly physical and mental mindset would readily agree with this, especially when it applies to academic education, as well as masters/doctorates one could possibly add to their name. This appeals to the natural mind because it gives one honor and respect, as well as a sense of achievement. This is not wrong. However, it becomes wrong if one's greatest desire for learning supersedes the hunger and quest to know the ways of God.

With all my heart I believe that the knowledge of God far outweighs and exceeds all other knowledge. The man who truly knows God, and is ever seeking to know Him more, is the man that this sick world really needs. This is the man who God can use to make this world a better place. This does not mean that one should not pursue the academia of this world in order to benefit mankind, as well as oneself.

However, we must never forget that the highest education is the pursuit of God.

Read Philippians 3:7-14. Verse 8 says, "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ."

Be encouraged. Colin

WHAT WILL IT TAKE?

The story of Achan and the tragedy that befell him has its application to the church of America today.

Joshua 7:11-12 says, "Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed thing from among you."

Abortion, adultery, divorce, homosexuality, marriage breakup and pornography are "accursed" and unless the church repents and cleanses itself by the blood of Jesus Christ, we will continue to lose in the battles of the Lord. This could well be the reason why we lost the battle over our recent elections. Only God knows what other battles we are losing in this country because we are so insensitive to what is sensitive to God.

Have our hearts become so hardened and indifferent to the holiness of God that we no longer care enough to address these important issues? Joshua cared enough to tear his clothes, fall to the ground and lay face down before the ark of the Lord until eventide. He and the elders of Israel put dirt on their heads to show their sorrow (Joshua 7:6).

What will it take for us to repent like this?

Be encouraged. Colin

Men who are spiritually sharp will also, like myself, have grave concern over the breakup of our Christian marriages. There is something terribly wrong with the church in general when we are so blasé and carry on as if nothing is wrong. It's just business as usual.

The real men of God will hang their heads in shame and embarrassment. How can we fight and win victories in the battles of the Lord when there is such a flippant attitude towards Christian marriage breakup?

It seems to me that one of the most dangerous places in the church these days is the Woman's Bible Study. I am not a legalist and I am not in any way down on woman having their own Bible studies. My wife led ladies' Bible studies for years. However, I have recently heard from many men of adverse repercussions after their wife joined a certain Bible study where a number of other women were either separated or divorced. Somehow or other, the Bible Study turned into a liberal, feministic, husband-rejecting, wife-complaining, self-exalting event, and in time, women were encouraged to get up and walk out of their marriage.

Shame! Shame! Shame! Men, we must be sharp enough to address this problem.

Be encouraged. Colin

Men, are we sharp enough to counteract the terrible onslaught of the devil on our Christian marriages?

When we are sharp, we will be more aware of what's going on around us, good or bad. When we are sharp we will be quick to respond to any action that may be required. Sharp men will not allow negligence to control them. They will not keep putting off things that need to be completed right now.

We men need to sharpen up in every way--in our marriage, in the disciplining of ourselves and our children. The most important area where we need to be sharp is in the spiritual realm. We need to be especially sharp in discerning God's voice speaking to us. If we are not sharp in this area, we will be guided by our own wisdom and logic and miss out on the most exciting and thrilling privileges we men have.

Romans 8:14 says, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." If we are not sharp to hear God's voice, how difficult it must be for the Spirit of God to lead us.

I am very alarmed by the terrible increase of divorce of late in the so called "Spirit filled church." It is a terrible indictment on the name of Christ and reveals just how unfilled with the Spirit of God we really are! Spiritually sharp men are the only answer to this devilish attack.

Be encouraged. Colin

Men, a blunt sword will not do as much damage as a sharp one. Men whose profession demands the use of an axe will wear themselves out if the axe is blunt.

At County Fairs in New Zealand, where I was born, they have axe cutting competitions. They set up pine logs approximately 18 inches thick, four to five feet high, with about 10 men or more competing against each other. It was amazing to see the chips fly as these strong men raced to win the prize. One of the great advantages was to have a heavy axe that was razor sharp.

Men, the devil is not intimidated by blunt weapons. Ecclesiastes 10:10says, "If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct." Let me paraphrase, "If the axe is blunt and he does not sharpen the blade, he will wear himself out. Be wise and sharpen the blade."

Jeremiah 51:20 says, "Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with the will I destroy kingdoms."

Who wants to employ a dull employee who is not sharp enough to be profitable? God feels the same way about us.

Men, it is high time to sharpen up.

Be encouraged. Colin

Men of God who are alert will have their antennas up towards God They will be tuned in to heaven. This is not only possible for us, but is expected of us. It is our privilege and should not in any way be taken for granted. People of the earth have their antennas pointed toward the earth. They mind or think earthly things.

Philippians 3:18-19 says, "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." Paul was speaking of those who called themselves Christians, but who were not alert to the message of the cross which cancels out its voice and earthly ways to those who are true followers of Christ.

The last thing we need right now is to listen to the voice of the earth when we should listen to the voice from heaven.

I remember seeing a documentary on a party of men who were early explorers of the Antarctic region. They were testing out the power of radio waves to send Morse code. They were turned into their primitive receiver thousands of miles from where the signal was sent. How intently they listened. And what joy they experienced when finding the Morse code came through.

Men, this should be our attitude toward hearing God.

We should have the attitude of the psalmist in Psalm 123:1-2, "Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us."

Be encouraged. Colin