Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

In the context of this passage, the comparison is drawn between Moses with a veil over his face to cover the glory of the Lord, and believers who should have an unveiled face to reveal the ever increasing glory of the Lord.

Paul explains that Christ has written a letter on the hearts of the believers and the glory of that letter is to shine upon their unveiled faces. Our faces are to be as a glass mirror, reflecting the glory of the Lord. As others behold this glory upon our faces, they themselves are changed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.

Men, we are to be a living reflection of the glorious image of Christ through our faces, first to our wives and families, and then to others we meet. A grumpy, grouchy, critical face does not reflect the glory of the Lord. An unloving, unkind and dominating face does not reflect the glory of the Lord. These negative attitudes put a veil over our face that hides God’s glory.

Men, we must throw away the veils that hide the glorious image of the first begotten Son of God. Men, there are many that do not read the Scriptures to find His glory, but they can see your face.

May the world want what they see by looking at your face.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Romans 12:1-2 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Men, we cannot be half-hearted regarding our conformity to the image of Christ. It cost Christ Jesus His life blood for us to have the privilege of bearing His image. He gave His all, whole-heartedly, with drops of blood falling to the ground even before the whipping and excruciating pain of His cross. How can we be so nonchalant and casual over any trace of our self-life of which we have not yet abhorred and repented? Whatever is abhorrent to God should be abhorrent to us.

Some may say, “If only I had been with Jesus like the disciples were, then I know I would be more like Jesus”. Another might say, “If only some great painter would provide me with His exact likeness, then I would be able to be like Jesus.” But none of these aids can make us like Him. There is only one way. It is by acknowledging as a fact that my old self-nature was crucified with Christ and I cannot allow any trace of this odorous self to be manifest. Ever!

I must also count as a fact that I am raised with Christ from death to self, to put on the nature of His resurrection life. Every day we have the privilege and power to put on Christ. One cannot paint a picture of what Christ looks like, yet by His indwelling Spirit we can manifest His fruits of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self control (Galatians 5:22-23).

We will then be a living portrait of what Christ really looks like, first of all to our family, and then to the world.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Whose image do we reveal to the world?

Romans 8:29 says, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son.” Your family has the privilege to see the image of Christ in you!

Men of God are not conformers, but rather transformers. We will not let the world squeeze us, or our families, into its mold. Never! God has chosen us men for better things. We have been predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. The image of Jesus Christ is vastly different to the image of this world.

The image of the world is selfishness--self-image, self-accomplishment, self-centeredness, self-appearance, self-space, self- opinionated, self-reliant, self-aggrandizement and self-consciousness.

Opposed to the self image, the image of Christ is to be crucified with Christ. We cannot be transformed into the image of Christ without a radical denunciation of self. The self-life is at enmity with the image of Christ. The self-life is at the very heart of sin.

The self-life is very subtle, to say the least. Self loves to disguise itself through religion. Religious self is most abominable and nauseating to God as Jesus exposed in the Sadducees and Pharisees.

The Apostle Paul, when facing this dilemma, cried out, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:24-25).

I believe it would be a good thing for each of us men to read a chapter each day from the Bible in order to see what Jesus is like and to hear what He says. We can then pray that the Holy Spirit will change us into His image.

Men, we are called to be non-conformists in this self-centered world.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Let’s talk a little more about Psalm 94:16, “Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? Or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?”

RISE UP is not the call the wimpy neutralist wants to hear. His ear is not tuned to the call of battle. All he wants to hear are lullabies to help rock him back into his apathetic sleep. These words are like thorns poking through his cozy nest and like spears piercing his soft delicate flesh. The signs, “Please do not Disturb” are posted all over his bedroom door. You can hear him snoring blocks away!

STAND UP are words that are likely to give the neutralist a fit of high blood pressure, not to mention the possibility of a heat rash! If this man gets to his feet, you better make sure a chair is nearby, preferably a rocking chair!

The tragedy is that this picture of the wimpy neutralist is what most of our western 21st century Christianity is like. To prove my point, let me ask you how many prayer warriors attend the battle station prayer meetings of your church? Compare this to the number who sit in their comfortably padded pews being entertained by yet another sermon for which few have prayed.

Men, perhaps the greatest thing we can do to take away wimpy neutralism is to pray about it. Things soon change when men pray. The Lord will enable us to RISE UP and STAND UP.

I believe there is not much time left. Make the most of what God has given you to spread the good news of Christ’s love while there is still time. One very good idea is to start showing hospitality, even once a week.

Be encouraged to pray and also pray with your family.

Colin Campbell

“Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty” (Judges 5:23).

Real men despise the “do nothing” spirit of neutrality. I don’t know about you, but I would not want the angel of the Lord to pronounce a curse on me, as he did on the inhabitants of Meroz, for refusing to get involved in the battles of the Lord.

Neutrality is a paralysis that is crippling the church everywhere. Let’s be honest, how many take the Great Commission seriously? One would almost think that by the amount of Christians doing nothing for God during the week and showing up on Sunday that the Great Commission means ”attend church once a week.” Many people even struggle with church attendance! How pathetic is that?

Men, we must learn to despise the spirit of neutrality and teach our families to despise it also. The Great Commission commands us to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. Most will not even go across the street to make a disciple! The devil has neutralized the church.

Let’s face it men, if your car is in neutral, it’s going nowhere! It is high time to put the car into drive. It is imperative that each one of us be involved in some way, along with our families, to assist in the battles of the Lord. Ask God what you and your family can do.

God has given us all different gifts and talents. Each father should seek the Lord to find some way, as a family, to show the love of Christ to a needy person or family. There are many lonely widows and needy people. Pray about it with your family and God will show you what to do.

Be encouraged to act. Colin Campbell

Men, we must teach our children the evils of neutralism.

Psalm 94:16 says, “Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? Or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?”

The dictionary defines “neutralize” as “not participating in war, not inclining toward actively taking either side in a matter under dispute.”

The educationists of this day and age are trying all they can to turn the men of this nation into a bunch of "mamby pamby" neutralists and pacifists. They do not even want us to buy toy guns for our little boys. I, for one, do not believe that God created men to be wimps.

Recently I read a very interesting account of the 180 or so men, plus some woman and children, who defended the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. What bravery--bravery that is hardly ever heard of these days!

I am sure that there are many crazy, infantile disputes that would waste our time to be involved in, let alone take sides.

However, I firmly believe that, under God, we most certainly do have a responsibility to rise up against the evil “Hitlers” of the world, the Islamic extremists and Israel haters who want to drive Israel into the sea.

We do have a responsibility to fight evil child abusers, molesters and ethnic cleansers wherever they are in this world.

We do have a responsibility before God to fight for the life of the unborn.

We do have a responsibly to fight for our constitution.

We do have a responsibility to vote for godly politicians in order to stem the tide of evil, Christian-hating, progressive, socialistic communism that threatens our freedoms and liberties.

We do have a responsibility to protect the sanctity of marriage against the homosexual agenda.

There are some who do not believe that America has any responsibility to intervene against evil in this world. However, Jesus said to go into the all the world, preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15). Part of this gospel is to raise up orphanages, feed the poor and defend those who cannot defend themselves.

Luke 12:48 says, “For unto whosoever much is given, of him shall be much required.” This nation has been so blessed because it has given so much.

We must not be neutral!

Be encouraged to act. Colin Campbell

Do not let the enemy inject you with doubt regarding capitalism. Use your business to serve the Lord, not yourself. This is why Moses would not leave their herds and flocks in Egypt. The bigger the business, the more opportunity you have to serve God.

COMPROMISE NO. 4. EGYPT REQUIRES YOUR DEPENDENCE

Exodus 10:24-25 says, “Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you. And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the Lord our God. Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the Lord our God.”

Men, we need to take a leaf out of Moses’ book. Moses was not a wimp!. He was not an easy pushover! These compromises were requested by the most powerful king in all the earth at that time. Added to this, the compromises were not impersonal, but face to face encounters with Pharaoh himself. This must have been very intimidating, to say the least. But Moses stood firm, steadfast and unmovable.

These are days when the state-like Egypt wants to take control of our livelihood, our business and every area of our lives. In the end, if we acquiesce and do not stand up for our liberties and freedoms, the Pharaoh’s of this world will quickly bridge the three day gap of separation that God requires. They will quickly turn us into their slaves.

Men, the Scriptures exhort us not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14). Resist the temptation to be unequally yoked together, even with a weak Christian, let alone an unbeliever.

This means marriage as well as business. Keep the three day separation. Be like Moses and refuse to allow Egypt to make you dependent upon them.

I like the phrase in verse 25, “There shall not a hoof be left behind.” If possible, run your own Christian business without any ties to the ungodly.

When we let the state educate our children we will leave them behind. They will turn our sons to be mediocre, tolerant and feminine pushovers. They will turn our daughters into career-driven, dominant feminists.

The Egyptian state of this world wants to destroy marriage, motherhood and fatherhood, family and parenting and replace them with state parenting via nurseries, day care and public schooling.

Be encouraged to act.

Colin Campbell

 

Men, we must take full responsibility for the training of our children. Let Egypt (the world) train Egypt, but Israel (God’s people) train God’s people. If we deliberately, or ignorantly, let Egypt train God’s people we will soon become salves to Egypt’s ways.

COMPROMISE NO. 3. BECOME SLAVES TO EGYPT’S WAYS

Exodus 10:8-11 says, “And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the Lord your God: but who are they that shall go? And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the Lord. And he said unto them… Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the Lord.”

This third compromise is very applicable to our 21st century. Pharaoh sought to hold back the little children, the old people and all Israel’s flocks and herds from leaving Egypt. Moses could have been tempted to make this compromise, because at this stage of the world’s history Egypt would have had the best schools of learning. Moses, as Pharaoh’s daughter’s son, was tutored in the finest schools of Egypt.

The world will always seek to make us Christians believe that we are not the best ones to educate our children. The end result is that our children may have a heart to serve God, as encouraged by the parents at home, but have an Egyptian mindset because of their education.

The goats amongst the sheep will try and contest the truth about Christian home education. But Moses knew better. God’s true sheep listen to His voice, not the voice of a stranger. (John 10:5). Moses realized the danger of leaving the young ones and the old in Egypt. They would certainly draw the men back to Egypt.

God wants His people to have His mindset. There are more than enough Christian educators to educate our children.

Men, we must resist the Pharaohs of today as they try to squeeze us into their mold. America is battling a socialist, progressive (communist) mindset in order to create a one world socialist government. State education is its chief tool to accomplish this end.

Be encouraged to act.

Colin Campbell

 

We called to be saints. The Greek word is hagios and means, “separated ones.”

COMPROMISE NO. 2. THREE DAY GAP PRINCIPLE

Pharaoh seeks to tempt Moses to compromise the second time, but Moses stands firm and maintains the “three day gap” of separation. Exodus 8:28 says, “Moses said, We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the Lord our God, as he shall command us. And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away.”

The slave master, Pharaoh did not want the children of Israel, who were his slaves, to go too far away from Egypt. They were too valuable to him for they were building his treasure cities (Exodus 1:11). The idea of going a three day’s journey into the wilderness outside of Egypt’s borders was to Pharaoh’s mind far too far from the cities they were building (Pithom and Rameses).

It would have been at least 200 miles from these cities in the land of Goshen in Egypt to the Gulf of Aqaba, plus crossing the sea at the border and then a three day journey to Mt. Sinai in Arabia (the land of Midian) which is the true Sinai (Galatians 4:25).

Men, the prince of this world does not want us to go too far away from His influence. He wants us to build up his treasure cities on earth. Instead, we are to build up treasures in a city where the streets are paved with gold.

If we, and our Christian youth, talk like Egyptians, look like Egyptians and think like Egyptians, perhaps we really are Egyptians!

Lot lived too close to the border of Sodom and Gomorrah and even got sucked into its very gates (Genesis 13:12 and 19:1). He fell to the enemy’s compromise and lost everything!

We must still keep the “three day gap” principle today. We must not live around the border.

Be encouraged. Colin

Like Moses, Christian fathers must put a THREE DAY JOURNEY (a very noticeable gab) between their families and Egypt (which is a type of the world). Don’t forget, the enemy wants your family in his camp. Do not be so foolish as to allow it to happen.

I want to share with you the FOUR COMPROMISES that Pharaoh gave to Moses in order to keep the children of Israel in Egypt.

COMPROMISE NO. 1: SACRIFICE TO GOD IN THE LAND OF EGYPT.

Exodus 8:25 says, “And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.” Pharaoh is inspired by Satan to thwart the redemption of God’s chosen people which would involve leaving the land of Egypt.

Satan will always tempt us by offering compromises. This time Satan tries to keep the children of Israel serving him in Egypt, in the bondage of slavery. They could have a few days off to hold a feast of worship to their God, but then it would be back to “business as usual” or more correctly, “slavery as usual," perhaps with more hardship in order to make up for lost time. The adversary’s tactics have not changed

In order to serve God His way, He wants us to separate ourselves and our families from the lifestyles of Egypt that hold us in bondage to the world system. Many who call themselves Christians are actually still “Egyptians,” at least in their mindset.

They have not separated themselves from Egypt. They still continue to be educated by the Egyptians, entertained by the Egyptians, live like the Egyptians, dress like the Egyptians, and in many cases honor what the Egyptians honor!

Moses was concerned that if they scarified to the Lord in Egypt, they would become an “abomination” in the eyes of the Egyptians and could be stoned (Exodus 28:26). While the world would have us join them for a while, they will soon persecute us if we are uncompromising. Sacrificing families who really worship God will never be acceptable to the Egyptian world system. In fact, we will be an “abomination” to them!

Staying in Egypt (the world) and at the same time making sacrifices to our God will only offend the Egyptians and they will persecute us.

Because we do not like persecution, we are likely to compromise and stop offering sacrifices to God and our Christianity is finished. Friendship with the world is enmity with God (James 4:4).

Be encouraged. Colin

True men of God are not pushovers when it comes to compromise. When selling a car or financing the sale of a property, compromise is perfectly acceptable, but never on moral values.

I believe that one of the main reasons why western nations are daily compromising their moral values is because fathers have failed to take responsibility for their children.

How important beyond compare are the moral standards the Bible teaches. Fathers, we must stand up and take responsibility for the education of our children. We must never compromise our children’s moral values by sending them into an education system, five days a week for seven hours a day, where their moral values will be freely compromised. We must earnestly seek alternative options.

How proud parents are when their children graduate from college with honors! I wonder if it ever occurs to them how much they may have compromised the moral integrity of their children by sending them into state institutions to be educated so they could feel proud when they graduate.

Secular education does nothing to assist biblical moral values. On the contrary, it down right opposes them. There are alternative ways to get college degrees. All Christian parents should look into these options.

Moral standards are the foundation blocks of our nation and society. When the foundations are eroded, whatever is built on them will eventually fall. Psalm 11:3 says, “If the foundation be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

Whose fault is it when our children’s morals are compromised? The state colleges or the parents who send their children to them?

Jesus said, “Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock” (Matthew 7:24).

Men, we must never compromise the rock for sand!

Be encouraged to stand against compromise. Colin

1 Samuel 3:12-13 says, “I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house; when I begin, I will also make an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.”

Eli is the epitome of an over-tolerant father, a tolerance that made him an accessory to his son’s crimes and he was judged along with his sons.

Tolerance is the practice of respecting the nature, beliefs or behavior of others. In a general sense, this sounds like a good attitude to have. However, when relating to evil, tolerance becomes an accessory to crime.

Tolerance toward evil cannot be tolerated!

When we men tolerate any form of promiscuity in our personal lives or our families, we abdicate our responsibility of fatherhood. As fathers we must take moral leadership by guarding and protecting the sanctity of family life. God holds all fathers responsible in the same way He held Eli responsible.

We can easily become negatively tolerant when we do not censor what comes through our TV sets or we do not oversee what our children are hearing, watching or saying on their electronic devices. Far too many Christian fathers are far too tolerant regarding movies that encourage soft witchcraft as well as promiscuity.

In order to take over America, the progressive communistic agenda calls for the legalization of homosexuality as well as weakening the nation’s morals through pornography and all forms of immoral addictions. This agenda wants to make our country “stink”!

Fathers, we must take our stand on politically correct tolerance NOW, before it’s too late!

Be encouraged to take action. Colin

 

We are now more tolerant of sin than ever before in the history of this great nation. This is not to our credit. Even the church, to a large degree, has become far too tolerant.

Hell rejoices. Heaven weeps.

Numbers 33:55 says, “If ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land where in ye dwell. Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.” Wow! We better sit up and take notice!

Men, tolerance on the surface may appear to be a good thing, especially if we tolerate harmless behavior of others that may be of a different race or culture. We should tolerate the fact that people may dress differently, eat differently and speak with a different accent.

However, we must never tolerate anything that would be harmful to our personal and family values. We cannot tolerate that which threatens our physical health, and more importantly, that which threatens our moral and spiritual health. We cannot tolerate that which flies in the face of our nation’s constitution.

We live in a time when it is becoming increasingly difficult to speak up and stand up for the things we must not tolerate because of so-called political correctness. The truth is that what may be politically correct is so often biblically incorrect.

Men, we must teach our families that tolerance of any besetting sin or negative behavior in our own personal lives or the nation will eventually become a prick in our eyes, a thorn in our side and a vexation to us and our families. If we tolerate such sins as abortion and homosexuality, God will eventually do to us what He would do to them!

Be encouraged to stand up! Colin

RESIST COMPLACENCY

In the story of the battle of Israel with King Jabin of Canaan we read, “For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? …Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches. Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeopardize their lives unto the death in the high places of the field” (Judges 5:15-18).

Many of the tribes of Israel did not get involved in this great battle because of complacency. Complacency is a close relative to passivity. Complacency offers lots of apparently “good” excuses for failing to get involved.

When you cut the chase, what were their real reasons? Disinterest… laziness… or not taking the matter seriously enough to take action. A complacent man will mentally agree that we should take action, but as long as it is not him.

Complacency robs us of the victory. We become over confident and do not prepare ourselves sufficiently and thus lose the battle. Complacency takes things easy by smugly thinking past victories will assure us of present victories.

Surrounded by so many enemies such as communism in our politics, deception and moral decadence in our education systems, radical Islamization of the world, marriage and family life disintegration, we cannot afford the luxury of selfish, smug complacency.

Men, we must arise and teach our families the evils of this “sit-around-do-nothing” spirit. Even though one may complain and disagree with the current evil trends, it is still complacency if we are not prepared to do something about it.

Let’s join the Phinehas company and in prayer, pick up our swords and thrust them spiritually right through the bellies of the evil ones (Numbers 25:8).

Be encouraged to act. Colin Campbell

FINISH THE RACE WELL.

1 Corinthians 9:24 says, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.”

Men, fatherhood never finishes until your life is over. We begin fathering when the children start coming. Every young father should do all he can to assist his wife during “the baby years.” It is important for the father to regularly hold his baby and do his best to relate by speaking, smiling and singing.

As a loving husband, he should take every opportunity possible to assist with the extra chores that come with each newborn. Baby bonding is extremely important.

Following the baby stage, the father should seek to be involved in every possible way with his children’s lives. As important as it is for children to learn to do chores, the father should realize that all children innately love fun. A wise father will seek to be a “fun father” with his children. It is wise for a father not to be a “sober-side,” but vice versa, not to be all fun without seriousness.

Be involved and available in every stage throughout your children’s lives, even when they are grown and married with their own children. Be a great finisher! Remember, fatherhood is not finished until you are finished!

Be encouraged. Colin.

FINISH THE TASK.

Men, I believe it is manly to not only start something, but more importantly, to finish it!

Luke 14:28-29 says, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him.”

The Christ who lives ...within us is the “author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2. Philippians 1:6 reminds us that “Being confident of this very thing that he with hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

If Jesus Christ, our great Captain, believes in finishing things, then all I can say is that this should make a big difference in us who profess we follow Him. It means to finish what we begin.

Let’s say the tower that we began to build was our marriage. Did we not first sit down and count the cost as to whether we had what it takes to perform it and complete it until “death do us part”? It is an indictment that over 50 percent, in the church, have not had sufficient fortitude, discipline, will power, love and courage to keep building until the conclusion of life.

What about the tower of raising a family for God? Did we sit down and count the cost? Again, many Christian men, for whatever unscriptural reason, haven’t got what it takes to have more than one or two children. Even then, they leave them to day care and public schools to raise.

It’s high time to have a recap on what we need to finish.

Be encouraged. Colin.

THE DAY OF GOD’S POWER.

What a testimony it would be for Christ if Christian men were the most enthusiastic workers in the nation’s work force? I could not, in the slightest way, imagine Jesus Christ doing the work God gave Him to do with a grudging attitude.

Jesus said, “My meat is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to finish His work” (John 4:34). Jesus likens His work to sustenance. Psalm ...110:3 says, “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power… thou hast the dew of thy youth.”

The Hebrew word for “willing” denotes spontaneity and abundance. This is the same attitude as enthusiasm. This is a Messianic Psalm and the Messiah in you and me has the dew of youthful freshness.

We do not have to wait for the millennium to let the world see how fresh, youthful and enthusiastic Christ is in us. Let today be "the day of His power" in you and me. Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell.