Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

Men, it is a blessing to be able to serve a meek master, One who understands our weaknesses and flaws. Our Lord Jesus leads His followers with meekness in the fullest sense of the word. He is not bad-tempered, exacting, and demanding and we find ourselves wanting to serve Him with all of our hearts. We find ourselves wanting to give Him our very best effort, expecting nothing in return. What grace He works in our hearts. The closer we get to Him, the easier the yoke is to bear and the deeper the rest in our souls.

Having said all this, we also find that Jesus is not a week push over. He is not tolerant for too long with our willful resistance and rebellion to His righteous ways.

In Revelation 2:20 Jesus speaks to us about the woman Jezebel who was in the church of Thyatira. She was committing fornication, calling herself a prophetess, and seducing other church members to commit fornication, etc. Jesus gave her space to repent, but when she would not repent, serious judgment befell, not only her, but all those who she deceived.

Meekness must not be allowed to stand in the way of righteous judgment. Meekness offers a space for repentance. Meekness provides an opportunity for mercy, but there comes a time when discipline has to be metered out when meekness is abused and trampled on.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

God commends Moses as being in a higher position than that of prophets. He commends him for his faithfulness in God’s house (which at that time was Israel).

Moses’ meekness must not be confused with weakness, softness, and tolerance towards those who opposed him. Moses was meek towards God and yet at the same time a strong warrior towards God’s enemies. Moses was not soft and tolerant to the powerful Pharaoh of Egypt and yet he was meek towards God.

Moses was so offended at the sin of Israel for making the golden calf at Mt. Sinai that he broke the sacred tablets of stone. His meekness towards God enabled him to be faithful in all God’s house.

Here we see two great virtues linked together--meekness and faithfulness (verses 3 and7). Meekness towards God does not hinder our faithfulness to stand against all that opposes God. Meekness toward God promotes tenacity and righteous anger towards all that opposes Him.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Despite all our short comings we are blessed by His mercies towards us as a family. This week we are in our eleventh week of meeting together as an extended family (adults and children) to pray and worship God. He is doing wonderful things in all our lives. Even though Arden has had the assistance of alternative protocols, as well as a low dose of chemotherapy, we all know that His turn around is miraculous and has to be the hand of God. We give God all the glory. He has not suffered any feelings of nausea, is becoming hungry again, and the color is coming back to his body. We have prayed that the chemo will have no negative effect on his good cells and God is answering our prayers.

We have Scriptures printed up all around the walls which we claim as we pray each night. One is Isaiah 10:27: “And his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed BECAUSE OF THE ANOINTING.”

Although this passage refers to Israel and the Assyrian bondage, we are encouraged that the taskmaster’s bondage and yokes which the enemy seeks to lay on us through disease and sickness can be destroyed because of the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, I believe God has a special love for those who are meek. Some may argue that God has no favorites, that He is no respecter of persons, and that all people are equal in God’s eyes. But what does God say?

“The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live forever” (Psalm 22:26). This Scriptures reveals that God favors the meek with sufficient food that satisfies.

“The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way” (Psalm 25:9). In other words, God reveals His ways and will to the meek, those who are teachable. Those who are not teachable do not receive this blessing.

“The meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (Psalm 37:11). This implies that those who are not meek will not inherit the earth. The enemy of our souls tries to convince us that the earth belongs to him and he will give it to those who worship him. The devil even had the audacity to try this deception on Jesus (Matthew 4:8-10). The truth is that God made the earth for the meek and without a doubt the meek will one day possess it.

“The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground” (Psalm 147:6). God certainly shows special favors to the meek.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Psalm 103:8-11: “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger forever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.”

Psalm 145: 8, 9: “The LORD is gracious , and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.”

I often find myself tempted to get stirred up in my spirit at people who are not considerate to others, especially people who are too pushy and want to control others. Thank God, I do not get aggressive and have learned to quickly take control of my spirit so my mouth does not react too badly.

God is so much more gracious with people’s offences than we are. However, we must all realize the danger of all forms of anger, whether it be violent or just mild and simmering. We must not let anger or disappointment hinder our prayers.

Prayer is one of the greatest needs of this hour and we must allow nothing to weaken or hinder it. To love the people of God with all their faults and failings is paramount.

One of the best ways to pour water on anger or offence is to pray for those who persecute us or offend us. This quickly sweetens our spirits.

Matthew 5:44 says: “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them at curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

Proverbs 14:29 says: “He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.”

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

One of his strategies is to get us into disunity with one another. Disunity pours buckets of cold water on our prayers, no matter how artfully they may be crafted, how fervently they may be spoken, or how long they may be said.

Effective prayer must be in the spirit of agreement. Jesus says in Matthew 18:19 states: “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” However, this powerful statement concerning united agreement in prayer must be seen in the context of the preceding verses (v. 15-17) where everything possible is done to restore broken fellowship with anyone and everyone who has trespassed against us.

In Matthew 5:21-26 Jesus speaks very strongly against all who angrily speak hatred and unloving words against their brothers and sisters in the Lord. Verse 24 exhorts us: “Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; FIRST be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”

We must earnestly make things right between each other before expecting God to accept our prayers, praises, or anything we seek to offer Him.

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Most believe it is Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. However, his condition is deteriorating rapidly whereas Hodgkin’s is usually slower. We hope to receive results today. We pray he will not need to have chemotherapy which would hinder his fertility. They are newly married and desperately long for children.

Isaiah, of similar age, is in the Trauma facility in the same hospital and miraculously recovering well from his near fatal car crash. We will leave soon to go up and visit them again today.

Our nightly prayer meetings still continue. We are now in our ninth week. Our eyes are upon Jesus Christ who bore all our sins and sicknesses on the cross. We believe for God’s miracle of healing for Arden.

All that has happened has caused us all to draw much closer to God. Even in the midst of so mu h crises, God holds up our spirits. Please continue to keep us all in your prayers at this time.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men who go to war with that kind of attitude should really stay at home. Cannot God give us a willing and zealous hearts for the good fight of faith? We have to come to a place where we actually enjoy the battle. In God, I believe that we can.

God’s battles are not for the nervous and faint-hearted. God’s battles deserve soldiers who are more than timid, complaining, griping whiners. This good fight of faith needs soldiers who will run like David did to slay the giants of sickness, disease, and all the evils of our time. There is no failure or shortage of strength to win the fight from God’s perspective.

Our attitude should never be, “How much more can we take?” We have been born again, not to cruise through life on soft, cushy beds of roses. Never. Perish the thought. “Through our God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies” (Psalm 108:13).

Our attitude should be, “Wow, how exciting is the battle. Bring it on, God.” “Because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

David’s mighty men of valor were certainly not men looking for a way out to escape the fight. No, a thousand times, no. Because of our faith relationship with Jesus, the mightiest Warrior of all, we can face the giants of cancer, damaged brains, and broken backs with willing zeal and inner joy.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

We usually begin the prayer meetings with encouraging words from F. F. Bosworth’s book, “Christ the Healer,” first written back in 1924. This book is a “must read” for all Christians. It is one of the most excellent treatises and study on this important subject.

Following a portion of the book, others share Scriptures, words of encouragement, and sometimes even dreams they have currently received. Even the children love to read words of Scripture. Following this we zero in on specific targets we are strongly concerned about who need healing.

We then turn on the worship songs through our P.A. system. We the love the worships songs that encourage us to rejoice in His power, love, and mercy to heal, no matter how bad the symptoms. During this time people are free to walk around, lift up holy hands, dance, sit, or lie prostrate before the Lord. During this time adults and children spontaneously lay hands on Arden. Mark 16:18 states ¨They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

This last Sunday night one of our grandsons, Isaiah Allison (Arden’s 20 year old adopted brother) was with us for the prayer meeting. While journeying home to his apartment in Franklin he had a very serious car crash. The car rolled and his head was crashed so many times and his left ear ripped off. It took them two hours to extract him from the car and he was air lifted to Vanderbilt hospital in Nashville. He is currently in an induced coma especially because of the swelling of the brain.

This has added much pressure upon the immediate family. Fortunately, we are told he has no bones broken and miraculously his life was spared. We have now seen pictures of the car. When it was taken to the Wreckers, the guy said that no one could live from that car.

God has given us a measure of peace and now our prayer times are ramped up even more than ever as we pray for two grandsons who both need a mighty miracle from God. Please pray and believe with us.

Our faith is indeed being tried in the furnace of affliction, but our God is faithful and His word is faithful. All His promises are Yes and Amen in Christ. And it is impossible for God to lie. Our desire is that our faith be purified and come forth as pure gold.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

We must fight against all negative statements that want to come out of our mouths. Our confession is the affirmation of biblical truth that we have embraced. However, we have to fight the enemy of our confession in order to maintain the continual affirmation of these biblical truths.

It is right and proper that we confess our sins to the Lord as well as our faults one to another so we can be forgiven and healed. 1 John 19: says: “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

James 5:16 says: “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.” Whatever God says He has accomplished for us at the cross we must confess the same thing. The enemy will always try to silence our confession and therefore we have to fight the fight of faith in order to say what God says.

The negative faults we have confessed and are forgiven are not our continual confession, but rather the positive, the edifying, forgiveness, and healing should be the constant confession of our mouths.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Just in case some may dislike the whole idea of fighting, this Scripture tells us it is a GOOD FIGHT! Some folks are laid back and would rather retreat from the battle. Others just love to get into the midst of the fight; they can’t help themselves.

However, not all fighting is good. If the fight has no spiritual value it is better for us to stay out of it and not get involved. Those who are always wanting to fight it out with someone would be better to spend time and energy fighting the GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH against the devil, instead of people.

Every Christian must get the revelation that we have all been called to fight. If we don’t stand up and fight the devil will win and cheat us out of our land of many promises. We must fight to maintain our confession of truth. All the promises of God hold within them “eternal life,” the abundant life, the dynamic spiritual life that we are to lay hold of (Ephesians 6:12).

Eternal life is not only futuristic or only for when we get to heaven. No, a thousand times no. This attitude tends to complacency. “Laying hold” in this context means “to seize and hold ground from the enemy.” The enemy does not have the power and authority to stop us from possessing and laying hold any promise from God, but he tries to trick us, deceive us, and resist us in every way possible. We must not let him cheat us. We must not allow him to fool us any longer, for greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

We have been called to fight. We will arise and fight. We will lay hold, grasp, snatch, and seize every square inch of the promises He has bequeathed to us by our inheritance in Christ.

Men, we need to ask ourselves: what promises are we fighting to lay hold of and possess today? Giving mental assent to truth is not good enough for it does not require much fighting We must get into the action of believing in our hearts and CONFESSING WITH OUR MOUTHS (Romans 10:9, 10). Only then will we possess ground.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

As New Testament believers in our heavenly Joshua (Jesus Christ) we are also possessing a promised land which is heavenly and with many “exceeding great and precious promises” ( 2 Peter 1:4) that are to be claimed and appropriated even while we are here on this earth marching towards our heavenly Zion. It is a far greater type than the earthly promised land.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Has not God given to us EXCEEDING GREAT AND PRECIOUS promises that by these promises we are able to escape the corruption that is in this world? Not only through immoral lusts, but also the corruption of spiritual attacks, e.g. fears, oppressions, depression, inferiorities, poverty, sickness, and diseases.

God has given us many amazing promises. The Bible is full of them. How sad it is that although we say we believe in the God of miracles, we miserably fail to demonstrate His miraculous power in our daily lives. Every promise of God remains static and ineffective until we act upon it by appropriating faith.

As parents we owe it to our children to teach them how to appropriate the promises of God. Every promise of God has a miraculous element to it. Every promise of God has a spiritual element to it. Every promise of God has to be appropriated, acquired, acted on, claimed, believed in, and fought for.

Passive believism is intellectual, mental assent that believes the promises, but does not fight for them in order to possess them. We may sing about them, such as “Standing on the Promises,” but singing alone, without active faith is static and dormant. We may even preach about them and yet still do nothing to appropriate them. It takes effort and the will to fight for the land of the promises.

And this is where God’s people hesitate. People may say, “Hasn’t Jesus fought the great battle for us at the cross? Indeed He has. Amen and Amen. But this does not exempt us from the warfare. We have to fight to take the ground Jesus fought Satan over in order to experience full salvation.

The devil does not want us to inherit all the promises Jesus won for us. He fights us all the way, and in every way, to deceive and cheat us out of our inheritance of all God’s amazing promises. But he has no authority to defeat us and we can push him back. We can overcome him by the blood of the Lamb.

Revelation 12:11 says: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

Are you a “possessing the promises” man?

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Jesus Christ is the author, founder, and instigator of everything we confess. Therefore we must be careful to say the exact same things He told us to say. We better not confess what He has not told us to speak about. All that we say as followers of Jesus Christ must align with what Jesus Christ said in His Word and what He is still saying today. His message has never changed for He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Jesus Christ has an unchangeable priesthood. Hebrews 7:24 says: “But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.” His message has not changed. He still wants all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).

When Peter went to the house of Cornelius the Gentile, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, he opened his mouth and spoke: “How 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.”

What Jesus did then, He still does today through those He has anointed. God the Father validated the words of Jesus with healing and miracles to reveal, as proof and evidence, that God was with Him. This has not changed to those who care enough to believe it. As much as we confess the power and authority of Jesus Christ to forgive repentant people of all their sins, even so must we confess His power to heal all those who are oppressed of the devil.

To those who confess that the age of miracles, signs, and wonders is over, it will be over for them, because they do not confess what Jesus said in Mark 16:15-18: “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. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

As the High Priest of our profession, Jesus said it to his disciples, and He continues saying it today. If we are not saying what He said, and may I add, all that He said, and are saying something different, then He is not the High Priest of our profession. And we must be false prophets.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, there is something terribly wrong if we do not confess with our mouths that Jesus was put to death, buried, and raised again the third day. I believe our confession of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection on our behalf should never be considered a onetime act, but rather a present continuous confession. In other words, we are to believe and keep on believing, as we confess and keep on confessing.

The word “confession” in the Greek is “homologeo.” It means to agree and confess what another is saying and in this instance that other person is Jesus Christ Himself.

Hebrews 4;14: “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession (homologeo).”

Hebrews 10:23 says: “Let us hold fast the profession (homologeo) of our faith without wavering.”

Whenever we have the opportunity we must not be ashamed to confess our faith. To be ashamed reveals that is something very wrong with our believing. But this is just the beginning. We are to believe and confess all of God’s promises to us. This is the only way we can appropriate all the good things God has provided for us.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Unfortunately, many in the church continue to confess unbelief and negativity because they do not let God's Word dwell in them richly. Because of this failure to let the written words of God dwell in us richly we allow the enemy to fill us with doubts, fears, and negatives that do not profit us or anyone listening to us. In doing this we unintentially take sides with the devil by confessing all the fears, worries, and anxieties with which he loves to fill our hearts and souls.

We who call ourselves Christian need to take stock of what we confess to one another. As the day of Christ's coming draws ever nearer we are to exhort and encourage one another with life-giving speech from the Word of God (Hebrews 10:25). It's only God's Word that has the power to lift us up our of despair and heaviness of heart and mind.

Sad to say, most Christians have very little understanding of this truth. They would die quickly if they fed their bodies the same miserable diet they feed their souls.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Obedience to every word of Christ is paramount to our success in spiritual warfare. Every parent is blessed if they have compliant and obedient children to their parental authority. How grieving when children choose to be defiant and disobedient.

God speaks through Isaiah the prophet in Isaiah 1:2: “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.”

In response to their disobedience He continues: “When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear . . . If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it” (read Isaiah 1:15-20).

Men, we need to take stock of our obedience to Christ. God does not approve of grudging obedience. He wants us to give Him willing obedience.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 states: “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 bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

What evidence do we display before God and our fellowman that we are indeed people of faith? Hebrews 11:1 calls faith a “substance” and an “evidence.” Do we demonstrate in our lives that we believe in things that as yet we do not see with our natural eyes?

We believe we are saved through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We believe that our sins are atoned by the shedding of His blood. I believe the difference between people of faith and the people who are not of faith is the substance and evidence of a changed lifestyle. A big part of this changed lifestyle is a changed confession.

Psalm 116:10 states: “I believed, therefore have I spoken.” Also confirmed again in 2 Corinthians 4:13: “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken: we also believe, and therefore speak.”

Our faith is revealed by our confession. Romans 10:9, 10 states: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

The word saved is “sozo” which means full salvation--saved, healed, delivered, preserved, protected, and made whole. It is the same word Jesus used when he healed the people and they were “made whole” from that moment.

Considering our faith is revealed by our confession, why do we so readily quote Isaiah 53:5 “With his stripes we are healed” and at the same time confess our sicknesses? This is an opposing confession.

James 3:10 says: “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell