Further to my post below, I am sure you will be blessed by the words of this hymn by Thomas O. Chisholm, which was published in 1897. We sang it together at our Family Devotions this morning.
Oh! to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
Refrain:
Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
Oh! to be like Thee, full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand’ring sinner to find.
Oh! to be like Thee, lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer, others to save.
Oh! to be like Thee, Lord, I am coming,
Now to receive th’ anointing divine;
All that I am and have I am bringing,
Lord, from this moment all shall be Thine.
Oh! to be like Thee, while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love,
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.
Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs
1 John 3:2 says, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." It appears to me that unless we seek to be like Him in this present world there is a strong possibility that we shall not see Him as He is in the next world.
The other thought that occurs to me is that we can only see Him as He really is when we have our resurrection bodies. In other words, these fallen earthly bodies have serious limitations and are not capable of seeing Him in the fullness of His glory.
The Apostle John states in Revelation 1:17, "And when I saw him, I fell at his feed as dead."
God spoke to Moses in Exodus 33;20, "For there shall no man see me, and live."
1 John 3:3 says, "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he [Christ] is pure."
The Scriptures teach us in Hebrews 12:10 that "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord."
Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heard, for they shall see God."
Men, we have to admit that much of our present so-called Christianity that is accepted by man does not represent Christ at all. We must cleanse ourselves from everything that does not represent His purity and righteousness.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
1 John 3:2-3 says, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God . . . and every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure."
As born again Christians, we are the sons of God right now. As such, we should be living and acting as sons of God. Even while Jesus was only a child, He knew who He was. Jesus says in Luke 2:49-50, "Why is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be bout my Father's business? But they did not understand the words which he spoke to them." Perhaps we do not understand the ramifications that go with being "sons of God."
Sonship has everything to do with being about our Father's business. Romans 8:19 says, "For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God." And Romans 8:22-23 says "For we know that the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs together unto now . . . eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body."
Before His resurrection, Jesus lived His life on earth as the son of God. We look forward to the resurrection but here and now we also live as true sons of God on this earth.
Be encouraged.
COLIN CAMPBELL
Men, the true sons of God will tune themselves to be led by the Spirit of God. Romans 8:14 says, "For as many as a led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." I believe we should make it our highest priority to learn and understand what it means to be led by the Spirit of God.
If we are going to be successful for God in our manhood and fatherhood we will of necessity need to discern between what is the voice of the Lord and the voice of our own logic and reason. Human logic and reasoning triumphed over Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Sad to say, logic and reason still triumphs over the voice of the Holy Spirit in many believers today. This includes our parenting; having children verses contraception, sterilization, and abortion; state education of our children, discipline, etc.
In all areas of our lives we are privileged to be led by the Holy Spirit, not only in religious matters. We men must also teach our children this great truth.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
Today we start a new series.
Men the true sons of God are those who seek to be the bearers of the likeness and image of God. Whatever the Father is about, whatever His business is about, the true sons of God are right there. They are involved with all their heart. Even as Jesus, the Son of His Father confessed "I must be about my Father's business" (Luke 2:49).
The true sons of God realize the privilege of their relationship with the Father and do not take it for granted. Their Father is the maker and upholder of the universe and all that it contains. Their Father is exceedingly special. He is the Father of all fathers, the God of all gods, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. What a great Father we have.
It is our privilege to be intensely devoted to Him. We must, by the power of the Holy Spirit, resist every temptation to fail in our affection towards Him. On the contrary, let us make every endeavor to be the most loving, grateful, and affectionate son that our Heavenly Father could possibly have.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
We are continuing to look at Psalm 23:6, "And I shall abide in the house of the Lord forever." Men, holiness preaching that comes from a fervent heart that longs to please our Holy God is the appropriate message for this hour. However, this message also comes with a love for our fellow man who is flawed by a sinful nature, but seeks to lead them to the Only One who is truly able to set them free.
John the Baptist's ministry was to the nation of Israel prior to the first manifestation of Christ's ministry on earth (Mathew 3:1-3). His ministry to Israel, who regarded themselves as God's people, could be summed up in the words, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (v. 2). This same message is to be preached again prior the second advent of Christ coming back to reign in this world (Malachi 4:5-6). This great and dreadful day of the Lord is yet to come.
John the Baptist's ministry was certainly a partial fulfillment of Malachi 4:5-6 and those today, like Israel, who regard themselves as God's people also need to repent if they wish "to live in the house of the Lord forever." This requires preparation and repentance.
If the hearts of the fathers needed to be turned back to the children and vice versa back in John the Baptist's day, how much more in this hour?
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
Men, we must not excuse sin by an unbalanced doctrine of grace. We do ourselves a lot of harm by not taking a strong stand against all sin, whether physical, mental, or spiritual.
There are some preachers who are in error because of their desire to correct the unloving, judgmental, and "hell-fire and brimstone" preachers of the past who revealed no evidence of the love of God. This love was revealed through Jesus when He spoke to the woman taken in adultery (John 8:3-12) and also the Samaritan woman at the well who had five husbands and the one she was living with was not her husband (John 4:7-30). Unfortunately they have swung the balance in the other direction which is also a great deception which I believe, according to Scripture, is just as wrong as the other.
Paul makes it clear in 1 Corinthians 6:9, "Know ye not that the unrighteous SHALL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."
Jesus also said in Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
Men, we want to dwell in God's house, but can God feel at home in our house? It is our awesome responsibility as fathers to teach our children the absolute importance of how to keep their bodies internally clean as a fit dwelling place for the Holy Spirit to abide.
Each one of our children have been birthed into this world for the primary purpose of expressing the likeness and image of God as revealed in the life of Jesus Christ, who bore the exact image of God. The image and likeness of God cannot be revealed in us, or in our children, if our hearts (spirits), souls (minds) and bodies are internally unclean.
We know how important it is to keep our external body clean, washed, and smelling fresh. Why do we not put even more importance on the inside where the Holy Spirit of God wants to feel comfortable and at home within us? We would not want to live in a haunted house where ghosts and unclean spirits scare the living daylights out of us. Why, therefore, do we expect the Holy Spirit to be comfortable with what we allow in our inner being?
In our future home called heaven there will be no cinemas or TV sets pumping out R-rated or even questionable PG movies or dubious literature that does nothing to promote the purity with which the Holy Spirit is comfortable.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
It is not just the church building, or even the gathering together of God's people to worship, where we should sense the presence of God. The New Testament house of the Lord is each and every one of us, no matter where we are.
Each one of our homes should be a house of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 6:19 says, "What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own." Wherever we are, we are privileged to dwell in the "house of the Lord."
The following verse, v.20 states, "For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."
Before we were converted to Christ our body was our own house, but now that we have been bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, our body has become the house of the Lord. We are indeed blessed to cohabitate with the Lord in our body that belongs to Him. This is a priceless treasure that should motivate us to CLEAN OUR HOUSE of everything, great or small. Anything that would in the slightest grieve the indwelling Holy Spirit or make Him feel uncomfortable in our lives.
Fathers, we must teach our children the absolute importance of having a clean house for God to dwell in.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
Colin wrote this post in hospital the night before his surgery to clear a 95% plus blocked artery, stopping the blood flowing to his brain, and I brought it home from the hospital last night. I am sure he will write more now he is recovering. Nancy
Psalm 23: 6 says, "And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." David was the sheep of Psalm 23, testifying to the amazing characteristics of His personal Shepherd. At the conclusion of his testimony he confesses the he will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. David had a great love for the close presence of God in his life. In many of David's psalms he mentions that He desires that God would come to him, comfort him, and deliver him from his enemies.
He says in Psalm 27:9, "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple."
What a blessing for our children to have fathers who, like David, love the presence of God and make His presence their number one desire. It is recorded in the gospels how children loved the presence of Jesus who took them up on His knees and blessed them.
How wonderful it is for children to feel the presence of God in and around their father.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
Because God is such a good and merciful God, it stands to reason that we who profess to follow Him should also be the same. Christian fathers and mothers should be the most good and merciful of all parents on the face of the earth. The Spirit of God is ever seeking to conform us into the same image of our Great Shepherd of the sheep. How can our children observe the day to day goodness and mercy of the Lord if they cannot see it demonstrated through us?
We have to admit that many Christian families are as broken and messed up as the families of the world. In Matthew 5:7 Jesus said, "Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy." Without a doubt, we all want to receive God's mercy in abundance. But, is it not a paradox when we are so stingy at showing mercy towards our own loved ones?
Fathers, let us be known for our lavish and spontaneous goodness and mercy. If we feel we are falling short of God's goodness and mercy, let us ask ourselves, How much goodness and mercy am I showing to others around me?
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
Men, God has called us to be men of goodness. We must apply ourselves to show goodness and mercy towards all our loved ones, not just once in a awhile, but "all the days" of our life. The great Shepherd daily provides for us in so may different ways. As we daily abide in Him, He constantly answers our prayers and provides us with our daily bread.
We can do good things to our own families in a thousand different ways. It is a good thing to just look at your family, every day, with love in your eyes and smile at them. It is good to speak lovingly and kindly to your wife and family on a daily basis. It is a good thing to be ever ready to encourage them regularly. It is a good thing to sympathize with them when they need it. It is a good thing to just be there for them when your presence can bring a sense of security and well being.
We must be good men with an ever ready shoulder to cry on and ever ready to be a good listener.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
Psalm 23:6 says, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life."
Men, as under shepherds of the Great Shepherd, each one of our families should have the same testimony as the Psalm 23 sheep experienced. The word "surely" is a very positive word and means, "Without doubt, most certainly, you can bank on it as a fact" that "goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life."
The question we may ask is, Why are so many Christian families torn apart and so far from the above standard? The reason is that many fathers, through ignorance of the truth as well as sub-standard role models or mentors, have lost the art of fathering. They have no vision of being shepherd fathers characterized by the Psalm 23 Shepherd. Without doubt, biblical fatherhood is all about shepherding God's sheep with goodness and mercy.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
Ephesians 5:18 says, "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
The Holy Spirit responds to us in the atmosphere of prayer, praise, and worship. Singing the truths of Scripture is indeed a form of speaking to one another. As we vocally worship Jesus Christ, we also minister to one another. This in turn encourages others around us to do the same.
The Holy Spirit came in power at Pentecost in the midst of a wonderful unified prayer meeting (Acts 2:1-4).
After being persecuted the disciples did not complain. Instead they prayed. And what happened? The place was shaken and they were all "filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness" (Acts 4:31).
Prayer, praise, and worship will create an atmosphere in your home where the whole family can be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit-filled life will make us dangerous to the devil and very useful to God. If we are not filled with the Holy Spirit we become pushovers, weak, and easily defeated.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
In John 7:38-39 Jesus said, "He that believed on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive.)" The fullness of the indwelling Holy Spirit is the main reason for this "running over cup" experience.
Men, as fathers it is important that we who claim to have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, should be manifesting this overflowing cup experience, especially for the sake of our wives and children. It is only when our cup is overflowing that others will be blessed. It is not good that we retain the blessings of God to ourselves.
Our Heavenly Father has not kept the blessings of His kingdom to Himself but gives over and over again, despite all our unworthiness. We often sing Annie Johnson Flint's hymn...
His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.
Fathers, we must also set this same example of overflowing goodness so that our children will follow in our steps.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
"My cup runneth over" (Psalm 23:5). This cup represents the lifestyle of the sheep of this great caring Shepherd. The "running over" cup speaks of the abundant blessings that are experienced in the cup life of this sheep.
Men, our great Shepherd has more than enough blessings for each one of us, as well as our wife and family. He does not want us to have anything less than a "running over" cup experience. It reflects negatively on His ministry of being a Good Shepherd when we, His sheep, are "down in the mouth," morbid, unfulfilled, sick, and diseased instead of running over with the joy of the Lord.
As fathers and shepherds of our families it is most important that we take stock of ourselves and our families to see whether or not our cups are empty, half full, or running over. One of the great reasons why the sheep in Psalm 23:5 experiences an over flowing cup is that the anointing was daily poured on its head by the great Shepherd.
Acts 154:32 says "The disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost." Is this the testimony of your family life?
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
2 Corinthians 2:15 says, "For we are unto God a sweet smelling savor of Christ." Real men can be rugged and sweet at the same time.
Exodus 31:23 sys, "Take unto thee principle spices (the best spices), of pure myrrh . . . and of sweet cinnamon . . . and of sweet calamus . . . and of cassia." The point is that our Lord Jesus Christ is anointed with the best spices and we are also anointed in Him with these best spices.
Cinnamon and calamus were sweet spices. Because of this, we of all people, should be the sweetest for our Lord Jesus Christ is most sweet.
Psalm 34:8, "O taste and see that the Lord is good."
Psalm 19:10, "The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb". The reason God's judgments are sweeter than honey is because they are anointed with this sweet anointing oil for Exodus 30:26 tells us that the ark of the testimony which contained the law had to be anointed. This anointing is not for unbelievers, but only for God's people who were priests.
The whole world desperately needs sweet, yet manly fathers. This anointing makes it possible. Father, you are the priest of your home and your wife and children should be blessed by your sweetness.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
Fathers, we need to be so strongly anointed as shepherds of our families that the anointing will flow down from us to anoint the heads of each one of our children.
In Exodus 30:22-33 we are told about the composition of the original anointing oil, along with special instructions of how it was to be used. We can learn much from this concerning the anointing of the Holy Spirit that was upon our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, who was typified by the Old Testament High Priest, Aaron, as well as his garments which typified the whole priesthood.
The Levitical priesthood typified all New Testament believers who are called priests and kings in Revelation 1:6.
Psalm 133:2 mentions the precious ointment (anointing oil) upon the head of Aaron that ran down upon the beard and upon the skirts of his garments. We are told in Colossians 1:18 that Christ is the head (Great High Priest) of the body (the church, the general priesthood represented by the High Priest's garments). When the body is dwelling in unity the anointing oil flows down from the Head of the High Priest, over his beard and down to his body garments.
Anointed fathers raise anointed children. As shepherds, we anoint the heads of each of our children as we walk together in unity.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
"The one concern of the devil is to keep the saints from prayer. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray."
~ Samuel Chadwick
Why don't we pray more?
I will now continue my series on Biblical Fatherhood.
Psalm 23:5 says, "Thou anointest my head with oil." The Bedouin shepherds of the Middle East evidently anointed the heads of their sheep, possibly to stop parasites and ticks or as a healing balm for wounds caused by the sun or insects.
Men, As God's shepherds, we also need to have anointed heads. We also need to anoint the heads of our family. The head is the place where we think and from where we speak, see, and hear. Therefore, it is imperative that our heads are anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit.
If the enemy of our souls can invade our heads, he can effectively destroy our usefulness for God in this world. It is the anointing that the devil cannot stand. The anointing provides us with protection and power.
To be continued.
Be encouraged,
Colin Campbell