It's a rainy day here in Tennessee today, but still beautiful as all the fresh green leaves are filling the trees after the bareness of winter. And it's cozy inside our home. What a blessing it is to have a home. It's our sanctuary. Our place of rest. I recently read the word, "homeness" in one of George McDonald's books. Don't you like that word? I'm going to add it to my vocabulary. It conjures up so many loving and warm thoughts and memories.
God feels like this about our homes too, I was reading in Ezekiel 34 about Israel coming back to their homeland. God says, "I will bring them back to their own country; they shall have pasture on the hill-sides of Israel, by its watercourses, in the RESTING-PLACES OF THEIR HOME... a blessed people in a BLESSED HOME."
God wants our home to be a place where He can rest, and where we as a family can rest. Of course that doesn't mean to say we are not all working hard, but we are doing it in an atmosphere of rest, not tension and strife. Let's deal with anything that disturbs our "resting place" (Proverbs 24:15 and Jeremiah 50:6).
Make "homeness" the atmosphere of your home.
Love from Nancy
Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs
How many anxieties are you carrying today, dear mother? Lots of cares? Or just one little worry? Did you know that you don't have to carry even one worry around with you? It's a great waste of time, because your worrying won't help pour situation one tiny bit. You know the quote which says, "Worry is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere.”
Trust in the Lord instead of dwelling on your anxieties. God is much better at sorting them out than you are! You can throw the whole weight of your cares upon Him. 1 Pater 5:7 says, "Casting ALL your care upon him; for He careth for you."
Did you notice that it doesn't say "some cares," but ALL of them?
Love from Nancy
I am always grateful in my heart, but I am so glad that we make TWO SPECIAL TIMES every day when we take time out from our busy lives to come into the presence of the Lord, to hear His Word, and speak to Him. These times are our morning and evening Family Devotions. It seems to me that it is the VERY VERY LEAST that we can give to God.
When we each have a turn to pray, I am so glad for the opportunity to thank God again, OUT LOUD, for His great salvation and that Jesus was willing to take upon Himself my sin and the sin of the world. I don't think that we will ever, with our finite minds, be able to comprehend the enormity of the great salvation that has been given to us. Even our morning and evening devotions in this life are not enough to thank Him. And it will take all eternity to give honor to the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world.
May our lives be worthy of His dying for us. To have this in our hearts throughout the day will make a difference to us personally and to how we live and act in our home. But, make sure you have your SPECIAL TIMES in your family, too.
Love from Nancy
Like a shepherd of sheep, we as mothers are shepherding the little flock God has given to us. A shepherd must be both BRAVE as he protects his sheep from wild animals and enemies and TENDER as he personally cares for them. We too, must be both brave and tender.
We must be brave and courageous to rescue our children from all attack of the enemy. Think of David who when a bear or a lion would get one of his little lambs, he would strike down the animal and rescue the lamb out of its mouth! And if the lion or bear reared its head against him, he'd grab it by the throat and beat it to death! (1 Samuel 17:34-37). That's bravery! Nothing would get one of his little lambs!
What about us? Today the enemy is seducing and infiltrating the minds of our precious young children with humanism, feminism, socialism, and every other "ism" (and now even the stronger and stronger influence of the homosexual agenda) in our state schools. Are we happy for them to be controlled by the mouths of the lion? Or are we fearless and daring enough to rescue our lambs out of their deceiving and destructive mouth?
Love from Nancy
The prayer of Jabez has become one of the most popular prayers of the Bible, and yes, it is a wonderful prayer to pray for our lives. One of the requests Jabez makes is that God will "ENLARGE HIS COAST" (1 Chronicles 4:10). What do you think he is really asking for? Surely, he doesn't want more land and a larger house just for the sake of it. He knows that God would not give that to him unless there was a purpose for enlarging.
Our God is not a miserly God. He has a huge heart. His heart is always for ENLARGING, INCREASING, AND MULTIPLYING. It's very interesting the this word "enlarge" is exactly the same Hebrew word that God uses when He gave His very first command to mankind, "Be fruitful, MULTIPLY, and replenish the earth"(Genesis 1:28). It is "rabah" and is translated 227 times in the Old Testament by such words as "enlarge, exceedingly, increase, many, multiply, plenteous." This is God's language. It was also the heart of Jabez, and because Jabez had a heart like God's heart, "God granted him that which he requested."
It is the same Hebrew word when God says, "ENLARGE the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles" (Isaiah 54:2-3).
Like Jabez, is your heart for increasing, enlarging, and multiplying? Do your prayers line up with God's heart?
Love from Nancy
Yesterday my daughter, Mercy didn't have to go to work so she went over to spend the day with Serene and the children. At the dinner table last night she shared how it was such a FUN day with all the children. "It was a laugh a minute," she said, "with all their funny antics and the things they say. Children are the best entertainment." Isn't it so true? How sad that many miss out on so much joy because they don't want children? They have been robbed of knowing the joys and blessings of children.
Here's just one of the things Mercy shared with us:
Shepherd: "I don't want to be a girl."
Serene: "Why?"
Shepherd: "Because girls lay babies."
I think they must have too many chickens around their house!
Love from Nancy
Recently we talked about sibling fighting. One of our readers wrote to me something that blessed her and I am going to share it with you, too.
"Right now, we've got six children living in a hotel room, and we're crowded to say the least (we're relocating and looking for a new home). Sometimes, the fights break out faster than I can stop them, and the noise and chaos overwhelms me, at which point I lose it.
This morning, my husband prayed over me, and today has been SO much easier! The children's behavior is the same, it's MY heart that's at peace. When I'm calmer, the children are calmer. This morning started out the same old same old, but as we go on, they're calming down now that they see Mommy isn't going to be the she-beast she was yesterday."
Have you thought of asking your husband to pray over you each morning? He is your covering. Ask him to ask God, as your covering, to fill you with His peace, anointing, and power as you spend another day nurturing and teach your children.
Love from Nancy
Some mothers have written in and asked what to do about whining children. They share that they've tried everything and the children still whine!
This is certainly a habit we need to break in their lives while they are young. As mothers we are training our children for their future and for their marriage one day. It sure won't help them to be successful in life if they have a complaining attitude. It can actually destroy their lives, and their future marriage. Who wants to live with a complaining wife? It was whining that destroyed the Israelites and kept the Israelites out of the Promised Land (Read 1 Corinthians 10:9-10).
Here's a few things to think about.
1. Pray over your child or children. Every night when they are asleep, you and your husband go into their room and pray over them. In the power of the name of Jesus break this whining spirit over your child. Pray that God will pour into their heart a grateful and happy attitude. Prayer is powerful. Never use it as a last resort. Always pray first!
2. Choose some Scriptures about being thankful for Memory Verses. Are you teaching your children to memorize the Scriptures? I believe that God's Word has the power to fill up that which is lacking in our children's lives. Whenever my children had a weakness in their life, I would fill it up with God's Word.
When God sent the plagues upon the Egyptians, one of the plagues was "pitch darkness, so thick, they could feel it" For three days no one moved in Egypt! And yet, "the children of Israel had light in their dwellings" (Exodus 10:21-23).
I don't know about you, but I feel the thick darkness of evil encroaching upon us more and more. But, in the midst of evil, God wants our homes to be FILLED WITH LIGHT! Eradicate every tiny bit of darkness from your home and let God come in and fill every room with His light. Speak prophetically God's life-giving, miracle-working words, "Let there be light," into every person and every room in your home. Pray and believe for a LIGHT FILLED HOME!
What a powerful impact against evil when all God-believing homes become LIGHTHOUSES, filled with the light of God, and shining out His truth and love to everyone in their neighborhood.
Love from Nancy
I was devastated to hear yesterday that my native country of New Zealand legalized same sex marriage. One comment says, "This means we can feel safe and fair and right in calling each other wife and wife." This statement blatantly denounces God, our Creator, who created "male and female." Anything apart from a "male and female" marriage is an affront to God and an "abomination" in His sight.
New Zealand is the 13th country in the world to legalize same sex marriage. Nine states in the US recognize it. May God save us from any more.
In this time when gross darkness is coming upon the earth, we must rise and shine with the light of God. We must not be ashamed of God's truth for everything else is deception and ends in ultimate destruction. God's way is the only way that works.
Isaiah 60:1-2 says, "Arise shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee."
Keep shining and holding up the banner of God's truth. It is the light that exposes the darkness.
Love from Nancy
Some time ago, one of our Facebook readers (a mother of five children) wrote,
"If I chose to be single, I believe my impact would have been far greater for the kingdom."
I can't agree with this statement. It is not the natural inclination to be single, but if that is what one chooses, or God directs, that's great, and those in this situation should use their singleness for the glory of God.
It is true, as the Bible says, that when you have a husband your attention will be given to him. On the other hand, it is the rare person who chooses singleness. All hanker to be married because that is how God instinctively created us. It is rare to find a woman who is still single who doesn't long to be married. It is a natural and God-given desire.
And yes, I agree that singles can bring forth spiritual children, but, is she saying that marrieds cannot bring forth spiritual children? This is a strange statement, for we should all be seeking to bring others to Christ, whether we are single or married. My original plan was to be a single missionary (until I met Colin and fell in love and got married!), but I found I had more opportunity to witness as a mother (interacting with other mothers and families) than I did when I was single.
Now here's the real truth. Married couples have a DOUBLE BANGER! They can bring forth natural children AND they can bring forth spiritual children. Plus, their natural children will grow up to bring forth spiritual children, so they are going to end up with MORE SPIRITUAL CHILDREN, with natural children besides! How amazing!
She also says,
"The problem here is in understanding the difference between the two kingdoms of God. The first kingdom, being a natural one, needed blood descendants. But the second kingdom, being a spiritual kingdom, emphasizes spiritual descendants."
Oh my, you can't even have a spiritual kingdom without the natural descendents first, because God's spiritual kingdom consists of people! Jesus did not come to die for spirits only, but for people!
And God never negates the commands He has already given in the Old Testament, the very first command to married couples being to be fruitful and multiply. I do not believe that any of the early believers in the New Testament church would be limiting children and using birth control.
I believe we can further our work for the kingdom by bringing God's children into the world and training them for God. All our children are serving the Lord and have taken the gospel to countries to which I have not even been. I have influenced thousands for the kingdom in this nation and countries I have never been to through my children, which would not have happened if they had not come into the world.
In fact, the more children we have, the more possibility of impacting the world for God. The less of the godly seed in the land, the less revelation of God. The more godly seed in the land, the more revelation of God--more righteousness, more influence against evil, and the more the gospel will be shared and revealed.
If we are married, let's be DOUBLE BANGERS.
Love from Nancy
In the book of Micah 2:9 NET it tells us, "You wrongly evict widows among my people from their cherished homes. You defraud their children of their PRIZED INHERITANCE."
God created the home for children to be nurtured and raised. It is their "prized inheritance" and not meant to be taken from them.
God's plan is for the home; the devil's alternative is daycare!
Love from Nancy
Are you at a low ebb in your life? Do you feel you are in a dark dungeon? Please don't despair! Even in the lowest pit, God has not forgotten you.
Jeremiah was in a literal dungeon, sinking in the mire. They didn't want him to live. But, there is no low place too low for God to come. Cry out to the Lord as Jeremiah did, "Waters flowed over my head; I said, 'I am cut off!' I called on Your name, O Lord, out of LOWEST PIT. You have heard my voice, 'Do not hide Your ear from my prayer for relief, from my cry for help.' You DREW NEAR when I called on You; You said, 'DO NOT FEAR'" (Lamentations 3:53-57 NASB).
Don't look around at the dark dungeon that seems to enclose upon you. Look up to the Lord and cry out to Him. When you turn your eyes to Him, He will draw near to you. He will whisper to you, "Do not fear." He will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5-6). He is with you even when you cannot feel His presence. Trust Him.
Love from Nancy
What will you be doing in your home today as you mother your children?
You will be caring, comforting, consoling, cheering, counseling, encouraging, feeding, guarding, guiding, leading, loving, nurturing, nourishing, praying, protecting, teaching, training, succoring, strengthening and sweetening.
What a beautiful full time career! Each one of these are powerful and anointed roles that come from the heart of God. You couldn't be doing anything more powerful. You couldn't be involved in a greater ministry than revealing the heart of God as you prepare your children for this life and eternity.
Be encouraged and inspired today, dear mother.
Love from Nancy
God is a dwelling God. He lived and walked amongst the children of Israel. God said, "I walked in a tent and in a tabernacle" (2 Samuel 7:6).
Isn't that amazing? Now, He comes to live in your heart. He also wants to live in and walk in your home, too. He is with you in your kitchen as you prepare your meals and feed your children. He is with you as you change diapers, clean house, and nurture and train your children.
He wants to be part of everything you are doing. He wants to fill your home with His presence.
Are you letting Him come into EVERY room of your home? Can He feel comfortable in your home? Is your home His resting place?
The more God fills your home, the more it will be filled with light and all traces of darkness will scatter.
Love from Nancy
P.S. Wonderful Scripture for you to look up: Exodus 10:21-23; 25:8; 29:45-46; Leviticus 26:11-12; 1 Kings 6:12-13; 2 Chronicles 6:14; Psalm 132:13-15; Ezekiel 36:26-28; Zechariah 2:10; John 14:16-18, 23; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 6:16-18; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:27 Revelation 3:20 and 21:3.
Colin and I have just returned from a funeral of a mother of some dear friends of ours. I love to hear about people's lives at funeral services. I think every funeral service should be a CELEBRATION of a person's life, don't you? A close friend of the family got up and shared how he had a LABEL on this woman. It was the label of KINDNESS. What a wonderful testimony to have over your life. This was reiterated by many others.
And the best speech of the day was little grandson Seth who got up and spoke about his grandmother. He had to be held up to look over the lectern, but he spoke with animation and boldness.
"She was so KIND to me," he said. "She was kind to everyone. She loved me and I loved her. And she loved everyone." What a great eulogy.
I wonder if people could give the testimony of the label of KINDNESS over our lives?
Love from Nancy
Are you wondering how you will get through today? You didn't get much sleep last night. You feel as though you have no energy. Dear mother, don't trust in yourself, but trust in God. HE IS YOUR STRENGTH.
It's amazing how we can be worn out and tired at the end of the day and feel our strength has finished. But, GOD COMES EACH NEW DAY TO MAKE US STRONG. He doesn't give us strength for tomorrow, for the next week, or even the next month. He gives us strength FOR TODAY!
Isaiah 33:2 says, "Lord, show us favor; we hope in you. BE OUR STRENGTH EVERY MORNING." Can you say, Amen?
That's another reason why it is important to have Morning and Evening Devotions each day as a family. We are strengthened as we come to Him in the morning, and we give praise for His strength, faithfulness, protection, and provision each evening. A Sunday service is not enough to last you through the week. You have to come to Him to receive your strength EACH NEW MORNING!
Love from Nancy
"And tho' this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us;
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us."
~ Martin Luther
Has someone insulted you? Ridiculed you for having more than 1.8 children per family? Sneered at you for homeschooling? Or hurt you to the core by the words they have spoken?
What do you do? Get mad? Feel sorry for yourself? Want to retaliate? Yes, that's how we often feel. But what did Jesus do? 1 Peter 2:23 NASB says that "When He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously."
The NLT says, "He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly."
This is what we have to do. Leave our case in the hands of God. Don't let any insulting words disturb your spirit. Bless the people who hurt you and commit it God. You can leave in HIs hands. He will work in their hearts in His time. Our role is to keep a sweet spirit.
Love from Nancy
Childhood prepares for adulthood, and for eternity. Therefore, what a great responsibility we have as parents. We play a big part in not only preparing our children's future lives but what kind of marriage they will endure or enjoy. The parent/child relationship also prepares them for a relationship with their heavenly Father. It is often more difficult for those who have not known true love and justice from an earthly father, to understand the nature of our Heavenly Father.
I think too, that if a child does not learn to obey his or her earthly parents, they will find it more difficult to obey their Heavenly Father. Jesus said in Matthew 7:21, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."
When children learn to do the will of their earthly parents (as long as it is not ungodly admonition), they practice and learn how to do will of their heavenly Father. We are not teaching our children to obey only for our benefit, but how to obey their heavenly Father. We realize how important this is for our children when we understand that it's not those who say the right words, but those who actually do the will of the Father who will enter the heavenly kingdom. And we want our children to enter God's eternal kingdom, don't we?
Love from Nancy