Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

Men, we are living in days of great compromise of truth. Political correctness is an excuse for denying the truth. Where are the men who have the guts to speak the truth? Where are the men of backbone who refuse political correctness because it compromises the truth? Our nation and our world languishes for men who have back bone enough to declare right from wrong.

Political correctness compromises the truth because of partisan spirit. Often men will speak only that which brings in the most money. In other words, they speak what they being paid to speak. Men often speak that which will bring in the most votes and it doesn't matter to them whether what they say is the truth, partial truth, or the whole truth.

Spineless men are killing this country on the altars of lies, deception, and corruptness. We are sick to the death with all the lies coming from slick politicians, slick professors, and slick pastors who have not go the intestinal fortitude to speak the truth.

IT'S HIGH TIME FOR MEN WITH REAL BACKBONE TO SPEAK UP FOR THE CROWN OF TRUTH.

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

David confesses in Psalm 40:1 says, "I waited patiently for the Lord." Jesus tells the story in Matthews 21:30 of the guy who said, "I go, sir: and went not."

Men, we must be patient with one another. We must be patient with our wife and children. We are also exhorted many times in the Scriptures to "wait patiently for the Lord."

Patience is a virtue of love that many of us men lack (1 Corinthians 13: 4). We need patience especially when we hear someone is speaking false rumors about someone we love, or even false accusations about ourselves.

I am quick to react and have learned too often that I only made things worse, especially when my impatience caused me to act too quickly in anger. It has taken me a long time to learn that it is far better to take some time to cool down a notch or two, gather all the facts possible, and pray for wisdom that comes from above. James 3Z:17 says, "But the wisdom that is from above is FIRST pure and peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."

On the other hand, patience is often used as an excuse for procrastination, which is simply putting off an action that should be taken at the appropriate time. For example, a child needs to be disciplined, but the parents procrastinate because of being overly patient or tolerant. This is not godly patience. Do not be deceived. Loving and appropriate spanking is ordained of God and the child is often abused for the lack of it. This is a time proven fact that is clearly mentioned in the divinely inspired Word of God.*

Godly parents who genuinely love their children will not be child abusers by using the rod when it is deemed appropriate discipline. Using the rod is a proof that the parents loves his child (Hebrews 12:5-8).

We procrastinate in many different ways. We procrastinate by not witnessing and sharing the way of salvation with others. We procrastinate about reading God's Word, as well as prayer. In fact, in every area of life and in every decision we make, we can keep on putting it off for another time. Don't offer the excuse that you are just being patient. Being a laid back person can be an excuse for procrastination.

The reason why so many things are not done, or remain uncompleted, is because of weakness or procrastination.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

SCRIPTURES REGARDING DISCIPLINE:`
* Read Proverbs 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 23:13; 29:15, 17.

Men, THIS IS OUR MOMENT. Other men before us have had their opportunity to take their stand for what was right in their generation. Some did well and seized the moment of opportunity and now have their names added to the list of those who will receive the words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord" (Matthew 25:21).

In this passage in Matthew 25, two of the servants doubled what their master gave them and one, through a wrong attitude towards his master, hid his and received no reward. Instead, he received severe rebuke and judgment from his master. He was called a "wicked and slothful servant" (verse 26) and "unprofitable" and was cast into darkness where there will be "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (verse 30).

This is a sober warning to us to not waste the gifts and talents God gives us. According to our ability, whether finances, giftings and abilities, we must not let anything hinder or distract us from at least doubling the investment God has given us. As men who seize the moment, we must make profit of that which has been invested in us for Christ's kingdom.

There is a huge different between actually being involved in the game, be it football or any other sport, than being a side liner, sitting in the grandstands. The trophies are not given to the onlookers but to the winning players. It's easy to be a grandstander, but it takes real men who will seize the moment to get the work done.

Men, do not delay any longer. Enlist to serve with all your heart in the battle of all battles and receive at the end, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Self is one of the biggest enemies that hinders the Great Commission.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 says, "For the love of Christ constrains us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead. And that he died for all, that they which live should NOT HENCEFORTH LIVE UNTO THEMSELVES, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."

Men, these two verses make it very clear that Christ died for all. Therefore, all men should at least be acquainted with this truth. We Christians must ask ourselves how much we really value the blood of Christ. Do we value it enough to let all men know that Jesus' blood was shed for them, or do we only value it enough for ourselves?

All that we do--the raising of our children and the job we work at each day--should be done in the light of what Christ has done for all men everywhere. We should do it with the perspective of knowing Christ and making Him known.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

"Be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2).

James 5:7 says, "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain." This Scripture is an apt conclusion to the Orange Pickers' Parable. Did you check it out yesterday at http://bobzehr.com/id35.htm?

The truth is that if we put more boots on the ground instead of going to more conventions, the harvest of the precious fruit would come into the kingdom quicker. The truth dammed up in Christians who care little about sharing it with their neighbors cannot accomplish the task of gathering in the harvest.

We must pray that God would graciously grant to us a new fervor for lost souls. Many of us political conservatives are incensed and indignant that our leaders are ignoring and trashing our Constitution and Founding Documents. Yet, the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations is neglected and overlooked by us every day.

Lip service is not "boots on the ground."

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Jesus said in Luke 10:2, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into the harvest."

True sons of God are men of action. They have their "boots on the ground." The kings of old led their armies into battle. They were leaders who never asked a man to do anything they could not or would not do. Today, things happen differently. Leaders direct from overstuffed armchairs in far removed prissy offices, making too many decisions that hinder the battle rather than help. This is what they call leading from behind.

We read in Revelation 19:11-14, "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven FOLLOWED HIM upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean." We see Jesus Christ leading His army from the FRONT of the battle.

In Revelation 4:10 we read that He "has made us unto God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." We all love conventions, but unless we get our boots on the ground, nothing gets accomplished. We can talk about mountain climbing until the cows come home, but to conquer that mountain we have to put our boots on the ground and start walking.

The Orange Pickers' parable talks about the great conventions of the orange pickers. They had Orange Pickers manuals, sermons and songs, but with all their great conventions on orange picking, the ground was littered with unpicked fallen fruit!

The harvest was lost for their were no boots on the ground!

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

You'll want to read the Parable of the Orange Pickers. Go to: http://bobzehr.com/id35.htm

Isaiah 63:15, 18 says, "Look down from heaven and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained? . . . The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while: our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary."

Men, the house of the Lord has also been robbed of purity evangelism, prayer, praise, worship, and the miraculous. The Scriptures also speak of things being "cut off" from the house of the Lord. Joel 1:16 says, "Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?"

Unfortunately a lot of what goes on inside many of our churches is far removed from the power and Holy-Spirit filled joy of the early church. Many of our modern day churches have so watered down God's Word that it is difficult to recognize any truth in them. The meat is certainly cut off before our eyes. What we have left is watered down milk that has little power to transform a single soul, let alone feed the starving multitudes.

Fatherhood and motherhood, as taught in the Scriptures, is strangely missing. The importance of receiving and raising the children God plans for us to have to reveal His likeness and image in the world is a definite taboo. A No No!

Jesus cleansed the temple and drove out the thieves because He was filled with zeal for the treasures of God's house. As men of God, we should also clothe ourselves with this same zeal. Isaiah 59:17 says, "For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak."

Men, there are some things that can only be accomplished through the zeal of the Lord. This hour in which we live calls for men of zeal. May God count me in! And you, too!

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all you great Dads who are restoring fatherhood in the nation. You are doing a great job.

We are living in a time when "real" fatherhood has been destroyed. It is called "Vanishing Fatherhood." On one of our recent trips to Germany I was told by a teacher of a large Lutheran Church College, that at a State Principal's Convention for the nation of Germany, a prominent representative of the government stated that parenting in general was so ineffective that the government was planning to take control of all German children from the cradle onwards.

Because fatherhood and motherhood is meant to be the major cornerstone in the building of a godly nation, we as godly fathers must make every effort to regain the ground that has been lost. If we don't, a power hungry government will replace us as parents.

Thank you for being a great father. Keep faithful to your greatest calling of fatherhood. You are strengthening not only your family, but the nation.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, thieves have robbed the house of God of almost every good thing. In 2 Kings 24:13 we read that the king of Babylon "carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the Lord."

Gold was plentiful in the house of the Lord for it represented the preciousness and divinity of God. We read in 2 Chronicles 3:3-13 that almost all of the inside of temple was covered with gold. And everything in the Holy of Holies was overlaid in pure gold. Even the nails were made of gold (1 Kings 6:19-22 and 2 Chronicles 3:9). Sad to say, because of the backsliding of the nation, they were robbed of every precious thing.

The enemy never gives up trying to rob the house of God of His precious treasures. The gold of truth has been robbed. The gold of faith has been robbed. The gold of prayer has been robbed. And the gold of purity and holiness has been robbed.

We should be ashamed and confounded for we have been robbed of God's precious gifts. And we have replaced them with the fake, the false, and the counterfeit.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

True sons of God are zealous for purity and holiness. David exclaimed, "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." This Scripture was also prophetic of Christ.

Zeal is a very powerful force that motivates us to action in order to accomplish large and difficult tasks. Zeal is ardor in the pursuit of what God puts on our heart. Zeal is fervent enthusiasm. May God save us from this insipid, saltless, flavorless thing we call Christianity today. It has no semblance to the life of Christ or the early church. And God does not own it.

John 2;14-17 tells the story of Jesus who "found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: and when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; and said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise. And the disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up."

Would to God that we would be as zealous for the purity and holiness of God's house as Jesus was. Men, there are a lot of things that have made their way into God's house that will take nothing less than the same zeal that Jesus had to eradicate them. Merchandise, and the love of things, have once again taken over God's house.

Jesus said, "It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves" (Matthew 21:13). Sad to say, I think that the "den of thieves" could aptly be applied to much of God's house today. The prayer meetings have been stolen by the thieves of entertainment. Honestly, do people think of prayer when they think of church these days? Prayer leads to holiness and there will be no true holiness without prayer.

The same goes for our homes which in a sense are a mini church within the church. The same goes for our own personal bodies for we are the spiritual house that God is building now (1 Peter 2:5).

Men, let us all pray that the zeal of God will once again consume us so that we will be zealous enough to drive out the thieves.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, shallow Christianity does not cut it! We have so many slick politicians who speak out of both sides of their mouths. It's time to vote them out.

Romans 3:13 says, "Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips." The main reason for this is that the church in general is so shallow that it will not speak up against compromise, lying, double standards, infidelity, cheating, and immodesty. In fact, speaking out against sin is regarded as unpopular and counter-culture.

Shallow politicians are the result of shallow churches. Shallow churches are the result of shallow pastors. It's time to vote them out, too. Jesus Christ would not be welcome in many of our churches today. He would be regarded as radical and fanatical. How bad is that? What churches today would permit anyone to speak the words of Jesus in Matthew 23:27-28? "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness."

Shallow fathers raise shallow children. Many are so shallow they scarcely know how to pray or read the Scriptures to themselves, let alone their families. Men, we must not fool ourselves any longer. We must stand up and resist all forms of shallowness. Shallow fatherhood must be voted out, too.

It's time to get rid of this soft, flaky, feministic approach to true manhood. It's high time to stand up and be real men of God who are not afraid to speak out against all corruption and evil before its too late. We have very little time left.

Be encouraged to stand against all wimpiness and shallowness.

Colin Campbell

Men, shallow Christianity has shallow standards values. Shallow men and women embrace it because it talks about Jesus, but they do not do what He says. Discipleship requires spiritual discipline which shallow Christians need but do not want to pay the price of a crucified self-life. Jesus Christ taught this as an integral part of His doctrine. He said in Luke 9:23, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."

Shall Christianity desires to be entertained and craves better and better entertainment. Shallow Christianity does not want to be changed.

Men, we must not fool ourselves any longer. If what we are getting in our churches, large or small, is not life changing and taking us deeper in our commitment to God and His will for our lives, it's time to find another place. A place where we will be surrounded with people who are genuinely hungry for an ever deeper walk with God. A place where His Word is preached in depth and without compromise in order to save us from nauseating, sickening, lukewarm fake Christian experience.

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."

If my life has no depth, how can my family and others be changed through me?

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, we must stand up and fight this good fight of faith. We are living in a time of great compromise and this world has become the mantra of the political scene, and sad to say, much of the church. We may compromise on the price of a car or a house, but never on the price of morals and biblical values.

Even though the gay agenda have made a mockery of marriage by demanding equal status with a marriage between a man and a woman, the true sons of God will not acknowledge that they are married in the eyes of God. Never ever! Marriage, ordained by God in Genesis 2:21-25 is only between a man and a woman. Period.

They may think they are married, some states may recognize it, some clergyman may perform the ceremony, but God does not recognize it and it is an abomination in His sight.

Men, as true sons of God, we will not accept, nor recognize what our Father in Heaven does not accept or recognize.

Shame on all the states that are compromising the holy institution of marriage!

Be encouraged to stand for God's truth.

Colin Campbell

TRUE SONS OF GOD DO NOT TOLERATE WHAT GOD DOES NOT TOLERATE!

The Cake Bakker in Colorado who is being forced by the powers that be to make a wedding cake for a gay marriage, which is against his convictions, is sickening to say the least. Although I understand, at this time, that the law in Colorado cannot force him, they will try to make him look an like evil and intolerant man. I pray he will stand strong in his convictions.

As for me, I believe that homosexuality is biblically wrong and a sinful practice. As a Christian, I am called to love all men, but that does not mean I am to love or sanction, even in the slightest, what they do.

As a Christian I am called by God to love murderers, perverts, thieves, liars, adulterers, homosexuals, and all sinners, no matter what. I am to love them enough to pray for them that they will find Jesus Christ who is able to save them and change them if they repent of their sins, as I repent of my own.

True sons of God will not tolerate what God does not tolerate. We must expose the works of darkness and resist all evil. It seems to me that some of the most intolerant people in America today are homosexuals who want to pick a fight with anyone who does not agree with them. They will only tolerate real Christians if they agree with their sinful ways that are speedily bringing our country into judgment.

Ephesians 5:11 says, "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, bur rather REPROVE them."

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

The true sons of God will call sin what it is and deal with it in the appropriate manner. It's high time for the church to stand up against evil and sin. Of course, with a true spirit of humility and meekness, considering ourselves lest we also be tempted (Galatians 6:1).

At the same time there is a need for genuine righteous indignation against sin, and yes, let's dare to say it, all sin. Many churches, often large ones, do not want to speak against sin from their pulpits. They do not want to speak about any specific sin even though it is bringing our country into judgment.

Great sin was in Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:21-20:29). Lot, Abraham's nephew sat in the gate of Sodom (Genesis 19:1). Lot, although a righteous man himself, did not influence these two cities to change their ways, even though he sat in the gate with the elders and leaders. He obviously did not call homosexuality sin. He did not warn them of judgment to come if they did not repent, which resulted in total destruction of these two exceedingly wicked cities.

Noah was a preacher of righteousness and prepared an ark in the midst of great wickedness. He was not afraid to speak out, even though the people rejected his message.

Men, we and our families must not allow nicely dressed liberal pastors to dumb us down to wishy washy doctrine that does not call people to repentance. We must beware of churches that place minimum emphasis on the blood of Jesus Christ, that do not oppose sin, that do not encourage holiness, that do not preach repentance, and that do not preach the cross as God's answer to the self life.

Ezekiel 3:17-19 says, "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from which wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul."

2 Timothy 4:1-4 says "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the alive and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."

Each one of us, including all preachers and pastors should take heed to the words of these Scriptures.

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

THE WORLD WILL CHANGE US IF WE DO NOT ACTIVELY SEEK TO CHANGE THE WORLD!

We who actively claim to be the true sons of God have more than enough opposition to face from those who are not born again and do not accept His Lordship in their lives without having to face the sloppy hedonistic morals and ungodly opinions of those who claim to know Him. These are so-called "get with it" Christians who do not want to offend the spirit of this world. They would rather be popular and trendy. They want the world to love them. They love the praises of men for it means more money. They do not care about being hot enough to offend the world, the flesh, and the devil. They care more about popularity and success.

Success in the mindset of this world does not equate in any way with the success of Christ's kingdom for the kingdoms of this world are in direct opposition to the kingdom of Christ. The Christian entertainers and business men who smoke their cigars on the thrones of their success in purveying their wares of watered-down Christian values, (because true moral values do not sell well), should beware of the day of reckoning that is coming. It would do them good to "Lay up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal" (Matthew 6:19-21). It is a huge mistake to sell your own soul on the altar of lukewarm Christian values.

Men, we must not emulate Christian men, whether they be successful pastors or business men, who compromise biblical values in order to be successful. Crowds do not necessarily mean success from God's standpoint.

In stating the above, I thank God for the faithful men and women who will not compromise. I honor those who stand for God's truth no matter what the cost. I write to encourage those who still walk the "middle of the road," mediocre, lukewarm, worldly way that they may be pulled of the rut into the highway of God's holiness and power.

1 Peter 2:19 says, "For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage."

Romans 12:21 says, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Do you want to read about a man of courage, who was not afraid to take a stand against evil?

Numbers 25:7-8 tells about such a man. "And when Phinehas, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel." Phinehas would be regarded as a false prophet in many churches today, but his actions stopped a plague where 24,000 had already died.

Men, the true sons of God do not love the world, the flesh, and the devil. 1 John 2:15-17 states, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever."

We need to constantly challenge ourselves regarding our lifestyle toward the world, the flesh, and the devil. Are we so hot for God that the world finds us offensive? Are we so spiritually sharp that the flesh finds us uncomfortable? Are we so proactive against Satan's kingdom that we stir up his opposition against us?

I am currently hearing of a certain icon in the Christian music scene who publically states that she does not have a problem with attending a gay marriage. Another states boldly that he does not find any morality taught in the Bible. I don't know what Bible he is reading! Such people need our prayers as well as our resistance to such compromise with the world, the flesh, and the devil. They are Satan's tool to spread their "milk toast" compromising spirit to multitudes of our Christian youth.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Hebrews 12:8 says, "If you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons." These are strong words for each of us and especially those who only want "milk toast" Christianity.

We must ask ourselves if our brand of Christianity gets us into difficulties with our fellow man. Is the world comfortable with the way we represent Christ to them? Are we prepared to take the message of the blood of Christ as the only way a sinner can be clean to places where we would be persecuted for doing so?

How much value do we really place on the precious blood of Christ that was shed for every man in order to be saved? Do we really believe that every man who fails to have the blood of Christ applied to his life will spend an eternity in hell? Do we understand that it cost Jesus Christ His very life to save mankind from eternal destruction?

The true sons of God will suffer persecution for what they believe. Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:12 says, "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." True sons of God will be more than willing to suffer for the sake of the One who gave His all.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

In Hebrews 12:3 it tell us, "For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." When we are discouraged with persecution, difficulties, trials, bad health, loss of work, shortage of money, or even betrayed and forsaken by friends that we should consider what our Savior Jesus Christ had to endure. This helps us not to become wearied and faint in our minds. Verse 4 continues, "Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin."

Meriam Ibrahim in Sudan has been warned by the Islamic authorities that she will be put to death if she does not renounce Jesus Christ. We need to pray for her miraculous release and that she will remain strong. In comparison to this woman, most of us having nothing to complain about.

Verse 5 tells us that the trials we go through are a form of discipline to prove us in order to make mature sons. Even as we discipline our children in order to mature them, so God disciplines us in many different ways. Verse 5 encourages us "My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him."

How sad it is that in many of our churches we are not taught these principles. Instead, we are taught nursery rhymes and too many expect only happy times with lots of fun. This is not the way God sees it at all. He wants us to raise up valiant sons who can face anything the world, flesh, and devil may hurl at them.

Hebrews 12:6-8 says, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons."

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell