Our Priestly Responsibility IV, No. 219

OUR PRIESTLY RESPONSIBILITY

Part 4 

Deuteronomy 21:5, “And the priests and the Levites shall come near, for them the Lord thy God has chosen to minister unto Him, and to bless in the name of the Lord; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried.” 

We have been learning that it is our priestly responsibility to pray for our children. However, the above Scripture tells us something else we have to do. The primary function of the priest is to minister to the Lord, and then minister to the people. Of course, that means the people who are closest to us first, before we start ministering to others.  

As priests unto God, we have been given the divine mandate to bless our children. It is not an option. It is mandatory. 

To bless means to speak well of, to praise. But it is more than that. We are to bless in the name of the Lord. We are to pronounce God’s blessings upon our children and those around us. That means to speak into them God’s promises and His plan for them; to affirm God’s truth over their lives and to speak God’s destiny over them.  

It is so easy to speak negatively, isn’t it? It seems to come easy. But as priests of the Lord, we must make a concerted effort to get into the habit of speaking blessings. May God bring us to the place in our lives where blessings flow naturally from our lips. 

However, I  believe we should also make specific times for blessing. God’s official blessing, written in Numbers 6:24-26 was traditionally spoken over the people at the end of the evening sacrifice. Perhaps we could follow suit and bless our children at the end of Family Devotions at each evening meal.  

If you feel you cannot do it every evening, what about establishing the Shabbat meal?  This is our favorite meal of the week where we not only light the candles and partake of communion together but where Colin blesses me, our children and whoever is at our table. To learn more about this, go to www.aboverubies.org and check the Archived Devotions for The Preparation Day and The Shabbat Meal. 

You can bless your children by encouraging and affirming them in their giftings and in the good character traits you see evident in their lives. You can also bless them in the name of the Lord with the Word of the Lord. The Numbers 6 blessing is a blessing from the Trinity--the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. 

v.24, “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee.”What a blessing to be guarded, preserved, protected and watched over by our Father God. And what a wonderful blessing to put upon our children and others. (Psalm 121:3-8) 

v.25, “The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee.” This is the blessing of the Son of righteousness with healing in His wings and who is full of grace and truth. He is the one that has wrought salvation for us and blesses us with salvation. May each of our children receive this blessing.  

v. 26, “The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” This is the blessing from God the Holy Spirit. 

v.27 ends with the wonderful words, “And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel: and I will bless them.” It is great to bless your family out of the abundance of your own heart but it is even greater to bless them with the powerful name of the Lord God. What greater blessings could there be than to put God’s name upon our children? 

Another under understanding of the word ‘bless’ is ‘to kneel’. In Biblical times children would kneel to receive a blessing from their father. In some homes, children will kneel before their father to receive the blessing at their weekly Shabbat meal. 

Love from

NANCY CAMPBELL 

PRAYER: 

“Lord, I thank you that you have made me to be a Blesser. Help me to be faithful to this wonderful ministry in my home. Amen.” 

AFFIRMATION:

Blessing God and blessing my children! 

 

Many women like to save these devotions. They print them out and keep them in a folder to read over and over again. Some print them out and pin them on the fridge with a magnet to read through the week. If you are printing this devotion and need it to be smaller, highlight and change to a smaller font. 

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Hasty Words, No. 220

HASTY WORDS

Psalm 31:22, “I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.”

How easy it is to say things in haste! We spout off before we think. And usually when we speak hastily it is out of reaction. We often don’t even believe the words we say! But sad to say, we have said them, and words have power! They have power to hurt our husband and hurt our children. Charles Spurgeon says, “Hasty words are but for a moment on the tongue, but they often lie for years on the conscience.”

I remember with shame an incident that happened in the early days of our marriage. I felt hurt by words my husband spoke to me and hastily retorted, “You should have married someone else!” Fortunately I have a husband who doesn’t let things go uncovered. He came to me a little while later and said, “Do you believe in the power of words?” “Yes,” I muttered. “Well, you better take back what you said,” he stated firmly. I realized he was right and I had to retract and confess my hasty words.

Hasty words are often words of doubt because we have not given time for faith to grow or to wait for God to move. We often have to wait for God. David cries out that he is cut off from the Lord, but he soon finds that they were hasty words as God had heard his cry all along. We must give God time to answer. His timing and His way is always the best way.

I cringe when I hear folk speaking derogatively against the Lord because things are not going the way they want. Again Spurgeon says, “Unbelief will have a corner of the heart of the firmest believer, and out of that corner it will vent many spiteful things against the Lord if the course of providence be not quite so smooth as nature might desire. Forever be such dark suspicions banished from our minds.”

Proverbs 29:20 is also a challenging Scripture, “Seest thou a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope of a fool than him.”

And Ecclesiastes 5:2, “Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.” How true it is that the more words we speak the more opportunity to sin. (Read Proverbs 10:19; 17:28)

So, how do we stop these hasty words? James 1:19 says, “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” Yes, we want to be “slow to speak” but how do we do it? I believe we have to get into the habit of doing it. Each time that someone (especially husband or children) rubs you up the wrong way, shut your mouth. Wait before you speak. If you can’t think of anything positive to say, don’t say anything. That’s what Jesus did. When they accused him, He answered nothing. He didn’t even open his mouth. (Matthew 27:13-14) Is that the hardest thing you’ve ever tried to do? You can do it if you will to do it. And especially as you pray about it and ask the Lord to help you.

Yes, you will fail. But keep working on making it a habit of your life. Some people say it takes 30 days to break a habit. Some say it takes 21 days to establish a habit. However, some habits may take a lot longer. Never despair. Keep trying and keep looking to the Lord who is your source. He lives in you and He is full of self control. (Galatians 5:22-23) Continually ask the Holy Spirit to work in your heart and your tongue. He will work His grace in you.

Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence: for out of it are the issues of life.”

Love from

NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Lord, please help me not to be hasty in my words. Help me to trust you in each situation rather than reacting out of my emotions. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

My words determine the course of my life and my family.

 

Many women like to save these devotions. They print them out and keep them in a folder to read over and over again. Some print them out and pin them on the fridge with a magnet to read through the week. If you are printing this devotion and need it to be smaller, highlight and change to a smaller font.

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Poured Out, No. 221

POURED OUT

Isaiah 53:12, “He hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

In Leviticus chapter four it tells us how the priest had to conduct the sin offering. After killing the bullock, the priest would take some of the blood into the tabernacle, dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord in front of the curtain that separates the Most Holy Place. He then had to put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of incense. The rest of the blood had to be poured out at the base of the altar of burnt offerings at the entrance of the Tabernacle.” (v. 7)

The shedding of blood is a preeminent theme of Scripture, shedding the blood of animals until Christ came to die once for all. It is interesting to note that the blood had to be “poured out.” In the same way, when Yeshua died for our sins, His blood was poured out. John 19:34 NLT tells us, “One of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water flowed out.” Jesus did not come to this world kicking and screaming in order to die for our sins. No, he poured out is soul unto death. He said, “Lo, I come… I delight to do thy will, O my God.” Read Psalm 40:6-8 and Hebrews 10:5-7.

My heart tells me that just as Jesus poured out His life for me as an offering for sin, so I should pour out my heart in repentance and contrition for the sin that caused him to sacrifice his life for me. I should pour out my heart in intercession for the sin of this nation. Am I burdened enough to not just pray a little prayer, but to pour out my soul to God?

David cried night and day because his enemies taunted him saying, “Where is this God of yours?” This is what the humanists and socialists are crying out today? “Where is your God? We can do it better than Him.” Does this not bring us to our knees? Will it make us pour out our soul to God as David did? Read Psalm 42:3-4 and Joel 2:17)

As our country moves more and more away from God’s absolute truths, I fear for the coming generations. I am burdened for my grandchildren and coming great-grandchildren. I am challenged by Lamentations 2:19, “Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.”

This was literally talking about children who were fainting for lack of food. But the children of our generation are fainting for lack of love and justice, for the need of stable homes and a mother and father that live together and provide them security; they are fainting for the truth. They are being fed deception on every hand—at school, college and through the media. Generations of children are wiped out before they are born through abortion and the Pill. It is time to pour out our hearts like water before the Lord.

Back in the tabernacle days, they not only poured out the blood which speaks of our redemption from sin, but they poured out the anointing oil which speaks of the Holy Spirit. Leviticus 8:12 says, “And Moses poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.”

In His great love and compassion, not only did Jesus pour out His life for us, but God pours out His Spirit upon us. God promises in Isaiah 44:3, “I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.” We see the fulfillment of this upon the Jews in Acts 2:17-18 and upon the Gentiles in Acts 10:45, “And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished… because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Did you notice what this Scripture says? It doesn’t say that God gives a little trickle of His Holy Spirit. No, He pours out His Spirit. He is the Pourer. He pours out His salvation. He pours His love all over us. He pours out His Holy Spirit upon us to enable us to live a life of overcoming the flesh and the devil. Even His name is “ointment poured forth.” (Song of Songs 1:3)

Can we too become pourers? I don’t want to be a vessel with stagnate water, do you? I want to be a pourer. A pourer of His love and compassion. A pourer of His truth. I want to pour out my life for the blessing of others. I want to pour out my soul in intercession for my family and for this nation.

Let’s be pourers of His divine life to our families and to this world. As we pour out God will keep pouring in.

Love from

NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Thank you, Lord, for pouring out your soul unto death for me. I can never thank you enough. Thank you for pouring out your Holy Spirit and your life into me. Please anoint me to pour out your life and love to my family and to all I meet.” Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

No more stagnation. I am pouring forth of God’s life in me.

P.S. Further Scriptures about the blood being poured out:Exodus 29:12; Leviticus 4:7, 18, 25, 30, 34; 9:9; 17:13; Deuteronomy 12:27.

Further Scriptures about pouring out your soul to God:1 Samuel 1:15; Psalm 42:3-4; 62:8; 142:2.

Further Scriptures about God pouring out His Holy Spirit:Proverbs 1:23; Joel 2:28-29; Isaiah 32:15; Ezekiel 39:29; Zechariah 12:10; Acts 1:8.

You may like to read the words of one of Serene’s songs, one that has not been recorded yet.

 

POURED OUT!

There was a woman who knelt down beside You
And watered Your feet with her tears,
She kissed You with lips that were known for no virtue
And dried Your dusty soles with her hair.
She broke the alabaster vial
And anointed You with the oil.

CHORUS:
Poured out, poured out for You,
A fragrant, fragrant perfume,
Poured out, poured out for You,
I want to be poured out!

I am a woman who’s kneeling at Your feet
With nothing to give You of worth,
I’ll break open my soul and spill every drop of me,
I’ll pour my life out like the oil.
I’ll sacrifice this earthen vessel,
May my tears be as sweet perfume

CHORUS:

BRIDGE:
They said it was such a waste
But when she saw the oil run down your holy face,
Nothing could replace, no nothing could replace!

CHORUS:
Poured out, poured out for You,
A fragrant, fragrant perfume,
Poured out, poured out for You,
I want to be poured out!

 

Many women like to save these devotions. They print them out and keep them in a folder to read over and over again. Some print them out and pin them on the fridge with a magnet to read through the week. If you are printing this devotion and need it to be smaller, highlight and change to a smaller font.

If you know others who would be blessed by these devotions, you are welcome to forward them or let them know they can subscribe by sending a blank email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Walk Through The Land, No. 222

WALK THROUGH THE LAND

Joshua 18:3, “How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you?”

This was a new day for the Israelites. They had subdued the land. And now, because they were settled, they set up the tabernacle in Shiloh. Instead of carrying the tabernacle from place to place, they made it permanent. But, there were still seven tribes who had not received their inheritance.

Joshua therefore commanded them to choose three men from each of the seven tribes to “Go and walk through the land, and describe it.” (v.8) These scouts had to survey the land and map the entire territory, listing the towns in each section. They had to bring back a thorough written report to Joshua who would cast sacred lots in the presence of the Lord to determine which tribe would have each section.

This reminds me of a land that we have waiting for us. It is a vast spiritual land that has already been given to us—God’s precious Word, filled with promises and principles of God’s plan for us and how to walk in victory—and all that has been given to us in  Christ.

We can read about these riches in 2 Peter 1:3-4, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” It is a land that “flows with milk and honey” but we have to go in and take it.

But how can we take it if we don’t know what we have?

We have to walk through the land, survey it and find out what belongs to us. We must know what we have to possess before we can possess it! That’s why it is important for us to take a walk through the Bible each day.

Psalm 48:12-13 says, “Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell her towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.”

We must know the land well, not only so we can walk in all that we have been given ourselves, but so we can tell it to our children.

We have a responsibility to inform our children. Joshua told the scouts to write down a description of the land as they walked through. That’s why I like to write down the most significant Scripture that I read in the Word each day. This way, I don’t forget it myself, but I also have it written in my book to be able to share with my family and with others.

As I walk through a new part of the land in my daily reading each day, I receive new revelation. As I receive new revelation I can walk in a little more of the riches I have been given in Christ. I can tell my children about it so they can walk in it too. We must scout the land to bring back news for our children. We can be excited to tell them what we have found and what is available for them.

Proverbs 4:18 says, “The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”

Our walk in Christ is a “more and more” walk. We have a vast land before us. We dare not sit down and think we have it all. We have hardly started. Our minds have not comprehended all that is available to us in Christ. We must search for new territory. Then of course, we must possess it. It’s not enough to know, we must possess! I love to think that I can possess a little more every day.

Will you become an adventurer, exploring the land that has been given to you? Bring back the news to your family. “Children, this is what God has given to us. This is how we possess it. Come on. Let’s go in and take it!”

“But to act, that each tomorrow
Find us farther than today.”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Thank you, God, for the vast land of blessings that you have provided for me. Give me a vision to discover them for myself and my family and to possess all my possessions. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I am setting out an adventure each day in the Word of God.

Many women like to save these devotions. They print them out and keep them in a folder to read over and over again. Some print them out and pin them on the fridge with a magnet to read through the week. If you are printing this devotion and need it to be smaller, highlight and change to a smaller font.

If you know others who would be blessed by these devotions, you are welcome to forward them or let them know they can subscribe by sending a blank email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Hated Word, No. 223

THE HATED WORD

 

Psalm 104:24, “O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.”


Filled. It doesn’t sound such a bad word, does it? I wonder why so many people hate it. It’s strange that so many Christians hate it when God loves it! In fact, this word describes who God is. He fills the heavens and the earth. He fills all in all—and Jesus is the fullness of Him who fills all in all. The whole earth is full of His glory. He is filled with majesty, filled with righteousness, filled with compassion. He does not have these attributes in a little measure but is filled with them.

God does not take long to introduce this word to us. He uses it in the very first chapter of the Bible.

Genesis 1:28, “And God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it’…” It is interesting that the very first words that God spoke to man included the word fill.  It is obviously very much part of God’s heart. He loves abundance.

After God destroyed mankind through the flood, apart from Noah and his family, He repeated the same command again. This time He repeated it twice. Genesis 9:1 and v. 7, “And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth’…”

The Hebrew word is male which means “fill to overflowing”. Many take objection to God’s command today. They certainly don’t want to fill their families to overflowing. They would rather fill their homes with “stuff”--more gadgets, more furniture, bigger TVs and computers.

Yet it seems that every time God speaks about children, He uses this despised word.

When Jacob and his family went down to Egypt there were only 70 of them. Four hundred years later they emerged a mighty nation.

Exodus 7:7 says, “The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.” They became “more and mightier” than the Egyptians who began to fear them. Their fear turned to persecuting them and making them slaves. But the more the Egyptians afflicted them the more they multiplied. This is God’s purpose for His people. He wants them to fill the earth with His glory—His love, peace, truth and salvation.

Numbers 14:21 says, “But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.” This is not talking about creation, but God’s people who bear His image in the earth. God wants this earth to be filled with His image. God wants His land to be “filled with flocks of men.” (Ezekiel 36:38, Psalm 80:8-9)

God’s picture of a blessed family is one filled with children. Once again it is this detested word. Society is brainwashed to think differently than God thinks. And of course, we think that we know better than God. But what does He say?  “As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that has his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.” (Psalm 127:4-5)

The parents who have their quiver full are happy! Actually, the Hebrew word in this Scripture is a double word which should be translated, “happy, happy”. The parents who have their quiver full will not be ashamed. The parents who have their quiver full will have children who know how to speak against the evil things in the land, even in high places. The gate in Bible days was the civic center of the town, the place of administration of justice.

Zechariah 8:4-5 is one of my favorite Scriptures. It is a picture of what Jerusalem will be like when God dwells there. “Thus saith the Lord of hosts: There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.” What a beautiful picture of children playing while the old people walk the city streets with their canes and watch the children in the city squares. And do you notice that there are not a few children playing? The streets are filled with boys and girls. How God delights to see them playing together.

Here’s one more Scripture. Luke 14:23 says, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” God loves to have a full house. It’s part of His character. If we have God’s heart, we’ll want to have a full house too.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Lord, I pray that you will change my heart. Save me from from thinking miserly, but help me to think like you think. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:
I’m filling my home with God’s blessings.

P.S. Next week we will continue to find out more areas of our lives that God wants to fill.

Many women like to save these devotions. They print them out and keep them in a folder to read over and over again. Some print them out and pin them on the fridge with a magnet to read through the week. If you are printing this devotion and need it to be smaller, highlight and change to a smaller font.

If you know others who would be blessed by these devotions, you are welcome to forward them or let them know they can subscribe by sending a blank email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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