Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

The hearts of the fathers are turned toward their children when the light of their spirits is turned on!

1 John 1:6, 7 says: “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

Men, just as it is impossible for us to have true fellowship with other Christians if we are in any way walking in darkness (dark lusts of the flesh), even so it is impossible to have heart and spirit fellowship with our own family (wife and children), if we allow ourselves to be caught up in any type of darkness.

Proverbs 20:27 says: “The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.”

Men who watch pornography or look lustfully upon the opposite sex cause God’s light in their spirits to be extinguished. When the light of the Lord does not shine through our spirits, it is impossible to have true fellowship with one another.

The light of God shining through our spirits, unhindered by hidden sins, is important beyond measure to the wellbeing of our wives and families.

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

While we continue to shed innocent blood like an ever-flowing river of evil through abortion, how can we say that our hearts are turned to children? Are we any different to Islamic extremists who say they love their children and yet allow explosives to be strapped to their innocent bodies to be blown up in a crowded supermarket?

Our new President Elect is careful in appointing good people to major cabinet positions and we rejoice as we see the stock market “going through the roof.” However, the blood of the innocent continues to flow. We need to pray and urge our churches and government to drain this morally evil part of our national swamp. We must pray for the sake of our nation’s innocent children, both unborn and born, that God will be gracious unto us and take away from us all the hardness of heart.

By putting jobs and economy first rather than the moral foundation of the priceless value of innocent blood in the sight of our loving and yet holy God, we will make a grave mistake. Like everybody else, I want to see our nation prosper, but not at the expense of innocent blood. Even the appointment of Supreme Court justices in the moral mindset of Anthony Scalia will not necessarily stop wholesale abortion, although it will help.

It will take tenacity and courage to turn the tide. This means heart-felt praying!

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

g) PURE EYES look for righteousness. Pure eyes will not look upon evil. No man can look righteously at his wife and daughters if his eyes look at pornography. God is calling His men to have pure eyes that are full of light.

The description of Jesus in Revelation 1:14; 2:18; and 19:12 describes his eyes as “a flame of fire.” Daniel’s vision reveals His eyes as “lamps of fire” (Daniel 10:6).

Conversely, icy, cold eyes reveal that our hearts have not yet been turned toward God’s heart for children. This includes indifferent eyes, uninterested eyes, critical eyes, unloving eyes, prideful eyes, and dishonest and lying eyes.

Shifty eyes cannot be trusted. Flattering eyes also cannot be trusted. Eyes that will not look you full in the face signify dishonesty. Winking eyes denote trickery. Flirting eyes promote unholy relationships. Unholy eyes are full of lust.

Let’s live in God’s presence and in His Word to keep pure eyes.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

b) ADORING EYES go a step further than loving eyes. Adoring eyes reveal a special attraction to the object of attention (the son of your own bowels). God spoke of His own son: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Adoring eyes are devoted and intimate eyes in a godly sense. The Scriptures speak of God’s people as “the apple of His eye” (Zechariah 2:8).

c) ATTENTIVE EYES are more than willing to give attention to the child that seeks your attention.

d) MERCIFUL AND COMPASSIONATE EYES are the eyes of a parent that are more than willing to forgive. They are more than willing to identify with the pain of the hurt or offended one. The father of the prodigal son revealed merciful and compassionate forgiveness in his eyes towards his repentant son.

e) LONGING EYES reveal the longing cry of the parent’s heart for the wayward child who has lost their way. They reveal remorse and disapproval of the sinful behavior of their loved one, yet at the same time, their hearts cry out to God for their child to turn back to the way of truth.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Smiling lights up your home and family. Smiling is the language of love. Smiling that comes from spirit that is in a healthy relationship with the indwelling Christ can melt the hardest rock and break the most solid ice.

Many times, when words don’t bring healing to deepening wounds, why not try smiling? Too many religious Christians think that smiling and laughing are too worldly, frivolous, and carefree and that Christianity is a pious, straight-faced business. Just look at some of the older generation photographs.

And yet smiles are the most healing of all influences. They are also very contagious.

Hebrews 1:9 gives a testimony of Jesus: “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." He was full of joy, gladness, and smiles more than anyone else!

Be encouraged to smile more in your home,

Colin Campbell

Be concerned for the over-all well-being of your children. This means their spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being. Be concerned enough to earnestly bring about positive and constructive changes.

4. WATCH OVER YOUR CHILDREN’S WELL-BEING

This means their spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being. Be concerned enough to earnestly bring about positive and constructive changes.

5. BE RELATIONAL TO YOUR CHILDREN

Take time to converse in a positive, friendly way, as regularly as possible, depending upon the age of your children. In most cases, daily.

6. SHOW GENUINE INTEREST IN THE THINGS THAT INTEREST YOUR CHILDREN

Talk to them about the books they like to read, the hobbies they enjoy, their sporting activities, the food they love to eat, the wholesome movies they like to watch, the friends they have, and much more.

7. TAKE YOUR CHILDREN TO FUN PLACES

Take your little children to places where they can have fun on the swings and slides etc. Take them for walks in the woods and around the rocks at the beach. Take them to creeks and caves.

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

1 Timothy 5:8 says: “But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” Even though a man may mentally agree with the high degree of family priority, it may not necessarily translate into action. It takes more than agreement to accomplish the result. A man who has a bad valve in his heart may agree with his doctor that he needs an operation. However, his agreement must be backed up with action to get the job done.

James 1:22-25 says: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

It takes the divine Elijah anointing to turn hearts. Malachi 4:5, 6 says: “Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”

Just as mental agreement is not sufficient to make one a good parent, desire can also be insufficient unless we submit our desires to God’s enabling. Agreement and desire both need to be bathed before God in earnest prayer.

Some men think that so long as God sees they AGREE that parenting should be a high priority and they DESIRE to be a better parent, that this should be enough. And yet they still drop their children off at daycare centers. They continue to let the state (with all its ungodly, worldly agenda, plus the uncontrolled peer pressure of the playground) teach their children. There is something wrong with this mindset.

Mental agreement and uncommitted desires that do not result in righteous actions to materialize godly priorities will not “cut it” in these critical days.

It is high time for each one of us who call ourselves Christian parents to take a fresh stock on just how our top priorities affect our families, right now.

Is there anything today in my life that hinders my family from being my highest priority, next to God?

Be encouraged,

Colin Campbell

Some fathers think that so long as they provide the financial needs of their family, that is all that is required of them. There are some fathers who have succumbed to the entitlement mentality that the world owes them everything, that they do not have any responsibility to find a job and diligently work for their own needs, as well as their wife and family. Such men are not worthy to be called fathers. They have grown up with a deceived mentality.

While fathers need to be at some form of employment, they miss the mark if they do not see the importance of positively imparting into the lives of their children. Ephesians 6:4 states: “Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up (don’t pull them down) in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

Children need the positive influence of both parents daily.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

How sad that we live in an age of such disintegration of parental love for their own children. Divorce creates great havoc in multitudes of Christian families, turning the hearts of the children away from one or even both parents. One of the greatest gifts parents can give to their children is a very loving and secure marriage. This creates a stabilizing sense of security that every child deserves. Children born out of wedlock in a relationship where they refuse to get married does not provide an environment of loving, parental care and protection.

All these things stint the heart relationship that can only come from hearts that have been truly turned by God toward children (their own children and embracing God’s heart toward children). This enables the children to have their own hearts turned to their parents.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Pray daily. Pray individually, and pray corporately as a family for Donald Trump, our President Elect:

1. That he will personally seek God. Pray that instead of being a man of the flesh, he will become a man of the Spirit. 2 Chronicles 26:5 says of Uzziah: “As long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.”

2. That he will seek God for:
a. Wisdom (2 Chronicles 1:7-10).
b. Godly counsel
c. Humility before God and man
d. Righteousness

3. That he will choose righteous people to take the key positions in our federal government, cabinet, Supreme Court, etc. Mike Pence is heading up the transition.

4. That he will be fearless and strong against all national and international ungodly, unjust, liberal agendas, especially foreign policies; and that all government corruption will be exposed and dealt with.

5. That he will not compromise on all matters of importance, e.g. life (against abortion and euthanasia), Common Core, national security, Obama Care, Israel, border control, military, etc.

6. That he will continually have his eyes opened to God’s ways. That he will have discernment between good and evil, right and wrong, clean and unclean, e.g. homosexual agenda. Ezekiel 44:23 states: “They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.” Read also Jeremiah 15:9 and Ezekiel 22:6.

7. That God will give divine protection over him and his family, Mike Pence and his family. Pray against assassins.

8. That he will take the office of the presidency seriously (not casually), and be a godly example to the nation and the world.

9. That he will be a great example for good, that he will be respected both at home and abroad, and that his enemies will shut their mouths.

10. That he will be gracious and kind, but bold and strong when appropriate.

Keep praying,

Colin Campbell

You may remember from my earlier writings during the time of the primaries that I did not endorse Trump, but voted for Ted Cruz. However, that was not to be. In the end, it came down to the fact that we had to vote for a conservative or extreme liberal agenda. God knows what He is doing far beyond our finite minds and has given us a man who will make things happen. But ultimately He saved us from disaster.

Many prophetic words have come to God’s people (some of these given a long time ago) stating God would give Trump for president and that he would be like a Cyrus who helped the people of God, even though he was a heathen. Read Isaiah 45 of God’s word to Cyrus, the king of Persia. God says to him: “I have even called there by thy name . . . though thou hast not known me.” (It’s interesting that Trump will be our 45th President).

The day before the election I felt the Holy Spirit speak to my heart: “Colin, if I give you Trump, will you be faithful to pray for him every day?” I was taken aback. Could I do this in my own strength? I answered, “Yes, Lord, only by your grace.”

I believe we must all arise against every entrenchment of the devil and apply ourselves with earnest and heart-felt prayers, coupled with every endeavor to live a godly lifestyle that will impact the nation and the world.

Will you join with me in praying for our President Elect every day? This is a man who walked in the flesh. However, as God’s people arise and pray, he can become a man who walks in the Spirit. Imagine what can happen to our nation and the world if every God-fearing Christian interceded for him every day?

I will write a separate post with 10 points to pray for Trump. You can print this off and keep it in your Bible, or of course, keep it on your iPhone to remind you.

We must also pray against any evil agenda Obama would seek to enforce in his last 90 days of office. Pray for God’s divine protection.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

One thing above all that President Elect Donald Trump espouses in his agenda for Americans is victory for pro-life through the appointment of conservative pro-life judges to the Supreme Court. The slaughter of 50 - 60 million unborn babies since Roe v. Wade, including partial birth abortions, smears the ground of our beautiful country with innocent blood. This blood cries out for justice to the God of all justice.

Even more importantly, abortion sends a strong message to God that we do not believe that every baby He creates in the womb has the right to be born. Or have the opportunity through hearing and receiving the gospel message, to be conformed into the image and likeness of God. Abortion is a slap in the face of our creative God who wants his righteous image to be fruitful and multiplied.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is for every person in the whole word, no matter what color, location, or culture. Every baby born into this world should have the privilege to hear the gospel at least once in their lifetime. The declaration of the truth found only in Jesus has the power to transform every man and woman, and boy and girl into the image and likeness of God.

We received a great victory for life last night. Let’s be encouraged to pick up our swords and continue the fight for life.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

I wonder how many Christians have stopped, or even paused to ask themselves these questions: What is His likeness and image? Why is it so important to take time to prioritize this subject?

Some may think that God’s image is His business and not ours. Surely there are other things about God that are more important. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Our very existence in this world is primarily for this express purpose. We should look and act entirely different to the way the world looks and acts.

Are we a clear revelation to this needy world of how God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit looks and acts like? Wouldn’t this world be a better place to live in if the image and likeness of God was multiplied and manifested everywhere—in all its glory and clarity? A thousand times, yes.

Is it possible that every child born to a Christian couple and raised in the ways of God, born again, and filled with the Holy Spirit could be like a great neon sign, showing to the world the image of God? Absolutely, yes. Your street, your family, your city, your country, and your world would be far better off with the multiplication of God’s image and likeness. God’s love, His truth, mercy, holiness, faithfulness, gentleness, kindness, and all His virtues are what it is all about.

It all begins with a newborn baby being raised in the ways of God. And why would we stop with only one? We need to multiply God’s image with two, three, four, or however many God plans to give us. This truth needs to be shouted from the roof tops.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

There are some who argue that God is only interested in spiritual fruitfulness and multiplication, such as John 15:16: “I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” Jesus spoke these words, primarily regarding spiritual fruitfulness.

However, to argue that we do not need to be naturally fruitful to produce a world full of spiritual fruit is plain, straight, ridiculous. Go wants fathers and mothers who are spiritual fruitful to bring forth natural sons and daughters. He wants them to raise them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord in order to multiply spiritual fruitfulness that will influence the whole world—every nation, every city, every village, every home, and every individual.

It is for this purpose God has called and mandated every husband and wife to be fruitful and multiply, both naturally and spiritually. The more children we permit God to give us, the greater potential we have as parents to influence the world for righteousness. We cannot increase righteousness if there is no one created to receive it. As we teach and train our children in the ways of the Lord, the whole earth will be filled with His glory (Numbers 14:21).

Those who call themselves Christians, and yet have no vision to increase and multiply sons and daughters, obviously have no vision to see the world influenced with the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 15:46 tells us: “First which is natural . . . and afterward that which is spiritual.”

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Men, fatherhood from a biblical perspective is primarily not about the furtherance of man’s image, Adam’s image, the image of man from an earthly perspective, or the furtherance of our own family name or image. As Christians, we must see ourselves as the “children of God.”

Genesis 1:26 says: “And God said, Let us make man in our image after our likeness: and let them have dominion . . .” Basically, man was created for the sole purpose of revealing the image and likeness of God. In this image of God, he rules over all of God’s creation on earth.

Genesis 1:27 says: “So God created men in his own image, in the image of God created he him; female and female created he them.”

GOD’S FIRST MANDATE TO MANKIND

Genesis 1:28: “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion . . ." I firmly believe God only wants His image to rule over His created earth. Tragically, after the fall of man, revealed in Genesis chapter three, man lost the image and likeness of God. He even hid himself from the glorious presence of God amongst the trees of the garden.

However, by the grace and mercy of God, His eternal plan for the redemption of fallen man back to His image immediately came into action (Genesis 3:21). God, as the prototype of all true fatherhood, in His great love and mercy, despite the great fall of man away from His likeness and image, did not give up on His eternal plan to restore man through Jesus Christ, the second Adam (1 Corinthian 15:45-50).

God’s eternal purpose is for His heavenly image and likeness to fill the earth with His glory. To this end and purpose we are created. To this end we must be fruitful in Christ Jesus.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

Ruth had also lost her own Jewish husband along with Orpah, but Orpah’s decision to be committed to following Naomi back to Israel and the God of Israel was somewhat shallow and temporary. Yes, she wept at the parting, but the cost of following Naomi could mean more pain than she had already experienced. She was easily discouraged by the prospects of continued widowhood if she continued with Naomi.

Orpah seems to me to be the type of the uncommitted church who respects the things of God demonstrated through her mother-in-law, but the cost of leaving her own family, country, and friends was too much for her. Sadly, she went back to her family and their false gods and we hear no more about her.

She did not understand that with the God of Israel suffering may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Satan always tries to turn us away from the cross, but the cross of Christ is the only true doorway to freedom. Sad to say, much of the church today is not the church of the cross. Like Orpah, it may love certain aspects of the Bible. It always agrees with the blessings of the kingdom, but the cross is distasteful and unattractive to the Orpah church who still love to worship the idols of the world, especially if they offer more fun, the good life, and pleasing yourself.

Ruth did not want to ever hear one more word about returning to the old life. Ruth, like Moses, had a greater commitment: “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.” Ruth, like Moses, chose to “suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ great riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward” (Hebrews 11:25, 26).

Jesus will only marry a Ruth-type bride!

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

After further explanation by Naomi concerning their hopeless possibility of remarriage into her family, Orpah decided to return to her own family and their gods (1:7-14).

However, we see Ruth’s most amazing commitment to her mother-in-law as well as to her God Jehovah as she refuses to return to her own people in the land of Moab.

Ruth 1:16, 17: “And Ruth said, entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.“ This is the reason why Boaz was so willing to provide Ruth with the wedding garment covering.

Boaz (who is a type of Christ) speaks to Ruth about her commitment and virtues: “Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter, for thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. . . . for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman” (Ruth 2:1 and 3:8-11).

After certain duties and protocol were performed Boaz granted her the request for covering, which is a type of the wedding garment.

What about us. Is our heavenly Boaz (Jesus Christ) willing to stretch out His covering over us? The punch line to the above is this: why would Christ extend His covering to a bride who is not prepared to give the same kind of commitment Ruth gave to her mother-in-law?

WHITHER THOU GOEST, I WILL GO
Are we going where Christ, our bridegroom wants to take us? Do we take notice of His great commission to “go into all the world”? It seems to me that much of the church wants Christ to follow them!

WHERE THOU LODGEST, I WILL LODGE
Is this the language of today’s church? In other words, is my home a home where Christ really feels at home? Or are there things in my home that make Him feel uncomfortable? Does Jesus accept a bride that does not want her home to be His home?

THY PEOPLE SHALL BE MY PEOPLE
Really? Do we who call ourselves the bride of Christ love to fellowship regularly with His people?

WHERE THOU DIEST, I WILL DIE
Jesus died on the cross. Are we willing to take up our cross and follow Him?

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell