NOT ASHAMED!

“In nothing terrified by your adversaries” (Philippians 1:28)

Why is it that we are often so fearful to witness for Christ? To stand up for the truths of God’s Word even though they are counter culture to society around us? I guess it is because we don’t like being scorned at, laughed at, or even persecuted.

God knows that we are fearful and therefore He strengthens us with His living words. Read the following different translations of Philippians 1:28:

“Never be scared for a second by your opponents; your fearlessness is a clear omen of ruin for them”(Moffat).

“Never for a moment quail before your antagonists” (Weymouth).

“Not flinching or dodging in the slightest before the opposition” (The Message).

Are you encouraged? It’s time for us to rise up and not be ashamed.

We must not be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ

Paul confessed in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.”

It was impossible to shut up the early Christians, even when they were put the in prison. When the authorities commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, what did they answer? “We ought to obey God rather than men!” And then Peter immediately starting preaching about Jesus again! Read Acts 5:27-33; Philippians 1:20-21 and 2 Timothy 1:8, 12.

It is important to remember that our Christianity is a CONFESSION! We are born again into God’s family when we believe that God raised Jesus from the dead and also CONFESS with our mouth that Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:9-11). We begin by confessing, and we continue by confessing! We cannot hide our faith. We cannot keep it to ourselves. We confess everything we believe. We confess every new understanding of truth. 2 Corinthians 4:13 says, “According as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore SPEAK.” (Psalm 116:10 and Hebrews 10:23). We are not meant to have a “silent faith” but a “SPEAKING FAITH.”

Never be ashamed of truth. Always counteract the deceptions!

We must not be ashamed of speaking before authorities

Psalm 119:46 says, “I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.”

We must not be ashamed of God’s Word and His truth

Do you take your Bible with you everywhere you go? I am amazed how few believers carry Bibles these days. The majority of them don’t even bring them to church! Help! No wonder we are not impacting this nation. We are no longer people of the Book! And because we are no longer people of the Book, we don’t know the truth. And because we are ignorant of the truth, we are easily deceived.

It’s time to not only be believers, but BIBLE believers—and BIBLE carriers! What would happen if every believer starting carrying their Bible with them? They wouldn’t think of going to church without them? After church, they get out their Bibles at a restaurant as they discuss the Word of God with friends. They take them everywhere they go because it is their guide for life. My husband carries a Bible in his pocket which he can read at any place and any time.

I love to read the Word when I am flying, which is quite frequently. I know there must be many other Christians on board the plane, and yet I have never seen anyone else with their Bible out yet? What’s wrong? Are we ashamed?

Maybe the reason that believers don’t take their Bibles everywhere with them is that they don’t even read them at home. Do we read the Bible daily to our children? If not, maybe our children think we are ashamed of the Bible and it is not the most important book in the world, after all!

It is such a good idea to teach your children to get into the habit of taking their Bible with them to church. Sit as a family in the front seats. Encourage the children to open to the Scriptures as the preacher speaks and to take notes! Start them working on their A.U.G. degree at an early age. (Check which degree it is in 2 Timothy 2:15). You could start a revival in your church!

Mark 8:38 says, “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and MY WORDS in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Psalm 119:6, 80).

We are blessed to have freedom to read God’s Word in our western countries. We must “HOLD FAST” that which we have, lest it be taken away (Revelation 3:11).

More next week.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL
www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

“Oh God, I live in a sinful generation who disdain your Word. Please help me not to be ashamed, but to be faithful to speak your truth in every situation, “in season and out of season.” Amen.

AFFIRMATION:

“I'm not ashamed to own my Lord,
Or to defend his cause,
Maintain the honor of His Word,
The glory of His cross.”

ANTIDOTE TO DEPRESSION 

“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost” (Romans 15:13).

I read recently about Dr. Northoff, a medical researcher and psychiatrist, who is researching the neurochemistry of hopelessness and why so many young people turn to suicide. One survey revealed that 20 percent of 140,000 Chinese high school students have considered suicide. Most of these victims have no hope because they cannot see into the future. They cannot see the end of the tunnel, only a dark hole. He believes this is due to a dysfunction in part of the brain.

This may be so, but God, who created us in the beginning, knows what is necessary for us to live in victory and joy. The antidote to depression is hope, and our God is the God of hope. Our hope is found in Him. Hopelessness can trigger problems in the brain, but the brain can also be made whole as we learn to trust in the God of hope. (Proverbs 13:12).

Myriads of people take comfort in the words of Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” The Hebrew word for “expected” is tikvah which means “hope” and many translations say, “To give you a future and a hope.”

It is hope that gives us a good outlook on life, and often, it is what keeps us alive. I think of the Jewish people, who for nearly 2,000 years, were scattered to the four corners of the earth, going through persecution, pogroms, herded into ghettos in the countries where they lived and eventually suffering Hitler’s holocaust. Through all these years, they never ever gave up hope for their land of Israel. There were times in history when Jerusalem was by called other names, but they never forgot their city they had never seen. Every year at Passover, they recited in hope, “Next year in Jerusalem.”

In 1886, Naftali Hertz Imber from Bohemia wrote a poem which in 1948 became the Israeli national anthem. It is called HaTikvah meaning “The Hope.” The translated Hebrew words are…

As long as the Jewish spirit is yearning deep in the heart,
With eyes turned toward the East, looking toward Zion,
Then our hope, the two-thousand-year-old hope, will not be lost:
To be a free people in our land,
The land of Zion and Jerusalem.

These words were written before there was any dream of Israel becoming a nation again, but hope kept the nation of Israel alive as they waited for the promise. Many years ago, while walking through the bush in Australia, Colin and I met a Jewish couple. Colin immediately began witnessing to them about Jesus and they became our dear friends. The guy was a Russian Jew and the wife a Persian Jew, both having made aliyah to Israel. The gentleman shared with us, that although living in Communist Russia and never having heard of the land of Israel, he always longed and hoped for his homeland that he didn’t even know existed.

Hebrews 6:11 NASB inspires us “to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish.” The Amplified Version explains the actions we need to take in order for hope to work in our lives, “We do (strongly and earnestly) desire for each of you to show the same diligence and sincerity (all the way through) in realizing and enjoying the full assurance and development of your hope until the end.”

The word “sluggish” is nothros and means “a sluggishness which makes a person unfit for activities of the mind or spirit.” That’s a picture of depression! What saves us from this kind of state? Hope!

Hope in God who puts hope into our soul as we look to Him and trust in Him. Psalm 31:24 tells us that when we put our hope in the Lord that He will put courage and strength into our very soul! Teach your children from a young age how to put their hope in the Lord, rather than getting into the habit of dwelling on their problems. David’s mother must have instilled this into her son. David confesses in Psalm 71:5, “For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.” Read also Psalm 78:4-7.

I can’t let you miss out on this Scripture, Psalm 146:5 says, “HAPPY is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose HOPE is in the Lord his God.” We are reminded again that hope is the antidote to despair. When we put our hope in the Lord we will be happy. This particular “happy” in the Hebrew is esher and is only ever used in the plural. It means “doubly happy!” Don’t you love that? Proverbs 10:28 says, “The hope of the righteous is GLADNESS” and Proverbs 16:20 reminds us that “Whoso trusteth (hopeth) in the Lord, HAPPY is he.”

The meaning of hope is to be constantly looking, waiting and expecting something good to happen. This is the way God created us to live. This is what keeps us in health and happiness.

Hope in His “exceeding great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4).

Hope as we go through trials. Hope is what enables us to endure our trials. (Romans 8:28 and Hebrews 12:2-3).

Hope for a glorious future—eternal glory forever and ever. Our hope goes beyond this life. Our true hope is for eternity.

To be encouraged in your soul, read the Scriptures at the end of this devotion.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL
www.aboverubiees.org

PRAYER:

“I thank you, Father, that you have destined me to live a life of hope. Help me to get into the habit of knowing that you are working out everything for my good, even if it isn’t to my liking. Fill me daily with your Holy Spirit so that I will go around my home ABOUNDING IN HOPE. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I am ABOUNDING in hope today!

Read these Scriptures about hope.

Hope in God. (Sometimes The King James Version translates the Hebrew word for “hope” as “expectation” or “trust.”

Psalm 4:5; 9:10; 13:5; 25:2; 26:1; 28:7; 31:6b, 14, 24; 32:10; 33:18, 21-22; 37:3-5; 38:15; 39:7; 42:5, 11; 43:5; 50:10; 52:8; 56:3-4, 11; 62:5-8; 71:5, 14; 84:12; 86: 2; 91:2; 112:7; 115:9-11; 125:1; 130:7; 131:3; 143:8; 146:5; 147:11; Proverbs 3:5-6; 28:25b; 29:25; Isaiah 12:2; 26:3-4; Jeremiah 17:7, 13, 17; Lamentations 3:22-26 and 1 Peter 3:5.

Hope in God’s “exceeding great and precious promises.”

Psalm 119:42-43, 49, 74, 81, 114, 116; 147, 165-166; 130:5 and Romans 15:4.

Hope as we go through trials.

Job 13:15; Psalm 22:4-5; Romans 5:3-5; 8:24-25; 1 Corinthians 13:13 and 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.

Hope in a glorious future.

1 Corinthians 15:19-22; Ephesians 1:18-20; Colossians 1:5; 2 Timothy 2:10

Titus 1:2; 2:12-14; 3:7 and 1 Peter 1:3-5, 13.

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 going to: http://bit.ly/WomensEmailDevotional

IN THE KITCHEN AGAIN! 

“Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work” (1 Timothy 5:9-10).

Do you feel like doing something good today? How about making your husband his favorite meal? Or making some healthy cookies or an extra special meal for your children? Or you may like to bake a cake or some homemade bread and a big pot of soup for someone you know who is sick, pregnant or recently had a new baby.

“Goodness, you don’t want me to get into the kitchen again, do you?” I hear you say. Yes! And you will be doing the “good works” God planned for you.

There are two particular passages in the New Testament that give a description of God’s plan for women. As I read them again recently I noticed that they bring us back to the kitchen! God is so practical. And He wants us to be heavenly practical! That means doing the “good works” He planned in Heaven for us to do on earth!

The first passage is in 1 Timothy 5:9-10 where it gives a beautiful description of a godly woman. God puts everything in order and the first thing we read that she does is to:

1. Nourish children. The word in the Greek is teknotropheo and means “to cherish, nourish and give food to children; it is also used of a mother nursing a baby at her breast.” This is all about food! It starts with nursing our babies and then feeding them every day of their lives until they leave home! This means spending a lot of time in the kitchen! But it is not a waste of time. It is all part of our nurturing, mothering anointing. And it is all in God’s plan. What does she do next?

1. Show hospitality to strangers. Hospitality is also about food. The more people you invite to your table and to stay in your home, the more you’ll be in the kitchen! Don’t despair! God looks upon it with favor. He says it is a good work!

1. Wash the saints’ feet. In biblical times they washed the feet of their guests when they arrived at the home and before they sat them down to a meal. It speaks of serving. But once again, it is all about food. Washing feet is preparing to serve them food.

1. Relieve those who are in distress. Most of the time this will mean feeding those who are hungry and bringing into your home those who have nowhere to stay (which once again means feeding them)!

Do you notice how these “good works” are all to do with food? But we haven’t finished yet. The other passage is in Titus 2:3-5 where it tells the older women to teach the younger women “good things.” The Greek word is kalodidaskalos which means she is teaching them things which are valuable and beautiful to behold. The J. B. Phillips translation says that these things are “a good advertisement for the Christian faith.” Of the good things that are mentioned, most of them refer to food. Let’s have a look:

1. Love your husband. You can’t love your husband without feeding him. The old saying is true that “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” One of the good things you can do for your husband is to make sure that you have a nutritious, attractive and aroma-filled meal ready for him when he gets home. Not an hour after he gets home, but as soon as he gets home! You abundantly bless him when he arrives home to a beautifully set table, a lovely meal and the family waiting for him to take his place at the head of the table.

1. Love your children. You certainly show your love to your children by preparing wholesome meals for them, not with resignation, but with excitement and joy. They know you love them when you delight to cook for them and make special things for them. And as you cook, you will let them help you, showing the way for the next generation.

1. Sensible. This is translated “discreet” in the KJV. The Greek word is sophron and means “a person who limits his own freedom and ability with proper thinking, demonstrating self-control with the proper restraints on all the passions and desires, one who voluntarily places limitations on his freedom.” To prepare meals for our husband and family, day after day, week after week, year after year (I have now been doing it for over 48 years!), takes sacrifice and limiting our own freedom. We’ll happily stop doing “our own thing” when it’s time to prepare meals.

1. Keepers at home. This speaks of running our home efficiently. To competently manage a home we need to plant a garden to provide fresh food for our family, shop, order food from afar, plan, preserve, and prepare wholesome and delicious meals. It’s all about food again!

1. Good. Remember, cooking and preparing meals is a “good thing” and God is watching!

1. Submit to your husband. Having a meal ready for our husband shows our deference and submission to him. What does the virtuous woman to do her husband? “She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life” (Proverbs 31:12).

Have fun cooking! Now you can do it with revelation, not resignation!

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

“Thank you, Father for showing me that preparing food is not an inferior task, but high on the list in your agenda for mothers. Help me to remember that it is one of the good works you have chosen for me to accomplish.”

AFFIRMATION:

Look out family: mother is cooking up a storm!

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.

WHAT’S YOUR CHOICE? 

“See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil… I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.
Deuteronomy 30:15, 20.”

We face life and death issues every day. Because we belong to a kingdom of life, we must get into the habit of choosing life in every situation. But to choose life, we must have God’s understanding about life. We often make decisions with our humanistic thinking. I believe it is imperative to know what God thinks about life from the beginning to the end.

What about the beginning of life? We believe that life begins at conception. However, I see in God’s Word that God goes even beyond conception. One of the many words that He uses to describe children is the Hebrew word zerah. This word is used to describe the sperm but is also used for people—babies, toddlers, teens and adults. It seems that God sees them all the same. He sees that the life begins with the sperm. There would be no babies or no adults if there were no sperm! Compare Leviticus 15:16-18 which uses zerah for sperm and Genesis 46:6-7 (among many other Scriptures) that uses zerah for people, “They came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed (zerah) with him: his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his son’s daughters, and all his seed (zerah) brought he with him into Egypt.” This speaks of three generations of different ages.

I am always amazed at God’s revelation in Hebrews 7:9-10 where it says, “Levi also, who receives tithes, paid tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.” Levi was four generations down from Abraham, not even a twinkle in Abraham’s eye, but God says he was actually in the loins of Abraham and paid tithes to Melchisedec when Abraham paid tithes. God sees the seed of life that continues in each continuing generation. What a tragedy that so much life is cut off today before it is even conceived!

What about the end of life? It is quite prevalent today to encourage people into the arms of Jesus when they are nearing the end. Pastors and counselors often say, “The Lord is waiting for you. You can now go to the arms of Jesus. We release you to go.” A pastor said this to my father as he neared his last moments. I thought it sounded very spiritual at the time.

It was not until sometime later that the Holy Spirit convicted me that, although it sounded very nice, it is far from right! No one, no matter who they are, has any authority to tell a person it is time to leave this earth. This kind of thinking slowly leads us toward euthanasia. A person will give their last breath when they are ready, without anyone’s help. Even when they are unconscious or in a coma, they can still be aware of their loved ones around them. Maybe they want to linger on and savor the presence of family members as long as they can. They do not need auto-suggestion from anyone.

It is a divine privilege to breathe our last when we are ready, not when someone else thinks we are ready. Jesus gave up his own spirit. Luke 23:46 says, “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”

We are living in a culture of death, masterminded by Satan who wants to destruct. He comes to rob, kill and destroy (John 10:10) He wants to rob life from this world before it is conceived and after it is conceived. He wants to snuff people’s lives out before it is their time to go. In the midst of this culture, we must stand out like beacon lights, promoting life! Never being deceived by society around us! Never giving in! Never compromising! There is no middle ground. We either belong to the kingdom of God which promotes life or the kingdom of Satan which chooses death. One brings blessing; the other cursing. If we do not choose life, we are contrary to God’s kingdom.

Philippians 2:15-16 says, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life.”

Make it a habit to choose life in every situation, even when you open your mouth to speak! Embrace life. Give life. Love life. Stand up for life. Speak life. Make decisions for life. Choose life that you and your descendants will live!

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Lord, please save me from being subtly deceived by the culture of death in which I live. Help me to always stand for life.”

AFFIRMATION:

I’m lighting up, standing up and speaking up for life!

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 going to>> Subscribe To The Women's Email Devotional

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