IT’S FUTILE

1 Samuel 12:20-21 NASB, “Do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. You must not turn aside, for then you would go after futile things which cannot profit or deliver, because they are futile.”

How true it is that when we turn away from the Lord, we tend to follow after futile things. When we keep close to the Lord, through prayer and guidance of His Word, He keeps our hearts in the right place and leads us into His truth. When we turn aside to our own ways, we have nothing to deter us from walking after vain things and running into deception.

Romans 1:18-28 tells us that when people turn aside from God and focus all their attention on themselves, worshipping “the creature more than the Creator”, they become “futile in their speculations” and God gives them over to a “reprobate mind” which is a mind that is void of all judgment and understanding.

We gain more understanding of the word “futile” (tohu in the Hebrew) by looking at other passages where it is used. We find that it also means…

Wasteful. (Deuteronomy 32:10) To go a different way than God has planned for us is to waste our lives. I have always thought that the saddest thing anyone can do is to go through life doing their own thing and going their own way. They miss out on the destiny that God has planned for them before the foundation of the world. That’s a wasted life.

Nothingness. Job 6:18 says, “The paths of their way are turned aside: they go to nothing and perish.” There is only nothingness at the end of a life that is spent on itself. Luke 12:8-21 reveals the nothingness at the end for the one “who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God.”

A Wilderness experience. (Deuteronomy 32:10 and Job 12:24) To turn aside from God’s ways is always a wilderness experience.

Confusion. (Isaiah 41:29) We live in a society that is deceived and deluded. Because we are engulfed by humanist thinking—in the media, the education system and the mindset of the majority around is, it can seem normal to us. Unless we keep close to the Lord and live in His word, we can also be deceived and confused without knowing it.

Vanity. (Isaiah 40:17; 23; 44:9; 59:4) It is a vain thing to pursue our own way. It has no eternal reward.

Empty. The Jerusalem and CJB translate tohu as empty. Many people try to fill their lives with pleasure, satisfaction and material possessions. They fill their homes with stuff—TVs, beautiful décor and every new thing that is advertised. And yet their homes are empty of people--empty of babies and children, the true riches that we can take into eternity with us.

I think of God’s words about Israel when they walked in their own ways, “Israel is an empty vine, he brings forth fruit unto himself.” (Hosea 10:1) When we focus on ourselves and our own aspirations, we are empty. We have nothing to give to anyone else. We have nothing to take into eternity.

The word empty in this Scripture is baqaq and means “to empty, to depopulate.” Isn’t that interesting? This is what has been happening in the church over the last few decades. As people have turned away from God’s truths to fill their lives with the pleasures of this world, they have depopulated the church. Thousands and thousands of godly children who God intended to come forth to bring God’s light and salvation into the world are not here. Not only have we depopulated the church, but we have depopulated the land. In turning from God’s ways, we have become empty.

Other translations use the words useless (MLB), worthless (NLT) and false (Knox).

May God help us from wasting our lives on our own pursuits.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL, ABOVE RUBIES

PRAYER:

“Oh God, please keep me on your narrow way. I don’t want to waste my life. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

Not my way, but God’s way.

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THE EASY WAY

Isaiah 44:20, “A deceived heart has turned him aside.”

Have you read the story of Pilgrim’s Progress? If so, do you remember when Christian was tempted to turn into Bypath Meadow? Faithful and Christian were weary and the King’s Way was rough and stony. They were tired and their feet ached. They came to a stile where the fence divided the King’s Way from Bypath Meadow. Bypath Meadow was a smooth, grassy path instead of the rough stony one—but best of all; it ran right alongside the Way of the King. They wouldn’t be going in the wrong direction. They really wouldn’t be turning away and they would be able to jump back over the fence if it veered in the wrong direction.

They turned aside to the easy path. But eventually a storm came and flooded the path, darkness came and they could not find the way back to the King’s Way. They fell asleep and were seized by Giant Despair and his cruel wife, Diffidence. They were cruelly beaten and imprisoned for some time until God provided a way to escape.

This is how the enemy tempts us too. We would never veer right away from the Lord. Of course we want to obey and follow Him. But we are often tempted to take the easy path. We are tired of the sacrifice, heartaches and sleepless nights. We are tired of taking up our cross. We want it easy. We want everything to go our own way.

“Have another child? Help! Too much work. I want to take it easy. I want some rest.” But does it really make life easier? More children results in more blessings, more entertainment in the home, more diversity, more built-in helpers and built-in friends.

“Do I really have to stop eating all that sugar and all those carbs? I love them. They’re my comfort food.” They may be the desirable way, but not in the end!

“I’m overwhelmed with all this homeschooling. I can’t take it any longer. I’m sending them back to public school.” Sure, it’s the easier way. But what about the ungodly influence on your children? What about the subtle humanist brainwashing?  What about the ungodly friends they may make? How will it affect their destiny?  

The easy path takes us further and further away from the truth. If we take the easy way in our family, we’ll begin to take the easy way in other areas too. We’ll begin to rely on government, rather than being a free people and taking responsibility for ourselves. We’ll become weak and no longer people of strength of character. And the long term result is bondage to dictatorship.

I was talking to a friend about a couple who are having marriage problems. “It’s no use her going back to him until her heart wants to go back,” my friend commented. “Oh no,” I replied. “If she waits for her heart, she may never return!”

What does the Bible say in Jeremiah 17:9? “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Our heart can so easily deceive us. We don’t stay in a marriage because our heart is happy and wanting to stay. We stay in a marriage, or go back to a marriage if we have left it, because it is the right thing to do—because of obedience and commitment.  

No wonder there is so much divorce today. Everyone wants to take Bypath Meadow. They want the easy way out. Their focus is on looking after themselves. Everything revolves around self. “Poor me. He’s not meeting my needs. He doesn’t understand me.” The excuses keep coming. But Marriage is not all about “me.” Marriage is forgetting about myself and concentrating on how I can serve my husband and family. It’s commitment to my vows. It’s not giving in to deceptive feelings but sticking to the vision of building a godly generation. It continues in the face of hardship and frustration.

Marriage is more than two people. Marriage affects our children. It affects the extended family. It affects the church and everyone around us. It affects the generations to come—and eternity.

When we turn aside to the easy path, we enter into deviation, delusion and deception. It is only when we get back on the King’s Highway of truth that we will be safe, even though we may face challenges and difficulties.

Don’t be deceived by the easy path.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL, ABOVE RUBIES

PRAYER:

“Oh God please save me from being deceived. Save me from taking the easy path that looks good, but is not your way. Give me discernment to recognize the bypaths. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:
I will not be deceived by the allurements of the easy way.


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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IT TAKES A TURNING

Psalm 119:5-6, “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..”

As we read this Scripture, we feel God’s heart for families. God longs for the turning of the hearts to children. This should also be our prayer and longing.

We know that that this Scripture was fulfilled in the life of John the Baptist of whom it was said, “He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost… And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

God chose John the Baptist to prepare the people for the first coming of Jesus by turning the hearts of the fathers to the children. But Jesus is coming a second time and the way must be prepared again. God is going to do it the same way, by turning the hearts of the fathers (and this also includes the mothers) back to the children. This issue is so important to the heart of God that He says that if it doesn’t happen, He will smite the earth with a curse. This is not something we can take lightly.

God started this human race with the mandate, “Be fruitful and multiply” and He is going to finish it the same way. God hasn’t changed His attitude toward children. He loves children. He calls them a blessing. When Jesus was on earth he embraced the children to Him and severely reprimanded those who turned them away. How can we be followers of God and yet have a different attitude about children than He does?

Are we on God’s agenda or the devil’s agenda? Truly it is time for God’s people to turn back to His ways. Will we turn or will we have the curse?

Malachi 3:18 says, “Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves him not.” Do you notice that it is in returning that we will have understanding and discernment? While we continue to live according to our own agenda, we often live in oblivion to what God really wants. It is when we turn from our own way and turn back to Him and obedience to His Word that we begin to understand truth we have not seen before. Discernment comes after turning.

It is time for us to turn from pride, stubbornness, prayerlessness, disobedience, mediocrity, passiveness and following afar the spirit of this world.

Jesus came to turn us away from ungodliness. “God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away everyone of you from his iniquities.” (Acts 3:26)

“There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” (Romans 11:26)

“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins…” (Acts 26:18)

“Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.” (Lamentations 3:40)

“I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.” (Psalm 119:59)

“Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.” (Lamentations 5:21)

Which way are we going to turn? This generation and future generations hinge upon our decision.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL, ABOVE RUBIES

PRAYER:
“Oh God please save me from being deceived. Help me to turn completely to you so that I will discern what is truth and what is your way. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:
My heart is turned towards the Lord.

FURTHER STUDY:

Exhortations to turn back to God:
2 Chronicles 7:14; Job 36:10; Proverbs 1:23; Isaiah 44:22;
Jeremiah 3:14a, 4:1; 19, 22; 18:11; 25:5-6; 36:3, 7;
Ezekiel 14:6; 18:30-31; 33:11;
Hosea 6:1; 12:6; 14:1-2; Joel 2:12-13; Zechariah 1:3-4; Malachi 3:7

We have a responsibility to exhort people to turn back to God:
Jeremiah 23:22; 26:2-3; Ezekiel 33:7-9; Daniel 12:3; Malachi 2:6-7;
Acts 14:15; 26:16-18

Prayers of turning back to God:
1 Kings 8:35-36; 2 Chronicles 6:24-27; Psalm 80:3, 7, 19; 119:37;
Jeremiah 31:18-19; Lamentations 5:21; Hosea 14:1-2

Examples of turning back to God:
1 Kings 18:37-38; Malachi 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; 1 Peter 2:25

Examples of not turning away from God:
1 Kings 15:4-5; 2 Kings 22:1-2; 23:25; Psalm 44:18; Isaiah 50:5

Examples of turning away from God:
Leviticus 20:6; Numbers 14:43; Deuteronomy 31:18; Judges 8:33
1 Kings 11:1-11; 2 Chronicles 25:27; 29:6-8;
Psalm 78:9, 41, 56-57; Proverbs 28:9;
Isaiah 53:6; 44:20; 59:14-15;
Jeremiah 2:21, 27; 3:10; 5:3; 11:9-11; 15:6-7; 23:14-15; 32:33; 50:6;
Lamentations 1:8-9; Hosea 7:9-16; Amos 4:6, 9-11; Zephaniah 1:4-6; Haggai 2:17;
Acts 7:39; 2 Timothy 4:4

Examples of turning away QUICKLY:
Exodus 32:8; Deuteronomy 9:12, 16; Judges 2:17

Exhortations to turn from evil:
Deuteronomy 5:32-33; 11:16-17; 26-28; 28:14; 29:18-20; 30:17-18;
Joshua 1:7; 23: 6; 1 Samuel 12:20-21;
1 Kings 9:6-7; 2 Kings 17:13; 2 Chronicles 7:14; 19-20;
Psalm 85:8; 125:5; Proverbs 4:27;
Ezekiel 18:24-28; 33:12-20;
2 Timothy 3:5; Hebrews 12:25

God promises and blessings to us if we turn back to Him:
Deuteronomy 4:30-31; 30:9-10; 1 Kings 18:37-38;
2 Chronicles 6:24-27, 37-39; 7:14; 7:19-20; 15:4; 30:6, 9;
Nehemiah 1:9; Job 22:23; Isaiah 55:7; 59:20-21;
Jeremiah 15:19-20; 18:7-10; 24:6-7; 26:2-3;
Ezekiel 18:21-23; 33:14-16, 19;
Joel 2:12-14; Zechariah 1:3; Malachi 4:5-6


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.

GOD WITH US

Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Matthew 1:23)

The prophets revealed many different names as they foretold the birth of the Messiah  who would come to deliver Israel and the world. Isaiah 9:6 reveals his name as Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father and The Prince of Peace.

God revealed to both Joseph and Mary, at separate visitations, that his name would be called JESUS “for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:23 and Luke 1:31)

But it was also prophesied that He would be called Emmanuel—God with us. What love! What purpose God has for us in the gift of His son, Yeshua. He gave him to be the Savior of the world—to save us from our sins, to deliver us from our selfishness and bondages so that we can live unto him--but also to be with us. He wants to be close to us. He wants to fellowship with us. He wants to be present in every detail of our lives. There is no greater gift we could receive than Emmanuel.

Because Jesus died to take the punishment of our sin, we have cleansing and forgiveness—and the infilling of the Holy Spirit—God with us.

This gets to the very nitty-gritty of our lives. Dear mother, God is with you in every moment of your mothering. He is with you when you feel overwhelmed and even when you feel you can’t cope any longer. He is with you in all the frustrations. He is with you as you tackle another mound of dishes. He is with you as you scrub and clean. He is with you as you face all the extra activities you take on at this Christmas season. He is with you as you sort out squabbles and sibling rivalry. You are not doing all this on your own. Emmanuel is with you. Acknowledge that He is with you. Thank Him that He is with you. It makes all the difference. (Revelation 21:3)

All these moments, the good and the difficult, are sacred moments because of Emmanuel. He is with you as you curl up on your sofa and nurse your baby. He is with you as you read stories to your children and in the daily disciplines of teaching and training your children. Your whole attitude, and the atmosphere of your home, changes when you understand that God is powerfully with you in every mothering moment.

He is with you in the dark times. He is with you when you do not feel Him and think that He is far away. Your feelings have nothing to do with it. Your feelings do not change Emmanuel!

You may feel you are drowning in the waters, but in the midst of the deep waters, God says “I am with you…they shall not overflow you.” The waters of adversity may be swirling around you. They look fearful and you wonder how you will survive. But remember, you cannot drown when God is with you. It is impossible. Read Isaiah 43:2 again. Instead of talking about all that you are going through, thank God that He is with you in your trial. When you understand that God is with you, you can rejoice.

Perhaps you are going through a fiery trial. The flames are engulfing your life and family. They feel as though they are consuming you. But, once again, please remember the promise of God—“You will not be burned!” The flames will not consume you. Why? Because God is with you! God is bigger than your fiery trial. Read again Isaiah 43:1-3.

We can rejoice in Emmanuel. He is in control. I love the reference to Emmanuel in Isaiah 8:8 and 10 that He is in charge and He owns the land! Yes, Emmanuel owns the land of Israel!

The greatest gift we have in this earthly life is that God with us. We are not citizens of this world. We are only sojourners here, ambassadors for the King of kings on our way to eternity. He does not leave us here to grovel and exist on our own. He has sent Emmanuel to be with us, teaching us, guiding us and filling us with His wisdom and His glorious presence as we fulfill our destiny.

Make this be the glorious theme of your Christmas celebrations. Share this wonderful revelation with your family. As you thank God, encourage each one in the family to thank God that He is Emmanuel--God with us.  

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL, ABOVE RUBIES

PRAYER:
“Oh God, I thank you that you are Emmanuel. I thank you that you have promised to never leave me or forsake me. I thank you that you are with me even when I do not feel your presence. I thank you that I do not need to fear any circumstance because you are with me.”

AFFIRMATION:
I can face every situation in life because of Emmanuel!


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.