SMELLING GOOD OR BAD?

Ephesians 5:26, “Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

Back many years ago when folks did not have the plumbing in their homes that we enjoy today, most families took a bath once a week. Even when I was a child we bathed once a week, usually Saturday evening, to prepare for Sunday. But, we were challenged to have a Quiet Time every day where we read the Word of God to cleanse our inward lives.

Today, times have changed. Now that we have showers, everyone enjoys a shower every day to cleanse their bodies, but many only have a spiritual shower once a week, often a little face wash which they let the pastor give them as they listen to his sermon! They don’t even wash themselves!

We could not imagine going around dirty without washing our bodies, and yet we have no compunction about leaving our souls dirty. Just as we like to have a daily shower, it is even more important to daily wash the inward man. Often the inward man gets dirtier than the outward man. Each one of us faces daily challenges in life where we are tempted to be angry, bitter, hurt, upset, cantankerous, grouchy, complaining, proud and rebellious—and so the list goes on. Oh what a filthy inside! We really cannot survive without a daily bath of the inward man, can we? Otherwise our sins and the contaminations build up and we become a “bad smell” in our own home!

Do you remember the words that Jesus spoke to the Pharisees? “Cleanse FIRST that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.” (Matthew 23:26) Read also Hebrews 10:22.

The Word of God is the water that washes us. The word ‘washing’ in this Scripture is the Greek word, loutron (the verb is louo) and it means, “to take a bath, to wash the whole body and not just a part of it.” It speaks metaphorically of washing every part of the inward man—our heart, soul, spirit, mind and emotions. It’s a whole bath, not just a face wash.

I find that if I do not personally read God’s Word each day that sin can build up in my life and I am not even aware of it. But when I read the Word, the Holy Spirit reveals the things that grieve Him and which pollute my soul. I am convicted to repent and cast them from my life so I can keep my inward man clean. 2 Corinthians 7:1 says, “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

I love the adage, “Sin will keep you from the Word of God, or the Word of God will keep you from sin.” This is a good one to teach our children, isn’t it? I grew up on this. As soon as your children can read well, encourage them to have a daily Quiet Time. Show them where to read and teach them how to hear the Holy Spirit speak to them as they read. Teach them that it is as important to wash their inward man each day as it is to wash their body. I remember reading about a dear Chinese Christian who confessed, “No Bible; no breakfast.” He would never nourish his physical body until he had nourished his soul.

Perhaps you are young mom with lots of little children around you. How do you get time to read the Word? I know it is not easy. I remember when I had three children under 17 months, and then four children under four! Help! How could I find time to read the Word? I did it by putting my Bible on my windowsill, usually open to Psalms or Proverbs. I could look up from doing dishes and preparing vegetables to read a Scripture. You may like to have a Bible in the toilet or bathroom. Keep a Bible in the spot where you like to nurse your baby. Read a few Scriptures to your children at breakfast time and then again at your evening meal. Keep their souls as well as their bodies clean, too.

Which do you wash the most? Your physical body or your inward man?

Jesus said, “Now you are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you.” (John 15:3)

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL, Above Rubies

PRAYER:

Wash me and take this mess

As far as the east is from the west,

Wash me and take this sin,

Only You can make me pure again,

I’m inviting you to come on in and

Wash me!

AFFIRMATION:

I’m smelling good, inside and out!

MORE INFORMATON:

PEACE ALL OVER ME

The prayer for this devotion comes from Serene and Pearl’s song, Wash Me. It is on their album, Peace all Over Me. If you don’t have this album yet, you are missing a treat. This CD is such a blessing to many mothers that they wear it out! You can go to the web page, www.aboverubies.org and click on Music Store and you will find it, or you can call 1 877 729 9861 to order by credit card.

HOW CAN YOU HEAR GOD SPEAK AS YOU READ THE WORD?

If you have a problem with hearing the Holy Spirit speak to you as you read the Word, you can email for this little pamphlet, HOW TO READ THE WORD OF GOD IN YOUR QUIET TIME. Type HOW TO READ in the Subject Heading.

And if you want more ideas, you could email for IDEAS FOR READING AND STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD. Put IDEAS FOR STUDYING in the Subject Heading.

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.

I AM DANGEROUS!

Exodus 1:12, “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.”

The first chapter of Exodus tells us about the children of Israel living down in Egypt. Verse 7 says, “And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.” They were fulfilling the first commandment that God gave to man. Something powerful always happens when we obey God’s commandments. They are not ordinary words to be discarded; they are life-giving decrees.

What happened in Egypt? The children of Israel became “more and mightier” than the Egyptians. (v. 9). They became a threat to them. And the Egyptians were grieved. The word grieved is the Hebrew word quts and it means “disgusted, abhorred, horrified, afraid—actually vomiting is the primary understanding of the word.”

This same Hebrew word is used in another passage where the children of Israel became a threat. In Numbers 22:3 it tells us, “Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many and Moab was distressed (quts) because of the children of Israel.” Why was Moab so very afraid? Because the Israelites were multiplying! When a people multiply, they become scary. When they multiply, they take dominion.

Now here’s the question. Are we, the people of God, a threat to the enemy in our nation today? Sadly, we have to answer no. For the last seven or eight decades, instead of multiplying, God’s people have been diminishing. They have turned away from the infallible, immutable Word of God and followed their own desires. They have limited their number of children to the worldly 1.6 average. They have sacrificed bringing God’s children into the world on the altar of careerism and modern culture-ism. And now the humanists and socialists are taking over.

There are thousands and millions of precious godly offspring who are not here! God has been deprived of His intentions. The world has been deprived of the godly offspring who fill the nation with His love, righteousness. truth, salvation, wisdom and justice. And of course, although many do not realize it, the parents themselves have been deprived.

But all is not lost. There are a growing number of families who are listening to the heartbeat of God. They are hearing His desire for family and for children. They are turning from their deceptions and opening their hearts to the children that He has destined for them to have, whether it is one or ten! As they obey God’s first commandment something amazing is happening. The liberalists are starting to get scared! They are so horrified, they want to vomit!

Very recently a book was published by a radical feminist and published by Beacon Press, which promotes homosexuality and anti-Christian dogma. She wrote this book to expose Biblical patriarchy and fruitfulmotherhood. In this book she states that the parents who embrace children are “a movement we ignore at our peril.” In a message to Barack Obama, she writes, “Fearless Leader—forget the fundamentalists in Iraq; these prolific Christians are the real bad guys!” In other words, fruitful mothers, embracing the children God wants them to have are dangerous! They are scaring the feminists!

The enemy, who hates life, who comes “to rob, kill and destroy” is scared of the godly seed! Mothers who are not deceived by the delusions of Satan, the robber of life, and who stillbelieve in God’s very first mandate to mankind are dangerous people! Isn’t that exciting? You may think you are insignificant as you care for your children in your home each day, but mother, lift up your eyes! You are doing a powerful work. You are doing God’s work. You are dangerous to the enemy. He is scared of you, because he is scared of the godly seed coming into this world who will hate evil and love righteousness, who will destroy the works of the devil and lift up the name of Jesus. And those who walk in deception and follow the devil’s ways are scared of you too!

Don’t you love being dangerous? Look out! Here we come--holding on to the Word of Life, walking in God’s commandments, embracing the Godly seed and training them to be mighty warriors for God who will impact this world and fill it with His glory. Never forget—the more children a godly mother brings into this world…

The more scared the liberalists will become!

The more evil will be defeated in the land!

The more the kingdom of God will be advanced!

The more the gospel will be spread across the earth!

The more the image of God will be revealed in the earth!

The more the economy will boom in the land!

The more righteousness and morality will pervade the land!

The more righteous leaders will arise in the nation!

The more justice, honesty and truth will flood the land!

The more God will be glorified in the earth!

The more the nation will prosper and be blessed!

The more dangerous she will be!

And the more the statists will fear and tremble!

Keep being dangerous!

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL, ABOVE RUBIES

PRAYER:

“Oh God, please help me to see clearly. Help me to realize the power of motherhood and the power of every child you give me to fulfill your plans in this world. Save me from holding back children whom you have destined to accomplish your mighty works. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I am a dangerous woman!

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.

We continue to talk about God’s baptism of fire in our lives. As we read the vision of Christ we read that His eyes are a flame of fire. Our eyes also should not be dull, but flaming with the fire of the Holy Spirit. Other ways the fire moves in our lives are...

3. THE FIRE MOVES UPWARD

The flames of fire always move upward. The fire of the Holy Spirit will lead our hearts and souls upwards toward God. We will be less concerned about the things of this earthly life and more drawn to the heavenly. And we will lead my husband and children toward the heavenly. Colossians 3:1-2 says, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

PRAY WITH ME:
“Lord, keep my heart from being taken up with the fleshly things of this life. Draw my heart more and more to you, to your thoughts and to your ways. Amen.”

4. THE FIRE GIVES ILLUMINATION

Fire lightens up the dark night and the fire of the Holy Spirit lightens our dark minds. Without the illumination of the Holy Spirit we can stay in the rut of our deceptive thinking. But there is nothing more thrilling than the revelation of truth to our souls as the Holy Spirit comes and enlightens the Word of God. Convicting or encouraging, it lights up the darkness in our hearts. Do you remember how the disciples confessed to one another?  “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32)

We cannot be baptized in the Holy Spirit’s fire and still think humanistically. If we are baptized in the Holy Spirit’s fire we will think God’s thoughts for the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth. (Read Isaiah 55: 8-9; John 14:26; 15:26 and 16:13). If we are listening to Him, He will continually expose our deceptions as He leads us more and more to the light. And consequently, we will fill our homes with His light.

PRAY WITH ME:
“Oh God, please illuminate me with the revelation of your truth. I don’t want a tiny bit of the Holy Spirit’s fire in my life. I want to be totally immersed in the Holy Spirit. I want to be dripping with the revelation of God’s heart and truth. I want to be cleansed from all earthly, humanistic thinking. I want you to baptize my mind so fully that I will constantly be enlightened by God’s timeless truths. Thank you, Lord. Amen.”

5. THE FIRE MAKES EVERYTHING LIKE ITSELF

Fire burns up everything consumable and it becomes the fire. When Christ baptizes us with the Holy Spirit’s fire, He makes us to be like Jesus. The more sin and dross that is burned up in our lives, the more we will become like Him. Romans 8:29 tells us that God’s agenda is to confirm us to the image of His Son. (Read also 2 Corinthians 3:18)

PRAY WITH ME:
“Lord, I want to become more and more like you, until people can look in the flames and see Jesus in me—just as King Nebuchadnezzer looked in the fire and saw one “like the Son of God.” (Daniel 3:24-25)

6. THE FIRE BEGETS FIRE

Unless you use means to put it out, fire always spreads. The fire of God in our lives will extend to others. It will influence our husband and children. They will also be enveloped by the fire. They may run from the fire but the fire will affect them one way or another.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit will makes us witnesses for Jesus and His truth. Acts 1:8 reads, “Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

PRAY WITH ME:
“Oh Lord, please let everyone around me catch the fire. Baptize me with your Holy Spirit so that I will be a witness in my home and to all I meet. Amen.”

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

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.

To unsubscribe from the Above Rubies Devotional, use the unsubscribe link found at the bottom of any email devotional.

THE FIRE OF GOD

Part 1

I rose early Sunday morning. It was 5.00 am and I put the beans, which had been soaking over night, on the stove to cook. They needed time to cook in order for me to prepare the food for Fellowship Meal after church. After putting on the beans I went downstairs to the office, thinking that I’d go back up to turn the element down in a few moments.

I opened the Word of God and began to meditate. I became so absorbed that I forgot all about the beans—until I smelt something burning! Where could it be coming from? I then remembered the beans on the stove! Help! I rushed upstairs to find the whole house full of smoke! It took a day or more to get rid of the smell of smoke from the house!

And what was I meditating on? Fire! Can you believe it?

Jesus said He would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with fire. The Greek word for baptize means “to drench, to plunge.” When someone comes out of the waters of baptism, they drip with water. In the same way, we should be dripping with the anointing of the Holy Spirit—in our home and our daily lives.

Theadore Robinson comments on this Scripture: “As John had immersed men in physical water, the Christ would plunge them into the very Spirit of God—the Holy Spirit—the source of all inspiration and the energy behind all goodness. This would fill them, overwhelm them, control them, transform them. From ancient days he who had come under the influence of that Spirit had “become another man”, and so it would begin again...” It will take the fire of the Spirit of God to bring this about.

1.    THE FIRE BURNS

The fire burns up all the dross and everything that is consumable. The Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of judgement and the Spirit of burning.” (Isaiah 4:14) Talking about the fire, Matthew Henry says, "It is the Spirit’s operation upon the soul—searching, consuming, refining, sublimating...” The fire is painful. It is relentless. It purifies us through trials and difficulties. 1 Peter 1:7 says, "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”

The fire keeps on burning until all the chaff is burned up. Matthew 3:12 says, “Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat unto the garner: but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” The fire does not give up until all the trash is consumed. I want to be wheat and not chaff, don’t you? (Ezekiel 22:17-22)

PRAY WITH ME:
“Oh Spirit of judgment and burning, please burn up all that is sinful and fleshly in my life. Lord, I want to be a pure vessel of gold where all dross and impurities are burned away. Amen.”

2.    THE FIRE WARMS AND COMFORTS

The fire warms the cold heart and shivering soul. He comforts the tired heart. As we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, He puts heat back into our lives. That’s why we need one another. A coal burning alone will soon go out and become cold. But when you put the coal back on the fire with the other coals, it begins to burn again. We are challenged again by the words of Jesus, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou were cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16)

PRAY WITH ME:
“Lord, please warm my cold heart. Make me burning hot for you. I want you to become the consuming passion of my life. Amen.”

More coming next week.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

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.

To unsubscribe from the Above Rubies Devotional, use the unsubscribe link found at the bottom of your Devotional emails.