TRAINING CHILDREN TO SPEAK
Part 1

Psalm 127:4-5, “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.”

Many times we forget the purpose of our parenting, don’t we? We plod along from day to day with what has to be done and we don’t see the future picture. It is good to come back to the Word of God and be reminded of what we are supposed to be doing.

God talks of our children in the context of war. This life is a battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. We are raising our children to be warriors for God’s kingdom, to know how to face the battle and to stand strong for God.

Recently, I noticed something important in our above Scripture. We are training our children to speak! Did you notice that? We are to raise children who will speak with the enemies in the gates. In Bible times, the gates of the city were more than an entrance way. They were the busiest place in the city. It was here that the elders sat to rule and direct the affairs of the city. It was here the judges and officers judged the daily matters of the people. It was at the gates the soldiers stood sentinel to guard and protect the city.

And this is where God wants our children to speak--in the important places of the city, the state and the nation. He wants us to raise children who will be able to proclaim His truth in the gates—in the high places where decisions and laws are made. We are living in an era where “Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter.” (Isaiah 59:14-15) In this hour of history, we need to raise children who know more than a few Sunday school stories, but children who understand God’s truth, who have discernment and know how to execute justice. We need to raise children who are not afraid to speak God’s truth, even in the face of opposition and persecution. The psalmist said, “I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.” (Psalm 119:46) I love the Knox translation which says, “Fearlessly will I talk of thy decrees in the presence of kings, and be never abashed.”

Truth is not always easy to make known. People often compromise the truth because they are scared of the repercussions. But we are not raising wimps--we are raising warriors. We are raising children who are not afraid to face the enemy. We need soldiers like C.T. Studd prayed for:

Some translations of Psalm 127:5 say, “Contend with the enemies in the gate.” Our “arrows” must know how to contend for their faith and the truth.

“How do we train our children to speak?” you may ask. Perhaps Apologetics should be part of every homeschooling curriculum. Our children must learn how to give an answer for the faith that is in them (1 Peter 3:15). Of course, it will be difficult to prepare children to be truth-bearers if we are not heralding the truth ourselves. We must not be afraid to speak God’s eternal truths, even when they are counter-culture. The ideologies of our society regarding family are not working. There is so much heartache in marriages and family life. Marriages are continually falling apart. God’s way, although different to man’s ways are the way to success if we are prepared to be obedient to them. We must not ever be ashamed of the truth. We do not have to be intimidated by our adversaries. We can speak with confidence for we know the way that works!

We should be like the apostle Paul who spoke boldly in the synagogue and in the market place, testifying, reasoning, disputing and persuading people in the truth. The psalmist and Paul both confessed, “I believed, therefore have I spoken.” (Psalm 116:10 and 2 Corinthians 4:13) What do you believe? That’s what you’ll speak about. What are you teaching your children to believe? What is the passion of their heart? That’s what they’ll speak about. Not clichés, but convictions!

Never forget—silence is surrender, but speaking the truth can change the culture of the nation.

Raise your children to be warriors for the Lord. Raise them to know the truth. Prepare them to speak the truth—anointed, not-giving-in, not-backing-down words—in the market place and in high places.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL, ABOVE RUBIES

PRAYER:

“Lord, please lift my vision for parenting my children. Help me to train them to know and understand the truth and be filled with zeal and boldness to speak your truth to all they meet. Help me to also be a truth-bearer wherever I go and to never be ashamed of your timeless truths. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I am raising children to be Truth Bearers.

Further Reference:

Speaking boldly, disputing and persuading:
Read Acts 4:13; 29-31; 9:27, 29; 13:43, 46; 14:3; 17:17; 18:4, 13, 26; 19:8, 26; 28:23; Ephesians 6:18-19;  Philippians 1:20; 2 Corinthians 5:11; Proverbs 28:1.

Speaking before kings and rulers:
Psalm 119:46; Proverbs 22:29; Acts 4:8; 24:10-21; 24-27; 26:1-32.

Always ready to speak, even to those who oppose:
Ezekiel 33:8-9; Matthew 10:18-20; 32-33; Colossians 4:6; 2 Timothy 2:25; 4:1-2; 1 Peter 3:15.


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OUR PRIESTLY RESPONSIBILITY

Part 3 

1 Samuel 12:23, “God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way.” 

We cannot underestimate the power of prayer. It is more powerful than anything else we can do for our children. In Exodus 28:29 God instructed that Aaron should bear the names of the children of Israel “upon his heart… for a memorial before the Lord continually.”  

The memorial is a remembrance. When we bring our children before the Lord we remind Him of them. Of course, God knows them, but He wants us to remind Him of them. . There can be no more powerful thing a parent can do that to bring the names of their children before the Lord. Every day you can remind the Lord of your children.  

This was such a high priority to God that He made it very tangible and practical. He didn’t just say, “I want Aaron to pray for the tribes of Israel when he comes into my presence.” Instead, He ordained for their names to be engraved on precious stones on his shoulders and on beautiful jewels over his heart.  

I know your children’s names are upon your heart, but you may also like to write, engrave or make something tangible that you can take into God’s presence when you pray for them each day. I like to lay my hand over my heart as I pray for my children each day, emphasizing the fact that they are upon my heart. I have also written the names of our children and grandchildren on decorated paper and the prayer requests on another paper which I have laminated.  Although we pray for them verbally, I like to place this before the Lord as we pray. I may not get to verbally bring every request I have listed before the Lord each day, but at least they are presented before Him.  

These are some of the things that Colin and I pray for our children and grandchildren each day… 

That they will have a real born again experience and come to know God personally. (John 3:3)

That they will have soft, tender hearts to hear the voice of the Lord and that they will walk humbly before Him. ((Isaiah 57:15; 66:2; 1 Peter 5:5-6)

That they will love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. (Mark 12:50)

That God will pour out His Holy Spirit upon them. (Isaiah 44:3-4)

That they will love the Word of God, love to pray, and love to fellowship with the saints. (1 Peter 2:2; Psalm 55:17; Hebrews 10:25)

That they will love righteousness and hate evil. (Psalm 97:10; 101:3; Amos 5:15; John 17:15-16; Romans 12:9)

That they will hate lies and deception and seek after truth. (Psalm 51:6; 119:30; 163; Proverbs 12:22; 13:5; 19:9)

That they will stand up for truth and never compromise; that they will stand and keep on standing against all opposition. (Ephesians 6:13-14)

That they will hate the spirit of this world, but instead, bring God's love and salvation to the needy in this world. (John 17:18; Philippians 2:15; 1 John 2:15-17)

That they will understand true justice and have discernment regarding good and evil, the holy and the profane. (Leviticus 10:10; Isaiah 59:14-15; Jeremiah 15:19; Ezekiel 22:26)

That they will seek God with all their hearts. (Psalm 27:8; 105:4; 119:2; Proverbs 28:5; Zephaniah 2:3)

That their whole spirit, soul and body will be kept pure and blameless unto the coming of the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

That God will give them godly wives and husbands. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

That they will love and embrace children and establish godly homes. (Psalm 27 and 28: Malachi 2:15)

That God will keep them from accident, harm, sickness and danger, and all enemy attack. Psalm 91) 

We also pray for the coming generations that they will continue to walk in the ways of the Lord.  

Love from

NANCY CAMPBELL 

PRAYER: 

“Thank you, Lord, that you have ordained that I am to remind you of our children and grandchildren. Help me to be a faithful remembrancer before your throne. Amen” 

AFFIRMATION:

I will not cease to pray for 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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OUR PRIESTLY RESPONSIBILITY

Part 2 

Exodus 28:29 says, “Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel on the breastplate of judgment over his heart, when he goes into the holy place, as a memorial before the Lord continually.” 

The High priest also wore a breastplate made up of the same beautiful colors as the ephod. On the breastplate they attached four rows of precious gem stones which were each set in gold. They had to engrave the name of a tribe of Israel on each of the stones. God reveals how precious each one of the chosen tribes of Israel is to Him by engraving their names on these beautiful jewels. In fact, He calls them His “jewels.” Malachi 3:17 says, “And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels.” The word “jewels” here means “special treasure.” 

Each jewel was not the same, but different and distinct from the others, revealing the difference in nature and character of the twelve tribes. Each son had a different personality and a specific destiny ordained by God. As the high priest walked around, the jewels on the breastpiece shone and sparkled with their different colors and hues. It is the same with our children. Each one is different and unique and created by God for a particular destiny. We must not expect them to be the same as each other; each one has their own special glory and beauty.  

The breastpiece was made of one piece of material. Although each son of Israel was different, they represented a unified whole. They were one nation. Although each one of our children has different traits and giftings, we are one family. Diversity and unity together. This is God’s plan for marriage; the wife and husband have totally different functions but they are to be one. Our body is made up of many members, each fulfilling a difficult function, but it is one body. The church has many members, but is meant to be one body. And so in our families. In all our differences we must keep the unity. We are one family. 

There was something else in the breastpiece beside the precious jewels. Exodus 28:30 reads, “And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummin; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before the Lord; and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually.” The Urim and the Thummin are rather a mystery, but the words mean “lights” and “perfections”, or an easier way to remember them is “light” and “right”. 

Through the Urim and Thummim, God, who is the Father of lights and the perfection of all understanding and truth would give counsel to the High Priest regarding the children of Israel. He would show Aaron how to minister justice and judgment, for the breastplate was a “breastplate of judgment.” 

The Urim and Thummim were a type that looked to the future. We no longer need the Urim and Thummim to give us direction and counsel, as the high priest needed.  As we wait upon the Lord, the Holy Spirit who now indwells, us will teach us and give us answers for the challenges of parenting our children. In the Gospel of John we read, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost… he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance…He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment… He will guide you into all truth.”(John 14:26: 16:8-11, 13)                                     

No wonder we need to bring our children before the Lord in prayer. We need His guidance desperately. God commanded Aaron to “bear the names of the children of Israel… upon his heart, when he goes in unto the holy place.” (Exodus 28:29). We must not only carry the names of children upon our shoulders but also upon our heart. If they are on our heart, we will want to pray for them. We express our greatest love for our children when we pray for them. It is proof that they are in our hearts when we intercede for them.  

Love from

NANCY CAMPBELL 

PRAYER: 

“Lord, I need your wisdom and guidance as I parent my children. I thank you that you are my Counselor and I look to you for your understanding and help. Amen.” 

AFFIRMATION:

I show my love to my children by praying for them. 

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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OUR PRIESTLY RESPONSIBILITY

Part 1 

Dear reader, I shared a little of the following in an article printed in Above Rubies # 74 entitled, Power Parenting! What is the Secret? However, I would like to share with you some further thoughts I have been meditating upon lately.  

Exodus 28:12, “So Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders as a memorial.” 

I love the typology of the Priesthood and how everything in the tabernacle in the wilderness relates to us today. The tabernacle followed a heavenly pattern but also shows us a pattern for our lives today. God commanded that the High Priest’s clothing was to be for glory and for beauty. I want to tell you about two aspects of his beautiful garments. 

Firstly the ephod, which was a garment skillfully embroidered with gold thread and blue, purple and scarlet yarn. It was joined with two shoulder-pieces in which were fastened two onyx stones. God told them to engrave the names of the children of Israel on the stones, six on one and six on the other, in order of their birth. These stones were not the onyx stone we know today. The word in the Hebrew means “to shine with the luster of fire.” It was obviously an exquisite shining jewel. Even more than that, they were to be set in gold. This reveals the preciousness of the sons of Israel to God. They were His chosen people, the apple of His eye. This is how we should see our children.  

Exodus 28:12 says, “And you shall put the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. So Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders as a memorial.” 

The names of the tribes of Israel were not graven on these precious stones for an ornament, but to be carried on the priests’ shoulders into the presence of the Lord. The high priest bore the responsibility of the people’s spiritual life. It is on the shoulders that we carry burdens and weights. In the same way, the father (the priest of every home), along with the mother, carry the burden of their children upon their shoulders in prayer. It is a burden that we must not forsake. If we as parents do not carry this burden for our children, who will? 

Not only do the shoulders speak of carrying a burden, but they speak of governing responsibility. Speaking of Jesus and His final victory as king of the world, Isaiah 9:6-7 says, “The government shall be upon his shoulder… of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end… and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever.”  

It is our governmental responsibility as parents to bring our children before the Lord in prayer. God gives us authority as parents. We are not to take this lightly. One of the ways we show our governing responsibility is to intercede for them. It is in the place of prayer that we learn to parent with true justice. God chose Abraham because he knew that he would “command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment.” (Genesis 18:17-19) 

We are to raise our children with justice and judgment. We cannot do this with our own wisdom. Our wisdom tends to humanism and tolerance. God’s wisdom moves in the balance of justice and mercy. Only God can teach us the balance. For the sake of our parenting and the sake of our children we cannot afford to lay down our parental task of daily bringing our children before the Lord upon our shoulders.   

Love from

NANCY CAMPBELL 

PRAYER: 

“Lord, please help me to take my children upon my shoulders and daily bear my responsibility in prayer. Amen.” 

AFFIRMATION:

My shoulders will become strong as I carry my children  in prayer before the Lord. 

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, send a blank email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.