Proverbs 13:20, “He that walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.”

Isn’t amazing how our children grow up so quickly? It seems like one blink of my eye that our eldest son (who is nearing 44 years old) was born. I don’t know where the years have flown.

I remember when my children were babies, and as I experienced beautiful moments with them, I thought I would remember the moments forever. But now they are fading from my memory. My little babies grew up to be teenagers. Then they married, and now they are raising their own children. My oldest grand-daughter will soon be 21 years so maybe it won’t be too many years before she is married and starts raising her children.

When my children were teens, I raised them on the above Scripture. I like the Knox translation which says, “Wise company brings wisdom; fool he ends that fool befriends.” How true this is. Peer pressure is a big pull upon children in their teen years. You can be the godliest parents in the world, but if your children get into the wrong company, your influence as a parent is weakened.

The thing we have to guard more than anything else in the teen years is the company our children keep. We must encourage godly Christian friends for our children. We must watch that they do not become involved in situations where there is bad company. Homeschooling is a great blessing in this regard. And of course, if your teens are part of a big family, they have friends right in their own home. Teens love company and love socializing and what a great blessing it is when they have their best friends continually on tap!

It is also important to try and find suitable friends for your children before they reach their teenage years so these friendships are already established. A good way to do this is to be involved in a good church or prospering home fellowship that has other families the ages of your children.

Our sons, who are in the forties, are still best friends with the boys they were friends with in their teens. They went to church together, played together, went camping together, made go-karts together and later did moto-cross together. And now, after all these years, they are still serving the Lord together and accomplishing mighty things for God.

How true are the words of Proverbs 27:17,”Iron whets iron, friend shapes friend.”  Our children will become like their friends. This of course applies to us too. We will become like the people we associate with. What a blessing to rub shoulders with and discuss the things of God with the wise and godly.

I remember when one of my children had his first opportunity to prepare a message for a youth group. The Scripture he chose was the above Scripture, Proverbs 13:20! He knew it by heart as it had been drummed into him.

Use the above Scriptures to encourage your children and here are a few more for your children and teens to learn:

Proverbs 12:11, “He that follows vain persons is void of understanding.”

Proverbs 14:7, “Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.”

1 Corinthians 15:33, “Bad company ruins good morals.”

 
May God pour out His wisdom upon you as you raise godly children for His kingdom.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Oh God, I ask that you please help me find godly friends for my children and help my children to be a positive influence on their friends.”

AFFIRMATION:

I will seek to lead my children by green fields and pure rivers.

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Leviticus 19:3, “Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father… I am the Lord your God.”

God has given honor to the status of parenthood. God is a Father and He wants His children fathered in the anointing of His fatherhood. God also has a maternal heart and He has ordained that mothers should mother with the anointing of His mother heart.

God gives many Scriptures to remind us of the honor He has placed upon parents.

Exodus 20:12, “Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land…”

Deuteronomy 5:16, “Honor thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee…”

So that we do not forget, this command is repeated in the New Testament in Matthew 15:4; 19:19; Mark 7:10; 10:19; Luke 18:20 and Ephesians 6:2-3.

I am always astounded by the Scripture mentioned at the beginning. Not only are children commanded to honor their parents, but to fear them. The word ‘fear’ that is used here is the same word that is used to ‘fear’ God. Do you also notice that the mother is mentioned first? Children often have a healthy respect for their father’s authority but fail to honor their mother’s authority. This is not God’s intention. He wants children to have an awe and reverence for their mother too.

How can we experience this? I believe that we must be reminded of the truth that God has given honor to parents (including mothers) and because He has given us this honor, we must walk in the anointing of it. Perhaps you feel as though you have no honor. You feel a total failure. You feel overwhelmed. You feel you can’t make it. You feel hopeless as a mother. It’s certainly easy to feel like this, isn’t it?

However, God doesn’t see you like this. He has put honor upon you as a mother. The role of mother is a high status in God’s eyes. In Ezekiel 19:10-11 it states that it is an exalted career.  It is to be honored and revered. When you understand the honor that God has put upon you, you can begin to walk in it. 

The other day I read a Scripture in Jeremiah 22:5 (Knox) that talked about God bringing judgment upon Israel because of their sin. “Disobey, the Lord says, and my own honor is engaged to make, of this place, a ruin.” God was bound by His own honor to bring judgment because of their sin. Because God is holy, He had to judge them, or He would no longer be a God of honor. He has to honor who He is, a God of righteousness and holiness who cannot tolerate sin. Of course, He is also a merciful God who forgives and forgets the moment we repent.

We too, who parent in the likeness of God, must not give into disobedience and rebellion in our children. We must discipline, because of the honor we have as parents. We cannot fail the honor that has been given to us. It is our right for our children to obey us. Of course, as with God, forgiveness and mercy are coupled with judgment.

Each morning you wake, acknowledge the honor God has given to you as mother. See yourself with God’s honor upon you and mother your children accordingly.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Lord, thank you for reminding me that you have given honor to me as a mother. Help me to walk in the anointing of this honor as I mother my children.  Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

 I will uphold the honor God has given to me.

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Exodus 28:29, “And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goes in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually.”

 I am always amazed at the incredible specifications God gave for the High Priest’s clothing. They were to be holy garments, made for “glory and for beauty.” A whole chapter of the Bible, Exodus chapter 28, is given to these instructions. One of the instructions was to take two onyx stones and grave on them the names of the children of Israel, six names on one stone and six on the other. They were then to be set in gold and placed in the shoulder-pieces of the ephod so that Aaron could carry these names before the Lord as a constant reminder.

God knew the names of the tribes of Israel which represented every adult and child in each tribe, but He wanted the names before Him continually. In the Word of God the shoulders speak of responsibility and government. It was the High Priest’s responsibility to do this. I believe that it is also the responsibility of parents to bring their children’s names into the presence of the Lord. We are to carry them before the Lord continually. We often feel the weight and burden of raising children. It can bear down upon us. But the greatest way to bear the weight is to bear it upon our shoulders in prayer and to bring our children’s names constantly before the Lord.

But that wasn’t all. God commanded them to make a breastplate for Aaron. The breastplate was to have twelve beautiful gem stones, four rows of three stones. Each gem stone represented a tribe of Israel with the name of the tribe engraved on it as though it were a seal. In this way Aaron carried the names of the tribes of Israel over his heart when he went into the presence of the Lord.

Each jewel was different showing the difference between each of the tribe families of Israel, just as each of our children is unique. We can’t parent each one the same way. This is why we constantly need to come before the Lord. We desperately need His wisdom and anointing.  Exodus 28:29 MLB says, “Aaron shall wear the names of Israel’s sons over his heart on the breastplate of judgment as he enters the holy place, for a perpetual memorial in the presence of the Lord.”

What a beautiful picture for us parents. Not only should we carry the names of our children and grandchildren on our shoulders (embracing this responsibility) but on our hearts (with our affection and love). The greatest way we reveal they are on our hearts is to bring them into the Lord’s presence. He loves them. He wants their names continually before Him. In our immediate family, with children, spouses and grandchildren, Colin and I now bring 51 names before the Lord each day. This has been our life-line as we raised our children and continues to be so. We could never have done it without prayer. It is the most powerful weapon of parenthood

As you pray audibly for your children, the Lord may also lay on your heart a way to write your children’s names on something significant that you could bring into His presence as you pray for them each day. This could be something tangible that reminds you to bring them before the Lord. Ask Him to show you.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

 PRAYER:

Thank you for the privilege of bringing my children daily into your presence. Help me to be faithful to this responsibility. Amen.

AFFIRMATION:

My soul is burdened, and my heart cries,

For my children I have many sighs,

But into His presence I bring each name,

His power and anointing for them I claim.

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.

Proverbs 18:19 Knox, "When brother helps brother, theirs the strength of a fortress, their cause is like a city gate barred, unassailable.”

God created the family unit. It was His idea. It is how He planned for mankind to live—in a family! God wants families to be strong. Strong families make a strong nation.

Satan wants families to be weak. We must beware of allowing Satan to destroy our families. Let’s face it. No family is perfect. We are trying to get along with a whole lot of sinners. Because of this, every one of us face hurts and grievances in our immediate family and in our extended family. Family members will do something that hurts. Or they will say words that pierce like a sword. Unless we walk in the spirit, it is easy to allow unforgiveness and hurt to fester in family relationships.

We cannot allow this to happen. We must be big enough to lay down our own agenda. We must say No to the flesh and allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. We must show grace. We must forgive. We may have to forgive again and again and again. Seventy times seven! This is God’s way and the only way that works.

Seek to strengthen your family—and your extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins. A strong extended family is a powerful force in the nation. Here is a little acrostic about Family Togetherness.

T       Traveling through life is no good on your own

          To do it with family is the best way known.

O      Old and young, the toddlers and teens

          All add to the mix with their family genes.

G      Gathering together as much as we can,

          Putting aside time to be with the clan.

E       Enjoying suppers, parties and feasts

          Where we all bring food and special treats.

T       Talking and laughing, shouting, debating,

          It’s a great lot of fun, certainly not sedating!

H       Helping one another in times of need,

          Going the extra mile to do the deed.

E       Embracing the children, the more the merrier

          Enlarging our homes to all fit in one area.

R       Remembering each other, even those far away,

          Cementing the bonds by praying each day.

N       Never holding a grudge--for hurt or lies,

          Forgiving freely when offences arise.

E       Expect perfection? We all fall on our face,

          We’re sinners redeemed, needing God’s grace.

S       Strengthened by unity--we must guard it well

          And watch “little foxes” don’t come in to dwell.

S       Serving each other with a humble mind

         This is the way as a family we’ll bind.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

“Father, please help me to do my part to strengthen the family I am part of. Help me to overlook and forgive offences. Help me to love in the face of hatred. Give me grace to forgive even when it seems too hard to forgive. Thank you, Lord, for your power enabling me to do this because this is your perfect will. Amen.”

I am a family strengthener!

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 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.