Family Trees
Family trees are fascinating. One could easily become absorbed in the history of our predecessors. My wife and I were recently in the United Kingdom speaking at family seminars. We had a one-day break while in Scotland and decided to visit CASTLE CAMPBELL, originally owned by Colin Campbell, my namesake. I have always loved castles. Their grandeur, largeness and strength intrigue me. I find myself contemplating the wealth, dignity, pride and creativity that belonged to my ancestors of that era. I guess it must still be in the DNA.
Most of us do not have to look very far back into the history of our families to find that many of our forbears had large families compared to today’s 2.1 member families in the USA—the average is 1.3 in European countries. What with wars, vehicle fatalities, infertility, alternative life styles that produce no children, cancer, heart failures and other diseases that cause death, the west is on the verge of self-destruction. We are told that within the next 40-50 years, much of Europe will cease to be the Europe we have known. It will instead be an Islamic Europe. Most of Europe is beyond the hope of reversing the huge demographic and cultural change that is already taking place. Read more here. Make sure to read what is written on the pictures. It's powerful.
Showing posts with label Above Rubies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Above Rubies. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Covetous
This little thought was recommended by Above Rubies from a blog God My Treasure
Was reading Eph. 5:5 this morning, and it says "...no... covetous man, who is an IDOLATER, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."
I just wonder how many Americans are going to be surprised when they don't make it to heaven when they THOUGHT they were Christians? I Cor. 5 talks about the covetous man also...as one who needs to have "church discipline". How do we make that judgment? What exactly IS a covetous person?
The definition includes "desiring more"..... I think we as Americans ALL need to meditate on this one. :)
Was reading Eph. 5:5 this morning, and it says "...no... covetous man, who is an IDOLATER, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."
I just wonder how many Americans are going to be surprised when they don't make it to heaven when they THOUGHT they were Christians? I Cor. 5 talks about the covetous man also...as one who needs to have "church discipline". How do we make that judgment? What exactly IS a covetous person?
The definition includes "desiring more"..... I think we as Americans ALL need to meditate on this one. :)
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Training Children to Speak
Received this email from Nancy Campbell's Above Rubies ministry
TRAINING CHILDREN TO SPEAK 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:
Lord, send us lion-hearted men
With good courageous habits,
Who ne'er will run from the devil's gun
Like hares and bunny rabbits!
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.
TRAINING CHILDREN TO SPEAK
Part 1
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:
Lord, send us lion-hearted men
With good courageous habits,
Who ne'er will run from the devil's gun
Like hares and bunny rabbits!
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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