ARE YOUR SHOULDERS STRONG?

To work hard you need good strong shoulders. I remember when I broke my shoulder and how it incapacitated me. It is a number of years since this happened and I still don't have my full capacity back.

We often hear, or say the saying, "Put your shoulder to the wheel." It comes from the image of an old-fashioned farm wagon or cart that is stuck in the mud. The way to get it moving is to put your shoulder up against it and push and shove hard. It means to put your best effort into a task until it is completed, to work persistently and wholeheartedly. In other words, "Get stuck in!"

We want our children to grow up with this kind of work ethic, don't we? However, they will only learn it as they see us with this attitude. They learn from our example more than what we say.

The shoulders are also used to carry burdens and weights. When the children of Israel left Egypt, they carried their kneading troughs on their shoulders (Exodus 12:34). When it was time for the Israelites to move on in their wilderness journeys, the Kohathites were in charge of carrying all the furnishings in the tabernacle on their shoulders (Numbers 4:15 and 7:9). However, it was the Levites who were commanded to carry the ark of God upon their shoulders (1 Chronicles 15:15 and 2 Chronicles 35:3). What a privilege to carry the presence of God.

Do you remember when David decided to bring up the ark of God to Jerusalem? With great excitement they carried the ark on a new cart. But, it ended in catastrophe! The ark began to shake and Uzzah put forth his hand to steady it, but God immediately smote him. David was filled with fear. What had he done wrong? He feared to bring the ark any further and left it at the home of Obed-edom (2 Samuel 6:1-11).

However, after David became aware of the blessing of God upon Obed-edom's house, he desired again to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem. This time he sought to find the correct way to carry the ark--upon the shoulders of the priests. David said in 1 Chronicles 15:2, "None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him forever." He then told the Levites, "Sanctify yourselves ... that ye may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it. For because ye did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order" (1 Chronicles 15:12-14).This time, instead of fear and sadness, they brought home the ark of God with GREAT JOY--shouting, singing, dancing, and many musical instruments.

The Bible talks about carrying children on our shoulders (Isaiah 49:22). Have you found that you have become stronger as you mother? Your strengthen your shoulders as you carry your children around. Your arms are strengthened too. Proverbs 31:17 testifies that the mother in her home "strengthens her arms." She does this with housework, digging and planting her garden, but most of all through carrying her babies and little ones.

Another way we carry our children on our shoulders is in prayer. When God designed the High Priest's garments, He told them to take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the twelve sons of Israel. They had to engrave six names on one stone and six on the other and then fasten the stones on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod. Exodus 28:12 NLT says, "Aaron will carry these names on his shoulders as a constant reminder whenever he goes before the Lord."

As we have noted, the shoulders speak of bearing a burden. It is the responsibility of each of us parents to take the burden of our children upon us as we go to the Lord in prayer. We take their names upon us, lifting up each one individually in the presence of the Lord. You will find the best time for you to do this each day. My husband and I like to bring the individual names of all our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to the Lord in prayer before we get up to start the day.

May God strengthen you as you bear your children upon your shoulders in the place of prayer.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

Dear Lord Jesus, I thank you that no matter how bleak things may look in the world, I do not need to worry for the government of the world is upon your shoulders. You alone can bear it and will perform all things according to your will. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:

I am daily strengthening my prayer shoulders for the sake of my children.

CAN GOD FORSAKE HIS PEOPLE?

"Ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof"
(Joshua 23:14).

Many parents feel the responsibility of providing for another mouth to feed and therefore don't want to have more children. However, when we hold this attitude we confess that we trust in our own ability to provide rather than in God's provision. David confessed, "I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread" (Psalm 37:25). When God gives a baby, He always provides. He doesn't provide BEFORE the baby comes, but WHEN the baby comes!

Dear mother, God has promised that He will never fail us. Psalm 37:28 says, "For the Lord loves justice; He will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off." Did you notice those words, "THE LORD WILL NOT FORSAKE HIS SAINTS."? The New Living Translation says, "For the Lord loves justice, and HE WILL NEVER ABANDON THE GODLY. He will keep them safe forever." Could you forget your nursing baby? Never. And yet God says that it is possible that a mother may forget her suckling child (even though it is highly unlikely), but He will never forget you (Isaiah 49:15).

Psalm 9:10 says, "They that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee." Another promise that He will nor forsake us! But, who are the ones who trust the Lord? Those who know His name. The more we know the Lord, the more we will trust Him. The more we trust Him, the more we prove that He will never forsake us.

However, the challenge is to know the Lord, isn't it? To say that we cannot trust God to provide for another baby He has planned for us is to say that we don't know the Lord. For if we know Him, we'll know that He will provide.

It's a little like Jesus' words to His disciple, Philip. Jesus said to him in John 14:9, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known me, Phillip?" How long since we came to Christ? How many years have we walked with the Lord? And yet, do we still not know that He can be trusted? Do we not know Him enough to know that if He gives us a baby, He will provide for His child?

Hebrews 13:5-6 says, "BE CONTENT WITH SUCH THINGS AS YE HAVE: for he hath said, I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE, NOR FORSAKE THEE. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man shall do unto me." Another promise that He will never forsake us. In the Greek text, there are three negatives before the word "forsake," stating a triple assurance. It should literally read, "I WILL NOT, I WILL NOT, I WILL NOT let thee down, leave thee in the lurch, leave thee destitute, leave thee in straits and helpless, abandon thee." The New Living Translation says, "Don't love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, 'I WILL NEVER FAIL YOU. I WILL NEVER ABANDON YOU.'"

1 Kings 6:13 says, "I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel." God is a dwelling God who wants to live in your heart and your home. How can He forsake you when He lives in you? That would be impossible!

1 Chronicles 28:20 says, "Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God... will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord." This was David's encouragement to his son, Solomon as he built the house for God. You are building a house for God as you bring children into the world. This is how you build a home.

Ruth 4:11 says, "And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said... The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel." Rachel and Leah didn't build with hammer and saw. They built the house of Israel by bringing forth children from the womb.

God promises that He will NOT FORSAKE US until we FINISH building the house. It is sad that many couples stop child-bearing before they get to the finishing line. Some are nearly at the end of the finishing line and they decide to stop! But, God has promised He will be with us to the end! And that means until the end of our child-bearing years or whenever God stops giving us children. He is the one who has the plan!

Have you got the message? God will NEVER abandon you! Read these Scriptures, too: Deuteronomy 4:31; 31:6, 8; 1 Kings 6:13; Psalm 94:14; 1 Samuel 12:22 and Isaiah 41:17.

Even after reading these wonderful promises you may still have some "ifs and buts." We can be so full of doubts, can't we? However, before you express them, check out this article which is filled with more revelation and promises, "Is God Able to Provide for Another baby?" 

Love from Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

"Dear God, I thank you that you are a Father who loves to provide for your children. I want to learn more of you and to know you more and more, for when I know you, I will be able to trust you. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:

My Heavenly Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills.

THE MOVING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Part 8

"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them"
(Ezekiel 36:26-27).

Today we complete the 51 points about the Holy Spirit working in our lives. I can hardly believe that there are so many Scriptures about the working and moving of the Holy Spirit in us. Isn't it wonderful? The Holy Spirit is also a...

46. Teaching Spirit

Jesus promised in John 14:26, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, HE SHALL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

Paul confessed in 1 Corinthians 2:12-13, "We have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which THE HOLY GHOST TEACHETH; comparing spiritual things with spiritual." Read also Luke 12:12; John 16:13; 1 John 2:20, 27 and 5:6). How wonderful to know that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things. But, are we listening?

47. Testifying Spirit

In John 15:26 Jesus said that the Holy Spirit "shall testify of me." The Holy Spirit, who dwells is in our hearts, wants to witness and speak of Jesus. He witnesses to us of the wonderful revelation of Christ sacrificing Himself for our sins (Hebrews 10:15). The Holy Spirit also witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:16; 1 Corinthians 12:3 and 1 John 5:6).

48. Transforming Spirit

2 Corinthians 3:18 says, "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." The word "changed" is the Greek word metamorphoo which means "a change of one thing to another." It was used of Jesus being transfigured (Matthew 17:2). One day, we will be transfigured too. But, even now on this earth, by the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives, He is changing us into the image of Christ. It is an invisible transformation that becomes visible as we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us (Romans 8:29 and 12:1-2). What a miraculous work of the Holy Spirit that He is able to change us into Christ's image as we yield to Him.

The transforming power of the Holy Spirit in our lives should affect our marriage relationship and the way we minister to our children each day in our home. Are we being transformed each day, or are we still the same as we were a year ago?

49. Truth-revealing Spirit

Jesus said in John 16:13, "Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come." Read also Luke 2:26; John 14:16-17; 15:26; Acts 1:1-2; 1 Corinthians 2:9-13; Ephesians 3:4-6; Hebrews 9:8 and 1 John 5:6.

Don't you long for truth? Every day of my life I cry out to God to understand His truth. I pray that I will not be sucked into deception. I am so thankful for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within me who has promised to guide me into all truth.

50. Unifying Spirit

The Holy Spirit is not a dividing Spirit, but a unifying spirit. When we allow the Holy Spirit to control our lives, He will woo us to unity--in our marriage, home life, and all our relationships. This is certainly not easy, because upsets and offences are part of life. It is easy to become hurt and bitter. But, as we yield to the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, He will give us the wisdom and the anointing to walk in unity. And it certainly is only by the power of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4:3 says, "Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

51. Writing Spirit

I only discovered this aspect of the Holy Spirit as I came to the end of this wonderful list. But, it is such a wonderful truth. 2 Corinthians 3:3 says, "Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart."

Did you know that you are a personal letter from God to your husband. A personal letter to your children. A letter to everyone you speak to and come in contact with. Who writes this letter? It is the Spirit of the living God. But, He can only write on certain people. God has done away with writing on tablets of stone and now He looks for hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19 and 36:26-27). Soft hearts. Pliable hearts. Willing hearts. When the Holy Spirit finds a soft heart, He writes on it the ways of God.

Then He wants His ways declared for all to read and see. The words "manifestly declared" actually mean "to remove the lid." Are you lifting the lid on your life so that everyone around you can see what the Holy Spirit is writing on your heart? Are you blessing your family through the anointing of the Holy Spirit working in your life?

He wants to work in your life and in the lives of your family. Philippians 2:13 says, "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Allow Him to work all His good pleasure in you.

Love from Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:
"Oh precious Holy Spirit, please come to my heart and write on my heart. Please show me any areas in my heart and life that are hard and stony. I want a soft, pliable, fleshly heart in which you can engrave your words and ways. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:
I am a letter from God, written by the Holy Spirit, for all my family and friends to read.

THE MOVING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Part 7

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come.
And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
(Revelation 22:17).

We continue to share the amazing workings of the Holy Spirit in our heart. Only one more devotion to come. The Holy Spirit is the...

40. Sending Forth Spirit

It was the Holy Spirit who sent forth Barnabas and Saul on their missionary journey (Acts 13:2-4). If we listen to the Holy Spirit, He will show us where He wants to send us, too. Of course, if He has blessed us to be a mother, He will send us forth each morning into our kitchen and all the rooms of our home to minister His nurture and love. What a privilege and blessing to be commissioned for our great task!

41. Speaking Spirit

The Holy Spirit delights to give us "utterance" (Acts 2:3-4).

He speaks to our hearts to tell us what we should do (Nehemiah 9:20; Acts 8:29; 10:19-20; 11:12; 13:2-3; 20:22-24 and 21:4, 11).

He speaks messages to His people, Israel and the church (2 Samuel 23:2-3; John 16:13; 1 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 3:7-10; 9:8; Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29, 3:6, 13, 22 and 14:13).

He speaks messages to us to give to other people (2 Chronicles 15:1-2).

He has promised to tell us what to speak in difficult situations (Matthew 10:16-20; Mark 13:11 and Luke 12:11-12).

He spoke to the prophets which became God's written Word (Mark 12:36; Acts 1:16; 28:25-27; Hebrews 10:15-17 and 2 Peter 1:21).

The Holy Spirit wants to speak God's words through you, too. He wants you to speak God's words to your children. He wants you to speak God's Words into your home. Words define the atmosphere of your home. As He prompts you, He wants you to speak God's Word to people wherever you go.

But, most of all, the Holy Spirit says, "Come" and this is also the language of the bride of Christ (Revelation 22:17). The Holy Spirit wants you to have a heart that responds, "Come" to all His workings in your heart. He wants you to say "Come" to people you meet. "Come to Jesus." "Come to my home for dinner." "Come and be refreshed." And most of all, if the Holy Spirit has His way in our hearts, we will be saying, "Come, Lord Jesus."

42. Springing up Spirit

Jesus said in John 4:14, "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." The Holy Spirit dwelling in us wants to leap up and flow out from us. The Greek word means "to jump, leap, gush, spring up." It is the same word that is used when the men "leaped up" when they were healed (Acts 3:8 and 14:10).

The New Century Version gives the understanding of gushing up, "The water I give will become a spring of water gushing up inside that person, giving eternal life." And The Message says, "The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life."

43. Strengthening Spirit

Paul prayed, "That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man." Do you need strength to face the challenges of each day? And not only the physical challenges, but the emotional, too? Yield to the Holy Spirit who dwells within you to strengthen your inner man and your emotional life. He will not only strengthen you a little, but MIGHTILY. He will make you strong to face the foe. He will make you steadfast in your convictions. You may not feel strong physically, but the Holy Spirit will make you strong inwardly.

44. Striving Spirit

Genesis 6:3 says, "And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man." The understanding of this word is that the Holy Spirit strives in our hearts and pleads with us to run a straight course.

45. Supplying Spirit

Philippians 2:9 talks about "the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ." The Holy Spirit is always ready to contribute to whatever need we have in our hearts.

Love from Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

"Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Break me, melt me,
Mold me, fill me,
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:

I cannot be dormant when I have the power of the Holy Spirit springing and leaping up within me.