Numbers 6:24-26, “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee; The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”

What a wonderful blessing to have God’s face shine upon us, to bask in the favour of His smile. Both Knox and Moffat translate it this way, “The Lord smile on thee.” God’s blessing is His smile. It is the blessing of His favor. It is the affirmation of His love to us.

Let’s read some other Scriptures from the Knox translation:

Psalm 21:6, “Comforted by the smile of thy favour.”

Psalm 44:3, “Thy smile shone upon them, in proof of thy favour.”

Psalm 67:1, “May God be merciful to us, and bless us, may He grant us the favour of His smile.”

Psalm 80:3,7,19, “Smile upon us, and we shall find deliverance.”

Psalm 90:17, “The favour of the Lord our God smile upon us.”

Psalm 89:15, “Happy is the people… that lives, Lord, in the smile of thy protection.”

Psalm 119:135, “Restore to thy servant the smile of thy loving favour.”
 

Where do smiles come from? As with everything else, they originate in God. He smiled first before we smiled. He still smiles over us. (Zephaniah 3:17)

A smile is like the sun shining upon us. There is one spot in the living area of our home where the sun shines in. I love this spot. I gravitate to it. To bask in the warmth of the sun not only brings warmth to the physical body but also to the soul. You can forget worries and problems when you bask in the sun.

Just as God blesses us with His smile, He wants us to bless our children in the same way. How often do you smile at your children? Occasionally? When they please you? Or do they bask in the warmth of your continual smiles? Smiling at your children will change the atmosphere of your home. It will change the attitudes and behavior of your children.

2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” The more we behold the Lord, the more we grow into His likeness. In the same way, your children look at you all day. They will reflect and act out what they see on your face. If you are always frowning at your children, expect to have unhappy and grumbling children. But if you are always smiling at them, they will in turn become smiling happy children.

William Makepeace Thackeray said, “Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children.” Are you showing the smile of God to your children?

They will thrive as they bask in the favor of your smile. Every time you smile at them, you are telling them you love them, that you accept them, that you delight in them, that you are very glad God gave them to you. In the warmth of this blessing they will grow in grace and become all that God intends for them to be. All because of your smiles.

Try it dear mother. Start smiling at your children. Keep smiling at your children. Smile when you are happy. Smile when you are unhappy. Smile even when you don’t feel like smiling.

Oh by the way, when did you last smile at your husband? Smiling will keep your marriage in tact.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Father, I thank you for the favour of your smile. Help me to pass on your blessing to my children. Help me to be like you and smile at my children.  Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

Today I will smile at my children. I will bless them and bless myself.

It only takes 17 muscles to smile but 43 to frown!

www.aboverubies.org

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 throughout the week.

Philippians 2:6-8, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedience unto death, even the death of the cross.”

What is Christmas today? Christmas trees, decorations, lights, tinsel, parties, Santa Claus, and an over abundance of food. Total antipathy to the very first Christmas!

The first Christmas was celebrated in poverty. Today, if a couple were so poor that they had to have their baby in a dirty animal stable, the Social Services would take their baby away from them. But 2000 years down the line, it seems that the humility of Christmas has been forgotten.

I think it would be good to remind ourselves of the true reality of Christmas, don’t you?

1. The humility of Mary.

Mary was a humble maiden with a humble lineage. She was not a royal princess. She was not a High Priest's daughter. She was not rich. Mary herself confesses in her song, "He hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.... He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree...” (Luke 1:48-49) But God chose this unknown virgin to bring forth His precious Son. He chose her because she was a willing vessel. Often those who have everything materially, are not willing vessels.

God is not looking for riches and material possessions. He is looking for women with obedient hearts-- mothers who will welcome to their hearts the children whom God has planned to send them. He is looking for those who have the same spirit Mary had when she said, "Be it unto me according to thy Word." (Luke 1:38) She was totally surrendered to the will of the Lord. In the face of poverty, ridicule, rejection and estrangement, she embraced this child who would be the Savior of the world.

I will never forget going to the famous art gallery in London and seeing a painting of Mary. It was such an anointed picture. The artist had captured the look of total submission and abandonment to the will of God upon her face. It was amazing. I looked and looked at it for hours. The caption was the very words, "Be it unto me according to thy Word."

2. The humility of Joseph.

Joseph was a humble carpenter from a humble village. Do you remember that Nathanael said of Jesus, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46) Jesus was spurned by his fellow residents of Nazareth who asked, “Is not this the carpenter's son?" (Matthew 13:55)

3. The humility of His birthplace.

Jesus was born in a stable, most probably a cave, with the dirt, the smells and messes of the animals all around.  He was then laid in a stone feeding trough, fit only for the animals. Jesus was born to be King, but God didn't provide a palace for His Son in which to be born. He didn't provide a doctor, nurses and hospital. There was no cradle, beautifully draped with lace and frills. Only straw! Was there even that? No Christmas card paints the true reality of the scene.

If this was the beginning of the Son of God, why do we, the sons and daughters of God, expect that we should have all the niceties of life? Of course, if God blesses us with them, we will receive them with joy, but should we expect them? Everything surrounding the birth of Jesus was humble. It is interesting that in the body of Christ we have the "Faith movement" and the "Discipleship movement" and so on. But has anyone ever heard of the "Humility movement"? We don't take to this aspect so well, do we? And yet this is how God planned for His beloved Son to be born. And this is how he lived all through His life. Shouldn't humility also be the hallmark of our Christian experience?

I think that God revealed His heart in the place He chose for His son to be born—the lowliest and humbles place possible. God loves the poor. He promises to raise up the poor. He watches over them. Even in the birth of His son, He related to the poorest of the poor. 

It is also amazing to think that God chose to bring forth His beloved Son through the process of birth. He could have sent him down from Heaven on a chariot of fire! He could have sent a legion of angels to escort Him from the majesty of heaven. But no! He chose for His Son to be conceived and nurtured in a womb, to be born of a woman, the way that God planned for all human life to come into this world.

Surely this raises birth to a high estate. What a privilege to give birth and give life to children, the very same way that Jesus came into the world? How blessed we are as women.

4. The humility of Jesus' dedication.

After the days of a mother's purification, the parents took the baby to the temple to be dedicated. They had to bring a lamb to be sacrificed for the dedication. However, if they could not afford a lamb, they brought two turtle doves or young pigeons. (Leviticus 12:6-8) The account in Luke 2:23-24 tells us that Joseph and Mary brought doves or pigeons. They belonged to the poor class. They couldn't afford to bring a lamb. And yet God chose from the poorer class to bring forth the King of kings and Lord of lords.

We don't have to own our own home and have all the modern conveniences before we are ready to have a baby. All we have to have is willing and welcome hearts. God will always provide for the children He sends. The poor who have children are richer than the wealthy who reject children.

May God pour out His Spirit upon you at this very special season as you celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah together as a family. May God keep all our hearts focused on the humility of His birth, rather than tinsel and toys.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Dear Lord Jesus, Thank you for leaving the glory of heaven to come to this earth. Thank you for humbling yourself to become a little baby. Thank you for being humiliated for me. Thank you that you came to die, and to die for my sin. How can I ever thank you adequately? But with all my being I worship and love you. Amen.”

QUOTE:

Zechariah 9:9 NAS, “Behold your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey”

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.

Psalm 69:3, “I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.”

Are you waiting for God to answer your prayers? Are you crying out for a loved one who is not yet saved? Are you in despair about one of your children? Are you going through deep waters and wonder how you will get out? Never give up. Even though God seems far away, He is still there. He is hearing your cry. He will bring deliverance in due time.

I think of David the Psalmist who waited and waited. I love the Knox translation of our Scripture in Psalm 69:3,

“Hoarse my throat with crying wearily for help; my eyes ache with looking up for mercy to my God.”

The most important thing we can do, in the daily problems of life, and when going through distress and trauma, is to LOOK UP! How many times do you hear me saying this? But I must remind you again. Look to the Lord. Don’t look at your problem. When you look at your problems you will sink. When you look up to the Lord, you will never be ashamed.

Be encouraged by these Scriptures:

Psalm 59:9-10, “To Thee I look, the God who strengthens me, the God who watches over me; my God, and all my hope of mercy.”

Psalm 62:1, “To God I look for deliverance.

Psalm 71:1-3, “To Thee, O God, I turn for succor…I have no other stronghold, no other refuge, but Thee!” 

Psalm 77:2, “To the Lord I look when distress comes upon me.” 

“Well, that’s great,” you say, “but I’ve been looking and looking to the Lord and still I’m no better off. God does not seem to be hearing me. ” Can I gently remind you again? Don’t give up!

David experienced the same thing. He was in deep trouble. The waters were closing in on him, shoulders high! Even though he was nearly drowning, He kept his eyes upon the Lord. He looked so long his eyes ached with looking up! Are you at that stage yet? But even though his throat was hoarse with crying for help and his eyes ached with looking up, he didn’t give up. And because he kept looking up, by the end of the Psalm He was praising the Lord. In v. 30 he says, “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.”

In Psalm 71:14, while enemies are conspiring against him, David confesses, “Still will I hope on…”

Keep hoping on, dear one.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Lord, sometimes I get tired of looking up. Please help me when I get weary for I know that I have nowhere else to turn but You. You are my only help and strength.  Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

“My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary, Savior divine!.”

Ray Pal­mer, 1830.

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 throughout the week.

RESOLUTE FOR GOD

Part 4

Psalm 42:6, “He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defence; I shall not be moved.” (Psalm 15:1-5; 16:8; 62:2; Acts 2:25; 20:24)

I WILL PRAISE THE LORD!

Psalm 34:1, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

(Psalm 9:1-2; 16:7; 30:1,12; 31:7; 52:9; 54:6; 55: 16,17; 56:12; 63:4; 71:14; 86:12;109:30;111:1; 118:21,28; 138:1;139:14; 145:1-2)

Psalm 69:30, “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.”

Psalm 57:9, “I will praise you, O Lord, I will sing to you.”

(Psalm 7:17; 59:16,17; 71:16; 75:9; 89:1; 104:33; 108:1; 144:9; 146:1-2; 13:6; 28:7)

Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice.”

It’s easy to praise the Lord when everything is going fine, isn’t it? It’s not so easy when everything is going wrong. But God wants us to bless him at all times, when things are good and when things are bad! I am sure that David didn’t feel like praising the Lord when he was in the pit of despair, as he often was. But no matter what he was going through, he continually acknowledged, “I will praise the Lord at all times.” “I will…” he confessed. No matter what, he still praised the blessed the Lord.

When we say, “I will”, is it just the work of the flesh? No. The Holy Spirit who lives within us can work with a resolute will that is set for God and His purposes. If our will is weak, we will give in to the pressures and temptations of the devil and the Holy Spirit has a harder time keeping us hot for God. I love the quote by Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910):

“In such a world as this, with such hearts as ours, weakness is wickedness in the long run. Whoever lets himself be shaped and guided by any thing lower than an inflexible will, fixed in obedience to God, will in the end be shaped into a deformity, and guided to wreck and ruin.”

I WILL WALK IN INTEGRITY!

Job 27:5, “Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.”

Psalm 26:1,11, “But as for me, I will walk in my integrity.”

Psalm 86:11, “I will walk in your truth.”

Proverbs 20:7, “The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed afar him.”

There are constant opportunities to slightly deceive or tell half truths. Make it your confession that you will always use integrity and do that which is right, even though no one else may know.

I WILL WALK IN THE STRENGTH OF THE LORD!

Psalm 71:16, “I will go in the strength of the Lord God.”

1 Samuel 17:45, “Then said David to the Philistine… I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.”

2 Chronicles 14:11, “Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them hat have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.”

Many times we go in our own strength, and don’t realize it. Get into the habit of walking in God’s strength. Confess it. Do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.

I WILL LOOK UP!

Psalm 5:3, “I will look up.”

What a wonderful confession of the sweet Psalmist of Israel. Make this your daily affirmation, too. Start the day by looking up to the Lord. Keep your eyes fixed on Him. It is easy to be discouraged when you look at your difficulties. It is easy to be overwhelmed when you look at all you have to face. But when you look up, something happens. Your burdens lighten. Your tress turns to peace. Your churned up stomach turns to rest. Every time you face something that causes you to be distressed, immediately confess, “I will look up.” Make it the habit of your life.

I WILL ENDURE TO THE END!

Matthew 24:13, “He that endures to the end shall be saved.”

2 Timothy 4:5, “Endure afflictions.”

James 12:12, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been proved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

James 5:12, “Behold, we count them happy which endure.”

It’s the end of the race that counts. When everything seems too hard, make your affirmation, “I will endure to the end.”

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

Lord, I look up to you. I praise you. I trust in your promises. You are my source, I do not trust in my own resources but in your unfailing strength. Thank you Lord. I will walk in your strength.   Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I will not be moved by trials.

I will not be moved by doubt.

I will not be moved by those who would steer

 me away from God’s ultimate truth!

Ephesians 6:13

If you are new to the Email Devotion list and would like to read the first three devotions in this series, click on the "Archived Devotionals" link on the left . You will find them listed there where you can read them or print them out.

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.