“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven.“ (Matthew 5:44-45 CSB)
It was a quiet Tuesday morning. I had unpacked our luggage from vacation and was washing a few loads of clothes. I sat down to process the mail that had collected. Then I thumbed through a Talbots catalog I had received, and began perusing Talbots online for details, as the clothes washed.
Understand, I am looking at a catalog, when I heard the Lord say out of nowhere:
“PRAY FOR YOUR ENEMIES!
Pray for the one who stabbed you in the back.
Pray for the one who lied to you.
Pray for the one who lied about you.
Pray for the one who deceived you.
Pray for the one who betrayed you.
Pray for the one who wronged you.
Pray for the one who tried to destroy you.
Pray for the one who stole from you.
Pray for the one who cheated you.
Pray for the one who hurt you.
PRAY FOR YOUR ENEMIES.”
How’s that for a word from the Lord after a return from paradise?
Do I want to pray for my enemies? To be honest, no. Will I? No! I am not doing this alone. My husband and I will tackle this one TOGETHER!
“Again, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:19-20 NKJV)
I enCOURAGE you to pray for your enemies because Jesus said so!
Pray by faith. Call those things that ARE NOT as though they were!
PS. Two days later, I was telling my son and daughter in law about “praying for your enemies.” My son said , “I just read that yesterday, Matthew 5:44.” God confirming His word to both of us!”
LALALA! Living Amazed!
Viva Magenta: Live. Breathe. Be praying for your enemies!
If you look close you might see a little heart in the sky!
by Tammy Phillips from the Turks and Caicos Islands
May 6, 2024
“The Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them. He remains faithful forever,” (Psalm 146:6 CSB)
My sister in Christ, Gina Suiter, loves cotton candy. She has told me about eating more than one cone in a day.
I like the idea of the treat and its variety of colors. I also really like sweets in general, but not the sweet sweetness of cotton candy.
Yesterday, as I floated in a cotton candy colored sea of vastness, the Lord decided to put on a show. He shared a variety of cotton candy clouds. There was the obvious fluffy cumulus clouds, but then there was also the most amazing cirrus clouds. They were long, wispy and everywhere. It was if the Lord told the angels, “It’s cotton candy day at work go have some,” and they all did. It appeared that multitudes came out and pulled the cirrus cloud from the cumulus clouds in every direction in the heavens. Remnants of their party also dotted the sky in the forms of altocumulus and cirrocumulus clouds. It was so nice to be invited to the party on my last full day in paradise. It was the sweetest day, a gift from God.
The day reminded me of God’s love, faithfulness, His creativity, and His GREATNESS.
I heard Him roar:
“Do you not fear me? This is the LORD’s declaration. Do you not tremble before me, the one who set the sand as the boundary of the sea, an enduring barrier that it cannot cross? The waves surge, but they cannot prevail. They roar but cannot pass over it.”(Jeremiah 5:22CSB)
“Or who enclosed the sea with doors When it burst forth and went out of the womb; 9 When I made the clouds its garment And thick darkness its swaddling band, 10 And marked for it My [appointed] boundary And set bars and doors [defining the shorelines],”(Job 38:8-10 AMP)
I enCOURAGE you to look up today and see the greatness of God. Fear Him. Be amazed and have the sweetest day!
Caroline Phillips runs a half marathon! You go girl!
by Tammy Phillips April 29, 2024
“Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime.”(John 4:6 NLT)
Yesterday’s wake time was 2 AM. I tried to go back to sleep until 4 AM. I finally arose and “sat at the feet of Jesus” for a while reading the word. I wrote for a little, but by 6:30 AM, I could no longer keep my eyes open. I went back to bed and set my alarm for 7:30 AM rise in order to get up in time for early church. When the alarm rang, I hit snooze. I did not want to move. It’s not like I had overexerted myself the day before. I had not competed in a half marathon (13.1 miles) like my warrior daughter in love, Caroline, who was nineteen weeks pregnant! I also had not walked marathon distance, the thirty-plus miles, like Jesus had from Judea to Samaria. I had completed a short workout, laundered one load of clothes, washed a few dishes, and sat on the deck most of the day working on the details of an upcoming trip. I was just just weary from lack of sleep.
On the way to church, I questioned the Lord: “Jesus, did you ever just get tired? Did you ever wake up after sleeping on a mat on the hard ground and announce that you were sleeping in? Did you always rise with pep in your step? Did you ever just feel worn out?”
I found the answer in John 4:3-6…
“So, he (Jesus) left Judea and returned to Galilee. He had to go through Samaria on the way. Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime.”
Jesus had journeyed about thirty-five miles. He was weary, tired, thirsty, exhausted, worn out, but that did not stop him from changing lives in Samaria. (See John 4:1-29) Jews refused to have anything to do with Samarians much less a woman Samarian, not Jesus. He did not let his weariness stop him from his divine appointment and doing the will of God.
“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all [points] tempted as [we are, yet] without sin.” (Heb 4:15 NKJV).
Jesus was tired but as the High Priest, he sympathized with the Samarian woman’s weakness! He sympathizes with our weaknesses. He knew I was going to be weary and want to stay home but guess what… If I had given into that temptation, I would have missed one of my divine assignments for the day, praying for our Pastor. When we sat down in church, what did Pastor immediately say? “Are you ever tired? I am tired. Pray for me!” God has the best comedic timing of anyone. I could only laugh and pray!
I enCOURAGE you to ask Jesus your every question. He always has the right answer. Was Jesus tired? Yes. What does he say to us when we are worn out?
“Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’”(Mat 11:28 NLT)
When we are thirsty; He is our drink. He is Living Water. When we are hungry, He is our food. He is the Bread of Life. When we are weary, He is our rest, our refreshment. When we have questions, He is the answer!
by Tammy Phillips April 26,2024 (repost from April 30, 2021)
Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. (Revelation 19:7-8 KJV)
PREPARED means made suitable; made ready; to put in a proper state of mind; to work out the details of a plan in advance; to put together. Pretty much prepared means ready, set, go.
A wedding does not just happen. It takes tons of preparation, including sleepless nights, endless phone calls, a multitude of decisions, lists and meetings. It has been 465 days since Mary Claire, my daughter in love to be, took the first step to becoming a bride. First, she said yes to my son, Brayden’s proposal. Next, she picked the perfect wedding dress. She has worked out the myriad of details with her mom’s help. She had spent time with Brayden getting to know him better and also making final choices about the specifics of the wedding. She has, all the while, done everything to transform herself into the perfect bride for our son. Tomorrow, she will take the final steps. She will spend most of the day putting herself together to meet her groom. The last things she will do is to put on the dress. She will be fully prepared. She will be a picture of perfection without spot or blemish. She will be so excited and glowing for her groom. I know that without a doubt Mary Claire will be ready, set and will go down the aisle, walking into her eternity with our son.
Are your excited? Are you glowing for your groom? The marriage of the Lamb is coming. Just like Mary Claire and Brayden’s long-awaited day is coming, Jesus is coming for His bride. Invitations have been sent out. Are your prepared for the wedding feast? Have you accepted the invitation? Have you said yes to Christ who loves you and gave Himself up for you, so that He might sanctify, transform and cleanse you by the washing of water with the word? Have you said yes so that God may prepare you to be a perfect bride for His Son, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that you would be holy and blameless? Have you arrayed yourself in the fine linen which is the righteousness of Christ?
It all starts with a “yes” and a complete surrender to Jesus, but it is does not end there.
I enCOURAGE you to first, say yes. Then get ready, get set and go. Prepare yourself to meet the Groom, Jesus Christ. Wash yourself in the word. Spend time with the Lord. Get to know Him better. Don’t be caught ill prepared. Don’t be all coy in saying “yes.” The Groom will not wait forever. However, He is patient, kind and all loving. Are you ready for Him? He has been waiting and preparing for you.
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:1-2)
by Tammy Phillips April 25, 2024, a repost from September 13, 2020
Sunny view from under the Bridal Veil Falls, Highlands, NC, 3/16/24
“Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Matthew 24:44 NKJV)
On January 21, 1999, at 4:15 AM, an F-3 tornado with winds in excess of 160 mph made its way through downtown Clarksville, Tennessee. It destroyed over 120 buildings and damaged 560 others. Praise God; there were no deaths. I am not sure that Kris and I did not sleep through it. We were not prepared for it.
I will never forget. Around breakfast time, Kris’ boss, Tres Mullis, dropped by the house with a bandana wrapped head. He looked a little disheveled. This was way out of character for him. He was a well-kept young man who was always dressed impeccably. At first, I would not let him in the front door. Brayden was 4 and Parker, almost 2. Our toddler ravaged house looked like the tornado’s path had gone directly through the center of our home. Sadly, Tres challenged me with magnitude of what had just happened to gain entrance. I was mortified. I was not ready! I did not want to see the mess nor was I ready for anyone else to see it.
Jesus told us in Matthew 24:44 , “BE READY.”
Was the father who chose to ride his motorcycle to the lake to meet his family and friends, but instead had a fatal accident, ready?
Was the mother who was on a beach trip with girlfriends, who waded into the ocean to save another, ready?
Was the husband who was enjoying a day on a sailboat, who fell off and passed, ready?
Was the man who did not make it to his car because his heart stopped, ready?
Were the many young sons and daughters who died to early… ready?
These lives ended without notice. Life is precious. I pray for each of these families. I know these are hard and painful questions. My heart is pounding because I have been asking myself this question, “Are YOU ready?” Are you prepared? Are my family and friends ready? All of the people I mentioned above are people we knew and who have recently passed. I am asking you this question, “Are you ready?” I am begging you, and challenging me, with the words of Jesus…BE READY. BE PREPARED.
If you have not heard, I will remind you. God loves us so much. He sent Jesus His Only Son to die for us. (Romans 5:8) He died a horrible death to pay for our wrongs and buy back our eternal life. The wages of sin are death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NKJV) For all of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23 NKJV) He rose again so that we can LIVE eternally with Him. The only way to God is through Jesus. All we have to do ask His forgiveness and REPENT, change our mind and run into His arms. We must choose Him as our SAVIOR AND LORD. If He is not LORD in our life, He is probably not our Savior either.
If you do not intimately know Him …
If you do not have a personal relationship with Him…
If you do not do the will of Father God…
If your do not spend time with Him…
If you do not read His word and do it…
If you do not pray with Him…
Do you really know Him?
Are you really prepared to meet Him?
ARE YOU READY? When you meet Jesus face to face, don’t be this person…
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven”. (Matthew 7:21 NKJV)
I enCOURAGE and I mean strongly encourage you to ask yourself, “ARE YOUR READY?” Death is imminent. It seems to approach faster and faster. It arrives unexpectantly. Jesus IS coming. God warned us to be ready, to watch and pray. I love you, but He loves you more!!! ARE YOU READY? Only you know. Choose Jesus today and every day! It is not a “one and done” salvation. It is work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Satan know who Jesus is, but he does not live for him. It is daily choosing Jesus.
For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13 NKJV)
by Tammy Phillips April 24, 2024, from April 24, 2023
“God’s timing is perfect! I originally posted this exactly one year ago today. Baby Jack’s arrival was worth the postponement and better than any getaway. I am elated that we can sneak this adventure in before the birth of our second grandbaby or we would be postponing again. I am ready and leave for our trip very soon.
Are you ready for the journey at the end of your life hear on earth?” -Tammy
“You also be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Luke 12:40 CSB)
My husband, Kris and I will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary this summer, but more importantly we are expecting our first grandchild. We have organically postponed a big trip because we want to be ready, present, and around for the arrival of baby Jack.
I am a planner! When departure day for the trip finally arrives, I want every detail planned so that I can enjoy the vacation. I have prepared for our get-a-way since we determined our destination. I have tirelessly searched and narrowed down the perfect place to stay. I have booked our flights: the best day, time, and most cost efficient. I have scheduled parking and booked our rental car. I have even chosen the restaurants where we will dine and made reservations. I have organized our daily agenda, even if that means just sitting on the beach. I do not want to miss anything our destination promises. I have studied, prepared and I will have a complete itinerary. Our bags will be packed. I will be ready when departure day arrives so that I can simply enjoy the ride without fretting.
Jesus tells us to BE READY for our departure day and His return. Have you spent as much time preparing for His return as I have for our trip? Is your head in the sand ignoring the signs of the times or are you ready? Do you know the signs that He told us about in the Bible to give us a heads up and make us ready for the journey of a life with Him to paradise?
Jesus says, “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.” (Mat 25:13 CSB). “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.” (Luke 21:20 NKJV). “But when these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.” (Luke 21:28 CSB)
Have you seen the news lately about Israel and the world? Do you know the “things” Jesus talks about in Luke 21:28? Do you care?
You know how a song gets stuck in your head? “Be ready” has been on replay in my mind for weeks.
I continue to mess up in my life, as I have said many times, “I am not perfect.” However, Jesus was, is and will always be perfect. I am forgiven and made right in Him, alone! So, I am standing up. My head is lifted up. I am watching and I am waiting because I know my redemption is near.
I enCOURAGE you to BE READY. Get ready because the word of God says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. (22)“Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ (23) “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Mat 7:21-23 NKJV).
I want you to KNOW Jesus. I want Jesus to know you. I want Jesus to know me, and I want to know Him. I want to know His voice when He makes the call to paradise. I want to do His will. I never want to hear Him say, “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46 NKJV)
In the last book, last chapter and last few verses of the Bible, Jesus tells us, twice, “Look, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to repay each person according to his work. … “Yes, I am coming soon.” (Rev 22:12, 20 CSB). Ready or not, He is coming. Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday morning, I was driving down Memorial Drive Extension passing by the Johnsons house and then the Jenkins on the way to pick up Weed and Feed from Lowe’s. It was a gorgeous chilly spring day. The sky was solid blue absent of clouds and the grass was emerald green. The earth was a live and the birds were singing their praises. Out of nowhere and I mean nowhere, I heard from the Lord. I was not in a conversation with Him, but he had something to say to me…
Let me qualify. I know the Lord’s voice. I do not question His voice too many times. One day, I told the Lord that would rather be wrong than miss what the He was trying to accomplish.
Once, the Lord told me to buy a frying pan for someone I was going to visit. I thought I had really lost it that day. I stopped at Sam’s, bought the pan, and kept going. When I gave it to the person, he was in the kitchen cooking. He questioned why I gave it to him. I told him because the Lord told me. He said, “I have been looking for a pan online.” He was not a Kingdom kid yet. It was a weird kind of witness to him of God’s love and provision. He asked for a Mercedes next…
What did the Lord say to me on Saturday morning? In a quiet, still voice I heard the Lord say: “I am coming soon.” I questioned. “Lord, I know that you said that 2000 years ago. I have read this so many times. I am looking for you, but is this really you?” I heard again, “I am coming soon.” I responded, “Ok. What do you want me to do?” He said, “Tell them.”
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. (Mat 24:36 NKJV)
“And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: “They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. “Likewise, as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed [them] all. (Luke 17: 26-29 NKJV)
Jesus is coming. I am telling you because He told me. He told all. It is the last thing he told us in the Bible, “I am coming soon.” It might be today. It might be tomorrow. It might be 200 years from now. Just like our physical home needs to be ready for guests. Our spiritual house needs to be cleaned up and awaiting our Savior.
I enCOURAGE you to “take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray alwaysthat you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36 NKJV)
Gods’ word to me was confirmed when I walked into church and this was the message our preacher, Freddy T preached. CAN I KNOW WHERE I AM GOING? I was like… I HEAR YOU LORD…. Click on the link and give it a listen…Confirm you know where you are going, there is only one way, Jesus!
When someone tells you that they are coming to your house, what do you do?
1. You prepare for their coming if you have time.
2. You get your house in order, if you have things laying around in the wrong place.
3. Time permitting, you may even give it a clean from top to bottom.
4. You mow the yard or pick up leaves, depending on the season.
5. You expectantly wait for their arrival.
The very last thing that is recorded in the Bible from the mouth of Jesus,
“He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon!’”(Rev 22:20 NLT)
He told us 2000 years ago that He was coming soon. Time to the Lord is different than our perception of time.
“But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.” (2Pe 3:8 NLT)
If he has only been gone “two days,” he could call us home anytime.
ARE YOU READY? Will you know his voice when he calls? Do you know Jesus as Lord of YOUR life. I am not talking about Savior. Many think they know him as Savior, but do you KNOW him as Savior and Lord? Are you living like him? Are you loving like him? DO you follow him?
If you are living your life and doing your own thing, you should be questioning your eternal destiny.
I enCOURAGE you to get to know Jesus. He loves you with unfailing love. He wants to KNOW you. You are going to live forever in one place or another, choose Jesus. If you need an introduction, just contact me, I will be happy to introduce you.
Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he went, always pressing on toward Jerusalem.” (Luke 13:22 NLT)
Christians often think of Jesus as a Superman with superpowers. God is all powerful and almighty, but the word stepped from heaven into the feet of a baby who grew up to be a man, a human like you and me. He had to endure to win. He had to endure to the end. I do not believe there is anything Jesus asks us to do that he himself did not have to endure.
Right now, my “cross” to bear is self-discipline, exercise and making the right food choices. Woah. I have it so hard. NOT!
Jesus chose to go to the cross and take on all sin, death, filth, dirt, and darkness. He did not take off a day. He did not say, “I need a mental health day to deal with all this crap. I need a vacation before the cross.” He did not complain nor make excuses about not having time to pray, read the word or spend time with God. He worked all day every day and still got up early, went off and found time to pray. He kept exercising because he had to walk most places he went. He kept walking and going. They did not have cars, planes, nor trains. He kept on teaching and healing. He kept pressing on to Jerusalem. He KNEW what was waiting for him in Jerusalem. He kept pressing on to his destiny. He knew and kept pressing into his purpose and the plan to save the world. MY SUPERHERO! He led and showed us the way.
Keeping our eyes on Jesus, the Author (Chief, Captain, Prince, Pioneer) and Finisher (Perfector, Completer, Goal Accomplisher and Champion) of our faith, who for the JOY that was set before Him ENDURED the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:2 Tammy’s Interpretative Version)
FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM, HE ENDURED!
What is your cross?
For the joy of goal weight, I must endure discipline, exercise, denial of “bad” food and the choice of right foods.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. (Mat 16:24 NKJV). Looking at the Greek meaning of words in this verse, I interpret it as follows:
If anyone wants to follow or come after me, you must deny yourself, turn from your selfish ways, set aside selfish interest, and TAKE UP YOUR CROSS (be willing to endure whatever…) and FOLLOW ME, join Me on the same road, be the same with Me, cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to Me, and die to self.
Jesus pressed on. Look how he responded to the Pharisees who told him to get out of town because Herod wanted to kill him:
“Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third [day] I shall be perfected.’”(Luke 13:31-32 NKJV).
Each day He kept pressing on, walking, working, teaching, casting out demons, healing, not quitting, not complaining, not whining, not compromising, enduring, standing, doing the right thing, focusing on the goal, dying to self, and completing his assignment.
Jesus was weak, tired, thirsty, betrayed, beaten, spit on, mocked, harassed, humiliated, insulted, sorrowful, shamed, slapped, scourged, stripped naked, and HE DID not want to, but he did. He did not give up. He did not quit. He kept his word. He kept on going all the way to and through the cross. Hallelujah! And we think we have it bad?
I enCOURAGE you to press on. Keep on! Hold on. Endure on. Follow Him! Pick up your cross and follow Him.
“And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”(Luke 14:27 NKJV)
“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it”. (Mat 10:38-39 NKJV)
Complete in Him 