Category: Uncategorized

by Tammy Philips
September 23, 2024

A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word [spoken] in due season, how good [it is]! (Pro 15:23 NKJV)

I have been meditating on two words from Bible for a while now. I have been waiting on the light-bulb-moment of revelation from the Holy Spirit. I have come to realize that I will have to wait and receive it in due time. Receive this as the first installment concerning “due time.”

It is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time, at the due time. How good is a timely word.

Yesterday, I ran into a friend leaving first service at church as I was entering for second service. I gave her a word of encouragement. It gave me great joy to deliver it and I hoped it gave her encouragement to receive it. I simply passed on a thought from Charles Spurgeon that had encouraged me, “God does not deliver on half a promise. The word of God says in Acts 16:3, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ God’s word promised to save you AND your house, too. That is two promises.”

She responded by saying, “Yea, the sermon today was for me.”

Want to know what the sermon was in short? “The Bible is about PROMISES made and PROMISES kept. Trust God.”

Talk about a word on time. That is our God. He is a “IN DUE TIME” God. To quote another dear friend, “He is seldom in a hurry, but never late.”

WAIT…it does not end there. My friend and I embraced and parted with tears in her eyes. As I turned to go, she said, “You are a good friend.” Those words at a due time brought tears to my eyes. If you are like me, sometimes, I feel like I am not a good…daughter of God, wife, mother, mother-in-love, sister-in-law, aunt, steward, writer, or friend. It was good to know that for once, I listened and said the right thing at the right time.

We can never know how a word said in due season can change someone’s day or life.

“The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble.” (Psa 9:9 NKJV)

Watch this…”In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (Jhn 1:1 KJV). The Word was God. God is the Lord, right? Now, Read Psalm 9:9 like this. “The Word also will be a refuge for the oppressed. A refuge, a helper in due time in tribulation.” As believers, God’s promises are a hideout for us. Remembered and counted on at the right time, they will get us through any tribulation.

How good is a word in due time!

I enCOURAGE you to change someone’s trajectory. Let God use you to deliver “DUE TIME” words to people you encounter today. The right word for the right time…there is power in those words, power to change days and lives.

Pleasant words [are like] a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. (Pro 16:24 NKJV)

By Tammy Phillips
September 2, 2024

Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. (1Co 16:13 NKJV)

Two weeks ago, I was questioned, “Who are you following?” Immediately, Holy Spirit had a follow up question, “What are you standing for? What are you standing for?”

If Jesus is truly our Lord and Savior, how can we separate church and state in our stand? If Jesus is our King of Kings, do we think He is coming back to set up his kingdom with wishy washy agendas that change with the wind. No. The Bible is the inspired, authoritative, infallible word of God. It is very clear on God’s thoughts. It is our guide on how to live righteously. We cannot pick and choose the parts of His word we like and dismiss the parts we don’t. His word is to be believed in full or not at all. If God is truly God, I believe He can use imperfect man to scribe His word. My God is a big God. He does not fail, and He does not change. His word is true and to be trusted.

Jesus never compromised and neither can we as followers of Christ. The world is in the state it is today because as His followers, we HAVE COMPRIMISED His truth. We have opened the door and allowed the enemy to step in and have his way. We have not stood for righteousness. We have not endured. We have not persevered. We have not understood, sought, or even asked God His will, nor read His word. We have put our thoughts first. We have put our wants first. We have put our will first. Lucifer, one of God’s Archangels, did the same when He fell in Isaiah 14:12-14, “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! [How] you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’” (Isa 14:12-14 NKJV) The “I will” did not work out too well for him, he got a new name, Satan, and it is not working out for the world right now.

Jesus’ disciples died in their stand for righteousness. Are we willing to die for what we stand for? That is hard to do when most so called Christians are passive, apathetic, and not taking a stand for anything.

How will we stand before Jesus on judgement day and account for our actions, when we are not standing for Him now ?

I enCOURAGE you to dig deep and really think, “What am I am standing for?” )  We all will be held accountable for our stand before God.

“For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. ¹¹ For it is written: ‘[As] I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.’ ¹² So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Rom 14:10-12 NKJV

So, then…“put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand...” (Eph 6:11-14 NKJV)

(“What are you STANDING for?” Soon, I will share specifically where I stand according to the word of God. Praying about every word before I speak.)

By Tammy Phillips
August 20, 2024

Recently, I was awakened at 2:36 AM by the loud voice of Holy Spirit in my spirit. I was alarmed but heard crystal clear: “WHO ARE YOU FOLLOWING?” I listened and pondered, as the question remained on repeat for about an hour and a half.

Who are you following? Because whoever or whatever you FOLLOW is where you will go.

Who are you following? Jesus or Satan?
Who are you following? Truth or lies?
Who are you following? Faith or fear?
Who are you following? Love or hate?
Who are you following? Black or white?
Who are you following? Man or woman?
Who are you following? Good or bad?
Who are you following? Prosperity or poverty?
Who are you following? Career or couch?
Who are you following? Drugs or alcohol?
Who are you following? Sickness or health?
Who are you following? Exercise or idleness?
Who are you following? Baptist or Methodist?
Who are you following? Catholic or Jew?
Who are you following? Tucker Carlson or Wolf Blitzer?
Who are you following? Your Bible or Instagram?
Who are you following? Democrats or Republicans?
Who are you following? Harris or Trump?
Who are you following? Your will or God’s?

These are not “either, or” questions, just questions to think about.

Who are you following? Who is influencing your life?

In scripture when Jesus called his disciples in Matthew 4:19, 8:22, 9:9, He did not say, “Come, be a Christian.” He said, “If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” [Mat 16:24 KJV]

If I am a follower, I am going to walk like you, talk like you, think like you, act like you, and believe like you. Right?

Jesus made it pretty easy for us follow him. It all comes down to one thing he said, “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” [John 15:12 NKJV]

I enCOURAGE you to pause and ask yourself in every area of your life, “Who are you following?” Jesus wants it all and not part. He cannot be your Savior in all, if He is not your Lord of all.

Recently, Holy Spirit showed me something I’d been doing for years, but NEVER ask Him about it. He took me to school again with Psalms 32:8-9, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. 9 Do not be like the horse [or] like the mule, [Which] have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you.”

If we follow Him, He will show us the way to go in every way, if we don’t act like a stubborn mule. He is the Way!

by Tammy Phillips
August 17, 2024

“A warrior filled with wisdom (endowed with reasoning and using it) ascends into the high (proud, tyrannical) places and releases BREAKTHROUGH, bringing down the strongholds of the mighty (or demolishing their strength of confidence). Proverbs 21:22 TPT

When is the last time you prayed for the world, our nation, our leaders, your state, city, community, or your family? I hope it was today. Four years ago, today, Holy Spirit lead me to create a group to COVER TENNESSEE in PRAYER. The Lord brought a group of Tennessee women together to pray weekly for our world, our state, our nation, our leaders, our counties, our cities, our communities, our families, for each other and for you. Yes, if you have ever read one of these encouragements. We have prayed for you. Holy Spirit gave us Proverbs 21:22 as our foundational scripture. Hallelujah and glory to God. We celebrated our four-year anniversary in Chattanooga, Tn last night.

We will continue to pray for our world that is rumbling, our sisters and brothers across the world who are enduring unspeakable things, our nation that is quaking, all our leaders who are standing for Christ and for those who do not, our states, cities, communities, churches, families, children and for you! WE WOULD LOVE TO PRAY FOR YOU, today and always! Email, text, direct message, or comment on Facebook or Instagram.

We believe the Lord when He says: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16 NKJV)

We believe that we are warriors filled with wisdom, endowed with reasoning, and using it. We ascend into the high places of the proud and the tyrants. Through prayer and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we release BREAKTHROUGH, bringing down the strongholds of the mighty and demolishing the strength of their confidence. We boldly declare our confidence is in God alone. According to the word of God, we can do all things through Him and absolutely nothing without. AND… NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM!

We have seen God do things in His way and not ours, but we have also see Him answer our calls miraculously. We trust Him for EVERYTHING and all.

I enCOURAGE you to join us and be brave warriors in the kingdom of God boldly asking and believing God for the seemingly impossible. We are praying for BREAKTHROUGH. He has proved Himself over and over to us. He is a God of His word. He is faithful and true. Psalm 44:4 says:

“You are my King, O God; command, set up, and appoint victories, deliverance, salvation, and BREAKTHROUGH.”  (Psalm 44:4 expounded)

“But thanks be to God, ho gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57 AMPC)

by Tammy Phillips
August 12, 2024

“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

My husband and I were on the way to church Sunday morning. The radio was tuned into a country station, not usually my choice of music. A song began to play, the lyrics caught my attention, and I could not help but let the tears roll. Here are the lyrics I heard to “Mamaw’s House ” sung by Thomas Rhett:

It was always hotter than the grease she used to fry that chicken

Smelled like Marlboro Reds and all the butter from her biscuits

And that Lincoln in the driveway, circa 1982

Was on the shiny side of rusty and on the paler side of blue

‘Cussin and complainin’ weren’t allowed in Mamaw’s house

If every nightstand had a Bible, every front porch had a swing

If every backyard had a garden, every front door had a screen

Well, maybe this crazy world would straighten up and slow on down

If every town had a Mamaw’s house

She’d ask if I was hungry every thirty seconds

And say things like “hellfire, ” “tarnation” and “I reckon’s”

It’s where I spent my summers and she put me to work

Shellin’ peas and shuckin’ corn until my fingers hurt

No tellin’ who I’da been without Mamaw’s house

If every nightstand had a Bible, every front porch had a swing

If every backyard had a garden, every front door had a screen

Yeah, maybe this crazy world would straighten up and slow on down

If every town had a Mamaw’s house

Yeah, and if they did, when I punch the clock

Tonight, I know right where I’d be

I’d walk in and get a big ol’ hug

And a bigger glass of tea

If every nightstand had a Bible, every front porch had a swing

If every backyard had a garden, every front door had a screen

Yeah, maybe this crazy world would straighten up and slow on down

If every town had a Mamaw’s house

Yeah, maybe this crazy world would straighten up and slow on down

If every town had a mamaw’s house.*

The song lyrics flooded my mind with memories of my “Mamaw’s House.” My Grandmothers were not called Mamaw but were fondly called Nanny. How I loved to get away to Nanny’s house. What an impact Nanny Lowe and Nanny Abney had on my life. They taught me about life, unconditional love, and Jesus. They taught me how to live simply and be still, something the Lord been reminding me of. They instilled in me that it was ok just to sit down on the front, side, or back porch, sip a glass of tea and watch the sun go down. They led me to open the windows on hot summer nights to feel the cool breeze and listen to the symphony of bullfrogs lifting up their voice to the Lord. They patiently and masterfully educated me on how to make their prized dishes. They directed me to God with the way they lived their lives.

Holy Spirit has been whispering to me, “Be still, to relax, sink down, let things drop, to slacken up, to cast down chaos, to let offense fall, to let go of hurts and to know, see and turn my mind to the truth that He is God. My husband has been encouraging me to come out on our back deck and to do the same.

The pot of life had been boiling on every front as of late, distracting me from being still and knowing my God.

With our second grandbaby on the way, it is time to refocus. I have additional job duties and a purpose in my family. It is to be the best Lala that I can. It is to show my grands how to LIVE AMAZED. It is to offer them a place of peace to visit, be nurtured and taught the same lessons I learned my from my Nanny’s House.

I enCOURAGE you to be still and know God. If you don’t know Him, I would love to introduce you to my Savior, Lord, Prince of Peace, Healer…He is everything. He is infinite in understanding. He is all things good. Practice being still this week it will make you a better Mamaw, Nanny, LaLa and better person. Take the time. Make the time to know God. You will be amazed!

(*Songwriters: Matthew Peters Dragstrem / Morgan Cole Wallen / Richard Chase McGill / Thomas Rhett Jr. Akins Mamaw’s House lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc)

 

by Tammy Phillips
August 5, 2024

“And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.’”Luke 22:41-42 (NKJV)

Not My will, but Yours be done. Can you pray, not my will but Yours? Do you mean it? Jesus prayed. Have you? Is it YOUR will or is it’s God’s will you seek?

The Word of God instructs us:

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.” (Philippians 4:6 NLT)

“Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV)

My flesh has wanted to rise up and yell loudly at the craziness and insanity going on in the world. I can hardly bare some people’s faces much less their voices speaking such ignorance, lies and double talk, BUT that is NOT God’s way.

One of my favorite social media quotes is “be careful what you post over the next few months” and then they proudly post their opinion because after all their opinion is right. There is only one right all the time. His name is God. There is only one who has the answers, Jehovah is His name.

If we pray His will, we better be ready to accept and do it His way!

And His way might not be our way…

“For My thoughts [are] not your thoughts, Nor [are] your ways My ways,” says the LORD. For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV)

Even though my flesh would want some to fall off planet earth, never to return, I have to align my spirit with God’s and declare: “The Lord is….long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 NKJV) This is God’s way.

Have you prayed for God’s way? Have you prayed about the crisis in Middle East? Do you know God’s will? Do you care? Have you prayed God’s will for the next president? Have you prayed for the Senator, Representative, CNN or Fox News anchor who gets on your nerves? Have you prayed for the UNITED States of America? Have you prayed for your enemies? Have you prayed for the one who offended you? Have you prayed for the one who hurt you? Have you prayed for the ignorant? Is your person in the presidential race God’s person? What if neither are, there is a thought. Have you asked Him? Have you prayed?

STOP. If you profess Christ as your Savior and Lord, have you prayed for God’s will and His way? I do not know what is going to happen, but I will be praying.

I enCOURAGE you to pray. Pray before you speak, post or vote. I encourage you to love at all times, so not easy. We can do it with Jesus’ help. I encourage you to pray His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. The world would be a different place if we just asked God what He thought and then did it His way. He says

“Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.” (Isaiah 58:9)

by Tammy Phillips
July 29, 2024 (a repost from September 21, 2020)

 For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield. (Psalm 5:12)

I was discussing with a friend how I see that we live a protected life in a bubble. It is like we have a force field surrounding us that keep us protected. It is called the protective blood of Jesus Christ. He is our hedge of protection.

The next day, the same friend told me that she had a vision. She was in a large three car garage. She was in one bay and a snake was in a relaxed position in the furthest bay from her. She took a shovel, hit the snake behind the head and almost severed its head. She thought the snake was dead and all of the sudden it lunged toward her upper body. She raised her weapon to block its attack. However, as the snake ensued its strike, it ran into an invisible force field and fell to the ground.

Stay with me. We talked about the bubble. My friend dreamed about the bubble the same night. We awoke the next day to an encouraging word from another sister in Christ who lives in Australia who we do not even know. She wrote: “I WILL SURROUND YOU LIKE A SHIELD… I saw the Lord SHIELDING YOU. The Lord wants you to be encouraged and to rest in His protection.”

I told my friend that the NBA who has attempted to live in a bubble to escape CoVid-19 has nothing on our God. In the state of living amazed by God, I questioned, “Bet there is a verse for this?” God was obviously trying to reveal another layer of Himself to us. I went to Blue Letter Bible and searched the word, “force.” Nothing. Then, I searched the word protect which led me to the word shield. Guess what? There is more than one word for shield in the Bible. WATCH THIS!

Most often in the OT the word for shield was the Hebrew word, magen, which is a smaller shield or defense.  This small shield is activated by trusting in the word of the Lord and walking uprightly.  The translation of shield in the verses below is magen.

The LORD [is] my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; (Psalm 28:7)

For the LORD God is a sun and shield…No good [thing] will He withhold From those who walk uprightly. (Psalm 84:11)

You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He [is] their help and their shield. (Psalm 115:11)

You [are] my hiding place and my shield. (Psalm 119:114)

He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. (Proverbs 30:5)

One shield of God would be enough, but he gave us two!  In the focus verse Psalm 5:12, we discover that the Lord blesses us, the righteous, with favor by surrounding and encircling us like a “shield.”  Shield #2 revealed, was the Hebrew word, tsinnah, meaning, a large prickly shield covering the whole, a thorny hedge of protection, a target, something piercing.  The shield mentioned in Psalm 91:4 was the same word:

He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. 

The thought of God being a surrounding, encircling, large, prickly, thorny hedge of protection was enforced by the addition of the word buckler in Psalms 91:4.  The only time the Hebrew word cocherah is used in the Bible is here for buckler.  It means something going around, to and fro, surrounding, or defending a person.  

 In conclusion, we found the answer.  There was a verse about “life in the protective a bubble.” It is life behind His protective force field, I mean shield.

I encourage you with the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Ask the questions.  He will answer.  Also, trust Him as your small shield and your large shield.  Enjoy the protection of life in His bubble.

Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. (Ephesians 6:16)

by Tammy Phillips
July 16, 2024

“Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children.” (Ephesians 5:1 NKJV)

I could not travel to Macon, Georgia to attend my Uncle Billy’s funeral because my nephew married the same weekend. He passed one day short of his 95^th birthday. What a birthday party he must have had with Jesus. I can only imagine! I was able to live stream and listen to many stories about the man in my life who I have always said was most like Jesus to me. I was reminded of how He loved to throw up his hands, give a shout, and eat. I know he is having a GREAT time in heaven.

I have never ever met anybody like Billy John Abney. He was kind. He was loving. He was tall, very tall. He walked like Jesus. I believe he hugged like Jesus would hug…big and all encompassing. He was a character for sure. He was never ashamed of the gospel nor his Lord. He LOVED the word! He loved the Lord.

Was he perfect? No.

Was he faithful? Yes. He was resolute in His faith to God. He went through many, many trials, and tribulations. He endured the passing of not one, but three of his children. One son was murdered. One son had ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease, and one daughter had cancer. He persevered in his faith after the passing of three wives. Was he faithful to the Lord through it all? Yes.

Was he a prayer warrior? Absolutely. I found out that he had prayed twenty- five years for a Messianic Jewish church to come to Macon and it did.

Did he love life?  Always. He embraced it with joy, joy, joy, always smiling big.

Did he love the Lord? Yes, with all his heart, and soul  and mind.

Did he love others unconditionally? There was no doubt; he did.

“Whoever says he lives in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as God and Savior] ought [as a moral obligation] to walk and conduct himself just as He walked and conducted Himself.” 1 John 2:6 (AMP)

Uncle Billy walked like Jesus. He talked like Jesus. He loved like Jesus. He imitated Jesus.

Can the same be said of me?  All I can say is that I am working on it and…“But now, O LORD, You [are] our Father; We [are] the clay, and You, our potter; And all we [are] the work of Your hand.” Isaiah 64:8 (NKJV)

Can the same be said of you? Do you say what Father God says? Do you do what He says to do? Do you love like Him? (John 12:49-50;14:31).

I enCOURAGE you with the words of Paul. “Imitate me, just as I also [imitate] Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1 NKJV). What a wonderful world it would be if we all just did, said, and loved like God said to do! Uncle Billy did and he made the world a better place.

Viva Magenta!
Live. Breath. Be imitators of Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

 

by Tammy Phillips
July 8, 2024

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [healing their pain and comforting their sorrow]. Psalms 147:3 (AMP)

I shaved my legs for a doctor’s appointment where gel would be inserted into my knees to help provide a cushion that time and weight had worn to nothing. I ran a razor over my knee and experienced a little resistance from a past scar. It brought up old hurts and deceptions. I thought more, “Did I shave my legs for this? Just to experience the pain of a shot.” My doctor does not care, but I do.

The summer when I was eight, I catapulted off the back of a pick-up truck. My knee hit the trailer hitch and burst wide open. It was nothing that God, stitches, and time could not mend. Remember, I mentioned it was summer. Summer on my grandparent’s farm meant dusty, dirt road explorations, fast riding bikes, and a multitude of adventures. Within a week, or two of my first accident, I had another and crashed my cycle. My original slash unfolded, and a second gash also appeared on my knee. The injuries from my carelessness and fearless-running-wide-open as a young girl scarred me for life. My gaping wounds left a “not-so-beauty” mark the size of a half dollar with a wide arrow shooting out of it. After my knee did not heal perfectly, the enemy of my soul tried to tell me that no boy would ever love me because of my defaced cap. I believed those voices in my head for way too long until I heard a different story from a loving Father.

As I shaved over my scar, I remembered my wound was healed and that the pain associated with it had long departed. Holy Spirit brought to mind Psalm 147:3, “He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds.” God stitches, mends, and wraps up our body, soul, and spirit wounds, pains, hurts, injuries, and sorrows. He is Jehovah Rapha that heals and stitches us back together. And yes, I did shave my legs for that reminder.

Perhaps, God did not heal my knee exactly the way I thought it should look, but it was whole, healed, and completely mended, and so am I. Life leaves ugly scars, but God always heals when invited in. It may not be my way, but it will always be Yahweh!

Do we not want fractured relationships restored to blissful beginnings? Isn’t it our hope that no one experiences brokenness in any shape, form, or fashion? However, we live in a broken world and bad things happen, and they scar us. The great news is God is always faithful. “He himself bore our sicknesses, and he carried our pains… He was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds.” [Isa 53:3-5 CSB emphasis]

Did I shave my legs for this…reminder? Yes.

I enCOURGE you to embrace your scars as pains healed. A scar is a mark remaining after the injured tissue has healed. Do not allow the scars of your live to remain pain in your life. If you have to shave your legs or your head to remind yourself that YOU ARE HEALED, then do it. You were not meant to carry around the pain of your past.

Live. Breathe! Be embracing your scars.

By Tammy Phillips
July 1, 2024

Recently, we were blessed to spend two weeks in Italy. I studied art in college and was so excited to see the art, architecture, and landscapes of the masters. From houses hung off the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast to the remains of Pompeii and its multitude of mosaics from 100’s of thousands to a million little, tiny pieces to Rome: St. Peters Basilica, the Colosseum,

and the Pantheon, I was in awe. I actually cried inside the Pantheon. Only God could have inspired someone to build the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome in 126 AD. and bring it to completion. It stretches across 142 feet and rises 71 feet. It is an awe-inspiring piece of architecture. I know its purpose may not have been to honor God, but I know it could not have been built without His wisdom. Michelangelo once said that the Pantheon was “built by angels, not by men.”

When talking of Michelangelo, one has to mention one of the greatest works of art, the Sistine Chapel. Did you know it took him four years, 1508-1512, to finish painting the over 300 characters on the 12,000 square foot, curved ceiling? Did you realize he did not see himself as a painter, but as a sculptor? He had never painted frescoes before. He learned as he went and there was no you tube in the 1500’s.

Then we experienced Florence with the opulence of the Medici’s palaces, chapels, their extensive collection of statuary at the Uffizi Gallery, and then Michelangelo’s seventeen-foot David carved from one block of stone. AND colossal David was originally commissioned to adorn the roofline of the Dome of the Cathedral of Florence. Remember, this was before power tools or cranes. David was carved one chisel at a time.

My take-away from the trip is we think and believe way too small. I am talking on the miniscule level. I thought I believed and thought big. WRONG. I came to realize that “cannot” should not be in our vocabulary when it comes to working, achieving, and accomplishing what we are called to do.

The Bible says:

1. I can do any and all things with Christ.

“I can do all thing through Christ who strengthens me and nothing without Him.” (Phil. 4:13, John 15:5)

2.  Each person has his own gifting.

“…each person has his own gift from God, one of this kind and one of that. (1 Corinthians 7:7 AMP) and

3.  We each have something to do because God’s gift and call are irrevocable.  

“For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.]” (Romans 11:29 AMPC)

4. We received the gift and need to use it to serve others.

So… “Just as each one of you has received a special gift [a spiritual talent, an ability graciously given by God], employ it in serving one another as [is appropriate for] good stewards of God’s multi-faceted grace [faithfully using the diverse, varied gifts and abilities granted to Christians by God’s unmerited favor].” 1 Peter 4:10 (AMP

5.  It is all God’s idea, and He makes it happen, anyways.

And there are [distinctive] ways of working [to accomplish things], but it is the same God who produces all things in all believers [inspiring, energizing, and empowering them]. 1 Corinthians 12:6 (AMP)

I enCOURAGE you to think big. Believe big. If you are called and gifted to do it by God, BY GOD you can do all things.