Category: Uncategorized

by Tammy Phillips
December 22, 2020

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. (Matthew 2:10 KJV)

Last night, Saturn and Jupiter aligned.  I have heard that the last time this happened was 800 years ago.  There was a lot of hype about it being the “Christmas Star or the Star of Bethlehem.”   I wanted to see this majestic phenomenon.  Kris and I searched out a field so we could clearly and easily see the south west horizon.  We found the “star.”  My friend, Kristi drove up to the mountains in east Tennessee to find an unobstructed view of the star’s conjunction.  She was an hour ahead of us.  When we located what we thought was the “star,” I texted her and questioned its size and brightness.  She answered that it was pretty, but not too big or too bright.  She confirmed that we were indeed looking at the correct “star.”

To be honest, I was a little disappointed at first.  I was expecting to see a big search light size “star” appear before our eyes.   

Another friend, Sparkle, texted, “Are you looking forward to seeing the Christmas Star tonight?”

I responded, “I was…it was not as I expected. How about you?”  She sent me a picture of a dot in the sky with the reply, “I am not sure if this was it.  It wasn’t what I expected either.”

It only took five minutes for me to get on the web and find what professional photographers captured!    My perspective immediately changed.  Even though most of us could not “see” its splendor nor capture with our eyes what we expected, it does not diminish the fact that the occurrence was spectacular.   It was a once in a lifetime or once every 800 years happening that we were alive to see.  I am sure astronomers were freaking out.   

It is all about perspective.   Two thousand years ago, when the wise men, saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding joy!  This should have been my immediate response; however, it took me a little while to get there last night.  I should have appreciated the “star,” immediately , instead of looking for the next big thing. 

Israel looked for the King of Kings many, many years before he appeared as a baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes, laying in a manger.  How many people have missed the King because he did not come as they expected in all His majesty? 

Every day, every breath, we should be living amazed by God. Look at creation! It declares His glory.  Every sun that rises and sets illustrates His perfect timing.  I am still amazed at how fast the roots of a poinsettia drank up the water I gave it from a plate.  It did not leave one drop behind.  My friend, that is God’s perfect creation. 

I enCOURAGE you to stop and be in wonder at everything God has blessed us with…Jesus, your spouse, family, children, friends, sunrises and sunsets; oceans and mountains; the rain and snow; trees and flowers; the moon and the stars!   Live amazed by God! 

by Tammy Phillips
December 21, 2020

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:” (1 Peter 2:9 KJV)

Let’s look at what the Greek definitions of some of the words in 1 Peter 2:9 mean in order to get the full meaning on the scripture.

Chosen: (eklektos) elected; picked out; favored

Generation: (genie) kin; kinfolk; stock; from (ginomai) to become

Royal: in the king’s court; regal

Peculiar: (peripoiēsis) purchased, preserved, saved possession

Shew: (exaggellō) to tell out or forth; to declare abroad; divulge; publish; to make known by praising or proclaiming, to celebrate.  Derived from (ex) out or from and (aggelos)a messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God. 

Praises: (arete) moral excellence; moral goodness; virtue; manliness

Called: (kaleo) called by name

Marvelous: (thaumazō) wonderful; worthy of pious admiration; admirable; excellent; passing human comprehension; causing amazement; extraordinary

Tammy’s version of 1 Peter 2:9 might read like this:

Moreover!   We are picked out and favored kinfolk to become, royal and regal, in the king’s court, His peculiar, purchased possessions.  Our job? Be a messenger of God, sent by God, picked out by God, favored by God to publish and proclaim.  We are picked out to shew out!   What?  Who?  God in all His manliness, His virtue, His excellence and goodness!  We are called to shew off the One who has called us out…by name out of darkness into His marvelous, amazing, passing human comprehension,  light! And that… is who He is, what He has done and who He has called us to be.

 I enCOURAGE you, “Called Out,” to show out and shout out for Jesus! Reflect his glorious light!

 

by Tammy Phillips
December 2o, 2019

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’S name [is] to be praised.  The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.  Psalms 113:3-4 NKJ

From our first rise and toes touch the floor, until we hop back in our place of rest, the Lords name is to be praised!

From as far as the east is to the west, the Lords name is to be praised. As far as I can see, that is an eternal view.

I really do not know if eternity is long enough to praise God for who He is and what he has done.

I enCOURAGE you to out praise the sun at its rise and at its set. Glory in our God. Every morning and every evening the sun puts on a show and acts a fool for God. Let’s do the same!

by Tammy Phillips
December 19, 2020

Praise ye the LORD.
Praise, O ye servants of the LORD
Praise the name of the LORD! 

Psalms 113:1 (NKJV)

“Praise ye the Lord” in Hebrew is halal Yah, simply, praise God. Yah is the short name of YHVH, or Jehovah. The Hebrew word, halal, means  to be clear, to shine, to make a show, to boast, to celebrate, to glory. It means to act foolish, to feign madness. It means to act like a mad man. 

When is the last time we acted like a fool for God?  We might do this cheering for our favorite baseball or football team.  We might even act mad over our child, a song or a  gift.  I wonder what people seated around us at church would do if we really celebrated God and acted like a fool?  What would my family say?  I wonder what my neighbor would think if I went mad in my cul-de-sac for Jesus?  Most importantly, what would be God’s reaction to our praise?!

This scripture exhorts us to praise God.  He is more than worthy of any words that ever leave our tongue.  Nevertheless, His praise should always be on our tongue. In fact, today, and everyday…

I enCOURAGE you to act a fool for God. Get your praise on! I t should not be that far of a stretch!  The word of God  says that the  birds do it and the flowers do it. Oh my! Even the rocks praise our God!  Don’t let them out do you.

by Tammy Phillips
December 18, 2020

Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; (79) To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:78-79 NKJV)

Yesterday, Holy Spirit showed us that Jesus is our Dayspring who checks in on us to see how we are doing.  Why?  Part two of the verse explains:

“To give light to those who sit in darkness and the  shadow of death…”

Every day we begin our day in darkness, but the Light always shines forth to light our day.  In every situation, no matter how dark, no matter how hopeless, Jesus is our Dayspring. He brings light to all of darkness. In the shadow of death, he brings himself.

Jesus says in John 8:12:

“I am the Light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk-in darkness but shall have the light of life.”

He is our Dayspring, our Son rise. He is the Light of our life who freely gives us Himself. He erases the shadows of death and darkness with the hope of Himself, Light!

John says, “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ” (1 John 1:5 KJV)

In the last part of this great word from Luke 1:79, the Word  states that he gives us light “to guide our feet into the way of peace.”  Guide is kateuthynō in Greek.  It means to make straight; direct to level; the removal of hindrances coming to one.   It is super challenging to walk in complete darkness.  Not only does God light the way, but he levels the playing field which allows an easier journey with much more peace.  He does not just light the way but brings peace to the darkness.

I enCOURAGE you to walk in the LIGHT of our DAYSPRING.

by Tammy Phillips
December 17, 2020

The tender mercy of our God; whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us…Luke 1:78(KJV)

I was searching for Words of enCOURAGEment.  I was directed to Luke. I was instructed to read and that I would know when I found what I was looking for.

It is no wonder we love the sunrise so much.  Jesus is our sunrise.  He is our Dayspring!  Dayspring or anatolēin Greek, means rising light or dawn.

The Dayspring has visited us!

The word visited (episkeptomai) means to look upon or examine with the eyes in order to see how one is doing, in order to help.

Loosely translated the first part of this verse says to me:

Through the tender, kindness of God, from the bottom of his heart, He sent us the Sonrise, Jesus, just to put an eye on us and to see how we are doing!

I enCOURAGE you to bask in the glory of our Dayspring, our Sonrise, every morning when you see the sunrise. Even if you don’t get to see it, (like me today) it is still faithful to rise and greet us, just like him.  However, He is all the more faithful, our Dayspring.

by Tammy Phillips
December 16, 2020

When you pass through the waters, I [will be] with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. (Isaiah 43:2 NKJV)

He has walked with me through deep, dark and scary waters. Although I have not walked your walk, there have been sometimes when I was sinking and saw no way out. He has always been there.  He has been, is and will always be the only way out. 

I know you have your own struggles.  I know you have, are or will pass through the deep waters.  He is with you.  When you feel like you are drowning, yell out for him.  Yell at Him if you need too.  He can take it. He wants to take it.  He is your Rescuer and Deliver.  Seek Him.  He is in you.  He is beside you.  He holds your hand and he lifts you up. He will not let you go.

I enCOURAGE you to hang on.  Hang on to his every word.  Grab hold of Him and He will lift you up from the deep waters and place you on solid ground.

by Tammy Phillips
December 15, 2020

He shall cover (interweave to make a hedge) you with his feathers, and under his wings you will trust (flee for protection): His truth shall be thy shield and buckler(surrounding you). -Psalms 91:4 KJV

Some days, there’s is no place I would rather be than tucked under the wings of our Father, taking complete refuge in Him.  Wouldn’t you like to be so close that you could hear His heart beat and be enveloped in His love that warms from head to toe? 

I enCOURAGE you to take cover under our Fathers wings. Snuggle up with Him and just hear what He lovingly has to say to your soul.

by Tammy Phillips
December 14, 2020

 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. (Psalms 147:11 KJV)

The Lord takes pleasure in us that fear him.  I could stop with that sentence.  God is pleased by us.  God delights in us!  Really?

We all want to be accepted and loved.  This verse goes farther and simply states the Lord is pleased with us. He delights in us that fear Him, that are in awe and amazed by Him.  Every day that we choose to live amazed by our Creator, our Great God, He is delighted!  The fact that God delights in us because we fear him is like relaxing into a warm, snuggly blanket in front of a roaring fire on a cold, frigid night. It warms my heart to know God is delighted by us.

The verse ends by saying God also takes pleasure in those who hope, expect and wait for his mercy and kindness.  He is overjoyed because we hope (joyfully and confidently expect good) in Him.    Wow. Just wow.

I enCOURAGE you to be amazed by our God.  Be amazed by who He is.  Be amazed by His great love.  Be amazed by what he did for us.  Hope in Him.  It makes Him happy and he takes pleasure in it!

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by Tammy Phillips
December 13, 2020

Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.

He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes; He casts out His hail like morsels; Who can stand before His cold?  He sends out His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow, [and] the waters flow. (Psalm 147:5, 16-18 NKJV)

The sun gloriously rises in the east and sets in the west, every day.  Ice crystals always form perfectly and are like no piece of art ever created by man. Majestic snow capped mountains stand immovable and proclaim their splendor.  How can anyone believe all of this just happened? 

I enCOURAGE to stop, breathe and appreciate creation.  Give praise where praise is due.  Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite.