Category: Uncategorized

By Tammy Phillips
December 12, 2020

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4 (KJV)

Johnson’s baby shampoo makes a promise of “no more tears” on the bottle!  However, John boldly declares that it is our God who will wipe away all tears.   I can hardly wait for that promised day.  No more tears!  No more death!  No more sorrow!  No more crying!  No more pain!  They will all pass away!  Praise God!  NO MORE TEARS!

However, have you ever felt like David when he said?  

“My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, “Where [is] your God?” (Psalm 42:3 NKJV)

Keep crying.  God created tears for a purpose, actually there are 3 types of tears according to kellylaser.com: 

1. Basal tears are the ones in our eyes all the time, and serve the purpose of lubricating, nourishing and protecting our eyes.
2. Reflex tears form to protect the eyes from irritants, such as wind, smoke or onions.
3. Emotional tears are tears that contain higher concentrations of stress hormones such as adrenocorticotropic hormone, and leucine enkephalin (a natural pain killer), which suggests that emotional tears play a role in balancing stress hormone levels.

When we cry what happens to all those tears? The Word says:

“You have taken account of my wanderings (shake, move to and fro); Put my tears in Your bottle; Are they not recorded in Your book?” Psalms 56:8

Every time I read God’s word, I find a new nugget. I am amazed by this verse. 

First, God has his own GPS on us.  He knows exactly where we are physically, mentally and spiritually.  We cannot hide from Him.  Second, He takes a count of when we are happy, sad, shaken, or moved.  He records when we are so upset that we can do nothing but move to and fro.  Last, He also collects our tears in His bottle.  He cares so much that He captures everyone and records it in his book.  Wow.  Just wow.

So, for now, I enCOURAGE you to cry as often as you need.  Cry happy tears or sad tears, they both have a God designed natural pain killer to make you feel better and to relieve stress.  Treasure the fact that He captures everyone.  However, My hope is in His greater plan to eventually wipe all tears away!  Life pain free.  No more tears!

by Tammy Phillips
December 11, 2020 from December 12, 2019

I awoke about 4:30 am rehearsing the list of “to-do’s” in preparation for our Christmas party for my husband’s team of about 20. They would come knocking in about six hours.  I ask the Lord if I could move the list from my head to paper before I sat down with him. The Gentleman that He is said. “No problem and while you are at it, go ahead and mop the floor. It will dry while we talk.”

I made some tea and began to mop the floor.  All the while, more things to do encircled my little head. 

Stop.  Breathe.  I heard gentle voice, “Everything you really need to do could happen in about 30 minutes.” 

I recalled 1 Corinthians 15:57. It started playing in my head like I was hearing a tune from my Echo, “But thanks be to God, who give us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”  Over and over, I heard my victory march.  I gave the day to my Lord and peace entered through his comforting words.

What do you have to do today? Is it big or small?  Is it a hard task or easy?  Does it seem impossible?  Does it matter?  No, because thanks be to God, no matter what it is, He has given us the victory over it!  Glory!

I enCOURAGE you to march the victory march today with me over whatever obstacle you may be facing.   Sing out loud, “But thanks [be] to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”  Grace and peace to you.

by Tammy Phillips
December 1o, 2020

 The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace. (Psalm 29:11 NKJV)

When life begins to boil, how comforting it is to know that God will strengthen us?   It is His word.  It is his promise.  And,  He will bless his people with peace.

 Hello?   You, I, We are his “people.”

The word peace is one of my favorites in the Old Testament. This word peace, shalowm, in Hebrew means more than just a peaceful state. It means completeness, wholeness, soundness, welfare, safety, health, prosperity, contentment.

Whole, healed and complete! What else do you need?

I enCOURAGE you today to walk in peace, knowing that God has blessed you with abundant peace!  You are whole, healed and complete in Him!

 

by Tammy Phillips
December 9, 2020

I was slow getting started today and I knew I needed  help to get through. So, I called the Great Physician this morning and this is what the Doctor said:

“My son(daughter) attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh.”(Proverbs 4:20-22 AMPC) 

He prescribed some capsules of enCOURAGEment:

(Take as many as you need as often as you need to regain your strength, to get you through the day)

Exodus 15:2 (KJV)

The LORD [is] my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he [is] my God, and I will prepare him a habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him. 

2 Samuel 22:33-34 (KJV)

 God [is] my strength [and] power: and he makes my way perfect. 34 He makes my feet like hinds’ [feet]: and setteth me upon my high places.

Psalm 18:2 (KJV)

The LORD [is] my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, [and] my high tower. 

Psalm 28:7 (KJV)

The LORD [is] my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

Psalm 27:1 (KJV)

[[[A Psalm] of David.]] The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Isaiah 12:2 (KJV)

Behold, God [is] my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH [is] my strength and [my] song; he also is become my salvation.

Habakkuk 3:19 (KJV)

The LORD God [is] my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ [feet], and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

I enCOURAGE you…Finally, my brother, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Ephesians 6:10 (KJV)

Look at the different meanings of strength:

• In Exodus 15:2, Psalm 28:7, Isaiah 12:2…
  Strength is might, power, firmness
  
  
• In 2 Samuel 22:33, Psalm 27:1…
  Strength means a place of safety, protection, refuge, stronghold, strong fort, and defense
  
  
• In Psalm 28:7…
  Strength is a ROCK
  
  
• In Habakkuk 3:19…
  Strength means MAN OF VALOUR, might man of strength, efficiency, wealth, force, or army

 

by Tammy Phillips
December 8, 2020

I talked to the Lord about something He has asked me to do.  I simply stated that I didn’t want to do it.  I heard my inner man, the Holy Spirit, rise and plainly question: “Do you think Jesus wanted to go to the cross? He was sinless? Do you think he really wanted to take every sin? No!” In

Luke 22:42: “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done.”

Nevertheless, not my will, but yours. Those are challenging words when you really do not want to do something that he has called you to do.

However, obedience beckons.  I hear my Lord echoing the words of David to Solomon, his son in 1 Chronicles 28:20 (KJV):

“Be strong and of good courage, and DO IT: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, [even] my God, [will be] with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.”

When David told Solomon to do it.  It was if he was telling Solomon to, “Make it happen! Deal with it!  Get to work, boy!”  

I enCOURAGE you to join me and JUST DO IT!   I enCOURAGE you to boldly proclaim, “Father not my will but yours!”  Whatever He has called you to do, He will empower you to walk through.

JUST DO IT.

 

by Tammy Phillips
December 7, 2020

“Let the word [spoken by] Christ (the Messiah) have its home [in your hearts and minds] and richly dwell in you, as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight and intelligence and wisdom [in spiritual things, and as you sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with [His] grace in your hearts.    Colossians 3:16 AMPC

We are to be doers of the word.  How do we do it?  Paul says in Colossians 3:16, we need to “let the word dwell in us, find its home with us, richly occupy the house.”

When we marry, we occupy our home with our spouse. When we accept Christ as our groom, he comes to live with us. Picture it.  The relationship begins with a gentle call from Jesus.  He chooses to develop a relationship with you.  He says, “Trust me. Believe me.” He showers you with words of love and forever.  He professes his eternal love by dying for you.  You accept his tender advances.  You accept him as your gift, your Savior and Deliverer, who died and rose again for you. (He literally went to hell for you.) He is the best thing that has ever happened to you.  You say: “Yes, I do!”  Then this man, Jesus, literally moves into you physically home.  Do you live differently? Do you lock some rooms in your home, so he doesn’t see the mess? Or are all doors open to him?

I enCOURAGE you to let the WORD, Jesus, occupy.  Let Jesus have free run all over your home.   

by Tammy Phillips
December 6, 2020

I am ever amazed by God.  I wrote this devotion in 2019 ON THIS DAY.  I started studying and reading through  Galatians just this week again.  God is amazing how He aligns everything to teach us, if we will just listen and do….

I love me some Paul.  He is such an encourager.  I could camp out for months  in Galatians, Ephesians,Philippians, & Colossians, etc.. However, I was chewing on some word in Galatians. To be honest, they were a little hard to chew on. Here’s what he said to “off-track” Galatia:

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: (Galatians 1:6)

O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?  (Galatians 3:1)

The word foolish here doesn’t mean stupid or inept.  It means they knew what to do and didn’t exercise their mind to do it.

This is how the Holy Spirit spoke these verses to me:

 You guys blow my mind.  Why was it so easy for you to change sides?  Who side are you on anyways?  You were called into the grace, unmerited favor, of Christ. You turn so easily to something else.  A fake news. A distorted news, not the Truth.

Oh foolish Galatians, you know what to do, but you don’t exercise your mind to do it.  You just don’t get it. Who has charmed the pants off of you?  Who has lied to you and moved you away from the truth?  You’ve seen what Jesus has done.  Come on now.

Hard words to here on an early morn.   We must keep our eyes on the Truth, Jesus. I encourage you. I encourage me.  Let’s exercise our mind, do the word & the right thing.

by Tammy Phillips
December 5, 2020

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  (Galatians 3:26 KJV)

I am not defined by a number.  I am defined by God.  His word says I am His child. Every day, every time that should be enough.  However, often the world tries to define us differently and we listen. Not today!  Enough is enough.   Let’s declare:

I am not a number on a scale.
Nor the miles walked on a trail.

I am not the positive number in my bank account
Nor the negative number amount.

I am not the carat weight on my fingers
Nor the number of strikeouts nor dingers.

I am not the hours I worked.
Nor the hours I have been irked.

I am not the number of college degrees
Nor the number of par threes.

I am not defined by the number of friends
Nor the number on my Mercedes-Benz…not!

I am not the number on my houses.
Nor the number of my spouses.

I love that God took some serious thoughts about numbers and turned them into almost a laughable poem.  That’s our God.

I enCOURAGE you to only be defined by God.  Do not listen to those numbers. God is greater.

by Tammy Phillips
December 4, 2020

“For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus ready to be used for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].” EPHESIANS 2:10 AMP 

I awoke today inspired to create.  I get it from my Father.  He is the Creator.  He is the Potter. He is the Artist. He is the Master who creates master pieces, us.  Man is God’s greatest accomplishment.

Ephesians 2 says that we are his workmanship or work of art.  We are His masterpieces created to create good works. The Greek word for works is ergon, which means:  any product whatever, anything accomplished by hand, art, industry, mind.

Ephesians 2:10 also states that “God prepares us beforehand to walk in those works”

How crazy is it to think that before we were even born, we were created to create today—to do his good works? But Why?

Every one that is called by my name: for I have created (cut down, planed and polished; made smooth) him for my GLORY, I have formed (squeezed into shape; mold into a form; especially as a potter; artist) him; yea, I have made (produced by labor) him. Isaiah 43:7

 We are created for His glory. We are created to create for His glory. The above verse from Isaiah uses three words to show God’s attention to detail when he made us.  We should be careful to follow His example when we do his work.

Paul encourages us not once but twice in Colossians 3:17,23:

“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.  And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”

I enCOURAGE you to create for the glory of God.

by Tammy Phillips
December 3, 2019

…for I am the LORD that heals you.  Exodus 15:26

I love how God reveals himself through all His names in the Old Testament.  In Exodus 15:26, He reveals Himself as Jehovah Rapha.  Jehovah in Hebrew means the One who was and is and will always be.  Rapha in Hebrew means to heal, cure, repair, mend by stitching, and sew together.

Together, Jehovah Rapha means the one that was, is, and will always be, that mends us together by stitching.

What a beautiful picture? How does the Great Physician heal our broken hearts as promised in Psalm 147:3?  He acts as Master Surgeon.  He slowly and carefully picks up the pieces of our broken lives and weaves them back together.

Who better to put us back together than the one who “did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother’s womb?” (Psalm 139:13 AMPC)

He was there in the beginning and formed us. He is here now and heals us.  He will always be the one who holds us together.  It is his very name, Jehovah Rapha.

I enCOURAGE you to go to THE DOCTOR today. (He is the ONLY doctor I love to visit!) Tell Him what’s wrong and let Him begin to repair your body, your mind and your very soul…your heart!