Complete in Him

by Tammy Phillips
October 12, 2021

“And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. ¹⁴ The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”” (Exodus 14:13-14 NKJV)

What God did for Moses, and Israel He will do for you.  He is no respecter of persons. (Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11). I am not talking about asking God for signs and wonders.  I am talking about asking God for the impossible. 

My sisters in Christ inspire me.  We ask God for big. We ask God for bigger.  We ask Him for what seems impossible.  I want to brag on God. I want to give Him the glory He is due!   I want to share with you four different times in the past week that God has showed out and showed himself big in my sister’s lives.

1. Last year, one sister wrote in her journal “My list of Impossibilities.” She numbered three things.God being God tackled her biggest ask first.  One impossible marked off the list.  Glory to God. 
2. Another sister was having a retreat where she was meeting a new partner in her business that she had never met in person before.She wanted to warmly welcome the new partner with a yummy treat.  She asked God for help in picking the dessert.  The only thing that came to mind was Key Lime Pie.  When she presented the new partner with the pie, her response was, “How did you know?  I have been craving that Key Lime Pie.  It is my favorite.” 
   
   
3. My mom wanted to gift a friend. She labored a little bit as to what present to give.  She did not waste much time before she turned to God for help. Immediately, Holy Spirit instructed her to gift a journal.
   
   
4. One sis had a friend who got covid and was on a ventilator. On the 35^th day in the hospital, hope for recovery seemed impossible.  She asked God to show out.  We asked God to step in.  Step by step Jehovah Rapha healed her and she is recovering.  She is off of meds and the ventilator.  Glory to God.

There are so many more God stories!  In the words of John, “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.” (John 21:25 NKJV)

These might seem like little things to you, but they were big things to my sisters and me.  The Holy Spirit is our Helper.  God is our Provider.  All we have to do is invite God in, ask Him to show out, patiently wait, and then give Him the glory for answering. 

If I could write the Phillips Interpretive Version of Exodus 14:13, it would read like this:

Tammy borrows the words of Noah and says to the people of God today…

Don’t be afraid. Don’t fear.  Don’t hear and fear.  Don’t see and fear.  Don’t dread.  Don’t revere.  Don’t be astonished or in awe of the impossible “Red Sea” before you nor the impossible “enemy” behind you.   

Stand still.  Be set.  Stay in place. Stand fast.   Stand forth.  Stand up. Withstand.  Remain.  Station yourself. Take your stand. Be resolute.

See the salvation of the LORD.  Look at the salvation of the Lord.  Watch the LORD show out and save you from whatever you need saving from, every enemy, and every Red Sea. 

He is our Savior!  He is our savior when we need the impossible.  He is our Savior when we need help picking a pie, a gift, or an outfit.  He is our Savior from the penalty of our sins.  He is our Savior from the flames of hell and eternity separated from God. 

He will accomplish it for you!  He will attend to it for you.  He will work on your behalf.  He will show out and show you that He is the God of impossible!  The enemy who you see today, you shall see again no more forever!  The LORD God will wipe away sickness, debt, loneliness, injustice, fears, anxieties and so much more.  We just have to ask and trust Him with it.

The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.  It is not our battle.  It is His and He has already won.  Our battle stance? Resolutely standing in awe of Him alone.  We are not to be astonished by the impossible giant in front us yapping in our in our face, not the enemy in hot pursuit behind, nor the deceitful whispers of our adversary to left and the right.

I enCOURAGE you to ask the LORD to show out and do the impossible.  Be courageous and ask big.  He is God.  He can handle it…you…and absolutely anything and everything.  Don’t forget to patiently wait and then give Him the glory for all answered asks.   

by Tammy Phillips
October 11. 2021

“…some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable [people] twist to their own destruction, as [they do] also the rest of the Scriptures. ¹⁷ You therefore, beloved, since you know [this] beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; ¹⁸but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him [be] the glory both now and forever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:16-18 NKJV)

Have you ever had anyone twist your words to make themselves be in a better light?  Peter tells us that people will twist the word of God for their own use.  When Jesus was led into the desert to be tempted, Satan twisted and tried to tempt Jesus with the word of God.  Do not think for a minute that the false accuser will not try to distort; put to the rack; torture; overstretch; dislocate the word of God and attempt to lead us into destruction.   This is why everything we hear and do needs to be aligned with the word of God.  If anything, we hear or read does not align with the Word, it is error and needs alignment.   However, if we are not reading and spending time studying the Word, how in this world would we have a clue what is wrong?

Peter plainly tells us to BEWARE! We are in danger of falling out of line and “falling from your own steadfastness, “if we listen to the twisting of the unlearned and unstable. When we don’t listen nor accept the truth, we are out of line with the word of God and are in danger of falling.  Remember…

Truth is plumb.

How do we keep standing and avoid stepping into error?  How do we remain steadfast and aligned?  Peter tells us:

1. Grow in the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,” (2 Peter 1:2 NKJV)

We grow in grace by growing in knowledge. 

2. Grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

We grow in knowledge by giving all diligence.  There is that word again, diligence.  We grow and go by “…giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, [you] will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5-8 NKJV)

Be diligent and fruitful in knowledge:

• Labor to know Him.
• Be transformed by Him.
• Be more like Him.
• Be diligent like Him.
• Have faith like Him.
• Be virtuous like Him.
• Be knowledgeable like Him.
• Be self-controlled like Him.
• Persevere like Him. 
• Be reverent, respectful and in awe of Him.
• Love like Him.
• Love Him.

When we grow in grace and the knowledge of Him, we remain steadfast and prevent a fall in times of apostasy. When we guard our hearts and minds in all diligence, we grow and continue to stand in Him.

I enCOURAGE you to live like a “last days” Christian.  2 Peter 3 is a great outline of how to do just that.  Remember the word.  Jesus is coming.  Know scoffers will come.  Don’t be a scoffer.  Be prepared and watch for Him.  He is not constrained by time.  He could come anytime but He is not slack concerning his promise.  He is coming, but He is longsuffering to want all to repent. Change your mind.  Turn to Him.  Open the door to Him in every area of your life.  Invite Him to come in and abide.  Ask Him what kind of person He wants you to be.  Be diligent in pursuing Him and your relationship.  Get to know Him and His Word.  Grow in in the grace and knowledge of Him to keep you from falling. Keep on keeping on.  Stand. Be diligent.  Be resolute. Give Him the glory forever!

 

by Tammy Phillips
October 10, 2021

“Beloved, looking forward to these things. Be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; ¹⁵ and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation… ” (2 Peter 3:14-15 NKJV)

 Life is not easy.  As Paul says, “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed–“ (2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NKJV).  Life keeps coming.  Life keeps punching , but God always gives an encouraging word to help us keep going and punch back. 

We detoured away from Revelation and through 2 Peter for the last several days because of one encouraging word I heard from the Lord, “DILIGENT.”   I went on a treasure hunt through God’s word to see what He had to say.  

• Be diligent
• Be forward
• Make constant in effort
• Be prompt
• Be earnest
• Be steadfast
• Be speedy
• Make haste
• Study
• Labor

A new heaven and a new earth are coming.  The day of the Lord is coming.  Jesus is coming.  Peter tells us to BE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!  Wait for it.  Expect it!  Watch for it.  This is an active role not passive nor a delayed reaction.  He encourages us to be diligent in four things:

1. To be found by Him in peace.
   In peace is a place! When the Lord comes again, we are to have been diligent in staying in the peace place with God, man, and ourselves through Jesus Christ.
2. To be found by Him without spot.
   We do not need to be found in the wrong spot or with spot. We need to be found pressing into Christ in spotless purity and absolute perfection.It is only in Him that we can be found complete. This is not something we do, but whose we are. I see this as dealing with sin immediately.

“Keep thy heart with all diligence.” (Proverbs 4:23) 

3. To be found by blameless without fault; innocent; guiltless; not meriting censure. We can only be found blameless in Him and by diligently abiding In Him and doing what He asks.

4. In considering that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation.

I pray every second that the Lord tarries another soul is added to His kingdom.  He delayed His return for you and me.  I pray He defers His coming until every member of my family, my friends, and everyone in this world come to Jesus by working out their salvation and turning to Him.  He waited on us to choose Him the least we could do is heed His words and watch and wait for Him.  His longsuffering with humanity is salvation to us all.

I enCOURAGE you, brothers, and sisters, “give diligence to make your calling and election sure.”  (2 Peter 1:5)  You could affect some one’s eternity.  Be diligent in all things.    My definition  of diligence would be to be:  KEEP ON KEEPING ON.  DON’T STOP AND DON’T GIVE UP!   Live like a “last days” Christian.

“Never expect to be found at that day of God in peace, if you are lazy and idle in this your day, in which we must finish the work that is given us to do. It is only the diligent Christian who will be the happy Christian in the day of the Lord. Our Lord will suddenly come to us, or shortly call us to Him; and would you have Him find you idle?” — Matthew Henry 

by Tammy Phillips
October 9, 2021

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner [of persons] ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:10-13 NKJV)

Peter describes the day of the Lord in 2 Peter 3:10-13:

1. It will come as a thief in the night.
2. It will come quickly when no one is expecting it.
3. The heavens will pass away with a great noise.
4. The sinful earth and all in it will melt with fervent heat, be burned up and purged from its vast sin.
5. The heavens will be dissolved, being on fire.
6. He promises new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

I do not mean to imply ignorance, but this is a warning that many “Christians” are not heeding.  Jesus is coming.  When He comes, the time for do-overs has ended.  True, we are living in the age of grace now, but many believers have taken the grace of God for granted, I have. Forgive me, Lord? Forgive me?  Grace and mercy are freely given by God but should not be abused nor exploited.   Any time we do not do what we know we ought to be doing, we are sinning against God.  We are taking advantage of His grace.  Have you murmured and complained?  Have you gossiped?  Have you borrowed and not returned? Have you indulged in food, alcohol, sex outside marriage?  Sin is serious and not to be taken lightly. In my terms, it hurts the heart of God.  It hurts others, too.

In light of Jesus returning at any time, and the knowledge that the world and all in it are going to literally melt away, Peter questioned, “Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be…?

 He answers his question within his question.  “WHAT SORT OF PEOPLE SHOULD WE BE?”  What is necessary? What is right and proper?

We should be holy in conduct. We should be full of awe, reverent, pure, consecrated, set apart for God and His exclusively in conduct, behavior, conversation, and all manner of life.  We should be busy walking and talking for Him.  We should be busy in overturning, turning upside down, right side up and turning back to Him. We should walk set apart.  If the 2.5 out of 8.7 billion professing followers of Christ would be holy in conduct and walking set apart, the world would be a different place.

We should be in holy in godliness.  We should be reverent and respectful.  Honoring the Lord in heart and in the practice. We should habitually obey His words and what he asks us to do.  We should be fully devoted to the service of God.

We should be looking for the Lord. We should be seeking His kingdom first.  We should live like we are expecting a knock on the door from Him at any time.  We should be waiting for Him and not trying to run ahead of Him.   How many times in the Bible does He say, “Watch!”  We need be watching out for Him.

We should be hastening the day of the Lord.  We should eagerly be awaiting His return and diligently urging Him to come on. How do we do that? We hasten Him on by preparing, praying, and living right. We say, “Come, Lord Jesus!”

All of these things are things we ought to be doing.  Are we?

I enCOURAGE you to ask yourself, “What sort of person should I be to bring glory to God?”  It is a hard question with difficult answers if we are not living set apart. If you knew your home was going to burn down tomorrow, how would you be living today?  We should be livin’ like we are forgiven. We should be living on fire for Him.  We should do the little things right, as well as the big things.

Father:  Purge my heart! Purge my body, soul, and spirit.  Purge me from every propensity to sin! I want to walk and talk just like you.  I want to bring glory to Your Name alone and draw others to You.  AMEN

by Tammy Phillips
October 8, 2021

The Creator of the Universe created us for His plans and purposes just like He originally created Lucifer.  Lucifer was created perfect in his ways and beautiful creature, until iniquity was found in Him.

“You [were] perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you. … ¹⁷ Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground… ¹⁹ You have become a horror, And [shall be] no more forever.”  (Ezekiel 28:15, 17, 19 NKJV)

Lucifer, the light bearer, then became darkness, a defector, and infector of the world with His own plans in direct opposition to God.  He was so impressed with himself.  He thought that we were all that…beautiful, powerful, and intelligent.  He wanted God’s glory for himself.  He said, “’ I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’” (Isaiah 14:14 NKJV).   Pride entered in and Lucifer fell from heaven. 

Obviously, He still believes his lies and thinks he has a chance in hell to rule and reign above God.  He is a fake!  He is an imitation!  He is a deceiver.  He has a detailed plan to wreak havoc and destroy your life.

“And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. ¹⁵ Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15 NKJV)

He has his own plan and purposes and to directly oppose all things God, right and good.  Jesus said that the  thief’s (also know as the devil) will is to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10).  He wills to fully destroy us, to put us out of the way entirely, put an end to us, ruin us, and render us totally useless, to blot us out, and to cancel us.  He is devoted to the cause of us being eternally miserable.

BUT GOD…He had a different plan!

Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have [it] more abundantly!” (John 10:10 NKJV)

Peter said that the Lord is “longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 NKJV). Perish is the exact same Greek word as destroy in John 10:10. 

Jesus is not willing that any be destroyed, but that all should be saved.

Jesus is not willing that any be put out of the way entirely.  He wants us to follow the Way.

Jesus is not willing that any of us be put  to an end. He offers us new beginnings every morning.

Jesus is not willing that any be ruined, but that all have life more abundantly and prosperous.

Jesus is not willing that any be rendered totally useless.  He counts us extremely valuable to the kingdom and well worth His sacrifice.

Jesus is not willing that any be blotted out.  He welcomes all to come.

Jesus is not willing that anyone be cancelled.  He approves, establishes, and upholds us.

Jesus is not willing that any be eternally miserable.  He devoted and gave His own life so that we could eternally live with Him in glory, today and forever.

Are you anxious?  Are you miserable?  Are you sad and depressed?  Are you fearful?  Are you scared to death?  You are not living the life that Jesus paid for you to live.  You are not living the life He wills for you.   He wills that “all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 NKJV). According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, the word come means to leave space which may be filled or occupied by another; to have space or room for receiving or holding something; to make room; to give place, yield; turn oneself; to go forward.

To avoid the destructive life here and for eternity, Jesus simply asks us to come to Him and make room for Him in our lives. Make room for Him in our fear. Make room for Him in our sickness. Make room for Him in our beautiful, powerful, intelligent life.   His plan is to abide with us.  We can open the door for Him to enter by repentance…which literally means change our mind. Reverse our decision.  Choose Him and His way.  Choose life more abundantly.  Choose to hate sin.  Change our minds and allow Him to change everything else.

I enCOURAGE you to fulfil the great plans God has for YOUR life.  It is never too late.  Change your mind.  Turn to Him.  Open the door to Him in every area of your life.  Let Him come in and abide.  Expect a life change.  It will because He wills.

“The highway of the upright [is] to depart from evil; He who keeps his way preserves his soul. 18 Pride [goes] before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:17-18 NKJV)

by Tammy Phillips
October 7, 2021

“But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day [is] as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8 NKJV)

Most do not have a concept of God time.  It is hard for me to grasp.  I know He multiplies time for me.  Sometimes, it seems like a minute is an hour  or an hour is as a minute…a week is a day, and a day is a week…a week is as a year and a year is as a week.  Think about Christmas Eve as a child growing up, I thought it lasted an eternity, but as I became an adult with children, it became a nanosecond. 

The Lord is God.  He created time and space and us.  He is not constrained by time.   We are in a hurry and God is not.  “God is seldom in a hurry, but never late.” (Kristi Stephens) He just is not.  We get impatient, not the Lord.  What seems like forever and a day is just a blink to God in light of eternity.  He definitely has a timetable.  He is God and He executes divine order.  Nothing happens by accident and everything in God’s kingdom happens at the appointed time. 

“To everything [there is] a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV)

God’s time is not our time. “Yet, according to God’s reckoning, it is but the day before yesterday that Christ died, and only about a week ago that Adam was expelled from Eden. A thousand years is, after all, a very brief space of time.”  -Charles Surgeon

Time is insignificant to God.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  He does  not change like we do with the passing of time.  He always has been, He is, and He always will be. He is everywhere in time at the same time if He wants to be.  God is infinite.  Time is infinite. 

Time is in His hands. Our lives are in His hands. 

We say, “Come, Lord Jesus.”  I hear Abba say, “Wait. There is one more soul I am waiting on.”

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:8-9 KJV)

The LORD is not slack about His promise.
The Lord is not slow about His promise.
The LORD is not delayed about His promise.
The LORD is not tarrying about His promise.
The LORD is not inactive about His promise.

He is longsuffering, patiently enduring, and long tempered.  He does not lose heart when it comes to us His creation.   He IS NOT WILLING that any should perish, but that ALL should change our mind and come to Him as our Savior and Lord.

He will keep His promise.  He is coming again.  It might be in the next second, the next day, or in the next thousand years, but He is coming.  He is not slack in His promise.

I enCOURAGE you not to be bound or restrained by time.  It is in His hands.  He is our on-time God.  He has got you.  He has got the whole world in His hands. Everything will be alright.  He is a promise keeper and He will come again.

“There’s a name that can silence every fear
There’s a love that embraces
The heartache, the pain and the tears
Through my faith and my doubting
I know one thing for sure
His word is unfailing
His promise secure.”
(Be Alright by Danny Gokey and Evan Craft)

by Tammy Phillips
October 6, 2021

 “Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,” (2 Peter 3:3 NKJV)

In the first two verses of 2 Peter 3, Peter wants us to remember the words of Jesus, the prophets, and apostles.  Then he says, “Know this first.”  He wants us to know what is going to happen before the coming of the Lord.

Scoffers will come who will ridicule, treat with derision, and scorn.  Scorners will come who will act with extreme contempt and belief in their own superiority or worth.  Deriders will come who will laugh in contempt, turn to ridicule and make-sport of the Jesus coming again. There will be triflers that act like children. They will make a laughing-stock of Jesus’ return. There will be mockers who imitate and mimic for the sake of derision.  It is going to get uglier and uglier, folks.  When people act like they are God, they laugh at our God.

The scoffers “walk according to their own lusts,” desires, cravings, and longings.  They do not “walk by faith.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)  Whatever they want, they justify by calling evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20). It is a world turned upside down. They laugh in the face of righteousness.  They laugh and make fun of the word of God that says the Lord is coming quickly.  Sound familiar? There is so much contempt in the world at this time that it cannot even be quantified.

The scoffers ignorantly laugh in the face of God questioning His very promise.  They say, “Where is the promise of his coming?” (2 Peter 3:4 KJV) They think nothing has changed since the beginning of creation.  Wrong.  Look at how our world has changed since our birth. Look at the state of this world and the prophecies that have been fulfilled.  What is going on now, and since Jesus ascended to heaven, we have been told about in His word. He warned us.  Yet, the scoffers keep on laughing and believing, “Jesus is not coming back anytime soon.” 

“They deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.” (2 Peter 3:5-6 NIV)

They conveniently forget God’s word.  They forget God’s word!   God said it!  He wrote in all down in the Bible.  He inspired men to write of what was, is and is to come.  He inspired me to write about Himself, what was, is, and is to come. The scoffers forget and keep on doing life in their own ways with utter disregard to His word. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7 NKJV). If derision is sown, derision will be reaped.

The word of God says, “By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” (2 Peter 3:7 NIV)

God gives His creation chance after chance.  Nobody gives us more do-overs than God, but at some point, in time, He will say enough is enough.  Jesus will come again.

I enCOURAGE you to WATCH for Him and not be one of the scoffers that says, “I have heard this all my life.  Jesus is not coming anytime soon.”  Peter called out the scoffers and in warning us, warned them.   God’s word is true.  Know this:  He is coming and when He comes, He will come quickly.  Be prepared.  Have your spiritual suitcase packed.  You do not want to miss Him.

“He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision.” (Psalm 2:4).  

by Tammy Phillips
October 5, 2021

“Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in [both of] which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder, 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior,” (2 Peter 3:1-2 NKJV)

Taking a short detour from Revelation to 2 Peter 3 in which Peter reminds us to live like a “last days” Christian.   Peter has written two letters to “stir up” the beloved, followers of Christ minds to REMIND them to REMEMBER THE WORDS.

According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, the Greek word for “stir up” is diegeirō”  which means to wake fully; arouse; arise, awake; raise; arouse the mind.  Peter is telling us again, as many other apostles have, “WAKE UP! REMEMEBER!” 

What does he want the enlightened, awakened mind to remember?  The first step in living like a Christian living in the last days, REMEMBER THE WORDS!  He encourages us to remember what the Lord Jesus, the Old Testament Prophets and the New Testament Apostles said.  They spoke the inspired word of God because “all scripture [is] given by inspiration of God.” (2 Timothy 3:16 KJV) How will we remember what they said, if we don’t read, meditate, and study their words?

I enCOURAGE you to REMEMEBER THE WORDS.  Dive into the word.  Read it. Eat it. Chew it up. Digest it.  Feast on it.  File it away in the cabinets in your mind, so you can REMEMBER.  Everyone wants to know what in the world is going on right now.  Read the word.  God will show you.  God inspired men to write down history, past present and future to warn us of what would happen before Jesus’ return and how we should be living.  

Do you think of the word of God like a lobster? You do not know how to eat it, so you don’t.  His word is better than any lobster you could ever eat.  I promise, if you will put the Bible in front of your eyes and feast on it.   He will open up the heavens and show you what you do not know and what you need to know.  You will be able to enjoy His feast and digest it if you just give Him a chance.  Read the word and remember the words.

by Tammy Phillips
October 4, 2021

“It shall be at an instant suddenly.” (Isaiah 29:5 KJV)

I cannot run from the word suddenly.  It is a word that is playing on the turntable in my mind, over and over. If you are younger, “suddenly” is my song that repeats on Spotify.

What comes suddenly?

• Conception
• Life
• Death
• An accident
• An attack
• Destruction
• A knock on the door
• A thief in the night

“For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2 NKJV)

• A phone call
• An alarm
• A hurt
• A broken heart
• A rise or a fall
• Sin
• Offense
• Forgiveness
• Imprisonment
• Freedom
• Light
• Darkness
• An evil spirit
• The Holy Spirit
• An invitation
• A moment
• A change
• A twinkling of an eye

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:52 NKJV)

• A shout
• A trumpet sound
• A “catching up”
• Jesus

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord.”(1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NKJV)

Are you ready for your sudden suddenly?  Suddenly can be good.  Suddenly can be bad.  Life can and will change suddenly.  Look how much our world has suddenly changed.  The lives of families change every day by sudden births and sudden deaths.  Don’t sleep through life.  Wake up and live the life God meant for us to live.  It is not too late.

Jesus is coming. I don’t know when. I do not know if it is sooner or later.  However, I know He is coming suddenly. He has given us notice.  Are you ready?  Are you sure?

“WATCH therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming–in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning– 36 “LEST, COMING SUDDENLY, he finds you sleeping. 37 “And what I say to you, I say to all: WATCH!”” (Mark 13:35-37 NKJV)

 Do you know in Revelation, the last book in His will and testament,  Jesus says  five times, “I come quickly?” I hear Him saying, “I come SUDDENLY.”  It’s the same word.

I enCOURAGE you to WATCH, BE SOBER, BE ALERT and BE READY.  You can keep playing the game of life and doing what you want, but you might just miss the suddenly of Jesus.  I encourage you to SUDDENLY turn to Him. Repent.  Prepare for His sudden coming.   If my Mama told me five times in our last conversation that she was going to come quickly, I would get my house in order and prepare for her coming. I continue to work to get my spiritual and physical house in order.  I encourage you to do the same.  Get ready for our sudden suddenly of meeting Jesus face to face.

by Tammy Phillips
October 3, 2021

“Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come…” (Luke 17:1 NKJV)

“This [being] so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.” (Acts 24:16 NKJV)

 Plain and simple. 

Jesus gives. Satan steals.
Jesus wants us to live.  Satan was us to die.
Jesus wants to build us up.  Satan wants to destroy.
Jesus wants us to unite.  Satan wants us to divide.
Jesus wants us to forgive.  Satan wants us offended.
Jesus wants us to let go.  Satan wants us to hold on.
Jesus wants us to walk by faith.  Satan wants us to stumble in fear.
Jesus wants to hold us up.  Satan wants to trip us up.
Jesus wants us to stand.  Satan wants us to fall.

Steps into the trap of offense:

1. Expectation
2. Failed expectation
3. Stunned
4. Totter
5. Dumbfounded
6. Shocked
7. Disbelief
8. Disappointment
9. Offense
10. Bitterness

Steps to avoid the trap of offense:

1. Expectation
2. Failed expectation
3. Stunned
4. Stand
5. Determination
6. Belief
7. Communication
8. Forgiveness
9. Let Go
10. Love

This is so much easier said than done!  We have to have a plan in place because Jesus said that it is impossible that offense would not come.  However, offense comes, we have to know what we are going to do.  What does the word tell us to do in Acts 24:16?

We are to strive; exercise; train; take pains…

Take pains to avoid pain. Isn’t that the God way of doing things?   It’s going to be painful either way.  Are we going to stand and deal with offense the right way, the God way or will we painfully fall into Satan’s trap of offense?  It is our choice.  Did you know that?

The Greek word for strive is also translated:  to form by art; to work up raw material with skill.

As an artist by gift, this speaks to me. Artists work painstakingly to create the piece that God has inspired in the drawing board of their mind.  Think about the time, effort, blood, sweat and tears that it took Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel (https://m.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani-mobile/en/collezioni/musei/cappella-sistina/storia-cappella-sistina.html)  or Leonardo DaVinci to paint the Last Supper?  Do we put that much effort into not taking offense?  It is the example that Paul paints for us in Acts.

I enCOURAGE you to exercise, stand, and not fall into the trap of offense.  Take the pains to avoid the pain!  Notice the word pain makes up eighty percent of the word paint.  Artfully take the steps to paint yourself right out of offense into the beautiful picture of love.