Complete in Him

by Tammy Phillips
July 2, 2021

“Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God. that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:39)

“I was one way, and now I’m completely different.  And the thing that happened in between…was Him.”  (Mary Magdalene from The Chosen) 

Mary Magdalene lived a double life.  She was kind and gentle. Evil would visit and take her to a dark place where she was not her true self.  Then she met Jesus, He delivered her from the darkness, and she began to follow Him.  She was doing well, but then terror and trauma came for a visit.  She listened to the loud voices of fear and doubt.  She ran.  Mary turned her back on Jesus and the other disciples and went back to her old ways. BUT GOD!  In His infinite compassion, grace, and mercy, He love Mary back to Himself.  Listen to this conversation between them upon her return:

Jesus (full of grace):   
“So, it’s good to have you back!”

Mary (shamefully):    
“I don’t know what to say.”

Jesus (gently):              
“I don’t require much.”

Mary (honestly):        
“I am just so ashamed.  You redeemed me and I just threw it all away.

Jesus (smiling):           
“That’s not much of a redemption if it can be lost in a day, is it?”

Mary (dismayed):      
“I owe you everything. I just don’t think I can do it.”

Jesus (shrugs):           
“Do what?”

Mary (humbly):          
“Live up to it.  Repay you. How could I leave? How could I go back to the place I was?  I didn’t even come back on my own. They had to come get me. I just can’t live up to it.”

Jesus (mercifully)       
“That’s true…but you don’t have to.  I just want your heart.  The Father just wants your heart.  Give us that… which you already have, and the rest will come in time.  Did you really think that you would never struggle or  sin again?  I know how painful that moment was for you.”

Mary (remorseful):    
 “I shouldn’t!”

Jesus (hopeful):
“Someday… but not here.”

Mary (tearfully):        
“I am just so sorry.”

Jesus (lovingly):          
“Look up.”

Mary (crushed):         
“I can’t.”

Jesus (encourages):   
“You can.  Look at me.”

Mary (tearfully):        
Looks up into the loving eyes of Jesus.

Jesus (adoringly and emphatically):       
“I forgive you.  It’s over.”

Jesus lovingly says the same to you and me. 

This is a description and excerpt from “The CHOSEN”, Season 2, Episode 6.  I saw my own flaws and struggles in the character of Mary.  I also saw the victory she encountered through Jesus.   It made me ask why any of us would every turn back on Him after experiencing freedom in His salvation.

The CHOSEN is a media series based on the true stories of the gospels of Jesus.  This show allows us to see Christ through the eyes of His disciples.  We get a glimpse of  their lives before Him.  We see  their encounters with Jesus, where they accept Him as the Messiah and how they were radically transformed after following Him.  The show combines scripture and artistic license.  This excerpt is not an actual conversation, but an artistic image  pointing us to the truth and intention of scripture.    Holy Spirit used the show to illustrate His great love toward us. 

I enCOURAGE you to take time and watch the CHOSEN.  As I have said many times before, Holy Spirit will use anything and everything to draw us closer to Him.  This series helps bring the Bible to life.  I am sure you will find a character that you can identify with, particularly the character of Jesus.  Keep your eyes open.  Holy Spirit is calling us back and closer to Him every day and in any way.

PS…This episode aired last week.  I just happened to watch it yesterday, 2 days after I posted, “GOD LOVES ME BACK.” 

 

by Tammy Phillips
July 1, 2021

Truly God is good… to such as are pure in heart. (Psalm 73:1 NKJV)

When movie or television writers retell a true story, they take artistic license.  I am going to do the same in this narrative about the goodness, mercy, and lovingkindness of God. 

It was 7:30 AM in the morning and I was finishing the difficult encouragement for yesterday where one of the focus verses was:

“I waited patiently and expectantly for the Lord; And He inclined to me and heard my cry.  He brought me up out of a horrible pit [of tumult and of destruction], out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock, steadying my footsteps, and establishing my path.” (Psalm 40:1-2 AMP)

One of my closest friends called in a little bit of a panic.   She asked if I could run by her home, pick up something she needed for work and bring it to her.  She gave me the code to get into her gated community and told me where she had hidden the key to her house. When I arrived at her home, she obviously forgot to tell me that the key was in a precarious place.  It was hard to figure its exact location.  I could not contact her.  When I finally got her on the phone which in reality was only minutes, she gave me more exact directions.  I thought, “You called the wrong person for the job. I cannot do this. It’s out of my reach.”  There is no way my 5’4” self is going to reach that key.  Lord, help me was my simple cry and prayer.  There was no chair in sight that I could stand on.  I went to my car to look for anything to elevate me four to six inches.  Nothing was found.  When I walked back towards the key, I saw a misplaced, lone, large rock in the mulch.  What was it doing there?  Could I even lift it?  I picked up the rock, carried it to the location of the key, stood on my tippy toes on the rock and was able to stretch to reach key.

You might think, “why are you telling this story?”   Holy Spirt gave me a real time illustration of Psalm 40:1-2.  I cried to the Lord.  I was in a “pit,” a place that I could not get out without His help.  He set my feet on a literal rock.  Our Rock of help is Jesus.  He gave me exactly what I needed, a rock tall enough and flat enough to steady my footsteps.  He established my path.  He made a way and showed me the way to go.  My physical body had faith in the rock that I stepped on.  Like God, the rock was more than enough to help me stretch in faith and body to reach the key that would save the day and unlock what we needed.

God blessed me in the interruption to show me His Good Self in a real way.  He used me to bless her.  She was so thankful for the help and kept apologizing for interrupting my day, until I shared with her the story that I just shared with you. 

I enCOURAGE you!  GOD IS GOOD!  Need I say anything more?  Call on Him.  Trust Him.  He will bring you up and out of anything.  He will set you on a rock, steady your footing and tell you which direction to take. He will order your steps.  He will prove to you that you can do all things and anything through Him because he will give you the strength and the way to go.  Truly, God is good.

by Tammy Phillips
June 30, 2021

“O give me back my health and make me live…You have loved back my life from the pit of corruption and nothingness.  For You have cast all my sins behind Your back.” (Is 38:16-17 AMPC)

For most of the last 95 days, every encouragement that I have shared has been to illustrate how the Lord “loved me back to Him” and changed my disgust to mercy from November 30, 2020, through March 1, 2021.   God is our Creator.  He is our loving Father.  He will use everything and everyone to love us back to Him.  He will use family, friends, what we see, hear, and read in His word to love us back on the right path.  He only wants the very best life for us.   He is a good God with a good plan.  His plan includes our complete surrender to Him and His way.   On the other hand, we have a sneaky enemy whose plans are to steal, kill and destroy us.  He will also use anyone and anything to deter and defer.  He throws easy, hard, busyness, bitterness, chaos, death, sickness, hurt and offense in our way as obstructions.  We have a choice.  We can let the obstacles detour us off the road into the pit of nothingness and destruction or we can choose the obstructive path and let God show us how to go around, over or breakthrough every obstacle.

On March 1, 2021, I surrendered my mouth to the Lord which included what went in it and what came out of it.  There had been a lot coming out of it and a lot going in it.  This is the point where I would love to share with you my great success story.  I was successful with the things going into my mouth and my diet for two whole months.  I let go of the regret that I had not been disciplined enough to start the weight loss journey earlier, so that I would be at my goal weight for my son’s wedding.  I can happily say that I lost 24 pounds and felt great by May 1, 2021.    I was on the right path.  I had been disciplined in one thing for sure.  I had not eaten sweets from August 2020 until April 30, 2021. 

My plan was to carefully eat April 29-May 2, during the wedding weekend, without too much restriction and then get back on track.  My mistake was bringing the leftover key lime pie bites from the rehearsal dinner back to our cozy beach cottage.  I let those little bites bite me and sneak sugar right back into my diet. 

Since then, I have been struggling. I have been on a bumpy roller coaster ride with my eating.  I would fast three days and I would lose.  An event would come up, I would eat and gain.  I would lose and then another reason to splurge would come and then I just gained.  I broke my own heart, again.   BUT GOD!  As I was sharing with you my original journey, He loved me back to Him, AGAIN.  “I waited patiently and expectantly for the Lord; And He inclined to me and heard my cry.  He brought me up out of a horrible pit [of tumult and of destruction], out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock, steadying my footsteps, and establishing my path.” (Psalm 40:1-2 AMP)

THE STRUGGLE IS REAL.  I hate that I made a mis-take, again. I am very competitive.  I hate to lose.   I hate that I am confessing my sin, instead of my continued success story.  However, I want you to know that I am a real person who lives a real life.  I am not perfect, but I am complete in Him.  Thank God!  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 KJV).   His mercy and lovingkindness are new every morning.  Every second and every minute, He loves us.  He loved me back to Him.  He pulled me out of the pit.  He set my upright on the Rock.  He steadied my feet and established the way for me, one more time.

I share all this not for your pity.  Do not pity me!  I made wrong choices, veered off the way and have to suffer the consequences.  I have to take responsibility for me.  The only reason I share is to encourage you in the Lord and your journey!  Life is hard.  We all make wrong decisions and do wrong things.  I do not care what you have done or have not done.  God loves you right where you are!  He died for you. The Lord wants every part of you.  He forgives you. He forgives me. 

I enCOURAGE you to turn to Him!  Do you know that repent means turn back and that turn means… again?  Come to Him again and again and again.  It is ok.  He knew we would fall and that is why He sent Jesus.  His forgiveness does not give us license to sin but delivers us from it when we do.   We want our children to turn to us and to know that no matter what, that they can come to us again and again.  We are there for our kids and God is always there for us.  He is always in pursuit and always loving us back to Him.  Allow Him to lift you up and lead you to your path of breakthrough.  I did on June 28, once again.  Begin again with Him.  Begin again with me.  

Hopefully, my honesty will encourage you!  And, keep me accountable,  Let’s do this.

by Tammy Phillips
June 29, 2021 

“ARISE, for this matter is your responsibility. We also [are] with you. Be of good courage and DO IT.” (Ezra 10:4 NKJV)

Expounded I hear Ezra 10:4 like this: 

ARISE, stand up. go forth. be fixed. endure, persist, grow up, for this matter, word, plan, purpose, affair, business, is your RESPONSIBILITY.  We are also with you.  Be of GOOD COURAGE.  Be strong. Be bold. Hold on. Harden up. Grow firm. Be undaunted.  Be resolute and DO IT.  Make it happen, Work at it.  Commit to it.  Accomplish it.  Attend to it.  Finish it.  Complete it.

I am thankful to God that He is patient, kind and forgiving.  I am thankful that He was the first to coin the phrase, “DO IT.”  I am humbled that He allows us to repeat lessons that we do not get the first, second or four hundred and forty- fifth time.  I have been hearing the LORD urging me on for a few years with the words, “DO IT.”   Sometimes, I do it right the first time, yet many times I don’t.  I just recently found Ezra 10:4 which led me to search for all the times “DO IT” is in the Bible.  Here is what I found…

“Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. be strong, and DO IT.“ (1 Chronicles 28:10)  What has the LORD chosen you to do?

Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God–my God–will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you (DO IT) have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.” (1 Chronicles 28:20 NKJV)  Have you finished your assignment? 

“Hear…and observe to DO IT; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that flows with milk and honey.” (Deuteronomy 6:3 KJV)  Have you done it? Are you well?  Have you made it to your promised land?  Obedience has great reward. 

And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD and (DO IT) do all his commandments which I command thee this day. (Deuteronomy 30:8 KJV) Do you know the word of the Lord for your situation ? 

“But the Word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may DO IT. (Deuteronomy 30:14 NKJV)  God gives us all we need to do it.  We must look for the how. 

He who calls you (to DO IT) is faithful, who also will DO IT. (1 Thessalonians 5:24 NKJV). If the Lord has told you to do it, He is faithful to help and to do it. 

“And whatever you do, DO IT heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.” (Colossians 3:23 NKJV)  Do it for the Lord and no one else. 

“But He answered and said to them, ‘My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and DO IT.'” (Luke 8:21 NKJV). We hear the word.  We do it.  We are counted as His family. So much so that…

“If you ask anything in My name, I will DO IT.  If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:14-15 NKJV)  Love Him? Do what He says.

“Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not DO IT, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17 NKJV). When we do not do what He has told us, it is sin.  

“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must DO IT, what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves…  If you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for DOING IT. (James 1:22, 25 NLT) Hallelujah.  God blesses the “do it,” when it is done! 

Israel was returning from Babylonian captivity.  They had not done things according to the word of God.  However,“Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.” (Ezra 7:10 NKJV) The Israelites realized they had not done things the right way, so they came to Ezra and said, “Let’s do this.  Let’s do it the right way, the God way.”  

This is how Ezra and Israel responded in Ezra 10:

• They arose and went to work.
• They swore to DO IT
• They fasted.
• They confessed.
• Ezra commanded Israel to “DO HIS WILL!” and to…
• Separate from their sin! This is the same encouragement as, REND YOUR HEARTS!
• They then answered the call and said, “As you have said, I must DO.” 
• They realized the work could not be done in a day or two because they greatly transgressed.
• They came up with a plan to “DO IT” the RIGHT WAY. 

Think about it! I am.  What has God told you to do and you have not done it?  Ezra came up with a great plan that we can follow. They got up and went to work.  They committed to it and took an oath to do it.  They fasted and confessed their sin.  They then acted and began to rend their heart and separate themselves from their sins.  They answered the call and realized it was going to take a bit of time to do it.  So, they came up with a plan to do it the right way.  

I enCOURAGE you to arise, take responsibility, be brave and DO IT.  Do what the Holy Spirit has been asking you to do.  If you do not know the God way, seek Him.  He will instruct you in the way to go.  In the meantime, follow the steps that Ezra laid out.  It will get you on the right path to “do it” the God way.  Thank God that every morning is a day to begin again and  do it…the right way. 

by Tammy Phillips
June 28, 2021

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57 NKJV)

I do not like to lose!  Actually, I hate to lose.  I am proud to belong to the Victor and on victories side. There is nothing like having an undefeated season.  We have to start believing that we can live in undefeatable seasons before they will ever happen.  I look forward to them.    I thank God, our Father, that He is…

UNABASHED
UNABRIDGED
UNAFFECTED
UNAPOLEGETIC
UNBENDABLE
UNBIASED
UNCHALLENGED
UNCHANGING
UNCOMPRIMISING
UNDERSTANDING
UNSHAKABLE
UNASHAMED
UNEQUALED

HE IS UNDEFEATED!

I encourage you “therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV).  We are on His team, the winning team.  Let’s confidently get to work.  Let’s boldly do it!  Let’s live undefeated.

by Tammy Phillips
June 27, 2021

We go through periods of life when EVERYTHING seems harder.  It’s like your walking on water one minute and trying to stay afloat the next.  I raised the question to the Lord back in March and again this week, “Why is everything so hard?”    A friend asked me the same question.  God has such a sense of humor.  Don’t you just love it when people answer a question with a question?  God loves to do this me.  To answer my question, He brought to mind Genesis 18:14, where He questions Abraham about barren Sarah having a child, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?”  Then He tells Abraham of the impossibility that will happen, “At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”  

When life is at its very hardest, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?”

Then He led me to Proverbs 13:15, “Good understanding gains favor, But the way of the unfaithful is hard.”

When we reject wisdom and do not do what God has told us to do, we make things hard on ourselves and life is harder.  More obstacles will be in our path when we don’t follow good understanding.  Good understanding says eat right, exercise, and lose weight.  Stupidity says eat the way you want, don’t exercise, and think it will not lead to destruction.  It will. That was hard but to my last point.

I don’t see anywhere in the Bible where it says life is easy.  In fact, the word easy is only used four times in the entire Bible.  The only thing the Lord mentions being easy is His yoke:  “My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30 NKJV) A yoke is a bond of connection.  It was a wooden bar by which two oxen are joined at the heads or necks for working together. The yoke would direct the oxen in the way to go.  When we are yoked with the Lord, we are pulled in the best direction for our lives. Resistance leads to difficulties.  And, when we are yoked with the Lord, He is the stronger ox and carries the load of life.  We, the weaker and less experienced ox are just joined with Him following along the path of least resistance.

I enCOURAGE you with the words of our Savior, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29 NKJV).  We are not promised an easy life that is a misconception.  We are told think smarter not harder and that nothing is too hard for the Lord.  When we are yoked with the Lord, then that means nothing is too hard for us either.  Walking alongside Him makes it easier.  We are promised a Savior who will save. His yoke is easy, and He will lighten the burden of this hard life. Stay focused and yoked with Him and not the problems of life and let His ease lighten your load. 

by Tammy Phillips
June 26, 2021

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12 NKJV)

I have been trying to take a friend to Nashville and go visit another for MONTHS!  It’s like Interstate 24 becomes blocked, if I plan to do either.  One sister, every time we plan a visit something happens!  Either she has a death in the family, or I do.  It is crazy.  I also have a new friend who I have promised to take around Nashville for four months.  Last time, I had to cancel because our water heater AND our dryer stopped heating on the same day. Recently, I tried to be sneaky and plan a spontaneous trip. Her third cat got sick, and she had to stay home to medicate.  I have been disappointed at every deferral, BUT I know when the visits finally happen, it will be worth the wait.

Wait…who likes to wait? 

My family believes a good dinner is instant and should be delivered on command.   My son ordered something from Amazon and was not happy when it was not here in two days.  We don’t like to wait at the grocery, restaurants, on the interstate, or to use the restroom.  We don’t like to wait.  We want what we want, when we want it and how we want it.  When we do not get what we are waiting for and our expectations are deferred, we experience disappointment.  DISAPPOINTMENT is defeat or failure of expectation, hope, desire or intention; a miscarriage of design or plan.  We do not love it when our plans change or fail.

On the other hand, hope is the expectation of good.  Hope in the focus verse is a derivative of the Hebrew word, yâchal,which means to wait, to remain, to be patient, to tarry, to stay, to trust, to expect.

When our expectations of good are deferred…
When our wait is stretched out… 
When our trust is delayed…
When our patience is drawn out…
When our hope is dragged along…
When our tarry is taking too long…
When our stand is prolonged and postponed…

Hope deferred can be…

A loved one refusing to accept Jesus, after being repeatably told about His saving grace
A prayer that goes unanswered
A child that does not receive healing
A thank you never given
A love not returned
A relationship not progressing
A resume submission going unanswered
A proposal rejected, again.
A trip to Nashville cancelled, once more

It makes the heart sick!
It weakens the inner man.
It wounds the mind.
It wearies the soul.
It wears you down.
It rubs you the wrong way.

BUT…

When the desire comes…
When one’s delight is accomplished…
When the longing of one’s heart is fulfilled…
When we see our Good God’s perfect plan for our life executed…
When our loved one at last comes to Jesus…
When we finally climb the obstacle before us after slipping and falling…
When we get the job, we have been waiting for…
When we eat right, work out and finally see results…
When I finally get to go to Nashville…

Hope fulfilled is a tree of life.
Prayers answered are reviving.
Impossibilities becoming possible are renewing.
Expectations become real, and refresh.

I enCOURAGE not to give up!  Keep hoping!  Keep waiting!  Expect good from our Great God.  I promise you it will be worth the wait. Our God does not disappoint.  The wait may disappoint and wear you down, but not our God.  He will strengthen your sick heart. One of my faves: 

“Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! (Psalm 27:14 NKJV)

by Tammy Phillips
June 25, 2021

“Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” ¹³So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness.” (Joel 2:12-13 NKJV)

Begin again day was March 1, 2021 for me.   Begin again day is really every day.

“I was so sad about my weight, but I could not stay in that place. I had a choice to keep doing what I was doing and get the same results, or I could choose differently and step into my future.   I had to make a change. I had to forgive myself for wasting so much time and so much life. I had to choose to become content in the journey.  I had to surrender completely if things were going to change.” -My journal entry

Holy Spirit guided me to JOEL 2 where the Lord said:

“Turn back to Me with all your heart.”
Come back to Me
Return to Me.
Be restored to Me.
Be renewed in Me.
Be brought back to Me again.
Begin again with Me.

The Lord wants our whole heart.  He is a jealous God.  He doesn’t want to occupy 80%. He wants all of it.  It seems like the last 20% is the hardest to completely surrender.  Then He tells us:

“Rend your heart.”  Who wants to be torn up? Who wants a broken heart?  By definition rend means to tear to pieces, tear open, to separate in parts with force of sudden violence. God does not like any sin. If we have idols in our life or sin that is not dealt with, God wants our hearts to break for what breaks His, sin.  He wants us to turn our back on that sin, turn to Him and tear that sin from our heart.

We respond by saying, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a contrite and broken heart you, God, will not despise.” (Psalm 51:10, 17 NIV) It is only when we tear up our heart, grieve over our sin, and make room for Holy Spirit to occupy that place of darkness that the Great Physician can begin the mending and healing of our heart. Sin is like a tumor or stain on the heart that needs to be removed, so that we can be whole healed and complete in Him. Sin must exit for us to fulfil our purpose, our design, our end.  The LORD dashes in with sutures of mercy, grace, love, and forgiveness. And He sews our brokenness and open wounds from sin back together.  Psalm 147:3 tells us that “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

I have never seen a renovation project that did not begin with tearing things up and making a huge mess. Holy Spirit used a mini-reno in our home to demonstrate what He means when He said, “Rend your heart.”  Brayden’s bedroom has also served as a guest and storage room for his leftover college items.  The Lord showed me that his room has served its purpose, but it was time for a mini renovation.  It was time for the room to have a restored purpose.  My younger son’s fiancé plans to stay with us as she begins her physical therapy clinicals. The closet and wardrobe drawers were messy and full.  I needed to make room for her and get rid of some things.  I tore the room up and put it back together again, better than it had been before.  I created a huge mess, but piece by piece, the room was refreshed.  I threw away a “few pieces of trash” that I equated to sin. I reorganized and transformed the space for Caroline to easily come and live with us. Getting rid of sin is like cleaning up your house and welcoming God to come abide in a clean place, free of the things He hates.

Thank God we don’t have to “rendovate” alone. We turn to God in our weakness.  Our heart breaks for our sin.  We stay focused on God and then He begins the renovation project of us.  It is messy.  It is hard.  It is not easy.  When we stay focused, the restoration can be a fast.  If we lose focus, it can be slow or even come to a stand still.   The renovation depends on how many detours we throw in God’s way.  Sometimes, we just have to begin again.

TURN to the LORD your GOD.  Be restored.  Be renewed.  Be refreshed.  Be renovated.

The Lord is gracious, full of mercy, inclined to compassion and shows favor.
The Lord is merciful, full of compassion, loves deeply and tenderly.
The Lord is slow to anger, long suffering and patient during the reno.
The Lord is of great kindness, gargantuan goodness, mucho mercy, and lavish lovingkindness.
The Lord relents from doing harm.

I enCOURAGE you to rend your heart.  Allow your heart  to break for what breaks His.  Turn to Him.  Surrender your whole heart and allow Him to mend, heal, restore, renew, and refresh you.  The end result, He always does great work. “Fear not. Be glad and rejoice. For the Lord has done marvelous things.” (Joel 2:21)

 

 

by Tammy Phillips
June 24, 2021

 “Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” ¹³ So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness.” (Joel 2:12-13 NKJV)

Holy Spirit had really been chasing me down and speaking to my heart.  He was coming after me with word after loving word.  He was gently turning me back to Him and my disgust with myself to His mercy.  He wanted my whole heart.  Every broken piece of it.  He wanted me to let go and repent in two different areas.  The first one was my eating habits.  The second I will discuss later. 

On February 22, 2021, I confessed my lack of self-control to the Lord and my sisters.  The very next day, I was blessed to go to Florida to finalize plans for our son’s rehearsal dinner.  I could hear the Lord calling me to return to Him in my eating.  Our Father chose to shower me with His love, mercy, and grace in my turning.  He became absolutely irresistible to me.  Through random acts of kindness in one day, He showed me how very much He loved me:

1. I picked a random jacket that I had worn early to pack for the trip.  It “happened” to pocket the only key fob to my car. I would not have known at all where my key was and would have freaked when it was time to head to airport.
2. I went to put on my “priceless,” irreplaceable, favorite necklace. It also was nowhere to be found.  I did not freak out.  I breathed and precious Holy Spirit directed me right to it.  It had found safety from a recent trip in a little leather pouch in another bag.
3. Everything was on time as far as the shuttle and airline was concerned.
4. My shuttle driver from the hotel to the airport was a believer. As soon as I parked, the shuttle was there and waiting for me.  The driver was chatty.  I thought he was working for a tip. He asked a lot of questions in a short ride that quickly led to us sharing Jesus.  Anthony, my driver, turned out to be an ordained preacher, ex-boxer who has a tv show.  He asked how he could pray for me.  It is usually the other way around.  He prayed heaven down and prayed all over me.
5. Then an elderly airport security man passed me and said, “You need to walk this way…the beauty pageant is down there.” He was not flirty.  He just wanted to make this girl smile and she needed it.  Only God could align all this encouragement for my weary heart.
6. When I arrived in Florida, I got upgraded from an economy to a sports car.
7. On my first walk to the beach, two construction men greeted me. They asked if I was visiting Florida and sincerely thanked me for coming.
8. Then, the day ended with the most glorious sunset. 
9. Finished the day with a gift from a friend, Lana Vawser’s book, “NEW ERA.” The Lord showed me I was indeed entering into a NEW ERA.  
10. My Mom sent me a precious, encouraging email.  She did not know I was struggling to get back on the weight loss journey.
11. Out of the blue, I got two loving and encouraging texts from old friends and had a phone conversation with another.

You might say, “I never had a day like that before!”  To that I would say, I bet you have, you just did not notice.  The Lord used ten different people that day to love on me.  I had been really sad, disappointed, and disgusted with me.  He did not want me to stay in that  place.

The Lord loves on you every day.  Do you notice?

I enCOURAGE you to take time during your day to really see where God pours His mercy, grace, and love on you.  His mercy endures forever and is waiting on you.   Do you hear Him calling?  He is a GOOD God.  Don’t waste time, turn back to Him.  Thank you for your mercy, Lord!

by Tammy Phillips
June 23, 2021

Where are you struggling?  
Is it in a relationship or marriage?

How are your being stretched?
Is it your children, want of a child or loss of a child? 

Who are you striving for?
Aging parents? A coach? A husband? 

Why are you in agony?
Is a loved one sick, dying or even passed?

What are you laboring over?
Is it your current employment or new job pursuit?

What are you fighting for?
Self-control and discipline?

If I could write a letter to you or me in the middle of the struggle, I would encourage with the words of Paul  and Isaiah and simply say: “STAND! STAND! STAND!”  Do not move out of faith in God.  Our confession would be:  

“I stand continually on the watchtower (lean in and look forward) in the daytime.  I have sat at my post every night.” (Isaiah 21:8 NKJV)

I WILL STAND CONTINUALLY.
I will endure constantly.
I will continue continually.
I will abide always.
I will persist persistently.
I will be steadfast without interruption.
I will stand upright invariably.
I will stand firm forever.
I will persevere perpetually.
I will remain in place unceasingly.
I will be resolute in the stretch.

I WILL NOT MOVE!

I HAVE SAT.
I have taken my stand.
I have been stationed.
I have been erected.
I  have been established.
I have been fixed.
I have been planted.
I have been put in place. 

I HAVE NOT MOVED
I WILL NOT MOVE.
I AM NOT MOVING.

I will not be caught off guard.
I will be on alert.
The struggle will not win.

I am an Overcomer in Him.

I enCOURAGE you to stand in the middle of your struggle.