Complete in Him

by Tammy Phillips
May 1, 2021

I attempted to share this message with my son and his bride-to-be at their rehearsal dinner.  The room was full of nearly seventy family and friends.  I was overwhelmed because I do not like to speak in front of people at all.  I was already crying from my husband’s welcome even though I had promised my self—“no tears.”  Seriously, I would not have felt any different if I was slated to speak to a capacity crowd of 92, 746 fans at Sanford Stadium.  I told my fearful self, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”   This celebration is about them not me.  Off I went.  I know I went way off script.  Writing is so much easier  than speaking to me.  I wanted to share the full message what Holy Spirit inspired me to say so they can read what I meant to say and because it is a message for all.  In the beginning, indulge me as I share a little of how blessed we truly are.

 When I found out that Mary Claire’s favorite color was yellow, that  was no surprise to me.  She is always aglow.  She lights up every room she enters.  Radiant, bright, shining and the most brilliant yellow… defines her.  She is sunshine. She is joy.  Interestingly enough, since Brayden was a baby, his Mimi has called him sunshine.  Bray, I don’t know how many times in your young life that I sang that song to you.  You were and…  

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray.
You’ll never know Bray, how much this Mama loves you
Please don’t take my sunshine away.

But now I know…

Mary is your sunshine, your only sunshine.
She makes you happy when your skies are gray.
I know she will always love you and make you happy,
Don’t you do anything  to make her run away!

We are going to pray a little differently.  Do not bow your head and do not close your eyes.    See that empty chair… Jesus is sitting right beside you.  I hope to change your view of the God I love so much.  You know what my  favorite picture of God is?  Him sitting in heaven laughing, and saying NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME.  Impossible is the web He wove to bring Mary Claire and Brayden together.

 Seriously, My Bible says, “Do not fear.  Let us come boldly to the throne of grace…”  That’s what we are going do.  There is nothing about closing your eyes in that verse.  So…we are just going to chat with God for a few. 

Father, we thank you for this time of celebrating Brayden and MC.  We thank you so much for bringing them together and for making them better together than they are apart.   

We gave the kids these 3 cloches sitting on a piece of their pottery to illustrate and remember this message from Holy Spirit.

 Father, You say in Psalms 91:4, “That You  cover us with Your feathers and that under Your wings we shall take refuge.”

You also say in Isaiah 51:16, “I have covered you with the shadow of My hand and you are My people.”    

Father, You say that You, the Word who is Jesus , and the Holy Spirit; are  three in one. (1 John 5:7 NKJV) 

This first and largest cloche represents the seamlessness of the trinity and  the infinite covering of the hand of God over your lives.

The second cloche represents your parents.

Lord You say, “Have I not made them one, having a portion of the Spirit? And why one? Because You seek godly offspring.”   God made us one to create and cover y’all, our  godly offspring.  Then y’all’s mission… become one…you know the rest of the story.

Lord You said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”  We have asked, prayed  and believe for our children’s perfect helpers.    Father, you have done  exceedingly,  abundantly, above all that we could ask or think in gifting Mary Claire to our family.  Thank you for covering and answering the prayers we have thrown to you.

Father You also : A friend loves at all times.  The second cloche also represents all the family and friends in this room who have covered and prayed for Brayden and Mary Claire—those who have loved them so very well!   We are so very thankful for each one of them and what they  have meant to all our lives.

Father  to be honest, Matt 19:5 is not a verse I like so much…

You know where you say:   “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they will be one flesh?” … I get it.  He is yours anyways. I just don’t like the leaving part, but he gave his heart away and left long ago.

The smallest and last cloche represents you both.

Lord, Your words says that tomorrow B and MC  are “no longer two, but one flesh and that what God has joined together, let no man separate.”  Father we declare that over their lives right now in Jesus’ name.

Father, thank you for Your Word that instructs us and guides us in the ways to go.

Thank you for  bringing the way of Brayden and Mary together.  Father, thank you for the favor and blessing that is one their lives.  And now, after tomorrow may they fulfil your will in all they do.  Now in Your words Father we altogether agree and encourage them to  “Be fruitful and multiply.”

Thank you for your abundant blessings.  Thank you for Jesus.  Thank you for providing this great food.  Bless it in the mighty name of Jesus.  And everybody said?  AMEN.

I enCOURAGE you to know that God has got you covered with His mighty hand!

by Tammy Phillips
April 30, 2021

Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. (Revelation 19:7-8 KJV)

PREPARED means  made suitable; made ready; to put in a proper state of mind; to work out the details of plan in advance; to put together.  Pretty much prepared means ready, set, go.

A wedding does not just happen.  It takes tons of preparation, including sleepless nights, endless phone calls, a multitude of decisions, lists and meetings.  It has been 465 days since Mary Claire, my daughter in law to be,  took the first step to becoming a bride.  First, she said yes to my son, Brayden’s proposal.  Next, she picked  the perfect wedding dress.  She has worked out the myriad of details with her mom’s help.  She had spent time with Brayden getting to know him better and also making final choices about the specific’s of the wedding.  She has, all the while, done everything to transform herself into the perfect bride for our son.  Tomorrow, she will take the final steps.  She will spend most of the day putting herself together to meet her groom. The last things she will do is to put on the dress.  She will be fully prepared.  She will be a picture of perfection without spot or blemish. She is so excited and already aglow for her groom.  I know that without a doubt Mary Claire is ready, set and will go down the aisle, walking into her eternity with our son.  

Are your excited?  Are you glowing for your groom?  The marriage of the Lamb is coming.  Just like Mary Claire and Brayden’s long-awaited day is coming, Jesus is coming for His bride.  Invitations have been sent out.  Are your prepared for the wedding feast?  Have you accepted the invitation and said yes to Christ who loves you and gave Himself up for you, so that He might sanctify, transform and cleanse you by the washing of water with the word?  Have you said yes so that God may prepare you to be a perfect bride for His Son, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that you would be holy and blameless? Have you arrayed yourself in the fine linen which is the righteousness of Christ? 

It all starts with a yes and a complete surrender to Jesus, but it is does not end there. 

I enCOURAGE you to first, say yes.  Then get ready, get set and go.  Prepare yourself to meet the Groom.  Wash yourself in the word.  Spend time with the Lord.  Get to know Him better.  Don’t be caught ill prepared.  Don’t be all coy in saying yes, either.  The Groom will not wait forever.  However, He is patient, kind and all loving.  Are you ready for Him?  He has been waiting and making preparations for you.

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

 

Sunset in Seaside,  April 28, 2021

by Tammy Phillips
April 29, 2021

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV)

A few days ago, I walked out of Planet Fitness. It was a great day.  I was in a great place, mentally and spiritually.  We have prepared for over a year for our son’s upcoming wedding.  Everything  was in order and ready to go.  However,  out of nowhere, fear and anxiety tried to jump all over me.   A multitude of anxious thoughts came to the door of mind and began knocking loudly.  Safety of travelers?  Will there be enough food?  Will the flowers be correct?  Will we have enough time to set up?  Will everything fit into Parker’s car? Will my rehearsal dinner outfit arrive on time? (I ordered over a month ago.  Different story for a different day.)  Are you anxious yet?  These were just a few of the thoughts I had from the time I  exited the building on the short walk to my car.

Thank God for the Holy Spirit who always goes before us, walks beside us and has our back, too.

First, He made me laugh.  He put me in my place.  He reminded me that Kris and I were only responsible for sixty-five guests and two to three hours of a rehearsal dinner.  We were not responsible for the big show and all the logistics of a wedding for two hundred and fifty people.  I heard the Lord say in my spirit, “Can you imagine the thugs knocking on Cathy Wilcheck’s door?”  She is the sweet mother of the bride.

Secondly, Holy Spirit reminded me that worry, and stress were uninvited guest to the party.  My bodyguard, Jesus, had beat them long ago and would help me do it again.  He  had taught me  how to bounce them right out the door.

Lastly, I was reminded of 2 Corinthians 10:5, we have some responsibility in the matter.  The Word has instructed us to:

2. Cast down imaginations, thoughts and reasonings. Cast down is one word in the Greek, kathaireō, which means to take down, pull down, forcefully throw down , refute, demolish and  destroy.  Imaginations is the Greek word logismos.  It is a derivative of  logos  which means words.  Casting is a continuous action.  We are to continually throw down the words of worry and fear that try to elevate their selves  in our lives.   
3. Casting down every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. The knowledge of God says, “Do not fear!  Do not worry.  Peace! Have faith in God.”  These are truth words in our lives.  They are words Jesus paid for with His life.  He won the victory over fear and worry. They are truth words in our lives.  They destroy fear and anxiety when the come knocking.
4. Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.  The word of the  Lord tells us when we  start to doubt, fear or be anxious, we must stop our thoughts.  We must take dominion over them in Jesus and  not be conformed to the world and the way it thinks.  We are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds with the truth words of God. So, when they pound at the door.  Take them captive. Take control of the thoughts.  We either invite them into the party or we kick them out as the undesired guests that they are.

Now, steps 1-3 happened that day in about a five-minute period of time.  I chose to give the devil no place in my mind (Ephesians 4:27).    I also followed the directions and got the results of James 4:7, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”   Peace reigned that day.  I was an overcomer and more than a conqueror in Christ.  If we welcome them in and entertain them, they are hard to get to leave.  They want to stay and torment.

I enCOURAGE you to take action immediately.  Kick out fear and worry next time they come knocking at your party.  Learn how to renew your mind.  Get in the word.  Know the word.  Use the word of God when those uncalled-for guests bang at the entrance of your mind.   They are after all, uninvited and unwelcomed guests!

by Tammy Phillips
April 28, 2021

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5 NKJV)

HE WAS…
wounded
perforated
pierced through
laid open
broken
profaned

FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS…
trespasses
going where we shouldn’t have gone
rebellion
doing what we shouldn’t have done
defection
wrongs instead of rights
faults
doing what we shouldn’t

HE WAS…
bruised
broken
crushed
crumbled
shattered to pieces

FOR OUR…
iniquities
perversities
mischief
crimes
guilt
sins
punishments

THE CHASTISEMENT…
correction
discipline
reproof
admonition
instruction

OF OUR PEACE…
wholeness
completeness
health
soundness
safety
security
prosperity
contentment

WAS UPON HIM.

BY HIS STRIPES…
hurts
wounds
bruises
black and blue marks

WE ARE HEALED…
cured
repaired
Restored
Recovered
made whole
mended
sewn back together.

People get all willy-nilly about people being “healed.”  God perfectly created our bodies to heal.  He gave us antibodies to fight off sickness and diseases.  When we get a scratch or cut,  in days the body repairs that opening.  A broken bone will grow back together.   We were created to be healed.  Why pray to God to be healed if you do not believe that He will 100%  do it.  I believe beyond a shadow of doubt in healing. My Bible says, “BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED!”  I have to take the Lord at His word.  My Bible Jesus paid for it.  It is ours for the taking and believing. I believe in divine health.  I believe in instantaneous healing.  I believe in healing over time.  I believe doctors can aid the Great Physician in the healing process.  As much as Jesus died on the cross for our salvation, He died for our healing, for here, for now and for eternity.  I cannot answer the question of why everyone is not healed here on earth.  I KNOW that if you are a follower of Christ, you will be healed here or you will be healed and made whole in heaven.  

I encourage you to really meditated on Isaiah 53:5.  If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, but never accepted or knew He was your Healer, let Him become your Primary Great Physician today. Accept the gifts He so graciously and humbly paid.   He was beaten black and blue for you.  He died for you.  I hope you can see how very much He loves you.  Has anyone else ever taken a beating for you or died for you?

P.S. The Hebrew word for healing is rapha. Its roots spin and from and onomatopoeia which has the sound of seizing and plucking.  The sound imitates a person sewing rapidly.  Do you hear the healing? How cool is that?

Photo credit:  Marie Poon

by Tammy Phillips
April 27, 2021

Surely, He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. (Isaiah 53:4 KJV)

 Do you believe that there is not one thing you will go through that Jesus did not understand and carry? If you believe the Bible is the word of God, I will show you exactly what He carried away for us. 

The word “borne” in our focus verse is the Hebrew word, nāśā’, which means took, lifted up, and carried away. Yes, like the organization that lifts and carries rockets and space shuttles into outer space.  He lifted up our griefs on the cross and sent them into oblivion, when we give them to Him.

What all did He take?  The Hebrew word for griefs is ḥŏlî, which means sickness, disease, affliction, sadness, calamity.  It is a derivative of ḥālâ, which means to be rubbed or worn,  made weak or wounded, or pained. It is further derived from ḥûl, which means fear, whirl about,  pain, tremble, travail, wait anxiously.

The wealth of the word of God says that it is true, He has borne our grief.  He did not just bare our grief.  He took, lifted up and carried away our every…

• GRIEF
• SICKNESS
• DISEASE
• SADNESS
• WEAKNESS
• WOUNDS
• PAINS
• FEARS
• WHAT MAKES US WHIRL
• WHAT MAKES US TWIRL
• WHAT MAKES US WRITHE
• WAIT

He bore the load.  He took the  burden.  He carried it all.  He even bore our wait. 

What are we waiting for?

• Healing
• Joy
• Strength
• Wholeness
• Comfort
• Courage
• Confidence
• Fearlessness
• Peace
• What will bring us rest
• What will make us be still
• What will help us let go
• An answer

We are all waiting on something.  This was a huge revelation to me.  He took it all.  If I give it all to Him, He will carry the load for me.  He already did at the cross.  He took my wait!  He took the load of my weight!  He took the wait of losing all this weight for me!

I enCOURAGE you to look to the Lord.  He took it all for you, too.  He has it all.  He has healing for sickness and disease here on earth and ultimately, in heaven.  He brings comfort to your pain.  He has wholeness for brokenness.  He will bring joy to your sadness.  When you are weak, He is strong.  When you are fearful, He says trust Him.  When you are writhing, whirling and twirling, He is your Prince of Peace.  When you are in the “wait,”  He is the answer.

 

by Tammy Phillips
April 26, 2021

From Isaiah 52  I heard the Lord say:

Wake up! Wake up!
Put on your strength!
Put on Christ!
Put on the armor of God!
Put on the armor of Light!

Stand up!
Shake the dust off yourself!
Take your seat!
Remove the bonds from your neck, captive!
You have been set free!

My people know My name.
My people know what My name is and what it means.

Look! I AM!
No one, no body, no other God is!
I AM!

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that:
Brings good news.
Publishes peace.
Bring Good tidings of good things.
Proclaims salvation
Says, “Our God reigns.”

He chose us to do His kingdom work.
He chose to share the great news.
He chose us to be His watchmen.
Are you watching?
The watchmen lift up their voice!
Together with one voice  shall they sing.
They shall see eye to eye.

Break forth into joy.
Sing together.
The LORD has comforted His people.
He has redeemed us.
We are paid for with the precious blood of Jesus.
We cannot do anything to make him love us more than He already does.
We cannot earn His salvation.
We cannot be good enough.
Jesus alone redeemed us

The LORD has made bare His holy arm.
He has revealed Himself as the One by whom we are set free!
The ends of the earth will see the salvation of God.
Leave! Leave the land of exile, isolation and desolation.
Get out!

Be clean!
Be refreshed!
Be restored, renewed and rebuilt!
Be free!
We are a vessel of the LORD meant for good works.
The LORD will go before us.
The God of Israel will be our rear guard, behind us.
The Holy Spirit will come beside us.
He will hold our right hand.
He will help us!
He is I AM!
He is Almighty God.

I enCOURAGE you with the word of the Lord who loves you from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet.  I see nothing beautiful in feet, but He does.  The feet that go in His name and proclaim His good news are beautiful feet to Him.  Can you allow yourself to imagine what He thinks about the rest of your body, soul, and spirit, if He thinks your feet are beautiful?  You are made in His image. You are His Creation! You are His Masterpiece!  You are His favored child! You were formed in His secret place and intricately and curiously wrought, as if embroidered with various colors! You are saved by grace and the precious blood of Jesus.

His beautiful  feet led Him to die on a cross and provide a way for us to receive forgiveness of sins and be made righteous. We broke the law, but Jesus paid our fine!  Jesus died and on the third day and rose again. He conquered death, so that all those who repent of their sin and trust in Him rather than in their own works, can be forgiven, set free from the curse and shame of of sin! Now, that is encouraging news from the beautiful feet on the mountain.

How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O queenly maiden! the joints of thy thighs [are] like jewels, the work of the hands of a Master workman. (Song of Songs 7:1 KJV)

 

by Tammy Phillips
April 25, 2021

And that, knowing the time, that now [it is] high time to awake out of sleep: for now [is] our salvation nearer than when we believed. (Romans 13:11 KJV)

Can you hear the Lord stirring us from our physical and spiritual sleep?

As I read through Isaiah 51 and 52, “AWAKE, AWAKE” was used three different times.  The first time it was used in Isaiah 51:9. Israel was asking the Lord to wake up,  put on strength and save them like he did before.  Haven’t  we done the same thing?  We might have said something like, “Wake up LORD. Are you there?  Do you care?  Where are you?  Put on Your strength  and save us from the corona, sickness, an empty bank account, joblessness, a failing marriage, or even, in my case, my heaviness. The laughable thing is that He is God Almighty.  He is strength and all powerful.  Impossible is nothing for Him.  The word also says in Psalms 121:3-4, “He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.  Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.”   It is not God that is sleep; it is us.  However, the awakening of us, the awakening of our faith and the beginning of our salvation begins with a call to God.  Do not feel bad.  We are in pretty good company because David did the same thing in Psalms 35:23, 44:23, and 59:4-5. The disciples also followed suit during a roaring storm in Luke 8:24,  “And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm.”  Wake up to the power and greatness of the LORD. 

How did the Lord respond? He awoke.  He rose up.  He took action. He spoke.   In Luke 8:25 He also replied by implying, “Y’all wakeup. Where is your faith?”  In Isaiah 51:17, He answered the call by saying , “Awake, awake, stand up!” and in Isaiah 52:1-2  “Awake, awake! Put on your strength…2 Shake yourself from the dust, arise; Sit down, O Jerusalem! Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion.”

 In the richness of the definition of the word, “awake”, I heard the Lord say:

AWAKE! AWAKE!
Wake up! Wake up!
Raise up! Raise up!
Rise up! Rise up!
Come up! Come up!
Lift yourself up! Lift yourself up!
Be hot!  Be hot!
Be alert!  Be alert!
Be watchful!  Be watchful!
Open your eyes!  Open your eyes! 

The Lord is our Helper, but He tells us we have some responsibility in this game of life.  We must WAKE UP and be full of faith in Him.  We need to trust that He is who He says He is, is powerful enough and will do what He says He will do.  Our next steps should be to stand up,  take responsibility for our own actions, put on strength, shake the dust off, arise and  loose ourselves  from the self- imposed  bonds around our necks.

On my journey, God continued to love me back to Him.  He woke me up to some changes that I had to make…again.  I have made them and will start to share about them soon.  I have not arrived at my goal weight, but that is my destination. I am on the road.  I can tell you that I stood up and took responsibility for myself.   I am strong and get stronger every day.  I am loosed and I am free from the bonds around my neck and the invisible prison that used to keep me from enjoying God’s best life for me.  I can tell you that I am lighter in body, but so much lighter in my soul.  It is not all about the weight.  It is about being obedient to the call.

I enCOURAGE you to AWAKE! AWAKE!  Where you have turned your back on God, call out to Him!  He is our Savior in all things.  If you do not know Jesus as your Savior and Lord or you have slid away from, He says to all:

 Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. (1 Corinthians 15:34 NKJV)

Therefore, He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” (Ephesians 5:14 NKJV)

by Tammy Phillips
April 24, 2021

“I, [even] I, [am] He who comforts you. Who [are] you that you should be afraid Of a man [who] will die, And of the son of a man [who] will be made like grass? ¹³ And you forget the LORD your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens And laid the foundations of the earth; You have feared continually every day Because of the fury of the oppressor, when [he has] prepared to destroy. And where [is] the fury of the oppressor? … ¹⁵ But I [am] the LORD your God, Who divided the sea whose waves roared–The LORD of hosts [is] His name. ¹⁶And I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered you with the shadow of My hand…’You [are] My people.’ ” (Isaiah 51:12-13, 15-16 NKJV)

Fear is so irrational.  I had a few special items that I needed to get to Florida for my oldest son’s wedding.  For a few seconds, my thoughts went all over the place! “Should I put them in a carry on bag  so they are always in my possession?  Should I let my youngest son drive them down?  Should I let my sister in law drive them down?  Which is safer and less apt to crash a plane or a car?”  STOP TAMMY!  All of those thoughts are based in fear that the “things” will not make it to Florida.  STOP, again.  I prayed the protective blood of Jesus over all the planes and cars going to Florida.  I prayed over the things and put them in God’s protective, covering hand.   Those things are really His things anyways and honestly, they are just things. 

 I cannot tell you how much I love Isaiah 51, particularly verses 12-16.  I can just see God in heaven shaking His head, laughing and saying, “Who do you think you are?  Let me tell you who I AM since you seem to have forgotten.  Oh, and by the way, let me remind you who you are!”

Can you hear Him?

I AM HE WHO…
Comforts you.
Consoles you.
Avenges you.
Pants over you.
Groans over you.
Laments over you.
Grieves over you.
Loves you.

WHO ARE YOU?
Who are you that you should be afraid of any man?
Who are you that you forgets who I AM?

I AM!
I AM the LORD your Maker.
I AM He who stretched out the heaven.
I AM He who laid the foundations of the earth.

WHO ARE YOU?
Who are you that  you have feared continually?
Who are you that feared every day because of the fury of the oppressor?
Who are you that feared when he has prepared to destroy?
Where is he now?
Where is the fury of the oppressor?

I AM!
I AM the LORD your God.
I AM He who divided the sea whose waves roared.
I AM the LORD of hosts is My name.
I AM has put My words in your mouth.
I AM has covered you with the shadow of My hand.

WHO ARE YOU?
I AM says, “You are My people!”

WHO ARE YOU? You are…
My people.
My nation.
My tribe.
My kinfolk.
My family.
My race.

We let fear enter when we forget or really do not know who the GREAT I AM is. We have absolutely nothing to fear when we realize who we are in Him and that He has us covered with His mighty hand.

I enCOURAGE you to let your faith arise in who the Lord really is.  Have faith in God, His word, His blood, His name and His power.  Have faith in “I AM.” Have faith in who He says we are in Him.  Know who He is and who you are.

 

by Tammy Phillips
April 23, 2021

“Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, You who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the hole of the pit from which you were dug. (v.1) 

 “Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you; For I called him alone and blessed him and increased him.” (v.2)

“Listen to Me, My people; And give ear to Me, O My nation: For law will proceed from Me, And I will make My justice rest as a light of the peoples. (v. 4) 

“Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, You people in whose heart is My law: Do not fear the reproach of men, Nor be afraid of their insults.
[ (v.7) Isaiah 51:1,2, 4, 7 NKJV]

Do you think you can hear from God?  Four  times in seven verses in Isaiah 51 God exhorts Israel:  “Listen to Me!”   I assume many of you are saying but I do not hear from God.  This topic has come up, in and around my prayer group lately.  One sister shared the most beautiful example of hearing from God.  She was talking with her daughter about the same thing.  Her daughter said that she could not hear God.  She shared a lesson in listening that she had learned long ago.  She encouraged her  daughter, “I am going to prove to you that you can hear God.”  As her daughter was obedient to the call of her loving mother who said, “Listen to me.  I am going to show you, ” this precious child learned that she could in fact hear from her loving, heavenly Father.

I know you want to know! This is a participatory encouragement.  Join me and follow the simple instructions my friend gave her daughter.

1. Be still.
2. Close your eyes and keep them closed.
3. Tell Jesus that you love Him.
4. What did you hear?
5. If you love Jesus, I know what you heard.

Why do you think the Lord exhorts Israel and us to listen to Him?  Simply, He knows the way.

In Isaiah 51:1, He encourages us who truly follow Him to remember where we came from.

In verse 2, God reminds us of His past faithfulness to someone who listened to Him.  The Lord called Abraham to be a Father of many nations.  Abraham was obedient and listened to Him.  He was faithful to the call.  The Lord blessed him and increased him.  He gave him his first child when he was 100 years old!  That is my God who sits in heaven, laughs and says, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

In verse 4,  if we will listen to the Word, the Lord’s justice and righteousness will light the way for us and lead us into His salvation.  Do you hear him? Are your listening? In Isaiah 51:5-6,  the LORD says, “My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth and My arms will judge the peoples… My salvation will be forever, and My righteousness will not be abolished.”

In verse 7, the Lord again says, “Listen to me!” He is saying to us:  You know Me, you know right, and My words are in your heart.  Do not fear disgrace, scorn, contempt, being cancelled by men. Do not be discouraged, shattered or broken by their taunts or censure.

 “Once a Christian gets eaten up with discouragement and unbelief it takes a great deal to shake him out of it. Those two emotions are the masterstrokes of Satan. So long as the child of God maintains an attitude of praise and trust in the Lord, then he is invincible. Once the devil gets him discouraged, that poor man in really going to take a knocking!” (Redpath)

I enCOURAGE you to answer the Lord’s call when He says, “Listen to Me.”  We have two choices.  We can either listen to the voice of Truth, God, or listen to the father of lies, the Devil.  In every decision we make, every word we speak and every direction we go, we choose right or wrong.  We choose to listen to God and do it the “right” way or we don’t, at which time we are siding with the enemy.  To whom are you listening ?  Did you hear 6.? “I love you, too!”

by Tammy Phillips
April 22, 2021

He is near who justifies Me; Who will contend with Me?  Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me.  Surely the Lord GOD will help Me; Who is he who will condemn Me? Indeed, they will all grow old like a garment; The moth will eat them up. (Isaiah 50:8-9 NKJV)

There is power, courage and boldness in these words from Isaiah spoken by our humble, merciful  Lord.  He justified Jesus.  We are justified through the blood of our Savior, Jesus. (Romans 8:30)  We can then boldly proclaim…

He is near who justifies us.
He is near who aligns us.
He is near who makes us upright.
He is near who makes us straight.
He is near who declares us right and plumb.
He is near who declares us innocent, absolved and acquitted.

I do not know if  you have ever been falsely accused.  I bet you have.  I have.  To put it mildly, it’s not such a great feeling.  It is actually sickening.  Know this, the false claim was born in the pits of hell by the father of lies.  Remember, Satan is called the accuser of the brethren in Revelation 12:10.  Satan’s name  means adversary and enemy.  He is also called the Devil, which means calumniator, false accuser, slanderer, traducer, and condemner.  If we have been falsely charged, our accusers have made the choice to turn their backs to the truth, believed a lie and joined forces with the Devil, himself, in propagating his agenda, plans and purposes.

BUT GOD…The Lord says, “Let us stand together.” 

Expounded this means:

In union, wholly, joined, united, together as a unit, let us…

• stand
• remain
• endure
• persevere
• persist
• stand upright

I hear the Lord saying it like this… “LET US BE RESOLUTE TOGETHER.  We are not moving.  We are not going anywhere.  It is you and me against the world, baby!” 

I don’t know about you.  I want the Truth to be on my side.  I would rather have Father, Son and Holy Spirit stand with me, more than anyone else.  What a trifecta guard of body, mind and spirit!  With the Lord near, by our side, we can then also courageously say, “Who will contend with me?  Who is my adversary?  Who is he who will condemn me? Let him come near me.  Surely the Lord GOD will help Me!” 

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31 NKJV) 

I enCOURAGE you not to be discouraged by the reproach of any group, media outlet, man, woman, family member, friend nor foe.  “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?  IT IS GOD WHO JUSTIFIES. … Yet in all these things WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM WHO LOVED US. (Romans 8:33, 37 NKJV). And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”(Romans 8:28 KJV)  

Drop the mike! I hope you feel better.  I do.  Satan has no right to say that we made the wrong choice or did the wrong thing.  It is the Lord who justifies!