Complete in Him

by Tammy Phillips
January 13, 2021

My son, attend (pay attention) to my WORD; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they [are] life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. (Proverbs 4:20-22)

Each year, I don’t choose a word.  The Word chooses me. The Holy Spirit guides me to a Word(s), His Word for my season.  He usually leads me to word, a theme, a verse, a chapter, and/ or a book in the Bible.  A WORD has bubbled in my spirit for the last 10 years at the beginning of the year. It could have been going on longer and me not have realized it. The word becomes my “banner” for the year.  It is my guide and light.  And each year the words build on each other.

2015: DO NOT FEAR

2016: WAIT

2017:  GLORY & FOCUS

2018:  BE BRAVE & STAND 

2019:  DO IT

2020:  RESOLUTE

2021:  PLUMB LINE? RESOLUTELY ALIGN? 

Sometimes, I get a  word at the beginning of the year and sometimes it’s a few months into the year.  As I have sought God, He has not failed to deliver His special word to me.  The word so carefully chosen for me from the word of God reveals more and more about God.  After all, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same (the Word) was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by (the Word) him; and without him (the Word) was not anything made that was made. In him (the Word) was life; and the life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4)

I enCOURAGE you to listen for your guide word. Most of all pay attention to the Word of God.  Give it first place in your life. It is life and will light on your way.  What is the word He has for you this year?  I am still waiting on my exact word.

by Tammy Phillips
January 12, 2021

After this 2:00 AM conversation with my sister, Sparks, several verses came to mind:

Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? (41) “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.” (Matthew 26:40-41 NKJV)

Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding on behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).  (Ephesians 6:18 AMPC)

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV)

I obviously wanted to go back to sleep at 2:00 AM in the morning, but my sister in Christ reminded me to pray for others.  I heard Holy Spirit say to my tired self, “Can you not pray for one hour? I tell you to pray all the time for everybody.”

I committed to one hour. The Holy Spirit led me to do the coolest thing this early morning. I started at the top of our country.  I prayed for our President, Vice President and their families, but I did this on a social media platform in hope that others would join me.  Then, I asked the Lord who was next?   He directed me to pray via text for several people. Glory to Him!  A short one hour later, I accomplished my early morning assignment.  Many awoke this morning to a prayer. I will continue to do this as led! Be led by Holy Spirit how to pray and when to pray.

Since my sister enCOURAGED me to pray, I enCOURAGE you to pray, call, text AND post as the Spirit leads…at all times for all people. Pray without ceasing.  I will pray as I start this day for you.

by Tammy Phillips
January 11, 2021

Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it [spring] the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23 NKJV)

As a photographer, I like to capture beautiful, happy moments.  I do not like to capture evil, horrific nor sad moments.  It is so important to guard our hearts and minds from the wrong pictures.  What we put into our heart flows out of our hearts. Good in; good out. Evil in; evil out. Worry in; worry out. Jesus in; Jesus out. 

For example, I was trying to watch a good wholesome movie about love on Netflix. Sadly, when I searched love movies, their idea of love and mine were not the same. The promo images of “love” movies were not what I needed to see.  I immediately had to throw up my guard. I had to block those images from entering my heart. I did not want to file any of those snapshots in my mind. I so enjoy cooking shows, but why am I going to watch a whole show about food when I am trying to control what I eat?   We have to be so careful. We have to be on guard at all times what we let enter our heart.

I enCOURAGE you to do the word.  Do as we are commanded—keep, guard, watch, blockade your heart like a prison guard.  We cannot let what we put into our heart disturb the flow of the issues of life.

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by Tammy Phillips
January 10, 2021

Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. (Psalm 119:11 NKJV)

We try to make things so difficult, but God usually has a simple plan.  His word says in Matthew 7:14, “Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

In Psalm 119:11, the way that we do not sin, go the wrong direction or miss the mark is plainly stated.  We have to FACE the BOOK.  We need to gets God’s word on it.  We need to turn off anything and everything, television; the phone; social media including, Facebook,  and FACE the BOOK.  Every time we enter social media, let its very title remind us where we should be. 

Facebook: FACE the BOOK

Instagram:  An instant, a single thought or point, then gone. Instead, seek the ENDURING, life changing, and life giving word of God

Twitter:  by definition is small, tremulous, intermitted noises; One who twits or reproaches; half suppressed laugh.  Definitely, turn off this noise, and turn on the healing, encouraging, building-up  word of God. 

Tik Tok:  Time is a wasting here.

Pinterst:  Our interest and attention should be directed to the word of God

Television:  Has been a box that distorted everything and allowed sin to enter our homes and lives.  We need GOD-vision

Phone:  How many hours have we lost on the phone?  Phone God. Pray to Him.

All of these things can be used to bring  glory to God.   However, like anything in excess, it can be destructive.  All of these media avenues can steal our time, joy and peace, if we spend too much time there and not in the truth, the word of God.  

We must hide, treasure and store up His word In our heart.  Simply, we should deposit what God says about a given temptation or way of life into our heart. When the temptation or trial comes our way, we can withdraw the deposits of Word in our heart and apply it to our life.  As we exercise the word, it prevents us from missing the mark.  It directs us on the straight and narrow way of life.  It keeps us plumb and aligned.

I enCOURAGE you to hide His word in your heart every day. Treasure it!  It is the only way to life and truth.  Turn off all the other noise and distractions.

P.S.  I think it very cool that I am located on WORDPRESS.  I hope that these encouragements help you press into the word.  I pray they lead you into God’s word.  If you would like to follow Complete in Him posts, I would appreciate you giving me a follow by signing up for daily emails below.  

by Tammy Phillips
January 9, 2020

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John 1:2 NKJV) 

I love this verse.  It shouts to me BE LOVED.  I hear, “I love you so much I want the best for you!”   When we look at the word prosper, our mind automatically thinks of wealth.  Prosper Is the Greek word, euodoō.  It means to grant a prosperous and expeditious journey; to do well on the road.  John’s blessing to his friend, Gaius, could be interpreted like this:   “be loved and  I hope you have a good journey on this road of life.”

John also added, “be in health.”  The word health does not just mean healthy in body.  It also signifies being, sound, being whole, body, mind and spirit.

Johns concluded with the phrase, “just as your soul prospers.”  Soul is the Greek word, psyche, meaning, the breath of life; the seat of feelings, desires, affections; mind.  Simply, the soul is our breath of life.  It is our mind, will and emotions.   We can conclude, if our mind, will and emotions are in good shape, then our body should follow.  If our soul is sick, stressing, or life has punched us and taken away our breath, it is most likely the body will follow or falter.

David Guzik said in his commentary at blueletterbible.org:

‘“Both verbs [for prosper and be in health] belonged to the everyday language of letter writing” (Stott). This phrase is so common that sometimes it was condensed into only initials, and everyone knew what the writer meant just from the initials.  The abbreviation used in Latin was SVBEEV, meaning “Si vales, bene est; ego valeo – “If you are well, it is good; I am well.”’

According to the words of John…

I enCOURAGE you to BE LOVED.  Have the greatest journey on the road of life.  Be whole, healed and complete in Him. Get your mind in shape and your body will follow.  SVBEEV,  Si vales, bene est; ego valeo – “If you are well, it is good; I am well.”  This is the  declaration for your life today. 

by Tammy Phillips
January 8, 2021

This is my comfort and consolation in my affliction: that  Your word has revived me and  given me life. (Psalm 119:50 AMP)

Comfort in affliction sounds like an oxymoron.

The two do not mix. BUT GOD…

Affliction in Hebrew is the word `oniy. It means trouble or misery. It comes from the word `anah which means depressed; oppressed; humbled; be afflicted; to be downcast.

How do we find comfort in affliction? The Word of God! The Word is Jesus. The Word revives us. The Word gives us life. Just a few minutes reading the Word, speaking the word, or listening to the Word brings life, salvation and comfort to the afflicted, the miserable and the depressed.

I enCOURAGE you to read the Word and simply do what it says. It is our consolation in any time of affliction. The Word is our comfort when there is no other comfort to be found.  And it does revive and give life in ALL situations.

by Tammy Phillips
from January 7, 2020 for 
January 7, 2021

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:19)

I have seen or heard this verse it seems like a dozen time since the New Year.  I have been asking God for the past few days, “What’s up with this word?” Tonight, as I was asking Him what enCOURAGING word do you want me to share, He chose this one.  Later, as I was sitting briefly sitting on the potty, a place of solitude, where He has my full attention.  He directed me to browse the pictures of sunrises and sunsets that we have shared.  I was amazed.

It was as if He stepped into the room.  The room became a gallery of large masterpieces, no two were alike.  I heard Him say, “LOOK! I will do a new thing!  Every morning and every evening, I do a new thing.  From the beginning of time through eternity, no sunrise nor sunset has ever been nor will ever be the same. Trust me. I will do a new thing.”

Every day He brings a new thing to the day.  It springs forth like the sunrise.  He brings a new thing to our walk with him.  He brings a new thing to our marriage.  He brings new things to life.

Trust Him with the new thing.  He will make a way in the wilderness.  The wilderness does not have a road to follow, steps to climb, nor directions signs as to where to go.  However, He says, He will do a new thing.  He will make a way.  He says He will bring rivers of life to the dessert places of life. 

I enCOURAGE you to embrace the new thing that He brings into your life.  In the new thing, He will make a way in your wilderness and He will bring rivers to your dessert.  He is more faithful than the sunrise and sunset that He supplies each day.

January 6, 2020

Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for [I] will work a work in your days, [which] ye will not believe, though it be told [you].  Habakkuk 1:5 (KJV)

The very first verse of Habakkuk, really, the first words of the book are about his burden. He follows up with a couple of pleas to the Lord about the burden. The Lord answers Habakkuk’s questions in verses 5 and 6. Let’s look at exactly what the Lord said:

He says, “Behold…regard…”  He is saying LOOK! Look, pay attention!  The Lord follows with “wonder marvelously.”  In the Hebrew it reads like this, “tamahh, tamahh,” which means to be astounded; be stunned; be dumbfounded; be amazed; be astonished.   The Lord was repeating himself for emphasis and saying, “LOOK! LOOK! Be amazed! Be amazed!  Dude, you haven’t got a clue! I will do a work in your days and even if I told you about it, you would not believe me.”  Then, the Lords explains His plan more precisely in verse 6.  He is going to send the enemy to help turn Israel back to God.

Not quite the answer Hab was looking for, right?

Doesn’t God tell us the same thing He told Habakkuk in Ephesians 3:20? “Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”

When we ask, God works above and beyond, exceedingly and abundantly!  Doesn’t he still amaze and astound us with His answers?   He always has and He always will because His ways are higher than ours!

I enCOURAGE you to ask the questions when you have the burden.  BUT… then…LOOK! LOOK!  Be amazed!  Be amazed!  Because he will work it out in a way that you will not believe even if he told you beforehand.

by Tammy Phillips
January 5, 2021

 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see. O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! [even] cry out unto thee [of] violence, and thou wilt not save!  (Habakkuk 1:1-2 KJV)

Habakkuk saw a burden.  A burden in this case was a bearing or a caring that could not be carried.  He was so burdened for his Israel.  He was not afraid to cry out to the Lord.  He was not afraid to question the Lord. 

What burden are you carrying?  What burden do you see?  God is God.  He can take it. He can take the hard questions because nothing is too hard for him. He already knows the answer before we ask. He knows the burden.

I enCOURAGE you to cry out to the Lord.  Follow Habakkuk’s example.  Release your burden to God.  Invite Him in.  He never intended for you to carry it. He will answer.  He may not answer the way you expect, but He will answer.

by Tammy Phillips
January 4, 2021

As I ask hard questions,

God says, “Nothing is to hard for me!”

As I struggle,

God says, “You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!”

As I go in a new direction,

God says, “I will instruct you and teach you the way to go with my eyes on you!”

As hear Him calling me out and up,

God says, “I am with you to the ends of the earth. I will never leave you nor forsake you.

As He asks me to do some challenging things,

God says, “I AM the way! I AM the truth! IAM the Light!”

I enCOURAGE you to listen to what God says.  There is no circumstance, no trial, no question, NO THING, that he doesn’t have the answer for.  He is always the WAY! And He always has something to say!