Complete in Him

by Tammy Phillips
December 7, 2020

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

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

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

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

by Tammy Phillips
December 6, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

by Tammy Phillips
December 5, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

by Tammy Phillips
December 4, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I enCOURAGE you to create for the glory of God.

by Tammy Phillips
December 3, 2019

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

by Tammy Phillips
December 2, 2020

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:  Ephesians 2:8 (KJV)

There is no greater feeling than being completely and unconditionally loved.  God has been showering me with His love this week. I t is amazing.  I know He loves me 24/7 for eternity. However, sometimes He shouts it a little louder and hugs a little harder.  Do you hear him?  Do you feel Him nearby?

In His Word, He reminds me that I am His favorite, and you are his favorite.  Grace by definition means His unmerited favor.  There is nothing we can do to earn His grace on our lives.  It is all because of Jesus.

Not only does God tell us that we are His favorite.  His word says that in every situation He saves us through faith.  The word saved in this focus verse is sozo in Greek.  It means healed, whole and complete.  It means everything.  He is our Savior in every circumstance because we are his fave!  And the best part, it is His gift to us!  Don’t you love gifts?  He freely gives.  All we have to do is trust Him and take His salvation!

I enCOURAGE you to believe that you are His favorite.   Allow our Father to save you today. Whatever the need, let Him love you through it.  He has every answer.

by Tammy Phillips
December 1, 2020

“For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’” (Isaiah 41:13 NKJV)

I had a dream.  I was intimately holding hands to pray with someone.  I wish you could feel what I felt.  When he grabbed my hand, it was warm and comforting.  I knew as soon as I touched His that everything, and I mean everything, would be ok.  It was as if things were as they always should have been.  In His touch was overwhelming peace.  His touch was security.  His hand was extremely large.  It was almost too big to grasp, but yet I did not want to ever let go.  The moment can only be described as amazing love.

God directed me to Isiah 41:10…I continued to read. When I saw this verse, it was if I saw it for the first time.

“For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’” (Isaiah 41:13 NKJV)

I enCOURAGE you as the bride of Christ to reach out and grab the Grooms hand.  He will not let go.  Follow Him.  He has got you, if you will just trust Him.  There is nothing to be afraid of.  He is and will always be faithful. He loves you unconditionally.

 

by Tammy Phillips
November 30, 2020

Psalms 147:1-11

(1) Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.

(2) The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.

(3) He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds. …

(4) He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.

(5) Great [is] our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding [is] infinite.

(6) The LORD lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground.

(7) Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; Sing praises on the harp to our God, (

8) Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.

(9) He gives to the beast its food, [And] to the young ravens that cry.

(10) He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.

(11) The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy.

I enCOURAGE you to just bask in OUR GOD. Every minute of every day!  Take pleasure in Him.  Hope in Him.   Praise Him!  He is worthy of our praise.

 

by Tammy Phillips
November 29, 2020

 I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 NKJV

All things means everything, right?

Yesterday, the Word said give thanks in everything. Some days that is harder than others.  Today, I enCOURAGE you with the words…I CAN!

I can because He did.

He gives me the strength to do.

I can give him thanks in everything.

I can do the impossible with him.

I can keep my peace in the midst of chaos. 

I can love my enemy.

I can forgive those who hurt me.

I can forgive those who hurt others I love.

I can refuse to be offended.

I can only because of Jesus.

I can because, as I began to write this encouragement, Holy Spirit stopped me and told me that  it was ok to go get the Thanksgiving sales paper.

I can because on what could be a stressful Thanksgiving morning with all the hustle and preparation…

 God painted the sky with the most glorious vibrant magenta color. Magenta happens to be my very favorite color.  His artwork took my breath away.  It stopped me in my tracks. He said,

“I love you! Look what I CAN do and with me, you can do anything and everything!”

I CAN!

 I enCOURAGE you to believe you CAN, too!

 

by Tammy Phillips
November 28, 2020

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV)

In everything give thanks.
In everything give thanks.
In every thing give thanks?

I will be honest, as I write and meditate on this verse, it is a hard scripture for me to chew up and swallow.

Can you give thanks during the dark periods of your journey?  How do you give thanks when you lose your only son? How do you give thanks to God when your marriage is falling apart?  

While in the middle of all the trials and tribulations, one might wonder where God is.  He is right in the middle of all of it with you.  The word does not say give thanks for the hurt, pain, or loss.  The word says to give thanks “IN” it. 

I only pray that I could be as strong as my sister who lost her precious baby boy.  Over and over, her words in her loss have been: “I thank God for the 27 years we had with Brandon.”  She has made the decision to be thankful to God INeverything!  She is standing firm in her faith.  She is strong and courageous.  She praises God through her pain.  If she can do it, I have no excuse!  Today, I thank God for her, her faith, her testimony and her love.

 I enCOURAGE you to follow her Christ like example and in everything give thanks to God.

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy [endures] forever. (Psalm 107:1 NKJV)