Complete in Him

by Tammy Phillips
September 28, 2020

 You have given a banner to those who fear You, That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah (Psalm 60:4 NKJV)

We are on a journey passing through the territory of the Prince of this world from glory to glory.  The “to” is the journey.  The “to” is our walk in Christ and transformation into his image.   We would like to abide in the glory because transformation can be so painful and difficult.  Know that we will run into the enemy and his cohorts.  We will experience trials, temptations and even deaths.  When we become tired of fighting and the struggle is real to keep going, we can recall that we are not alone.  God is fighting for us.  Remember, Satan is a thief and a liar.  He uses every tool in his arsenal to execute his plan steal, kill, and destroy our life.  He is miserable and he wants everyone to “go down” with him.  He operates in the darkness where he secretly plants land mines, tuck bombs away in hidden places, and fires missiles of fiery darts to take us out.  His mission is obstruction and destruction.

But God!  He has a better plan and a better way.  He has a Highway of Holiness that allows us to travel above enemy territory.  God travels in the greatness of His strength speaking righteousness.  He is mighty to save.  It is in Him and led my Him that we go.  He is the only Way.  He is Truth.  David says in Psalm 60:4, “You have given a banner to those who fear You, That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah”

When we do not retreat in the fear of Satan, but instead stand amazed at our God, Who is Love,

He gives us His flag to fly high.  His Banner over us is Love!   We can then courageously march through enemy country displaying our Standard.  We advance in confident expectation that we will be celebrating Satan’s defeat.  We are not afraid, nor are we discouraged because of the vast enemy army.  The battle is not ours in any way, but God’s and He has already won. We are on the winning team and proudly sport our colors.  As we step in God’s tracks on His Highway, He leads up into the hill of transformation.  We follow our Love, Prince of Peace and Captain of Our Salvation.  It is He alone that brings many sons into glory and through the “to.” Selah; be silent, pause, rest and think about it.

I enCOURAGE you to take comfort in the Banner over you, Love.  This word banner is derived from a word meaning to cover over.   His Love is a large flag that literally covers, comforts and leads you. Sink into it its security like a big blanket.  “We will rejoice in your salvation, And in the name of our God we will set up [our] banners! May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.  Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand. (Psalm 20:5-6 NKJV)

 

2 Cor 3:18; Ephesians 6:12; James 1:2; 1 Peter 1:6; 1 Corinthians 10:13; John 8:44; John 10:10; Colossians 1:13; Isaiah 57:14; Isaiah 35:8; Isaiah 63:1; 1 John 4:8; Song of Solomon 2:4; Psalm 143:10; John 14:6; Exodus 17:15; 2 Chronicles 20:15; Hebrews 2:10

September 27, 2020

Encouragement from Isaiah 52!
I heard the Lord say:

Wake up! Wake up!
Put on your strength!
Put on your beautiful garments!
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.
Good tidings of good
Publishes salvation.
Says our God reigns.

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

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

The LORD has made bare his holy arm.
He has revealed Himself as the One by whose direction you are set free!
The ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.

Leave! Leave the land of exile, isolation and desolation.
Get out!
Be clean!
Be refreshed!
Be restored, renewed, rebuilt!
Be free!

You are a vessel of the LORD meant for good works.
The LORD will go before you.
The God of Israel will be your rear guard, behind you.
The Holy Spirit will come beside you.
He will hold your right hand.
He will help you!
He is I AM!
He is God.

I enCOURAGE 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. 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 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.

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
September 26, 2020

 Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the LORD. (Psalm 31:24 NKJV)

I used to be shy and very timid.  I did not talk to anyone that I did not have to.  I lived life as a turtle tucked inside my shell, believing that no one could hurt me there.  Praise God. He has delivered me.  He has taught be to be strong and courageous, a bulldog in faith.   He has given me a voice. He taught me to write for Him.  I write to enCOURAGE you in the Lord and in life.  I write to move you from the place of DIScourageMENT, whether it be from weakness, sickness, sadness, depression, anxiety, timidity …into courage.  The Lord repeatedly inspires us through His word to be courageous!  The Hebrew word for courage, chazaq, is so rich in meaning. 

BE OF GOOD COURAGE…

• Be Strong
• Withstand
• Be Bound Fast
• Be Gird
• Hold Fast
• Fasten To
• Take Hold Of
• Be Stuck Fast
• Be Joined to
• Be Constant
• Be Bold
• Be Earnest
• Be Established
• Be Made Strong
• Be Made Firm
• Be Repaired
• Be Restored
• Be Rebuilt
• Be Resolute

I know you might get tired of hearing the same thing, but if the Lord encourages me every day to be resolute in Him.  I am going enCOURAGE you to do the same!   Courage is boldly facing our fears. Courage is confidently doing it afraid.

AND…

I can enCOURAGE with His Word, but it is God who strengthens.  It is God he strengthens me to write.  It is God who gives me the boldness to talk to the stranger.  It is the Lord who makes me brave to minister and pray for others.  It is all Him.  We can do all things with Him and nothing without Him. He is the power behind the courage.

HE SHALL STRENGTHEN…

• Be Alert Physically
• Be Alert Mentally
• Steadfast In Mind
• Be Determined
• To Be Strong
• Be Fortified
• Be Brave
• Be Bold
• Be Firm

YOUR HEART.

• Your sick heart
• Your lonely heart
• Your weary heart
• Your timid heart
• Your pained heart
• Your broken heart

ALL YOU WHO HOPE IN THE LORD.

• All you who wait in the Lord.
• All you who are patient in the Lord.
• All you who expect in the Lord. 

I enCOURAGE you to be COURAGEOUS, be STRONG and to HOPE IN THE LORD.  Turn your life around; face him head on.  You have an amazing life to boldly live out in Him.

by Tammy Phillips
September 25, 2020

 Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, And plentifully rewards the proud doer. (Psalm 31:23 KJV) 

I am on the way to the mountains to seek the Lord and pray with four other sisters who love our Jesus.  The big joke between us is about the 4 am wake up call to pray.  We were hoping to sleep in a little since we were spending the whole weekend in the throne room of God.  Today, my call came a little earlier than usual.  I thought it was just the “I drank too much water last night” call.   I awoke and prayed at 2:30 AM.  I wanted to go back to sleep, but something was irritating my eye.  I finally gave in at 3:30 AM and headed to the lobby of the hotel. 

I was greeted by a kind, 27-year old young man who I came to know as Lawrence.  He said, “I knew somebody was coming.   I just made a fresh pot of coffee.”  I smiled and said. “I would like to have slept, but I got the call.” No kidding, he said, “the 4 AM wake-up call?”  Amazed, I responded, “Yes!!!”  He shared with me how the Lord had started waking him at 4 AM to pray for his daughter before her birth.  He told me that he did not share that with a lot of people his age because they would think he was crazy.  I shared  that this old woman did not share her 4 AM wake-up call with a lot of people her age either because they would think she was crazy, too. (Cats out of the bag, now!)

I love the Lord and am so thankful for the divine appointment with Lawrence.  He was such a joy.  He had such light in his eyes.   I was blessed to hear part of his painful story and how God was working in His life.  He has worries and concerns as a young dad.  He used to smoke pot every day just to cope.  God instantaneously delivered him from that desire.  We cried and my eye irritation instantly disappeared.  I gave him a “flat Jesus” and we prayed together.   We hugged and each went back to our tasks.  Yes, we hugged during this “pandemic.”   I am not scared.  What a blessing from our loving Father. 

My prayer today is that this story inspires you to take the time today to just love the Lord.  He loves you so much.  He wants to be in your presence.  He has divine appointments waiting on you.  He needs you to be his hand and feet here on earth.

OH, LOVE THE LORD
Oh, Desire the Lord
Oh, Delight in the Lord
Oh, Breathe after the Lord

 ALL YOU HIS SAINTS!

THE LORD PRESERVES THE FAITHFUL
The LORD guards the believer
The LORD watches the firm stander
he LORD keeps the unshaken

AND

PLENTIFULLY REWARDS
Abundantly recompenses
Exceedingly above measure repays
Fully finishes

THE PROUD DOER. (Psalm 31:23 KJV)

I enCOURAGE you to “love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” (Luke 10:27 NKJV)  Enjoy His presence today.

By Tammy Phillips
September 24, 2020

You are my Hope, O Lord GOD; You are my trust from my youth. (Psalm 71:5NKJV)

When life seems hopeless and we cannot see a way out or how life will improve, we need hope.

When we cannot see to other side of the storm because the skies are gray, the storm is rolling and the rain is pounding us, we need hope.

When we think this world cannot sink into the deep any further, we need hope.

We need a lifeline and not an empty wish that things will get better.

We have misused the word hope.  We say things like, “Hope you feel better…hope to see you soon…I hope so…” The English language has watered down the original meaning of hope to the point that it means no more than a wish, but that is not God’s definition.  In the Old Testament I found six different Hebrew words for hope, betach, yacal, mibtâch, tôwcheleth, sabar, and tiqvâh. Most of them mean expectation, to wait of look for eagerly! Other meanings of hope are trust, confidence, and refuge.

I discovered my favorite Hebrew word for hope is tiqvâh.  It is used in Psalms 71:5, when David declares, “You are my hope, O Lord God.”  David was not just saying, “hope in the Lord” like he had said multiple times in Psalms.  He was emphatically stating that God is our hope.  The word tiqvâh adds another level of meaning. It does not only mean expectation, or something longed for; it means a rope or cord as an attachment.  It is the same word used in Joshua 2:18, when Joshua’s two spies told Rahab to tie the scarlet cord to the window.  The cord was a sign to spare her family when Joshua took Jericho. The cord of hope was her family’s lifeline.   God is our hope.  God is our cord. He is our lifeline. He saves and delivers us now and for eternity.

Hope is not a wish.  Hope is the joyful, bold, confident expectation of good.

HOPE DELIVERS:

• Rest (Psalm 16:9)
• Gladness (Proverbs 10:28 NKJV)
• Blessing (Jeremiah 17:7)
• Happiness (Psalm 146:5) 
• Confidence and Refuge (Proverbs 14:26)
• Strengthening of the heart (Psalm 31:24)
• Future and children coming back home (Jeremiah 31:17
• Salvation (Romans 8:24)
• Heart rejoiced (Acts 2:26)
• Glad tongue (Acts 2:26)
• Rest for the flesh (Acts 2:26)
• Hope does not disappoint. (Romans 5:5)

David also said in Psalms 71:5, “You are my trust…”  The word trust here also means hope, confidence, refuge, security.   David’s heart expounded In Psalms 71:5 could read: “God, You are my Hope, Lifeline, Refuge, Security. You are my Trust, my Safe Place, my Confidence and Confidant.  You are everything!”

I enCOURAGE to hope again! Hope in our God of “nothing is impossible!”  Hope for wholeness.  Hope for healing. Hope for healing of mind, body, heart and this land.   Expect it!  God is not only our Hope.  He is our Savior in all.  He is the Great Physician.  He can do anything and is willing.  We just have to trust Him and expect it from Him. He is Hope that delivers.

“But I will hope continually, And will praise You yet more and more.” (Psalm 71: 14 NKJV)

 

By Tammy Phillips
September 23, 2020

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God…The help of my countenance and my God. “(Psalm 42:5, 11; 43:5 NKJV)

We are blessed to have dishwashers in our homes.  Repeat after me.  We are blessed to have dishwashers. However, loading and unloading the thing is a necessary task that does not bring me great joy.  I made a choice to turn the chore into any enjoyable event. I use the time as an opportunity to chat with Lord, friends and family.  Recently, I was taking advantage of dish time to talk with a friend and she questioned, “what is hope?”  Can you see my thinking cap go on? 

David repeatedly encouraged himself in his depression by saying, “Hope in God! Hope helps my frown turn upside down!”  (My interpretive version of the focus verses above.)

Joel 3:16 says, “The LORD will be the hope of his people.”

So, I first responded, “Jesus!”  Then, I continued, “Faith is believing God is who He says He is, has done what He says He has done, and will do what He says He will do. He keeps His word and His promises. So…hope is…hang on…”

 I looked up the definition of hope in Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Our convo continued, “Hope defined is the PATIENT, JOYFUL AND CONFIDENT EXPECTATION OF GOOD.  Bam! Drop the mike!” She had been hearing from God and preaching to me: “Expect from God!  We need to expect!”  She was right. Hope in God. Why pray, if we do not expect an answer?  When we pray God’s word back to Him, the Bible says, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive [them], and you will have [them]. (Mark 11:24 NKJV)

David also repeatedly said in Psalm 119, “I hope in Your word.”

⁸¹My soul faints for Your salvation, But I hope in Your word.
¹¹⁴ You [are] my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word.
¹⁴⁷ I rise before the dawning of the morning, And cry for help; I hope in Your word.
¹⁶⁶ LORD, I hope for Your salvation, And I do Your commandments.

Hebrews 10:23 states it differently: “He who promised is faithful.”

Our hope, our patient, joyful and confident expectation of good, is in Him and His word. God’s word said it.  We believe it. Hope expects it.

Let’s look at Hebrews 11:1 blown up with what we have found…

Faith is believing God is who He says He is, has done what He says He has done, and will do what He says He will do. Faith is the substance, confidence or foundation of things hoped for, the patient, joyful and confident expectation of good…

I enCOURAGE you to HOPE IN GOD!  Have confident expectation of good in Him.   Remember, when you put dishes in the washer, you do not wish them clean.  You expect that washer to do what it promises, right?  God is greater and more faithful than that old washer.  He will perform His promise!   

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13 NKJV)

by Tammy Phillips
September 22, 2020

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised [is] faithful. (Hebrews 10:23 NKJV)

The long and the short of it.

When life is uncertain…
When your dream has been stolen…
When your breath has been taken…
When you have been knocked down…
When you have been punched in the gut…
When you have experienced unbearable pain…
When your grief is trying to hold you captive…
When your sickness imprisons…
When your disease paralyzes…
When you have been deceived, lied to, cheated on, spit in the face…
When you wake up sad because you just do not understand…
When memories bring relentless tears…

LET US, that is you and me…

HOLD FAST…
Hold on
Retain
Detain
Possess
Seize
Take
Adhere to
Cling to

THE CONFESSION,  what we profess to be ours, our declaration,

OF OUR HOPE…
Joyful expectation of good
Confidence
Trust
The Author of Hope
God our Savior
Lord Jesus Christ

WITHOUT WAVERING…
Leaning
Slanting
Sloping
Inclining
Reclining
Declining
Falling back
Bowing down
Unmoved
Firm
Resolute

FOR… because… seeing… no doubt… assuredly…truly…verily… the fact is…

HE IS FAITHFUL
Trustworthy
Believable
Reliable
Sure
True

WHO PROMISED!
Who says He is about to do
Who announced He would do
Who gave His Word

I enCOURAGE you to declare the same thing as JESUS.  His promises are life to the weary soul.  Find His word that will medicate and heal your hurts.  Discouragement leads us to waver from the truth.  Honestly, pains intent is to draws us away from the Truth, the Way and the Life…Jesus.  A renewed confidence in the greatness of Jesus and His promises enable us stand strong and #RESOLUTE2020.  Hope is restored in our heart that God can be trusted, every time.

by Tammy Phillips
September 21, 2020

 For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield. (Psalm 5:12)

I believe the Bible holds the answer to every question.  Watch how God answered a question that we were not even asking to begin with.  

I recently discussed with a friend how I see that we live a protected life in a bubble.  It is like we have a force field surrounding us that keep us protected.  It is called the protective blood of Jesus Christ.  He is our hedge of protection.

The next day, the same friend told me that she had a vision.  She was in a large three car garage.  She was in one bay and a snake was in a relaxed position in the furthest bay from her. She took a shovel, hit the snake behind the head and almost severed its head.  She thought the snake was dead and all of the sudden it lunged toward her upper body.  She raised her weapon to block its attack.  However, as the snake ensued its strike, it ran into an invisible force field and fell to the ground. 

Stay with me. We talked about the bubble.  My friend dreamed about the bubble the same night.   We awoke the next day to an encouraging word from another sister in Christ who lives in Australia who we do not even know.  She wrote: “I WILL SURROUND YOU LIKE A SHIELD… I saw the Lord SHIELDING YOU. The Lord wants you to be encouraged and to rest in His protection.”

I told my friend that the NBA who has attempted to live in a bubble to escape CoVid-19 has nothing on our God.  In the state of living amazed by God, I questioned, “Bet there is a verse for this?” God was obviously trying to reveal another layer of Himself to us.  I went to the Blue Letter Bible ap and searched the word, force. Nothing.  Then, I searched the word protect which led me to the word shield.  Guess what? There is more than one word for shield in the Bible.  WATCH THIS!

Most often in the OT the word for shield was the Hebrew word, magen, which is a smaller shield or defense.  This small shield is activated by trusting in the word of the Lord and walking uprightly.  The translation of shield in the verses below is magen.

The LORD [is] my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; (Psalm 28:7)

For the LORD God is a sun and shield…No good [thing] will He withhold From those who walk uprightly. (Psalm 84:11)

You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He [is] their help and their shield. (Psalm 115:11)

You [are] my hiding place and my shield. (Psalm 119:114)

He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. (Proverbs 30:5)

One shield of God would be enough, but he gave us two!  In the focus verse Psalm 5:12, we discover that the Lord blesses us, the righteous, with favor by surrounding and encircling us like a “shield.”  Shield #2 revealed, was the Hebrew word, tsinnah, meaning, a large prickly shield covering the whole, a thorny hedge of protection, a target, something piercing.  The shield mentioned in Psalm 91:4 was the same word:

He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

The thought of God being a surrounding, encircling, large, prickly, thorny hedge of protection was enforced by the addition of the word buckler in Psalms 91:4.  The only time the Hebrew word cocherah is used in the Bible is here for buckler.  It means something going around, to and fro, surrounding, or defending a person.  

 In conclusion, we found the answer.  There was a verse about “life in the protective a bubble.” It is life behind His protective force field, I mean shield.

I encourage you with the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Ask the questions.  He will answer.  Also, trust Him as your small shield and your large shield.  Enjoy the protection of life in His bubble.

Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. (Ephesians 6:16)

 

 

by Tammy Phillips
September 20, 2020

WARNING:  Most, if not every crisis is preceded by some sort of warning.

At baseball games, we hear, “heads up,” which means a foul ball, potential danger is headed our way.  On the golf course we hear, “FORE!” Fore is a term used to warn that a golf ball is moving in our direction.  Our stomachs growl alerting us that it is time to eat.  Thunder booms warning that anyone outside is in striking distance of a storm.  Tornadoes are announced by the sound of a loud roar, like a freight train.  Police, firemen, and ambulance drivers let us know they are coming by flipping on the ominous sirens.  The loss of a friend or loved one, warns of the brevity and preciousness of life.

The word of God clearly tells us to watch, maybe… just maybe, we should listen!  Let’s slowly, look carefully at the treasure hidden inside grēgoreō, the Greek word for…

WATCH:

• Pay strict attention to
• Be cautious
• To keep awake
• Be vigilant
• Be awake
• Be watchful

Do we hear the sirens going off?  Do we here God yelling “fore?”  What warning signs are we missing or ignoring?  Look at these 15 encouragements’:

WATCH: WE DON’T KNOW WHEN JESUS WILL RETURN

1. “WATCH therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. (Matthew 24:42 NKJV)

    

2. “WATCH therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. (Matthew 25:13 NKJV)

    

3. “Take heed, WATCH and pray; for you do not know when the time is. (Mark 13:33 NKJV)

    

4. “WATCH therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming–in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning– (Mark 13:35 NKJV)

WATCH WITH JESUS

5. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and WATCH with Me.” (Matthew 26:38, Mark 14:34 NKJV)

    

6. Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What? Could you not WATCH with Me one hour? (Matthew 26: 40, Mark 14:37 NKJV)

WATCH AND PRAY TO AVOID THE TEMPTATION TO SIN

7. “WATCH and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.” (Matthew 26:41, Mark 14:38 NKJV)

    

WATCH AND PRAY ALWAYS AND IN ALL THINGS

8. “WATCH therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36 NKJV)

    

9. Continue in prayer, and WATCH in the same with thanksgiving; (Colossians 4:2 KJV)

    

10. But WATCH thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. (2 Timothy 4:5 KJV)

     

11. But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and WATCH unto (1 Peter 4:7 KJV)
    

WATCH! WATCH!

12. Therefore, let us not sleep, as others [do], but let us WATCH and be sober. (1 Thessalonians 5:6 NKJV)

     

13. Be sober, WATCH, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8 KJV)

     

Did you know that the Greek word for sober, nēphō, means: calm and collected, not drunk, but it also implies to watch? The prior verses are saying, “WATCH! WATCH!”

I encourage you to:

15. WATCH, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. (1 Corinthians 16:13 NKJV) #RESOLUTE2020- Do not be lulled by the world. It is a shame that God feels like he has to warn us so many times to watch, yet so many Christians do not listen to His OMNIPOTENT WARNINGS.  We cannot be included in that group. 
16. “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not WATCH, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” (Revelation 3:3 KJV)
    (Look at the signs in Matthew 24:4-14 KJV; Mark 13:5-13 KJV;

    Luke 21:8-19 KJV)

     

 

 

 

 

by Tammy Phillips
September 19, 2020

“Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?”’ (Matthew 26: 40 NKJV)

I like a clean house, but I do not like to clean house!  It is painful because you know as soon as you get it clean it is going to get dirty again.  It takes at least 8-10 hours to clean my house.  Sometimes, I call a friend who cleaned my house when I worked, to help.  We do it together and it cuts the time in half.   Or, I call my best sister in the Lord, we will talk and clean.  Recently, she sacrificed most of her day just to help me get through the painful task.  We talk about the Lord and many “encouragements” come from our conversations.  We walk, talk, watch and pray for each other through the most difficult and painful obstacles in life.  In 2014 I found this scripture and we accepted it as a license from the Lord to talk as often as we wanted:  “Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name.” (We have volumes written in heaven.). I am so thankful to have sisters who watch and pray with me through the storms.

Jesus asked his three best friends to come with him into garden of Gethsemane on the night of his arrest. The arrest lead to his horrific death on the cross. He knew all of this was ahead.  He asked them to watch and pray with Him.

He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” (Matthew 26:38 NKJV)

Jesus was “exceeding sorrowful” which means he was encompassed with grief.  He experienced crushing, pressing pain in anticipation of what he was about to endure. (Did you know Gethsemane means olive press?) Jesus willingly went into the Garden of the Press for you and me. 

My Grandfather always said, “The worst thing about doing anything is thinking about do it.”  Even though Jesus was the Son of God, he was battling in his mind what was upcoming.  He needed to pray to find the strength to endure.  As a man, he wanted his friend’s support.  He advised the disciples to follow his example. ‘When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”’(Luke 22:40 NKJV).   

My hope that we would have responded to the words of Jesus.  They did not…watch nor pray but slept.  This verse breaks my heart: “Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?”’ (Matthew 26: 40 NKJV)

The Word of God strongly encourages us at least 15 times in the New Testament, to watch and many more times to pray.  As we come to the end of the end of days, the final hours before Jesus’ return, I hear Holy Spirit saying the same thing: “What!?! Really? Can you not watch and with Me in this last hour?” He gave his life for us, but we cannot give him this hour ?

I enCOURAGE you to watch and pray.  Wake up.  We cannot get caught sleeping in the cares and pains of this world.  When we stand before Jesus, I know we do not want to hear the words, “Could you not watch with Me one hour?”  Really, one hour is nothing!