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Living It Out In Real Time The Life of Faith Through The Looking Glass

Be Consistent

Through the Looking GlassConsider this quote:

“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”

In making this statement, I believe author and former Franciscan priest Brennan Manning hit the nail squarely on the head.

Whether by commission or omission, the church has allowed godlessness to permeate our society. We have allowed our “nation under God” to bury the Presence of God under a mountain of misinterpreted laws and legal catchphrases.

So what can the church do?

We can be consistent. We can practice what we preach. We can show our love for Christ by a lifestyle that is consistent with the Bible we claim to believe.

So, here’s the challenge:

Be that consistent light that the world needs. Don’t just believe it… live it. Let’s see if, just by walking our talk, we can make a difference in a world that needs Jesus.

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Healing Living It Out In Real Time The Life of Faith

Making a Difference in the Dominican Republic

This was taken two weeks ago. A short video of some of our recent visit and ongoing work in the Dominican Republic.

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One Simple, Solitary Truth.

HE IS RISEN!

Happy Easter, friends!

Sunlight thru trees-edited

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Living It Out In Real Time The Life of Faith The Secret Place Uncategorized

The Pardon

Sunlight thru trees-edited“In the year 1829, a Philadelphia man named George Wilson robbed the U.S. mail, killing someone in the process. Wilson was arrested, brought to trial, found guilty, and sentenced to be hanged. Some friends intervened on his behalf, and were finally able to obtain a pardon from him from President Andrew Jackson.

When Wilson was informed, he refused to accept the pardon.

The sheriff was unwilling to exact the sentence since the president had pardoned Wilson. An appeal was made to President Jackson who, in turn, asked the Supreme Court for a ruling. Chief Justice Marshall ruled that a pardon is a piece of paper, the value of which depends on it’s acceptance by the person implicated. If it is refused, then it is not a pardon.

George Wilson was hanged, although a pardon lay on the sheriff’s desk.” **

During this Easter season, I am reminded of this story. We, too, have a pardon that is there for the taking. However, our pardon is not written in ink by the hand of a president, in order to save us from the hangman’s noose…

Our pardon is written in blood by the nail-scarred hands of Jesus, in order to save us from an eternity of torment — forever separated from Him.

And while this free gift of God is available simply for the asking (because He desires that “none should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9)), so many reject His pardon, missing out on the life of peace, protection, and promise that life in the Presence of God brings.

So what about you? Will you choose a life of hope and purpose, or an existence of uncertainty.

Will you choose the Rock of Ages, or the stone of judgement?

If you want to choose life everlasting, it is here.

HE is here.

All it takes is a simple prayer of faith…

“Jesus… I am a sinner. Please come into my life and save me. I know You died to pay the price for my sins. Thank You for all You did for me on Calvary. I accept Your gift, and ask You to be my Lord and Savior! Thank You Jesus for saving me.”

If you prayed that prayer… CONGRATULATIONS! You are now a part of the Family of God!

If you prayed that prayer, please let me know. I would love to hear from you.

Happy Easter!

** from my book… Isaiah: Light for Days of Darkness
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Friendship The Life of Faith Through The Looking Glass

Nothing But The Blood

Through the Looking Glass     The Petersen House in Washington D.C. is the house across the street from Ford’s Theatre where a mortally wounded Abraham Lincoln was taken after being shot by John Wilkes Boothe. A few hours later, Lincoln succumbed to his wounds and, as then-Secretary of War Edwin Stanton observed, passed into the ages.

    For years, his blood-stained pillow remained on display – a testimony to the horrific events of April 14, 1865, and the violent death of one of our greatest presidents.

     A while back, some friends of mine visited the Petersen House only to discover that the pillow had been removed, and placed into storage. The only item that contained the blood of the Great Emancipator had been taken out of public sight, and put into a place where it could, potentially, be forgotten.

     As Christians, we must never let it be forgotten that it is only by the blood — the blood of Jesus — that we have been forgiven. We must never forget the price that was paid when Jesus spilled His blood, and willingly gave up His life out of love for us.

     In this time of history revisionism and self-obsession, as well as being an appropriate reminder during this Holy Week, may this story remind us all that we must never lose sight of the ONLY thing that can save us… the blood of Jesus.

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A Traveler’s Photo Journal

A short photo-album of our mission trip to the Dominican Republic…

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Some of the crowd gathered to hear Pastor Ronnie Jr. preach the word at the baseball stadium.
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Another shot of the crowd. An estimated 11,000 attended the first night of the crusade, with around 1,000 praying to receive Christ.
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My friend, Pastor Bob Vineyard, ministering to a local pastor at the Pastor’s Conference in Cien Fuegos.
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Three generations of Ron Phillips.
My grandson Trey (Ron Phillips III), Ronnie Jr, and me. Such a blessing to get to minister with both of them (Trey read the Scripture the opening night of the crusade).
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Pastor Ronnie Jr. bringing the word on the second night of the crusade. In spite of the rain, approximately 5,000 braved the weather to get a touch from God.
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A young lady holding up two of the three books the team gave to all in attendance. The one on the left is my book, A God-Sized Future, translated into Spanish.
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The young lady on my left was crippled and using the walker I am holding up. We prayed, and she walked out of there healed! Hallelujah!!
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Ministry time. The crowd pressing in to be prayed for.
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Here I am, speaking at the Pastor’s Conference in Cien Fuegos. Nearly 100 pastors came to be ministered to at the conference.
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A local pastor and translator, Pastor Mike, and me. This brother has an amazing story and a wonderful heart.
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On our last day there, we ran into John, a new friend and viewer from South Carolina.
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My friend Dr. Randall Collins ministering at the Pastor’s Conference.
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The Landfill. A garbage landfill encompassing hundreds of acres. Hundreds of people come here to scavenge for food, as well as hunt for items they may be able to resell for money. Many of the children at the Abba’s House Children’s Center were rescued from this life, and are now fed and educated at the Center.
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Me, Pastor Jose Rodriquez (Abba’s House, Dominican Republic), and Pastor Ronnie Jr. with some of the children from the Abba’s House Children’s Center.
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Our team with the some of the children from the Abba’s House Children’s Center in Cien Fuegos, Dominican Republic.
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Pastor Mike and I praying for one of the attendees of the Pastor’s Conference.
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Pastor Sammy Wilson ministering at the Conference.

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words…

If these images stir your heart and spirit, and you would like to learn more about how you can become a part, click here.

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Healing Living It Out In Real Time The Life of Faith

A Traveler’s Journal: Finishing the Race

In his book, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis said, “If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this”.

wpid-IMG_20130319_211953.jpgPaul compared the Christian life to a race, encouraging us to run the race with consistency, determination, and commitment (see Hebrews 12). A long-distance race is not won by the short distance sprinter… it is won by the one who paces himself, and runs the race with endurance and skill, having conditioned himself for the task.

AHCCHaving just returned from a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, and seeing the need that exists there, it brings that analogy of “the race” closer to home. While people who do the “big thing” do a lot to advance the work of the Kingdom of God, the Bible says that we should not despise the day of small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10). The fact is that most people do not have the wherewithal to pay for an orphanage, or supply drinking water to an entire village; however, we can all do the small, consistent thing – the small gifts that, when joined together, make the huge difference that can change the world.

What makes up a $100 bill? 10,000 individual pennies.

Landfill

How do you change the world? One single, solitary heart at a time.

In our current economy, it is easy to lose hope when it comes to giving. It is easy to lose sight of the small, consistent thing we can all do in the shadow of the desire to do the big thing. We all have the desire to do something, but it is easy to succumb to a spirit of condemnation and defeat when we either cannot do all we think we should, or in some way fail to do what we have committed to. Sometimes, throwing up the white flag of surrender seems easier than trying to win the race.

However, maybe Paul knew something that we all forget too easily. Maybe Paul knew that it is not always about winning as much as it is about finishing. Just maybe, Paul knew that, in the Christian life, the winning is in the finishing.

AHCC2Here at Ron Phillips Ministries and Abba’s House, we are reaching the world in a variety of ways. Not only do we have our international television program, Ron Phillips from Abba’s House, and our associated print and media ministry, but we are also involved in a variety of mission projects, not just here in the United States, but around the world. Jerusalem, Guatemala, South Dakota, the Dominican Republic – just a few places in the world we are reaching through the generosity of faithful partners and friends who make what we do possible.

If you have given to Ron Phillips Ministries in the past, words cannot express our gratefulness to you, or the impact you have made on the lives of so many people.

If you have not given, but would like to be a part of something bigger than yourself, it only takes one thing… a willingness to start. When you give to Ron Phillips Ministries, you can be confident that your gift is going to share the Gospel of Jesus, whether through television, internet, or boots-on-the-ground mission work around the world.

Will you help us? Will you use this opportunity to make a fresh start in giving to the work of God around the world?

Crusade

Please help us change the world… one heart at a time.

If you would like to talk to someone about how you can be a part, call 1-800-877-6493.

You can also contact us online at www.ronphillips.org, or click here to give securely online.

If you would like more information on how you can partner with Ron Phillips Ministries, click here.

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A Traveler’s Journal: Final Day

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We spent our last day visiting the Abba’s House Children’s Center in Cien Fuegos. We arrived to a group of smiling faces, full of energy and excited to greet new visitors. From the first moment there, you could not help but fall in love with these wonderful children. The center is run by Pastor Jose Rodriguez and his wife Anyolina, a ministry we have adopted and that now serves as the official Abba’s House representative in the Dominican Republic. The center feeds and teaches over 100 of these precious little ones every day, and we are excited about the plans for their future, and the possibilities of feeding and ministering to even more in months to come. Jeremiah 29:11 says that God know the plans He has for us… good plans for a future filled with hope. We believe that God is going to do great things through the ministry of Pastor Jose, and use him to offer a bright future to many children.

While we were at the center, a small group from the team went to “the landfill”. What they saw there broke their hearts. The landfill is an actual landfill where the garbage and refuse from all over Santiago is brought and dumped. It encompasses hundreds of acres, and is filled with flies, stray dogs, cattle (and the waste they bring), and hundreds of people – many of them children – who scavenge for food, as well as discarded items that they might be able to resell. Almost ALL of the children from the Children’s Center were rescued from this very life, but there are so many more to rescue.

After our visits, it was time to get ready for the final crusade. What had been a beautiful day became cloudy, and while we were on the way to the stadium, the bottom fell out. It poured, turning the infield of the stadium into a muddy mess. Still, it did not deter thousands from coming to get a fresh touch from God, and find healing and deliverance at the foot of the cross. I shared the pulpit with Pastor Ronnie Jr. as we told the story of Jesus healing the woman with the issue of blood, and raising Jarius’s daughter from the dead.

Pastor Ronnie gave an invitation for salvation, and many, many people prayed to receive Christ. He then gave an invitation for those wanting to be healed. Hundreds of people flocked to the stage to be prayed for. Our team, as well as local pastors prayed for those who came forward. The pastors then gathered at the front of the stage, and we prayed a blessing over about 100 of them.

This has been a glorious trip, and I want to just say a word of thanks to all of you who lifted us up in prayer. Your prayers were felt every step of the way, and encourage  us to look forward with great anticipation to what God is going to do in the future in Cien Fuegos.

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A Traveler’s Journal: Braving The Storm

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What an amazing day! Yesterday morning was the last day of the Pastor’s Conference, and there was such an awesome spirit of unity in the room. If the pastors of this area will continue to step into their destiny, and into a future of being led by the Holy Spirit in every area, there is no limit to what they will be able to accomplish for the Kingdom here in the Dominican Republic.

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As we were heading out to the crusade, it began to rain, and by the time we got to the stadium, it was really coming down. We figured that not many people would show up due to the inclimate weather.

Oh, WE of little faith!

As we pulled in, one of the worship bands was already lifting up praises to the Father, and the crowd was already well into the thousands. By the time Pastor Ronnie Jr. took the stage, there were close to 5,000 people there… hungry for a touch from God. He preached a powerful salvation message, and shared some of his own testimony. When he gave the invitation to accept Jesus as their Savior, hundreds of people flocked to the front of the stage, and into the Kingdom!

What we are experiencing is both heart-breaking and refreshing. While it is heartbreaking to see the poverty and need that exists here, as well as the spiritual desperation, it is refreshing to see a desire and thirst that bad weather and inconvenience cannot quench. To see thousands of people standing in the pouring down rain to receive a touch from God convicts me of our level of commitment and complacency to the things of God. May God light a fire in us that no amount of negativity, discouragement, or bad weather can extinguish! May the power of His Spirit sweep into our lives and fill us with a renewed desire to see souls ushered into His Kingdom! May our every heartbeat beat as the heartbeat of the One Who gave His all for us!

On a personal note, I am so thankful for our faithful friends and partners that have given to our ministry. It is your generosity that makes the work we do in places like Cien Fuego, Dominican Republic, Huehuetenango, Guatemala, the Gambia, and other places throughout the globe possible. When we come to places like this, where poverty is so tangible, it drives home the point that “no gift is too small for need so great”. If you would like to be a part of what we are doing in places like the Dominican Republic, please call our 800 number… 1-800-877-6493. You can also visit ronphillips.org , or simply click here.

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A Traveler’s Journal: Dominican Republic-Day 2

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Last night was the first night of the crusade, and it was truly a night of miracles. Pastor Ronnie Jr. brought the Word to a crowd of about 11,000, and when he gave the invitation for those wanting to give their lives to Jesus to come forward, an ocean of people swept into the forward area by the stage.
As we began to minister to those coming for salvation, a woman came up to me and asked me, in very plain English, to pray for her to be healed. About the time I began to pray for her, Pastor Ronnie Jr. told the crowd that if they wanted to get prayer for healing, or to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to come forward.
At that point, the ocean turned into a flood! Our ministry team was completely overwhelmed. As the throngs of people pressed in around us, the hunger of these people was tangible. At times, it was difficult to even move through the crowd. My videographer had to hand his camera to someone else, and help out on the ministry team. Members of the National Police  even stepped in to try to assist us. It was an awesome sight to see such a crowd, so hungry for a touch from God.
As I moved through the crowd, I came to a place where some people led me over to a woman who was seated. She had a walker in front of her, and it was obvious she could not walk. They told me she was totally dependent on this walker to be able to get around. However, her friends and family who were with her were believing for her healing. As I prayed for her, our faith joined together for her healing. I stood in front of her, and she reached out for my hands and stood up. She began to walk, still holding onto my hands. After several steps, she let go, AND BEGAN TO WALK BY HERSELF… UNASSISTED! As those with her began to rejoice, she walked around… no walker… no one to hold on to. Hallelujah! We serve a God Who is still in the healing business!

By the end of the night, it was estimated that around 1,000 people made decisions for Jesus, with countless others coming for ministry.

It is now Day 2 of the Pastor’s Conference. I will be speaking today about spiritual warfare. Please pray for the nearly 100 pastors at the meeting. They are hungry for a fresh touch from God for their own lives, their families, their churches, their city, and their nation.