Category: America

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America Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 Living It Out In Real Time The Bible The Big Event The Mysteries of God

The Mystery of The Hiram Code – Revisited

With all that is going on in the world right now, a firm grasp of history is more important than ever. In order to see clearly the solutions of the future, understanding the past is imperative. Spanish philosopher George Santayana made this powerful and oft quoted observation…

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

Some things bear repeating, so with that being said, I am revisiting The Mystery of The Hiram Code this week. Read it here, then be sure to tune in starting this Sunday (click for listings) for this important, 2-part message.

Anyone who knows me, or has watched my program Ron Phillips from Abba’s House for any length of time, knows two things about me:

I love Israel. God said of Israel, “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you“. The nation of Israel and the Jewish people have always been close to my heart. I have traveled to Israel over a dozen times. We are a part of The One New Man partnership with Rabbi Curt Landry’s ministry (The House of David, in Tulsa, Ok). We have invested time, resources, and energy into bringing our viewers products made exclusively in Israel, such as The King’s Oil, as well as the tallits (prayer shawls) our ministry offers. Every time someone buys one of these products from our ministry, it blesses the people of Israel.

I am fascinated by archaeology and science.  I love the way God reveals Himself and proves His Word through nature around us, as well as through archaeology and studying the past. In my more than 6 decades of life, I have learned that if skeptics and critics will simply be honest and look at the FACTS, the Bible will come out as being EXACTLY what it is… the historically-accurate account of the love of God to man – the true, living, and infallible Word of God.

   Hiram TombWith that being said, unlocking the secrets of The Hiram Code was something I dove into with both feet! The more I read and studied, the more fascinating and intriguing it became. The revelations that scientists have made in recent years are shattering our understanding of our own history. For example, did you know…

… that the ancient craftsmen Phoenicians intermarried with the Jewish tribes of Dan, Naphtali, and Zebulun?

… that the Cherokee Indians share 26 genetic markers with the Phoenicians, and 5 with the Jewish people?

Los Lunas… that depleted gold mines in the Eastern United States, as well as depleted copper mines in Michigan, have been discovered that pre-date Columbus?

… that a stone containing Hebraic writing was discovered in Los Lunas, NM? The Los Lunas stone also pre-dates Columbus.

What is more is that The Hiram Code also holds valuable secrets that can unlock blessing in our lives today…

How can we release prosperity as a nation?

How do we become disqualified for blessings and favor?

How can we be assured of walking in the Presence of God?

Here is a preview of what you will see starting this Sunday (7-20)…

 I hope you will tune in to Ron Phillips from Abba’s House to learn more about The Mystery of The Hiram Code, and find out the  implications it can have, not only on your life, but also on the future of America?

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America Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 Healing Living It Out In Real Time The Big Event The Life of Faith Through The Looking Glass

A Time for Rest

Through The Looking Glass2

 

Nuggets of truth sometimes show up in unexpected places.

Back in the 80’s, the music group Chicago had a big hit with the song “Hard To Say I’m Sorry“. The song begins with the line…

Everybody needs a little time away…

No matter who you are, or how strong or resilient you think you are, everyone needs time to recover, recoup, and regroup. Oftentimes, we don’t realize how much we are in need of a break, until we make the decision, or are forced into taking one.

Thousands of years before Chicago ever recorded their first album, King Solomon penned these words…

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV)

A time to heal… a time to laugh… a time to dance… a time to mend… a time for peace. If Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, knew the value of these things, would we not be wise in following his lead?

In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul understood the importance of running the race of faith with endurance…

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. ~ 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV)

As anyone knows who has ever run a race, three important parts of preparing to run are training, diet, and…

Rest.

Maybe today you are feeling the weight of the world bearing down on you like a barbell with a thousand pounds on it. Maybe you are feeling drained, and the abundant life you should be experiencing more closely resembles a life at the end of a rope you are barely hanging on to.  Like a runner who has not adequately prepared, maybe you are feeling the pressure of performing at a level you are not ready for. Jesus encourages you today…

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” ~ Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

So, weary traveller, take some time today— take a nap, read a good book, find a quiet place to get alone with Him, and leave your tired burdens there. By doing so, you might find it not quite so hard to say “I’m sorry”.

Better yet… by having a fresh perspective and positive outlook, you might find eliminate some of the reasons for saying “I’m sorry” in the first place.

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America Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 The Big Event

The Demonic Downgrade of America… Pt II

UTDDOA2

Last week on The Heart of Abba, I spoke about the Demonic Downgrade of America. I tackled those things going on in our society that are dragging our country into an abyss of ungodliness and despair. I cited numerous symptoms, in our government and our society at-large, that are tell-tale signs that we are running head-long down a path of moral, fiscal, and societal destruction. As I cited from the tagline of the 1984 movie, Something Wicked This Way Comes…

For every desire, there will be a cost.

Well, it’s a pretty grim picture. However, the words of Jesus offer us hope…

         “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” ~ John 14:18-21

This past Sunday, I delivered the sermon Upgrading the Demonic Downgrade of America to the church body at Abba’s House. I invite you to join me now, through this video, and find the hope that exists for our nation if we but turn back to the Author and Finisher of our Faith — Jesus.

I invite you to share this video with your friends,
and join me in prayer for the very soul of our nation.

UTDDOA2

Join me this Sunday, July 6, 2014 as I discuss the Mysteries of Eternity. As we stand and watch the flames of retaliation burn in Israel following the brutal murder of three Israeli young men, we as believers need to understand the times in which we live. What do the current events unfolding right now mean to believer and unbeliever alike? Is it going to get worse before it gets better? How should we live our lives in light of these things? Don’t miss this important message.
Worship begins at 10:30a.m… to watch live, click here.

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America Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 Friendship Living It Out In Real Time The Big Event The Mysteries of God Through The Looking Glass

Choosing the Right Hill to Die On.

Through the Looking GlassThere is a saying…

Is that a hill you are willing to die on?

In a battle, a hill (or other high ground) is of immeasurable value. As a point of defense, having your army on top of a hill gives you a tactical advantage in that you can see an oncoming attacker a long way off (taking away any advantage of surprise), thus allowing you to prepare your defense accordingly. Offensively, holding the high ground gives you an ideal position from which to conduct a siege, or keep an enemy contained. Famous battles on such hills as Pork Chop Hill, Bunker Hill, Heartbreak Ridge, San Juan Hill, and many others were oftentimes decisive battles in a conflict. Arthur MacArthur, the father of famous WWII general Douglas MacArthur, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions right here in Chattanooga, Tennessee for his heroism during the Battle of Missionary Ridge. Because of the difficulty involved in taking a hill, the missions to do so were often deemed “suicide missions” because of the likelihood of high casualty numbers.

In our current culture, you often hear the expression related to personal, business, and career decisions. It is another way of saying, “The decision you are about to make — do you feel strongly enough about it and have enough conviction to risk everything? Is this decision worth the potential fallout that may very well ensue?” It could be a job decision that could potentially cost you your job or a promotion. It could be a decision that could cost you a friendship. It could be a life-altering choice that could forever alter the course of your life. While we may not always see the immediate consequences of positive decisions, we see negative decisions played out every day…

The decision by a person to drink and get behind the wheel of a car.

The decision of a spouse to walk away from the marriage they promised to honor.

The decision of a pregnant mother to end the life of her child through abortion.

Yet in spite of whatever decisions and consequences we face everyday, there is one “hill” that trumps them all…

It is a lonely hill called Calvary where Jesus faced a choice: Call 10,000 angels to storm down from Heaven onto a sinful race and obliterate all of His enemies, or go to the cross and be the sacrifice for all mankind.

His choice was YOU. He looked down through history, saw you right where you are, and decided that taking a chance on saving you was worth it.

So while you may have tough decisions that cost you personally, making the eternal choice to trust Jesus as your Savior is an easy decision you can make — not a hill you have to die on.

Why?

Because He already did.

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America Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 Healing The Big Event The Life of Faith

The Demonic Downgrade of America

In 1983, Disney produced a film adaptation of the 1962 Ray Bradbury novel, Something Wicked This Way Comes. It is the story of a mysterious carnival that comes to Greentown, Illinois, and is run by a character named Mr. Dark. While the carnival at first appears entertaining and thrilling, two young boys discover that the carnival and it’s proprietor have a much darker purpose… the acquisition of innocent souls for condemnation. The film was promoted with the tagline…

For every desire, there will be a cost.

Now, 31 years later, this film has become eerily prophetic.

FlagJust as, in 2011, the United States experienced it’s first-ever fiscal downgrade (by Standard & Poors), America is in the midst of experiencing a demonic downgrade. For the last 50 years, America has been experiencing a fundamental shift from our founding Judeo-Christian roots to a nation I hardly recognize. And now, we are seeing our faith, our freedom, and our very foundation under a full-scale attack from the forces of darkness… an attack that began with the removal of Scripture and prayer from our public school system. This victory led to an attack on any Judeo-Christian reference in the public arena. Our timeless symbols such as the cross, the Star of David, the Menorah, and the manger scene (among others), have been deemed unwelcome. Political correctness has not just invaded the statehouse, however… it has cooled the fervor of preaching and witness in America.

Dachau StatueOur government “of the people, by the people, and for the people” has been replaced by an “all-seeing, all knowing, all-controlling” government that is now attempting to take over every aspect of our private lives. Because America has abandoned God, our protective covering has been removed, and we have been invaded by demonic entities. We saw the same thing happen 81 years ago when evil in the form of a man named Adolph Hitler took the reins of power in Germany, and began his Islamic-sanctioned attack on the Jews (the Islamic Grand Mufti (mayor) of Jerusalem (at the time) later traveled to Germany and personally endorsed Hitler’s Jewish “final solution” – the Holocaust).

So, take a look at where we are today…

  • Worst unemployment since the Great Depression.
  • Historic devaluation of the American dollar.
  • Destruction of the world’s best medical system.
  • Since 1973, over 56 million babies have been murdered through the act of abortion.
  • September 11 saw the brutal murder of almost 3,000 of our fellow Americans in New York, The Pentagon, and Shanksville, PA.
  • Benghazi… the first murder of an American ambassador since 1939.
  • The gradual disappearance of our religious freedoms.
  • The legalization of drugs.
  • The systematic breakdown and confusion of the family unit.

While I could go on and on, the fact of the matter is that only demons could orchestrate such a rapid decline of a once God-fearing nation.

In order understand the significance of these things, and how we can fight back against the spiritual forces of wickedness that are influencing public policy in America, we must understand what brought about the circumstances that created an environment conducive to such Godless behavior.

Iwo JimaThis Sunday (June 29), we will be celebrating the birthday of our nation (5 days early) at Abba’s House with All-American Day. We love our nation, and believe in the principles that made this country great… faith, family, & freedom. Our worship ministry will be performing a number of patriotic songs, we will honor our veterans and armed services, and I will bring a message entitled Upgrading The Demonic Downgrade of America. If you love our nation like I do, join me as we find out together what it is going to take to put her back on the right track.

If you are in the Chattanooga area, I invite you to come and join us. Our service begins at 10:30a.m.

If you follow my blog from a distant city or state, and cannot join us in person, you can watch us online at abbashouse.com  Click on this link to watch us live.

Join with me, and let’s enter into this season of national pride and celebration on our knees, with the determination that we will once again be “one nation under God” — for generations to come.

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America Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 Living It Out In Real Time The Big Event The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

The Gospel According to Forrest Gump

ShrimpAnyone born prior to 2009 is probably at least familiar with the name Forrest Gump. As the 20th anniversary of it’s release approaches (originally released on July 6, 1994), I thought this post a timely one. Whether you’ve seen the movie or not, I’m sure you are familiar with some of the colloquialisms derived from the film, as well as some of the pop-culture that was born from it. After all, ever hear of  the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.?

(Incidentally, they DO have boiled shrimp, popcorn shrimp, fried shrimp, jumbo shrimp, shrimp creole, BBQ shrimp, etc… but I digress)

Among his most famous “Gump-isms”, one phrase that is often re-quoted in normal conversation is one quote Forrest attributed to his momma.

Stupid is as stupid does.

Well, as living proof of that, allow me to share my own “Forrest Gump moment”. Recently, I was speaking out of town, but as it was not at an unreasonable distance, we decided to drive. There are a number of people who sometimes travel with me to assist with logistics, books, etc., and on this occasion, my travel companion was a gentleman named Brad. We got to the multi-evening event, and everything went great. However, due to a wedding I was slated to participate in back in Chattanooga, we had to leave immediately once I finished speaking at the last session, and begin the long drive back home.

On the last night of the event, upon completion of the service, we packed up all of our books and materials, said goodbye to the wonderful folks who afforded us the opportunity, and headed out to the truck (I drive an SUV). As we approached the vehicle, I realized something was wrong…

It was already running.

Now, this is a problem, since Brad had stayed with me the whole time, and had never come out to the truck to start it ahead of time. In fact, neither of us had been out to the truck since before the service started, a couple of hours before. As all of the potential reasons why it may have been running, as well as the potential consequences of such, raced into my mind, all I could come up with was a simple question…

“Brad… Did you leave the car running this WHOLE TIME????”

Without missing a beat, and seemingly unfazed by the directness of my question, Brad very simply replied, “No, I just started it remotely a minute ago.”

Whaaaaaaat????

“You did WHAT?” I asked.

“What? You didn’t know you can start it remotely?” Brad asked with a touch of incredulity in his voice. He held up the remote to the truck. “Yeah, you push this button, then push this other one, and it cranks right up.”

So let me get this straight… I have had this vehicle for how-many-years, and never knew I could start it remotely? All of the scorching, southern days that I sat in the car, sweating until the AC caught up with the oven-imitating cab? All of the cold, winter mornings that I had to leave the warmth of my home to go out and crank the icy engine? You mean to tell me that, all this time, I could have simply pushed a button, and let the car warm up (or cool down), without the discomfort of my presence?

Ok… as I am so fond of saying in my sermons: “Hold up your sign” (you know, the one that says stupid on it).

Well, I guess I wouldn’t be a real preacher if I couldn’t find a spiritual application to my own misfortune (or stupidity), so here we go…

How many times have we all had something at our fingertips, and never realized it? How many times has the answer, solution, or tool we needed been within our grasp, but we are too focused on the complexity of the job to see the simple fix? How many of us are guilty of being creatures of habit to the point that, when a better way comes along, we ignore it and wallow in our time-worn inefficiency?

The Psalmist said…

  Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. ~ Psalm 103:2-5

   Ok. Closer to home. How many of us are really good at “blessing the LORD”, and really bad at “forgetting NOT all His benefits”?

Chocolate“Momma always said, ‘Life was like a box of chocolates.
You never know what you’re gonna get.'” ~ Forrest Gump


We sing praises. We worship. We bless His name. However, when the first sign of trouble comes, we retreat into the “box of chocolates“, and we take whatever is handed to us — complain, worry, and fret — and forget that…

He forgives.

He heals.

He redeems.

He crowns (rewards).

He satisfies.

He renews.

While life may be as unpredictable as a box of chocolates, it doesn’t mean you have to take it lying down. You know, it’s a wonderful thing when a Christian does not get used to being a Christian. The ability to still learn, still study, still pray, still have a sense of wonder… still trust. Sometimes, we get lost in the life of being a believer, and forget what it means to actually believe. We must never lose sight that our God never gets old, never gets tired, is always creating, is always ready with a new “gadget” or two that may surprise us, and always has your best interests at heart.

A couple of weeks ago, one of my staff members sang a song on Sunday morning that he wrote several years ago. I think it is appropriate today. As you listen to it (video link below), remember that while the world may say you are stupid for believing in Someone you cannot see, as Paul said…

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ~ 1 Corinthians 1:18

So, maybe “stupid IS as stupid does“. But, if that means believing in the “foolishness” of the cross, and that putting my faith and trust squarely in Jesus is “stupid” — then stupid is something I can live with.

How about you?

Pastor Ron

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The Power of Being

BPRecently, while on a trip to Great Britain, we visited iconic sites like Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Holyrood Palace, and St. Andrews.

Big Ben
Big Ben / Parliament


We also journeyed to Stratford Upon Avon, the home of the great poet and playwright William Shakespeare. Shakespeare once said, “To thine own self be true…” There is also an old Greek aphorism which, when translated, means “Know thyself.”
Our existence is a miracle of creation. We are human beings. We have the gift of “being.” It is interesting that the name of God in Hebrew — Yahweh — is a “being verb” meaning “I am who I have always been, and I always will be who I am.”

The scripture says…

“… In Him we live and move and have our being…” ~ Acts 17:28

With my wife, Paulette, in front of Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Our being means we are more than unreasoning animals. We are made in the image of God, and though fallen, we are given our being back by the sacrifice of Christ!

So I must know who I am and understand my God-given talent, temperament and opportunity. My being can (and should) be filled with His Holy Spirit and His gifts. I can be more than I imagined.

Jesus said for us to deny ourselves for His sake…

“… If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” ~ Matthew 16:24

 

With my grandson, Ethan Logue, near Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

However, we can’t do that until we affirm ourselves. If you do not love yourself, you cannot love your neighbor. It’s time for we as believers to see ourselves the way God sees us. When we choose to deny self, we aren’t giving up anything. By setting aside the very thing that anchors us to death (our sinful nature) and taking up the cross, we are gaining infinitely more than we are leaving behind. The act of following Jesus is the ultimate act of being true to yourself… living the life for which you were always intended — the life for which you were created.

But it is also not just about the individual… individual churches have being as well, and churches must be true to who they are and what they are positioned, gifted, empowered, and called to do.

True human beings are all unique and special. Our churches are as well — each with its own unique calling.

 

Let’s be something great for God — together!

At Cardiff Castle, Wales
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America Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 Healing The Big Event Through The Looking Glass

As We Remember

Flags & Graves2

Today, we in America will observe Memorial Day. This day was first observed as Decoration Day, and originated after the Civil War, as a way of remembering the over 600,000 Union and Confederate soldiers who were killed during that horrific conflict which pitted brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor, and countryman against countryman. While the aftermath of that conflict was a  wounded nation brought back together, and many other brave American men and women have since fallen in wars and conflicts around the globe, we as American citizens must be ever mindful of the price that was paid, and ever vigilant as watchmen to protect the freedom for which they died.

As we today honor those who have fallen in battle, I am reminded of a letter penned by President Abraham Lincoln to a widow, Mrs. Lydia Bixby, whose sons had died fighting for the Union army…

Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,

A. Lincoln

Iwo JimaOn this day, as we go about our family gatherings and picnics, please take a moment to remember the solemnity of this day by offering a prayer of thanksgiving for those who gave their lives so that you could be free, as well as a prayer of comfort for those who are still grieving a loss unimaginable by most of us. Let us remember that those who gave their full measure of devotion for the cause of freedom are not nameless and faceless, but are husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, and friends.

Thank you heroes, for your service and sacrifice. We owe you a debt we cannot repay.

May God bless America.

Flags & Graves

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America Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 Living It Out In Real Time The Bible The Big Event The Secret Place Through The Looking Glass

Hidden Passages & Dead-End Paths

Through the Looking GlassThe ancient city of Sardis stood high on a hill as an impregnable fortress.

When the invading Persian army besieged the city, it proved nearly impossible to approach. One day a soldier, while leaning out over the wall, dropped his helmet to the ground far below. Thinking nothing of retrieving his helmet, he left the confines of the city by a secret passage. The enemy, however, was watching. At nightfall, a platoon of Persian soldiers entered the city through the hidden entrance, attacked, and conquered the city with ease.

We have an enemy who is watching and waiting. The enemy sees ours weaknesses, and is standing ready to attack. We are called to live lives of holiness and diligence, giving no point of entry that the enemy can exploit to minimize our usefulness to the Kingdom of God. I’ve heard it said that “integrity is who you are when no one is watching”. Integrity and character walk hand-in-hand, and who you are when the world is watching is far less telling than who you are when you’re alone. Former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson once said…

If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters.

American revolutionary Thomas Paine had this to say about character…

Character is much easier kept than recovered.

So how are you spending your company time when the boss is not watching?

How do you act and talk when “church-folk” aren’t around?

What are you watching or looking at on your computer in the dark hours of the night?

Peter reminds us of the importance of holiness in our lives when he says…

As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy. ~ I Peter 1:14-16

Make no mistake… your enemy is watching your every move. The only path the enemy has into your life is the one YOU give him.

The Way of Life is the path that stays close to the Savior, and never leads you to a dead-end.

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America Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 Friendship Living It Out In Real Time The Big Event The Life of Faith Through The Looking Glass

The Fine Art of Carrying Cats

Through The Looking Glass2

I love this quote by Mark Twain…

“A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.”

Our personal experiences – good and bad – make us who we are. Experience can be a brutal teacher. What we go through in life, and how we deal with it, can either make us or break us. Being gracious when times are good, and not becoming bitter when times are bad are both equally important.

Regardless of which applies to you on any given day, none of it is getting past your Heavenly Father. The Bible says that He “works all things together for good for those who love Him”. That means that He knows what you are going through, and regardless of what it is, He is going to turn it around for your good.

That’s a promise I can live with. How about you?

Pastor Ron