The dust has finally settled from a very busy Holy Week, and things have finally slowed down a bit as I share a few thoughts.
Easter of 2017 was wonderful day! From spending time with church family (and seeing a lot of new faces) to spending time with family and friends as we worshiped together, laughed, ate, and celebrated with thanksgiving and grateful hearts the gift of salvation and the hope that resurrection brings, Easter was a very special day this year.
While we gathered to celebrate Jesus, and the victory that He won over the devil, death, Hell, and the grave, we were reminded that His victory did not come without cost or consequence. Courage, sacrifice, humility, meekness, and lowliness of heart are all attributes at the ready for all who would follow Him. While I am eternally grateful for the sacrifice He made — the only sacrifice by which we can hope to be saved — my gratitude runs deep as well for the people of God and the obedience and diligence which they exhibited on this most Holy day.
I would like to thank all of those who helped care for the dozens of children who came to the house of the Lord on Easter (and every Sunday); folks who forego the experience of worship and teaching in order to minister to the upcoming generation of infants, toddlers, and small children, and take care of their needs with joy and love.
I thank all of the men and women who greeted people with smiles and kindness, assisted visitors, gave directions to those not familiar with our campus, and who diligently walked the parking area throughout the service, making sure things stayed safe and secure.
I thank all of those who volunteered on the Abba’s House bus, and provided a reliable and safe way for the underprivileged of our city to get to and from church to hear the Good News of Jesus’ love.
I thank the dozens of volunteers who sacrificially gave of their time during the weeks before Easter; making phone calls, handing out water bottles and invitations at ball games, recreation parks, and places of business, and giving a smile to a stranger in need — inviting friends and strangers to join us on Easter.
I want to thank all of the musicians and singers who led us in worship, and helped create an atmosphere in which the King of Glory was exalted and glorified.
I want to thank all those in our bookstore, who served with joy, and provided refreshments to let us feel just a little bit more at home.
I want to thank all of those who volunteered as support and technical staff, who kept everything running smoothly so the rest of us could see and hear, and enjoy His presence undistracted, not just in the House, but across the world.
I want to thank every member of Abba’s House for making a welcome and inviting place for our guests.
I want to thank our entire staff who worked tirelessly to provide all of our volunteers with the support they needed, and who worked as a team to make the day a very special one.
I want to thank Pastor Ronnie Phillips, Jr for joining me on stage as we shared from our hearts the message God had given both of us for day, and who ministers beside me with an anointing and heart for people.
Last but not least, I want to thank all who joined us — if even for the first time — in the House or online. I hope you came with an expectation, and left with a sense of the greatness and glory of the Most High God. I pray that your life was touched for eternity through our time together, and that it will not be the last time; that you will choose to join us again and become a part of the family we call Abba’s House.
You are ALWAYS welcome at Abba’s House!
God bless!
Pastor Ron
For those of us living in East Tennessee, last year made us understand why rain is so desperately important. From the Smokies to the Tennessee Valley, wildfires as a result of the lack of rain brought destruction and death to many in our region. While Chattanooga faced wildfires up in the mountains surrounding our city, in places like Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and Sevierville, hundreds lost homes, businesses, possessions, and some their very lives.
In about two weeks, America will once again go through the pomp and ceremony of inaugurating a new president, meaning new leadership and new direction in our nation. While January 20 (and a few days following) will be filled with all manner of spectacles, traditions, and commentary, it will merely mark the beginning of an administration that came to power on promises of ending corruption, national security, and returning us to being a nation “of, by, and for the people.” President Trump will have his hands full, leading our country during a time of political unrest, social division, international instability, and unfettered terrorism.
Prayer is not partisan. While I never voted for President Obama, and disagreed with him on much of his agenda, I prayed for him nearly every single day. I genuinely hoped and prayed that he would be a good and just president. My prayer is the same for President Trump. I pray that he will surround himself with Godly counsel, that he will listen to wise advisers, and that he will always put America’s best interests — spiritually, socially, and economically — first (this includes an unwavering support for Israel).
Last, I would encourage all of us — as Americans — to be diligent in seeking after holiness, righteousness, and decency. Make a difference in your own circle of influence. Last year, I wrote a book called 
America! America!
1. Forgive all who have hurt you and ask forgiveness of those you may have hurt.
2. Commit yourself to the Church. Be a faithful attender and attend both Sunday and mid-week services.
3. Pay any back tithes and offerings before this year ends. If you are able, sow a seed toward a harvest in the New Year.
4. Focus on someone or some family you could reach in the New Year.
5. Get active in a Sunday school class, LifeGroup, choir, as a nursery volunteer…. get involved sowing into the lives of others with your time and talent.
6. Set a plan to read Scripture and pray daily.
7. Be open to the Holy Spirit and His leading in your daily life.
8. Try to be proactive about health, diet and exercise. YOUR body is HIS temple.
9. Take joy where you find it and live thankfully each day… life is precious.
10. Live focused on God’s vision and do not let the small stuff bug you.
11. View life on earth as an exciting journey, not as a finish line.
12. Take the risk of loving others unconditionally.
Christmas is upon us.
As we bask in the warmth of the love of family and friends, let us take inventory of the goodness of God in our lives, starting with the Child in the manger, over 2000 years ago… the Hope of the world. Let us put aside the things that divide us, and draw near to the simplicity of that night, that angels heralded His birth, and Hope was given to a people lost in darkness. As the prophet Isaiah proclaimed centuries before that blessed night…
Every morning (weather permitting), the old artist would walk down the hill from his house to the small dock he had built years before on the lake. He would take his easel and a small box of drawing and painting utensils, and spend hours sitting on the dock, painting and sketching. Often, he would paint his beautiful surroundings — trees, water, the mountains, the woodland creatures — but every once in a while, he would paint images from his mind, and what the serenity of that place inspired in his imagination. He started off just hanging the pictures in his small home but over time, the lack of wall space and the encouragement of a friend inspired him to sell his paintings at a local store. Every once in a while, his art would inspire him to accompany the painting with a poem from his own experience, and although he rarely wrote such poems, they were always filled with beautiful imagery, witty humor, and profound wisdom.
For the first six months, his work was incredible. The publisher was overwhelmed by the beauty of the old artist’s eloquent and witty poems and stories. Furthermore, he was overjoyed by the public reception of the old artist — letters and correspondence praising the writings as masterful and insightful. Readership was up for the first time in a decade, with a corresponding rise in revenue. Everyone at the publishing company was happy.
That place I call home. That place I knew since I was a young boy. That place I shared with the love of my life — my other inspiration — until her time on this earth was done. That place where the wind sings to my spirit, that holds my memories, my laughter, my tears, my joys, and my sorrows. That place that inspired adventure in a young man, and soothed the broken heart of a grieving and lonely old man.
How many times do we see someone for what they are, but we miss who they are? How many times have we — as friends, acquaintances, leaders, and employers — looked to someone to fill a role in our lives without considering what it is that makes them qualified or even necessary to fill that role? How many times have employers, for the sake of gaining an employee, forsaken an artist? We see how having the abilities of a person can benefit us, but what is that thing that inspires them, that makes them who they are, that makes them of benefit to everyone around them? While we may choose what a person’s assignment is, do we understand what their anointing is?
This Christmas season, I encourage you — actually, I invite you — as we celebrate the story of the Christ Child, to find out someone else’s story. Find out what makes them tick. Look beyond the temporal and temporary exterior and find out about their experiences, dreams, and aspirations.
The story, posted in 
Political correctness has indeed reached a tipping point, and for the left-wing crowd that wants to be able to say, express, and champion every progressive, “enlightened”, offensive, and ungodly idea under the auspices of “free speech”, well… here’s your First Amendment at work.
He waited for the opportune time to spring his trap — a time when all was quiet, the adoring crowds were gone, and he was relatively alone, except for maybe a few of his closest friends. His accusers were seconds away in hiding, just waiting for a sign…
The recent movie 
So while this story is just one more example of the bravery of our men and women in service, and is a testament to the courage and determination of the human spirit, there is another lesson that lies “below the surface”… and nine months before.
The motto of the U.S. Coast Guard is “semper paratus“, Latin for “always ready“.
Back a few years ago, a very popular television show saw the end of a successful 20-year run. Law & Order was a drama, often based on actual police and judicial cases, in which a crime was committed, followed by courtroom drama in the prosecution of the accused. The show was so popular, it produced an offshoot series — Law & Order: SVU.
In a nation built on the rule of law, it is unacceptable for those in authority to allow those laws to go unheeded, ignored, and disobeyed. Yet, in recent years, we have seen our laws be ignored time and again, both by criminals on the street, and powerful individuals in the halls of government. Whether it is private citizens breaking the law, or a President of the United States ignoring the law, both will lead to anarchy if left unchecked.
If we, the Church, can be a model of humility, integrity, and consistency, we can point people, not just to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, but be a shining example of the peace and blessing that come through submissive obedience. Often in the past, the church has abdicated its God-given responsibilities, taking us further down the road to governmental dependence. It is time for the body of Christ to once again be salt and light, and make a difference in a society that is flying blind. It is time for us to be an example of what a return to Godliness, law, and order looks like on a national scale.
The Heart of Abba - Ron Phillips 