Category: Miracles Out of Nowhere

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

Angels In The Snow

Ok… we’ve finally made it to summer weather (winter just seemed so unrelenting this year in the Tennessee Valley). Feeling the warmth outside as we head into the dog-days of summer, I thought I’d give you a brief respite from the heat and tell you a little story… about snow. Snow and angels.

Gena’s story…

There are angels among us. You never know if it’s that person standing next to you in the elevator, behind you in line in the market, or even the pizza delivery guy.

One of my dearest friends worked as a full-time nanny for a very nice family of five that lived way out in the Indiana countryside. Being a mother-to-be herself, she certainly had her hands full with taking care of their children… but she did an amazing job.

imageI’d gone over there one weekend to spend some time with she and the kids while the parents were out of town. It was a wonderful December day and had started to get late. It was time for me to leave. It really snowed that day, so everything was completely covered. After I’d warmed my car, I was trying to back out and had somehow found myself no longer on their driveway, but instead on their lawn. That’s when I got stuck. I tried rocking the car back and forth in my attempt to get the car out, but all that did was make a mess of their yard. Feeling just awful about it, I went back inside and announced to my friend, “I’m stuck.” My friend began looking for shovels, salt, two-by-fours… anything that might help. “Surely these folks have tools; they live in the country!”

No luck.

I’d gone back out to the car to have another go at it, and was getting really frustrated. By this time, it was around 11:00p.m., very cold, and although the snowing had slowed to almost nothing coming down, it was difficult to get around since the snow from the day was fairly deep. Back in the car, I sat there thinking that I didn’t want to worsen the near-ditch I had already dug in their front yard. I couldn’t believe this. “How could I have done this?” I asked myself, I didn’t even have anyone to call for help. I started to pray. After a few minutes, for some reason I glanced down at my odometer. To my ironic horror, it read the numbers 666. I became angry and yelled, “I rebuke this!” I quickly pushed the button, resetting the odometer back to zero.

Just then, a small car with a Domino’s Pizza delivery sign on top pulled up to the house. I remember thinking, “Way out here? That’s odd.” A man got out of the car. With a big smile, he walked over and chuckled, “Looks like you could use some help.”

I was giddy with thankfulness and replied, “Oh yes… thank you! Thank you so much!”

He laughed and said he’d give it a push while I gave it a little gas.

I sat in the car and looked behind me through the rear window. The man stood behind my car, and for a few moments, he looked at it in what appeared to be a very thoughtful way. It was like he was gathering information with his smiling eyes.

“OK, then!” he called out. I pressed gently on the gas pedal… I certainly didn’t want to fling the icy slush and mud on him.

He placed his hands on the trunk of my car and forward, up, and back onto the driveway I went. I thought, “Oh my! He didn’t even lean.”

I got out of the car and was so surprised, all I could get out of my mouth was a barrage of “thank you”s and a “Wow! You’re strong!”

He laughed and asked that I be very careful out there on the road.

I went to reach for my purse in the car to give him some cash for helping me out, and when I looked up, he’d already gone all the way back to where his car was on the road. He stood by his car and waved before getting in and pulling away.

I quickly jumped into my car and backed out to the road. He was gone. No taillights…

No tire tracks in the snow.

AngelsYour prayers matter to our Father and activate angelic assistance. Remember, no prayer goes unnoticed or unanswered. I realize that, to some of you, that doesn’t make sense, when you have prayed for healing and the healing hasn’t come, or when you have suffered greatly and there seemed to be no relief. However, our prayers have been entrusted to angels until their appointed time. As allies with the angels, we must be reassured by the power of prayer and spend time regularly with God.

— from the book, Our Invisible Allies by Ron Phillips published by Charisma House Publishers Copyright © 2009 by Ron Phillips
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Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 Healing Living It Out In Real Time Miracles Out of Nowhere The Big Event The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

An Unexpected Stop on a Holy Quest

New MexicoCenturies ago there lived a young German monk. This devoted man took his holy orders seriously. His life was one of discipline. He had surrendered everything and viewed soberly the holy obligation of the church. Still, his struggling heart was empty. Finally, the young cleric decided that pilgrimage and penance was the way to God. He crawled up the high stairs in Rome where many made their pilgrimages, the staircase known as Scala Santa. Worn out and bloody from the journey, he still had no answer from God.

Returning home, the young monk was browsing in a library when he came across a complete copy of the Latin Scriptures. He was astounded, for he had never held the entire Word of God in his hands, in spite of years of Bible study as a monk. That day the light came powerfully to Martin Luther as one verse from God’s Word broke over his soul—

“The just shall live by faith.” ~ Romans 1:17

Luther knew that Paul had written those words, echoing the prophet Habakkuk, to the church at Rome. Now, 1,500 years later, the same truth that had become almost smothered by church traditions exploded in his heart. In that moment of revelation, Martin Luther had a profound conversion and filling of the Holy Spirit. He moved from religious ritual to a personal relationship with Jesus. Now, at last, his quest for life together with God was made possible by the journey to Jesus.

Luther went on to lead thousands of others to that same freedom!

Fast forward about 500 years…

Not unlike Luther, in 1989 I came to realize my own life had become one of religious works done to please God and to rise in denominational prestige and position. My early quest for life together with God had been swallowed by religious obligation. With a legalistic work ethic, I worked hard and achieved a measure of success — if nickels and noses were any measure in church life. Vacancy After twenty-two years in the ministry I found myself empty and powerless. My walls were lined with books I had mastered, a few I had written, degrees I had earned, and awards I’d received. Yet I had no close relationship with God. I had received His salvation, had dedicated my life to ministry, yet my soul was emaciated, starved for spiritual things. My pride in my knowledge kept me from talking about my hunger. I was opinionated and mean-spirited to those who didn’t agree with me. Being right was more important to me than being righteous. God graciously began to allow disappointment and difficulty to exhaust my flesh. I became so miserable that I could no longer stand myself, nor did I feel I could continue as a pastor. My life had reached critical mass… something had to give.

It was then that my life was overturned completely by what some call the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Up until that heavenly invasion, I had my faith neatly stacked into an orderly package. I believed that God did great things in the past and one day in heaven I would see Him. I was thoroughly orthodox and adamantly opposed the “mystics” who believed God could speak, act, and touch people like He did in the Book of Acts. Like a Pharisee, I had turned the written Word into an idol. I was a “Scripture expert” but a miserable failure at life.

AMotel Signt the moment I was ready to tender my resignation from the ministry, God met me in a hotel room in New Mexico. Oh, blessed invasion! Oh, divine disruption! I had a literal and personal awakening in the long night of my despair! God spoke to me, baptized me, filled me, and called me to an authentic relationship with Him. From that new relationship would flow a new ministry, wild and free like a rushing river. This experience was not an end but the beginning of a fantastic quest for intimacy with Jesus. All my life I have been in hot pursuit of an intimate life dwelling together with God through the power of the Holy Spirit.

—from The Power of Agreement
by Ron Phillips and Ronnie Phillips, Jr.
Published by Charisma House, © Copyright 2014

 

 

 

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America Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 Healing Living It Out In Real Time Miracles Out of Nowhere The Big Event The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place Through The Looking Glass

In Retrospect of Fear

FlagSometimes, some things that we say bear repeating (and truth much moreso). This week will mark the one-year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing. The following blog was written in the aftermath of that horrible event.
Recent events in our nation and world have brought fear and uncertainty back to the headlines, and whether it is fear of an unseen enemy, or fear of the very institutions and ideals we once thought made us safe… fear is still fear.
However, truth is still truth… whether spoken 5 seconds ago, 1 year ago, or 2 millenia ago.

No Fear

After following the news in the wake of this week’s terror attack at the Boston Marathon, it is obvious and understandable that emotions in our nation are running the gamut.

We are saddened by the physical and emotional pain that our friends and fellow Americans are facing as a result of those killed and injured. Our prayers for healing and comfort go out to the victims and their families during this time.

We are angry that someone had the audacity to commit this heinous crime on a day (Patriot’s Day) that was about everything that is right with our nation (courage, honor, freedom), on our own soil – our home.

We are confused as to why and how this could have happened. Who committed this act? Why did they do it? As our fine law enforcement officials investigate, we believe that answers will be forthcoming.

We are afraid. Many people in our nation are now living in fear on a variety of levels:

People are in fear that it could happen again.

Witnesses may face fear from the memories of that horrific day.

Victims are fearful of moving forward into a future of uncertainty.

Terror, by it’s very definition, is about eliciting a fear response. Terror means “extreme fear”. Terrorism is not simply about killing and wounding innocent men, women, and children; it is about inciting fear in those who remain, and causing people to live in fear.

The problem we face is that fear (terror) is a vicious cycle. Fear is a magnet to demons. The more we discuss and voice our fear with our lips, the more demons are attracted to the atmosphere of fear. Fear is more than emotion… fear is a spirit. 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that…

“God has not not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind“.

In the Bible, Job was considered a righteous man. However, Job had a fatal flaw. In Job 3:25, Job confesses:

“For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.”

Job feared the loss of his children and his treasures, and Satan was drawn to that fear. And while we may think that fear is an unavoidable part of life, living in fear is an existence that we do not have to settle for. 1 John 4:18 tells us that “perfect love casts out fear“, and in Proverbs 29:25, we have this promise:

The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.

Abraham Lincoln is arguably the greatest president our country has ever seen. However, history bears out that he lost every single election he ran until he ran for president. What if he had allowed fear from past experiences to convince him to quit? How different would our country look today.

Former South African President Nelson Mandela once said, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” For the believer in Jesus Christ, the opposite of fear is more than courage… it is faith and hope.

For those of you that watch my television program, Ron Phillips from Abba’s House, you are familiar with my co-host, Angie McGregor. What many of you may not realize is that Angie is a gifted songwriter and singer. Several years ago, in the immediate shadow of 9/11, Angie released a song that resonates today. Having faced down some fear in her own life, she penned the song simply titled, I Will Not Fear. After the events of 9/11, this song took on a whole new meaning for all of us that heard it.

— from the CD Could We Dance? ©Copyright 2002 FacePlace Music

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America Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 Friendship Miracles Out of Nowhere The Bible The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

Easter and the Blood Moon

This year, as I have said, is the “year of the open door” in Hebrew. This is based on the fact that the Hebrew word for 4 is “dalat” which is a gateway. Also, 14 is a double 7, which indicates a double completion.

Among Anglo-Saxons, the number four represents a galloping horse. This can be found on the edge of the British one ounce silver coin this year.

So we are faced with a year of “due season”… open gateways while the galloping horses of Revelation seem to be approaching. Or could it be something else? Could it be that God’s people are being turned from sheep to horses for these last days?

Blood-Moon14The month of April is pregnant with prophetic symbols. We are seeing the release in March/April of four movies based on scriptural themes. Two of those movies relate to the end times, “Noah” and the release of the remake of “Left Behind” (starring Nicholas Cage). We are indeed moving into the “days of Noah” and the “days of Lot”…

And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. ~ Luke 17:26-30 (NKJV)

Add to all of this “a blood moon” on Passover (April 15).

What does this mean to us? Why should this matter?

Well, on Easter Sunday (April 20), one-billion people worldwide will participate in various services and gatherings during those 24 hours. I believe that if Christians everywhere would get to church on that Sunday, and come together in agreement for what God can do, April could represent a significant shift in our nation and our world.

Here is the day we cross a line in the sand, as Prophet Johnny Enlow states. The church will rise in our full identity to take back our nation and impact our world.

The people of Abba’s House are asked to gather on April 12th, in advance of Easter Sunday, and until Easter to impact our city.

If you love the Lord, America, and our way of life, get to church (or back to church) this Easter.

I am calling on every member on our rolls — as well as every guest, every friend, and every person without a church — to join us at 9:15 for LifeGroups and 10:30 for Worship on Easter Sunday. Our gathering in unity will release an avalanche of blessing from the heavenlies.

This past year I broke the yoke off of our area for its treatment of the Cherokee Indians. The three stranded cord of Ecclesiastes that cannot be broken is in place (our Church, first nations, and Israel). I have been to both ends of the Trail of Tears and to Israel in the last 12 months. My son Ronnie Jr. and I will release a book called The Power of Agreement later this year.

Our gathering this Easter is critical for the nation. I am asking all people nationwide to gather in a spirit-filled church on Easter.

Pastor Ron

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

Will the Real Jesus Please Show Up?

Go with me here…

Imagine if Jesus were a guest speaker in the average church. First, ever the good Samaritan, He may be running slightly late, having stopped to help some unfortunate family stranded  by the side of the road. When He finally arrives, He catches some cold stares from folks lingering in the vestibule. They notice that He isn’t wearing a suit and tie, but the work clothes of a carpenter (now stained with dirt, oil, and grease from the encounter with the unfortunate family’s broken down vehicle).

We hurry Jesus to the pastor’s office where we hand Him our bulletin. With a smile at the corners of His lips, He gives our printed order of worship a passing glance, and mumbles, “We’ll see.”

The choir begins the call to worship, and we walk in with Him. Suddenly, several individuals begin to scream and cry out, “Jesus, why have you come to torment us?” They fall at His feet, writhing and crying out. Everyone stares at the scene, trying to guess what Jesus will do. Will He deal with such things in church?

imageJesus gazes around at the crowd, His eyes sweeping over the audience as if searching out every needy soul. He speaks again the words He once read in the synagogue:

The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the Gospel to the poor;
He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD. ~ Luke 4:18 NKJV

Turning to those still writhing at His feet, Jesus casts out the demons simply by saying, “Come out of them.” The delivered people lie quietly in the aisles of the church. Suddenly, others begin to move forward as the sick begin coming toward Him for His touch. He lays hands on them one by one and, regardless of their malady, they are instantly healed. With leaps and shouts of joy, they begin praising God for healing them.

After a few minutes, Jesus quiets the crowd and begins to teach with authority, as sinners begin to weep under the conviction His words bring. Before a formal invitation can even begin, people are flocking to the altar, falling prostrate before Him in glorious salvation.

Word soon spreads to the children’s church that Jesus is in the building, and they leave behind their craft projects and Sunday School papers to find Him. With noisy enthusiasm, the children burst through the sanctuary doors. Embarrassed parents lunge to restrain them as the little ones scramble to where Jesus is standing, clamoring for His touch. Jesus addresses the adults in the room:

Let the little children come unto Me.

He then proceeds to touch all of them with a blessing.

Young people gather around Him next, begging to follow Him as disciples. He asks them if they are willing to take up His cross. Will they go anywhere? Are they willing do endure the hardship that being a disciple will inevitably bring?

Dozens volunteer.

While all of this transpires, an outside door creaks open as a young man, tattered, filthy, and smelling like a pigsty slips in the back – unnoticed – and slowly makes his way across and around the back of the room.

Soon, the aged saints with youth still in their hearts come, asking, “Is it true we will have a body like Yours?” He smiles at them and tells them of the glorious victory they will have over the grave. He blesses them for their faithfulness and charges them to continue their mentoring of the younger saints. They step back from His words with hope restored, feeling a new vigor to go on and serve Him as long as they live.

Then suddenly, a woman with the marks of the world on her countenance begins to weep loudly. Her face is tear-streaked with makeup that could never hide the ravages of her immorality. She falls at His feet, covering them with tears as she receives His pardon.

On the other side of the building, music begins to sound, as there is a commotion in the aisle. We hear a voice cry out, “This my son was dead, and is alive again! He was lost, but now is found!” Our attention turns to a well-dressed older gentleman dancing with and hugging the tattered young man who had snuck in just moments before.

By this time, the church leaders are gathering in the back of the church… watching. One man says, “I cannot believe that our pastor brought this radical into our church.” Another replies, “We’d better get this back in hand quickly.” Another speaks, “Some of our best people have left upset today.”

So, I ask you… Does the real Jesus dare show up in our churches?

Too many churches have learned how to operate without Jesus, much like the end-time church of Laodicea. No doubt, the LORD makes this same lament over our churches today…

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked… Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. ~ Revelation 3:15-17, 20-21

imageRecently in our own church, we had a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit at a Wednesday evening service. When it came time for me to preach, there was no reason to… we were in the middle of experiencing the very thing I was going to speak on. It’s fine to talk about the move of God, and how He should work in our churches. However, when He shows up, we have to be willing to get out of the way, and let Him move.

Jesus’ presence should be evident today in all of our services through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Churches will be different when He shows up in full power! Today, the church is a colony of Heaven. We are outposts of another Kingdom beyond time and space. These outposts we should be expressions of Jesus’ presence and power. The power of “the world to come” must be evident in our churches. The powers of Heaven can be ours through the down-payment of the Holy Spirit. The supernatural should be “the norm” in the life of the church.

~ adapted from Awakened By The Spirit by Ron Phillips

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Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 Miracles Out of Nowhere The Big Event The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place Through The Looking Glass

A Leader Worth Following

From inside the walls of our churches to the halls of Congress, people are looking for leadership. But what is a real leader?

Is it the person who “makes the rules” and “calls the shots?”

Is it the one who constantly reminds others of who is in charge?

Is it the person who has the “my way or the highway” mentality?

Or…

Is it the person who listens to the advice of others? Is it the person who takes suggestions and criticism, and has the wisdom to run with the good, and throw out the bad?

In his book, Jesus: The Man Who Lives, British author Malcolm Muggeridge made this observation…

If the greatest of all, Incarnate God, chooses to be servant of all, who would wish to be master?”

Jesus said that “whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.”

Do you wish to lead? If you do, then find out what it means to serve, and become a servant today.

This week…

We are in the beginning of what is already promising to be a great week at Abba’s House. Yesterday, we began our annual Fresh Oil New Wine Conference, and it is off to a great start. I’m being joined this week by Pastor John Hagee, Perry Stone, Rabbi Curt Landry, Dwain Miller, Randy Caldwell, and more. We are already seeing God move in mighty ways, and are expecting an outpouring of His Spirit as we tap into the ancient wells of our heritage as believers. I hope you can make it, but if you cannot get to Chattanooga, you can watch us online by clicking this link. You can find out more about Fresh Oil New Wine by visiting here.

I know that there are so many different social media sites out there, and chances are, most of you that follow my blog participate in at least one or two. I would love to stay connected to you…

If you are on Twitter, you can connect with me at @PstrRonPhillips

On Facebook, there is more than one way.

To connect with Ron Phillips Ministries, go to https://www.facebook.com/RonPhillipsMinistries

Our Abba’s House Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/AbbasHouse

You can also visit our website at ronphillips.org

Thanks for following my blog. Hope to see you at FONW14

Pastor Ron

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America Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 Healing Miracles Out of Nowhere The Big Event The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

Tapping The Ancient Wells

FONW2014

Our annual Fresh Oil New Wine conference is about to begin at Abba’s House, and I hope to see many of you there. Fresh Oil New Wine is always a great time of spiritual renewal and outpouring, and this year, we expect no different.

Christianity has deep roots in Jewish heritage, and I will be joined by John Hagee, Perry Stone, Rabbi Curt Landry, Randy Caldwell and others as we honor Israel and our Jewish roots.

I would love to see you there! March 2-6, 2014 are the dates for this free conference at Abba’s House in Chattanooga, TN. To register, click here.

Are you someone who needs renewal and refreshment from the Holy Spirit???

If so, then this is the conference for YOU!

See you at Fresh Oil New Wine!

Pastor Ron

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Miracles Out of Nowhere The Mysteries of God Through The Looking Glass

Angels on I-40

MapAs a pastor for so many years, I love hearing stories of how God is working in the lives of His people. Whether it’s how He guides us along the paths of life in quiet, subtle ways, or interjects Himself in more obvious displays of His power, as I travel around the world, I hear so many stories of both natures. It is especially significant when I hear the stories from those in my own church, the the people to whom God has called me as shepherd. One such story happened last weekend.

Dana works in the media department of Abba’s House and Ron Phillips Ministries. He is also a long-time musician and worship leader, and as such, had made the decision to attend The Next Step Gathering, hosted by my friend, Ray Hughes. The event was in Asheville, NC, which is about 3.5 hours from Chattanooga. On the final day of the event, it began to snow in Asheville. Due to some previous commitments Dana had made, he felt he could not afford to get snowed-in in Asheville, and decided to head back early to Chattanooga. He posted his story on social media, and I’ll share some of it here…

I had been on the road for a little less than an hour when my daughter Maddie felt the urge to pray for me. She went into her room, and began to pray. Within minutes of her prayer, as I came out of a curve on I-40W, I was in the left hand lane, and was merging right when I inexplicably lost control of my vehicle (at first, I thought I had hit a patch of ice, but upon further review, it seems that something in the steering/suspension mechanism of my vehicle may have malfunctioned/failed). I completely lost control, crashed nearly head-on into a concrete barricade, and came to rest on the shoulder of the road about 150 feet from the point of impact. A couple of things of note are the fact that, had I broken through or flipped over the concrete barricade, I would have dropped about 150-200 straight down into the river below. Also, the front right of the vehicle basically folded up under the chassis. I am completely puzzled as to how the vehicle managed to roll another 150 feet. I am also amazed that, in spite of moderate traffic, no other vehicles were involved.

I walked away without a scratch.

Prayer2Wow! So why would a daughter nearly 200 miles away inexplicably drop what she was doing and pray for her father at almost the exact moment he was in trouble? How does someone lose control of a vehicle, crash into a concrete wall at nearly 50mph, and walk away without so much as a scratch?

We serve a God that operates and communicates with us through the power of His Spirit. It was the prompting of the Holy Spirit that directed Dana’s daughter in how to pray. When she acted in obedience to the Spirit, angels of protection were dispatched to that place on the highway to put a hedge of protection around her father. The prayers of His people are a sweet aroma in the nostrils of a Holy God. A simple prayer offered in faith is all it takes to activate angelic power in our lives.

‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ ~ Jeremiah 33:3

God is not looking for the smartest, biggest, strongest, or most talented. God is looking for obedience. He is looking for those who will be the Joshuas and Gideons of this generation. He is looking for the ones who will operate in “ridiculous obedience” to achieve the impossible.

The angels of Heaven are available to us as ministering spirits, and offer us guidance, protection, strength, and assistance. When we activate their presence through the power of prayer, great, mighty, and miraculous things can happen.

Pastor Ron

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Living It Out In Real Time Miracles Out of Nowhere New Year The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

Burning Ships

Across the Water

According to legend, when Spanish explorer Hernando Cortés came to the new world, upon reaching Veracruz, he had his men unload the ships. As they headed inland, those in the exploration party looked back only to see the entire fleet of ships on fire. Cortés himself had ordered the ships destroyed to make turning back an impossibility.

When the prophet Elijah called his successor – a farmer by the name of Elisha – Elisha asked his master if he could go home and say goodbye to his parents. Once there, Elisha himself proceeded to kill his oxen and burn his plows, thereby totally eliminating any chance of returning home. He committed himself wholeheartedly to the task God had called him to… turning back was not an option.

Here at the start of a new year, maybe you need to “burn down the ships” that have kept you in stagnant water. Maybe you need to “kill the oxen and burn the plows” that have kept you chained to defeat.

This is the year you need to allow radical faith to make a difference in your world.

This is the day you need to lay aside those things that are behind you – the things that have kept you bound to a life that is going nowhere – and start anew with the Father.

Pray… diligently seek the face of God concerning His plan for your life, and have the courage to say, as Jesus did, “Not my will, but YOUR will be done.”

Believe… prayer does little good unless it is accompanied by faith. Believe that God has your best interests at heart. Have confidence that He knows your end from the beginning. The psalmist wrote…

   Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

Proceed… determine in your heart that you are going to follow the path He lays out before you. When He opens a door, go through it. If He closes one, trust that another will soon open. Allow your faith in His goodness to influence your decision-making this year. You have a Father in Heaven who is crazy about YOU, child of the Most High… Walk in that assurance!

The winds of change are blowing, so cast off the bow lines, set your gaze on the horizon, and follow the Son. This can be, not just the beginning of a New Year, but the beginning of a New Life as well!

Happy 2014!

Make it the best year ever!

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Fresh Oil New Wine 2013 Living It Out In Real Time Miracles Out of Nowhere The Bible The Big Event

A Final Thought for Christmas

Christmas is tomorrow, and if your house is like ours, the excitement is building, children are getting more and more excited with each passing moment, and last minute presents are gathering under the tree. But before we tear into the presents, I’d like to give you one last Christmas thought that, hopefully, will be one we all consider into the New Year and beyond…

Peace on earth… good will to men.

It was the word given by angels to shepherds in the fields outside of Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. It was those words that accompanied the announcement that the Messiah had been born.

But we live in a world where peace is elusive. We live in a nation that has been mired in wars and rumors of wars for the majority of our existence. We live in a country that, for all of our advancement and progress, just doesn’t “get it”.

The promise of the Messiah came with some “fine print” we have ignored. Consider the words of Isaiah…

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulders: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. ~Isaiah 9:6

The government shall be upon His shoulders… The government was meant to rest upon His shoulders: His wisdom was meant to be the foundation of society and civilization. When we take ourselves out from under the authority ordained to lead us, failure is not just a possibility… it’s guaranteed.

His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor… If He is Counselor as the Scripture suggests, we might do well to heed His word. What is the purpose of having a Counselor that you refuse to listen to? Maybe… just maybe… His experience, purpose, and plan is better that yours.

… The mighty God, The everlasting Father… HE is the Almighty! HE is the creator! HE is everlasting to everlasting! When will we stop wasting our time looking to the foolishness of leaders who have no more integrity than sense, and whose lives are but a vapor – here today and gone tomorrow? When will we stop ignoring HE who is Almighty and Everlasting – whose name is Faithful and True???

… The Prince of Peace. A prince is a ruler, one of authority, power, and prestige. Our failure – as individuals, houses of worship, and a nation – to elevate Him to His proper place in our lives, churches, and nation has come with dire consequences. We have traded our birthright for a “mess of pottage”. We have sacrificed eternal hope and promise for fickle and temporary “comforts” that have only proven to lure us into a place of complacency, hopelessness, and despair. We have given up our place at the table of the eternal King (seated alongside the Prince of Peace) for a pile of table scraps outside the gates of the banquet hall. We have relegated the Child in the manger from a place of prominence in our lives, courthouse lawns, and town squares to the dark recesses of storage closets and basements, both in our homes and our hearts.

But there is hope.

The words of the great Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ring in my heart…

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Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.”

As we enter 2014, let us determine in our hearts to make Him LORD once again. Let us do as Paul encouraged us, lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily besets us, and run the race set before us. Let us determine, as we close another Christmas season, that the spirit of the Child in the manger will be alive in our hearts the other 364 days of the year.

May you and yours have a very Merry Christmas, and a blessed New Year!

P.S. Please join us tonight at Abba’s House for our Traditions Christmas Eve service. It begins at 5:00p.m. If you can’t be there, watch online here.