Do you need healing in your body? Do you know someone who does?
How does a young girl with a broken back run three miles?
With all of the talk of viruses, syndromes, infections, and the like, there’s no doubt that our nation is overrun by sickness. Think about it… What is one of the most divisive topics in our nation for the past few years?
Healthcare.
I want to share with you this story of a miraculous healing that happened not long ago at Abba’s House. If you need healing, this story is for you.
The phone rang as I stepped out of the shower. As I picked up the receiver, I heard the voice on the other end say, “Mr. Phillips, your wife, Paulette, has been in a little fender bender.” I dressed quickly and jumped in the car.
As I crested a hill on the main highway, I was unprepared for what I saw. Through the rain, I spotted my wife’s little convertible, now a twisted mass of metal. An ambulance stood waiting, and workers were trying to free Paulette from the wreckage. The smell of gasoline was heavy in the air. I tried to get close to the car but was held back by emergency workers. I was frustrated and felt helpless knowing she must be desperately hurt and I was unable to offer comfort. However, God had provided someone at the scene to do that for me. A fireman, at the risk of his own life because of the potential for an explosion, removed a window from the car and climbed in next to Paulette. He covered her with an asbestos blanket, held on to her, and spoke life into her. It was his job to watch her carefully and keep her talking to be sure she wasn’t falling into deep shock.
Twenty-five agonizing minutes passed before the firemen and the Jaws of Life freed her from the car. And we didn’t know it then, but it would be six months before her crumpled body would allow her to return to a normal life. As I ran to Paulette’s side while they hurried her stretcher toward the ambulance, I remembered clearly hearing her say, “Thank You, Lord!” I know that in the midst of that tragedy, God was there, and He provided a wonderful young Christian fireman whose presence comforted my wife in that dark hour. His heroic presence was the touch of God. She felt carried in the Father’s arms.
Paulette returned home from the hospital after two weeks, but life at home was difficult. We had to rely on our extended family, our amazing church family, and heavily on the Lord to carry us through each day.
When tragedy strikes, we find ourselves in need of the assurance of God’s presence more than ever before. To that point in my life, I never needed the Lord more than I did in those first hours and days following her wreck. It is no coincidence that our ascent into the most secret place with God can occur during times of great heartache and tragedy. Tears have a way of driving us from ourselves and into His arms. Who hasn’t cried out in the dark night of the soul for comfort that can only come from Jesus? Expect to find the pathway to His presence stained with the tears of thousands of heartbroken saints before you.
Isaiah, the court prophet, cousin and confidant to King Uzziah, thought he had it all. His cousin king, although a leper, had given the nation peace and hope. Isaiah’s own ministry was one that sternly laid down the law to God’s wayward people. He had angered them, calling them stubborn, ungrateful children, and even went as far as to compare them to “rotten, stinking grapes”! (See Isaiah 5:4.) Surely God was pleased with Isaiah’s obedience in ministry. He surely had the ear and heart of his cousin, King Uzziah. Isaiah is like many of us. When you read the first five chapters of Isaiah, though inspired, you feel that something is missing in his life. There is a lack of hope and only a vague hint of what God is actually up to. Isaiah 6 gives us the turning point—an amazing “alone” experience with God that is vivid and clear.
After Isaiah’s dear cousin died suddenly, Isaiah felt his life collapsing. The hope that had sustained him and the promise of ministry in a peaceful Jerusalem that kept his eyes looking ahead seemed to evaporate. Tragedy is like that. Normally, it will either drive us to God or cause us to run away from Him. But Isaiah made the boldest decision any prophet ever made. He decided to charge into God’s presence! Isaiah turned purposefully toward the temple of Solomon, the three-room structure that housed God’s presence. Beyond the outer court, beyond the candlelit holy place, Isaiah knew there hung a thick veil. Beyond that veil, God promised to be present. However, the rules were clear—only the high priest could step behind the veil; anyone else would be struck down by God! Even the high priest could only enter the holy of holies once a year!
Isaiah came to the place of absolute self-abandonment, just as each of us must approach God. Death no longer mattered to Isaiah. He pushed his way past quiet worshippers and astounded priests to get to God. Isaiah needed help and hope, and had come to the end of his own resources. He was now a candidate for a miracle. He pressed past the veil into the holy of holies. The fearful protesters behind Isaiah no doubt backed away in fear, certain that this crazed man was walking straight into death.
There in the holy of holies, lit by only the Shekinah glory of God, Isaiah did die, in a sense. He died to himself and all of his own ambitions! In this bold step, I believe Isaiah gave up on Isaiah! He met Yahweh, and nothing else mattered. God was in that place, high and lifted up, with His unmatched glory trailing behind Him like the train of royal robes billowing behind a sovereign. Angelic worshippers surrounded the throne crying, “Holy!” The place shook with the voice of the angels. Isaiah 6:1–4 paints a vivid picture of the scene that Isaiah saw when he stepped inside the holy of holies:
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
At that moment, Isaiah had no choice but to die to his flesh and ambitions. “Woe is me…” he cried, in an expression that could be also translated, “I am doomed!” He understood that even his own mouth, the mouth of a man of God, was unclean. Angels brought cleansing fire to touch his preaching lips, and his life was transformed. Soon he heard the voice of God crying for volunteers to carry His message. “Here am I, send me” (Isa. 6:5–8) cried the transformed Isaiah.
No man can see the Lord and continue living like nothing ever happened! No, the old life will be burned away and a new life will begin. Isaiah stormed into God’s presence in the middle of his pain because he needed answers, comfort, and help. The New Testament puts it this way:
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. ~ Galatians 2:20
And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ~ Galatians 5:24
But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ~ Galatians 6:14
In the secret place of God, we come to the end of ourselves. We come as a bride to take on Jesus’s name and nature. When we are willing to die daily, Jesus says to us:
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” ~ Luke 9:23–24
Another Big Event has passed into history, and this year was no exception… it was incredible! From the ministry and preaching, to the worship, to the fellowship of getting to spend time with our partners and friends from around the country, this last week has been a wonderful time of jubilee, soaking in the Presence of God, and getting new revelation through His Word and the teaching we heard.
On behalf of all of us at Ron Phillips Ministries, I want to say thank you to everyone who was involved. Our guest speakers, our musicians and singers, all of the media and technical crew, nursery and hospitality workers, counselors and ministry teams, ushers, deacons, and so many others… my heart overflows with gratitude for your love, participation, and sacrifice of time and talent.
Most of all… thank you to our partners and friends who have come along side of us with your presence, prayers, and financial support for the cause of Christ, and sharing the Good News of the Gospel. We cannot do what we do without the love you show us in so many ways. I pray that these last few days have built up your faith, strengthened your souls, and given you the desire for more of Him in your everyday lives.
So thank you, to the people of Abba’s House, to my partners, friends, and co-laborers in Christ. In the words of the Apostle Paul…
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. ~ Philippians 3:3-11
For those of us old enough to remember (and before the days of VCR’s, DVR’s, and YouTube), it was the night that Americans gathered around our television sets and watched with mixed emotions the final Christmas special featuring the great Bing Crosby. Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas, originally taped toward the end of summer that year in London, England, featured Bing along with his family and a few guests. Just over a month after the taping, on October 14, Bing died suddenly from a massive heart attack following a round of golf with friends.
One of the highlights of the program was a duet by Bing and a young David Bowie. It was a beautiful rendition of the song Little Drummer Boy, arranged together as a medley with a song called Peace on Earth. As Bing’s low baritone voice sang out the familiar “ba-rum-bum-bum-bum”, David Bowie sang out the higher counter-melody…
Peace on Earth,
Can it be?
Years from now
Perhaps we’ll see;
See the day of glory,
See the day
When men of good will live in peace,
Live in peace again.*
* Tune and lyrics, written by Ian Fraser, Larry Grossman, and Alan Kohan
Peace on Earth. Since that night on a Judean hillside when the hosts of Heaven filled the sky with the refrain of “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men“, men of good will throughout the centuries have long worked for peace. As Bing Crosby and David Bowie sang once again a plea for peace on Earth, no one knew the irony of what they were singing… and when. You see, the day that they taped that segment of the show was September 11, 1977.
September 11, 2001
Fast forward exactly 34 years as Americans watched in horror the tragedy of that day unfold before our very eyes. A handful of Islamic terrorists brought the reality of their radical ideology to the shores of our country in an attack unlike anything since December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor. When all was said and done, four planes had crashed, the World Trade Center was reduced to rubble, the Pentagon was in flames, a field in Pennsylvania was strewn with fiery wreckage, and nearly 3,000 American citizens had lost their lives. They were husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, and grandparents. They were business people, students, athletes, blue-collar workers, housewives, politicians, and children. And in the days that followed, as we learned of the facts surrounding the events of that day, Americans spoke out with a cry of defiant resolve…
We will NEVER forget.
But as we spend this day in reflection on the events of September 11, 2001, I have to ask…
Have we?
Have we forgotten what it felt like that day? Have we forgotten the feelings of fear and uncertainty that gave way to anger for this violation against our nation? Have we forgotten the sorrow at the loss of our friends and loved ones, and the determination to never let it happen again on our watch?
Most importantly, have we forgotten our reliance upon God during those dark nights?
In 1 Peter 5:8, the apostle writes…
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
When quoting that verse, we have a tendency to focus on the second part; the descriptive about our enemy. But many times, we neglect our responsibility in the verse, that being the first four words…
Be sober, be vigilant…
I find it interesting that, as a nation founded upon our reliance on God, and having spent the better part of the past 4 decades trying to distance ourselves from God, we now find ourselves fighting an enemy that is waging a war based on a religious ideology, claiming to be fighting in the name of God. The fact is, we are fighting a demonically influenced political ideology that masks itself in the shroud of religion. As we see events unfolding in the Middle East, the persecution and murder of Christians by Muslims, the infiltration of Islam in our own culture, and unresolved events such as the Benghazi attack on our diplomatic team, it is all meant to incite one thing…
Fear.
But the real fear we face is more sinister than just the fear of a group or ideology. The absence of truth and absolutes in our culture has created a vacuum, and fear has been more than willing to fill the void. We have become afraid to speak the truth for fear of being called intolerant. We are afraid of standing up for Godliness and holiness for fear of being labeled a bigot. We are afraid to speak out against social injustice for fear of being called a racist. We are afraid to stand for traditional marriage and family values for fear of being called a homophobe. We are afraid to stand against the evils of Muslim ideology for fear of being called an Islamophobe. The list goes on…
However, cowering in fear from the onslaught of the enemy — whatever socio-political-religious mask he chooses to wear — should not be the response of any follower of Jesus Christ. After all, we have this declaration…
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. ~ 2 Timothy 1:7
Being the habitation of God Almighty, we have unlimited power. As recipients of the finished work of Jesus, we have received unrelenting love. As believers in His holiness and righteousness, we have taken on the mind of Christ. In light of these things, as the Psalmist said…
The LORD is my light and my salvation– whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life– of whom shall I be afraid? ~ Psalm 27:1
So while we are called to be sober and vigilant, and to walk in faith and truth instead of fear, we can walk in the belief that our Prince of Peace has come, and gives us peace — peace that no man can take away. We can move forward from this day — September 11, 2014 — as the day that we resolve to no longer allow the enemy to keep us in bondage to fear, but will live according to the promise of Romans 8:15…
For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
For a couple of months now, I have been mentioning my new book (co-written with my son Ronnie), The Power of Agreement. We have appeared on numerous TV shows, radio programs, and magazine articles discussing how agreement with God and agreement with each other is the key to Kingdom living, and opens the doors of blessing in our lives. God Himself understood the power, positive or negative, that was contained in agreement when He stated (in reference to the building of Tower of Babel)…
If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. ~ Genesis 11:6
Well, unless you have been living on a secluded desert island for the past couple of weeks, you are seeing these principles play out right before your eyes.
Exhibit A: The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
You cannot venture onto social media for 2 minutes without seeing a video of someone getting a bucket of icewater dumped on their head. The ALS Icebucket Challenge has become one of the most successful fundraising campaigns in recent memory, raising awareness about the horrors of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease). From July 29 to August 22, the ALS Association has raised more than $50 million through the Challenge. As a point of reference, during the same period last year, they raised approximately $2.2 million. Actors, musicians, prominent business people, and politicians (including former president George W. Bush) have joined the ranks of “the rest of us” and can be seen taking a bucket of icewater over the head, all for the sake of standing in unity for a cure for those afflicted with this awful disease. People from all walks of life, religious persuasions, ethnicities, and social statuses have come into agreement and said this is something we can all get behind.
So what are some other things the church can get behind?
What are those things that, in spite of our differences in theology, we can come together on and make a difference in the world? We may never totally agree on dispensationalism, worship styles, or methods of baptism. But can we set aside our differences about such things to come together on issues that are going to make an eternal difference in the destinies of the people in our communities, countries, and world? What are some things we can choose to agree on, and find agreement with God about, that will affect those around us?
An intriguing question? I’d be curious to hear your thoughts.
Here’s some thoughts from Jesus to help you start the process…
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
“Then they also will answer Him,saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” ~ Matthew 25:31-46
I just wanted to take a moment with today’s blog to tell you about something I am very excited about! Our annual conference for partners and followers of our ministry,THE BIG EVENT, is just around the corner (September 24-28), and promises to be a destiny moment for those in attendance. As in years past, THE BIG EVENT will include passionate worship, powerful ministry, and anointed speakers including Rod Parsley, Perry Stone, Damon Thompson, Randy Caldwell, and many more.
This year marks my 50th year in ministry. In the Bible, the 50th year was considered the Year of Jubilee, and was a season of freedom and celebration. One of our very symbols of freedom, the Liberty Bell, contains in its inscription… “Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” This comes from the Scripture in Leviticus regarding the Year of Jubilee…
And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. ~ Leviticus 25:10
As much as we’d love to take a whole year to celebrate our freedom and liberty in Jesus, we understand your boss might not give you that much time off. So we are going to pack a whole lot of worship, teaching, freedom, and celebration into…
5 Days of Jubilee!
In case you’ve never been to a BIG EVENT before, here’s what just a few have said about the BIG EVENTS of years past…
It was wonderful times at the conference. It was our first time and we loved it. It was 10 of us ladies from Meridian, Mississippi. Awesome! Awesome! Blessings to you all. ~ JoAnn I was a first timer this year to the Big Event but I can say that it will not be my last. To experience such and outpouring of knowledge and of the Holy Ghost all this week, this will be on my calendar every year for many to come. ~ Justin It was AWESOME and we brought the fire back to our Church this morning! 2 Salvations and Spirit Fullness! ~ Nathan This entire Big Event has been an extraordinary blessing. Such anointed teachers that speak the Truth and move our spirits to fight the good fight and be the salt and light like never before – overflowing with God’s love to everyone. ~ Jennifer
Registration is FREE, and pre-registration is already underway! As an added bonus, if you pre-register by September 20, you will automatically be registered for the chance to win one of two Kindle Fire HDs that will be given away during the BIG EVENT. However, you must pre-register by September 20, and you must be present to win.
We’ll also have a reception so I can personally meet those who are visiting us for the first time, a luncheon for partners, and one of the most fun events of the year around here – our annual RPM Luncheon and Auction to benefit Ron Phillips Ministries.
Registration is easy. Click here for more information and to register now.
So join us for 5 Days of Jubileethis September 24-28, and help us reach the world with the Good News of Jesus’ love!
A recent poll revealed an interesting statistic regarding sexual orientation in our nation. A Center for Disease Control and Prevention poll reveals that, when asked regarding sexual orientation, only 1.6% of American adults self-identify as being gay or lesbian, and 0.7% as bisexual.* Yet, the LGBT lobby has become one of the most powerful political lobbies in America.
So, why is that?
Consider this story from the Bible…
Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.
They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”
But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”
So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth. ~ Genesis 11:1-9
God created unity to be a powerful force, but misguided unity can be just as powerful. By His own admission, He knew that, in order to thwart the prideful plan man had devised, He would have to create confusion and disunity. God knew there is great power in agreement…
If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.
By confusing their languages, it brought the building of the Tower of Babel to a screeching halt.
If we take the above statistic and plug it in according to the population of the United States (317 million), that would mean that there are approximately 7,291,000 people who claim to participate in an LGBT lifestyle. Now, contrast that with the fact that there are between 75-100 million people in the United States that claim to be Christians.
So why does the LGBT community seem to have a louder voice than a Christian community more than 10 times it’s size?
It’s all about unity.
Consider a beehive. Science tells us that, in the course of an individual bee’s life, it will produce 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey. However, an average beehive will produce 60 lbs. of honey in a year. Bees “know” that it is not about the individual bee. It is about the entire community working together to complete the task — queen, drones, and workers united for a single task, with everyone performing the function they are made for, not concerning themselves with what they are not meant to do.
The liberal idea of diversity is killing our nation. Liberals think that, in order to be diverse, we must accept everything — unacceptable or not. It is the idea that I must unquestioningly throw my support behind those things that are contrary to my convictions. We have seen it recently in the infamous Hobby Lobby case: The idea that, in the name of anti-discrimination, and “women’s rights“, a family-owned company must sacrifice their own faith-based convictions on the altar of political correctness and diversity. Liberals choose to ignore that real facts (that of the more than a dozen types of birth control Hobby Lobby offers their employees, the only one in question was an abortifacient that ends the life of a fetus), as well as the inherent hypocrisy of a law that, in the name of anti-discrimination, discriminates against people of faith. You cannot sacrifice truth for diversity. You cannot claim to be positively diverse simply because you have a bunch of differing opinions, races, and ideologies. Lack of a distinctive is not constructive diversity… it’s just randomness.
True constructive diversity is different elements working together for a common purpose or good. If a football team was made up of a bunch of punters, you could kick field-goals all day, but you probably would not get close enough to make one. If a baseball team was made up of a bunch of outfielders, who would pitch the ball? In sports, a team is made up of a diversity of talented individuals who all serve a common purpose in differing capacities. A Swiss watch is a precision timepiece made up of a diversity of useful parts, all working together. However, if those parts are not aligned and set up correctly, all you have is a box of junk. An orchestra is a vast array of instruments — some brass, some wooden, some stringed, some percussive — that, when playing a Prokoviev concerto in unity (not to be confused with unison), creates a beautiful, dynamic, and emotionally moving sound. Remember, unison is everyone playing the same part. Unity is many different parts working together for a common goal. World War II General George Patton once said…
If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.
So why is the church not more of an effective voice in our society? Why are we the largest, yet most ignored group in America?
Lack of unity.
We major on the minors. We fight between denominations and church groups. Within our individual churches, we fight over craziness… the color of hymnals, our worship styles, the visions different groups within the church have for the church, parking spaces…
It’s time for the church to stop dying on hills of battle that don’t matter, and look to the One who died on the hill called Calvary. The life and example of Jesus should be the standard by which we all live. The Word of God should be the benchmark for how we relate and confront a society that is bent on removing His Presence and guiding hand from all memory. If we would stop trying to pressure the church down the street into our image, and instead join hands with others of differing styles but the same Lord, the Church of Jesus Christ could once again be a mighty voice for righteousness, goodness, and promise in a society adrift, without a moral compass or hope.
Unity is the beginning of revival! A Church in unity would be a force strong enough to weather any storm, and intriguing enough to attract the hardest heart to the love of Christ.
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 TheOne 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.
With 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?
… 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?
It was a short time back when I was speaking at Emmanuel College that I met Heidi. Heidi shared her story with me. With her permission, I wanted to take a moment to share it with you…
“My dad walked out on us when I was two years old. I never knew him being at home, he was just someone I remember going to visit. My mom eventually remarried an amazing man of God. I loved him and how he treated my mom.
Heidi – before
I started experimenting with alcohol with my sister and brother when I was 12 years old. I remember it being “normal” for me to be alone and drinking at that age. By age 14, my drinking had increased so much that I began blacking out from being so drunk. I had nights that were so bad that I couldn’t even remember.
When I was 15 years old, my stepdad was going away on a hunting trip. I remember telling him goodbye on Friday and then on Saturday he died of a heart attack. I remember getting the call that he wouldn’t be coming back home from the hunting trip. I became very angry at God. I was hurt and couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t have a dad – I had lost two. My anger manifested in even more rebellious actions. I tried to settle and fill that loss and emptiness from not having a dad through bad relationships, popularity, drinking, etc. After my stepdad died, I entered into a relationship with a man who I later found out sold drugs, and got me selling and using drugs. HE gave me a drug, telling me it was something other than what it was. After I snorted it up my nose, I found out it was heroin. Later that year, the relationship ended, and I was again devastated.
By the time I was 17, I was selling enough drugs that I could afford to use them on my own. I had become a master at manipulating and using people. I got to where I didn’t like the idea of “family” and I didn’t even want to be around friends. I soon entered into another relationship with a man who shared an interest and love that I had — running. He helped me to continue to get drugs and money. At 18 he introduced me to IV drug use of heroin. The “gray area” in my life kept getting wider and wider. In Fall 2011, I was high from IV heroin use for 11 consecutive days. In spite of all of this, I was a high school cheerleader making good grades. However, my mom knew that things were getting out of hand. It had become obvious that I didn’t care anything about my family.
On Dec. 22, 2011, I left home after writing my mother a one-paragraph note telling her that I could not follow her rules anymore and that I was leaving. However, on Christmas morning (three days later), Mom asked me to come home and stay. I went home that morning, but when my sister tried to give me a hug, I turned around and ran out the door. I thought, by making the decision to leave, I was fixing my problems. I no longer had to lie about using drugs since I wasn’t at home, I could just do it and not have to hide. I dropped out of school and began writing fraudulent checks against my mom’s bank account, and stealing with my boyfriend. For three months, my mom didn’t know where I was or if I was even alive. I later found out that she would drive around Huntsville all night long looking for me and praying.
I don’t want to minimalize Hell, but the place I was living seemed like what I thought Hell must be like. It was so dark inside.
I had a job making good money, but I spent everything I made buying drugs. I couldn’t even save $2 to do laundry. I was sleeping on a mattress on the floor with just one single sheet. I had gotten down to 92 pounds, had no energy, and was passing out due to my severe bulimia. I had no money for groceries, and sometimes wouldn’t bathe for seven days at a time.
One day, my boyfriend and I went out for a run and decided to rob a drug dealer. We did, and got some pills and money. However, a few days later, they came after us. We were in our apartment and I was high on cocaine and heroin. Three guys came in wearing ski masks and had guns. My boyfriend told me to stay in the back room no matter what happened. I thought I was going to die. I stayed in the back room and remember just punching a pillow repeatedly. I prayed to God, telling Him that I was not ready to die. I knew that my life was not in order and I couldn’t die.
Eventually, the robbers left, and my boyfriend came in and told me that we had to leave. I was so confused and paranoid by the drug use, I even considered going to Mexico to get away from these people. We knew they were serious, and that they would be coming back.
Three days after my “prayer,” the tires were slashed on my car, I was evicted from my apartment, and had lost my job. God was trying to speak to me, but I wasn’t listening. I still didn’t think my drug use was “that bad”, and I justified it in my mind by comparing it to how bad my boyfriend’s use was. I thought I would never get as bad as him.
My boyfriend mentioned Teen Challenge and I thought he was crazy. I said, “NO WAY!” He left, and I remember God saying to me that I was killing myself and didn’t even know it.
In March 2012, I called my family and told them I needed money to go to detox. I didn’t even apologize to them or talk about anything other than that I needed the money. They paid for short-term detox, and I stayed 28 days and got clean. But even though I was clean, I had no joy in my life. I was incredibly miserable, horribly sick, and very confused. I had serious health issues from how I had abused my body, and didn’t even know what “normal” was anymore. My mom knew I needed long-term help, and the Holy Spirit used this as an escape for me. I was scared to be at home. I knew heroin couldn’t be beat in three weeks, and the people I was running from would find me again.
My mom took me straight to Teen Challenge of the Upper Cumberland. I was amazed when I got there. People were talking to me about how I could have joy again, and I was mad because they had joy and I didn’t. After being there for 18 hours and gotten some sleep, I woke up and was ready to leave. I was convinced this program wouldn’t work for me. Even back then, I knew that I was dealing with spiritual warfare. I was fighting spirits of shame, guilt, sickness… everything. I told the pastor that I wanted to leave. He said that he knew I wanted to start using again because I could do that and get away from all of my issues. I had one staff member tell me that things were going to get worse. I called my mom and told her I was leaving. She told me that if I left, she’d have me arrested for the check fraud. She said she would have the police waiting for me outside when I checked out. She told me she didn’t care if I hated her for it because at least I’d be alive. Then, the thought of the “prayer” that I had prayed telling God that I wasn’t ready to die returned to me. I made the decision to stay at Teen Challenge.
Heidi – A new life in Christ
In Teen Challenge we had to work through study guides that were based on biblical principles. The booklets were to help you renew your mind. After being in the program for a week, I was working through one of the study guides and there was a section that was a “Statement of Faith”. You had to read it and sign it, acknowledging that you couldn’t do this alone, and admitting your need to surrender to Christ. So, sitting in my little cubicle, on March 26, 2012, I started crying and finally surrendered my life to Christ (I wrote the date and time in my bible). I knew I was literally minutes from death. God began moving in my life, and for the next few weeks, any time I read scriptures, heard songs, or sang hymns, I could not stop crying.
After a few weeks in Teen Challenge, we were rewarded with a “field trip”. The staff told us there was an evangelist named Damon Thompson that was going to be at Abba’s House in Chattanooga, TN, and that we were going to go. On Sunday morning, April 15, 2012, we pulled in to Abba’s House. After church, we visited Teen Challenge in Chattanooga, and came back to hear Damon that night. I remember Damon tried to preach on how to have faith and kept having to stop. Eventually he quit trying to go on and just opened up the altar for people needing healing. People began running to the front. I had heard about healing and knew that God could do it, but didn’t think He could heal me. I was still being told by Satan that I had done too much damage to my body and would be diseased and sick forever. I knew He could do things like heal broken bones, but I believed the lie of Satan that he couldn’t heal me.
I fought it for 40 minutes, but finally jumped out of my seat and started towards the altar. The closer I got to the stage, I could feel a “thickness” in the air (it’s the only way I can describe it). When I got down front, I fell to the ground. I don’t even remember if anyone touched me. I remember that I was shaking on the ground and felt like I needed to hold on to something. Then I started feeling wave after wave coming over me and knew that it was a “washing” of the Holy Spirit. I remember there was a woman praying over me and I started gasping. When I finally stood up, I took a deep breath, and for the first time in years I was able to breathe normally and deeply. I felt a sense of freedom. The oppression and depression was lifted from me that night. I don’t know what happened, but I know I had encountered God. I was healed that night and my body was restored!
When I visited Abba’s House, I walked out a different person than I was when I walked in.
On April 24, 2012, I left the crisis center and moved to the Appalachian Teen Challenge. It was like a time of getting to be alone on the mountain with God. I really began to deal with so much stuff over the next 13 months. I worked through the issues I had dating back to my dad, eating disorders, drugs, etc. I met the Christ who had pursued me for 18 years — the Savior whose face I had repeatedly spit in — and got to know Him on a personal, intimate level.
After being in the program for seven months, I began to feel like I was being called into the ministry, but I didn’t even know how to “talk like a Christian.” All I knew was I was a dying shell of a person, and Jesus saved me. Ecclesiastes 11:1 became so important to me…
“Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days.”
I started applying for internships and jobs through Teen Challenge and got calls and had very good interviews, but never could get a job. I graduated from Appalachian Teen Challenge in May 2013. I couldn’t move back home because I didn’t want to be exposed to the same things I had left. My aunt graciously opened her home in Wisconsin to me. I began researching non-accredited schools and online programs because I didn’t think I could do a typical college education due to my past. I never really got a good feeling about any of the schools I researched. It was then that a friend of my mom’s told her about Emmanuel College. I looked them up and saw that they offered a degree in Christian Ministry, which is what I felt I was called to do. I prayed for three days about Emmanuel and received an incredible peace about it. I applied and was accepted.
Heidi at Emmanuel College
In Fall 2013, I enrolled in Emmanuel College. I was allowed to walk on to the cross country team and earned a full scholarship. I was able to run again for the first time in such a long time. I used to be so “dope sick” that I would lay in bed for days without enough energy to get up unless I had a needle in my arm. I was so weak that I couldn’t pick up my chair in my counseling sessions. Now I’m able to run just a crazy number of miles every single day and I love it.
I am now a sophomore and was recently elected by the student body as Miss Emmanuel to represent the school. It’s still hard to believe that I’ve been given a second chance and I’m here. I’m blown away that I’ve been recognized by staff and alumni for service projects and asked to represent the school because of my character.
I know that it’s not over. I’ve been able to deal with why I’ve experienced the things I have in life. Philippians 1:12 has become one of my life verses…
“But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel… .”
Pastor Ron and Heidi – 2014
I know that God is no respecter of persons, but I’ve learned that neither is Satan. God used amazing circumstances to save me.
I still have the bulletin from Abba’s House from April 15, 2012 in my Bible. I didn’t know what had happened to me, but I knew something had and I didn’t want to forget it. I’m not sure what I’ll end up doing, but I have such a passion now. All I want to do is show helpless people that there is life in Christ, and He can give help and grace.
I give all the glory to God!”
Heidi
As you read this, our Summer Collide event is getting under way at Abba’s House (July 10-12). If you need a touch from Jesus, now would be a great time to come to Abba’s House and get in on what God wants to do in your life. Damon Thompson, Ronnie Phillips Jr., Chris Brooks, Rozario Slack, Heartcry, Rick Pino, Bryn Waddell, Heidi, and others are speaking and leading worship at this life-changing event. If you would like to be like Heidi, and find out the difference Jesus can make in a life surrendered to Him, PLEASE join us. For more information about Collide, visit this link.
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.
Fast forward exactly 34 years as Americans watched in horror the tragedy of that day unfold before our very eyes. A handful of Islamic terrorists brought the reality of their radical ideology to the shores of our country in an attack unlike anything since December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor. When all was said and done, four planes had crashed, the World Trade Center was reduced to rubble, the Pentagon was in flames, a field in Pennsylvania was strewn with fiery wreckage, and nearly 3,000 American citizens had lost their lives. They were husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, and grandparents. They were business people, students, athletes, blue-collar workers, housewives, politicians, and children. And in the days that followed, as we learned of the facts surrounding the events of that day, Americans spoke out with a cry of defiant resolve…
The Heart of Abba - Ron Phillips 