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May Grab Bag

It is the 10th of the month, and you know what that means…

Mother's Day SpecialThis month’s Grab Bag winner has been selected! The email has been sent, and we are waiting to hear back from our lucky winner.

So….

If you are a “follower” of the Heart Of Abba, check your email… you might be the winner!

If not, why not? You can’t win if you don’t sign up. Just click  the “follow” button on the right, give us your email, and you’re eligible… it’s that simple.

Hope everyone has a great weekend, and a wonderful Mother’s Day!

Pastor Ron

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Honoring Mom

Mom.

We all have one. Your mother might be the “All-American Mom”, resembling June Cleaver, Clair Huxtable, or Carol Brady. She might be the epitome of grace, virtue, wisdom, and beauty. She might be the picture of grace under pressure who, in the face of difficulty, eschews panic…  instead opting for words of wisdom:

“Six kids and no noise. THAT’S what’™s the matter with that… I’ve never heard such a loud silence.” ~ Carol Brady… The Brady Bunch

“And THAT, young man, is what marriage is made of: it is give-and-take… fifty-fifty. And if you don’t get it together, and drop these macho attitudes, you are never gonna have anybody bringing you anything anywhere any place any time EVER.” ~ Claire Huxtable… The Cosby Show

“Wally, you never use not and hardly together. Either you’re not doing anything, or you’re hardly doing anything.” ~ June Cleaver… Leave It To Beaver

“You’ll shoot your eye out.” ~ Mrs. Parker… A Christmas Story

Or…

You may have a mom rooted in the reality of family life, grounded in the grit of the “daily grind” of a job outside the home, and content to trade in the “SuperMom” spandex and super-hero gadgetry for a juice-stained blouse, a minivan, and a Cuisinart… answering to the titles “medic”, “cook”, “cleaner”, “banker”,  “enforcer”, and “sage”.

Whatever side of the spectrum your mom falls on, she is – first and foremost – your mom. You love her, admire her, respect her, and cherish her…

Or, at least you should.

Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” ~ Ephesians 6:2-3

“The first commandment with a promise”. Wow! God places such a high value on the position of parents that the commandment to honor them is the first one tied to a promise. Even though the idea of giving mom a special day is a comparatively new idea (May 8, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a resolution designating the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day), the Bible places value on honoring mom as far back as the time of Moses. Exodus 20:12 says…

Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

While I know that not everyone has the blessing of being raised by loving, Godly parents, I am thankful for mine. I was raised by Gladys. She was a no-foolishness kind of woman. She commanded respect, demanded obedience, and did it all with a firm hand and a loving heart. Regardless of where we were on any given day, come Sunday, we were in church. Even during a time that my father was far from God, drowning in the “black sea of alcoholism”, my mom was the rock. She determined that ours would be a Christian home, held my siblings and I to obedience to Him, and “did without” personally so that we would have what we needed. Because of her prayers and example, my father forsook alcohol, embraced the Cross of Jesus, and finished his life strong as a servant of God. And although Gladys is no longer with us, we are blessed to still have Pauline, my wife’s wonderful mother, with us. Having both been raised by Godly mothers has contributed deeply into making us the people we are today.

Ron & Paulette2This Sunday, May 12, 2013, is Mother’s Day. What can you do to show honor to your mother? What way can you say “thank you” to your mother, and let her know that you value the life, love, and sacrifice she has shown you over the years?

Be creative. I hope that you can express yourself in a way commensurate with the promises God has made to you for your obedience to Him… and your mom.

So, to my wonderful wife Paulette – the mother of three of the best kids in the world – and all of the other hard-working moms reading this… May you have a blessed and happy Mother’s Day!

Pastor Ron

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Smooth-Sailing on the Sea of Agreement…

Across the WaterAs I write this, Paulette and I are getting ready for a little bit of R & R on the open seas. Looking forward to a few days of sunny skies and smooth waters. Hope all of you have a wonderful weekend, and be sure to spend some time in God’s Presence this Sunday. What better way to kick off a new week!

As we were preparing to leave, the Lord said to me…

“There is no promised blessing in disagreement — only in agreement”.

Any time there is “give-and-take” in a relationship, the one who gives first (and most) receives the most. My son Ronnie Jr. made an astute observation. He says that the Trinity is the ultimate example of “perfect agreement”. You may look at your situation and think that you have lost. I’m here to tell you that when you are operating in Godly agreement, just when you think that, for some reason, you have lost, cheer up… that’s usually the time God unveils YOU as the winner!

Righteousness trumps “being right”, and Godly relationships trump winning arguments every time.

Relax. Take a deep breath, and breathe in the fresh air of the Winds of Unity blowing across the Sea of Agreement.

We serve a God of joy. Get used to the idea that God is smiling at you!

Love to all,

Pastor Ron

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When the World Goes Mad…

At one time or another, we all want to run and hide. We want to resist the urge to get out of bed in the morning, simply pull the covers up over our head, and pretend the rest of the world has dissolved into time and space. For many, the recent events in our world make these feelings not just a passing fascination, but a genuine wish…

The recent terrorist attack in Boston, and information being reported in its wake make us question the safety of our nation.

The revelations coming out in the trial of abortionist Kermit Gosnell makes us question the sanity of a civilization that allows the horror of abortion to be perpetrated upon the most innocent and helpless among us… the unborn.

The contrast of the media reaction in treating a professional athlete who “comes out of the closet” (with regard to his sexuality) as a hero, while ridiculing and denigrating another for simply being unashamed of his Christian faith, makes us skeptical of an “unbiased” media clearly bent on force-feeding the public with a left-wing, liberal, Godless agenda.

I could go on for days, but you get the picture. Honestly, sometimes we just want to hide.

So how should we deal with it? How do we keep our sanity when the world is losing it’s collective “mind”? How do we maintain a heart-cry of holiness when we feel as though we are being drowned-out by the noise of profane and abhorrent voices actively pursuing our silence?

How do we find “the secret place”?

Must I wrestle as Jacob? Must I run as Elijah? Must I weep as Isaiah? Must I be martyred as Paul?

No. These are only the outward circumstances that lead us to the simple secret of his Presence. The answer lies in having a depth of spiritual hunger and thirst. God is looking for some people with a desire as strong as a parched and thirsty man lost in a desert. Such a man would give all he owned in a desperate moment for a lifesaving drink of water.

Our desperate cry for Him should be wholehearted and passionate! In Scripture, we find out how to seek Him, and discover promises from the Father for those who are thirsty. Are you…

Like a deer running from a hunter? (Psalm 42:1-2)

Like a weary worshipper, tired of the ordinary? (Psalm 63:1-4)

Like a tired traveler on a journey? (Psalm 107: 5-6)

If any of the above describe you, then ACT!

Stretch your hands toward Him. (Psalm 143:6)

Claim His promise of outpoured blessing. (Isaiah 44:3)

Respond and come before His grace. (Isaiah 55:1)

Realize that you are invited – not to religion – but to Jesus. (John 7:37)

Your responsibility is to come. (Revelation 21:6)

When you arrive, you may drink of Him. (Revelation 22:17)

In Matthew 5:6, Jesus says…

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

My only requirement is a holy dissatisfaction with all that is around me. My heart must be thirsty for Jesus, and Him alone. I can hear Him calling me up the stairs into the High Place where there flows an artesian well of life. It is mine to enjoy. I may drink, or I may splash in it like a child on a hot summer day.

I come, O Lord. Indeed, I come with all my heart and soul.

~ from my book, Secret of the Stairs

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The Aerodynamics of Faith

Through the Looking Glass        Well, a much belated spring finally showed up here in the Tennessee Valley. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the pollen is out in force, and as a result, so are the bees.

This reminds me of an observation by Mary Kay Ash, the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics. She said…

“Aerodynamically, the bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly… but the bumblebee doesn’t know it, so it goes on flying anyway”.

That sounds just like a lot of us. Many times in life, we face overwhelming odds. Regardless, we refuse to give up when things seem hopeless, and we believe when the issue in question seems to be a lost cause. We hang onto faith when those around us can’t decide if we are too stubborn or too stupid to give up.

So why the tenacity???

Because we have hope.

As Christians, we stand on the words of Paul when he said…

“I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me“.

Got an obstacle that seems unmovable?

Find your strength in the promise of a God who makes the impossible possible

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Whys, Lies, & The Mysteries of God

Are you standing on the words of the Founding Fathers or the Firm Foundation? Some thoughts on dealing with tragedy in your life…

pastorron2013's avatarThe Heart of Abba - Ron Phillips

Why?

It is the single word ground into the bloody soil of every battlefield in the world.

It is buried in the rubble of every civilization, state, and neighborhood that has been devastated by a natural disaster.

It lies in the ashes of the burned-up dreams of a family that just lost everything.

It can be heard in quiet, night-time sobbing of a little girl whose mother just succumbed to cancer.

It resonates in the screams of a father as he buries his son.

It is the shortest, most-asked, and

least-answered question in the English language.

Why?

You’ve heard it asked thousands of times, and while there are sometimes physical reasons that events happen in our lives, reasons – even good reasons – don’t answer why.

Or, to be more specific…

Why did God allow this to happen?

Whether you are just wondering, have gone through something that you…

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One Simple, Solitary Truth.

HE IS RISEN!

Happy Easter, friends!

Sunlight thru trees-edited

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The Pardon

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HE is here.

All it takes is a simple prayer of faith…

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

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

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

Happy Easter!

** from my book… Isaiah: Light for Days of Darkness
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A Traveler’s Photo Journal

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

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

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words…

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

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A Traveler’s Journal: Final Day

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

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

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

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

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