Tag: Abba’s House

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Through The Looking Glass

Finding Joy

Through the Looking Glass

British philosopher Sir Francis Bacon once said…

“Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not…
a sense of humor to console him for what he is.”

In spite of the state of our world today, humor can go a long way toward making tough times bearable. Humorist Bill Cosby observed that..

“You can turn painful situations around through laughter.
If you can find humor in anything, even poverty, you can survive it.”

Our God is a God of joy, happiness, and laughter. Proverbs 17:22 says that,

“A cheerful heart is good medicine…”.

Throughout scripture, God puts great value on joy.

There is strength in joy…

There is hope in joy…

There is health in joy…

No matter what your circumstances, make it a point to find joy.  As C.S. Lewis said…

“Joy is the banner flown from the heart when the King is in residence”.

Allow your life to be a declaration of the presence of the King.

Categories
America Healing Living It Out In Real Time The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God

Lombardi, Oscar, and Leaving Your Legacy

This past Sunday was a day filled with irony. It was a day of exuberant joy, bitter disappointment, and deep sorrow. It was a day filled with contrasts as profound as night and day…

So where do we start?

First of all, this past Sunday was the Big Game… Super Bowl XLVIII. All of the hype, all of the pre-game shows, and all of the pre-gameday shows that aired in the days leading up to a 6:30p.m. kickoff built a sense of anticipation that resulted in the game being the most watched event in television history. In the days of commentary leading up to the clash between two teams that weathered the storms of the season to make it to this moment in time, much of the talk centered around one word:

Legacy.

In case you were stranded on a desert island for the past month, please allow me to re-cap…

In the Northwest corner, we have the young Russell Wilson, a second-year, third-round draft pick out of Wisconsin. Russell would be leading a young, yet powerful Seattle Seahawks team that boasted the best defense in the NFL.

In the Mile-High corner, we have Peyton Manning, a 16-year NFL and 3-time Super Bowl veteran who is the epitome of the stuff legends are made of. This man has more awards than most of us have room on our mantle for, and would be leading the storied Denver Broncos, with an offense that proved to be virtually unstoppable on it’s march to East Rutherford, NJ.

With such a matchup, everyone expected it to be a game for the ages. Yet, with so many players involved in the success of each team, the vast majority of the conversation centered around Peyton Manning. “Can he win the Big Game to cement his legacy? How will his legacy be affected should the Broncos lose? Will his legacy survive in the event of defeat?

Legacy… There’s that word again.

From the first snap of the game, things seemed to go wrong for the Broncos. A 2-point safety on the opening play of the game defined the rest of the spectacle. After 60 minutes of play, and the dust and confetti hadn’t begun to settle, the Seahawks emerged victorious… 43 – 8. Immediately, the talking heads and media-elite began discussing the effect of this major loss on Peyton Manning’s legacy. Could his legacy survive this brutal beatdown? Would Manning hang up his cleats in defeat, and end his NFL career now?

Well, with all deference to smarter sports-minds than mine, I just have to ask a few questions:

Isn’t this the same Peyton Manning who just completed (arguably, with the exception of losing the Super Bowl) the most successful season in the history of the NFL? Isn’t this the same man who just set records for most touchdowns thrown, as well as most yards thrown in a single season? Isn’t this the man who was just selected as the NFL MVP for a (record) fifth time? I could go on about other records he set (including the passing record he set in the Super Bowl itself), others he tied, not to mention all of the records set by other members of the Broncos organization, and the team itself. But I digress…

Now for a reality check.

Earlier in the day, around 20 miles from MetLife stadium, the police were called to the apartment of Academy Award-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman. After Mr. Hoffman failed to meet his children and their mother at a park, she called a friend who went to check on him. Mr. Hoffman was found in his apartment, dead from an apparent drug overdose.

Philips Seymour Hoffman was considered to be one of the brightest and most talented actors of this generation, having starred in films such as Twister, Patch Adams, Mission Impossible III, Capote (for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor), the popular Hunger Games movies, and dozens of other films. Having seen several movies that he appeared in, I thought of him as a very talented person. According to stories I’d read, as well as interviews I’d seen, he seemed like a nice and humble guy.

So again I ask, what about the legacy? Have we become so shallow as to base a person’s legacy on a 60-minute sporting event? Has our collective attention span gotten so short that we decide the legacy of a life based on the manner of death? Sure, Peyton Manning had a really bad day. However, it does not wipe from the annals of sports history his incredible contribution to, not just football, but to the lives of young people that he sowed into through other benevolent endeavors. And while Mr. Hoffman may have died with (as the police have reported) a needle still in his arm, it does not erase the hours of great theatrical performances, or tarnish the Oscar statue he earned for just one of those great performances.

So where am I going here? Simply this…

The legacy of a life is built on miles, not inches. It is built on years, not seconds. Sure, there are those people who are only remembered for a sad, solitary event (John Wilkes Booth, John Hinckley, James Earl Ray, etc.). However, for most of us, a positive legacy is built over a lifetime of actions, attitudes, and contributions. It is built on a foundation of what we did to change the world around us, and how those changes affected others. People may remember that Peyton Manning lost Super Bowl XLVIII, but what Peyton Manning will be remembered for will be for being one of the best athletes to ever play the game of football. People will remember the manner of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death, but he will be remembered for being a brilliant actor who brought to life memorable characters for the rest of us to live vicariously through.

But… here’s the catch. When time has ended, and eternity is upon us; when the crowd noise has finally ceased; the Super Bowl rings, Vince Lombardi Trophy, and Oscar statues have turned to dust; and the accolades and applause have long since died away, only one legacy will matter: What did you do with Jesus? The Bible says:

“… It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” ~ Hebrews 9:27

While the rest of the world may mourn your brilliance and contributions to society, when you take that final breath, the only thing that will matter is how you lived your life for Jesus. Did you live a life that honored Him? Did you point others to His blood-stained cross? Did you accept the love that He died to demonstrate?

A good legacy may stand the test of time, but only what you do with Jesus will stand the test of eternity.

If you would like to have a personal relationship with Jesus, and start a legacy that will last forever, pray this prayer…

Dear Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive me of my sin.
Wash me and cleanse me. Set me free. Jesus, thank You that You died for me. I believe thatYou are risen from the dead and that You’re coming back again for me. Fill me with the Holy Spirit. Give me a passion for the lost, a hunger for the things of God and a holy boldness to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. I’m saved, I’m born again, I’m forgiven and I’m on my way to Heaven because I have Jesus in my heart.

If you prayed that prayer in faith, please let us know. Please drop me a comment here, or you can call us at 1-800-877-6493. We would love to celebrate with you your decision to join God’s family!

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Through The Looking Glass

The Tornado of the Spirit

Through The Looking Glass2

Wikipedia describes a tornado as…

A violent, rotating column of air which is contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud.

Another way of putting it might be…

A violent force which touches both earth and heaven.

What an amazing picture of a life lived by the Spirit of God. A believer who has their feet firmly planted in their mission on this earth, as well as having a firm grip on their Heavenly calling, is a force of immeasurable power. Jesus said:

“…I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” ~ Matthew 10:34

By following the example of Jesus, we are called to stir things up. We are called to make the truth our weapon, and to upset the apple-cart of complacency and apathy that permeates not just our society, but the church as well.

When the tornado of the Holy Spirit shows up, something is going to get broken. However, what comes out of that brokenness?

Peace… and power.

Categories
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 Through The Looking Glass

To Tell The Truth

Through The Looking Glass2

Who doesn’t want to be successful? Who doesn’t want to have some degree of notoriety, or leave some kind of mark on the world? We all have dreams and aspirations, but I am afraid we have forgotten what it means to be truly successful. We have become a culture of shortcuts. We have become a civilization that has become very un-civil. We see criticism as a bad thing, and as a result, we have devolved into mediocrity and passivism. Instead of holding others accountable and insisting on certain standards, we have opted for “peace through passing the buck”. With whatever excuse is convenient, we substitute placation for peace, and accolades for honesty. Comedian Bill Cosby once said…

“Every success story has a parent who says, ‘over my dead body.’ Every success story has an old person who walks up to you and says, when you’re acting the fool, ‘you know, I worry about you sometimes.'”

Whether wise parental guidance or a healthy mentoring relationship, we are seeing a foundational quality become a top 10 casualty on the endangered species list in our society…

Honesty.

We have confused healthy critique with harsh criticism. We have adults who would rather be pals than parents. We have refused to be honest in our assessments with others because of “how it might be taken.” However, in talking to the Ephesians, Paul discusses the importance and positive consequences of “speaking the truth in love.” So many misunderstandings and deep-seeded, long-term conflicts could be avoided if we would just learn to be honest in the first place. Sometimes the truth is hard to take. However, it does a lot less damage, and heals a whole lot faster than a deception shrouded in kindness that will eventually become unraveled, to the detriment of everyone involved.

Jesus didn’t just speak truth… He IS Truth. Let’s all decide today to follow His example, and operate in a culture of honesty and integrity. As parents, let’s understand that a gentle rebuke now can avoid a tragic lesson later. As friends, lets remember that a mild critique now may sting, but will ultimately become a solid foundation of love and respect. As mentors, let’s believe in the power of wise counsel instead of the illusion created by false hopes.

Just remember… Criticism and honesty don’t have to be negatives when they are done in love.

Categories
America Fresh Oil New Wine 2013 Living It Out In Real Time The Big Event The Life of Faith

Make A Difference (Ducks & Martyrs… pt 2)

RPLast week on my blog, I discussed Ducks, Martyrs, & Suiting Up for the Wrong Fight, in which I talked about how many Christians in our society are using the power of social media to wage war against anti-Christian bias in pop-culture; namely, the recent controversy concerning Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson. While standing for solid Christian principles and against the “spirit of Antichrist” that exists in the media is commendable, it appears that we do so at the expense of very real, life-and-death persecution going on in other places in the world. To paraphrase one person that responded to my article, we as Christians can fight more than one fight at a time.

So… why don’t we? Why are we not more vocal about the plight of Christians elsewhere?

I understand that, when the media blacks-out such activity, such stories have a tendency to slip from our radar. However, with so many alternate media sources today, and limitless resources on the internet, there are many ways to, not just stay informed, but to actually make a difference. Paul had this to say in II Corinthians 10:3-6 (I like how The Message puts it)…

The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.

With that said, let’s looks at a few ways we can make a difference…

Get informed.

Sometimes it takes a little effort on our part, but by simply doing a Google search (Christian persecution 2013, killing Christians, Christians killed in ) you can find limitless stories about the plight of Christians around the world. While I understand that you cannot believe every single thing you read on the internet, there are many, many reputable resources that are telling the truth about what is happening to our Christian brothers and sisters around the world.

Pray.

As II Corinthians 10:4 says (NKJV):

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.

We must diligently fight the war against the forces of darkness in the place where we can do the most good… on our knees. We must commit ourselves to fasting and prayer for the toppling of governments that support the killing of Christians, the defeat of radical Islamic groups around the world (including on our own soil), and for the courage of our political leaders to stand up in the face of such activity and say that we will not support or aid any nation that participates in these atrocities.

Vote.

We the people have a powerful weapon against the abuses and apathy of those in the power-centers and decision-making halls of our nation… it’s called the ballot. It is time for we as a Christian nation to stand up and say to our elected officials, “We sent you to Washington to serve. You were elected on the assumption and promise that you were going to do what is best for our nation. If you are unwilling to do this, we’ll put someone in office that will.”
What is in the best interest of America is following the tenants of Scripture, and standing up in the face of tyranny, not just in our nation, but around the world. This includes suspending aid for governments guilty of participating in, or endorsing, the persecution and slaughter of Christians. This means demanding that our leaders hold accountable rogue and radical Islamic governments who violate the rights of Christians (and others).

Get involved.

You may be limited in what you can do as an individual or even a church. However, there are plenty of Christian and humanitarian organizations that are on the front lines, making a difference. Do what you can to support those that are “fighting the good fight” with your prayers and resources. Groups like Samaritan’s Purse, World Vision, Compassion International, and others do much to provide relief in countries hard hit by poverty, war, and persecution. Our own ministry (Ron Phillips Ministries) works among the poor in countries like Guatemala and the Dominican Republic.

Let your voice be heard.

Most of us have access to social media on a regular basis (Facebook, Twitter, etc). Use your influence to help draw attention to what is going on as you become aware. All it takes is a few well-timed posts to get the ball rolling, and to raise awareness in your corner of influence to what is happening across the globe. We hear reports about Christians being assaulted, raped, and murdered on a daily basis, and much of it comes through social media. We have but to open our eyes to find such reports, and raising awareness can be as simple as clicking a “share” button.

Not every person or individual can do the “big thing.” Not everyone can be in these far-flung places to be the hands and feet of Jesus. But ALL of us can do something, whether it is a comment on Facebook, a few dollars sent to assist, or a few minutes a day spent in prayer. In the end, the question will not be, “Why didn’t you do the BIG THING?” The question will be, “What did you do with what I gave you?”

Now… Go make a difference in your world.

Categories
The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place Through The Looking Glass

Taking One for The Team

Through the Looking Glass

Well, it’s that time of year again.

With the football season once again wrapping up, and conference champions being decided, we are just a couple of weeks away from the big game – Super Bowl XLVIII.

Since the championship trophy is named after the great Vince Lombardi, I am reminded of a great quote by this legendary coach…

Teamwork is what the Green Bay Packers were all about. They didn’t do it for individual glory. They did it because they loved one another.

In this age of “superstars”, we see so many in search of the spotlight — in search of that thing that focuses attention on themselves. Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, when asked about this year’s AFC Championship meeting between he and Patriot’s quarterback Tom Brady said this…

Tom Brady has just been an outstanding quarterback … but the game next week is the Broncos and the Patriots. It will be a battle between two good teams — teams that have been through a lot, have overcome a lot to get to this point and that’s where my focus will be: trying to help the Broncos get a win against the Patriots.

Wow! Here is a guy who has had an amazing year, and is arguably one of the greatest players to ever play the game. If anyone deserves the “right” to toot his own horn, it would be Mr. Manning. Among other records he currently holds, he holds the records for the most passing yards, as well as most touchdowns thrown, in a single season. Yet, in spite of his accomplishments, Mr. Manning has not lost sight of the fact that football is a team sport…

You win as a team. You lose as a team.

And at the end of the day, for the true champion, it all comes down to two things: You love the game, and you love the guys on your team.

So how much more the Body of Christ?

In HIS body, there can be room for only One head, only One superstar. The Bible does not state that “they will know we are Christians by the size of our church, the popularity of our pastor, or the hipness of our worship team. Jesus “gave away the playbook” when He said…

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,
if you love one another. ~ John 13:35

Following His playbook means a team “game plan” of love… no special formulas, no secret codes, no strategies named after cities in Nebraska… just love.

A love that puts the needs of others before our own needs.

A love that obeys the Master’s call for unconditional sacrifice.

A love that lays everything down for the sake of the Body.

To paraphrase what Paul stated in I Corintians 13… “Without love, we are nothing.”

The team built on the foundation of Christ’s love wins… every time.

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Living It Out In Real Time

Bet She’an

Bet She'an2B

RPWe’re moving right along in the beautiful land of  Israel. Such a wonderful time we are having. Some on our team have taken some great pictures. I thought I would share a few more with you today.

Shalom,
Pastor Ron

Bet She'an4SycamoreLazarus2 Bet She'an sign Church1 Church2 Lazarus  BedouinsBet She'an Bet She'an3

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Friendship Living It Out In Real Time New Year The Life of Faith

It’s A Small World

Med2

RP1Currently, I am with a group of friends visiting Israel, the land of our Savior’s birth and life here on Earth. It never ceases to amaze me… the sights, the sounds, the people we meet. Whenever I travel abroad, the power and reach of media and technology always makes the world seem not quite so big. This trip is no exception. While we were visiting an Orthodox church in northern Israel, I was approached by the kind caretaker of the church. He told me that he recognized me from our television show, Ron Phillips from Abba’s House. Wow! Even in the most unexpected places, God continues to show me that what we do, and acts of obedience – regardless of how big or small – can change the world by changing lives.

Caesarea By The Sea2

Christ1Here are just a few pictures that some of my friends on the trip have taken. Hope you enjoy them, and can someday get to the Holy Land for yourself. It is a life-changing experience!

Shalom,
Pastor Ron

Megiddo3 Megiddo1 Mary Statue Church3  Church1 Church2

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Fresh Oil New Wine 2013 The Mysteries of God Through The Looking Glass

Saving the One

Arlington2 In the Academy Award winning movie, Saving Private Ryan, 8 soldiers set out across the French countryside in the days following D-Day. Their mission is to find one soldier, Private Ryan, deliver his discharge order, and get him back to safety and home. By the end of the mission, only two of the team members survived. Six of the men that originally set out to save Private Ryan sacrificed their lives so he would be saved.

Helmet2Jesus talked about the Good Shepherd, who left his ninety-nine sheep to find the one that was lost.

Some may say, “That’s crazy… to sacrifice many just to save one.”

It sounds crazy… unless you are that one.

We were all that one.

The Bible says that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

The theme song from our TV program, Ron Phillips from Abba’s House, has the following lyrics:

Wherever you’ve been
Or what you’ve been through
The Father is waiting for you

If any one of us as individuals had been the only one needing to be saved, Jesus still would have gone through the torture, the pain, the anguish, and the death… just to save the one.

Just to save you.

He thought you were worth it… and He still does.