Categories
The Life of Faith Through The Looking Glass

The Power of Touch

Through The Looking Glass2Some time back, a group from my church went to Guatemala on a mission trip. On their last night there, one of the members of the group ran into another mission team, and overheard one of their members addressing his group. Speaking of the people they were there to minister to, this person said…

“Are any of you going to touch them? The Bible said Jesus spoke the word and they were healed… I’m not touching them.”

It’s sad to see Jesus misrepresented and misinterpreted in that way. The Bible puts great emphasis on human touch. If you don’t think touch is important…

Ask the blind man that Jesus touched and he received his sight.

Ask the person who is comforted by a gentle hand of a friend on their shoulder.

Ask the woman who was healed, simply because she touched the hem of Jesus’ robe.

Touching the heart often begins with a smile, a handshake, or a hug. The Bible encourages human touch for anointing and healing.

So… How are you touching the world around you?

Categories
America Living It Out In Real Time The Bible The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

The Survival of Israel

RP & PauletteHere are a few notable quotes:

“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.”
~ King David

“No man should escape our universities without knowing how little he knows.”
~ J. Robert Oppenheimer

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
~ Albert Einstein

“I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member.”
~ Groucho Marx

“Too many young musicians today want to win polls before they learn their instruments.”
~ Benny Goodman

“One cannot and must not try to erase the past merely because it does not fit the present.”
~ Golda Meir

Mt. ScopusWhile a seemingly unrelated group of quotes, the one thing that they have in common is that all came from the mind, experience, wit, and wisdom of Jews. Each person quoted is Jewish. In fact, when listing the accomplishments of notable Jews throughout history, the list would include multiple Nobel, Pulitzer, Oscar, Tony, Grammy, and {insert name of award here} Award recipients. There is no denying the contribution the Jewish people and culture have made to our world. And why not? There is no other national group that has endured the mistreatment, disdain, and abuse that the Jews (and nation of Israel) has. No other nation has ever been carried away captive, yet returned to their homeland. No other nation was considered dead, and yet rose again.

Dachau 2I have stood on the Temple Mount, walked along the streets of Jerusalem, and broken bread along the Sea of Galilee. I have stood at the gas chambers and ovens at the Dachau concentration camp in Germany. I have seen both the rich history and horrific tragedies endured by the Jewish people. Having seen the evidence on both sides, one may ask the question…

What is so special about Israel and the Jews?

Dachau 1Well, my friend, The answer is both simple and mysterious. The short answer comes from the promise that God made to Abram (later Abraham), the father of the Jewish people:

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
  ~ Genesis 12:1-3

Garden of GethsemaneWhile we tend to focus on verse 3, we often forget the promise made in verse 2… the promise that has the potential to affect the rest of the world… “thou shalt be a blessing.” Not only does God promise to bless the people (nation) that blesses Israel, but He states that Israel “shall be a blessing”. There is no denying the truth of that verse. Look at the rich history of contributions made by Jews in every area of society. Albert Einstein, Selman Waksman, Louis B. Mayer, George Gershwin, Jonas Salk, Niels Bohr, and the list goes on and on.

But I digress…

Wailing WallThe fact is that Israel is God’s timepiece. Whether you are talking about end-time prophecy, or the movement of hundreds of thousands of troops in and out of the Middle East, Israel is the focal point. Israel is the apple of God’s eye, and when you hear people preaching “replacement theology”, blaming, or speaking out against Israel, you should run (not walk) the other direction. If “the power of life and death are in the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21), and God “will curse him that curseth thee” — well… you do the math.

This Sunday on Ron Phillips from Abba’s House, I will be talking about Israel’s Survival. I invite you to watch on one of the many fine stations and networks listed here.

If it is not available where you live, you can also watch directly from our website. It will be available on-demand after 8:00a.m. on Sunday, October 20. Just click here.

Categories
America The Life of Faith Through The Looking Glass

Winning The War

Through The Looking Glass2

Wallace Sword

General Douglas MacArthur was raised in a military family. His father, Arthur MacArthur, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his bravery in the Battle of Chattanooga during the Civil War. General MacArthur once said this about warfare…

It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.

Chinese general, strategist, and philosopher Sun Tzu put it another way…

If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the results of a hundred battles.

How true is that of the Christian life. We as Christians are in a war… a war for the souls of men and women all over the world. But our battle is not against flesh and blood. The Bible says it is against “principalities, powers, and spiritual forces of wickedness in high places”. When we abdicate our responsibility to share the love of Jesus, souls are lost.
It’s time for the church to remember the battle cry of the old song…

Onward Christian soldiers
Marching as to war
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before

Categories
Living It Out In Real Time The Bible The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

An Upsized Love

On Sunday mornings at Abba’s House, I just began a new series called Up-size to God-Sized. As children of the Most High God, we have the resources and riches of Heaven at our disposal, yet we leave so much “on the table” — resources untapped and unused because of our own failure to step into our inheritance. When you go through a drive-thru at a restaurant, one of the things the clerks are conditioned to ask is, “Would you like to up-size your order?”

A similar offer is available in the life of the Spirit… Do you want to Up-size to God-Sized?

Ok… let me put it another way:

Why would you not?

If you can upsize to God-sized love, God-sized grace, God-sized faith, a God-sized future, a God-sized mission, a God-sized heart, a God-sized offering, and a God-sized God, why would you pass on so free a gift?

Well, you don’t have to miss out any more. It’s time to move to God-sized in your life. Watch this short clip from last Sunday morning, and learn about a God-Sized Love…

Want to learn more about Up-sizing to God-Sized? Join us at Abba’s House on Sunday mornings at 10:30a.m. (EST), or join us online by clicking here.

Categories
America Fresh Oil New Wine 2013 Living It Out In Real Time The Bible The Life of Faith The Secret Place Through The Looking Glass

What It Was Was Football Life

Through the Looking Glass“It’s football time in Tennessee!!!”

Ok… it’s a little late, and I’m actually an Alabama Crimson Tide fan (Roll Tide!), but if you live in Tennessee like I do, you are used to hearing those words in the fall of every year. Not just a declaration – it is a warcry. It is a call to Saturday football, friends gathered around television screens, popcorn and potato chips flying everywhere when your team scores, an occasional pilgrimage (for some) to Neyland Stadium, and lots and LOTS of orange.

Regardless of your persuasion of team choice (or what color you think you look good in), there is nothing quite like a good football game. When it is neck-and-neck, back and forth battling on the gridiron, the energy is contagious – the excitement nearly impossible to contain!

It reminds me of some quotes by icons of the game:

Football is like life – it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority. ~ Vince Lombardi

I believe in getting a team prepared so it knows it will have the necessary confidence when it steps on a field and be prepared to play a good game. ~ Tom Landry

Never be too proud to get down on your knees and pray. ~ Paul “Bear” Bryant

Three different coaches. Three different quotes. One important message, not just for football, but for life…

Be prepared.

Just like a football team has to practice, condition, and prepare in order to have any chance of winning once it walks out onto the field, we have to prepare for the challenges and trials of life through education, dedication, hard work, and…

Prayer.

In the Bible, Paul stresses, over and over again the value of preparation…

“Run with perseverance”… “Endure hardship”… Hebrews 12

“Everyone who competes goes into strict training”… I Corinthians 9

“Put on the full armor of God”… Ephesians 6

In order for us to win in the “game of life”, we must prepare. As Christians, we do that through worship, prayer, studying the Word of God, and fellowship with other believers (just to name a few).

Years ago, the late Andy Griffith had a comedy routine called What It Was Was Football, in which he described the game of football from the vantage point of a “good ole country boy” who had never seen the game before, and didn’t understand the rules.

As we go through life, are our lives shining and crystal-clear examples of the love of Jesus, or something that is foreign to those that are observing our lives at arms-length? Do we point people to the love of Christ, or confuse them with an unconvincing and unattractive “performance” devoid of passion, love, or commitment?

Take the time today to assess your “game plan”. If you see that it needs work, a good place to begin is on your knees.

Categories
America Healing Miracles Out of Nowhere The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

Along the Trail of Tears

I live and serve at a church (Abba’s House) in the Chattanooga, TN area, which is the eastern head of the infamous Trail of Tears… the path that members of the Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw Indian nations were forced to travel during their forced relocation to the reservation in Oklahoma, beginning in 1831. The journey was horrific, with over 60,000 Indians dying from starvation, disease, and exposure. My good friend, Rabbi Curt Landry, is the pastor of House of David, just outside of Tulsa, OK, at the western end of the Trail.

Recently, I spoke at House of David. Here is a short video in which I tell the story of something that happened while I was there.

Categories
Through The Looking Glass

The Cost of Grace

Through The Looking Glass2The movie A River Runs Through It is narrated by Norman… one of the main characters. He makes this statement:

“My father was very sure about certain matters pertaining to the universe. To him, all good things – trout as well as eternal salvation – came by grace; and grace comes by art; and art does not come easy.”

While we rightly view grace as a free gift, grace always costs someone something.

As Norman said, grace comes by art… but art costs the artist years of practice and preparation.

Grace releases an indebted person from their debt… but costs the lender the debt forgiven.

Grace sets us free from sin and death… but cost Jesus the pain, humiliation, and death of the Cross.

The grace God offers cost us nothing, but cost Jesus everything.

But, He did it all because He wants to spend eternity with you.

THAT is a priceless grace worth sharing.

Categories
Fresh Oil New Wine 2013 Living It Out In Real Time Miracles Out of Nowhere The Bible The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

Understanding Mystery

I think that it would be safe to say that archaeology fascinates most people. Whether it is the stories we see on the news when a significant artifact is located, or historically-based fictitious movies such as National Treasure or the Indiana Jones movies, people are drawn to a good mystery that has it’s roots in truth.BLOG_ARC

I would contend that there is no more intriguing mystery or powerful truth than that contained within the pages of Scripture.

   BLOG_NOAHFrom Noah’s Ark to the Ark of the Covenant to the crucifixion of Jesus, the earth itself holds clues and keys in unlocking the veracity of these historical objects and events. Is it possible that the Bible explains the origins and events surrounding discoveries like…

  • The skeletons of giants discovered in places like France, Turkey, and China that range from 14 to 17 feet in stature?
  • Encapsulated sulfur (brimstone) in the ash and rock formations located near the base of Masada in Israel (the location of the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah)?
  • A grave site around which no bones were found?
  • Burial clothes in which no body was actually found?

Blog_AtlantisOr maybe some of the “myths” we have learned about as children – that have been turned into folklore and Disney movies – are actually based on scientific, historical fact:

  • Are angels and demons real?
  • Was the lost city of Atlantis an actual place?
  • Who were “the Magi”?
  • Do we know the real identity of the one known as Melchizedek?

Do you struggle to find the answers to questions when it comes to science and faith?

Do you want to have the ability to give an answer for the hope you have?

Do you want to understand why you are more than an accident of evolution, destined for more than a six-foot hole in the ground?

My new book, Unexplained Mysteries of Heaven and Earth (Charisma House) will help you unlock some of the mysteries of the faith, as well as bridge the gap between science and faith. For more information, click the image of my book in the sidebar to the right.Blog_Pyramid

Categories
Monthly Grab Bag

September Grab Bag Winner

Betty lives in Mississippi.

Betty has been following the blog for quite a while.

Betty is a first time winner for The Monthly Grab Bag!

Congratulations, Betty! You are this month’s winner, and as such, you will receive…

The Secret Place Collection

SOTSThis month’s giveaway includes Pastor Ron’s book, The Secret of the Stairs, as well as Deep Calling, a CD with over 40 minutes of non-stop “soaking” music by multi-instrumentalist Dana Harding.

There’s a new giveaway each month, but you can’t win if you don’t enter.

“So what is the catch?” you ask.

That’s the best part… there’s not one!

Just sign up to follow The Heart of Abba blog by clicking the “follow” button under “Follow my Blog”. Give us your email address, and you’re entered. All you have to do is enter once, and every month, you are automatically entered into the drawing.

Thanks for following the blog, Betty! We hope you enjoy your gifts!

Categories
Fresh Oil New Wine 2013 Living It Out In Real Time The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place Through The Looking Glass

Don’t Just Do Something… Stand There

Through the Looking GlassActor/director Clint Eastwood has made a successful career out of playing quiet, brooding characters. He once conveyed this little anecdote…

“My old drama coach used to say, ‘Don’t just do something… stand there.’”

In our society today, we are addicted to noise. Everywhere we go, our auditory senses are being constantly assaulted to the point that, for most of us, silence makes us uncomfortable.

What is it about being still that bothers us so much?

What is it about silence that scares us to death?

In Psalms, God gives us a command…

“Be STILL… and know that I am God”.

Could it be that, in the silence of stillness, we face God on His terms? Is it possible that, without distractions, all of our mental “hiding places” are stripped away, and we have to be honest about our need for Him?

Are you looking for a fresh revelation of God in your life? Don’t just do something….

Stand there.

Stand still.

And listen for His voice.