There are events taking place in this world that no one is discussing. While our national media has us transfixed on their agenda and what THEY deem important, the pieces and players are moving into place, setting the stage for potential last days events.
Watch Part 2 of The House of Togarmah here (see my May 1 post for Part 1), and get informed about what is going on beneath the surface of world events.
Our world is becoming increasingly perilous. While our attention is diverted to places like North Korea and the halls of Congress, things are happening in the Middle East that the world at large is ignoring.
Watch this word, The Rebirth of the House of Togarmah Part 1 now…
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what
the will of the Lord is. ~ Ephesians 5:15-17
On November 8, 2016, the American people spoke.
On January 20, 2017, Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United Sates.
And from that time until now, individuals, groups, and organizations have become increasingly hostile, hateful, lawless, and… well… unhinged.
We have seen protests, riots, assaults, and rampant crime in our streets, all under the guise of 1st Amendment rights. We have gotten a front-row seat to unprecedented obstruction with the “slow-walking” confirmations — courtesy of Democrats in the Senate — of President Trump’s cabinet (in fact, not since the inauguration of George Washington in 1789 has a president had to wait this long to have his cabinet confirmed). We have been subjected to a steady string of “false news” reports from a media openly hostile to our new leader and leadership. We have become witness to the spectacle of Hollywood liberal acolytes using award programs and entertainment platforms for the purpose of lecturing the “uneducated masses” on the evils of President Trump, Vice-President Pence, and anyone associated with them — seemingly from birth.
The 1st Amendment of the Constitution has long been a cornerstone of the American way of life. To know that we can worship, believe, speak our mind, and have a free press without fear of persecution from the State is a right we should be able to count on.
The 1st Amendment of the Constitution declares…
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Many of those who rallied behind the lawful election of Barack Obama, and told those on the opposite side of the aisle to “deal with it” are now becoming increasingly hostile to the rule of law. When “We won!” was the reply to those who disagreed with the incoming flood of immoral and, in some cases, arguably unconstitutional legislation, those of a Republican or Conservative bent did not flood the streets, obstruct traffic, destroy property, and participate in disgusting and offensive demonstrations.
Of what do I speak? Well, for anyone who has (some might say ‘wisely’) not viewed news programs or current events, allow me to get you (partially) up to speed…
We are a nation of laws. We pride ourselves in the rule of law. While other countries devolve into chaos and madness, America remains stable because of our laws. And while the former administration made it a point to ignore certain laws it didn’t agree with (particularly regarding immigration and social issues), the Trump administration promised to return to the rule of law. While liberals try their best to derail this administration at every single turn from doing what the American voters tasked it to do, those same voters are, for the most part, in favor of President Trump’s actions. Interestingly enough, the same people who are for the stonewalling of the Trump cabinet are the same people who are criticizing President Trump for not moving faster in accomplishing the goals he set forth in his campaign.
So criticisms, tantrums, and protests aside, what does the Bible have to say about submission to authority…
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. ~ Romans 13:1-7
“Those who resist will bring judgement on themselves.” In the King James Version, it says it this way…
“…and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.”
Regardless of what any of us think of a politician or leader, we would do well to heed the words of Paul in this passage. Whether judgement falls as the result of our earthly actions by the hands of authorities here on earth, or judgement is stayed and awaits us in the afterlife, we can rest assured that God is good for His word, and that judgement for acts or rebellion against God-ordained leaders is inevitable.
I have lived through many presidents in my lifetime, and I have probably never agreed with any of them 100% of the time. Still, while I might be critical at times, I have always been careful to pray for our leaders, and while standing for what is right, do so in a law-abiding fashion. It seems that the words “civil disobedience” have come to mean whatever methods people decide upon in the heat of the moment. It is one thing to chant, picket, and protest outside of a building. It is quite another to violate someone else’s rights by burning property, physical assault, and making threats of violence. While it is lawful under our Constitution for an individual to stand up and regurgitate whatever banal ideology they choose, it is not lawful to threaten to kill the President or hurt innocent people. Signs and slogans make you a protester. Threats and violence make you a criminal thug. While one may land you in the newspaper, the other will likely land you in jail.
For the last 8+ years, many laws have been ignored simply because they were socially unpopular, particularly laws pertaining to immigration (hence “Sanctuary Cities”), and social/moral issues. As President of the United States, the person who occupies that office has taken an oath to “uphold and defend the Constitution“. That includes abiding by the laws contained therein, or any laws passed legally through the legislative process set forth in the Constitution… whether or not that particular President agrees with their validity or not. The President himself is answerable to the people for how he carries out his oath. If a President disagrees with a law, then he has the right to have those in Congress try to advance legislation to repeal such laws.
I would contend that the ire against President Trump may have less to do with his lawfulness (or perceived lack thereof), and more to do with the reining in of an attitude that “laws were made to be broken”. Many (if not most) of the protests I have seen are people fighting back against the rule of law, protesting what should be common sense enforcement of the laws of our land. Whether it is immigration, gun control, etc… in most cases, we don’t need more legislation; we simply need to enforce the laws already passed and on the books.
At the end of the day (and to coin a phrase), there’s a new sheriff in town, and he’s dusting off a Constitution that has long been ignored.
It’s the age old question. Our core beliefs are what give us purpose and direction. Everyone believes in something, even if it is the belief that you don’t believe in anything. Every person has some guiding principles that they live their lives by. For most people, those principles take the form of some sort of religious belief.
religion
[ri-lij–uh n]
noun
1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.source: dictionary.com
As a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, I see everything through the lens of that belief. I view individual actions and world events through the lens of Scripture. I try to live my life in accordance with those beliefs. In Christianity, there are many absolutes: the sovereignty of God, the virgin birth, the deity of Jesus, the need for forgiveness, etc. All of these things and more make up the essentials of the Christian life.
So what makes a Catholic different from a Baptist? How does someone who is Orthodox relate to God in a way different than a Pentecostal? What are the similarities and differences between different denominations within Christianity?
But then we begin to look at other entirely different religions? What about Islam? What are the beliefs of Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses, and how do they differ from mine? What about Judaism? What about Eastern religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and dozens of others?
In today’s world, it is not enough to know what you believe; you have to know WHY you believe WHAT you believe. And even more than that, it is helpful to know what others believe as well.
Starting tonight, and for the next seven weeks, we will be teaching a series called Religion 101: A Study in Comparative Religion. I will be joined by my friends Dr. Alan Johnston, Dr. John Basham, Dr. Dennis Culbreth, and my son Dr. Ronnie Phillips, Jr. We’ll be looking at Islam, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witness, Judaism, and a variety of Eastern religions.
Tonight, Dr. Johnston will kick it off with A Common Core: Christianity, Catholicism, and Orthodox. This series is being taught during our 6:33 service at Abba’s House, and in conjunction with Berea Bible Institute and Seminary, and will begin at 6:33pm every Wednesday night through February 22. I invite you to join us for this in-depth and informative teaching.
If you are not in the Chattanooga area, you can watch online during service times at http://www.abbashouse.com/live
In about two weeks, America will once again go through the pomp and ceremony of inaugurating a new president, meaning new leadership and new direction in our nation. While January 20 (and a few days following) will be filled with all manner of spectacles, traditions, and commentary, it will merely mark the beginning of an administration that came to power on promises of ending corruption, national security, and returning us to being a nation “of, by, and for the people.” President Trump will have his hands full, leading our country during a time of political unrest, social division, international instability, and unfettered terrorism.
First of all, we can pray. In I Timothy 2:1-2, Paul tells Timothy…
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
Prayer is not partisan. While I never voted for President Obama, and disagreed with him on much of his agenda, I prayed for him nearly every single day. I genuinely hoped and prayed that he would be a good and just president. My prayer is the same for President Trump. I pray that he will surround himself with Godly counsel, that he will listen to wise advisers, and that he will always put America’s best interests — spiritually, socially, and economically — first (this includes an unwavering support for Israel).
Second, I would encourage everyone reading this, regardless of what side of the aisle you fall on politically — give President Trump a chance. No man or administration has the ability to fix all that ails a nation overnight. Leaders rise and fall according to the will of God (Romans 13:1), and I believe that God has ordained President Trump for “such a time as this”. If you have honest disagreements with him or his policy, fine. I’m sure we all will at some point. There has not been a president in my lifetime that I agreed with 100% of the time. But honest criticism, reasoned viewpoints, and civil discourse should not fall victim to unbridled vitriol, (un)civil disobedience, and fake and deceptive news. If there is one thing I have learned with the popularity of social media, it is that you cannot believe everything you read.
Last, I would encourage all of us — as Americans — to be diligent in seeking after holiness, righteousness, and decency. Make a difference in your own circle of influence. Last year, I wrote a book called The Unraveling of America in which I pointed to a number of political and social ideologies and entities in our world that have led to the systematic dismantling of our nation. With the advent of new leadership, all of these adversaries and ideologies are not going to mysteriously vanish. We must be diligent. We must be wary. We must hold our leaders to account for their decisions, actions, or lack thereof. We must follow the advice of Jesus who tells us to be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16).
It’s time for our nation under God to once again rise up and be the “shining city on a hill”, not because of our perceived greatness, but because of the goodness and grace of God that He shed upon us.
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.~ from America the Beautiful
Words by Katharine Lee Bates
Music by Samuel A. Ward
With the close of the final Presidential debate of 2016, our nation now enters the homestretch of the most unusual and heated political campaign in our history. With so much information, misinformation, and misleading journalism out there, I think it is appropriate and timely to step back for a moment, take a deep breath, look at what it is that makes us great as a nation, and what is and is not important when it comes to policy and personality.
Our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, and a Constitution to which every president swears allegiance. One has but to look at the writings of people like Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, John Adams, and countless others of our founding fathers to find this to be true. Still, we have those in the seats of power who would twist our heritage, rewrite our history, and try to push an agenda that is contrary our historically Biblical values, our Constitution, and to sanity itself.
How can a person claim to be supportive of our founding documents (of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”), as well as the rights of children, and yet support the heinous and barbaric practice of partial-birth abortion?
You can’t have it both ways.
How can a government expect to have any moral authority when it excuses the crimes of the rich and powerful? How can our leaders effectively lead when the halls of our state-houses are flooded with corruption?
You can’t have it both ways.
How can a journalist feign indignation and “shocked” outrage at offensive words and “locker-room banter”, yet smile and laugh through a reprehensible, profanity-laced interview where the interviewer refers to her as a “piece of a**”, discuss having a “threesome” with he and his wife, and discuss and disparage others who struggle with weight issues (among many other things unfit to publish here)?
You can’t have it both ways.
The Presidential oath of office reads as follows…
I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.
How can the person who utters these words, yet repeatedly tramples on the very Constitution they are sworn to uphold not be guilty of dereliction of duty in the breaking of that oath?
You can’t have it both ways.
How can a person talk about supporting national security, yet support open borders, increased refugee acceptance from Islamic countries, and policies that put that very national security at risk?
You can’t have it both ways.
How can a “news” media that financially supports any political candidate expect the American public to believe they are unbiased?
You can’t have it both ways.
I could go on for hours with regard to the hypocrisy that has permeated our culture. But I will instead leave you with a couple of quotes by the late Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
“The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world
that it leaves to its children.”
What kind of society will we leave our children? Will it be a society of hypocrisy, corruption, and misguided political correctness, or will it be a society endeavoring for truth, justice, and righteousness? It is in our hand to decide.
Bonhoeffer also stated…
“If you board the wrong train, it is no use running
along the corridor in the other direction.”
Slowly and steadily, our society has changed trains, while Christians, Conservatives, and Constitutionalists have done little to stop the it. Those in power want to fix what ails our society by doubling down on the bad decisions that have put us in the position we are in. As Christians, we have — not just a moral obligation — but a Scriptural mandate to support, not the perfect candidate, but the candidate who is going to do the most in guiding our nation back to a place of safety, sanity, and sanctity. We must put the rhetoric, tabloid journalism, and social media debate aside, put on the whole armor of God, and vote with the mind of Christ. It is time to get off of the vehicle of self-serving destruction, and get on a path of repentance and restoration.
We are now less than three weeks from Election Day. I encourage you…
Pray to God.
Seek His face.
Follow His leading.
Vote.
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. ~ II Chronicles 7:14
With less than one month until the election, America hangs in the balance.
This week on Ron Phillips from Abba’s House…
A man was healed… A testimony was given… God was glorified…
And for their effort, Peter and John were sent to jail.
After healing a lame beggar in Acts 3, Peter and John have the opportunity to share the message of Jesus with the astonished crowd that gathered. Peter reminds the crowd of their deplorable treatment of Jesus, but then declares in verse 16…
And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
Because of their declarations of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the religious leadership opted to lock Peter and John up for the night. But not before, as chapter 4, verse 4 goes on to state, many more believed, and the numbers of believers increased.
To make a long story short, the next day, Peter and John were taken before the Sanhedrin, where they proceeded to continue to proclaim the name of Jesus, going as far as to declare that Jesus is…
“‘… The ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” ~ Acts 4:11-12 (NKJV)
Upon their release, Peter and John reported to their people (believers) about what had transpired. What happened next was an impromptu prayer meeting, in which the people prayed…
“… And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto Thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak Thy word, by stretching forth Thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of Thy holy child Jesus.”
~ Acts 4:29-30 (KJV)
These verses are an oft overlooked, yet very good lesson for all of us. In the contentious social climate in which we live, this is a model prayer of boldness in the face of threats and terror, a boldness that refuses to be bullied by the arrogance of men, popular opinion, and political correctness. The Greek word for boldness that we see here is parresia, which means “freedom to speak”. Just as Peter and John testified in the face of ugly threats by religious leaders, we are to stand up in the face of a godless and deceptive culture and respond to their accusations and threats with signs and wonders (v.30).
Another interesting point is the word behold (v.29). This word does not mean to simply “look at”, but “God, You look at them and fix YOUR gaze upon them.” How many times have you seen a child back down from some form of folly simply because of the disapproving gaze of a parent? This is basically saying, “God… stare ’em down!”
Look folks… the message of the Gospel is a tough message. While yes, it is a message of love and hope in Christ, it is also a message of self-sacrifice, self-denial, and isolation (though none go with me, still I will follow). These days, there is no shortage of those who would try to intimidate us into silence and isolation. For Christians to speak the truth, we face the backlash of public scorn and ridicule, threats from governmental entities (such as the IRS), or threats of physical violence from groups, organizations, and religions who would terrorize us. Yet, we are not to cower in the face of opposition. We are not to remain silent during such threatenings. Recently, I wrote a book called The Unraveling of America. I didn’t write it because I was trying to make friends… I wrote it because the truth had to be told, regardless of how hard a truth that was.
So why should any of us take such risks? Why should we declare the truth? Because we are called to be salt and light. We are called to a life of faith, for it is only by faith that we can please God (Heb. 11:6). But we can also rest assured that, when we speak the truth, and live according to God’s direction, He shows up. Look at verse 31 of Acts 4…
And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
God is not going to leave you hanging.
In Him is truth.
In Him is power.
In Him there is no lack.
That is Good News for me and you!
Pastor Ron
I thought for this week’s blog, I would share this week’s show from Ron Phillips from Abba’s House. It is time to be silent no more. We must speak up for the soul of our nation…
As we celebrate Independence Day today, I find myself reminiscing about the qualities and people who have made our nation great. Character, integrity, patriotism, freedom, excellence, Godliness, exceptionalism are all words that come to mind when I think of the writings of our founding fathers. Names like Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, and Adams are synonymous with these aspirations. Others who followed in their wake — men like Lincoln, Roosevelt, Kennedy, Reagan — encouraged America’s citizenry to overcome adversity, stand for freedom and against tyranny, and shoot for the moon. One has but to visit our nation’s capital — places like the Smithsonian Institution, Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery — to have a sense of where we came from, how hard we have worked, where our faith was founded, how much we have sacrificed, and what we have accomplished…
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil…” ~ Isaiah 5:20
Today, we are seeing America unraveling at the seams. We are seeing unprecedented evil – as the Bible defines it – being accepted and even welcomed in our culture. We are witnessing events and attitudes that I would never have imagined would be “acceptable” in my lifetime.
The history we are seeing unfold before our eyes is startling, shocking, and disturbing. But current events beg the questions…
Yesterday (July 3), I released a word to our nation. My new book, The Unraveling of America, answers these questions and more. It is time to stand for righteousness. It is time to stand for truth. It is time to get honest about the individuals, entities, and attitudes that are tearing our great nation apart, and return our nation to the path of righteousness, justice, truth, and integrity that is our true destiny.
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. ~ II Chronicles 7:14
It is time to expose the unraveling of America, and begin the healing of our Land.
Pastor Ron
The Heart of Abba - Ron Phillips 