Tag: Jesus

Categories
Living It Out In Real Time The Bible The Life of Faith

Allegorical or Absolute: Finding Faith in The Bible

Bible        Over the last few weeks, Americans have been captivated by The Bible on television. The record-setting series garnered huge audiences, and brought many of these most well-loved Bible stories into our living rooms in living color. Congratulations to Mark Burnett and his wife, Roma Downey, for the wonderful job they did in bringing the Book of the Ages, God’s Holy Word, to life.

But lest we get lost in the fanfare surrounding the success of Christian-friendly programming, I would like to mention a few of things that would be good reminders for all of us regarding The Bible:

Now that you’ve waited for the movie, don’t forget to read The Book. All in all, The Bible was very well done, and the producers should be commended in trying to “stay true to the spirit of the book”. However, be sure not to base your theology entirely on what was depicted on the screen: Read the Bible for yourself, and let the Holy Spirit of God reveal to you personally what is the holiness, righteousness, and love of the God of the Universe.

You can’t make this stuff up. In the course of promoting The Bible, I saw Mr. Burnett and Ms. Downey on a well-known (fairly conservative) talk show. The interviewer (who said he was religious), while discussing the series, stated repeatedly, “Now, we all know that the Bible is just allegory (good moral stories, but not factual, historical accounts)”. When he pressed the issue, and asked the producers their opinion, they stated, unequivocally, that they believed the Bible to be a historical, factual account of actual events.

As Christians, our faith depends on the factual and literal life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Romans 10:9 states it very plainly:

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

 Now, I could go on for hours about historical fact, archaeological evidence, as well as personal observation (having personally traveled to the Holy Land more than a dozen times). However, in the interest of time (and not to be overly simplistic), I’ll sum it up as a friend recently noted:

“If you are going to pick and choose ‘truth’, and if the death and resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone of our faith (and thereby must be factual truth), which story is easier to believe: That a boy killed a giant with a stone, or that the God of the universe became a man, was born of a virgin, was killed by His own creation, and got up out of a grave after being dead for three days?”

Eating at the buffet of truth. It would be impossible to cover every significant event of the Bible in the 10 hours that it took to portray what ended up on screen. Just as God’s plan for the ages cannot be contained in a mini-series, truth is not a “buffet”. Unlike the stories chosen for the series (for time and content purposes), we cannot pick and choose what truth we want to believe and what we want to leave at “the bar”. If we cannot trust God in matters of judgment and justice, how can we trust Him on matters of grace and mercy? When it comes to truth, it’s all or nothing. God does not operate on the shifting winds and whims of the masses or mobs. Even if “the majority of Americans believe” that which is contrary to the Word of God, God is not going to change His opinion. Truth is truth… regardless of polls, public opinion, or political correctness.

When we come to Christ, we must come to Him on His terms…

We must recognize our need for Him. “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

We must recognize that we have sinned. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

We must recognize that our sin separates us from God. (Romans 6:23… 1 Corinthians 6:9-10… Romans 1:28-32)

We must believe, accept, and confess Jesus as Lord and Savior. “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

When we come to Jesus, we are invited to come and die; die to our old self… die to sin and the sinful nature. We are invited to “deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him” (Matthew 16:24). If you did see The Bible, then you realize that taking up the cross (even figuratively) is not to be taken lightly. But although the path in following Him may be steep, stony, and wrought with peril, that which awaits us at the finish line is joy, peace, grace, mercy, and life eternal… all found in the open and nail-scarred arms of Jesus.

Categories
Living It Out In Real Time The Life of Faith Through The Looking Glass

Be Consistent

Through the Looking GlassConsider this quote:

“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”

In making this statement, I believe author and former Franciscan priest Brennan Manning hit the nail squarely on the head.

Whether by commission or omission, the church has allowed godlessness to permeate our society. We have allowed our “nation under God” to bury the Presence of God under a mountain of misinterpreted laws and legal catchphrases.

So what can the church do?

We can be consistent. We can practice what we preach. We can show our love for Christ by a lifestyle that is consistent with the Bible we claim to believe.

So, here’s the challenge:

Be that consistent light that the world needs. Don’t just believe it… live it. Let’s see if, just by walking our talk, we can make a difference in a world that needs Jesus.

Categories
Living It Out In Real Time The Life of Faith The Secret Place Uncategorized

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
Categories
Uncategorized

A Traveler’s Photo Journal

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

image
Some of the crowd gathered to hear Pastor Ronnie Jr. preach the word at the baseball stadium.
image
Another shot of the crowd. An estimated 11,000 attended the first night of the crusade, with around 1,000 praying to receive Christ.
image
My friend, Pastor Bob Vineyard, ministering to a local pastor at the Pastor’s Conference in Cien Fuegos.
image
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).
image
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.
image
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.
image
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!!
image
Ministry time. The crowd pressing in to be prayed for.
image
Here I am, speaking at the Pastor’s Conference in Cien Fuegos. Nearly 100 pastors came to be ministered to at the conference.
image
A local pastor and translator, Pastor Mike, and me. This brother has an amazing story and a wonderful heart.
image
On our last day there, we ran into John, a new friend and viewer from South Carolina.
image
My friend Dr. Randall Collins ministering at the Pastor’s Conference.
Landfill
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.
AHCC
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.
AHCC2
Our team with the some of the children from the Abba’s House Children’s Center in Cien Fuegos, Dominican Republic.
image
Pastor Mike and I praying for one of the attendees of the Pastor’s Conference.
image
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.

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

A Traveler’s Journal: Finishing the Race

In his book, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis said, “If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this”.

wpid-IMG_20130319_211953.jpgPaul compared the Christian life to a race, encouraging us to run the race with consistency, determination, and commitment (see Hebrews 12). A long-distance race is not won by the short distance sprinter… it is won by the one who paces himself, and runs the race with endurance and skill, having conditioned himself for the task.

AHCCHaving just returned from a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, and seeing the need that exists there, it brings that analogy of “the race” closer to home. While people who do the “big thing” do a lot to advance the work of the Kingdom of God, the Bible says that we should not despise the day of small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10). The fact is that most people do not have the wherewithal to pay for an orphanage, or supply drinking water to an entire village; however, we can all do the small, consistent thing – the small gifts that, when joined together, make the huge difference that can change the world.

What makes up a $100 bill? 10,000 individual pennies.

Landfill

How do you change the world? One single, solitary heart at a time.

In our current economy, it is easy to lose hope when it comes to giving. It is easy to lose sight of the small, consistent thing we can all do in the shadow of the desire to do the big thing. We all have the desire to do something, but it is easy to succumb to a spirit of condemnation and defeat when we either cannot do all we think we should, or in some way fail to do what we have committed to. Sometimes, throwing up the white flag of surrender seems easier than trying to win the race.

However, maybe Paul knew something that we all forget too easily. Maybe Paul knew that it is not always about winning as much as it is about finishing. Just maybe, Paul knew that, in the Christian life, the winning is in the finishing.

AHCC2Here at Ron Phillips Ministries and Abba’s House, we are reaching the world in a variety of ways. Not only do we have our international television program, Ron Phillips from Abba’s House, and our associated print and media ministry, but we are also involved in a variety of mission projects, not just here in the United States, but around the world. Jerusalem, Guatemala, South Dakota, the Dominican Republic – just a few places in the world we are reaching through the generosity of faithful partners and friends who make what we do possible.

If you have given to Ron Phillips Ministries in the past, words cannot express our gratefulness to you, or the impact you have made on the lives of so many people.

If you have not given, but would like to be a part of something bigger than yourself, it only takes one thing… a willingness to start. When you give to Ron Phillips Ministries, you can be confident that your gift is going to share the Gospel of Jesus, whether through television, internet, or boots-on-the-ground mission work around the world.

Will you help us? Will you use this opportunity to make a fresh start in giving to the work of God around the world?

Crusade

Please help us change the world… one heart at a time.

If you would like to talk to someone about how you can be a part, call 1-800-877-6493.

You can also contact us online at www.ronphillips.org, or click here to give securely online.

If you would like more information on how you can partner with Ron Phillips Ministries, click here.

Categories
Uncategorized

A Traveler’s Journal: Final Day

image

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.

Categories
Friendship Living It Out In Real Time The Life of Faith Through The Looking Glass

How to Change the World (with a Frog as Your Spokesman)

Through the Looking Glass        When James and Richard met at a convention, they seemed destined to work together. They entered into a creative partnership, and led a team of performers that brought smiles to the faces of children and adults alike for decades.

Speaking about working with his team, James once said that…

“I’ve never felt any sense of competition with anybody, we’re all friends; we’re all good friends.”

Isn’t that how the Body of Christ should be? No competition… just each person operating in their gifts, while celebrating the gifts of others while we press toward a common goal: Reaching the world with the love of Jesus.

James ‘Jim’ Henson and Richard Frank Oznowicz – aka ‘Frank Oz’- were the driving force behind the Muppets, making the world laugh at the antics of Kermit the Frog and his friends.

If a small group of puppeteers can make the world smile, how much more should a unified Body of Christ have the ability to change that same world through love?

DR mapThis week…

I will be ministering with a small group of very gifted friends as we bring the light of Jesus to the people of the Dominican Republic. We will be ministering to local pastors (as well as their wives and staff), and doing street evangelism. In the evenings, we will be holding open-air crusades at a local sports stadium, and sharing the Gospel to the masses in the Santiago area. My son, Ronnie Jr., will be ministering at these events, and sharing the word God has laid on his heart for the people there. It is going to be a powerful time of salvation, healing, and Holy Spirit power.

We are praying that lives will be forever changed.

We are praying for a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the people of that area.

We are believing God for thousands of souls to be added to the eternal roll of the Kingdom of God.

Will you join us? Will you pray for our team? Will you partner with us in prayer for the salvation of the people of the Dominican Republic?

Keep following along this week. I will be commenting and keeping you updated as often as possible.

We are believing for God to change the Dominican Republic… one heart at a time.

Have a blessed week, everyone!

Categories
Living It Out In Real Time Miracles Out of Nowhere The Life of Faith

Mission: Dominican Republic

DR mapWe’re just a few days away from another exciting mission opportunity. On Monday, March 18, I will be joining a team of missionaries from Abba’s House, led by my son Pastor Ronnie Phillips Jr., and traveling to the Dominican Republic. This is going to be an amazing opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the people of Santiago and Cienfuegos.

In the mornings, I will be leading a Pastor’s Conference with the help of Randall Collins and Bob Vineyard. We will be ministering to approximately 100 pastors (as well as church members and staff), and speaking into their lives and ministries.

Our mission teams will be participating in street evangelism, and visiting the landfills where the poor go to rummage through the garbage trying to find food as well as items to sell. We will also be visiting the Abba’s House Children’s Center, a youth center set up by Pastor Jose Rodriquez, that provides food, education, and Bible study for around 100 children per day. His wife, Anyolina, also provides medical help through a nearby medical clinic she runs in Santiago.

In the evenings, Pastor Ronnie Jr. will be preaching at a crusade, “Tu Hora Con Ha Dios Llesado” (Your time with God has arrived), that will be held in the local sports arena. They are expecting tens of thousands in attendance, and we are believing for a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and thousands of professions of faith in Jesus Christ.

So, will you join your faith with ours? Will you pray for our team as they travel to the Dominican Republic to share the love of Jesus? If we pray together, believing in what God can do, there is no limit to the possibilities that await us there. Please pray for our team all next week, as they travel in obedience to Jesus’ command to “go into the world and preach the Gospel”. Please lift them up to the Father for safety, protection, divine opportunities, and a mighty harvest of souls!

RPM Logo

A final note…

One of the things that I stress to my mission teams is this question:

How do you change the world?

The answer is… One heart at a time.

Whether it is the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Gambia, or places closer to home, at Ron Phillips Ministries, we are sharing the love of Jesus through television, internet, and boots-on-the-ground mission work all over the world.

Maybe you can’t go, but maybe you can give.

Would you be a part in helping us share the love of Jesus? Would you be a part in helping us win the lost for Him? When you donate to Ron Phillips Ministries, you help us reach the world with the saving message of Jesus. You can be a part! To find out more, click here.

Help us change the world… one heart at a time!

Categories
The Life of Faith

Pope Francis I

Sunlight thru trees-editedThis is the year of the church, in spite of so many liberal attacks on our faith.

In spite of the denominational lines that define the differences between Catholics, Baptists, Presbyterians, Charismatics, Methodists, Episcopalians, Pentecostals, etc., billions of people across the globe still name the NAME THAT IS ABOVE EVERY NAME, and still bow their knees to Christ.

Congratulations to all of our friends of the Catholic faith on the election of Pope Francis I. He has taken the name of St. Francis of Assisi, a priest known as an evangelist and missionary. He comes from South America, a hotbed of Charismatic Catholicism.

Pope Francis I is the first pope to bow down and ask the people to pray for him. What humility! Let us pray, as fellow believers, that God will use this man as an instrument to turn the world back to Christ.

May the life and leadership of Pope Francis I echo the words of St. Francis as he guides Catholic believers “to follow the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ and to walk in his footsteps.”

Categories
Living It Out In Real Time The Life of Faith Through The Looking Glass

Hollywood & A Holy Perspective

Through the Looking Glass                      Randall Wallace is an Oscar-nominated screenwriter and director, having worked on such movies as Braveheart, We Were Soldiers, The Man In The Iron Mask, and Secretariat.         Mr. Wallace had this to say about his faith…

“An essential reason that I am Christian

is that I fully understand

that I’m not God… I need God.” *

Wallace Sword

Mr. Wallace understands a couple of truths that some politicians, performers, and pagans for years have failed to come to grips with:

Truth #1: There is a God in Heaven Who is holy, righteous, loving, merciful and just.

Truth #2: You are NOT Him.

We do ourselves and God a great disservice when we ascribe to Him our flawed humanity instead of the glory and honor that are due Him. We as the creation must continually resist the urge to make the Creator less than what He is… HOLY.

I am the Lord, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator, your King.” ~ Isaiah 43:15

*(http://www.pluggedin.com/upfront/2011/randallwallaceracingthegoodrace.aspx)