Tag: truth

Categories
America Fresh Oil New Wine Living It Out In Real Time Spiritual Warfare The Bible The Big Event The Hiram Code The Life of Faith Through The Looking Glass

Faith for the Finale

Think about this…

Would you run a marathon — leading the entire way by a mile — only to sit down at the end, 5 feet short of the finish line?

Would you finish Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2 in E minor with a pianissimo oboe solo?

Would you compete for an entire season — going undefeated for all of it — only to refuse to come out of the locker room for the championship game?

vince_lombardi_bart_starrFor many of us who are sports fans, we just witnessed a historic event. In Super Bowl LI, we watched as the New England Patriots — who were down by 25 points at halftime — came back to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the 5th time in a stunning overtime defeat of the Atlanta Falcons. Never before had a team overcome more than a 10-point deficit in the Super Bowl. Never before had “The Big Game” gone into overtime. When the New England Patriots came out of the locker room for the 3rd quarter, it looked like it was all but over. I had friends who actually turned off the game because it looked like such a blowout. “On to other things.” So what happened?

Well, one of the things that the commentators kept saying was “how young the Atlanta Falcons were”… How young they were…. How quick they were… How much older the Patriots were. Yet for all of their youth and exuberance, it seems that they lacked the one thing that the Patriots did have: Focus. During the second half, the Patriots stayed focused on winning. They stayed focused on the task at hand. They kept their eyes on the prize. Whether it was blown coverages or senseless penalties, the Atlanta Falcons went from a team hungry to win to a team trying not to lose. Somehow, they lost sight of the hard-fought lessons that got them to Houston. They had the motivation and energy to make it to the championship, but lacked the grit and determination to get them across the finish line.

The entire human race is running full-throttle toward the edge of eternity. So even though prophets, preachers, seers, and scholars have been discussing the Last Days  and The Day of the Lord for over 2,000 years, how should we live now.. today? What should our mindset be in 2017? Should we be filled with fear or faith?

Among the customs of some Native American people was a ritual of a young man passing into adulthood. He would be taken out into a place away from the community; he would then be blindfolded and left in that spot all night. He was not to remove the blindfold until the morning came and the sunlight began to shine through the blindfold. So all night, he was in that place, feeling alone and isolated… unsure of his surroundings and what potential threats waited for him, unseen because of the blindfold.

Well, I am sure you can imagine his surprise when, upon removing the blindfold at morning’s light, he found himself surrounded by his kinsmen — his father and uncles. Though he may have struggled with the fear of loneliness and the unknown, there was never a moment when he was not being watched over by his elders, who remained just out of reach and by his side the entire night.

Just like the young brave was never abandoned by those who loved him, so we are never abandoned by a loving Heavenly Father who never lets us out of His sight.

It is that unwavering attention to His children that allows us to run the race, and have Faith for the Finale.

At Abba’s House, I have just begun a series of messages by the same title…

Faith for the Finale.

I want to encourage you to join us, whether in person or online, as I take you through the steps and mindset that it takes to be an overcomer in adversarial times, and what YOU need to do in order to finish well the race set before you.

See you Sunday.

Pastor Ron

Categories
America Fresh Oil New Wine Living It Out In Real Time Spiritual Warfare The Bible The Big Event The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God Through The Looking Glass

The Super Bowl & The Ultimate Underdog

Wow! It was a game for the record books!

Football in grassNo team has won a Super Bowl in such dramatic fashion; coming back from such a 25-point-deficit at the half. No quarterback or coach has won as many Super Bowls. No Super Bowl had ever gone into overtime before.

Just like every other year for the past 50, another Super Bowl has passed into the history books. Kudos to both the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots for playing such a great and hard-fought game. Congratulations to Robert Kraft and his Patriots for coming out on top, and being the Super Bowl LI champions. Once again, the Vince Lombardi Trophy will make its way to Foxborough, MA.

All of the excitement of the day reminds me of the words of the man himself — Vince Lombardi…

Once you agree upon the price you and your family must pay for success, it enables you to ignore the minor hurts, the opponent’s pressure, and the temporary failures.

So as Christians, what is the cost of living the Christian life in a world that — in most cases — neither welcomes, appreciates, or respects us? What is the price we are called to pay?

The answer…

We are called to come and die.

The Apostle Paul summed it up when he said…

“I am crucified with Christ…” ~ Galatians 2:20a

We are called to die to our self-interest for the sake of something greater.

We are called to die to our sin.

We are called to die to our worldly desires.

We are called to die to ourselves.

With respect to the world, we are called to be the ultimate underdogs.

However, it is though that death that Jesus can live through us, giving us a life more abundant that we could ever imagine.

So, ask yourself this…

Are you a living sacrifice that is acceptable to God, or are you a living sacrifice that keeps crawling off of the altar?

What price are you willing to pay for the One who paid it all for you?

Categories
America Fresh Oil New Wine Friendship Healing Living It Out In Real Time Miracles Out of Nowhere Spiritual Warfare The Bible The Big Event The Hiram Code The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place Through The Looking Glass

Dancing In The Latter Rain

tn-wildfires2For those of us living in East Tennessee, last year made us understand why rain is so desperately important. From the Smokies to the Tennessee Valley, wildfires as a result of the lack of rain brought destruction and death to many in our region. While Chattanooga faced wildfires up in the mountains surrounding our city, in places like Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and Sevierville, hundreds lost homes, businesses, possessions, and some their very lives.

Rain brings nourishment to plants. Rain provides protection against fire. Rain cleans the air and atmosphere, and provides clarity and refreshing — not just to our air alone, but also to our spirits. How many times have we all experienced the lifting of our spirits after a shower or storm, to go outside as the sun breaks through, revealing an earth refreshed and alive?

The Bible talks about “the Latter Rain” several times throughout its 66 books. Now, in the natural order, the latter rain was the second of two rains received in Israel for the harvest. The early rain prepared the ground and watered the seed, while the latter rain brought the wheat crop to maturity and prepared the vineyards and olive groves for the wine and oil harvests. However, in the spiritual dimension, the latter rain always has to do with Israel’s obedience, and the subsequent possession of their land.

We can see, even in our recent history, that there have been two latter rain movements in our world…

  • In the late 19th and Early 20th Centuries, The Balfour Declaration was a letter from the United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour to Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild, in which Balfour confirmed support for an Israeli homeland.

balfour_portrait_and_declaration

It was around this time that the Pentecostal Movement began to break out amongst Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians, being highlighted with such movements as Azusa Street.

  • Between 1948 and 1967. When the State of Israel was established in 1948, surrounding Arab nations and organizations mounted attacks over the subsequent years (the Arab-Israeli War, the Six-Day War, etc.). During those same years, as Israel took possession of their land, we saw social justice and civil rights happen under people like Martin Luther King, Jr. We saw revival happen under the likes of Oral Roberts, Billy Graham, and A.A. Allen. Events such as these became the forerunners and part of the Jesus Movement, adding names like Chuck Smith, Duane Pederson, Bill Bright, and others to the list of spiritual fathers to a generation.

Friends, we are in a latter rain period now.

kid-in-the-rain

So what does this mean to us? How should we respond to the positive (and negative) aspects of these Latter Rain times and Latter Days in which we live?

I invite you to join me this Sunday as I speak on The Promise of Change at Abba’s House in Chattanooga, TN. We are in ever changing times. With new leadership comes new direction, new policies and practices, and new hope. As our world changes, I will tell you what you need to be taking notice of with regard to Israel, the economy, and society as a whole. I hope you will join me Sunday at 10:30a.m. (EST)

If you aren’t in the Chattanooga area, please take advantage of our LIVE streaming at www.abbashouse.com/live

Categories
America Fresh Oil New Wine Friendship Healing Living It Out In Real Time New Year Spiritual Warfare The Big Event The Hiram Code The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God Through The Looking Glass

A Year of Change

FlagIn 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.

So, “we the people”… what can we do?

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.

Israeli Flag 1Prayer 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.

Praying      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.

Pemmaquid PointAmerica! 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
Categories
Fresh Oil New Wine Spiritual Warfare The Bible The Big Event The Hiram Code The Life of Faith The Secret Place

Vintage CenterPoint

pastor-ron-centerpointYesterday (as a “Throwback Thursday” post on social media), one of my staff posted an old picture of me in the recording studio where we used to record our CenterPoint radio broadcast. CenterPoint was our daily, 13 minute daily devotional program that aired around the world for 14 years, but which we (reluctantly) decided to discontinue at the end of 2012.

I thought today I would share one of these “vintage” shows with you. With all of the chaos and confusion that is going on in our nation right now, we could all use a good word about finding peace and getting into the secret place of the Most High.

We had a great radio team, and doing these shows was always a joy. I hope you have as much fun listening as we had making them.

DISCLAIMER: Due to the age of these programs, product offer “packages” may no longer be available. If you are interested in the product offered, please contact 1-800-877-6493 for information and availability.

Categories
America Fresh Oil New Wine Healing Living It Out In Real Time Spiritual Warfare The Big Event The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God Through The Looking Glass

Skeptics, Scorpions, Safe-Spaces, and Other Threats to Civilization

 

woman in depressionAs we are now seeing, our hopes for a peaceful transition of power seem to be interrupted. People who are protesting the outcome of last week’s election are staging protests, riots, “cry-ins”, and other forms of social absurdities, decrying the upset victory of Mr. Trump over Mrs. Clinton in the Presidential Election. With a media that went “all-in” for Mrs. Clinton, the biggest casualty of last Tuesday was, in my opinion, any credibility the mainstream media had left. However, we would be sorely mistaken in thinking that they would go “softly into that good night”. We would be naive to assume that the mainstream media and the left’s devotion to liberality and progressivism would stop with, what many are calling, a stunning “rebuke and repudiation” of their principles, practices, and policies.

So who and what is behind this ideology of division and destruction?

While on the Isle of Patmos, the apostle John was given a prophetic picture of the last days–the end of the age.

In Revelation 9, he introduces us to a frightening character, Apollyon: The Destroyer.

      Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.

~ Revelation 9:1-11, NKJV

“Abaddon” in Hebrew and “Apollyon” in Greek both mean a demonic personality that destroys! Here are dark forces whose purpose is to confuse humanity so that mankind makes choices that undo their lives.

It is interesting that this verse reference is 9/11! This verse is a part of the first “woe” to come upon the earth. The vision is cryptic, with scorpions, locusts and other symbols of nature wreaking havoc on the earth.

A more in-depth look at these words seems to imply that these strange creatures coming out of the bottomless abyss are inflicting their pain by causing confusion and wrong choices.

scorpionThe word “scorpion” comes from the root word “skeptomas” from which our English word “skeptic” is derived. It means to question and scrutinize the truth. These scorpions poison humanity with lies that create wrong decisions that bring pain.

The word “locust”, which is translated from the word “akrides” in Greek, comes from the root word “akmen” which means “to argue and make a point.” It means also to consume another with overwhelming arguments (similar to the way a swarm of locusts overwhelms).

The grass referred to in Revelation 9:11 represents human beings.

. . . but the rich in his humiliation, because as
a flower of the field he will pass away. ~ James 1:10

All flesh is as grass,
And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers,
And its flower falls away . . . ~ 1 Peter 1:24

In the last days, humanity will be invaded by demons who will inflict pain through the scorpions of skepticism and locust of propaganda. This will consume men and cause them great harm.

I believe that the pit is open and the demons of deception are hard at work. This scene is a New Testament picture of Hosea’s warning.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being priest for Me;
Because you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children. ~ Hosea 4:6

DemonDemonic attacks always begin with undermined truth. The attack on the truth is intense today and it is important that we be equipped to take down the lies that are destroying our homes, churches and nation.

As we pull back the curtain and reveal the truth throughout the pages of this book, you will discover some of the lethal effects of Apollyon, the demon controlling the direction of our nation.

For example:

• For the first time states are legalizing brain destroying drugs!

• There is continuing pressure to normalize homosexual activity, even calling it marriage. This goes on while the traditional American family is constantly undermined by the radical left.

• There is the immoral confiscation of the wealth of hard working people through unjust taxes and fees.

• There is the replacement of accurate, honest news with propaganda. Case in point, in 2012, our government stood by while our property in Benghazi experienced a premeditated attack by Islamic terrorists killing our ambassador and his brave defenders. Our fumbling leadership has lied about the attack and have not been held responsible. The murdering terrorists are yet to answer for this act of war.

• There is scandal, cover up, and abuse of power in the IRS.

• There is an attack on the Judeo-Christian heritage of America, signaling a godless takeover of government, education and the public square.

• Freedom of religion is now freedom from religion. The Bible has been abandoned, prayers are forbidden, Christian symbols are being insulted, and the Christian population is being ignored.

• America’s religious heritage is being attacked while death dealing Islam is given a pass! Foreign policy is the policy of apology and appeasement. Our enemies no longer fear us and our friends no longer trust us. America is waffling over its support of our only ally in the Middle East – Israel.

• The steady slaughter of the unborn continues in hospitals and abortion clinics across the nation.

• News and entertainment media promote occult, immoral, and anti-American values.

BUT THERE IS HOPE FOR AMERICA!

IMG_5213Yes, we have been invaded, but not by an army of men with modern weapons. We have been invaded by spiritual forces that are at work at this very hour, chipping away – bit by bit – at the very underpinnings of this nation that was founded on the Judeo-Christian
heritage.

King David said in Psalm 11:3, “If the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”

Never in our nation’s history have David’s words been more true than they are today! Where are God’s people in all of this? I am afraid the church is losing its prophetic voice. Many in the church are substituting popular culture for true faith, comfort zones for battle
strategies, moral relativism for decent standards, self-improvement for the cross, and dead works for the Holy Spirit’s power!

My prayer is that this book will offer hope to America. I am not writing from a Democratic or Republican point of view. On the contrary, I am writing from the only viewpoint that makes sense to me: a scriptural point of view. Yes, God has written about all of these things in His Word. It is up to us to search out and separate fact from fiction, and truth from lies.

Adapted from my most recent book,
The Unraveling of America
by Dr. Ron M. Phillips
with Dr. J. Tod Zeiger
© 2016 Abba’s House Media

Categories
America Fresh Oil New Wine Living It Out In Real Time Spiritual Warfare The Bible The Big Event The Hiram Code The Life of Faith Through The Looking Glass

Enemies Within The Gate

goebbelsJoseph Goebbels was propaganda minister for Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany. He was the man responsible for propagating the demonic lies that led to World War II and the slaughter of millions of innocent people, including six million Jews. He said,

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”

For at least the last decade America has repeatedly been fed “lies big enough” to now seem to be the truth to many citizens. Swallowing the propaganda of a progressive ideological agenda, our spiritual and moral base has eroded to the point that America is no longer recognized as the world’s leader in moral and spiritual convictions. America has become a caricature of her former self.

Sir_Winston_S_Churchill

It was Winston Churchill who said,

“A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth
has a chance to get its pants on.”

It is time for us to “put on our pants” and tell the truth before it’s too late. With twenty-four hour news cycles and a common stream of information on the internet, it is no longer acceptable to say, “I did not know what was going on.”

No nation or civilization has ever survived the radical decline we are seeing at this present hour! Edward Gibbon’s book, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, astonishingly parallels our own decline in America.

Listen to Gibbon as he speaks of the insidious termites that were eating away at the foundation of a decaying culture. He lists five marks of the decaying Roman culture:

  1. Concern with displaying affluence instead of building wealth
  2. Obsession with sex and perversions of sex
  3. Art becomes freakish and sensationalistic instead of creative and original
  4. Widening disparity between very rich and very poor
  5. Increased demand to live off the state.

Gibbon goes on to say . . .

“It was scarcely possible that the eyes of contemporaries should discover in the public felicity the latent causes of decay and corruption. This long peace, and the uniform government of the Romans, introduced a slow and secret poison into the vitals of the empire. The minds of men were gradually reduced to the same level, the fire of genius was extinguished, and even the military spirit evaporated. Their personal valour remained, but they no longer possessed that public courage which is nourished by the love of independence, the sense of national honour, the presence of danger, and the habit of command. They received laws and governors from the will of their sovereign, and trusted for their defense to a mercenary army. The posterity of their boldest leaders was contented with the rank of citizens and subjects. The most aspiring spirits resorted to the court or standard of the emperors; and the deserted provinces, deprived of political strength or union, insensibly sunk into the languid indifference of private life.”

Will America follow the footsteps of the Roman Empire? Will she permit the continual erosion of her proud heritage? I do not believe it will ever happen as long as we remember it is not just military might and economic strength that keep us safe and secure within our own borders.

America has lost its way morally and spiritually and that is where the danger lies. I contend that America has been invaded not by military forces, but by spiritual forces that are at work at this present hour to undermine the root system that has produced the fruit of freedom and liberty around the world. The bright light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has shown in the darkest parts of the world simply because believers united in a common cause of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.

The culture war is going on in every segment of society, from the board room to the class room, and from the White House to the church house. We are seeing a major shift in attitudes and actions that once defined us as the greatest nation on earth. Main-stream media has aided and abetted the ongoing nudging of America toward a progressive agenda, effectively lowering our moral and spiritual standards.

Coptic ChristiansAs the foundation grows weaker, the attacks on Christianity grow bolder and are seen in all parts of the world. War has been declared on Christianity in every part of the Middle East, with reports of Christians being beheaded at the bloody hand of ISIS (or ISIS related groups).

In America, the assault on the lives of Christians happens so often it has almost become commonplace to the masses. The assault on traditional values can best be seen in a recent survey conducted by Gallup. In May 2015, Gallup conducted a survey showing that Americans are becoming more liberal on social issues. Based on the responses of both conservative, liberal, and moderate Americans, the survey reports:

“Americans are becoming more liberal on social issues, as evidenced not only by the uptick in the percentage describing themselves as socially liberal, but also by their increasing willingness to say that a number of previously frowned-upon behaviors are morally acceptable. The biggest leftward shift over the past 14 years has been in attitudes toward gay and lesbian relations, from only a minority of Americans finding it morally acceptable to a clear majority finding it acceptable.

The moral acceptability of issues related to sexual relations has also increased, including having a baby outside of wedlock– something that in previous eras was a social taboo. Americans are more likely to find divorce morally acceptable, and have also loosened up on their views of polygamy, although this latter behavior is still seen as acceptable by only a small minority.

AppealThis liberalization of attitudes toward moral issues is part of a complex set of factors affecting the social and cultural fabric of the U.S. Regardless of the factors causing the shifts, the trend toward a more liberal view on moral behaviors will certainly have implications for such fundamental social institutions as marriage, the environment in which children are raised, and the economy. The shifts could also have a significant effect on politics, with candidates whose positioning is based on holding firm views on certain issues having to grapple with a voting population that, as a whole, is significantly less likely to agree with conservative positions than it might have been in the past.”

Adapted from my most recent book,
The Unraveling of America
by Dr. Ron M. Phillips
with Dr. J. Tod Zeiger
© 2016 Abba’s House Media

Categories
America Fresh Oil New Wine Healing Spiritual Warfare The Bible The Life of Faith Through The Looking Glass

Election 2016: You Can’t Have It Both Ways

KS77849With 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.”

AppealSlowly 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

Categories
America Fresh Oil New Wine Healing Living It Out In Real Time The Big Event The Life of Faith Through The Looking Glass

The Unraveling of America

With less than one month until the election, America hangs in the balance.

This week on Ron Phillips from Abba’s House…

 

Categories
America Fresh Oil New Wine Healing Living It Out In Real Time Spiritual Warfare The Bible The Big Event The Hiram Code The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God Through The Looking Glass

Lessons From A Lost Civilization

“Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness. When change is absolute there remains no being to improve and no direction is set for possible improvement: and when experience is not retained, as among savages, infancy is perpetual. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” ~ George Santayana

In his classic book, How Should We Then Live?, Francis Schaeffer wrote…

[Speaking of the Roman Empire] “… No totalitarian authority or authoritarian state can tolerate those who have an absolute by which to judge that state and its actions. The Christians had that absolute in God’s revelation. Because the Christians had an absolute, universal standard by which to judge not only personal morals but the state, they were counted as enemies of totalitarian Rome and were thrown to the beasts.

antonio_joli_-_rome_-_view_of_the_colosseum_and_the_arch_of_constantine_-_wga11961As the Empire ground down, the decadent Romans were given to a thirst for violence and a gratification of the senses. This is especially evident in their rampant sexuality. For example, in Pompeii, a century or so after the Republic had become a thing of the past, the phallus cult was strong. Statues and paintings of exaggerated sexuality adorned the houses of the more affluent. Not all the art in Pompeii was like this, but the sexual representations were unabashedly blatant.

Even though Emperor Constantine ended the persecution of the Christians, and Christianity became first (in 313) a legal religion, and then (in 381) the official state religion of the Empire, the majority of the people went on in their old ways. Apathy was the chief mark of the late Empire. One of the ways apathy showed itself was in a lack of creativity in the arts. One easily observed example of the decadence of officially sponsored art is that the fourth-century work on the Arch of Constantine in Rome stands in poor contrast to its second-century sculptures which were borrowed from monuments from the period of Emperor Trajan. The elite abandoned their intellectual pursuits for social life. Officially sponsored art was decadent, and music was increasingly bombastic. Even the portraits on the coins became of poor quality. All of life was marked by the predominant apathy.

As the Roman economy slumped lower and lower, burdened with an aggravated inflation and a costly government, authoritarianism increased to counter the apathy. Since work was no longer done voluntarily, it was brought increasingly under the authority of the state, and freedoms were lost.For example, laws were passed binding small farmers to their land. So, because of the general apathy and its results, and because of oppressive control, few thought the old civilization worth saving.

Rome did not fall because of external forces such as the invasion by the barbarians. Rome had no sufficient inward base; the barbarians only completed the breakdown — and Rome gradually became a ruin.“

These words, penned in 1976, stand as a grave reminder of where we are in America today, 40 years later: Over-sexualized media, decadence, the rejection of absolutes, apathy, and the surrender of freedom to a government “nanny-state”. We have devolved into an abyss of lawlessness and corruption the likes of which we have never experienced in our great nation before. With every passing day, we are inundated — on both news media and social media — with stories of wrong doing, corruption, and deception… with mind-numbing regularity. What is truth anymore? What stories are legitimate and which are fabrications of a twisted and rudderless media? After all… it used to be that our news media would simply “bend” a story to their own end. Now, we find the news media making up stories, fabricating crises, and creating false narratives.

Case in point: Several years ago, while in the Middle East with a cameraman, we were in a region that had recently suffered through conflict. As a group of us were standing there, we noticed a few soldiers down the street on security patrol, simply keeping the peace. A group of youths were playing, just up the street from the soldiers. We watched as a reporter and cameraman from a major American news agency approached the youths, handed them rocks, and tried to entice them into throwing the rocks at the soldiers — obviously so they could report on a conflict that didn’t exist.

IMG_1905We are seeing the same thing now in our nation; a compromised news media that selectively reports (or omits) news in order to promote an agenda or narrative to further a liberal social agenda. We have veterans dying from lack of care, yet we have leaders who are more concerned that sexually confused soldiers get tax-payer funded “gender reassignment” surgery; “leadership” obsessed with turning our once mighty military into a social experiment. We have politicians with their hands caught in the proverbial “cookie jar” of greed and corruption who are given a pass, not just by those tasked with oversight and judicial process, but by a media that champions every despicable and ungodly policy said politicians stand for. We have radical leftists who, in their day, were considered criminals, who are now wandering the halls of academia, preying on young, idealistic minds.

Our nation is, by all accounts, in dire straits.

Yet we still have a hope. We can have freedom if we will embrace freedom. But in order to embrace freedom, we must do three things.

First of all, we must recognize the truth.

In John 8, Jesus said…

“… If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”~ v. 31-32

This is a simple-yet-profound principle, regardless of whether in a spiritual, political, or cultural context. Truth is what sets us free. Lying, manipulation, and subterfuge only hide a problem that will eventually come to the surface with a vengeance. Dishonesty begets dishonesty. No problem, conflict, or crisis can be truly resolved until all parties get honest about what the real problem is.

Second, we must stand up for the truth.

One of the reasons we are in much of the trouble we are in is because of an unwillingness of those who know the truth to take a stand. People don’t want their “apple cart” disturbed. Whether it be for reasons of political correctness, loss of benefits, loss of pleasure, or loss of any other personal advantage, most individuals these days are unwilling to take a stand against anything or anyone that is going to affect their comfort, health, or bank account. Whether out of fear of disruption of their personal world, or (as Francis Schaeffer pointed out) apathy to certain issues of our society because “it doesn’t affect me”, our once courageous people have become self-centered and feckless. We have abandoned personal goals of excellence in favor of “participation trophies”, and have traded the exploration of our world and communities for a virtual world of X-Boxes, reality television, and social media. If we ever want to see the diminishing greatness of our nation return, we must stand for truth. We must stand for righteousness. We must stand for integrity. We must endeavor to once again understand the past in order to build a desirable future. After the Nazi conquest and occupation of Germany and much of Europe, a Protestant pastor named Martin Niemöller famously stated…

martin-niemollerFirst they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Take a stand, speak up, vote… let your voice be heard and your presence be known. As the late Jim Elliot one said,

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.

Last of all, we must acknowledge THE Truth.

Jesus said…

“I am the way, the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through Me.” ~ John 14:6

Chalk outline - crossReally, this should be point number one, because it is the foundation of all truth… the One who is THE TRUTH. In a nation that has run so far afield from THE Truth, it is no wonder that we have a problem telling the truth from a lie. But when the Truth is rejected, as Christ has been in the American town square, it is a matter of time before any and all truth falls by the wayside…

We don’t like the message, so we blame the messenger.

We don’t like the outcome, so we corrupt the data.

We don’t like the facts are leading us, so we revise history.

We don’t like the reality, so we resort to a narrative of name calling and fear-mongering.

We don’t like the truth, so we make the ones telling the truth the villains.

As Christians, we shouldn’t be too surprised by any of this: Jesus brought the truth to the Roman-controlled world that Francis Schaeffer described above, and they rejected His message, and put Him to death.

And just maybe, these 2,000 years later, we’ll finally realize it didn’t work out so well for them.