Tag: worship

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Fresh Oil New Wine Healing Living It Out In Real Time Perry Stone Spiritual Warfare The Bible The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

The Spirit is Moving

I have been busy traveling and speaking, but thanks to our Abba’s House Media team, I get to watch the services wherever I am.

This past Sunday, an incredible move of the Holy Spirit broke out in the House. During the worship, the Holy Spirit moved in such an amazing way, and manifested in adoration, forgiveness, repentance, comfort, healing, and more. This move of the Spirit was something Pastor Ronnie discussed weeks before, and happened to air on Abba’s House with Pastor Ronnie Phillips, Jr. the same week. His message on The Power of Change ended up being prophetic as the Holy Spirit invaded the service on February 11, and those in attendance LIVED the spoken word. Watch this clip…

It is so exciting to see what God is doing at Abba’s House, especially in these weeks leading up to Fresh Oil New Wine 2018. I believe that God is manifesting His power and anointing, and what we are seeing is just a glimpse of of what is coming as He continues to make All Things New!

I hope you will join me and Pastor Ronnie on March 4-8 as we welcome Dutch Sheets, Perry Stone, Bobby Atkins, Randy Caldwell, Randy Miller, and Bernard Cornwell. There will be a Women’s Luncheon with (very) special guest speaker, Paulette Phillips. There is going to be passionate praise and worship! As always, registration (and attendance) is FREE, but we’d appreciate it if you would register so we can plan accordingly. You can click HERE to register.

I hope you will join us for Fresh Oil New Wine 2018… All Things New!
Come expecting a move of God like you’ve never experienced.

See you there!

Categories
Fresh Oil New Wine Healing Miracles Out of Nowhere Spiritual Warfare The Bible The Big Event The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

Reflections from an Outpouring

Kilpatrick and crowd

Another Big Event is behind us, and after a couple of days to soak in the glory of all that happened at The Outpouring, I want to stop for a moment and say thank you to so many people on behalf of Pastor Ronnie and me…

RP1To all of our attendees… Thank you for joining us for The Outpouring, and for investing your time and resources into what we are doing at Abba’s House Media! We hope that you were as blessed by being here as we were by your presence. It was wonderful to meet and minister to so many of you, and we hope that you will be back with us again soon.

John KilpatrickTo John Kilpatrick and Nathan Morris… you brought His message with a power and anointing that shook the House! We received the Word you brought, and saw miracles and healing take place. Lives were changed because of the time and anointing that you shared with our people… not just here in Hixson, but around the world. We heard from people across the nation and in other nations as thousands of people took advantage of technology and joined us online. Thank you both for being open to the Holy Spirit, and for bringing the streams of revival that are a part of your lives into the river of The Outpouring!

Nathan MorrisTo the Abba’s House Media Team… You guys knocked it out of the park through your diligence, planning, and preparation. Thank you to Pastor Angie McGregor and all the AHM staff for putting in the long hours, hard work, and heart-felt commitment to seeing lives changed.

RP & RonnieTo our Worship, Hospitality, and Servant leaders… From greeting people in the parking lot to taking them before the Throne in worship, you all did such a fabulous job of making The Big Event experience a positive one for every one of our over 800 visitors. Thank you all for your sacrifice of time, energy, and praise. We couldn’t have done it without you all.

There were a number of videos that we showed to our attendees, from testimonials of the work Abba’s House Media does in reaching people, to the vision Pastor Ronnie has for our ministry as we move into the future. I invite you to check them out below. Also, if you missed The Outpouring at The Big Event, and would like to experience it for yourself (or you were here and would like to get a copy to re-experience it, or share it with a friend), you can order the complete set of messages by clicking HERE.

Worth the drive: The Parkerson’s story…

 

Following the Truthtellers: The Heinemeier’s story…

 

Points of Light: Pastor Ronnie’s vision…

Categories
America Fresh Oil New Wine Healing 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

Justice or Judgment?

Silence in the face of extreme danger is cowardice and treason.

About two weeks ago, Iran successfully test-fired a ballistic missile that can reach all of our bases in the Middle East and Europe, as well as the nation of Israel. It is bad enough for Iran to do this since the Obama Administration-hailed nuclear agreement was enacted in January. However…

This is the third time.

MissilesThree times since January, Iran has thumbed its nose at the feckless world community, and openly continued testing its weapons of war. To add insult to injury, one of the missiles that was fired in March had the phrase “Israel must be wiped out” written on the side of it in Hebrew. The missile testing ban (in place since 2010) was lifted by the U.N Security Council as a part of the nuclear deal, being replaced by a resolution “calling on” Iran not to participate in missile testing. It would seem that the idea is, if we ask nicely, they’ll stop testing.

So how’s that working out for everyone?

D-DayOur active military forces have been diminished to their lowest point since prior to the end of World War 2. While our enemies mock us, terrorists attack us and our allies, and our economy continues to languish, President Obama and national leaders are busy wringing their hands over transgender bathrooms. It is no wonder that the American people — both Republican and Democrat — are choosing outsiders to overthrow establishment and career politicians. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan doesn’t know if he can support the Republican party’s nominee, political outsider and businessman Donald Trump. Speaker Ryan might want to take a page from history: In 2014, Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor ignored the will of the people and lost re-election to Tea Party candidate Dave Brat, in spite of a 30-point lead in the polls, and outspending Brat 40 times over.

The good will of the American people has reached a tipping point. People are fed up and disgusted with a Congress that has done little-to-nothing in the face of the disarming of America, ISIS terror, the lowest middle class income in 18 years, the worst conditions for minorities in 3 decades, $19 trillion in debt, the attack on the 2nd Amendment (gun rights), the erosion of religious liberty, and Islamic aggression.

Where is the hope and change we were promised?

In 2008, then-candidate Barack Obama ran on a platform of hope and change. So where is it? Why have we diminished ourselves in the name of progress? Why are we no longer respected by our friends, and feared by our enemies? Our nation is in grave danger and we need a turnover and turn-around in Washington DC.

We need reform now.

  • When Bible-believing American churches are rendered mute by political correctness and cowardice, and Biblical standards are waived for cultural compromise, we need a change.
  • When a political candidate is applauded for declaring that “deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs, and structural biases have to be changed” to accommodate abortion-on-demand, we need a change.
  • When the rights to privacy and safety of women and young girls is forced to take a back-seat to the “rights” of a man dressed up like a woman, we need a change.
  • When Christians are being slaughtered in other countries while America stands silently by and does little, we need change.

No amount of new community centers will help when daddies are not home, and the family unit is continually undermined. No amount of legislation can satisfy the corruption and degradation of the human heart. Political correctness and “common core” are not substitutes for the values of Judeo-Christian ethics and common sense. Liberalism, like any disease, will progress until it kills the body… there is no such thing as enough. Liberalism is slow-motion suicide for any nation.

Yet…

IMG_1304In spite of the dark clouds, I sense an uprising of Americans who are fed up and will pray, act, and bring our nation back from the brink. I see a movement that understands the beliefs that truly did make America great. I hear the voices that echo the call to freedom — physical and spiritual —  that can put us back on the rails of goodness, truth, justice, and sanity. Judgment is at the door. Our God is a God of love, compassion, and patience. However, He is also a God of truth, righteousness, and justice. In Romans 2, Paul warned the Christians in Rome…

Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”:  Eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God. ~ Romans 2:4-11

America cannot continue to follow the unrighteous path she is on without severe consequences. We say we are one nation under God,  but our actions don’t show it. In the face of so much disdain for His Word, God has given us time and again to repent and return to Him. This could be Americas last hope. Amos 5:15 says…

Hate evil, love good;
Establish justice in the gate.
It may be that the Lord God of hosts
Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

We His people must not be silent. We must declare His goodness and mercy to this generation. We must refuse to back down in the face of compromise. We must decide if we will establish justice at the gate, or face judgment at the gate.

It’s up to us.

Categories
Fresh Oil New Wine 2015 Living It Out In Real Time Spiritual Warfare The Bible The Big Event The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place Through The Looking Glass

Where Does Your Worship Come From?

Today, I want to start by asking a question: Where does your worship come from?

“iTunes. Wal-Mart. CD Baby. LifeWay.”

No… Not where do you buy worship music…

“Oh… Hillsong United, Chris Tomlin, Kari Jobe.”

No… Not who is your favorite artist, or composer of your favorite song. I am asking where does your worship come from?

YOUR. Worship.

WorshipWe have long been a culture of labels and titles – worship is no exception. We have the part in the church service we call worship. We have a style of music we call worship. We have made worship more than a conversation or attitude… it has become an industry.

Now, understand that I am not casting aspersions; I am simply asking a question. When you strip away all of the trappings of how we view worship — the music, the sound, the lights, the crowds — and get back to the “heart of worship” (as Matt Redman once said in song), where does your worship come from?

Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture,
And the sheep of His hand. ~ Psalm 95:6-7

Webster’s defines worship as extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem.

The Greek word for worship is proskuneó ( προσκυνέω ), meaning, to kiss toward.

In his book, Real Worship,  Warren Wiersbe defines worship as “the believer’s response of all that they are – mind, emotions, will, body – to what God is and says and does“.

So, again with the question… where does YOUR worship come from?

You worship could be prompted by a victory God has brought about in your life. Take Moses for example…

“… I will sing to the Lord,
For He has triumphed gloriously!
The horse and its rider
He has thrown into the sea!
The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
He is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will exalt Him. ~ Exodus 15:1-2

This is the song of worship that Moses and the children of Israel lifted up to the Lord when, against impossible odds, they were delivered from Pharaoh and the army of Egypt, when God showed His supernatural might against the enemies of His people.

What about David?

O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise. ~ Psalm 51:15-17

Samuel anointing DavidDavid’s worship came from a variety of places throughout His life, but from few places as dark as this. David had committed adultery with Bathsheba, arranged for her husband Uriah to be killed in battle, then took the pregnant Bathsheba to be his own wife. However, the sin he sought to cover was laid bare when the prophet Nathan showed up and called David out for his sin. Yet, instead of dodging, denying, or blaming anyone else, David immediately owned his sin, and sought forgiveness and redemption. He understood that his sin was a barrier between he and a holy God, and sought the path back into his presence.

Mary…

  Annunciation     …was a teenage girl when she was visited by the angel Gabriel with the good news that she had been chosen to be the mother to the Son of God. Although this news was joyous beyond belief, I cannot help but imagine that Mary also was aware of the societal ramifications of her state: I think the Bible hints at this when it says that her fiancé Joseph wanted to “put her away quietly”. Yet, in spite of any potential negative reactions from those around her, Mary’s worship was unhindered and with abandon to the One who chose her to carry and care for the Savior of the world…


…“My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation…” ~ Luke 1:46-50

God had called Gideon…

   …to a seemingly impossible task. He and three hundred men, armed with pitchers, torches, and trumpets were going to take on the well-armed army of the Midianites. Gideon had tested God, and God had shown Himself faithful. As a final sign, God told Gideon to sneak into the camp of the enemy. When he did, he overheard a man telling his dream to another man, prophesying the defeat of their army at the hands of Gideon. Judges 7:15 says…

And so it was, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshiped.

Gideon believed in the promise God had given him. Though he had not seen the victory with his own eyes, Gideon believed in the word of the Lord, and chose to worship in advance of that victory. It was worship inspired by faith.

Horatio Spafford was a successful lawyer and businessman…

   …when the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed his businesses and ruined him financially. When the economy crashed two years later, he endured additional hardships. Planning on traveling to Europe with his family, business issues caused him to send his family on ahead, and he would later join them. Tragically, the ship carrying his family collided with another ship during the voyage, and all four of his daughters were claimed by the sea. On his own journey across the Atlantic, upon crossing the very spot his children had died, Mr. Spafford penned these words from the deepest places of sorrow…

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know,a
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well, (it is well),
With my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
A song in the night, oh my soul!

At the beginning of this blog, I asked the question:
Where does your worship come from?

I guess a better way to phrase it would be “What inspires you to worship?” What is it that makes you drop to your knees in reverence, desperation, and humility before a Holy God? What events in your life have pointed you to His goodness and grace? Honestly, for all of us as humans, we all have those things that strike a nerve, and for everyone, that thing is different. Some are inspired to worship through victory. Others are driven to worship through desperation. Joy, sorrow, grief, confusion, ecstacy — these are all powerful emotions, and equally powerful motivators. Yet regardless of what motivates us, our worship should share a common thread…

That God alone is worthy to be praised.

That He is the Great I AM – Who was, and is, and is to come.

That only He is holy.

That no one compares to His matchless worth and worthiness.

That, as Matt Redman penned, “It’s all about You, Jesus.”

We live in a fallen world, and we are all on different paths, some more triumphant, and some more tragic. Yet, God never changes. He is the constant and consistent One. And from His throne, He doesn’t demand… He invites. He invites you into His presence to worship Him — in spirit and truth. He invites you to release the song He has put into your inmost being. It’s not the song others sing… it’s the one He gave you. It’s the song that reflects YOUR adoration and YOUR devotion to Him. It is the song specific to who He made you to be. It’s no better and no worse than the song He gave to anyone else — it is simply, uniquely YOURS.

And guess what? He wants to hear it.

But all of our songs of worship have one thing in common… Jesus.

When we will learn to make worship our first response to all of the circumstances of life, and make it a chorus instead of a competition, I believe we will find the grace, peace, joy, and unity that God intended for us to walk in on this journey.

Now… go find your song.  🙂

Categories
Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 The Big Event The Mysteries of God The Secret Place Uncategorized

Alone In His Presence

CoffeeWe have fast food, as well as drive-thrus for almost every type of service: Instant banking, drive-thru pharmacies, laundry drop-offs — everything is prepared in a hurry for our convenience. Unfortunately in our “have-it-now” society, we expect spirituality to happen quickly as well. We want instant miracles, sudden break-throughs, and smooth, problem-free lives.

The call of Jesus in Scripture is not centered on our need, but on His presence.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ~ Matthew 11:28

He underscores this again in an account told by John…

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ~ John 7:37

These calls invite us to come to Jesus. As we love and worship Him, our needs are met, and necessary resources are released. The call of Jesus still rings across the centuries, “Come to Me.” However, this requires a discipline of time. Destiny comes to those who are not afraid to be alone with God.

One of the most powerful alone times I ever had with God occurred on a personal retreat several years ago.

I had set aside four days and three nights with God, in a sparse and simply furnished cabin. As I drove up nearby Dayton Mountain, an expectancy filled my heart. I had brought a CD player with worship music, along with my computer with Bible programs on it, and an unfinished book manuscript. I also brought a deep hunger and a serious need to know if I was moving with the spirit. My spiritual awakening, including tongues, had become common knowledge in my circle of acquaintances, and there was unrest among many of our traditional church members.
Once settled in the cabin, I prayed, worshiped, wrote, and finally went to bed. In the wee hours of the morning, I was summoned to the stairs of His presence. My small room became a cathedral as God awakened me to join Him. He spoke and said, “It is time for you to act!” Looking at the clock by my bed, it was 3:19 AM. I picked up my Bible and read Acts 3:19-21:

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

I had a clear answer from God—He was up to something special in our church. He was refreshing us and drawing us into His presence. It was all God’s doing and not mine. Then I reread that prophetic word, and it shook me. Jesus Christ would not return until a mighty restoration took place. God would restore to the church all that she had lost. A colossal revival was beginning in the body of Christ!

I immersed myself in the rest of the book of Acts, worshiping and feeding. Soon I came across Acts 15:16-17:

After this I will return
And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down;
I will rebuild its ruins,
And I will set it up;
So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name,
Says the Lord who does all these things.

The passage shook me. I recalled how David’s tabernacle was brought up with dancing and praise. It was a precursor to Solomon’s temple. Scripture was clear here—Jesus was coming, but not until the restoration of real praise and worship was established. As David walked, sang, danced, and ruled in God’s presence, so will God’s people do in the last days.

I walked out of that cabin far enough to get service to my cell phone, and called my answering machine back in my office to pour the revelation word out. All that week, revelation continued to pour into my soul. Alone with God, my ministry direction was affirmed, strengthened, and challenged.

So, my question is this… Is God calling you to an alone time with Him? Is God calling you into a deeper place of abiding in His presence?

If He is, then heed His call. Listen to His voice. Allow His presence to permeate your life.

— Adapted from my book
Secret of the Stairs
Copyright © 2006 Ron Phillips Ministries
Published by World Publishing, Inc.
Categories
Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 Healing Living It Out In Real Time The Big Event The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place Uncategorized

Finding Your Song

This is a wonderful sentiment by the late Maya Angelou…

“A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.”

imageOne has but to walk outdoors on a sunny day and listen to the sound of a chorus of birds to understand this thought. Even in the captivity of a small cage, a bird still has the ability to find its song. A friend once told me about taking a walk one day, and feeling the Spirit of God encouraging him to sing… to lift up a new song to Him as he strolled in God’s cathedral, the Great Outdoors. As he walked and began to sing, he noticed something interesting began to happen. He noticed the sound of creation getting louder and louder. As he found his song, creation itself joined in the chorus, and the birds in the numerous trees about him began to lift up their voices as well. After a time, he said he stopped singing, and something uncanny happened…

Many of the birds stopped singing as well, and the sound of creation slowly died away.

In Luke 19, we find this story…

Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: 

“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!
  Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”

We are all given a song. For some, that song is sung in the midst of gratitude and thanksgiving; a song of grateful worship to God for His goodness and favor.

But for others, that song may be sung from a place of hardship and pain.

How do you sing for joy when you are watching a loved one slowly slip away because of Alzheimer’s Disease or ALS?

How do you sing with gladness when the diagnosis is cancer?

How do you worship when you are a parent standing over the grave of a child gone too early?

We sing, not because we have the answer, but because we have a song. We worship, not because we are good, but because He is Holy. We seek out His presence, not as an escape from the world we are in, but as a place of safety and refuge for our souls while we are on the journey through this life.

 An interesting thing about dementia patients is, even as they are losing their ability to remember friends and family members — as well as their ability to even talk — many still have the ability to recognize songs and sing or hum a tune.

There is something about the language of music that speaks to all of us on a spiritual level. We are all made for worship. God has put His song into our DNA, and pursuing an intimate relationship with Him in worship is the first step to finding your song. The Psalmist wrote…

I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. ~ Psalm 104:33

He was determined to worship as long as he had breath in his lungs; no qualifier, no expectation.

Maybe when we get to the point of unconditional worship — when we are singing our song, not because we have an answer, but because we have a God-given song — we’ll find that, in that obedience, we will find the answers we are looking for in His presence.

It could also be that, by spending time in His presence, we’ll discover that knowing the answers will become less important than knowing Him.

Categories
Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 The Big Event The Life of Faith

Wow! What a Year!

Nica2As 2014 comes to a close, I look back over another year of ministry with a profound sense of gratitude and humility. This past year has brought challenges and trials, but it has also brought wonderful opportunities and blessings. I am thankful for the people I get to work along side of in ministry on a day-to-day basis. I am thankful for the people I meet, and stories I hear of lives changed when I speak in various locations and meetings. I see the hand of God moving among His people, and I am encouraged by the voices He is raising up to reach the next generation.

Nica1Although my international travel was limited this year, Ron Phillips Ministries and Abba’s House were able to send teams to minister through medical missions, evangelism, ministry support, and humanitarian causes in places like Guatemala, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Europe. Our medical team in Guatemala faced major obstacles from the start of their trip, but the hand of God was there, “all things worked together for good”, and hundreds of people were ministered to for physical healing and spiritual nourishment. Our Nicaragua team spent days in street ministry and crusades, seeing hundreds of people make professions of faith in Christ. One of our RPM staff members had the opportunity to minister alongside some other ministries in Europe for a time of spiritual renewal for some very deserving people.

Guat1Along with our boots-on-the-ground ministry teams, Ron Phillips from Abba’s House continues to minister the love of Jesus across the airwaves and around the world, with our call center ministering one-on-one with people on a daily basis. Through our program’s wide distribution through media outlets such as the Daystar Television Network, The Church Channel, The Word Network, Immanuel Broadcasting, and many more, we are seen and heard all over the world, on nearly every continent. When viewers call in with needs, the volunteers in our call center spend hundreds of man-hours yearly — taking orders, answering questions, praying with callers, and ministering Jesus’ love.

So why am I saying all of this?

DR1Ron Phillips Ministries is operated on faith. It is funded by the generosity of people who desire to see lives changed. Whether monthly partnerships, one-time gifts, or book and electronic media sales (CD/DVD), the proceeds go to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ through broadcasts, mission projects, printed material, etc.

Our goal is the Great Commission.

Our passion is souls won for Jesus.

Our desire is proclaiming HIS GREAT NAME to the ends of the Earth.

GUat2Traditionally, at the end of the year, many people try to get “caught up” on their charitable giving. Whether as an act of generosity during the “season of Good Will“, as an act of worship, to meet a personal giving goal, or simply for tax reasons, many people take a hard look at charitable giving opportunities this last week of the year. There are many wonderful and worthy ministries and charities out there, and the decision of which ones to support can be a daunting one. If you are looking for a ministry of integrity and purpose, a ministry that takes the words of Jesus seriously and puts feet to faith, then I invite you to consider Ron Phillips Ministries in your end-of-the-year giving. When you give to RPM, you can rest assured that your gift goes to ministry, and that it will be treated with the accountability and respect that honors our Lord.

Won’t you be a part? Won’t you help us spread His love to more places than ever before?

If you would like to give a one time gift, you can give securely online at this link.

If you would like more information on how to give monthly as an RPM Partner, contact us here.

If you would like to purchase product, or have a question about who we are or what we do, I invite you to call us at 1-800-877-6493 and speak to one of our operators (call center is closed for the holidays, but will re-open January 4, 2015).

From all of us at Ron Phillips Ministries, may you and yours have a happy, safe, and blessed New Year!

Pastor Ron

Categories
Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 The Big Event

The Big Event!

Big Event Collage

It’s here! This is the week! Our annual partner and friends event, The Big Event, begins this Wednesday (September 24). Perry Stone, Damon Thompson, Rod Parsley, Randy Caldwell, and more will be joining me as we celebrate 5 Days of Jubilee!!!

With all of the great worship, preaching, and ministry that will be going on, we believe that God is going to do incredible things. The only thing missing is YOU.

Check out these three short videos (and share them with your friends), and you’ll get a small taste of what The Big Event is all about. I would love for you to come be a part. You can register for FREE online.

The Big Event 2014, starting this Wednesday (September 24-28, 2014)

A Taste of The Big Event

5 Days of Jubilee

Mission: Pine Ridge

I look forward to seeing you at The Big Event: 5 Days of Jubilee!

Pastor Ron

 

Big Event Collage

 

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America Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 The Big Event The Life of Faith

An Invitation

Big Event Collage

Our annual partner and friends event, The Big Event, is coming up in less than a month, and I am very excited about it. I could go on at length, and discuss the amazing things God did in years past. I could talk about the great lineup of speakers we have this year – speakers like Perry Stone, Damon Thompson, Rod Parsley, Randy Caldwell, and more. I could say much about the worship, the fun we have, and the work that we are doing around the world. I could explain more about why we are celebrating 5 Days of Jubilee.

I could… but instead, how about I just show you?

Watch these three short videos, and you’ll get a small taste of what The Big Event is all about. I would love for you to come be a part. You can register for FREE online, and if you register by September 21, your name will be entered for a chance to win one of two Kindle Fire HDs we will be giving away at The Big Event.

So help me out today…

Watch these videos.

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A Taste of The Big Event

5 Days of Jubilee

Mission: Pine Ridge

I look forward to seeing you at The Big Event: 5 Days of Jubilee!

Pastor Ron

 

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Fresh Oil New Wine 2014 The Big Event The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

The Rhythm of the Saints

 

Several years ago, 60’s music icon Paul Simon of Simon and Garfunkel fame released an album entitled The Rhythm of the Saints. On this recording, he utilized musicians and musical instruments from all over the world to create a compelling, “world music” experience. As I thought about this title (with it’s obvious spiritual overtones), and thought about the debate over music that has raged in the church for years (decades, centuries, etc.), it begged the question…

What should the real “Rhythm of the Saints” look and sound like? How should we as believers approach music and worship?

The instructions for true worship and praise are clearly defined in the scriptures.

  • We should worship Christ continually.

Our lives, not just our church services, should be a reflection of praise.

“Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; and let those who love Your salvation say continually, ‘Let God be magnified.’” ~ Psalm 70:4

  • We should worship Christ in the church.

“I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.” ~ Psalm 35:18

  • We should worship Christ with the lost present.

“He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.” ~ Psalm 40:3

  • We should worship God so that praise can be heard.

“O bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise be heard.” ~ Psalm 66:8

These sounds of worship could include:

Shouting—

“… let Your saints shout for joy.” ~ Psalm 132:9

Singing—

“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” ~ Ephesians 5:18-20

Laughter—

“…then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing…” ~ Psalm 126:1-3

Musical Instruments—

“…play skillfully with a loud noise…” ~ Psalm 47:1

Clapping—

“Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!” ~ Psalm 47:1

  • We should worship God with our bodies.

How should we use our bodies in worship? We are commanded to “present your bodies a living sacrifice…” (Romans 12:1-2). We should not hesitate to follow the example of “the man after God’s own heart” — “… David danced before the LORD with all of his might…” (2 Samuel 6:14)

  • We can lift up our hands.

“Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.” ~ Psalm 63:4

  • We should worship God with our soul and spirit.

You are body-world conscious, and you are soul-self conscious:

“Bless the Lord O my soul…” ~ Psalm 103:1

In addition, you are spirit/God conscious. When you are saved your spirit comes alive in Jesus Christ. Praise is the exercise of the Spirit. Praise brings strength to your spirit.

“…which worship God in the Spirit…” ~ Philippians 3:3

Mary praised God by saying, “My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:47)

  • We should worship according to the Word of God.

Everything David did in worship was from the Word of God…

“In God I will praise His word.” ~ Psalm 56:10-11

The Pitfalls of Preference

Worship is not about musical styles and personal preferences. It’s not about “warm fuzzies”, “nice feelings”, and staying in our comfort zones. Worship is about getting into God’s presence and seeking His face above all. What may sound to us like a joyful noise (emphasis on noise) may be wonderful praise from a pure heart to the ears of Almighty God. On the contrary, what may sound reverent, impressive, and inspiring to us may be a clanging noise to the One who knows “the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

The ark of God was the very throne and dwelling place of the presence of God on earth. When David and the children of Israel wanted to bring the ark of God up from Kiriath Jearim to the City of David, they had the best intentions at heart. It seemed like the right thing to do. There was much rejoicing and celebrating. They gathered all the people together, lots of music and dance, put the ark on a “new cart”, and headed out. However, God had already specified the manner in which the ark was to be carried, and a cart pulled by oxen was not in the instructions. The ark (His Presence) was always to be carried upon the shoulders of men, not on a cart pulled by a beast. So, when the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out to steady the ark, he paid for his irreverence with his life. God struck him dead on the spot, which angered the king. However, it wasn’t long until anger turned to fear in David’s heart. Instead of continuing with his ill-fated plan, David turned aside to the house of Obed-Edom, where the ark resided for the next three months (2 Samuel 6).

David had a good idea, but he did a good thing in a bad way. Worship is not about our opinion — it’s about His Presence. Following His design for how we approach Him is the key to finding His heart, and experiencing the joy, peace, awe, and wonder of His presence. When David returned three months later to move the ark to the City of David, he had a new perspective, a new attitude of worship, and approached the ark of God with sacrificial worship and praise.

One final thought…

The passage states that, “The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household” (2 Samuel 6:11). Obed-Edom didn’t just stop by occasionally and visit the ark. He made his home — his dwelling place — the habitation of the presence of Almighty God. Could it be that we are not experiencing more of His power and blessing because we are apathetic in our treatment of His presence in our lives? Could it be that if, instead of showing up at His house on Sundays and Wednesday nights, we make our own homes and our very lives habitations for His throne to reside 24/7?

Combine that attitude toward worship with the spirit of unity of believers in Jesus, and I believe that you find the unstoppable, unmistakable “Rhythm of the Saints” sounds surprisingly like the very heartbeat of God.