"For in him we live, and move, and have our being..."

How Sweet the Sound - Praise Report - Awesome Worth the Read

2009-11-19T21:12:00.000-08:00

It is like reading a modern day chapter of the book of Acts.

This is from Dan Rhoten who assists another local pastor now in the St. Louis area.

He a Music Vocals Teacher in one of the St. Louis public schools.

Lengthy but worth reading.

For those unfamiliar with biblical worship, just remember David and his worship. Remember the Lame man in Acts 3. Remember that the expression of worship and praise in scripture was not silent, boring or in a box. Houses were shaking, wind blew, fire fell, people prophesied, spoke in tongues and those unfamiliar thought they were drunk or mad. What would happen if modern day Christianity shook off the chains of tradition and worshipped the Lord in Spirit and in Truth? this testimony is a good example.

Today, Friday October 23rd, was parent conference day so we were only in session a half day. As the morning wrapped up, I went by one of our Kindergarten teacher's room, Ms. Karen Darris...or should I say Sis. Darris. She and several other teachers, as well as our principal, are all spirit filled. I had been sharing with Karen about a choir I had been telling her about and the How Sweet The Sound website. We pulled it up on her computer and clicked the video link to the Atlanta West Pentecostal Church song. Well, as you well know, the Holy Ghost radiates out of the song they sang...and it was only a few moments and the spirit was moving mightily on that classroom. While the song was playing, I turned around, and a parent had walked in. She was standing right behind us, tears streaming down her face. I came up out of my chair...asked her what was wrong. All she could say is, "I want what they've got...I need what they've got". We laid hands on her and began to pray and it wasn't but a couple of minutes until God filled her with the Holy Ghost right there in that classroom. Well, as you can imagine, we were not very quiet by then. My principal heard the sounds of worship and came in to see what was going on. Of course, she was right in the middle of it immediately. Well, there's more... Another woman came in because she heard the sounds of Holy Ghost fire... She had been bothered for years with chronic ear infections and was in the midst of a terrible infection that had cause total deafness in her left ear. She asked us if we would pray for her and while we prayed, God touched that ear...infection began to flow out of that ear (gross yes, but victorious at the same time). By the time we had finished praying, her hearing had been totally restored and could hear perfectly from both ears. But the best part was, while we were praying for her healing, God filled her with the Holy Ghost too! I took both of those ladies to a local church, and baptized them both in Jesus Name! Another teacher, Ashley Nolte, stood outside the door and watched all of this. She told me afterwards, "I never knew that you could feel God for yourself." A couple of hours later, she called me on the phone, and we had a Holy Ghost prayer meeting right on the phone. The Lord really touched her. She has promised to be in church at an apostolic church in the morning. I fully expect to hear that she has received the Holy Ghost tomorrow. To God Be The Glory!!

UPDATE: Sunday, October 25th 4:00 a.m.

Good morning! I wanted to update the story of God's powerful moving here in St. Louis. Another KG. teacher, Ashley Nolte, stood outside the door and watched as God poured out His Spirit on Friday. She told me afterwards, "I never knew that you could feel God for yourself." A couple of hours later, she called me on the phone, and we had a Holy Ghost prayer meeting right on the phone. The Lord really touched her. We gave her church information and reassured her that God was in control. I went to bed Saturday night expecting to hear of her going to church this morning and receiving the Holy Ghost. However, God had other plans.... At 4 am my cell phone rang this morning. When I answered, I heard a sobbing voice, going back and forth between English and tongues...trying to tell me what had happened to her. She asked me, "Is this what it's supposed to sound like?" We rejoiced together on the phone. So, I may get the privilege of baptizing her later today. The miracle goes on!!! God bless you!

UPDATE: Sunday, October 25th 9:15 a.m.

Here goes God exceeding Himself again!!! My cell phone rang right before we left for service this morning. Once again, it was Ashley. This time, it wasn’t her voice speaking in tongues...there was a male voice in the background just going at it in the Holy Ghost. It seems that her husband came out and found her on her knees in the living room rejoicing. He took one look at her face and said, “You know what, it’s not fair that you are feeling this good and I’m not! I want that too!” She told me, “I just did what I saw you guys do on Friday. I had him repent like we did on the phone Friday night and when he got to crying real good, I laid my hands on his head just like you did to those ladies at school. It just happened!” We are trying to get a time set to baptize them both in Jesus Name. Where is this going to stop? I have no idea, but I am ready for this to go on until Jesus comes!!!!! God bless you!

UPDATE: Monday, October 26th 9:30 a.m.

As I returned to school this morning, I knew that things would be “Buzzing” after the events of Friday. The teacher, Ashley Nolte, that received the Holy Ghost at home Sunday, came back to school bubbling about what God had done for her and her husband Doug. It was such a blessing when we got to meet up this morning. The tears flowed among several of us as the word was spread about the goodness of the Lord. I came back to my classroom and sat down at my desk, and thought, “Well, what a way to start the morning!” However, I had no idea what was coming my way next. Here are five more additions to the miracle that began here on Friday.

One of my colleagues, Dawn Cannavo, has a mother who is in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s Disease. The disease was so advanced that she wasn’t able to know who anyone was, including her own daughter. Dawn had asked me on Friday to give her the website location, because she wanted to play the music at home. She noticed immediately when she played the song by Atlanta West song, that her mother would “perk up” and would start tapping her fingers to the music. This went on throughout the day Saturday. Sunday morning, her mother kept making gestures towards Dawn’s computer. It finally dawned on her that her mother was wanting to hear the music again. So, she brought up the website and played the Atlanta song again. When it ended, her mother who had not spoken for over two months, said, ”Play that song again” and pointed to the computer. By the time she had played the song a second time, her mother was trying to raise her hands along with the choir. When it finished playing the third time, she spoke to her daughter and said, “I know who you are...you are my daughter”. Since that time, several people have come to her house and she has known everyone of them. That’s another miracle by the hand of our Lord.

Nicholette Barnes, the first young lady who received the Holy Ghost on Friday, had a cousin, 27 yrs. old who was terminally ill with cancer. She was discharged and sent home from the hospital with hospice care on Saturday. The cancer had a primary tumor in her abdomen that was grape-fruit sized and had spread to her liver, lungs, and kidneys. Nicholette copied the Atlanta West song onto a DVD, along with a couple of our other apostolic choirs from the competition and took it to her cousin’s home. She shared with her what had happened to her on Friday and how God had healed the other woman’s ear infection. Nicholette started the Atlanta West song playing and they both started worshipping God along with the choir. While the song was playing, her cousin suddenly felt an intense heat come over her. She lifted her hands and began to praise God with Nichollete. As she worshipped, God did it again! Her cousin, Kamara, began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave her the utterance. Nicholette put her hand on Kamara’s abdomen to pray for her healing, only to find that the tumor was no longer there. They pushed and probed and could find absolutely nothing. Kamara had been jaundiced because of the liver failure from the cancer, but they suddenly noticed that the yellow coloring to her eyes had completely disappeared. The hospice nurse examined her and grabbed a phone to call the doctor. Nicholette took her back to the hospital, upon the request of Kamara’s physician. Upon examination by her oncologist and x-rays being taken, there was absolutely no sign of the tumor. Blood was drawn to check the cancer indicators in the blood, and that and all of the other things (liver and kidney function) came back perfectly normal. Who says God doesn’t heal?

Thirdly, Mattie Davis, the other lady who received the Holy Ghost Friday ear was healed, went home and told her family about what had happened. They were all so taken with these events, that both of her daughters and her son went to an apostolic church Sunday morning. All three went to the altar when the invitation was given. The son and one daughter received the Holy Ghost at the altar. They were all three baptized in Jesus Name and the second daughter received the Holy Ghost in the water! God did it again!

Fourthly, I had a Bible study at lunch today with Ashley. She had questions about being baptized. I realized within the first two minutes, that God had already revealed Himself to her. She began by saying, “Do you baptize in Jesus Name?” I told her that we believed the message of Acts 2:38. I asked her why she began with that question. She replied, “I was up until midnight last night studying what the Bible said about baptism. I cannot find anywhere that anybody was ever baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And anyway, Father isn’t a name, is it?” This coming from a new convert, 24 hrs. old, started it all over again for me. So, after school today, Ashley and her husband are meeting me a local church, and I am going to baptize both of them in lovely name of Jesus Christ! Thank God!!!

UPDATE: Monday, 12:45 p.m.
And lastly, during my lunch break, I was sitting in my room, speakers turned up and watching several of my favorite songs from “How Sweet The Sound” (that’s my afternoon jump-start!!). While I was sitting there, my principal called and said she was coming right down, as she had something she needed help with. She walked into the room with our Learning Coordinator, Karen Lindsey. Karen has suffered with chronic migraines for years and was in the midst of an attack so severe she could hardly see. My principal said, “Put that song on from Friday and come over here and let’s pray for her”. I clicked “Anthem Of Praise”, and we began to call on The Healer again. As we spoke the name of Jesus over her, the power of the Lord came down in my classroom so strong you could hardly stand. Instantly, God healed her and the pain stopped. Karen Lindsey is a very reserved, unemotional kind of person normally. I opened my eyes to see her wiping her eyes. I said to her, “Why don’t you just go ahead and cry? That’s the presence of the Lord moving on you.” Well, the dam broke! The tear streamed down her face and she just sobbed. We just began to thank the Lord for what He was doing in her life. She said, “I used to feel like this when I was a little girl going to church with my grandmother. She was Pentecostal and went to one of those “sanctified” churches.” I said, “Well, since you know all about this and have felt it before, why don’t you just go ahead and let God do what He wants to do”. She began to tell the Lord thank you for not forgetting about her. In the midst of her thanks, Pentecost happened again and Karen Lindsey began to speak in other tongues as our Lord baptized her with the Holy Ghost. So now, two of our four administrators are Holy Ghost-filled! What a way to spend a lunch period!!!!

Wednesday, October 28th 9:15 a.m.

I received a phone call from Nichollete Barnes, the first young lady who received the Holy Ghost here at school. Nichollete prayed her cousin Kamara Johnson through to the Holy Ghost on Saturday and at the same time, God healed her of terminal cancer. These two ladies and Kamara’s aunt went to prayer meeting at one of our PAW churches in St. Louis Tuesday afternoon. Kamara gave her testimony to the prayer group, and while she was speaking, the Holy Ghost fell in a mighty way. Kamara’s aunt began to cry as the Spirit moved on her and the prayer group gathered around her to pray with her. The Lord touched her as she repented. One of the ministers of the church baptized her in Jesus Name and she came out of the water, threw up her hands, and began speaking in tongues as God baptized her with the Holy Ghost and fire. Kamara was re-baptized as well, going down in the water the right way this time…in the lovely name of Jesus Christ.

Wednesday, October 28th 1:30 p.m.

Larita Henderson, a parent of one of my students, stopped by to see me during my lunch break. She told me that she had been extremely ill with a severe sinus infection and was in a lot of pain. She had no insurance and couldn’t afford to go to the doctor. Larita was in the building Friday when Pentecost broke out. She was sick then, but said she is a little shy about just walking into situations like that and didn’t come in. She was sick enough today that she didn’t care…she just needed help. I went to the phone and called my principal who came right down, and Ashley Nolte (our KG. Teacher who received the Holy Ghost on Sunday at home) came with her. Before we ever began praying, the presence of the Lord was in the room in a mighty way. We laid hands on her and began to call on The Great Physician to come to our rescue again. By the time we finished praying, the sinus congestion was loosening up and the intense headache had completely gone away. We just started praising the Lord and His power just saturated Larita. She began to shake under the power of the Lord. I watched in amazement as Ashley just stepped up and laid her hands on Larita’s head and told her to receive the Holy Ghost in Jesus Name. Larita managed to get the words, “Lord, I thank you” out and then she lost control of her English…and began to utter the sounds of the newborn as God baptized her with the Holy Ghost.

We were still shouting and praising God when our Parent Coordinator, Althea Mosely walked in. Althea was raised in the Church of God In Christ churches, but had been away from the Lord for a good long time. She walked in my classroom and saw what was going on. She said she was sitting in her office, watching the video that I had given her this morning..(you know what it was..LOL) and said she could hardly stand it. Conviction started moving on her heart. She turned the video off, thinking the feeling would go away, but something made her keep going back and turn it on again. Thank God for DVD players that pick up right where you left off!!! She went on and off, on and off. She said the feeling got so intense she could no longer stand it. She got up out of her chair and started across the hall to Holy Ghost Central...which happened to be the Music Room right then. She walked through the door and the tears started. My dear sister Ashley went over and got her by the hand and told her, "Come on, Ms. Mosely, you need some of this!". I barely touched her and Holy Ghost hit that lady and put her on the floor. What a sight it was to see her laying there, laughing and speaking in tongues...refilled, and refreshed. So, that brings it to 12 now!!! God just keeps laying it on!!!!!

Thursday, October 29th 9:00 a.m.

All of the events that have taken place here in the past few days have opened doors to reach out to many of my fellow teachers that I really thought were unreachable. On the way out of school yesterday, one of my second grade teachers, Ms. Frieda May, stopped me and asked if she could talk to me for a minute. She opened up her heart and shared that she was going through a very hard time with her husband, who has been an alcoholic for 20+ years. His alcoholism is so bad that if he doesn't have a drink by early morning, he is already having withdrawal DT's. Frieda asked if I could get her a copy of the DVD with your song on it. I went back to my room and got one, and then pulled a couple of our staff together. We laid our hands on the DVD and prayed that the anointing would follow her and begin breaking the yoke of her husband's alcoholism every time it was played. She told me this morning, that she put it on as soon as she arrived home last night and set it to loop so it would continue playing. Her husband's normal routine was to come home and start drinking again, even before dinner. However, she said he came home and sat down in the living room and watched the entire DVD play. When it looped back to the beginning, he came out in the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door to get a beer. She said that when he tried to reach in to get a beer, it was if something stopped his hand every time he reached in. He stood there and

tried for several minutes and never could get a bottle in his hand. He went back out in the living room and watched the DVD again. Ms. May said that the entire evening went by and he never did get a bottle out of that refrigerator. Before they went to bed, she asked him if he felt okay, expecting to hear that he was feeling some withdrawal. Instead, he told her that he felt good and just didn't want to drink anymore right then. This morning, he was already up before she got ready to come to school. She went out in the living room and expected to find him drinking beer, but instead found him watching the DVD and drinking coffee. He was not experiencing any withdrawal symptoms and to her surprise, she found his Bible lying on the couch beside him. He told her that he was not going to drink anymore. When she went to get juice from the refrigerator, she found that he had removed all of the alcohol from the refrigerator and had dumped it down the drain. All of the bottles were in the trash can. This is just the beginning of what I believe is going to be yet another life-changing miracle. Praise God!!!

Friday, October 30, 2009

Around 3:00 p.m. this afternoon, my principal asked me to sit down with someone who needed help. Moments later, my classroom door swung open with a crash, and a man walked, or maybe I should say stomped in. He walked up to my desk and told me his name was John May. He is the 20 year alcoholic that we prayed for earlier this week. We sent a DVD of the Atlanta choir and several other choirs home with his wife. He pointed his finger in my face and said, “I wish you had never sent that DVD to my house. All it has done is make me miserable and I can’t stand this anymore”. I told him that the problem wasn’t the DVD, but it was the hold the enemy had on his soul. He was shaking from the tremors associated with not having drank in almost 48 hrs. We began to pray, but he just couldn’t seem to break through. He kept holding his head saying, “I can’t take anymore”. I stopped him and told him, “All I want you to do is say Jesus…nothing else, just Jesus”. He struggled at first, but finally got it out…the first time, the second time, but the third time, he touched The Throne. It broke…he threw back his head and began to laugh. “It’s gone, I can think, it’s gone for good”. His wife came in, followed by my principal. She hugged him and they both sobbed and cried. My principal and I wrapped our arms around them and began to pray for the Spirit to fill both of them. The presence of the Lord was so real!!! We got them to raise their hands and just thank God for what He was doing. As the praise went heavenward, the

Holy Ghost came down on both of them, and within ten seconds of each other, English changed to that Heavenly Language!!! What a blessing to know a God who is all powerful and can do ANYTHING but fail!!! That’s 14 filled and forever changed in 8 days time!!! To God be the glory!!!

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

Halloween night did not stop the moving of the Spirit of the Lord. There was no trick to it…it was all treat!!! Ashley and Doug Nolte, the couple who received the Holy Ghost last Sunday, invited two other couples over to their house last night to share what had happened in their lives. Their friends couldn't understand why they didn't want to go out and party last night. So, they had dinner at the Nolte's house and Ashley and Doug shared what God had done for them. The Holy Ghost fell in their living room while they were sharing. Both couples knelt down at their sofa and gave their hearts to the Lord. Within about fifteen minutes, three of the four had received the Baptism of The Holy Ghost. I got a call about 10:30 Saturday night, giving me the good news about Jeff and Dana and Tom and Connie. About 6:30 a.m. this morning, I got another call from Ashley, telling me there was more. She had passed the "How Sweet The Sound" site information to both couples. Tom, the man who didn't receive the Holy Ghost was quite disturbed that he didn't receive what the others did. So, he got up quite early this morning and brought up the website. As you have probably already guessed, he went right to the Atlanta West Choir location and clicked their song. His wife Connie woke to the sounds of “Anthem of Praise” and got up to see what was going on. When she walked into Tom’s office, she found him sitting in the chair at his computer desk, hands raised, speaking in tongues. They will all four be getting baptized in Jesus Name in one of our churches this morning. That brings the number to 18 now. Praise God for His saving power!!

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

9:30 a.m.

I received a call a few minutes ago from Nicholette Barnes. She was the very first girl who got the Holy Ghost when all of this started at school. Saturday night, three of her cousins and Kamara (the girl God healed of cancer) came over to her house. They started talking and they began telling what God had done for them. One of the cousins, Kaziya began to cry. She had been involved in the adult entertainment industry, had gotten mixed up in drugs and alcohol and was at her wits end. The other two cousins had lived a pretty wild life and were feeling the weight of things that they had done. Conviction fell in that living room and they all ended up on their knees, crying out to the Lord. Sunday morning, found them all in an apostolic church. During the preaching, the was a mighty move of the Lord and Kaziyah received the Holy Ghost, sitting in her seat (never made it to the altar). The other two cousins, Samantha and Cassandra,
went forward when the altar call was given, repented, and received the Baptism of The Holy Ghost in the baptistry. That brings the number up to 21 now...and is sure to go higher! This is just beginning to fly!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

12:15 p.m.

I receive a phone call from Larita Henderson, the parent who God healed and filled on Wednesday of last week. She filled me in on something that I had no idea was happening. It seems that she is related to one of our third grade teachers. It also seems, that this teacher's son Khalif, who is one of my students, went to church with her Sunday and got to praying and came very close to receiving the Holy Ghost. His mother and my colleague Dina Webber, started getting under conviction and told Larita that she was feeling like some things needed to change in her life. Larita asked me how young children could receive the Holy Ghost. I was so happy to tell her that age had no bearing on a heart being filled with God’s Spirit. I am fully expecting that this teacher and her son are both going to be filled. What is really exciting is that now this is extending to the lives of my students. I was in the car when she called...I almost had to pull the car over!!! Revival!!! I love it!

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

4:00 p.m.

Last Monday, October 26th, I was running DVD’s of our choirs from “How Sweet The Sound”. I knew exactly how many copies I had run.
Between classes, I had been checking copies to make sure they ran properly. The copies were left on my work table. When I came back after my second class, one copy was missing. Even though I should have been upset that one of the students had taken one, there was something inside that told me that something good was going to come out of this. The week went by and I didn’t hear anything more about the DVD. Yesterday morning, my prayer time was interrupted by a knock on my classroom door. I opened the door and let one of my fifth grade students in. She informed me that she knew who had taken the DVD and gave me the girl’s name.
When I questioned her as to why Kiki had taken the DVD, she said that she had told her she needed it for her brother. It made no sense to me, so I immediately began my own little fact finding mission. Her classroom teacher informed me that Kiki was not in attendance, but supplied me with her home phone number. I called her home and spoke to the aunt. The aunt had the grandmother to call me at school. That call put me into the “shout mode” again.

It seems that Kiki’s 20 year old brother, Malcolm, had been involved in a drug deal that wend bad. The gang members accused him of stealing from them, and beat him violently with baseball bats. He was left for dead in a back alley. Someone found him and called for help. When he arrived at the hospital, doctors found that he was gravely injured. His skull was literally imbedded in his brain. They tried to do surgery, but his brain was so severely damaged, that the doctors told the family there was no hope. The family was being pressured to “pull the plug”.
This is where the faith of a child makes the difference. Kiki took my “stolen DVD” home and played it for her mother. She convinced her mother to let her take her portable DVD player to the hospital and play the DVD for Malcolm. Kiki put the DVD on a tray by his bed, and turned it on to play for her unconscious brother. As the DVD began to play, several heard the music and came into his room to watch. The family and medical staff were so engrossed with the video, that no one was watching the patient. About halfway through the video, the mother let out a scream, and everyone turned to see Malcolm, the boy who was not supposed to “wake up”, grabbing at his mother’s hand. The doctors came running and put the family out into the hall. His doctors examined this “hopeless patient”, only to discover the he wasn’t so hopeless after all. They extubated him and removed the breathing tube, only to find a full alert patient, who was able and wanting to talk. When the family was allowed back in the room, Malcolm told them that he heard the music before he woke

up. He said that when the song go to that “lift Him up” part, he heard a voice that told him to “Come on, it’s time to go back”.
He said something took him by the hand and led him toward the sound…it got louder and louder until the lights came on and he woke up. To the amazement of the doctors, there are no deficits of any kind from that traumatic brain injury. He has a severely fractured right arm (broken in 3 places) and several broken ribs, but that is all! The Great Physician had taken care of it!!!
The doctors moved Malcolm to a regular room, and on Saturday, October 31st, Malcolm went home! If that isn’t a miracle, I don’t know what is. On Wednesday, Malcolm came to see me at school. I sat down with this young man and talked at length with him. God was really dealing with his heart. Thursday evening, he went to prayer meeting at an apostolic church with his grandmother. The group asked him to tell what had happened to him. When he got to the end of the testimony, the Holy Ghost fell on the group. The saints gathered around him and began to pray, and just a few minutes later, Malcolm Jackson the gang member, became Malcolm Jackson the saint of God. God marvelously baptized him with the Holy Ghost! The pastor ministered to him about baptism in Jesus Name. Not only was Malcolm baptized in Jesus Name, so was his grand mother! That brings the number to 22, who have received the Holy Ghost so far! Hallelujah!

Friday, November 6th, 2009

10:00 p.m.

I was sitting in my kitchen eating supper this evening, when the phone rang. It was my dear sister Ashley Nolte. It seems that she and her husband decided to have a prayer meeting at their home and had invited a number of my staff members and their families to attend. She said that the Holy Ghost had prompted her to call me to come over and join them. So, I got in the car and drove over to their home. Upon arriving, I found that this was no little affair. There were 17 people crammed in their living room, and it was “already on” in the Holy Ghost. Ashley had conveniently popped the DVD of Atlanta West into the player and the Holy Ghost was already alive and well in that place!!
When the song finished, I simply ministered about what God had in store for each of them and explained this wonderful Plan of Salvation. The Spirit began to move and before long, we had people on their knees all over the living room, including 2 of my students. Well, this wonderful experience began to happen among us again, and within about 30 minutes, 4 more people received the Holy Ghost. I had the privilege of baptizing all 4 of them in the Nolte’s hot tub… That was a first for me!!!! The blessing of it all was that one of the four who were filled with the Holy Ghost was one of my fourth grade students, Khalif. His mother Dina is one of our third grade teachers. She also received the Holy Ghost. So, if my math is correct, that brings us to 26 people, who are forever changed, since October 23rd. To God be the glory!

Monday November 9th 2009

I found out today, that the guy God healed of the brain injury, Malcolm...took his whole family to church out at Bishop Johnson's church yesterday....4 of them ended up getting baptized, and 3 more received the holy ghost. That brings the number to 30 now! Praise God!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

8:45 a.m.

After a couple of days without anything new happening, my phone exploded with an annointed jingle a few minutes ago. The very first lady who received the Holy Ghost when this all started on October 23rd, Nicholette Barnes, called and put me into the shout mode at 8:15 a.m.! Nicholette's family is all baptist and attend a medium sized baptist church in St Louis. She went to their church prayer meeting last night...about 30 in attendance. The pastor asked her to share what God had been doing in her life, and oh did she ever do just that. As she testified, the Spirit began to move across that group of people. You know what happens when the Holy Ghost starts moving....people were worshipping the Lord with all of their hearts. The worship went on for a good long while. When things "settled" a bit, Pastor Benson asked Nicholette if she had a copy of the music she told about (that would be Atlanta West) and she just "happened" to have a DVD in her purse. The sound man fired it up through the multimedia system and it was "on" again in the Holy Ghost. This time though, it didn't settle down...this time the Holy Ghost fell on people. Before it was all finished, 19 of the people gathered (including the pastor and his wife) had received the Holy Ghost. When things died back down, Nicholette shared about being baptized in Jesus Name. Of course, this not the doctrine of a baptist church. Pastor Benson said to her, "I know this is not what we teach but something in my Spirit tells me this is right". He asked her to call me and give me his phone number. I just got off the phone with Pastor Benson a few moments ago. I started to share some scripture with him and he stopped me. He started explaining baptism in Jesus Name to me. I had to put the phone down and get a praise break in!!!! The long and short is...this afternoon those folks are going to meet at the church and I am going to baptize them all in Jesus Name. A baptist church is going to have to change its sign to pentecostal. There are others coming who were not in the prayer meeting last night, so that number is sure to go higher! I never cease to be amazed at how God moves! What a mighty awesome God!

Update 2

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

3:00 p.m.

I just returned from the noon prayer meeting at Friendship Baptist Church in St. Louis. God has begun a mighty work within that local body of believers. When I arrived at noon, there were already a good-sized group there. By 12:30 pm., there were over 50 had gathered. The pastor was absolutely ecstatic, as he said he never has that many for prayer meeting. What had happened, is that some of the 19 who received the Holy Ghost last night, went home and called others. Pastor Benson asked me to preach about the Name of Jesus and Baptism in Jesus Name and not the trinity. What a mighty anointing settled over that group of people. We had church!!! (They even had the church organist there. You preachers know what someone on the organ does when you get to preaching!) We gave the altar call and had a mighty move of God in the area of repentance. Next came the part I like…burying people in Jesus Name. The line started with Pastor Benson and his wife, and went on and on and on. They ran out of robes before we were finished. I know the last four or five got buried in wet robes!! All 19 from last night were there and got baptized first. Then came the newcomers! As person after person came, God confirmed His Word over and over again. When we got finished, 32 people had been baptized in the Precious Name of Jesus. The 13 new folks that had not been filled previously, were filled by the time they left. Most of them received the Holy Ghost right in the water. I tell you what…some of those ladies know how to splash. I think I was almost as wet as most of them. No one that wanted the Holy Ghost left there without it! So, the bottom line is…32 more people filled with the Holy Ghost and that now brings the number to 62 now that have received the Holy Ghost since October 23rd. This is the Book of Acts in action. What a way to spend a Veteran’s Day!!! Praise God!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awCHimZfgFk

Tempted? God is Faithful

2009-11-18T15:07:00.000-08:00

Link to Message

http://bit.ly/24W8ZN

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

I find it interesting that God's faithfulness is concerned with my temptations. Lord lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Often this scripture is misquoted and misinterpreted.

"God will not put on you more than you can bear."

This is not found in scripture, but is a misquote of the above scripture.

This communicates an idea that everything we deal with is from God. However this scripture does not speak to what God puts on us, rather what God helps us deal with.

The Spirit of Excellence

2009-11-17T14:52:00.000-08:00

In preparing for my midweek message on last week the Lord directed my study to the Book of Daniel. It seemed that highlighted in the text was this trait attributed to Daniel, that being that he had an excellent spirit.

I began to look deeper into this and found that this was said of him specifically on a number of occasions and I knew that I had found something worth looking into a little deeper.

To diagnose the characteristics of a person with an "Excellent Spirit", let us look and see what the scripture show us about Daniel.

He Refused to Compromise

The First Time we meet him is in the first chapter of the Book of Daniel. We are confronted with the situation and circumstance of the environment that he finds himself in. He is a Jew living in Babylon that has been made a Eunuch. He and many others have been carried away from Jerusalem and will for the rest of their days serve at the desire of the King of Babylon. This is far from Ideal. When confronted with what is expected of them, they refuse to compromise. In a situation that would seem they are defeated, still they maintained thier integrity.

When the Chips were down, he stood up.

The second chapter we are confronted with the fact that he along with the rest of those who were gifted and respected in the Kingdom were going to be sentenced to die. Rather than just resign and give up, he stands up and takes it upon himself to be a tool God can use in this circumstance.

Friends of Common Faith with Integrity.

It seems that though Daniel and his friends were not the only Jews in Babylon, they were the only ones that stayed true to their God and the worship to him. When faced with the ultimatum of bowing to pressure or dieing for God... they stood true and were a testimony to the power of people standing up for what is right even when there is a high personal cost involved. This is the kind of friends Daniel Had.

Stayed True when Persecution Came

Daniel being of an excellent Spirit was honored above everyone else. Envy and Jealousy are the product often in this situation and he found himself the target of everyone in power. However even in this situation, being a man of an Excellent Spirit continued in the dedication and devotion of a Worshiper of Jehovah. He continued to pray three times a day... and God honored him and lifted him up and bestowed an even greater level of favor. All while silencing those who chose to try to destroy him.

These are just a few of the attributes that defined this man with an Excellent Spirit. May we all strive to have that kind of spirit and attitude.

www.inbythroughhim.blogspot.com

The Hope of the Soul Winner

2009-11-13T11:08:00.000-08:00

Just some reflections on the parable of the sower. The Seed, Sower, and the Soil.

Dear Saint...

2009-11-11T13:04:00.000-08:00

This was posted, I do not know who wrote it, but I think it is worthy of consideration. Feel free to share.

Dear Saint,

So, you are a devoted saint in your local church, and support your pastor. You give happily into the church of your time and finances, and don't cause any trouble. But still, there are a few things your pastor wishes you knew that would make his job easier and_ more enjoyable. If only you knew what they were! And as a pastor myself (for too many years to mention), I'm about to reveal those valuable secrets to you! Interested yet?

Hebrews 13:17 instructs us to, "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." The first thing you should know as a loving saint is that your pastor wants to take joy in serving you... but it's your job to help him do it.

Here are a few things that will help your pastor enjoy his servant status in the church.

1. Notify him when you aren't going to show up.

Whether you are in a position of leadership or not, you should notify him when you will not be at church, at a church social or other event. Unless, of course, you are afraid your excuse for not being there is too lame. (ahem, ahem.) Put his mind at ease by giving him a quick phone call well in advance of your absence or tardiness.

2. Don't talk him down to other saints.

This includes questioning his judgment and/or decisions. If you have a concern about your pastor, you should talk about it to no one but him. Otherwise, you are unwittingly (or purposely?) destroying the work he is trying to do in the church. I have watched seasoned saints destroy new Christians by eroding their faith in, and respect for, their pastor. I have also, over the years, watched the pastor's authority questioned, overridden, and undermined by people in the church that he has trusted, and given responsibility and authority to. God forbid that this injustice should happen within the church.

3. Don't allow other saints to talk him down.

Stand up for your pastor if other saints in the church begin to "roast him for Sunday dinner". When I was a saint in my pastor's church, I would vehemently protect him from slander from other saints. I would interrupt this enemy of the man of God and clearly remind them that Psalm 105:15 says, "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm."

4. Ask for advice before you make a decision, not after you have messed things up.

I can't begin to count how many times I've watched people go to their pastor and ask for advice on how to fix their problem, when they could have completely avoided it by talking to him before it happened. Your pastor is there to give you guidance and wisdom, and help you avoid troubles. Why not invite him into your decisions and let his Godly counsel help keep you from costly mistakes? This will both keep you from unnecessary grief, and make his life a lot easier.

5. Give him some space

If you are a needy person who demands attention from your leaders, do your pastor a favor and find other outlets to help fill this need. You are not the only person in the church that has problems, needs prayer, etc. It's perfectly fine to contact your pastor on occasion, as he is there to serve you, but if you constantly nag him, interrupt his dinner time, family time, personal social time, prayer time, or study time, he will begin to regret helping you. He will no longer be serving you with joy, but rather with grief. Give him a little space.

6. Don't just point out problems, but offer to help fix it

This goes with both interpersonal problems within the church, and broken things in the building. Chances are your pastor already knows of these problems, but has not had a chance to solve them yet... What he doesn't need is another person to remind him without offering to lift a finger to help.

7. Say, "Thank You"

This is a very valuable gift you can give your pastor that will not cost you a dime. Out of the blue, just tell him how much you appreciate the sacrifice he has made for the church... the late night prayers; the times he has sacrificed his own family time for the saints; the money he gives out of his pocket to help someone through a difficult time; the trips to the hospital, funeral homes and open houses. I recall many times I've helped people out with money, food, rent, resolving family fights, and more, and not received so much as a simple, "Thank you." It's true that we, as pastors, serve the saints as though we are serving the Lord, but sometimes the ungratefulness of those we help can really hurt. So, send your pastor a card, give him a phone call or an email, pat him on the back at church. You don't have to over-do it, or even do it often, but just sometimes, it's nice to hear those two magical words.

8. Preach with him

Do you agree with what your pastor is preaching? Then let him know. Don't just nod your head as you're falling asleep during his sermon... do it to let him know he's connecting with you. It's OK to say, "Amen" out loud when you agree with a point he's made. This will both encourage him and others around you. Feel like standing up and giving an enthusiastic fist-pump, coupled with a hearty, "Preach it!"? By all means, please do! He really likes that!

9. Worship Spontaneously

Preaching is an emotional and physical drain. Your spontaneous worship is the grease on the skids of the service. When you worship without prompting, an atmosphere is created where God can have His way in the lives of guests. It also saves the energy of the Pastor for what is most important, the Word of God.

10. Treat his family with love and respect

Your pastor's family sacrifices every time he leaves home to spend time with you... every time he runs an errand on church business, or closes the door to his study to seek God's direction for the church. They put up with a lot so that you have a good place to worship. They sacrifice. Please treat them well. Pastors worry that their family will suffer for the sake of the ministry, and it is a great encouragement to them when the church helps take care of the ones he loves.

11. Check on him and ask if there is anything you can do

Serving is his life. His time is not his own. It belongs to the work of God. Therefore, you need to serve him. Care for his needs. Simple things like serving his table at gatherings. Check to see if he or his wife need anything.

12. Take ownership of the church

This could be a book in itself, but I will simply offer these points...
1. Bring people to it
2. Attend every service you can
3. Keep it clean
4. Give of your finances to it
5. Give of your time to it
6. Respect it
7. Bring people to it (did I already say that?)

I honestly think each of these points deserves an article, or book, of its own, but I will leave it at this for now. All of the above mentioned tips are merely the natural result of a love and respect for the man of God, your pastor.

My Dad gave me some good advice about cars a long time ago that I think fits well here. He said, "If you're good to your car, it will be good to you." Nicely put, Dad.

Sincerely,

Seasoned Pastor

The Valley of Definition

2009-11-06T12:33:00.000-08:00

This Valley could be your Defining Moment.

Valleys throughout scripture have been a turning and defining point to the people in the valley.

I am reminded of the King of Assyria’s servants saying, “Their gods are of the hills....” And we find throughout the course of the history, there is always a valley that defined many significant figures in scripture. Often we think God has forgotten us when we are in the valley, when in reality, he is watching us ever more closely.

The valley of Ajalon, when the Sun and Moon stood still to bring a great victory for Joshua.

The Valley of Jezreel, where Gideon and his handful brought a mighty Victory through God by obeying and trusting in God.

The Valley of Elah will be unforgettable in the victory of victories. When David requested a sword from the Priest, he was told, “We have the sword of Goliath that you slew in the Valley of Elah.”

The Valley of Rephaim, yet another victory for David.

The Valley of Salt another victory.

And finally the valley of Berachah, where victory brought a great spoils for Jehoshphat and his Army.

The valley of Eschol is where we find the Children of Israel shrinking from their promise as they received the message from the Evil Spies.

The Valley of Achor where Achan and his family were stoned for rebellious acts and hidden sin.

The Valley of Sorek, where Delilah lived. Mmmmm.

Valleys and the actions of the men found there provide a crossroads of sorts for their lives and in turn defined them in their greatness, greatness in their Failure or Greatness in their Faith. We have a choice of the definition that will be designated for our valley by the actions we make.

In one instance The Prophet told them, Fill this valley with Ditches. When the blessing comes, you need a place for the blessing to stay. Often blessing come in our lives, but there is not reservoir for it to be captured, so it comes and goes with no lasting reminder of it’s passing.

Our lives can at times be a valley of dry and desert places. The thirst seems to be unbearable. God would say, Dig a Ditch. Dig a Ditch. Fill your valley with Ditches, and when the blessing comes, it will provide relief for your current pressing need and create a tool God will use to bring victory over your enemies.

Can you dig a ditch in your valley?

Can you Stand up and Face the Giant?

Can you ignore the Siren Song of Delilah?

Can you obey God and not hide the forbidden in your tent?

Can you survive in the Valley so God can give you a Victory?

Your defining Moments are found in your valleys. Heaven and Hell are watching to see what you will do in your valley, for it will define you.

For every Victory, there is a valley.

For there too be four walking in the fire, tribulation and temptation must come.

For there to be a Daniel in and out of the Lions den, there comes testing.

For there to be a David, you must have a Goliath resisting.

For there to be a valley full of water, you first had to have someone who had a need that made them dig.

Your actions in your valley will define what sort of man, minister, saint or sinner you are.

Digging Ditches, Trusting in the Blessing that is to come,

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott Phillips
www.newbirth.us

originally written

Mar 23 2003 02:44PM

The Intersection of Circumstance and Destiny

2009-10-30T12:52:00.000-07:00

There are dangerous intersections throughout America. If a person is unfamiliar with an area, it is very easy for them to be sitting at a very dangerous crossroad unaware of the danger that is looming.

A few years ago, a number of minister friends were traveling to a conference in Dallas. They found themselves nearly killed, but by the grace of God walked away, at a very dangerous intersection in Dallas, Texas. I remember as a small boy, my family hit at this very same place.

The point is we rarely understand the significance of where we are at the time.

“ I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.” Eccl 9:11-12

I would like to point you to two people in Scripture that faced a pivotal point in their life.

There was a man by the name of Naboth that had something an Evil King wanted. The evil King knew that Naboth could not sell it, so he asked him to give it to him. Naboth informed the Evil King, that he would not give, sell or trade the inheritance that God had given him. We know that Naboth died in the process, but it was still his Vineyard. When the Evil Kings son died, they threw his body not in the Kings Vineyard, but Naboths Vineyard.

Naboth was willing to say, OVER MY DEAD BODY, I will not give you or sell you my inheritance.

His destiny was defined by his telling the Evil King NO. It cost him everything, but he maintained his integrity and his inheritance.

Can I tell you something, it is better to die for something of eternal value than to give, trade, sell or barter away what previous generations have established in their efforts of blood sweat and tears. It is better to say no and die, than to compromise and lose your soul.

The next person is equally of interest.

An orphan girl with nothing to offer was taken in by her generous uncle. Through the destiny of God, this little girl becomes the Queen of the Kingdom, through no small part of the wisdom of her little uncle. She is living in the lap of luxury and is given a chance to forget her roots. Through the machinations of an evil man, The Jews are under a death warrant and the word comes to her that she better do something. She finally realizes it is her responsibility to do what she can. In her decision, she makes this statement,

“If I Perish, I perish.”

She comes to the point she is willing to pay the price to say yes to the Lord. Her destiny was realized when she was willing to say Yes to the Lord.

Can I tell you something, our Destinies are realized when we are willing to follow the Examples of these Two Godly People.

To tell the Evil King of this World, I am not giving you what you want. We must have the Moral Integrity to say No, even if it cost you your life. Some things are worth dieing for.

We must be willing to Tell Jesus, Yes, even it is putting all that we hold dear in jeopardy. Because the truth of the matter is, everything we have is in Jeopardy to a greater degree if we don’t live up to our responsibilities.

We are living in Momentous Times. If we have ever been at the Intersection of Circumstance and Destiny as a Church, it is today.

Let us Rise up and Lay Hold of the Inheritance of Apostolic Purpose provided to us by our Fore Fathers. Let us at the same time Remind the Wicked King and His Worldly efforts to bring Compromise in our Lives, Over My Dead Body!

Destiny is determined by seemingly very small decisions.

I thankful for My Inheritance while aware of My Responsibility,

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott Phillips
www.inbythroughhim.blogspot.com

Video Blog - The Big 40, thoughts

2009-10-27T09:37:00.000-07:00

Gap Time

2009-10-25T20:46:00.000-07:00

Originally written
Jan 12 2003

Gap Time
One morning while reading my Bible, in Isaiah 51& 52, I saw what struck me as a gap. Like a generation gap. What I would like to equate it to is the same way the earth can split open during an Earthquake. After the shaking, there can be a considerable crevice or gap created.

I believe we are in a time of shaking that is and will create just this kind of Gap.

I see an overlapping mindset in the world today that spans the generations.

A generation without a purpose
A generation without a hope
A generation without a mission
A generation without a vision

A generation without a passion

It is encapsulated in the “Whatever” and “I don’t care” attitude, as long as it doesn’t take too long and it doesn’t cost me too much.

The parents did not seem to care enough to do what is right, now their children are going to the extreme and not don’t seem to know what is right or wrong. If they do, you can’t tell.

The deception that “IT DON’T MATTER” and its fall out are quite apparent. The great lie, that there is no consequence to my action has given way to the greatest tragedies we see today.

The birthrate of Fatherless Children is exploding. Close to 50% of children born today are born without a father.

God loves the children, and God loves the parents of those children, but life just got harder for both of them. There is a reason God created Adam AND Eve. Cain and Able needed a Momma AND Daddy.

There are exceptions to every rule, and if your an exception, Fine. Think about how this might apply to some small area of your life. I believe the reason the weakness in the current generation is found in the lack of concern and passion of doing what is right in the previous.

The Lack of Passion for right has given sway to losing the concept of right.

This brings us to a troubling time. Now.

Here we stand on the precipice of eternity, with the challenge of reaching our world for right, when many don’t even know what right is, and if they do know, they have not cared.

There is a wake-up call coming, and this will clarify many things for all of us.

A shaking in the earth. The cup of trembling. A shaking. An awakening.

A shaking in the markets. It is happening. A shaking in the families. It is happening A shaking in the church. It is happening.

Everything that can be shaken is shaking..... right now.

Will you stand or fall when the epicenter moves into your little world?

If your not prepared, you better get ready now.

Set your feet, strengthen your grip, sell out and stock up.

"They all are watching to see your reaction... " Who are they? Everyone that matters.

Will you...

Sit back, lay out, ease up, let off, slow down, pull out or lay down?

I hope and pray this is not the case.

What I encourage, implore and pray that you will do is Stand Up, Show Up and Press In.

It is time to be counted.
It is time to be counted on the Team of Right and doing it right and caring while we do it right.

Stop expecting someone else to pull your share. Your share might get left! Quit Putting off what God has been asking you to do for so long.

It is High Time.

If you have been waiting for the perfect time. You’re not going to get a better time than now.

If you’re waiting to Get Older, look in the Mirror.

The shaking has already started. The Gap is widening. What side of the Gap will you be on?

I appeal to you as Abraham appealed to God. Abraham stood in the Gap for Grace.

It is time to realize where you are.

The shaking will only increase and become more personal as time goes by. Get your house in order. Get your children in order. Get your finances in order.

When the Shaking stops, I hope you’re all right.

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott Phillips
www.inbythroughhim.blogspot.com

AUDIO MESSAGES FROM NEWBIRTH THIS WEEKEND, October 25, 2009.

MP3 messages from Services @ NewBirth.

http://web.me.com/scottaphillips/Site/In_By_Through_Him/In_By_Through_Him.html

Less than Zero

2009-10-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

What is less than zero?

What is emptier than emptiness? What is darker than darkness? What is deader than death? What is less than zero?

Zero is the same as
Nothing Nil Zilch Zip Nix

The Question is what is less than Zero?

This was a question that was impressed upon me the other night. In the darkness I began to ponder this and roll it around in the chambers of my mind. The following is just an outflow of these thoughts.

To understand what is less than Zero, let me tell you what Zero is. a. A cardinal number indicating the absence of any or all units under consideration. b. An ordinal number indicating an initial point or origin. c. An argument at which the value of a function vanishes. Zero is the absence of value.

Below are few quotes I found on Zero.

“The introduction of zero into the decimal system in 13th century was the most significant achievement in the development of a number system, in which calculation with large numbers became feasible. Without the notion of zero, the descriptive and prescriptive modeling processes in commerce, astronomy, physics, chemistry, and industry would have been unthinkable. The lack of such a symbol is one of the serious drawbacks in the Roman numeral system. In addition, the Roman numeral system is difficult to use in any arithmetic operations, such as multiplication.

In the case of the original Babylonian system a zero was simply represented by a space. Imagine if, in our decimal system, instead of writing 104 (one-hundred-and-four) we were to write 1 4 (one-space-four). It's easy to see how this can lead to a certain amount of confusion, especially when there are multiple zeros next to each other. The problems can only be exacerbated if, like the Babylonians, one is using a base-sixty system and writing on clay tablets in a thunderstorm. After more than 1,500 years of potentially inaccurate calculations, the Babylonians finally began to use a special sign for zero. Many historians believe that this sign, which first appeared around 300 BC, was one of the most significant inventions in the history of mathematics. However, the Babylonians only used their symbol as a placeholder and they didn't have the concept of zero as an actual value. Thus, clay tablet accounting records of the time couldn't say something like "0 fish," but instead they had to write out in full: "We don't have any fish left."

The use of zero as an actual value, along with the concept of negative numbers, first appeared in India around 600 AD. Although negative numbers appear reasonably obvious to us today, they were not well understood until modern times. As recently as the eighteenth century, the great Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler (pronounced "Oiler" in America) believed that negative numbers were greater than infinity, and it was common practice to ignore any negative results returned by equations on the assumption that they were meaningless!

Zero must be distinguished from nothing. Zero belongs to the integer set of numbers. Zero is neither positive nor negative but psychologically it is negative. The concept of zero represents "something" that is "not there," while zero as a number represents the lowest of all non-negative numbers. For example, if a person has no account in a bank, his/her account is nothing (not there). If he/she has an account, he/she may have an account-balance of zero.

The Babylonians invented it, the Greeks banned it, the Hindus worshiped it, and the Church used it to fend off heretics. Now it threatens the foundations of modern physics. For centuries the power of zero savored of the demonic; once harnessed, it became the most important tool in mathematics. For zero, infinity's twin, is not like other numbers. It is both nothing and everything. "

What is less than Zero?

It would seem to be obvious, and that would be a negative value is less than zero.

A value of things that is not positive.

What would you rather have, a Savings account with $20,000 or a Credit Card with a Balance of $20,000?

Each in it’s own right is a lofty and significant number to me. One however is empowering, the other is debilitating. The point is this, I would rather have zero, flat busted broke, than have less than zero.

God can work in a void and darkness, but what can he do in a place of the unimpressed and uninterested?

What can he do, when people’s lives are full of everything but God? Schedules that are keeping them running to and fro, and never pass GOd or collecting the blessing available to those aware of their need.

So often it is only when they look up and find themselves in a great despair that they begin to search for God and it requires of them to make many adjustments to even make room for God.

They must become empty first before God can even help them. The following seems to illustrate this.

LASCARI, Sicily (Reuters) - Giovanni Greco sent himself, literally, to an early grave. Greco, 63, was so keen that his future mausoleum would be a perfect fit that he liked to visit it ensure the builders were making it just right. But his latest visit proved to be his last. According to local media reports, Greco was making his regular trip to the construction site in the small cemetery in his hometown of Lascari at the weekend.

He climbed a ladder to get a better view of the top of the mausoleum when he slipped, hit his head on a marble step, and fell into his own tomb

A grave is not an uplifting thought, but an empty one speaks that someone is still alive, For this void to be filled, is testimony to a grave that prevailed.

We will all rest our heads in a cushioned coffin one day. What it will mean, to us and those that knew us will vary greatly depending on who we were and what we did. Some will die and some will be glad they did, others will die and all will miss them.

What is less than zero?

An Empty Grave is Zero. If you died without God, that is less than Zero.

A world full of sin is a zero, you being full of that world is less than zero.

We may within ourselves present this world of little value. Six Billion souls, and what are you among so many? Some are just another zero walking around. Neither adding to nor taking away, and in this state of mind there is hope. However for many, their lives are being added to in a negative way that will only exacerbate the terrible situation they are in.

We are living in a world that thrives on the Concepts of “Less than Zero”. We are able to see this by the great appeal that is made to our fleshly desires to have things. “No Payments for 90 Days.” Zero Interest.

Let me tell you something, all this stuff that sounds free is just another heavy weight that is being added to your life. People are living in Big Houses, with Empty Hearts. Driving Fast Cars, with slow minds. Expensive tastes with cheap values.

You can turn your interest around.

You must let Go of what holds you and empty out that which fills you.

Those Deep Feelings of Bitterness, Hatred, Regret, Despair, and disappointment

MUST be poured out.

You must become EMPTY of the NEGATIVE flow and power, for GOD”S POSITIVE BLESSINGS to Flow and empower you.

You don’t pour clean water in a dirty glass. You don’t put clean clothes on a dirty body.

There must first be a purging for there ever to be a pouring.

Before you can ever appreciate the power of addition, you must first understand the concept of subtraction.

To appreciate ZERO, you must first understand Less than Zero.

It would be better to have an emptiness or void than to have a fullness of something that is hindering and distracting.

If you don’t know the answer it is bad, but if your answer is wrong, that is worse, because it requires more effort to teach the answer because you must first unlearn what you know that is wrong.

You have a Baby. They know zero. You have a teenager. They know everything, however many of their conclusions are faulty.

It is easier to teach someone who wants to learn than to teach someone that thinks they know everything.

Less than Zero.

We read in Genesis Chapter 1, that God found a place that was without form and void, with Darkness the overriding description. Void is the lack of anything, emptiness.

In this place of emptiness there was the opportunity for God to fill it with his spirit, his word and his work.

God works in a place of need. He will never help anyone who doesn’t think they need his help. God cannot help those that don’t believe in him. God cannot help those that don’t need him.

God can only help those that see their desperate need for him.

Subtraction is a concept I don’t prefer, but subtraction is necessary for me to see the power of addition. I can appreciate the power of multiplication when I understand the power of division.

As I grow in an understanding of God and his Mathematics, I will grow in confidence and understanding that, “..no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

The final point is the Prodigal Son. He left his Fathers House full. Full of his fathers’ money, full of his dreams and desires. It was not until he was empty of all these things that he made a decision what he would do. When he arrived to that Value of Zero, he made a choice, that he would rather be a zero in his fathers’ house, than a negative value in the devils hand.

The Devil laughs at us and questions our ability and commitment. He points out our weakness and failings and will tell you, your nothing. “What can you do?”

The answer is found in David’s words,

“ Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” Ps 17:13-15

“LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes. But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me. My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD.” Ps 26:8-12

You don’t have to be Less than Zero!

With God, He can transform you into his priceless treasure.

In Him, By Him, Through Him!

Scott A. Phillips
www.inbythroughhim.blogspot.com

The Treasure is Found in the Trouble

2009-10-22T21:08:00.000-07:00

In 1998 a devastating storm hit the small country of Guatemala that killed thousands of people and touched off floods and landslides. This was a horrific tragedy. However there is a silver lining to this story.

Recently scientist began to notice that a large number of Jade stones began to show up in shops. They began to investigate and found that this very storm had caused these veins of rare treasure to be exposed and some washing into riverbeds to be found by people beside the rivers. On further examination they have found large deposits of this rare and valuable stone.

The Incan people valued this above that than even Gold. However until this storm no one could ever find the source of all the artifacts and treasures excavated. Jade is produced much like diamonds are, they arise deep inside the earth as rocks are cooked at pressures so great that their basic characteristics change. Geologic action lifts them to the surface. Jade catches the eye with it's astonishing Range of colors, Red, Blue, Brown, Blue Green, Emerald Green, dark green and blackish.

Can I tell you that your storm are going to expose the treasure that is in you. Storms come to the foolish and the wise, however in this foundation of faith, in the Rock, you will find there are treasures that only come to light following the darkest night. One of the Government officials commented that this discovery exposed and discovered the Jewel of their national heritage. The product of the Storm is more than Trouble, but Treasure.

Discovery does not produce anything. It is hard to appreciate what has not been discovered. It may be there all the time, but it is not been seen or known. Storms are natural phenomenon that we all endure, however we must realize that trouble always is followed by treasure.

Treasure. If you are going through a storm and have not yet discovered that treasure, be encouraged, with every wind that blows, and every rain drop that falls, it is uncovering and revealing something that was always there.

God said of Job, "And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?" Job 1:8

The deep seated suspicions of all those around job surfaced in his trial, but in the end they saw what Job had always been. Job served as a testimony to the world that Character and Integrity are commodities of unspeakable value that don't change in trouble, but are revealed in it.

Get ready to start prospecting for your Promise, when the storm is passed, you will be able to see something of unspeakable value.

Treasure is found in Trouble,

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott Phillips
www.inbythroughhim.blogspot.com

Retrace the Steps of Your Miracle

2009-10-22T05:44:00.000-07:00

The story in Luke tells of Jesus coming in contact with 10 lepers. And after their request Jesus told them to go to the priest and show themselves. And as they went they were healed. Each step down that long dusty road, they found healing virtue flowing into their bodies. Each step represented more healing power flowing into their broken bodies from years of this destructive disease, the further they walked in obedience, the greater their miracle became. At some point down the path of obedience one of them found a revelation.

"I am Healed!"

Think of that. The heat of infection was gone. The fever had left. He looked at the infection and it was gone. His natural response was demonstrated in what he did.

This man began to retrace his steps to where his miracle started. We find him at the feet of the one that began the Miracle. Weeping and worshiping, this man found a greater revelation of healing than the others, for he realized what was the natural response that flowed from his heart.

“Let me get back to where this started.” The power of praise and thankfulness took him into a greater dimension of his miracle.

Praise The Lord God Almighty!

Many people today come in contact with Jesus and ask him to help them, and as they are walking away, the answer comes. Why do they never turn back to allow this revelation of Jesus to expand and grow in their lives?

Retracing your steps

The first time Moses had a revelation of God was in a burning bush, years later, he came full circle. The next time he comes to this place he finds a burning mountain. Where he first got a purpose, finds waiting on him a covenant.

What would happen if we would all retrace the steps of our Miracle? I guarantee you, that when you get back to the place you started; you will find that it is bigger than you remembered.

Consider afresh the mighty works of God in your life.

The Completion is waiting on your return,

Return to your First Love, Do the First Works,

Take Me Back.

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott Phillips
www.inbythroughhim.blogspot.com

An Open Door

2009-10-21T13:55:00.001-07:00

This is an article I wrote in 2002. I am in the process of republishing articles written in the past that are not on this blog. For three reasons. Most of you were not on the list 7 years ago. Some of the material, when I re read it, seems to be as relevant now as then and I also would like to have it here on this blog in case I lose access to the other site.

The other morning in prayer I saw a door. An open door. On the other side of this door was a harvest field. This is the scripture that I feel goes along with this.

“And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor: other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors.” (KJV)

To enter into the labors of another. I think so often the greatest struggle we have is realizing the work another has invested in a given thing. So often people go about tearing down and minimizing what someone else has done and therefore never reap where another man has sowed.

The church I pastor has been in existence for over 30 years.

Like many churches has experienced the ebb and flow in attendance and revival. Actually, overall the church has not seen a lot of Revival. However a whole lot of work has been done. This church has had 5 pastors. One was here for over ten years, another was here for around five years I believe and the other was here for over 13 years. I have been here now five years.

This is just speaking of only the Pastors, but just imagine how much effort would be represented of the saints of years gone by.

Imagine how many prayers have been prayed, tears have been shed, and days have been fasted, lessons that have been taught, sermons that have been preached, money that has been given, and sacrifices that have been made.

The blessing that is to be found in acknowledging the labor and sacrifice of another is that we can participate in the harvest that is the proof another’s ministry.

I have been plowing my field, sowing my seed and working in this field. But I am not so foolish to think that I did not desire to reap another mans labor.

To enter into another mans labor.

We are talking about the Kingdom of God and we as Saints and ministers are servants tending the Lords vineyard. If we can recognize the pain and labor expended by others, maybe the Lord would let us reap the answers to their prayers and fasting.

We are living in the last days, and we all are going to be reaping where we did not sow. Let us take a moment and consider the fact that the Work of God is not going to be accomplished only by Johnny come lately, but it was truly a work that took the current and the former to bring about the promise.

We are working and laboring together in his kingdom. If God would let another man reap where I sowed, Praise the Lord, it’s not my field or fruit, it is the masters.

One plants, another waters. God is the one that gives the increase. Walk through the door of opportunity and reap where the harvest is. The Door is open, open into the field of Harvest, Get to work!

We are but one more generation in a long line of men and women who have given our lives to the purpose and kingdom of God. We did not get here on our own and we will not complete without someone picking up where we left off.

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott Phillips
www.inbythroughhim.blogspot.com

originally written

May 15 2002 10:11AM

Don't Let the Enemy Define You

2009-10-20T20:52:00.000-07:00

Don’t let the Enemy define you

In the war of words, it is always bad if your enemy is allowed to define your position. In the issue of Abortion, You have the “Pro Life” and the “Anti Choice” or the “Pro Choice” and “Baby Killer” labels that are used depending on who is defining who. This is a good example of why we do not want our enemy defining who we are.

I read the other day that GE is coming out with a highly advanced Ultra Sound machine that will allow mothers to get a virtual picture of what the baby looks like. The article said that it would probably be a blow to the pro-abortion people, because mothers would be able to see just how human that “fetal tissue” really is.

So often in living for God the great struggle is we have people that allow their enemy to define who they are.

I was reading in a magazine an article that was describing what a certain group believed, being affiliated with that group, I knew that it was not what this group really believed. The point is this, it is never beneficial if you let someone who is not on your team writing your press release.

So often people are tripped up over the simple reason they begin to believe the definitions that define them, placed there by someone who did not have their best interest at heart.

In our walk with God there are two key influences, Good and Evil, Jesus and all of his helpers, and Satan and all his help. Jesus is known as and called our advocate; the Devil is called the Accuser.

God always sees us in the best light possible, the devil is always seeing us in the worst light possible. Look at the Story of Job. God saw Job as Perfect, Satan saw him as pampered. If we do not take the time to take our issues and problems to God, we will end up being unduly influenced by information that is not always beneficial to us.

If you study the life of Abraham in Genesis, you see the “FACTS”. Abraham lied, struggled, took shortcuts and just made plain dumb decisions. However if you read what God said of Abraham in Hebrews, he said, “He struggled not.” God chooses to see us in our victory, and overlooks the struggle it took us to get there. It’s almost like God does not see the Valley, because he only sees the mountaintops.

America lost a number of battles in WWII. However, we won the War. We regret the loss, but we rejoice in the Victory. Please realize anew and afresh, that the war is not over, and if you will just keep fighting, the War will be won and all of your less than glorious moments will be but a faint memory in the light of the glorious victory that you will enjoy.

Don’t believe the Press of Satan. Listen to What God says about you in his word.

You are his,

Beloved,
Begotten,
Betrothed,
Beautiful,
Bride.

Holy,
Hallowed,
Holy Ghost Filled
Halleluiah Shouting,
Hell shaking,
House of God.

Saved,
Sanctified,
Set Apart,
Sold out,
Son of God

Don’t let the Devil Define you, The only way the Devil can tell the truth is if we choose to believe his lie.

Refined and Defined,

In Him, By Him, Through Him!

Scott Phillips

www.newbirth.us

originally written

June 2002

The Visitor that Changes Everything

2009-10-20T20:48:00.000-07:00

The timid and confused chamberlain knocks on the kingly door that leads into his palatial parlor. There standing beside him is an embarrassed and fearful young married woman who has been summoned by the very King. Not knowing what was to be asked, and behold the unthinkable was requested, yeah demanded. Not long passes and this violated visitor is sent on her way.

Not long and another visitor walks through that Kingly door, this faithful and courageous soldier, and the unknowing victim of the Kings indiscretion that was perpetrated on his wife. This man, Uriah, When he comes in from the battle field refuses to return home as told, but sleeps on the steps of the kings’ house, because he was such a man he could not feel right sleeping with his wife when his friends were dieing in the trenches. He was sent back to the battle with a message that would cause his death.

Another visitor came telling the king that alas, the man that you wanted dead has died.

Under the cover of darkness, the married women who is now a widow is sent for and she becomes a wife yet again, the Kings wife. Everything seems to be fine. But wait,

There it is again, someone is knocking at the door. A steady, strong, and insistent knock of someone who knows your home. Insistent rapping, rapping, rapping at your front door. A UN requested visitor has come calling today.

This visitor walks with purpose as he strides up to the King, this man is none other than the Man of God who declares the dreadful deeds that have been done in secret are no secret at all to the Most High. The king is told, the good news and the bad news, for they are both the same, your not going to die king, but the child will.

A few days pass and the servants of David cautiously approach, not wanting to tell him the awful news, news that the child has in fact died.

So many visitors, so little time. David is spared and he calls for Bathsheba who is no longer a widow, but is now his wife and comforts her. And in this comfort a child is conceived. It is interesting that David calls the child Solomon, which means, Peace.

But wait,

There it is again,

That Knowing knock, that can be only one person. This visitor walks across this well traveled floor and declares one of the most beautiful and mysterious statements in all of scripture. In essence the Lord sent the very same prophet that brought the judgement of death to David, but this time he I imagine is smiling, weeping, crying as he communicates the message the Lord gives, “You can call him peace, but I call this child beloved.”

The final visitor that forever changed the history of this child and this ill-advised union is none other than mercy. This child grows up to become king. The wisest, richest and most successful of Kings in the History of Israel. Truly he was beloved of the Lord. It was all because someone visited him.

Today, Mercy is coming to your house and wants to pronounce to you, that God has more than given you peace with the past, but a glorious hope for the future.

Only God could take something like this and make it so beautiful.

Mercy is the message that can make all mistakes miraculous!

Dear Sir or Madam, you have a visitor.

In Him, By Him, Through Him!

“What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” Ps 8:4

The Amazing Vanishing Cross

2009-10-20T20:28:00.000-07:00

Convenient Spirituality or Committed Christianity

It seems that there is two schools of thought that are competing for the hearts and minds of those seeking salvation in Christ. There is a very loud and boisterous call that appeals to the lower instincts of a person and offers them an easy way out while still offering them a sense of the supernatural.

The great struggle between true commitment and convenience based concepts. You see it through out the Charismatic/Pentecostal ranks. You have those that are in touch with their feelings, but out of touch with what is important and others who are all about what is expected and bypass the necessary stirrings associated with faith. However there is a balance available.

The fine line of balance is something that is hard to define, for everyone thinks they are balanced. I of course being so bold to write on such a subject obviously think of myself as balanced, but that in itself highlights the true difficulty in finding balance, because we use our own lives and experiences to judge ourselves. Many times we use the foolish balance of comparing ourselves among ourselves. We must not fall for this foolish measure.

The true measure of spirituality is The Man that manifested himself in Flesh and yet was the embodiment of the Spirit of God. You may be committed as a Christian compared to a Sports Star Christian or a Television Celebrity Christian, but we know they are not the rule. I read an article in Charisma magazine the other day heralding “Christians” who are the actors on the Soap Opera’s found on midday television. I knew it was not a joke, because this magazine is pretty good at finding the most fringe and foolish topics to cover, and alas another example of this feel good journalism.

We must not allow ourselves to get swept into this feel good, mushy, politically correct, if you feel good about it fine, however you feel God leading you, spiritual babble to effect our Doctrines of Decency, Morality and Responsibility. I call it Doctrine on Purpose. It is the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles.

I was told the other day of a church that encouraged divorce so that the spouse could be married to someone that the leadership viewed as more zealous. I read the other day in this same magazine about a Pastor who had committed a Homosexual act with the Youth Pastor and he was so “BOLD” to take a 90-day sabbatical, and when he returned to speak, he was greeted by his congregation with a standing ovation. Another pastor right here in Mississippi, pleaded guilty to rape, and now has over 100 people who think he makes a good pastor. Not infidelity, but RAPE. There was a lot of discussion about forgiveness, but no one talked about what the scripture teaches concerning those in leadership.

The reason why the world wants a morally weak ministry is because they do not want someone who can stand with their own moral authority and demonstrate a contrast of Integrity and Morality, because those in the pews are fake Christians too.

What is this all about?

Everyone these days wants to be “Spiritual”, but very few people want to truly be committed.

If you study the words of Christ when he spoke to those that were to follow him, he made the gate narrow, the way straight and the burden a cross of self-denial and discipline.

When you are dealing with “New Christians” you want to make it as simple as possible and as reasonable as you can, but at the end of the Day, they will have to choose what they want. Do they want Real Christianity, which is demonstrated in a life of commitment and distinction, or convenient spirituality that will mesh and mold to how you feel and what you like.

Let us stand in the way of the teeming masses beating their way down the Broadway pointed out by the Prophets of Profit, Ministers of Make-You-Feel Good, and hold up a banner of truth, love and a spirit of care that cannot be denied.

I have made up in my mind; I would rather live a life of commitment, than live in the shallow water of spirituality that is fitted to how I feel and what I like.

No matter what the most popular books and preachers are saying, Christ’s Word has not changed, you must forsake all, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow him, leaving behind family, friends, and those that will tell you it does not have to be that way.

Sounding the Clarion Call of Commitment!

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott Phillips

originally written
Jun 12 2002 12:07AM

Let it Go Already!

2009-10-19T19:01:00.000-07:00

For three nights in the dreams of my sleep this message was constructed and born in my spirit. Not to mention the weeks that this has been echoing in the chambers of my soul, for I could smell what was cooking in the kitchen. I knew it was only a matter of time before I would receive a message dealing with and causing me to declare what I am today, and the past three nights I have tossed and turned as if it were in the belly of the whale with a word from the Lord.

Let it Go!

The lesson found in the book of Jonah is not of Judgment, but of Mercy. The preacher did not even get the message. Sadly this is very often the case, the messenger failed to inspect the contents and results of the message and apply it to his own life.

After Disobeying God. After Fleeing from his responsibility. After running from the very presence and favor of God. After enduring a storm. After being thrown over board. After being swallowed by a fish and dwelling in the gastric juices and dead fish and sea weed for three days. After being puked on the beech.

He resented Nineveh. He blamed Nineveh on his tragedy. He was Mad.

He went Mad. He preached Mad. He stayed Mad. He went outside the City and sat in a booth Mad. He got HOT mad. He fainted Mad. He was Mad that God did not destroy the source of his problems. The source of his problem was himself. He was not a big enough man to see it.

It is not your Parents. Not your Brother. Not your enemy. Not People, Not Churches, not Preachers. Not the World. Not Sin. Not even the Devil and his legions of Devils. But the greatest source of struggle in life is

Your RESPONSE TO GOD.

Jonah failed to see that the reason for his situation was how he looked at it. IMAGINE with me. He goes and preaches to a city of 60,000 wicked souls and they ALL repent. And he gets Mad because God does not burn them up.

God asked him a question, “Doest thou well to be angry?”

Jonah is an exact replica of what I don’t won’t for a preacher or pastor. Jonah, the book about the infamous prophet ends with him mad. Not saying he was lost, only an observation, His book ended with him mad.

Let it Go

Who does it hurt for us to harbor and hold on to things that have happened and did not happen? So often times the people we hold grudges on, don’t even know or care that we are mad at them. So it is eating on you on the inside…. Causes you to grit your teeth, toss and turn, fuss and fight, cuss and scream, rant and rave.

In your little life’s game of monopoly. You’re mad. All the while, they are sleeping like a baby, laughing all the way to the bank, passing go, and collecting two hundred dollars, oblivious to your torment. And you’re stuck in Jail with that frown…. Holding on to the bars that seemingly confine you.

RELEASE

If your anger is not hurting the person it is directed to…. WHO is it hurting? Who is loosing sleep? Who is tossing and turning? Who is getting ulcers? Whose mind is getting bent?

Just let it go.

The paradox of Jonah is another prophet.

A man. A man who did not have a house or a home. A man who did good everywhere he went.

He helped people pay their taxes. He helped people who were hungry to eat. He rescued a lady who was about to be killed. He helped a blind man to see. He helped a deaf man to hear. He helped a lame man to walk. He helped a dumb man to talk. He looked up to see a short man and went to his house to eat at a man who could not get to him.

He never lied. He never did anything but good. His twelve closest friend forsook him in his time of greatest need. His accountant sold him to his enemies. His most vocal supporter denied him and cursed at his memory. He was hated by everyone he was trying to help. He was innocent of any fault, yet a crowd called for his death.

Not just any death, but the most horrible, crushing, shameful, diabolically painful, tortuous death that could be died.

He was spat on by those who took him. They plucked his beard of his face, chunk by chunk. They took a thorn bush with thorns two inches long and wove it in a circle and crushed it up his scalp. They paraded his bleeding mass of a body that was unrecognizable. A bleeding pulp waking through the streets of a city he wept over.

He was laid upon a tree. His hands were cruelly taken and nailed upon the rough-hewn tree. His feet were fastened together and a single spike went through the bones in his feet. He took it all without one accusation or question. He opened not his mouth.

They took that cruel tree and dropped it in a hole and I can not imagine the agony as his body shook under the impact. For the next 4 –6 hours he hung there. He was ridiculed. He was laughed at. He was cursed. He was spat upon.

The Traffic slowed down, as people turned to gaze at this spectacle of humanity. As he was hanging there, looking at the city that rejected him, the soldiers that abused him, the Nation he was sent to save.

He lifted up his Voice and Cried………………………

FATHER FORGIVE THEM, for they know not what they do.

I was there. You were there. We all here today have bloody hands, because our failures helped nail him. My mistakes were the power behind those roman soldiers fists as they beat him. It was your stubborn ways, rebellious ways that stripped the dignity from deity and caused him to be the laughing stock of the world.

Jesus had plenty of reason to be mad. But he opened the door of mercy. I don’t deserve the privilege to even tell of this story today. But Christ was CRUCIFIED for your wickedness. For your stubbornness. For your rebelliousness. For your hardness.

We can be Like Jonah and be surrounded by mercy, but not taste of its sweet nectar. We can be like Jonah and be recipients of his power to save and never understand its amazing GRACE.

I need Jesus to open my eyes fresh. Mercy there was great and Grace was free, Pardon there was multiplied to me, there my burdened soul found liberty, at Calvary. I need his heavenly Gaze to fall upon my soul and words of unspeakable power to be spoken of his forgiveness.

The ONLY WAY I CAN TASTE of his GRACE. I must be willing to follow his example of Forgiveness.

You and I must be able to look at the source, or suspected source of problems and persecution and pray forgiveness and mercy in their lives. If we cannot we will preach to others of his Mercy only to be found on the trash pile of human debris. Let us not let our book end with us sitting outside the city mad.

If you have been wronged or suffered because of the call of ministry on your life, let me give you a word today. God probably used your tormenters to purify something out of you.

I read this morning a powerful passage of what David said when Shemei was cursing him. One of his supporters wanted to kill the cursing man, but David said,

“ And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him. It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.”

The bottom line is we must follow Christ’s example he showed when he was betrayed, beaten, ridiculed and done wrong. “He opened not his mouth.” The words he spoke were those of forgiveness and mercy.

The book ended with the prophet mad.

The Life of Jesus ended with Mercy, and his book is still being written.

To the wrongs done, betrayal experienced, hardships endured, difficulties. If you think you have someone to blame,

God asks you a question, “Doest thou well to be angry?”

Let it Go!

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott Phillips

The Wall Will Fall!

2009-10-18T20:33:00.000-07:00

One day while in prayer, I had a moment of inspiration,

“The wind blows on both sides of the wall, the rain fall’s on both sides of the wall, God is not bound by walls or barriers, I may not get through, but nothing can keep the work of God out.”

It was quickened to me that God can and will use those held inside the wall to tear down the wall. Walls of tradition, walls of false doctrine, strongholds of sin, strongholds of deception, God will use those behind the wall to tear down the wall.

One fateful day, President Reagan declared, “Mr. Gorbechev, Tear down that wall.” Not many days passed before the youth of communist Russia began to dismantle the barrier that had separated east and west, freedom and communism, hope and hopelessness. How many stories were we told and heard of people smuggling the word of God behind the “Iron Curtain”. The wall fell because a man was willing to declare what it really was, “The evil empire.” The power of words called into focus the contrast and this contrast worked as a powerful wave that slowly caused that wall to come tumbling down. Today, you can go to ebay and buy pieces of the wall that fell.

The wall fell.

Most people today in areas of ministry and purpose find themselves banging their head against a wall. The tension, stress and strain that compounds itself in our lives can be at times frustrating beyond explanation. We pray. We fast. We pray. We fast. We pray some more. We weep. We intercede. We pray some more. And often the in midst of our struggle we wonder, “Will this wall ever fall?”

The wall will fall.

Keep pushing against the wall. Keep pressing.

I am reminded of a story. One day an angel appeared to a man and told him, “Tomorrow, there will be rock in front of your door, push the rock. So the next day, true to the command pushed the rock. From sun up to sun down, he fulfilled the command. Everyday after that, he pushed. Week after week, month after month and year after year, the faithful man pushed. Years later, he began to complain, “God, you told me to push the rock, and I have been faithful. But it has not moved.” The devil began to put his two cents worth in and accuse him of his failure. “See, you are a failure, the rock has not moved any.” So the man, weary and tired from a day of pushing the rock, went to bed discouraged and down. That night the angel returned and said, “Look at your legs, they are strong and powerful. Your hands are hard and calloused. Your back is broad and full of strength. Your obedience is seen in the strength you have acquired in the pushing. God only wanted you to push the Rock. The Lord never told you to move the rock. He told you to push the rock. God will move the rock.” The next morning, with one push, the rock rolled down the mountain. The process that we all find ourselves in the middle of, is building a reservoir of strength.

The cold war, is responsible for America becoming the Super Power she is today. If there had not been a wall, America would not have had the will to strengthen itself.

The interesting point is the wall was not run over by the tanks and was not bombed by the planes, but it was tore down by the people that were confined by it. Today we are not on a mission to destroy the sinners, but to fight against the evil strongholds of iniquity that hold them bound. We are not fighting people; we are fighting against a spiritual reality that is bent on the destruction of the souls of men.

We have a purpose. Prophesy against your wall. Proclaim the message to those behind the wall. The wall will fall.

In the days prior to the liberation of the slaves, there was what came to be called, “The Underground railroad.” Many people found freedom from slavery, because someone would come and guide them through to a place of freedom. The sacrifice and effort made was all focused on helping people escape the tyranny of slavery.

Today, our job is much like that. We are trying to help those that are willing to take the step, trying to bring them to a place of freedom from drugs, alcohol and all the degrading works of the flesh that the devil uses to imprison them. The captives always build the wall. The wall is built by those held bound. Just as they build the wall, many things are going to have to be torn down with their own hands. Jesus will give the power, but people must exercise their will to stay in a place of victory.

We are quickly approaching a time of unprecedented harvest and miracles in America. People are tired of commercial religion. People are tired of preachers that are only in it for the money and prestige. People are tired of seeing ministers and leaders also being adulators, cheaters, molesters, rapist, liars and drunks.

A day is coming and now is that people are revolting from the religious walls that confine them in tradition led by men driven out of the desire to please the people that precipitates the fall to their own carnality.

The world needs an uncompromising prophetic voice to highlight the contrast of sin and righteousness, holiness and carnality. The heaven and hell concepts of right and wrong, sinner and saint. When the ministry begins to pander to the concepts of comprise to please the crowd, they are steps away from moral failure.

Just as Gorbechev did not tear the wall down, the people did. What God is going to do will not be propagated in bulk by leaders of the failing establishment, but it will be propagated by people hungry for freedom and finding revelation.

Where will they Go? Where the Ministry stands for integrity, preaches truth and has been prophesying, praying and pushing against the evil empire and it's walls.

Prophesy to your Wall,
Engineer an Underground Railroad, Push your Rock,

The Wall Will Fall!

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott Phillips

The Mystery of the _____________________.

2009-10-17T07:53:00.000-07:00

The Mystery of the ________________

There is something intriguing about the unknown or hidden thing.

The Blank, the Blur, the wrapped box.

Kids love to open presents, often they enjoy this more than what is inside. There is an inner desire to know what is being withheld.

Proverbs 25:2
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.

It is possible to reach a point where we have lost our quest for the blank. Ambivalence and apathy can steal from us the thrill of finding and discovering new things.

It is the nature of God to conceal, cloud and obscure. Look at the ministry of Jesus, it is stated, “Without a parable he did not speak to the people.”

The answer to the reason reveals the very basic exception for those who would walk with God. Are you willing to look, search and think.

The very essence of a quest.

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matthew 7:14

You will find nothing without looking for it.

If you do not possess the basic desire and motivation to find what pleases and honors God, I can assure you, you will do neither.

“Seek ye first...”

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteosness...”

The purpose of God is found in the quest, search and desire for it.

The gift of wonder.

The mystery of the blank is revealed in the quest.

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott A. Phillips
www.inbythroughhim.blogspot.com

Reality: Some things we just have to live through and deal with.

2009-10-16T20:07:00.000-07:00

In the tapestry of my life I can appreciate the Golden Threads of Godly intervention. These are highlighted and brought to greater clarity when contrasted with the circumstances that they were weaved into my world. Included in this tapestry of my life are the reds of bloodshed, blacks and blues of bruises borne. These are simply accent colors that make the bright and blessed colors that dominate this work of heart shine even brighter.

So often God allows us to live through some reality checks and hard times to appreciate the finer things in life. SOMETIMES it is LIFE. God did not do it. The Devil did not do it. You did not do it. Life happens, and it is not the most pleasant thing. As a man of faith in dealing with my life, I understand that reality is what it is until a supernatural intervention takes place. I had to travel today and in the early part of the morning as I was trying to get all of my things together to catch an early flight, this thought seemed to be like a broken record echoing in my soul.

Reality – Some things we just have to live through and deal with.

Over and over through out the day I have felt it impressed and re impressed upon my mind. The Bible is full of people that we are able to read about their lives in scriptures and chapters and rejoice with them. However they lived their lives in minutes, hours, days, years and decades before they ever really realized the hope that was deposited in their bosom.

In our impatient, hurry up society we feel that God has forsaken us if we have to live a few days or weeks or god forbid years in difficulty. I have seen it written across the faces of so many in the middle of hardship, an air and a sense of desperation and almost a threat hangs in the air, “If God does not do something fast, I am going to quit.” Many have been great encouragement to others in their time of stress, but when it comes time walk all their talks, it seems the passion of faith is gone.

If you find yourself dealing with the stark realities of life and God has not chose to do anything, YET, let me encourage you today. You could be living a testimony for others and they will find strength in your weakness, even more than if it worked out like you want it to.

God is with you,
Through the storm and through the rain, Each sorrow and every single pain, He has not left you nor forgotten your name, No matter where you are, Jesus Christ is still the same. In Victory and seeming defeat, God has not left his seat, Be not weary and do not faint, for it is in these trials he makes his saints.

Reality stinks sometimes.

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, …..”

The truth of the Matter is, people die everyday in faith. Your not really living in faith until you are ready to die in it. What makes me any better than some other fine and honourable people that have had to die in faith not seeing what they hoped for.

We can sit around and whine, or we can learn how to just walk with God through it. No guarantee it will alleviate the situation, but there is peace in the midst of the storm.

Reality – Some things we just have to live through and deal with.

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott Phillips
http://www.inbythroughhim.blogspot.com

originally written

Jan 21 2002

The Origin and the End of Faith

2009-10-15T20:53:00.000-07:00

The reason why Jesus always spoke of a future event, the true power of his manifestation could not be realized until he struggled up that mountain and died to multiply. He made statements like, “The works that I do, ye shall do also, and greater works than these.” He prayed for those that would BELIEVE on HIM through those that he sent.

Jesus established in his Disciples an understanding and knowledge that would provide the foundational truths that would establish this unbeatable, indestructible, unstoppable force, The Church. The Church would be the place that this miracle of multiplication would be propagated through. Not from a City like Jerusalem, but in a Revelation of the Creator and originator of this miraculous substance.

That Revelation is Jesus Christ. What he was, is and shall ever be.

Jesus told them, speaking of the baptism of the Holy Ghost, he that believes on him as the scripture hath said out of his innermost being would flow RIVERS of living water, SPRINGING up into everlasting life. We must give attention that we have a Biblical insight and understanding of Jesus.

When Jesus FINISHED, he became a door that would be opened into his Kingdom. A Kingdom not of this world, a Kingdom not of Man, but the Kingdom of God. Days passed, and the source of faith became finished faith. In the beginning, since the foundation of the world, the concept was there, the plan was there, however on that immutable day when faith went from a plan to a power. Faith had finished. Not unlike Nuclear power as a concept and nuclear power in a reactor.

The concept worked, it was created in the mind of God, but it had not been finished yet in the Flesh. The unspeakable, unimaginable power of a promise came down on a few waiting because of a Word. Something happened when they used their faith to wait on and participate in the arrival of the Spirit of the Word.

In a moment, Jesus became more than a memory in their lives, but He became available as a manifested reality in their lives. They found within them a power to proclaim as a witness the power of the WORD. The Word that was made flesh, died as flesh, Arose as flesh, but returned not in the flesh of a Man, but in the flesh of an innumerable company that grows today as fast as anyone will allow it to flow from them. In the Old Testament faith was demonstrated many times by obeying ritual and regulation.

Today, Faith is demonstrated in a flow. Walking in Faith, Living in Faith, Faith that works by Love. Faith has found a Closed Circuit in Christ. It is no longer, the light will work, but the light is on. In one motion, we have the beginning and finishing work of Christ in our lives. When we walk in the knowledge of this power that is flowing in our lives, we can see the miraculous performed. The challenge is our lack of understanding of what is available.

Many Christians fail to grasp the amazing power that can flow through them if they will simply catch a glimpse of the glorious Revelation of Christ and him crucified. This Substance that originated as a WORD, was propagated as a WORD, was finally manifested as the WORD.

When we realize that just as the Word was manifested in the Flesh of Christ, God wants to manifest that same WORD in our lives. Realize that through the Faith that God has given us, we can accomplish great things if we simply allow it to flow from us as it was designed to do.

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, if any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)” John 7:37-39

Jesus is the Fountainhead of Revelation. When we mix put our faith in him and the WORD that he is, was and shall be, Great things will be done. We are living in the last days that were prophesied about.

The days when an unprecedented time of revival and miracles are available if we will allow his spirit to manifest his WORD in our lives.

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…”

Can you believe in Jesus as the Scripture has said?

If so, His Spirit, Word and Power will Manifest

In You, By You, through You...

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott A. Phillips

www.newbirth.us

“For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isa 55:10-11 Originally written April 2002.

Apostolic Connections - Video Blog

2009-10-14T22:29:00.000-07:00

The Journey of Faith

2009-10-14T20:47:00.000-07:00

Faith will help you hold on when everyone else is letting go. Faith will cause you to believe when everyone else doubts. Faith will cause you to go to church when everyone else is staying home. Faith will cause you to pay your tithes when your money is low. Faith will cause you to worship and praise when the body is tired and hurting. Faith will pray in the middle of a storm.

Faith activates the word of God.

When we take our faith, which is the activator, with the word of God, which is like a seed, it will cause it to germinate, grow up and bear fruit. FAITH lets me enter into a special place of fellowship with the Giver of Faith. I can find a place of intimate communion and consummation when I will find that most holy place of union with God.

It is not found in a formula or a prayer book. It comes when we begin to struggle against the tide of troubles in our lives, which push most people further way. Faith causes you to struggle up stream, to leap up waterfalls, to overcome impossible odds to find that place of life, eternal life.

Some may say the Salmon return to die, but really, they live and live and live, because at that place of beginning, their seed continue in greater force and greater number to return and continue the process. When we return to the Giver of Life, we can see our lives duplicated and replicated in every person that God gives us an opportunity to influence.

God many times plants dreams and visions in one Generation to see them fulfilled in the following generations. Promises pursued by past generations are being realized today. The power of procreation, multiplication is only found at the origination point.

Until we allow faith to propel us to the Giver of Faith, we will never see our faith fulfilled. We must be willing to strive to that place where some may think we die, but it is really where promise is made permanent. Abraham had promise, but it was at that place where he was willing to let his promise die, when his promise was established for eternity.

Abraham and his faith struggled up that mountain with a bundle of wood and a flickering ember. It was at an Altar of sacrifice that completed Faith. Faith was in fact established through out all ages. It was this work, that allowed the DNA of Abraham’s faith to be marked upon my soul. He went up the hill ready to die. Because if Isaac died, Abraham in fact died. His faith would have died on that hill.

Abraham is called the Father of the Faithful for a reason. In this Old Testament shadow we see it fulfilled in clarity at Calvary. In this picture we find what we must be willing to do. As the Son of Man, Christ allowed himself to be put upon the Altar for the Promise. He as a Man knew that his Father’s promise was greater than the sentence of death. No doubt as a man he prayed, wept, cried, struggled in the weakness and likeness of sinful flesh. But as the Messiah, he knew he was something beyond a mere man.

Wrapped up in the folds of flesh was a fullness of unspeakable power. A glowing shimmering glory that was about to be released in an unprecedented way into the world that was created by the WORD. The Word in death was opening the door of duplication and multiplication that the very fountainhead of faith was going to be unleashed in a dimension not yet known to common man. The Light was about to birth lights. The river was about to birth rivers. The Son of God was about to unleash the "Sons of God."

in him, by him, through him,

Scott A. Phillips
www.inbythroughhim.blogspot.com

(originally written in april 2002 )

From Faith to Faith

2009-10-13T22:10:00.000-07:00

Faith alone is of no value. In fact faith in faith is what the humanistic, new age, self-help charlatans are spreading. People are told to have faith in themselves. The concept is that the answer is found inside of man. "Just believing in good things will get the job done."

Faith is powerful. As men exercise it toward their own goals, faith outside of the word of God will lead down a path of emptiness and disappointment. Our faith must be applied to the supernatural principles and promises that are contained in the Bible. When we take the word of God and apply our faith to it, it will be activated to accomplish great and wonderful things.

Many people believe that because they are positive that separates them and makes them good. I have found that there is no doubt power in positive thinking and profession, however when people practice this outside of the word of God, their lives remain empty and full of frustration, because they fail to practice faith in the purpose it was given to them in the first place.

Using Faith to pursue self and its purpose is like a workman taking materials home from a job site to build on their own house. Man’s ability to create and promote things through this power called Faith was not given to him to build towers or kingdoms for self. When men do, God will come down and mix things up and bring frustration to the goals.

The purpose of Faith was to motivate us as men to reach out and connect with our creator. It was planted in our bosom to motivate us to return to our originator. Like the Salmon that struggle up the stream to the place of their beginnings, we also must strive to find that fountainhead of our creation in our Father. Faith is the river we travel up to find our Heavenly Father.

We find that origination point in the stream of revelation found in the Testaments of Scripture.

The old shows us the shadows on the wall of something spectacular. In the New, we find this same revelation not illustrated, but manifested, demonstrated and revealed in the Man, Christ Jesus.

The Word that echoed over the cosmos of time and eternity became more than a Word. This Word was put on display to show that it was the most superior creation ever to be constructed.

It was the Word that with each trial was illustrated to be triumphant. With each disappointment illustrated that it was indestructible. A revelation of the very spirit that had created the world and space came and took a lowly place. He came not as an Angel, but chose the weak, the detestable form of a man, made of a woman, that he might save the seed of the woman.

The second Adam was made in the Form of Man that he might complete the plan that was at the foundation of the world. Faith, a substance that propels us toward its source.

This Faith...

Faith leads us to more faith. Like stepping stones into greater revelation!

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott Phillips
www.newbirth.us

The Real Stuff

2009-10-11T19:08:00.000-07:00

The Real Stuff

Planted in the essence of every human soul is one of the most supernatural elements known to man. It is as unseen as the soul, but it holds the power to grasp and grow in the saving knowledge and grace of God. It is an eternality of hope that goes beyond our ability to explain. Words fall short, because it is found at the very base denominator of who and what we are. As each cell has DNA, every part of us has this living breathing power within.

Faith can feel like a solitary feeling. However, it is a mountain moving feeling.

The Real Stuff,

A substance, the substance, substance…

Central part,
Crux,
Stuff,
Material,
Matter

This eternal substance, that every man has the measure needed to reach a place of purposed existence. It can move mountains, yet is often unrealized and only after much searching can one grasp its simplicity and power.

Faith

In the Greek it is pronounced (pis'-tis); and is found close to 200 times in the New Testament. In the Hebrew it is pronounced, “em-oo-naw” and interesting enough it is only found pronounced or interpreted as such twice in the entire Old Testament. In the Old Testament we don’t find much teaching about faith, however it is demonstrated in the lives of every central character and story.

Faith

For many, when we discuss the word it is just as strange in understanding as if we used the Hebrew word, “Emoonaw!”

Emoonaw. The Hebrew meaning of the word is persuasion, credence; moral conviction, especially reliance upon God.

THe Real Stuff.

Faith is the Substance...

When you profess it, many will think you have lost your mind. Faith and it's claim can seem impossible, improbable and unlikely.

Faith can see, grasp and bring into our lives the amazing graces of God’s power.

Though it is the building block of all we do or hope to do, so often Faith is forgotten in our service and duties. We often leave home with out it. Sadly we often pray with out it.

Faith is the catalyst that causes the word of God to spring into action. When we mix our faith with the Word of God, it’s power and promises are realized. We first grasp it in our spirit. The vision that faith has transmitted and illuminated is real and seen in the secret place of our soul.

Faith is the Real Stuff! You don't need a whole lot, just use what you Got!

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott A. Phillips
www.newbirth.us