A Friend Loves At All Times

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Proverbs 17:17

Few relationships are reliable and treasured like the one described by King Solomon. Authentic friends who are like family grow fewer as time passes. In contrast, those who either only want you around for a purpose, like a teammate, or a season of life, or just to personify the saying, “misery loves company,” unfortunately grow in number. My father and I wrote about these relationships in The Power of Agreement.

Another saying is that life can make you bitter or better. Life, especially over the last two years, has been used by God to make me a more loving Pastor and a more loyal friend. Friends who show up and who’ve stuck by me in love are appreciated as gifts on this birthday blog.

Many could read their names in this post of appreciation and gratitude. But Mitch Hickman, this post is dedicated to you, brother and a friend!

10 Reason’s why I call Mitch Hickman a brother and friend.

1. He has his priorities straights (Faith, Family, Football)

2. He is the kind of friend who, when everyone runs away from you, he runs towards you! We may go years without talking, but he is there at just the right time. His friendship with my brother Dickie, who fights the battle over health issues, is beyond words. Despite the many years, Mitch has never left his side. Mitch is not just a friend of convenience!

3. He shows up. Doesn’t need an invitation; he expects no red carpet; and isn’t available only if personally invited. When Mitch’s friends need him, regardless of the span of time or how he finds out, he shows up. He is there! He’s there for his family, friends, and those in need. He’s been there for me!

4. Mitch is authentic, even brutally honest. For years, I’ve invited Mitch to come hear me preach on a Sunday, not just for funerals of our childhood friends. His response is simple and profound… “Do you come watch me work my job?! Then I’m not coming to watch you do yours.” Some might take offense to that. I know my Christian brother to be #Real in avoiding religion and only wanting Bonafide relationships. I’m honored you watch and participate in service online!

5. He loves his parents and entire family and honors them. Every single time there’s a need, Mitch is there. I remember when his precious sister Marissa passed away. It was a hard time. Still, Mitch kept her legacy going. He does to this day.

6. Mitch respects my calling as a Pastor. He’s proud of me but is no friend with empty, flattering words.. He always tells me the truth and speaks the truth to me in love. The Bible teaches that a true friend tells you the truth. He wants my best and proves it.

7. Mitch serves others...always. When my friend, Daniel Thurman passed away, Mitch took on the task of unloading his trucks full of tools. Daniel had a successful heating and air business. I pulled up at the family house, and Mitch was sweating and working his tail off unloading this tools. I offered to lend a hand in the back-breaking labor. Mitch’s response was again simple, and maybe a little salty. He said, “You go into that house and do what you do, and I’m going to stay out here and do what I can do.” I shut my mouth and went in and loved the family and planned the funeral.

8. Mitch isn’t jealous or envious. Mitch has never cared that I had other friends, circles, or people in my life. He is not that kind of best friend. He wants what is best for all the people he loves without demanding control or his terms.

9. Mitch held my first born son the night he was born. He models being a great Dad and putting his family first. Mitch was one of the few who didn’t stop being my friend after I became a Dad at 19.

10. He loves me despite my faults. Mitch shows he’s proud of me. He’s proven he’ll defend me. Mitch is most like Jesus when he gives me grace and been forgiving of my failures.

24 years ago, Mitch, you drove all night so we could watch my Florida State Seminoles get beat by arguably the greatest college football team of all time, the 2001 Hurricanes.

24 years later, here we are again. But this time, my three boys and your grown son are part of the treasure of authentic friendship.

Thank you for being a friend at all times and my brother!

LeBron Givaun - Running with Jesus Now

“Pop! Pop! Pop!” then wood, dust, and broken glass were flying airborne. Like angry hornets finding the target of wrath, indiscriminate bullets sprayed into the air toward the front door of The Pursuit Church in Seattle, Washington at 7:10 pm local time. Those stinging bullets miraculously missed the influx of young adults and students making their way to the Thursday evening service to hit only one young man.

One young man laid dead from the literal swarm of hate that pierced his body and his life’s blood flowed to the ground on the front steps of a place of hope, joy, fellowship, and salvation.

That one man was the target.

LeBron Givaun

In March, LeBron Givaun went to church with his mom 2,533 miles away in Hixson, Tennessee, at Abba’s House – the Father’s House. 

By the end of the service, he had walked with his son and significant other down an aisle and surrendered his life to Jesus Christ to be Savior and Lord of his life. Little did he know that just a few months later as he walked again in obedience to Jesus’ Holy Spirit to worship, learn, grow, and lead as Dad, husband, and friend, that he would be targeted by the gang he left.

LeBron Givaun “dropped out.” “He disrespected the set.” That street language reflects the betrayal that supposedly justified the retaliation that is believed to have been behind this egregious murder.

LeBron Givaun is running with the best set now. He’s with Jesus Christ, his Savior and Lord.

The Abba’s House family of faith unites our hearts with The Pursuit to declare that LeBron Givaun is a trophy of grace and stands in the presence of the King! We unite our hearts and words with Pastor Russell Johnson to declare that this culture may aim to cancel our efforts, but the Church of Jesus Christ – His Body – is resurrected, living in love, and will die no more!

As Pastor Johnson so powerfully said, “Could it be, that in the infinite wisdom of God, He uses the tragedy of our yesterday to be an inflection point for the greatest awakening this region has ever seen? I’m more confident today than I’ve ever been. I will live to see the goodness of God in the land of the living. It’s revival time in Seattle again!”

It is worth your time to take about 20 minutes to watch a recent video of LeBron talking about his life change and the full remarks made by Pastor Johnson.

Our most consuming love and embrace are extended to LeBron’s son and wife, as well as his mother, Lynn, a faithful steward, praise leader, and servant at Abba’s House. We stand with you and know that your son lives because he lives in Christ Jesus.

The Spirit of Abba

“Boy, Dad! You sure are dusty!” the young boy said to his father who worked at a local feed processing plant in Ohio by during the week and pastored a community church in Ohio at night and on weekends. This almost daily exclamation received in response a tired and sometimes weary, “Yes, I sure am dusty,” from the pastor, dad, husband, and man trying to do good for his family, his community, and his Savior.

One Saturday morning while out washing the car, the Dad saw his oldest 4-year-old picking up handfuls of dirt mixed with the gravel and grit in the driveway and rubbing them into his little pants.

“What are you doing?!” the Dad asked with a curious brow and grin.

“I want to be like you, Dad!” came the reply from the beaming but determined little boy making his britches dusty.

What Dad doesn’t want to hear that?! The greatest words spoken by a child of their parent in admiration and honor are the same...”I want to be like you.”

Father’s Day was even more special as Reid Phillips, my middle son, joined me to break the bread of the Word of God together and share it at Abba’s House. Rather than write each point, I ask you to please watch. Watch on YouTube or in the Abba’s House app.

Like my favorite ice cream cake that my mom, Paulette, painstakingly prepares (definitely delicious!), I can write all about it. I can even share a photo of it. But until you experience it for yourself, you’ll never know how good it is!

Watch. Observe, take in with your eyes, ears, and spiritual perceptions. Challenge yourself to ask how you relate to Abba – our Heavenly Daddy or Father. Honestly assess how you welcome the One Who God gave us to comfort, to act as our inner conscious for godliness and goodness, and to cover us in His protections.

Father’s Day hit differently for each person. Some reading this may have had an incredibly blessed day of worship at church, a delicious meal and fellowship with family, and maybe even a gift or card.

Others may have some distance between them and their family members. That distance is often created by our career choices, marriages that bring about a move, or just desires to live beyond our hometown.

Some may not have an earthly father to celebrate due to death, broken relationships, or even just not knowing their dad at all.

Relationships on this earth may be imperfect and even deeply flawed. But the relationship with Abba, our heavenly Father, is meant to be much different than those of this earth. To understand this relationship and to enjoy a love like nothing imaginable, let’s look at the love of God our Father that gave us, first, His Son, then His Spirit.

It’s as simple as what God did...He gave. For God, in His Most Holy, Highest Authority wanted His created life that was made in His image – with a spirit living in a fleshly body governed by a soul or will – to fellowship with Him. To do that, we must be made holy and with our sins covered. For God so loved the world to cover our sins that He gave His Son, Jesus.

Want to know what God would be like if we were to meet Him in person? Read the Bible. God’s Word was made flesh and His fullness – God’s entire essence – came in Jesus. God incarnate. Because of this great sacrifice and act of love, those who believe and follow Jesus are adopted as children (Galatians 4:6 and Romans 8:15). Not only are we adopted, but we are also given His Spirit.

God’s Spirit – the Third Person of the Trinity – mirrors the third aspect of our human existence. Remember, our spirit lives within our own flesh. But the Holy Spirit is just that — Holy. He has a distinct role as part of the Trinity.

The Holy Spirit is the very Spirit of God expressing His presence, will, and power in the here and now at all places and at all times. How? He is God.

If the Holy Spirit lives in you, so does the Father. He reflects the love of the Father and the finished work of Jesus Christ. All of this is so because the Living and Most High God loves you.

Like the young boy in the opening story, my son Reid has rubbed the gravel and grit into his pants like his dad, and granddad, Dr. Ron Phillips, Sr., to be a messenger for the Gospel. You may have a dad you’ve modeled. Maybe you’re a dad with eyes watching you for replication. Or maybe you’re in need, as we all are, of a Father.

Just welcome Him. Invite His Spirit to live in and through you. You may look down to see you’re rubbing the gravel and grit into your pants and becoming more and more like God the Father – love in its purest and highest form.