Are you a Butterfly?

     As I reflect on the incredible words released during the outpouring at Abba’s House, a word that Evangelist Nathan Morris has stuck with me. Last Saturday night Nathan preached a message he titled “There is going to be a magnificent metamorphosis”. The night before, Pastor John Kilpatrick had also mentioned that there was about to be a metamorphosis take place. According to the dictionary, a metamorphosis is “1. the process of transformation from an immature form to an adult form in two or more distinct stages. 2. a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means”.

     I truly believe that the Church is transforming into an adult stage as we continue to mature and grow together in faith. As the body, we must continue to work on ourselves with the mindset that our actions affect the entire church body we are connected to.

 1 Peter 2:5-6 states, “you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
    a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
    will never be put to shame.”

     Remember, you are being built as a precious stone that the spiritual house (Church) needs to fulfill our purpose and calling. This requires letting God transform you by progressing you through immature stages and help you become a spiritual adult. Being spiritually mature is not connected to physical age, which is why it is so important to invest in the upcoming generation today. They should be allowed to minister and release what God has put on the inside of them.

      As you begin your transformation, your entire form will be changed by supernatural means. Nathan Morris mentioned in his message how Jesus had gone as far as he could go in his current fleshly form and had to die to change his form so the Greeks could be reached through the supernatural form of God that we call the Holy Spirit.

John 12:20-26 teaches us,

“Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival.  They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me”.

     As Jesus died, he did not lose his life, instead, he sowed it. With his death, many seeds were planted through the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. I believe that many Christians do not grasp the importance of hosting the presence of the Holy Spirit. Apostle Damon Thompson says, “If we made every decision with the thought of the dove that rests on our shoulder in mind, that many decisions we make would be different”. The Spirit causes us to think, talk, and walk differently in our daily lives. Nathan Morris said, “people want the fullness of God without the sacrifice that comes with it”. I want to be one that is honored by God because I have served and followed him in everything that he has asked of me to do.

       When I think about metamorphosis, I think about a butterfly undergoing a radical change from a caterpillar. Through time, pressure, fasting, and a willingness to be molded, a caterpillar emerges from its cocoon as a beautiful butterfly, which is considered the adult stage of the insect. Will you choose to go through the same process to let God take you through metamorphosis so you can be all he has called you for in the kingdom? Will you choose to be a butterfly that represents the God in everything you do?

        As I travel back from Jamaica, I understand the major needs of this area and have begun the process of transforming how ministry is done in this country. There are many souls that have yet to be reached, and I believe that with your help we can make an impact in this country for the glory of God. Will you consider partnering with me to get the gospel out in Jamaica where every penny will go to preaching the gospel to the lost, supporting local pastors, and feeding and teaching orphans daily? Please pray about partnering with me as I believe this ministry is in a metamorphosis and transforming into a Church that will have 1000 points of light around the globe. If you feel that God is calling you to sow into this need then please go to the following link to help with getting the gospel around the world.

http://www.ronniephillips.org/give/

God Bless,

Dr. Ronnie Phillips Jr.

Choose to Be

Every day when we wake up we make a conscious choice to be, to do, to learn, to grow, and to BE. The choices we make every day determine who we are and what we become. An addict makes a choice every morning to continue down the road of addiction or live sober. A liar makes a choice every day to continue living a lie or to be real. A married person makes a choice every day to be loyal and loving or to be hateful and hurtful. We must make the right choices in our pursuit of Holiness, or we will become that which we despise. I want to challenge you to make a choice… to BE!

       Be… Who God created you to be. Paul said in Ephesians 2:10 that “we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do". Do what God has called you to do in the body and do not try to imitate someone else. If you do not know your role yet, pray that the Lord reveal it to you, but in the meantime, help somewhere.

       Be… Who He says you are, not what the world says you are. Don’t allow yourself to be defined by people --- or a society --- that either doesn’t understand you or is trying to fit you into a mold or box. The God of the universe has established your path (Psalm 139)… walk in that!

       Be… who God says you are.  When Jesus gives you a new identity that's who you are: Son, daughter, leader, heir, ambassador… the list goes on. Remember, the past is gone and who you were is no longer apart of you, therefore, no longer identify yourself with the past.

       Be… your very best. God called you to be YOU! Be the best YOU you can be. We need originators not imitators in the kingdom. Once you find your role, give it everything you have to further grow the kingdom.

       Be… submitted to the Father.  Submission to God brings protection, favor, and blessing from the hand of the Father. He is close to those who walk in submission (James 4:7-8).

       Be… spiritually aware of your surroundings. 1 Corinthians 6:17 says, “But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” The closer we are to God, the more we see things from His vantage point, and are sensitive to what is going on in the spiritual dimension.

       Be… strong and very courageous. In the Bible, Joshua was encouraged over and again to “be strong and very courageous”. Sounds like good advice! We must make the right (courageous) choices if we are to become what God has called us to be.

 Napoleon, the great war general, was inspecting his troops when his horse got spooked and began to buck. When a young soldier saw what was occurring, he ran to Napoleon and got the horse under control even though he easily could have been killed. After a moment, Napoleon looked at the lad --- a corporal --- and said, “Thank you, Lieutenant.”
“But sir,” the lad protested, “I am but a corporal."
Napoleon's Adjutant General said to the young soldier, "When the General called you Lieutenant, that's what you are now.”

So what is God calling you? Regardless of your self-image or the negative words spoken over you by another, God has a high opinion of you, and has called you “child, heir, king, priest”… the list goes on. It’s time to stop acting on the words of others and start BE-ing what God has declared. Choose to be great, above repour, and walk in the gifts and callings God has placed on you. Remember, for the Church body to thrive, we must all show greatness in the areas God has gifted us in. I pray you choose to be everything God has called you to be and have a blessed day.

God Bless,

Dr. Ronnie Phillips Jr.  

Moon Children

            No, I haven’t joined a cult and started to worship the moon. However, with the solar eclipse happening later today, I began to think about the significance of the moon. When the evening comes, the moon begins to provide light and direction to the Earth below it. The Psalmist writes, “Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies” Psalm 148:1-4

            The moon was created to reflect the light of the sun into a lost and dying world and to bring praise to God. The purpose of the moon seems to line up with the purpose of us as the children of God. We are called to reflect the light of the SON into a dark world that needs direction. Without light, the darkness can overtake the strongest of individuals and take them down a path they never planned to go. When we move away from the light and begin to do our own thing, we will ultimately fall into sin because we are blinded by the darkness. Remember, as a child of God you are called to reflect the light of Christ and help illuminate every path you walk on to provide clarity and direction for not only yourself, but everyone you encounter. The Greek translation of reflection is the word katoptrizó which means to “behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord”. As we do life with people that do not know the Lord and live in the dark daily, are we being a reflection of the son into their lives and showing them a way out or letting their darkness overtake our light.

            This reminds me of Matthew 5:15 that says, “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house”. Let your light shine in every area of your life if not for yourself, but for everyone you encounter. What happens though when an eclipse happens?  The definition of an eclipse is “the obscuration of the light of the sun by the intervention of the moon between it and a point on the earth”. This sounds like what happens when everything begins to go right in our lives and so we put God on the backburner. As our live are going well, we begin to act as if we do not need the son in our lives and inadvertently begin to block the light from reaching the world around us. However, many times we then get lost and stumble because our path is no longer illuminated. Just like the moon cannot produce its own light, neither can we provide our own blessing or salvation.

            God has called every one of us to be a moon child. Remember, you cannot create your own light, and are powerless on your own. The SON provides light that we can then reflect for glorifying God and directing others to him. I challenge you today to seek ways every day to be a reflection instead of an eclipse. Have a great rest of the day and please be careful observing the eclipse.

God Bless,

Dr. Ronnie Phillips Jr.