DON’S UPDATE ON HIS BATTLE WITH CANCER

Thursday - April 28, 2011 (6:00 AM)

Words fail to express our deep gratitude for our many brothers and Sisters who are standing with us during this challenging season. For over a week I have been experiencing severe pain on my left side and hip just below where the tumor is. My Oncologist is concerned that the cancer may have spread and has ordered a bone scan. I will go to the hospital today for that procedure. I will not get the results for a few days. Ruthanne and I are trusting God that the pain is not related to the cancer. Thank you for joining your faith with ours.

Last night, after we prayed, we felt such peace, knowing that our God is in control and that He will continue to give us grace and peace to face our future without fear. One of my sons in the ministry, Danny Radcliff, called and asked me if I heard that David Wilkerson had been killed in a car accident. I had not heard that but, after hanging up, I went on face book and discovered that it was true. We are grieved that the body of Christ has experienced a great loss of another hero of faith.

Recently I ministered in a Men’s retreat where David’s cousin, Rich Wilkerson, was the main speaker. I was so blessed that we shared some personal times together. I could see that there certainly was a “family anointing” on the Wilkerson clan. Rich confirmed that it was true that David had died.

God encouraged us deeply as we read David Wilkerson’s blog he wrote just hours before his abundant entrance into God’s presence. It could not have been more timely, as we face the current unknowns. I will share with you some of David Wilkerson’s blog that impacted us. I pray your faith in a loving, healing, providing God will grow stronger as you face your own challenges. I will highlight the sections that touched me the most.

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011

WHEN ALL MEANS FAIL--- POSTED BY DAVID WILKERSON

To believe when all means fail is exceedingly pleasing to God and is most acceptable. Jesus said to Thomas, “You have believed because you have seen, but blessed are those that do believe and have not seen” (John 20:29).

Blessed are those who believe when there is no evidence of an answer to prayer—who trust beyond hope when all means have failed.

Someone has come to the place of hopelessness—the end of hope—the end of all means. A loved one is facing death and doctors give no hope. Death seems inevitable. Hope is gone. The miracle prayed for is not happening.

That is when Satan’s hordes come to attack your mind with fear, anger, overwhelming questions: “Where is your God now? You prayed until you had no tears left. You fasted. You stood on promises. You trusted.”

Blasphemous thoughts will be injected into your mind: “Prayer failed. Faith failed. Don’t quit on God—just do not trust him anymore. It doesn’t pay!”

Even questioning God’s existence will be injected into your mind. These have been the devices of Satan for centuries. Some of the godliest men and women who ever lived were under such demonic attacks.

To those going through the valley and shadow of death, hear this word: Weeping will last through some dark, awful nights—and in that darkness you will soon hear the Father whisper, “I am with you. I cannot tell you why right now, but one day it will all make sense. You will see it was all part of my plan. It was no accident. It was no failure on your part. Hold fast. Let me embrace you in your hour of pain.”

Beloved, God has never failed to act but in goodness and love. When all means fail—his love prevails. Hold fast to your faith. Stand fast in his Word. There is no other hope in this world."

                                                                                                           

LifeCoachDon@att.net      http://www.drdonphillips.com/

AN INFINITE GOD BECOMES PERSONAL TO FINITE MAN - PART 1

AN INFINITE GOD BECOMES PERSONAL TO FINITE MAN- PART 1

Don Phillips- March 2, 2011

As I enter into the twilight years of my life, (upper 70’s), I have an increasing desire and passion to know God more personally and intimately and to make Him known to others. These words from the Amplified version of Philippians 3: 10 express my heart.

“[For my determined purpose is] to know Him—that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding [the wonders of His person] more strongly and more clearly. And that I may in the same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection and that I may so share in His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness] even to His death.”

A DREAM WORTH SHARING

Recently I was invited to be on the leadership team of the “Radical Men’s Summit” sponsored by Green Valley Church of Watsonville, California, pastored by Dennis Smith. The main Speaker was Rich Wilkerson, Pastor of Trinity Church in Miami, Florida. It was truly a Holy Spirit –encounter week-end. I was personally refreshed and renewed in my spirit.

Before I woke up Sunday morning of the Summit, I had a dream and I shared it with the men that morning. I dreamed there was a large black board and I saw a hand holding a piece of chalk. The hand was drawing different sizes lines. At the top of the board the hand drew a long line and the line kept going off the board into infinity. Then I saw the individual lines merging into the longer line at the top of the board.

When I woke up the dream was still fresh in my mind and I wrote it down and began to pray in the Spirit for further revelation. The Holy Spirit helped me to see that the individual lines represented each follower of Christ and the measurement of their spiritual maturity and commitment. The line going off into infinity represented God.

As further revelation began to come to me, I saw that God’s infinite love and grace was drawing each believer to Himself to experience a deeper more profound relationship with Him.

Those individuals who responded were now experiencing the fullness and completeness that God wanted them to have. I asked the Holy Spirit to give me Scriptural verifications to confirm what I was seeing and He did.

Scriptural verifications

Here are a few of them: (From the New Living Translation)

Ezekiel 40: 3-4 “As he brought me nearer, I saw a man whose face shone like bronze standing beside a gateway entrance. He was holding in his hand a measuring tape and a measuring rod. He said to me, “Son of man, watch and listen. Pay close attention to everything I show you. You have been brought here so I can show you many things. Then you will return to the people of Israel and tell them everything you have seen.”

John 3: 34 “For he (Jesus) is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God’s Spirit is upon him without measure or limit.”

Ephesians 4:11-16 “He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.

Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.

Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

God holds our faces in His hands

This dream reminded me of another spiritual picture God gave me several years ago when I was in an early Morning Prayer meeting at our church. I saw a large wheel with God at the hub of the wheel. Each believer had their own private channel to God. God was lovingly looking into the face of each believer, cupping their face in His hands. He was saying to each believer, ”I love you more than you know and I want a deeper more intimate relationship with you. Please come closer to me.”

I saw that people were at different proximity to God, some were very close and some one fourth of the way to Him and some three fourth and others at the rim end of their channel. I could see one person at the rim end of his channel representing many other believers. He was pacing back and forth in the shadows to the things he had erected between himself and God. He would peer around the stuff and wave at God and say “Yes, God, I know you love me and want a closer relationship with yourself but right now I am not there. I saw that person get so disgusted and angry with where he was and depressed about how he had gradually let things come between himself and God.

Then I saw this man confess and repent for allowing those things to come between himself and God. He began to throw the “stuff” aside and make his way to the Father. His life became less complicated and cluttered as He got closer to God. As he was making his way closer to God he was encouraging others to do the same.

Application

I pray that God will help us all to heed and obey the Holy Spirit as He calls us to examine our lives and allow Him to help us to MEASURE up to all He desires for us to be and do.

“Let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him. For our evil consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:22-25 NLT)

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LifeCoachDon@att.net           http://www.drdonphillips.com/



GOD'S CHILDREN NEVER DIE! DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?

CHILDREN OF GOD NEVER DIE!    DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?

By Don Phillips - January 28, 2011

“You don’t have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives, believing in me, does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?”  (John 11:25, 26) (Msg.) Emphasis added.

My Oncologist said to Ruthanne and me; “Don, you have stage 2 lung cancer and the prognosis isn’t good. The tumor is close to the lining of the lungs and your heart, and there is a possibility the cancerous cells will get into the blood stream and spread Cancer throughout your body.”

We have strong faith that I will live many more years here on earth to serve Him. We deeply appreciate our brothers and sisters throughout the world who are praying for us.

Ruthanne and I were very blessed as we attended the recent Minister’s Fellowship International Regional meeting in Oakland, California. Many of our fellow minister friends told me that they and their church were praying for me to be healed of Cancer. They asked how I was doing and I reported that I haven’t had pain in a month. That night in our hotel room I was awakened several times with severe pain and Ruthanne and I prayed each time and the pain subsided.

That was on a Sunday night and Monday during a time of prayer, several people laid hands on me and prayed and I haven’t had one moment of pain since then, praise God!

“My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart and He is mine forever. But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.” (Psalm 73:26, 28) Emphasis added

“O Lord my God, I cried out to you for help, and you healed me and restored my health.” (Psalm 30:2)

We are also fervently praying now for many of our dear brother and sisters who are facing health challenges. Among them are Mario and Linda Solis, their family and especially their grandson Alex who is bravely battling cancer. We receive the updates on his condition and are inspired as we see the strong faith of Alex and his family during these critical days. We are joining our faith with theirs and others who need a miracle of healing.

Linda and Mario recently sent this note to me and with their permission I am including it here because I believe God wants to use it to build greater faith in all of us:

"Because of our faith in our Savior Jesus Christ who was risen miraculously from the dead and because of the power of His Name, we continue to pray and believe in miraculous healings and have witnessed many in our family over the past several years and continue to see them on a regular basis. This is due to our faith in a God who heals. Our peace is knowing that whether He chooses to heal us here and extend our life on earth or to heal us as we enter heaven...we win either way! We will continue to pray in faith asking for an earthly miraculous healing. We rejoice in Him always no matter what His final answer for ultimately through it all we draw closer to Him and understand the peace that only He can give us! We hope you will each join us in faith for healing and peace for Don and Alex and the many others battling cancer. Trusting always in our loving God, Linda and Mario Solis"

How is a Christian supposed to think and act in times like these? May I share with you what the Holy Spirit put on my heart during my devotional time a few mornings ago?

As I was praying for Alex and others who are facing major crises in their lives, The Holy Spirit took me back to 18 years ago when Ruthanne, our two sons Rod and Denny and I stood by our daughter Donna’s hospital bed and watched her peacefully slip from our arms into the arms of her loving Savior. Through our tears, Ruthanne and I softly said “Hallelujah!” We knew she had just received her ultimate healing and was now pain free forever and we would see her again in a much better place.

The night before she died, I was reminded of another father who had to release his child to God. Abraham was told to offer his son Isaac to God as an offering. I have tried to exercise that same kind of obedience Abraham demonstrated. Right at the last minute before Isaac was to die; God intervened and provided a substitute in the form of a Ram.

Praise God! Jesus became the Lamb of God to take away our sins and sicknesses. Through faith in Him, we have perfect access to God and His eternal home. Through our faith in Christ and His death on the cross we will never die! Worthy is the Lamb to receive, praise and worship through all eternity!

As we watched Donna die, we knew that she was not dead but more alive now than we were. We knew that, because of Donna’s faith in Jesus Christ, she would never die. No we were not, nor are we now, in denial. We knew her body was dead but we are convinced that her spirit and her soul, her true self, are alive with God in Heaven.

Children of God, those who repent of their sin and put their trust and faith in Jesus Christ, DO NOT DIE. They just go to sleep and wake up in the arms of God.

DO YOU BELIEVE THIS? If you don’t then perhaps you need to examine your personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and do what others have done. Maybe you need to repent and invite Jesus Christ to be your Savior and Lord, and then you will never die.

You may contact me at:  (408) 363-9547 LifeCoachDon@att.net You can read updates from my blog on my web site www.drdonphilliips.com or go directly to my blog: http://drdonletterofencouragement.blogspot.com/