Our dear friends,

     Do you feel like you’re in a battle? It’s time to get your “Roar” on! That’s our theme this year, “Lion of Judah, Roar!” I’ve been teaching over the last few weeks how to be victorious in the midst of spiritual warfare.  As we watch the war rage on in Israel, in the earth realm, there is also a spiritual war raging on, and we are all in that battle. Joel 3:16 says, “The Lord will roar like a lion from Jerusalem!”

The devil comes to kill, steal, and destroy your faith in God.  He attempts to keep your eyes on your circumstances, your pain, and your lack.  But God says, “I have come that you might have life more abundantly!” (John 10:10).  Christ, the Lion of Judah lives inside you, and your “Roar” is your verbal declaration and praise that neutralizes the power of the enemy.  The Lion is a symbol of courage and strength.  Judah is the Hebrew word for Praise!  Proverbs 28:1 exhorts us, “The righteous are bold as a lion!”

 So get your “ROAR” on and win the spiritual battle today by declaring the Word of the Lord.  Know your IDENTITY in Christ, know your AUTHORITY in His Word, and know your ASSIGNMENT in the world today.  No weapon (of the enemy) formed against you shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17).  Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world (I John 4:4).  Do not weep!  See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed (Revelation 5:5).  For a gift of any amount simply tap the button below, and this month I’ll send you my New Year’s message on “Lion of Judah ROAR!”... on CD or DVD.

Thanks to all of you who made our Annual Partner Banquet such a success! What a beautiful evening of celebrating the goodness of God and sharing the Vision for the New Year.

Many of you have sowed generously into this ministry of your time and resources, and we are truly honored to serve alongside you! We thank God for 70 years of international ministry and 55 years headquartered here at Christian Retreat.  Our ministry assignment is to humbly steward the presence of God so that everyone coming onto this campus will have a personal experience with Him.  We know that God has even greater things in store in the days ahead. 

After many years, we are thrilled to announce the re-opening of our Riverhouse adjacent to Miracle Manor. This 2-story, 40-unit guest facility on the riverfront is being completely renovated, with the first 10 rooms completed and the remainder to be available by the end of April. This enhances our ability to house our IOM students, youth camps, and other church groups who utilize our facility. To God be the glory! Thank you, our dear Room Sponsors and Gold Partners for your sacrificial seeds sown.  We are gifting an olive wood communion set to everyone who sows $1,000 or more to help us complete this construction project. 

Our GCMA ministers, both local and international, joined us for a luncheon meeting during Homecoming Week. Apostle Henry Higgins reported on the land that is being given by the Bahamas government for a new ministry center.  Many other testimonies were shared confirming the opportunities that God is bringing in this prophetic year of the Open Door. We had opportunity to pray for hundreds of teenagers at our local county fair, through a tent-booth on the midway, with an astounding 375 salvations! God is once more shaking the earth so that what cannot be shaken may remain.  “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:26-29).  We are motivated and challenged with a new passion for souls as we advance the Kingdom of God throughout the nations. 

We are in the midst of our Winter Conference Season that includes our 115th Institute of Ministry class. It’s exciting to see the changes in these students’ lives as they sit under the anointed ministry of seasoned men and women of God. They will join over 8,000 graduates, equipped to be world-changers, “able ministers” of the Gospel, wherever God plants them. We have Pastors from Venezuela in this class who are preparing for greater things when they return to their country in the power of the Holy Spirit.  We’ve seen dramatic demonstrations of God’s power over the past few weeks, with miracles of healing and deliverance.  Thank you for your contributions to the Gerald Derstine Scholarship Fund that makes it possible for these ministry motivated students to attend.  Check our schedule of upcoming speakers below and make plans to join us over the coming weeks!

Our focus this year is on Israel, and we’ve been praying around the Israeli and American flags in each service since October 7, 2023.  As the conflict continues between Israel and its enemies, we have opened our Prayer House as a safe haven in the Galilee region, housing IDF soldiers and refugees from the northern border. Keep Prayer House Directors, Maurice & Carolyn Sklar in your prayers.  Your support helps us continue to share the love of Yeshua to our brothers and sisters there.

...we’re seeing many new faces as God brings in those who are looking for a place to be spiritually fed and discipled. We are honored to serve you!   Please join me on-line, DAILY, for communion and a word of encouragement.  Register for no charge at TheFamily.Church/DailyEncouragement.

Thanks again for standing with us. It’s only because of friends and partners like YOU that we can continue reaching out to others and share the Good News of the Gospel. Jannette and I love you and pray for God’s blessing and favor on your life.

Much Love and Shalom,

Pastors Phil & Jannette