Showing posts with label Teaching Article. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Understanding the Foundational Nature of Spiritual Warfare

by Michael K. Lake, Th.D., D.R.E.

Isaiah 46:10 (KJV)

10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

As I approach the end of days (or the last part of the end of days), I am finding Isaiah 46:10 rings truer with every passing day. I also believe it reveals why the enemy has planted such an aversion to the Old Testament in the modern Church. In the beginning (i.e., B’Resheet – Genesis), many of the secrets of the last days are revealed. Encoded into the stories and instructions provided within the Torah are definitions, principles, and powerful clues to the last days that every believer must possess to both empower his/her walk with God today and to prepare for the final move of the Almighty in the earth, before the return of the true and only Messiah - Jesus of Nazareth!

Let me give one very powerful example: the hermeneutical principle of first mention. (I know that I harp on this principle quite a bit, but I find it is also the most ignored of all hermeneutical principles.) Here is a basic definition of this important principle:

A.W. Pink: Interpretation of the Scriptures

We have treated the principle of first mention, and showed that the initial reference to a subject or the earliest occurrence of a term indicated from its context and the manner in which it was used would be its force in all later references.^{^[1]}

Wikipedia: In Definition of Biblical Hermeneutics

The First Mention Principle: "God indicates in the first mention of a subject the truth with which that subject stands connected in the mind of God."^{^[2]}

Biblical Research Organization: Rules for Interpretation

The Meaning of the Law of First Mention

The law of first mention may be said to be the principle that requires one to go to that portion of the Scriptures where a doctrine is mentioned for the first time and to study the first occurrence of the same in order to get the fundamental inherent meaning of that doctrine. When we thus see the first appearance, which is usually in the simplest form, we can then examine the doctrine in other portions of the Word that were given later. We shall see that the fundamental concept in the first occurrence remains dominant as a rule, and colors all later additions to that doctrine. In view of this fact, it becomes imperative that we understand the law of first mention.^{^[3]}

I have included three different definitions of the principle of first mention to provide several points of view regarding this habitually overlooked rule for proper biblical interpretation. When we extrapolate the various points of view into a useable formulated principle, we could say that:

The law of first mention assists the biblical researcher in discovering the initial truth in the mind of God when it is first revealed in Holy Scripture. This established truth remains consistent and is only expanded upon (rather than altered) throughout the whole of Scripture.

When we violate this principle, it causes the biblical researcher to define principles and truths in the Word of God from something other than the mind of God. This causes the researcher to perform eisegesis instead of exegesis. (Exegesis is drawing from Scripture the original intent of all meanings presented. Eisegesis is adding to Scripture your own cultural or personal bias, thus causing a misinterpretation of what is presented.)

Dr. James White, in his book “Pulpit Crimes” provides the following warning regarding eisegesis:

Eisegesis. The reading into a text, in this case, an ancient text of the Bible, of a meaning that is not supported by the grammar, syntax, lexical meanings, and over-all context, of the original. It is the opposite of exegesis, where you read out of the text its original meaning by careful attention to the same things, grammar, syntax, the lexical meanings of the words used by the author (as they were used in his day and in his area), and the over-all context of the document. As common as it is, it should be something the Christian minister finds abhorrent, for when you stop and think about it, eisegesis muffles the voice of God. If the text of Scripture is in fact God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16) and if God speaks in the entirety of the Bible (Matt. 22:31) then eisegesis would involve silencing that divine voice and replacing it with the thoughts, intents, and most often, traditions, of the one doing the interpretation. In fact, in my experience, eisegetical mishandling of the inspired text is the single most common source of heresy, division, disunity, and a lack of clarity in the proclamation of the gospel. The man of God is commended when he handles Gods truth aright (2 Tim. 2:15), and it should be his highest honor to be privileged to do so. Exegesis, then, apart from being a skill honed over years of practice, is an absolutely necessary means of honoring the Lord a minister claims to serve. For some today, exegesis and all the attendant study that goes into it robs one of the Spirit. The fact is, there is no greater spiritual service the minister can render to the Lord and to the flock entrusted to his care than to allow Gods voice to speak with the clarity that only sound exegetical practice can provide. (Emphasis mine)^{^[4]}

Dr. White, I could not have said it any better. By ignoring the principle of first mention regarding the truths of God, we have muffled the voice of God and, therefore, have become the seedbed of modern heresies! The last place you want to be standing regarding spiritual warfare is in a man-made heresy. It could not only cost you a victory in a given situation, but your very life!

Back to the Beginning

Genesis 1:1-2 (KJV)

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

There are several important clues in verse 2 for understanding spiritual warfare. The first is the Hebrew word used for “was” referring to the earth “was” without form and void. Let’s take a look at this Hebrew word:

Was: Strongs # H 01961 hayah {haw-yaw} ^{^[5]}

Meaning: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.

The primary meaning of the word “hayah” is “to become or to come to pass.” The Theological Workbook of the Old Testament also provides additional insight into the usage of this word:

Very seldom in the ot is hāyâ used to denote either simple existence or the identification of a thing or person.^{^[6]}

In other words, something happened that caused God’s creation to be something other than that which He had created it to be.

The second clue is the phrase “without form and void.” Again, let’s take a look at the Hebrew word used here:

Without Form: Strongs # H 08414 tohuw {to'-hoo}^{^[7]}

Meaning: formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness.

Something happened that caused confusion and an “unreality” to take hold on this planet. The Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments provides further insights:

2. the earth was without form and void—or in “confusion and emptiness,” as the words are rendered in Is 34:11. This globe, at some undescribed period, having been convulsed and broken up, was a dark and watery waste for ages perhaps, till out of this chaotic state, the present fabric of the world was made to arise.^{^[8]}

Notice that the commentary states: “having been convulsed and broken up.” This is an event that is separate from the process of creation. The RSV of the Bible translates “tohuw” as “chaos.” Chaos is something that took hold of this planet after God had created. The Word of God reminds us that:

1 Corinthians 14:33 (KJV)
³³For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

What happened that caused such chaos? Many theologians believe it was possibly the fall of Lucifer. When Lucifer fell, he was thrown to the earth. Finis Dake, in his annotated reference Bible, makes the following statement regarding Genesis 1:2:

According to Isa. 14:12-14, Lucifer actually invaded heaven from earth, hoping to defeat God and take His kingdom; but Lucifer himself was defeated and his kingdom cursed. Before his defeat, he had a throne, implying a kingdom and subjects to rule over. His kingdom was under the clouds, under the stars, and under heaven -- therefore, on earth. Having weakened the nations over whom he ruled, and wanting to be like God and take His place in heaven, Lucifer led the invasion of heaven. All this had to be before Adam's day, because no such things have occurred since Adam was created.^{^[9]}

The work of Lucifer (and his rebellion toward God) affected this planet and the result was chaos, darkness, and unreality (i.e. bringing about something other than that which God had in mind). These are still the fingerprints of Lucifer in the lives of men today.

The question that we need to ask ourselves in light of all this is:

“By what method does God restore His creation to His original intent once Lucifer brings chaos?”

This is paramount in the life of the believer. Let me explain:

God created, and then Lucifer brought chaos. Listed in Genesis 1:3-31 are the recreation principles of God in motion (rather than creation). Man was placed in the Garden in Earth 2.0 – a recreated earth. (Remember, man was commanded to replenish the earth.) In the midst of this recreation, Lucifer was able to sneak into the Garden and bring Chaos 2.0. This new chaos was not released upon the physical planet like we find in Genesis 1:2; rather it was released into the spirit and heart of man. Even within the lives of those recreated through the new birth (Man 2.0), we find that Lucifer is still able to release chaos into our lives. (We call this spiritual warfare.) So what we will discover in Genesis Chapter 1 is crucial in the life of the believer today.

God’s Cure for Chaos

Genesis 1:3 (KJV)

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

The answer is so simple, and yet so profound. God began releasing His Word into the situation. I am reminded of the Scripture:

Psalm 107:20 (KJV)

20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

In Psalms 107:20, there are many layers of understanding that we can draw from. Here are a few:

1. God released His Word in Genesis 1 to heal the planet of the destruction it had received.

2. God released His Word through the mouths of the prophets to His people to deliver and restore them.

3. God sent His Word and He became flesh. Through the working of His Word in the earth, the Word made flesh provided the ultimate deliverance through Messiah’s completed work on the cross.

All of these are true and very significant. Yet there is still another truth revealed that has escaped the sight of most believers. We find in A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments a powerful clue:

3. God said—This phrase, which occurs so repeatedly in the account means: willed, decreed, appointed; and the determining will of God was followed in every instance by an immediate result. Whether the sun was created at the same time with, or long before, the earth, the dense accumulation of fogs and vapors which enveloped the chaos had covered the globe with a settled gloom. But by the command of God, light was rendered visible; the thick murky clouds were dispersed, broken, or rarefied, and light diffused over the expanse of waters. The effect is described in the name “day,” which in Hebrew signifies “warmth,” “heat”; while the name “night” signifies a “rolling up,” as night wraps all things in a shady mantle.^{^[10]} (Emphasis mine)

God began to speak commands to His creation to restore the chaos that had occurred. In other words, the commands of God provide a cure for the chaos that the enemy releases into our lives.

After reviewing the creation story in Genesis 1, here are a few observations that I have made regarding the nature of God’s commands:

God’s Commandments Contain the Spiritual Blueprint of His Complete Thoughts (Hope)

God’s Commandments Contain the Spiritual Power to Bring the Word to Pass

Again, we find these truths in both Psalms 107:20 and the Gospel:

God releases His Word (which will have commands embedded in it). If the command is received and acted upon, it releases the power of the command/promise to bring it to pass. (All of God’s promises are wrapped in commands/instruction.)

The heart of the Gospel is that one must “believe” on the Lord Jesus Christ and trust in His completed work upon the Cross. Believe it or not, this is actually a command. In fact, there is no other way to be saved. By following the commandment of “believing on Jesus,” the power of God is released to produce the new birth.

The realization of the truths presented here will demand that the modern believer examine his/her paradigms regarding God’s commandments. As we will see in Genesis 3, it is the work of the enemy to get man to question the very nature of God’s commandments.

The Nature of Spiritual Warfare Revealed

Genesis 3:1-3 (KJV)

1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

There is so much revelation revealed in the account of man’s fall in the Garden. First, it reveals the nature of sin. God commanded Adam not to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve disobeyed the command of God and thus defined what sin is. The Apostle John reminds us of this truth in 1 John 3:4.

4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Note: The principle of first mention is fully intact here. What God established as sin in Genesis 3 is still sin all the way in 1 John (to the shock of most believers today).

The second truth revealed is the very foundational nature of all spiritual warfare. What is the seedbed of the work of the enemy in the lives of men? It is to get them to bring into question the commandments of God! That is exactly what the serpent did with Eve. How powerful and practical these seeds are in spiritual warfare. If the enemy can get us to question God’s commands and then to violate them, it will always give him access and control in our lives!

Just like the principle of first mention regarding the definition of sin, this truth about the very nature of spiritual warfare will flow from Genesis to Revelation. Let’s look at another example of these truths:

Isaiah 42:22 (KJV)

22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.

Years ago, I heard one minister preach from this verse and say that there was no one to stand in authority and command the enemy to give what was stolen back. Although this conclusion can be drawn from “snippet theology,” hermeneutically speaking, it is not at all what is being said here.

The Hebrew word used here for “restore” is “shuwb.” Here is what it means:

‪Restore: Strong # H07725 ‫ ‪shuwb {shoob}^{^[11]}

Meaning: to return, turn back.

It was not a call for the enemy to give back what was stolen. Rather it was a call to God’s people to return to the ways, statutes, and commandments of God. It was their disregard for God’s commands that enabled the plundering! This same truth is revealed in the famous Scripture regarding the ministry of the intercessor.

Ezekiel 22:29-31 (KJV)

29 The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully. 30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. 31 Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.

In reality, this Scripture does not refer directly to the ministry of intercession (although that is indeed a part of what is going on here.) Here in Ezekiel, it is referring to the ministry of the prophet. The prophet sees the gap in the hedge of protection in the lives of the people. The task of the prophet is twofold:

To call the people to repent and to return to the ways of God. Here is the connection with the concept of “restore” in Isaiah 42. Violation of God’s commands created the gap. The only way to close this gap in our hedge of protection is through repentance and renewed obedience.

To intercede for the people. This includes interceding for God to give the people the time and grace to repent and to push back the enemy so that the people can move in true, heart-felt repentance and obedience.

Another truth that we need to adjust in our modern paradigm is that, throughout Scripture, God’s judgment for violating His commandments and covenant was revealed by the enemy gaining a foothold to plunder and destroy among His people. This is a truth we need to understand in light of 911. America’s hedge was broken down because of her disregard to the covenant the founders’ made at the very beginning of this nation with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (Note: Only two nations have done this in the history of mankind – Israel and America.) 911 was a wake up call, or as Rabbi Jonathan Cahn so powerfully reveals in his bestseller “The Harbinger,” it was a harbinger of God’s impending judgment upon America.

What is the Foundational Nature of All Spiritual Warfare?

When we prayerfully examine Genesis 3, we will discover that the foundational nature of spiritual warfare is:

1. To get you to question God’s Word, God’s commandments, and God’s very nature. The primary purpose Satan has in mind for both the temptations and trials you go through: Has God really said?

2. To get you to disobey God’s commandments and instruction. Disobedience opens the door for Lucifer into your life.

3. To get power and control over your life. Sin (disobedience to God’s commandments) opens the door to the enemy and gives him control in your life.

The truths revealed in Genesis 3 also are emphasized by both Jesus and the Apostle Paul.

John 8:34 (KJV)

34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

Romans 6:12-18 (KJV)

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

2 Timothy 2:22-26 (KJV)

22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

The key to staying free in Messiah? Become a servant of righteousness and begin walking in the commandments of God through the power of the Holy Spirit within you! This is a consistent truth from Genesis to Revelation, and it will empower you today for the road ahead!

^{^[1]} A. W. Pink, Interpretation of the Scriptures, electronic ed. (Escondido, CA: Ephesians Four group, 2000), 132.

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_hermeneutics .

[3] Article: Rules of Interpretation: The Law of First Mention. http://www.biblicalresearch.info/page56.html

[4] Article: Exegesis v. Eisegesis. Reformed Theology Website. http://www.reformationtheology.com/2006/10/exegesis_v_eisegesis.php

^{^[6]} Victor P. Hamilton, "491 הָיָה" In , in Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, ed. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, Jr. and Bruce K. Waltke, electronic ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 213.

[7] Ibid.

^{^[8]} Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, A. R. Fausset et al., A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), Ge 1:2.

[9] Dake's Annotated Reference Bible: Containing the Old and New Testaments of the Authorized or King James Version Text.

^{^[10]} Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, A. R. Fausset et al., A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), Ge 1:3.

[11] Ibid

Monday, June 6, 2011

The Quandary of the Missing Harvest

I have been involved in Christian education for over a quarter of a century. Over the years, I have found one of the major obstacles that pastors face today is believers that are frustrated in their spiritual walk. They are worn, weary and at wits-end over the fact that the spiritual harvest times in their lives are more filled with weeds, rocks and thorns than the harvest that God promises in His Word. They see a few others occasionally that do have those blessed times of harvest – but it always seems to be out of their reach.

Those of you familiar with Biblical Life know that we address things such as generation curses, cloaked pagan practices in the Church and a host of other spiritual warfare topics that can stop our blessings cold in their tracks. The source of this problem, I believe, runs even deeper. The problem is our culture in America. There are things built within our very culture that can hold back our harvest.

Now before I get started, let me say this loud and clear – what I am speaking is NOT against America or being American. I am a veteran and would pick up arms to defend this nation in a heartbeat. (You vets know what I mean. I can still put together an M-16 with my eyes closed.) It’s not the country; it is junk that has crept into our culture over the years that runs opposite to the Word of God. In the Old Testament, God continually warned Israel not to allow the cultures of other nations to influence them. Over time we forget the ungodly origins of some of the things we do, and they simply become our traditions or culture. As you read this article, my prayer is that you have one of those “selah” moments that will cause you to examine why you do what you do.

Genesis 8:22 (KJV)
²²While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

From the very beginning, God began teaching man about spiritual things through agricultural types and shadows. Constantly in the Word we are given teachings such as:

Galatians 6:7 (KJV)
⁷Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Galatians 6:9 (KJV)

⁹And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Matthew 21:33 (KJV)

³³Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and letit out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

Matthew 13:31 (KJV)
³¹Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

In all of these scriptures, God is trying to establish the correlation between how things operate spiritually and how seed matures and then develops into a harvest. Much of the Body of Christ has understood the seed principle, and we hear about it almost continually on Christian Television today.

What we have missed is the “season” principle. I believe there can be a direct correlation between the seasons in the physical and those of the spiritual. Let’s review the seasons and their spiritual application for the sake of clarity. (When everyone has the same understanding, they usually end up at the same place.)

Winter

Winter is a time of resting. There is no physical growth of plant life above the surface of the ground, but a lot is going on underground. It is the same with us. God is not doing a lot externally, but He is hard at work internally. This is a time to press into God and let your roots run deep. Remember, the Kingdom of God is first within and THEN without.

Luke 17:21 (KJV)
²¹Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Spring

Everything starts to come alive. It seems like nature explodes with a desire for life and beauty. For us, it is a time that God is speaking. There are times of great revelation and watering of the Holy Spirit. Seeds of the Kingdom are being planted everywhere. Rhema from God falls like the spring rains, and it is so easy to see the Holy Spirit move in our midst.

Summer

The heat of the summer represents trials and toil. Satan comes to test and to steal the Word that was sown in our hearts during the springtime. Jesus taught us about the summer in the Gospel of Mark.

Mark 4:14-20 (KJV)
¹⁴The sower soweth the word. ¹⁵And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. ¹⁶And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; ¹⁷And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. ¹⁸And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, ¹⁹And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. ²⁰And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

We always pay attention to the seed, but not to the season. The only time the seed can grow and mature is in the summer!

If you have ever gardened, you will understand what I am going to share next. Just planting the seed is not enough! All summer long you must:

Plow in between the rows to keep the soil aerated. (Repentance)
Pull all of the weeds. (Pulling Down Strongholds)
Make sure adequate water and sunlight are provided. (Time with God and His Word)
Continually pull rocks out of the garden (Developing Biblical Paradigms)
Guard the garden from anything that would eat or destroy the crop. (Spiritual Warfare)

Over the past few years, Missouri had been in a draught. (Praise God it appears to be over!) What we learned during the draught was that it was not the spring or fall that made or killed the garden. The deciding factor was primarily the summer. A long summer of no rain and too much hot sun will destroy a crop. Actually that is the point that I want to make – our reaction to summer in America is killing much of our personal spiritual harvest!

In the springtime, ministries seem to get moving forward again. There is excitement in the Body about what God is doing and about the Kingdom of God. There are fresh words coming from Heaven. Then it happens! What happens, you might ask? Kids get out of school, our thoughts turn to vacation and we go spiritually dead for three months. “Hey! It’s the summer. Time to play, have fun – everything else will wait till fall!” Isn’t that the American way? Attendance in Church drops to a minimum as well as the offerings for all ministries across the board. (We even have many students that completely stop paying their tuition during the summer and begin again right before they get terminated for non-payment in September.) The Church is then hit square between the eyes with the great American summer play time. Everything else comes to a screeching halt.

Friends, what happens if you plant a wonderful garden in the spring and then abandon it all summer? What are you going to find at harvest time (September – October)? How about weeds, rocks and thorns! We have been so conditioned by our culture to abandon (although we call it “putting it on hold”) our spiritual gardens during the summer that we are the ones destroying our own harvests from neglect. We do it year after year and always get mad at God and frustrated over our lack of harvest in the fall.

Here are some words of wisdom. First, summer vacation is one or two weeks sometime during the summer. Enjoy it, do wonderful things with your family and be blessed with not having to go to work for a few days. Here is a reality check – the vacation does not last for all three months! If you do not go back to work after that one or two weeks off, where will you be in September? Bankrupt! Many Christians find themselves in the same exact position spiritually.

This summer make a determination before God to not abandon your spiritual garden. The summer separates the men from the boys. All the boys want to do is go out and play. Real spiritual men and women are cultivating their spiritual fields; watering, weeding and caring for their gardens; and pulling up every stone that would in any way hinder their harvest. They work their gardens because they have their harvest in sight!

The final truth I want to express in this article is that God shares in our frustration. As God was giving me the concepts of this article, He said to me:

“You need to understand how this grieves My Spirit as well. As I move in the spring to expand My kingdom – just as the momentum starts to really pick up, the Body in America runs off to play and abandons what I am doing. That is the difference between America and other countries. People comment that I am moving so much stronger in other nations. Son, it’s not Me; it’s your culture. I used to move greatly in America. My heart longs for times like the great revivals of old. You need to understand that Satan’s countermove to those great revivals was this American summer time culture. This obsession with continual summer fun may drive the economy, but it is stalling out the Kingdom!”

Well, now you know the truth – it’s either culture or kingdom. For some, I may have answered many questions as to what has happened to their spiritual harvest. For others, I have made them mad because I kicked over a sacred cow. The latter shows us just how engrained this is within our culture and how diabolical the plan of the enemy is. Why do I say it was diabolical? Because blood washed saints are upset that I was messing with their summer fun instead of being upset that anything would ever stop the expansion of God’s Kingdom in the earth!

So here is my final question for you:

“What are your plans this summer?”

===========================

Profile on Author

Michael K. Lake, Th.D., D.R.E.

Chancellor and Founder

Dr. Lake is the chancellor and founder of Biblical Life College & Seminary and serves as an educational consultant for various Christian organizations around the world. He also serves as the Pastor of Biblical Life Assembly and as the President of Biblical Life Publishing in Marshfield, MO. Dr. Lake is listed in the US Registry’s “Who’s Who Among Outstanding Americans,” Sterling’s “Who’s Who Executive Edition,” and the “Who’s Who Among American Teachers” for his accomplishments in ministry.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Biblical Life Power Tip

Understanding Kingdom Assignments

By Michael K. Lake, Th.D., D.R.E. - Founder

As of late, I feel that I am in the Holy Spirit Advanced School of Learning. It seems that each day God is teaching me things that I did not know the day before. In our local congregation, God has been having me teach a series called “Foundations of Biblical Prosperity.” From the title, you may think you already know what I am teaching. I can assure you that you don’t. I have been waking up in the morning teaching things out of my spirit in ways I could not have imagined. In this series on Biblical Prosperity, the very last thing you will hear about is giving. Giving is only one component. Without adding all the rest, giving can be in vain. This is why many have gone bankrupt while they were tithing! These powerful messages are now available on MP3 CD along with a professionally printed study guide through Biblical Life Publishing (www.biblical-life.net).

God has also been teaching me about Kingdom Assignments. This is really something that I have never heard of before. I have heard about Kingdom Destiny, Kingdom Authority, Kingdom Power, etc., but assignments were not in the mix. So when God began speaking to me about them, He had my attention.

Kingdom Assignments come in all sizes. Some can be completed within one event, such as praying for someone. Others can take years, but will include daily sub-assignments. (We will go into more detail about sub-assignments in a moment.) One of the things that we need to understand is that when we accept the assignment, the Kingdom begins to go into operation to provide the resources, time and anointing to accomplish that task. That sounds reasonable, but our paradigms can keep us from those resources to fulfill a given assignment. Let me give you an example:

For a pastor, each service is a Kingdom Assignment to accomplish something in the Kingdom of God — usually within the lives of those attending. When a pastor realizes each service can become a specific Kingdom Assignment, he will seek the face of God for instructions. Once he receives those instructions, he accepts that assignment. Immediately the Kingdom will begin realigning things within his spirit, his congregation and even the atmosphere to accomplish that assignment. Without this mindset, weekly services become a routine. The pastor and staff will find themselves going through the motions with little devotion. (I have been there and can speak from personal experience.) The sermons become “what the people want to hear.” The songs become “what the people want to sing.” We move from “divine visitation” to “Christian entertainment and motivational speaking.”

With a change in the pastor’s mindset, he will begin seeking the face of God for his assignment. He may turn the services upside down. One service may be all singing and prayer. Another service he may teach for the full two hours. In the next service, he may teach for twenty minutes and then begin moving prophetically in the congregation. No one will know what to expect each service, to include the devil! It will add a new excitement and expectancy within himself and his congregation.

I believe we do not experience many powerful things in God because we are not sensitive to Kingdom Assignments. Over the past week, God has been giving me one specific assignment a day. Yesterday, it was to design a new follow-up letter for those that had requested catalogs. The interesting thing is that the letter had little to do with the catalog and yet the anointing of God was all over it! At the beginning of the year, God instructed me to include a complete seminar on MP3 CD along with the catalog. It is our “Next Level Living” seminar that has already blessed so many of you. The letter was about a litmus test to see if Biblical Life was right for them. If God spoke into their lives through the free CD, Biblical Life was most likely the place God was calling them to study. If they received nothing from the CD, they needed to look elsewhere. I would have never thought of such a thing by myself. Once I accepted the assignment, the Holy Spirit began moving: the anointing, ability to write and understanding flowed. It was almost effortless, and the presence of God filled our office!

This morning God woke me up at 4:30am. (And I mean wide awake, not roll over and go back to sleep kind of awake.) I asked the LORD, “What is up? Do I need to do something?” He told me to eat breakfast and go into the office to write this article in the quiet before our normal work day. I am sitting here with a fine cup of coffee and enjoying writing more than I have in quite some time. It was a Kingdom Assignment, and the Kingdom is flowing in it.

If you are a pastor, you need to change your mindset to the one I have already described in this article. I promise you that if you do, you are going to shake some things up! If you are a student at Biblical Life or praying about enrolling, I want to speak a new mindset into your thinking. Attending Biblical Life College and Seminary is not like attending your average bible college or seminary. Most schools are about imparting information – in their case, biblical/theological information. At Biblical Life there is a lot of information, but also a Kingdom anointing for transformation. You cannot approach Biblical Life like you were going to a business college. There is an overload of spiritual truth, altering mindsets, pulling down of strongholds; kicking over sacred cows, and anything else God needs to do to transform you. Attending Biblical Life is a Kingdom Assignment, a divine calling to prepare you for the future. If you approach it any other way, you will either get nothing out of it (because it is spiritually discerned) or your head will explode (figuratively speaking). BUT, if God has given you a Kingdom Assignment to study with Biblical Life and you accept that assignment, the King will release an anointing of a prophetic bible student into your spirit. You will receive a spiritual hunger for truth and the presence of God will surround you every time you sit down to your studies! I have hundreds of students that can testify to this very fact as well as hundreds that can testify the reverse, if you do not accept the assignment! Your mindset can either make you like the pastor going through the weekly routine or like the pastor that turns the services upside down!

Now Dealing with Sub-Assignments

I am going to handle this on two levels. First, when you enroll into BLCS using Plan B or C, we will ship you a volume with five complete courses in it. Do not just start with the first one and work your way through it. That is the way of traditional, secular schooling. Ask the Holy Spirit which one you are to start with. There may be something in a particular course He needs to speak into your life now. Let’s say the Holy Spirit instructs you to go through the course “Biblical Life Prayer Dynamics.” Accept that assignment and have the mindset that you are going to receive everything God has for you in that course, even if it turns your life inside out! I promise you that the course will take on a life of its own! God will speak to you through the lessons and will begin taking you deeper than you ever dreamed possible! You will learn more, experience more and change more! If you don’t, you are limiting yourself and the Holy Spirit.

Each day ask God for your daily Kingdom Assignments. Your long term assignment is to complete the program He called you to take at Biblical Life. But is today’s assignment to do the next lesson or will it be to go into intercession or minister to Jim down the road? What is your assignment today? Today’s assignment will have today’s anointing, insights, revelation and transformation. Miss the assignment, and you will miss out on all the resources of that assignment! Once you miss it, it is very hard to regain the same level. Obedience is ALWAYS better than sacrifice. Satan wants to keep you in “routine” mode. The routine may get it done, but it will be without the anointing, insights, revelation and transformation your assignment brings. Routine only accomplishes things through hard effort, but will have little spiritual value. Kingdom Assignments require less physical effort, but require higher levels of anointing, insights, revelation and transformation – which the King will release into the lives of those who accept His assignments.

Change your mindset from routine to assignment and watch the Kingdom of God go into operation in ways you never dreamed of. It will change your life!

========================

Profile on Author

Michael K. Lake, Th.D., D.R.E.

Chancellor and Founder

Dr. Lake is the chancellor and founder of Biblical Life College & Seminary and serves as an educational consultant for various Christian organizations around the world. He also serves as the Pastor of Biblical Life Assembly in Marshfield, MO and he is the President of Biblical Life Publishing. Dr. Lake is listed in the US Registry’s “Who’s Who Among Outstanding Americans,” Sterling’s “Who’s Who Executive Edition,” and the “Who’s Who Among American Teachers” for his accomplishments in ministry.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Is the Spirit of Nicolaitans Alive and Well in the Church Today?

by Michael K. Lake, Th.D.

I usually spend some of my free time on the weekends in the Word of God. I am finding that, as the moral light in both the world and the institutionalized church grows dim, the Word of God has become more precious in my life!

This weekend, the Holy Spirit led me to begin reading through the Book of Revelation. As I was reading, the word “Nicolaitans” jumped off the page. Although the text remained unaltered in my bible, it was as if the Holy Spirit had highlighted, underlined, and used bold letters on the word. I knew that I had to dig a little deeper to find what God wanted to show me.

Let’s take a look at what Jesus said about the Nicolaitans:

Revelation 2:6 (KJV)
⁶But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

What is interesting is that Jesus places this commendation right in the middle of a stern rebuke for leaving their first love.

Revelation 2:1-7 (KJV)
¹Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; ²I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: ³And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. ⁴Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. ⁵Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. ⁶But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. ⁷He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

In fact, the letter to the Church of Ephesus is a “commend, commend, rebuke (get it right or else), and commend” narrative. Doesn’t it make you wonder about what narrative the Church of America would receive if the Book of Revelation was being written today?

Anyway, let’s focus back on the Nicolaitans. There is much debate on who they were and what they were teaching. I want to take a look at several biblical authorities and extrapolate vital information from their works that we can use today.

The first resource that I want to examine is the study notes in the New Pilgrim Student Bible. We find on page 1775 in the notes on the Book of Revelation:

2:6 Nicolaitans. We have no certain information about these people. The word “Nicolaitans” comes from two Greek words, meaning “to conquer” and “the people.” It seems to indicate that there were some church leaders even in these early days who wanted to hold office and get power over the people. They distinguished between themselves and the people as “the clergy” and “the laity.”[1]

Although I do understand where they are coming from in their study notes, I do not believe that the concepts of “clergy” and “laity” had yet found their way into the Church. Since the Church in Ephesus was commended for testing those that said they were apostles and were not, it would seem that the Ephesians were still strong in their understanding of the five-fold ministry (taught to them by the Apostle Paul in Eph. 4:11-12, as he drew from the synagogal model of leadership).

Ephesians 4:11-12 (KJV)
¹¹And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; ¹²For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

There may be something more that we can learn from their notes.

There is a doctrine that is making its rounds in many Christian circles today. Most know this teaching as “Dominion Theology” or “the Manifested Sons of God.” This theology believes that the true Church will take over the world (and all governments), bring all evil under its feet, and then hand a conquered world over to Jesus when He returns. In my opinion, one cannot honestly read the Book of Revelation and come to that conclusion.

Regardless of our eschatological views on the timing of the rapture and the return of Christ, we must see in God’s Word that only Messiah will conquer the antichrist and his ungodly army. It is the task of the Messiah alone to kosher this planet as it is referred to throughout Scripture as “the Day of the LORD,” not “the Day of the Bride.” Jesus is the One riding on a white horse and destroys the armies of the antichrist with the word of His mouth.

I do believe that the Church is called to be light and salt in the earth, which includes the political arena. It takes a special calling to be a preserving influence in an area so corrupted by the influences of Babylon and the Spirit of this World. We need to keep our politicians (especially Christian ones) in our prayers.

I believe the greatest task in the life of the believer is to take dominion over his own flesh and carnal nature. He is called of God to bring even every thought into subjection of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). We are almost continually bombarded with headlines that have ministers falling into sin that are involved in Dominion theology. It seems to me that they are losing the greater struggle from within!

Many also confuse the army in the Book of Joel as the Body of Christ. There are two separate groups in Joel 2.

Joel 2:1-11 (KJV)
¹Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; ²A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. ³A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. ⁴The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. ⁵Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. ⁶Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. ⁷They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: ⁸Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. ⁹They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. ¹⁰The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: ¹¹And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

Although the Scriptures call this army “his army,” we need to realize that God called Nebuchadnezzar “a servant of God.”

Jeremiah 27:6-8 (KJV)
⁶And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him. ⁷And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him. ⁸And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.

God used Nebuchadnezzar and his armies for divine purposes. God will do the same with the armies of the antichrist.

In Joel 2:1-11, I took the liberty of highlighting important segments. I believe that there is a connection to this army, the end-time army of the antichrist, Nimrod, the Nephilim of Genesis 6, and transhumanism today. There is a Hebrew word that is used to express both a subdivision of Nephilim and what Nimrod became: it is “gibbowr.” This is the same word used in the Book of Joel for this approaching army.

We need to understand that both the United States (through DARPA) and other industrialized nations are beginning a new arms race; it is for the super soldier. They look to create the “Human 2.0” that Hitler was never able to create. This goal is shared by scientists worldwide in the transhumanist movement. (Transhumanists represent “Human 2.0” as “H⁺” in their publications.) They seek to use GRIN (Genetics, Robotics, artificial Intelligence, and Nano-technology) to create the perfect super human. It will be like X-Men, Dark Angel, and the Nightmare on Elm Street all rolled into one. Concepts displayed by this army (hive mentality, superhuman strength and agility, and accelerated healing) are all goals of both DARPA and the transhumanist movement.

Genesis 6 teaches us that when you begin tampering with the DNA of mankind that you can begin releasing untold demonic powers. This army in Joel 2 is empowered by the dark forces of the antichrist and is moving against God’s people.

(For more information on transhumanism, I would recommend Dr. Tom and Nita Horn’s well researched book “Forbidden Gates: the Dawn of Techno-Dimensional Spiritual Warfare.” You can purchase this book online at www.survivormall.com.)

The second group in Joel 2 is God’s people that sound an alarm because of the approaching army. These people gather together to pray and fast. It is the second group that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit falls upon. Then Messiah comes back to deliver them out of the hands of the approaching army. My question is: “Which group are you claiming to be a part of?”

Now let’s examine what Finis Dake has to say regarding the Nicolaitans in his Annotated Study Bible:

Followers of Nicolaus, a heretic. They are thought to have been a sect of Gnostics who practiced and taught impure and immoral doctrines, such as the community of wives, that committing adultery and fornication was not sinful, and that eating meats offered to idols was lawful. This was similar to the doctrines of Balaam and Jezebel of Thyatira (Rev. 2:6,14-15,20).[2]

Dake describes this movement as one that attempts to take the Gentile portion of the Church away from the instruction given to them by the Council in Jerusalem in Acts 5:19-21.

Acts 15:19-21 (KJV)
¹⁹Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: ²⁰But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. ²¹For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

I believe that the ruling of the council in Jerusalem established the observance of Leviticus 11 into the dietary habits of the Gentile Church. (I will be covering not only Acts 15, but just about every verse of Scripture dealing with God’s wisdom regarding our diet in my upcoming book “Eating God’s Way.” This book will be an eye-opening hermeneutical experience for many!) At the very least, the basic instruction for the Gentile Church was not to eat anything knowingly that was sacrificed to an idol and to abstain from sexual impurity. It is easy to see in the Body today that both our appetites for food and sex are getting out of control! This is a manifestation of the Nicolaitan Spirit influencing the Church today.

I found the final commentary that I want to reference not only enlightening, but I was a bit taken aback by where I found it. The Preacher’s Sermon and Outline Bible is a consolidation of some of the greatest spiritual minds in the Protestant movement over the last several centuries. I not only recommend this powerful series for any minister’s library, I require many of their volumes in the studies at Biblical Life College and Seminary. Here are the comments from the PSOB:

They had stood ever so strongly against the Nicolaitans. Just who the Nicolaitans were is not known. It is thought that they stressed two things:

⇒ that Christ had done away with the law of the Old Testament and had instituted the law of Christian liberty.

⇒ that the soul and spirit of man was far more important than his body.

The results of this doctrine are clearly seen. If there is no law to govern us, then we can do what we like just so we profess to believe in Christ. And if the spirit is what really matters, then I can do what I like with my body just so I take care of my spirit.

⇒ Think how many people feel that they can live like they want just so they attend and support the church. If they attend church, they feel they can live like they want during the week.

⇒ Think how many people believe they are eternally secure because they believe in Christ, have been baptized, and belong to a church. Yet, they live like they want during the week. They continue to seek the pleasures and possessions of the world, banking and hoarding and neglecting the spread of the gospel and a world of desperate needs. There is no evidence whatsoever of repentance and of a changed and holy life—no evidence of self-denial, of the sacrifice of all one is and has.

The point is this: the Ephesian church had preached and taught against the error of the Nicolaitans. They had refused to allow the error to enter the church. They were doctrinally sound; they stood staunchly for the truth of Christ and the Word of God. But they lacked the main thing: love for Christ. They had lost their love for Christ. [3] (Emphasis mine.)

The POSB is considered by most to be a Baptist publication. Yet it stresses that the Nicolaitan Spirit wants to replace God’s commandments and separate them from what is to be considered Godliness in the Body of Christ!

I can testify that this spirit is alive in Christian theology today. I have had ministers of the Gospel about spit on me for bringing up the Commandments of God. The Nicolaitan Spirit tells us that Jesus conquered and did away with God’s Law. Nothing could be further from the truth. Listen to the Apostle John (the Apostle of Love):

1 John 2:3-6 (KJV)
³And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. ⁴He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. ⁶He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

1 John 3:4-10 (KJV)
⁴Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. ⁵And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. ⁶Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. ⁷Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. ⁸He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. ⁹Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. ¹⁰In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

The Apostle John considers sin the violation of the Law (or God’s Commandments) and acts of righteousness as the keeping of the Commandments. I guess John did not get the memo that Jesus conquered and nailed the Law to the Cross! It was not the Torah that was nailed to the Cross; it was our long list of violations against it.

It should also be noted that the “doing away with the Law” is not only what the publishers of the PSOB would call “Nicolaitanism,” but is known historically as “Marcionism.” During the second century Marcion rejected the Old Testament and the commandments of God. He was the first to group together very carefully edited versions of Paul’s writings that seemed to be expressing an anti-Torah view. He took the position that Jesus did away with the Law and conquered it by the Cross. Around 139 A.D., Marcion went to Rome to present his teachings to the Church fathers there (along with a rather large love gift). The elders in Rome rejected his teachings and his love gift. In fact, Polycarp (a direct disciple of the Apostle John) called Marcion the “first born son of Satan.” Later on, the Catholic theologian Augustine embraced Marcion’s ideas about grace and opposing God’s Law and made it a part of his theology. This position was later adopted by theologians in the Reformation.[4] Few today question the origin of this teaching and embrace it as orthodox theology. They are also quick to rebuke any believer that would return to God’s commandments as an expression of walking in holiness.

The Word tells us:

Ephesians 5:27 (KJV)
²⁷That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Jesus is coming back for a people that have won the war within against the old sin nature and are walking in true biblical holiness. He is not coming back for some pseudo-Christian ubermen (“The Übermensch” or “Overman, Above-Human, Superman” is a concept in the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche posited the Übermensch as a goal for humanity to set for itself in his 1883 book Thus Spoke Zarathustra)[5] that are ruling the world with an iron fist and saying “Come on back now Jesus, we’ve got this all under control!”

The only true way to prepare for the soon coming of the Lord is to return to biblicity. We must be living the Word from within and manifesting the resurrected King through our thoughts, words, and actions!

EndNotes:

[2] Finis J. Dake, Dake's Annotated Reference Bible, (Lawrenceville: Dake Publishing, Inc., 2007), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Chapter 2".

[3] The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Revelation, (Chattanooga: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 1991), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "B. The Message to Ephesus: The Orthodox Church, But A Church Without Love, 2:1-7".

[5] Ubermensch. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%9Cbermensch

Profile on Author

Michael K. Lake, Th.D., D.R.E.

Chancellor and Founder

Dr. Lake is the chancellor and founder of Biblical Life College & Seminary and serves as an educational consultant for various Christian organizations around the world. He also serves as the Pastor of Biblical Life Assembly in Marshfield, MO. and founded Biblical Life Publishing. Dr. Lake is listed in the US Registry's "Who's Who Among Outstanding Americans," Sterling's "Who's Who Executive Edition," and the "Who's Who Among American Teachers" for his accomplishments in ministry.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Is More Than the Bible Needed for Bible College and Seminary?

2 Timothy 4:13 (NKJV)

"[13] Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments."

This past week, I had an interesting conversation with a young man that was investigating the possibilities of completing his undergraduate degree through Biblical Life. As we discussed the programs, he asked if we used more than the Bible in our studies. When I replied "of course," he began to chastise me as if I had committed some sin for using materials beside the Word of God in our degree programs.

The attitude of this young man surprised me. When I first surrendered to ministry as a young Baptist boy, my training (even before attending Bible College) was that a minister's library was essential and, over the years, would become a trusted resource in ministering to the people of God. Great ministers of the past were known for two things: their prayer lives and their diligence in study. All of them had substantial personal libraries. I still remember standing in awe of one great pastor’s office in St. Louis. All four walls of his spacious office were shelves filled with books from floor to ceiling. When he opened his mouth behind the pulpit, the wealth of his knowledge of the Word would fill the hearts and minds of his listeners.

What Made the Apostle Paul so Qualified to Minister to the Gentiles?

The Apostle Paul was a graduate of the School of Hillel. In fact, the wise Gameliel (found in the Book of Acts and highly respected by the Sanhedrin) was Paul's teacher. Under Gameliel's instruction, Rabbi Saul (Paul's Hebrew name) was thoroughly trained in the Torah, the writings, and the prophets. With a solid foundation in the Torah, he was then trained in understanding Greek/Roman mythology and philosophy. He was well versed in showing the superiority of God's Word over the pagan concepts of these gentile cultures. Without the extensive training he received under Gameliel's watchful eye, he would have been ill equipped to be the Apostle to the Gentiles.

We should note in 2 Timothy that Paul asked young Timothy to bring his books to him. Most commentators believe that the parchments refer to his scrolls of the Torah, writings, and prophets. As far as the other books, we can only speculate as to what they were. We do know that by his differentiating the books from the parchments, they were not Scriptures.

It was also at the feet of Gameliel that Paul learned the art of writing epistles. It was the leadership style of Gameliel, as a leading member of the Sanhedrin, that Paul used as he was presented with problems throughout the Jewish community and, subsequently, addressed them with biblically based solutions through the writing of epistles. This may be the reason that we have so many writings by the Apostle Paul. His school years trained him to address issues in the communities of faith through the written response.

Foundations for the Hermeneutical Process:

Hermeneutics is the science of biblical interpretation. There are many levels to examine in the proper application of this science.

1. The first step is to look at the context of the sentence, then examine it within the chapter, and then the entire book. Finally look at the concept throughout the Scriptures. It is like dropping a pebble in a pond - all the ripples must be examined. Scripture always interprets Scripture.

2. The next step is to look at the historical and cultural settings of the Scriptures that you are examining. The New Testament has an abundance of Hebraic colloquialisms that are full of meaning. Many ministers completely misinterpret things that Jesus and the Apostles said because they do not understand what was culturally behind what was being said. Such understanding comes from additional books outside of the Word of God.

3. Understanding the basics of Hebrew and Greek is essential for any serious minister. Even if this understanding only comes from knowing your way around Strong's Concordance, a good Bible dictionary, and lexicons such as Thayer’s for Greek and Brown, Drivers, Biggs for the Hebrew. Digging a little deeper into the original meanings will cause the Word to explode with deeper understanding that can be life-changing. All of these are books beyond just using the Bible.

4. What has God shared with the saints before us? It is right here that some will chide in "See, I do not want manmade doctrines." First, not everything written is manmade doctrines. Many of the saints of old had devotional lives that would put most of today’s ministers to shame. Second, many of their books were what they preached. Like Spurgeon, all those volumes are their sermons written down to inspire those that followed. God even instructed the Prophet Habakkuk to write down what was given to him.

Habakkuk 2:2 (NKJV)
²Then the LORD answered me and said: "Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.

If you do not want to expose yourself to the sermons of these men, then what makes you think others should be exposed to yours? They just need to read the Bible, right?

Finally, after the conversation, I looked up his previous school. Their claim to fame was using only the Word of God. Following this model, they were hard pressed to come up with the curriculum to fulfill the proper requirements for degree programs. They were offering Associate Degrees by completing only 36 semester credit hours and the Bachelor Degree for completing 64! In fact, their Associate, Bachelor, and Master programs combined fall a good number of credits short of a true Bachelor Degree (120). Taking such a strong stance on studying the Word only, and then utilizing such poor standards academically, can bring reproach to the name of Christ. As believers, a commitment to excellence should exist in biblical interpretation, academic standards, and lifestyle.

Let us all have excellence of life, ministry, and education through due diligence in our examination of the greatest book on earth - the Written Word of God!

2 Timothy 2:15 (AMP)

[15] Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.

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Michael K. Lake, Th.D., D.R.E.

Chancellor and Founder

Dr. Lake is the chancellor and founder of Biblical Life College & Seminary and serves as an educational consultant for various Christian organizations around the world. He also serves as the Pastor of Biblical Life Assembly in Marshfield, MO. In 2009, Dr. Lake also established Biblical Life Publishing to make the same materials that thousands have enjoyed at BLCS available to everyone. Dr. Lake is listed in the US Registry's "Who's Who Among Outstanding Americans," Sterling's "Who's Who Executive Edition," and the "Who's Who Among American Teachers" for his accomplishments in ministry.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Sitting in the Pew and waiting . . . and waiting . . . and waiting.

by Rev. John Fryters, Ph.D., ICADC

President of CHAKAM School of the Bible

Professor of Biblical Counseling, Biblical Life College & Seminary

Over the last 6 months CHAKAM School of the Bible, in collaboration with Bakke Graduate University and the Mustard Seed Foundation in Seattle, has been developing a new course curriculum on “The Theology of Work” or better known in today’s circles as “Market Place Ministry”.

And I have astounded about the revelatory knowledge that comes with searching the Scriptures, as the Bereans did, on a consistent, systematic basis. It almost feels that the Holy Spirit is rewarding us for being in His Word a lot. Not only did He give us revelation about the topic researched but also revelatory nuggets just for today.

In our research we literally found countless definitions of the concept of work, but the one that is one of the most appealing was Dr. John Stott’s definition. He suggests that work is “the expenditure of energy (manual or mental or both) in the service of others, which brings fulfillment to the worker, benefit to the community and glory to God” (1)

Ever come across a Scripture which sounds strange and even questionable?

I Corinthians 11:1 (NCV)

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Who does Paul think he is? How arrogant can you be? Ask me to try to follow Christ and (maybe) I will, but follow man, I have to think about it twice… And which minister would even dare to ask the same what Paul is asking: Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ?

But Paul seems to understand what God wants him to do as he keeps on repeating that same message.

I Corinthians 4:15-16 (NCV)

For though you may have ten thousand teachers in Christ, you do not have many fathers. Through the Good News I became your father in Christ Jesus, so I beg you, please follow my example.

So, here Paul clarifies that you are not just following a man, but you are following a “spiritual father”. While this might be a topic for another sermon later, he continues to repeat “follow my example”. He not only told the Corinthian Church, but also the Churches in Philippi and Thessalonica.

II Thessalonians 3:9 (NCV)

We had the right to ask you to help us, but we worked to take care of ourselves so we would be an example for you to follow.

Philippians 3:17 (NCV)

Brothers and sisters, all of you should try to follow my example and to copy those who live the way we showed you.

I Thessalonians 1:6 (NCV)

And you became like us and like the Lord…

The word “follow” used in this context is the Greek word “mimetes” where our words “mime”, “to mimic” and “to imitate” are derived from. So, we are to imitate our spiritual leaders (fathers) as they are imitating Christ.

The writer of Hebrews adds an additional element.

Hebrews 6:12 (KJV)

That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

The writer of Hebrews warns the Church in Thessalonica not to be lazy but to indeed follow its leaders.

While all of these Scriptures tell us to imitate our spiritual leaders as they in turn imitate Christ, none of them tell us that our spiritual leaders are perfect, infallible or imitate Christ correctly. Paul was a man, the apostles were men, and we, ministers, are men. The only thing the Holy Spirit tells us, through Paul, is that we are to imitate Christ so that in turn those who we are ultimately spiritually responsible for can imitate us.

No matter what, the statement made by Paul in I Corinthians still remains a tall order!!!

In the context of the “Theology of Work”, it becomes quite clear what Paul means when he said to the church in Thessalonica “not to be lazy”.

An in-depth study of the Scriptures reveals that:

1. The term “God” and “work” are almost synonymous

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Commentator Finis Dake tells us that God, through His Word, mentions the concept of “work” some 416 times. Scriptures related to work are mentioned 116 times. The word “works” appears 235 times.

God, in the Scriptures, made it clear that we are to work (Genesis 3:19; Proverbs 10:16) and that we are to work with Him (II Corinthians 6:1).

Our lesson learned: we have no choice. If we are to imitate God, we have to work and work with Him.

2. God’s projects usually begin and end, but his other work continues

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While God instituted “rest periods” such as at the end of the week (Exodus 20:8-10; 31:15; 34:21; 35:2; Hebrews 4:11), and at the end of special occasions such as the important Biblical Feasts (Exodus 12:16; Leviticus 23:3-36), since God is eternal, His work actually never ends.

So, since we are eternal, our work (manual and mental or both according to Dr. John Stott) never ends. So much for a set retirement age of 60 or 65!!!

Our lesson learned: our work during the week and on special occasions has to end some times (means “keep your Sabbath”). However, as it relates to end of a lifetime, our work never ends – we continue to work until the Lord calls us home and, I believe, beyond that.

3. God’s work is “perfect”

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In Deuteronomy 32:4 and Hebrew 13:21 it shows us that God’s work is “perfect”.

Our lesson learned: when we correctly imitate God, we need to strive for perfection (nothing less) – no matter who we work for.

4. God’s work was “good” and “very good”

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The term “good” is used in Genesis 1:10 and Genesis 1:21 – “and God saw that it was good”.

The term “very good” is used in Genesis 1:31 – “and God saw that it was very good”.

The term “good” was used after creating most of creation, and the term “very good” was used after creating Adam and Eve.

Our lesson learned: when we work we need to imitate God in His work and make sure that it is at least “good”. And when we work with other people (humans) we make sure that it is at least “very good”. God, in fact, tells us that we are to become followers (imitate) of what is good.

I Peter 3:13 (KJV)

And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of what which is good?

The Lord also gives us a hint that following what is good needs to be combined with what is perfect.

Hebrews 13:21 (KJV)

Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

And finally:

5. Not only do we have to work, but we have to do “greater works” than God

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John 14:12 (NCV)

I tell you the truth, whoever believes in me will do the same things that I do. Those who believe will do even greater things than these,because I am going to the Father.

Weekly church service after weekly church service, believers are sitting in the pew and are waiting…. and waiting….. and waiting….., and waiting…..

They are not told that they should mimic, should imitate, should follow their spiritual leader who is following (imitating) Christ. Those spiritual leaders are (should be) working hard. After all, that’s what the Lord showed us in His Word this week.

We, as spiritual leaders, should understand “The Theology of Work”. It is true that one is not saved by works, but by faith and through the grace of God. However, we need to tell our followers that once saved, we need to start working and what Paul tells us in I Corinthians, it has to start with us. Otherwise, those in the pew will be waiting…. waiting…. waiting….. and waiting.

Sermon Endnote

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(1) John Stott, Issues Facing Christians Today, p162

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Rev. Dr. Fryters is the President and CEO of CHAKAM School of the Bible Inc. (www.worldoutreach.ca), an innovative Bible College in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada, with campuses in Canada, Peru and Uganda. Currently, CHAKAM is also planning to open an additional campus in The Sudan.

He is on the International Faculty of Biblical Life College & Seminary. (www.biblical-life.com)

Currently, he also serves on the Board of Regents of the Timothy Program International, the Board of Directors of the Saskatchewan Association of Career Colleges, and the Saskatchewan College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Looking for Shortcuts in Your Education for Ministry?

By Michael K. Lake, Th.D., D.R.E.

Have you ever decided that you were going to lose some weight, and so you went down to the local superstore to look for the new and improved pills that claim that you can lose weight quickly, easily, no work required, and eat all you want? Well, many have tried these shortcuts only to find that the side effects included: blurred vision, nausea, heart palpitations, heart-attack, and stroke. The truth is that nothing will replace getting rid of junk food, eating wholesome foods, and old fashioned exercise (i.e. hard work).

The same can be said about your education for ministry. There are many schools out there that are like the diet pills: shortcuts that try to replace hard work. We have all seen them all over the Internet:

•    Free Tuition
•    Open Book Exams
•    No Writing Requirements
•    Get Your Degree FAST

You may quickly receive your degree certificate, but side effects include: blurred spiritual vision, shallowness of spiritual depth, a heart that will faint during testing and trials, confusion about real spiritual direction, and a shipwrecked ministry.

This is not a debate over non-governmental accreditation versus governmental accreditation. The difference between the two in many aspects is philosophical and ideological. Both have their benefits and drawbacks. (More on the differences in an upcoming article.) This article is really about two things: (1) insisting on valid academic standards, and (2) spiritual depth.

Valid Academic Standards

Let’s take a look at some basic standards that you should be aware of:

Undergraduate Degrees:

• Associate degrees require 60 semester credit hours of study, and Bachelor degrees require 120. (No exceptions: there is no such a thing as a 60 to 90 hour Bachelor degree.)

• A 3 semester credit hour class completed in residence would require attending class once a week for 16 weeks with at least two hours a week of homework. Extensive reading and a good bit of writing are all a part of the educational process. You are not going to complete a 3 SCH course at home, part-time, in a couple of weeks.

• Closed book exams and writing are essential to the learning process. Remove them and you greatly degrade your education. In fact, it can reduce it to glorified Sunday School material.

Graduation Degrees:

• Master of Divinity: All legitimate M.Div. Programs should require between 80 to 100 SCHS to complete, regardless of the major.

• If you have a secular undergraduate or graduate degree (to include a doctorate), the Master of Divinity should be the required program of study. You should never be allowed directly into a doctoral program without the appropriate religious graduate degree.

• A thesis should be required to complete a master’s degree, and a dissertation should be required for a doctoral degree. No shortcut should be accepted. The only ones that will be shortchanged are you and all those that you minister to in the future.

All Programs:

Life Experience Credits: We need to be more realistic with Life Experience Credits (LECs). The Accrediting Commission International has set very good standards: maximum LECs at the undergraduate level is 30 and a maximum of 8 at the graduate level. No college or seminary accredited by ACI should allow more.

Depth of Materials: All programs should challenge you, stretch you spiritually and intellectually, and have significant depth to them. Over the years, we have had many serious students that tried other schools, only to return out of spiritual hunger and a search for the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We have also had many new students from other schools surprised when they learned more in one course with Biblical Life College & Seminary compared to an entire degree program at their previous school. What you receive during your training will be used in ministry the rest of your life. Dig deep and expect transformation during your studies.

The Paradox of the Fig Tree

Mark 11:12-14 (NKJV)
12 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again." And His disciples heard it.

Many ministers skip over these verses to deal with aspects of faith, but few understand why Jesus cursed the fig tree. There is more involved here than just a lesson on walking in faith. We see the phrase "a fig tree having leaves" and do not realize what is being referred to in the scripture. Our hermeneutic process must dig a little deeper than just glossing over the surface. The fig tree had leaves as if it had already born fruit, even though it "was not the season for figs." The tree had not yet endured the heat and toil of summer that is required to produce fruit, yet it was trying to present itself as having fruit. This deception was cursed by the Savior.

Here is our lesson picture. The leaves can represent your degree certificate and the fruit is what should have been developed in you as you underwent the season of learning required to develop the proper fruit. Heaven does not care about the leaves (i.e. your degree certificates hanging on the wall), rather it looks for the fruit that was developed in your life through the discipline of structured spiritual and academic study.

Those seeking shortcuts are more interested in showing leaves, and those that have real spiritual hunger and a desire to be used of God in the Last Days have a desire for fruit. I pray you hunger for fruit!

Biblical Life College and Seminary

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Understanding the Foundational Nature of Spiritual Warfare

by Michael K. Lake, Th.D., D.R.E.

Monday, June 6, 2011

The Quandary of the Missing Harvest

Monday, May 23, 2011

Biblical Life Power Tip

Understanding Kingdom Assignments

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Is the Spirit of Nicolaitans Alive and Well in the Church Today?

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Michael K. Lake, Th.D., D.R.E.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Is More Than the Bible Needed for Bible College and Seminary?

Monday, September 13, 2010

Sitting in the Pew and waiting . . . and waiting . . . and waiting.

Sitting in the Pew and waiting . . . and waiting . . . and waiting.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Looking for Shortcuts in Your Education for Ministry?

Valid Academic Standards

The Paradox of the Fig Tree

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