Important Updates & Announcements

Vision Project Progress Report

We continue to make progress in the Vision Project. Last week, I received a special deal from HP for the computer I will be using in my home office (our next step in the project). This includes a 23" flat panel monitor. I saved over $400.00 on the computer with no payments for 90 days. I am confident that the Vision Project fund will be able to pay for this computer before the first payment is even due!

We are also learning new things about DVD production. We mailed out a "Thank You" copy of lesson one from the new Feasts series. One person reported problems, so we did some research to find a cure. The results were that we need to make sure we use DVD-R for production (instead of DVD+R), and that we needed to use a better grade of DVD stock than Memorex. We found Verbatim DVD-Rs for a better price than we were purchasing the Memorex brand. Verbatim are about the best brand on the market. This little problem allowed us to go from an economy brand to a premium brand and save on their cost! God is good.

As I am approaching some of the materials to teach them again for DVD, I will be adding new insights to them. In fact, after looking over "The Life of Faith" series, I feel that I need to completely rewrite the materials before teaching it again. God has been stressing in Mary and my hearts that too many Christians are living in vicarious faith. Someone else cannot walk in faith for you, it is a personal walk that only you can do. This theme and many Hebraic concepts will be worked into the new materials. I hope to start filming the new Life of Faith right after Winter Break.

Holy Fire – Strange Fire Seminar in Bronx, NY

I will be at Love Gospel Assembly on November 13 & 14 to teach a new series entitled "Holy Fire-Strange Fire." These six sessions will be life-changing for those that are hungry for more of God and have ears to hear. If you are in the New York area, I encourage you to come to these meetings.

Location:

Love Gospel Assembly

2323 Grand Concourse

Bronx, NY 10468

Contact Information:

Antioch School of Urban Ministry

2435 Grand Concourse

Bronx, NY 10468

718-295-6453

Cost: For College Credit – $100.00 | Audit – $50.00

Times:

Friday, November 13: 7:00pm – 9:00pm

Saturday, November 14: 8:30am – 4:30pm

There will be a continental breakfast on Saturday morning. Lunch will be available at the seminar location for $5.00.

Audio Cassettes Are Being Discontinued

We have already shared with you in the past that audio cassettes are being phased out by most manufacturers. Therefore, we will be discontinuing them effective January 1, 2010.

We are running a sale on audio taped versions of our materials until the supplies we have run out. Any tape orders between now and January 1 will receive a 20% discount and free priority mail shipping! Just write "Discontinue Sale" on your order, take off 20% from the cost of the tape set and do not add shipping.

This will be a "first come, first serve" sale. As soon as our supplies are used are exhausted, the sale will end.

New Prices Set for Lectures

These new prices will not affect the cost current cost of MP3 lectures, but sets prices on CD and DVD media.

Effective January 1, 2010

· MP3 Lectures: $6.00 for each lecture in a series.

· CD Lectures: $7.00 for each lecture in a series.

· DVD Lectures: $8.00 for each lecture in a series.

This is far below the national norm for college/seminar level materials. BLCS remains a leader in Spirit-Filled training that this extremely affordable and transformational!

Biblical Life Mentor’s Tips – Lessons from the Day of Atonement

September 2009

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

Chancellor, Educational Consultant & Biblical Life Mentor

Most of the Body of Christ has gone about their daily business without a clue of the biblical significance of the past few weeks. The centuries of manmade traditions have disenfranchised us from our rich Hebraic heritage and the biblical feasts that belong to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. These biblical feasts serve many purposes:

· They remind us of what God has done for us.

· They teach us more about what Jesus has done and will do in the future.

· They are cycles of God’s process of sanctification in the life of the believer.

· They are cycles of God’s process of positioning believers for greater blessing.

· They are God’s way of bringing us back into step with the Kingdom of God. (This one is especially needed in this day since everyone is in step with the current Babylonian system of the world!)

This Wednesday, we will begin filming a new series on “The Feasts of the LORD and Their Spiritual Significance in the Life of the Believer.” This new DVD series is designed to reintroduce believers in Messiah to His Feasts. As we prepare for His coming, we need to get back into the rhythm of His Kingdom; the Feasts play a vital role in our realignment.

Since we are in the middle of the Fall Feasts, I thought it would be a great opportunity to teach on several aspects of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kipper) and how it can apply to becoming more effective in your spiritual walk and ministry. This month’s Mentor Tip is about divine accountability and realignment.

There are many aspects to the Fall Feasts (the Day of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles) that we could cover. The Fall Feasts are all about the second coming of Messiah and become a template to lie over the top of the Book of Revelation to see fully what God is showing us. Without the Fall Feasts’ template, the Book of Revelation is constantly being misinterpreted by believers. We will not be examining the Fall Feasts from an Eschatological view point, but one for daily living.

The Feast of Trumpets signifies a time of announcements from Heaven. It is a time designated by Almighty God when He speaks with greater clarity for the sake of His people. It also begins the countdown to the Day of Atonement called “The Ten Days of Awe.” During the Ten Days of Awe, God’s people spend a great amount of time examining their lives and hearts. They make sure that all relational accounts are settled between them and God as well as between them and their fellow man. There is also intense examination of what they have done with their lives since the last Day of Atonement.

The Fall Feasts teach us the importance of ownership. In fact, the Torah has a great deal to say about ownership of land and property. The concept of ownership is important because it reminds us that this world, our bodies and all other things are owned by a divine Creator, the God of Heaven and Earth. Since He owns this planet and all the people that dwell upon it, we must live our lives with the understanding that one day we will stand before Him to give an account of how we lived our lives and what we accomplished.

This year I have personally done that very thing. I have examined my past year, to include my accomplishments and my failings. During the Ten Days of Awe, I have been repenting, making plans, and making many adjustments. I did not accomplish as much as I wanted to this past year. There were places where I stumbled, dropped the ball or allowed other things to crowd out what was really important.

The Fall Feasts and the Day of Atonement were a type of “wake up” call to me. I have examined every weight that so easily besets me (Heb 12:1), examined what is most needful in my walk and ministry, and have determined to completely devote myself to those things alone.

Devote and devotion are very powerful words. Devote means “to commit to a particular purpose.” Devotion means to have “fervent dedication and loyalty” to something. This not only involves placing a great amount of time and energy into its accomplishment, but to remain loyal to it when distractions present themselves.

Here is what I am going to be devoted to this next year:

· Writing new courses, articles and books.

· Researching to ensure accuracy and integrity in all that I teach.

· Re-teaching every major course I have taught in the past for DVD.

To accomplish this, many things in my life that took the focus away from my pursuits of God are being set aside. The things of the flesh (to include most entertainment) are there to distract us from our purpose, to steal our time, and to steal our focus. I am sure Satan will also bring many opportunities that sound wonderful but are simply distractions. Everything must be weighed concerning what I must give an account to God for and what He has called me to devote myself to. I must then purpose in my heart to remain loyal to those things.

Bringing It Home for You

This time next year the Day of Atonement will roll around again. Will you be prepared to present your life before the judgment bar of God to give an answer for what you have done with those twelve months? Can you give an account for what God has called you to be devoted to so you can work in His fields of service?

It is time for you to take inventory. What has God instructed you to do? Categorize them to include: personal relationships, education, ministry direction, etc. Once you have the categories, examine this past year to see what distracted you or held you back. Make plans to remove those weights!

Now make a list of the things you must devote yourself to. Be specific, and write it with great clarity. This list becomes your litmus test for everything that comes into your life and even how you plan your day. Is it part of your devotion to the accomplishment of something that God has called you to, or is it a distraction to test your loyalty? You are the gatekeeper to your life. The Fall Feasts teach us that it is time to wake up and redeem the time. In fact, the Day of Trumpets is also called “The Awakening Blast.” Consider this your wake up call to enter into Kingdom living with devotion and purpose!

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

Copyright 2009 by Michael K. Lake, Th.D., D.R.E.

All Rights Reserved

Please share with all that hunger for more of God and His Word

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Biblical Life Assembly P.O. Box 588 | Marshfield, MO 65706-0588 Phone: 417-859-0881 | Fax: 417-468-2037 Website: www.biblicallifeassembly.org

Biblical Life College & Seminary P.O. Box 588 | Marshfield, MO 65706-0588 Phone: 417-859-0881 | Fax: 417-468-2037 Website: www.biblical-life.com

Vision Project Update 09/18/2009

We have been making wonderful progress on the Biblical Life Vision Project. Before I share are progress, I want to thank our Biblical Life students, graduates and partners for all your help. I have been blessed and humbled by your response. This morning I received a phone call from a family in New York that have prepared a special room in their home to study the new DVD materials. They plan on inviting other believers in their area that are hungry for more of God and His Word to study with them. In my heart, I believe this will begin happening around the nation and the world.

Because of your help, we have the following in place:

1. New computer for basic day-to-day operations of the ministry.

2. Updated software for operations.

3. New video camera for taping the new classes.

4. Video editing software.

I have spent the past two days collecting my notes to prepare for the first session that will start on September 30. Everyone is excited, both for the new classes to begin and the realization that they will be videotaped.

As we begin videotaping, the next two items that we will need are:

1. DVD Duplication Tower

I have found an outstanding unit available through National Audio Company in Springfield, MO. It will create 10 DVDs at a time and also has a 250 gig hard drive for quick production of the most used videos. It is also one of the most affordable units I have been able locate. Cost: $925.00 (with shipping from manufacturer).

2. Dedicated Computer for Audio/Video Editing & Production

I believe the same unit that we originally purchased through the Sam’s Club for our operations will serve perfectly for this project as well. A dedicated computer is necessary to ensure conflict issues do not arise between production software and our administrative operations software. Cost: $1,400.00.

Plans for Courses and Production

1. I have already outlined the three new courses that we will first develop for DVD. After these are complete, we will begin taping all of my previous courses for DVD. The three new studies are:

· The Feasts of the LORD & Their Spiritual Significance in the Life of the Believer

· The Sabbath: A Biblical Investigation

· Biblical Health & Healing

2. A gift to those that have helped. Once our first session the Feasts is edited and ready for production, we will be mailing out a copy to all that have contributed as a special "Thank You" and let you see firsthand how this project is going to bless the Body of Christ.

I cannot impress upon you just how important your prayers will be as we press forward in this project. As I begin teaching, your prayer cover will enable a new level of anointing to flow in the teachings. As a team, we will see bondages broken, lives transformed and the Bride of Christ prepared for her Lord’s return!

Vision Project Update

The last few weeks have been quite busy for us at Biblical Life.  Between processing enrollments and working on the Vision Project, we have had to burn the midnight oil a few times.  Because we have been so busy, we have not been able to develop new Mentor’s Tips this past month.  We hope to start them again in October.  Here is where we are on the Vision Project:

1.            Purchased first 64-bit desktop computer (3 more to go).  It has been programmed and is working perfectly.

2.            Updated the following programs used for the ministry:
               ACT! for 2010 (to operate the school database)
               Adobe Acrobat Pro V 9 (to create professional PDF files)
               Expression Web V 3.0 (to maintain our websites)
               Audition CS 3 (to create MP3 files and other audio recordings)

Our next step is to purchase the video camera we will use for videotaping our new classes.  We have settled in on the Sony HDR-WR500V.   We have found a site that sell the camera for $1,099.00.  We currently have $955.00 in the vision account.  We are believing God that we will be able to purchase the camera this week.

After the camera is purchased, our next goals will be editing software (Sony Vegas Pro 9 – $400.00 and a duplication tower to produce the DVDs – $1,100.00).

We plan on starting the new class on September 30 for taping.  The new series will be: The Feasts of the LORD and their spiritual significance in the life of the believer.  Preparing new course materials for DVD requires much more work than for audio recordings.  We are preparing both lecture notes and PowerPoint.  We know these new materials will be a blessing and all associated with Biblical Life will be proud of them!  Please keep these in video classes in your prayers!

Biblical Life Vision Project

We have been very active at Biblical Life over the past year. The following will bring you up to speed concerning our accomplishments in the past twelve months. We have:

Completed two ground-breaking courses on spiritual warfare from a Hebraic perspective: Kingdom Authority & Warfare 1 & 2. These courses have been revolutionary for those that have taken them! We should start Kingdom Authority & Warfare 3 this fall.

Reviewed, updated and professionally published study guides for the following courses:

• The Life of Faith
• Biblical Life Prayer Dynamics
• The Priesthood of the Believer
• The Leader of One
• Kingdom Authority & Warfare 1
• Kingdom Authority & Warfare 2

We have also seen God begin to move in wonderful ways in our classes and local services. (I encourage you to download the new series “Holy Fire – Strange Fire” from our website. You will find it in the “No Travel Seminar” page.)

God has been dealing with me about bringing in a new phase of ministry at Biblical Life using the materials that I have personally developed for the seminary.

I want you to imagine these same powerful materials being made available to everyone, not just those enrolled with BLCS. Can you imagine men and women gathered in their living rooms or studies going through “The Life of Faith” or “Kingdom Authority & Warfare 1” – maybe in small groups using the study guides? Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it. Now add DVD! DVD would add a new dimension for the seminary, for all the schools that are a part of the BLCS International Educational Network and for all the new families and home fellowships that would be able to use the materials. Can you see the possibilities? Can you see how many lives could be transformed and empowered? To accomplish this, I am going to need your help!

There will be several phases to this project, because it is more than just using a camcorder to videotape the sessions. We will have to update equipment, purchase new equipment and software, and learn how to videotape, edit and produce DVDs. We will eventually require some remodeling and moving /expansion of our office.

Phase One

Phase One will involve purchasing new computers and software. This is a current need in our office anyway. The systems we are currently using for the seminary are single-core systems (running Windows XP). Although these computers were wonderful five years ago, they are barely running the software we use for publishing, keeping track of our students and maintaining the day-to-day operations of the ministry. In fact, we have been postponing many software upgrades because our current systems will not run them. These computers have got to be updated before we can move forward.

We need to purchase four new desktop computers that can run the newer software to operate the ministry and that can edit and produce videos for DVD. I have done the research and have settled on a quad-core system from HP. These systems have everything we need, to include portable media bays for transporting projects between computers. Believe it or not, we can purchase them through Sam’s Club for about $1,500.00 each.

Phase Two

We will then purchase the first video camera that will tie directly into our PA system and that can save directly to DVD. We will change things around in our class (also a makeshift sanctuary) so that videotaping and PowerPoint will be feasible.

Here is where I am going to roll up my sleeves and go into overdrive. I have already spoken to our local men’s class. As soon as the basic equipment is set up, I will be teaching at least two nights a week. The first night, I will be updating and reteaching all the classes you already love at BLCS – this time they will be on DVD and not just MP3. The second night, I will be developing and teaching new classes such as: Kingdom Authority & Warfare 3 and Understanding the Feasts of the LORD and Their Spiritual Applications.

Although this project will double my workload, I feel impressed of the Holy Spirit that it must be done to help prepare the Body of Christ for the days ahead.

Phase Three – Moving and Remodeling

For those of you that have visited our office in Marshfield, you know that several years back I separated half of our office space and established a classroom for teaching. Although it crammed us into half the space administratively, many powerful classes have come out of our sacrifice. As we progress with DVD taping, we will need to move our office into another section of the plaza we are in and expand the classroom into the entire space we are now using. This will also allow us to upgrade to a two-camera system, which is highly recommended for proper DVD recording.

The cost of moving the office, equipment, and phones will need to be covered as well as remodeling to utilize the space properly. God, in His foresight, has given us a good group of men that can help with the eventual move and remodeling. We have even had one student in New York pledge to fly down to help with the work. (God is so good!)

The Cost

First let me say that the tuition BLCS receives will not cover this project, any more than the general offering at a Church will fund a new project. Our tuition is similar to a general offering; it covers our day-to-day operations. Just as a local congregation would need to start a project or building fund, so do we.

For many ministries, a project like this could run several hundred thousand dollars. Those of you that are familiar with Biblical Life know we specialize in streamlining and in being cost effective. It is the only way that we have been able to keep your education at the seminary so affordable. We will purchase the equipment at the best prices available; we will be able to obtain academic pricing on most of the software, and we will do the remodeling and setting up of the equipment ourselves. All of this will drastically reduce the cost of this project!

I believe we can complete this entire project for around $40,000.00. These funds would take care of the following:

· Updated Computers

· Updated Software

· New Software for Video Production

· New Video Equipment

· New DVD Production Equipment

· Eventual Moving and Remodeling Costs

I plan to move forward as the funds are available, step-by-step. I would love to be in a position to start filming when we start our new class on Kingdom Authority & Warfare 3 at the end of September. To accomplish this, I need your help.

Please pray about giving to the Biblical Life Vision Project. Working together, we can make this vision from the Holy Spirit a reality! Also listen to Part 3 of the message on “Holy Fire – Strange Fire” from our website. I share some of my vision for this project in that message.

Those of you, who have been a part of Biblical Life for some time, know that I am not big on fundraising. In fact, this short note about the project has been difficult for me. It is something I so rarely do; I am not quite sure how to approach it. So I am just sharing from my heart. If God is in it, He will touch your heart and we can move forward. I believe this project is so important that I have left my comfort zone of just teaching, and I am asking for your help. This is how strongly I feel that the LORD wants this done right now!

Finally, there is something else I plan to do. Since you are helping me raise the funds to make this possible, we are going to follow the tradition of Biblical Life with the DVDs. We are not going to place just one session on a DVD and charge $24.00 or more a session. That is not the Biblical Life way! Just like with the MP3 CDs, I believe we can get more than one session per DVD. We are currently charging $7.00 per session on MP3. I plan on charging only $8.00 per session on DVD! This means for a few dollars more, our students will be able to opt for DVD instead of the MP3!

Would you like to help me make this vision a reality? Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to show you if you are to support this vision project with a love gift and be obedient with what He tells you. Don’t give any more or any less than He instructs you. Obedience always brings the greatest blessing!

Biblical Life Vision Project

Yes! I would like to help. I have prayed and God has shown me an amount to give.

 

Please make checks or money orders payable to Biblical Life and write “Vision Project” in the memo.

[ ]  I am enclosing this one- time gift for $___________________.

[  ]  I am pledging $____________________ for this project and will send gifts each month until my pledge is fulfilled.

[  ]  Please place my one-time love gift on my  [  ]  MasterCard or [  ] VISA

Amount: ___________

Card Number: _______________________________

Expiration Date: _______________________

Authorizing Signature: __________________________________________________

[  ] Please place a monthly pledge on my [  ] MasterCard or [  ] VISA

Amount: ___________

Card Number: ______________________________

Expiration Date: ________________________

Date of the Month for Charge to be Applied to Account: __________________

Authorizing Signature: ______________________________________________

Please lift us up in your prayers each day also. This is a big project for us. We have much to learn and much to do. Your prayers will make a difference, and we appreciate your time in prayer more than we can express!

Please mail to:

Biblical Life Vision Project

P. O. Box 588

Marshfield, MO 65706-0588

If you are using a credit or debit card, you can fax in your pledge to: 417-468-2037.

The Fire of God has Come to Biblical Life!

For the past several weeks, the Holy Spirit has been having me minister on “Holy Fire – Strange Fire.” The Body of Christ needs to learn that not only is there the holy fire of God, but there is also a fire that comes from Hell itself! In the days to come, know the difference can keep you from being deceived. It is time to know the difference and how to flow in the true fire of God.

In our services each week, the presence of God has been getting stronger. The fire of God is beginning to fall on Biblical Life! This past week as I was ministering, the power of God so manifested itself that everyone in attendance thought that God had shook the building. What was being said so shifted the spiritual atmosphere of the service that you could physically feel it. As you listen to part 3 of this series, see if you can tell where it happened.

I encourage you to download these powerful messages and see the fire of God released into your life and ministry.

Time to Advance and the Fire of God

It seems like everything has come to a halt during this last year. Circumstances involved more than an economic recession. You may ask, “How do you know it was more than financial?” I know because I have received letters, e-mails and phone calls from students and ministers telling me that it seems like everything has stopped: church growth stopped, they stopped their studies, many even stopped praying as they used to, and many have lost their praise.

Somehow, we had become so intertwined with the world and its system, that when it paused, so did we. I believe this past year the Holy Spirit has been unwinding us from this worldly system. We are in the world, but we are not of the world. We are citizens of the Kingdom of God. We need to be so intertwined with the Kingdom where Jesus is Lord and King over all, that this world (and what goes on in it) does not affect us – rather it gives us a greater platform to point to the completed work of our King!

God is beginning to release a new fire from Heaven. This fire empowers, protects and purifies the believer. I have begun sharing about “Holy Fire – Strange Fire” with our congregation. This teaching has released such a powerful presence of God. Like the Children of Israel in the wilderness, in our darkness (night) God is releasing His pillar of fire to comfort and protect us. I encourage you to download these messages as they are released each week in MP3 at our congregational website. (http://www.biblicallifeassembly.org/library/weekly.htm – this new series started August 1.) Get in on what the LORD is doing.

With this new fire from the presence of the LORD, there is an anointing to burn off bondages and all the enemy has done to hold you back. This fire also releases an anointing for Kingdom advancement. It is now time to move forward in the LORD and not to “pause” with the world!

How has this recession affected you?

· Have you stopped your vision for ministry?

· Have you stopped your studies or postponed enrolling?

· Have you stopped praying like you used to?

· Have you lost your praise?

There is a fire from God that is starting to flow now that will propel you forward! It is not only time to pick back up the vision, but it is time to expand it! It is time to move forward again in your preparation for ministry. It is time to praise and pray again! Can’t you sense it in your spirit?

“Father, I lift up everyone associated with Biblical Life. I come against every roadblock, every stumbling block, and every hindrance the enemy has placed in their lives to stop their advancements in the Kingdom of God. I ask that you would release the same fire of your Spirit into their lives that you are beginning to release here at Biblical Life. Burn up every obstacle that is holding them back. Let Your presence be as a pillar of fire for them in their wilderness. Let it give them warmth, protection, provision, and advancement in Your Kingdom – in Jesus’ Mighty Name.”

Advancement Plans at Biblical Life

We have some exciting plans at Biblical Life that include new courses that I will be teaching here locally. What are the plans – video recording. It is time for Biblical Life to move beyond audio recordings and move to DVD. We also have plans to make these new series available for individual believers and small groups outside of the seminar programs. It will bring the transformational teachings that God has placed within Biblical Life to anyone hungry for more of God worldwide!

This is a big project and will be in three phases. We will provide a detailed plan that you can be a part of within the next few weeks. For now, it is a time for you to:

Rekindle – Receive this new fire from above!

Retool – Receive the tools and education you need to fulfill your destiny!

Refuel – Receive a refreshing from the presence of God to begin moving forward again.

Regroup – Pick back up your vision, your determination, and your momentum for Kingdom advancement!

May God bless you and pour out the fire of His Spirit upon you. May we all move forward in the Kingdom of God together to see Jesus high and lifted up in the earth!

Update on Pastor John McDonald

We received this update from Dr. John Looper:

Dear Colleagues & Friends:

As of today, Pastor John McDonald is resting at home and out of the hospital, as they are attempting to reduce his fluid retention through medications at home.

Please continue to keep him in your united prayers for the Lord’s miraculous healing in his body and for the addition of years and ministry to his life. Also, continue to keep his wife Connie, Family and church congregation in your intercessory prayers, during this challenging time.

I’ll keep you updated as I learn more. Remember, that through prayers of faith "all things are possible to him who believeth."

Blessings to all!

Dr. Looper

Improved Audio in MP3 Files

Starting with this past week’s message,  we have increased the audio to 64 bps, instead of 28 bps.  Although this increases the file size from around 15 meg to 25 megs, we believe you will enjoy the increased clarity and depth of the sound.  This has completely taken away the “tinny” sound of past messages.

Enjoy and continue to grow in the LORD!

What Do We Need to Overcome Our Current Crisis?

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

Over the past few months, the Holy Spirit has been dealing with me about many things. I believe He is trying to get across to all of us the real “state of the union” and the “state of the world.” Our current crisis is not really about money. Both in the medical and psychological communities, they understand that the “presenting” problem is usually not the real one. In other words, the symptom that brought the patient in for a checkup or counseling session is usually not the underlining problem. Rather it is a surface problem that is masking the real problem or problems with an individual. I believe such is the case with our current situation. Let me explain.

My Observations about This Situation

1. Money will not fix it.

Just throwing money at the problem is not going to fix it in the long run. Our government has poured over two trillion dollars into the economy. Other nations have poured several trillion more. This might give us some temporary relief, but it is masking the real problem.

2. The Hearts of Men Got Us Here

When you dig deep into this situation, darkness, hidden agendas, and greed in the hearts of men from government leaders, to business men, to the average Joe on the street created the problem. If honesty and truthfulness ruled in the hearts of men, this situation would have never occurred! Even if we could somehow smooth out the difficulties and stabilize the markets, financial systems and businesses, what lingers in the hearts of men will bring us right back to face an even greater disaster in the future.

3. Much of the Church has Stopped Being Salt in the Earth

Jesus told us:

Matthew 5:13 (NKJV)
¹³ "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

Barne’s Notes gives us insight into this salt:

“Ye are the salt of the earth. Salt renders food pleasant and palatable, and preserves from putrefaction. So Christians, by their lives and instructions, are to keep the world from entire moral corruption. By bringing down, by their prayers, the blessing of God, and by their influence and example, they save the world from universal vice and crime.”[1]

I would also add to this that we are supposed to make the world thirsty for the things of God.

I believe the Church has grown too comfortable with the world. We have drank too many times from their waters; desiring recognition from the world over the approval of Heaven. We are more consumed with marketing than holiness: Hollywood hype over the Holy Spirit and psycho-babel over the anointing in the preaching the God’s Word.

We need to realize that we have been going down the wrong road at dangerously high speeds. The only way we can turn things around is to STOP and turn ourselves around. God is calling us to return, restore, and advance in the right direction.

Steps in the Right Direction

Over the past few weeks, God led me to start teaching on “Partnership with the Holy Spirit.” In the process of seeking His face and preparing these messages, I saw new things about the Holy Spirit that I had never seen before. I believe these new insights will prove invaluable in the days ahead.

The Holy Spirit – More Than a Force to Use

In Charismatic and Pentecostal circles, we always speak of the power of the Holy Spirit. Over the years, I have seen the power of God do some amazing things! I have seen divine provision, divine protection and divine healings. As we have moved further from the last wave of God that produced the Charismatic movement, I see some disturbing trends:

· Christians baptized in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues are but remaining relatively powerless in their lives. They produce lots of shouting and dancing, but little more.

· Christians (and ministers) are treating the Holy Spirit more like He is the “force” off of Star Wars than the manifestation of Almighty God in the earth.

We Need to Renew Our Reverence for the Holy Spirit

In John 16, Jesus knows the time is drawing near to lay His life down on the Cross. There is so much more He wants to share with His disciples to prepare them for the future. Let’s take a closer look at this conversation:

John 16:5-15 (NKJV)
⁵ "But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ ⁶ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. ⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. ⁸ And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ⁹ of sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; ¹¹ of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. ¹² I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵ All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

First, to really understand what is happening here, we must put it back into its historical perspective. These men had answered the call to “come follow Me.” Jesus had been their teacher and their mentor for almost three and a half years. He opened up the Word of God to them like no one ever had. He trained them, corrected them, embraced them and empowered them. Now He is telling them that He is leaving. He immediately sensed that sorrow was overwhelming them. He goes on to tell them that the Holy Spirit is going to pick up where He left off. In other words, the Holy Spirit was going to become their teacher and their mentor!

A true mentor is someone that you respect. A mentor’s words will hold great significance to you. A mentor will not only speak fresh insights into your life, but will also help you face the things that hold you back. You always consider a mentor’s time precious and his insights invaluable. You will quickly receive any correction from a mentor, because you know he has your best interest at heart. You would never think of not recognizing him when he comes to you or to quickly dismiss his instruction. His wisdom and experience stand in great contrast to your own! If you offend him, he will simply involve himself with those that value his time and wisdom.

Paul warns us:

Ephesians 4:30 (NKJV)
³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

We constantly seek the Holy Spirit to empower us. We need to understand that without His mentorship, we open the door to the leading of other spirits to empower our fresh! It is time for us to give the Holy Spirit His due, repent of grieving Him because we would not allow Him to mentor us and to give Him the respect of a cherished teacher and mentor. God is calling us into a covenant relationship of being mentored by His Spirit.

Because we have not allowed this mentorship process to occur with purpose and power, we have become too worldly. The spirit of the world seems to hold greater sway with the Church than the Spirit of the Living God. If the nations of this world are going to be won for the LORD, the Church needs to throw off its “worldliness” and once again embrace the Kingdom of God with a passion that cannot be denied. We need mentorship. We need correcting. We need adjusting. We need empowering. In short, we need the Holy Spirit to mentor us like never before!

I want to end where I started in Matthew 5:13. If the salt has lost its ability to preserve, men will trample it under foot. I believe this is what is happening with all the anti-Christian agenda that fills the media and secular education today. Is it persecuting the godly or fulfilling the warning Jesus gave us about salt than is no longer salty?

The only way we can become “salty” again is through the mentoring ministry of the Holy Spirit. It is time to answer His call!

Partnership with the Holy Spirit Series: We are posting each new message in this series at our congregation website the week after it is recorded. These posting are in MP3 and are available for free download.

http://www.biblicallifeassembly.org/library/series.htm

© Copyright 2009 by Michael K. Lake, Th.D.

All Rights Reserved

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[1] Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament Explanatory and Practical, ed. Robert Frew WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Matthew 5".