Month: November 2014
God Protects the Ministry Headquarters of Graduate in Ferguson, MO
God Protects the Ministry Headquarters of Graduate in Ferguson, MO
Dr. Gloria Johnson is a BLCS graduate and the president of Life Source Consultants in Ferguson, MO. Her ministry headquarters is right across the street from the Ferguson City Hall. She shares how God protected her offices during the first night of protests after the announcement of the Grand Jury:
Thanking God for the Angels Watching over us and your prayers. As the crowd of Protestors gathered in front of Ferguson City Hall, someone in the crowd decided to break some windows in our office building, which is located directly across the street from the City Hall. They were going to set it on fire, but some of the Protestors intervened. God is listening and watching.
Life Source Consultants ministers to abused women in the St. Louis area. LCS’s motto is “Restoring Hope and Healing in the Lives of Abused Women.”
The Intention-Attention-Determination (I.A.D.) Dynamics of Kingdom Productivity
The Intention-Attention-Determination (I.A.D.) Dynamics of Kingdom Productivity
In the modern world, there is a dichotomy in our lives that has become a paradox for those that desire to become productive in their studies, ministry, or life in general. Our world is filled with distractions. These distractions have become a lifestyle for many: from the need to having everything reduced to sound bites to our unrealistic belief that we can multitask like some organic supercomputer. The result of our distraction driven paradigm is that we are constantly seeking to become more productive; yet, true effectiveness in our chosen endeavors of life vanishes in our flurry of activity like the early morning fog of autumn.
There has to be a better way! We need to step outside the den of Babylon and learn to walk in the quietness of the Kingdom. God’s Word admonishes us:
Psalm 46:10a
Be still, and know that I am God:
The Hebrew word used for still is raphah (raw-faw’), which means, “to sink, to relax, to withdraw.”[i] To begin the process of knowing God, we need to withdraw from the noise and confusion of the world, learn to sink into His presence and His Kingdom, and to relax in it.
It is only from the position of the peace (shalom) of God that we can learn to be productive in our Father’s business. It is in His quiet and restoring presence that we can establish the I.A.D. of Kingdom Productivity.
Intention
Intention is a powerful thing; yet, few of us truly establish what our intention is regarding anything in our lives. The hectic pace of Babylon has us in survivor mode. Each day, we just want to make it through and survive until the next. We run through the paces of life from one event or problem to the next. Yet, all the things that we aspired to do seem to be left undone. That is the reality of the Babylonian effect upon our lives: constantly running but never accomplishing anything.
True intention is established when we step away from the world and fill our minds with the peace and presence of God. From this supernatural calm comes God-ordained intent for our lives and ministries. God-breathed intent becomes purpose, vision, and empowerment. True intention begins to cut away all of the distractions that the spirit of this world uses to overwhelm us with: ineffective activities that divert us from our true purpose and Kingdom vision.
In a moment of Kingdom peace, the Father may have established the intent in your heart to receive the training you need to become thoroughly grounded in the Word of God and more effective in your ministry. However, shortly after enrolling, the noise of life in this world caused the intent to fade. Once the intent fades, the anointing to empower it subsides as well.
Attention
Undivided attention is more than focusing momentarily on just one thing. The art of focusing your attention must also include the removing of distractions; it is the clearing away of things that do not pertain to your intention. This concept is embedded in a parable taught by Jesus called, The Sower and the Word. This parable is found in Mark 4. For brevity’s sake, I will go straight to the interpretation Jesus provided to His disciples.
Mark 4:13-20
13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? 14 The sower soweth the word. 15 And 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. 16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 And 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. 18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other th[ii]ings entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. 20 And 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.
Contained within the Word is God’s intention for your life: whether it is to bring salvation, renewal or blessing. Every tactic of the enemy, as revealed in this parable, is to divert your attention away from what the Word’s intention was and on other worldly things. For some, the Word never gained their true attention. The attention that God desires flows from your heart rather than your head. Spiritual ground that is properly prepared (or good ground) receives from the quiet peace of the Kingdom, and then the heart gives undivided attention to what God has sown within it. If you properly understand this dynamic, when the pressures of this life, offenses, or the cares of this world attempt to distract you, the attack only drives the intent deeper into your heart.
We must become selective regarding what deserves our attention. Our attention must be reserved for our intentions in life: especially those that are assigned by God. Our attention is a precious commodity. What we give our attention to can either empower us or drain the very strength we need to make a difference in this life.
Determination
We must add a third element to intention and attention: determination. I have already shared how the taskmasters of Babylon seek to keep you away from discovering your true intent and how Satan will seek to steal it by diverting your attention. Determination is seeking to stay true to the original intention of God for your life. Thus, giving the true intention the attention it needs is paramount for Kingdom progress. We need to understand that there is a war raging daily to kill the intention of the Kingdom in your life before it takes root. Determination in the face of adversity drives the roots of intention deeper into your heart and establishes conduits of attention within your soul. Once the intention is established through attention and determination, a Kingdom resolve is formed to maintain the intent until God’s desire reaches maturation in your life and ministry.
Final Word
The Spirit of Babylon pervades nearly every aspect of life and causes a paralyzing case of spiritual Attention Deficient Disorder (A.D.D.) that destroys Kingdom productivity and purpose. The only antidote to spiritual A.D.D. is the quietness of the Kingdom that establishes Intention, Attention, and Determination (I.A.D.) within our lives. Only as we move from worldly A.D.D. to Kingdom I.A.D. will we see true advancement in all areas of our lives.
About the Author
Dr. Michael K. Lake is the chancellor and founder of Biblical Life College and Seminary. He serves as a Bishop on the International Board of Directors for the Restoration Fellowship International. Dr. Lake is the host of the Kingdom Intelligence Briefing podcast, is the author of The Shinar Directive: Preparing the Way for the Son of Perdition, and a contributing author to the best-seller, Blood on the Altar: The Coming Christian vs. Christian War.
Endnotes
[i] Strongs # H7503. Strong’s Enhanced Lexicon. BibleWorks for Windows 7.0. BibleWorks, LLC, Norfolk, VA. Copyright © 2006.
The Shinar Directive Interview
The Shinar Directive Interview with Derek Gilbert and Dr. Michael K. Lake
At the end of October, I was invited to the new SkyWatchTV studio to film a pilot episode with Gary Stearman. There were also several other Christian authors to film episodes as well. I had the pleasure of meeting Derek and Sharon Gilbert. The Gilberts host two radio/podcast shows: PID Radio and View from My Dunker, as well as authoring several books on end-time prophecy. During our visit in Crane, MO, Derek was kind enough to interview me regarding my new book, The Shinar Directive. The Gilberts have given me permission to rebroadcast that episode for Kingdom Intelligence Briefing.
The Shinar Directive is scheduled for release on November 30 and is already available for preorder on Amazon.com. Preorder the Shinar Directive Here.
Biblical Life College & Seminary Notes 