Why I do NOT believe in a Pre-tribulation Rapture:
One, my first reason against a pre-tribulation rapture is a common sense type argument. If we favor a mid-tribulation rapture or post-tribulation rapture, then we must be ready for anything and everything and in relationship with God. It is easy to think that we get to avoid any trials and tribulation with a pre-tribulation rapture belief—we get to miss all the real serious stuff—“want to be on the first boat out”. With a mid-tribulation or post-tribulation belief, then one must be ready. If a pre-tribulation believer is wrong, then they are caught unprepared for the tribulation and may lose faith. If a post-tribulation rapture believer is wrong, then they miss out on the bad stuff. I would rather be ready and miss it then not be ready and have to go through it.
Two, an overall view of Matthew 24 in relation to the “rapture passages” (“one will be taken, one will be left”) seems to trump any Thessalonians or Revelation passage for a number of reasons. “As in the days of Noah…” is a quote that Jesus uses. If we look at the story of Noah closely, we do not see an avoidance of trial and tribulation. Noah preached for 100 years and only was able to get his family (a remnant) saved, but they still had to endure persecution, criticism, and endure the Flood (tribulation) and get through to the other side (like the Millenium under God). It makes no sense for Jesus to give His followers all the explanations and warnings (in Matthew 24 and other places) when He could have just told them not to worry because none of them will have to go through it.
Three, Zion, ZION, Z-I-O-N….since I come from a tradition that believes not only in a Jerusalem in Israel as important for the last days, but also my tradition believes in a New Jerusalem in the U.S. (Independence, MO) as important to the end-times. Zion, as a Holy City dominated by Christ, is really almost an “anti-thesis” to the Rapture (when referencing Pre-tribulation Rapture, I will just use the term “Rapture”). Zion means that we are active participants in the plans of God while the Rapture would have us as spectators in this Last Great Battle as we are “caught up to Heaven” and the clouds and wait for the Second Coming of Christ. Rapture says God does it all while we watch; Zion says that God works with us to establish His dwelling-place(s) or tabernacles on earth. If the Book of Acts is a model for us as His church then it is in partnership with God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. If the beginning of the Church is a partnership, then surely the Church as Bride of the Lamb (End-times Church) must also be in the pattern of partnership—ZION! In my opinion, the story of Noah fits for Zion or New Jerusalem better than it does for Rapture.
Four, the timing of the Rapture theory with a vision by a young Scottish girl named Margaret McDonald and the propagation of this theory with Darby, Scofield (Study Bible) and others in relation to the timing of Book of Mormon which discusses New Jerusalem in the America’s or Promised Land. Both happened in 1830. They both cannot be prophetic because they are almost exact opposites. I readily admit that I am a Book of Mormon believer, but I am also a Bible believer (though I favor the Inspired Version Bible done by Joseph Smith, Jr.) In the 1830’s being a prophet was revolutionary and dangerous and hazardous considering the persecutions that Joseph Smith, Jr. endured. This concept of a prophet in leadership or a prophetic leader is not so revolutionary now (John Wimber, Mike Bickle, Rick Joyner, Bill Johnson, John & Carol Arnott, Heidi & Rolland Baker, and many more) Was JS, Jr. perfect? No. What prophet in the Bible is perfect other than Christ? (Moses, David, and Saul were all murderers or accomplices to murder.) Not one. Joseph Smith, Jr. did not waver and neither did the 11 witnesses to the Book of Mormon (Gold Plates). I do not know all that much about Margaret McDonald, but I know the Rapture theory plays into the desire of the Western Church to have security and safety over dealing with the calling of God to establish the Kingdom of God on earth.
Five,
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Lesson at Succoth--Final for Counseling, Psychology, and the Christian
Randall Q. Lawrence
Faith Bible College
Psychology, Counseling, and the Christian
Dr. H.
12/7/2010
Lesson at Succoth: Learning to Live as a Pilgrim (Pilgrimage)
A pilgrim is defined as a “traveler on a sacred journey” and a pilgrimage as “a journey to a sacred place” (see Webster’s dictionary—“a person who travels to a shrine or holy place as a religious act”) We are all called to a “pilgrimage or sacred journey”. We are called to keep our focus on the calling of God on our lives—our pilgrimages.
This is the calling for Abraham, the calling for the Israelites, and the calling to us today. Abraham obeyed the voice of God and journeyed from family and home to the Promised Land to dwell in tents (tabernacles, Succoth, booths). We see the faith and pilgrimage of Abraham described in Hebrews 11—the faith “hall of fame” chapter.
Hebrews 11:8-10, 13
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Hebrews 11:16 speaks of a “better country….heavenly….he [God] hath prepared for them a city.” Later in Hebrews 12:22, it describes it as the “…city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,…” while Revelation 21:2-3 illustrates this concept further with, “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,….Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people….”
The Israelites were called to journey from Egypt and dwell in tents (tabernacles, Succoth) in the Wilderness between Egypt and the Promised Land. The setting forth of the covenant with Moses and the Israelites set up a tabernacle for the Presence of God in their midst during their Exodus (leaving of Egypt) and on their pilgrimage. Thus, the tabernacle of God in the wilderness and the feast of tabernacles (booths, Succoth) show a foreshadowing for the ultimate goal of “children of Abraham” (children of covenants with God)holy city of God, heavenly Jerusalem—continuous Presence of God in our midst.
So the covenant of Abraham in Genesis gets connected to the city of God in Revelation. The tabernacle by Moses and the Israelites in their “pilgrimage” through the wilderness (Exodus) foreshadows God in His tabernacle with His people in a New Heaven and on a New Earth (Revelation 21:1).
1 Peter 2:11 challenges, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” Interestingly enough, this is the same phrase used in Hebrews 11:13.
Peter challenged the early church (the “strangers and pilgrims”) to abstain from “fleshly lusts”. This was the challenge for the Israelites in getting out of Egypt—as our book says, “To get Egypt out of people” (p. 33) They (the Israelites) had spent years and years in bondage in Egypt. After the Exodus through God’s mighty works and wonders, then one of the biggest issues with the Israelites or Hebrews (word for passers-by and pilgrims) was to not look back, not murmur, not desire the “
Jesus spoke about a similar situation in putting your hand to the plow and not looking back (look up verses….)
The lesson of Succoth was for the Hebrews (Israelites) coming out of Egypt to separate themselves from the world and from their past—it’s a lesson not only for the early Christians but also for us today in pilgrimage.
This has been an ongoing struggle whether it is in the form of Abraham separating himself from his family and going to another land to which God directed him, Lot and family leaving the destruction of Sodom, the Israelites in “Exodus” from Egypt to the call in Revelation for future believers to separate themselves from Babylon and its enticements.
This was a challenge that Peter had in focusing on the Christ vs. focusing on the circumstances and world (see Peter with denial of Christ 3 times, Peter walking on water, Peter cutting off ear of high priest’s servant vs. Peter on Pentecost, Peter before the Sanhedrin, Peter in Temple). Hebrews 11:13 calls Abraham a pilgrim in the earth.
Faith Bible College
Psychology, Counseling, and the Christian
Dr. H.
12/7/2010
Lesson at Succoth: Learning to Live as a Pilgrim (Pilgrimage)
A pilgrim is defined as a “traveler on a sacred journey” and a pilgrimage as “a journey to a sacred place” (see Webster’s dictionary—“a person who travels to a shrine or holy place as a religious act”) We are all called to a “pilgrimage or sacred journey”. We are called to keep our focus on the calling of God on our lives—our pilgrimages.
This is the calling for Abraham, the calling for the Israelites, and the calling to us today. Abraham obeyed the voice of God and journeyed from family and home to the Promised Land to dwell in tents (tabernacles, Succoth, booths). We see the faith and pilgrimage of Abraham described in Hebrews 11—the faith “hall of fame” chapter.
Hebrews 11:8-10, 13
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Hebrews 11:16 speaks of a “better country….heavenly….he [God] hath prepared for them a city.” Later in Hebrews 12:22, it describes it as the “…city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,…” while Revelation 21:2-3 illustrates this concept further with, “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,….Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people….”
The Israelites were called to journey from Egypt and dwell in tents (tabernacles, Succoth) in the Wilderness between Egypt and the Promised Land. The setting forth of the covenant with Moses and the Israelites set up a tabernacle for the Presence of God in their midst during their Exodus (leaving of Egypt) and on their pilgrimage. Thus, the tabernacle of God in the wilderness and the feast of tabernacles (booths, Succoth) show a foreshadowing for the ultimate goal of “children of Abraham” (children of covenants with God)holy city of God, heavenly Jerusalem—continuous Presence of God in our midst.
So the covenant of Abraham in Genesis gets connected to the city of God in Revelation. The tabernacle by Moses and the Israelites in their “pilgrimage” through the wilderness (Exodus) foreshadows God in His tabernacle with His people in a New Heaven and on a New Earth (Revelation 21:1).
1 Peter 2:11 challenges, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” Interestingly enough, this is the same phrase used in Hebrews 11:13.
Peter challenged the early church (the “strangers and pilgrims”) to abstain from “fleshly lusts”. This was the challenge for the Israelites in getting out of Egypt—as our book says, “To get Egypt out of people” (p. 33) They (the Israelites) had spent years and years in bondage in Egypt. After the Exodus through God’s mighty works and wonders, then one of the biggest issues with the Israelites or Hebrews (word for passers-by and pilgrims) was to not look back, not murmur, not desire the “
Jesus spoke about a similar situation in putting your hand to the plow and not looking back (look up verses….)
The lesson of Succoth was for the Hebrews (Israelites) coming out of Egypt to separate themselves from the world and from their past—it’s a lesson not only for the early Christians but also for us today in pilgrimage.
This has been an ongoing struggle whether it is in the form of Abraham separating himself from his family and going to another land to which God directed him, Lot and family leaving the destruction of Sodom, the Israelites in “Exodus” from Egypt to the call in Revelation for future believers to separate themselves from Babylon and its enticements.
This was a challenge that Peter had in focusing on the Christ vs. focusing on the circumstances and world (see Peter with denial of Christ 3 times, Peter walking on water, Peter cutting off ear of high priest’s servant vs. Peter on Pentecost, Peter before the Sanhedrin, Peter in Temple). Hebrews 11:13 calls Abraham a pilgrim in the earth.
Book of Acts assignment
Randall Q. Lawrence
Faith Bible College
Book of Acts
Dr. W.
10/4/2010
Book of Acts: what you got out of reading Acts
One thing that really stuck out to me regarding the book of Acts was the use of “word” and “Word of God”. “Word of God” is usually used to refer to the Bible, but since the New Testament canon was not written until well after this period and not set as a canon for 200+ years then Luke must mean something else with the use of “word”. He uses it 39 times with both Greek words Logos (3056) and Rhema (4487). Logos as “Word” is the one predominantly used (36 times) over Rhema (3 times).
References to “word” include Acts 2:41, 4:4, 4:29, 4:31, 6:2, 6:7, 8:4, 8:14, 8:25, 10:36, 10:44, 11:1, 11:19, 12:24, 13:5, 13:7, 13:15, 13:26, 13:44, 13:46, 13:48, 13:49, 14:3, 14:25, 15:7, 15:35, 15:36, 16:6, 16:32, 17:11, 17:13, 18:11, 19:10, 19:20, 20:32, 22:22. These are all the references to Logos (3056). This means to speak, intelligence, a word as expression of intelligence, speech with intended meaning, speak exactly God’s utterance---those of God understand; those not of God do not understand, Jesus as Word—first immaterial intelligence. This “Word” (3056) is also found in John 1:1-- “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” This is also found in Revelation 19:13 “And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.”
Additional references to “word” in the Book of Acts include Acts 10:37, 11:16, 28:25. These references are to Rhema (4487). This means to speak, a word spoken or uttered, a speech or sentence consisting of several words, a word, command denoting the operative or all-powerful word or command of God. This “word” (4487) is also found in Ephesians 6:17 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”
I often hear “Word of God” used in reference to the Holy Bible (fundamental view) and Scriptures or I hear it in reference to preaching. Realizing that the Bible did not exist at this time as we know it, “Word of God” seems to point to prophetic (Spirit-filled) preaching and testifying with boldness and courage in the face of persecution.
Some good examples from the Book of Acts include 6:4—“But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to ministry of the word.” which describes the role of the Apostles in the early Christian church in relation to the temporal (material) role of the early deacons such as Stephen and Phillip. Another example comes from preaching/teaching by Peter unto the household of Cornelius in Acts 10:36—“The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) A third example would be the ministry of Paul at Corinth in Acts 18:11—“And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.”
I have briefly looked at the Rhema references in Acts, but I do not understand the difference in use from the Logos references. It would make for an interesting comparison in another paper.
Faith Bible College
Book of Acts
Dr. W.
10/4/2010
Book of Acts: what you got out of reading Acts
One thing that really stuck out to me regarding the book of Acts was the use of “word” and “Word of God”. “Word of God” is usually used to refer to the Bible, but since the New Testament canon was not written until well after this period and not set as a canon for 200+ years then Luke must mean something else with the use of “word”. He uses it 39 times with both Greek words Logos (3056) and Rhema (4487). Logos as “Word” is the one predominantly used (36 times) over Rhema (3 times).
References to “word” include Acts 2:41, 4:4, 4:29, 4:31, 6:2, 6:7, 8:4, 8:14, 8:25, 10:36, 10:44, 11:1, 11:19, 12:24, 13:5, 13:7, 13:15, 13:26, 13:44, 13:46, 13:48, 13:49, 14:3, 14:25, 15:7, 15:35, 15:36, 16:6, 16:32, 17:11, 17:13, 18:11, 19:10, 19:20, 20:32, 22:22. These are all the references to Logos (3056). This means to speak, intelligence, a word as expression of intelligence, speech with intended meaning, speak exactly God’s utterance---those of God understand; those not of God do not understand, Jesus as Word—first immaterial intelligence. This “Word” (3056) is also found in John 1:1-- “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” This is also found in Revelation 19:13 “And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.”
Additional references to “word” in the Book of Acts include Acts 10:37, 11:16, 28:25. These references are to Rhema (4487). This means to speak, a word spoken or uttered, a speech or sentence consisting of several words, a word, command denoting the operative or all-powerful word or command of God. This “word” (4487) is also found in Ephesians 6:17 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”
I often hear “Word of God” used in reference to the Holy Bible (fundamental view) and Scriptures or I hear it in reference to preaching. Realizing that the Bible did not exist at this time as we know it, “Word of God” seems to point to prophetic (Spirit-filled) preaching and testifying with boldness and courage in the face of persecution.
Some good examples from the Book of Acts include 6:4—“But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to ministry of the word.” which describes the role of the Apostles in the early Christian church in relation to the temporal (material) role of the early deacons such as Stephen and Phillip. Another example comes from preaching/teaching by Peter unto the household of Cornelius in Acts 10:36—“The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) A third example would be the ministry of Paul at Corinth in Acts 18:11—“And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.”
I have briefly looked at the Rhema references in Acts, but I do not understand the difference in use from the Logos references. It would make for an interesting comparison in another paper.
Book of Acts Final
Randall Q. Lawrence
Faith Bible College
Book of Acts Final (paper)
Dr. W.
12/13/2010
Book of Acts: what you received, what you learned:
I have received and learned much from this class. I have been enriched by your comments and testimonies along with those of my classmates. You have been gifted with a ministry for healing and this parallels many incidents in the book of Acts from John and Peter with the lame man (Acts 3:1-11) to Paul and the sleepy young man who fell out of the window to his death and new life (Acts 20:8-12).
The book and the class have spent some time on the discussion of the name of the Book of Acts. It has been called “Acts of the Apostles” though that really only covers two main apostles in Peter and Paul. It does not take into account Stephen, Luke, Barnabas, Phillip, Ananias, and many more. It has been called “Acts of the Holy Spirit”. This has some merit with the book beginning with the promise of Jesus and the Father as evidenced by Pentecost (Acts 2) and continuing with the Holy Spirit moving on Paul, his fellow missionaries, and the early church (Acts 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 28). This fails somewhat with viewing Acts as a continuation of the Gospel of Luke and what Jesus is doing. Another proposal is to just use the title “Acts”. There are limitations with this also (see page 13 in Book of Acts of the Apostles text)
[Note: In the fall schedule, it is called “Book of Acts of the Holy Spirit”. So we see the different names in the text title and also in the course title on the schedule and in our most commonly used name—“Book of Acts”.]
If I had to come up with a name for it, I would just continue with “Acts”, but a longer name that would be descriptive and fitting, in my opinion, would be—“Acts of the partners of Jesus and Holy Spirit”. This would fit for Peter (intimate partner of Jesus and later Holy Spirit of promise) and for Paul (partner of Jesus and intimate worker with Holy Spirit) along with Stephen, Phillip, Ananias, Luke, Barnabas, Silas, and more. You could call it “Acts of Jesus and Holy Spirit” for short or “Acts of (partners of) Jesus and Holy Spirit” to emphasize the actions of Jesus and Holy Spirit in partnership with the Early Church. I like this name because it just as equally could apply to the early Pentecostal leaders like Charles Parham, William Seymour, Evan Roberts, Smith Wigglesworth, Maria Woodwirth-Etter, Aimee Semple McPherson, John G. Lake, Kathryn Kuhlman. It could also apply to us today with the emphasis on our calling to be “partners” (junior) with our “Senior Partners”—Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. I really appreciate the fact that I am studying for ministry, learning about the Bible, and being mentored for ministry at a time and place that believes these “Acts of the Holy Spirit” and “Acts of the Apostles” are not only for a previous “dispensation” but are possible, relevant, and happening even now in our day and time.
My main focus for this paper will be on Holy Spirit and how the Spirit (I will use “the” out of habit, but I realize that He is a personage along with the Father and the Son. I will not get into the Pentecostal Oneness vs. Trinitarian beliefs despite mentioning early Pentecostal pioneers) works with the Early Church and its leaders. I want to focus on the mention of the Holy Spirit (53 times total) in the Book of Acts.
Ch. "Spirit" Ch. "Spirit"
1 2, 5, 8, 16 15 8, 28
2 4, 17, 18, 33, 38 16 6, 7
3 17
4 8, 31 18
5 3, 9, 32 19 2, 6, 21
6 3, 5, 10 20 23, 28
7 51, 55 21 4, 11
8 15, 17, 18, 19, 29, 39 22
9 17,31 23
10 19, 38, 44, 45, 47 24
11 12, 15, 16, 24, 28 25
12 26
13 2, 4, 9, 52 27
14 28 25
Interestingly enough, “Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost, Spirit” is mentioned 41 times in the first 14 chapters and only mentioned 12 times in the second half of the Book of Acts which emphasizes Paul and his experiences where he recounts and testifies to his encounter with the Living Jesus Christ. (Acts 22:1-21, 24:10-21, 26:1-29)
Peter, who intimately knew Jesus and walked with him and saw the risen Lord, would tend to emphasize the action of Holy Spirit while Paul, formerly Saul and neither intimate with Jesus or Spirit, would emphasize Jesus in his testimonies and speeches before courts and kings. Now, both emphasized God’s role in turning their lives from denial and desertion (Peter—Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:54-65, John 18:25-27) and misrepresentation and misunderstanding God and persecution of “the sect of Jesus of Nazareth” (Acts 7:58, 9:1-8).
The main thing that I have learned from reading and studying the Book of Acts and from this class on Acts is the vital role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the early church and the vital role it should play in our lives as ministers of the Gospel. Our foundation is built on the works of Jesus Christ and the baptism, filling, and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Paul listed the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 [I will include reference in Acts to these gifts]: “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom [6:10]; to another the word of knowledge [10:19] by the same Spirit; To another faith [1:8] by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing [3:6-7, 5:15-16, 9:17, 9:32-35, 14:8-18]by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles [2:43, 5:12, 6:8, 8:6-7, 9:40-42, 19:11-12, 20:8-12]; to another prophecy [1:16, 11:28, 19:6, 21:4, 21:11, 28:25]; to another discerning of spirits [5:3, 5:9, 7:51, 8:19]; to another divers kinds of tongues [2:4, 19:6], to another the interpretation of tongues [2:17-18, ];” I put the Gifts of the Spirit in bold. I included resurrection of the dead under “working of miracles” though it might fit under healing also.
Another key feature and action of the Holy Spirit involved specific persons being “filled with the Holy Spirit” like Peter (4:8), the Seven (6:3), Stephen (6:5, 7:55), Barnabas (11:24), and Saul/Paul (13:9). This is a key characteristic for leaders of the Church. After being filled by the Spirit, the denying Peter became the proclaiming Peter in the face of the killers of Jesus. Stephen was able to challenge the Jews and face his own death by stoning. Barnabas and Paul were able to handle being missionaries to the Gentiles/dispersed Jews and forerunners of the Gospel of Christ. The Holy Spirit was involved in separating or setting apart servants and/or missionaries (1:16, 6:3, 13:2).
The Holy Spirit was a director and guide to these church leaders and missionaries (8:29, 11:12, 13:4, 16:6-7, 19:21). It guided Philip to the Ethiopian eunuch who would plant the church in Ethiopia and then the Spirit did something unusual (not in listed 9 Gifts of the Spirit) and “caught away Philip”. (8:39) No modern transportation can compete with travel by the Holy Spirit! It lead both Peter and Cornelius so the door was opened for the church to include Gentiles. The Holy Spirit lead to the separating and setting apart of Barnabas and Paul for a missionary journey (13:2, 4). The Holy Ghost also prevented the preaching of the word in Asia and prevented missionary work in Bithynia—we need to pay attention to the “no’s” of the Holy Spirit. Paul sought guidance by the Holy Spirit in his ministry (19:21).
The Scriptures are clear about the importance of baptism by water. Scriptures in Acts make it clear that baptism of the Holy Spirit is also essential to the Christian walk and to our discipleship (1:5-8, 11:16, 19:2-6). Luke, the writer of the Gospel of Luke and Acts, ends his gospel with the instruction for the disciple to “…tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49) Jesus further describes this event for them to “…be baptized with the Holy Ghost…” (Acts 1:5)—“ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me….unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (1:8) From these Scriptures, we understand the need for a disciple to be baptized and empowered by the Holy Spirit to be an effective witness and minister of Christ. The disciples continued “with one accord” (2:1) which was quite a contrast to the betrayal, denial, and mostly desertion of the apostles and disciples with the crucifixion. Pentecost demonstrated the power of God moving on the united disciples of Jesus by filling them and pouring out upon them. (2:4-18, 4:31, 10:44-47, 11:15, 19:6, 20:23). We learn the power of unity and power of tarrying for the endowment and baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Another characteristic of the Holy Spirit who Jesus called the Comforter (John 14:15-26) is a life of comfort in the face of adversity (Acts 9:31) and joy in the midst of struggle (Acts 13:52). Acts says, “God anointed Jesus…with the Holy Ghost and with power…” (10:38). As Jesus set the pattern, then we are called to walk in the same pattern with the anointing of God reflected in the baptism of the Holy Spirit and with power to proclaim the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness in witness and preaching (2:17, 4:31, 5:29-33, 7:2-53, 9:20-22, 10:34-44, 13:16-43, 14:1, 17:2-4, 17:22-32, 22:1-21, 26:28)
In conclusion, the Book of Acts “(of the partners) of Jesus and Holy Spirit” is supported in word and deed with the Gifts of the Spirit along with comfort, joy, boldness, and courage. Acts illustrates a vital partnership between disciple and God through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit provides direction in the affirmative or negative to actions and even appoints disciples as “overseers” (20:28). My best way to describe a disciple of Jesus without the Holy Spirit is kind of like a kitchen appliance without being plugged into the electric socket. One can look good, but you are not much use to the “cook” (Jesus Christ and God the Father) in helping and inviting others to the “marriage supper of the Lamb” (Matthew 22:1-14, Luke 14:15-24, Revelation 19:6-10). I have learned a lot about the Book of Acts and gifting by the Holy Spirit and the calling to put that gifting into actions (Acts) for God and for others.
Faith Bible College
Book of Acts Final (paper)
Dr. W.
12/13/2010
Book of Acts: what you received, what you learned:
I have received and learned much from this class. I have been enriched by your comments and testimonies along with those of my classmates. You have been gifted with a ministry for healing and this parallels many incidents in the book of Acts from John and Peter with the lame man (Acts 3:1-11) to Paul and the sleepy young man who fell out of the window to his death and new life (Acts 20:8-12).
The book and the class have spent some time on the discussion of the name of the Book of Acts. It has been called “Acts of the Apostles” though that really only covers two main apostles in Peter and Paul. It does not take into account Stephen, Luke, Barnabas, Phillip, Ananias, and many more. It has been called “Acts of the Holy Spirit”. This has some merit with the book beginning with the promise of Jesus and the Father as evidenced by Pentecost (Acts 2) and continuing with the Holy Spirit moving on Paul, his fellow missionaries, and the early church (Acts 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 28). This fails somewhat with viewing Acts as a continuation of the Gospel of Luke and what Jesus is doing. Another proposal is to just use the title “Acts”. There are limitations with this also (see page 13 in Book of Acts of the Apostles text)
[Note: In the fall schedule, it is called “Book of Acts of the Holy Spirit”. So we see the different names in the text title and also in the course title on the schedule and in our most commonly used name—“Book of Acts”.]
If I had to come up with a name for it, I would just continue with “Acts”, but a longer name that would be descriptive and fitting, in my opinion, would be—“Acts of the partners of Jesus and Holy Spirit”. This would fit for Peter (intimate partner of Jesus and later Holy Spirit of promise) and for Paul (partner of Jesus and intimate worker with Holy Spirit) along with Stephen, Phillip, Ananias, Luke, Barnabas, Silas, and more. You could call it “Acts of Jesus and Holy Spirit” for short or “Acts of (partners of) Jesus and Holy Spirit” to emphasize the actions of Jesus and Holy Spirit in partnership with the Early Church. I like this name because it just as equally could apply to the early Pentecostal leaders like Charles Parham, William Seymour, Evan Roberts, Smith Wigglesworth, Maria Woodwirth-Etter, Aimee Semple McPherson, John G. Lake, Kathryn Kuhlman. It could also apply to us today with the emphasis on our calling to be “partners” (junior) with our “Senior Partners”—Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. I really appreciate the fact that I am studying for ministry, learning about the Bible, and being mentored for ministry at a time and place that believes these “Acts of the Holy Spirit” and “Acts of the Apostles” are not only for a previous “dispensation” but are possible, relevant, and happening even now in our day and time.
My main focus for this paper will be on Holy Spirit and how the Spirit (I will use “the” out of habit, but I realize that He is a personage along with the Father and the Son. I will not get into the Pentecostal Oneness vs. Trinitarian beliefs despite mentioning early Pentecostal pioneers) works with the Early Church and its leaders. I want to focus on the mention of the Holy Spirit (53 times total) in the Book of Acts.
Ch. "Spirit" Ch. "Spirit"
1 2, 5, 8, 16 15 8, 28
2 4, 17, 18, 33, 38 16 6, 7
3 17
4 8, 31 18
5 3, 9, 32 19 2, 6, 21
6 3, 5, 10 20 23, 28
7 51, 55 21 4, 11
8 15, 17, 18, 19, 29, 39 22
9 17,31 23
10 19, 38, 44, 45, 47 24
11 12, 15, 16, 24, 28 25
12 26
13 2, 4, 9, 52 27
14 28 25
Interestingly enough, “Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost, Spirit” is mentioned 41 times in the first 14 chapters and only mentioned 12 times in the second half of the Book of Acts which emphasizes Paul and his experiences where he recounts and testifies to his encounter with the Living Jesus Christ. (Acts 22:1-21, 24:10-21, 26:1-29)
Peter, who intimately knew Jesus and walked with him and saw the risen Lord, would tend to emphasize the action of Holy Spirit while Paul, formerly Saul and neither intimate with Jesus or Spirit, would emphasize Jesus in his testimonies and speeches before courts and kings. Now, both emphasized God’s role in turning their lives from denial and desertion (Peter—Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:54-65, John 18:25-27) and misrepresentation and misunderstanding God and persecution of “the sect of Jesus of Nazareth” (Acts 7:58, 9:1-8).
The main thing that I have learned from reading and studying the Book of Acts and from this class on Acts is the vital role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the early church and the vital role it should play in our lives as ministers of the Gospel. Our foundation is built on the works of Jesus Christ and the baptism, filling, and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Paul listed the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 [I will include reference in Acts to these gifts]: “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom [6:10]; to another the word of knowledge [10:19] by the same Spirit; To another faith [1:8] by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing [3:6-7, 5:15-16, 9:17, 9:32-35, 14:8-18]by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles [2:43, 5:12, 6:8, 8:6-7, 9:40-42, 19:11-12, 20:8-12]; to another prophecy [1:16, 11:28, 19:6, 21:4, 21:11, 28:25]; to another discerning of spirits [5:3, 5:9, 7:51, 8:19]; to another divers kinds of tongues [2:4, 19:6], to another the interpretation of tongues [2:17-18, ];” I put the Gifts of the Spirit in bold. I included resurrection of the dead under “working of miracles” though it might fit under healing also.
Another key feature and action of the Holy Spirit involved specific persons being “filled with the Holy Spirit” like Peter (4:8), the Seven (6:3), Stephen (6:5, 7:55), Barnabas (11:24), and Saul/Paul (13:9). This is a key characteristic for leaders of the Church. After being filled by the Spirit, the denying Peter became the proclaiming Peter in the face of the killers of Jesus. Stephen was able to challenge the Jews and face his own death by stoning. Barnabas and Paul were able to handle being missionaries to the Gentiles/dispersed Jews and forerunners of the Gospel of Christ. The Holy Spirit was involved in separating or setting apart servants and/or missionaries (1:16, 6:3, 13:2).
The Holy Spirit was a director and guide to these church leaders and missionaries (8:29, 11:12, 13:4, 16:6-7, 19:21). It guided Philip to the Ethiopian eunuch who would plant the church in Ethiopia and then the Spirit did something unusual (not in listed 9 Gifts of the Spirit) and “caught away Philip”. (8:39) No modern transportation can compete with travel by the Holy Spirit! It lead both Peter and Cornelius so the door was opened for the church to include Gentiles. The Holy Spirit lead to the separating and setting apart of Barnabas and Paul for a missionary journey (13:2, 4). The Holy Ghost also prevented the preaching of the word in Asia and prevented missionary work in Bithynia—we need to pay attention to the “no’s” of the Holy Spirit. Paul sought guidance by the Holy Spirit in his ministry (19:21).
The Scriptures are clear about the importance of baptism by water. Scriptures in Acts make it clear that baptism of the Holy Spirit is also essential to the Christian walk and to our discipleship (1:5-8, 11:16, 19:2-6). Luke, the writer of the Gospel of Luke and Acts, ends his gospel with the instruction for the disciple to “…tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49) Jesus further describes this event for them to “…be baptized with the Holy Ghost…” (Acts 1:5)—“ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me….unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (1:8) From these Scriptures, we understand the need for a disciple to be baptized and empowered by the Holy Spirit to be an effective witness and minister of Christ. The disciples continued “with one accord” (2:1) which was quite a contrast to the betrayal, denial, and mostly desertion of the apostles and disciples with the crucifixion. Pentecost demonstrated the power of God moving on the united disciples of Jesus by filling them and pouring out upon them. (2:4-18, 4:31, 10:44-47, 11:15, 19:6, 20:23). We learn the power of unity and power of tarrying for the endowment and baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Another characteristic of the Holy Spirit who Jesus called the Comforter (John 14:15-26) is a life of comfort in the face of adversity (Acts 9:31) and joy in the midst of struggle (Acts 13:52). Acts says, “God anointed Jesus…with the Holy Ghost and with power…” (10:38). As Jesus set the pattern, then we are called to walk in the same pattern with the anointing of God reflected in the baptism of the Holy Spirit and with power to proclaim the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness in witness and preaching (2:17, 4:31, 5:29-33, 7:2-53, 9:20-22, 10:34-44, 13:16-43, 14:1, 17:2-4, 17:22-32, 22:1-21, 26:28)
In conclusion, the Book of Acts “(of the partners) of Jesus and Holy Spirit” is supported in word and deed with the Gifts of the Spirit along with comfort, joy, boldness, and courage. Acts illustrates a vital partnership between disciple and God through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit provides direction in the affirmative or negative to actions and even appoints disciples as “overseers” (20:28). My best way to describe a disciple of Jesus without the Holy Spirit is kind of like a kitchen appliance without being plugged into the electric socket. One can look good, but you are not much use to the “cook” (Jesus Christ and God the Father) in helping and inviting others to the “marriage supper of the Lamb” (Matthew 22:1-14, Luke 14:15-24, Revelation 19:6-10). I have learned a lot about the Book of Acts and gifting by the Holy Spirit and the calling to put that gifting into actions (Acts) for God and for others.
Final: Advanced Understanding of Spirit...Steps to be filled with Holy Spirit
Randall Q. Lawrence
Faith Bible College
Understanding the Spirit,
Sickness & Demonic Power
Dr. Nick
12/13/2010
Final: Steps to be filled with the Holy Spirit
I wanted to take this topic because of my experience this year on Palm Sunday, March 28 in Excelsior Springs. As an RN (Registered Nurse), I noticed Elder Larry (Quinter) having problems following the church service. His color was rather pasty, had weakness, and was complaining of his chest and heart. Ellie, his wife, was very concerned. Dr. Nick was there along with Dr. Esperanza, and I believe Dr. Eva. I remember Dr. Nick instructing everyone to begin to pray in their prayer language. I did not have one, and so I prayed in English. This spirit of MI (myocardial infarction-heart attack) or another heart issue was not breaking off so Dr. Nick instructed Larry to begin to pray in his prayer tongue. It (the demonic spirit) then broke off as his normal color and breathing returned. I was amazed and realized these persons will “fight for you” when the devil and demons try to get you. After I left from Larry, I saw my friend, Peggy, being prayed over by Missionary Julie Nash and Dr. Esperanza (?) for her prayer language. I went back to be with them, and Julie looked at me looking at Peggy and realized that I desired my prayer language also. It opened up to me and Peggy both that day. I had felt impotent (in not having a prayer language) with prayer over Larry. I had discussions with Ben, my instructor in Bible Prophecy II, over prayer language—“It’s there….” was prophetic word of knowledge that he had given me. Since Palm Sunday, Peggy and I have both deepened the use of prayer language/tongues in our lives and have used it over and over.
I bring up this experience because I think it helps to have a personal experience to look at as far as guidelines for being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Book of Acts gives some guidelines, but all the experiences of a mighty move of the Holy Ghost are not all the same, but there are certain parallels to these Spirit-filled experiences. Jesus Christ had instructed the disciples to “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall opened to you:” (Matthew 7:7)
Let us use this scripture to come up with guidelines or conditions in order to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The “asking” would be the prayer and waiting on the Lord—well-illustrated in Pentecost with the disciples waiting on the promise of the Father and prophecy and instruction of Jesus (Acts 2). The “seeking” would be in seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit and in seeking persons (ones filled with Holy Spirit, speak in tongues or prayer language, anointed of God)—Peter and John with Samaritans (Acts 8:17) and Paul with the Ephesians (Acts 19:6). The “knocking” would be conditions like inspired, Spirit-filled preaching (the Word of the Lord), laying on of hands by anointed and Spirit-filled ministers—Ananias with Paul (Acts 9:17), Paul in Ephesus. Another condition necessary for the filling of the Holy Spirit would also include deliverance (p. 42, #27 text).
I may by wrong, but I do not see a clear pattern of “1, 2, 3” or “A, B, C” steps for the “filling of the Holy Spirit”. I do see a number of conditions necessary for a move of the Holy Spirit—deliverance, unity, focus on prayer, seeking no matter what it takes. The Holy Spirit, God and Christ are very creative with their bestowal of Gifts of the Spirit. In the Book of Acts, this “filling of the Holy Spirit” came both prior and after water baptism (see Acts 10:44-48). It came with tongues and prayer language. These conditions were met with Peggy and me receiving our prayer tongues in March earlier this year.
Note: These conditions were also met with Charles Parham and Agnes Ozman for the beginning of the Pentecostal movement in 1900. The only condition that was not met was to have tongue-speaking believers praying over Ms. Ozman. She, her fellow students, and Charles Parham were all asking and praying, seeking an answer to tongues as a manifestation of baptism of the Holy Spirit, and knocking on Heaven to get an answer with prayer and not giving up. This later would lead to the Azusa Street revival through Parham and William Seymour, student under Parham in Houston, TX.
Faith Bible College
Understanding the Spirit,
Sickness & Demonic Power
Dr. Nick
12/13/2010
Final: Steps to be filled with the Holy Spirit
I wanted to take this topic because of my experience this year on Palm Sunday, March 28 in Excelsior Springs. As an RN (Registered Nurse), I noticed Elder Larry (Quinter) having problems following the church service. His color was rather pasty, had weakness, and was complaining of his chest and heart. Ellie, his wife, was very concerned. Dr. Nick was there along with Dr. Esperanza, and I believe Dr. Eva. I remember Dr. Nick instructing everyone to begin to pray in their prayer language. I did not have one, and so I prayed in English. This spirit of MI (myocardial infarction-heart attack) or another heart issue was not breaking off so Dr. Nick instructed Larry to begin to pray in his prayer tongue. It (the demonic spirit) then broke off as his normal color and breathing returned. I was amazed and realized these persons will “fight for you” when the devil and demons try to get you. After I left from Larry, I saw my friend, Peggy, being prayed over by Missionary Julie Nash and Dr. Esperanza (?) for her prayer language. I went back to be with them, and Julie looked at me looking at Peggy and realized that I desired my prayer language also. It opened up to me and Peggy both that day. I had felt impotent (in not having a prayer language) with prayer over Larry. I had discussions with Ben, my instructor in Bible Prophecy II, over prayer language—“It’s there….” was prophetic word of knowledge that he had given me. Since Palm Sunday, Peggy and I have both deepened the use of prayer language/tongues in our lives and have used it over and over.
I bring up this experience because I think it helps to have a personal experience to look at as far as guidelines for being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Book of Acts gives some guidelines, but all the experiences of a mighty move of the Holy Ghost are not all the same, but there are certain parallels to these Spirit-filled experiences. Jesus Christ had instructed the disciples to “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall opened to you:” (Matthew 7:7)
Let us use this scripture to come up with guidelines or conditions in order to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The “asking” would be the prayer and waiting on the Lord—well-illustrated in Pentecost with the disciples waiting on the promise of the Father and prophecy and instruction of Jesus (Acts 2). The “seeking” would be in seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit and in seeking persons (ones filled with Holy Spirit, speak in tongues or prayer language, anointed of God)—Peter and John with Samaritans (Acts 8:17) and Paul with the Ephesians (Acts 19:6). The “knocking” would be conditions like inspired, Spirit-filled preaching (the Word of the Lord), laying on of hands by anointed and Spirit-filled ministers—Ananias with Paul (Acts 9:17), Paul in Ephesus. Another condition necessary for the filling of the Holy Spirit would also include deliverance (p. 42, #27 text).
I may by wrong, but I do not see a clear pattern of “1, 2, 3” or “A, B, C” steps for the “filling of the Holy Spirit”. I do see a number of conditions necessary for a move of the Holy Spirit—deliverance, unity, focus on prayer, seeking no matter what it takes. The Holy Spirit, God and Christ are very creative with their bestowal of Gifts of the Spirit. In the Book of Acts, this “filling of the Holy Spirit” came both prior and after water baptism (see Acts 10:44-48). It came with tongues and prayer language. These conditions were met with Peggy and me receiving our prayer tongues in March earlier this year.
Note: These conditions were also met with Charles Parham and Agnes Ozman for the beginning of the Pentecostal movement in 1900. The only condition that was not met was to have tongue-speaking believers praying over Ms. Ozman. She, her fellow students, and Charles Parham were all asking and praying, seeking an answer to tongues as a manifestation of baptism of the Holy Spirit, and knocking on Heaven to get an answer with prayer and not giving up. This later would lead to the Azusa Street revival through Parham and William Seymour, student under Parham in Houston, TX.
Midterm for Advanced Understanding of Spirit, Sickness, and Demons
Randall Q. Lawrence
Faith Bible College
Dr. Nick
10/25/2010
Midterm paper: Seek the Healer and not the healing (at least 3 examples)
I am going to discuss a number of healing stories regarding Jesus. I will focus on stories where persons were not afraid to go after Jesus and his attentions.
First, I will begin with the story of the blind man (or men) near Jericho. This story is recounted for the most part word for word in the 3 synoptic gospels (Matthew 20:29-34, Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-43). Only in Mark is he named as “Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus”. Matthew describes two blind men calling out (v. 30). One thing common to all the accounts is the faith exhibited in calling Jesus “Son of David” implying Messiah or “anointed one” (Isaiah 11:1, Jeremiah 23:5-6, Romans 1:3, Revelation 22:16). The important thing in this story is that the blind man (or men) did not give up on calling out to Jesus and “cried out all the more” when rebuked by others. I like the Mark account about him “throwing off his mantle…”, springing up, and coming to Jesus. He wanted a healing, but his focus was on Jesus and faith in Jesus first. Jesus asked him what he wanted—“let me receive my sight”. Jesus commended his faith in the healing of his sight. All 3 accounts speak of him or them following Jesus, but I like the ending in Luke about him “…glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.” (v. 43) (Note: There is a similar account in Matthew 9:27-31 about two blind men healed)
Second, I would like to look at the story of the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:1-42. Jesus breaks a couple of taboo’s here both by speaking with a woman and with a Samaritan woman at the well in asking her for a drink. He offers “living water” (v. 10, 13-14) and describing it as a “…well of water springing up unto everlasting life”. She is still focused on literal water until Jesus proceeds to give her a prophetic “word of knowledge” regarding her having had five husbands and living with another man now. She calls Him a “prophet”. Jesus proceeds to reveal His identity as Messiah and teaches about true worship that supersedes the Jews (worship in Jerusalem) and the Samaritans (worship on the mountain)—“…true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth….God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (v. 23-24) The disciples return and marvel at Him speaking with a Samaritan woman. The woman leaves her pot and goes into the city telling about her encounter with the “Christ”—“Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” (v. 29) It is now the disciples’ turn to be too literal when Jesus speaks of His “meat is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work”. (v. 34). Many Samaritans of the city proceeded to entreat him to stay so He and His disciples tarried there for two days. This woman went from going to the well by herself (possibly ostracized from the other women of the city) to becoming an “evangelist” for Jesus Christ for the city. Even though they speak about believing in Him (“…indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world”—v.42) from their own experiences and encounters with the living water of Jesus, it was still the word of the Samaritan woman that drew the “harvest” (John 4:35) for Jesus. This woman found emotional and social healing and restoration by pointing others to Jesus and becoming His messenger for her city and its inhabitants. The Healer provides “living water” and “meat” (doing Will of Father), teaches about “true worship” and about fields “white already to harvest” (v. 35)—essence of discipleship and seeking the Healer. Jesus in ministry has the same focus (“do the will of him that sent me…”—John 4:34) as He did when He was twelve years old (“…I must be about my Father’s business”—Luke 2:49)
Third, I would like to look at the story of the man born blind in John 9:1-41. He has two brief encounters with Jesus at the beginning and end of the chapter. Most of the chapter is devoted to the discussion between this healed man and the Pharisees. The disciples had questioned Jesus on whether this man or his parents had sinned (a common belief was that calamities, disease, or disability resulted from sin). Jesus answered that it was not a result of sin but “that the works of God should be made manifest…” (v. 3) On the Sabbath, Jesus anointed the man with “clay and spittle” and directed him to the pool of Siloam to wash it off then he received his sight. The man had to first answer to the people then to the Pharisees who questioned him, questioned his parents and then questioned him once again. There was division between the Pharisees over his “work” on the Sabbath vs. the evidence of healing. His parents confirmed that he was born blind and could now see. The man had been questioned thoroughly the first time. When he was brought back and told Jesus was a “sinner” (v. 24) according to the Pharisees and was questioned repeatedly regarding his healing, then the man responded with “Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners…If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.” (v. 30-33). They reviled the man and threw him out (a threat with which his parents had been afraid of the Pharisees). After this, Jesus found him and revealed His identity as “Son of God” as He asked him about his faith. The man then confessed his faith in Jesus and worshipped Him. Jesus then makes a statement about coming into the world so the blind will see and so the seeing will be blind (refusal to acknowledge the Lordship of Christ). The man born blind not only received a physical healing but also spiritual sight and revelation of Jesus Christ as Son of God. The man born blind, like the Samaritan woman, first thought of Him as a “prophet” (v. 17) but quickly understood Him as so much more—Son of David, living water, Son of God, THE HEALER.
Faith Bible College
Dr. Nick
10/25/2010
Midterm paper: Seek the Healer and not the healing (at least 3 examples)
I am going to discuss a number of healing stories regarding Jesus. I will focus on stories where persons were not afraid to go after Jesus and his attentions.
First, I will begin with the story of the blind man (or men) near Jericho. This story is recounted for the most part word for word in the 3 synoptic gospels (Matthew 20:29-34, Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-43). Only in Mark is he named as “Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus”. Matthew describes two blind men calling out (v. 30). One thing common to all the accounts is the faith exhibited in calling Jesus “Son of David” implying Messiah or “anointed one” (Isaiah 11:1, Jeremiah 23:5-6, Romans 1:3, Revelation 22:16). The important thing in this story is that the blind man (or men) did not give up on calling out to Jesus and “cried out all the more” when rebuked by others. I like the Mark account about him “throwing off his mantle…”, springing up, and coming to Jesus. He wanted a healing, but his focus was on Jesus and faith in Jesus first. Jesus asked him what he wanted—“let me receive my sight”. Jesus commended his faith in the healing of his sight. All 3 accounts speak of him or them following Jesus, but I like the ending in Luke about him “…glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.” (v. 43) (Note: There is a similar account in Matthew 9:27-31 about two blind men healed)
Second, I would like to look at the story of the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:1-42. Jesus breaks a couple of taboo’s here both by speaking with a woman and with a Samaritan woman at the well in asking her for a drink. He offers “living water” (v. 10, 13-14) and describing it as a “…well of water springing up unto everlasting life”. She is still focused on literal water until Jesus proceeds to give her a prophetic “word of knowledge” regarding her having had five husbands and living with another man now. She calls Him a “prophet”. Jesus proceeds to reveal His identity as Messiah and teaches about true worship that supersedes the Jews (worship in Jerusalem) and the Samaritans (worship on the mountain)—“…true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth….God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (v. 23-24) The disciples return and marvel at Him speaking with a Samaritan woman. The woman leaves her pot and goes into the city telling about her encounter with the “Christ”—“Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” (v. 29) It is now the disciples’ turn to be too literal when Jesus speaks of His “meat is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work”. (v. 34). Many Samaritans of the city proceeded to entreat him to stay so He and His disciples tarried there for two days. This woman went from going to the well by herself (possibly ostracized from the other women of the city) to becoming an “evangelist” for Jesus Christ for the city. Even though they speak about believing in Him (“…indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world”—v.42) from their own experiences and encounters with the living water of Jesus, it was still the word of the Samaritan woman that drew the “harvest” (John 4:35) for Jesus. This woman found emotional and social healing and restoration by pointing others to Jesus and becoming His messenger for her city and its inhabitants. The Healer provides “living water” and “meat” (doing Will of Father), teaches about “true worship” and about fields “white already to harvest” (v. 35)—essence of discipleship and seeking the Healer. Jesus in ministry has the same focus (“do the will of him that sent me…”—John 4:34) as He did when He was twelve years old (“…I must be about my Father’s business”—Luke 2:49)
Third, I would like to look at the story of the man born blind in John 9:1-41. He has two brief encounters with Jesus at the beginning and end of the chapter. Most of the chapter is devoted to the discussion between this healed man and the Pharisees. The disciples had questioned Jesus on whether this man or his parents had sinned (a common belief was that calamities, disease, or disability resulted from sin). Jesus answered that it was not a result of sin but “that the works of God should be made manifest…” (v. 3) On the Sabbath, Jesus anointed the man with “clay and spittle” and directed him to the pool of Siloam to wash it off then he received his sight. The man had to first answer to the people then to the Pharisees who questioned him, questioned his parents and then questioned him once again. There was division between the Pharisees over his “work” on the Sabbath vs. the evidence of healing. His parents confirmed that he was born blind and could now see. The man had been questioned thoroughly the first time. When he was brought back and told Jesus was a “sinner” (v. 24) according to the Pharisees and was questioned repeatedly regarding his healing, then the man responded with “Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners…If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.” (v. 30-33). They reviled the man and threw him out (a threat with which his parents had been afraid of the Pharisees). After this, Jesus found him and revealed His identity as “Son of God” as He asked him about his faith. The man then confessed his faith in Jesus and worshipped Him. Jesus then makes a statement about coming into the world so the blind will see and so the seeing will be blind (refusal to acknowledge the Lordship of Christ). The man born blind not only received a physical healing but also spiritual sight and revelation of Jesus Christ as Son of God. The man born blind, like the Samaritan woman, first thought of Him as a “prophet” (v. 17) but quickly understood Him as so much more—Son of David, living water, Son of God, THE HEALER.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Ways satan and satanic forces will use to try to overthrow the Church from within:
Here's some thoughts by Earl Curry from his autobiography "The Shaping of a Destiny".
Ways satan and satanic forces will use to try to overthrow the Church from within: (lowercase ‘s’ per me)
1. He will tempt leadership and priesthood to abuse their powers of office, and cause them to seek for mastery and domination.
2. He will tempt the Church-its ministry and its people-toward an arid intellectualism, that neither nourishes nor sustains.
3. He will tempt all of us to substitute lessor interests and concerns for the greater and really important ones.
4. He will tempt us to become deeply involved in worldly movements and concerns, which have some value, but not Kingdom building value.
5. He will try to bring about a distrust of spiritual gifts and guidance, and of spirituality in general.
6. He will encourage counterfeit spirituality and life.
7. He will try to cause disrupting division, and paralyzing dismay.
8. He will try to overwhelm the church, and the world, with reading matter that is evil, corrupting, and wicked in its devastating influence.
9. He will deceive with the notions, philosophies, theologies, and theories of men.
Ways satan and satanic forces will use to try to overthrow the Church from within: (lowercase ‘s’ per me)
1. He will tempt leadership and priesthood to abuse their powers of office, and cause them to seek for mastery and domination.
2. He will tempt the Church-its ministry and its people-toward an arid intellectualism, that neither nourishes nor sustains.
3. He will tempt all of us to substitute lessor interests and concerns for the greater and really important ones.
4. He will tempt us to become deeply involved in worldly movements and concerns, which have some value, but not Kingdom building value.
5. He will try to bring about a distrust of spiritual gifts and guidance, and of spirituality in general.
6. He will encourage counterfeit spirituality and life.
7. He will try to cause disrupting division, and paralyzing dismay.
8. He will try to overwhelm the church, and the world, with reading matter that is evil, corrupting, and wicked in its devastating influence.
9. He will deceive with the notions, philosophies, theologies, and theories of men.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Judgment
Randall Q. Lawrence
Faith Bible College
Removing satan’s seat
Sister (Dr.) S.
7/12/2010
Homework Assignment 6: Judgment (Extra assignment based on what happened in last class)
First, one problem that I noticed with the last class was that we did not have a prayer to start out. I prayed in my head, but a class on spiritual warfare needs to be covered in prayer (and fasting). I really believe the reason that the class ended in judgment rather than rejoicing over the goodness and blessings and activity of God was partly due to the last class lacking the opening prayer and a more respectful attitude (not to mention a break).
Second, I did spend the next couple days being quite angry over my fellow ministers and students attacking my home situation rather than rejoicing with me over what God had done in my life in the form of deliverance and blessing my friendship that has turned into a betrothal and will turn into a marriage this Friday, July 16, 2010 here at Faith Bible College. I felt like I had “cast my pearls before swine to be trampled underfoot” (Matthew 7:6 KJV “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”) I am not calling my fellow ministers “swine”, but they acted like the above.
I had brought up good news about my deliverance and freeing of my prayer language and had spoken about my engagement to my best friend who I live or co-habit with in an apartment together. My fellow ministers, George and Brenda (?) proceeded to get on me about the “appearance of evil” based on 1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” They ignored my “pearls” of deliverance, freeing of prayer tongue, and engagement and proceeded right to judgment. If I visited them for counseling because they were my pastor, it would have been the last counseling session ever with them, and I would have left their church for good.
To counter their charges of “appearance of evil”, I would bring up John 4 with the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. This woman had 5 husbands and was living with a 6th man that was not her husband. Jesus offered this woman “living water”, but He did not instruct her to go marry her partner and only then would He provide this water. This is the one case I can think of where Jesus addressed someone cohabiting (living together) without being married. He did not speak to her in judgment the way that George and the other minister (African-American female) spoke to me in judgment. I did not judge her over her situation with her father, and I have not judged George over his ministerial testimonies. George stated that he only speaks as the Spirit motivates. This statement I do judge and find lacking in regards to the “attack” on me on June 28, 2010. Jesus warned about only using righteous judgment (Matthew 7:1-2) which I felt they both were lacking at the end of the last class. It is interesting that the ostracized, cohabiting woman became the evangelist to the whole town for Christ! (See John 4 especially John 4:39 “...many Samaritans believed...’) In my opinion, the words and example of Jesus trump the word of Paul taken out of context.
I did speak with Dr. Nick due to my anger and frustration over the situation as did Carla, a fellow student in the class. He expressed that 1 Thessalonians 5:22 is over-used and often used as a club. Information that was lacking includes that my fiancee Peggy and I have been in pre-marital classes with Dr. Nick for months. I am also accepted as an “armor bearer” and fellow minister for Ebony & Ivory. Peggy is supervisor of the dining area for Ebony & Ivory. Dr. Nick is aware of our home situation and has worked with us without unrighteous judgment based in ignorance like what I experienced in the last class. He wanted me to let it go like Paul let go of the snake in the fire and did not experience any ill effects. I was upset for awhile, but I worked through it. I will think twice about taking direction from George as a more senior minister. I will do as I feel led by the Spirit because I have to hold his judgment of always speaking as Spirit gives utterance as suspect because I know that he did not with the end of the last class. I do appreciate that you did not participate or sanction the “attack” on me by my fellow students and ministers. Thank you.
Faith Bible College
Removing satan’s seat
Sister (Dr.) S.
7/12/2010
Homework Assignment 6: Judgment (Extra assignment based on what happened in last class)
First, one problem that I noticed with the last class was that we did not have a prayer to start out. I prayed in my head, but a class on spiritual warfare needs to be covered in prayer (and fasting). I really believe the reason that the class ended in judgment rather than rejoicing over the goodness and blessings and activity of God was partly due to the last class lacking the opening prayer and a more respectful attitude (not to mention a break).
Second, I did spend the next couple days being quite angry over my fellow ministers and students attacking my home situation rather than rejoicing with me over what God had done in my life in the form of deliverance and blessing my friendship that has turned into a betrothal and will turn into a marriage this Friday, July 16, 2010 here at Faith Bible College. I felt like I had “cast my pearls before swine to be trampled underfoot” (Matthew 7:6 KJV “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”) I am not calling my fellow ministers “swine”, but they acted like the above.
I had brought up good news about my deliverance and freeing of my prayer language and had spoken about my engagement to my best friend who I live or co-habit with in an apartment together. My fellow ministers, George and Brenda (?) proceeded to get on me about the “appearance of evil” based on 1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” They ignored my “pearls” of deliverance, freeing of prayer tongue, and engagement and proceeded right to judgment. If I visited them for counseling because they were my pastor, it would have been the last counseling session ever with them, and I would have left their church for good.
To counter their charges of “appearance of evil”, I would bring up John 4 with the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. This woman had 5 husbands and was living with a 6th man that was not her husband. Jesus offered this woman “living water”, but He did not instruct her to go marry her partner and only then would He provide this water. This is the one case I can think of where Jesus addressed someone cohabiting (living together) without being married. He did not speak to her in judgment the way that George and the other minister (African-American female) spoke to me in judgment. I did not judge her over her situation with her father, and I have not judged George over his ministerial testimonies. George stated that he only speaks as the Spirit motivates. This statement I do judge and find lacking in regards to the “attack” on me on June 28, 2010. Jesus warned about only using righteous judgment (Matthew 7:1-2) which I felt they both were lacking at the end of the last class. It is interesting that the ostracized, cohabiting woman became the evangelist to the whole town for Christ! (See John 4 especially John 4:39 “...many Samaritans believed...’) In my opinion, the words and example of Jesus trump the word of Paul taken out of context.
I did speak with Dr. Nick due to my anger and frustration over the situation as did Carla, a fellow student in the class. He expressed that 1 Thessalonians 5:22 is over-used and often used as a club. Information that was lacking includes that my fiancee Peggy and I have been in pre-marital classes with Dr. Nick for months. I am also accepted as an “armor bearer” and fellow minister for Ebony & Ivory. Peggy is supervisor of the dining area for Ebony & Ivory. Dr. Nick is aware of our home situation and has worked with us without unrighteous judgment based in ignorance like what I experienced in the last class. He wanted me to let it go like Paul let go of the snake in the fire and did not experience any ill effects. I was upset for awhile, but I worked through it. I will think twice about taking direction from George as a more senior minister. I will do as I feel led by the Spirit because I have to hold his judgment of always speaking as Spirit gives utterance as suspect because I know that he did not with the end of the last class. I do appreciate that you did not participate or sanction the “attack” on me by my fellow students and ministers. Thank you.
Fear
Randall Q. Lawrence
Faith Bible College
Removing satan’s seat
Sister (Dr.) S.
7/12/2010
Homework Assignment 5: Fear
I could not find the assignment, but I believed the assignment was on fear. I am a little confused because I cannot find where I placed the assignment. I looked in the book, and I do not see a section on fear. The sections addressed are pride (2), rebellion (3), strife (4), and envy (5). I think worry and fear go together and needs addressed.
I would love to use the example of David and Goliath. David focused on the size of his God vs. the size of the giant in front of him whereas King Saul and the army of Israel focused on the size of Goliath in relation to themselves. Goliath would throw out a challenge, “Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me....” (1 Samuel 17:8 KJV) and “I defy the armies of Israel this day...” (v. 10) David stated in response, “...who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (v. 26) and then “And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” (v. 32) and killed Goliath saying, “...for the battle is the Lord’s...” (v. 47). This is a very rich example of the power of fear and power of confidence or faith in the Lord.
Strongholds and the “strongman” (devil and demonic influence) fall and flee like the Philistine army in the presence of one mighty warrior or prayer intercessor of God which David exemplified. “How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight....” (Deuteronomy 32:30) There is a definite principle of spiritual warfare to keep our eyes on the Lord and Savior and not on what is around us. Peter demonstrated this in walking on the water but sinking into the waves when he took his eyes of Jesus to notice the wind and waves (Matthew 14:22-33). Our problems like the fear of the Israelite army grow when we focus on them whereas their power to induce fear and worry shrinks in the Presence of the Lord. David knew his Lord and had confidence in the Lord being with him since he already dispatched a lion and bear in his father’s service as a shepherd. God had plans to make him a shepherd to all of Israel and Judah and demonstrate some characteristics that would foreshadow the Messiah and Son of God, Jesus Christ–focus on God, protection of sheep, understanding importance of humility (broken heart and contrite spirit–Psalm 34:18), leadership of men, and more.
Jesus addressed worry and fear in Matthew 6:25-34: “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for the body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?....for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Jesus points out that our Father in Heaven is aware of all our needs for food, drink, clothes, and more. God is our Jehovah-Jireh–God who sees and provides (Genesis 22:14)
David’s example along with the teaching and example of Jesus show us that a focus on the size, majesty, providence, and love of God the Father makes fear and worry shrink to insignificance. David and Jesus also showed a genius for intimacy and relationship with the Father. David also in the example of repentance with the Bathsheba (lust and adultery) and death of Uriah (pre-meditated murder) then showed how to humble himself in contrition and broken-ness also showed how we should act in response to mistakes less serious than the sins of David (Psalm 51, 2 Samuel 12:9)–way of humility to overcome sin and strongholds of pride, rebellion, strife, and envy.
Faith Bible College
Removing satan’s seat
Sister (Dr.) S.
7/12/2010
Homework Assignment 5: Fear
I could not find the assignment, but I believed the assignment was on fear. I am a little confused because I cannot find where I placed the assignment. I looked in the book, and I do not see a section on fear. The sections addressed are pride (2), rebellion (3), strife (4), and envy (5). I think worry and fear go together and needs addressed.
I would love to use the example of David and Goliath. David focused on the size of his God vs. the size of the giant in front of him whereas King Saul and the army of Israel focused on the size of Goliath in relation to themselves. Goliath would throw out a challenge, “Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me....” (1 Samuel 17:8 KJV) and “I defy the armies of Israel this day...” (v. 10) David stated in response, “...who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (v. 26) and then “And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” (v. 32) and killed Goliath saying, “...for the battle is the Lord’s...” (v. 47). This is a very rich example of the power of fear and power of confidence or faith in the Lord.
Strongholds and the “strongman” (devil and demonic influence) fall and flee like the Philistine army in the presence of one mighty warrior or prayer intercessor of God which David exemplified. “How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight....” (Deuteronomy 32:30) There is a definite principle of spiritual warfare to keep our eyes on the Lord and Savior and not on what is around us. Peter demonstrated this in walking on the water but sinking into the waves when he took his eyes of Jesus to notice the wind and waves (Matthew 14:22-33). Our problems like the fear of the Israelite army grow when we focus on them whereas their power to induce fear and worry shrinks in the Presence of the Lord. David knew his Lord and had confidence in the Lord being with him since he already dispatched a lion and bear in his father’s service as a shepherd. God had plans to make him a shepherd to all of Israel and Judah and demonstrate some characteristics that would foreshadow the Messiah and Son of God, Jesus Christ–focus on God, protection of sheep, understanding importance of humility (broken heart and contrite spirit–Psalm 34:18), leadership of men, and more.
Jesus addressed worry and fear in Matthew 6:25-34: “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for the body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?....for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Jesus points out that our Father in Heaven is aware of all our needs for food, drink, clothes, and more. God is our Jehovah-Jireh–God who sees and provides (Genesis 22:14)
David’s example along with the teaching and example of Jesus show us that a focus on the size, majesty, providence, and love of God the Father makes fear and worry shrink to insignificance. David and Jesus also showed a genius for intimacy and relationship with the Father. David also in the example of repentance with the Bathsheba (lust and adultery) and death of Uriah (pre-meditated murder) then showed how to humble himself in contrition and broken-ness also showed how we should act in response to mistakes less serious than the sins of David (Psalm 51, 2 Samuel 12:9)–way of humility to overcome sin and strongholds of pride, rebellion, strife, and envy.
Rebellion
Randall Q. Lawrence
Faith Bible College
Removing satan’s seat
Sister (Dr.) S.
6/16/2010
Homework Assignment 4: Rebellion
One of my favorite parables is the Prodigal Son story found in Luke 15. For much of my life, I have been like the older son (“Where my party?”) in relation to others. I did have a rebellious moment. I grew up in the church–going back 6 generations. I was told that my great, great grandfather, Charles Cramer, had the Spirituals gifts of Tongues and Interpretation. I tried to always do what I was called to do, but there was very little effect and very little fruit.
In May 2004, I was ordained as a minister of my church with the authority to preach, serve communion, baptize, marry, and teach. I had been speaking and praying and participating in church for years. There would be inspirational moments here and there, but there was really very little of the Spirit or Power of God at work in the church. We would have some strife at times, but my church, back home, did not represent much of a threat to the kingdom of the devil and world in general.
I had gotten married, had a young stepson, had a house for us, was working a good job with good money. It all unraveled in early 2006. Despite attending both our churches, praying for my marriage, it came undone when she had gotten rather “nasty” and accusatory with me. A co-worker explained how her husband had done the same thing to her while cheating on her. I went home after work and asked her point-blank about cheating on me. She paused, and I immediately knew the answer. We tried to work it out, but it came apart from September 2005 to February 2006.
Following this situation and broken heart more over loss of stepson who I dearly loved, I went into a period of rebellion. Most of my life I had done things properly and morally and had nothing to show for it so I began a period where I just did not care. Kind of like the “prodigal son”, I knew about my loving Father. I, however, no longer cared. I got involved with two married women, one right after another. It was not a good situation. Both of the married women had children by different fathers so it was not a good situation. I just did not care and did it to get some affection even from the wrong persons in the wrong way.
I recall a dream from this period. I do not recall whether it was before, during, or after. I believe that it was before the above situation. In the dream, I was being seduced by two beautiful women. These women quickly turned ugly and mean then became like “black holes” sucking the life right out of me. Shortly, after these situations, I confessed to my pastor, turned in my minister’s card, and went on suspension. Proverbs 6:32 KJV “But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.” This dream was fitting for the situation. My prodigal situation continued with the loss of my job and impending loss of my house. All of my doors in Ohio closed, and I felt God calling me to Missouri. (In reality, I feel God called me to Missouri back in 1996, but I resisted–more rebellion I suppose).
To make a long story short, I came for a church conference here in Independence in 2007. I argued with God about taking communion. I realized the main problem of forgiveness was with myself and not with God and His Grace. I then moved out here. I began ministering at a little store-front ministry in the Westport area of KC, MO. My ministerial license was restored, and this “prodigal son and older son” began to understand the infinite mercy and grace of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This journey has called me on some twists and turns that have brought me.
Faith Bible College
Removing satan’s seat
Sister (Dr.) S.
6/16/2010
Homework Assignment 4: Rebellion
One of my favorite parables is the Prodigal Son story found in Luke 15. For much of my life, I have been like the older son (“Where my party?”) in relation to others. I did have a rebellious moment. I grew up in the church–going back 6 generations. I was told that my great, great grandfather, Charles Cramer, had the Spirituals gifts of Tongues and Interpretation. I tried to always do what I was called to do, but there was very little effect and very little fruit.
In May 2004, I was ordained as a minister of my church with the authority to preach, serve communion, baptize, marry, and teach. I had been speaking and praying and participating in church for years. There would be inspirational moments here and there, but there was really very little of the Spirit or Power of God at work in the church. We would have some strife at times, but my church, back home, did not represent much of a threat to the kingdom of the devil and world in general.
I had gotten married, had a young stepson, had a house for us, was working a good job with good money. It all unraveled in early 2006. Despite attending both our churches, praying for my marriage, it came undone when she had gotten rather “nasty” and accusatory with me. A co-worker explained how her husband had done the same thing to her while cheating on her. I went home after work and asked her point-blank about cheating on me. She paused, and I immediately knew the answer. We tried to work it out, but it came apart from September 2005 to February 2006.
Following this situation and broken heart more over loss of stepson who I dearly loved, I went into a period of rebellion. Most of my life I had done things properly and morally and had nothing to show for it so I began a period where I just did not care. Kind of like the “prodigal son”, I knew about my loving Father. I, however, no longer cared. I got involved with two married women, one right after another. It was not a good situation. Both of the married women had children by different fathers so it was not a good situation. I just did not care and did it to get some affection even from the wrong persons in the wrong way.
I recall a dream from this period. I do not recall whether it was before, during, or after. I believe that it was before the above situation. In the dream, I was being seduced by two beautiful women. These women quickly turned ugly and mean then became like “black holes” sucking the life right out of me. Shortly, after these situations, I confessed to my pastor, turned in my minister’s card, and went on suspension. Proverbs 6:32 KJV “But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.” This dream was fitting for the situation. My prodigal situation continued with the loss of my job and impending loss of my house. All of my doors in Ohio closed, and I felt God calling me to Missouri. (In reality, I feel God called me to Missouri back in 1996, but I resisted–more rebellion I suppose).
To make a long story short, I came for a church conference here in Independence in 2007. I argued with God about taking communion. I realized the main problem of forgiveness was with myself and not with God and His Grace. I then moved out here. I began ministering at a little store-front ministry in the Westport area of KC, MO. My ministerial license was restored, and this “prodigal son and older son” began to understand the infinite mercy and grace of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This journey has called me on some twists and turns that have brought me.
Pride
Randall Q. Lawrence
Faith Bible College
Removing satan’s seat
Sister (Dr.) S.
6/16/2010
Homework Assignment 3: Section 2:Dangers of Pride
I have decided to apply these topics to situations that I have experienced in my life and in my ministry. The lesson that I learned on pride involves the situation that I referred to for our assignment regarding why we are taking this class:
“In 2008, I experienced the worst spiritual attack of my life while leading the prayer support for a mission trip to Mexico. This attack “put me out of commission” in a manner of speaking for 1 ½ months with allergy and sinusitis symptoms and initially tremendous back & neck pain. I called for the Elders 3-4 times (James 5:14) in 2 days with a prophetic woman telling me about 8 black arrows, which she removed, including labels of “mono” in my back.. I had warnings of this attack through dreams and other means[, but I ignored these warnings] due to pride and [because of] other circumstances like living in a house under demonic influences.”
I truly fit the Proverbs 16:18 KJV “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” One of the Elders told me that “I ran ahead of God.” I became angry with this Elder because “I was only doing exactly what God wanted me to do..” I was leading and coordinating the prayer effort for this mission trip. I would use the Armor of God from Ephesians 6 and ask God for angelic protection, but my pride and ego got in the way. Our example is in the humility of Jesus Christ and his example of washing the feet of the disciples in John 13:1-20 especially v. 14 “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.”
It’s not about what we do or even what we do for Him. It’s all about what He can do with us as “yielding” and persons with broken hearts and contrite spirits. (Psalm 34:18, 51:17) He called me to this work and to the coordination of the prayer effort for the mission trip. I experienced an attack of a fraction of a second of pure hate, spite, anger, vengeance. What would have been directed at my friends on this mission trip was then directed back at me. God and the Holy Spirit attempted to warn me, but I disregarded and did not understand the warnings. The glory belongs to Christ alone and the Holy Spirit, not to what I could do.
Faith Bible College
Removing satan’s seat
Sister (Dr.) S.
6/16/2010
Homework Assignment 3: Section 2:Dangers of Pride
I have decided to apply these topics to situations that I have experienced in my life and in my ministry. The lesson that I learned on pride involves the situation that I referred to for our assignment regarding why we are taking this class:
“In 2008, I experienced the worst spiritual attack of my life while leading the prayer support for a mission trip to Mexico. This attack “put me out of commission” in a manner of speaking for 1 ½ months with allergy and sinusitis symptoms and initially tremendous back & neck pain. I called for the Elders 3-4 times (James 5:14) in 2 days with a prophetic woman telling me about 8 black arrows, which she removed, including labels of “mono” in my back.. I had warnings of this attack through dreams and other means[, but I ignored these warnings] due to pride and [because of] other circumstances like living in a house under demonic influences.”
I truly fit the Proverbs 16:18 KJV “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” One of the Elders told me that “I ran ahead of God.” I became angry with this Elder because “I was only doing exactly what God wanted me to do..” I was leading and coordinating the prayer effort for this mission trip. I would use the Armor of God from Ephesians 6 and ask God for angelic protection, but my pride and ego got in the way. Our example is in the humility of Jesus Christ and his example of washing the feet of the disciples in John 13:1-20 especially v. 14 “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.”
It’s not about what we do or even what we do for Him. It’s all about what He can do with us as “yielding” and persons with broken hearts and contrite spirits. (Psalm 34:18, 51:17) He called me to this work and to the coordination of the prayer effort for the mission trip. I experienced an attack of a fraction of a second of pure hate, spite, anger, vengeance. What would have been directed at my friends on this mission trip was then directed back at me. God and the Holy Spirit attempted to warn me, but I disregarded and did not understand the warnings. The glory belongs to Christ alone and the Holy Spirit, not to what I could do.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
My engagement and GHOP (Graceland House of Prayer)
This will be a short blog of my testimony regarding June 25, 2010 and my engagement to Peggy.
I had a weight and secret sin "choking off" my prayer tongue to one phrase or one sentence. We (Peggy & I) met with Rhonda, Vi, and Derek. They attempted to force the issue, but it was out in the open by the rehearsal rooms. Derek and I literally got in a tug of war with getting rid of this. I cannot use my prayer tongue for myself due to a covenant with God for its use to only be for others incl. Peggy and those around me. Trying to force a deliverance just fed into the situation and did not remove it. Rhonda tried to "fish" for reasons but does not really know me all that well and her possible causes were off the mark.
I woke up the next day with the feeling of the Spirit on me saying, "Don't you dare leave this camp without being free of this..." I immediately decided to go on a strict food (no food)/all liquid fast. Rhonda had said that she and Derek would be available at 1 pm, but it was not to be because they got into a deliverance with someone else and could not be found.
I spent hours in the soaking (sloshing according to Mike S.) room praying, asking for help from Jesus and Spirit, asking for help from my ancestors, etc. I anointed and literally soaked me with consecrated oil. When I felt ready, I could only find Dan, our best friend, and Peggy who I was secretly engaged to (We were going to do it around Christmas at my grandparents to honor them)...We went to Cheville chapel where I confessed about this issue. Dan and Peggy were very supportive, and it was a lot easier than when I confessed to Peggy.
I asked Dan to "pray with his full authority as a Melchisedec Elder" (as if he would not any other time and be careful what you ask for because you just might get it). Dan prayed a beautiful prayer over Peggy and me--a prayer of unity. When Dan got done, I kissed Peggy and stated that I believed that Dan had just "married" us. Peggy smiled and laughed and agreed. I forgot about the Melchisedec authority to bind on earth and in heaven. Dan even laughed in going to the bathroom in thinking about the prayer he had just uttered.
I almost forgot that Dan, before his prayer, had said that he would invite the actual Presence of Christ which others had testified during the week. Christ came along with the Spirit already present and easily delivered me of my confessed secret sin and weight of guilt and the past. It was clear that He was present.
This leads to our circle prayer that opened up to the Father and Heaven. Dan and I prayed some mighty prayer then before Peggy could pray. I stated that I needed to pray again. I prayed for a joining (3-cord like Ecclesiastes) of the Restoration Movement (Community of Christ/RLDS, LDS, Restoration, Remnant, Temple Lot, and more), the prayer/prophetic movement (IHOP-KC with Mike Bickle, Bethel with Bill Johnson, Toronto with Arnott's, Morningstar with Joyner, Yoiddo with David Yonggi Cho, and much more), plus Pentecostal/Charismatic Movement with evidence as a Graceland House of Prayer with evidence of IHOP-KC interceding for Graceland. I have no doubt of this coming to pass....what I want to work on today.
I had a weight and secret sin "choking off" my prayer tongue to one phrase or one sentence. We (Peggy & I) met with Rhonda, Vi, and Derek. They attempted to force the issue, but it was out in the open by the rehearsal rooms. Derek and I literally got in a tug of war with getting rid of this. I cannot use my prayer tongue for myself due to a covenant with God for its use to only be for others incl. Peggy and those around me. Trying to force a deliverance just fed into the situation and did not remove it. Rhonda tried to "fish" for reasons but does not really know me all that well and her possible causes were off the mark.
I woke up the next day with the feeling of the Spirit on me saying, "Don't you dare leave this camp without being free of this..." I immediately decided to go on a strict food (no food)/all liquid fast. Rhonda had said that she and Derek would be available at 1 pm, but it was not to be because they got into a deliverance with someone else and could not be found.
I spent hours in the soaking (sloshing according to Mike S.) room praying, asking for help from Jesus and Spirit, asking for help from my ancestors, etc. I anointed and literally soaked me with consecrated oil. When I felt ready, I could only find Dan, our best friend, and Peggy who I was secretly engaged to (We were going to do it around Christmas at my grandparents to honor them)...We went to Cheville chapel where I confessed about this issue. Dan and Peggy were very supportive, and it was a lot easier than when I confessed to Peggy.
I asked Dan to "pray with his full authority as a Melchisedec Elder" (as if he would not any other time and be careful what you ask for because you just might get it). Dan prayed a beautiful prayer over Peggy and me--a prayer of unity. When Dan got done, I kissed Peggy and stated that I believed that Dan had just "married" us. Peggy smiled and laughed and agreed. I forgot about the Melchisedec authority to bind on earth and in heaven. Dan even laughed in going to the bathroom in thinking about the prayer he had just uttered.
I almost forgot that Dan, before his prayer, had said that he would invite the actual Presence of Christ which others had testified during the week. Christ came along with the Spirit already present and easily delivered me of my confessed secret sin and weight of guilt and the past. It was clear that He was present.
This leads to our circle prayer that opened up to the Father and Heaven. Dan and I prayed some mighty prayer then before Peggy could pray. I stated that I needed to pray again. I prayed for a joining (3-cord like Ecclesiastes) of the Restoration Movement (Community of Christ/RLDS, LDS, Restoration, Remnant, Temple Lot, and more), the prayer/prophetic movement (IHOP-KC with Mike Bickle, Bethel with Bill Johnson, Toronto with Arnott's, Morningstar with Joyner, Yoiddo with David Yonggi Cho, and much more), plus Pentecostal/Charismatic Movement with evidence as a Graceland House of Prayer with evidence of IHOP-KC interceding for Graceland. I have no doubt of this coming to pass....what I want to work on today.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
House of prayer at Graceland
It's been on my heart for awhile that I would like to see a "house of prayer" (24/7/365) at Graceland. I asked God how to "plant a seed" with someone at Graceland. I kept being drawn to thoughts of the taller, blond Alex who was one of the Graceland students working on campus.
I went to Cheville chapel with Dan and Peggy because I needed to confess and get rid of some "junk, garbage" in my life. I woke up that morning with God and the Spirit convicting me--"don't you dare go home still carrying this junk when you are seeing so many get free..." so I prayed and fasted and prepared. Some mighty deliverers had tried to get me free the night before, but I was not ready, did not like the issue, and kind of "forcing" the issue was feeding into the demonic stronghold "choking" out my prayer language so it did not work. I could not find them the next day because they had been involved in helping someone else get free which was great. So I got Dan & Peggy....
We had a long conversation in which I confessed this sin to Dan and Peggy. It was easier than when I told Peggy. It was clear they both loved me unconditionally despite anything I had done. I asked Dan to pray with his full authority as a Melchisedec Priesthood Elder (not that he does not any other time.) Dan spoke about the presence of Jesus Christ noted. It was so much easier than the night before with the love of Christ and love of my 2 best friends buoying me up. The authority of the Elder involves an open doorway to Heaven with binding and loosing on earth and binding and loosing in Heaven. Dan prayed over me while Peggy held me. When he got done, I told Dan that it really felt like he "married" us (not officially, of course) because he prayed for our relationship and being one. We laughed and kissed, and Dan laughed on the way to the bathroom.
When he got back, we decided to have some mighty prayer for the camp and beyond. With the Presence of Christ and forgiveness and inner healing, we prayed some mighty things. I prayed and Dan prayed. Before Peggy could pray, I felt led to ask God for a "House of Prayer" and for assistance from IHOP-KC (International House of Prayer in KC) for Graceland. I've never heard them pray for us or Graceland (churches and universities in general and specific but not Graceland) We really were empowered in prayer so I asked and claimed this "House of Prayer" because I know it would open the students and others to revival and church to revival like the youth/young adults did with the Spirit and ministered in power at this CCM Celebration Reunion.
Prior to my inner healing and our conversation, I ran into Alex and talked to him about IHOP-KC and a "House of Prayer" there at Graceland so I consider that a God-incidence. I also claimed a "joining of the Prayer/Prophetic Movement, Restoration Movement, and Pentecostal/Charismatic Movement" with a sign and wonder to be IHOP-KC interceding for Graceland and supporting a House of Prayer there like they are doing in New England. Praise God, and I will see it come to pass.
After the prayers by me and Dan, we kidded Peggy about getting even more mighty in the Spirit. She sang the first verse of Amazing Grace with a strong, strong voice that we could not come close to matching then had an even mightier prayer. Wow! Hallelujah!
Be prepared for God to move on Graceland and its students with the help of IHOP-KC. This revival will sweep into the church. I ask for intercessory prayer claiming these things!!!! Hallelujah. I've never felt freer and lighter and forgiven and loved. Peggy and I chose this day for our "official" engagement and decided to not wait until Christmas so we told everyone because felt the approval and blessing of our Father in Heaven on our match.
"Greater Things" Reunion
I want to share one testimony of many. I was not planning on going, but I felt the Spirit tug on me to go and serve and work with the youth. I could not out-give God....
I just want to share one testimony that was really cool. I signed up for the prophetic prayer room at 4 pm on Thursday. I was asking why because I really wanted to learn to give in the prophetic prayer rooms (music rehearsal rooms). Dan, my best friend, and I went and we were asked to pitch in so I got to be involved, and it was so cool working with Bob Harper, then Gay Spalding, then Mark Braden and Kathy Amsinger. I look forward to the day when the whole campus (anywhere from commons to dorms to Shaw Ctr. to chapel) will be one big prophetic prayer room with words of knowledge being given to non-CCM persons on campus, off-campus, and beyond! Hallelujah!
I just want to share one testimony that was really cool. I signed up for the prophetic prayer room at 4 pm on Thursday. I was asking why because I really wanted to learn to give in the prophetic prayer rooms (music rehearsal rooms). Dan, my best friend, and I went and we were asked to pitch in so I got to be involved, and it was so cool working with Bob Harper, then Gay Spalding, then Mark Braden and Kathy Amsinger. I look forward to the day when the whole campus (anywhere from commons to dorms to Shaw Ctr. to chapel) will be one big prophetic prayer room with words of knowledge being given to non-CCM persons on campus, off-campus, and beyond! Hallelujah!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Book of Mormon Editorship by Israel Smith and JS III Testimony
Book of Mormon Editorship*
By Israel A. Smith
(An address given at the Book of Mormon Institute in 1951, *Saints’ Herald May 7, 1951)
IN MY LABORS among the Saints, I have been under an impulsion to confine my efforts to topics of general interest to the church and related to our distinctive movement.
I therefore am well pleased with what is engaging our attention this week, for there is nothing so much Latter Day Saint as the Book of Mormon. I like to think of our labors here at this time as an extension of what was begun at Kirtland in October of last year, an educational movement akin to the School of Prophets in which all of modern Israel may receive instruction.
Since the more important part of my effort is not lengthy, I wish to take a little time for some general remarks and lay a foundation from a personal experience.
As all of you have recognized, there is in the world today a feeling of secularism. It has been called “death of the heart.” People quite generally have lost interest in life. Even church people are losing interest in the church. They no longer find in the church the spirit of high adventure. I suggest for Latter Day Saints an antidote for the situation that confronts us: It is the Book of Mormon.
The early Christians told a very simple story: Certainly to them it was one of consuming interest and thrilling adventure. They told the story of a man born of woman, who claimed to be the Son of God, who was persecuted for his claims, crucified, and resurrected. With that cause they went out in small numbers, and in the course of some three hundred years converted the major portion of the civilized world.
The elders of the Restoration in its beginning went out with the same story to tell to the world. They, too, had a story of wondrous adventure. They had everything the early Saints had: a man had been born of woman who averred he was the Son of God who persecuted on the cross, executed, and then resurrected. In addition to that they related the marvelous way in which the gospel had been restored to the earth, and took, as a special witness on behalf of their Lord and Master, the Book of Mormon which we believe is perhaps a better, more exact witness for Jesus Christ as to doctrine, than the New Testament, because it contains the gospel as revealed by Christ in its fullness–the everlasting gospel, which is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
That this book opens up new and interesting vistas is being amply demonstrated here at this time.
We have many able preachers and writers who are giving us valuable material in support of the Book of Mormon. We have among us men who have devoted much time and energy to archaeological evidences in support of the book, and the elders from the beginning have been able to substantiate it, at least to their satisfaction, from the prophecies found in the Bible.
However, my approach to the book on this occasion is from a different angle, and in doing so I will relate a personal experience.
When I was much younger–without admitting my age, however–I was a member of the Iowa Legislature. There I became acquainted with many men who became prominent in the affairs of that state. A number of them later served as Governors of Iowa. One of them was William L. Harding. Some years after I removed to Missouri, I happened to be in Detroit when Governor Harding was there, and I had a very pleasant visit with him.
It was well known when I was attending the Legislature that I was a member of the Reorganized Church, and my church background was respected. As a matter of fact I was given a prominent committee chairmanship because of the excellent reputation of church people, not because of any request made by me or by them, but because the Anti-Saloon League, the W.C. T. U., and the Prohibition Amendment League made specific request to the Speaker of the House. But while my connection with the church was known to all, very few of my colleagues ever talked with me about it.
This day at Detroit, however, after he had canvassed many things and recalled mutual experiences, Governor Harding very abruptly asked me a question. He wanted to know if I believed my grandfather had participated in a conspiracy with others to impose upon the public a spurious record in the Book of Mormon. The question, coming so unexpectedly, quite staggered me. I did not flatter myself that I was fully prepared to meet a situation like that, but through the years since then, as I have recalled the experience, I believe there was a degree of inspiration in the way I met it.
It flashed through my thinking: “Here is a very astute lawyer.” I knew of his reputation as an attorney. I knew he had been specially successful in criminal cases. “Here is a man,” I thought, “who understands human nature, or he would not have been so successful with juries.”
So I said to him, “Governor, do you believe that some eight or eleven or more men could go into conspiracy, such as you suggest, and give their testimony with respect to the Book of Mormon, a false document, and put over anything of that kind without some one or more, or perhaps all of them, at some time during their lives, acknowledging they had perjured themselves or borne false testimony?”
And then I followed about like this: “Governor Harding, history records it to be fact, and I accept it as fact, that my grandfather had very little in the way of scholastic advantages. In other words he was an unschooled youth. But I believe he was an intelligent, studious man, and I believe that those who are at all familiar with his life’s history will have to admit that before his death he was fairly well educated according to the standards of his day–even according to the standards of the present time. But,” I added, “at no time during his life was he smart enough to write the Book of Mormon.”
The Governor responded very satisfactorily: “That is a pretty fair answer.” Then he expressed a desire to read the book, I gave him one, by chance happening to have a new copy with me. I saw him frequently after that, up to the time of his death some fourteen years ago, but we never discussed the matter again, though perhaps I should have asked him about it. And I do not know whether he read the book.
THIS INCIDENT HAS led me to think about the work of Joseph Smith in connection with the Book of Mormon from an entirely different viewpoint. I began to speculate about some of the mistakes that Joseph Smith or Sidney Rigdon or any other man of his day would likely make if he were writing such a book as a work of fiction or out of his imagination, unless he were a man of great mental endowment coupled with a profound, firsthand knowledge of the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, as well as a knowledge of the history of many peoples.
You know, of course, that the first reaction to the claims about the Book of Mormon was that Joseph Smith had committed a rank and palpable forgery, that he was a deceiver and a fraud. And then, to people’s astonishment, it began to dawn upon their thinking that this Book gave evidence of something more than Joseph Smith could possibly have produced, and so they looked about to discover who had written it. They heard of Solomon Spaulding and loudly asserted he had written the book, until, fortunately and by the grace of God, that story was so entirely and completely exploded that nobody of any intelligence who has been at all advised in these times ever attempts to explain away the Book of Mormon by setting up the Spaulding story. And yet, strange to relate, there are sporadic efforts to do so even at this late date.
Ever since those earlier years, there have been various expose’s and treatises of the work of Joseph Smith, and they have been so conflicting as to their theories that they have practically canceled out each other, like the witnesses who appeared before the Sanhedrin and testified against Christ: “But their witnesses agreed not together.”
A book will soon be published, giving the various theories that have been advanced about Joseph Smith. It will be called, “The Changing Explanations Concerning Joseph Smith.”
IN TREATING THE Book of Mormon from this special angle, I believe that we can agree on a few things:
1. If written by descendants of Manasseh, its language would reflect words and construction typical of its alleged Hebrew origin. If discovered, they would have unquestioned evidentiary value.
2. If written as a mere work of fiction by a contemporary of Joseph Smith or by himself, there would likely appear colloquialisms and provincialisms, expressions common to their day, or slang expressions. These come within the range of probabilities, and of course would not have the weight of what I have listed under number one.
3. An examination of the story would also suggest that an unlearned man, or even one ordinarily versed in history and in the Bible, in weaving narrative along with scriptural quotations, would make such egregious errors and commit such apparent anachronisms as to impeach the work beyond satisfactory explanation by its proponents.
Stated briefly, then, we aver there are ample evidences of words and idioms of Hebrew origin. There is a challenging absence of expressions that would otherwise stamp the book as a creation or fiction of the day; and there are a number of things in the record which give evidence of its divinity and authenticity, because only the most profound and astute Bible student could have avoided making errors that would at once condemn the book. I would also suggest that in the case of Joseph Smith there might have been gross errors of grammar.
I WANT TO BE FRANK with you. I am going to set out with respect to evidences of Hebrew origin and absence of so-called “modernism” something of the work of others, and I should mention that I have received material help from a small book prepared by Doctor John Widtsoe, though I have not confined my language to that found in his book, called Seven Claims of the Book of Mormon.
Common contractions, such as can’t, couldn’t, don’t, shouldn’t, and others found among English-speaking people are not found in the Book of Mormon and are never found in Hebrew writing.
There are no titles in the Book of Mormon, such as Mr., Mrs., Miss, Professor, Dr., M.A., B.A., Hon., Ph.D., lady, gentleman, sir, madam, or reverend, and no titles of nobility. There are only exceptions as to titles: the word “king” and the word “captain” are used.
If the writer of the Book of Mormon had put in any surnames, it would have been a fatal mistake, because surnames did not come into general use until the eleventh century. That would not harmonize with the alleged history of the Book of Mormon.
There are no q’s, x’s or w’s in any uncorrupted proper names. And you do not find them in the old Bible, nor in the Hebrew language–another evidence indicating the Hebrew origin, because the Nephites were of Hebrew descent.
There are no modern names of cloths, such as calico, muslin, linsey, broadcloth, and many more.
There are no modern names of wearing apparel, such as skirts, pantaloons, waistcoats, collars, cuffs, gloves, boots, shirts, and many others, which very easily could have crept in there, if the book had been written out of the imagination of some man of the time.
No schools nor institutions of learning are mentioned; no libraries, museums, or collections; no phrases or single words, such as “namely, as follows, the following, to wit, the foregoing, the above, to sum up, for instance, for example.” None of these, also, are found in Hebrew writings–another “straw in the wind” which indicates Hebrew origin.
No names of churches or religious movements are given. The Mohammedans are not mentioned, the Jesuits, Franciscans, and so on.
There is no principle of science in the Book of Mormon under any modern name.
In money it would have been fatal if the decimal system had been suggested, such as five and five tenths, or eight and two tenths, because the decimal system was invented in the Christian Era, since the days of Christ in another sphere.
There is no reference to relative values in English or American money.
No weekdays are mentioned. That is something to think about; and no names of monts as we have them; because the names of our days of the week are Anglo-Saxon in origin and do not come from Hebrew at all. Our months are of Roman and or Latin origin,
There are no specific religious days, such as Easter or Lent.
There is not mention made of modern drinks, such as tea, coffee, and chocolate.
The narrow neck of land is mentioned repeatedly in the Book of Mormon. Anyone in the nineteenth century, speaking about that little neck of land down there, instantly would have thought of Panama; but it is always referred to as the narrow neck of land, showing there was fidelity in the translation of the book.
If there had been any references to latitude or longitude, it would have been a fatal mistake. There are none such in the Book of Mormon. Latitude and longitude were principles developed in the fourth century, about A.D. 382, in other places.
The Indians–the aborigines of this country–were known to Joseph Smith and his confreres and his contemporaries. They were known as Indians, but never are they referred to as Indians in the Book of Mormon. They are always referred to as Lamanites.
The time of the crucifixion set out in the Book of Mormon, taking into consideration that the crucifixion took place on the other side of the world, exactly corresponds.
There is no mention of the trial by jury.
The words “quite,” “just,” or “guess” are not used.
Some of these things seem insignificant, and they would be if taken by themselves and alone; but all together they have strong evidentiary value in demonstrating–or at least proving satisfactorily–that the Book of Mormon gives evidence of a Hebrew origin and that it was not the work of men of the last-century, English-speaking persons of and from the common men of the times of Joseph Smith.
I now call to your attention something that indicates the genuineness of the work and is of great importance to me.
Let us go back to the story of Lehi and his colony, which allegedly left Jerusalem about 600 B.C. You will remember that some of the family went back, and among other things they brought out was the “book of the law.” This was of course what we call the “Old Testament.” You will remember that when Jesus began his ministry at Nazareth, he entered the synagogue, asked for “the book of the law,” and read certain passages from Isaiah. Now the book of the law, or the old Bible, while it at that time may have contained the record of other prophets than those recorded in the Bible of today as we now have it, shows that following the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, approximately six hundred years before Christ, there were a number of prophets who lived and spoke and whose words were recorded in the record.
There are several hundred passages or quotations from the prophets which are quoted in in the Book of Mormon, and that they are sometimes quoted differently than as found in the Bible speaks much for the correctness of the work of translation, when you give the matter consideration. Since the colony of Lehi allegedly left at a certain time, if any of the later prophets were quoted, it would have been fatal indeed to our claims concerning the book. Fortunately for the integrity of the book, there are no such passages to be found in it.
Let us consider the Book of Ether. This is an account of a colony that, according to the record, left about two thousand years before the birth of Christ–if Ussher’s chronology is accepted as correct. A careful reading of the abridgement known as the Book of Ether, which does not require any length of reading, discloses that it does not mention any of the many things that a man writing from imagination, or even as historical fiction, would likely have brought into the story. Here are some such things: the Law of Moses is not mentioned, neither the Ten Commandments. If they had been brought into the record, it would have been fatal. If Mount Sinai, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Palestine, the Dead Sea, Jordan, or the priesthoods had been mentioned, any of them would have been fatal, because they did not exist, so far as the people of Ether, Jared, and his brother were concerned.
If Joseph Smith is chargeable with writing the book, it is inconceivable that he knew enough about the Bible and biblical history to have avoided the almost inevitable mistakes that he would have made. This applies to Sidney Rigdon or any other man of the same period. These things relate to the internal evidence of the book.
I now wish to consider one of the most remarkable statements of the Book of Mormon, in considering which we must resort to things not of the record in it. I quote from the fourth chapter of Mormon, beginning with the ninety-ninth verse. Moroni says: “If our plates had been sufficiently large, we should have written in the Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath been altered by us also; and we could have written in the Hebrew, behold, ye would have had no imperfection in our record.” Now, please note what follows:
“But the Lord knoweth the things which we have written, and also that none other people knoweth”–that is, no other people at the time Moroni was writing, for it is in the present tense, “that no other people knoweth our language,...therefore he hath prepared means for the interpretation thereof.” We, of course, know what these means were.
Here was a man writing a record, pursued by deadly enemies, and theoretically killed soon afterward, and he was saying, on his own authority or by inspiration (though if a true statement, it must have been by inspiration, which is in harmony with our entire theory about the book), that there was no people in the world that knew the writing of his record. What could he possibly have known, on his own account, about the people in the Old World? There were no means of communication, such as we now have, between the Old World and the New.
Moroni said: “We have written this record according to our knowledge in the characters, which are called among us the reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech.”
We take Moroni at his word as to the time he was writing, for in the seventh verse of the same fourth chapter of Mormon, we find this: “Behold, four hundred years have passed since the coming of our Lord and Savior.”
The word “coming” must be construed, I submit, as referring to the Savior’s advent in the Western Hemisphere. Well, according to the usual belief of the Christian world, the Savior lived approximately thirty-three years. If so, then, we find Moroni saying, according to his record, that about A.D. 433, the present or Christian dispensation, there was no people in the world that knew Egyptian writing. I submit, unless Moroni was given this knowledge, it was a daring–an audacious statement for him to make.
We have learned that the Hebrew children were four hundred years in Egypt. We are told that Moses was much learned in Egyptian lore. And we can well believe that the people down to the time of the alleged departure from Jerusalem could have retained their knowledge of the Egyptian.
I go to history recognized as authentic and find in the Historians’ History of the World, Volume 1, pages 250, 251, this statement about Egypt:
About the beginning of our era [that is, the Christian Era], Egypt having become a Roman province, all of its personal life was stamped out. The hieroglyphic language was no longer written or read. Long before that the language of the people had been greatly modified from its ancient purity, and in the days of Egypt’s greatness it was only the scholarly few, chiefly the priests, who could read and write the language. Now this speech became still further modified, until finally, through the slow mutations of time, modern coptic has developed as its lineal descendant.
In the early days, however, probably before the time of the oldest extant records, the original picture writing, or hieroglyphics proper, had been modified into a sort of running script, which the Greeks called hieratic; and this again had undergone [just as the writing said] another modification some four or five centuries before our era, the development of a script, called encorial or demotic, which, in the days of the Ptolemies, represented the language of the Egyptian people. But after the complete disruption of Egypt under the Romans, the hieratic and demotic forms of writing, as well as the hieroglyphics, ceased to be employed; and presently, as has been said, all three forms became quite unintelligible to any person living. From that time on, until the early days of the nineteenth century, the records of Egypt, preserved so numerously on thier monuments, on the papyrus rolls, and on mummy cases, were a closed book. No man lived, during this period, in Egypt or out of Egypt, who did more than effect the crudest guess at the meaning of this strange writing.
For something like two thousand years the Egyptian language was a dead language in the fullest sense of the term, and the records, locked imperishably in the hieroglyphics, seemed likely to hold their mysterious secret from the prying minds of all generations of men. But then, in the early days of nineteenth century, the key was unexpectedly found, and to the delight of the scholarly world, the Egyptian Pandora box was opened.
Now, if these historians are correct, and they are said to be, two thousand years back of the beginning of the last century, Egyptian was a dead language. Therefore in A.D. 433, there was no people in the world who could know the Egyptian language or could read Egyptian writing. That statement is absolutely demonstrated and proved by these facts.
How was the Pandora box opened? A soldier in the French army under Napolean in Egypt at a town called Rosetta, found a peculiarly marked stone. He took it with him, and today it is lodged in the British Museum in London. It was broken somewhat, but most of it was in good condition. After it found lodgment there, early in the last century, pictures of this stone were sent out to the men of the scientific world. They were asked to see what they could do toward deciphering it. Well, they knew that one part of the record was the hieroglyphic, and another was demotic. They saw that the third part was Greek. It occurred to a Frenchman named Champollion, after he had been thinking about it and noticed a recurrence of characters in each one of these writings that it was the same document, only in three different writings–hieroglyphic, demotic, and Greek! That gave him the key, and starting with that small key, he and others finally developed Egyptology to an exact science, so that by 1865 they had not only hieroglyphic dictionaries and hieroglyphic grammars but also demotic dictionaries and demotic grammars.
BUT JOSEPH SMITH knew nothing of these events. In February, 1828, he handed a piece of writing about the size of five and one-half by eleven inches to Martin Harris. You have heard the story. Harris took that paper to New York City and talked to Professor Anthon and some others there who said it was Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyrian, and Arabic writing.
I do not know where Joseph Smith got those characters. I do not know where Joseph Smith got those records. But here is something that has been demonstrated. He said that he had copied them from the plates. Let us put that aside for a moment.
We have that Anthon transcript, the very identical paper that was taken to New York City by Martin Harris, in our vaults in Independence. When we purchased the manuscript of the Book of Mormon from the heirs of David Whitmer, about 1904, they turned over to us this document which had been with the manuscript all these years and which David Whitmer told a committee, consisting of my father, my Uncle Alexander, and some others, way back in the 1880's, was the same document that Martin Harris took to New York City. We know what those characters were like. They were first published to the world in 1844 in The Prophet (New York City) so there is no dispute about what those characters looked like.
Some Egyptologists, who are interested not only in that subject but also in the Book of Mormon and who are connected with the Utah Mormon Church, have gone into demotic dictionaries and discovered, out of the two hundred and thirty-six characters altogether on that paper, about a hundred and thirty-five different ones, and of these there are ninety-seven exact identities found in the demotic dictionaries.
Now, wherever Joseph Smith got those characters, it is thus demonstrated that they are Egyptian.
Suppose they had found all the different characters in the demotic dictionaries. That would have proved too much, and to prove too much is just as fatal as proving too little, because Moroni, you remember, said the characters had been changed by them according to their speech.
I submit to you that this is an outstanding and significant fact which tends to prove this is a genuine record.
I DO NOT BLAME anybody for having reservations about the Book of Mormon, especially those who are investigating, because of the marvelous and miraculous way in which it allegedly has come about. My own father early in his ministry had some hesitation about it. There are those here who knew him, who probably have a pretty good idea as to his character. I think that of all the men I have known–and I had pretty close contact with him for a number of years as his secretary–in my times in whose integrity I had absolute confidence, he would take undoubtedly the top place with all of them. He said that he had reservations about the Book of Mormon for some years after he took the presidency of the church; but one day, when he was occupying the pulpit, he mentioned the Book of Mormon. As he did, an audible voice spoke to him, as if coming from a person at his right, saying, “The Book of Mormon is of divine authenticity.” He related that he stood still and listened. A second time the statement was repeated, and still he stood there, and the third time the voice said, “The Book of Mormon is of divine authenticity.” He said he never had any difficulty in talking about the Book of Mormon after that.
Paul say that to some it is given to know, to them knowledge is given, just as many of you have received a testimony about the truthfulness of this book; and to others it is given to believe on their testimony. And it is even more blessed for the latter to exercise faith and believe than it is for those to whom the testimony was directly given. It is disastrous for one to have a testimony and then repudiate it. I declare that if I did not have any testimony about this Book of Mormon myself, I could believe on the testimony of my father. I believe there are others here who could almost say the same thing.
Now I believe that of all the people in the world, we have the least excuse for finding lodgment in our hearts and minds for this spirit of secularism. I think we have a story of adventure such as no other church in the world had, and I don’t see any reason why we should lose interest and faint and fall by the wayside.
Adopting the words of Henry van Dyke:
So let the way wind up the hill or down,
Or rough or smooth, the journey will be joy,
Still seeking what I sought when but a boy–
New friendships, high adventure, and a crown.
My heart will keep the courage of the quest,
I know the road’s last turn will be the best.
By Israel A. Smith
(An address given at the Book of Mormon Institute in 1951, *Saints’ Herald May 7, 1951)
IN MY LABORS among the Saints, I have been under an impulsion to confine my efforts to topics of general interest to the church and related to our distinctive movement.
I therefore am well pleased with what is engaging our attention this week, for there is nothing so much Latter Day Saint as the Book of Mormon. I like to think of our labors here at this time as an extension of what was begun at Kirtland in October of last year, an educational movement akin to the School of Prophets in which all of modern Israel may receive instruction.
Since the more important part of my effort is not lengthy, I wish to take a little time for some general remarks and lay a foundation from a personal experience.
As all of you have recognized, there is in the world today a feeling of secularism. It has been called “death of the heart.” People quite generally have lost interest in life. Even church people are losing interest in the church. They no longer find in the church the spirit of high adventure. I suggest for Latter Day Saints an antidote for the situation that confronts us: It is the Book of Mormon.
The early Christians told a very simple story: Certainly to them it was one of consuming interest and thrilling adventure. They told the story of a man born of woman, who claimed to be the Son of God, who was persecuted for his claims, crucified, and resurrected. With that cause they went out in small numbers, and in the course of some three hundred years converted the major portion of the civilized world.
The elders of the Restoration in its beginning went out with the same story to tell to the world. They, too, had a story of wondrous adventure. They had everything the early Saints had: a man had been born of woman who averred he was the Son of God who persecuted on the cross, executed, and then resurrected. In addition to that they related the marvelous way in which the gospel had been restored to the earth, and took, as a special witness on behalf of their Lord and Master, the Book of Mormon which we believe is perhaps a better, more exact witness for Jesus Christ as to doctrine, than the New Testament, because it contains the gospel as revealed by Christ in its fullness–the everlasting gospel, which is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
That this book opens up new and interesting vistas is being amply demonstrated here at this time.
We have many able preachers and writers who are giving us valuable material in support of the Book of Mormon. We have among us men who have devoted much time and energy to archaeological evidences in support of the book, and the elders from the beginning have been able to substantiate it, at least to their satisfaction, from the prophecies found in the Bible.
However, my approach to the book on this occasion is from a different angle, and in doing so I will relate a personal experience.
When I was much younger–without admitting my age, however–I was a member of the Iowa Legislature. There I became acquainted with many men who became prominent in the affairs of that state. A number of them later served as Governors of Iowa. One of them was William L. Harding. Some years after I removed to Missouri, I happened to be in Detroit when Governor Harding was there, and I had a very pleasant visit with him.
It was well known when I was attending the Legislature that I was a member of the Reorganized Church, and my church background was respected. As a matter of fact I was given a prominent committee chairmanship because of the excellent reputation of church people, not because of any request made by me or by them, but because the Anti-Saloon League, the W.C. T. U., and the Prohibition Amendment League made specific request to the Speaker of the House. But while my connection with the church was known to all, very few of my colleagues ever talked with me about it.
This day at Detroit, however, after he had canvassed many things and recalled mutual experiences, Governor Harding very abruptly asked me a question. He wanted to know if I believed my grandfather had participated in a conspiracy with others to impose upon the public a spurious record in the Book of Mormon. The question, coming so unexpectedly, quite staggered me. I did not flatter myself that I was fully prepared to meet a situation like that, but through the years since then, as I have recalled the experience, I believe there was a degree of inspiration in the way I met it.
It flashed through my thinking: “Here is a very astute lawyer.” I knew of his reputation as an attorney. I knew he had been specially successful in criminal cases. “Here is a man,” I thought, “who understands human nature, or he would not have been so successful with juries.”
So I said to him, “Governor, do you believe that some eight or eleven or more men could go into conspiracy, such as you suggest, and give their testimony with respect to the Book of Mormon, a false document, and put over anything of that kind without some one or more, or perhaps all of them, at some time during their lives, acknowledging they had perjured themselves or borne false testimony?”
And then I followed about like this: “Governor Harding, history records it to be fact, and I accept it as fact, that my grandfather had very little in the way of scholastic advantages. In other words he was an unschooled youth. But I believe he was an intelligent, studious man, and I believe that those who are at all familiar with his life’s history will have to admit that before his death he was fairly well educated according to the standards of his day–even according to the standards of the present time. But,” I added, “at no time during his life was he smart enough to write the Book of Mormon.”
The Governor responded very satisfactorily: “That is a pretty fair answer.” Then he expressed a desire to read the book, I gave him one, by chance happening to have a new copy with me. I saw him frequently after that, up to the time of his death some fourteen years ago, but we never discussed the matter again, though perhaps I should have asked him about it. And I do not know whether he read the book.
THIS INCIDENT HAS led me to think about the work of Joseph Smith in connection with the Book of Mormon from an entirely different viewpoint. I began to speculate about some of the mistakes that Joseph Smith or Sidney Rigdon or any other man of his day would likely make if he were writing such a book as a work of fiction or out of his imagination, unless he were a man of great mental endowment coupled with a profound, firsthand knowledge of the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, as well as a knowledge of the history of many peoples.
You know, of course, that the first reaction to the claims about the Book of Mormon was that Joseph Smith had committed a rank and palpable forgery, that he was a deceiver and a fraud. And then, to people’s astonishment, it began to dawn upon their thinking that this Book gave evidence of something more than Joseph Smith could possibly have produced, and so they looked about to discover who had written it. They heard of Solomon Spaulding and loudly asserted he had written the book, until, fortunately and by the grace of God, that story was so entirely and completely exploded that nobody of any intelligence who has been at all advised in these times ever attempts to explain away the Book of Mormon by setting up the Spaulding story. And yet, strange to relate, there are sporadic efforts to do so even at this late date.
Ever since those earlier years, there have been various expose’s and treatises of the work of Joseph Smith, and they have been so conflicting as to their theories that they have practically canceled out each other, like the witnesses who appeared before the Sanhedrin and testified against Christ: “But their witnesses agreed not together.”
A book will soon be published, giving the various theories that have been advanced about Joseph Smith. It will be called, “The Changing Explanations Concerning Joseph Smith.”
IN TREATING THE Book of Mormon from this special angle, I believe that we can agree on a few things:
1. If written by descendants of Manasseh, its language would reflect words and construction typical of its alleged Hebrew origin. If discovered, they would have unquestioned evidentiary value.
2. If written as a mere work of fiction by a contemporary of Joseph Smith or by himself, there would likely appear colloquialisms and provincialisms, expressions common to their day, or slang expressions. These come within the range of probabilities, and of course would not have the weight of what I have listed under number one.
3. An examination of the story would also suggest that an unlearned man, or even one ordinarily versed in history and in the Bible, in weaving narrative along with scriptural quotations, would make such egregious errors and commit such apparent anachronisms as to impeach the work beyond satisfactory explanation by its proponents.
Stated briefly, then, we aver there are ample evidences of words and idioms of Hebrew origin. There is a challenging absence of expressions that would otherwise stamp the book as a creation or fiction of the day; and there are a number of things in the record which give evidence of its divinity and authenticity, because only the most profound and astute Bible student could have avoided making errors that would at once condemn the book. I would also suggest that in the case of Joseph Smith there might have been gross errors of grammar.
I WANT TO BE FRANK with you. I am going to set out with respect to evidences of Hebrew origin and absence of so-called “modernism” something of the work of others, and I should mention that I have received material help from a small book prepared by Doctor John Widtsoe, though I have not confined my language to that found in his book, called Seven Claims of the Book of Mormon.
Common contractions, such as can’t, couldn’t, don’t, shouldn’t, and others found among English-speaking people are not found in the Book of Mormon and are never found in Hebrew writing.
There are no titles in the Book of Mormon, such as Mr., Mrs., Miss, Professor, Dr., M.A., B.A., Hon., Ph.D., lady, gentleman, sir, madam, or reverend, and no titles of nobility. There are only exceptions as to titles: the word “king” and the word “captain” are used.
If the writer of the Book of Mormon had put in any surnames, it would have been a fatal mistake, because surnames did not come into general use until the eleventh century. That would not harmonize with the alleged history of the Book of Mormon.
There are no q’s, x’s or w’s in any uncorrupted proper names. And you do not find them in the old Bible, nor in the Hebrew language–another evidence indicating the Hebrew origin, because the Nephites were of Hebrew descent.
There are no modern names of cloths, such as calico, muslin, linsey, broadcloth, and many more.
There are no modern names of wearing apparel, such as skirts, pantaloons, waistcoats, collars, cuffs, gloves, boots, shirts, and many others, which very easily could have crept in there, if the book had been written out of the imagination of some man of the time.
No schools nor institutions of learning are mentioned; no libraries, museums, or collections; no phrases or single words, such as “namely, as follows, the following, to wit, the foregoing, the above, to sum up, for instance, for example.” None of these, also, are found in Hebrew writings–another “straw in the wind” which indicates Hebrew origin.
No names of churches or religious movements are given. The Mohammedans are not mentioned, the Jesuits, Franciscans, and so on.
There is no principle of science in the Book of Mormon under any modern name.
In money it would have been fatal if the decimal system had been suggested, such as five and five tenths, or eight and two tenths, because the decimal system was invented in the Christian Era, since the days of Christ in another sphere.
There is no reference to relative values in English or American money.
No weekdays are mentioned. That is something to think about; and no names of monts as we have them; because the names of our days of the week are Anglo-Saxon in origin and do not come from Hebrew at all. Our months are of Roman and or Latin origin,
There are no specific religious days, such as Easter or Lent.
There is not mention made of modern drinks, such as tea, coffee, and chocolate.
The narrow neck of land is mentioned repeatedly in the Book of Mormon. Anyone in the nineteenth century, speaking about that little neck of land down there, instantly would have thought of Panama; but it is always referred to as the narrow neck of land, showing there was fidelity in the translation of the book.
If there had been any references to latitude or longitude, it would have been a fatal mistake. There are none such in the Book of Mormon. Latitude and longitude were principles developed in the fourth century, about A.D. 382, in other places.
The Indians–the aborigines of this country–were known to Joseph Smith and his confreres and his contemporaries. They were known as Indians, but never are they referred to as Indians in the Book of Mormon. They are always referred to as Lamanites.
The time of the crucifixion set out in the Book of Mormon, taking into consideration that the crucifixion took place on the other side of the world, exactly corresponds.
There is no mention of the trial by jury.
The words “quite,” “just,” or “guess” are not used.
Some of these things seem insignificant, and they would be if taken by themselves and alone; but all together they have strong evidentiary value in demonstrating–or at least proving satisfactorily–that the Book of Mormon gives evidence of a Hebrew origin and that it was not the work of men of the last-century, English-speaking persons of and from the common men of the times of Joseph Smith.
I now call to your attention something that indicates the genuineness of the work and is of great importance to me.
Let us go back to the story of Lehi and his colony, which allegedly left Jerusalem about 600 B.C. You will remember that some of the family went back, and among other things they brought out was the “book of the law.” This was of course what we call the “Old Testament.” You will remember that when Jesus began his ministry at Nazareth, he entered the synagogue, asked for “the book of the law,” and read certain passages from Isaiah. Now the book of the law, or the old Bible, while it at that time may have contained the record of other prophets than those recorded in the Bible of today as we now have it, shows that following the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, approximately six hundred years before Christ, there were a number of prophets who lived and spoke and whose words were recorded in the record.
There are several hundred passages or quotations from the prophets which are quoted in in the Book of Mormon, and that they are sometimes quoted differently than as found in the Bible speaks much for the correctness of the work of translation, when you give the matter consideration. Since the colony of Lehi allegedly left at a certain time, if any of the later prophets were quoted, it would have been fatal indeed to our claims concerning the book. Fortunately for the integrity of the book, there are no such passages to be found in it.
Let us consider the Book of Ether. This is an account of a colony that, according to the record, left about two thousand years before the birth of Christ–if Ussher’s chronology is accepted as correct. A careful reading of the abridgement known as the Book of Ether, which does not require any length of reading, discloses that it does not mention any of the many things that a man writing from imagination, or even as historical fiction, would likely have brought into the story. Here are some such things: the Law of Moses is not mentioned, neither the Ten Commandments. If they had been brought into the record, it would have been fatal. If Mount Sinai, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Palestine, the Dead Sea, Jordan, or the priesthoods had been mentioned, any of them would have been fatal, because they did not exist, so far as the people of Ether, Jared, and his brother were concerned.
If Joseph Smith is chargeable with writing the book, it is inconceivable that he knew enough about the Bible and biblical history to have avoided the almost inevitable mistakes that he would have made. This applies to Sidney Rigdon or any other man of the same period. These things relate to the internal evidence of the book.
I now wish to consider one of the most remarkable statements of the Book of Mormon, in considering which we must resort to things not of the record in it. I quote from the fourth chapter of Mormon, beginning with the ninety-ninth verse. Moroni says: “If our plates had been sufficiently large, we should have written in the Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath been altered by us also; and we could have written in the Hebrew, behold, ye would have had no imperfection in our record.” Now, please note what follows:
“But the Lord knoweth the things which we have written, and also that none other people knoweth”–that is, no other people at the time Moroni was writing, for it is in the present tense, “that no other people knoweth our language,...therefore he hath prepared means for the interpretation thereof.” We, of course, know what these means were.
Here was a man writing a record, pursued by deadly enemies, and theoretically killed soon afterward, and he was saying, on his own authority or by inspiration (though if a true statement, it must have been by inspiration, which is in harmony with our entire theory about the book), that there was no people in the world that knew the writing of his record. What could he possibly have known, on his own account, about the people in the Old World? There were no means of communication, such as we now have, between the Old World and the New.
Moroni said: “We have written this record according to our knowledge in the characters, which are called among us the reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech.”
We take Moroni at his word as to the time he was writing, for in the seventh verse of the same fourth chapter of Mormon, we find this: “Behold, four hundred years have passed since the coming of our Lord and Savior.”
The word “coming” must be construed, I submit, as referring to the Savior’s advent in the Western Hemisphere. Well, according to the usual belief of the Christian world, the Savior lived approximately thirty-three years. If so, then, we find Moroni saying, according to his record, that about A.D. 433, the present or Christian dispensation, there was no people in the world that knew Egyptian writing. I submit, unless Moroni was given this knowledge, it was a daring–an audacious statement for him to make.
We have learned that the Hebrew children were four hundred years in Egypt. We are told that Moses was much learned in Egyptian lore. And we can well believe that the people down to the time of the alleged departure from Jerusalem could have retained their knowledge of the Egyptian.
I go to history recognized as authentic and find in the Historians’ History of the World, Volume 1, pages 250, 251, this statement about Egypt:
About the beginning of our era [that is, the Christian Era], Egypt having become a Roman province, all of its personal life was stamped out. The hieroglyphic language was no longer written or read. Long before that the language of the people had been greatly modified from its ancient purity, and in the days of Egypt’s greatness it was only the scholarly few, chiefly the priests, who could read and write the language. Now this speech became still further modified, until finally, through the slow mutations of time, modern coptic has developed as its lineal descendant.
In the early days, however, probably before the time of the oldest extant records, the original picture writing, or hieroglyphics proper, had been modified into a sort of running script, which the Greeks called hieratic; and this again had undergone [just as the writing said] another modification some four or five centuries before our era, the development of a script, called encorial or demotic, which, in the days of the Ptolemies, represented the language of the Egyptian people. But after the complete disruption of Egypt under the Romans, the hieratic and demotic forms of writing, as well as the hieroglyphics, ceased to be employed; and presently, as has been said, all three forms became quite unintelligible to any person living. From that time on, until the early days of the nineteenth century, the records of Egypt, preserved so numerously on thier monuments, on the papyrus rolls, and on mummy cases, were a closed book. No man lived, during this period, in Egypt or out of Egypt, who did more than effect the crudest guess at the meaning of this strange writing.
For something like two thousand years the Egyptian language was a dead language in the fullest sense of the term, and the records, locked imperishably in the hieroglyphics, seemed likely to hold their mysterious secret from the prying minds of all generations of men. But then, in the early days of nineteenth century, the key was unexpectedly found, and to the delight of the scholarly world, the Egyptian Pandora box was opened.
Now, if these historians are correct, and they are said to be, two thousand years back of the beginning of the last century, Egyptian was a dead language. Therefore in A.D. 433, there was no people in the world who could know the Egyptian language or could read Egyptian writing. That statement is absolutely demonstrated and proved by these facts.
How was the Pandora box opened? A soldier in the French army under Napolean in Egypt at a town called Rosetta, found a peculiarly marked stone. He took it with him, and today it is lodged in the British Museum in London. It was broken somewhat, but most of it was in good condition. After it found lodgment there, early in the last century, pictures of this stone were sent out to the men of the scientific world. They were asked to see what they could do toward deciphering it. Well, they knew that one part of the record was the hieroglyphic, and another was demotic. They saw that the third part was Greek. It occurred to a Frenchman named Champollion, after he had been thinking about it and noticed a recurrence of characters in each one of these writings that it was the same document, only in three different writings–hieroglyphic, demotic, and Greek! That gave him the key, and starting with that small key, he and others finally developed Egyptology to an exact science, so that by 1865 they had not only hieroglyphic dictionaries and hieroglyphic grammars but also demotic dictionaries and demotic grammars.
BUT JOSEPH SMITH knew nothing of these events. In February, 1828, he handed a piece of writing about the size of five and one-half by eleven inches to Martin Harris. You have heard the story. Harris took that paper to New York City and talked to Professor Anthon and some others there who said it was Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyrian, and Arabic writing.
I do not know where Joseph Smith got those characters. I do not know where Joseph Smith got those records. But here is something that has been demonstrated. He said that he had copied them from the plates. Let us put that aside for a moment.
We have that Anthon transcript, the very identical paper that was taken to New York City by Martin Harris, in our vaults in Independence. When we purchased the manuscript of the Book of Mormon from the heirs of David Whitmer, about 1904, they turned over to us this document which had been with the manuscript all these years and which David Whitmer told a committee, consisting of my father, my Uncle Alexander, and some others, way back in the 1880's, was the same document that Martin Harris took to New York City. We know what those characters were like. They were first published to the world in 1844 in The Prophet (New York City) so there is no dispute about what those characters looked like.
Some Egyptologists, who are interested not only in that subject but also in the Book of Mormon and who are connected with the Utah Mormon Church, have gone into demotic dictionaries and discovered, out of the two hundred and thirty-six characters altogether on that paper, about a hundred and thirty-five different ones, and of these there are ninety-seven exact identities found in the demotic dictionaries.
Now, wherever Joseph Smith got those characters, it is thus demonstrated that they are Egyptian.
Suppose they had found all the different characters in the demotic dictionaries. That would have proved too much, and to prove too much is just as fatal as proving too little, because Moroni, you remember, said the characters had been changed by them according to their speech.
I submit to you that this is an outstanding and significant fact which tends to prove this is a genuine record.
I DO NOT BLAME anybody for having reservations about the Book of Mormon, especially those who are investigating, because of the marvelous and miraculous way in which it allegedly has come about. My own father early in his ministry had some hesitation about it. There are those here who knew him, who probably have a pretty good idea as to his character. I think that of all the men I have known–and I had pretty close contact with him for a number of years as his secretary–in my times in whose integrity I had absolute confidence, he would take undoubtedly the top place with all of them. He said that he had reservations about the Book of Mormon for some years after he took the presidency of the church; but one day, when he was occupying the pulpit, he mentioned the Book of Mormon. As he did, an audible voice spoke to him, as if coming from a person at his right, saying, “The Book of Mormon is of divine authenticity.” He related that he stood still and listened. A second time the statement was repeated, and still he stood there, and the third time the voice said, “The Book of Mormon is of divine authenticity.” He said he never had any difficulty in talking about the Book of Mormon after that.
Paul say that to some it is given to know, to them knowledge is given, just as many of you have received a testimony about the truthfulness of this book; and to others it is given to believe on their testimony. And it is even more blessed for the latter to exercise faith and believe than it is for those to whom the testimony was directly given. It is disastrous for one to have a testimony and then repudiate it. I declare that if I did not have any testimony about this Book of Mormon myself, I could believe on the testimony of my father. I believe there are others here who could almost say the same thing.
Now I believe that of all the people in the world, we have the least excuse for finding lodgment in our hearts and minds for this spirit of secularism. I think we have a story of adventure such as no other church in the world had, and I don’t see any reason why we should lose interest and faint and fall by the wayside.
Adopting the words of Henry van Dyke:
So let the way wind up the hill or down,
Or rough or smooth, the journey will be joy,
Still seeking what I sought when but a boy–
New friendships, high adventure, and a crown.
My heart will keep the courage of the quest,
I know the road’s last turn will be the best.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Removing satan's seat homework 1
Homework 1: Name 8 things (ways) how the devil enters into the House of God. Explain and back it up with the Word of God.
I began with something of a “laundry list” of 8 ways in which the adversary attacks us and the church: 1) Pride/ego/arrogance (2 Chronicles 26:16-20 example of Uzziah, Luke 18:9-14 parable of publican vs. Pharisee), 2) Gossip/lies (Proverbs 25:18, Psalm 57:4), 3) Hidden sins (Revelation 2:20, Ezekiel 8), 4) Conflict/control (Revelation 2:20 spirit of Jezebel), 5) Lack of prayer/vigilance, 6) Focus on works (Revelation 2:4-5 loss of First Love–Jesus), 7) Addictions/lusts (demonic)–sexual issues, 8) Distraction/material possessions/cares of world (Revelation 3:17, Mark 10:17-25 rich young man, parable of sower). As you can see, I began to find support for these 8 ways and found many other related things that match up like laziness/sloth (2 Thessalonians 3:6-13), idolatry/things before God (Matt. 6:33 “seek ye first the Kingdom and His righteousness...”), fear/worry (“take no thought...”), “counterfeit Christians” (parable of wheat & tares). My Life Application Bible KJV (p. 12 chart) even listed strategies of the devil as doubt, discouragement, diversion, defeat, and delay (devil and all “d” words–>damnation in hell).
I then changed my mind about my approach to this assignment. I decided to focus on the armor of God (belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet, and sword) listed in Ephesians 6:13-17. (see below) This includes 6 things, but many of these deal with multiple strategies of satan. [Again, I refuse to capitalize this proper noun despite the book title and proper English due to refusal to show any respect to devil.] This use of the armor of God provides an effective guideline for the paper and begins to delve into strategies of spiritual warfare and how to “remove satan’s seat” in our lives and defend against the attacks of the adversary.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
One, it is important to “armor up” (put on our armor) every day and request protection by the Spirit and angels every day and night. (Psalm 121:5-7, Matthew 2:13) This starts with the belt of truth. In John 14:6, Jesus states, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” I have heard that the Roman belt was key for the soldier with the sword and breastplate attached to his belt. Thus, offense (sword) and defense (rest of armor) in spiritual warfare rest on Jesus with “righteousness as the girdle of his loins and faithfulness as the girdle of his reins” (Isaiah 11:5) which resulted in wisdom & understanding, counsel & might, knowledge, fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2). Through this and more, Jesus resisted temptations (Matt. 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13, Mark 1:12-13) of physical needs (hunger: stones–>bread), emotional needs (security, manipulating God for a sign: casting himself off pinnacle of temple & proving God’s protection and calling as Christ/Messiah), and psychological needs (significance, power/achievement: worship me and get all kingdoms of world). The devil preys on our bodies and their needs, our emotions, and mind/thoughts. Jesus shows how to deal with these temptations–prayer and fasting and relationship with Father (Matt. 4:1-2).
Two, we need the “breastplate of righteousness” (right living in relationship with God, Jesus, and Spirit) as crucial in our discipleship walk. 1 Thessalonians 5:8 states, “But, let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.” The devil often likes to attack our heart and emotions, self-worth, and trust. The above verse points out that “righteousness” is centered in “walking by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7) and showing love as disciples (John 13:35). Righteousness prevents the adversary from preying on our emotional needs.
Three, we are told to walk literally in “gospel of peace” or shalom (wholeness of body, mind, spirit, soul). We are challenged to be ready to spread the Gospel–“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Matthew 28:19) Isaiah states, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace;...” (Isaiah 52:7). Our course speaks about the importance of growing to be able to keep the devil from catching up and entrapping us in various ways.
Four, the “shield of faith is able to withstand the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16). 1 John 5:4 says, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” We see that faith will help us overcome the cares of the world (material possessions, worry, stress, fear of man) and attacks of the wicked (illness, addictions, temptations of flesh, and lust).
Five, the last piece of defensive armor involves the “helmet of salvation” (Ephes.. 6:17) and “hope of salvation” (1 Thess. 5:8). Jesus linked the breaking of God’s commandments with thoughts initially (Matthew 5:22, 28). The devil will attack us using our thoughts, dreams, imagination, questions, doubts. This piece would protect us from attacks on our mind, will, and thoughts.
Six, the last piece of armor is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God;” (Ephes. 6:17). Hebrews 4:12 describes, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The challenge is to know our Scripture as Smith Wiggleworth, the anointed revivalist and healer, did--“Read the Word, Consume the Word, Believe the Word, and Act on the Word”. That’s all he read and studied.
In conclusion, I have listed more than 8 ways with my opening paragraph plus mentioning the temptations of Jesus with physical needs, emotional needs, and psychological needs. We could add spiritual needs to this. I have heard it said that we all have a “God-sized hole” in us that we try to fill in different, ineffective ways. I want to fill it in only One Way. (John 14:6, Mark 12:29)
I began with something of a “laundry list” of 8 ways in which the adversary attacks us and the church: 1) Pride/ego/arrogance (2 Chronicles 26:16-20 example of Uzziah, Luke 18:9-14 parable of publican vs. Pharisee), 2) Gossip/lies (Proverbs 25:18, Psalm 57:4), 3) Hidden sins (Revelation 2:20, Ezekiel 8), 4) Conflict/control (Revelation 2:20 spirit of Jezebel), 5) Lack of prayer/vigilance, 6) Focus on works (Revelation 2:4-5 loss of First Love–Jesus), 7) Addictions/lusts (demonic)–sexual issues, 8) Distraction/material possessions/cares of world (Revelation 3:17, Mark 10:17-25 rich young man, parable of sower). As you can see, I began to find support for these 8 ways and found many other related things that match up like laziness/sloth (2 Thessalonians 3:6-13), idolatry/things before God (Matt. 6:33 “seek ye first the Kingdom and His righteousness...”), fear/worry (“take no thought...”), “counterfeit Christians” (parable of wheat & tares). My Life Application Bible KJV (p. 12 chart) even listed strategies of the devil as doubt, discouragement, diversion, defeat, and delay (devil and all “d” words–>damnation in hell).
I then changed my mind about my approach to this assignment. I decided to focus on the armor of God (belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet, and sword) listed in Ephesians 6:13-17. (see below) This includes 6 things, but many of these deal with multiple strategies of satan. [Again, I refuse to capitalize this proper noun despite the book title and proper English due to refusal to show any respect to devil.] This use of the armor of God provides an effective guideline for the paper and begins to delve into strategies of spiritual warfare and how to “remove satan’s seat” in our lives and defend against the attacks of the adversary.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
One, it is important to “armor up” (put on our armor) every day and request protection by the Spirit and angels every day and night. (Psalm 121:5-7, Matthew 2:13) This starts with the belt of truth. In John 14:6, Jesus states, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” I have heard that the Roman belt was key for the soldier with the sword and breastplate attached to his belt. Thus, offense (sword) and defense (rest of armor) in spiritual warfare rest on Jesus with “righteousness as the girdle of his loins and faithfulness as the girdle of his reins” (Isaiah 11:5) which resulted in wisdom & understanding, counsel & might, knowledge, fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2). Through this and more, Jesus resisted temptations (Matt. 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13, Mark 1:12-13) of physical needs (hunger: stones–>bread), emotional needs (security, manipulating God for a sign: casting himself off pinnacle of temple & proving God’s protection and calling as Christ/Messiah), and psychological needs (significance, power/achievement: worship me and get all kingdoms of world). The devil preys on our bodies and their needs, our emotions, and mind/thoughts. Jesus shows how to deal with these temptations–prayer and fasting and relationship with Father (Matt. 4:1-2).
Two, we need the “breastplate of righteousness” (right living in relationship with God, Jesus, and Spirit) as crucial in our discipleship walk. 1 Thessalonians 5:8 states, “But, let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.” The devil often likes to attack our heart and emotions, self-worth, and trust. The above verse points out that “righteousness” is centered in “walking by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7) and showing love as disciples (John 13:35). Righteousness prevents the adversary from preying on our emotional needs.
Three, we are told to walk literally in “gospel of peace” or shalom (wholeness of body, mind, spirit, soul). We are challenged to be ready to spread the Gospel–“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Matthew 28:19) Isaiah states, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace;...” (Isaiah 52:7). Our course speaks about the importance of growing to be able to keep the devil from catching up and entrapping us in various ways.
Four, the “shield of faith is able to withstand the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16). 1 John 5:4 says, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” We see that faith will help us overcome the cares of the world (material possessions, worry, stress, fear of man) and attacks of the wicked (illness, addictions, temptations of flesh, and lust).
Five, the last piece of defensive armor involves the “helmet of salvation” (Ephes.. 6:17) and “hope of salvation” (1 Thess. 5:8). Jesus linked the breaking of God’s commandments with thoughts initially (Matthew 5:22, 28). The devil will attack us using our thoughts, dreams, imagination, questions, doubts. This piece would protect us from attacks on our mind, will, and thoughts.
Six, the last piece of armor is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God;” (Ephes. 6:17). Hebrews 4:12 describes, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The challenge is to know our Scripture as Smith Wiggleworth, the anointed revivalist and healer, did--“Read the Word, Consume the Word, Believe the Word, and Act on the Word”. That’s all he read and studied.
In conclusion, I have listed more than 8 ways with my opening paragraph plus mentioning the temptations of Jesus with physical needs, emotional needs, and psychological needs. We could add spiritual needs to this. I have heard it said that we all have a “God-sized hole” in us that we try to fill in different, ineffective ways. I want to fill it in only One Way. (John 14:6, Mark 12:29)
Removing satan's seat assignment 1
Assignment: Why are you taking this class? What do you expect to receive from this class?
I am taking this class because the nine hours of this class will give me enough to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Ministry of the Prophet for next year’s F. B. C. graduation. I already have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Toledo in Ohio. I am presently an unemployed Registered Nurse in Missouri (used to be an R.N./B.S.N. in Ohio–to give you a little of my background). This education plan sets me up to take 5 classes each term to be able to get my first Master’s degree, Ministry of the Prophet. This would put me on track to graduate with my first Doctorate degree in Ministry of the Prophet in May 2012. I had the honor of ushering the graduation so I am motivated to get my first doctorate as soon as possible and to work at becoming an instructor at Faith Bible College in the future.
Plus, I am taking this course because it is in the morning on Monday’s which allows me to be able to go to church services (First People congregation–Native American ministries) on Monday nights at 6:30 pm in Kansas City. I am not Native American myself, but I have many friends among them including a mother figure (“adopted church mom”) and mentor who is a leader among them.
In addition, I wanted to take a course with my friend and fellow church member, Jana, who is a fellow student in this class. Since spring classes, I have been interested in this book, Removing satan’s Seat, and what it is about in relation to spiritual warfare. [I know that it is improper English and grammar to not capitalize a proper name and book title. However, I do not want to give any respect whatsoever to the devil.] This is mostly due to Dr. Zalmer Nichol’s (Dr. Nick’s) recommendations in (Blood) Covenants class during 2010 Spring Term for Faith Bible College, my first term of classes . He spoke about Pastor John Posey addressing why so many churches (especially in the U.S.) seem mostly powerless and weak and what we can do about it (“removing satan’s seat”) and these demonic influences within churches. It definitely caught my interest in regards to deliverance personally and with churches in general.
Dr. Nichols has spoken about the spiritual attacks on Faith Bible College instructors teaching spiritual warfare and deliverance. I walk in the ministry of priest/prophet/prayer warrior (intercessor). This puts me on the “front lines” in regards to spiritual attacks and ministry with Faith Bible College and with Ebony & Ivory Ministries. I received a Rhema word of knowledge in 2003: “Randall, you have been in the midst of a great struggle in your life. A battle between the forces of the universe has been waging and you have overcome that battle. You have chosen to follow the Lord Jesus though the warriors [demonic] have been valiant in trying to tear you from that decision.” The struggle and battle(s) in my life continue. In 2008, I experienced the worst spiritual attack of my life while leading the prayer support for a mission trip to Mexico. This attack “put me out of commission” in a manner of speaking for 1 ½ months with allergy and sinusitis symptoms and initially tremendous back & neck pain. I called for the Elders 3-4 times (James 5:14) in 2 days with a prophetic woman telling me about 8 black arrows, which she removed, including labels of “mono” in my back.. I had warnings of this attack through dreams and other means (due to pride and other circumstances like living in a house under demonic influences).
At this point, we have had one class with Dr. M., and I have read up to the section in the book that covers “Pride”. We discussed a number of things in class including our reasons for taking this class and what we hoped to get out of it. I was thrilled that most everyone seemed to get into the discussion of the topic already. One brother felt lead to point to the deliverance (by Paul and Jesus and Spirit) story in Acts 16 with the young woman in Philippi who had a spirit (demonic) of divination. We discussed how the spirit would mislead and draw attention through proclaiming the truth (not unlike devil in attempting to tempt Jesus in wilderness by quoting Scriptures–Matt. 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13, Mark 1:12-13). It, among other things like leaving a cult (another student in class) focused on demons everywhere, provided some great material to discuss the importance of “removing satan’s seat” in our lives, our churches, and our communities. I expect to learn and claim what Jesus said when the 70 returned (Luke 10): “...I beheld satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:18-19)
I am taking this class because the nine hours of this class will give me enough to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Ministry of the Prophet for next year’s F. B. C. graduation. I already have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Toledo in Ohio. I am presently an unemployed Registered Nurse in Missouri (used to be an R.N./B.S.N. in Ohio–to give you a little of my background). This education plan sets me up to take 5 classes each term to be able to get my first Master’s degree, Ministry of the Prophet. This would put me on track to graduate with my first Doctorate degree in Ministry of the Prophet in May 2012. I had the honor of ushering the graduation so I am motivated to get my first doctorate as soon as possible and to work at becoming an instructor at Faith Bible College in the future.
Plus, I am taking this course because it is in the morning on Monday’s which allows me to be able to go to church services (First People congregation–Native American ministries) on Monday nights at 6:30 pm in Kansas City. I am not Native American myself, but I have many friends among them including a mother figure (“adopted church mom”) and mentor who is a leader among them.
In addition, I wanted to take a course with my friend and fellow church member, Jana, who is a fellow student in this class. Since spring classes, I have been interested in this book, Removing satan’s Seat, and what it is about in relation to spiritual warfare. [I know that it is improper English and grammar to not capitalize a proper name and book title. However, I do not want to give any respect whatsoever to the devil.] This is mostly due to Dr. Zalmer Nichol’s (Dr. Nick’s) recommendations in (Blood) Covenants class during 2010 Spring Term for Faith Bible College, my first term of classes . He spoke about Pastor John Posey addressing why so many churches (especially in the U.S.) seem mostly powerless and weak and what we can do about it (“removing satan’s seat”) and these demonic influences within churches. It definitely caught my interest in regards to deliverance personally and with churches in general.
Dr. Nichols has spoken about the spiritual attacks on Faith Bible College instructors teaching spiritual warfare and deliverance. I walk in the ministry of priest/prophet/prayer warrior (intercessor). This puts me on the “front lines” in regards to spiritual attacks and ministry with Faith Bible College and with Ebony & Ivory Ministries. I received a Rhema word of knowledge in 2003: “Randall, you have been in the midst of a great struggle in your life. A battle between the forces of the universe has been waging and you have overcome that battle. You have chosen to follow the Lord Jesus though the warriors [demonic] have been valiant in trying to tear you from that decision.” The struggle and battle(s) in my life continue. In 2008, I experienced the worst spiritual attack of my life while leading the prayer support for a mission trip to Mexico. This attack “put me out of commission” in a manner of speaking for 1 ½ months with allergy and sinusitis symptoms and initially tremendous back & neck pain. I called for the Elders 3-4 times (James 5:14) in 2 days with a prophetic woman telling me about 8 black arrows, which she removed, including labels of “mono” in my back.. I had warnings of this attack through dreams and other means (due to pride and other circumstances like living in a house under demonic influences).
At this point, we have had one class with Dr. M., and I have read up to the section in the book that covers “Pride”. We discussed a number of things in class including our reasons for taking this class and what we hoped to get out of it. I was thrilled that most everyone seemed to get into the discussion of the topic already. One brother felt lead to point to the deliverance (by Paul and Jesus and Spirit) story in Acts 16 with the young woman in Philippi who had a spirit (demonic) of divination. We discussed how the spirit would mislead and draw attention through proclaiming the truth (not unlike devil in attempting to tempt Jesus in wilderness by quoting Scriptures–Matt. 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13, Mark 1:12-13). It, among other things like leaving a cult (another student in class) focused on demons everywhere, provided some great material to discuss the importance of “removing satan’s seat” in our lives, our churches, and our communities. I expect to learn and claim what Jesus said when the 70 returned (Luke 10): “...I beheld satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:18-19)
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