Watchman, What of the Night?

[shazeep]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

This is true, Sean. Brutal only begins to describe the horrors.

The world wants conformity. It wants some kind of utopian Brave New World to take place. But any who dare to stand apart, to separate themselves (a true definition of holiness) become enemies of the state, who, because of religious zeal they label as insanity (e.g. invisible sky-gods), have to be either reprogrammed or removed.

I went to secular, state university as a Spirit-filled Christian. I went all in to evangelize and win the lost. I am telling you, a college campus is the darkest spiritual place in the world.

umm, compared to Bohemian Grove, even?

[shazeep]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

This is true, Sean. Brutal only begins to describe the horrors.

The world wants conformity. It wants some kind of utopian Brave New World to take place. But any who dare to stand apart, to separate themselves (a true definition of holiness) become enemies of the state, who, because of religious zeal they label as insanity (e.g. invisible sky-gods), have to be either reprogrammed or removed.

I went to secular, state university as a Spirit-filled Christian. I went all in to evangelize and win the lost. I am telling you, a college campus is the darkest spiritual place in the world.

umm, compared to Bohemian Grove, even?

[Father's Love]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

Jesus told His disciples that the night is coming, when no one can work.

Night most definitely seems to be falling in this country, if not the whole world.

For those people in the Body who God has ordained to be "watchmen of the night", I would like to propose the following idea for this post:

What do you see in the darkness? What lurks beyond the light of God's holy city?

This, of course, is a spiritual enterprise, for the prophet and seer, but also for any who simply know how to read the signs of the time.

So my question is, as you peer into the Spirit of Christ, specifically, and the spirit realm in general, what do you see, especially as the darkness grows, as the night draws on, and the ability to do a work for the Lord decreases until the culmination of the End of the Age.

Some imploring:

1.) Whatever you write, please be mindful of the Word and the place the Word ought to have in governing such things.

2.) Understand that anything you share needs to be open to examination by other saints as they feel led. If you don't want someone disagreeing, don't post.

3.) Finally, if you do disagree with something, do so politely and keep the disagreement about the content.

As an example, I share this recent entry on my blog:

http://votivesoul.wordpress.com/2014...sleeper-cells/

I don't, in that space, give an account of how the post came about, but may do so here, to fill in the gaps.

Aaron

What do I see in the night......... I see a blending of the hearts beliefs, yet with the mouth professing separate doctrines. I see a desire to find the fulfilling of prophecy in the world instead of within the church. I see a desire to read the Word and claim it speaks of the state of the world instead of the state of the faith. I see a desire to give the Word two bodies instead of the one spoken of. I see a body looking for a man instead of the understanding exhibited by the man. I see a return unlike the return the masses are looking for. I see a darkness that is reflective of a greater darkness. I see a beast that belongs to the water sitting atop a tower basking in its wealth start to hunger.

I see points of light in the darkness, glimmers of understanding as hunger sets in. I see a restlessness that only a falling away from understanding can bring. I see hurt that will bring us to our knees, though those on their knees will never be known. I see the leaders washing the feet of the saints from among them. I see hope start to bud in a dark room. I see a tower built from the foundation of the temple start to topple and find is way back to where is belongs. I see the well of life with a stone lattice covering it start to break apart.

[votivesoul]

I wrote this last night before any news broke and without knowing that SCOTUS was going to make the ruling it made today.

https://votivesoul.wordpress.com/201...-of-the-night/

[thephnxman]

"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men...".

Just as the bedroom lights are turned off one by one in a large home as everyone gathers
to sleep, so it has been with the U.S.: the lights have been turned off in the large cities across
America; in state legislatures; in Congress; in the White House; and now, most recently, in
the Supreme Court. But there has always been a "night light".

The night light is getting dimmer.

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

I wrote this last night before any news broke and without knowing that SCOTUS was going to make the ruling it made today.

https://votivesoul.wordpress.com/201...-of-the-night/

A reminder, brethren, that God doesn't do anything except He warns His servants.

And although, praise the Lord, our sister from Kentucky has been released, I fear the average saint doesn't grasp the significance of what really happened.

In Eusebius' Church History, he makes a very startling claim: that the persecutions against the church that came around under the reign of Diocletian, came about due to divine judgment against a fallen church. He writes:

But increasing freedom transformed our character to arrogance and sloth; we began envying and abusing each other, cutting our own throats, as occasion offered, with weapons of sharp-edged words; rulers hurled themselves at rulers and laymen waged party fights against laymen, and unspeakable hypocrisy and dissimulation were carried to the limit of wickedness. At last, while the gatherings were still crowded, divine judgement, with its wonted mercy, gently and gradually began to order things its own way, and with the Christians in the army the persecution began. But alas! realizing nothing, we made not the slightest effort to render the Deity kindly and propitious; and as if we had been a lot of atheists, we imagined that our doings went unnoticed and unregarded, and went from wickedness to wickedness. Those of us who were supposed to be pastors cast offthe restraining influence of the fear of God and quarrelled heatedly with each other, engaged solely in swelling the disputes, threats, envy, and mutual hostility and hate, frantically demanding the despotic power they coveted. Then, then it was that in accordance with the words of Jeremiah, the Lord in His anger covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud, and cast down from Heaven the glory of Israel; He remembered not the footstool of His feet in the day of His anger, but the Lord also drowned in the sea all the beauty of Israel, and broke down all his fences.! So also, as foretold in the Psalms, He overthrew the covenant of His bondservant and profaned to the ground (through the destruction of the churches) his sanctuary and broke down all his fences; He made his strongholds cowardice. All that passed by the way despoiled the multitudes of the people; moreover, he became a reproach to his neighbours. For He exalted the right hand of his enemies, and turned back the aid of his sword and did not assist him in the war. But He also cut him off from cleansing and threw down his throne to the ground, and shortened the days of his time, and finally covered him with shame.

Source: https://facultystaff.richmond.edu/~w.../eusebius.html

What I believe our movement in this country has failed to see, is that the persecutions that are coming, and began in Kentucky just over a week ago against us, are due to divine judgment against the fallen Apostolic Church in the USA.

Consider what will happen, my brothers and sisters, if and really, when, the IRS, in order to receive tax-exempt status, requires churches to no longer preach against homosexuality as a sin?

Currently, in order to receive this exemption, a church has to agree to not speak in any form, about any election occurring, either for or against, in the nation.

Under the Internal Revenue Code, all section 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. Contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position (verbal or written) made on behalf of the organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition against political campaign activity. Violating this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of certain excise taxes.

Source: http://www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non-P...-Organizations

In order for a church to receive tax exempt status, it has to be or become an LLC first. When a church becomes a limited liability company, it becomes an artificial "legal personality" which must surrender 1st and 5th amendments rights, in order to operate.

Source: https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/legal_person

So, by becoming an LLC and a recognized tax-exempt charity by the IRS, a church, by legally binding contract, must surrender certain rights otherwise guaranteed to it, or face legal reprisal by the IRS.

Now that homosexuality is a recognized, protected class, no one who wants what the government is offering in the form of tax exemption, will be allowed to speak against it (in the same way a church can't preach racial intolerance, or etc.)

So, what's going to happen to all of these churches in America who continue to sleep with the enemy, so to speak, in order to maintain their exemptions?

Will they preach no matter what, and break contract, hoping they don't get caught?

Will they comply and stop preaching against sin?

Will they lie on their contract with the IRS and claim to not speak against homosexuality just to get the exemption, then do what they please, and hope they don't get caught?

Will they surrender their exemption and lose their shirts on property taxes and go under (Church buildings, parsonages, vehicles)?

Will members stop giving financially if they can no longer deduct their givings from their year end tax earnings?

Will pastors resign when they can no longer afford their expenses due to loss of tax free income?

My friends, God, and not the devil, has brought this to us, because our movement has not come of out the world. Rather, we have embraced the world and it's system of financial slavery just to get a tax break. The choices facing churches and ministers right now is whether or not they will break free, no matter the cost and loss, or if they'll cave in to protect their interests and assets, even if it means losing the glory of God upon their temple.

Unless this movement really repents, and has a change of heart, the situation in Kentucky is only the first, and likely the easiest, of all that is coming.

[Esaias]

Jesus did not redeem or empower any artificial legal entity with His Spirit, regardless what that legal fiction calls itself.

The church will probably eventually be outlawed altogether. Oh, there will still be a "recognized, registered church" so called, just like in all Communist dictatorships (Cambodia excepted, maybe).

But God will have a pure Bride no matter what it takes.

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by Esaias

Jesus did not redeem or empower any artificial legal entity with His Spirit, regardless what that legal fiction calls itself.

The church will probably eventually be outlawed altogether. Oh, there will still be a "recognized, registered church" so called, just like in all Communist dictatorships (Cambodia excepted, maybe).

But God will have a pure Bride no matter what it takes.

Amen. The Bride will shine with the Glory of God in His fullness. Oh the day!

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by Esaias

Jesus did not redeem or empower any artificial legal entity with His Spirit, regardless what that legal fiction calls itself.

The church will probably eventually be outlawed altogether. Oh, there will still be a "recognized, registered church" so called, just like in all Communist dictatorships (Cambodia excepted, maybe).

But God will have a pure Bride no matter what it takes.

Keep in mind, though, that only those who, among other things, swear, even to their own hurt, and don't change their minds, will stand in the Lord's holy hill (Psalm 15). So, if a church makes a vow to the IRS, even to its own hurt, God will require it to keep its word.

[votivesoul]

Back in 1998, all churches in the USA had to answer the following yes or no question in order to receive tax exemption. A "no" answer was an automatic disqualification.

Does the organization require prospective members to renounce other
religious beliefs or their membership in other churches or religious orders?

Source: http://thc-ministry.org/IRSForm1023P...fExemption.htm

This question has since been removed, but I wonder how many LLC CEO's, otherwise called "pastors", back in 1998, answered "no" in order to maintain or receive the exemption, to the compromise of their soul?