Nov-Dec, Year of Our Lord, 1994
Number 946
As I walk through life
And open new doors
I become aware
Of fights and wars.
There's the wars with guns
And bombs and planes
Whose destruction leaves
It's bloody stains.
There's the fights we have
With those we love
How quick we are
To give a shove.
But the hardest of all
Is the fight within
Warding off anger,
Temptation and sin.
by Brooke Revere
Glory Hallelujah! Once again, I was arrested and jailed for not having State papers. Within 48-hours, I was dragged into court for two trials, convicted, and released. In the courtroom, when the jury announced the guilty verdict, I joyfully sang aloud, "Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord."
If we are going to be dragged into these synagogues of Satan and be convicted, let it be for the cause of righteousness. Then we will have pearls in our crown. As Tertullian said, "The accusations of certain accusers are our glory."
Our simple message is that the Kingdom of Heaven is now and you choose whom you shall serve. You either serve the State or you serve Jesus Christ. You cannot serve both. If you serve Jesus Christ, then He is Lord. He is King. He rules over the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, as it is in Heaven. And when you bring yourself under Christ as King, you are subject to His commandments and law.
Christ's law is also known as ecclesiastical law, which is completely separate and different from State law. State law is Caesar's law, for those who are ruled by Caesar, not God. No one can obey both Caesar's law and ecclesiastical law.
When I was dragged into court, I was judged before Caesar's court for acts that violated Caesar's law. I told them I was in the Kingdom of Heaven and under ecclesiastical law. They chose to willfully ignore my foundation of ecclesiastical law, and judge me according to Caesar's foundation.
When I was measured against State law, my acts were criminal. I did not hurt anybody, but the State has made it a criminal act not to carry and present State identification. They also have made it a crime not to obey one of the State's officers when he gives a command to appear before their godheads.
These same acts which are criminal for those under State law, are totally lawful in the Kingdom of Heaven. We have no requirement to carry Caesar's identification card. We are not required to obey a strange officer of a strange government. In fact, we are commanded to "flee from the stranger." (John 10:5) The State is the stranger when we are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.
If Caesar recognized the Golden Rule, then the two governments could be in harmony. But the governments are not in harmony because the State is not of the Kingdom of Heaven and does not profess Jesus Christ as Lord. The State has gone off and promoted its own system, instead of upholding the ways of God.
Since the State disobeys the Highest Authority, we appear to be troublemakers, anarchists, and lawbreakers. Yet our acts are totally in harmony with the Highest Authority. In fact, they are required of us by the Highest Authority. Nevertheless, our obedience to God makes us criminals in the eyes of men.
What really confuses matters, is that the so-called "Christian" churches are under State authority. Because almost all churches are State corporations, they are creations of the State, not creations of the Kingdom of Heaven. They have voluntarily put themselves under State law, rather than ecclesiastical law. According to Scripture, these State Christian Churches are in harlotry. They have yoked to the unbelievers, the State, instead of remaining the pure, unspotted bride of Christ. They have forgotten the most basic foundation that He is the Vine and we are the branches. We are to eat His flesh and drink His blood. We are not to eat the flesh or drink the blood of anything else, including the State.
One reason it is difficult to see that Christ's government is on this earth now, is because God's officers, are actually officers of the State. Pastors, deacons and elders serve on the board as "church" trustees of a State corporation. The pastors cannot preach, "Come out of her, my people," because their "church" is yoked to the beast through incorporation with the State.
The greatest crime committed by these harlots is when a pastor baptizes converts into the State, rather than into the Kingdom of Heaven. They lead young, lost souls into Statism, rather than into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Our issue is technically with the false, harlot churches because they are misrepresenting Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven. That is where the battle is going to be turning.
These are evil days, but I am not troubled. Even though people are ready to destroy us, I am in total Peace. God has given us the privilege to see Him, to see His Kingdom, and to see His Son. Let us rejoice and be glad in this glorious privilege.
Paul Revere, Pastor
The
September Retreat's theme of "Obeying the Higher Authorities"
raised the question of who is our authority? There are many gods
who try to compel us to be under their authority. But Jesus says
we can only obey one Master. (Matthew 6:24)
One of our ambassadors, Glen Stoll, vividly illustrated "fleeing from the stranger." On his way to the Retreat, Glen went around three police roadblocks in his Heaven vehicle. Glen Stoll's exciting story of risking his life to obey the Higher Authorities is in our Road Reports. Jim Randles, another ambassador traveling in a Heaven pickup to the Retreat, was also stopped. Police merely gave him a written warning and he was back on the road.
Approximately 50 guests traveled to the Retreat in buses, vans, campers and cars, as well as in planes and trains. One man, whose car had recently been wrecked, bicycled over 70 miles to camp with us.
An inspiring highlight of the retreat was Charlie Samples, who systematically took us through the New Testament scriptures to show that Christ instituted a new doctrine. When Apostle Paul speaks of being in the last days, he means the last days of the old covenant or the old world. Jesus Christ brought a New World.
Charlie Samples said he believes the State christian churches were set up to destroy the Kingdom of Heaven. Most State christian churches preach that the Kingdom is in the future. They do not believe the Kingdom of Heaven is a present reality - here and now. This denies the finished work of Jesus.
Charlie Samples books, THE GREATEST HOAX and THEY ALL CALL HIM KING expose the false doctrines of modern Churches, as well as talk about practical Kingdom living.
The hardest hitting session during the retreat was on the Permanency of Marriage. Jesus teaches that remarriage equals adultery. This is a new, more narrow doctrine than the old covenant, which allowed divorce and remarriage.
This Word brought grief and tears. It is the hardest message to preach because so many feel justified in remarrying. Yet God's word is clear: "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery." (Mark 10:11-12) God hates divorce, for it covers one's garment with violence (Malachi 2:16). State laws encourage divorce and remarriage and are one more example of an "authority" approving what God hates. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are commanded to obey the Highest Authority.
The trouble with most of us is that we have been inoculated with small doses of false Christianity which keep us from catching the real thing.
The State of Oregon, through its political subdivision, Marion County, is attempting to foreclose on the Embassy of Heaven buildings and land. If given an opportunity for a court hearing, we do not plan to build a defense or enter into their proceedings.
At this time, we do not know the current tax status. During November, we received a tax statement for the next year. We refused the Statement and told the County that the Embassy property has one of two dispositions:
1) Jesus Christ owns the land and since He is King, no taxes are owed; or
2) The land is under a feudal lord (Marion County) and since proper homage (taxes) has not been paid, they need to find a new owner to pay the taxes.
The county is not fighting us. They are fighting God. Caesar is attempting to foreclose on that which belongs to God. Our duty is to remain faithful to the One who has called us.
If the County forecloses, there will be a two-year redemption period and then the property will be sold. Instead of fighting the County, we plan on continuing to publish the good tidings of the Kingdom of Heaven. If Jesus Christ wants this ministry to grow at this site, it will. On the other hand, if God is to be glorified by losing the land, then may His will be done.
We have sent the following PROCLAMATION OF LAND TRANSLATION to the County Assessor and Circuit Court.
We hereby proclaim that the land known as the Embassy of Heaven, located on approximately 34 acres, about 7 miles east of Sublimity, Oregon, and described as:
Parcel 1: Government Lot 3, of Section 33, Township 8 South, Range 1 East of the Willamette Meridian.
Parcel 2: Beginning at the Northeast corner of Government Lot 3, in Section 33, Township 8 South, Range 1 East; thence East 970 feet, more or less, to the centerline of County Road No. 882; thence Southwesterly along said centerline 23.00 feet, more or less to a point 20 feet South of the North line when measured at right angles to said line; thence West and 20 feet south of said North line 960 feet, more or less, to the East line of Government Lot 3; thence North 20 feet to the point of beginning except that part lying in County Road No. 882.
Except: Rights of the public in and to that portion of the herein desc. tract lying within roads and roadways; Transmission Line ease. Recorded in State of Oregon, County of Marion August 30, 1972 Bk. 563, Pg. 105, DR for MCO.; Transmission line and access Rd. Ease. recorded in State of Oregon, County of Marion in Bk. 630, Pg. 198, DR for MCO.
is a holy Sanctuary purchased and redeemed from Marion County, the State of Oregon, and all other kingdoms of the world, by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings.
Through revelation from Jesus Christ, the Embassy of Heaven was established to do the work of our Heavenly Father, so that His will may be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
A deed translating the above-described land to Jesus the Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father in Heaven, and Embassy of Heaven, His representative, was executed on the 27th day of November, in the year of our Lord, 1989, and registered in the records of the Embassy of Heaven of the Kingdom of Heaven at Book 1, Page 9. This deed executed in 1989, supersedes the previous deed executed on the 8th day of September, 1988, and recorded in Marion County, Reel 644, Page 19.
Any and all ownership interest PAUL REVERE, AMBASSADOR OF JESUS CHRIST and RACHEL REVERE, AMBASSADOR OF JESUS CHRIST, may have had in the above-described land was deeded in 1989 to Jesus the Christ and His Representative, the Embassy of Heaven.
The above-described land belongs to our Father in Heaven, the Creator of the Universe, and is allodial land, free of any superior claim and without rent or taxes.
Upon the authority of Jesus Christ, the above-referenced land and any improvements thereon, known as the Embassy of Heaven, has been withdrawn from the taxing inventory of Marion County and the laws of the State of Oregon and has been translated into the Kingdom of Heaven and is subject to ecclesiastical law.
The land described above and known as the Embassy of Heaven is not part of the State of Oregon. Embassy of Heaven belongs to the Kingdom of Heaven, a holy nation with Jesus Christ as Head.
In the mouth of two or three witnesses let every word be established (Matthew 18:16).
Executed at the Embassy of Heaven of the Kingdom of Heaven. Dated this 22nd day of September, Year of our Lord, 1994.
Jesus the Christ and Embassy of Heaven
by:
Paul Revere, Pastor Rachel Revere
On this 22nd day of September, 1994, personally appeared the above named Paul Revere and Rachel Revere and acknowledged the foregoing instrument to be their voluntary act and deed.
Before me:
Abraham
Salem, Ore., Wednesday, September 28, 1994
Page 2B LOCAL/NORTHWEST
Paul Revere, head of the Embassy of Heaven church, was arrested Tuesday after he skipped yet another court appearance for failing to carry an Oregon driver's license.
Revere was arrested just after 5 p.m. on a road about two miles from his home, said Deputy Bill Sherburn, spokesman for the Marion County sheriff's department. He was taken to the county jail.
Revere refuses to obtain a driver's license or vehicle registration. The former civil servant once known as Paul De Revoire renounces all state laws, claiming the state is the Antichrist.
His homemade license plates read "Heaven." Revere, whose 34-acre property near Salem also is called Heaven, claims his driving privileges come from God.
Revere was arrested twice earlier this year, then freed pending a court appearance. Both times in jail, he starved himself.
"He was on a spiritual fast, praying and fasting for his captor's salvation," said Revere's wife, Rachel, adding that he may fast again "if it be God's will."
by Paul Revere
The State kept me in jail for about 48 hours, long enough for them to hold two trials and convict the "old man" of "failure to display a driver license" and "failure to appear." After the trials, I was sentenced to "time served" and released without any further restrictions, fines, or probation.
On the day of the trial, I said, "I am in the Kingdom of Heaven. I am not in your courtroom. I will remain outside your courtroom. I refuse to enter into your proceedings."
I asked to be removed from the bar area, which is the part of the courtroom reserved for attorneys and their clients. The judge said I must be inside the bar until after the jury is selected. "No, I will not go inside the bar area." I tried to take the chair and put it outside the bar area. As soon as I picked it up, "Boom!" my hands and arms were hit by a guard and I was knocked to the floor.
I said, "I am sorry, this is my religious conviction. I will not be inside this bar area. I will not be inside the inner circle of the synagogue of Satan." Lo and behold they let me sit on the other side of the bar. Even with this small victory, I erred. I should have said it was against my religious conviction to even be in their courtroom.
During jury selection, Abernethy, who sat as judge, asked if anyone had seen the newspaper articles on me. Anyone who admitted to seeing the articles, was excused. These potential jurors openly showed their hostility for my beliefs in the Kingdom of Heaven. Based on that fact, I knew that when the other jurors learned about my beliefs, they would also become biased and prejudiced. They could not see any law, except State law. They think everybody should be a Statist. This heavy resistance to the Kingdom of Heaven makes it very difficult to find converts.
Abernethy made it very clear that the jury was to apply the facts to the law as she gave it. The jury must follow the law, whether they agreed with it or not. On this basis, if Abernethy said 2 + 2 = 5, the jury was not to disagree.
During the first trial on the morning of September 29, I tried to use a little logic to show that the charges were incompatible. I guess I tried to save my life. On the second trial in the afternoon, I laid my life down. I was going to give them the conviction without a fight. I was not going to build a defense.
I told the jury, "Jurors, this one is yours. I'm going to make it easy for you. I'm not going to deny any of the facts. I am going to tell you what you have to do and what your duty is, so you understand the process. You have sworn oaths that you will accept the law as the judge gives it. Abernethy does not recognize the Kingdom of Heaven. She does not recognize ecclesiastical law, which I am under. She only recognizes State of Oregon laws.
"One of the major problems that we have is that you are going to be examining the facts, not the law. I will not dispute the facts. The facts happened, and judged according to State law, I am a criminal. But judged according to ecclesiastical law, I am in obedience. You are going to have to find me guilty according to State law. That is your only choice because I cannot bring ecclesiastical law into this courtroom.
"You have no choice because your hands are tied. You have sworn an oath to compare the facts against State law. You cannot check out the facts against ecclesiastical law. This court does not recognize ecclesiastical law because it is outside their realm. Therefore whatever happens in this courtroom, I command you to find me guilty."
I basically played the role of prosecutor. I noticed the judge had a very difficult time continuing with the trial. The prosecutor also had trouble moving ahead. The Public Defender, who was sitting behind me, started tearing toward the end. But the jury was stale. Absolutely nothing hit their heart. But three important people knew what I was doing.
I explained to the jury that my acts were done on the foundation of the Kingdom of Heaven. That the Kingdom is God's government and it is here and now. "But I will be judged upon a different foundation - the State's foundation. You will not understand my foundation and I don't expect you to because all you know is the State's foundation. You don't believe that a man can do his acts and be righteous, even though he is on a different foundation from the State.
"You are not a jury of my peers. You are Statists. I am of the Kingdom of Heaven. Even when you think you are in the Kingdom of Heaven, you are actually under the State. Therefore, how can I convince you of anything since you are not my peers. You think the way the State does. Look at them all. There is the prosecutor, the public defender, the judge. All of them work for the State, which you are part of, but which I am not."
What they did not understand is that when they come into the Kingdom of Heaven, they are going to be judged the way they judged me. These people were not seeking first the Kingdom of Heaven. They did not acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the only foundation that can be laid. They were so brainwashed that no matter what I said, they could not hear.
Jesus had the same problem and I know His frustrations. He bore the Cross and we are going to bear that same Cross. The people are "sheeple," following what the State tells them. They do exactly as the judge says because they fear what men will do to them. They do not want to get beat up. They do not like jail. They deem that if someone is being punished, they must have done something evil. That is their measuring stick and you cannot blame them.
At the sentencing, Abernethy asked whether I wanted to be sentenced immediately and waive the 48-hour waiting period. The 48-hour statute is designed to give people who may be sentenced to jail, an opportunity to close out their affairs before going to jail. If you are already sitting in jail, waiting 48 hours to be sentenced merely gives you 48 more hours in jail.
I told Abernethy, "This whole procedure is fictitious. If you want to expedite a fiction, go for it, but I am not signing anything." The judge went ahead and sentenced me to fifteen days on each count, which was time served. Then she released me.
I learned something about "failure to appear." I had told the arresting officer that I would not appear for court. The officer testified of my statement and demonstrated that I willfully failed to appear. To avoid harassment for "failure to appear," do not mention whether you will go to court or not.
They are willfully refusing to acknowledge our status as citizens of Heaven. They know we are right and they are technically breaking the law. But they also know it is next to impossible for us to correct the situation. There is no way our voice can be heard in the courts because there are no impartial courts. The best thing we can do is get the Word out, evangelize. I believe Jesus understood and that is why He sent His men out to evangelize. At certain stages, there is no law. There is no justice. There is no court. All you can do is wake up everybody.
This is what we need to do. We need to come out from among them, one at a time. Yes, they will beat us up, but we will just keep doing what we have to do. Eventually, we will be so numerous that they will have to give up. Anyone who wakes up and sinks his feet deep into the soil of the Kingdom of Heaven, will never turn back. Jesus said, "I have not lost any of them, except one, the son of perdition." (John 17:12) The eleven apostles knew they had received the Kingdom. That is the only thing keeping me going right now. I know we have received a Kingdom.
Pastor has a passport to his private Heaven
Getting
into Heaven is easy for Pastor Paul Revere. He set up his
own 34-acre kingdom in eastern Oregon and named it "Heaven"
- claiming that it's God's seat of government on earth!
But state officials refuse to recognize Revere's celestial citizenship. He's repeatedly wound up in jail for driving with Kingdom of Heaven license plates! And so have more than a dozen of his disciples - many of whom carry Heaven-issued driver's licenses and passports.
The defiant religious leader also refuses to pay property taxes for his Heaven on earth.
"We are answerable to no earthly authority - only to God," declares Revere. "As chief spokesman for God's government on earth, I am a bureaucrat for Jesus."
Revere - who was born Paul De Revoire - says his flock numbers about 200, but only a handful live in Heaven. The rest are spread throughout the U.S. as "ambassadors."
Unfortunately for the 45-year-old pastor and his followers, Oregon doesn't acknowledge the sovereignty of Heaven, which is located about 20 miles from the state capital of Salem.
The
law is straightforward," says Mike Unger, of the Oregon
Department of Motor Vehicles. "To drive on the roads of
Oregon, you need a valid license plate and driver's
license."
Since 1987, when he established the kingdom, Revere has been arrested and jailed a half-dozen times for failure to obey those motor vehicle laws and refusal to appear in court.
Revere has also stopped paying property taxes on the land where he, his wife and their two daughters live in a wooden cabin. He currently owes more than $10,000 - and county authorities are threatening to foreclose on Heaven.
"Every time we send him a notice, though, a note comes back informing us that the kingdom isn't part of Oregon and he does not owe taxes on the property," says Jo Stonecipher, assistant legal counsel for Marion County, Oreg.
Revere has issued more than 200 license plates. And police have nabbed Heaven drivers for speeding as far away as Florida.
"The Kingdom of Heaven is not of this world - you'd think they'd grant us diplomatic immunity," complained Revere.
Police Chief Michael Healy of neighboring Stayton, Oreg., is convinced they are not a dangerous cult.
"We don't feel that we have the potential with Revere for an incident like the one in Waco. They seem to be a harmless lot."
JIM NELSON
PAGE 32
Heaven Road Report
News from those traveling with Heaven licenses.
Date of incident: September 14, 1994
Ambassador: Glen Stoll
Mission Field: Oregon and Washington
Tom Kelly and I were headed south on Interstate 5 on our way to the Embassy of Heaven Retreat. An unmarked car behind us turned on its flashing lights. At first, I didn't know what to do. Previously, I had just pulled off at the next freeway exit. But the last time I did that, I inadvertently drove into Fort Lewis Army base with all of those consequences. I came very close to pulling off at a rest area, but something compelled me to keep driving. I call it the Holy Spirit. I really believe that this was God's will. He had a special purpose in mind.
When I didn't pull over, the man in the pink, unmarked car put on his siren and said over the bullhorn, "I want you to pull that thing over! Pull it over now!"
I just put my hand out the window and motioned for him to go around. He spoke into his bullhorn, "Just pull it over, I need to talk with you."
We were in the middle lane and he pulled up beside us in the right lane as we continued driving. Tom, who was seated beside me, went into a comatose state. He looked like he was sleeping and plainly wanted nothing to do with this encounter.
"Roll down the window, Tom."
"Uh, what? No, no."
So I reached over and rolled down the window and asked the man in the unmarked car, "What can I do for you?"
"Pull that thing over. I need to talk to you."
"Have I done something wrong?"
"Your license is not valid."
"Oh yes, it certainly is."
"I know you people and I know what you are up to. I just need to talk to you."
You can't believe these people. They will tell you anything to convince you to do what they want you to do. I know how they talk. They resort to violence and ask questions later - maybe. And the questions they ask are loaded. I decided that he wanted to do more than just talk. I told Tom, "I think I'm doomed to the holding cell. I might just as well keep going."
Tom agreed, "We're committed. Let's just go for broke."
The pink, unmarked car continued to flash its lights and eventually at least seven more police cars were involved. We saw the green marker, which meant we were 90 miles from the Oregon border. A few miles later I saw a truck and people were pulling off to the side. "I have a police escort down to the Embassy," I figured. "This is great! We'll get there in record time."
The freeway was only two lanes at this point. In front of us, in the right-hand lane, was a big semi-truck. Another semi-truck that was not pulling a trailer pulled off to the other lane, right beside the other semi-truck and they rode beside each other. I assume their CB radios were hooked up to the State patrol and they were being given instructions.
All of a sudden they started slowing down very rapidly. I thought, "I need to get by these guys. They are crazy. This is dangerous!" I just pulled off onto the gravel section near the median of the freeway and went around them, with the gravel flying. One of the trucks pulled around to let the cops get by.
The police continued to follow, but I knew they would not give up. Up ahead I could see flares in the road on the left, moving everyone to the right lane. At the end of the flares were two State patrol cars, both pointed to the right. They were totally blocking both lanes. This was a full-fledged road block.
As the car ahead of me went through, I saw men scramble to pull something across the road. I thought it was a cable. I figured they were going to kill us. I cranked my wheel to the left and went back onto the gravel median. There wasn't much room, but we squeezed around the road block.
We drove another hour with sirens blaring behind us. The police finally became tired of running their sirens and shut them off. As I drove past the Kelso exit, I saw a Kelso city policeman waiting, as if to say, "Don't take our exit. We don't want you."
Up ahead I saw another roadblock. As the last car went through, they brought out the tire shredders, the "spike strip," which is attached to cables. If I drove over those spikes, that would be the end of my tires. They tried to funnel me right into the center and this time they had cars parked all the way out to the edges so I could not get around.
This time I cranked the wheel to the right and went off into the grassy area that sloped along the freeway. I went slipping along, right through the mud and grass. By this time, the same officer in the pink car spoke into the bullhorn, "We would very much like you to pull your car over. We just need to talk with you. If you don't pull over, you will be in big trouble. All we want to do is talk with you."
He was very polite, but I didn't believe that he just wanted to talk. Finally the officer said, "Look, if you don't pull over, I have given instructions to my officers to ram you off the road." I knew this was a lie. Their liability would be too great.
We crossed the border into Oregon with lights flashing and sirens roaring from behind us. I saw construction equipment and a sign directing traffic to the left lanes. "Here is where we stop, this is the end of the line," I told Tom. I saw them scrambling up ahead again, with their tire shredder strips. Everyone made room for me to pull in and I pulled right in along with everybody else and stopped to wait for them to go by. They were not going to let me by. Officers pulled up everywhere. They all got out of their cars. Every one of them had guns drawn. They pointed their guns at us from every angle. One guy started banging his gun on the window really hard, "Open this door right now!"
I sat there - terrified. Tom opened up his door and they rushed in. They opened up my door and dragged me out and slammed me hard to the ground. "You people don't need to resort to violence," I gasped.
"Well, if you would just pull over when we ask you to."
They put me in a patrol car and debated whether to take me to Oregon or Washington. I went to the Oregon State Police office. Many officers paraded through to look at me. I had a wonderful opportunity to preach the Good News of the Kingdom of Heaven to people who would probably never hear the message any other way.
They took me to a holding cell, but released me after a few hours. I could not believe it. I thought they would lock me up and throw away the key, after my having gone through three road blocks. I didn't sign anything and they did not confiscate any of the Heaven documents.
Every place I went, they scrutinized my passport. They made photocopies of every page. I am so thankful for the passport because it contains the Gospel in simple terms. I was also able to retrieve the Heaven car from the tow yard and drive it down to the Retreat.
Ambassador: Tom Emmons
Mission Field: California
I thought you might be amused at an incident I experienced recently. Having undergone extensive radiation treatment for cancer, my health is a bit flimsy at times. This causes me a little concern in the event I'm jailed without having any way of maintaining a delicate diet. I'm sure as the Lord has all things under control, He will see to my needs wherever I may be. I guess I'm a bit of a wimp at times. The pain, and even death, is a very small thing in lieu of the price Christ has already paid for us. Yet, He has seen fit to spare me the jail scene to date.
Which brings us back to what happened on a recent trip in my Heaven-licensed car. As I was traveling on highway 36, there was a police unit parked on the side of the road conversing with another motorist. As I was about 50 feet beyond the unit, my car instantly quit running. Then as instantly as it quit, it began to run again, upon which I breathed a sigh of relief. But that was short lived. The car once again quit, causing me to pull over to the side, not too far beyond the unit.
Exiting my car and raising the hood, I had hopes the officer would ignore me. Well, that wasn't the case. Within a short time, I heard the officer pull in behind me.
The Lord has such unique ways of bringing us to a halt when He sees fit. Having been under Heaven license plates and driver license for about three years, and having arrest warrants out on me, I was resigned to the high possibility of going to jail. To shorten the story, he asked for my driver license and registration, during which time he probed into my reason for believing I had the right to defy, "The Beast," legally and spiritually.
After some time conversing with me, he went to his unit and proceeded to radio in on my status and what they might know about the Heaven papers. Being on a sparsely traveled road, I could clearly hear every word spoken. I figured I was definitely going to jail when I heard the dispatcher inform him of my bogus warrants. She made it very clear I was to be arrested on sight.
He then returned to where I was busy analyzing my car trouble, and began another conversation with me on what the law said. I then assured him I had no problem with his keeping the peace and watching out for my safe passage. But I drew the line on signing any more contracts, converting my God-given rights into man-given privileges. I told him I began to suspect there was something pretty big going on when I realized that through licenses, permits, registrations, social security and other agreements, we have given the State nearly full control over everything we have and every move we make. Yet, there is something more they want. That, we know, is our very soul.
After having informed him that the Lord was in sole possession of my soul, he returned to his unit once again. I heard the dispatcher ask him if he intended to arrest me. He told her he hadn't concluded his investigation as yet and would get back to her. He returned and asked me exactly what it was I stood for. I simply made it clear that I believed Jesus Christ was God and the Savior. He handed back my papers and stated that that was good enough for him. Then he reminded me that it is at the discretion of the individual officer who may make the next stop whether to arrest me or not.
The officer asked me to pray for him and made the statement he would probably be in jail with me before it was all over. He said he had been studying Scriptures and believed what I was doing was right. Then he drove away. I do earnestly pray for him, as his profession will demand his allegiance to one or the other soon.
I thank God for your staunch stand, and will keep you in my prayers. God bless you and yours richly.