Jan-Feb, Year of Our Lord, 1998
Number 981
It is God that avengeth me.
Psalm 18:47
How do you fight a holy war against the giants in the land? We have been praying for answers on what to do about the Church property that was deceitfully seized from us. It is tempting to walk away and set up the ministry somewhere else. But is that what God wants? While we can sin by doing evil, sometimes we sin by doing nothing. The man who buried his talent did nothing with it. And that was counted to him as sin (Matthew 25:14-30).
When I stand before Jesus, I want to be able to look Him in the eye and say, "I defended what you entrusted with me. I did not hurt anyone in the process, but I stood up for what You put in my hands."
In May of 1997, J. D. Bruce bought Marion County's interest in the Church at a property tax auction. In July, Bruce sold his interest to Louis Jay Lamb for $119,400.
In December, several Church members moved back on the Embassy of Heaven Church grounds. Locks on the gates were changed out, Embassy signs were erected and phone service was installed. A printing press, computers, book racks, furniture and personal items were set up. Workers began cleanup and repair of the facilities that had been damaged and neglected during the last year.
Several weeks went by before Lamb took action. On December 23, Lamb drove down into the driveway, noticed the building was occupied, and sped back up the hill. He soon returned with Marion County deputies who arrested Christian Livingstone at gunpoint. Three more raids occurred, but deputies were unable to locate the people who were occupying the land.
Lamb and the Sheriff have been hatching various schemes to force us off the land. One day a man showed up at the Church and said he and his family had rented the property. This gave our workers a chance to witness to him that the Church still owned the property and it was not for rent. Next, a local businessman called and said Lamb was selling the property and he wanted to buy it. He wondered if we would give him any trouble. He was not happy to learn we intend to continue occupying the land.
On January 16, Christian Livingstone was riding a bike on Fern Ridge Road and noticed four sheriff cars led by Louis Jay Lamb speeding toward the Embassy. When Lamb saw Christian, Lamb swerved to the other side of the road and attempted to knock Christian off his bike. Later that day Lamb and the deputies vandalized the Embassy, cutting phone, electric, heat and propane service at the Embassy. They also removed three sliding glass doors and three wood heat stoves. Their intent was to make the property impossible to inhabit.
On February 1, Lamb sent in Timber brokers to assess the worth of the Embassy trees. Apparently Lamb plans to cut down the trees to recoup some of his investment. Protective metal devices have been installed in the trees to prevent them from being logged.
Please pray for Lamb, that he repents of his molesting of the Church and pray for us as we stand against the giants in the land.
Paul Revere, Pastor
Louis Jay Lamb is a Christmas tree farmer who lives a few miles from the Embassy atop a large wooded estate. Lamb may be contacted at:
Louis Jay and Pamela Sue Lamb;
Jack retrieving his Father's goods.
A small holy war is waging between Louis Jay Lamb and the Embassy of Heaven Church. Louis Jay Lamb, a Christmas tree farmer, paid $119,400 for a quit claim deed to the Embassy of Heaven Church grounds consisting of 34 forested acres of land and numerous buildings. Lamb realizes that he has been deceived by Marion County Tax Collector because the Embassy of Heaven Church has never sold their property, nor was the Church liable for property taxes. He may lose his investment since he does not have clear title to the land he thought he bought.
Lamb, to remedy the situation, has sought the help of the Marion County Sheriff. Four times in the last two months, deputies have raided the Church grounds that are being occupied by Church members. One raid resulted in the arrest of Christian Livingstone. Livingstone spent three days in jail and was then released. He was not booked or charged.
Paul Revere, Pastor of Embassy of Heaven Church, does not believe Louis Jay Lamb has a criminal mind, but the Marion County Sheriff is apparently teaching him to be destructive. On January 16, 1998, Lamb, along with the assistance of Sheriff's deputies, again raided the Church. They destroyed lifeline utilities. Phone service was disconnected. Water lines, propane lines and electricity lines were cut and expensive electrical equipment was removed. Three sliding glass doors were taken off the main Church building, leaving the entrances exposed to the elements. Three wood stoves used for heating were also removed. One stove was drug out to the driveway and hit with a sledgehammer to make it unusable.
Apparently, the purpose for all this destruction was to make living conditions so unbearable that Church members would be forced off the land. This did not happen. Church members, undaunted, are making repairs and coping with the loss of telephone, heat and electricity. They are enduring hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ.
The Sheriff taught Lamb to vandalize and do evil, instead of good. Lamb was not taught to love, but to harm his neighbors. If we imitate Lamb, the community will soon become a war zone with one neighbor retaliating against the other. Either we can love and trust one another, or we can do harm to one another and ultimately destroy each other.
Embassy of Heaven Church forgives Lamb and the Sheriff Deputies for their trespasses against the Church. Pray that they learn to treat others the way they would like to be treated and to do no harm to their neighbors.
On December 23, 1997, Marion County Deputies again invaded the Embassy of Heaven Church and arrested Christian Livingstone at gunpoint. Christian was washing the Church windows when two deputies popped around the corner with guns drawn. As Christian was being handcuffed, he told the deputies they were trespassing on Church property. He said the County was in on the conspiracy to steal Church property.
When Christian arrived at the jail, he was not booked. They left him in street clothes and put him in a holding cell where he fasted. For three days, jail personnel kept coming around asking Christian to submit to fingerprints. Christian said, "No, I'm not going to help you do evil."
Shortly before being released, Christian prayed, "God, if it is your will, just open the doors to this place." And his prayers were answered. Christian walked out of the jail on December 26, with no paperwork, no court dates, and without giving fingerprints.
The same day Christian was released, police cars sped down Basl Hill to make another raid on the Church. "Duckboots" who occupies the Church grounds, is alerted.
He quickly makes a little "blind" in the brush where he can watch the action. Moments later he sees white roof, white roof, white roof, - five in all, along with a big red truck.
As
he crouches lower, he hears, "Woof! Woof! Woof!" "What am I going
to do when the dogs get close?" he thinks. Then he rolls over and
tries to come out. Suddenly he realizes that there is a police car
just a few yards away. He quickly squeezes down further and pulls
his hood over his head so there is no face shine.
Minutes go by. As he stares into the trees, he notices something standing there. Dark legs. He tips his face to get a better view. "Eyes will find eyes," he thinks. "Duckboots" decides to study the dark figure only from the waist down. Then he hears the radio in the nearby police car, "Ten-four." Not only is there one police car close by, there is another just out of sight.
"Duckboots" keeps laying still, praying. Many minutes go by. Finally, he hears car doors slamming. Everyone drives away. "Duckboots" goes back to the Church building, suspecting that they have hauled off the Church goods. He walks in and finds everything is still there. Sitting on the blue overstuffed chair is the Bible open to Psalm 35. He reads it aloud, in the style of Shakespeare. "They devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land" (Psalm 35:20). "Boy, this is great stuff. This is just what is going on here."
When we were printing up some information on the raid, we had an error on the first printing. It read:
Duane Fletchall, who led the raid against the Church, is a defective with the police force.
On the second printing, that error was corrected.
The new text read:
Duane Fletchall, who led the raid against the Church, is a detective with the police farce.
Reprinted
from Statesman-Journal
Salem, Oregon
December 24, 1997
BY JANET DAVIES
SUBLIMITY - An Embassy of Heaven follower was arrested Tuesday on a charge of criminal trespass for returning to live on church property seized and sold by government officials earlier this year.
Christian Livingstone was lodged in Marion County jail after his arrest about 4:30 p.m. on the property at 8777 Basl Hill Road SE, about five miles east of Sublimity.
Deputy Randy Corey said Livingstone gave his year of birth as 1996 but is believed to be 40.
Corey said deputies found a letter from the group's leader, Paul Revere, authorizing Livingstone to set up an "embassy outpost" at the property.
Revere and other church members were evicted from the 34 acres Jan. 31 for failing to pay $16,412 in back property taxes. Revere and his supporters have steadfastly refused to recognize county, state and federal laws.
The property was sold for $119,000 at a county auction on May 23. The sole bidder subsequently sold the property to someone else who has not been living on the land.
Corey said the new owner contacted deputies after visiting the property and finding Livingstone.
"Apparently he had been there for quite some time," Corey said. Signs saying "Embassy of Heaven" had been posted.
Livingstone offered no resistance Tuesday. Corey said six deputies responded because they didn't know how many people might be on the property.
Corey said he did not know where Revere was living.
by
Abraham
To this our Canaan we did flee
From mighty giants across the sea.
Now we are choked by men's decrees
As Christ was pained by Pharisees.
And there is nowhere left to flee
Save to fly, to fly to Thee.
In Russia and China, believers meet secretly in homes. When government officials find out about these unregistered Churches, Christ's followers are tortured, pastors go to prison, and property is confiscated. In America, churches meet openly and there seems to be no persecution. Why is America different?
The reason there is no persecution in America is because the Churches have "sold out" to the State regime. They have registered or incorporated under the State. Once they have become part of the State, the State loves its own and there is no persecution (John 15:19).
Almost 100 percent of the churches in America have become State corporations. They did it voluntarily to save a buck, to obtain tax exempt status, and to have limited liability if the church is sued.
According to Black's Law Dictionary, a "corporation" is an "artificial person" or "legal entity" created by or under the authority of the laws of a state or nation.
To incorporate means to join with something already formed, to become part of another body. When a church incorporates under the laws of the State, it becomes part of the State's body. A maxim of law says, "What one creates, one controls." State incorporated churches are under the control of their creator, the State. They have taken the body of Christ and joined it to a harlot (1 Corinthians 6:15).
A State incorporated church has the State attorney general as its head. The attorney general has the final rule over his corporation. When the pastor conducts his responsibilities, he does them as an agent of the State. During the wedding ceremony, for instance, the pastor says, "Under the authority vested in me by the State of Oregon." He is conducting State business.
The State incorporated church is no different from any other State agency. In fact, it is the State. What the church has done is surrender most of the functions of the church to the State. For example, in the old days, births were recorded in the family Bible. Today the church records them with a State agency such as Vital Statistics. Marriage records are also turned over to the State. Charitable work such as helping the poor, the sick, the imprisoned, the orphaned, the homeless and widows is done with State funding and under State control.
The pastor for the State incorporated church promotes compliance with all State requirements. He preaches that Romans 13 means to "obey the law of the land." And he makes sure everyone in the congregation renders unto Caesar. After all, the church does not want to offend its master and lose its tax exempt status.
If we look in the New Testament, Jesus Christ is the head of the Church. The word "incorporate" is not used in the King James Bible. But Jesus did speak about being incorporated, or becoming part of Him. Jesus said, "I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).
Jesus is speaking of being incorporated in Him. The branches
get their life from the vine. He is saying that He is the life.
Here is another: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat
the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life
in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal
life; and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:53-54).
Here is Jesus talking about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. If we weren't spiritually minded, that sounds like a pretty sick thing to do. But Jesus was talking figuratively. In other words, we have to "eat His flesh" or be "incorporated in Him." We derive our life from Christ.
Jesus is intent that we be made up of Him. Our spirit and our life must come from Him and we are not to join with others.
Another word similar to "incorporate" is the word "birth." To be born is to become part of a larger body. Parents give birth to a child and the child becomes part of a larger body called the family.
The State also gives "birth" by creating corporations. The corporations that the State "births" derive their life from the State, their creator. State corporations, including State incorporated churches, eat the flesh and drink the blood of the State. They abide in the State and the State abides in them.
Jesus calls us to be born, "not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:13).
Jesus also says, "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" and "except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I say unto thee, Ye must be born again." (John 3:3,5,6,7).
To enter the Kingdom of Heaven, we must be born again. We must be born of Christ, and this is a spiritual thing. It is not of the flesh. Birth also means a new creature with a new master. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Under the true Church, our allegiance is to the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ. There is no one else who takes that position. By definition, Christ is the head of His body, which is the Church (Ephesians 1:22,23).
As Christ's body and His Church, we do not hand over our responsibilities to other bodies, such as the State. Jesus commands us to feed the hungry, take in the stranger, clothe the naked and visit the sick and imprisoned (Matthew 25:35,36). The true Church also takes care of her own and keeps her own records.
The Church must remain in Christ. If the Church registers and becomes incorporated under anything other than Christ, it ceases to be the Church. If Jesus Christ is not the Head, then by definition, it cannot be the Church.
Why is there no persecution of the Church in America today? It is because the true Church is nearly extinct. The false church has made a covenant with the State, hoping that when the overflowing scourge passes through, it shall not come upon them (Isaiah 28:15). Their watchmen are blind. They are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs. They cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yes, they are greedy dogs which never have enough. And they are shepherds who cannot understand. They all look to their own way, every one for his own gain, from his own territory. (Isaiah 56:10-11)
The false church cannot bark any more. They have made the State their master and are unable to warn the sheep when the wolves are coming.
A pastor friend in Southern Oregon studied the issue of State incorporation of the church and became convinced that it was wrong. He said to the board of elders, "I have been studying the issue of State incorporation and I recommend that this church move toward dissolving the corporation."
The elders' response was quick, "If you want to pastor an unincorporated church, you'll have to go elsewhere. We will not support you."
This pastor was left with a difficult decision. Remain in the false security of an incorporated State church, or strike out into the unknown territory of living by faith. He chose to depend on God to show him the way. The Pastor moved out of state and found a new flock to shepherd.
If you awaken and find yourself involved in a State incorporated church, how do you get it on a proper foundation? The first step is to convince the pastor and Board of Trustees or Elders that the church should be incorporated solely in Jesus Christ. This is a difficult task because the church has a log in its eye. It will not want to lose the financial benefits of being a State corporation.
Once the elders are convinced, steps must be taken to dissolve the corporation. Since the State created the corporation, the State must dissolve it. The old organization must die. Let it go, count it all dung.
Start over again with a new creation. This time the Church is to have Jesus Christ as Head and the body of believers are incorporated in Him. Take nothing from the Gentiles (3 John 7). Don't seek nonprofit status or tax exempt privileges. The new creation will be incorporated in the Kingdom of Heaven, instead of the State. The two corporations look almost identical, except for one essential difference. They have different heads.
"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in him which is the head of all rule and power."
Colossians 2:9,10 Tyndale Bible.
A new tape on Church Incorporation, No. T9804, is available.
IRONY: In State incorporated churches, the pastor is paid a guaranteed salary to teach people how to live by faith.
One
State Christian church member asked another, "Why don't you come
to my church this Sunday?"
"I'm sorry," said her friend, "I can't go. I already belong to another abomination."
I don't understand why you people do not have State driver licenses. I don't see anything in the scriptures against it.
While it is true that neither Jesus nor the apostles specifically mention licenses, we are instructed not to participate with programs where men lord over each other.
At the Last Supper, Jesus explained the nature of the governments of the world. He said that the kings of the nations exercise lordship over them and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors (Luke 22:25).
Then Jesus tells his followers not to have anything to do with these lordship programs. "But ye shall not be so" (Luke 22:26).
Unless a Christian knows his character, which is to serve one another, then he will be deceived. We cannot be part of a system where men take dominion over other men. Jesus is commanding us not to be like the other nations. "It shall not be so among you" is a command to come out. If you are not to be like them, then you cannot participate with them.
Take a look at the world's driver licensing programs. They force obedience to the doctrines and commands of men, as contained in the motor vehicle code. Motor Vehicle lords enforce their statutes by imposing fines and jail terms on violators. They take dominion over the highways, suspending driving privileges of those who offend them. Instead of serving one another, they take the high seats and regulate and control their neighbors. This is exactly what Jesus said the nations of the world would do. "But it shall not be so among you" (Matthew 20:26).
Those who have State-issued driver licenses are allowing other men to lord over them, which flies in the face of Jesus Christ's direct command. They are conforming to the doctrines of this world (Romans 12:2).
Let us forsake the Kingdoms of this world with their heavy burdens and let Christ have the preeminence in everything. Let us not be lords over God's heritage, but let us serve one another in love.
A few summers ago we were preparing the Church grounds for a retreat when a cloud of thick dust came pouring through the trees. Upwind, the Wolf brothers were plowing a field.
After a short conversation with them, they cheerfully agreed not to plow while we were having our retreat. They shut down their tractors and took the weekend off.
That was only one of the many times the Wolf brothers went out of their way to be good neighbors.
On the other hand, another neighbor, Louis Jay Lamb, has been a very different story. For the past several months he has been persecuting the Church by cutting off telephone, electric, water and propane lines, smashing wood stoves, removing doors, taking our signs and helping Marion County raid the property.
He claims to be some sort of owner to the land because he purchased it from a party who has no agreement with us.
Now you tell me, who are the wolves . . . and who are the lambs?
Oh, by the way, attorney James D. Tiger and Elyn M. Lyon are in the midst.
May Jesus Christ keep you near Him
Not by shielding you from all sorrow and pain,
But by strengthening you to bear it.
Not by making your path always easy,
But by making you sturdy enough to tread any path.
Not by taking hardships from you,
But by giving you courage to endure until the end.
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,
But by keeping your face bright even in the shadows.
Not by giving you what you desire,
But by making you zealous for God's cause.
Not by keeping you from the battle,
But by bringing you off every field
more than a conqueror through Christ who loves you.
Dear Friends at the Embassy,
The peace of our Lord be with you.
Thank you for sending your Nov.-Dec. Midnight Rider, which was a little short, but still very inspiring. It would seem your recent troubles have increased your stature and credibility among the brethren. And the fact that the raid resulted in no loss of lives as well as no permanent or even long-lasting loss of freedom shows the usefulness of nonviolent noncooperation.
I suspect a lot of people look upon the treatment of the Embassy as a barometer of the evil the governments of the U.S. are willing to perpetrate. When they start killing even peaceful resisters, there will be no hope left for peace. Then it will be time for Christians to head for the hills, for armed revolt won't be far behind.
I've gotten some good use out of the Midnight Rider lately. I lent my two issues to a lady who was intrigued by my description of the Embassy, and it turns out that she is one of those "to whom it is given" to understand. She's the first person I've met who has felt the same way I did after I read my first issue. You're on to something. You reveal what was hidden and it fits. The way she put it, it sticks in her mind. She keeps thinking about it. That's the way it was with me.
She was properly skeptical, looking up the cited passages and reading beyond the verse given. It occurred to me that the apostles had to be very careful about what they put into writing if they wanted to be able to continue to spread the Word. Like Jesus, they put things in terms that would be taken one way by believers and another way by unbelievers. In both Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2, there are caveats attached to the injunctions to obey kings and governors that limit their authority to the proper function of government.
In Romans 13:3, Paul says, "For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil." So if they are a terror to good works, are they rulers, or criminals? And in 13:10, he says, "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." That does not describe Roman law or Jewish law, only the laws of Jesus.
In 1 Peter 2:13-14, Peter says, "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well." Once again, the function of governors is to punish evil and praise good. If they do the opposite, they cannot be proper governors, they have no authority.
Illegitimate ordinances are no ordinances at all; unjust law is a contradiction in terms; rulers that are a terror to good works are not rulers.
Perhaps most persuasive is the apostles' own actions. They ignored the orders of the rulers not to preach in Jesus' name. As they said, "We ought to obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29) Since God is the supreme authority, that which He allows ought not be forbidden by men.
The governments of the U.S. are illegitimate, not because they don't acknowledge the supremacy of God and the Lordship of Jesus, but because they violate the function of government - securing rights and punishing evildoers. They are a terror to good works. If they did such things in the name of the Lord, they would only add hypocrisy to their crimes. No, blasphemy. Hypocrisy they already commit, for their founding document states the function of government is to secure rights. They ignore it, except to pay it lip service. As they act against their own authority, they have no authority.
I'm happy to hear that Citizens of the Kingdom are reoccupying the Embassy's land. I salute their valor and wish them well. To not go back would be to tacitly acknowledge the State's authority to seize it.
Live Free and Prosper,
In the Kingdom of Heaven
Rycke Brown
I was running through the dark forest, with dogs and armed men in hot pursuit. Suddenly the telephone in my jacket started ringing. I didn't know it then, but God was calling me to a new ministry.
Shortly after the military-style raid last January, my wife, Rachel, had a vision that we would start a weekly tape ministry. "I know God wants us to do it," she pleaded.
I was reluctant at first. We already had five computer stations in the converted school bus we now use for an office. Where would we put a recording studio? How would we find the time? Not only did Rachel keep bringing up the topic of a tape ministry, but people were writing us saying, "I've already listened to all the tapes you have. Please make some more."
Then one dark, rainy night in December, an event happened that turned the vision into reality. I was running for my life, with dogs and armed men hot on my trail. Up in the sky were lights that were apparently tracking my position.
I had just hiked up Blacktail mountain, then headed down the back side. I was miserably cold. I came to a stream and there was nothing to do but quickly ford the icy waters. I had been climbing hills and tramping through the forest for what seemed like hours. My legs were wet and heavy with caked mud. I was frantically trying to find a way out of the tangle of blackberry bushes that formed a hedge along one side of the field. There seemed to be no way of escape. Closing in behind me were men who could throw me in the lockup.
As the lights of my pursuers came closer, I fell down. I was minutes away from being captured. My legs started cramping up. I could barely move, but I must.
RING.
RING." "Good grief," I mumbled. "Now they'll be able to pinpoint
me for sure." I quickly pulled the wireless phone out of my jacket
and wondered who would be calling at this dark hour. I had
forgotten that I had turned on the phone to call my family and let
them know I was about to be captured. Breathlessly I answered,
"Embassy of Heaven. May I help you?"
It was Rod from Truth Radio Network on the line. "Is Pastor Revere there?"
"I'm sorry he's not available right now. Try calling back in an hour," I panted.
There was no way I could have an intelligent conversation right now so I didn't admit who I was. Rod said he was calling to see if the Embassy of Heaven would like to do a weekly radio broadcast. Later he called back to discuss the details, but that call was the beginning.
I finally found a break in the blackberry bushes and was able to flee to safety. I can't help laughing at God's humorous timing. In my mind, I thought I was surely going down. It looked as though I would soon be captured and forcibly taken to where I did not want to go. Instead, God let me pass through the midst of my pursuers and gave me a new calling.
A few weeks later, we began weekly broadcasts over satellite, internet and FM stations. While we are live on the air, we make audio tapes of the broadcast. Rachel is elated that the gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven is being sent out to the world on a weekly basis.
Embassy of Heaven Program airs live each Saturday night from 6:05 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. PST. Program is repeated Sunday night at 10:05 p.m. PST.
Internet address: www.truthradio.com - Press on towers button to hear live broadcast through computer sound card.
Satellite dish and receiver: S4 Satellite, Transponder 19 - Audio 7.58
Truth Radio Network is supported by listener donations and is available for rebroadcast without a fee. Ask your local radio station to carry our program in your area.
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