November 2001

Part Thirty-one

The Super Highway (EE)

Continuing with excerpts from the book, “Eagle Saints, Arise”, written many years ago by a beloved brother, Bill Britton, who has since gone home in glory, it is my prayer that each reader will take these words to heart in these critical hours.

             The prophet, Ezekiel, and the Apostle John both saw visions of the Sons of God. We find the stories in Eze 1 and Rev 4. Though these were separated by more than 600 years, both visions had this in common: the living creatures had “The face of an eagle!” John said it was a “flying eagle”...not one confined to earth!! Glory to God!! John saw the “Great Storm” that was coming upon the earth; but he also saw, in type, those who would be as FLYING EAGLES TO RISE ABOVE THE STORM!
              See the chicken how it scurries about, hunting for shelter when the storm breaks, Huddling together (with other chickens) in their misery hoping their shelter won’t crash down upon them, fearing every lightning streak and thunderbolt. Pity those who cannot find shelter, perhaps doomed to death by drowning or hail. Not so the eagle! The very same storm that pounds upon the poor earthbound creatures, produces the violent winds that lifts the eagle effortlessly above the storm clouds.
              Rev 12:12 speaks of both classes when it says, “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea!” Yes, the storm is breaking, and its full fury will fall on those who have not known THE WAY OF THE EAGLE!
              God is delivering many today from their earthbound existence, lifting them by the Holy Ghost into heavenly places in Christ. Things of earth grow strangely dim in the Light of His glory and grace. They do not fear the storm. The same persecution and tribulation that shall bring great travail upon a dead, backslidden church filled with earthly efforts shall cause the eagle saints to soar to heights never before attained by man since the Pattern Son set the example! [The following is a Word of Prophecy given to Brother Bill] “Fear not the storm, my little ones, for thou art not children of the storm or of My wrath! Look up! Lift up thy heads and rejoice! For thou art children of redemption, and thou hast inherited that heavenly nature. I have loosed the prison doors. Be thou free from thy captivity! Be not ensnared with the evil ways of this world’s systems, but learn thou the ways of thy God, and follow Him, alone!! Thus shalt thou rise above that which cometh upon the earth, for I Am with thee, saith the Lord!” [End quote]

             In Mt 16:1-4 we read, “The Pharisees and Sadducees (the religious hierarchy of that time) came to the Lord for the purpose of testing Him by asking Him to show them a sign from heaven. But He answered them saying, ‘When the sky is red in the evening, you say it will be fair weather; and when the sky is red and threatening in the morning, you say it will be inclement weather today.
You hypocrites! How is it that can discern the face of the sky, but you are unable to discern the SIGNS OF THE TIMES?! A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to them besides the sign of the prophet, Jonah! With that Jesus left them and went away.”
              When I was newly saved 27 years ago, I was taught the foolish, escapist theory called the “rapture”. All my early life I was heavily influenced by Catholicism and Hollywood cinemas and I would thrill when exposed to glorious tales of God’s Miracles from Bible days [like the movies: Ten Commandments, The Robe and Ben Hur] so it was not such a great stretch of my imagination to see myself being saved from great tribulation by being “caught up” from earth into outer space to be with Jesus Christ! Such a romantic scenario perfectly consummated my childhood fantasy of “Someday my Prince will come!” And as Rev 19:11 depicted the Lord “Riding a white horse”, the picture was complete of a brave knight coming to rescue his lady fair! It was a fairy tale come true!
              But Paul said, “When I was a (spiritual) child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, and I thought as a child; but when I became a MAN, I put away childish things!!”(1 Cor 13:11)
              Beloveds, it is an easy thing to manipulate the “letter of the Law” in the Bible to conform with our carnal thinking; but any heart sincerely seeking Truth cannot deny that both Testaments of God, continually celebrate OVERCOMERS OF TRIBULATION! From Noah to Moses to Abraham to Isaac, to Jacob, to Joseph to Job to Jeremiah to JESUS CHRIST- then the early church including: Stephen, Paul and martyrs since who have bravely “suffered for Righteousness’ Sake” at the hands of barbaric unbelievers! Jesus clearly says, “In this world YOU SHALL HAVE TRIBULATION! (then He adds) BE OF GOOD CHEER (if you are trusting in Me) for I HAVE OVERCOME (not “escaped”) THE WORLD!” (Jn 16:33) Paul adds, “THROUGH MUCH TRIBULATION YOU M-U-S-T ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD!” (Ac 14:22) This tells us two vital things: first, no man has any recourse but to eventually “enter the Kingdom of God”; and secondly, when that day arrives, it shall only be accomplished by passing through the fires of “much tribulation”!!
               Those of us who have already endured and overcome a great deal of tribulation in our lives would encourage every newcomer that the end is secure and the outcome is well worth the process!!
Long-suffering Paul well states this, “I believe the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us! For the earnest expectation of all creation is to witness the manifestation of the Sons of God!” (Ro 8:18) “Our light affliction, which is only for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory- for we do not look at those temporal things which are seen [such as the present issues with global terrorism]; rather WE LOOK AT THINGS NOT SEEN (with human eyes) WHICH ARE ETERNAL!” (2 Co 4:17)

[TO BE CONTINUED]