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Dear WPA and Others:

This is Bill Burns' article of 6/11/2001 in the "What's Up" section of his website. It follows these words below.

I contacted Bill about it, because Jarl Ami (aka Bob, old dog), published a related word on 6/10/2001 here in our assembly. Bill said that he had received Bob's word, and that it was a confirmation to him of some things that God had spoken to him and so he wrote this word.

I wanted to put it before the assembly, and solicit comments on it, because it relates to many prior things we have discussed here. I assume that Bob is in progress with his move to North Carolina, or wherever the Lord is leading. We probably won't have his comments for some time.

I asked Bill for some further clarifications regarding the aspect of a watchman "repositioning" himself on the wall for the changing of the watch. Just how do we do that? Do we have to do that? Bill says that we do, but he doesn't say how to do it in this article. Bill said that he has written is greater detail on this in his book on the third day church.

I sought the Lord yesterday concerning the watch, and concerning this aspect of repositioning. This is what I have so far:

Up until this time, we have been night watchmen, watching for the day of the Lord. Scripture is replete with references to the longing a watchman feels as he waits for the morning: he excitedly awaits it's coming. And yet, with respect to this "day" that we have been watching for, there are mixed feelings that we all have. Every prophet who has watched for it has felt these same mixed feelings.

Scripture warns us, when it says, woe to him who looks forward to the day of the Lord. Joel says it will be "a day of darkness, and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains." (2:2) Isaiah sees, as a night watchman, "The morning cometh, and also the night". (21:12)

Therefore, if we are repositioning, what are we watching for? How will we watch? What will be different?

Previously, in the night of the second day, we have been watching for signs of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ primarily. These signs are filled with both types: light and darkness. We have been watching for a third day church filled with light and glory; the return of the Lord; increasing wickedness; rise of antichrist; among other things.

Isaid said: "Arise shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people." (60:1-2) There we have it: light arising with accompanying darkness. The 24 signs of the Lord's return, given in the gospels, speak of the same things along the same thematic lines.

And so, Bob and Bill shout that the night has ended; the morning has come. Bill says that there is a shift change among watchmen. Bob says that his job has ended, but that greater things, and greater responsibilities lie ahead. Bill says that the silence that many prophets have written about indicates that the shift change has occurred, and that they need to reposition. It all makes sense and seems right in my spirit.

How to reposition? A day watchman sees clearly, into the distance, hindered only by visibility on the particular day he is watching. He can use a telescope to see into the distance. Not so with the night. Height will improve his range. And so, how he watches, and what he sees will be different than what is seen by a night watchman. A day watchman could see scattering birds...a night watchman could not. A day watchman would notice rustling leaves or bushes...a night watchman would not. A day watchman would rely more on seeing...a night watchman more on hearing. And so, as I meditate on this, it seems that we are moving into a time of seeing, as opposed to hearing.

What will we be seeing? To me, we are still watching for the same types of things as before! The arising light of glory, coming upon the church, with the accompanying darkness. And so, as I write this morning, I believe that we are moving into a season of vision. Let us seek the Lord for visions. Those of you, who, like me, have been used by the Lord to receive and deliver waking visions, should set and gird yourselves to receive.

For me, it is the morning watch primarily, where this seeking will be done.

Additionally, and probably more importantly, it is a time of intercession and prayer. What we have been watching for is here. Most have taken no heed to the warnings of the night. As with Arsacius of Nicomedia, who warned the city of impending calamity and was ignored, we return to our towers....many of us unaccompanied...to await what is coming..... and to pray. We know what is coming, and the watchmen have shouted: "It is here"! Morning has broken!

Let us seek the Lord while He may be found.

Stephen L. Bening
a servant and prophet of our Lord Jesus Christ



WATCHMEN OF THE MORNING

By Bill Burns
Faith Tabernacle
http://ft111.com
ft111@ft111.com

June 11, 2001:

We are in a time of the changing of the guard as we enter into the Third day, and the night watchman's shift is finished. The morning watch has begun, and a new company of watchmen are coming to take their position on the wall.

It is for this reason that some watchmen are not discerning the present season that is upon us. Those who do not have revelation of the Third Day are not able to perceive the changing of the guard. This explains why some prophets have said that God has called for a season of silence. God is still speaking, but He is no longer speaking to the night watchmen; He is speaking to those who have repositioned themselves according to the revelation of the Third Day, which begins in the morning watch.

The Jewish day began at 6:00 a.m. and finished at 6:00 p.m. The night watch began at 6:00 p.m. and ended at 6:00 a.m. The night watch was broken up into four time periods of three hours each. Mark 13:35 names the watches:

First Watch -- the evening (6:00 - 9:00 p.m.)
Second Watch -- at midnight (9:00 - midnight)
Third Watch -- at the crowing of the rooster (midnight - 3:00 a.m.)
Fourth Watch -- the morning watch (3:00 - 6:00 a.m.)

A familiar passage of scripture used by prophets is Isaiah 21:11 which asks the question, "Watchman, what of the night?" The Amplified Bible is more revealing and needs to be considered by the present-day prophets. It reads, "Watchman, what of the night [how far is it spent; how long till morning?]. Guardian, what of the night?" And...the first part of verse 12, "The watchman said, the morning comes..."

The morning watch of the Third Day has come. The Third Day is also the Lord's Day, which is the Day of His Power birthed from the womb of the morning (Psalm 110:3). Both apostles, Peter and Paul, tell us that the Day of the Lord comes (begins) as a thief in the night. The Day of the Lord begins in the darkness of this present world with the only light being that of the morning star. The Day of the Lord will begin with the Church ruling and reigning with Christ in the morning light just before the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2) comes up and the day of His wrath begins.

Psalm 110:2 tells us that in this day we are to rule in the midst of Christ's enemies. This is confirmed by Jesus as spoken in Revelation 2:26-28 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations; 'He shall rule them with a rod of iron; they shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels'; as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star.

This scripture tells us that the morning star will be given to those who rule with Jesus because He has given them the rod of iron (His authority, His strength and power). Psalm 110:2 The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies!

The final testimony of Jesus, who is the Spirit of Prophecy in Revelation 22:20 is, "Surely I come quickly." A clue to the timing of His coming is given in Revelation 22:16-17 "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star." And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

The cry of the Spirit and Bride is "Come" when you see the morning star (star of the Third Day) arise, it is time to come. The revelation of the dawning of a new day and the morning star must first shine forth in your heart. 2 Peter 1:19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

In Mark chapter 6, the Lord left us with a prophetic illustration of His coming to His Church in the darkness of the early morning watch. Jesus put His disciples in a boat and sent them out upon the sea. The boat represents the Church, and the water (sea) represents the people of the world (Revelation 17:1, 15). This is a type of the Great Commission given, and then Jesus ascended (went up on a mountain) to the right hand of the Father where He ever liveth to make intercession for us. When the Church is struggling against the wind and waves Jesus comes to His Church as prophesied by Hosea (Hosea 6:1-3), and He comes in the morning watch (fourth watch).

The apostle John adds an interesting footnote to this story in John 6:21 Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going. This speaks of the translation or rapture of the Church that takes place in the morning watch of the Third Day. The Church will rule and reign with Christ for the first prophetic minutes of the Lord's Day on the earth and will then be taken home before the wrath of God is poured out upon His enemies.

The revelation of the Third Day comes to life in Peter's statement, "With the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day." We have entered the third one-thousand years since the birth of Jesus Christ. Now look at Psalm 90:4 For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night.

We are given patterns in the Word of God that help us understand the times and seasons in which we live and the things that will take place in those seasons. We are to rule in the midst of God's enemies, but the battle belongs to the Lord. God's people will be revived (Hosea 6:2). They will be brought out of bondage even as Israel was delivered from Egyptian (worldly) bondage. Exodus14:23-25 And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the LORD looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians. And He took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, "Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians."

The apostle Paul spoke of a time when the day (third) would be at hand; here is his instruction: Romans 13:11-13 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.

The night is far spent, and the Morning Star is telling us the Third Day is here. The night-watchman's shift is complete, but the morning watchmen still have an assignment, which is to bring forth the prophetic word that will shine forth and light the path that leads to Zion.

Reprinted from Bill Burns-Faith Tabernacle-http://www.ft111.com

Stephen L. Bening
a servant and prophet of our Lord Jesus Christ



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