Faith of the Dying Thief

Bro. Lee Vayle  December 30, 1973 

 

a) 	It certainly is a wonderful privilege to be here this afternoon and
to enjoy the blessings of the Lord.  Bro. Thompson said that we could be
in our final year, and so we could be. I've said for quite some time at
any given ninety to a hundred and eighty days, would see this all over
for the Bride. But I didn't realize how it was going to come about. You
know the Bible tells us that all nations come up against Israel, and who
of us thought that the nations would be against Israel over the oil? 
But all those nations that were friendly are getting very unfriendly
now, because they want the oil. And it looks like American could get
unfriendly, because they want the oil too. It's natural thinking. And
then of course I think yesterday, or the day before, the Arabs said, "We
want gold."

	Well, if they're going to demand gold for the oil they'll bust it,
they're break every nation, and there's not that much gold to be had,
because Rome has got the most of it, then comes France, then comes
Switzerland. And so, before they break Rome, which they won't, they'll
break the rest of us, and then that'll be the time when the church can
take over.

b)	So, we're nearer then when we first believed, and it can't be too
long now. I don't know just what all lies ahead of us, but the prophet
told us some of these things that would take place. And I guess some of
the things he said on private interviews one was that, (this could be on
a tape also) that your money, you'll plaster your walls with it.

	Maybe you better start saving your pennies, at least it'll look a
little better than some of that other stuff, that you know, kind of foil
paper. And Bro. Ivan he was telling me that he told Shelby Wright that
your car is worth about a nickel apiece. Well, the way mine took a
plunge from about twenty-eight hundred, to about fourteen, and in the
next three months it might be worth a plug nickel. I don't know. It's
just one of those things, looks like it'll be stacked along the roadway,
and they won't have enough oil to maybe haul them off. I don't know
what's is going to happen. I don't try to figure it out, but you can
sure see something is happening.

	And I guess, we brought it on ourselves, (you know) when a man sows he
reaps. I've never found any place where you can reap and not sow. And
I've never found any place where you can sow and not reap. So, I guess
maybe that we just got to blame ourselves for what's happening. Though
the Bible warns us, He tells us the good man that knows the hour the
thief was coming, he would have been ready for it. He also says, "That
no man builds a house without counting the cost, that if you can't
finish it, looks pretty silly." And he said, "No use going to warfare.
(he said) unless you're prepared to beat the other fellow, because if
you can't beat him, you got to sue for peace that looks pretty
ridiculous."  

c)	I think everything looks pretty ridiculous today. Man knew better,
and man didn't do better. It's quite a system and quite a setup we've
got, but the Bible speaks of confusion at the end time. God said He’d
confuse them. And in spite of man's wisdom he's pretty confused right
now. He doesn’t know how to get out of the mess. I don't think he's
going to get out of the mess, I think it's going to get worse and worse,
and worse until God calls a halt, and then He redeems the earth. That's
what we're looking for.

	Well, since I saw you last, I don't remember just when that was, but it
was a little while back. Went down to Venezuela to Bro. Galdona's
meetings this December where the large numbers of pastors from Central
and South American came. I think there could have been a hundred
pastors.  I was amazed to hear that one pastored a church close to three
thousand that's attempting to believe this Message. Another brother from
Brazil pastored a church about six hundred. Then one night, I preached
to roughly twelve hundred, that's by the Feista Medo.  

	Since I was down there six years ago there's been a great change taken
place in Venezuela. When I went there the first time the women were very
demure, wore long skirts, they had long hair, and they didn’t use all
that gook and gunk on their faces, and under their eyes which the
Scripture says, "Jezebel painted her eyes." [2 Kings 9:30] That's what
the Greek Septuagint said, and the King James Version in one place.
Going back this time the women were wearing slacks and they've got all
this gook under their eyes, (you know) that mascara, and that hideous
stuff that's supposed to make them look good, and they look more like
the devil than ever. Yeah, I don't know he looks that bad. How could he
look that bad and fool anybody? He's supposed to be an angel of light.

d)	But anyway, they looked a mess and they're smoking cigarettes now.
And Venezuela is showing the effect of more money. First just even some
bare six years ago they didn't even have a middle-class population. And
today they've got acres of beautiful homes that you and I couldn't build
for less than a quarter of a million dollars today's prices. I suppose
any were up to a quarter million dollars it cost's. Fantastic homes,
literally cover acres it seems to me. Three levels, three and a half
levels, and masonry like you've …like they pay you. Finished masonry
there is fifty dollars a cubic yard, about the same price it is here. I
wouldn't say finished now, the subject just poured, because that's just
about the same price here, about twenty dollars a yard.

	Man, they've got every place the yard is concrete, and the backyard is
concrete. The fences are concrete, steel and of course there's police
dogs roam the yard to keep out the have-nots. You know, unless they get
a little crack at the do, they're trying to have. And it's certainly
something, you just can't believe. And yet they tell me that many
Venezuelans and South Americans are leaving South America and migrating
now to Miami with their money to save what they've got. Well, they're
not going to save it over here I can tell you. That's one thing about
it, they wish they were back in South America.

e)	However, the people are very spiritual, it's just a tremendous
blessing to be there. In fact, you could get carried away and kind of
wish you could go down and live there. It would be nice,            I
mean, I certainly wouldn't mind myself up to a point. I don't know if I
want to just do that or not, it would have to the Lord.  But, the people
are so sincere and so sweet.  The only thing wrong with South America is
North Americans going down there. That's a fact. I hope I'm not in that
category. But I would be worried myself, unless I came down and sowed
prejudice. In the mean time, I intend to go again pretty soon, but not
to sow prejudice. Not to talk about those things that divide the people
but to talk about those things at least we're on common ground.

	I'm not trying to be a fence straddler now, but you see I learned what
the prophet said, and that was, "When you don't understand a thing and
you can't prove it, you wait till God…reveals it by bringing it to
pass." So, we're just trying to do that. I realize that this doesn't sit
very nice with some folk, because they'd sooner I was fighting. Well,
there's no percentage in fighting. In the first place, I'm a coward. The
second place, I hate to get hurt. So, I like to leave those things
alone. Because even if I were brash and bold, I couldn't prove anything.
Now, I could stomp my feet and jump up and down and tell you that you
weren't in the Message, and make all kinds of big claims, because you
didn't believe like me. That doesn't mean for nothing. Because people
still don't realize in this Message that Mount Zion is the showdown,
which is the Rapture. And until you are safely Raptured, you had better
not talk. You had better not presume. You had better hope and trust that
by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ you'll be one who makes it.

f)	Even Paul the apostle said, "I myself might be a castaway." [1
Corinthians 9:27] When Isaiah saw the Lord, he said, "I'm an unclean
man, get me out of here in a hurry, because I'm not fit to stand." 
[Isaiah 6:5] "And I just have a little bit of fear for those folk that
are so sure, that they're sure, that they're sure."  Because
brother/sister, I don’t believe you're that sure, I think you fool
yourself.

	Now to make your boast in faith in Christ by hope in His glory, that
you're elected seed, you'll be there, that's fine. When people get so
bold and brassy, see they think they can put someone out of this
Message, because they don't believe like the other fellow, there's
something wrong somewhere.

	One fellow thought he would get me kind of pleased when he said, "Well,
(he said) one fellow came to me the other day and heard us sing, 'I'm
glad of One of Them', (he said) which one of them are you?" 

	I said, "Son, it doesn’t matter which one as long as you're just one
of them." How do we know? We don't. The best we can do is go to this
Word, to see what the prophet taught. And even then, we might not see
some of it straight. So, we hope and have a faith in Jesus Christ and
love toward the brethren to be humble, to do good, to keep an atmosphere
and attitude of humility. These things are what is important to us. Now,
hopefully we all do that then you coming here whatever is left to us, it
may be the whole year, I don't know. I don't know. Some people say it's
got to be over, and by the middle of July. Well, that's wonderful, I
hope It is.

g)	Then what if you don't make it? I still hope It's over by then. See
sure. Well, somebody said the end of this month, for we're all going to
be manifested sons of God. I don't know if that's true, I hope it is, it
sure be nice. I've got no idea. I don't know what He's going to do.
(See?) 

	They get all worried about the fact that the Church Age Book uses Bro.
Branham's words in about six tapes. Usher in the Millennium in '77.
This…I'm going to tell you something, don't you know the Rapture has
already been ushered in? That the Lord has descended with a Shout, (the
Message) we are now in the Rapture whether you believe it or not. Sure.
Stumble over Word, and go crazy. Stumble over Word, write letters, want
to fight. That to me is no more the Spirit of Almighty God then this
thing here, the pink elephant.

	The Spirit of God is to sit still and know. (See?) It's not run around
and try to bring something  to pass. It won't do you a bit of good.
It'll turn you into a liar. Now, I hate to talk hard, kind of rough, but
I'm know to be a sort of a very blunt individual. And it's just the
truth, you just become a liar. We don't know dates and when certain
things will transpire, how they will transpire. But believe me what is
coming will as Bro. Branham said, "will have to be birthed into It."
It'll be a definite definitive work by the Holy Ghost working in the
Bride. 

h)	So, put your faith in a God Who cannot fail, (see?) the Word which
must come to pass. In other words, God Himself must come to pass within
a Bride. And He will according to how He has been revealed in this Book.
Now, what it's all going to be, I don't know, but it's going to be. I
stand with Bro. Branham categorically, "If we're not Bride there's a
Bride somewhere." There is a Bride somewhere that's going to be one with
this Word.  (See?) 

	So, we just keep a good attitude, that's the most important thing in
the world. (See?) Keep your spirit right and that's one of real
humility, because not one of us has arrived. The more I hear people talk
like they've arrived, see, the more fearful I get, because I haven't
seen one person arrive yet, I haven't seen one. Not one. I find no
record in Scripture was ever that way. We will have arrived when our
change has come. The sweep has gone over us, we are changed in our
mortal members and we're ready for the Rapture. And even then, perhaps
we won't know that our brother's been changed like we've been changed.
What if we didn’t know it ourselves? I'm not saying we won't know, but
just supposing where do we…where do we know all these little goodies
we think we're going to know? What if it took that Rapture…that,
just…finally one day on the ground our feet one foot didn’t touch
it. "Hey, what's going on here?" And you're six inches off the ground.

i)	And the next step…because we're marching upward. Bro. Branham saw
them marching, going over that hill. (See?) What if you didn't know
until just then. And wouldn't be strange if some of us had something
happen like it happened to Philip. And you say, "Oh, the Rapture's done
took place." And you found yourself fifty miles from where you were, and
it hadn't done took place. You just gone for a little ride. Just trying
to show you we just don't know a lot of things, but we've got a revealed
Word to stand on. And we've got the code of ethics the prophet drew up
of how to stand until those things took place that he said would take
place. That's where we should stand always, and I trust we're standing
there will all of our hearts, and all of our minds, body, soul, spirit. 

	It's a good old day in which we live. Bro. Branham said if he had been
given a choice he would have picked this Age. Well, we didn’t have any
choice, we're in this Age. And may the god of this world have no part in
it. That's the old devil and his crew, but may the God of Heaven and
this earth, because He's the real One may He have every part of it. And
I believe He will as time goes on.

1.	Now, I don't want to keep you long this afternoon, but Bro. Branham
put a lot of emphasis on faith. He taught much doctrine, but he taught
much along the line of faith. And so, I want to bring a little message
on faith this afternoon, and I'll take my reading from the Book of Luke
23: begin at verse 39 where we have an example of perfect faith in this
thief that was dying there along side of Jesus. And he became a part of
the Kingdom of God by faith.

	Now, before we read let's pray:

	Kind Heavenly Father, we want to read Your Word and study Your Word, O
God. And I pray in Jesus' Name that this Word will become life to us.
And we know It can only become life by the Spirit of God energizing it
within us in our minds, in our hearts and our outward actions. May we
learn truth, Lord, and may this truth be manifested in us and through
us, because we know that's why we learn. It's to be not only to be
hearers but doers. And hearers are under-standers. And under-standers
are doers which makes us real believers showing forth our faith by our
works. And there is a great work of faith that's in our lives and is
necessary today. And we want to line up with this work of faith. So,
help us to learn and to understand and to perform in Jesus' Name we
pray. Amen.

	[Luke 23:39]

		(39) 	And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him,
saying, 					If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

		(40) 	But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear
God, 					seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

		(41) 	And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our
deeds: but 					this man hath done nothing amiss.

		(42) 	And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into 
				thy kingdom.

		(43) 	And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt
thou 						be with me in paradise.

		(44) 	And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over
all 						the earth until the ninth hour.

		(45) 	And the sun was darkened, the veil of the temple was rent in the
midst.

		(46) 	And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father,
into thy 					hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave
up the ghost.

	Now, this thief here who was hanging on a cross along side of Jesus,
had in my estimation perfect faith and he showed it at this time when he
believed in Jesus Christ as his personal Savior.

2.	Now, you'll notice that first of all it's a beautiful picture of
saving faith. Now, I'm sure that you read or heard preachers preach on
this, or you've read some sermon about how that this thief had his hand
pinioned on the cross, and his feet pinioned so he could neither work
for Christ, nor walk for Christ. Thereby constituting this…a
tremendous example of saving faith, and that's exactly true. You
couldn’t get a better example if you tried. This thief being saved,
being with Jesus in Paradise that very day should settle once and for
all how people receive eternal life. And it is by faith, raw,
unadulterated faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and nothing else.

	Now, as these various students of the Word have said, "Christ this man
could not possibly work for Jesus, or work for his salvation, because
the hands typifying what a man does. So, there was nothing he could do
in order to merit salvation by works. And yet Jesus said, "This day
you're going to be where I am." 

3.	Now, of course someone could pervert that and make Jesus very
sarcastic and say, "Well, don't worry buddy, we'll both be in the same
places and that's tough luck." Now, where would you get nonsense like
that?  Somebody else said, "Jesus asked the question: now, this day
shalt thou be with me in Paradise.  Listen you sloppy fool there on the
cross, I'm dying for a real cause, but you're getting what you need.
Should you be with me?  Haw, haw, I'll not share the kingdom."

	Oh, come on, what kind of a Bible would this be anyway with such
idiotic thinking? Jesus answered the poor man's question. The question
was: "could I be a part of your Kingdom by trusting you?"  That was the
question. "Remember me when You take over Your Kingdom." 

	"Why, (He said) certainly I'll remember you. This day you're going to
be with me in Paradise." Which is a forerunner of the Kingdom, which is
the Millennium, and then New Jerusalem.

4.	Now, this man was given a straight answer. He said, "Yes, I'll
remember you, you will be a part of My Kingdom."  On what grounds? Sheer
unadulterated faith by grace, nothing to do with works. And if you and I
are going to be part of that Kingdom, there is nothing we have done,
nothing we can do and nothing we ever will do in order to merit the
Kingdom. Now, you'll notice the next thing is his feet were pinioned.
Now, the feet mean; no walk. And the walk signifies what you do with
what you got, or how you conduct yourself in a certain area.

	All right, this man gives his heart to the Lord, he becomes a recipient
of the grace of Almighty God. Now, the thing is, how will he serve
Christ? The point is, he is not going to serve Christ, because he's got
no way to serve Him. Now, many people think that you're saved by what
Jesus did, and by what you do with what He did for you. Well, I know
that sounds very good, and I know there's lots of things written in the
Bible about how we ought to conduct ourselves and show, so we should.

	But remember, this man doesn't have a chance to do anything for God. If
he is a part of that Kingdom, by grace apart from works, then that's
where you and I stand once and for all. It's not a matter of what you
and I do to merit salvation. It's not a matter of what you do and I, in
order to keep our salvation. We're kept by the power of God through
faith, not anything we've done.

5.	You'll notice also, this gives us the perfect picture of Jesus Christ
as Mediator and Intercessor. For as Mediator He mediates, He stands
between us and God. And through Him, and by Him, and only through and by
and for, can we enter the Kingdom. Then we're kept there. How? By His
intercession. For He intercedes for us from the uttermost to the
uttermost, and we're kept by the power of God. We become a part of His
Kingdom by pure simple unadulterated faith. It's a faith proposition.
It's by believing. As Bro. Branham once said so beautifully, "Analyze it
all you want, figure it all you can, salvation boils down to faith." And
so, it does.   

	Now, you will notice here furthermore, this man could not reform. You
know, many people feel that then need to reform, or to make restitution.
But that's not it. They're good, they're wonderful, reformation is fine.
I think there's too much reformation in the world though, that's passing
for true repentance, and for something God's doing for man. But the man
couldn't reform.  So therefore, we see another beautiful picture, and
that is that Christ justifies the ungodly.

6.	Now, when the word 'justify' comes to your vocabulary you just don't
fool with it, and make it to mean what you think it means, but you've
got to go to what the Bible says it is. And the word 'justify' means 'to
declare righteous'.  God declares righteous the ungodly. Now, that's the
only person that can be declared righteous is the ungodly.

	And many people feel that there's another way to it. But go back to
that parable of the 'lost sheep', the ninety-nine that safely lay in the
fold, as poor Sankey so well interpreted the parable. Why the end of
that parable is this: there's more rejoicing over in heaven over one
sinner that repents, then ninety-nine that don't need repentance. Why?
Because only a repentant man can be saved, and only a sinner can repent.
If you've got nothing to repent for, you've already been reformed and
you're already in good shape, then you'll never be in the Kingdom.

	No man ever, I say, no man ever came to God, and stayed with God
whoever looked at himself as though he had arrived, and as though he
were anybody. The closer you get to God, the worse you look to yourself.
The closer you come to God, the further away you'll see. Overall trying
to come to that happy day when day by day we can smugly smilingly say,
"I've been a good boy, I've been a good girl." Well, if you're waiting
for that to get you to heaven let me say unequivocally, you've already
got a one way ticket to hell. Because it doesn't work that way.

7.	And God justifies the ungodly. It is what they call forensic term in
law, a legal term, it's in   His own book of statutes', and that is 'God
declares righteous the ungodly'. And with what righteousness does He
declare it? The righteousness of Almighty God Himself.  

	Now notice, this fellow couldn't do any of these things. He couldn't go
to the temple and offer sacrifice, no way to get there. He couldn't turn
over a new leaf, he couldn't get confirmed. He couldn't turn to
religion, he couldn't join a church, couldn't reform, couldn't (you
know) change his life about, by making restitution. But what could he
do? He could think! 

	Now, a lot of people don't like thinking religion. Oh, if the devil
ever pulled a good trick, it was when he raised up Mary Baker Eddy with
her book on "Science In The Mind'.  And ever since she wrote it,
everybody said, "Don't think, don't think, don't think, just feel, feel,
feel." I wonder how that poor guy felt that day? And if he had gone by
feelings how would he have made out? 

8.	  I like what Bro. Branham said, "The mind is the womb." Get your
thinking lined up first. Get your mentality lined up first. Then will
come heart faith, but you've got to have mind faith first. You've got to
stand still to listen. You've got to have your minds appealed to. It
doesn't come by your feelings, by your mind. And this man could think
that's all he had left was his thinking.

	Now, with his hands and [legs] pinioned he couldn't move. Now, he could
sort of wiggle his torso a bit in pain, and he could move his eyeballs.
But Bro. Branham said after the eyeballs quit moving there's only one
thing left and that can't move, that's the mind. We are at the mind age
of the body of Jesus Christ. As this man looked for a Kingdom, we're
looking for a Kingdom too. And we're at the mind age. 

9.	Now, this man could think, he let his mind go over the past, and he
said, "We just didn't have it. Oh, we thought we had it, we didn't."
But, he said, "Now, it looks like it's all over, I sure hope I can get
it." Now, you know what he did? He repented. Now, the word 'repent'
means to change the mind'. I know people don't like that either, I've
been contradicted by these pseudo preachers who think that they've got
money and are elders, they can contradict the man that's been ordained
to teach.  They followed me in the pulpit and they've explained
repentance as a feeling. The Bible said, "that godly sorrow leads to
repentance." [2 Corinthians 7:10] Godly sorrow is not repentance! Then
don't add to the Bible, and take away from It. Don't show your ignorance
by pretending to be something you ain't.  At least get back on the cross
with this old thief.

	Identify, where you got to identify with repentance, which is a change
of the mind. That's all that fellow could change was his mind. It would
take God to do the rest from there, and even God would have to grant the
change of mind really when you boil it all down; because the whole thing
is of God.  But, I'm referring back and forth as you can see to our day
in bringing out any thought I can on faith.  

10.	Now, we're in that mind age, and this is the age of repentance. And
this is the one age that God called the people to an act of repentance.
Why? Because it's kingdom time. (See?) And if the people don't begin to
change their minds now, they're never going to make the Kingdom. 

	Oh, they say, "Well, Bro. Vayle, I've walked with Jesus."  

	Well, I'm glad you have. 

	"Well, I've served Him."

	I'm glad you have. But, unless you get a change of mind you're not
going anywhere, ...unless you're like that thief on Calvary he's not
going to remember you when He comes to His Kingdom. Why? Because that's
how He talked to that fellow who was in that condition. One thing he had
left was his mind. He repented, he changed it. He made a decision. He
made a confession, and that put him in there. And that's exactly where
you and I stand today on the border of Coming Kingdom of the Lord Jesus
Christ.

11.	Let's just look at this little picture today, the whole world thinks
it's going to be communism, right? All except the few of us who
understand, not just in the Bride, but some outside the Bride and they
know it's a church system. They read their Bible's in Daniel is that
right? Then they read what? Four kingdoms, right?  Babylon and Greece,
and Babylon Persia Greece, and then Rome, is that right?  Show me the
fifth one called Communism. Not there, is it? And what's the last
kingdom? Rome. And what do you fear? Rome. Then why fear communism?

	Now, can you change millions of people's minds? No. Will they be in the
kingdom? How can they?  You say, "Bro. Vayle, are you going put them
out? I'm putting nobody out. I never put anybody in, and I can't put
anybody out. But you see, I'm in the mind age. And I used to believe it
was communism. In fact, the late Kenny Goff was in Indianapolis. I knew
the preacher that had him. He was fired up with him, so I brought Kenny
to Ohio. I took him to Florida. I used to believe it was communism. I
used to preach it, it cost me money to do it. I was wrong, and I've had
a change of mind. (See?) Why? Because I want to be part of that Kingdom.

12.	Now, this man could think, and he did think. And here is where the
power lies, the greatest battle ever fought, it lies in the mind. What
am I going to do at this hour in which the Kingdom is coming? How am I
going to show my faith? Am I going to be a part of it? 

	Well, we've got to do like this old thief did. We got to believe what
the prophet said about salvation, it's absolutely eternally secure if
you’ve been foreordained and elected, baptized with the Holy Ghost
proving it, you believe this Message, what else is there?  Nothing.

	"What is my conduct then?" As long as you’re here you can move around
a bit, and don’t let your mind move. Keep your mind on the Word, then
in brotherly kindness and love, do your best to help each other. Nothing
else you can do or will do. You cannot bring on this end time experience
that's coming to a Bride. You cannot bring about your own change in your
body. You cannot do those things. You cannot bring down the feeling of
the, every inlet to your soul, and love which is going to crown the
Mercy Seat. You can't do it. The best you can do is walk in your
brotherly kindness. Nothing else you can do. Then see that you do it.
You say, "I'm going to have more than that." Then you're ahead of the
prophet. You'll never convince me that way, you're ahead of the prophet.

13.	Oh, I know some people got just discouraged when the poor prophet as
they thought got smeared across the highway. A man phoned me up and he
said, "Oh Bro. Vayle, (he said) I don't see that the Lord smearing him
across the highway."

	I said, "He fed them to the lions, and left their bodies strung with
dung across the field." Don't give me your nonsense and your human
reasoning. You want to buy a first rate ticket to stupidly that's your
privilege, but don't count me in. They were sawn asunder. They were
boiled in oil. They were reduced to a heap of ashes. What's that got to
do with it? That's human carnality out of reasoning. I don't know what
God's going to do. But I know one thing, I know what the prophet taught,
I know what he had. I know I can think. I know that the greatest battle
ever fought is in the mind. I know what my job is, you know what your
job is. And we're like that thief upon Calvary if we only knew it. 

	There's nothing that you and I can do when it boils down to it, except
to stay with that one conciliation the thief stayed with, and that was
the promise of the hour, "this day comes Paradise." This hour comes the
Kingdom. This hour comes the Millennium, there's no doubt about it.

14.	Now, then in my extermination there's no record of faith that's a
great as this in the entire Bible. Oh, I know some people like that
Syrophoenician woman, I do too. She said a wonderful thing, "True Lord,
but the dogs eat the children's crumbs." [Matthew 15:27]  

	And He said, "For that saying, (He said) the devil goes out of your
daughter."    

	And Bro. Branham said, "See, say good things and the devil will be cast
out."   

	I think maybe, a lot of times we don't say enough good things, that's
why enough devils aren't cast out. It's greater to me than the faith of
the centurion. Because he through reasonings of authority, said, "Lord,
give the command like I give command. People do things for me, You rule
the universe, then You say the Word and something good will happen."

	No, to me it's greater. And I'll tell you why his faith is so great. He
was trusting in a crucified and dying Savior. That's right. This man was
trusting in a crucified and dying Savior. Who was that Savior? He was
the Word made flesh.

15.	And now, let me tell you something: that whole Bible is made up of
people trusting in a literal crucified and dying Savior.  Remember,
every single prophet was a part of that same One, Who we call Jesus
Christ. They were merely a part of a whole plan, and He was that whole
plan. And you go back to the Seventh Church Age messenger, you've got
the same thing. They also were part of God manifest in flesh, and
everyone was human. Everyone was fallible, everyone died. Seven Church
Ages, Seven messengers, every single one is rotting in the grave. Every
single one preached the Gospel beyond him. Every single one preached of
Christ greater than He was ever able to manifest Himself.

	Seven Church Ages, six thousand years of human history, have seen a
crucified and dying Christ. And I want to tell you something: unless
you're willing to accept God on those terms, your faith isn't going to
get very far. Because there's no perfection until the Resurrection.
There's no perfection until the Millennium. And then there is no
complete restoration, and perfection of perfection until New Jerusalem
comes down upon one Mount Zion in a newly created complete universe.
Because even the Millennium get's crucified, for the dead come out of
the graves. And those billions irresponsible, devil taught people, are
going to try to defend against the Holy encampment, (offend against
rather) fire will come down and destroy. (See?) 

16.	He was looking at a crucified and dying Savior. Yet, there was
something in there that he saw that a naked eye doesn't see and he said,
"Just hold steady, there's reality here, (see?) there's something
there."  We've got the same privilege right today, we thought the
prophet would be here. We thought there'd be great ministries and great
this and great that. There has been, but it's how God calls great, it's
not how we call it.

	And we were trusting today in, a Message that looks like It actually
crucified and died. (See?) People go around they've been doing it ever
since the prophet died, say, "Show me the Bride, who can prove that
she's got anything?" Brother/sister, let me tell you something, I don't
have to prove that which is already proven. If I've got to stand here
today and prove that I am here, let me say this, I will not waste my
time on your sheer stupidity, drop dead.

17.	Now, you know why I'm talking this way, this is my way of preaching.
Not hurting your feelings one little bit. But if I've got to prove I'm
here, let me say this, there's nothing wrong with me, but my God how you
need help. You'd all be miscarriages with nine-tenths, if not
ninety-nine tenths, and ninety-nine percent of your brain missing. I'm
trying to show you something, you don't have to prove what has been
proven. This Message has been proven.

	I don't care what happens, I don't care where It goes. I don't care
what seems to take place. I'm like that thief on Calvary's cross.
There's a Reality there, you can do what you want, but I'm going to
trust Him. I don’t care how despised it gets, I don't care how many
people pull it down in the mud. I don't care what anybody does it,
that's their privilege. I don't care how crucified it looks, I don’t
care how dying it looked. I don't care if they say, "Well, it would be
nice if you stop hearing those tapes with their dead manna, come and
hear a live preacher. I'd sooner hear a dead preacher through a tape,
then any live preacher I know, who's off this Word. (See?) He was
trusting in that which was apparently not worth trusting in. 

18.	Notice, he saw no evidence of the supernatural to convince him. Yet
he believe this man to be his Savior. What supernatural did he see? I'm
going to tell you something: I don’t even need to go to church for the
supernatural where they preach Jesus Christ. I can go to mental
religion, a cult, and there if we believe you can see limbs lengthen,
blind eyes open and bodies healed and great miracles. Then if that
doesn't satisfy you, I can go to witch doctors, and there I'll see
people who believe that he acting for God, and they'll get healed also.

	Why are people trying to look for something supernatural? They’ve
already had it. Not saying that supernatural will not come. Not saying
that the creative Word would not be in the Bride. Not saying she will
not have 'Thus Saith the Lord' by virtue of the fact what she says will
come to pass. Because she knows the Word and gives only what God gives
her to give. Not denying that! So, what do people need? Here's this
thief dying upon Calvary receiving a promise of the Kingdom. And these
people here who saw so much, are going to blow it, if they're not
careful. Because believe me, you and I don't need to see one more thing.
We don't need any more supernatural. You don't need any more, you've had
more than enough.

19.	One 'Thus Saith the Lord' alone is enough for all of us. One 'Thus
Saith the Lord', not two, not three, and not hundreds, but just one was
enough. Not even to see His ministry is necessary, just to know about it
was sufficient.  Because show me any record in history that will touch
the record of the late Reverend William Branham as God used him for His
glory? 

	He saw no evidence of the supernatural, and we saw much. His senses did
not give way to this despairing situation. In other words, he kept his
mind and faculties under control in this most despairing situation. Keep
your hearts by your mind, don't try to keep your mind by your heart,
it'll destroy you. It's not the renewing of your heart that going to put
you the Resurrection, it's the renewing of your mind that's going to
transform you. And this man did not let him mind give way. (See?) He
didn't let his senses come in. The senses will contradict your spiritual
existence. (See?) Because they want to go by logic, and they want the
mind to say, "Well, that's right." But, let me tell you something: as
Bro. Branham said, "There's a choice in the human spirit, and that
choice is you can believe, or disbelieve." This man made his mind line
up.

20.	Paul the apostle said, "Bringing every thought into captivity to
Christ, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of
God." [2 Corinthians 10:5] I wonder how many people are doing that with
this Message? They're not content to let It line up simply as the
prophet gave It right with the Word. But they've got to keep bringing
their own ideas, their own bombs into it. That's not going to get them
anywhere but destruction.

	This thief upon Calvary was a beautiful son of Abraham. Because the
Bible said, "Abraham considered not his own body now dead. Neither yet
the deadness of Sarah's womb." [Romans 4:19] No, he did not stagger at
the promise of God through unbelief.

	Now, where was his unbelief would have been? It would have been in
considering his own body. That word in the Greek means to 'thoroughly
peruse'. In other words, give his attention to it, then consider Sarah.
How often do we consider ourselves than somebody else?  And then we
…?...  Let me tell you something brother/sister, if you and I have
this Word of promise in our mind. And anointed by the Holy Ghost has got
down here to act irrevocable decision like this thief. Let me tell you,
within that seed lies the full harvest of Almighty God. Why? Because it
is harvest time. There's no doubt about it.

21.	Like Abraham, he considered not his own body now dead. Neither did
he consider Jesus who was dying. He could have said, "I'm dying, He's
dying, I'm crucified, He's crucified. I can't get down, He can't get
down. What's to the promise of God anyway, forget it."

	What makes us stagger at God's promises? First of all, looking at
yourself and looking at somebody else. That's why the prophet told us,
"If we're not Bride somebody else is somewhere." But God's that one.
That's what you've got to draw your conclusion about. Not saying you're
not Bride. Not saying the person beside you is not Bride, but knowing
this, there is a Bride. And this Message foreruns the Bride, because
this Message brings the dead out of the ground, and puts us in a mighty
Rapture. Because this Message does to bring the dead out of the ground.
Certainly, without this Message the dead could not come out. The Bible
said so. That doesn't mean we go and preach to them. But it means this
Message has got to be here in order that… 

22.	Notice, this man upon Calvary dying with Jesus in this most
distressing condition, what actually in a wonderful place to exercise
his faith? Now, that's the truth of the whole matter. We look at the
situation and say, "Well now, I don't know if I like that idea. The
trouble with me Bro. Vayle, and my faith, is when I get in those
positions." Now, you see that's where you and I need a little
instruction today. For this man was in a very good place to exercise his
faith. Be it those contrary circumstances were actually most propitious,
valuable, useful to the outworking of his faith. Strange as it may seem,
this was a perfect platform to launch his faith.

	First of all, notice, nobody could help him. He was alone except for
God and unless God intervened his loss of soul was as sure as the loss
of his body. Now, that's the one place that man doesn't want to be is
left absolutely alone with God and only God. Now, that's why wives go to
husbands, and husbands go to wives and people go to the preacher, and
the preacher goes to other preachers and so on. They hate to be left
absolutely alone. And that's why we do each other favors, because it's
so hard to see people someplace alone. People just can't learn. There's
one place that God wants man and that's absolutely alone with Himself
where nobody else can help him. And we always go out of our way to make
sure that God doesn't get His way.

 	 We go out of our way to try to stop God getting His way. Nobody wants
to be absolutely thrown upon God. And yet that's the best place in the
world to be. Because when you and I have finally settled upon God like
this fellow did, then we're going to get somewhere. Where? To the
Kingdom.

23.	Now notice, he knew his soul was gone. "Why, (he said) we're in this
mess, we asked for it, now we're paying for it." But he said, "Lord,
remember me." And he said, "Lord, if You don't remember me, I'm not
going to be remembered. And if you don't do something, nothing is going
to be done. Now Lord, what I'm letting you know is this: I'm depending
on You and nothing else whatsoever."

	Now, you know some of us gets so far as to look back and say, "Well,
that's the way it is with my salvation, thank God, if it's not by grace,
I'm not going to make it." That's it. Either I go in because of Him, or
forget it, because I'm not trying any more. I'm not trying to make my
salvation. I'm not trying to do anything about it. I'm just doing my
best to believe God, and by His Spirit liveth. But as far as me gaining
it, being meritorious, or of any real service to Him, where He can say,
"Well done and good," And say, "Therefore you come in." No, I'm
finished, I believe it's all by grace and that's it."

	But you know, that's wonderful. I suppose some of us do get that far,
and I trust…and I know Bride's got to get that far. But you know
brother/sister, I wonder what's it's going to be like when the squeeze
comes down when it's between you and God, and me and God, nobody else? 

24.	Now, under communism where that takes over they've had a taste of
it. But never on the scale that's going to hit when the church takes
over. Because this is going to be religious persecution by religious
people. And this is going to be something entirely different, what the
Bible calls 'perilous times'. It's going to be nerve racking. It's going
to be tragic for most people, because they won't even know they're taken
over. They won't realize, it's Christ that Word. It's God Who is that
Word that has been crucified so the Life can flow out of it. And we're
going to stand with that, and that alone. (See?) 

	There are a lot of people got schemes going right now, store up food
and put away this. How in the world are you going to store up food and
somebody not knock you over the head to get it? I don't even look to be
living in the apartment we fixed up when the squeeze comes down. I may
come as a shock to my wife I said, "You've thrown out wander the river
bank in dying cold and dysentery."  I do not look for one good thing to
come. How am I going to stand it? By the grace of God, I shall stand it
to die. (See?)

25.	We've got to come to God alone. It's bound to that. That's why Bro.
Branham warned us, he said, "You people the majority, (he said) you're
not putting this Word first. You're letting everything come between you
and It." And this age of course what have we got? We've got the age of
self indulgence, and the age of everything nice and sweet. And oil, lots
of oil, yeah, pretty soon the oil's gone noticed? That's another type,
it's not as much Holy Ghost as people thought. The oil's done leaking
out. We're the ones that are in trouble now, everything's been oil, oil,
oil. Gifts, this that and the other thing.

	Now, what's going to happen in this soft age in which we live? Nice
clothes, easy cars, good food, this and that. How are we going to stand
it? I don't know what we're going to stand, or have to stand. But
believe me, (listen to me this afternoon) I'm trying to show us
something, myself included, it's when we get with God, and God alone,
and nothing left between Him and us. Then brother/sister, we're in the
best place ever, don't fail to trust God. That's the place God wants you
to get. Why? Because it's the best place. It's the place our flesh
doesn't want. It’s the flesh that senses rebel against. What if it's
the place that God wants?

26.	 Next, I want you to know this: he sought the Kingdom and nothing
else. That proves he didn't say, "Lord, get me off this cross, Lord heal
me."  That's nice. "Lord, take care of my mother and my wife and kids."
That's good.  And, but brother/sister listen: you put the Kingdom first.
I don't know how many have put the Kingdom first. I'm a little bit
worried about that, because I'm not quite convinced there's too much
putting the Kingdom first. There's a lot of good talk about the Kingdom
being put first, but I'm not convinced that we're doing it. You know
what? In this age of fretting and fussing, and this age of nerves and
things. I don't know if there is really any absolute sacrifice any more
when it comes to the Kingdom., and the real putting It first. It is the
one thing that we want most of all? Now you say, "Why do you say that?" 
Because this is the age of the Kingdom.

	Now listen, what God puts forth in the age of what we want them most.
And what is it? It's Millennium time. As Bro. Branham said, "I want to
be in that Resurrection." He said, "See, that you make that
Resurrection." Everything in his ministry was headed for the
Resurrection. We are headed for a Resurrection. Don't you know that's
the next thing on the agenda? We've already had the Shout. Now, it's
time for the Voice of the Resurrection.

27.	All right, what is it? It's the Kingdom. Now, are we blending up
every effort toward It? Is this what our whole thought is? Is this why
we apply the 'Token' to our families? Now, I get a little bit weary
about applying the 'Token', just because people running It in the ground
and bringing wrong things about It. You know all about It here by now so
it's alright. But, when it's wrong it's wrong. But here's the thing
about It, don't be grieved about It. And don't set It to one side,
because somebody else is wrong about It, or you would wish you hadn't.
(See?) 

	Keeping that Kingdom always first. There is a Kingdom. Remember, the
Bible said, "They took choices spoiling the goods." Knowing in Heaven
they had a more enduring substance laid up for them. This is why people
can sacrifice. This is why people can negate themselves. This is why
they can be...turn the other cheek and give away the coat. This is why
they can be maligned. Lose your house, and give anything up for Christ,
for the Kingdom. And here the Kingdom is right around the corner, and
there is such little evidence then anything that's being done, and by
way of any real sacrifice.

28.	Oh, I know there's so much money today. If you need to put out
tapes, you can five or six great big Ampex’s for fifty thousand bucks,
or you can buy a bus for ten thousand dollars. You and do this and money
is no object, and bla, bla, bla.  Oh God, have pity when did the Kingdom
of God ever get bought with money? When you see what they're spending,
and then see what they've got left to live on, it doesn't look like
they're spending such a tremendous amount. And I don't say that as
sarcasm about anybody else. I can say it about me too, because I could
do a whole lot more sacrificing and pinching for the sake of the Kingdom
or anything else.

	But, I want you to notice here, this thief here put the Kingdom first.
And one of these days when that squeeze comes down, we're going to find
it's that Kingdom first. We'll be divided, the men from the boys and the
sheep from the goats so to speak, and the believer from the make
believer don't worry.  It's going to come, (see,) how are you going to
stand for the Kingdom? 

29.	No sir, because it wasn't going to be any future. Do you know we're
not going to have any future either? We can't be going for years, what
does it matter about our stomach? Now, I know that you've got to have
good health and do your best to keep your health up. But, I've been
looking over my life, and the lives of others and let's face it, there
is really an unwarranted amount of something or other
expended-like-energy on ourselves personally that we might as well
forget about. I don't mean now to cut your throat by being a fool with
your health, because as I say, God lays down laws that must be obeyed.

	And, but the point is this, it's just like Bro. Branham said about
those million dollar churches they're building as though they're going
to be here for a thousand years. Sometimes I think I treat myself as
though I'm going to be here for a hundred. And my Lord, I don't want
to…I didn't even want to see sixty, which I suppose I'll see now that
the…well, I don’t know that's next September before I'm sixty. So
maybe I won't see sixty, except I'm living in it now like, you know, but
I would have that…celebrate that birthday which (you know) what I'm
talking about.

30.	Well, I didn't know if I'd even see fifty, and I got there, and I'm
seeing sixty in the sense I'm living in it now. But maybe, I won't see
that birthday. But as I say, I wonder sometimes if I don't pamper myself
like I might live to be a hundred and sixty. Not that you don't take
care of yourself. You're obligated to take care of yourself. That's why
God laid down those rules back in the Old Testament years ago. (See?)
The prophet told us, don't eat this, and don't live in a certain place.
And he told us certain things. Why? They're good for us, but I'm saying
now putting the time and energy on these things, my Lord, the world has
just gone crazy to feel good.  I guess maybe it feels so bad, you can't
blame in a way.

	So, I'm just trying to show you here that when you put that Kingdom
first, then other things come second. Many times, the Kingdom gets
second rate billing instead of first rate billing. That's what I'm just
trying to say to you to get you to understand.

	Now, he never worried then about his health and those things. Why?
Because there wasn't any time left. He was crucified under the world,
now how many of us are crucified under the world? Bro. Branham warned us
always time after time, "If you love the world there is no reality in
you." That's why the Book of Revelation… alas Babylon.

31. All right, look it, how are we adapting to the fact we might not
have cars pretty soon? Isn't it funny how we're just getting good roads,
and now nothing to drive on?  Now, getting to the place where we could
have an air conditioner. I wanted one for years, the first time I can
afford one, say I won’t have the lights to run it now. Got one sit in
the basement, then maybe never use it now. (See?) 

	She's just these things here. Are we ready to be crucified to the
world? Now, we're going to be crucified by it, but the first step is to
get crucified to it. I said a long time before this crash came, and it's
a real crash and GM is laying off eighty-six thousand, they'll stay out,
don't worry. Ford will lay off a bunch, they'll be…Bro. Branham said,
"this depression it'll make every other depression look sick compared to
it." If we're the start of it, you watch. You talk about dog eat dog, I
went through, I was a so-called Pentecostal. Dear old saint of God, that
could talk in tongues, he was as sweet as molasses plus some honey
thrown in on top of it. He could cut your throat like [snaps fingers]
that, and lie about it, and think it was okay, because he could talk in
tongues. Oh, he really didn't mean to, but he got stuck in his trap. 

32.	How about us?  What about us when the chips are down? What will we
do for each other? How will we act in knowing the Kingdom is not meat
and drink, but righteousness, joy and peace and the Holy Ghost?  (See?) 
That man was crucified to that. Why? Because the world had done it.

	Now, are we in the same position? We ought to be, it's good for us to
see the flaws in the world. To see the transparency of its rottenness.
To realize there's nothing here to get fed up with all of this world
goods. (See?) It's not a matter of people trying to live like the Jones'
any more, they are living like the Jones'. If fact the Jones' never had
it so good a while ago, that we should try to live like them and live
like them. (See?) What about it? 

	Now, are we crucified to it? I'm not saying going around like some of
these Amish folk, with a funny hat and a crazy looking suit on. Where
was God before they invented them? God's not in hats and clothing. But
God's in a whole lot more simplicity I believe then we're willing to
live in. (See?) 

33.	Just sometimes we're too complex. We ought to get rid of fickle
values, our grammar, like this fellow did. Where were his fickle
friends? (You know) Where were those friends that day of the execution?
They didn’t care two cents about it. Oh, let me tell you one thing,
the world doesn't care two cents about us, why should we care two cents
about it? See, why should we feed part of its system? It doesn't what
us.  (See?) 

	Then notice, his decision was final. You know, most of us today we
don't like to make final decisions. Well, thank God, I believe the
majority has said this one thing, "If this is the Message, there ain't
one thing to It." If this is the Message, forget it, I'm not looking
anywhere else. Now, that's good, we can do that, and I think we've done
it	.

	But, you know we hate to make decisions. I believe Oral Roberts said
correctly, "A man makes decisions maybe twice in his life." He makes up
his mind one time when he's going to get a job, next time he gets
married, (see?) something like that. Decision.

34.	Now, this man made a decision, (see?) he was forced to, is this it?
Now, that's the way we are today, is this it? Remember, they came to
Jesus, John the Baptist's brethren, and John that had seen the miracles.
John who would testify. John who would witness. This man full of the
Holy Ghost from his mother's womb sent an emissary and said, "Are You
that one, or do we look for another?" Now, there you are. 

	How many people do you know begin looking for somebody else to lead
them? Oh, they had one up here and he died recently. But they'll keep
raising them up don't worry. They've got them around Jeff. and all
around the country. There'll be somebody keep rising up and say, "You
follow me, you follow me." Oh sure. One man got very, very clever he
said, "The Token, (he said) that was the great preaching Bro. Branham
preached in '63." It was a great Message. And now he said, "See, Bro.
Branham said, that this was his greatest Message, and this was the
climax. So therefore, don't worry about the Seals anymore, don't worry
about the prophet anymore." 

35.	And I said, "That's a great trap, the next time you'll say, "Listen
to me boys, I've got it." And he's doing it. (Yeah) Let me tell you
something, and let's get this straight: I don't care if the next man
comes on the scene can raise the dead. And I don' care if he's got 'Thus
Saith the Lord', I'll stay with William Branham, because he's the
original. Not worried one bit what the other fellow may bring, and I
don't even look for it. And I'll tell you why, because that Greater One
is already here. That's why he decreased like John. (See?) And we're in
a greater day than John the Baptist, a far greater day. We are at the
conclusion of the Ages, the revelation of all the mysteries, Christ has
been revealed.

	Do you realize this Book of Revelation has been completely opened, the
apokalupsis, we have had It revealed?  That He has Come, that He has
Appeared? That's right, He has, that He's spoken for the last time to
the Gentiles according to Hebrews 12:  Because He Spoke from Heaven,
because that's where that Lamb is? The Lamb never came down, the Lamb is
still standing up there. It was the Pillar of Fire that came down. It
was that One seated on the Throne that John saw. That's right, what did
he see on the Throne?  A Pillar of Fire, and that Pillar of Fire came
down, because the Rainbow is over His Head. (See?) 

36.	As Bro. Branham said, "I'm not saying He's Coming, He's already
Come." Not the physical Jesus, the Holy Spirit in Fire form, came down
and Spoke, because a messenger has a Message. Imagine someone stands at
the door, knocks, go to the door, he's got a uniform on. You say, "Oh
messenger, give me the message." Say, "Speak up boy, speak up, messenger
has a Message." How asinine can you get? How ridiculous. How stupid. You
think God's a fool?  See, a Mighty Messenger comes down has no Message?
Then give us the Message, where is It?" 

	Well, how do you talk to a Pillar of Fire? You don't, it takes a
prophet. Then bring on the prophet. So, they brought the prophet on. And
the prophet had 'Thus Saith the Lord', and they came to pass, and then
It said, "Hear Him." What more do you want?  "Oh, I've got my own test."
Then go to hell with your test, like the Pharisees did. You asked for
it. Don’t blame God, don't blame me, don't blame but yourself. What
makes you think that you can dictate your terms. You can't even tell the
flu-bug to stay away. Go ahead and try it. You can't be sure you'll
leave this building. Go ahead and try. You don't know if you've got
tomorrow morning or go to bed tonight. You don't know if you'll get
home. You don't know if you'll lose one hair, or all your hair. Then try
to dictate terms to God. 

37.	Not this thief on Calvary, no siree. Not him, he didn't do that. He
made a final decision, he wasn't bitter either. How many people right
about now are getting kind of bitter about the whole situation? I don't
get bitter, I get mad. I shouldn't I know, you can pray for me. Because
my eyeballs spin, and my blood pressure rises, but bitter, forget it.
I'm no more bitter than nothing. You won't switch me on this, but I can
get mighty mad the way some people treat this Message. And what's going
on in the name of and end time Message that's going to put us in a
Millennium.

	Well, that's your business, I'm not your keeper. I've got to stand on
my own two feet. They'll stand on theirs. But bitter, and yet we see
bitterness. This man wasn't bitter, no, he just said, "Well, this is a
normal course of events." What did the prophet tell us? He told us
there'd be trouble coming. He said, "You won't always be this way." He
said, "You won't always be sweet." He said, "Heresies would come in."
Paul the apostle said so, and people get upset. Let them come. 

38.	As one man said, "Well, they've got to come, just thank God I'm not
the one they come by." He didn't admit any defeat. He wasn't defeated.
Why? Because he committed it all to God. He said, "Look, I'm standing
alone with God. I've got an end time promise. There's nothing I can do
about it, all I can do is rest in it. I'm trusting now for Him to take
me through. (See?) I've got my mind clear, and as long as my mind lines
up, he said, "That spiritual faith will hit it as a revelation and I'll
be that Word." And that's where we stand tonight.

	Now listen, as I mentioned you'll notice that his spiritual perception
in this most baffling and confusing and disparaging moment, (which would
be for everybody, but him) he turns to no thought of self justification,
no appeasement or qualification, but he said, "Lord, remember me when
You come to Your Kingdom."

39.	Now notice his revelation. Now, I don't suppose this thief saw Jesus
healing multitudes, or maybe he did, I don't know, it could have been, I
doubt it, but let's say he did. But it wasn't until this moment here
that he said, "Lord, remember me when You come to Your Kingdom." He
called Him Lord. In other words, he had a revelation.  It was greater
than Peter's, when Peter said, "Thou art the Christ." Sure, to me it
was. It was greater than Thomas when he said, "My Lord and my God."
Sure. It was greater I believe then when the apostle said, "To whom
shall we go, Thou alone has the Words of eternal life." But there,
(see?) in that baffling moment he had a tremendous revelation.

	Now, let me say this brother/sister, I believe with all my heart what
we believe to be a revelation at this hour will be nothing compared to
the revelation when the squeeze comes down. We'll really know that we
know God, but the squeeze has got to come down first. The churches has
got to regiment against it, they have got to deny it. On the one hand
some will take it, because the law will take something, but they won't
take the truth of it. They'll simply take the idea, yes sure that was a
great man, and He did tell us these things would happen. "Well, we
better watch out now that they're happening."  But, to take the Word,
they'll not to take the Word as you and I will take It.

40.	This was a tremendous revelation. Under these conditions when you
normally think the revelation would not be its greatest.  What I'm
trying to say is this, we have had eight years now of more or less
confusion. That's right, and we're not through, because the squeeze
hasn’t come down. The only squeeze we've had so far is our own
differences, pulling here, pulling there. Talk here, talk there. Fuss
here, fuss there. In the meantime, try to do anybody good as we could,
that's brotherly kindness.  That’s what we’re producing. But
brother/sister, Bro. Branham said, "When that squeeze comes down you
watch that 'third pull'." What was that 'third pull'? Christ the
revealed Word.

	Now, you watch: in the days ahead, when there will be trials, when
there will be tribulation, when there will be this great peril, I look
for the greatest revelation of all, the Lord Jesus Christ. And that’s
when we're thoroughly crucified to the world, we're left alone with God
and it's the Kingdom or perish. Because believe me the Scripture says,
"This Voice that Speaks from Heaven at the end time will pull down
everything that can be pulled down. It'll shake down everything that can
be shaken down, till that which cannot be shaken remain." [Hebrews
12:27] And I'm going to tell you one thing that remains. That is, Thou O
God remaineth, Christ that Word, nothing else and I'm waiting for It. 

41.	Now listen, notice the interview ended with the word to Jesus.
That's right, no argument. This man let God have the last Word. No
evidence, just Word. I wonder how many of us are willing to let this
Message be our last Word? (See?) Let the Message be the last Word until
God does whatever God wants to do. But it seems that's difficult for
some, and I don't blame them. See, it's difficult. But this man didn't
argue, he let Jesus have the last Word. He wasn't like that fellow down
there at the pool, and he wasn't too bad off. He could elbow his way
down when the water's got stirred, but he always got there too late. 

	And Jesus saw him there and He said, "Do you want to get healed?"  

	Oh, the guy said, "I'd like to be healed, but I just can't get the
energy to fight these birds off so I can get down there ahead of them." 

	And Jesus said, "Look, I didn't ask for your family history, I just
asked you if you want to get healed?" 

	"Well, (he said,) now that You put it that way, I sure do."

	He said, "Get up and walk, go on home." 

42.	See, I want to show you something here: there is too much attempting
to weigh the Word of God rather than believe It. To weigh It back
against what's going on. Oh, Abraham could have said, "Well now look,
I'm about ninety years old, what's the use of me trying to be a father,
forget it, she too old, I'm too old it's all over, bla, bla, bla, bla,
bla."

	It doesn't say that! It said he remembered the promise of God. He never
cared about his body. He didn’t care about her body. He said, "I've
got a Word and it's going to come to pass." See, no argument. I wish the
people would stop arguing in this Message. Especially stop arguing about
things they don't understand, because they can't prove it. Leave it
alone, shut up and let it sit there. But to argue, argue, argue, and I
can understand a lot of it, I can understand the reason for much of it,
but there's too much of it. 

	The prophet said three times in [The Rapture 65 12 04] tape, "Thus it
has been spoken, and Thus it shall be."  That's perfection, God said it
three times. In other words, the opening of those Seven Seals. The
question that Word that the truth of the Rapture, the truth of the
Resurrection. All of these things absolutely will come to place. There
is no argument, there is belief and we leave it there. This thief didn't
turn around and argue. He let Christ have the last Word. When are we
going to let Christ have the last Word by this Message I'd like to
know."  And it gets worse and worse.

43.	For a while, I thought the west infected, but now the east is very
infected too. And it looks like it's going to get worse and worse, argue
back and forth. I'm going to tell you something, argument isn't going to
solve anything, but believing will. Just be content to leave the Word
the way the prophet left It. (See?) And what God shows you by revelation
in this Scripture stick with It, and that's all.

	Now, the thief knew there was a Kingdom, he's been taught that from
…?... And he said, 

This is the One that's going to bring it, "remember me." How nice if we
could raise our hand to the vindicated Word of the hour, which is Christ
revealed. And say, "remember me," because this is what is going to put
me in that Kingdom.

	As Bro. Branham said to his son Billy Paul, I can't vouch for it, but I
know don't think Billy Paul would tell a lie. He said, "Billy, there'll
be this much in the Message  and make it, and that much and not make
it." 

 	In other words, there are people could understand the many things by
simply a brilliant mind and all, but they miss it on the grounds that
there was no true spiritual revelation. It was not really a part of
them. That's why I say there's so many things that people talk about.
Many people think they want to argue about. They want to fuss about.
They want this and that brought out. Why not just say, "The prophet said
it, I don't understand it, but I believe it." And let the argument
there. That's the way the thief did.

44.	Now, notice, Jesus said, "This day shalt thou be with me in
Paradise." [Luke 23:43] How short a sentence? Lest than a second to say
it perhaps, yet it met in eternity. No long drawn out preamble. No great
theology. Isn't that what the prophet said, "A Message foreruns it."
Then leave it there. What's the Message going to do? It's going to get
you ready. How is it going to get you ready? By faith. I don't know the
steps, I don't understand it all. But I know the prophet always said, in
'God In Simplicity', [63-03-17] "it's going to go over their heads." 
May it not go over yours and mine. May we be content to let our theology
rest in this truth, a Message foreruns a Second Coming, I'm in that
Message, and then I'm already a part of that Second Coming by His grace.
(See?) 

	Notice also, Jesus did not do one other thing for this thief.  No sir,
didn't do one more thing, just brought him the Word. Bro. Branham said,
"After the Message comes consolation."  This speech has consolation.
Why? Because that's where his faith was. He faith was taken right there
by God said, "Amen, that's it."  (See?) 

45.	Now, He didn’t to a thing for him. What do we need done for us
that hasn't been done? Nothing! We don't need one more thing to confirm
our faith. All we need is this Word in us to bring to pass what God
wants brought to pass in us. How is it done? By simply believing. It's
got to be there brother/sister. It's got to be there.

	Now, He didn't do one thing for him. He didn't give him any
substantiating evidence. He didn’t' need one more Word revealed to
him. He didn't need a further sermon. We don't need more messages, we
don't need more messengers, we don't need more miracles. We just need
that Word watered by the Holy Ghost or the prophet lied. So, why look
for more.

46.	All right, finally Jesus stepped off the Cross to make sure he's be
there to receive it. Now, let's look at that for a minute before we go.
Look what Jesus did, He guaranteed through His Own position that the
thief would be where He was. What's Christ done for us? He guaranteed
through vindication that it was He, that Pillar of Fire, (see?) and
divided over and through the Bride that's going to put her in the
Resurrection.  Now, don't you ever think for one minute, that Christ
ever made a promise that He didn't go and prepare the future fulfillment
of that promise. In other words, what Jesus Christ has done for us, by
giving us His Word, He has already shed forth the Holy Ghost in order to
accomplish that Word in us.

	Bro. Branham categorically stated, he said, "The rain has already
fallen." What rain? The former and the latter-rain. The latter-rain is
already falling upon the former-rain. Why? Because the latter-rain was
already here before the former-rain got here. The latter-rain began to
fall in 1906, but the former-rain did not fall until much later. I
believe the former-rain began to fall in 1958 when Bro. Branham preached
on the 'Serpent’s Seed'. Because he said that prophet in the end time
would sow the seed, the entire Bible, form the serpent seed to the
prophet in the former-rain. And he preached 'Serpent’s Seed'. And he
preached 'The Anointed Ones at the End Time', and God does very thing is
sevens.

47.	So therefore, he showed us in the opening of the Seals, that those
Seals continued to open, and were not completely revealed, until he was
taken from the field, he was gone. Every error was corrected, the entire
seed was planted. When, what, during what time? The latter-rain. In
other words, we were already guaranteed of a harvest before that
planting took place which was necessary for the harvest. The rain was
here.

	Now then, it's coming together. And how is it coming? It's coming
together by this Word the former-rain eradicating everything which is
contrary to truth. So, that there will be one seed member in us, the
watered Word of Almighty God. He already made complete prevision for the
Word brother/sister to have full power before the prophet ever left this
scene. He said, "I'll not be taken until my ministry is finished, and
then I will not be back." (See?) He gave us the vindicated Word, the
Holy Spirit was already here and to nourish it.

	And now that the prophet's gone, that One must increase. And Who is He?
Christ the Word until it's a Word Bride, and her ministry and her
likeness is so complete, the Capstone can fit right down right down upon
her. Then will come the dead out of the graves. 

48.	 Now, brother/sister, you can see from this old thief upon Calvary's
Cross that we're in the same position. "Must Jesus bear the Cross alone,
and all the world go free, no, there's a Cross for everyone, there's a
Cross for me."  Now remember, the apostle said, "We fill up the
measuring of the suffering of Jesus Christ." Christ said, "Every man
must bear his cross." [Matthew 16:24] 

	And we're like that thief on Calvary. If we only knew it, crucified
with Christ, and in every Age, as they saw a dying, crucified Word. So,
are we looking and what appears to be a dying crucified Word and saying,
"What's it all about?" 

	I don't care what's it's all about, I know what's it's all about. And
all about this: There's a Kingdom I've been promised, and that Kingdom
is forerun by a Message. And I heard that Word, it's made me a part of
that Kingdom. Because I say to that same One that was here in the form
of a Pillar of Fire. That same One revealed by the prophet's spirit.
That same One that Appeared, that came, that was revealed. And I say,
"Lord, remember me when you come to your Kingdom."

49.  And I hear those same words come back, "This day, you'll be with Me
in My spheres. Certainly, certainly, shut-up to God. Not as much as we
will be, but we're in there. Every thought in subjection. Not trying to
get an argument. Not trying to defend anyone but Him. And there we
stand, and we may be yet the laughing stock of the world. Oh yeah, they
talk about the…way we believe serpent seed. That's nothing to what
they’ll criticize us for yet.

	They pull everything apart Bro. Branham ever preached. One of these
two-bit Pentecostal preachers in Canada wrote a whole tract about
'Serpent Seed', and he said the Church Age Book says you can inject him
with pre-natal cells and he said, the body rejects them. Forty thousand
clinics in the world uses that method, and a little bit tin-horn that
thinks he's got the Holy Ghost. Hearing some two-bit little jackass
doctrine will turn against forty thousand claims that uses proven
success. 

50.  Let me tell you something brother/sister: these people that think
that they've got the Holy Ghost and claim it, they'll not reason
anymore. They'll not figure anymore. They'll not listen anymore when
that spirit hits them, they may take us out and crucify us. They may
rend us all in the street, they may shut-up, I don't know what they'll
do. But let me tell you this, they've already lost their reason. They
can't think anymore. They've sold themselves for a mess of pottage. Who
will trust in what looks like a crucified Savior brother/sister.

     We're dying too, yes, we are. Oh yeah, we've got no proof in
ourselves. No, we've never had, never will thank God. I don't have to
prove that what has been proven. "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the
Coming of the Lord." Now, we’ve shared in that glory. Amen, we have.
We've see it. We saw His Presence there's no doubt about it. But the
world has gone mad. But we sit here today sane and in the right mind
through the blessed Holy Spirit.

51. These things we know, and above all we know we have passed from
death unto life. And we know the promise of the hour to you and me who
are less than nothing, and deserve to be, but who put our trust in Him
Who filled that Word to the letter, though the world couldn’t
recognize it. And the other dying thief couldn't either, he was in the
same mess.  And the one sought reality and he said, "Lord, remember me
when You come in Your Kingdom."

	And He said, "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your hearing,
come to Paradise I'll be waiting for you." I believe He's waiting
brother/sister right now. And there's not one thing missing, there's not
one thing overdue, there's not one thing out of time, not one thing out
of cater. He's just waiting for a Bride that's got to be waited for.
He's way ahead of her. You believe that? I believe that. He's way ahead
of me, and He's waiting. The Lord bless you. Shall we rise.

	Our kind Heavenly Father, we thank the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ
for this time of being with your people, Lord, to examine an end time
when parallel to when they crucified that Word Who was the Word become
physical flesh. But now, we're looking again that that same crucified
Word which the world has turned aside, and preachers that claim to be
full of the Holy Ghost. And men perhaps not claiming but believing they
got something excoriating, laughing and thinking how ridiculous. But
here we know the truth, Lord, and we don't care how much this Word seems
to go down, because there's just no question, Lord. It can't go down,
because It's been proven it's been vindicated. This the Word of the
hour, and we thank You for the promise of the hour which is this day,
the Kingdom comes back to earth. 

	Lord, we're already into It, the first step, because the first step is
the Rapture and we've got the first step of the first step. O God, one
third of the first step is already in progress waiting for the second
which could come any minute, and then waiting for the third which is
bound to come. And then from then on Wedding Supper, and right into the
earth. And, Lord, even before we go away we're going to possess the
world even before we leave it, because You categorically stated, there'd
be no end to the Kingdom and when the stone made without hands would
come down and hit the Mountain, we'd be right here.

	So, Lord, there's no doubt we being a part of It, or part of that
Kingdom when we're standing here resurrected, we're part of that same
Kingdom that is going to prove that all other kingdoms that fall,
showing whether people believe it or not there's no doubt the prophet
said it, I believe it by 1977 the Millennium has got ushered in, whether
we believe it or not. That Kingdom absolutely, because It's ours. Lord,
I'm not worried about whether we're up in the air, or down here on
earth, I know we'll own it, because You said Redemption Book was open.
And when It's opened we get what was in the Book. Oh, we may be just a
couple of days just waiting around before we can walk all over It. But,
that's alright, what ours is ours.

	And so, Father God, we thank You that there's not one thing that's
remiss. There's not one thing not out of line, there's everything
exactly right. What's spoken is coming to pass, and it's already in
progress and will absolutely come to pass in its finality until we're
right in the midst of the climax of whatever you want. 

	Now, Lord, I pray that every heart today will be encouraged to serve
you all the more, to seek You all the more and begin to see that there's
nothing outside of the Kingdom that count, Lord, bless my own heart to
that end because if somebody here needs It, I need It.  I’m preaching
this way. I know I need It, O Lord.  I’m convinced of It, convicted of
It.  It’s been absolutely made real, but not real enough yet, that
It’s meant everything.  Nothing else matters, that we press into It, O
God.  Help us to see, ‘this is It’.  And, Lord, if It’s going to
take the squeeze, to make reality come forth, then squeeze us until
there’s no breath except the breath of God.  

	Until, Lord, there’s no breath except the comeliness of God.  And
there’s no life, but the Life of God.  You bring It right down, Lord,
to the reality of the thief upon Calvary, that is  God, or nothing.  It
is the Kingdom, and that’s It.  There’s no time for anything else,
but just standing with that Word.  You made a promise.  Lord, may Your
people see It, no matter what It costs.  To a cross, the arms aching,
burning, side riven, legs broken, what it is… pinioned, but It is, He
made a promise.  He’s waiting to fulfill it.  I believe by revelation,
clearer now than ever, days go by, It must …?..., O God in Heaven,
that too, Lord.  For earth fades, and the things of life must fade. 
There must indeed be a crucifixion to the things of the flesh.  

	Before the light of the glory of God comes through in Its perfect
revelation.  Lord, I know that, we all know the things of earth must
become strange, if we’re going to see brilliance in that which is in
Your own …?...  God, help us today, Lord.  Please hear our prayer for
Jesus.  Grant to us, that we may have what we talked about today.  And
we shall ascribe the honor and the glory, for You alone are worthy, in
Jesus’ Name.  Amen. 

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