Question and Answers

Pastor Series # 7

 Bro. Lee Vayle   -  February 7, 1988    

	Shall we pray. Heavenly Father, again we want to voice our gratitude
and our love to You, Lord, today. We only wish, Lord, we were more
grateful and more loving, and more of Thee, Lord, and less of ourselves.
More of Your Word and less of our own ideas and understanding.

	So, Father, we just pray today we'll be the fortunate people to be so
anointed in our spirits to get ourselves out of the way, Lord, that You
can have the full control, Father. And just touch our minds, Lord, and
touch our hearts. Touch our very beings, Lord, and though we might have
already had preconceived ideas, and I might already had what I
considered the Anointing that is for this service, Lord, as the prophet
said, "The minister gets It ahead." But, Lord, we're willing to have
that all changed that You might give us truth that if any way we are in
error, Lord, that it might be  a hundred percent correct with the Word
Itself mechanically, and then dynamically so.

	So, Father, we want to be fed by You today the Great Shepherd we want
Your help. We admit it, Lord, we're not too obedient, but we want to be
obedient, Lord. So, bless us today, Father, to learn just give way to
You in Jesus' Name we pray. Amen. You may be seated.

1.	Now, just before I bring this number 7 on what we call 'Question and
Answers', which are really my thoughts on some questions that'll come
up, because Bro. Branham made certain statements concerning the pastor
and the people. 

	[Bro. Vayle makes local announcements] 

	Now, continuing then with this subject of the pastor and the people,
last night we were mainly examining the disciplines, the Word laid down
to govern our conduct as to our own personal life styles, and our
dealing with others.

	Now, what I'm looking at there is that we all have our own personal
life styles by the way we, perhaps are born. We have a tendency to be
a...you know, more cheerful perhaps than other's are. For instance, you
know, some people love music and laughter and they are very gay. And
some people are quite dour. And you know even parts of the country are
different from other parts. Although, I've never found it that way. They
say you go to New England the people are starchy and frozen. I found
them great fun up there. I didn't find a bit of problem at all. I
thought it was great.

2.	Then, years ago in Canada before I ever came down, when I was a kid
was I was always told how marvelous the people in the States were. These
Yankees were so marvelous, I mean they just did everything for you, and
they, you know, they put the oil in the car and they washed the
windshield, and they...you know, very happy you know, they were happy to
take your money, sure, but they're very happy people. And I come down
and they're pretty sour, you know, to what I had been told.

	So, life style, you know, there's certain disciplines in the Word of
God, and they are laid down in order to help us with our life style, so
that we may improve where we lack as the Bible says, "He that would have
friends, must show himself friendly." [Prov 18:24] And, you know, it
mentions too, that you're to help others, lest, you know, find yourself
tempted and then maybe nobody is going to help you to pick you up and
things like that. And then also, it deals with our dealings with other
people. Which means 'how do we really act with people', in order to give
them the proper breaks that they should have according to the Word and
the proper help, how do we conduct ourselves?

	And we looked at that especially, we were concerned with 1 Corinthians
5, where the church members seemingly approved gross immorality which
they did. And they also had a very slack and common acceptance of sin in
the church. And you'll take a look and see this, they're the church that
Bro. Paul said were divided. And they were divided first of all by the
preachers. You're going to find that the preachers do more dividing than
the people do. And yet they're both culpable.

3.	Now, in 1 Cor 5:1, Paul says here:

		(1) 	It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you... 

	Now, the report was common, the fornication wasn't common. Everybody
wasn't living in this free love type of stuff that some of the
Pentecostals got into, and they called it soul-mating. Made the church a
house of prostitution you know. But just quite common.  

		(1)	(It's) reported (on good authority and most people agree that it's
						done, there's ) fornication as (such fornication) is not so much
as 						named 	among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's
wife.

		(2) 	And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that 	
				hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

	Now, Paul said, "You know, you got to stop that thing and you got to
stop it, or get rid of the guy that's doing it."

	You see, Bro. Branham said gross immorality is the place where he drew
the line on Communion and things like that.

		(3) 	For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have
judged 						already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath
so done 					this deed,

	Now, I mentioned last night, that's White Throne judgment. So I hope
that helps you.

		(4) 	In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when (you're) gathered
together, 					and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

		(5) 	To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the
flesh, 						that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 

	The physical part could even be carted away and put in a casket. He
could die, or go through suffering that he's wish he never tasted the
sins of the flesh like he was doing, but he would have done it
legitimately by getting his own wife, married, settling down and work
raising a family. But he would be destroyed. See? Not annihilation, but
he'd have to pay the price here, because the spirit would be saved. Now
this is the process that's handed down.

		(6) 	Your glorying is not good... 

	They're puffed up, they're glorying, and they're acting as though this
thing is okay. "And we're not legalist, bless God, we believe in eternal
security. So it's okay." Hogwash, you know.   

	Now, he said:

		(6) 	...glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven
leaveneth 						the whole lump?

4.	In other words, the first thing, you know, if you let that go,
everything goes and the whole church is gone.

		(7) 	Purge out therefore the old leaven, that (you) may be a new lump,
						as (you) are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is
sacrificed 						for us:

		(8) 	Therefore  keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the
leaven 					of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of
sincerity 					and truth.

		(9) 	I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:

		(10) 	Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with
the 						covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must
(you) 						needs go out of the world.

	Now, in other words, you're not going to win the world to Christ. So if
your neighbor lives like the devil, let him live like the devil. You
might caution him, you might give him a witness, but you can't control
him. The Church was never meant to control the world. Let them go, let
them fry, that's their business. The Church is meant to control the
church. We keep the business right in the local assembly. And this is a
pitiful mess when you consider all the assemblies were really local and
indigenous at the time of Paul. The Nicolataine spirit was merely there
in a form of a spirit that had not yet really taken captive people, but
man alive, they sure spread around the country that Corinthian church if
you want to live in sex and sin, go on down there, because they don't
seem mind. The girls are loose evidently. The men are loose. Man, that
must have been a horrible testimony of a local church.

6.	The Ephesian Church didn't have that. Now, if you're smart, you're
something. If you're sitting there kind of dumb it's over your head and
I'm sorry for you. You catching what I'm trying to tell you? Church's
reputation gets around the country. What the people and preacher does
gets around the country. We do here gets plumb around the world. Don't
think it doesn't. 

	That's why we're taking this serious what this Church stands for, and I
don't care two-bits what anybody else stands for. It's their business. I
preach what I believe to be the truth.

	Now, he said, "Here," he said, "you'd have to get out of the world." He
said, "Forget it." See? That's why the church is so confused about
Communism. Communism doesn't have anything with the church, it's a
benefit to the Church. It brings about martyrdom. It gets the people
whether they really want to believe God or not. It's the church you've
got to watch out for.

	Bro. Branham said, "It is not Communism, it is Rome." The church can
let Frank Sinatra because he's got money, annul his first marriage,
which is a hundred percent legal in the eyes of Almighty God. The church
doesn't have any authority except the Word of God. And the church better
keep its nose in the Word of God. And the church better keep its nose in
His Church, and don't have a thing to do with the world out there. Let
them die. Let them burn. I'm not hard and tough. I'm telling you what
God says is going to happen. And He warned us, that we had better "grow
up a calves in the stall," [Mal 4:2]  or we find ourselves in trouble
too.  

7.	All right: [1 Corinthians 5:]

		(11) 	...now I have written you, (Now he said, I'm going to bring it
right						 home to bear, you will) not to keep company, if any man that
(calls 					himself) a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an
idolater, or a 						railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such
an one no not to eat.

	In other words, disassociation, and disassociate and there's no
fellowship there. Now look it, he says here that you mustn't keep
company with a man that says I'm a brother and he's a fornicator. You
cut him off. You drop him like a hunk of lead. Or covetous. Now you know
the Word of God, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's horse, and his
cows, and his farms, and his money, or his wife." Wife coveting. 

	"Oh, Bro. Vayle, heaven forbid." Ha! Yes heaven forbid, but human
sensuality doesn't forbid. And so if a man has got his eyes on women in
the church, the Bible says, "If your eye offend you pluck it out." [Mt
5:29] You better have something done with these eyes. He's an idolater.
Well, you know, an idolater. Actually a person given to money is an
idolater, or thinks too much about physical things in the natural, but
an idolater also is off the Word of Almighty God, spiritual idolatry. 

	Or railer. A railer is a person who is abusive, he's always attacking
people, especially by speech. He's a low type of person. 

	A drunkard. You know what that is.

	An extortioner. He always threathens to violence,  going to poke you in
the nose, or do something. He's ready to fight.

	You know something? I can tell you right now. I'm not going to preach
too hard on this. We've got a Church here that just simply doesn't shun
people like that. It just kind of walks away. Leaves them to themselves.

8.	It's like the old lady, I told you about it many times. Old bishop
...?... told this joke. It's not a bad joke. It's a cute joke. 

	"There's an old lady in the church of England, back in England, she's a
crippled old lady. 	She had a nice apple tree out front. So when the
kids would climb the tree and steal the 	apples, she could never get
there in time to grab them. But it used to infuriate her. And 	Johnny
was the ring leader. (We all call him Johnny naturally, or it's George,
or Bill.) So 	anyway, one day the old gal goes to church and she sits
right in the front by the way the 	little boys choir comes down. You
know the boy sopranos? And Johnny was singing in 	the choir. As he came
down she grabbed him, she said, "Johnny you looks like an angel, 	you
sings like an angel, but I knows ya, and so does this church."
[laughter]

	That's nice isn't? [1 Corthians 5:]

		(12) 	...what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not
ye 						judge them that are within?

	Now, the Church and the individual must learn to forgive these people
who are doing this, but at the same time refuse to tolerate their
conduct. Now let that sink in. The reason is, that to hold an
unforgiving spirit, we usually give way to vindictiveness if we don't
forgive. We begin to demand more than the person will produce. So
therefore, the only sensible thing is to censure the conduct, if
necessary to take something which we will not do around here, except a
person is in gross immoral conduct to put them out. We wouldn't do that,
but the conduct of such people is censured and it cannot be tolerated,
but the person must be forgiven. Now, that sounds strange, but it's the
only thing that I can look at in this respect.

9.	Now, forgiveness can restore the offenders, but only after, or only
on the grounds that the offender quits offending, otherwise forgiveness
cannot go on to restoration. But can only develop the right spirit that
can eventually restore and keep things right in the Church.

	Now, I hope you got what I said there. The restoration does not come
simply because the person is forgiven. In other words, we don't hold
things against people, we must not, although we view things in the light
that they are not tolerable, and the people doing them therefore are not
necessarily shunned, or even put out of their church, but they're
actually evaded. That sounds strange doesn't? To shun is to evade. No it
isn't. It's not a principle here that you are going to try to abuse
anybody. It's a principle that you just simply don't have fellowship
with those people. And actually, if you're going to do the right thing
by them, you've got to bring to their attention that those things are
not right, period. And if they keep on doing, what are you going to do?
You just keep on praying.

	But Bro. Branham did, I think as a secret is to turn them over to the
Lord, not to the devil. Because Bro. Branham told me when I asked him
the question. I said, "Bro. Branham what happens to those if they're
turned over to the devil even amongst those that are sinners."

	"Well," he said, "It's very true that you do that, because you don't
know who is who in the Church, but (he said,) eventually the devil will
get them."

	That's the extreme case. But Bro. Branham just turned them over by
prayer. I've heard that people try to tell me that Bro. Branham did this
often, but in my books Bro. Branham never did. We never discussed it as
though he ever did. He might have done it in one case I'm not sure. But
his attitude was one of prayer. So therefore, you're seeing what I'm
saying here, when these things are done in the Church, forgiveness is a
qualification, and also the admonition, and the attempting to raise the
person is always in order. But there is no such thing as a true
restoration of that person until the person quits those things.

10.	Now, I hope you're not too confused here, because I don't want to
get in too involved in this, because it'll get too involved and we come
right down to the place, where then people who are refusing to actually
line with the Word. And with the Church Order are placed outside the
Church, outside the sanctuary of the Church where God can judge them
where Satan can have a way.

	Now, Bro. Branham...although that's in the Word, Bro. Branham took a
course which is also in the Word that, "Love can conquer and do all
things." But when you're talking of love, conquering and doing all
things, you are also required to apply the Word. You cannot do it apart
from the Word of God. You cannot say, "Hey fellow, you've got to quit
drinking." You've got to give a reason for it. It's got to be by the
Word.

	You say, "You cannot do this thing over here, the heathen do it." You
cannot do it, and be part of the Church. You cannot be a part of the
true Body of Jesus Christ. You can admonish with something must always
be done. We cannot leave it in abeyance, and I say if the time ever
comes where there's a gross immorality. 

11.	And I would say even this: If there was a person who begin getting
drunk. If there was a person we knew began working some plan of
extortion in the church, and that was done. This strange thing about
Jessica Hahn and the Bakker case. It's a known case of extortion. Yet to
this point there hasn't been a grand jury called, and there's been no
one rise up in the church to condemn her and the people that worked the
extortion.

	Now, I'm trying to tell you here, you just can't wink your eyes at one
thing, and say it's not okay for another thing. You can't meet the Word
of God with a winking eye, with a blinded eye, you've got to hit it wide
open. And there comes a time if the people who claim to be Christians
are extorting and doing this or that, then there's a Church procedure
which we'll not discuss this morning, that has to be taken through. And
to the point of even putting them out, because you cannot tolerate
certain things. But I say, in the mean time you'll hear me say different
things why this Church doesn't do these things at this particular
moment. And I don't think ever we'll have to.

 	Now, let us note, that as soon as the offender desires restoration and
shows a contrite spirit, and has abandoned his ways, (at least he's
trying very hard,) then we must unequivocally restore that person. Now,
you can't hold grudges. You've got to forgive, and you've got to go the
extra mile which is one of restoration and be very glad to do it. 

12.	In 2 Cor 2:6-9.

		(6) 	Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted
of many.

	Now, he's talking about the man they put out of the church, because he
was engaged in a nefarious relationship I believe was his step mother.  

		(7) 	So that contrariwise (you) ought rather to forgive him, and
comfort 					him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with
overmuch 					sorrow.

	In other words, when the discipline has taken place and the man says,
"Okay look, I want to be part of you again." You cannot refuse him. You
cannot deny the person repentance. Now you hear what I'm saying? Because
I'm saying it for a reason.

		(8) 	Wherefore I beseech you that (you) would confirm your love 					
toward him.

	You say you love him, then do something about it. You say you want a
clean church, do something about it. You say you love people, do
something about it. Everything has actually legs on it if you want to
know. So this then, is perfect forgiveness where the man is finally
restored. In the meantime don't keep things in your heart. Get them out.
And the Lord's helped me wonderfully, and I know He's helped you.

13.	From that time of restoration the sin can never be taken from under
the Blood. I've never run across the statement, but I understand Bro.
Branham did say, "If you take any man's sin from under the Blood, then
you become guilty of it on judgment day." So therefore, we are to
remember, "We do not judge another man's servant. Unto his own master he
stands or fall, God is able to make him to stand. [Rom 14:4]

	So therefore, we're looking at a Church which tries to help people. And
if the people refuse help, then he may have to be helped out, right out
of the church. Which is what we do not look for. We believe the Word of
God in this hour is greater than all of that.

 	Now furthermore, here's another issue to consider. There are problems
that are real and damaging to the Church. But they are quite vague, and
but, they are usually spirits that create an atmosphere within the
Church. And they can lead, not all, but can lead to division, or some
type of chaos, or some type of puzzlement which divides the church and
causes the Church problems.

14.	Now, since the first requirement of an elder is in 1 Tim 3:2, that
same requirement is required of the pastor to forestall what lies in a
spirit that could come into the church. Now watch:

		(2) 	A bishop (an elder) must be blameless, the husband of one
wife,...

	The word 'blameless' is not what you think it means. The word blameless
is a boxer who knows how to parry a blow. He knows what's coming. He
sees what's there. He knows the effect. And so therefore, this pastor,
or the elders, whosoever is in charge, must be in this category...can
read what is lying dormant and yet not so dormant. Kind of like a
sleeping situation. You see. It's like an infection in your blood
stream, or something in your body. We're all full of everything, cancer,
tuberculosis, everything is there. We are a walking grave yard. But the
door has got to be open for the cancer to take over. The door has got to
be open for TB to take over. And the door that opens to cancer won't
bring about TB, vise versa, and so on.

	Now, the good ministers are holistic in their approach. They want to
see that the Church is healthy inside, and outside. So as good
diagnosticians, and this can be hard of course to diagnose, they should
be able to know if they're in touch with the Lord, the Word, and the
people, if there's a spirit that's coming up within the Church 

15.	So, we take an example: it might be a man or woman who makes it a
career in the church to take people aside and fellowship them. And start
inquiring into their lives and counseling them in the Word. That's not
right. But this Church does not have any problems, because we have an
open session on Friday nights, or whatever nights you can get together
and you talk the Word. And anybody that comes to Church here is invited
to those meetings. Not to somebody's home privately. If they're going to
be invited to any home to talk, it'll be my home. Because the pastor has
that right according to Bro. Branham it is his right. And not only his
right, but it must be done that way.

	So, if a ...?... person goes in where the group is talking, as Lloyd
said, and I say it's so true, you can snow anybody, except those who
really understand this Message and the Presence. So anybody sitting in
our group of men talking will know positively without a doubt who it is
that really understands the Word. So I'm not worried about that. But
there is always that possibility, because innate within us there is a
desire for leadership. And brother/sister, if you're not, (especially
brethren, women are not ...?... out of the picture entirely,) but
brethren you can take an office and so on.

16.	If you ever get miscued by the devil on this, you are in serious,
serious trouble. And you notice, that is why the pastor has every right
to pick the slate that the people can vote on. Now the people first of
all will pick the slate and the pastor will say, "All right, from what I
gather these men are good men, we'll leave it in your hands then to go
ahead and vote." Because he's satisfied that there will not be that
particular position.

	Now remember, that came right out of the Word of God. John, the beloved
had a problem with Diotrephes who wanted to take a preeminence away from
the man that was ordained by God. [3 John 9] And nobody's trying to hold
this position jealously, but remember, I said, "If I'm going to have to
give an account for you then you leave me give the account, or you're on
your own." Nwt just that simple. And I'm adamant about it, and so must
every minister be, or he's going to wreck his ministry. And when he
wrecks his ministry he will wreck the church.

17.	Now, so therefore, to those who sort of want to be somewhat in the
church, that would destroy the church. And of course we here do not have
that problem, because of our meetings. But let us say a person is doing
some counseling and advising and questioning etc, to those unrelated or
related in families and this would make them a sort of an elder in part,
to a part of the flock.

	Now, this is easily done where we have a family situation, which we do
not have here, but I know some churches do have it, and certainly  there
are some in Canada, and I'm going to tell you, I guess I should weep day
and night for the pastors. Because you don't dare mention Rinehart, but
you've got Steinbrenner that's related, and you don't dare mention
Steinbrenner, but ABCDEFGHIJKL, are also related. And you've got a whole
church of relatives and it's a tough situation. Because all it takes is
one person, (Pete knows what I'm talking about,) to rise up and cause
problems, problems, problems, because they will not stick with the Word,
they will stick with the blood of the relatives, or the good friend. And
you will have murder in the church.

18.	So, there is that spirit that can come in. And they'll sort of act
as a sub-pastor, and of course it's for your good. If anybody tells you
that in this Church, I've got news for you, you're just a liar if you
tell the people that. Because there's only one source of authority. I'm
going to be honest with you, it's right up here. And your source of
authority being one depends on what is up here, and that depends on what
is up here whether my ministry is of God or not. Because it's going to
be like 'Father, like Son'. It's going to be like 'pastor, like sheep',
or like 'pastor, like goats', or whatever it is. Now listen: that's
standard, and that's the way it's got to be. Because you've got to have
one mind, and we've got to see a Church set in order.  

19.	Now, what is there then, if there should be then in the Church,
these relationships that should not be in there?

	Well, I'm going to tell you: I've got one answer, that's simply Church
Order the way that Bro. Branham did it. Preach the Word of God the way
Bro. Branham did. All doctrines, and basic Word counseling comes from
the pastor. So there are no other teachers in the Church. So thus the
people simply know to refuse any advice unless they know the advice has
been passed on from the pastor for their own good. Now that's the way
you've got to look at that, because it can't be otherwise.

20.	Now, let's go a little further. And this is a little touchy point
here, but we're going to deal with it, because this Church has its own
understanding how these things are done. Even in family relationships
within the Church as I mentioned awhile ago. The whole Church gets the
same teaching.  Now watch what I'm saying. I do not take any family in
this Church aside. I do not take any families in this Church aside. I do
not deal with anybody in this Church on the side. I deal with everybody
from this pulpit. Now that's the truth. Except where people come to me
and they want to ask questions which is their rights. But what I'm
talking about this morning now is this spirit that gets into the Church.
And I understand that there are churches that claim that spirit is
there. And to a degree, I know in some churches it is there.

	So, family relationships within the Church: the whole Church gets the
same teaching. So mother, father, sister, brother, aunts and uncles, and
cousins, etc. etc. etc, know where their Headship lies, and it is only a
weak spirit that will call for intervention by their relatives, or allow
it to happen. Catch what I said? Okay.

21.	Now, listen carefully: because this is a grievous point, and it's a
personal point with some of you. And I don't pull any punches, and this
tape goes around the country, and I care less. We're indigenous here. I
don't care what any preacher preaches. I don't care what any pastor
does. I do what I want to here, and nobody has to listen outside this
Church. But you have to listen. Even family relationships within the
Church. The whole Church gets the same teaching. So mother, father,
sister, brother, aunts, uncles and cousins by the dozens are already
warned. Everybody sitting there is warned. They know where Headship
lies. And it is only a weak spirit in anybody that will call for some
intervention by a relative, or somebody else instead of going to the
source which God laid in the Church.

22.	Now, let me illustrate why exactly why I say a weak spirit. And a
wrong spirit can be there too. Bro. Branham told that he was in a
restaurant one day with his wife eating and a lady was eating with him,
or she came over. I forget what it was. And she said, "Bro. Branham, I'm
having trouble. That man over there is trying to pick me up." And she
said, "Why is it, that so many men are trying to pick me up?"

	He said, "Because there's a spirit on you." But he said, "I'm going to
break that spirit." He began concentrating on the man who was trying to
pick this woman up in this public place. After a while the man began to
fidget. He dropped his napkin. Pretty soon his cutlery began jangling
around. Pretty soon he got so nervous he couldn't sit any longer though
his food was ordered, he suddenly jumped out and went out. Are you
getting what I'm trying to tell you? 

	Are you people here so weak in the Word that if any woman tried to
bring in a matriarchal spirit, or any man a patriarchal spirit, or
anybody came here, that you would be sucked in? Now, I want you to
absorb what I'm saying and get this flat. I'm not teaching here for
nothing, and I'm not holding a tight rein for nothing. I'm paying my
dues, and you're paying your dues. We're trying to get there
brother/sister.

23.	Is this Word in this pulpit so weak that people could get sucked in?
This is a rotten tape to get out of certain areas I admit. I don't
believe that there is any devil in hell big enough to come against the
true Word of God with true people. Now, we're not all a hundred percent
real believers. Bro. Branham said, "There's got to be a mixed
multitude." We'll deal with that. But I'm going to tell you something,
"Greater is He that's in our midst, and He that's in us, than we
ourselves or in all the world." [1 Jn 4:4] And if this Word cannot deal
from this pulpit, with what I've just been talking about, I'm terribly
sorry for you and for me, and everybody. Because I simply don't believe
that some of the things that are being said about this subject are
accurate. 

	A good hard look, and a good hard concentration drove the spirit out of
that man. So it can be stopped. And a good solid Word from this pulpit
which you've heard on and on, and on. I am responsible, and if you do
not want me to be responsible you want, you let me know and you try
something. Nobody will try anything. Nobody is going to try anything.
And I'm very good natured this morning, relaxed and happy. Because I
believe, that you get sheep food, and I believe you're sheep. And until
the judgment day you don't know and I don't know. And I believe here,
I'm not going to fool you, and you are not going to fool me. Because the
Life in this Word is being released, so that if I had a mother that who
wanted to come in here and be a matriarch, I'd say, "Ma, look, I left
your skirt a long time ago, and the apron strings, so please don't try
to strangle me." Just be ma, and just be pa. Just be brother. Just be
sister. No.

24.	How would a church handle it, ostracize people? Would they attempt
to prove something on somebody? Not this Church. I'm not interested. In
fact, I should be more interested, but I'm to the point: look, if you're
not grown up by this hour, after about six solid years of my teaching
and trying to do everything I can for you, to show you everything
possible in the Word of Almighty God. The Blood's not on my hands
anyway. And I'm not being casual and mean about it. I'm just trying to
get something across to you. Look! You are now responsible citizens in
the Kingdom of God. So you neither fooled nor are fooled. In other
words, You're not like out here the deceived and deceiving. So I want to
clear the air once and for all finally where I stand. I don't buy a lot
of things that are said and done. I don't find anything in this Church
that's matriarchal, or sisterarchal, or brotherarchal, or patriarchal,
or anything else.

	I feel by the Word of God, the Word of God is supreme by the Holy
Spirit and the people are going on, and they will stay united as long as
they keep their minds on this Word. And you will have the proper love in
your heart. You will have the proper grace in your heart, which you
cannot get apart from this Conduit.

	Now, this Conduit, the Word is in your mind and in your heart, and
you're struggling to grow, you pose no problem to me, or to anybody, but
together we pose a tremendous threat to the devil. And that's the way it
should be.

25.	Bro. Branham's own vision showed how that he could crystallize the
devil right there, and just let him shatter. Then say a word, the devil
come right back, letting you know and me know and all of us know the
devil can walk in and out of this building, and there isn't any way that
he can get a toe-hold in here, unless somebody opens himself to him.
There's was no way the devil could even incarnate Judas, though
absolutely it was his destiny, until Judas opened the door.

	Now, so that's settled. That's how discipline in this Church goes. We
simply preach the Word of God, and then we see what happens. You say,
"That's not nice." That's very nice. 

	You know, I make a lot of things and one of them which is called
'spaghetti sauce'. It's not Italian, because I know that Italians don't
make it the way I do, they're too cheap. They make a watery kind of
tomato sauce that's sour. Forget it. Mine's loaded with good things, you
know how it is. But I never know how it's going to turn out until I
start to eat it. 

	So, I don't know what the recipe is going to do here, the cake I'm
trying to bake in the Name of the Lord until the eating of it. Till we
see where it's going with you. And what I've seen today, I'm very
satisfied with. Very satisfied. There's nothing here but good in the
Name of the Lord.

26.	Now, if such a thing should exist as it's claimed to exist, it can
be removed simply by preaching the Word of God, setting the Church in
order by the Word so they get their minds and hearts centered on the
Spirit which is in the Word. And then you turn right away to the Lord
and let the thing die plumb out, because maybe it wasn't even there in
the first place. Because this is the hour of repentance. Now, it's in
the mind repentance takes place, and then it gets right down in the
heart where it begins to work out.

	So therefore, how are we going to work this Church here, and help this
Church? Anytime anything comes up we will address it with the help of
the Lord. God warning us, God showing us, although I must say this
morning I have had warnings, I'm just bringing up things that are
just...have been brought to my attention. And we bring it before the
Church, and this Church now is either in a condition to have Church
order, or I simply say, "Forget it." So therefore, encourage yourselves
in the Lord, and say, "God..." (I'm doing it all the time,) "God, this
Word in me is got to do the work, or I'm sunk, because I haven't got It
myself." There's no way I can do it. And you know something? That's the
stand we've taken, and I've seen a growth in the people here that I've
never seen in my fifty five years being a Christian. I have
not...everything ever hoped for and dreamed for. Everything I've kind of
put to one side, and said, "Well, I guess it never could be." God
Almighty in His sovereign Word never fails.

 	So, and I tell you, if God never gave me the ministry I have, they
just wasted a year. He never told me to speak with the wind. Let the
wind carry the voice into silence somewhere across the earth. His Own
Word absolutely said, "Wherever His Word is sent, It'll bring forth
fruit." And I'm demanding a fruit in this Church here. Whether you know
it or not, I believe it, and I will see It. You bet. I've seen too much
now to turn my back on it. All right, that concludes that little part of
it.

 	Now, there's another statement along with the pastor's ordained to see
you through, (and he is,) he's obligated. He's commanded. Therefore, he
is not obligated to boot you out, leave you be, he's obligated necessary
to discipline you, and see if you get back. Aw yes, it's not good
riddance to bad rubbish.

27.	Down in Florida one time we had some people that really were a
pistol, [forceful persons] was women. That's why I'm so happy to see the
men come in, then the women tag along. When I see the women come in and
the men tag along. Yi, yi, yi, yi, yi, I'm not happy. I'm not saying a
woman can't, you know, talk to a man, and the man come in on her
testimony. Absolutely, that's perfectly legal. That's the way Bro.
Branham said it should be. Testify to the milk man, and post man, and
everybody. And they could come right into Christ on the Word. That's a
good thing. I'm talking now of people taking their real position in the
church. You know, men's strong the way they should be.  

28.	Okay, now, the pastor's ordained to see you through. He's also the
supreme authority in the Church. Now, the reason I think Bro. Branham
made that statement, was to get rid of Nicolaitanism. Which means
that...you know, look, that's a spirit. Who do you think that spirit is
going to get on? Preachers. It's not going to get on the people. It's
getting on the preachers.

	So therefore, Bro. Branham was letting us know that no church had any
authority over any other church. The Church is obligated to settle its
own problems according to the Word. And if the pastor has been correct
in teaching, the Church will know what to do, even in the time when the
pastor cuts the people's throat usually by adultery. Nice silent group.
You should be, because that's a serious thing.

29.	I've seen it on different occasions, and the church gets very, very
concerned and of course they're sending out bleeps for help which I
don't blame them. They're looking to somebody that maybe of a like mind
as they are, and that's not against the Word of God, but you know, even
before the send out an SOS, the Church people should know exactly what
to do with the situation. It's right in the Word of God. And I tell you,
when you find a man in that condition there is a thing, there's no
necessity for that man to be ever your pastor again, because he betrayed
the people.

	You talk about gross immorality, I tell you, the young man having his
father's wife is not to be compared with a minister that cohabits with a
woman in the congregation. No matter how hard you might pull for that
person, the Church should know what to do. You could say, "Well, brother
I tell you, you can sit on the front seat as long as you want. The
Church ever comes to the place of confidence restored, and adultery is
not the only thing that's bad, it can lead you into plumb of false
doctrine, or something else. Lead you this way, that way, you sit...
...?... front desk, front seat. But we're going to look around for a
pastor we've got confidence in." All right, he is the supreme authority
on the grounds if the Church is indigenous.

30.	Now, let me just give a little something here that may help you. Now
you know Jack Bell and I are very close. So I'm going to use Jack as my
whipping boy, but not really. We're very, very close. 

	Now, let's say that Jack has some problems in his church and you say,
"Well I'm going to tell you one thing, I'm going to stick with Lee
Vayle." Now you see, that would be the wrong statement to make. [End of
side one] 

	Now if he were to say, "Now Bro. Lee and I believe the very same things
and you know what he's taught, so you know what I taught, and you know
what I teach and you know what he teaches, so therefore we're capable
here of settling every single thing amongst ourselves." He doesn't need
anybody called in. Now you may want to call somebody in as a matter of
course to teach and do various things, that's alright, because that's
found in the Word of Almighty God. But I'm just trying to show you
something here. It is not necessary to call another person in, because
the pastor himself is the authority, and he must settle those problems.
Not somebody else, although he could lend a helping hand. Neither could
he say, "I align with this person, this pastor, and I'm coming in my
congregation."

31.	Now listen to me: the pastor doing that would make a grave mistake.
Because Bro. Branham said, "Pastor be subject to your congregation, and
congregation be subject to your pastor." So therefore, the pastor and
the congregation there must work things out for the glory of God, or
they're failing as the Bride of Christ.

	Now, if there's a refusal on the part of anybody to make anything right
and to get those things ironed out, and the church splits, that's your
tough luck. But I'm going to tell you: one thing's demand of the people
is 'honesty'. Absolute honesty. When things are being traced down, 
where things are awry, where things are remiss, where they're wrong, the
people must be a hundred percent honest to hide behind a refuge of lies
will not do any good. Because, we're at the White Throne right now and
there's condemnation on those things. See? But the pastor must take his
place with the congregation at all times, and the congregation with the
pastor. You're looking at that. Now, I think there's enough on that
statement. I could give you natural illustration here, but I'm not going
to do it, because I've ran across it just recently.

32.	Now, Bro. Branham made this as a categorical statement that the
pastor is the supreme authority. And this is without a doubt based upon
the Book of Ephesians chapter 4, that he becomes the literal mouthpiece
of God under the prophet to the people. And in Heb 13:7 and 17, he
speaks the Word of God, he teaches the Word of God and that's what's
ruled by. And there's no pastor can ever do anything. And no
congregation can ever do anything unless the Word of God is abided by.
It must be the Word of God in season. It must be the Word of God for the
occasion. It must be perfectly applicable. It cannot be perverted, or
twisted. It must be just what the Word of God says. 

	And when the people say, "Yes, this is true, we believe this and we'll
stand by it." And if necessary something must be brought out, it is
brought out from that point on the church can go ahead. Or I'll tell you
what happens: you'll go into a place where you'll pay a price, and then
God will begin to work the thing back again. But you'll pay a price.
Everybody pays a price. There is nobody that doesn't, and that's beside
the price we pay to make our lives disciplined to the Word of God. Which
doesn't mean we've sinned, it just means God is testing our mental, and
seeing how we're going to conduct ourselves in the race of life.

33.	Now, this has to be so, for Bro. Branham categorically also said,
"There are no holy fathers, there's no bishop's over us, but the Holy
Ghost. In the midst is the Holy One." That's right. "The One Who gave
the Word has come here to interpret the Word," according to Bro.
Branham, which brings to pass Rev 22:18-19, which is effective, "You
cannot take or add a word." And the pastor's obligated to bring the
whole counsel of God as much as he knows It.

	Let us understand this: Bro. Branham said, "The only one who could not
be judged was the prophet who is a part of Heb 13:8. The prophet cannot
be judged." Now, a sub-prophet, a minor...like in a five-fold minister
prophet can be judged. The pastor can be judged. Anybody can be judged
in this respect: is that person preaching the true Word of God? But you
better be careful what filter you're using.

34.	I remember years back, a certain brother came by and he said he
wrote a little article, he wrote a book and he absolutely disproved by
his own theory what I wrote in the Church Age book for Bro. Branham. 

	When he got through writing it, I said, "But brother you're wrong, and
I'm going to tell you why you're wrong." Because I had a Pentecostal
boy, and brother, he irked me. I can be irked. You know that. It's one
of my weaknesses. And I can get hard... you know, Saturday night
special, [referring to a small gun] one of those two dollar Berettas 
what you call them? Because of people don't know what they're talking
about. So don't come to me, because I've been with the prophet. I was
already angry.

	I phoned Bro. Branham (I told you) at my expense, when the prices were
low in those days. You know, twenty five years ago. More than that.
Let's see what was it? Back in 1963 starting. Twenty five years ago now.

	I said, "Bro. Branham, I'm getting some flack on what was written, (and
this kid got the manuscript, like a fool I let him read it, maybe not a
fool,) I'm getting flack on the manuscript.  You read it, did you know
what was said?"

	He said, "Sure."

	Now I said, "Bro. Branham, I'm going to read it to you, and I'm going
to explain it to you so you know exactly what is in my mind, so that
nobody has to guess." And brother, I broke it down for forty five
minutes.

	And he said, "Why, certainly, Bro. Vayle, you're perfectly right.
Furthermore here's some more Scripture." And It was tougher than mine.

35.	All right. You've got to recognize there then, there's such a thing
of course as the prophet alone is part of Heb 13:8. He's the absolute
final authority. But also, you must realize that the pastor must line up
with what Bro. Branham taught. And he cannot use it through the filter
that he was used to, which is what I was going to tell you about was
this man was pulling everything that Bro. Branham taught through his own
understanding, through his own filter.

	And it wasn't too long until this man fell for a guy from India who
called himself 'the successor of Bro. Branham', and that God was now in
him. And you talk about hogwash and junk. I read some of his stuff that
I've never heard anything in my life like it. Completely deceived.

36.	So, questions may be asked. And questions should be asked. Remember,
until you get truly repented in your mind, and you get rid of all your
dogmas, and all your Nazarene, Pentecostal, Methodist, Baptist, various
types of Catholic's. In other words, all denominational thinking. And
it's a tough one, but God will help you. You'll never understand what
Bro. Branham was saying. This was the key to my first understanding the
prophet, when I realized Bro. Branham was not talking my language. If I
had not understood that, I never would have got anywhere. And when the
going was tough if I had not said, "When did he ever make a mistake? The
prophet's right, I believe what he said." I never would have got the
things that God had for me.

	You cannot have a mind that is contradictory to the prophet, or to the
people teaching. You must have, and can have, an inquiring mind that can
be taught. Now, you've got the Holy Spirit, you got the Word given by
the prophet to know if I'm pulling something on you in this pulpit. And
there's nobody teaching like I teach. I take sermons word by word with
what the prophet said, and compare them back and forth. So that you know
that I would cut my throat in no time if I wasn't lining with the Word
of God.

37.	So, now, everyone must line with the Word of the prophet. That's
Rev. 22:18-19. Heb 13:8. There's no way you can get around it. That's
Mal 4:5-6, if the prophet does not, then he will lose his effectiveness
and the people will look for new leadership, and he can be replaced.

	Now, some preachers will tell you, "I cannot be replaced." This Church
was built like Bro. Branham's, as a founder of a complete new sect of
understanding with the Word of God here, and understanding which I
believe to be of the Holy Ghost. I recognize that there is no way that
you can vote me out. Yet in order to quell any thoughts whatsoever that
I had any whip-hand over you, I said, "You can vote me out anytime you
want, and it won't bother me at all." Because I'll know one thing,
you'll think I am a goner, and a far as I'm concerned I'll think you
are. That leaves us even. Like the guy that wanted to count the horse's
teeth, and the horse wanted to count his fingers. [some laughter] No
problem. I'm not tough this morning. I feel relaxed, I feel good. 

	I just believe I've got a Church that is mature. That can listen to me
talk and understand I'm trying to help you. To get you out of these
things that maybe preachers got you into a bind. And if I've got you
into a bind, I want to get you out of that bind. Because I want to be
out of the bind. I want to be God's free man. I want you to be God's
free people. I want us all to be mature, because one of these days we're
sure going to need it.

38.	To be ordained to see you through and being the spiritual husband
and the supreme authority is not an office that one picks up like a job,
but it's a life that is gifted and qualified by God, and people of like
spirit will recognize it.

	Now, there it is right there. You'll notice how...that just somehow
people fit in with the pastor. Yup. They fit in. They love the airs of
his ways, or they love the truth of his ways. And but it's no big deal,
it's just a what? A unity, a growing together. It is an empathy. It is
an orientation. It is God working in nature. And He does it with other
churches, do it with ours. You can go to churches, hundred percent
serpent seed. They're doing great. You can get whole churches blaspheme
the Holy Ghost. The anointing of God will be on them, they'll do great.
They just fall right in line with the preaching, the teaching and all.

	So, you see, when I expect the teaching, which I believe to be of God
that you will fit in with, and be a part of it, I am not kidding you, I
believe it. I know that it is true.

	You won't be little planets that's orbiting around me as your
gravitational point. That's not true. But together we'll be moving
together, and whatever is taught. See? 

39.	 God's ordained shepherd and sheep will flow together. If you want
to, you can read again,    Jn 10:1-5 and 27-31, concerning the shepherd
and the sheep. And read again Ephesians 4, how you grow up into Christ
to the very Headship under a ministry that's ordained of God.

	A true pastor is not responsible for goats. And true sheep don't have
to follow an off-the-Word, or goat preacher. Say I never tell you people
that you've got to follow me. You don't got to follow me. You don't have
to stick with me, you... listen to me. I ask you one reason, why are you
here? Why you're here for one reason and that's the Word of God. If
you're here for me you're going to miss it. And if you think I'm the
only one that teaches it, and you've got to hear me, you're wrong.

	There are people right now that say, "Well, you've got to hear this
brother here to make the Rapture." You do not have to hear Lee Vayle to
make the Rapture. You have got to hear God's Word for the hour. And if I
have that Word, you are fortunate to be hearing It. But it doesn't mean
because I'm here you're getting It. I could be making mistakes right
this morning and leading you wrong. You better check it out. Being in
this meeting doesn't guarantee you anything. No way, shape, or form. No.
There can be false preachers, false teachers, false evangelists, false
pastors, false everything.

40.	Furthermore, "Only a hypocrite." says Bro. Branham, "will use the
Word of God as a club." That's right. I've been a little hypocritical at
times. Recently the Lord's helped me. I'm not a hypocrite. I tell you
the truth. I know my failings. I don't care about yours. I care about
mine. I only care about yours in so far as I care about mine. 

	In other words, I want us both to be right. I want us both to live
right before God. But I'm not here as a hypocrite to club you with the
Word of God. I don't want to do that, and by the grace of God I will not
do it. And your spirit will help me not to do it, because you're here to
get food. And I tell you, you do not call a dog, or a sheep, or anything
else to eat and hit him with a club. That is a dirty trick. But I've
seen little kids entice animals and then womp them. Like I've done that
myself. I think I did anyways as a kid. I wasn't good to animals when I
was a kid. I've learned to love them since and be gentle and kind with
animals.

	You know something: I believe that reflects on upon preachers too. If
you're gentle with animals, you could be gentle with people. If you're
not gentle with animals you're not gentle with people either. There's
something wrong with that person. In other words, everything counts. You
keep your eyes open. Everything has a purpose, everything has a type.
So, only a hypocrite will use the  Word of God as a club.

41.	The Word of God is a sword to cut off unbelief, and trim and firm up
the Saint in the spiritual. Not to destroy him. Not to cripple him. Not
to cut his head off. The message of restoration is not intimidation,
mutilation, or devastation. Now, if I've intimidated you, I've got to
apologize to you. I don't mean to intimidate you. I only mean to...there
is one thing when I talk about you and me in the ministry, just don't
fool with me that's all. And I can laugh ...?... tell you, because it
ain't going to work. 

	Say, I don't go to your job and tell you how to run it. I don't go to
your homes and say this, and that. Neither will I allow you to come
between me as individuals and the people and the ministry. I know what
goes out and change people's lives, and homes, and everything else.
Someday, I just may copy some letters off, which I've never done to this
day. Pass them around the congregation and let you know if you're not
getting help, somebody else is. And it's the same Word, same Spirit,
same man, it's the same everything.

42.	Now, I know you're getting help...I'm not using that as club. I'm
just telling you exactly how it is. I'm not here to intimidate you,
though it may sound like I am. I'm not intimidation. Look, no it's too
late to intimidate. I'm not here to mutilate, to devastate. Some of you
have been torn and devastated. That's not the preacher's job. It's to
restore. Find out what's wrong, where it's wrong. Do something about it.
You don't say, "Be warmed and fed and then do nothing." 

	The Bible even says, "Let him that stole, steal no more." [Eph 4:28]
Don't do it. What's he suppose to do? Labor with his hands. Doing what's
good. In order... to what? Help the people that don't have anything. Why
this guy evidently didn't have much of anything.

	And God said, "Now listen fellow, you stop stealing. Get your hand out
of somebody else's pocket. You get a job and you work, and you make
enough to help somebody else." Now that's why I think that's the way
this Church is built here. That's what we're going to do, see?

43.	Now, I saw a picture the other day, a Geographical. And in there
this shepherd had a crook.   I really never understood too much about
that shepherd crook. I thought that he kind of leaned on it, he did this
and that. And I found, you know what that guy did? When a sheep... he
just reached in and grabbed her right by the neck. Well then I thought
maybe you should grab him by the toes, or the hoof. You can grab him
by... rather shank at all, or the leg. He grabbed him right by the neck.
And the thing wasn't hurt. He had enough wool up here. And he just
pulled the sheep back and did what he needed to the sheep and let the
sheep go and it was fine.

	So, the shepherd does not grab the sheep to strangle him with the
crook, no, or to hurt him, but to help him. And Bro. Branham said, "Now,
don't choke on this." And they did. And he said, "Don't spit it out."
But they did. Now, the shepherd, the pastor, the teacher, whatever it
is, may give you and me some things... 

	Oh, I've got a lot from the Word here, it's tough. I told you there's
something's I chocked on. Some pretty will I was ready to spit out. And
I said, "Now hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it. It can't be what you're
thinking, because Bro. Branham's not that kind of a guy. He's here to
help, help, help, help, help." (See?) Love, love, love, do, do, do." I
said, "okay." Boy it was hard. So I'll read that sermon over again.

	Hey, you know that Message on 'Perfect Faith? I heard that time after
time.  It bored me. It confused me. It made me go negative. But one day,
I said I was going to take It Word by Word.  I never had so much fun in
my life spiritually speaking.

44.	The Word of God is a shepherd's crook. If I grabbed you by little
bitsy-neckie to give you an adjustment, so it gets up here in the brain
and down in the heart. But you're not to choke on it. It's not meant to
choke you. It's not meant for you to spit it up. It's meant for you to
do you good. No preacher should use Scripture, one Scripture verse
against another Scripture to divide the people, because all the Word of
God is in harmony and It applies to all of us.

	He must never divide the Word in such a way that he will get his own
ends met to the detriment of the people. You follow what I said? He must
never do it to the detriment of the people. We're so careful in this
Church here concerning building funds. Every single thing, that we don't
[want] anybody stumbling. We don't want anybody hurt. I would sooner pay
the price and the whole price myself and stand in jeopardy before God
that I've done a wrong thing with the money that I've been asked to
handle.

	Now, you live with that brother/sister, you sitting in the pews. I want
you to live with that. Look everybody in the eye. I stand in jeopardy.
You didn't ask for it, no sir, I put myself there. So I want you to know
we're trying to be sincere in this pulpit. If five minutes from now I
was going to cut your throat, believe me, I would cut it good, but not
in this pulpit. Hope you get what I'm saying. I don't intend to cut your
throat. I hate blood. I had to stop me right there.

45. All right. The Scripture is used as Light to show where the problem
lies, and the same Scripture as Food to give you strength for the trials
of your journey. Follow what I'm saying? Understand what I'm saying? 

	You all listen: the muscle that you tear down, [Bro. Vayle
demonstrates] "Ooh," growing ...?... "Ooh," pulling those...that weight,
"Ooh," my. I couldn't do it if I tried. Build stronger and greater
muscles. Yep! Your body...I wish I knew the terms. I'm not a physician.
I don't know physiology worth a plug nickel. But there's certain terms.
And one term is this: You got a problem in your body. So you begin
taking something to rectify the problem. There must be first of all be a
tearing down of what doesn't belong there. And then there's the building
up of what should be there. It's the same with this Word. The corrective
Word is Food. The Light is food. There is no food without light.
Photosynthesis is the basis of all food. Without light, there is
nothing. Cold and death.

46.	So, if you want to eat you must have light. At the time of the
Exodus, God gave both Light and Manna to the people. Now listen: you'll
understand now clearer why I talk about so much the possibility of being
a mixed group of people. And you know we're not looking at anybody
saying, "This one, this one, this one, and this will make it." Look,
forget it. I don't even know myself till the Rapture takes place and the
Resurrection.

	Even the mixed multitude benefited by the grace of God, and they were
dealt with only at times of insurrection. But Moses even pleaded for
them all, and left them alone until they died off a natural death. As
Bro. Branham said, "Love them until they come in, or go out." That's
all. Nobody worries. Nobody worries. If you've been defrauded, 'hoo',
join the crowd. It's not the last time you're going to be.

	If you lean down humility to lace somebody's boot and all you get is a
kick in the chops for it, join the crowd. It's not the last time. Just
get used to it, that's all. "Knowing God on the other side," as Bro.
Branham said, "if you've got the wrong wife on this side, you get the
right one on the other side." Hallelujah. [Bro. Vayle has a laugh in his
voice] Everything you lose here will be laid up in heaven for you. Don't
worry about it. Even the mixed multitude, their clothes didn't wear out.
They ate the same food. Everybody had a great time.

47.	Now, what I'm trying to show you here, you can go out here to a
church that's not a mixed multitude, they're one multitude, they're
false, they're phony. They're the chaff that Bro. Branham told us, the
Word of God told us. Proven, they can have every blessing, every
sunshine, every anointing, but they are going to miss it on the other
side. Now, what I'm trying to tell you is this brother/sister, there is
no need for glumness amongst us. There is no need for lacking anything
in this Church. There is no need for somebody say, "Well, I could be a
false one, I won't get it." 

	Everybody in this Church can claim, "I am an anointed child of God, I'm
going to get it." Everybody today can claim every single promise in the
Exodus the way Israel did, and only death is the final answer. Who goes
where, nobody knows. And even the Rapture, nobody will know, except when
we get there and face each other.

	I'm not preaching any hard deal here where we're going to do a certain
thing, and we're going to make it by the preacher. This or that, or the
other thing. I'm trying to give you the Word of God. To show you what
the Word of God says, and what you can do with It, and what It'll do
with you. What the Almighty Himself stands behind in this Exodus. Bro.
Branham categorically said, "Claim your whole family under the Token."
Who knows if they're going to come in? Act as though they will. Now you
don't stand for their nonsense, going to make your house some kind of
den of thieves or something. But you can stand with him on the Word of
Almighty God and encourage him. Say alright.

48.	A  good pastor will give a warning by the Word. He will water that
Word. He will keep it before the people, until anyone amongst us sent by
the devil will lose his power and get saved or go away. Now, that's one
reason we talk the Word, while we strive about the Word here, and always
want to go into the Word, is because, you must know what that Word says.
That's the idea.

	Now, Bro. Branham gave us Church Order, but it has to start at the top.
And it did. He came back with the Shout, to put the Church in divine
subjection to the Holy Ghost by the Word of God ordained in the mouths
of those that God ordained. Yes sir. We're right on the trail
brother/sister, it starts right at the top. [Bro. Vayle checks the time
left]

49.	Well, let's read a bit here, I haven't got time to read 2 Tim 2:1-26
and all of those. But you can read them for yourselves there. 1
Corinthians. 1 Cor 15:20, because we've got to hurry up. We want to get
you out of here in time.

	Now, coming close to the end of this series here, Bro. Branham said,
"You need a Church to go to and pay your tithes." That's what he said.
That's an easy statement to be perverted by pride and greed. But if you
read 1  Cor 9:1-18, and then 2 Cor 12:13-14, you will find that he
speaks of two different types of giving. One is the tithe, and one is to
help your fellow men. We might just read that. Because people do need a
Church to go to and pay their tithes. Some people are not fortunate
enough to have a church to go to. And there's no way that they can go.
Perhaps because their faith has failed them and they don't make a step.
I don't know.

50.	Paul says: [1 Corinthians 9:]

		(1) 	Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ
our 					Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

		(2) 	If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you:
for the 						seal of mine apostleship are (you) in the Lord.

		(3) 	Mine answer to them that (examined) me is this,

		(4) 	Have we not (authority) to eat and to drink?

		(5) 	Have we not (authority) to lead about a sister, a wife, as well
as other 					apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

		(6) 	Or I only and Barnabas, have (we not the authority) to forbear
working?

		(7) 	Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a 	
				vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a
flock, 					and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

		(8) 	Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same?

		(9) 	For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the
mouth 					of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for
oxen?

		(10) 	Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no
doubt, this is 					written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope;
and that he that 						thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

		(11) 	If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing
if we shall 					reap your carnal things? 

	So that's what Bro. Branham taught. People said, "Well, Bro. Branham,
should a Christian pay tithes?" 

	He said, "If he's a Christian, he will pay tithes."

	They said, "Should a Christian work?"

	He said, "If he's a Christian, he will work." How is he going to get
by?

		(12) 	If others be partakers of this (authority, are we not even more
so?) 						Nevertheless we have not used this (authority;) but suffer
all things, 					lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

		(13) 	Do (you) not know that they which minister about holy things
live of 					the things of the temple? (In other words, they take part
of the sacrifice, 					and so on.) and they which wait at the altar are
partakers with the altar?					(That's true.)

		(14) 	Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel
						should live of the gospel.

		(15) 	But I have used none of these things: (Bro. Branham didn't
either.) 						neither have I written these things, that it should be so
done unto me: 					for it were better for me to die, than that any man
should make my 						glorying void.

 	In other words, the pastor does not have to take wages. He doesn't
have to take tithes. But the people are obligated to pay tithes, whether
the man will do it or not. But if he's going to live his whole life for
God, it's better that he does, because it's too hard otherwise.

	Now, he said:

		(16) 	For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for
necessity 					is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the
gospel!

		(17) 	For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if
against my will, a 					dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

		(18) 	What is my reward then? when I preach, I may make the gospel of
Christ 					without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

	So, there's the thing right there that minister's got to waken up to.
Just because they preach, and Bro. Branham said, "You need a Church to
go and pay your tithes." The tithes is not the big thing. It's the
understanding and the spirit behind it.

51.	Let's go to 2 Cor 12:13-14, and see what he says there. He's talking
about himself here as I understand it. Now he said:

		(13) 	For what is it wherein (you) were inferior to other churches,
except 					it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? (This is the
Corinthian 					Church.) forgive me this wrong.

		(14) 	Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not
be 						burdensome to you: for I seek not your's but you: for the
children ought 					not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for
the children.

	Now, this reverses the whole picture again. Though Paul said, "You were
an inferior church, because you didn't tithe." And he said, "I'm coming
one more time, and I still will not take anything from you, because the
pastor is like the parent." Now, the pastor is the parent to the church,
he's got children. And the children do not lay up for the parents, but
the parents for the children.

	In other words, the sacrifice always begins at the top. That's the way
it is. The minister does not preach for tithes, although the tithes will
come in. But he will be responsible for the handling thereof. I've got
to face it ...?... minister. But you simply do not build a church for
tithe-sake. Nor do you have people come to your Church simply for tithe.
We have people send tithe here, because they get the tapes and never
come here. And that's legitimate. What else can they do? They do with
Bro. Branham. See?

52.	Now, if we read in 1 Cor 9:1-18, which we did not do, we read some
of It in 2 Corinthians there, we've already read that. But we listen in
here, Paul as a preacher left a note here for all the other preachers to
follow, and I won't read it. But we read part of It here in verses 13
and 14, but you'll find what Paul's in, tells about his own ministry in
Christ, his own experience. His own revelation. And then he tells them I
never did charge anybody, nor will I charge.

	And then he says here in [2 Cor 12:]15.

		(15) 	...I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the
more 						abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

	Now, that's the thing right there the pastor's got to get their eyes
onto right there. That many times the congregation never returns the
measure that they could return for the Word priest, and the example set.
They will just sit there and not do it anyway. I'm sorry for them, but
that's the way it is. And no preacher can expect a hundred percent. Now
here I do. I hope for a hundred percent, but I know I have no right to
expect it.

 	Now watch what he said:

		(16) 	But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty,
I caught 					you with guile.

		(17) 	Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? 

	He said, "Could I send someone to try to give my cause, and get money
and all." He said, "No. I never did that." But he said, "The people that
came to you, walked in the same spirit that I came to you on.

53.	So, we see here when Bro. Branham makes a statement about tithes,
you simply cannot jump on to it, like one man began preaching tithing,
and he said, "Now if you don't pay your tithes you won't make the
Rapture."

	I can't buy that. He even boasted that one man got so scared that he
sold his car and gave it to him, or gave him his car. He said, "At this
rate I may even get some houses." 

	I want to tell you something brother/sister, and I've warned you
before, and I'm warning you again, that when you get into this Message
the way I grew into It, and you cut and dry It the way I do It and
explain ABCD, and 1234. And I showed you what Bro. Branham showed you
how God deliberately did things, you soon get away from all that great
enthusiasm that you had a free choice in this and that, and the other
thing you were taught erroneously. And you get down where you see the
sovereignty of God, and it's just like about like you're eating
cardboard, instead of cake with icing on it. And I preach and tell you
what goes on in this end-time with a mixed multitude. And I let you know
absolutely that men have conned women in the audience, and women have
conned men and everything else. And despicable things have been done,
been done in the Name of the Lord.

54.	I'm going to tell you something, and I've warned you all along and
showed you, that a minister that's off the Word invariably is caught in
adultery, and you're seeing more and more of it. And you're going to
understand that what a man sows he will reap. And you better get used to
this: that there are two vines growing together and the spirit is so
much alike it could invade this Church here, and like a razor edge it
could fool people unless you're elect of God, and you're schooled in the
Word of Almighty God.

	And you might get hard within yourself and say, "Hey, that brings it
down to a place. What is there left?" I'm going to tell you what's left.
The Resurrection and the Rapture is left. So you be careful what you're
hearing and what you're doing about it. Don't you be deceived. And say,
"Hey, this thing is so rough and so tough, I'm going to leave it
behind." I'll tell you, you leave it behind it's going to get rougher
and tougher. 

	I want to tell you, Bro. Branham categorically said...I don't know, I
cannot prove what was written by the Knights of Columbus, I don't know.
I haven't got any idea, because I wasn't there when it was written, but
it's supposed to be authentic which I cannot prove. I'm of the opinion
it is pretty authentic having known the history what went on with the
Jesuits, and what went on with the churches of their establishments in
this world here.

	Bro. Branham said, "I would sooner have all of that committed onto me
than just five minutes in the Tribulation." You'd want to read what
happened during the great purges. The great times of destruction, the
martyrs. I've got the martyrs ...?... over a thousand pages you can
read. I've got Fox's Book of Martyrs. I've got others. And Bro. Branham
said, "A repeat of all diabolical cunning." I don't know what lies ahead
for us. I've got no idea, but I know this one thing: that the true Bride
is going to get out of here. The foolish virgin will suffer, but she
will make it. We don't want to be in that category.

55.	Now, I'm going to conclude here without going back to a lot of
Scripture that I might go into by reading Ezekiel and some of these
portions to you, that you can read Ezekiel 34 yourself concerning
pastors and all. 

	But in conclusion let me say just that I can't endorse the recent
statements made by various ministers, that you as people and individuals
must have a revelation of who your pastor is. And that saying modified
could be taken, which means simply to me that the sheep will recognize
the true Word, and thereby, recognize that man is a pastor that they
could go to and help from. I can take that, but I can't take the other.
I cannot do it.

	Now I say this: if it's required of the sheep to have a revelation of
your pastor... one person said that he had a revelation of his pastor,
it was his before the foundation of the world. I won't dispute those
statements brother/sister, but I can see where they lead. And I'm very
unhappy with him. Because that spirit gets on the church and pretty soon
you begin taking issue as one man once said. He went to one fellow, he
said, "Brother," he said, "if an issue came between Bro. So and So, and
Bro. So and So, who would you stand with?"

	He said, "I would stand with Bro. So and So." 

	That man who is supposed to be a preacher made a terrible mistake. He
should have said, "I'll stand with the Word." 

	Not standing will Lee Vayle, or somebody else. Let's get that flat...
Sincere as I am, and as much faith as I've got in what the prophet said
that I have. What I believe by the grace of God of  what I have. I'm not
infallible. Trouble could happen right with me as your pastor here doing
what I can. I'm not truly a pastor, but I can pastor.

56.	If it's required the sheep to have a revelation of their pastor,
then do the pastors have a revelation of their sheep? This would then
open the door for a man to come in and say, "Well I have a revelation."

	He said, "You should be in my church."

	Well, if you receive it, I'll help you get there. We're not so broke we
can't do it. Now these things are kind of funny, but they're tough.
Because I'm not about to be sucked in by anybody trying to bring any
influence in this Church outside of what's in this pulpit here. Nor do I
have any hope to be in anybody else's pulpit and influence them. It's
strictly the Word of God, and not anybody putting himself in a position
that you have to be in tune with that person and that position and it's
going to do you some good. You only can put yourself in a tune with
that, if you are confident that that is a source of the Word for you.

	It is also said, that you cannot get a revelation, it'll take your
pastor to give it to you. I do not believe that. I don't believe that
for one minute here. I believe I've helped you, there's no doubt about
it. But, you really didn't need me; you needed the Holy Ghost. Because
Bro. Branham himself with the full authority manifested by God could not
give anybody a revelation. Only the Holy Ghost can do it. And the funny
thing is there the dozen people sitting there, had dozens of different
revelations on the same statement.

57.	I remember one time he preached a sermon, and it was a toughie. And
the people came out of the Church saying this, that, and the other
thing. They said roughly five or seven different things. Soon as I got
the tape I played it. I said, "Roll her back. Play it again. Roll it
back. Play it again." I listened. I listened. I wrote down exactly what
I heard.

	I took it to Bro. Branham. I said, "Bro. Branham, different friends of
mine are saying this, this, this, this. Here is what I say you said." I
was right on every single count. You could have twelve preachers sitting
there. A hundred people with a hundred different ideas. The big thing
is: are you full of the Holy Ghost? That's what really counts. Is the
minister full of the Holy Ghost? If they are, if that minister is,
there'll be one Word coming from him which came from that man, and
you'll be hearing it one way. The way he heard It from him. The way he
heard It from God. The way you hear It from me, or the man that's
ordained to help you. And you will have no problems. Now, you'll have
problems that's a little sketchy things, you know what I mean. But as
for getting there, you will not have any problem, God will see that you
get here.

58.	Now, listen here: our doors are open to people who claim they are
sincere, and they are wrong. We give them welcome absolutely. And we'll
see what the Word of God will do for them. Simple as ABC. If they need
help, they will get help. If they're past help there's nothing        I
can do for them. Simple as ABC. 

	I will not take the stand that many people take. And I say this tape,
this tape goes out. And I don't care whose hand it goes into. No
problem. This is how this Church operates. I'm through hearing voices
anywhere in the world. I have one voice which came from God by a
vindicated prophet. I trust every preacher takes the same stand. Because
in the long run I am going to account for you whether I want to or not,
and I will account for everyone who gets those tapes to get help. I must
answer. If I find something different than what I taught, I am obligated
to come back and re-teach it. That's why I say, time and time again with
a prophet the church is strictly autonomous. It's indigenous. We do not
have anybody telling us what to do and how to do it.

	The people are growing. If I were to depart here tomorrow, I'll leave
Thursday, the plane could go down and I could be killed. I may never get
back. But I can tell you this one thing: this Church will go on. You
will not divide. You will not split. You will not fragment. You will
wait. I've got that confidence that you will wait and God will send you
the man that he wants you to have, and he will be a man with that Word.

59.	So, that leaves us pretty solid here as far as my faith is concerned
in what my trust in you is. And I believe that trust is completely
mutual that we have a Church that is Word oriented. As time goes on
it'll be even more so, because I don't believe the half has even yet
been uncovered. I believe we have barely looked at some of the good
things. Some of those great deep things Bro. Branham taught are here
waiting for every single person sitting here. And I want you all to
count yourselves as benefactors of the Living Word of God that is able
to take you, and will take you right through.

	Don't look around and say, "Well, I know this kind of believer and that
kind. Could I be one?" 

	"You," Bro. Branham said, "you believe you are one."  

	And if only one person is going to make it in that town, you are the
one, and you don't point your finger and say, "Well, you can't make it,
because I'm going to." Because he's going to believe that he's one, and
together you're both believing you're that one.

	So, that ought to make you strong in this Word, and strong to go ahead
to move along with the things of God. I believe it will. The Lord bless
you. Let's rise and be dismissed.

	Gracious Heavenly Father, we've taken some time now, seven lessons, not
covered it, even as we should cover it. Try to cover things, Lord,
without covering too much. Yet, Lord, we might come back with Your help
to say things a little different. To make it a little bit stronger, so
that we know just how to work with each other, love each other, help
each other, forgive each other. Just go right on, knowing that anyone
that asks forgiveness must be positively restored. Anyone stumbling,
Lord, must be helped. Straighter paths made for the feet. In other
words, buoy him up, help him along, help her along. And not listen to
any comments that other people make that's concerning the defamation, or
the reprobation of anybody, and say this person cannot repent. This
person cannot do so and so. This person that. Lord, we don't go for that
here. By Your grace, Father, because in our hearts, Father, we don't
believe that we have any kind of a final say over anybody's destiny
whatsoever. 

	We can only preach the Word and see what happens. And, Father, that's
how I feel this morning to just preach this Word and see what happens
with people. And by Your grace, Lord, encourage them, and anything I can
do to strengthen them. Not to see the Word happens to them, but to see
that which has already come into their lives grows more fruit then
they're capable of at this time, because they're being helped.  And,
Lord, I know that You're helping me, and the people are helping me. So
why shouldn't we be helping each other and go on in this great wonderful
exit out of this world, knowing the Holy Spirit, the Pillar of Fire is
leading us right into the Millennium. That He Who has descended is the
Lord Jesus Christ Himself in the form of the Holy Spirit, taking
Headship of the Church. Getting ready now to raise the dead, as Headship
goes into full authority.

	Lord, God, we are a tremendously blessed people. And we know those
Pharaoh's armies may be behind us, and maybe threatening to destroy us,
they'll drown in the Red Sea the same as they did before, Lord. We're
not trying to hurt anybody, but, Father, We're trying to get out of
here, and You've told us how to get out of here. And if we obey You,
Father, love You, and work with You, and You work with us, then we know
that everything is just exactly right. The Lord our Shepherd leading us
right through this valley of sorrow and tears and all.	 Father, God...

	[Tape ends]

 

	

 

 

 

 

	 

	 

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