The Christian and His Attitudes # 1

 Bro. Lee Vayle

January 15, 1978

 

	I want to bring a message this morning on “The Christian and His
Attitudes.”  ”The Christian and His Attitudes.”  And of course
this subject adapts itself to a complete series, because there are many,
many Scriptures concerning what God has said about the Christian and His
Attitudes and of course this will encompass his conduct as well, because
it is not simply just how a person is to feel but the Scripture deals in
what he is to do about those same feelings…how he is to conduct him
self in various circumstances.  And of course this morning we will just
take one Scripture to begin with and that is found over in Mathew
5:25-26.

Matthew 5:25-26

(25)	Agree with thine adversary quickly, while you are in the way with
him;  lest at any time the adversary deliver you to the judge, and the
judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison.

(26)	Verily I say to you, you shall by no means come out of there, till
you have paid the uttermost farthing.  (Let’s read it again… [Bro.
Vayle reads verse 25 and 26 again] )  

	

	Now…this is quite a puzzleler because it sounds like a corrupt law
court in a rotten society, and we have that today, in fact there are
hardly any law courts that aren’t corrupt and society that is rotten. 
That’s just what it sounds like…because it sounds as though that
someone has done you a dirty trick and instead of you being helped and
the judge taking your side he takes the side of the crook and makes you
bare the brunt of it as though you were the guilty person.  So really
though it is not the victim jailed and punished instead of the criminal
…although it sure sounds like it…it’s something different. 

  So we want to examine carefully, what Christ is saying here in order
to get what is actually being taught us.  Now to do so we have to
examine the words and we have to take a study from the Greek, because
otherwise it would not be sensible.  The first word here is 
“agree”, and of course it comes from the Greek word which I don’t
know and you don’t know, I guess but it says we do know, but we
don’t except we got a word study and a word study is literally to be,
well minded or well disposed…so it says… to be well minded and well
disposed toward the adversary.  Now this of course is made up of two
words…basically the word…mind…and the other word which
is…well…and the word well is opposed to being sick or strange or not
right.  So you can see here that it means they’re dealing with
attitudes…right attitudes.  So it says to begin to get a right
attitude…that’s the first thing…to get a right attitude about the
situation and the person. 

 	Now the next thing is to understand what the word adversary means. 
Basically it is an opponent in a lawsuit.  So he’s somebody that’s
taking you to court.  Now let’s just find a couple of places that is
used in the Bible…might be helpful to us…and we go first of all to
Luke 18:3.

(It says) There was a widow in that city, and she came to him, saying,  
         avenge me of my adversary. 

  So you can see it is legal…there is a court case going on here like
we’ve already mentioned.  And then there is another one that is a
little peculiar over here in I Peter 5:8 and you will see why it is
peculiar because it says… 

I Peter 5:8

            (5)	Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil,
as a 	 					roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour;      
  

In the connotation here, we find that the enemy…even the devil can’t
do anything unless there is an open door for it.  So he is bringing us
before the Lord with accusations and he is saying,       “ Now
look…that son is not doing right and the reason we know that he is not
doing right is because certain things in the Word says so and so and
that’s right.  

	So we understand what this word, “adversary”…that it means the
person must have a legal reason for regress or he could not be in court.
 Now I want to explain that also.  The law of the land is actually based
upon written concept of what is right.  And nobody has the right to take
anybody to court unless a law has been broken.  Now I know we have in
our minds the thought that anybody can take anybody to court…well you
can…but the judge will throw it out of court…if it isn’t based
upon a law.  Now normally before he even goes to court the lawyers get
together and go behind closed doors with the judge to see if the judge
will allow it in his court…see…now that’s the law.  I’m not
saying our system is not perverted…it is…but it shouldn’t be. 
Legally no one can get into court unless there is a reason to be in
court. 

 So when we look at the Scripture, we want to understand right now, that
it is legal that the person who is the adversary, taking the offender
into court is legitimate if there is something there that demands a
regress or should be in a state of regress.  There has been in other
words a violation of the law.  Now let’s go back to our little ole
Scripture again, back to Matthew 5 and this time we are going to look at
verse 22…the first part it says…

 (22)	But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without
a cause                shall be in judgement. 

Now notice…it says angry without a cause.  And so…there has got to
be a reason for everything.  You follow me now?  It cannot be something
imaginary or something just to be picky.  OK…get the picture now.  I
want to get a better picture set here because if you don’t get a
proper setting you’re just in a limbo and never, never land. 
Now…let’s go read again.  What we’re reading over here in 25 and
26.

Agree with thine quickly while thou art in the way with him;

 	 Now who is the adversary?  A fellow that is upset because of
something that he can be legally upset about.  Now I know people say, 
“Well Bro. Vayle we must never be upset.”  Well wonderful…I’m
glad your perfect…you may leave the room…cause the sermon is not for
you…I need help myself…so you’re free to go.  Well…you’re all
staying so far.  All right…so we understand that somebody is upset and
he is not a nit picking nincompoop…he better not be. Cause by the time
you’re a Christian…born again…your not a nit picker…see…it has
got to be something substantial…it’s got to be something valid…not
imaginary…it is something that is legitimate…see?  As we read
here…something has risen.  Now…so we see an individual here in
Matthew 5 who has made an opponent…who takes a stand against him.  Now
somebody has caused a problem…somebody has erred…somebody has done
wrong.  No doubt he has cut across somebody else. 

 So…this fellow now who has been done wrong against or sees something
wrong has every right to demand that the condition be rectified and the
person also rectified because of what has gone wrong.  Now it doesn’t
mean that this individual has made…not an enemy…but an opponent in
court or he has made this condition on purpose. 

It doesn’t mean he done it on purpose.

It might not be a premeditated act…doesn’t have to be.

It might not have been a spiteful thing.

It might not have been an intended thing. 

It could have been carelessness or thoughtlessness.  But… now we find
a problem and don’t we all and man that is born of woman is born unto
problems and trouble like the sparks fly upward.  Man is of few days but
of many problems…yeah. 

Now the problem is legitimate.   So…something must be done about it
because it’s legitimate.  Now if it is illegitimate…then something
would be done different than what I am going to talk about this morning
but it is legitimate because we are dealing with a legitimate question
in a legitimate setting in the Bible.  Two people are involved; at
least…one is accused by the other…naturally.  Now…we must be
careful to see something here…the offender is not pushing but the
offended one is.  Usually you don’t find somebody saying, “Hey, I
boo booed, I got to make things right.”  Can be done…should be done
and is being done in various places.  But the normal trend is…not to
push to make things right.  The normal trend is to attempt to justify
yourself but we’re not interested in that either.  Now the offender
would prefer not to have a show down…but the offended one is pushing
for a show down…now…right…that’s usually how it is.  I’ve been
offended…I want my pound of wheat…I want my satisfaction…there is
something wrong here…I’m going to get it.

 So…that’s how things are.  So…Jesus knows this…cause he knows
human nature.  Now…maybe the two-soul doctrine…you’ve got down
pat…where we lost our old nature.  Well…hallelujah you didn’t
leave the room, so you must have it yet.   I’ve still got mine, I’m
sorry to say…the only place I can see it identified is in Jesus
Christ…now you believe what you want to believe…that’s alright by
me…anything you want it is alright.  But we’re going to talk about
what is going on all the time in Christian behavior…see? 

 Now…we’re giving a sermon on this very situation by Jesus himself. 
Nothing therefore could be better therefore than to follow his advice,
because this is ‘Sermon on the Mount’.  Now he said two people are
embroiled…Augh not a boo haw haw or Donnie Brook…you know…out
there with mallets and axes…although sometimes that’s the way…you
know like…with dagger under the cloak for a little bit…looking for
the (…?…) when you hug somebody…no…that is there too…I know
those things are there…human nature…it’s a bad situation.  So
Jesus tells us…knowing our frames and what conditions are like…he
warns us and tells us how to deal with it. 

 Now…we will follow his advice…what should be done according to his
advice.  First of all is…agree…in fact that is the only thing that
he tells us to do.  Is to agree and keep on doing it until the thing is
rectified.  Now what does ‘agree’ mean?  We have discussed it
already a little while ago.  It means…to become well disposed in our
minds toward that opponent…to become well disposed toward him which is
not logical…it is not logical at all especially in this society of dog
eat dog and where we are pretty thin skinned.  The Bible warns us to get
a thicker skin.  To get in the right frame of mind and keep it that way,
concerning the adversary. 

 Now…some of the things I would say is this…first of all…to have a
real good frame of mind is to recognize that he is our brother.  Not an
adversary…not an enemy but a brother…an adversary brother…an
offended brother…who is legitimately offended…not illegitimately
offended now.  Now…he is a brother…so…what is the way to get a
good frame of mind toward him…is to begin to think and to say all the
good things that are possible to say about the individual.  That is
number one.  Is to begin to realize that the person has many fine
attributes.  What person is all bad?  You know…. it is the easiest
thing in the world to even take somebody that has been good to us and
run him right into a man hole and plunk the sewer lid on him just
because he offends us.  It’s too much like the old political
joke…and I’ve always made a lot of for many years now. This
fellow…one day he met a fellow in Washington…who was way, way up
there and poor fellow was panhandling and he said… 

 “Oh am I glad to see you.”  

 “ He said,  “Well who are you?

And he told him.

“Oh yeah, said, I remember you now.”  

“Well indeed, you ought to remember me”

He said,  “When I was senator…you didn’t have a thing…in fact
your wife was going to divorce you…your kid was about to be put in
jail and were (…?…) bankruptcy, I came along he said twenty years
ago and got the whole mess resolved and look where you are at today.

He said,  “Yeah but what have you done for me recently?”

	Willing to forget everything…everything that was ever done…now the
Bible warns us that the Good Samaritan is the man that did you a favor
and you are to love him next to God.  Right…you love your neighbor
next to God.  And the neighbor is the man that did you a good turn.

	So…it is incumbent on us to begin…instantly to renew the mind and
to renew the fellowship by bringing to mind and through the form of
speech confirming it…cause that is what you do…all the good things
about the individual.  Now I am not an expert at this…but I do know
one thing that I may have some very strong opinions about certain people
and don’t worry I have talked with them too…about certain
things…and yet I never fail to recognize consecration, fervor,
sacrifice, or anything else in that persons life.

	Now…of course I don’t say…you know the left hand never could
raise what the right hand does cause this right hand is the one I work
with.  How then could the left part of the mind balance the right part,
if the right part says, 

 “Yeah…he’s a good boy.”  

 But the left hand side says;  “Now I know he did a nice thing here
but what about all the dirty things he did there?” 

  And the right part of the mind says,  “Well I know he said some nice
things here but look at all the wrong things he said here.”

“Now I know he is preaching a good sermon here but look at the lousy
stuff he preached over here.”

Then…pretty soon the right hand says,  “Yeah”…he says, “but
so”…he says, “hold it, I didn’t say that” 

I know he said right hand cause you done run out…and you begin
building the left side.  Now that is the way my left hand is against my
right.  I always reach with my right hand, therefore my right arm is
exercised…right arm is exercised…pretty soon (…?…) here or not
but I got a little muscle in (…?…) but this one is not near as
strong.  Neither can there be a balanced Christianity if the mind
refuses to speak as much or think as much on the good as it does on that
which is lacking. 

 So the Bible warns us to be very careful here that this is a brother
and to bring all the good things to our attention.  Now…why?  Cause
this is what Christ does.  Now do you think Christ would do this and
then say;

 “Now…I’m going to tell you people something…I’m expecting you
to do this but Myself…I won’t do it.” 

 You say, “What do you mean?” 

 Well because Christ is the advocate.  An advocate is one who stands in
the stead of the other fellow.  Christ as the supreme advocate never
ever pleads against us but for us.  Now Satan comes by and he said, 

 “Now Lord…Your own Word says so and so;” 

 And the Lord said,  “Yes My Word says so and so. 

“Now You know that fellow Lee Vayle is a mess”. 

 Well he didn’t have to tell Him that…He knew it already.  The devil
goes to God and says that he is wasting His time…only He has done
recognized that a long time ago…there is no doubt.  But he could say,

 “Now that fellow down there he’s done a lot of corny, vulgar things
that should not have been done and said some things that should not have
been said.”

And the Lord said, “I agree that’s exactly…but have you noticed
something about my servant down there that you’re not bringing up.” 

You say,  “How do you know he says that?”  Cause that’s how He
treated Job when the devil came.  

He said,  “Remember at Job down there.”  See? 

And God said,  “But have you noticed.”  See?

Now…the same thing about us…is…and have you noticed?  Now that
lets us know what we’re noticing…you know…noticing all the bad or
noticing some good to.  Now…so we must careful here to bring all the
good things out…as Bro. Branham said…concerning the Syrophenesian
Woman,  “This is how devils are cast out.”  The best way to get rid
of the devil of contention and malice and anger…bitterness and all
these things that (…?…) is to bring up the good things and I
know…well let’s put it this way.  Though you and I know that many
times it is difficult…it’s not that difficult…we like doing it to
tell you the truth…if we are just that honest…we’re going to admit
it. 

 You know…psychologically…and psychiatrist can’t tell us why…but
they can tell us that it is true…if the human mind is so constituted
it remembers the bad more than the good…remembers the unpleasant more
than the pleasant…it takes a conscious act of effort on our part to do
what I am saying this morning but Jesus said to do it and sense he is
our example, it is incumbent upon us to do it.  Remember the record of
Hebrews 11…there is not one thing said wrong of anybody in there…it
is all the good things.  So Christ as advocate is telling us…say all
the good things.

Next…never…we must never, never say,  “He had no reason…or…I
did nothing wrong.”  I know a fellow right now…he will tell you he
has never done anything wrong.  My good brother in Canada went to that
man…crying.  I said one day to this good brother that went to see this
fellow…

I said,  “ Brother have you gone to him?

Cause I thought this brother that was fended had never gone to him.

He said,  “I have gone to him many times.”  

I said,  “Have you gone in such a way to take the blame on
yourself?”

He said,  “Yes…I went weeping to the man…but he never answered
me…he has locked himself in an ivory tower and heard from God.” 

Let me tell you flat this morning…you can lock yourself in any and
think you hear from God and have a rotten way about you…because you
believe your always right.  The same man said,

When I went to the other fellow…I said,  “Why don’t you just
apologize? 

“ What for…I’ve done nothing wrong? 

 Let me tell you all this morning and my finger pointing at me all of us
together…we stink…for all the rotten things we’ve thought and
done…the best of all of us put together can’t say,

“I’ve done nothing wrong.” 

Right?

It’s always;  “I’ve done nothing wrong.”

If you wise up (…?…)  I’m willing to be wrong (…?…) be
beautiful (…?…) and what about you woman?   What kind of a Church
did he come out of…it’s always…I didn’t do anything wrong. 
You’ve got to start looking around to see what maybe provoked
it…see.  Women are running off today leaving husbands and kids more
than husbands are doing now.  What provoked it?  OOOW the devil
did…well did he?  I never really thought of that…well the devil got
in the people…just like God’s got to get in people…the devil’s
got to get in people. 

 But you see…the fairness of the mind is so missing that Bro. Branham
could categorically say, “the right attitude toward any promise of the
Bible would give it to you and the wrong attitude would take away any
promise and every promise.  One of the greatest killers of God’s
blessings lies right here…that we refuse to acknowledge guilt and
attempt to justify ourselves.  Now how could this brother ever say he
never made a mistake…he has even got people so fooled in Canada.  One
fellow told my good buddy,  “Buddy…bro. (…?…) why he has never
made a mistake.  I believe what the sign on the Church says,  “If a
man has never made a mistake…he has never made anything.”  Cause we
all work through experience…see. 

Got to get that mind lined up…agreeing with thine adversary.  It
doesn’t say, “Hey fellow…I’ll say what you say and do what you
do.”  NO…you begin to look at him in a new light…say, 
“Hey…what could be wrong here?”   Yeah…when you get that
far…that you never made a mistake…then the next thing you’ll be
asking if the Holy Ghost (-------------------------------?)  See where
it all starts?  Too much exaltation up here…how could I be wrong?  My
whole interpretation of the whole thing…how could I be right?  When I
look at me…I look at you…same thing.

Never…never say,  “He had no reason.”  There are
reasons…certainly there is reason…there has got to be reasons. 
There has got to be an action to become a reaction.  There has got to be
something there to be a (…?…) or something else.  Now I’m not
saying it has to be evil every time…it could be good.  As I explained
several months ago how when the Holy Ghost fell to bring in
believers…it had a ton of reaction.  As Bro. Branham said,  “ The
Light that brings the God is the same Light that condemns the man that
turns away from God.”  So I am not saying that…but I am saying we
should be judicious…we must learn to put ourselves in his shoes, and
try to get his view point and his understanding so we know what the
oppositions all about.  Also remember…we are a democracy…oh
yeah…oh yeah…we are a democracy.  You say,  “Bro. Vayle…I
don’t believe you.”  You don’t have to believe me at all…I’m
telling you we are a democracy…yes sir…the Church is democratic…so
what you do is…Bro. Branham said you vote.  Bro. Branham had women to
vote…I’ve gone to Church where (…?…) vote…they’re too
spiritual…halleluiah…ho ho boy, this I gotta see and when they do
it, I’ll believe it.  We are a democracy…I got a right to talk…you
got a right to talk.  I got a right-------you’ve got a
right----------.  It has got to the place where people want you to say
just what they say.  Now you don’t have to say what I say and believe
what I believe, we are a democracy.

Up here in Canada…let’s get out of the country a while see…make
you feel better.  We had a meeting…and one brother walked up to a man
and said,  “Listen…you’re not preaching this message…you’re
preaching ‘Latter Rain’”.  Oh, people got so offended.  I said, 
“Hold it…the man was out of order making the statement publicly…he
should have gone to the man privately but if he believes the man is
preaching that way…this is a democracy…don’t you tell him to shut
up.”  Learn to set down as brothers and say I don’t believe what
this guy is saying is right.  We have never learned that in this
message.  I have been preaching this for years…I don’t say I’ve
been practicing it but I have to a good degree.  We’re a democracy. 
You don’t have to believe what I believe…you can come right against
me in your faith…we are democratic.  There was only one person that
knew what he was saying and that was William Branham…everybody else
just thinks he knows what he is saying.  In fact I proved that here a
couple of weeks ago…prove it again if you want.  Show you things that
the Prophet absolutely wasn’t saying what people thought he was saying
but we are a democracy see.  

What I am trying to show you then…this person has rights…he has
rights but his rights don’t take away your right.  Bro. Branham said
we are a democracy…he said we were eating cherry pie…you run across
a pit…don’t throw the pie away but I am going to tell you…I wish
he would have gone a little further and said,  “If you crunch upon a
pit…don’t pick up a knife or a club and start banging on each other
or use a knife and fork and stab each other or still going around
claiming we’re eating cherry pie…we’ve got to knife each other in
the back…wham…that felt good…not this time…but…(…?…) 
It’s a democracy but you can’t tell that to people…I got a hard
job telling myself and I believe with all my heart…at least part of my
heart and I stick with my preaching…you believe what you want.  I
don’t care…it’s your business.  

Never forget…that according to scripture he is legally opposing us or
you.  It’s legal…it’s legal to take accession…it’s legal to be
offended but be careful how much…be careful in what way.  We are
talking about legitimate factors this morning, not
illegitimate…something that is valid.  So therefore it must be
Scriptural…so the first thing is to go to the Scripture to find how
legitimate it is…and if it is.  We must never try…never try…and
never not just try but we must never ever oppose the individual, which
would be to think bad thoughts and to say them, that’s what opposition
is.  Most of us think that opposition is…Well Bro. Branham said so and
so and the Bible said so and so.  I see over here where he said so and
so and I see over here.  That’s not opposing at all, that’s merely
comparing notes.  In the opposition is to take a stand against the
person individually and to think thoughts that are not nice and to say
things that are not nice…see?  Remember that’s what opposition is. 
I repeat…opposition is to think and to say that which is not nice
about the person…bring out his bad points.  Even if  your talking
about a guy who has got so many more bad points than good points you
would have a hay day…you might as well forget it…you would loose
your jaw power.  Think of a few good things, if that’s all…if I got
one or two that’s all if you bring them out (…?…) no problem. 
That’s the way life is.  Keep our spirit as the Bible says.  Lets’
go a little bit back here in the book of Proverbs, Psalms, Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes, right in-between the two right?  Proverbs 16:3.  

Proverbs 16: 32

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, 

And that mighty doesn’t just mean a guy that can fight, could mean a
guy that is a great orator, a guy that’s got a great mind, A guy that
can do a lot of things you know that look good.  Says right here that
the guy that is slow to anger…slow to take offense…keeps himself
under…this fellow right there is better than all the stud guys out
here that can show you something.

(Notice) and he that rules his spirit than he that taketh a city. 

In other words if we can keep ourselves under…it is a hundred times
better than winning an argument or showing the other fellow who is
wrong.  So…preach it Bro. Vayle that’s a good one.  Yeah and live it
too…that’s a better one.  Oh you don’t have to go very far from
here to know what I am talking about.  We’ll let that one pass. 
Lets’ take another one.  Matthew 5:5, not being caddy just being
truthful.  See…sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander…we’re
all in the same boat.  That high and mighty spirit…let it come on
down.  

Matthew 5:5

     Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

 How is anybody going to have a chance of getting in the millinium
without a meek spirit?  All right lets’ face it, that’s what it
says.  Inheriting the earth is the Millinium…not New Jerusalem.  How
is a man going to make the Millinium?  I’ve been telling all along
there is only one hope I’ve got to make Bride…only one hope you got
as far as I  know and that is not thinking you know this message but
having a right attitude…and here it is right here.

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they
shall be filled. 

 And it says it warns you they say they are already filled.  I’ve got
it look at me…now you better come my way or else.  Listen, you come my
way your sicker than I am…I’m trying to get out of it.  Go the way
of Christ…go the way of the Word, go the way of the Prophet, see?  I
was around long enough to know about the Prophet…don’t tell me I
wasn’t cause I was.  I’m tired of these guys coming by and one man
said,  “ Billy Paul told me I had a spirit like his daddy.”  I knew
his daddy…throw that in the waist basket.  Another fellow came by and
he said,  “Brother so and so has got a spirit that is close to Bro.
Brenham.”  I said,  “Throw that in the junk heap, I knew the
prophet.”  I ‘m not trying to be any authority…I’m not trying to
be any authority.  But watching that spirit…meek and humble.  Anytime
a fellow says,  “Watch me”, you better watch him pretty
careful…not to fight.  

	All right…Galatians the 5th chapter.  Try to get the spirits
down…down, down, down. Way down…Christ born in a stable…down with
the chickens and the manure heap, see?  He had to…to get like you and
me.  

Galatians 5:22-23

	(22)	But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, 

Meekness, temperance:  

Look at those…love…that’s nice…but forget the joy. 
Peace…that’s a good one.  Long-suffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, meekness, temperance…every single one but joy has the marks of
humility…down low…right attitude…esteeming others better…not
always comparing…look at me…I want to tell you…you get that in
your system…they’ll look at you one of these days…and you’ll
wish they weren’t looking.  Yeah…and that old evil critical
spirit…yeah.  Galatians 6:1

Galatians 6:1

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault,  you which are spiritual,
(who are spiritual…those fellows right here with this fruit…the real
humble sweet guy)  restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; 
considering yourself, lest you also be tempted.  

Never at any time can anybody look at himself and say I’ve got a
certain status here…you look at me…won’t work.  You can never
judge anybody by ourselves.  You got to look out there and judge a
fellow not even by his own by his own merits…but in Christ.  So get
good attitudes, see?  Remember Jesus requires this of us and told us how
to solve the case.  Let us also see something about a dream.  Under no
condition am I aloud to split with him; I’m obligated to be a part of
him.  Now…where does that leave a lot of people?  The first thing,
anything you and I want to do is split.  Sure…when I get a sliver in
my toe I want to get the sliver out.  I don’t have ingrown toenails
but if I did, I would want to get the ingrown toenail out.  I get a boil
on the skin…I want the boil out.  Always we want a parting of the
way…you know.  I think I told you years ago that many, many years ago
we had a woman come in and help us and she had a little girl…and that
kid was miserable. 

 So one day this woman said, “You know it’s got to be your kids.” 

 I said, “How come?”  We had three and she had the one.

  She said,  “Because when my little girl is by herself and not with
your kids, she’s no trouble. 

 I said…I about laughed in her face.  I said, “Anybody can be good
by themselves the test is when they are with other people. 

 Well that’s when someone has fishhooks up on their elbows, and comes
taking the skin off your ribs here…mines not so skinny anymore…you
get quite a chunk.  Huh?  What about it?  Big difference…you see.  Yes
sir.  Under no condition are we allowed a split.  Bro. Branham that
shows exactly what you are and who you are. 

 I’m going to tell you flat…the reason this Church has stability and
strength is way back when that original split came the people stood in
here, and stood, I don’t know about you, I can’t judge what you did
then, but I believe you did just what I did.  Ready to vote and if it
took the hide off the back of your neck and you knuckles and
(……?……) you stuck right with it. But I can’t get people to
understand that.  They won’t understand it…the democratic part of
it, and to stay away from this nonsense.  Once you get this in your
heart you are over a hurtle.  But if you can’t get this in your heart
your going to keep confronting that hurtle, and every time your going to
miss it.  No split…see?

	Now do you see why I preach so strong?  Men rise up around the
country…pastors run around and split Churches.  I’m against a
split…see?  Want to know why I take the strong stand I’m taking this
morning is because I’m Scriptural…don’t split.

	A man walked in a certain Church in Canada…first thing he said,
“There is going to be a split.”	(…?…) if I go up one more time,
I’ll tell you (…?…) go up there one more time, I’ll tell
you…you got to split…go ahead.  What am I going to tell them?  Well
answer me…what am I going to tell them?  What can I do?  Can’t hold
a club over anybodies head…can’t get manacles and bring their wrists
together…I’m not a warden or a jailor…yet I can preach this
morning, No Split.   You sit there and you suffer…see?  Gross
immorality and things like that you simply vote the guy out.  Lot’s of
ways to handle things.  But the Word of God…Bro. Branham warned…and
many times they cover it with their prayer meetings.  There is a
doctrine going very strong now…deity…rising very strong.  What do
you find…the spirit that’s in it…you got to believe this or else
and then, right away women start prayer meetings.  No more the Spirit of
Christ than nothing…why?  Cause they don’t know that first verse
where it says in here…Agree with thine adversary…no matter what lies
there…you don’t put him out…you stick with him.  A girl went home
recently…told her own mother,  “If you don’t believe in Bro.
Branham coming back…in a tent and all…you’re not even Bride.  Who
said so?  See.  No splits…stay right there.  Why?  Because he is a
part of me and I am a part of him and I am obligated by God to retain
them.  You can say, “What about Matthew 18:15-17?  Let’s take a look
at Matthew 18:15-17, no problem, no problem at all, let’s take a look
at it…

Matthew 18:15-17

(15)	Moreover if thy brother shall tresspass against thee, go and tell
him his fault between you and him along:  if he shall hear you; you have
gained your brother.

(16)	But if he will not hear you, then take with you one or two more,
that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be
established.

And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it to the Church:

That’s nothing to do with you…that’s the Church…nothing to do
with you…it’s the Church…you don’t split…it is up to the
Church to do it…not an individual.  Individuals cannot take anything
in their hands whatsoever.  It’s got to be the group.  That’s right.
 People make a big mistake there.  Matthew 18:21-22, let’s look at it.

Matthew 18:21-22

	(21)	Then came Peter to Him, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother
sin against me, and I forgive him?  Till seven times?  

	(22)	Jesus says to him, I say not to you, until seven times but, Until
seventy times seven.  

	Four hundred and ninety times, in a day, never mind the night…what
about that.  Four hundred and ninety times?  Good Scripture isn’t it? 
Just don’t let it set in the Bible…put it in our hearts.  Matthew
6:12-14-15  

Matthew 6:12-14-15

Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also
forgive you: 

But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses.  

In other words there is healing in every divine promise goes by the
board.  When we get in trouble we will pay the last farthing for it. 
“Agree with thine adversary”, get a right attitude, in other words
let’s settle this thing as Christians.  Now…let’s go back to our
text again…25-26 in the 6st Chapter.

Agree with thine adversary 

And I don’t like the word adversary cause it has got a wrong
conotation…agree with this legally responsible person who is
confronting you…see?  Do it while it’s hot…do it now…don’t let
it hang over…see?  Take the thing up lest you get into trouble.  God
demands reconciliation or He must judge and exact a penalty just as we
showed you there in Matthew 18 and Matthew 6.  Mark the 9th chapter
43-50.

Mark 9:43-50

	(43)	If your hand offend you, cut it off ;  (now that doesn’t mean
hack your hand off here…some people think it does and they’re
mental) it is better for you to enter into like maimed, than having two
hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched.  

You mean to tell me that if you cut off your hand that in the
resurrection you would only have one hand to go to hell?  Hogwash.  You
come back with two hands in the resurrection.  He is not talking about
that…he is talking about the city dump to Henna where the junk and the
refuge is on it…do you want your life on a junk heap?  Do you want to
end up with a wasted life?  Then don’t do what the Bible says.  If you
want a life you can take to Glory with you then do what the Bible says. 
Simple as ABC.  And that’s the 11th chapter of Hebrews.  The only
record God has is His Own Creative Word. That word in us…see what we
done with it.  

	(44)	The worm dies not and the fire is not quenched…(That is the city
dump.  Where is there going to be a worm in hell?  Thy worm dies in
fire…it’s a city dump…kept on burning.  What the worms didn’t
eat…the sun dried out and the fire took care of…it’s your life
he’s talking about here.

	(45)	If thy foot offend thee cut it off better to enter into life
hault.  

In other words it is better to go through life having deliberatly
crippled yourself and done away with certain conditions that would have
bettered you and to put aside certain privileges that would have accrued
to you diliberatly taking the way down and give it over to somebody
else, instead of struggle against it.  And arise up and say I’m going
to go my way and do what I want to do.  Like some big shot.  Preach it
Bro. Vayle…that’s lousy preaching but it sure is the truth.  I just
thought of certain preachers that I’m associated with, and that’s
one thing burns me more than another…course I’m jealous, but Gods my
judge…I’m not jealous.  They want to be big shots…big shots…big
shots.  Take any ………………The Bible says come on down.  He that
is servant among you let him be servant of all.  That means you got to
take away what you could use yourself and give to somebody else.  The
Bible said it will slow you down…it will halt you down.  Listen…with
two feet I can do better than one foot…with two hands I can do better
than one hand…with two eyes I can do better than one eye.  I would do
better with no tongue at all…with two ears I can do better than one
ear.  Sure…but you and I deliberately put those aside…it says it
will slow you down.  You won’t get too much out of this life here but
it said God is going to reserve in heaven and the fellow that wants to
run with what he has got should take every advantage just like you take
your Christians.  I can do it bless God…no you can’t do it. If one
fellow wants anothers …….but you cannot.  Paul said,  “All things
are legal but all things are not expedient.”  And he prayed, “Oh God
don’t let me do those things that I could do because it will slow me
down…see?  Slow em down in the race a lot is what I’m talking about.
 It’s best to get slowed down in what I’m saying here in light to
make the moments properly count.

	He said,  “ For everyone is salted with fire…and every sacrifice he
salted with salt…salt is good.  It looses its salt it looses its
savor.  And he sets us here…we are all sacrifices.  Sacrifice and eye,
sacrifice an arm, sacrifice a leg, sacrifice it.  Cause the meek shall
inherit the earth…see?

	Now…here is the real purgatory, over here in Hebrews the 12th
Chapter.  I said what I been taking about in Mark…that’s purgatory. 
Catholics got it all messed up…Protestants got it all messed up…Bro.
Branham didn’t have it messed up.  He said this is purgatory right
here.  Purgatory…chapter 12:3- 11.

Hebrews 12:3-11

	(3)	Condider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against
himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds.  (I can bring in
twelve legions of Angels.)  

	(4)	You have not yet resisted to blood striving against sin. (He broke
out in sweating blood in Gethsemany.)  

	(5)	Have you forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to
children.  My son, despise not you the ( Whipping or scourging)
chastening of the Lord nor faint when you are rebuked of Him.  

If you endure scourging…training…remember the Greeks had a word for
training…it’s suffering.  If people do not suffer they are not worth
a hoot.  I’m sorry.  This positive Gospel of Oral Roberts and Tommy
Osborns and the whole bunch of them is entirely wrong.  You can be
millionaires.  Why… .told Allen…went down South…talk about giving
a dollar…getting a thousand back…Hogwash!  Nonsense from the pit of
hell trying to make you greedy.  The most honest guy of the whole bunch
is Reverend Ike and he said the root of all evil was the wrath of money.
 Told them flat…changed the Bible…least he had the guts to do it. 
The rest of them take the Bible and spin off until it is pitiful.  

	Suffering…I know nobody likes to suffer but I’m going to tell you
something…you’ll look back on it and you will wonder why you even
worried about it.  What made you fuss about it.  I’ve looked back at
the things I’ve gone through and say auh there wasn’t nothing to it.


 Now there is two ways to do it…we can be a bunch of prostitutes…who
have a little adulterous affair and when we are finished we wipe our
mouth like eating a  piece of bread and say there wasn’t nothing to
it.  Or we can be strong solid Christians looking back and
saying…nothing to it.  One eating the bread of God…one taking the
fornication of the world.  What do you want to be…you want to be a
bunch of birds or a bunch of prostitutes?  Lets not look around the
world and say these folks don’t believe the message and there creeds
and dogmas they’re prostitutes.  We can be just as prostituted
ourselves…let’s face it…just as messed up or as messy…see?

	Now…got to take this chastening your illegitimate and it said
remember your fathers chastened thee and they did it because they were
mad at you and they weren’t always there to correct you just for your
own good.  Most of us corrected our kids because…for our good…keep
out of our hair…don’t do the things that bug us.  We are correcting
for the other persons good.  Parenthood today in many cases today
revolves around the kids giving us pleasure.

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