4. Now that might seem kind of vague to you, and so I kind of like my own meaning--what I gather from the Scripture--from what a steward is today. He's really one who's accountable for to somebody else, because he is in control or managing somebody else's money, somebody else's business, doing something for somebody for which he's paid. So I put it this way: the across the board meaning, to me, is a steward is someone in care of what is another's, and he is responsible for it, and actually, he lives by it. Now that's pretty well what I see in a steward. He's a person who doesn't own it, but he's a part of it by reason of the fact that he's been employed to do something about that which is another person's.

5. Now we're going to just quote you some Scripture here as I read them off in Psalms 24:1. It says, "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein."

Now that's a pretty broad statement that let's you know that God is in control, or says that He owns everything: from everything that's on the earth to every person that's on the earth. And Paul puts it quite well:

[Acts 17:28] In Him we live and move and have our being.

[Heb 12:2] He's the author and finisher of our faith, and so on. And

Ps 50:12: If I were hungry I would not tell thee for the earth is mine and the fulness thereof, (and)

Ps 89:11: The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine.

Rom 11:36: For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things. (Now that's getting right down to the...to the very definitive statement.)

Ezek 18:4a: Behold all souls are mine. (And then in)

2 Cor 5:10, (We are told that) All must appear before the judgment seat of Jesus Christ to give account of the deeds done in the flesh.

1 Cor 4:2: Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful. (Then I read one here that is not abstract, but it's very true)

Rev 11:18: Thy wrath is come, that thou shouldst destroy them that destroy the earth.

6. Now to see this perfectly, we'll go back to Genesis 1, and verse 28 is what we want to look at. And God speaking: "God blessed them, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that creepeth upon the earth."

7. Now you put that in the context that the earth is mine and everything that's in it and the heavens are mine, and you'll find here then that Adam and Eve were literally put into a stewardship over the earth. And let's just go to Hebrews 2, and we'll see pretty well the perfect thought there, likewise reading from 6 to 8a:

(6) But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visiteth him?

(7) Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownest him with honor and glory, and didst set him over the work of thy hands.

(8) Thou putteth all things in subjection under his feet.

8. Now we know that is concerning the future where all things are put under the feet of Jesus before they're handed back to the Father on the Mount of Zion or New Jerusalem, but it is a very true statement concerning man when you go back to Adam who was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. And what is man then that thou art mindful of him that you gave him jurisdiction over everything that you made and entrusted to him as a steward? What is this anyway? Well, that lets you know that man was put into a very trusted position, a tremendous position, and, of course, we know that he did not do what was right; but let's go back to Genesis again, and this time it's the second chapter, and in verse 15 It says here. "And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress and to keep it." And with that we read Ezekiel 28:13, speaking of Satan in a type of the king of Tyrus, "Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God."

9. And what we're looking at here is the fact that Eden is called the garden of God. Now most of us have sort of the idea that God made Adam and Eve, and then He wanted a very special place for them; so He made His very special garden and said, "Here. It's yours." He did not do that. That was His garden, as Bro. Branham categorically stated in Satan's Eden, that that was God's headquarters. That was the kingdom of God on earth. And He put Adam and Eve in there, and they were stewards--literally stewards, because they were taking care of, for a wage or hiring out to God, what was not theirs, but was Almighty God's.

Now it is evident that Adam, and consequently mankind, has been given the position of stewards over God's property, and mankind is accountable to God for the responsible use of that property. And, you notice, we read in Rev 11:18 that God was going to destroy those that destroyed the earth. So God is holding people accountable, not only for their sins as far as receiving the salvation, atonement, through the Lord Jesus Christ, receiving the Word of God, but they're also very responsible for what they are doing and have done to this earth. And we know the earth's in pretty bad shape.

10. Now it is also evident from other Scripture that when one studies stewardship, one must recognize the fact that men are also stewards to other men, and are responsible to their superiors, masters or employers, as we see over here in Luke 16:1-2:

(1) And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which

had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.

(2) And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee?

Give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayst be no longer steward."

And if the man, of course, was found [not] to be doing a good job, he'd say, "Well, I heard things that were wrong," and if I've heard things that are wrong concerning you, in the sense that you have done wrong, "then," he said, "you won't have a job any longer because you must be responsible."

11. So it's good we read a little further in there, and we'll read, continuing maybe to about verse 3:

(3) Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do: for my Lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. (Now you see, he's out of a job.)

(4) I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. (So he's going to curry favor with the people. He's now going to do something that's going to be helpful to him. So don't take this in a wrong way. Take this in a positive and corrected way as we go into it.)

(5) So he called unto every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and he said unto the first, How much do you owe my lord?

(6) And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said, Take your fill, sit down quickly, and write fifty.

Now evidently the man's books were in disarray, too. So now he's going to make a new set of books. You ever hear of double bookkeeping? This is one of your originals. This occurred two thousand years ago. This is something the IRS looks into now and says this fellow's got two sets of books. This is an old dodge, see?

12.

(7) And he said to another, How much do you owe? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said, Take your bill, and write fourscore.

Now, see, he's leveling things out as to what he can cleverly conceal, or get away with. The man's sharp. Like that fellow in New York, you know, or New Jersey. What was that fellow that had these tanks of soybean oil and different things, and when they finally tapped on the tanks, they were hollow? The guy used up all the oil, and people didn't like that. Then the same thing [was] pulled by a fellow down in Texas with the wheat storage. He didn't have the wheat. It's 'write fourscore.'

13.

(8) And the Lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

Now he's telling you something here about worldly affairs and stewardship that the Christian never seems to understand. And when it comes to this, he's evidently not too bright. He doesn't savvy. These people savvy. Now, I'm not telling you to be crooked. There's a lesson here. See? You follow me? Okay.

14.

(9) And I say, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when you fail (if you should run into a problem...you should run into a exigency or circumstance which can be tough, maybe through your own fault. Maybe through somebody else's) they may receive you into ever-lasting habitations.

Something will come on the scene somewhere to compensate and to help you. Now, see, this is like the reverse type of Romans where Adam, the failure, types Jesus. The complete failure puts us into this world of sin. Christ comes as a reverse type and puts us right into the positive. So you got here like a reverse typing.

15. "Now," He said, "look around you, learn how the world does it, and you realize there's principles laid down for you as Christians also. You don't follow the crooked way. You follow the right way. There is a way, and most people do not understand it, or they take it in wrong ways. Now watch:

(10) He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much. (Now what is the least? This mammon here. This money bit. See?)

(11) And he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. (Now listen:) If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

Where will there be promotion for this fellow caught in his act? He's kicked out. But he's smart. He knows how to work it, so he'll be taken care of. The Christians aren't that smart. They don't know how to work it, so they can be taken care of. There's little rules that God lays down, that if you catch the spirit of It, and that's what I'm trying to talk about tonight, hopefully-- and this should take six or seven hours, which we're not going to do that--so I'm hoping you will get between the lines a lot of things on your own. As I've hinted over a period of years: how there is something wherein you trust God, and you know that He takes care of you. And it's not something you think you've trumped up because, "I believe God, hallelujah." It's something you know that's based upon something that's done. Because this is something that's done.

16.

(12) And if you've not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give unto you that which is your own?"

This could be a stumbling block to people then who don't do right, yet want something to come their way. Oh, many things can come your way, but not by God--come by even the devil. But to know that you will receive, because you have done right by somebody else's. There's a pattern here that's like a promotion in the world.

17. You've got employment, you've got a responsibility, and you have done well in acquitting that; then there comes a promotion. There comes something in here that we should learn about concerning the material things that Bro. Branham said could easily trip us and take us away from this Message.

In Col 2:20-22...and this isn't exactly...well, this is the exact Scripture I want...put it this way, but I'm going to chop into it so you'll understand what I'm saying. He's talking about the rudiments of the world that people say, "Stay away from." They're merely physical things: touch not, taste not, handle not...so on.

(20) Now wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

(21) (Touch not; taste not; handle not;

(22) Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?"

And the thought I want to bring out here is that you're dealing with perishable substances, and yet the Scripture unequivocally throws a spiritual impact upon how you're dealing with the physical. Now, most of us have a thought in mind which is from 1 Corinthians 2, comparing spiritual to spiritual. And then you get to the place where the fellow that was in Canada...I don't know if he's dead or alive anymore...he's older than I, could be still living...but he took out of John erroneously, "that which is of the flesh is the flesh, and spirit, spirit." You can do anything you want in the flesh, and operate in the spirit. And you bet you can, if you're false anointed. Oh, you can. You can be harem-scarem, and you can be a louse of the lice, and God will bless you--looks like on the surface. You'll cast out devils right there with Judas and do all those things--we'll talk about that later--but you're wrong. But there is not just an affinity, there is a direct relationship.

18. So we're going to go back to Luke again the 16th chapter and reading again 9 to 13:

(9) And I say unto you, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness. (In other words, learn to be closely associated to the degree you're understanding these things and know the implications of their use and their value. In other words, make yourself at ease with it. Make it so you're not betrayed by it, but actually you're fortified by it.) That when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

I'd look at that and say, "Well, when you die and the period of your little trials and errors, your experience here on earth, you've got something that has already worked out itself in your life to even stand you in good stead way down the road, which is on the other side." Now we got Scripture for that, just keep that in mind. If I don't use It tonight, It certainly is there and I can point It out to you.

(10) He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

(11) If you've not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give to you that which is your own?

19. Now, it is agreed, of course, that this is a parable, but its truth cannot be set aside as a definite reference to our conduct as a Christian and especially our attitudes. That this meaning is correct can be better seen and fortified by Mat 6:19-24:

(19) Lay not up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust corrupt, where thieves break through and steal:

(20) But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust corrupt, and thieves do not break through and steal:

(21) For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Now watch the follow-up:)

(22) The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thine whole body shall be full of light.

(23) If thine eye be evil, the whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! ("Now," you say, "I don't think, Bro. Vayle, that belongs to that top verse." Let's read the last verse.)

(24) No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; else hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (There is a direct...there is a very strong meaning in here, and we'll go into that as we go along.)

20. Now, in my opinion, from the Scriptures we've read, and all the Scriptures that I know, and we haven't read them, there is a definite link, and especially referring to this, between the material and the spiritual. There's a direct link. One is based upon the other, whether you want to recognize it or not--a definite link between the material and spiritual, so that the right attitudes in dealing with materiality speeds us on our way in the course of divine revelation and divinely knowledgeable ways of living; and the wrong attitudes in dealing within our stewardship hinders us in the course of divine and providential revelation. So we look at Mat (6:) 22-23 again.

(23) But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! (Maybe I should read 22 first. I beg your pardon. I should:)

(22) "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

(23) But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!"

21. Now, what I've said here is: you have to recognize that there is a connection between the material and the spiritual so that if the channel of the material is clogged, then the channel of the spiritual is also clogged. Now you can say what you want, but I'm giving you Bible. Now, see, this is where we've got to come to grips with what I'm talking about tonight is an attitude of spirit and an understanding of material things. And I don't say I've got them, but I do realize, over the years, and that's back since 1960, which is 26 solid years, I've practiced what I've preached. I'm going to tell you something: the more I really practice it, the more the spiritual lines are opened. And when I don't, the spiritual lines can close down. And you may be living tonight, some of you, and those who hear this tape in a euphoria, a Pentecostal or denomination euphoria, that you've got it made--and you might have no more made than nothing. You can be a million miles off--just on one thing. This is where we have to learn a bit, because I believe that's what I've been talking about to you, hinting over a period of time, I want you to see these things with me.

22. So, therefore, there is an absolute connection between the two so that a wrong attitude, a wrong principle, a wrong conduct will positively stop your channels to open up to Almighty God for His riches, blessings and revelation. Now, this to me, there is no argument. As It says in 3 John, the second verse: "And beloved, I wish above all else that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers."

23. So there is a very definite link from the center to the circumference, because the center is the soul, and the prospering will come in the physical manner to help us in the realm of the financial, or whatever we need to live by, the processes whereby we live, and also to the physical, the healing. That's why Bro. Branham could say that this is a Message of restoration, and, also, you take this Message whereby you receive your healing.

And there was an example of that, as I've mentioned before as I was talking to Lloyd just the other night about it--Bro. Branham was in Wichita, Kansas, I never remember where it was. Anyway, we were there. And there was a black brother sitting there, and he was backslidden, and Bro. Branham called him out by name, told him his name as I recall, told him his problems and said, "You're healed." And then he said, "You've also been backslidden," and he said, "you're forgiven." And right away he caught it; said, "You in the audience," he caught them on the fact they were saying, "Well, who is he to say a man's sins are forgiven? Who does he think he is?" And he said, "The same One that told me what his diseases were, and he's healed, is the same One that told me to tell him his sins are forgiven." And that's what Jesus said, "Which is easier to say, 'Take up your bed and walk, or your sins are forgiven?'"

24. So, you see, we're looking at an understanding in here that could be very powerful in this motivating effect of our faith toward God, and that life toward God which we want to live. Now we got to be careful here, because I'm not saying that this is the one and only channel of revealed truth, because it isn't the channel of revealed truth. It's something that can block the channel--because, you know, that you cannot receive a revelation unless you are ordained to it. Now, you know, that many people are ordained, and yet they fall away from what they were ordained to. And I can't say that Barnabus was 100% a man of God. He could have been--I don't know. But I do know the Holy Spirit said, "Separate me Paul and Barnabus unto the work whereunto I have called them." But then Barnabus got down to that council in Jerusalem when false brethren were brought in unaware, and he got carried away with their dissimulations, and he wanted Titus to be circumcised, and Titus was a Gree. And Paul said, "Hold it. You're out."

25. Now, you see, he got blocked channels in there. He could have been perfectly ordained, but he got his channel blocked by listening to something which was contrary to the Word. Now we can be divine servants of God, and I use the term 'divine servants' in the sense God's divine blessing is upon us, we're in the divine channel. But if we're off that Word, we're going to hurt somebody. But we can be off more than just a revelation of that Word. We can be off because we're not following in the conduct, the pattern that God laid down for us. So this is one channel I'm speaking of so that we understand from Scripture here--Jesus speaking. It's a very fearful thing to be wrong in a material concept as much as we know. Now, some things we may not know, and so, therefore, you know, I'm not saying we'll continue in darkness, but we have to keep walking, and, if we've been wrong in the past, we have to begin to live as we have not lived before.

26. So Jesus said if you fail in your responsibility to your stewardship, which stewardship involves both God and some other person or persons, you will not be in a position to receive the true riches of your day. Now that's what the Bible teaches. You'll fumble over the true riches that there lie in the Word of God. Now I'm not saying this is the only channel. This is one of the channels we have to watch because we can watch it. In other words, there'd be a certain real problem for this person. And I think maybe over here in 1 John, the 1st chapter, John sort of brings this out, too. And he says in 5-7:

(5) This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

(6) And if we say we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.

(7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.

27. Now that's where we want to get to. We want to walk in any obedience wherein it is laid before us, and we are able to do it. Now we're well able to do it. Like Bro. Branham...I think...this little remark here, something like Bro. Branham said, he said, "You say you believe me, then why don't you obey me?" So here's something in here where a person could say, "Well, I'm in the truth, I believe the truth," and yet fall into a certain error which I think we could get out of the way by studying the Word of God.

28. Now I'd like us to realize that we stand to lose or gain from this principle as we set forth here, and we're looking over here in Luke this time, the 19th chapter, and we read a little bit of this, maybe more than, perhaps, than we'd like to, but I got to read it, I think. Beginning at verse 11:

(11) And as they heard these things, he added and spoke a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.

29. Now, I'm putting emphasis where I want to put it. And, remember, this Book here is current for this hour, because, remember, He is appearing in the form of the Holy Spirit and doing for the Gentiles exactly what He did for Israel when He was there in the Body form. Now, of course, we know that is passed over now. The prophet is gone, and the days of the Son of man is gone. We've seen them. The Appearing is still on, because the Pillar of Fire is here. We know what God we're following and all those things. Okay. We're looking for the kingdom.

(12) And he said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.

(13) And he called his ten servants, delivered them ten pounds, and said to them, Occupy till I come.

(14) His citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

(15) And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

(16) Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained thee ten pounds.

(17) And he said, Well, thou good servant: thou has been faithful in a little, have thou authority over ten cities.

(18) And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained thee five pounds.

(19) And he said like to him, Be over five cities.

(20) The other came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:

(21) For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: you take up what you didn't lay down, and reap what you didn't sow.

(22) And he said, Out of your own mouth will I judge thee, wicked servant.

Thou knewest I was an austere man, taking up what I laid not, and reaping that I did not sow:

(23) Wherefore then gavest thou not my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?

(24) And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, (that he hath) and give it to him that hath ten pounds.

(25) (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) (Now, see, there's an argument coming up here. He's going to take from the fellow that [didn't have] and give it to the guy's that got the most. Now, that's like you got like the rich get rich. You got the old saying, "He that has--gets." And this is spiritual phraseology here.)

(26) For I say unto you, That every one which hath...unto everyone which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away.

(27) But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

Now, of course, this is a parable, and the object of this parable is not simply one where he's citing materiality, but he's using it as an example. And I'm taking it to the point where I can see something in here, Christ using it where we have to be careful concerning this stewardship in the financial realm, because it is there in the Bible staring us in the face very, very evidently.

30. Now, with this in mind, having shown you that there is something in here that is of great necessity, that we learn to be correct concerning it, we just want to look at the present, ungodly conditions that are in the world today, because the people are not listening to the Word of God when it comes to the fact that everybody is a steward under God. And they deny their stewardship, their responsibility to Him and to others and they count things as though they can do what they want with what is here, regardless. And that is the fallacy all through the Scripture. Eve got the same mess. Adam got the same mess. And today this is Laodicea.

31. Now, let's take a look at government. Let's go to Romans 13 and examine government. Now just casually; I'm not going to go into this a great deal.

(1) Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

(2) Whosoever therefore resisteth the power (that's the authority), resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves judgment (and be under condemnation).

(3) For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the authority? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

(4) For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

(5) Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

(6) For this cause pay we tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

(7) Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

32. That's as far as we need to read there. So you can see here that God's attitude toward government is this: all government is responsible to God. Now the constitution of the United States, based upon the set-forth declaration of those who came from Europe to establish this nation, had this faith in God: that God was the Supreme Ruler, the Supreme Judge, and all things then must lie open and exposed before Him. And they were those men who constituted the authority to see that God was honored and the nation was a nation under God, because that's exactly what the oath of allegiance is and your declaration exactly is--it's a nation under God.

33. But, you know, the government doesn't want that anymore. And even though there are those that call themselves to be Christians, they want to leave that in there and the little bit of writing on the coin, "In God We Trust." There are those, of course, who don't want it, but even those who do want it, when, as soon as they get into power, they fail to realize that they are absolutely responsible to God. You elect anybody, he goes in under the election promises that he's going to listen to you. He no more listens to us as a people; he no more represents us than nothing. It's all twisted to the extent, 'I will vote this person in, and he will do what he wants concerning me 'cause I figure I can trust that he will do more for me than anybody else who gets in there.' It is not what God ordained.

34. Now, I'm going to tell you something: this nation is going to pay for it. You don't think for one minute they can bandy the name of God and bandy the program of God here. They are responsible to Almighty God. The President is responsible to God, not simply by lip service, and not simply by some little thought, but absolutely, he is responsible to Almighty God. That's why you and I pray for the President, the governors and those in authority, every single day. I wonder how many do it. [The microphone gets readjusted.] It's easy to say, "Hey, I'm just going to think it over, but maybe I'll do something about it. But you know, God wants us to do something about it. And what He wants to do about it is to literally pray for them. We think about them, but I realize that government is not going to do very much for us. I don't say that government is to do a lot of things for us the people thinks they do, but the government is basically there to honor Almighty God.

35. Now, notice what he says here: "The government is to be a terror to evil." Is the government today a terror to evil? No way. Look at your crooked judges, your crooked cops. Years ago, simply rum runners. Wouldn't be bad if it was simply cigarette runners, but it's cocaine and heroin, every drug runner. Look at the cops in Miami bought off. How many around here are bought off? See, they don't realize stewardship. And when you don't realize stewardship, God is going to judge. That's why Laodicea will be judged because of its lawlessness. They won't listen to anybody. A little lip service, a little mouth service. A guy like I mention, Tony Hall, nothing against him. He claims he's born again. Hatfield claimed they're born again. Look at their records. Look at their records! They haven't got one record that will line up with the Word of God.

Now, does that mean that people can disobey the law? No. All we need is anarchy. Then everything is gone. And it's difficult not to indulge an anarchy. It's difficult not to be a lynching committee. It's difficult not to do something about it. But the Bible says, "Don't do a thing about it." It says, "Whosoever resisteth authority resists the ordinance of God," because God has set government in its place, but men have not believed that they are stewards. They say, "Oh, I can do what I want." See? And it's not right and, therefore, God is going to bring upon this nation His wrath.

Laodicea--peoples' rights. They don't have rights. It's like Bro. Branham said, "You don't have a think coming." You and I don't either. Now people should be more careful who they put in their government. But who gets in the government? Lawyers and rich people. A poor man cannot run anymore. See? Now, I know the government is trying to set up funds whereby, and we put in our little income tax, "Do you want a dollar or two dollars, one for each party?" I must be honest. I only put a buck for the Democrats...I mean, the Republicans. I'm a million miles off the Democrats. I ain't gonna trust one, period. Ever since they put a Catholic in there. That's it. And people vote for them, when you know what they do it. Just wait--we'll talk about the Bishop's letter pretty soon--what's going on with the churches. But anyway:

(2) He that resists authority resists the ordinances of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation (or judgment).

(3a) For rulers are not a terror...

Let's put it this way: "for rulers are not supposed to be a terror to good works but to evil." But they're a terror right now if you want prayer in the schools. Now you can have all kinds of sex films and abortion clinics till it absolutely get young kids into illicit sex and a depraved life, but you cannot show them the truth. See?--not servants of God anymore but servants of the devil. But I'm going to tell you something: the devil won't judge them. God will judge them! That's why you and I just wait our turn, that's all. Because we'll be sitting there, too. We'll be sitting on the right side of the ledger, not on the wrong side.

Now, rulers are not a terror, they're supposed to be a terror to evil. "Wilt thou not then be afraid of authority?" Now, he said, "Do that which is good and thou shall have praise of the same for he is the minister of God to thee for good."

36. Now, right in here, there is a promise of God to you and me that, no matter what that fellow does, if we're right, and we're true stewards, there's nothing can touch us. Well, death could, but that's not the worst thing because, why? God will get us ready for death. But how could we be ready for death resisting this? See? Their stewardship is way off.

37. "For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou doest that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: For he is the minister of God, a revenger." An avenger, see? In other words, he's supposed to be there to adjudicate for the government and say what is right and what is wrong. And when you're right, you're right; and when you're wrong, you're wrong. But you can't do that, because the lawyer makes all the laws. It's just like that cartoon in the paper: after they just passed this new law...the tax law...one congressman or senator said to the other one, "I think we'd better go consult our tax consultants to see what we just voted in." See what you...that's right. That's what they do. But I'm going to tell you something, brother/sister: they are accountable to God. Whether they like it or not, they are God's ministers. They're not some lobbyist's ministers, the oil clique, or the unions, or this and that. They're God's, and they're going to pay for it. In the meantime, let them go ahead. Don't resist. Only place you and I resist is when they try to tell us that we can't go to church, we can't do this, we can't do that. We got God's Word ahead.

38.

(5) Wherefore you must be subject...needs be subject, not only for wrath, but for conscience sake.

(6a) For this cause pay you tribute.

For this cause pay taxes. One of the biggest things in the world is the tax dodge. Now, there's nothing wrong when you have deductions. There's nothing wrong with that little carnal word, 'loophole,'--not one thing wrong. It's there. You got a right to take advantage of everything the government allows you--but then not to take what isn't ours. There's a very touchy point, but it's also there. It said, "Pay your taxes. For they are God's ministers." Now watch: "attending continually upon this very thing." You bet they are. That's all they know: how to collect taxes. That's a prophetic input, and that's about all they do know.

And it's known, it's been said by many philosophers and many true economists that democracy is a failure, because once the guy is in power and knows he can get his hand in your pocket, he'll never take it out until there's nothing left. Oh, I think the Kennedys...They're about the most abysmal of the whole works. They're trying to copy Roosevelt, but they got worse. They'll vote everything out of your pocket. Why don't they give their billions or millions of dollars as a token? And the big McCormick Plaza, whatever it is, in Chicago. I suppose it brings in 400 millions a year. Let them give the 400 million as a token. But they're not doing it. They're going to tax everybody out of existence. They'll do it. You know why? Because there was a time of terrible taxation when Jesus was born, and it was under the publicans [that] his ministry suffered. You got the same thing right today, because the conditions must obtain in the spirit when they're in the flesh. These men are stewards, but they're not just stewards. And God will not back this nation, and back anything to do with them. Look at the mess the President's in right today--as bad a Carter's and bad as Nixon's. I think he's been a good president but there's something fishy in Denmark right now. [End of side 1.] Maybe what he tried to do was very good, but somebody got messed up in it.

39. So, therefore, our attitudes toward government and, consequently, those attitudes toward government are our attitudes toward God. Now, the government should have the right attitude as stewards looking unto God. Now they mouth a lot, but that's where it ends. You can have a nice guy like Peter Marshall as a chaplain...It doesn't do one bit of good. What Peter Marshall had didn't rub off. What Billy Graham has doesn't rub off, or anybody else. They're responsible. Their attitude is what makes or breaks them. And our attitude toward what we have will make and break us in the sight of God also if we're not careful, because God is behind it all. We've got to watch our attitudes.

40. And the next thing we think of is business. Let's take a look at business, and I'm not going to dwell a long time on this, but I might need more than a 90-minute tape. I hope not. Isaiah, the 5th chapter. I hope it is. If it's not, I'll quote it to you anyway, the 5th chapter and the 8th verse. I believe It says here: "Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!"

Cartels! Monopolies! One of the worst things the government ever did was to give any business man a monopoly. Competition, alone, is the secret. But when you got a monopoly, they'll do whatever they want. They'll rob you more and more and more.

41. Let's go to James 5, and see what James has to say. We'll put the two together. This is not a political speech, don't think for one minute.

(1) Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

(2) Your riches are corrupted, your garments are moth-eaten.

(3) Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. (Somebody is going to take it all over.)

(4) Behold the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Harvest"--or the Lord of Hosts.

(5) Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in the day of slaughter.

(6) Ye have condemned and killed the just: and he doth not resist you.

(7) Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the presence of the Lord"--till this very hour.

The showdown is in this hour. See? And, remember, t