Shalom #8
The Prophet Giving God’s Peace
Shall we pray? Heavenly Father, we
remember the salutation to Mary, which was said, “All things are possible by
the personal presence of God,” and we know that the Holy Spirit, God Himself,
overshadowed her, creating that egg and sperm within the womb, that she might
bring forth Your Own pattern and divine strategy, all of it brought forth from
that woman. We know there’s a Bride today, a true Church, truly pregnant by the
Word of God, that You might bring forth Your image in
Your divinely predestinated plan of all the ages starting in a people who must
be made perfect, somehow, because those gone on before will not be made perfect
without us. And we know, Lord, that’s true.
And we stand here knowing that we
keep singing the fact that You’re here, and all things
are possible, knowing, Lord, that everything the prophet said is absolutely
“THUS SAITH THE LORD,” and it is going to happen because of the divine promises
that You have made.
Help us, Lord, now, to bend every
effort, bringing our minds under control, and the bodies with it--every spirit
in subjection. We saw that, too, by the prophet: there wasn’t one person could
hide. Then, Lord, surely our spirits can be brought into subjection under the great
Father of Spirits, and live, Lord, and be a true Bride. Help us as Your true Church, this morning. We’ll give You the praise. Help us to say the things we ought to say,
and refrain from what we ought to refrain, teaching truth not only from the
Word of God, but in the Spirit of God. And we’ll give You
the honor in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
You may be seated.
1. Now we are at number eight, I believe,
this morning, on “Shalom.” And we saw last night, from that very short portion
of this message, that Bro. Branham is speaking about
the hour in which we are living. And it is based on the fact that there is a
true Word and a false Word; that gross darkness is in the world, death and
destruction, and coming upon all but those to whom the light of God has been given;
and the glory of God has risen upon them.
Now we were back here on page 7,
when we finished starting this paragraph here, going to page 8. In paragraph 43
it says:
[43] Now to the church, that’s the elect church, the true Bride,
the real church, the true vine, sons and daughters of God, the elect. The
reason I'd say "Shalom" to them, is because that’s God's Peace. It’s
not something else now. It’s God’s Own Peace.
Like we said last night, there is a
love that’s a false love. The Bible said “Let love be without dissimulation.”
It again said, “with love unfeigned.” So therefore,
there is a hypocritical love, and it can look just as genuine as those false
prophets produce, that which is from the Word and based on the Word, but it
doesn’t come out of the Word. And there is a peace too, that people can begin
to satisfy and gratify themselves with, based upon a
false Word, which can never bring the results they actually want, because the
Bible said, “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” [Isa 48:22]
2. Now you know that there are those who
can actually make themselves believe a certain thing, and the devil will help
them to believe a certain thing, and they’ll have a certain peace. But I’m
going to tell you, at the White Throne there will be no peace, and after the
White Throne there will be no peace, because the wicked are like the troubled
sea casting up dirt and mire. That’s all they’ve got. You’re going to produce
what’s in you. But there is God’s Own Peace that’s available.
And God’s Peace, relaxation under
the Seventh Seal, is believing a vindicated Message.
We have a vindicated Message. It seems that too many people are ashamed of It. And it’s catching up to them. And the fact of the matter
is, though you heard me preach It for all these years, I have not preached It
hard enough. And I don’t live It strong enough. And I
don’t speak It up enough. The reason is because we
just don’t want to fuss at people and have people fuss at us. And that’s a
pretty good reason. We’ll look at that in a minute, though, when we get to what
Bro. Branham says about that.
3. But there is not simply a peace from
God. There is God’s Own Peace. Just like I said, Bro. Branham was not a prophet
of God. That’s not true. He was God’s prophet!
You say, “Bro. Vayle,
you’re splitting hairs.”
No, you’re being foolish. I’m right;
you’re wrong. That’s what he called himself. Under divine inspiration, God’s
prophet! Not a prophet of God! They’ve got dozens out there, prophesying and
everything else, leading people to destruction, but this is God’s prophet. And,
when God was in the man, it was God prophet! Oh, brother/sister, this is not
semantics; this is reality. This is why there’s a revealed Message. So, it’s no
longer your inane and cursed semantics. Living Word! Absolute
living Word, creative Word of almighty God—that is what we have today.
This same vindicated Word is the same Word that’s going to get us out of the
grave, because it’s the same God with the same Word! And, when He left off in a
Message, He didn’t change His voice. He didn’t change His tone. He didn’t
change Himself. He changed nothing. He stood right there and caused, and is now
causing shortly, to bring the Shout into full manifestation, which is the dead
coming out of the graves. That’s what you stand in today. You’re standing in
it—God’s Peace.
[43] That's what I want to bring you this morning, for the new
year, I want to bring you God’s Peace.
Wrapped up in a parcel; handed on a
platter. “Here,” said the prophet to a little group, “I’m giving you God’s
Peace.”
You said, “Www—hold it, hold it.
Hold it, hold it!”
That’s, you see, what’s wrong with
you. You can’t let yourself go. You can’t let your thinking go. You can’t
believe God does what the prophet vindicated said He’s going do: “I’m going to
bring you this Peace and give it to you.” Paul said it’s a ministry that’s
going to come, and he said, “I know it.” And he said, “I wish I had a part in
it!” Manifested power of God, that’s going to transfigure
people standing right there. Not like Abraham and his wife, who stood
there and, then, died of old age! But going back to
youngsters, literally youngsters. Handed to them.
4. Do you know what you’re handling today,
brother/sister, listening to this Word of God? Where are your ears that can
hear? Where’s your heart, to believe? If that’s not the way you were taught It, you were taught wrong.
You say, “Would God really let a
prophet do that?”
What do you think? A vindicated man
would tell you a lie? God’s integrity is such that He’s worse than the devil?
Allow His Holy Name to be used, and no other name
under heaven than the Name of Jesus Christ, whereby you must be saved? And that
man used it time after time; and something listened, and something answered
back!
You say, “Well, Bro. Branham really
didn’t do what he did with so and so…”
God help you. You are in unbelief.
“Oh, Bro. Vayle’s
spirit’s wrong. Oh, you know, he’s got the truth but his spirit is wrong!”
How in the world can I have the
truth missing the Holy Ghost? No, it’s not on tape; there’s a flame of fire
over my head. That nobody ever heard Bro. Branham say it, but this Bible open,
my hand upon it, knowing there’s a God in heaven, I challenge every single
person and look you right in the eye, every single one of you. I challenge you.
I’ve not lied to you. God’s Peace is a gift.
5. [43] I
want to bring you this, this morning, for the new year, not looking back, but
we're looking forward to the breaking of a new day.
What new day? Number three. We’ve
been through two. And, if you think it’s going to take exactly two thousand
years, you don’t know what you’re talking about. Because a
part of a day is counted as a whole day. If time has run into eternity,
we are already into the Resurrection whether you want to believe it or not.
And you say, “But Bro. Vayle, I’ve got to see something.”
And Thomas said the same thing. And
right in the face of the true Resurrection, Jesus said, “I am the resurrection
and the life,” and there He stood, and they said, “Who is this fellow?”
And one man said, and he was around
Him all the time, and even saw Lazarus raised from the dead, with his face
sunken and everything else, and he stood there, and he said, “Well,” he said,
“I might believe…” He said, “Yes, I could believe. In fact I believe I am
persuaded to the extent, if I could poke my finger in His side and my fingers
into the nail prints in His palm,” he said, “I’ll believe.”
And this morning I heard another
stupid sermon. Oh, every doctor will tell you there was no nail prints in
Jesus’ hands, because you see, He would have fallen off the cross; and so what
they did, they stuck the spike in His wrist. And then say they believe that
Jesus turned water into wine and Moses crossed the
6. There’s a breaking of a new day. What
is this man William Branham talking about? He’s talking about the book of
Philippians, that’s what he’s talking about—Philippians 3. Phil 3:9:
(9)
And
be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is the law, but that
which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by
faith:
(10)
That
I may know him, and the power of his resurrection,
That’s
Ephesians 1! Paul didn’t get that in Galatians 1! Paul never got it in 1
Corinthians 13, which we read last night, concerning the emblems of the Lord’s
Supper. He didn’t get it. You understand what I’m saying? He didn’t get it. He
didn’t have it. It’s like Bro. Branham said, “We know He’s going to do it. We
just don’t know how He’s going to do it.” And this man, the apostle Paul, spoke
beyond his knowledge, like all prophets do, until there comes a time for a
prophet to come on the scene and reveal the Word, like John the Baptist did. We
saw that last night. He said:
(10) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and
the fellowship of his sufferings,
7. What are the fellowship of his sufferings? The greatest battle
ever fought. The greatest battle ever fought. Jesus himself went down to
You want to
fellowship the sufferings? It’s in the mind. Devil trying every trick he can to
get you away from the revealed Word of God. Don’t tell me I don’t know. I get
my phone calls. I can’t go to a meeting anymore, but people begin asking me
questions they should ask their own pastor; then blow the whole thing. I know
people only too well. You can’t tell them anything. They don’t want the
fellowship of sufferings. They want to jump in the pig puddle and then say,
“Get me out of here,” only to jump back in the pig puddle again.
(10) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and
the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
What is his
death? How could Paul be conformed to his death? He was born out of due season.
He’s looking down the road to the future, to be crucified afresh. To stand with
the Holy Spirit, right here, [Points to the picture of the Pillar of Fire over
Bro. Branham.] there in a Pillar of Fire talking through a prophet, with a
vindicated Word, standing right there, crucified with him! That’s what he’s
talking about. Don’t get your history all messed up. It’s too late in the day.
(11)
If
by any means I (may) attain (to) the (out) resurrection (from among) the dead.
8. This is going to put him in the
out-resurrection, brother/sister; not a spiritual resurrection, which we have
been through, but put you in the out-resurrection from amongst the dead, which
means, put you in the Bride, the second half of the First Resurrection, to rule
and to reign with Jesus Christ! This is the truth I’m telling you. How could
Paul suffer back there? He hadn’t got a thing to do with it. He’s talking of
this hour. You think they didn’t crucify William Branham? They wrote dirty
books about him; they wrote dirty books about me.
And some of you people sitting right
here; you don’t even believe me. You don’t have to believe me. That’s part of
the crucifixion. Preachers get my tapes just to hear what’s on them, use what’s
on them, then blast me behind my back. That’s fine.
That’s their business. As long as I don’t do it. But
you wonder why this pulpit’s closed? You bet it’s closed. I got no chip on my
shoulder. I’m just telling you a fact, because I’m obligated. No sir, I’ll die
by the grace of almighty God, and my living Jesus, and I’ll serve my own way as
I’m led according to that Word.
9. He
said:
(12) Not
as though I had already attained (Certainly he couldn’t. Or were) already perfect:
(Certainly he couldn’t! No way!) but I follow after, if that I may apprehend
that for which (I’m) also apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Fulfilling the ministry he’s got,
living out his life in the place where God put him! And he knew it was the
place for him! And Bro. Branham said, “If I’d been given a chance, a choice,
this is the hour, the age, the part of the Word, I would have picked; just the
same as Paul would say, I would have picked this hour!” How content are you
this day with the peace of God in this Word—the prophet handing it to us? I
wasn’t content for a long time, but I’m elated today. I’m very, very happy.
(13) Brethren,
I count not myself to have apprehended: (My course isn’t over yet.)
I’m going to tell you one thing: he
said, “I don’t dwell on the past, and I can’t have the future, so I just forget
those things that are right behind me, and just keep moving on, moving on.” I
forget my breakfast and enjoy my dinner. And, when I’ve had my dinner, I forget
my dinner and enjoy my supper. And, if I feel like a snack at night, I forget
my supper, and I have my snack. Next morning I wake up, and I forget my snack,
and I enjoy my breakfast. Exactly. He was a meat and
potato Christian. And anybody in this Message that’s not a meat and potato
Christian, you are not in this Message. Always looking back, always looking
forward. How do you count for preachers that fought the Presence for 14 years?
No, 11 years. And now, suddenly, it’s right. They don’t even know the Judge is
here. The Judge! The Avenger! [Points to the picture of the
Pillar of Fire.] They didn’t know when Bro. Branham was discerning, that
was not Bro. Branham! That was not a gift! That was judging. And he stood there
and said, “You couldn’t hide if you tried.” Took five thousand to ten thousand
or fifty thousand people—It wouldn’t matter if there
was one million—not one could hide. Was that William Branham? That was Judge!
What are they talking about?
10. But he said:
(14) I
press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
He couldn’t get it. What was the
prize? Immortality. Oh my, immortality. Do you
people…? Is there anybody here that doesn’t want to exist? Well, put it this
way: are you a philosopher, who can sit in the seat this morning, and you can say,
“Well, I really don’t exist, and the person beside me really doesn’t exist, and
nothing really does exist, because it’s all non-existent!”
You say, “Now that’s literally too
stupid.”
There are people who are just that
stupid. See?
(14) I
press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Absolutely, that is at hand right
now. We’re not looking down the road, we’re looking right here. And that’s what
I was referring to. Always looking ahead, always looking backward, but they
don’t understand what’s going on. This is one reason I teach Bro. Branham’s
messages word-by-word, and will not change my method. I just want you to know
brother/sister, that this is no foolish thing we’re
dealing with. This is not settled by a society called a church. This is not
something you vote on. This is something God ordained: “THUS SAITH THE LORD!”
And it’s Word upon Word, vindicated Word upon Word. All
right.
11. We’re looking forward to the breaking
of a new day; we’re into it--the third day.
[43] There is something great laying ahead of us, over the years it
has been with joy we've looked toward it, the pressing, coming of the great
Light. And now we can see it breaking over the horizon. And Bro. Branham, the
light, toward the light, was crucified. They wouldn’t credit him his vision,
anymore than they credited John, or they credited Jesus. Breaking over the
horizon into a realm beyond, far beyond. Now, what’s it doing? It's breaking
between mortality and immortality. We see it breaking between heaven and earth,
from an earth-bound with sickness and trouble, into a bright shining day, Millennium,
one more day, and it’s mingling.
You really believe that? You’ve got
to believe it, if you believe the Message, because he said it’s joined together.
Now just the fact that you accept it will start you on the right road. But, if
you ponder it and doubt it, and try to look here and look there, you may have
already missed it. Now take my word for it; you’ve got to accept it. Never mind
what your friends have said, your father, mother say, or anybody else. I wish
you were my age, and didn’t have any parents or relatives to hinder you. But
most of you got relatives that pull on you. They want to be the leader. Well,
follow them. I can tell you where you’re both going to go. That’s the truth
there--and no place else. [Points to the picture of the
Pillar of Fire.] No other man had it.
12. [43] We
see it breaking between heaven and earth, world troubled with sickness, but
there’s a bright shining day of immortal Life coming – that’s the millenium
right there, because from then on, you don’t number time. To an immortal earth
that will never pass away, just like our bodies. It’s Rev 10:1-7, that’s come
into view. It’s “Shalom,” unto the elected church. Now, it's Light time coming
for believers, but a gross darkness for the people. That’s what it is.
Just like, remember, the cloud of
light that steered
13. [44] The
other day we were talking, the wife and I, we were talking about the hour we're
living in. Now, the reason I chose this place, (That’s
Now we’re going to watch paragraph
45 very closely.
[45] I have constantly done my very best to try to, in disagreeing
with a man in religious terms; but, if I couldn't take his hand afterward, no
matter how sharp the thing might be, and take a hold of his hands, and say
"this is in the light of a better understanding between us,” and still
love the person (not to just say it from my lips, but from my heart), then I'm
no subject at all to go out there and to try to talk to people. Do you hear
what he’s saying? You heard it, and the ‘Amen’ means you heard it. The ‘Amen’
doesn’t mean you know what he said, nor that you’re willing to go and do it.
So, I took it as ‘Amen’ according to the simple question; you heard what I read
you. Because, see, we must do that. We must love the person. See?
Now love’s going to come out of the
Word. So, you better know what the Word says in relationships inside the church
and outside the church before you swallow this, hook, line and sinker, in some
foolish dazed manner, and come out in a wrong way. Because the love can only
come by the Holy Ghost shed abroad in your heart—by a revealed Word. So, you
better know what the revealed Word says. Now here’s a prophet talking.
[ ] Because, see, we must do that. We must love the person. See?
And going amongst the people in all kinds of classes, and different cults and
clans, though to the eyes of the world we are cults and clans, and say that
just tell them we are that offhandedly, but we’re not. We’re the true Bride of
Christ. And religions and so forth, and trying to lay the Bible down, and say
"let’s discuss it not from your creed or your book of ethics, but from the
Bible.” Now, watch. Maybe sometimes a man gets up real sharp; but, if I got one
thought I didn’t like that person, then I will know one thing, the Spirit of
Christ has departed from me. If I can feel that I don’t like that person,
there’s something wrong with me.
14. Now, listen carefully. Let’s look at
this picture. Bro. Branham says, “If I, in dealing with the Word of God,” and
he said any preachers that uses the Word as a club is a hypocrite. Now you
might think I’m a hypocrite, because I get a little bit tired of people making
me a liar to what Bro. Branham said about me and my ministry. And, if you
people are in the shape where you cannot have faith in me, believe me, and then
think I would tell a lie up here, I want you to do me one favor. Please find a
man you got confidence in—that you can believe. And I’m inviting you to do it.
Not trying to hurt anybody, but you understand what I’m saying. I’ve got to be
true to the ministry Bro. Branham said I had.
15. Now, watch very carefully.
[ ] Sometimes a man gets up real sharp; but, if I got one
thought I didn’t like that person, then I know one thing, the Spirit of Christ
departed from me. If I can feel I don’t like that person, there's something
wrong with me.
Now, listen. Can the Spirit of God
ever depart from any born-again Christian at any time? The answer is, “No.”
Bro. Branham said, “When you break the speed limit; the Holy Spirit leaves the
car.” What is he telling us? That the influence of the Holy
Spirit is broken—the intercessory qualities. Now, let’s look at it, over
here in Rom 8:26:
(26)
Likewise
the Spirit also help(s) our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray
for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with
groanings which cannot be uttered.
(27)
And
he that searcheth the heart know(s what’s) in the mind of the Spirit, because
he make(s) intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Bro. Branham said to the woman who
was praying all the time for a particular gift, like prophecy, he said, “It
wasn’t meant for you. You were praying for somebody else. The Holy Ghost was
using you.”
Now you see what I’m saying here:
the Spirit of God, the Paraclete the One called
alongside to help; that One Who is in our hearts, our minds and our lives, does
not leave us per se, but the influence that He would exert upon a yielded
spirit does leave us, because we superimpose our spirit over His.
Now Bro. Branham said, “I must not
let that spirit that he’s got, very sharp, bother me.”
A woman sat with Bro. Branham. She
said, “Bro. Branham, why is it men are always trying to pick me up?” She said,
“There’s a man over there trying to pick me up.”
And he said, “Sister, because he’s
got the same spirit on him you’ve got on you.”
16. Now, what am I leading to? This man has
a sharp spirit. This man deliberately is sent by Satan in order to upset you,
so that you will let his spirit get on you. And, when that spirit gets on you,
I’m not going to stand here and tell you it’ll ever get off of you—how long it
will take to get off of you. The only clue I know is this: that Bro. Branham
said, “You pray,” he said to those who prophesy wrong. He said, “If your
prophecy doesn’t come to pass, you pray until that spirit gets off you, because
you have an evil spirit on you.”
And the person say, “Well, I was
just opening my mouth, and I was just, you know, trying to be under an
influence of God, just speaking, you know, like an anointed speaking.”
That is the devil, my
brother/sister. It’s prompting is not God.
Now, let’s settle that this morning,
and understand what I’m talking about. You get a spirit on you; I get a spirit
on me. What happens? That spirit will cause you to pay a price and cause this
church to pay a price. And I’m going to tell you this morning, you are paying a
price right now, because I let a certain spirit get on me, because I got very
excited over a certain thing. I won’t tell you all of it, because it would be
kind of embarrassing. But I had the chance, when I became very angry, because I
spoke more than once. I wanted the air cleared; the air was not cleared. The
tension began to rise. That within a matter of hours, something in my heart
said, “Forget the whole thing. Let it blow over.” I was very stubborn and very
obstinate. I’m fighting that thing now, and you people in the pews are doing
the same thing. I’ve watched you.
17. Let me go to the Bible this morning and
simply show you something over here in 1 Peter 3. Now I’ve been looking to God
to help me to say the things I’m saying. This has to do with deacons and
everybody else in this church. And it worked out perfectly, what God opened my
mind to this paragraph for this morning here, and I’m very, very serious and
sober about this, because this church is in a place where you could have very
severe trouble, if we don’t get spirits under control.
I know a preacher right now, who
already announced to his congregation. He said, “Looks like our church is going
to split.”
And there are certain preachers
behind that split.
You say, “Bro. Vayle,
watch that spirit.”
I got a ministry; nobody takes it
from me. Nobody stand in my way. Don’t ever try it again. It was tried before.
Don’t ever try it again. I’m rough, but I’m not meaning to be rough. I want you
to know a few things.
18. 1 Peter 3. Listen.
(1)
Likewise,
ye wives, be in subjection to your own husband.
The word subjection is the same word
used concerning Christ subjecting the church to Himself,
which is the ‘keleusma,’ which is the Shout, which is
the revealed Word. Wives, your husbands have the revealed Word; you be subject to him. If he’s not in the Word, you can’t be
subject. Your soul’s destiny depends upon it. But, remember this: if your
husband makes a decision that is not spiritual, that is wrong; the wife
shouldn’t fight it. She’s under obligation. And I’m not fussing at women; I’m
trying to give you the Scripture.
(1) …That,
if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the
(behavior) of the wives;
(2) While
they behold your chaste (behavior) coupled with fear.
Now, remember; It says right here,
that the husband must be obeyed in those things which the woman should be
obedient to, knowing that the husband is the head physically, but there’s a
head beyond that which is Christ, revealed Word. Now he’s telling you how to
win the husband.
(3) Whose
adorning let it not be (with the) outward adorning of plaiting (a) hair, and
wearing of gold, or putting on apparel; (Not saying that’s wrong. It just said,
don’t try to use that as some little ploy. Pretty for Jesus or something.)
(4) But
let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even
the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great
price.
(5) For
after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God,
adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
19. There again we see, when you talk about
Abraham and Sarah, you got a double portion here that Sarah was not in complete
obedience to Abraham who had the promise. She said, “Listen, Hagar’s there, you
take her.” I don’t like that.
(6)
Even
Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as
(you) do well, and (be) not afraid with amazement. (Now put this onto the
church, never mind women sitting here.)
(7)
Likewise,
ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge.
Now, whether you want to understand
or not, this is sexual. You might not like it, but there’s ten days a woman
could be fertile. Proper birth control is of God. It should be understood. And
men must learn to control themselves. And when they do, there must be some
special blessing in it for them. You wonder why I brought that tape to your
attention, to show you these things, because you will get the Word of God no
other way than knowing the things that’s lined up here.
(7) Likewise,
ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour to the wife,
as unto the weaker vessel, (You’re talking about those things.) as being heirs
together of the grace of (God); that your prayers be not hindered.
You wonder why your prayers aren’t
being answered in your home? You got every problem
under God’s high heaven. And you think that sex is going to solve it. It isn’t
going to solve it. It’s got to be the proper kind, proper relationship. Hindered prayers. The church fighting on the ropes, trying
to survive, because people will not acknowledge the Word of God as a conduct laid down.
He’s talking to the church—heirs of
the grace of God. Prayers can be hindered. It’s bad enough when people go off
the Word and don’t listen to God, their prayers don’t get answered. But, let me
tell you, brothers and sisters, when you begin to harbor wrong conditions in
the house, by disobeying the Word of God, and you think you can work it out by
some kind of a little love you got in your heart, let me tell you this: your
prayers are not going above your nose. You’re hindering your whole family.
You’re hindering the church! And your prayer’s an abomination. And, if you don’t
understand what I’m saying today, you better understand, I’m going to tell you,
there’s a void, funny feeling in your heart when you pray, and you know you’re
not getting through.
And do you know why some of you
women/men, can’t pray together? It’s because you don’t love each other enough.
You simply won’t do it. Get rid of your problems, so you can really pray—your
prayers not be hindered. You may get sick one of these days where you’ll thank
God you’ve got a wife you can pray with, a husband you can pray with. That’s
what Bro. Branham’s talking about. Letting spirits get on you.
20. Do you know what the Bible said about
getting a spirit on you? [Matthew 5]
(25)
Agree
with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him; lest (your)
adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge to the prison.
(26)
(And
you won’t) come out, (before they pay) the uttermost farthing.
I’m going to tell you something,
brother/sister. When we get off the Word of God here and certain spirits come
in, either me or you, you watch how the Word becomes sharp. It’s like the Word,
the water flowing over the rougher stones, the sharp stones that cause those
little whirls and riffles and things. It’s not leading me beside the still
waters.
21. Let’s go back to the Book of Timothy; I
think I want. Let me show you something here. 1 Timothy
3.
(1)
This
is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop (an elder, whatever),
he desire(s) a good work. (And Bro. Branham put the bishop and the deacon as
one.)
(2)
(The)
bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, (He’s got to be married. A
bachelor can’t do it. He’s got to have one wife.) vigilant, sober, of good
behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach.
(3)
Not
given to wine, no striker, (or) greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a
brawler, not covetous;
(4)
One
that ruleth his own house, having his children in subjection with gravity;
That’s the same word again. Let me
tell you something about a certain man that I consider a very sorry being. And
I’m sorry, but that’s just the way I’m going to put it. His name is Swaggart. You know why I feel sorry for that man? The same
as I felt sorry for A.A. Allan. A.A. Allan never overcame drunkeness
and liquor. But I read his life story, and I could have cried for the boy. His
mother was an Annie Oakley, as she was tough and rotten. She left her first
husband, shacked up with another man. And they would get Allan and his brother
rip-roaring drunk as tiny tots, so they’d roll around the floor and do crazy
antics, and they laughed their fool heads off. That’s what happened to A.A.
Allan.
What happened to Swaggart?
His dad beat him. His self-righteous, holier than thou, pontificating dad, who
was so afraid his son might bring some disrepute upon him, or some shame
somehow! Somehow! He no doubt verbally abused the boy concerning sexual
matters. Thought as though he was already into it! Made it so
degrading and so disgusting, no doubt. Listen, that’s the pattern.
Beating the boy up! I understand, when he even ran off and got married, his dad
beat him up again.
22. You men got tempers where you’d beat
your kids over age? I never laid a hand on our kids past twelve. I took them
one day, and they were squabbling, I said, “Listen you kids, you ain’t got the brains of a couple of lice. If I’ve got to slug
you into submission, that you’re not big enough now to face life, you’ll never
be big enough.” Young boys of thirteen had their Bar Mitzvah; they were men.
Better check carefully if you’re fit to be a deacon. I mean it. You’ll pay a
price if you are not fit. The church will pay a price. Abusing a child is
wrong. Abusing women is wrong. I don’t care how you might want to flatten them.
With the old left hook and the double-cross right.
It’s far better to get so mad you break a plate on the floor, or something. Lay
a hand on nobody. We’re reading Scripture. We read about women; reading about
men.
23. Now, listen; their kids can
misunderstand. They think you’re hounding them, because you want certain things
out of them. There’s a big difference if you have them in subjection according
to the Word of God, like Bro. Branham said, “Billy Paul, you know I love you,
and this is your home. As long as you obey the Word of God.
(But he said,) as long as you’re doing what you’re doing, and this is God’s
house, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
You say, “Bro. Vayle,
I couldn’t do that.”
And have your kids committing
adultery right in the beds in your house? What kind of people are you? I want
to ask the question, what kind of people are you? You say you believe Bro.
Branham? Something’s wrong somewhere, if you don’t obey His Word.
24. Now I’ve watched some of you. You’re
raising your kids beautifully, with love and understanding. I can see a future
for your children here, that it won’t be your fault if anything happens. You’ve
said it all; you’ve done it all. But, listen; every deacon’s got to come this
way. There’s special things laid down. But I’m sorry for Jimmy Swaggart. I believe it was his dad’s fault that did it.
Look, every child reared is a risk, because they’ll misunderstand. I don’t know
how they do, but they got a penchant for doing it. They’ll misunderstand you.
They’ll come back twenty years from
now and say, “Well, maybe papa and mama weren’t quite as stupid as I thought.”
But the Bible says, “Honor your
father and mother. That the days that God gives in this land
will be good days.”
And I’m going to tell you: only a
stupid, foolish parent would tell you like I know a certain man told his son,
all of his sons, “Get her upstairs and get ‘em upstairs,”
he said. “But you,” he said to the one boy, “You’re going to be a preacher. You
can’t touch women.”
Has any of
your parents told you to commit adultery? To be wrong?
Go on out and get AIDS. Look, I’m telling you what’s going to happen. I preached
years ago, people rotting, their puss dropping upon the ground, and the ground
cannot cleanse itself, because the antibiotics are all gone now, the earth
cannot cleanse itself. It’s finished. Do you want to be in that category? Or do
you want to make God your rock? Listen you parents, it’s up to you to tell your
children. I’m telling you. [End of side one of the audio
tape.]
25. He said here: [1
Timothy 3]
(3) …not
a brawler, not covetous (patient);
(4) …children
in subjection with all gravity.
In other words, don’t be foolish
with your children. Don’t let them think you’re just pulling some rank on them.
Have them try to help you. If the kids are getting sour, there’s something
wrong with the way it’s being presented. If I found you turning into a sour
congregation, you know what I’d do? I’d apologize to you, and I’d leave you,
never to come back again, and do my best to get you somebody that can bring you
up.
What I’m saying this morning is not
to get you down, but I must say the things that are in the Word of almighty
God. And, whether I point all the fingers at myself and take all the blame to
begin with… And I have a lot to blame, because I should know the tricks of the
devil more than anybody else. It’s not just sufficient to know what the Word of
God says in a certain area. It’s to know what is in every area, because
something is required of us.
26. “In all subjection.” In
other words, with the Word. The minister that rules the church has the
church in subjection. It’s a Word ministry. It’s a shepherding. The father
shepherds the family. If the hand is good enough to feed your mouth, it’s good
enough to correct your posterior, if it’s necessary; although that is never
required too often, unless a child cannot be talked to. I’ve seen it where you never
can talk to them. There’s no way. Plead with them, cry with them, pray, everything else. But they’ll come back later and want
your money. Oh yeah. Pray with your children, grandchildren, watch their faces
while you pray. But later down the road, when they’re messed up with sin and
debts, oh, how the hand is out for everything they can take you for. Kids,
listen to me. God have pity on you.
I’m like Bro. Branham this morning:
I feel sorry for what’s here. I look back, and I didn’t have it the least bit
tough to what you’ve got. I didn’t have to contend with those two hundred
thousand spirits released at the river
27. (5) For if a man
not know how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the
Forget it. Not interested. We run
out of deacons? We’ll import some. Joe Raczkovy, move
down. Joe’s learned a lot in the last seven, eight years. There was a time when
he said, “Oh, Bro. Vayle you’re wrong.”
I said, “Okay, I’m wrong. You’ll
find I’m right.”
“Bro. Vayle
you’re right.”
Two times, and he was a changed man.
I didn’t give him wrong advice. Never told him a lie.
Still haven’t told him a lie. Don’t intend to. I had a man, preacher, (Some of
you know him.) who told me a lie the other day. Yet he can come to my home, but
his spirit’s not going to get on me. No, no. Be careful little child. It’s
getting late in the day.
(6)
Not
(being) a novice, lest being lifted with pride he fall (in) condemnation of the
devil.
Most, if not all, of you brethren
never felt at any time you knew more than anybody else. I’ll tell you one
thing, I challenge any person anywhere to challenge two men in this church,
that’s Pete [Klassen] and Lloyd [Lusk]. And I will go
down the row. I’ve never heard anybody in my life take the Word of God and
handle it in a precise way, so that in five minutes he could do with that Word,
that which almost seems impossible, and that’s Gregg Sleutz.
I’m naming a few names. Ever seen anybody work like Dave Ozimek?
I don’t know how he does it. I don’t know why he just doesn’t take the cooking
over and give Ruth a holiday. How many jobs does Joe [White] do? That’s just
naming some. There’s others I could name too, and
you’re not disregarded. It’s just, as pastor, I want to let you all know very
emphatically that the majority of men here have a revelation of this Word,
having listened to them and talked to them. I marvel at it. And I’m highly
gratified. And I’m highly gratified with every single brother that ever stood
up here and took five to fifteen minutes. I am more than gratified.
28. And I can say this, I believe there’s
some of the audience sitting here, that you could do about the same good job
as, but not in the category of, Bro. Klassen. Now that’s
not to just make him feel good, but it’s the truth of the matter. If I didn’t
believe, it I wouldn’t say it, because I don’t have to butter him up. There’s
no necessity in buttering him up. Why should I butter anybody up? Praise is
good for you, especially since I am not silent when things don’t go so good.
And I know that there are many more, not
mentioned who would startle me with your ability. And, let me say this further,
I’m glad you startle me, or I might think I’ve wasted my time as well as yours.
That’s the truth. Word upon Word is being piled up, and the majority of you are
giving it out, and so you must.
29. Now Bro. Branham said, “If a man is
sharp,” he said, “I must not under any condition answer him in kind.” Let me go
a little further. He said, “One day I went to the cave to pray for Dr. Davis.”
He said, “The man had said some terrible things. So, I went to God and I prayed
for Dr. Davis’ soul and for his sake, lest he would reap what he was sowing.”
Oh my, brother/sister, listen. It’s
being crucified with Christ in this hour. What the prophet laid down here is
ever so true. But, let me tell you something: we pay a price for listening to
the wrong spirits. And we have a spirit that’s been allowed of God, but is not
of God. And that spirit, because it animates the body, and because it’s the
link to the mind and the soul, it’ll do everything it can to deceive you.
That’s its job. It’s very tricky, very nasty. Dogmatic spirits are very wrong.
Some people might think, because I
preach the way I do, I know more of this Message than anybody living. That is
not true. Not true at all. I don’t believe that. But I have to believe what the
prophet said, and I don’t believe I’m going to teach anything but what he did
say; and by the grace of God I can look behind what is here, and tell you, as
I’m trying to tell you this morning, and to let you know why the prophet said
it. Because it is true, if you are born again, the Holy Ghost cannot leave you.
You’ve been sealed in. But the influence of Romans 8 is off of us.
The protection of God’s hand upon
the wheel at 65 miles per hour in a 55 miles per hour
zone. I’m sorry, but it isn’t there any longer. You may get away with it,
thinking we do. Maybe like one smart fellow said, “Look, bless God, when I’m
behind the wheel of a car, I’m not under law, but under grace.” It was the word
of a smart alec. Another
Pentecostal preacher told he could always talk a patrolman out of a ticket. And
he went down the road knowing he was going to break the law. Now that’s very
touchy. I could skirt that one, because I’ve done it myself, many times. I’d
say, “Let’s talk about something interesting, something like you’ve got.” But
I’m not a legalist. I don’t commit adultery and say, “Well, hallelujah, God
even forgave David,” and “You spit on the floor, and you’re going to hell.”
Look, that’s not the way this church is operated. I’m wrong, I’m wrong! I’m
right, I’m right! You’re wrong, you’re wrong! You’re right, you’re right!
That’s all. And the beautiful thing is, we can be
right.
30. Now, watch what he said. Now listen,
he’s relating it to the Alpha and Omega.
[46] Because the Spirit of Christ, when they crucified Him, and His
Own people driving the nails, now watch, His Own people driving the nails.
I thought the Roman soldiers did it.
Who were behind the Roman soldiers? The Roman soldiers are exonerated. Bro.
Branham said, “I understand,” he said, anyway to a young man, “Look,” he said,
“If you’re conscripted, you go to war, and you kill somebody, you will not be
blamed, but your government will be.” I do know he told a man that was a friend
of mine, who quit his job and said, “I can not do what the company wants me to
do.” He said, “You do it. You were hired by them. You listen to them; they will
answer to God.”
So, who crucified Christ? Paul tells
us, they both crucified and killed the Lord Jesus Christ. The Jews did. See,
they took on the Roman spirit. And they used the Roman spirit. And that’s what
the church is going to do at the end time. They’re going to use that Roman
spirit, the Roman complex, and think they’re going to get away with it.
31. Now, listen.
[ ] And His very creation He created was putting the nails, that
He created back into His human flesh. And yet, with a heart full of love, He
cried, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”
Now that’s what I’m talking about
concerning the love shed abroad in our heart by the Holy Ghost. If it doesn’t happen through the Word of God, and the life in it…
Although look, you and I can put on a good front, and so we
should. And we should diligently try. We must keep our spirits. All of
that’s there. But I’m trying to say, listen, there’s already a motivation in
this Word that makes us to know, as I’ve already said, look, that spirit
doesn’t have to control us. I don’t have to listen to that spirit. I can keep
my spirit through the power of God. See? Then comes out of that, that love
which is in the Word, because the Word said, “Forgive them, they don’t know
what they’re doing.” You see?
32. Now, look; let’s go over here to Matthew
12. This is to the Gentiles. The original. Watch, verse 22.
(22)
Then
(they) brought (a man) possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: he healed him,
insomuch the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
(23)
And
all the people were amazed, said, Is this not the son of David?
(24)
(And)
when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils,
but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
(25)
(When)
Jesus knew their thoughts, (he) said, Every kingdom divided against itself is
brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not
stand:
(26)
And
if Satan cast out Satan, (and so on.)
And then, down below in verse 31, to
the end time message:
(31) Wherefore
I say, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but
blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
What about that? Bro. Branham does
not abnegate it. They are going to do it. But he’s talking in terms of
presenting this message to people who perchance might just listen. Not that they’ll
believe it. They may come back against you. And he said,
now “That’s the time to watch yourself.” Because you can get the same spirit on
you that’s on that person, which is a spirit of
unbelief, which comes out fighting—lying! Stand with Christ alone. Stand with
the crucifixion. Stand with the Word of this hour.
And like Jesus said, “Father forgive
them, they don’t know what they’re doing.”
They don’t know they’re blaspheming!
They don’t know.
Some little poor person says, “You
know, I believe I blasphemed the Holy Ghost.”
Bro. Branham said, “When you think
that, know positive proof that you haven’t!” These people don’t even know
they’ve done it.
You think the Nazarene and the
33. But Bro. Branham is teaching us here:
look; remember, don’t yield to the spirits out there. Don’t yield to a spirit
that gets in your home. Don’t yield to a spirit that’s on your boy or on your
girl. I know a certain guy… There’s certain people
here sitting that can tell you about a certain preacher. He had a little bit of
an idea that his married boy was committing adultery; so, he spied on him. When
he caught the boy in the act, he beat his teeth in! I want to ask you a
question. Did that father do right as a minister? No! They that take the sword
perish by the sword. They that take the fist shall receive an uppercut or a
right cross to put you out of the ring for maybe four days in a coma. Not
obstreperous, not feisty. Not fighting. Standing for the truth? Yes! Never
turning; never bowing. And not full of a false love like some greasy
politician, but just honestly, sincerely handling the Word.
34. Now here’s where we start with honest,
sincere handling: the passive. From there we go to the honest, sincere handling,
which is in a conduct. And the prophet did this, and I know, because I watched
the prophet. Paragraph 47:
[47] And I've come to that spot. I believe that people don't know
what they're doing. That’s today, the Omega. It comes to the time to where the
human being has, look like, become such a subject to evil until it's a pathetic
thing. It seems like there's a shadow of darkness, just over the people, that
presses them.
[48] Like, for instance, this one thing. Crossing the nation and
speaking, the Lord God identifying, vindicating His Word, showing that it’s
exactly right, and never let anything be said unless it came to pass exactly
what He said, speaking it right into existence, if necessary, sure did. And so
forth, as He's been doing. And people set and look at that, and continue right
on in their same condition.
Now brother/sister, what are you
going to do to people that turn down vindication? Well, if they keep trying to
get you to try to change your mind, you just say, “Hey, listen; we’ve been through
that. And you and I can fellowship but not on the Word, unless it’s a Word that
you and I both agree on: the fact that the Blood was shed, there is one God,
there is no eternal hell, there is a resurrection coming up. But, if it bothers
you to talk about a vindicated prophet, so that you’re thereby denying him,
feel free to look into other men’s writings and all, and say, ‘This is mine bless God, and I stand here as a real solid
person.’” And no vindication, brother/sister? Just sweetly call the whole thing
off and learn to overcome.
Remember, I talked to a certain
fellow calling me all the time. Finally got a little bit
upset with him. And I let him know just where I stood. I said, “Look, I
believe in a vindicated prophet,” and I put it so strong he never phoned back
for a long, long time. When he did, he apologized. Well, he’s learned he can’t
get anywhere, attacking Bro. Branham. So, he says nice things, while he lets me
know all the books he’s read of all the fine scholars.
35. And you know what, brothers? Let me tell
you something. If you want anybody that comes near anything to proving anywhere
the Bible just might be true, there’s only one person to read; that is
Spurgeon. No other preacher but Spurgeon. Don’t bother reading Wesley. He prayed
for his horse. A few people got healed; and in his meetings the people got such
a spirit of anti-christ on them, the actual history
said, they ran like animals, bounded up walls, scratched their way up walls,
ran along the ridge-pole of barns, bounded down thirty feet, and screamed,
running like criminals--completely devil possessed! Under Evan Roberts, the
great Welsh revival, institutions were filled with the devil-possessed and the
insane. Under Spurgeon, he would walk into an institution for the insane and
pray such an awesome prayer before God, that the
insane would come out sane.
And Spurgeon said, “It is my job to believe
God for the impossible, and leave the results up to Him.”
If I was going to talk about any man as a man
who would lead me in the Word of God, I would go back to Spurgeon and nobody
else.
You say, “What about Charles Price?”
Forget it.
“What about Wigglesworth?”
Forget it.
“Oral Roberts?”
Not interested. Go on back to the old Puritan
doctrine. Go back to truth. And you’ll see a man, who twenty years after he was
dead, the congregation was still rising, praising God for the miracles of
healing.
36. Yet these men would try to tell you,
“I’ve got some great scholar you should listen to who can take the Scripture
and weave them back and forth the way I like it!”
A man came to my house, he said,
“Lee, what’s this Parousia business?”
I
said, “Well, Bro. Branham spoke of it all the time.”
He said, “My ministry declared that
He is here.”
“Well,” he said, “If you mean He’s here, the
Lord Jesus Christ Himself in the form of the Holy Ghost,” he said, “what’s
wrong with that?”
Yet the preachers don’t know as much
as that man who sits all by himself, because he said, “There’s nobody out here
preaching.”
The preacher was so insane, he took
this man’s daughter aside, and he said, “You have no right to conduct your
father’s business. You’re a woman. Get out of that business.”
Can you understand that preacher
saying that, when Bro. Branham told Al Arnett’s wife, “Aggie, you know
business. You do the business, but listen to Al in spiritual things.”
And that’s just one out of two
cases.
37. I want to ask you a question, what’s the
matter with these preachers? You know what’s wrong with them? Are they born
again? I’m not here to judge anybody. Something’s already done the judging. If
the Spirit of God has told me that that’s an organ and told me that’s a guitar
stand, I’m not going to say, “Well, you know people, that
happens to be a jukebox.” No. I’m not judging, because I tell the truth.
You’re not judging, if you understand the things of
God. But brother/sister, you better have something to judge with. Peace.
You say, “Bro. Vayle,
that’s kind of a rousing kind of a message you gave, but you don’t have too
much peace concerning the things you said.”
No problem. Now that we’re aware of these
things, we just simply go to the Word of God and say, “Yes Lord. They’re there.
I admit they’re there. They’re part of my life.”
The minute you look at it, the ghost
begins to disappear. The power of the unknown begins to fade. And the power of the known [Points to the picture of the Pillar of
Fire.] takes precedence and authority over the power of the unknown; because at
the end time it is a knowing, not an unknowing.
38. You understand what I’m saying? Feed on
the Word of God, brother/sister. Don’t be afraid of any part of it. I’ve not
been afraid to unload my soul this morning and tell you. I haven’t told you
everything. I don’t need to. If you’re smart enough, you catch things. But I
want you to identify with the Word of God spoken. And, if you feel you’ve been
hindering in this church, and it’s coming out of your home, your life, or
something, I just say one thing. It’s going to get worse. It’s not going to get
better, unless you do something about it—unless you recognize truth. Doesn’t make you a filthy person. We’re not talking about
that. Doesn’t destroy you as an individual. It puts
you on track with reality. There’s only one reality, “I am the way, the
reality, and the life.” That word ‘truth’ is reality. “I am the way, the
truth…” That’s not really the definite form. “I am the way and the reality.”
What is real? There it is right there. [Points to the picture
again.] Everything else is going to get shaken down.
39. The Lord help us today to look forward
to a church that God is building, not man—that the Word is building: my life
and your life. It had better. It had better. God didn’t take a cat cell and add
a dog cell to a human cell. Neither does He take anything but Word upon Word
upon Word to the Bride. And neither will the Bride be anything but the Word.
She’ll be glorious. Where we stand today is not the problem. How do we discern
today, knowing that tomorrow, what we have applied in this Word will come forth
in human flesh, and we will be the living epistles of God’s Own Word. We can
be. What I have said today is not to destroy hope, but to bring things to our
attention. Because, if I were saying—and I use myself as an example—if I were
saying that to destroy hope, I would not say it. I’m saying it because I know
we all have problems. We could enumerate many problems. But there isn’t a
problem that doesn’t have a solution in this Word. The Lord help
us all to be Word members of Christ.
Let’s rise and be dismissed.
Gracious Heavenly Father, we’ve
taken time, and I believe, Lord, You opened the door to speak these things
which are more far reaching than our own church here, knowing Father God, that
there wouldn’t be one church that doesn’t have abundant problems; pastors that
look around them and wonder why they aren’t more models to a congregation
that’s more model than the pastor is, and I stand in that very light. But I
know, Lord God, whatever has come forth in any person is due to grace and the
life of the Word. And there isn’t one of us here that cannot apply in some
direct order, that Word, and stand waiting, Lord, for you to bring the
consolation and hope out of the Word, that we might be those living epistles,
read and known of all men—which we are actually, but to be known that we’re
written of You.
Father, help us to be so concerned
with this Word, and the faith that lies in this Word, of what the life in the
Word will do in the vessel that harbors the Word, that, Lord God, there’s going
to be a Bride, and is a Bride standing here right now that’s already vindicated
and indicated as a virtuous virgin, never having sinned, Bride of the Lord
Jesus Christ. And one day it’s going to be absolutely proven to every single
person. Mortality is going to give way to immortality, and there won’t be one
Bride that misses it. And there’ll be a group of people standing here Lord,
having crucified the minds, while the world has crucified the Son of God
afresh, put Him to an open shame, by absolutely denying His Presence, His authority,
His power, His vindication, and His revelation. But a little Bride stands in
that crucifixion, to come forth in the same glory and honor, to sit in the
Throne.
Father, we’re glad that we have heard the call, the scriptural Voice that knocked on the door, and we made a way, not because of anything we are, but because of grace, that we could get together and sup with You, which is indicative of sitting on the Throne with You. Lord, that is the most amazing thing anybody could even begin to look at, to open the mind, the door, the soul, to the One amongst us, and share a throne. N