Shalom #18

Complete Identification

Contridico

May 7, 1989

Shall we pray. Heavenly Father, we want to say we’re again grateful for your kindness, love, and mercy. And again Lord, we stand corrected in Your Presence, because we are so anxious for so many things, especially a complete revelation of Your Word, which we know, eventually being dynamized, will put us into a glorified body and into the Rapture and into the Millennium. But in the meantime, Lord, we realize that we need correction on the grounds of misunderstanding how You do things, as we look back and see when You were here upon earth in the form of a physical being, they thoroughly misunderstood You, right clean across the map. There really wasn’t anybody that really understood, not even John the Baptist, for he said, “Do we look for another one?”

The people forgot the visit of the wise men. They forgot the slaughter of the innocent. They forgot the good news of the vision and the birth of John. They forgot the words of the shepherds and those who knew what happened back there in Your day. Even the disciples didn’t understand. They many times thought they did. But then, there was a time when things did get clear. And Lord, we know we’re in that very hour today, that we stand corrected, trying to get You to move here, do this, do the other thing, when the prophet said that the person that was really full of the Holy Ghost and understood an end time Message, would not be hasty, would just learn what it was to wait; and as he waited, it would become power to him.

And so, Lord, this morning we ask You to forgive us, correct us, and help us to never let this depart from our minds and, thereby, enter into this place of relaxation—the place, Lord, of the dynamism of a revelation that causes a people to walk in that Word. As Your Own apostle said, “If you live in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit.” If we live in this Word, and this Word lives in us, then surely we ought to walk as epistles read and known of all men. Not that men will know us concerning this one thing, but they will know that we have a proper and a right spirit. So, help us this morning in our studies, Lord, and in our ways, that they might be improved upon in Your way of improving. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.

You may be seated.

Now I did not mention in the announcements that right after we have lunch out there, we’re going to come back and talk about whatever enters our minds as the future here for what we described last night as a pastoral help that we have need of.

1. Now this is number 18. I’m shuffling here through some notes, trying to find some things I wrote down, but always I mislay them. And last night we looked at the fact that Bro. Branham had already dealt with light and darkness, and we talked about them being symbolic of life and death as of this particular time. And also, we were looking at the fact that Bro. Branham said, “Now look. We’re going to talk about the New Year.” And he described the New Year as not being something whereby you say, “Well, yesterday was December 31^st, and today is January 1^st; we’ve got a New Year.” He said:

[ ] This New Year is too much like the man that went out and picked up the morning newspaper, and his wife said, “What’s new?” And he said, “Nothing’s new, same old thing, just different people doing it.”

And that’s exactly what Bro. Branham found to be wrong in this particular time, when people say they’re celebrating something new, and it’s not new at all. They’re worshipping in the same old creeds and dogmas, the same old form, the same old formula, the same old way, and they’re missing what is entirely new, which is a Message, which has been proven new by the very grounds that there’s been a healing ministry to vindicate it. As Bro. Branham said: “There’s no such thing as a true healing ministry or revival, unless it gets a new Message.”

And, of course, the Message is, “He is here.” [Bro. Vayle points to the picture of the Pillar of Fire.] And it can’t be the same old tired Message that “He is here.” He is here—there! [Points again.] And, if you don’t see that, you don’t believe this Message as far as I’m concerned. You’re just along for the ride. You just thought you saw something, and you know not the real truth of this hour.

2. Now that’s very blunt, but I’m very blunt in the pulpit. Outside the pulpit, I am not. Outside the pulpit I’ve got no problem. But up here is a different story, because I am accountable to Almighty God in this hour. So, as far as the Word’s concerned, that’s the thing that counts. I’ll not lead you astray in the Word of God. All right.

3. “The New Year,” Bro. Branham said concerning this particular Message, when he brings us the peace of God. And the peace of God is relative to this statement. He said, “It’s not flipping the calendar.” Paragraph 142.

[142] To me, I want to see what’s promised for the day, not some old tired Message. I want to know what the Light of the hour is, so I can know how to walk in it.

Now that’s scriptural, because you are supposed to “walk in the Light as He is in the Light.” Now what Light is Christ in? He is in the Light that rose in the East and came to the West. It’s the same Light. It’s the same vindication according to Matthew 12. But there’s a switch in it! In Matthew 12, the bruised reed He doesn’t break; the smoking flax He doesn’t quench; He does not raise His voice in the streets; He doesn’t strive. But, what does He do? He performs His same ministry proving Heb 13:8¹, proving the apostle Paul was correct! The Pillar of Fire! “Who art Thou?” “I am Jehovah-Savior!”

4. Now, remember; Jehovah-Savior was in Christ reconciling the world. That One left Him! And He’s here now in a Pillar of Fire. Now, understand that. All right. What is He doing? He’s not doing it in the flesh. He’s bringing justice and judgment to the Gentiles. As He judged Israel and said, “It is all over,” now He’s judging the Gentiles. And He doesn’t break the staff. He doesn’t snuff out the little light they had. What little light Israel had, He blew out, because the law was until John. And John was the last light—as a prophet. John died. There’s a whole new year. Grace and truth comes by Jesus Christ. It never came by John. See? So, it’s over for them. But for us it isn’t over! See? In the Church Ages previous to the Seventh, He said, “Spare the oil and the wine”—light and life. So, what does He do? He pours on the fuel to bring the church back to its former light and glory and beyond it. Bro. Branham says, “I want to know what light I am walking in.” In the dark ages the light was what? Suffer, suffer, suffer, and simply stand for what you know. Anything goes, as long as you simply stand for what you know. That’s why you have Saint [Francis] Assisi, and you have different old monks, old priests, godly Roman Catholics. As far as they could go, that was the Light! They walked in it. Luther came along. He had to walk in that light of justification. Wesley came along. Pentecost came along.

5. Now this is a further Light and the last Light.

[142] Now he says, I want to walk in the Light. What is the Light? Well, look, what is the Light? Well, you know very well if there’s a light, it better be something vindicated. Because look at it, people who don’t look for vindication fall for anything. We’re not here to fall for anything. I want to know how far up the road I am.

Now, when Luther came on the road, the Catholics did their best to kill every Protestant. They’ve been doing it before. They just kept on doing it—doing great damage while they had the power to do it. Then, Wesley came on the scene; the Lutherans turned on them. The Pentecostals came on the scene, and what happened? Everybody died, because they blasphemed the Holy Ghost, calling tongues of the devil. Come on, let’s face it, you Baptists sitting here. You ought to be so happy you came out. You should be walking in the Light and rejoicing and testifying and screaming, running around this building right now. And, as a Pentecostal, I should be doing it too. We sit here this morning as non-blasphemers. Now, why are the Catholics coming in now? Because they suddenly understood they’d blasphemed! And the Lutherans, and the Wesleyans? They realized, but they realized too late. And God is taking a final seed out of organization. The rest will stay in there as foolish virgin and die.

What Light am I in? How far up the road am I? That’s what Bro. Branham wants to know. And that took us then to paragraph 143. Now he takes the words of the apostle Paul, not in contradistinction to the words of Peter, but running parallel with the words of Peter, because they’re the same thing.

6. [143] And he said, As Paul said, and it could stand quoting again, “Forgetting those things which are in the past, now I press towards the mark, the high calling,” to the complete identification, when all time will fade out into eternity when Jesus comes.

Now we have another definitive statement. The definitive statement was about the morning star. See? Now there’s a definitive statement here concerning pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. What does the Reverend Branham, God’s prophet, say that means? It means that Paul is calling for a complete identification with Christ, Who is the Word, at a time when eternity and time blends, so that time fades out. When does that happen?

7.  Let’s go to Revelation 10, and we’ll read It. And this is an interpolation.

(1) And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven (messenger), clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, his feet as pillars of fire:

Now you know, absolutely, that’s none but God, Rev 5:1.

(1) And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.

(2) And he had in his hand a little book open (and there again you know it positively is the One upon the throne): and he set his right foot upon the sea, his left foot (upon) the earth,

(3) Cried with a loud voice, when a lion roareth: and when he cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

(4) When the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

(5) And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,

(6) And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created (the) heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

Now, notice; this One, Who is the Creator, is swearing. And you’ll notice; because John enumerates all these things, you know positively that this One has to do with everything concerning creation. Now, though man is a superior creation, part of him is nothing but a hunk of dirt! And so, therefore, the dirt part of you is already here! You’ve been redeemed as a child of God in your spirit, in your soul. But your body has not been redeemed. You have been filled with the Holy Ghost; that is, your body is a temple and has been filled with the Holy Ghost, giving you the understanding that your body has got to come back in the Resurrection. So, he’s telling you here now, that the Creator Himself has come down. And, as Bro. Branham said, God will create again, not through sex, but by the creative Word and bring our bodies back from what they were originally.

8. Now, notice:

(7) But in the days of the voice of the seventh (messenger), when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as (God) hath declared (the good news of the Gospel by) his servants the prophets.

So therefore, everything which is prophetic, (And this is a whole Book of prophecy.) everything that God laid out, at this time starts a juncture or a period where God Himself can’t stop it! How could God have stopped the flood after the first day?

“Oh, well, my God can do anything!”

You’re wrong! Your god can’t do anything! If your god can do anything, you’ve got a foolish god. Not my God. My God can’t do everything. He can only do what His infinite wisdom settles upon; and, when It does, there is no changing; and when it starts, you can’t stop it! Let’s understand that. I’m trying to show you something. Something has started right here, and it’s not going to stop. [Bro. Vayle points to the picture of the Pillar of Fire.] In other words we have already entered into eternity, and we stand with Abraham, calling those things which are not as though they were, because it’s as good as done. When that Word of God went forth, “Let there be light,” God could no more take it back than nothing!

And, as Bro. Branham so distinctly said, so perfectly said, “He didn’t say when there would be!” And he said about this same Message, concerning the literal coming of Jesus Christ, “It may be ten years, twenty-five, or one hundred, and may be yet tomorrow morning.” He said in the “Rapture” tape. “It’s been said three times, “It’s been said; it’s going to be.”

This is the faith of Abraham: that passive faith by which you and I stand right there, and say, “I’m a part of it.”

9. That’s what I said. They might torture your body and mind, make us say things we don’t want to say, but inside they can’t change it. It’s just like old Galileo.

The Catholics said, “Listen, you boy, you sinned when you said the earth’s round, and the earth goes round the sun. Now we’re going to cut your head off, because the earth’s flat. The sun goes round the earth.”

Where does the Bible say that? It says the earth has four corners. The astronauts proved it. The land mass of the earth, which forms a ball with the water, has four corners. Its not what people thought. He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth. The earth’s round. They just don’t know the things of God.

So, as Galileo said, “You’re right.” He said, “The earth’s flat, and the sun goes round the earth.”

As he came out, he said, “They’re wrong, and I’m still right.”

Well, maybe that’s the way we’ll be. I don’t know. I don’t think so, though. I think we’ve got something more than that.

10. Now, listen. He said, “The complete identification,” and it will be with the Word, which is Jesus Christ, because we’re identifying with Jesus.

You say, “How do you know?”

Because I’m going to take you back, and I’m going to read what Bro. Branham missed out.

[143] Now, he says right in here. “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Identification.

What is the complete identification? What did Bro. Branham say about Alpha and Omega? He’s all of it. Christ Himself is the Seals. And in revealing Christ, he brought to us Eph 1:17², which is all of Him—the Epiphanea—God shining at the end of six thousand years in this hour, as He’s never shone.

Look, I know that befuddles us. That’s what my prayer was all about this morning: to talk to God and get across to you and myself, by the Holy Ghost, the understanding that when God comes on the scene, there’s nothing to it in the eyes of man. Any man with an ounce of brains, of intelligence, of ingenuity, can out-god God! But he can’t. He’s so smart, he can’t figure it. That’s why the babes understand; the wise and the prudent never get it. The smart man can’t understand it. He can’t figure. “Well, if this is really God, where’s the excitement?”

11. Listen, Bro. Branham in his humility, in his little narrow ways of life, because he wasn’t a savant out there in the world, and some elite person running around the world; some guy with savoir faire and all the rest that look so good… He was a little Kentucky hillbilly. God even said to him, “You put too much entertainment in it! Too much show!” God hidden in simplicity. The wise never get it; the theologian can’t get it. It’s over everybody’s head, but a little tiny child and someone who’s just willing enough to put his big smart brains aside. Let God’s brains take over. That’s why the least you ever understood in your church, the better you’ll understand here. Just think what I’ve had to go through, being as old as I am—and all the stupid elements that got cluttered into my brain. That’s why I keep warning you: let your thinking go and get to the prophet’s.

12. Now Bro. Branham here is saying, “To the complete identification.” All right.

Let’s talk about it. The complete identification I’ve already said is: He is all of It, the Alpha and Omega. So, now, at this time Paul wants a complete identification. Wherein is he lacking? Well, it’s very simple. He is lacking in the elements necessary of the complete identification to put him in the Resurrection! Right. Well, let’s read It. [Philippians 3]

(10) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

(11) If by any means I might attain (to) the resurrection of the dead.

Now, let me tell you something: Paul already was familiar with the fellowship of the sufferings and conformable to death. He said it. He witnessed to it. But he couldn’t witness to the conformity to the resurrection! He said, “I’m pressing to the Resurrection based on what I’m already identified with.”

(11) If by any means I might attain (to) the (out) resurrection (from among) the dead.

(12) Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect (in other words, I’m right up to where I can’t go any further. It’s completion): but I follow after, if that I may apprehend for which I am (also) apprehended of Christ.

Now he’s apprehended of Christ to be in the First Resurrection! He’s full of the Holy Ghost, and he knows it! He’s the prophet apostle! You don’t confront that man. He knew where he came from, where he was going, and all about it. He knew all about you and me. But he said, “I still haven’t got what it takes. I’m not identified at this point in His Resurrection, though I’m going to be there!”

Now, look. You try to get this to a bunch of fundamental people, so-called, what I’m preaching, and they‘ll laugh in my face and say, “Oh, Lee Vayle, you’re a stupid preacher; you follow that. William Branham’s got you so messed up, you don’t know nothing.”

Well, praise God I don’t know anything. I know a whole lot more than they do.

13. Now he said, “I said I’m not apprehended; I’m apprehended for it, but I don’t have it.”

(13) But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

(14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

What’s he talking about? An identification that puts him in the Resurrection! Now, listen carefully. Up until 53 AD which was about nineteen and one half years after Jesus died and rose, a platform was built for the Gentile Church. But that platform was not the Gentile Church, because God only turned from the Jews in 53, roughly. According to Bro. Branham’s report by God, it would be 60 AD. They’re sixty years out, back in 60 AD, which they were out seven years. Now, what happened in the year 60 or a little previous? Because Paul hadn’t said God had turned at that time. Let’s put it back around say 55 or 57 AD, in that particular area. What happened at the time that God turned? The Pillar of Fire had come down as the Cornerstone for the Gentile Church. Now, what is the Cornerstone but the Capstone? The Cornerstone is the same stone as the Capstone! You understand what I’m saying? All right.

14. Look, there is no way that Paul, under a Cornerstone ministry, could ever apprehend the First Resurrection. Every single Church Age but the last Church Age has to go into the ground; all the virgins are asleep. They’re falling off into death, until at the last Age, the wise and the foolish virgin fall into a state of amnesia, from which the foolish virgin do not recover, but the wise do. At that time the Shout comes: “Behold the Bridegroom, come out and meet Him.” You are now dealing with the Capstone. This is Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever.” The One that starts it is the One that finishes it! Paul said, “Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid,” and Paul laid that foundation, which is Jesus Christ! And he said, “Be careful how you build thereon.” Because the ‘how’ produces the ‘what’. If you build, and you’re off the Word of God, you have wood, hay and stubble. If you stay on the Word of God, it’s gold, silver and precious stones.

Now, remember; Jesus is not the servant in His house. He’s the Lord of the house. And He’s building this great body. And the Head of the body is missing. Now, notice; John the Apostle said, “I will make Him a pillar in the temple of my God,” which shows the foundation goes all the way to the Head, so that the whole church is Word, Word, Word, Word! But the church can’t move without the Head! That means the church is completely earth bound until the time of the Head. And the apostle Paul was forbidden, as was John, to tell what God told him, but they had to know it for their own value to know they were one hundred percent with the Word of God!

15. Now, under the Thunders it’s opened. So, we have a complete identification. Now here we are today, with the Seals rolled back. We have a complete understanding of the Cornerstone and the Headstone. And, remember; that is the Cornerstone! [Points to the picture on the wall. Right! “I am Jesus Who you persecute.” If that’s the Cornerstone, then it’s the Headstone! And the same persecution will come! Jesus was crucified in the flesh. The Gentiles did not crucify Him. They turned to God eagerly and gladly. How in the world can you figure that? Paul the Apostle comes on the scene and preaches a strange God: one God against all their heathenism.

And he said, “Listen, you Jews, let me tell you something. You’ve turned your back on God for the last time. Now God turns His back on you! And we go to the Gentiles.”

The Gentiles say, “Hallelujah!”

What for? Because they were seed. Only seed will react that way. The only reason you get happy coming to this church and hearing this preaching, which I do from Bro. Branham, is you’ve got the same seed that I’ve got. And I hope I’ve got the same seed Bro. Branham’s got. He said I did. Let people say what they want. But I’ll stand here, this Bible open before me and the White Throne.

He said, “I knew you’d be back Lee, see. That’s because you’re seed.” Those Gentiles, they were the seed, of whom Abraham was their father. See? “I’ve made you father of the whole world.” And they trust in Jesus, which they did.

16. Now Bro. Branham said, “That time is now!” And you see, Paul couldn’t see it. It wasn’t for him to see it. When John opened the Seals… Let’s go back and look at it. Revelation 10 is what we’re looking at. And I say John did, because John is talking. He’s the scribe. John is not a prophet; he’s a scribe. He’s an apostle. He’s a scribe; but he’s not a prophet. And you notice what he does; he copies down what the Voice said.

17. Now Rev 10:9:

(8) And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which stand(s) upon the (earth) and upon the (sea).

(9) And I went (to) the angel, said, Give me the little book. And he said, Take it, eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, it (will) be sweet as honey (in your mouth).

(10) And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, ate it up; it was (just what he said it was like. And verse 11).

(11) He said (to) me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, nations, tongues, and (people).

I said to Bro. Branham, “What is that? Is that you?” He said, “No, that’s the Word.” And that’s exactly what happened. This Word has gone before kings and tongues and nations. It’s gone everywhere, and nobody wants it. It could have missed the canon of Scripture. It got in just by one vote. People said to Bro. Branham, as his friend Bohanon said, “John must have had a mess of hot peppers that night to write that Book.” But it’s gone just the same before kings and everybody else. But Paul couldn’t reveal the secret; neither could John.

18. Now, let’s go back to the Book of Philippians, and I read in Philippians here, this one paragraph. Let’s go to Philippians 2. And at this time we’re going to learn what the prophet said. He said, “The Bible is a jigsaw puzzle.” What is a jigsaw puzzle? It’s a complete picture cut out and thrown in a heap. And, if you are perceptive, and know the picture especially, you can take all the pieces, put it together. But, if you don’t know the doctrine, you fail, because you can’t relate Scripture to Scripture, and you can’t put It in the proper timeslot. And if you put it outside the proper timeslot, you’re completely wrong.

Now, keep your finger there, and turn back to Zechariah 4, because I meant to read It, and I forgot. Chapter 4:

(1) The angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man (which) is wakened out of his sleep, (Awake thou that sleepest, rise from amongst the dead.)

(2) And (he) said, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, (and) a bowl (on) the top of it, and seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:

Seven Church Ages. You say, “Why do you believe that?” Because this is written in 519 BC, and the Church Ages of the Jews had been… Israel had been going on for what? Well, about a thousand years by this time. Moses came about a thousand years before that.

(4) I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?

(5) The angel that talked with me answered and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, (sir, I don’t).

(6) He answered and (spoke), saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

(7) Who art thou, great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

19. The Headstone comes forth by grace! No other way. Mount Horeb, the Law of Moses, by grace. Two laws were given—Deuteronomy: one on Mount Sinai to condemnation; one upon Mount Horeb, which was unto grace. John Bunyan brought that out. Old stalwart Bunyan, that wrote Pilgrim’s Progress. And Bro. Branham repeated it, showing Bunyan was right there, though his visions were completely off the Word.

“Oh, Bro. Vayle, you’ve got to read Intermeros,” I was told by Bro. Bosworth, “The visions of two ladies who looked into the future. God gave them the future.” ‘Intermeros’ means ‘between walls’. They were looking between walls and saw the same thing and didn’t recognize it, because the devil twisted it, as when Ezekiel looked, and he saw the serpents inside of it. And, when they looked inside the walls, they saw over on the other side, and here were female angels raising a little baby that had died. Bro. Branham saw his daughter a full-grown woman, not female angels rearing anything. Daddy Bosworth was fooled. He was even fooled by the book of Mormons and by British Israel. But he still had enough Holy Ghost to make him know what nobody else knew, which was the ministry of Jesus Christ returned to earth in William Branham.

20. So, you can sit here this morning and be pretty foolish too. We haven’t got time for that. I threw that in about our good friend Bunyan with Pilgrim’s Progress, and visions and all as a lesson to us. He understood Horeb from Sinai. And was good for his day, and he’ll get through; don’t worry. But I think he looked into things he had no business looking into. And I’m saying that for you people today, too. Don’t look into things that don’t belong to you. Be content to have a Headship, which is the Word, through Bro. Branham. And it takes you right back there. See? [Points to the picture of the Pillar of Fire.]

21. (8) Moreover the word of the Lord came (to) me, saying,

(9) The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall finish it.

Now, notice; the Headstone is prophesied as coming forth over the house of the man that built it, the Head Himself. So, he’s telling you, the Head is coming to the house shouting grace! Relax. God’s not angry with you. He’s not vengeful. You’re back in Eden. You can go to the Tree of Life. You can move on. You are going to move in to His rest, which is His abode. See? This is the engagement and the marriage just before moving into the house, where the groom carries the bride over the threshold. Remember, Jesus bore in His arms, up on Mount Transfiguration, those three apostles. He arose against gravity, and they went to the top. And they had a vision. We aren’t going to have a vision. We are going to be completely changed and carried up over the threshold to the Marriage Supper.

22. (10) Who hath despised the day of small things?

That’s the question. Oh, you despisers that want something big; you’ve got a better plan than God’s got! You want something more like a circus, more three-ring, more Barnum and Bailey, more idolaters, more nonsense, than just being glorified and being in a Kingdom with the Lamb and God.

“Well, surely He could have thought of something better.”

My, you talk about perversion.

Now, you’re sitting agreeing, because you know your thoughts are running along that line. We admit that somehow it’s possible; that is, this the greatest that God could really do. Look, we are the children of the radio, the newspaper, and the TV, the glitz and the glamour, the muck and the mire, the junk food, the perversion! Pigs love slop! Chickens pick manure! We’re a product of a chicken manure age. Let’s face it; let’s be honest.

Let’s not go out of here saying, “I’m somebody.”

Oh, you aren’t anybody, and I’m worse than all of you put together. Don’t be foolish. And this is not mock humility. I’m talking from my heart to your heart, and my mind to your mind. You know we haven’t come to complete reconciliation. But we’re going to. We don’t despise the day of small things.

“Well, if God’s really on the scene, why didn’t He do this and that?”

That’s exactly what the devil said! “If you be the Son of God, let’s have bread out of stones. Let’s jump off a temple! Come on, let’s take the world over, hallelujah!”

Well, come on. Come on; listen! Bro. Branham said, “Nothing new, same old thing, just different people.” Brother/sister, if this is not a day we need grace, you tell me.

23. (10) For who hath despised the day of small things? (Just about ninety-nine and ninety and nine hundredth percent, at least that many.) for they shall rejoice, and see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; (those) eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro.

The little tiny Bride is going to be having a simple thing that puzzles the scientists and makes us all look ridiculous, because the prophet said, “Well, you know what that was, that cloud was actually Jesus Christ surrounded by angels!”

They say, “What did you say?” Oh, brother. “Why,” they said, “that’s the Judge! And He’s come down with the revealed Word, the plummet! The plumb line. To measure and to give judgment—to justify the Bride!”

And he said, “Little Bride, you didn’t even do it?”

24. Oh brother, why don’t you start reading the Quakers? Go way back there to the days of the Puritans. Get out the old sermons of Spurgeon and Barnes and Hastings and Parker and Strong and all the great men! Start reading Luther again. Hallelujah, there’s where the truth is, bless God.

“And you should hear this fellow over here on the radio!”

Oh, I wouldn’t give you a nickel for all of those guys. You know why? Because they had error.

You say, “Well, just a minute. Didn’t you think well of them?”

I think very well of them, because God does. But they’re not for me. They’re not for me. I’m sorry. The Judge. Capstone Judge. There He is. There He is. [Points to the picture.] Now, if you can believe that, you can believe anything. You can believe this morning you’re healed, sitting in your seats, with every single disease rampant in your body, every evil desire, everything, you can be sitting here, being a chief sinner.

And Bro. Branham said, “If the body is turned to mush, what about the mind?”

Then, if the mind is turned to dung, what about the body? Just reverse it. You can sit here as an inhuman lump. You look at yourself. And, if you can believe that [God in the Pillar of Fire], it doesn’t matter what you are. Do you follow what I’m saying? It doesn’t matter what you are, if you can believe that [God in the Pillar of Fire—picture], and you can believe that [God as Judge, in the Cloud—picture]; because that is the lowest thing in all world to the so-called spiritual mind. They don’t want it. And they crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh. We had better believe our Bibles, brother/sister.

25. And they’ll rejoice! Because these are the seven eyes, the seven spirits before the throne. And Bro. Branham categorically said, “Oh, (he said,) what a mistake I would have made, but the Spirit of God swept into the room.” And then, he looked down and he said, “Charlie, this last Seal, (he said,) did you get what was going on? It was them seven angels.”

Then, what was it? The seven spirits, the seven angels; not messengers, but the seven embodiments, now came down as angels, as God could come down as an angel, or take a human form, or be in a Pillar of Fire. It didn’t matter, whatever God wanted to do, or maybe His angels. Whatever He wanted them to do. He sent the Holy Spirit down as seven component parts. And yet God Himself stood there. What was He doing? A part of the Word for every Age which had been vitalized. They all came into the room and opened every single one of those Seals; and the seventh one was the Spirit of the hour for this Age, whatever that all means. I know, as far as I’m concerned that’s all I put it credit to and just leave it. [End of side one of the audio tape.]

And Bro. Branham said, “That seventh one meant more than anything to me,” because that was the one for him, not the rest. Whatever that God gave to Luther by his particular messenger, that’s Luther’s business. But, when that seventh one comes, Alpha and Omega are the same! In other words God Himself in a Pillar of Fire, though He took upon a form, came down. And there He stood at this end time.

26. (10) For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; (those) eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

In other words, now, through Seven Church Ages, the Message has gone forth completely. Whatever God wanted, it’s there. All right.

27. Now, with that in mind, we’re going back to Philippians. Verse 5, [Philippians 2]

(5) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

And here’s where you must remember: the Bible’s a jigsaw puzzle! There are certain parts that are going to come together, but in the meantime, there are some parts in there that don’t fit! Right? Huh? So you got to learn what parts don’t fit and put them to one side. Now, listen carefully.

(5) Let this mind be in you, which was also in (Jesus Christ):

(6) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not (a prize to be grasped and retained) to be equal with God (emptied Himself):

(7) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

(8) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Now that’s the premise; that’s what he sets forth. Now, right away your mind is going to leap to the next verse.

(9) Wherefore God (exalted) him…

Forget it. That’s the end. You are talking about what he got from this! You understand what I’m saying? Now you don’t look at what he got from this. ‘For this reason’: Paul is talking about us, and particularly himself, following this mold! Get into the pattern. You hear what I said? All right.

28. (8) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Now, watch in verse 7: [Philippians 3]

(7) What things were gain to me, I counted loss for Christ. (I left what I had that gave me my glory. Gave me my satisfaction, gave me my place! You listening?)

(8) Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but dung.

He said, “I was glad to shovel out the manure!” That’s all it was! “Why,” he said, “the best you could call it was a pretty ribbon and a small piece of silver paper around a loaf of bread. Thank God I got rid of the wrappings to get down to reality!” You may have to get rid of a lot of things to get to your soul, brother/sister. A lot of things. Now, listen.

(8) For whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but dung that I may win Christ, (Now, listen. To win something is to run a race! You’re looking for a prize! All right.)

(9) And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ (not your own faith now, or faith in Christ, it’s Christ’s Own faith), the righteousness which is of God by faith:

That’s the passive! See? The faith of Christ was leaving this behind, taking on the form of man, as in Hebrews 12. Hold your finger there.

29.  Hebrews 12:

(1) Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses (and so on…)

(2) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him…

He left that joy that He had to get another joy, which was the same joy magnified and utilized to a place as far as it could go! That’s very hard to believe.

Why, you say, “Bless God, when the Lamb’s on the throne, He’s going to go beyond that too, because, after all, I know more than God.”

Now, let’s say that He does go beyond that place. Will anybody this morning quote me one Scripture to prove it? Now, if you believe it, and you can’t find a word for it, you are adding to the Word, and you will not make the Rapture. You are going to be in the tribulation. I’ll be there too. Now, come on; I’m not lying to you. I’m reading you the Word of God, and I’m sticking with the Word of God. Now:

(2) (He) endured the cross, (despised) the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

(3) Consider him that endured (the) contradiction of sinners against himself…

The very people He came to save turned on Him! They went against His Word! ‘Contradico’ means ‘against the word said’! Contra’s ‘against’, and ‘dico’ is ‘to say’. So, they said against Him. They said, “You’re Beelzebub. You aren’t what you said. No!”

Millions of Jews, and even the eleven had a hard time believing.

30. Okay, let’s go back. [Philippians 3]

(10) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Now listen! What He went through in flesh, He cannot go through in flesh again when He appears! But He’s crucified nonetheless! How? Contradico! Again it’s the Word!

“I don’t believe that Word, that “THUS SAITH THE LORD!”

Then, if “THUS SAITH THE LORD” cannot be believed, God’s Kingdom’s divided, because God has handed over the authority of His Name, that’s above every name, to somebody that shouldn’t have it. Now, if they could just see that one little thing there, they’d all be changed. But you see they give the devil more power and credit than God. Their eyes are blinded.

“Why, we’re rich, increased with goods, and don’t lack a thing, bless God. I’m Pentecostal, I’m this and that.” [Bro. Vayle’s microphone falls off, and he comments about it.]

31. Now, listen.

(11) If by any means I might attain (to) the (out) resurrection (from among) the dead.

(12) Not as though I had already attained, either were already (completed):

He couldn’t attain, because he wasn’t completed! Something wasn’t done! Now, Who raises the dead? God raises the dead! And this old Paul is dead, dead, dead. So, God’s got to do something to get him out of the ground. Now, what can you do to get yourself out of the ground? Nothing! If God doesn’t do it, you stay there. But God’s going to get you out. What shape you going to be in, that’s up to you. It’s up to God really, because He’s the Author. Now, listen.

(13) Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:

He said, “I haven’t apprehended what I’ve been apprehended for!” which is to be a glorified, immortalized person, in the Kingdom of Almighty God. And that can’t happen until the Spirit of God comes—right there [Points to the Pillar of Fire picture.]—and gives us a correct revelation: Ephesians 1:17, because I was quoting without quoting It, from Eph 1:3 to 14 included: the plan of God for His family.

He said, “I’m a part of it;” but, he said, “here’s what I do.”

(13) (I forget) those things which are behind, and reach forth unto those things which are before, (and then he epitomizes it.)

(14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

“I’m pursuing the goal, as one avidly reaching for the prize, which is from above, which is God’s calling, which is in Christ Jesus!” And I told you, that’s Eph 1:3 to about 14.

32. Now, let’s skip the rest of the jigsaw puzzle and go down to verse 20.

(20) For our (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ:

(21) Who shall change our vile (or humiliated) body…

This body, brother/sister, is a temple of the Holy Ghost, but it’s humiliated! It’s full of aches and pains and sickness and disorders, and this and that and the other thing. And we had a spirit given us that we didn’t even ask for, given by God, allowed by God, but not of God. It doesn’t do anything for us. God’s got to give us a new spirit to even get the Holy Ghost. You talk about a humiliated bunch of people—sons of God. Jesus Christ knowing from the beginning what he was and who he was, not having bypassed his theophonic form, came down here, and he got a humiliated form too. He knows all about it. Now, listen. He’s going to change these humiliated forms that we may be fashioned like unto the body of his own glory, which is a glorified body commensurate to the utmost of what God is and what God can do!

“Well, I think Jesus deserves a better manifestation.”

You’ve got Jesus confused with a Roman candle—a Barnum and Bailey gyrator, a Ferris wheel, or the snake ride, or the beast. Man doesn’t want to be what God wants him to be, unless he’s born again and gets a new revelation. Strange, but it’s true. Man always talks about a walk with God and how great he can be for God and with God and everything else, and all the things he can do, but he doesn’t like to just simply concede that this is the end; this is the assessment, the ultimate.

33. Now, what am I telling you here? Paul says, “I’m pressing; I’m pursuing the goal avidly. I want that ultimate when the race is over, which is from heaven, and it’s in Christ Jesus. I know all about it.”

Now, look. You can only get it at the time of the Resurrection. And Paul didn’t have what was necessary. Though he’d left everything behind, he still didn’t have what was necessary from God to put him in a resurrection. Do you understand what I’m saying? It takes a definitive revelation of the Capstone, not the Cornerstone, though they’re one and the same, because the foundation has been coming up from the church as a pillar! And now that that is fulfilled, Headstone Himself can come down with the final definitive revelation, which Paul could not have and tell it. And John could not have and tell it! It was hidden until now, so Bro. Branham could say, “I’ve come to dress a Bride”—to get her ready. The end time revelation, that’s going to have some of our young people here, before too long, standing on their feet, breathing their last physical temporal breath; and suddenly a sweep goes over you, and you’re immortal.

Now that catches your thought, because you see, a thousand years down the road, you don’t know really, but here, you’re believing. This is what you’re looking at as an ultimate. You cannot understand what’s in the thousand years and beyond it, until you reach the present ultimate of the physical, which is immortality! That’s why you’re confused now, and I am with you. To stand here today, completely brand new in God, that’s something we can understand. That’s something desired. And it couldn’t be until this hour. See?

34. Now the Morning Star is Rev 10:7. Preparatory for the sun! S-u-n. Which is 1 Th 4:16³, when we meet the Lord in the air. Meeting the Lord on earth is Matthew 25; meeting the Lord in the air is 1 Thessalonians 4, which is what an angel said when the disciples saw the Lord ascend, and said, “This same Jesus will come in like manner, when you go with Him, as you see Him go away.” Physical. Now, the question is this: you have identified with the Cornerstone; can you identify now with the Capstone? making Heb 13:8 complete?

So, Bro. Branham is saying here… He said, this quoting from Paul: “I will reveal to you what Paul had in mind when he said, “I’m pressing toward the prize, the high calling of God, it is the complete identification, when time fades out into eternity, when Jesus comes,” when that comes, when that comes, [Points to both pictures on the wall.] are you identified with that?

If you are not, let me tell you something. You’re right back here in Hebrews 6, and you can’t go to perfection.

(1) Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine (the Logos) of Christ, let us go on (to) perfection; not laying again (a) foundation from dead works.

Not looking anymore at that! Why? Because you’ve been wrong in it! When this comes, that Logos comes! Every doctrine you ever had is gone, gone, gone! And what the prophet said is your doctrine. And he said, “He is here.” As I say time after time, there are those people in this Message, they can’t understand it.

35. A man phoned me just the other day. I’m not even going to see him, as far as I know, because he said, “Lee Vayle is wrong. What is that Presence stuff?”

You think I’m going to try to convince him? I doubt it. They say they know the Message. They know it so well. They can interpret it, and they don’t even know the prophet said, “My ministry is to declare that He is here!” And, if it’s the same old tired “He is here,” then we did not see a true revival of healing that Bro. Branham branded, as in the Book of Acts: the refreshment from heaven in Acts 3:19⁴. They say they believe a prophet and set him at naught. They say they believe in Jesus and put Him back there on the throne in a human figure! They say they believe Heb 13:8! What do they believe? If you believe in the physical, corporal body of Jesus instead of that [Picture of the Pillar of Fire], let me tell you something: you’re way behind the times.

You haven’t even caught up to the apostle Paul who said, “Who are You, Lord?”

And He said, “I’m Jesus!”

And he said, “Henceforth we know Him not after the flesh. But after the Spirit.”

Where do you stand? What Cornerstone brought the Word of God? What Capstone will bring the Word of God? Who’s building the house? What’s He building it out of? What’s come from the foundation? Where is it going? And they think some theologian from the past is going to do it? There’s nothing but the life of this Word’s going to do it, brother/sister. And I stand here this morning with a vindicated prophet, and I don’t even know half as well as I talk. Sure. I could know all mysteries, and not have the full impact of the Holy Ghost behind it. And you can sit here and have the same thing. But I’ll tell you one thing, I’m with Bro. Branham: “If we’re not Bride, there’s a Bride out there somewhere.”

I can’t let this go by and say, “Well, that’s nothing.”

36. Let me say this. You see why I said what I said last night. This Word is what counts, not your actions as though you’re some super Christian, you’re very sweet, you’re this, you’re that. But how you meld with this Word and thereby meld with each other and become a legitimatised, real blessed family in God. We haven’t got it yet, but by the grace of God we can have it. I hold out a hope to myself and to people. It could be a hope that never will mature, but I’m going to tell you one thing: if I keep planting a garden, I may never get a perfect garden, but bless God, I’ll get some garden, because Bro. Branham said,“If that Word is germitized,” that means it’s the Word of the hour; it’s Light. God gives life in it. He said that…and the proper soil that’s properly fertilized. And, if we’re the husbandry of God, there’s somebody got to be the proper soil. Got to be the proper piece of earth within whom the true soul is. Right? All right.

37. Then, he said, “It just takes the sun and the rain.” Just takes God’s Presence and the constant watering of the Holy Spirit—revelation. Don’t be discouraged; we’ll get out of here. Oh yes, we’re going to. It may be an atomic bomb take us out. I don’t believe that, though. Why would we come this far and believe error? Why did we come this far constantly pointing to a vindicated prophet and his God and, then, miss the mark? How can you miss the mark of the prize? Immortality—back to the Garden of Eden. How can you miss it, when you blend right in with the identification? I’m identified with these two pictures. [Points to the two pictures again.] And I’m not a Roman Catholic; I don’t worship pictures. I don’t kneel down and pray.

I don’t say, “Oh, great Pillar of Fire that I see [in] that picture.”

No, I never have, and I don’t think I ever will. But I can say, “Oh, great almighty God Who appeared in a Pillar of Fire to a prophet, we even got Your picture vindicate. So, I’m talking to You. I’m identified with You.”

Not down with the Pentecostals. And they got them all. They’re in every church! They even dupe the dupers. The super duper duper is the pope! And he’s duped. That’s right. That’s right. Prime candidate for perdition. They’ve all mistaken the gifts for the Giver.

Now, let’s rise and be dismissed. Love you all, respect you all, believe in you. I don’t think for one minute I’d want to get out of here and leave anybody behind. I don’t believe that. I don’t believe you would either. If we’re Blood brothers, we’re Word brothers. If we’re Word brothers, we’re Spirit brothers. If we’re Spirit brothers, we’re sons of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, again it’s been good to be here in Your Presence with Your people. It just makes everything right. There’s nothing like it. It just makes us to know the Millennium is sure going to be a great time. And, Lord, we’ll have the boxing gloves off too, bless God. And we’ll have the razor blades off the elbows. And we’ll have the forked tongues out of the mouths, or whatever. It’d be just so sweet to express the sweetness we really have in us, that lies in this body that’s so humiliated. We won’t be picky anymore. There’ll be nothing to pick at. How beautiful and how wonderful! And to know, Lord, that we’re just about there.

Now, Father, grant to us the rest that comes, the loosing, the freedom, the mind that’s no longer with its hang-ups, traditions, tenets, misunderstandings, the heart that’s no longer weighted in unbelief, a liberated soul, all the channels full of the Word until it reverses and Word comes back. Help us to that end, Lord, for it’s going to be that way. It’s got to be that way, or we’re never going to get out of here. So, we’re not praying now, Lord, in platitudes and little ideas. We’re praying, Lord, direct to You, and asking You, Father, help us, O God. Help us, O God, in the Name of Jesus Christ, that we are not to be recognized by the world, but in ourselves to recognize, and hopefully with each other, we are sons of God, joint heirs with Jesus Christ. We’re a part of that beautiful Bride marching on, terrible as an army of banners, clear as the sun, all beautiful within and without, commended of God, acclaimed of God. What more could we want? That is the Ultimate.

Now, unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be all power and honor and glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Lord bless you.

‘Take the Name of Jesus with You.’

¹ Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever.

² Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

³ 1 Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

⁴ Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;