Greatest Battle Ever Fought #21

Shall we pray.

Heavenly Father, so many, many people do not understand; many people who have heard do not believe that You are here, even as the prophet said, “My message is to declare that He is here;” telling us that what our eyes could not see he by vision could see knowing You’re present as You have not been present for two thousand years, we know, it’s a momentous occasion, Lord, and may we not forget it.

Truly Lord, our hearts are not yet thoroughly solemnized to that fact, to the extent that they ought to be, but we know that they will be Lord, because there will be a people standing here who will walk right into immortality. If we’re not those, we say with the prophet, “There’s a Bride out there somewhere and by Your Grace we will not stand in Her way.”

Nor will we stand in anybody’s way Lord, but rather, to be helpful, kind, considerate and do what we can, Lord, for people because we know there’ll come a day when we cannot do any more for anybody, the time, the opportunity given us will have gone by. What a tragic thing that will be if we have not done something in the name of the Lord to some little one.

Help us tonight Lord, to keep that spirit in our minds tonight and in our hearts as we study Your Word which has been given to us by You, through Your prophet Lord, in order that we might come to a place of maturity to know the hour in which you live.

The Word of Grace given to us, the pitfalls, the dangers, know the antidote to he poisonous spears and darts that are thrown upon us, to conduct ourselves in such a way to be more than conquerors.

We aspire to that Lord, we admit, tonight that our hearts sort of fear, affray such as more than conquerors as it seems as though it were exaggerated, but it is not because it is in You and by You that it is done and it is not we ourselves Lord, but it is by people who have a little gift of getting out of the way that You might have the preeminence.

Help us to get out of the way and we give You the praise in Jesus Name, our Father in heaven, Amen.

You may be seated.

Now this is number 21 of The Greatest Battle Ever Fought, and it is kind of strange and yet not so strange, as we realize that we’re closing off 1987 with preaching this Message, The Greatest Battle Ever Fought, and we’re coming into 1988 with the same thought in mind, this great battle.

And if next year comes and the year after we’ll still face this great battle that confronts mankind which is; can we defer to the Word of God until life itself can be a reflection of that Word? Will the Word take precedence over all else? And that’s what the great battle is all about.

And I think we’re becoming used to the thought, I just trust that not only will we become used to the thought but we’ll become conversant with it, so that as the ‘thought’ precedes the ‘deed’, we will have the thought correct and the deeds correct which will be as we understand the great battle is to let the Word be true and everything else be in default.

In other words, can we set aside intelligent human reasoning? Aren’t you to know it’s not to be reasonable? I’ll be intelligent. What human being could do otherwise? Always that comes rapping on the door of our own consciousness or through somebody bringing it to us. Be reasonable.

So can we set aside intelligent human reasoning and take the Word of God, which is almost one hundred percent at variance. And I said almost a hundred percent because I don’t know that… what everything man thinks of, and contemplates concerning problems and solutions and understanding of Godhead and all is a hundred percent at variance.

But you could almost say it was. But I’ll leave that little bit in there just to look at for the time being, that what we think as human beings is almost a hundred percent at variance with the Word of God and the Word of God a hundred percent at variance with us.

Now let’s see what the book of 1 Corinthians says, where Paul brings that to our attention in the 1st chapter, just taking verses 18-31, and this is where he is preaching the Cross, which is the Word of God, which is at variance with human intelligence and reasoning.

Now that is really true. What you’re looking at here, whether you know it or not, is something very, very foolish. Now, I want to say something tonight and I want you to bear with me to be very careful you don’t misunderstand what I am saying.

If you will just examine what Brother Branham told us, concerning the fall of Adam, how that Eve was not in the original creation, as it would be unbecoming to God to have a son of His fall, so therefore, the fall came by Eve, and then to Adam.

And then you begin to realize that he told us, what Irenaeus had taught us, but gave it even more fully when Irenaeus said, “God being a Savior it was necessary that God predestinate a sinner, in order to give Himself a reason and purpose of being.”

Now when you begin to put so much of what Brother Branham said together, you get to the place where this Word could well be as palatable as a chunk of cardboard, because it literally could insult the human intelligence.

Now listen, we are right back in the first age were Paul was, when he began preaching predestination, “And it is not of him that willeth or of him that runneth but God that shows mercy.”

And then it said, “Why doth yet God find fault?” and the answer was simply this; to confuse the issue further to give you the unpalatable piece of cardboard.

Is there really a God who knows how many fleas there be and how many times they bat their eyeballs? Is that really relevant? Now I hope you’re catching what I am saying. If you’re not, you go home and think it over. You got the tape.

And open up your understanding what I’m trying to get across to you. It’s stupid, utterly stupid as far as human reasoning is concerned, whether you know it or not, you are up against being an imbecile class of people. You’re wiped out, as far as the world is concerned and your own thinking, because you would not think this way.

I want to ask you a question. Why do you think this way? Because you’re nuts, you’re seed, you don’t belong to the world. There’s nothing there… look, come on. Do you think anybody of average intelligence, human speaking, can really believe this Message? Don’t be silly.

This is what Paul has written here in the first Church Age, and we have gone full circle to the same thing.

Well, they say, “Ach… phtt.” What are you talking about? This statement here is a true statement. But show me where the wisdom of the world was made foolish?

We say, “Well, it’s gone through years and years of problems and nothing gets better, everything gets worse”. That’s exactly right. But man drives on in hope, thinking he can somehow in his slush rectify his slush. And he can’t do it. But you prove to me this is a correct statement; only to us who believe.

And this is predicated upon a Christ who demonstrated that he was literally God in the flesh then submitted to man’s hands and died. And the great test was, listen, “If you’re the Son of God, get off that cross. You looked pretty good for awhile but you blew it.” God always blows it.

Did you hear what I said? God always blows it, except to the elect. He doesn’t blow anything, but to the world. William Branham dying in the car wreck, smeared across the road.

He brought back the dead in at least five occasions; I was there when two… two dead were raised. Why didn’t he just say the word? Like his son said, “Daddy, say the word.” Who will ever understand?

Something that’s not even there, that you can handle, that you can work with in the physical realm, you come right behind it, and show you what can be done in the physical realm, such as the miracles of God turning water into wine. How many times I see Brother Branham pray for the sick that are absolutely impossible cases? Come right back to life.

Knowledge is increasing at the rate, it’s doubling itself every six months, I think, maybe this year or pretty soon anyway. Knowledge used to maybe take, a hundred and fifty years awhile back to double itself. Then it got to where it could do it in fifty years, twenty-five years, ten years.

And I forget the last figures, I heard and read, rather, that said, “In a short time knowledge would double itself every year.” In His Presence. What good would it do to have a PhD, LLD, DD, and everything else?

You know what that means? Utter destruction. So now you see here, that you and I if we are born again are sanctified to the Word of God and cut off to any recourse to the erudite or the opportunity of erudition, and from the erudite people we’re cut off. We don’t need all this flashy education, all these fine things.

Now that’s what that Presence is doing tonight. Those that are in Christ and of God it’s made unto us, wisdom. And I’m standing on that tonight. Not just because I’m fought by a lot of preachers and say they believe this Message and haven’t got a clue to what ‘Presence’ is.

There’s a lot of preachers that say, “I believe and understand it.” Now watch what they are doing; and they don’t understand it. How can they understand this? When some will take liberty over the congregation and take the Word that Brother Branham said and he said, “Your pastor is ordained to see you through.”

And they say, “Stick with me boys and you got it made. Be loyal to me and that will see you through.”

Let me tell you preachers and you sitting here as a congregation what that means: it means that if I’m pastoring this church, I am obligated to you; you, not to me. That’s why I look you in the eye and you smart off at me; I’ll come right at you because I’m obligated.

Not to you, let’s get that understood tonight. Every preacher that hears my voice by these tapes, you’re wrong to think a loyalty to you makes any difference. That’s not what counts.

Sure, there’s a loyalty; if you’re half a man or half a woman, you’ll have some loyalty for decency, and for sacrifice and for what somebody tries to do for you.

Unless you’re a no-good scallywag and you could be for all I know; that’s your business and God’s. That’s why I don’t ride herd on anybody. If this Word doesn’t do it; I’m stuck.

Because there’s my obligation; to lead you into this Word, to show the Truth of the hour, where fellowship in Christ lies and the reality of the [inaudible] and the Presence of our great God in the form of the Holy Ghost called the Lord Jesus Christ.

Wisdom. People simply can’t take the Word. They’ll take some dried out old theology that some church had. When it comes down to living reality they can’t do it.

It says here,

Now that’s safe. You ought to feel real good about that one; let him glory in the Lord. You say, “You mean I don’t have to produce anything?” “Well, not really.” Did you produce yourself? Did you give yourself the color of your hair?

Most men don’t change hair but a lot of women like to change theirs so they go to blond, to pink, to red, and what have you, you know the strawberry blond. Not too happy. Try to change the color of your eyes. Well, I suppose you could get contact lenses change from sky blue pink or something.

I’m trying to make a point here. Look. What have you got to glory in? Whatever you got, you got from somewhere. Somebody passed it on to you.

Now we look at the thought here, in the presence of our Lord, whatever God Almighty has to give us, is going to be a free gift of grace, then we glory in the Lord, we don’t glory in ourselves. You know, if you glory at all, you could glory in this; you can take glory in the fact that we do glory in the Lord, because He’s worthy.

All right. We look at the picture here then. Can we set aside intelligent human reasoning and take the Word of God which is almost a hundred percent at variance with human wisdom? And in this case it’s a hundred percent which Paul showed us here in 1 Corinthians 8:18-31.

Now as far as the church as a whole is concerned, we can actually achieve an intellectual concept of the truth and be in one accord, according to,

That’s what this church stands on as far as this pulpit is concerned, one Word; one mind. And if I am obligated to God to see you through; then you’re obligated to listen.

And if you don’t like it you can always go someplace else; that’s your privilege. You’re not bound at this church, Brother Branham categorically said it, “If you lose confidence in your pastor; get yourself another one.”

So I want to kill that, with the preachers, too. You people are free to go anywhere; and people are free to come here. There’s only one thing we look out for; gross immorality.

That’s one time the church will rise up and judge; the rest of the time it should be prayer, prayer, prayer. As Brother Patros said to Brother Branham, and Brother Branham loved it, “What do you do, Brother Patros, about so and so?”

“We pray.”

“What about this?”

“We pray.” About seven times, Patros said, “We pray.”

And Brother Branham said, “That’s the way to do it.”

Now you don’t countenance sin; I’m not saying that. But we understand what we’re saying here.

All right, there is an understanding here then that there can be an absolute unity in the church by having one mind which comes from one pulpit. If you want to disagree you got the privilege, but you better find someone to go to, because don’t fool with me.

If I’m off the Word and you want to come and say, “I’m off the Word,” and you can prove it; that’s fine. But I’m not going to be off this Word because if God commands the pastor, the ministers to see you through; He better give them what it takes. He better give them what it takes and He does.

Now the church can have one mind as to its doctrine and that comes from the pulpit. We check the board out several times and the board seems to follow along beautifully. We have no problem in this church. I’m not suggesting for one minute we do have. I don’t believe we do have. I don’t anticipate any problems in that direction. Not that they couldn’t come but the Bible distinctly says,

That’s what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that ‘division’ comes by way of the tongue that wants to rise up against the men that God ordained; put a burden on them, to see you through. And he didn’t hitch to the preacher’s wagon a bunch of jack rabbits or wild mustangs or Billy goats that pull a hundred different ways.

I’m not bawling you out; I’m just telling you. You know me by now; if you don’t know me by now, hey where you been? I’ve been here all these years. Haven’t changed; don’t intend to change.

One Word; that Word is what Brother Branham brought; that to me is just like a Bible. It had better be. If you find a prophet speaking one thing and another prophet speaking another thing; you ain’t got God in the prophets. You got a mess. Don’t blame it onto God.

Do you see what this church has aimed at? Where it lies? And what can be? I think you do. I don’t know. I can’t read your hearts. I stand up here like a fool and I mean it. It’s up to you. I know what I’m preaching. Do you know what I’m preaching?

Some folk came from a certain church down south of here, when they found out about the ‘Presence’, they said, “Hey, why doesn’t so and so, the pastor preach it?”

I say, “Hey, kid, don’t you dare go back and say that. He does preach it. You didn’t get it.”

You know something? I think I could die of a broken heart by tomorrow morning if I felt or had any reason to believe that less than sixty percent of you here in this building really understood and I’m not shooting too high, I’m shooting for a hundred percent.

Now if you’re an occasional visitor that’s a different story. If you’re a regular inherent or intend to be, you had better know what is being said in this pulpit, because this is the ordination to see you through, because it’s one Word off that knocks your faith plumb out.

So speaking the same mind is very important. Let me read it again. Isn’t this lovely? Now, see, I could lose you, because it’s like I’m batting you over the head with, you know, with a kind of, you know, kind of a styrofoam bat. I’m not doing that. What I’m trying to do in my own unsubtle way is to build you up and I have different ways of doing it.

In other words, what is being taught? You had better be right. Then you had better be right in the same teaching. And the beautiful thing is we can be right.

Now, hey, Brother Branham categorically said, “In every church there is three kinds of believers.” There’s the true believer, there’s the make believer and there’s the unbeliever.

But I’m going to tell you something; the same… the apostle Paul who was the Alpha to this Omega, William Branham, Omega, William Branham as far as prophets were concerned to the Gentile church, that one categorically told us, that I can know all mysteries and not have the Holy Ghost.

So therefore this church basically can know the doctrine from the youngest to the oldest; from the least spiritual to the most spiritual. There can be one Mind. And it should be. That’s what Paul wanted.

Now Paul went beyond the scope of merely wanting everybody to have a ‘one’ mind. He was looking at a church that believed basically, the true things of God and were full of the Holy Ghost, but were temporarily… temporarily into sort of a ‘skid’ or a wandering position because men came in to despoil the flock of Almighty God.

But we can be in one accord as to an intellectual concept of the Word; that is the doctrine. That is the passive faith we talk about. It is not something you do anything about, as though you yourself were in a position to do something about it.

It is simply the attentive position where you listen passively to the Word of God, and you accept It, and say, “I believe that is right.” Whether you do one thing more about It or not.

An intellectual concept, you say, “Where do we go from there?” You know by now, the Holy Ghost must fall upon the mechanics. That is the conduit to the Light. So you see our position as we’re looking at this great Message that Brother Branham preached.

All right, he is showing us the ability as the collective group right here in this building, but watch now, but as far as the individual is concerned, not the group, the individual; wherein active faith is used, not passive now, but active in the church as a body, it is doctrinal, it is passive.

This is what we believe, this is our credo. This is our understanding. Here it is. Well, what do you do about it? Well, I tell you sir. I don’t seem to be able to do too much about it, but I’ve got a friend in that church and he does everything about it. That’s possible.

But you see, the passive faith we are talking about. But the active faith that Brother Branham spoke of, is in the individual. So as far as the individual, not the whole now is concerned, but the individual members in our church wherein active faith is used in that one fights the good fight of faith, we as individuals basically stand alone.

Now of course, we are helped by others through their systematic care, through their prayers, through gifts, and through ministries. But the rule stands sure, as it is written in the book of Galatians 6:2-5. So let us read that. In a few minutes we’ll get to the message.

No matter what faith is extended to you by others, no matter what care is offered to you and exemplified and actually given to you, you still positionally before God must use your God given faith. That’s right. “For without faith it is impossible to please God”.

You as an individual must participate in an active faith. I as an individual must participate in an active faith. Now Brother Branham laid it out, “Take this Message for your healing.” And healing means ‘reconciliation’; where there is a breech anywhere this Message can bring up the breech.

Some of you still might be smarting from years back. Now I’m not going to, listen, don’t take me for a fool up here, I’m going to throw dirt under the rug. You know your own hearts, some of you’re still simmering a little bit. That’s your tough luck, baby. I’m sorry. It’s your tough luck.

I’ll look you all in the eye. I got the time. You got a lick. I don’t care what preacher did or anything you thought what anybody did, you will bear your own burden. On that day you will not stand before… it’s the White Throne now, in this hour you cannot stand and say, “Well, look what he did. Look what she did.”

Hogwash! I told my kids years ago, I quit whooping them when they were twelve, I said, “If you can’t learn when you’re twelve,” that’s short of the Jews, thirteen for a male, said, “If I got to lay a hand on you, you’re lousy kids, I can tell you right now. You ain’t worth it. I won’t touch you again.”

Just get this one thing flat, if I’d been a drunkard, a delinquent, and beaten you thirteen times a day and starved you besides, you still have to stand on your own two feet and face life. I want to ask you; how many kids we got in this room tonight? Little kids holding out here, some little thing bothering you. Where’s your guts?

Spiritually speaking, where do you stand? I’m not trying to hurt anybody, please don’t…, listen, I no more prepared this than nothing except my soul to stand up here and ask God to help me. What my mother and father did was nothing. I answer for Lee Vayle as an individual and so do you.

You have in your power and I in my power from this Message, brother/sister, to be those people who go to the Tree of Life and walk in. Not a bunch of morbid bellyachers. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; we were tight, only tight, we’re the real McCoy.

When Moses led the children of Israel into the Promised Land and there were thuggies, there were doubters, and there was mucky-mucks as you ever saw anybody, like rotten to the core. There were men that prophesied; men who pulled deals.

Yes, the elders of the congregation, the Korah, Dathan and Abiram’s and the prophets out there like Balaam. If you think for one minute because we talk about an end-time Message as vindicated that you got a bunch of ministers that are angels, you may be true they’re angels, but what ‘angel’ bunch are they with? The devil’s or God’s?

Now if you’re not happy to know that our Red Sea is more like a Dead Sea we’re crossing through; I don’t think you’ve got the appetite to stay with us. I’m not trying to get rid of anybody, but it’s just the truth I’m telling you. You better read your Bible’s and find out; this is the most wicked day the world’s ever seen.

And if you think we’re not encumbered on every side with false doctrine right in this Message and preachers and people carrying on; it’s abysmal and disgusting. You’re wrong, you better smarten up and realize it’s got to be here, but that doesn’t have one thing to do with you and me.

Let us go on to perfection. That’s what this Message is about. We have through the passive faith the truly revealed Word of God, the ability to get out of the way and see God move on our behalf. Not that we’re all going to be healed perfectly.

Oh, you will be for, if you’re going to be here in the… in the… you will be in the Millennium if you’re going to stand and walk in, you will be, oh yeah! That sweet Spirit’s coming more and more in the church until the sick are healed, oh you better believe it. Yeah, oh yeah! No problem at all; just keep believing it.

All right. Now in this message we’ve already noted and paid close attention to the fact that Brother Branham constantly alternated between passive and active faith according to the point he was presenting. And you saw that.

He’d be preaching the passive faith concerning his own vindicated ministry, of which we had nothing to do. We simply stood there and said, “That’s got to be God.” That’s all you need. And he said, “Let me tell you the Truth of the doctrine.”

You said, “That’s got to be God.”

No problem. Then they looked down and said, “Little girl, let me tell us something. Satan’s got you bound, but you can be delivered. You’re dying, but you can live.” One’s passive faith; one’s active faith.

Now he said, “You stick with what I’m telling you in the passive and that becomes a conduit to the active”.

Now do you understand what I’m trying to tell you tonight? We have within our grasp Mark 11. The mountain has been moved and there’s going to be big mountains to be moved out here at the West Coast when it goes under.

We’re looking forward to now, “Whatsoever, you say”, Jesus said, based upon what Jesus did and this man based upon what Jesus did, him standing as proxy. Said, now listen, all you got to do is believe, and you say it. You won’t move a mountain, that’s been done.

You can do what you need. Who wants to run around and move mountains? I run the stupidest thing in all the world… Pentecostal’s people say, “You know, bless God. I’m just going to take those you know.”

Samson carried the gates of Gaza up a hill… “going to carry those gates.” Who in the name of commonsense wants to climb a hill with gates on his shoulder? A bunch of fruity Pentecostals, nutty Nazarenes, maybe, but not me. I don’t want to move mountains either. I just want to pray and have my prayers answered.

But I’m going to tell you something, it is based upon these great men of God who were the prophets that showed us the truth and demonstrated God in His power that makes us to know, if we know them, we know Him, and we can pray.

Now let’s translate that, brother/sister, into our lives. Do you understand what I’m saying? I’m not going to try and get you worked up and worked up, “Glory to God, Hallelujah.”

I’m not interested in that. I don’t… we don’t have time to be whirling dervishes, lost in a morass of emotions. But I tell you, we don’t take enough time to get fully immersed in the Word of God and that goes for me. I’m not pointing a finger at you.

Now, he constantly alternated between the passive and active faith according to the point he was presenting. And at the last point he was presenting, which we’ll go back to a minute now, the last point that he was presenting was one on passive faith or doctrine. Which doctrine?

The body, not individual, though it is made of individuals; the body of believers who considered him their prophet would absolutely endorse and commit themselves thereunto. You heard what I said? Let me read it again, because I write this all down on purpose.

The last point he was presenting was one on passive faith or doctrine; revelation of the true Word and what is means. Which doctrine the body of believers who considered him their prophet would absolutely endorse and commit themselves thereunto.

This was presented on page 55, wherein, he categorically stated that the church world is pointing its finger at communism as the anti-Christ instrument that would bring in the anti-Christ and bring in forth to rule the world, but the fact of the matter was that organized so-called Christianity with its roots in Rome would do it.

Now, understand what I said? Understand what I said? The church and the world is pointing at Russia because they’re ‘atheistic’ so-called, although maybe only four percent are. Unlike the one man said, “There are no atheists in foxholes.” And I kind of think it’s the same with Russia.

Because they are so-called atheists and because they have perpetrated great crimes against Christianity and blasphemed the God of heaven, which they have, it’s known that Joe Stalin had his stooges went into the schoolrooms and had the teacher say, “Now, listen, pray to God, He’ll bring you food.” Prayed to God; nothing came.

Now let’s ask Joe Stalin and the state. They prayed to them and the people brought in trays of food. Said, “There you are.” Did everything they could destroy the Christian mentality or any hopes toward God and the world church and the people say, “Ha, ha, watch the communists, they are the ones who are anti-Christ and will bring in the anti-Christ.”

And it’s one hundred percent contrary to the Word of God.

Now, the thing is: can our thinking adapt itself to the Word of God? Now that’s what we’re looking at, so we continue to read it; the fourth paragraph on page 55.

[55-3]  [It’s about]… Russia… I’m going to say this for the benefit of the veterans, and so forth…, and you Bible students. [Why are] you fussing and hollering about Russia? You don’t hear me telling you to build a bomb shelter, do you?

Well, who are you Mr. Big Mouth? When wasn’t the prophet ever excoriated and denied. Show me one prophet that ever made it. Not one. They killed them. They scourged them. They turned them down.

The prophet of God said, “You don’t hear me telling you to build a bomb shelter, do you? What you fussing about Russia for? Russia isn’t anything; she isn’t going to win any wars; she’s not going to conquer the world. Communism isn’t going to conquer any world. What’s the matter with people? Can God’s Word fail?”

In other words, God’s Word say opposite.

[55-4]  Listen, it’s on tape now. [The Elijah cry.] To the world I speak or wherever these tapes may go. [This is the prophet blasting out with “Thus Saith the Lord.”] And to you people here, [in this church,] no matter whatever happens to me, you believe this. Russia, communism, isn’t conquering anything. God’s Word cannot fail. It says, Romanism is going to conquer the world.

Now, that sounds like a pretty tough statement, when it hits the Roman Catholics. Let me tell you something, brother/sister, this is not Romanism as to the purity of Romanism and excluding the others.

It is Romanism only on the ground that the Roman Catholic church was the first organized church in history and every organization has come out of it. Check the records. Time Magazine runs it. I’ve got it at home somewhere if I can just find it. Show you every single church, the Pentecostals and all, are children of the harlot.

There’s nobody that isn’t, when it comes to organization. I know that Seventh Day Adventists like to call themselves unique, but they came out of the Methodists. Calvinist like to call themselves unique; they come out of the Seventh Day Adventists. Pentecostals like to say they’re unique but they came out of Methodism. More specifically out of Nazarenes.

There is no such thing as any people who have not come out of the organization. And the Word of God says, “Come out of her, my people.” And he’s talking of a false church. What he’s looking at.

Now, let’s go and look once more at 2 Corinthians 11: so we understand what we are talking about Paul, and we’re two thousand years later.

Now what is going to happen? A change is going to take place. The Truth will not be uttered. The Truth will be presented and twisted. Remember, Brother Branham told you the Truth, “A lie is nothing but the truth perverted.” See? Now,

Who did Paul preach? He preached the One that smote him down on the Damascus road and he said, “Who are you, Lord?” and He said, “I am Jesus.”

He’d come back in the form of the Holy Ghost in the Pillar of Fire. Not the man. No, not the man, the God that was in Him. You got to watch it; the Father and the Son have the same name; you better know which one you’re talking about; makes a big difference, brother/sister.

He said, “There it is. How many ways could you go wrong? There are no more ways to go wrong.” You got a wrong gospel. You got a wrong spirit. You got a wrong Jesus. What more do you want? That’s the first age.

Now, I think it was, I forget exactly; Junia and Junias, I think, they were Jews, they went to Rome, under them a truly divine Pentecostal church sprang up, the True Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, but whoever was in the rulership at that time, I forget, because my memory’s not that good, I could look it up for you, because it’s all in history.

Turned out the Jews; Junias, and I think the wife’s name was Junia, were cast out of Rome and out of Italy and the church immediately went into heathenism, but that’s the history. And that’s the church that went on until it was organized under Constantine and you know he wasn’t any Christian. He was a pagan.

And at that time then they began taking the idols and giving them Christian names. And the mother and child, if you read Hyssop’s Two Babylons, you can see the wood carvings, it’s right in there. When missionaries went to China they saw the mother and the son and they had slanted eyes.

If you search far enough and some of the northern Africa, and perhaps in African areas where they had more of a culture and an ability to portray things, artistry, and I suppose they had it all through the years, they still got it. You might also find then a mother and son with Negroid features and black faces.

I’m not against the Chinese for their colors or the blacks. I’m just telling you that this doctrine that is preached today in the Roman church and has gone to the Protestants started way back in the days of Paul. And that’s where the curse started. Now it was simply sown there.

Everything that is sown must be reaped. I don’t… you see, that’s what’s wrong with, with, the sex culture going on with the… the homosexuals. They simply can’t believe they’re going to reap, but they’re going to reap, and they’re reaping it right now.

Now Brother Branham said,

[55-5]  Let’s take Daniel’s vision; that’s the Word of God. “Thou,… oh King Nebuchadnezzar art this head of gold: [that’s] Babylon. Another kingdom will succeed thee, which is silver,… Medo Persia.” Another one was Greece, Alexander the Great; [which is ‘brass’, of course,] next came in Rome, [which was ‘iron’ and then the feet went into iron mixed with clay.]

In other words, it broke everything in pieces but then it got to the place where that didn’t work, but they still had a power. And it said, “The iron and the clay wouldn’t mix together but it still went marching on.”

And that’s the kingdom that the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the form of human flesh is going to utterly destroy. Now that’s what you got to watch.

Let’s go back to Daniel 2:37-45, we’ll see that. In other words, ‘ecumenism’ is absolutely what we are talking about, it had its roots in Rome, but that’s all you can say. And it’s going to come together in one great big ecumenical move. 37-45, and it says,

In other words, the kingdom of God on earth that He brings to earth is going to pass… going to come forever. And at the end of this fourth kingdom, now remember, there are not five, there’s only four. Where does communism then come in?

Now watch, what he is telling you there. Everything that was in Babylon was poured into Greece. Yup. Or Medo Persia, rather, I beg your pardon.

Number two, everything that was poured in there now comes into Greece. And everything then is poured into Rome. Right to the place where there’s two legs coming to the feet which is our end time, because remember the stone strikes the feet and the feet is not the head.

Nope, it’s not the trunk; it’s not the chest, uh-uh. But notice, when it strikes the feet it all goes down. Babylon, Medo Persia, Greece, Rome. I want you to notice that, because it is important to notice.

So what you’re seeing here is at the end time whatever it was that God hated, you hear what I’m saying?… that God hated in this earthly kingdom, which He is going to get back for the Son of God and for us, is right down here in the feet and that’s where it hits and when it hits there it’s all gone. And iron and clay cannot mix.

So what you’re going to have, you know as well as I do; an earthly set-up at the end that forms some kind of ‘entente’ that simply cannot get along with each other and will not get along with each other and there will be a war and at that time Christ will come personally with the Bride, and take the whole thing over.

But you want to notice, it’s the Spirit and the influence that comes right on down. In other words, you look at Rome, you criticize Rome, you’re only looking at the figurehead of this hour; Rome is nothing more than Babylon.

Nothing more than what the Greece was. Look at Greece today. A man that is a literal Communist heading it and the people are fighting right now because ‘iron’ and ‘clay’ do not mix. They won’t do it. Take what you’re looking at, okay.

Now he says here,

[55-5]  …next came Rome. And there wasn’t anything said about… communism. [That’s right. There’s no fifth empire. Fifth is ‘grace’ which you and I come into.] Rome conquered the world.

Now watch what he says here, which is true. 

[56-1]  Jesus… was borned into the Roman kingdom and persecuted, His first time he came here by the Roman kingdom. [We know that: Herod tried to destroy Him.] And on His second advent coming now, [You didn’t get that? Listen carefully.] And on His second advent coming now, His message is persecuted by the Roman denominations, which is the mother of all of them.

You say, “Why does he single out the Romans? For one reason: they invented the Trinitarian doctrine. The Protestants don’t even know it. They could read history books, too. I always wonder why it is that a Roman Catholic reading the history books cannot understand what the church did.

Now I look at the Protestants; they read the books. Evidently they don’t. How can you be a scholar, anybody and be sucked in? You know why? No interest. No interest. Nobody gives a rip. The one valuable thing you got is that soul of yours and what do people care about it? See?

Now,

[56-1]  And when He returns, not this coming now, the Presence, when he returns immortal, which is the second time, He will come back to wipe out that Roman kingdom, Now listen, this is true… the Jews have always looked for their Messiah to come in wipe out the Roman kingdom.

The Catholic hierarchy with… the denominations [and] the world,… right now coming together as an organization, [the] confederation of churches organizing themselves together. It isn’t Russia, it’s Rome. THUS SAITH THE LORD.

Now I made a statement awhile ago that there is no way you can go in this Message, no way, until you understand what is going on today and that is, the church has formed an empire which is going to take over the world.

Now all Protestants churches are an extension of Romanism. Just like a fruit tree that bears its roots in the ground; they’re all grafted in and come from her. And they are now manifesting the Roman Babylonian doctrine of three gods because Father, Son and Holy Ghost as three separate gods did not come from Judaism; it came from Babylon.

Read the history books; if you haven’t got one, I’ll get one from the library or I’ll buy you one. You cannot cut God into three pieces and feed Him to a Jew. There is one God who had a Son and he wasn’t an eternal son, because sons have beginnings. So somebody is certainly all wrong.

Now let me read you something here about water baptism to get the understanding. Time Magazine put out a little article, the exact words, in December 5, 1955 that took place in the year 100 A.D.

Now remember that’s a long time before Constantine. And that’s at the time when the church was in infancy and had not gone to false religion. And it speaks of a baptism in water.

[Quoted from Time Magazine.]

The deacon raised his hand, (and) Publius Decius stepped through the baptistry door. Standing waist-deep in the pool was Marcus Vasca the wood-seller. He was smiling as Publius waded into the pool beside him.

He said, “Credis . . . ?” he asked. (In other words, do you believe?)

“Credo,” (I believe. He responded publicly.) “I believe (that) my salvation comes from Jesus the Christ, Who was crucified under Pontius Pilate. With Him I die that (with Him) I may have Eternal Life.”

Then he felt (the) strong arms supporting him as he let himself fall backward into the pool, and heard Marcus’ voice in his ear—”I baptize you in the Name of the Lord Jesus”—as cold water closed over him.

[End of quote.]

Now that’s history.

Brother Branham spoke to a Roman Catholic priest and he was actually shocked to hear the priest say, “Reverent Branham, we used to baptize that way.”

He said, “Pray, when did you do it?”

Right here. Then how did they get Father, Son and Holy Ghost? Because they invented it, that’s why every Protestant is baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost is legitimately a Catholic and you can do what you want; but you are a Roman Catholic and at the same time you are a Protestant, which makes every single Protestant baptized in error and error of the Godhead a true Roman Catholic believer.

And his ‘protest’ is in vain. Why is he protesting? I don’t protest I’m a man. I don’t protest I got brown eyes. I protest a little bit about the size of my nose, but it’s just a laugh. Where’s the protesting? All right.

We haven’t got to the part yet where it says, “In her was found the blood of all the martyrs.” We’ll get to that and wonder how much blood Rome has and how much the Protestants have? Well, you can’t… you can’t just blame the Roman Catholics, brother/sister.

I’ll tell you what the whole thing has come to: since this here has taken place and Hebrews 13:8 has come into evidence, manifestation, anybody outside of that is categorically with the world and away from God.

You can say what you want but I’m sorry I may die for it but that’s alright. I think it’s about time I died anyways; might as well, die for a good cause.

All right, let’s go to the Bible and read something here about this last great day that God condemns. It’s Revelation 17: now watch.

Now you know what… right what I said in Corinthians 11. What was her fornication? A wrong Jesus, a wrong spirit, a wrong gospel; she was simply messed up in the truth. So if you’re messed up in the truth; you’re an adulteress idolater.

That’s the long and the short of it; you do what you want with it. We’re calling names so we’re going to call names. We’re supposed to know what the Bible says; let’s say what the Bible says and explain it. Nobody is going to be fooled on this one.

In other words she got a lot of money for doing it. The whole idea of her adulteries is the same as a prostitute committing adultery is to get money.

Now the Roman Catholic church says it’s fifty-four million dollars in debt or so, why… why they sell just one little gate behind the altar? Never mind the ones in front, down there in Mexico City, I think it only weighs twenty two tons.

And gold at what? Five hundred dollars an ounce, four hundred dollars an ounce; they could get out of debt in a hurry. What are you… come on… gold… is not hard to understand. Salvation Army has the same thing out there; who said anybody should panhandle for money? You pay tithe. You don’t have a messed up system like this.

Now notice, it’s ‘Mystery Babylon’, now watch. Babylon, Medo Persia, Greece, Rome. In other words, ‘You O king, are the head’. Now you tell me when a ‘head’ didn’t do the thinking? And the ‘head’ didn’t do the guiding?

So right down here in the feet time you’ve got Ancient Babylon running the church. Don’t worry about Rome. We’ll find out who she is sitting on seven hills, pretty soon.

He just… he just couldn’t understand it; couldn’t understand because it looked so great now and inside were dead men’s bones, inside of her was blood.

Now, you take your histories, we got ‘Smucker’s Glorious History’ in there; Reformation. The Roman Catholics killed 68 million Protestants; read your records. What about Saint Valentine’s Day? Who killed the Huguenots?

Now let me ask you a question. Is Germany, Protestant or Catholic? It’s Protestant; who killed nine million Jews? Nice bunch of Protestants. Then who’s got the blood in her? The Protestants and the Catholics who get together and say, “Well, it’s alright, you know, they made mistakes. We had good popes and we had bad popes.”

Show me one good one. Well, the Protestants: “We had good presbyters.” Show me one good one. Show me one where he usurped… usurps the power of God and the clergy doing the same thing. And today it’s Nicolaitism; where the clergy is in supreme power over the congregation.

That’s why listen, I’ll tell you, people, forget it if you think I’m going to take any power over you because you ain’t taking any power over me. We’re marching to Zion together or we’re not going. I’m going someplace else and you do what you want. That’s not a bluff, brother/sister; that’s the truth and you know it, you know me well enough now.

I’m seventy-three; I don’t have too long to live. What I’ve suffered I don’t feel too bad right now. What I’ve suffered and gone through for the last four years. I think I could die. Wouldn’t be any fun, but he giveth the grace. There’s always grace.

You know how Brother Branham explained that, the bottomless pit; no foundation, the Roman Catholic church got no foundation. It’s not built upon Christ. Show me where it is.

Why do you think Father Chiniquy left the Roman Catholic church years ago? He read every single book of the fathers, you want to get the book, get the book. They finally hauled him into court.

Too late; God had given him a revival. You know the church does not worry about the honor of Jesus Christ. It worries about its own honor, its own pocketbook. It’s a mealy mouth institution.

That’s the popes, a series of popes, and run the Protestants right with them, as far as I am concerned, too. They come and they go and they come and they go and each one is the vicar of Christ and each one is infallible.

Tell me the Roman Catholic Church rebelled against Pope Pius XII when he say, “Mary is ascended into heaven.”

They said, “Don’t you dare say that.”

Well, he said, “I am God. I am the vicar, hallelujah.”

So he got all puffed up with his pride, said, “Mary has ascended.”

Give me one… give me one thing the Roman Catholic church has got to prove anything. Prove nothing! The best the Protestants had for awhile were a few gifts of the Spirit.

And then they came across that “Thus saith the Lord,” and they couldn’t do it but they blasphemed It. There’s your Pentecostals. Your Nazarenes had already done it; they blasphemed the Pentecostals. Sure it was all over.

Now listen,

Everybody knows that’s Rome. What is it… I think over there, over there in Russia they got Moscow’s on seven hills and Cincinnati? That’s a great thought, isn’t it? How much religion comes out of Moscow? How much comes out of Cincinnati?

You got a bunch of stupid Germans down there, mostly Protestant, I guess ready to kill more Jews? I don’t mean that in a bad term; they got all kinds of German restaurants. Ohio’s full of Germans; let’s face it; one of the most German states in America.

Who do they go back to? Luther. That’s the roots. What did Luther say? Kill all the Jews. And Ashira says, “It took Hitler to do it”. I’m not against Luther. The man made his mistakes. I wouldn’t be against the pope either if he…

Listen, good men came out of the Catholic church and they protested the Catholic church but, they got nowhere. And let me tell you something; you can never protest a church and change it. It’s utterly impossible; you’ve got to come out and disassociate yourself a hundred percent; that’s the truth, brother/sister.

And I tell you, if this Message went to seed, I’d get out of It. I wouldn’t leave the Word of God, as Brother Branham taught It, I’d just have to start over again.

Right would I say, “I must have made a mistake in this Message; I’ve got to get back and study some more”. This is vindicated.

Well, you can say, “I don’t think it is”. That’s your privilege. I say it is.

So there you’re looking at the Scripture here that Brother Branham used. Let’s go to Revelation 18, and see some more about this woman; in the first two verses.

You know that speaks of ‘rottenness’ and ‘sin’ and all. Now what’s going to happen? Okay, read the 20th verse.

Now listen, let’s get this thing flat, brother/sister, this is religion; this is not politics.

Rome itself is a nation. And that fiasco they had; was it the cardinal or the bishop? That made that fiasco with the bank over there and would the pope let him in, let anybody come in and arrest him? No! You couldn’t go in and arrest the miscreant. No, no!

Anything the pope touches is holy. Holy my foot! No pope, no Protestant, nobody’s going to tell me anything. I’ve got this to go back on. Let them produce it. Let them come and show me one thing.

I’ve got a little hangnail here, come on, twenty million people come up here and tell me, “Thus saith the Lord;” that hangnail’s gone. Can’t do it! I saw the prophet do it; time after time, anything that God put in his heart. It was thousands of times demonstrated.

All right, 22.

In other words, the final coming out, in the 18th chapter after the 4th verse reading, coming out of here, that place was now be judged. And let me tell you absolutely, judgment has struck this land. You can stay in if you want, you say, “Brother Vayle, I don’t belong.”

Aha! Just give yourself a little test with what the prophet said if you agree or not. You don’t have to join any church out there to prove what you are. Just sit here tonight and say, “I don’t agree with that.” “Well,” say, “I can prove I don’t belong.” Ha! You do belong, kid. You do belong. You’re just part of it.

This is the toughest gospel you’ve ever heard and don’t think I don’t know the answers because I do know the answers because I’m the guy that sat there with Brother Branham. I’m the guy that wrote the book. I’m the guy that realized; he wasn’t talking my language at all.

I was talking a dead, corrupt language of an ecumenical move handed down by Roman Catholics and Protestants, bound up in traditional nonsense and hogwash. You can’t break your minds free, brother/sister, you’re right in denominations, just I’m sorry for you.

I’m not going to stand up here and pat you on the back; I’m responsible for you and I’m going to lay it on the line. You can’t accuse me, because look, this record is here as though the one thousand year Millennium was already over. It’s just the same. I’m telling you the truth. You got to get away from your thinking. You got to get on.

Now listen, were talking now in terms of the passive faith that is necessary down the road where the Word has the Bride and knows what to do with It. And She doesn’t speak out of turn.

And when She does speak it is literally, though not truly, “Thus saith the Lord,” because it is not prefaced by, “Thus saith the Lord,” but it comes to pass because it was something God said. You’re looking at this and we’re looking at this tonight. Can we accept the fact? You better come out of what you’re in because it’s all Babylon.

Easy to say, “I’m not a Catholic.” You’re just as good as a Catholic. No difference. I don’t care what you call it. God just calls it the harlot system. He didn’t say, “Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian.”

What did He call it?—he called it Babylon; called it right where the thinking came from, three gods, the Trinitarian club that Brother Branham saw. Every single time the Word of God tried to rise up in this last day it was fought how? Remember? Let me read it again.

[56-1]  He said, on this second advent coming now, his Message is persecuted by the Roman denomination which is the mother of them all.

He didn’t say Rome now, and Catholicism. He said, “… the Roman denomination…” Every time he rose up to defend the Bride they took the Trinitarian club and said, “Aha, that bunch of Oneness junk.” Anybody knows there’s three gods.

Tell me how can God be born? How can God have a beginning? How can God die? Well, it’s a great mystery. So are sardines. I never did know how they got in the cans. May God have pity. One stinks worse than the other; I’d sooner have sardines anyway.

Brother Branham said,

[56-2]  Show me a Scripture where communism or anything else besides Rome will rule.

And again it’s… and again remember you’re looking at: What is the ‘head’? You’re looking at: What is the ‘passive doctrine’? Now, the passive doctrine of three gods has declared death on the Jews; for one God and against anybody that’s under a curse that does not believe in the holy trinity.

And if you think that’s Roman Catholicism alone, you’re not even Protestant tonight. Don’t you know that you have got to actually sign in the Protestant denomination that you believe in the holy trinity of the Father and Son and a Holy Ghost?

I don’t think even Rome demands that; they simply bring you up in it. And if you cease to believe it; you’re out. Well, you say, “I used to believe that”.

And if you don’t anymore then you are no longer any more a Roman Catholic. I’m sorry. If you go back and tell them that: Say, “You better repent because you’ve just lost with us.”

What rose up against Brother Branham; Trinitarian club. Now, come on, what did Paul say? A wrong Jesus, a wrong spirit, a wrong word. I ask you a question: How much further can you get?

Ask you a question: when you’ve missed your step on an 800 foot cliff, just look at yourself. What if you missed it by one foot? You’re gone; eight hundred feet. Well, I missed it by three feet; you’re still gone. That’s what you’re looking at; can’t win, brother/sister.

[56-2] Show me a Scripture where communism or anything else besides Rome will rule. Did the Medo Persians succeed Nebuchadnezzar? Sure [they did]. Did [the Greeks] succeed them? [Sure did.]… Did Rome take… over from [them]? [Yes, it did.] Did it break up into ten Ottoman powers just like we got now?

Did “Eisenhower,” which means “iron,” [and]”Khrushchev” [which] means “clay,” did they have their meeting right here and Khrushchev took off his shoe to make it a plain, [an] open thing; he beat it on the desk like that [banged up and down like that…] (Brother Branham pounds on the pulpit to illustrate–Ed.) to show the people? Well, what’s the matter with the people today?

Now, you can see… let me see, let me go back to Daniel 2: we’ll read that… although we have touched it and in 39, It says,

Now remember, brother/sister, you’re dealing from the hips down now; head, chest, belly. Now you’re dealing from the hips down. And you’re dealing with a continuity of what was once a great physical empire right down to the feet which is the tail end, which is iron and clay, which cannot mix.

In other words, they can get together, but there’s nothing to it. It’s going to be trouble; it’s going to be war. There will be because Russia’s got the Vatican’s name on a bomb and it’s got ours on it. And it won’t rule anything; as soon as those bombs go off; Christ comes and the whole thing is over because that’s what it says here.

It says nothing about Communism. It says, “The feet get hit”. And what are you looking at. You’re looking at democracy and totalitarianism; can’t get together. Then what’s going to bind them? Now what is going to bind them? It’s going to be the spiritual factors that set in the book of Revelation because Revelation continues on from Daniel.

Now, you know what the Bible says; it’s very clear. It says, “You cannot buy or sell unless you’re part of the anti-Christ system.” You know there’s only one cry in the whole world, “You’ve got to go back to the Gold standard.”

And they’re going to go back. And I want to ask you one question: “Who’s got the gold?” See? The paper won’t do it. There’s too much paper now. Our government keeps issuing paper; just puts us more and more in debt.

America at one time had all the gold and instead of raising the price to, maybe five thousand dollars an ounce, and controlling the whole world; they’ll say we will keep it at thirty-nine. I wish I would have bought a ton. I didn’t have the money to buy it then.

No, they kept it right there and gave it away. Who’s got the gold now? See, Rome’s got the gold. Years and years ago there wasn’t a church, I don’t believe, that didn’t have a cross of gold worth seventy-five thousand dollars; that’s when gold was about thirty-nine dollars an ounce.

Up to four hundred; it would go up to… God knows how many thousands when that time comes to take it over which they will take it over.

Now, okay, we’re talking about the money system; talking about the gold. What then is going to work at this time? And the anti-Christ is going to be the prize figure that moves the world and positions it so that they all marvel after him.

And you know that you’ll not be great signs and wonders as though the man were a miracle ministry from God; although he could have something like that. It’s going to be the money system because ‘you can’t buy or sell’ and that’s what’s facing the world right today.

And there’s where Brother Branham taught us so carefully; Rome with the gold will absolutely control the whole monetary system and that is not too hard to understand.

Now,

[56-2]  …what’s the matter with the people today?

[56-3]  [He said,] Where is faith gone to? Why–don’t you believe the Word of God to be the Truth?… What’s the matter with the preachers today? Communism, every preacher… out (t)here trying to fight communism. Communism nothing, the thing, the devil is weaving… under your nose and you don’t know it.

It’s Romanism, [which is ecumenical movement, or he said,] denominationalism, [which is Laodiceanism] and Rome is the mother of denominations. The Bible said she was a whore and her daughters were harlots against God, against His Word. Soldiers, pick up the Word;… and stay with that Word.

Now, Brother Branham is telling us here and I’m not trying to double against him because it’s only too simple to understand this: that this application of passive faith is very vital for you and the future or you will be trapped. You’ll go right into it.

“Well,” say, Brother Vayle, “I don’t think I will.” You just better be careful unless you can absolutely unreservedly take the doctrine.

Now you think I’m trying to sell you a bill of goods; forget it. You don’t have to have it; I can go someplace else and they’ll take it, right the way Brother Branham said it, which is the way I’m preaching it.

Look it, he tells you what it is and then he says here, the Bible says she was a whore and her daughters were harlots against God and against his Word.

[56-3]  Soldiers, pick up the Word; stay with that Word.

What’s he talking about?—that subject right there. What does that mean to us? It means that this is an instrument of power through revelation to you and me for the future. Now just sit and think a minute, hey, and I’m going to close. I don’t know when we going to finish this series; we’ll get it finished sometime.

I talked awhile ago about preachers and I’ve got no special fight with preachers except I don’t like them too well; too many of them, but I’ve got some very beloved friends in the ministry. You know that and I know that. But there are too many preachers have already brutalized their congregations and have taken full authority away from the Word of God where the prophet put It.

And invariably are using little catch phrases; “Well, you see the preacher, he’s the spiritual husband of the church.” Well, my Bible tells me, that the woman is subject to the man.

But Brother Branham said, “The pastor was subject to the church and the church is subject to the pastor.”

And they’re both going down the road together. So where… so where do the preacher’s that will pull that on you, have any authority there? I’m not here to fuss at the preacher but I’m going to tell you one thing; this church will be built upon the Word of God and together we will face the enemy or we’re all going to go down.

We won’t have a church. There’s battles going to come ahead of us here, just as sure as we’re alive. The fact we’re building a church is going to cause problems. You think it won’t? Sit around and I’ll prove it to you. I’ll prove it to you.

I’ll see what’s in your hearts and it won’t take long at all. Understand what I’m saying? Please understand what I’m saying, look, I’m not up here as a five year old kid anymore and I’m telling you where trouble lies. It lies all around and everywhere and it’s when trouble comes in we show exactly who and what we are.

And we move in that special direction and this is a warning to us tonight; watch that spirit of Nicolaitism because that’s what happened in Rome; where clergy took over and poor old Polycarp, old as the hills now, the disciple of John, went to warn them, and God said, “Leave her alone.” Ephraim has joined to his idols, her idols. He went there and couldn’t do a thing.

Now what we’re looking at tonight, may be kind of passé to you, it may be you’re not understanding this and I’m not saying I don’t understand it fully myself but I know this one thing; Bro Branham has warned us to watch and he must have had a good reason to do it and he goes on to say and I close with this,

[56-4]  I’ll perish one day, but this Word can’t perish. And you younger people, if it doesn’t happen in my generation, you’ll see it. There’s the thing.

There it is tonight, brother/sister. What does it mean? It means just what it says. Well, I feel pretty secure. Don’t feel too secure. “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall”.

I take it to mean because it is academic but it mustn’t be academic any longer. “You’ve got to be wise as serpents; as harmless as doves.” And we can be by the Grace of Almighty God.

Let us bow our heads in prayer.

Gracious Heavenly Father, we again want to approach Your Throne of Grace and Mercy knowing, Lord, that this old ‘head of gold’ up there and gold does look so good, it’s so powerful and it buys so much, just gold seems to spell everything: mystery, beauty, possession, position; it’s got it all because it’s gold that moves. And Lord, as we look at the ‘head’ that’s gold, we don’t just…

[tape recording ends]