Questions And Answers -Pastors Series #04

Transcript in progress. Audio is available now.

Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, again we want to say how much we appreciate the fact that You allowed us to come together, Lord, in this service that we might praise Your Name; we might hear from You, Lord; we might be led by You.

We’re grateful, Lord, that the song writer caught the fact of Scripture that, “Fear not little flock, He goeth ahead.”

And we know that You’re leading us by a Pillar of Fire, the revealed, living Word to enter the Millennium, Lord.

We have no doubt about that. And if we don’t make it, somebody here is going to make it, Lord, because we do not know how long it will take.

So, we thank You, Father, for Your goodness and mercy and pray that tonight we’ll learn more of You and the ways of God, church order, and those things that are so vital to us and to be careful to give You the praise.

In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.

Now, I believe this is number 4 in the study which is almost exclusively answering questions or elaborating upon some statements that Brother Branham has made concerning the pastors and their relationship to the congregation.

Now, to review last Sunday, wherein we started to examine Brother Branham’s thesis that we ought to stick with our pastors because they are ordained to see us through.

We saw immediately that those pastors ordination to that end, that’s “to see the people through,” was not so much the people’s responsibility to stick to the pastor, but that the pastor was responsible for the people.

And therefore, the people should stay or stick with the pastor and not seek the responsibility alone, which could be detrimental to them, even as a sheep without a shepherd.

Now, we’ll just go over that one more time, to get the understanding. And that is we’re studying last Sunday and saw wherein Brother Branham gave forth a thesis, or the premise, the true word, “That we ought to stick with our pastors, because they are ordained to see us through.”

And, we caught immediately that the ordination, the command to that end to see the people through, gave the pastors a great responsibility, which is far greater than the people’s.

And the people should stick with such a pastor, when such a pastor is available, a real responsible pastor; otherwise the sheep would find themselves without a shepherd.

The commission of responsibility to the pastors, for the sheep was so effective, and would be so effective according to the prophet and the Word of God, that the sheep should rejoice in it and use that source of good to their betterment.

Now, we saw that the pastor as the spiritual husband was obligated to his church and responsible for its welfare, so was he obligated to act in a God-given role and capacity as a pastor, to lead the sheep in the direction to its right destination.

Now, the Scripture that Brother Branham was actually using, but never did use, and I don’t know that I never heard him preach on it, is in,

Now, the specific thought of this verse, you can see, contains exactly what I said. The responsibility is so magnanimous, it’s so great, it’s such a strong law, spiritual law in the Word, the law of Christ in the pastor, that it’s profitable for the people.

In other words, it’s a ministry that will not fail. It’s a ministry that is two-sided. All Scripture is. You see the blessing and the cursing, the parallelism of Scripture.

They can do it with joy, or they can do it with sorrow. There must be an accounting to God for the ministry that God have given the pastor.

Now, I’m very sorry that this attitude is a very low favored attitude in many ministers’ lives that claim to be shepherds of the flock of the last day Message.

And this is one reason I’m speaking out against these things, and yet, speaking for these things, because to speak out against them is not my purpose to let anyone think for one minute I’m against those statements.

But you must remember, everything in this life is basically true in itself, because all things that God made and said, and He’s actually the creator of all things, he said, “They’re good.”

But anybody can take the good thing and pervert it, you know. Even mythology brings that out, never mind true, Christian doctrine.

Now, a true pastor is something like the eastern doctor. Like the Chinese doctor, who is in the position that he is to keep you well and see that you don’t get sick. And when you do get sick, at no charge as your doctor, he is there to make you better.

Now, that’s a lot like the pastors are committed today. They’re to keep you from going astray, keep you so that you don’t get sick, and, if you’re foolish enough as a sheep to eat the wrong diet, he’s there really to rub your stomach a little bit to help you along at no cost.

In other words, there’s no fight in the congregation over it. There’s no problem if you’re a real pastor.

Now then, if the pastor has a command from God to see you through, we must ascertain what God has given him in order to do the job, and then receive from the pastor whatever God has given him for us, that the job might be done in us and for us.

Now, this was no mystery, as we saw in Acts 20, and that’s where Paul called the elders together.

Now, I like that expression. You know why? Because it gets right to the core of everything where so many preachers are playing politics. They want to be nicey-nicey and just try to manipulate the congregation. Hooogwash.

I’m against it from the bottom of my soul. From the bottom of my soul brother/sister, “Held back nothing that was profitable to you.”

Remember the same word in Hebrews 13:17, “That is profitable for you…” something you need.

Now, see:

Now, you’ll notice in here what Paul is saying. This is applicable to every single minister, and particularly to the pastors because Paul is talking to the elders who have a great job in the church of teaching and helping the people to live the life.

Acts 20:

Now, you can know right here from the Scripture I read, that the pastor is obligated to bring the Word of God with the gloves off… let the chips fly where they may; but he’s got to deliver the Word of God exactly as the Word of God was given from the privileged messengers of the hour.

And Paul said, “I bear you to record: I am free; I am pure; I have no man’s blood upon my hands. I’m absolutely free of it.”

And the reason is, “I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.”

He never said, “I used a club and beat it in your head.” “I never stood guard over you. I never forced any one of you. I simply brought the Word of God. I showed you where It came from. I proved where It came from. I manifested the best I could. You know It to be the truth. What are you going to do about it?”

Now, he said:

In other words, the congregation is never the pastors.

It’s the people lent to him, whereby he may do himself and themselves a service and receive training and blessing from God, that together the pastor and the congregation may grow up into Christ as much as is allowed them in their generation, that they might come and neither one be in debt at the day of judgment, but all stand together as a blessed people.

This is a glorious prospect that Brother Branham laid before us to stick with a true pastor who has been commissioned by God, commanded by God to see that you get there. And this is how it is done.

Now, this which Paul says is no less a repeat of John 21, where Jesus Christ after his resurrection is dealing with Peter especially, and the apostles. And Peter is the example.

And he says here:

Haven’t you got to the place where your love for me is the greatest thing in your life? And…

And He put the emphasis, of course, on that highest type of love.

And then, notice the sublime words of Peter concerning this very time with Jesus in 1 Peter 5:1-9, when he speaks concerning the same subject.

He was there at Calvary like Mt Sinai. He was there at Transfiguration. He was there at the Sea of Galilee when Jesus spoke, and He said:

A true pastor delivering the true Word of God without fear or favor, helping the flock to understand and blessing them when there is an opportunity will receive absolutely a crown of glory that cannot fade.

1 Peter 5:

Now, notice what he is saying here. He’s talking about elders, the ministers being in authority by the Word over the people.

And you’ll notice that, then, he tells each one to submit to the elders, to submit to each other, because God resists the proud, gives grace to the humble.

And you know that there is only one way that this can be done, which is by the Word of God being preached, and the people receive It.

And he said:

Brother Branham used the same Scripture in ‘The Greatest Battle’.

Now, notice what Paul said in Acts 20 when he talked to those people there. He had already previously written It in the Book of Hebrews, which we just read.

In other words, they don’t have much chance of a crown of glory, if they haven’t got a congregation in obedience.

Again in,

And you notice, Hebrews 13:8 is based upon Genesis 18, the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ, God Himself to a prophet.

And therefore, whatever message these people are preaching, it has to be identical, and identified with, what the prophet Paul brought.

Then, notice in,

And how is that working worked out? According to Ephesians, the man that wrote Hebrews, wrote Ephesians, and is by the ministry of the Word that brings a Bride to absolute perfection.

So, we see here then, that the pastor is a provider of spiritual food, even as a husband is a provider of the physical food.

And you notice, you’ve got a little sort of parable in Psalm 23 on that. The Shepherd Psalm—Psalm of David.

That’s the chief Shepherd. And those that are a part of Him, and shepherds, sub-shepherds they’ll do the same thing.

“I shall not want.” They maketh so the sheep will not want.

In other words, the effectiveness of the guiding and leading, ruling, and literal controlling in the right way of a shepherd is to bring the people to a place of prosperity, quietness, and contentedness.

Now, this is a Psalm that you cannot relegate to every individual in the local Bride church without understanding that those who serve you in the ministry have everything to do with this. You don’t get it by yourselves.

Now, I’m not here to defend Lee Vayle. Because look; I’m like Jack Bell. If you want another preacher, I’ll be very happy to help pay you to get there. God knows that.

I’ll give you the money to go. And if the majority of you don’t like it, you just tell me, and I’ll be glad to go. See? There’s no thought of aggrandizement here.

I am teaching you the Word of God, and it is too late to fool around my brother/sister.

This is how it is done. And we’re not dealing with Pentecostals anymore. Very few preachers ever let Pentecostalism ever get out of them.

I’m one of them by the grace of God. I have nothing to do with that. But I will declare the Word that tells you what you can expect from a ministry and a minister.

And it doesn’t usurp any authority over anybody and cow you down and make you morbid and to try to destroy one another, even families, and make you act stupid and legalistic.

It’s to get you out of all of that, and see there’s a glory in the Word of God that a Bride has. And someone’s marching to Zion.

If somebody doesn’t want to go, that’s your, not my, business, and that’s not your business. Your business is to understand this.

God Himself did not come down here and take each one of you by the nose and lead you around. God sent a prophet on the scene, a foreknown individual with the Word of Almighty God.

And that Word in the prophet’s mouth is no different. It’s the same Word in my mouth and in your mouth, or any responsible person, because God stands behind It.

The same Pillar of Fire that brought that Word,… and the Pillar of Fire is not what we’re looking at, it’s the Holy Spirit in the Pillar of Fire, It’s leading us, and it’s that Word that Brother Branham spoke of.

And I say again, “If the Word doesn’t do it, then believe me, nothing is going to it, because when the Holy Spirit came down, He brought a Word.”

In other words, He couldn’t come down and do it without a Word. It’s exactly why He brought a Word. And He couldn’t do it without a prophet.

That’s exactly why He brought a prophet. If you’re looking for a resurrection, you’ll never get It apart from the Word.

Now, I know, today, preachers have risen up, and they’re tough, because when they say, “Now, you better stick with me.” Why? Because they have seen the folly of a rebellious congregation, the same as Moses had.

And they think that that’s what’s it’s all… We’ll touch that shortly. Maybe not today, but we’ll touch it. I do not impute that to the people.

I believe there’s Bride. But you know something? A Bride must be taught.

The old Pentecostal jargon “I’ve got the Holy Ghost. Who needs you?” That’s the laugh of eternity.

The sardonic mocking laughter of God will come back to haunt them in the Lake of Fire because “He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

He doesn’t change either Himself or His ways. And He sent His Word. If it wasn’t for that Word, brother/sister, we won’t be getting off this world.

There be no dead coming forth out of the graves. There’ll be no people changed. There’ll be nothing because, the Lord descended with a Message to put the Church in order.

And I’m sorry to say that too many pastors take what Brother Branham said, and they pervert it to their own use. I’m criticized, I know that because I am not a genuine, true pastor.

I’ve got pastoral qualities, but I am not a genuine, true pastor. I am a teacher. But once I start teaching pastors, things begin to happen. But I’m not one hundred percent pastor.

So, you see, I’m a little bit not liked on the ground that I hit these things so hard.

Well you say, “Hit the teacher.”

I’ve hit the teacher many times. The country’s full of them. I could be one of them. I don’t believe I am. For your sake I hope to God I’m not, because you believe me… because I’ve got to answer for you.

So, He’s a great provider for the spiritual food that is to be set before the sheep.

Let’s go to,

Notice, it’s always as Paul said, “The Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, the Word of faith which we preach.”

1 Timothy 4:12 [paraphrased] “Be thou an example to the believers.” Number one: “in Word.” Secondly: “in behavior.” Number three: “in love.” Fourth: “in spirit, in faith and purity.”

Now, you can sort of mix those up if you want, but I won’t do it because the Holy Ghost put it that way.

What reading? Reader’s Digest? Well, that’s not too bad, but that’s not what a preacher should read.

Somebody’s dated sermons that belong in age number six and number five? No, no. They’re nice… some of them, but that’s not what you want to read.

What are you going to read? The books that Brother Branham has left us.

All right. The Word is what counts. And as we do, we compare that to 1 Timothy 5:8.

And notice:

Now, what I’m saying right here is, a pastor is the head of the church. They love to quote “the pastor’s the supreme authority.”

What kind of supreme authority is he, if he’s not an example to the believers in “the Word; behavior; in love; spirit and faith, and in purity,” and he doesn’t provide for those of his own house?

In other words, there must be the constant provision by the shepherd for the sheep, because this is what you live by: the Life that is in the Word.

The Word received in you by the Holy Spirit within you will capitalize on this Word, and that together will bring forth that Light—bring forth a Resurrection also.

And notice, It says here, that:

Then do you understand, why I cry against the preachers who stand up and say, “Brother Branham made a mistake?”

Like the fellow out west, he said, “Brother Branham made a mistake because that which is perfect has not come.”

The man doesn’t even understand the first thing about this Message. And there’s no way he can understand.

Because, Brother Branham, if he made a wrong Scriptural assertion or attestation, and he said, “That which is perfect is come which is truly the revealed Word for this hour,” and It hasn’t come, then you better look for somebody that’s better who’s going to bring It, then what kind of a man is he?

He’s not one that provides for the house. He’s a destroyer. See?

Let’s go back to Acts 20:35.

Paul said:

All right, then, what is it all about? A pastor receiving revelation from the Word of God which a prophet brought.

What is it wherein the pastor receives things from God? It’s like every single gift that God ever gave. It is not for the individual, it is for others.

Brother Branham could not use the gift for himself. And you will find in every gift, whether it’s a pastoral gift, whether it’s evangelistic, the ministries… whatever they are, everyone of those provisions of God are not for the individual.

The individual is a conduit. And a conduit is something that carries something to some other place.

When Brother Branham said he was stuffed in a tube, he was exactly right, and what he came was exactly from a tube also. But the gift that he had was not for himself. It was for the people.

But I want you to notice something: as Brother Branham told the people in another true statement, he said, “I do not operate the gift. You by your faith, operate the gift through me.”

That is the same thing exactly with the pastor in a public… the congregation… I’ve told you, “If you could not come here with faith in your heart, knowing you would receive from God, you had better stay home, because you’ll stop somebody else.”

It just means somebody else has got to battle against you’re unbelief. Then, you know what’s going to happen in the day of judgment? You’re going to answer for it.

Now, let’s get down to the brass tacks of the Word of Almighty God and quit fooling around.

And you’re not going to have somebody just say, “Well, I forgive you, my dear, brother/sister.” Hogwash. You’re going to stand for it.

There’s got to be given an account. You think only ministers are going to give an account in the day of judgment? Ho, ho, my brother/sister.

Brother Branham said, “We’ll be attorneys that day.” But we’ll also be in line of witnesses.

We must remember these things and understand they’re serious. It’s very serious for a man to be a pastor, a part of the five-fold ministry.

And it’s very, very serious for the people that they truly be enjoined and understand the way to participate and the way to draw upon those ministries. You’ve got to have faith.

So many people right today are very bilious. They’ve got no faith at all in a ministry. They claim they’ve got faith in Brother Branham.

How much faith have they got when Brother Branham said, “Stick to your pastor, he’s ordained to see you through.”

Then pastors will turn around and twist it. And congregations turn around and twist it. The day of judgment brother is right here. We must be balanced in the Word of Almighty God.

Now, if the pastor is not a living Word pastor, and his life and ministry are questioned and you lose confidence in him, you had better get another pastor if you can, or even do without one.

You could even get a group and hear tapes. This church could do that if you so wanted. But remember one thing, as Brother Branham said, “A half of slice is better than no slice.”

In other words, there are times when you might not get everything you want in a pastor. There are times when he might not be able to deliver, and you’d like certain things done.

You know how to answer that question. You just start praying and believing God, and something will begin to happen, because God answers prayer. But we must remember those things and stand in that grace.

Now, let us say for instance now that some disgruntled people leave a good pastor and the fault is quite squarely on the people who left. That happens many times. I’ve seen that many, many times in Pentecostal churches these splits come about.

It would not be good for any other pastor to accept them without things being made right where they came from. And that is something I know, that most brethren in this ministry try to do.

They try to find out exactly why people have become disenchanted in the church in which they were. And if something can be done about the situation, the pastors rather than receive those people will hope that something can be done for them.

In other words, it’s quite known in religious circles, spiritual or unspiritual… but call it ‘religious’, that there are people who are picky and troublemakers.

They’re the kind who can’t stand still until they pray and believe and fight through problems in the church until the church settles down.

And the pastor there either comes up to where he should be, or God simply moves that man away. They’re picky people; they never grow up.

They never amount to a hill of beans. But there are other people who positively do have problems in the church. And some of the problems in the church are the very things I’m speaking of.

I would not sit in any congregation for fifteen minutes where the congregation believed, nor would I be in the pulpit and believe that you had to hear me to make the Rapture.

Oh, that’s true. Let’s get that flat, in case there’s a little case of idolatry here.

Now, you know my testimony, like Brother Branham said, and you know my stand. It’s very, very strong. I have absolute faith in the ministry that God gave me what the prophet said.

And I stand here and I’m not afraid of anybody. That does not mean for one minute that you have to hear me to make the Rapture.

Absolutely, that is a fallacy. You are ridiculous; you are foolish.

The command is this: to hear what the prophet had to say no matter who says it, and as long as it’s not perverted.

And if you can’t sit under somebody to deliver the Word of God in an unperverted manner, then simply hear the tapes and read the books. That’s all.

And just simply commit yourselves to some good brother in the church, that the kind-hearted, sympathetic, godly brother to open the services and hope that God may send you somebody.

But let’s clear the air right there. You don’t have to hear me to make any Rapture. I fought that for years.

I went to Canada one time, and a certain man up there said, “You know, Brother Vayle, they’re saying about you that you took Brother Branham’s place, and now they’ve got to hear you.”

I said, “Who said that?”

He told me. I went to that church, and I cleared the air.

I came back next time and said, “Brother, they tell me that you’re supposed to be an apostle, and now they’ve got to hear you. I think you better clear the air.”

Would he clear the air? No, he wouldn’t clear the air, till one man jumped him.

He said, “I understand in your meeting, you stood up, and you said you’re an apostle, and you can lay hands on people, so and so.”

You know what the man said? “Well,” he said, “nobody came forward, so they couldn’t have believed it.”

But he didn’t deny it.

Let me tell you here, and it’s on tape going around the world. I deny, categorically, that anybody has to hear me because I don’t even stand to hear myself to make the Rapture. That’s the biggest bunch of hogwash and nonsense in the world.

As long as I’m pastor, I’m ordained. I’ve got a command from God to be responsible for you. And it’s a pretty, heart-disturbing proposition to know that I’ve got to stand in judgment for what I teach here.

And that’s one reason I say I take no guff from anybody. I’m sorry, but I simply can’t do it. I can’t do it… or you do it. Now, that just all there is to it.

Now, preachers have to take a stand… a strong stand. But they cannot have a congregation in idolatry or adoration, an adoration society, and an admiration society.

Of course, I wouldn’t get that anyway, because my nature doesn’t lend to that, and I wouldn’t want it anyway. Sufficient to have a wife that’s so blind that she could love me, or so stupid, one of the two, without anybody else going awry.

Now, I talk about these people that get these fusslings for nothing. But let’s get back to the people who try to do right.

And I find that many people have had to leave pastors and churches because they try to do right, and the pastor, in turn, is stubborn or vindictive.

Now, if a pastor is vindictive, and he can’t be talked to, and he’s got to crack the whip, and you’ve got to obey him, and you’ve got to have faith in him, or you’ve got to have the understanding they’re preaching now that you must have a revelation that’s your pastor…

Oh, you can have all the revelation you want about me as a pastor, but I’m not a pastor. I’m a teacher. But I’m pastoring—partially. You’ve got to have revelation.

All right. The sheep got a revelation? Then the pastor better have a revelation, too, then. Maybe some of you folk don’t belong here. I haven’t got a clue. I haven’t got a clue.

I wouldn’t know if you belong here or not. I’m glad you’re here. I accept you as part. Do you see what I’m trying to show you?

If you’ve got to have a revelation, then I’d better have a revelation because according to the Word, I would be in a superior position to have a revelation than you would, unless God ordained it a certain way.

But these are things I don’t like to hear from people in a congregation, because I just heard that two men from a certain congregation said to a certain woman in Jeffersonville, “You’ve got to hear Brother So and So, or you can’t make the Rapture.”

I doubt if that preacher himself ever said that. What if that spirit is over the entire congregation? What if we had it here? You know what I’d do? I’d just leave.

And you couldn’t follow me. I’d go where you couldn’t come. Then how are you going to make it?

And you wouldn’t get a tape from that time on either. I’m sorry. I’d just simply cut off the utilities. No more water. No more gas. No more lights.

You see how ridiculous it is for a people to say things… and a pastor to say things. And it’s so simple to say the Word of God.

You know why? Because the Word of God works, and God will back It up. But He won’t back me up, and He won’t back you up.

God stands behind His Word. He doesn’t stand behind your word and my word. And the only Word of God we know He stands behind is vindicated Word, which we saw by the prophet and the Pillar of Fire.

Now, I say, look. If people leave a church, under most conditions they try to make everything right with the pastor.

But if the pastor will not listen, then the people are free to go anywhere they want to go. It’s their business. Anybody knows that from Galatians 6.

Now, let’s just take a look at Galatians 6. Remember; the minister, as a pastor is a shepherd, is supposed to take care of the sheep if they’re sick or anything else.

There should be, anytime possible, the absolute Word of God in full effect to help people.

Now, in most cases the situations in the church are not so bad that they cannot be worked out because God wants us to be at peace with Him, with each other, with all men.

Now, we go to,

In other words, you can say here, there’s nobody that isn’t heir to the same fault.

I’ve said in my preaching many times, all I’ve got to do is preach from my heart, and I can hit every one of you people sitting here just as though I had a complete revelation of you innards. Why?

Because I’m a human being, and you’re a human being. Why do you think that God can deal with man by His Spirit? Because Jesus was perfect, absolute man, and He’s perfect, absolute God. And He could do it.

And the Bible distinctly tells it on the grounds that God became man or indwelt man, and that man was tempted in all points.

So likewise was God also in that particular condition. How? I don’t understand at all. He is able to help, because He’s an Overcomer.

So, it’s telling you here: look; we all go through the same thing.

Romans 2:

Now, I think that’s a good verse for pastors. I’ve seen in many cases preachers do things, and then they throw-off on their congregation.

And I find many times the congregation is a whole lot better than the pastor is. I think you got something other than a shepherd… you know, a real shepherd that’s in the pulpit.

Romans 2:

What I’m looking at here is, look; many people in the church, and many churches have problems. But those problems do not need to destroy a church, nor does it need to destroy any one person. See?

There is no need for any type of destruction, if the people, and everybody, become thoroughly honest. But if you’re not honest, you’re going to just sit right there. I don’t care who you are.

You can cover up all you want. You can lie about it. You can cheat about it. You can deny it, but God who knows the heart will never let you off the hotspot because it just means treasuring up wrath to yourself and adding coals to coal until there’s a big fire.

So, you see, trouble in the church should be stopped instantaneously. Why? Because there’s a Word that deals with it. See?

Now, let’s go over to,

Now, this gives you the clue to a church and what they should do. The very same thing as I say, “You come to church expecting to hear the Word of God.”

I could get up here just as dry as an old bone in a desert, and the first thing living waters would pour out for your good, because that’s what a gift is all about for the good of the people.

And ministries and gifts are in the same category. They are for the use of the people.

Now, let us see what the people are doing. They take the Word of God in peace. And they begin to apply the Word of God in peace, and you will see what happens. We’ll all become edified, and all become growing up in the Lord Jesus Christ, which is what we also desperately want.

Look at,

Now, listen; let’s just stop right here and look at this. To begin with everybody must have one word to have one faith. There cannot be two sets of preaching in this church.

Now, poor Brother Branham, absolutely, for a long time you could hear a preacher preaching one thing and Brother Branham another. I think by the end that was pretty well cleared up.

But how in the world can the people ever go anywhere if there is a division and a misunderstanding of the doctrines of the Word of God? You can’t. Because squabbles will invariably start with revelation.

Jesus was crucified because of his revelation. Paul was beheaded because of his revelation. Peter was crucified upside down because of his revelation.

Every missionary that shed his blood, or had a problem with wild natives when he went to foreign fields, was because of revelation.

Therefore, one mind must be in this church. That mind must be what God gave William Branham, which was the mind of Christ.

And by His grace you’ve got to have that kind of faith, compelling faith, that believes that I am going to help you see more and more the truth and the reality, the depth, simplicity.

And yet the complexity and all the facets of what Brother Branham brought us. And you can do it.

But you’ve got to believe what Brother Branham said first of all, “My message is to declare that He is here.” And the Token which could not have come until the last day.

The last age is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. And the Elijah of this hour is not a man. God, the Lord Jesus Christ in the form of the Holy Ghost, but It’ll come to a prophet.

We must understand those things and stand for them. If we do not the church becomes divided.

Let’s go to,

Now, notice what It says there: In other words, when the Word of God is properly taught, and the people are properly understanding, there will not be foolish questions ever entertained in anybody’s mind concerning this Message.

In other words, there will not be thoughts of speculations, though I am not against speculations on the grounds that there may be an absolute factor laid out before us.

And there’s something in there that… you know, we say, “How could it go? This way, that way? That’s not so bad, because it’s…”

But listen, There are too many… “Well, I’m in a position to know.”

Look; and I’m not going to talk about them. But there’s just many times I run across them when I was on the field and so on.

There were questions that were foolish, and they would only gender strife in the long run.

In other words, they weren’t calculated to do the job that should be done.

Now, also in Hebrews 12: we read about… Well, we’ll just go to the short part of It. Verse 11.

Now, often times chastening can come by the Word of God from the pulpit. And it doesn’t mean to try to take anybody’s heads off. It just means that things got to be set in order.

Now, let’s understand here, this is an illustration of what happened to Esau. He sold out for a mess of pottage. He left what God had for that hour.

Now, It tells you here to follow peace with all men looking diligently lest a root of bitterness spring up and people be defiled.

And then he illustrates how that Esau, to his own detriment, did not want the birthright. Now, his father Isaac wanted him to have it.

There was no way he could get it, because he sold it to Jacob for a mess of pottage. Now, when the chips were down Esau came back fighting, and I’ve seen churches the same way.

They sell their birthright and the Word of God, and they’ll start a fight. And there’s no place for repentance.

Now, let me take you to it; Hebrews 6.

Now, let me tell you, preachers can use this and say, “Well, I talked to my congregation. My congregation understood, and the people understood what I was talking about where they were wrong and they would not repent. They would not say, “this is it,” and they would not repent; so therefore, there’s no repentance for them, and they’re gone.”

Let me tell you, that preacher, in my books, is a liar. Now, let’s read what it’s all about.

Under what condition? The rain. What rain? The former rain in the time of the latter. The revealed Word of Almighty God under Elijah ministry.

Now, let me tell you here: there is no unforgivable sin except blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. And at the end time, turning down this Word you will not get in. As a foolish virgin you will still make it.

All right. It is a dangerous situation to have people in the church who won’t repent and confess and make things right.

It could lead to a very severe problem of people being utterly destroyed, because people just wouldn’t repent for the things they have done.

But I’m going to tell you something: there’s repentance, even seventy years later, but there’s no repentance for this. So, don’t you get confused anywhere.

The preacher’s going to tell you that if you don’t listen to him, and it’s moral-oriented, not doctrine oriented, and say, “Look here, you don’t repent, so you’re out of the Message.” That is not truth. You stand liable for correction, but you’re not out.

You say, “Brother Vayle, why do you preach it?” Because I found that it has already been done.

And I want to make it clear that I don’t stand for that nonsense. I’ve no time for it. Nor will I endorse it under any consideration.

It is the cleverness of a human mind that is not under the control of Almighty God to tell you that this repentance cannot be attained to because you haven’t repented over this one thing.

Let me tell you flat, my brother/sister: That is a lie from the pit of hell, because Brother Branham told us how God will clean a sheep up and take him off the scene while he’s still clean.

It’s all right. I will see what happens after that one. I care not.

Now, many preachers feel that strong leadership is a war-like attitude. A ministry of command rather than leadership in the Word in character of the Word.

I don’t understand what they’re saying there, because I go to John 10:3. It says:

And I believe that’s pretty well based upon,

Now, watch how He is going to rule:

And you’ve got some tough preacher trying to go opposite to God. Brother Branham categorically said, “If you use the Word of God as a club, you’re a hypocrite.”

Now, let’s hear what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 10, as he began to admonish the church and to speak to the church concerning their problems.

And believe me, they had problems. And Paul was beset upon by preachers, and then, the church jumped on him, too.

Here’s what Paul said:

Now, he’s telling you right there, it’s a Word situation. It’s a people that understand what the Word is all about. They want the Word, and they want to go by the Word.

Now:

A preacher likes to look down at the congregation sometimes, and the congregation looks down at the preacher.

Well, if you’re of Christ’s, then why don’t the other guy be Christ’s? Why act as though somebody’s outside of Christ.

Now, Paul said, “I’m Christ’s also.” He said.

He said, “You want to call my bluff.” He said, “You’re misunderstanding my nature what I’m doing when I’m kind and sweet and gentle to you.”

Now, he said, “If you’re going to try to take advantage of a situation, then we’ve got to bring it to a place of judgment.”

Now, that’s one thing a church has got to learn. The pastor has got to learn, and the church has got to learn; there comes a time when there’s no more fooling, and that’s the end of it. See? It’s got to be dealt with. It’s got to be talked about.

Now, you know, just simply what that means. You get in a click and a clan that Brother Branham warned against.

“Oh, we’re as good as they are; this, that, and the other thing.” It’s just a chattering and a very gruesome effect.

See, that’s why Brother Branham said, “If you ever get ten people in one place with one mind, the Rapture is bound to take place.”

And that’s why I hammer. It’s got to come to the place not that you hear me you’re going to make It.

But I am here, and if you think I’m leading you astray, please go someplace else, or get rid of me because I’ve got a job, and that’s to bring a unity and a merging of the minds to the Word of Almighty God.

And either I know what I’m talking about, or I don’t know. And if I do know, then you better listen. You’ve got to listen and become one mind on the Word of God.

There’s no way you can do otherwise. It’s not trying to get any advantage over you because look, you’re free. I’m free and easy. I make no bones about it. I’m not making any threats right now.

I’m just saying, “Look; it’s in the hands of the Lord.” I could depart tomorrow. God can do anything He wants with this. God is the Author. He’s in the driver’s seat.

2 Corinthians 10:

Now, what rule did Paul have? Great big club and conk ‘em? Come there with a marshal badge and say, “I’ve got authority in Rome”?

He came with one thing, “THUS SAITH THE LORD,” the revealed Word of God. That’s what he came with.

And he said, “If I believe anything else than what I have been taught, I am cast away. And if you believe anything else than I’ve taught you, you are a castaway.”

Now he said, “I’m going to come and face you with the Word.” And remember; he was a vindicated man.

Now, we are not vindicated as pastors and evangelists and teachers and so on under Brother Branham. He was vindicated.

And It’s up to you to know in your heart whether you agree with the man who is teaching you, and I already know, that we’ve had people around here that’ll readily say, “Oh, oh, that’s man’s off.”

You know right away. And that’s not bad. We’ll talk about that, too. You know that. Nobody’s hurt on that. That’s just the truth. Okay.

Now, watch:

Now, he said, “Listen, you say you believe the Gospel. I’m the one that brought it, then let’s get together on the Gospel.”

That’s the show-down right there. That’s the separation right there. Gifts will bring you together.

The Word will separate you, that is, from all the chaff and the riff-raff. But once you really get the Word, then you are separated unto God and become a thorough stature of a perfect man unto Christ.

Now, he’s saying right here, “You know jolly well I brought you the truth.” And he said, “We hope together to go and receive the end of that truth.”

Look, let me go again and just prove it to you. Hebrews 13, let’s take a look at It, and see what I’m talking about.

See, do they believe this to the quickening point? Or are they just make-believing?

All right. Notice how Paul corrected the people in 1 Corinthians 1:10.

Now, we’re talking about how the pastor is supposed to do things as far as I can read in the Bible.

If I’m reading It wrong, of course, then I’m telling you wrong.

Now, that doesn’t mean from one preaching. “Well, I’m the head now; you got to have faith in me. And I’ve got to know if you’re loyal to me. And your loyalty to me spells that you are going to make it. And I’ll be there, and you’ll be there.”

Have you ever heard that from this pulpit, or anything like it? Well, there’s pulpits that preach it. Maybe I should send them this tape.

I’ve got no fear what they think because I think the thoughts of God. My thoughts of God are right here from the prophet. Where did the prophet ever say that?

Loyalty to William Branham is not the answer. Some were so loyal, they made him Jesus Christ. Ha! And for their pains, you know what they got? They got him a nervous breakdown and almost destroyed his ministry.

And other men were such a plague, one day he said, “Men like So and So, keep my true ministry from coming out.”

And what man can get in the pulpit and boast and tell you, “You be loyal to me, you’re going to make it?”

If you’re loyal to Lee Vayle, I’ve got news: If I have encouraged you and sold you, I will shake your hand in hell, and you won’t like it. So, come along and join the crowd in the Lake of Fire.

Your loyalty to me, brother/sister, is not going to make anything. Your proper attitude toward a ministry in the Word of God is where you settle everything right there, and no further, because I can tell you, there’s going to be trouble where people have exalted themselves beyond measure.

Now, let’s face it, the measure is Jesus Christ. Do you realize that Brother Branham even got rebuked by the Angel of God and said, “Your ministry has been like a side-show?”

I never saw that. I thought he kept the jet turned down very low. The Angel came and said even too much. Where, then, can men rise with these statements?

Now:

Now, there’s a correction right there as we see it.

And 2 Corinthians 11. Notice the correction there. We’ve read It before.

He said:

Now, in there you’ll notice that Paul does not enjoin, or join in, a donnybrook.

He simply presents his case and reasons with the people on the basis of the Word and the conduct whereby he’s conducted himself, and saying, “Now, look; what more do you want?” And that is the truth.

As you begin to look at this, what more does a congregation want? What are they looking for?

You see, once you start looking for something else, you will organize. You can’t help it. You’ll split and organize. Amongst yourself, you’ll do it. You’ve got no choice. Why? Because, “what a man sows he reaps.”

And in the First Church Age they began sowing to personalities instead of to Christ. Like the heathen tried to make Paul and Barnabas, Jupiter and Mercury… trying to make them gods.

You can’t make a person something what he’s not. Neither can any ministry make you what you’re not.

No way, shape and form, my brother/sister. It’s a humbling situation that we’re in, but it’s good for us.

Paul only set his foot down on extreme occasions, as in 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, where the man was committing adultery.

Now, this is not incestuous as far as I know. I would believe that this is more or less an older man that married a young wife, and he’s got a younger son, and the young couple got together.

Though I would not necessarily realize the incestuous part either, but I just kind of think that’s the way it is.

Now, he tells you right there, now listen, if people do not endorse the sin, and do not allow it in the sense, “Well it’s okay,” you know, then the spirit is right.

But if any other spirit is taken, watch what happens. Your glorying is not good.

In other words, there’s a conduct that goes with the born again experience and the Word of Almighty God.

Now, let’s go further. Now, watch:

Now, what happens if your kids start doing that? What about, what are you going to say to your children if you know they are running around loose; your girls are whoring around, you boys are acting like a bunch of… you know what?

Where do you put your foot down? You put your foot down in your own house.

Brother Branham would not let Billy Paul live in the house as long as he’s going to do the things that he did. He learned his lesson.

When the kid’s feet are under your tables you got to deal with them no matter how old they are. If they are in your home, there’s certain things that aren’t allowed… certain things that are cut down.

Now, out in the world here, it’s okay. Out in the world you can rub shoulders with anybody. You can get a job and work for a beast or an animal, no problem.

But in your life you’re obligated what’s doing in your home, in the church and these other things.

Now, Paul says, “I can’t judge you with those that out there doing what they do. Outside the household of faith, outside the things of God.”

He said,

You got to be as holy as you possibly can. I know many times that many people hate the idea that you simply got to have a law and your house in order.

They don’t want to do that, but I’m sorry that’s the way I would say it, and I cannot go back on it.

Now, listen; let’s go further: matters in the church.

In other words, the elders and the pastor weren’t doing the job. He just had to turn it over to those that weren’t in any authority.

Now, these are the things we look at and understand that they are in the church and many times are there. And they should not be there.

But in dealing with them, and I want you to notice, that Paul the apostle seldom faced issues. He merely talked about them.

Now, let me tell you something: every church has three kinds of believers.

They are: believers that are true; there’re make believers that pretend they believe; there are unbelievers that just sit around to the day they can say, “Well, I knew it was all false,” and walk off. That’s the way it is.

In the Exodus, and this is the hour we are in, Exodus, Moses led out of Israel roughly two million people.

Only two over twenty got into the Promised Land. All the rest died. There were those who fell for Balaam and the lust of Baal Peor.

And you’ll find that Baal Peor is the name actually designating sexual acts, the glorification of the primary sex organs. Okay, they fell for him. [Balaam] They fell for Korah, Dathan and Abiram. They fell for many things.

Now, watch: in that multitude Brother Branham said, “There was the foolish virgin. There was the true virgin. There was the unbelievers.” So, we had believer, make believer, and unbeliever.

Now, watch: God gave every single one Manna. God gave every single one light. Not one’s shoes wore out; not one’s clothes. Not one, I believe, had body odor or anything else. They were taken right down the line.

But you know something? God, when sin struck, raised up people who stood with God, and the rest were just put off.

Now, this is one reason I am not interested in disciplining this church beyond one place where Brother Branham mentioned: gross immorality.

You do what you want. You act a certain way, the Word of God is powerful enough to deliver every Bride member, and you’ll find yourself sitting there. And if I’m wrong, I will find myself sitting there.

But you see what I’m trying to say tonight? That’s why, in this pulpit, I’m not interested in disfellowshipping anybody. Call your bluff, maybe.

You call mine, when that’s legal, if there’s something there. But I am not here to dismiss anybody or, actually, worry too much about anybody.

I just have one thing in my mind: I will preach this Word as I understand It from the prophet and the Holy Spirit. And don’t mess with that.

I mean that. You can do anything else you want, except, as Brother Branham said, “A man coming in grossly immoral to destroy our women, we take action.”

You say, “What are you really trying to tell me, brother Lee?”

You believe anything you want, because you believe it anyway. I can’t control your believing. I don’t know whether you believe right or not or understand.

I said for years now it’s impossible that so many people say they believe what I really believe I understand.

And I’m seeing right in the pastors, they don’t believe what I believe. They would not preach what I preached tonight. They will not hold a congregation.

We have one thought in mind: If the Word doesn’t do it, it’s not going to be done, because the Lord descended with a Shout, with a Sword, to dress a Bride… not to cut her throat, not to mutilate her, not to force her, but to see if she had the character to stand still and listen to the Message and stand in the waters of separation of the Word until she could be dressed in the virgin robes and she’s all glorious within and without.

And the Life of the Word will do it. And by the grace of God that’s what we are built upon. And I believe, if we’re not built on that, nothing else is going to work anyway.

I can shout, I can control, I can do anything I want, but I’m going to tell you one thing: I cannot bring myself out from among the dead if I die.

And if I stand living here, I cannot change my atoms. Only God can do it. And the Shout starts it. Without the Shout, that Spirit of revelation, there is no power of the Resurrection to raise the dead and to change you and me.

So, I look at this thing and I say, if seldom should issues be forced, people may be dealt with. Why fuss? “They’ll split the church.”

No, they won’t. It’s too late… too late in the day. Bride’s Bride. The last call has gone out. Last few are coming in and being child-trained according to the prophet.

I’m not going to fuss at anybody. Brother Branham didn’t. For all his stern strong talk, it was just like the apostle Paul.

It all boiled down to one thing, you don’t have to listen if you don’t want to. You don’t have to do it. And the multitude is a mixed multitude.

So, when I talk from this pulpit here… And I am against some of these things that are done. And you say, “How in the world can they be done in this hour?”

I say, “Listen, don’t you understand the fruit is on the vine. Everything has gone to seed. It’s right back to the original Garden of Eden conditions, Exodus conditions. Nothing is happening today, but it already happened. Alpha is Omega, and it’s happening right in the church.”

Now, listen, I don’t want anybody here in this building, or any in the sound of my voice on even a tape to just be going along for the ride.

And I’m not saying in it that you won’t have some doubts, fears, and misunderstandings.

Look, if John the Baptist could have doubts and fears after what he was and what he went through, then listen… and if Elijah could, and William Branham could almost desperately weep and try to find out what God really wanted, and I’ve heard him literally crying in his sermons a lot, and you have, too.

Now, look; I’m not saying, hey, I’m preaching as a man that’s thorough iron and steel and can stand here with my mind so impregnated with the Word of God, I’ve become impregnable to these things.

And I’m not going to try to throw that on you either. We’re human beings; and there’s part of us that’s very human, and there’s part of us that’s very divine.

And you know, that’s a mixed condition. It’s not the best, but by the grace of God we’re in the process of a transformation. And that’s the thing we’re looking at.

And if we cannot get that in our soul and permeate our very beings, what in the world are we doing? What is our hope anyway?

Our hope, brother/sister, is not simply to make it as Christians, not simply to be good boys and good girls, have a good home, have a good job and a few things.

We are in the throes of desperation in this hour. There is a people to come out of the ground. And there’s a people to be changed.

There’s been One Who came down, the Pillar of Fire, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and gave us the Word of God.

And that’s what I’m looking at to build a church, and I’m not here to judge you. The Word has already done it. Why would I judge?

If somebody’s wrong in this church and you leave, somebody else will come in and be twice as bad as you are, if indeed you’re bad. I’m not putting anything in anybody.

I’m just trying to lay out here the understanding I have of a church, pastor, and a discipline within the church.

And I believe this: one time I studied under a man I believe was the most beautiful reader I’ve ever heard in my life outside of Charles Laughton. He could read as no man living outside of the great Charles Laughton… Sir Charles Laughton.

And he said, “As a child, as we started to go to the place where we’d read books,” (And that’s years back when, you know, my goodness, you’d never have books like they have today. Forget it.) he said, “Our father one day hitched the old wagon, the horses, went to town, and he brought back a whole wagon load, a whole shelf, of real good books.”

And he said, “That changed our lives. All we did was read the good books. We had no time for the junk.”

And that’s what I’m looking at in this church. If we have got God’s good book by the wagon load, if we are being fed today on the Word of the living God, that is going to transform our minds, and our minds will not want the other.

It won’t want the other. It’ll want nothing but the living Word of God. And that living Word of God, my brother/sister, is bringing forth what in its turn brings forth immortality.

So, this is what I believe the pastor must do. He has an obligation to continually bring to you that great passive faith, that revelation that only God can burn into your minds and your souls that’s been brought by a prophet.

Yet out of that, will come an active faith where it is necessary. See? But remember; you are not in the lion age, my brother/sister; you are in the mind age.

The same lion age that came up and became great in its outreach and the majestic power of the Word of Almighty God, we saw that demonstrated again in the personal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ in the form of the Holy Ghost and the Pillar of Fire operating through a prophet.

And now, it is to the place of the mind, there is no moving. In other words, it takes the actual saturation with the Word of God in the mind and down the soul.

And then Brother Branham said, “That Bride, where she approaches to the Head, the Head Stone, will become a super, super, super race.”

And he said, “She will have the Word of God, and she will not speak until she’s told to speak.” You see what we’re coming into?

Now, look; all the discipline in the world is not going to bring it out of you if I cracked your skulls and poured it in, which means, I would hypnotize you so I was in complete control of your mind and played those tapes.

That is not going to do it. It’s a very nice thought, but it can’t be done even.

It’s that Word, if you will take tonight, brother/sister… Brother Branham said, That Word will be your healing in the holistic approach, where from the interior to the exterior a people is brought forth in the image which we have seen in the Word of God.

That, my brother/sister, is possible, and that’s what you’re aiming for. And you don’t look at me to get it.

And I don’t look at you to see if you’re getting it. We are both looking to Christ, and somebody’s going to get it.

I say with Brother Branham as he ran his church, “If we’re not Bride, there’s a Bride out there somewhere.”

I do not want to club you. I do not want any problems at all, whatever it is. You know I’ve said, over and over: I want to see one mind in the Word of God, and to look to Him and see what God will do by His Holy Spirit.

So, that’s a preacher’s great… And I’m going to close on this, because we can start again on Sunday and go into this Word more.

But that is what I see as the pastor in the church as a spiritual husband. And when you stick to him, he will see you through.

In other words, he’s obligated to so deal, as I’ve showed you in the Bible, with the Word of God in the people that they know exactly where they stand.

Now then, when you know where you stand, what are you going to do about it? Well, there’s nothing much to do. There’s nothing too much to do.

You can see where it boils down to one thing: there’s gross immorality; that’s what’s got to be dealt with. I can’t deal with unbelief. Nobody can. I can’t deal with these other things.

Then, if the pastor doesn’t deal with the people correctly when they have their questions and their problems, then he is not doing right in my estimation. That’s right.

He’s taken authority beyond himself, because I believe Brother Branham and Paul had that real authority which was that Word of God. And I don’t live the life like Brother Branham did.

I’ve told you many times, I’m not John the beloved. I’m not Paul the aged. I’m not William Branham a lovely person.

I’m cruddy old Lee Vayle, and you better believe it. That’s how I look at myself, and I know it. But I tell you: this Word here is going to do the work for us.

Now the Lord bless you. We’ll see you next Sunday morning and continue on the pastor and what I believe he is by the Word of God.

Let us rise at this time and be dismissed.

Now, heavenly Father, again we want to thank You for Your kindness. And we know, Lord God, that this is a strenuous time we’re in, but it is a glorious time.

It is a time, Lord, where there is the perfect faith, the perfect revelation. And there is a time when the enemy comes against Eve with that insinuation, but Eve will not fall because, Lord, You said at this end time there would be a Bride, and she will not fall.

So, Lord, we know, and since she will not fall, the care of the pastor is going to be with the Word that keeps her from falling.

And as that Word goes forth, Lord, we know there’s going to be a Bride that catches It, and that Word will come to Life in a Bride.

And I pray, there won’t be one single person here tonight miss It. There won’t be one person with a hardened neck and a hard heart and an attitude, Lord, that says “Well, I’m going to do what I want regardless,” that will not bring themselves under subjection to the Word of God.

Lord, You know that actually most of us are on that tack of wanting to perform the Word as though there was a virtue in it superior to the life that comes by revelation.

So, Father, I could not understand if anybody would not want to do the Word of God, because it’s natural in people to want to follow a law of some description.

And, Lord, tonight we want to be free in the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus our Lord, that this beautiful Spirit of Life just channels us into those places where we ought to be by our behavior or whatsoever is incumbent upon us.

So, help everyone tonight, Lord, to believe this Word as never before and just rely upon It, because, Father, It is we know according to Your Own Book in Ephesians that Paul wrote.

When the day came, when that Spirit of wisdom and revelation would come, there would be a revelation of You that would bring about a Resurrection.

And, Father, that’s what I’m working on tonight. And if I’m wrong in my approach, if I’m wrong, Lord, in my thesis, if I’m wrong, Lord, that this revelation is going to do it, then, Father, I don’t know what You’re going to do with me to change my mind. I really don’t know.

I know You’re able to do it if I’m wrong. But, Father, I don’t believe I’m wrong for one minute, because Your Own Word said that’s what was going to happen after the revelation the Resurrection would take place.

And, Father, we know that that revelation, according to Hebrews 6, must be accepted by the people, or there is no repentance. There’s no change of mind. There’s nothing…

[End of audio recording]