The Nicolaitian - Laodicean Complex

The Nicolaitane - Laodicean Complex

'From Subjugation to Anarchy'

Bro. Lee Vayle - March 8, 1970

Now, I want to go into a subject tonight that has intrigued me for quite some time, because the end age ends up in two systems working together which is the 'Nicolaitane and Laodicean'. And because this Age ends in a Laodicean form of church worship, many people are not prone to understand the Nicolaitane continuing. Because the both continue this Age until the Lord comes. And it's like many people have left organization, they won't come into the Message. They have the same spirit with them that they came out of, that organization. And this is a bad situation and I'm a little afraid from what the brothers, what Bro. Branham taught us, that this Laodicean, Nicolaitane complex was amongst us who believe this Message and try to follow the teaching of Bro. Branham.

And this message is based upon my experience in America. As I travel around, and visit the various churches and also in Europe. And I'll try to keep from mentioning names, or be too obvious in what I'm saying. But, you should be able to gather from the Word of God and what I say to be well warned of where we stand tonight. And what precautions should be taken to keep us in a healthy position, which I'm afraid many people are not in tonight. And I say this with all sincerity and without fear of contradiction. Because, with no problem I could name names and places of what has been said.

So, now this is not a scandal sheet you're going to hear tonight. It won't be an 'Inquirer', or 'The Chronicle', or ‘True Magazine’, or something. It's not meant to be that way. It's an absolute analytical study from the Word of God, and what we have right today in America, and in Europe around the world. They say they believe this Message. So, that's my thoughts tonight on the Nicolaitane, Laodicean Complex at the end time. Before I bring it, let's bow our heads in prayer.

Gracious Father, I pray tonight that You'll help me to be very, very objective. To bring out the solid fact of the truth of Your Word, Lord, in such a way that people will see what is in the land, or what might come near them in their churches and in their homes, and in their relationship to this end time Message. The word of warning, Lord, will be sufficient to cause them to not only know where they stand, but to give them strength in the stand that they have taken.

Lord, that we as creatures may not fail You, and that the people as Your sheep may not fail You. But together, Lord, we may be one in the revelation of Thy divine will which is Thy Word. Help us tonight therefore, Lord, to say the things that ought to be said, to refrain from the things that ought not to be said. Lord, that ears might also be open to understand that which we ought to know, and close, O God, the ears for that we ought not to hear.

We pray tonight that we could therefore, be one in understanding in faith and love and sobriety in the Holy Spirit bringing us into a Holy Spirit manifested life through the Word. Bless each one of us, O God, may we forever be devoted to You and to each other, and stand firm in the faith of this end time in Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

1. Now, we can turn to the Book of Revelation 2:6, and then also chapter 3:14

(6) But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.

(14) ...unto the (messenger which is in) the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

Now, my message might just as well be entitled 'From Subjugation to Anarchy'. The First Church Age began with a subtle form of subjugation. The last Church Age ends in anarchy. Yet these two must exist together and end up together worshipping the devil.

Also, we can show you by Scripture that they both start in the First Church Age, for all seed must have its origin in the beginning. There can be no seed that comes to fruition or harvest, in Laodicea the Seventh Church Age which was not planted in the First Church Age. And you will notice this is true, because when the Spirit speaks by the apostle John he invariable says, "Let him that hath an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the churches." [Revelation 2:29] He doesn't say to the churches of his day, he says to the churches.

2. Every Age has its own particular message which sets forth what that Age will be like. But also, within this series of Seven Ages there is an inter-relationship. And here we find what ends up as anarchy has its start in the First Church Age. Now, you notice in Revelation 2:6 the Holy Spirit says you hate the deeds of Nicolaitane. Now, later on he mentions the deeds become a doctrine. But at this time, it is merely the hatred of the beast. It has not become a doctrine, but it's incipient in the church and it is in a seed form.

Now, what is a ' Nicolaitane '? The word ' Nicolaitane ' comes from two Greek words. The first of which is 'nikaó' which is to 'conquer'. Secondly the word is 'laos', which means laity. So, therefore Nicolaitane means 'to conquer the laity'. This is to make a captive audience of the people. To bind the people to a man-made system of creeds and doctrines, and to age religious formula. They will be bound there and they are subjugated, they're conquered. In other words, the will of a clergy takes dominion over the will of the people. Yet, at the end time the will of the people becomes supreme. But they both have to start in the beginning.

3. Now, this Nicolaitane system started originally by subtle changes in Paul's Gospel. And this is what I want you to mark. Now, you may not realize I made a very, very, very important statement here. That this system, (this Nicolaitane system) which Bro. Branham traced through the church ages, which ends with the system worshipping the devil thinking he is God, began with subtle changes in the Word as originally given by Paul.

And you say, "Well, I think it was organization." Where did organization come from? (See?) How'd it, start? You just can't look at the picture and say, "Well, I understand the church system and how it functioning and the terrible thing it's doing, but you've got see where it came from." Otherwise, it will not do you any good to hear this message tonight. Because all you'll be is confused. You won't know what I'm talking about. You won't know what to look for, you won't even know it's happening. (See?)

Now, would you pardon this? I could become very personal here. And it wouldn't touch any of you people in this room. But, I could become very personal at this minute and show you a Nicolaitane system right now in what we call 'The Message'. An absolute Nicolaitane system. So, what did I day a minute ago? I said, this began by subtle changes in the Word as delivered by Paul. Now, what did I say? You know, did you hear what I said? All right. I'm old fogey. So, don't mind if I sort of embarrass you. I don't mean to embarrass you. I just mean to make sure you're going to get this. (See?)

4. All right, we go to the Book of Acts 20. In the Book of Acts in chapter 20 we're going to see what took place. Beginning in verse 17

(17) And from Miletus (Paul) sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of

the church.

Now, the elder was never a part of the five-fold ministry. God never through elders and deacons to the church as part of the established ministry ordained and elected of God. He couldn't. For had he given seven, it would have spelled completion and perfection. And the church could not have fallen anymore than Adam could have fallen, or Eve could have fallen, except that Eve was a subsequent creation after Adam. You understand?

But, when he gave deacons and elders, it brought the ministry to seven-fold. But not God's seven-fold. (See?) Now, just keep that in mind as we go down the trail.

(18) And when they were come to him, he said (to) them, (You) know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,

(19) Serving the LORD with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the (laying) in wait of the Jews:

(20) And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you (publicly), and from house to house,

5. Notice what he did, he taught them publicly.

(21) Testifying both to the Jews, to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

(22) And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:

(23) Save that the Holy Ghost (witnesses) in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions (await) me.

(24) But none of these things move me, (see? Now, notice later on what does move me) neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of (Christ).

What was his ministry? To bring out this Gospel of grace.

(25) And now, behold, I know that (you) all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.

(26) Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.

Why?

(27) For I have not shunned to declare unto you the counsel of God.

6. Now, notice why he's freed from the counsel of all men. Not because he testifies. Not because he was a preacher. Not because he was a missionary. Not because he healed the sick. But because he was true to the Word of God. (See?) Now you must remember that. Many people say women are okay to preach. "It's all right. It's okay, just trying to serve God the way I'm doing. Because I want to bring in souls." I say it's ridiculous. You're not free from the blood of anybody, unless you bring in the unadulterated Word of God. If you bring the adulterated word of God, then you are not free from the blood of all men, you are guilty of their blood.

Bro. Branham categorically stated, he said, "You people listen to me, I will be judged by Jesus Christ. And if I have taught you a lie, I will be judged for what I taught you. You will not be judged."

So, how can anybody be freed from the blood of anybody, unless he is one with this Word. (See?) Now, this is the lie that missionary programs, so called, Sunday schools and everything else. Now, this may be cutting pretty close, but I can't help it. I'm not interested in how people feel, because I can't spare my own feelings things when I'm up here. I've got to stay true to this Word. If Paul said that he was true, he was free from the blood of all men on the grounds that he delivered the Word, that he said, "You cannot add one Word to It, in fact I myself come," said Paul. "And added or take one Word, from what I taught you originally, let me be accursed." (See?) There's no freedom.

Now, you understand why I'm saying these things. Because if I said anything different, then immediately I will be condoning and standing with the people today, that I know God condemns, because they turned down the prophet. (See?) You can't do it.

7. Now notice,

(27) For I have not shunned to declare unto you the counsel of God.

What is the counsel of God? The revealed truth.

(28) Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which (God) hath purchased with his own blood.

Now, what is the blood? How can God have blood? That's almost a silly thing. God doesn't have blood. He's Spirit. But, when God created Himself, in the form of human flesh, as Bro. Branham said, "Jesus Christ is the Blood of God, created blood in the womb of Mary." Now, doesn't that make sense? Because we`re purchased by Jesus, He paid the redemption price. What is the Blood of God? Jesus Christ.

(29) For (this) I know this, that after my departing (now watch now)

shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

(30) Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

(31) Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day...

Now, we know this, we can prove by history that it is the elder that made himself the bishop. Which is alright, he's a bishop, that's his office. And he took authority over everybody else in the church and apart from the local congregation and put it over a whole diocese, so to speak.

8. Now, where did it start? It started right here in men arising. Men that Paul had taught, that sat under his ministry and he said, "You are going to pervert the Word of God, and draw away disciples after yourselves." Disciples away from whom? Away from Paul. Because Paul was the original teacher. And he said, "Here's where it starts, this is a Nicolaitane system." And it starts by people taking the truth of Almighty God for that Age, and then they twist it in order to attract the attention unto themselves. (See?) They get disciples. These men have turned the learners. (See?)

Now, this is that Ephesian Church…notice, that Paul founded. This Ephesian Church of which we recognize the epistle to the Ephesians, is the most beautiful, heavenly, epistle in the whole Bible. It's recognized as the highest spiritual writing in the Word of God. There's in this church the very deeds are found. Why? Because already they are perverting the Word of God. First of all, they're taking an undue authority. Because Paul gave them authority, (which we'll talk about later) but they extended authority beyond the bounds, there is an authority in the church.

9. We'll prove it to you. But this authority which they were taking was absolutely unwarranted. They took the very thing that God gave them and perverted It. (See?) They took the Word of God and they twisted It to their own end. They began teaching their own creeds and dogmas. John spoke of this very trouble which I read to you in Revelation 2:6. Paul said it's already here. John said, this is the Ephesian Age is going to start it, the Nicolaitane system. Verse 30 describes it perfectly as I said, "Your own selves, men shall rise up, and they will speak perverted things." The clergy binding men and women to themselves by a false interpretation of the Word. This is the clergy I'm talking about, not talking about you people, I'm talking about me. My brethren, together, the clergy and the people are void of God. Modern denominations have their seed, spiritual organization. Jesus spoke of this, and He brought it out in Matthew 7:15

(15) Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Many people will just not take the Bible the way It's written. They want their own interpretation on this. (See?) The people sitting in the pews where I minister. They reserved themselves the right to interpret this verse they want to interpret it. Now, the verse interpreted this way is very, very simple. A wolf in sheep's clothing is a man who acts and looks just like a Christian. He's sweet. He's kind. He's loving. He has what you call 'the fruit of the spirit, according to Galatians 5: "Love, joy, peace, gentleness, longsuffering, mercy, and so on." Nine of them. (See?) But inside he's a ravening wolf. Paul spoke of these. He said, "They're the men I have trained they're going to rise up and pervert you."

10. Let's just listen to one of these men. Let's see which one I want to talk about, …I can describe and do one. All right let's go to 1 Timothy 3:1

(1) ...If a man desire the office of a bishop, (or elder) he (desires) a good work.

Now, here's an elder, a bishop he trying to be?

(2) ...blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

(3) Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

(4) One that (rules) his own house well, having his children in sub- jection with all gravity;

(5) (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

(6) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the con- demnation... (he’s got to be humble.)

(7) Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Now listen: that's what Paul said that they're going to betray the church. Now, I want to ask you a question. Now, you know that I don't mean it personally. Are you stupid tonight, or are you on your toes? I hope I didn’t' hurt you by asking you that? But, I've got to ask it, because wherever I preach, it's the same story. They're not listening. Did you hear what I read tonight, what the elder is like? He's a loving, sweet, and kind and gentle, he’s passed the test. But he's got to fool you. (See?)

11. Now, did you get what I said? Or are you still going to maintain what most of you… "Oh well, but, that means nothing. All right, then God's a liar. Let's go home now, shut the door forget the meeting. You're smarter than God. You got it figured out. (Huh?) I don't mean you as a people. This tape goes to some of my friends. And I wonder what they're thinking? (See?)

But, do you get the picture tonight? A wolf in sheep's clothing. And here is where it starts with tested proven men who took the test. But they pervert the Word. And this is not some drunken bum that goes around beating up his wife, and kissing his children, comes home, (you know) late in the morning after being carousing with the local women down the street, (you know) and he just robs us. "Oh no, come on, come on, this man, he's the epitome. He's the kind of kind of guy you’d say, "Not him!" Yes him. (See?)

12. Now listen, "you shall know them by their fruit." What in the world has fruit got to do with an animal? You don't talk about fruit coming off an animal. God starts with animals and ends up with fruit. Come on boss, you want to take some grapes of you. He said. "Bluaah, you're crazier than I am. And that’s a pretty tough job.” God's not stupid. I want to get your attention on this and show you. You've all had enough education to know, if you wrote an essay like this you'd get flunked out of school. What's the matter with you? Start with an animal and talk about a tree? You got to be sick. God's not sick. He's trying to show you that this wolf in sheep clothing is a tree. (See?) That sheep is a Christian. But when the Bible talks about people, It talks about trees. Or, two vines, or, two trees and they are in the middle of the Garden. Because that's where all the trouble came from, was, two trees. They wouldn't take the right tree, so they took the other tree. And the one tree was what? Good and evil. Now, God never made anything evil. You can't find one thing in the Bible that God made, where you could say, “God created evil”. That word is trouble, not evil.

My Bible says God made everything good. Even the devil was good…until when? Iniquity was found in him. (See?) What is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? It is the Word of God perverted. Now, It says, "That's death." What led the church to its death? The elders led the church to its death. Science breaks sincere men. Very godly, you say, “They were godly.” God said, “But they perverted the Word.” (See?)

13. Notice, He said, "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." [Mt7:18] Now, He lays it down there. (See?) God has placed in His Church a trusted ministry that cannot bring forth evil fruit. It cannot pervert the Word of God. They cannot bring disciples after them. Can you imagine the apostle Paul leading disciples after him, or, that old corn cob? He wrote chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians, sure he did. But when there's trouble between him and John Mark and Barnabas he even got so hot headed, that John Mark went off with Barnabas and Paul took Silas. (See?) If you catch him on one word. Look at David, a man that so rough, God said, "You'll never build a temple. You can build a house if you want, you'll never build My temple there's too much blood on your hands. But a man after God's Own heart. Why? [David] was one with that Word.

I know that stumbles people. They say, "I won't go for that nonsense, because I want to tell you, I can tell a Christian by his fruit." Now come on, you don’t believe that. You just say... You don't even believe the prophet, you don’t believe one thing he said. Because the most important thing that he said, "The evidence of the Holy Ghost was not love, it was not the fruit, you think it was." But it was recognizing what God was doing for your day. "Let him that hath an ear, hear what the Spirit says." [Rev 2:17] (See?) Now, I'm not rough on you hardly, If you think I'm rough on you, I want you to know, I'm not being rough on you. I am rough on a principle, I'm running across all the time, and it's so appalling, it gets to you after awhile, and then you just preach a little bit rough.

14. No sir! He said, "Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them." [Matthew 7:16] What fruit is He talking about? The fruit of the tree, good and evil. You cannot be a member of the Bride and be partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because it's death. That tree brother/ sister, is knowledge...k-n-o-w-l-e-d-g-e. You don't need your Bible or eat apples to get knowledge. One way only. There is one way to get knowledge and that is by the impartation of the mind.

And remember, the mind is the womb. Now, if you want to get pregnant and all dirtied up with venereal disease, you listen to creeds and dogmas, you'll find out on resurrection morning we'll both miss the Rapture. Because everybody but the Bride's got a whoring mind. Which is a whoring womb, she'll receive anybody's seed, and bring forth a monstrosity like Cain. Who worshipped God and killed his brother, saying, "I'm not my brother's keeper." Look you right in the eye. Because he had no revelation of the things of the Word. (See?)

15. Now, "by their fruits you shall know them." What fruit is He talking about? The Word. There's your two trees. Now you say, "Did Bro. Branham say this?" Here's, [The Anointed Ones at the End Time' [65-07-25] again, and you'll understand what I'm saying it.

Now, "Not everyone who says, "Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven." [Mt7:21] Now, listen carefully here: "Many will say to me Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?" [Mt 7:22]

Now listen, I'm going to show you something, that is the will of God that you prophesy. And they did it. And He said, "You did not do My will." Now, is God a liar? He said, "Cast out devils." They'll say, "We have cast out devils." And there's no doubt they cast the devil. God said to do it. So that must be the will of God. God said, "You do wonderful works in His Name." That must be the will of God.

How come suddenly, it's not the will of God and it’s iniquity? Now, where's your love gone to? Now, where's your giving your body gone? Now, where's your sacrifice gone? It's all down the drain. Because you can take every Word in this Book that you think, brings you life, and it'll kill you the minute you do it. Because you weren't ordained to do it. Or, you did it outside the context of the Word. Because everything in this Book must be not only done according to what God said, but according to how God said it. He now makes everything according to the pattern I showed you on the mount, and He raised men up like Bezaleel with the Spirit of God upon him to do what He said to do, (see?) when we work outside the framework of the Word of God.

16. Now, he illustrates simply, women preachers. I don't care if this woman is six virgins, or raised the dead. I don't care if she raised…went up to the graveyard, and blew a trumpet, and raised a bunch from the dead, and they all gave glory to God. You'll drop dead again, because the wrong one brought you up. I'll tell you one thing, if she you could blow a trumpet and the dead raise up, I'd know one thing in the White Throne judgment she and a whole bunch will still go to hell. Not because I say so, don't misunderstand me. But I'm going to stand with what the Word of God says. I'll take my chance with this Word here to make it, or not make it. We're going to judge the world, we better know what we're going to do ahead of time.

Because, He said, "I never knew you that do iniquity." [Mt7:23] Working outside the framework. Which is to pervert the Word of God thinking that you can arrive at God`s conclusion because you're aiming at it. Where do you get Sunday School in the Bible? You raise up a two-fold generation of hell. How? By teaching your kids in church that you already know from God by revelation, and they get it up here, and it doesn't go down here, and they go out doing the same things that you do, and they look like Christians, and the act like Christians, but they haven't thing from God. And Pentecost thought that would never happen with tongues, because it's the Holy Ghost. But, the Bible said at the end time there's be an anointing, even the devil can talk in tongues. (See?) You operate the Word of God outside the Word.

That's why Bro. Branham said, "Now get this, and get it straight, because it'll help you." Bro. Branham said, "When the Bride becomes a virgin of the Word, she will have the Word of God in her, and know what to do with It." (See?) People don't. It's like in the days of Israel, they were casting out devils. Jesus said, "By whom do your children cast out devils?" They were casting out devils, and yet they crucified the Word. (See?) Operating outside the Word. Taking the Word of God out of Its context. You, in the Greek or Hebrew, you raise your voice in the wrong place, you changed the Word of God. (See?) That's true.

17. Now, what did Jesus say about these people? Over here in Matthew 23:27 He said,

(27) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for (you) are like unto whited sepulchres,...

Now, who are the scribes and the Pharisees? It was not in the Levitical priesthood minister. He wasn't one of the five-fold ministry.

...(you) are like unto whited sepulchres, which … appear beautiful (outwardly), but are within full of dead men's bones,

and… all uncleanness.

(28) Even so (you) also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within (you) are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

What does God call these men that handle the Word of God deceitfully? He called them hypocrites. He said, "You're full of dead men's bones." He said, "There's death inside of you, and you are a purveyor of death. Why? I know people say..."Why, one little mistake, that wouldn't count." Why did He say, "Take one Word out, your name goes out of the Book of Life?" Add one word, and get the plagues added. (See?)

18. Now, how sweet these people are on the outside? When they say what Paul said, "They would quote it with their own explanation and ideas." A fellow not long ago said, "Isn't it wonderful how Bro. Branham taught us on the body, soul and spirit. Why, (he said) nobody but Bro. Branham can give us that revelation."

Why did he say, "Animals don't have souls?" That's right. But, I've got news, animals do have souls. How, does that make Bro. Branham a liar? No! On one tape Bro. Branham said, "The inner soul." And I said, "There it is." I never did open my mouth against the prophet. Because, I know that animals do have souls, but they don’t have inner souls. They have an outer soul. We have an inner and an outer. In other words, that outer soul is whereby you're able to contact the main thing, living in an atmosphere the Bible calls it. Trace the Scripture all the way through there. But, if he said the beast, the serpent had a place for a soul in his heart, but didn't have a soul. And the animal does not have that inner soul, he does not have the knowledge between right and wrong where the soul is, because otherwise why does the soul die when you sin? If it doesn't have the difference...know the difference between right and wrong? It's got to be there, that's what dies, that's what's got to have, the knowledge of good and evil is in the soul. Is that, right? Certainly. You won't find the prophet making one mistake, just hold you horses, until God shows you. You run until you get the information, because he rounded the whole Book out, just it`s back. (See?)

19. Now, he said this. He said, "Here's where we know difference between good and evil, animals don't know that." That's why they're naked it doesn't matter. See, could have sex acts and that because the animal can. (See?) It`s just an animal. (See?) Looks like we're about at that age now…look at them hippies. But, here's what he said next. "Now, (he said) when you sin the soul leaves the body, but it comes back when you die. Now, where's that in the Bible? Where does the prophet say that? Now, don't think that’s sin, because when Paul preached on the resurrection, some said the Resurrection is already over, or it's over throwing the faith men. Now, where did men get that idea that the soul leaves the body, comes back when you die?

But notice the trap. Fruit, humble, gracious, and then he says, "Bro. Branham taught us." And for their audience now, this is a great gracious man of God. And he loved the prophet, he's got the Message. So, he said, "Now the soul, when you sin it leaves the body." [unclear] ...?.... Now, you see why ...?.... you up, at the beginning this service? (Uh?) You see now, I sort of hammered you. You can be taken in so quick. Of course, you're predestinated seed you won't either. The thing is this, (you know) you still got to teach the truth. It's just as though, nobody wants Bro. Branham, when I give an altar call, (he said) I have to act as though and nobody came. [not clear]

20. So, when I preach the Holy Ghost, I've got to talk a little bit tough, because, nobody's got the Holy Ghost, I find those that have. So, when I preach this Message here, I was aware of anything going on. I got to teach in such a way, when you meet the horse down the road, you don't say, "Hey, that's a fine, looking elephant. That's would be crazy. And that would be pretty, pretty terrible for a Christian to be that ignorant.

You know, Paul got into a occasion one time, he said, "You know, you can't be ignorant. Just keep on." I don’t want that in my attitude, and I know that wasn't Paul's attitude. Because remember, there comes a time that someone never learn. We trust we've not in that category.

When they said what Paul said they were quoted with their own explanation idea. That's been done right today. And you're the man discussed church order. And he said his explanation, not Bro. Branham's. And he's very happy he's right. And I'm very unhappy, because he's wrong. He's wrong. And I can prove it by several tapes. He's wrong. How many of you folk have heard church order? Did …?...play church order? Try to put that, get someone to copy for you verbatim, and you'll really see what it's all about. I got my copy verbatim.

Now listen, they might say what Paul said, but draw a conclusion Paul never drew. Because you can do that pretty easy. Or, from a correct statement, make an incorrect one like I told you a minute ago. Now, while Paul was around they could not do this for the people has access to Paul. But, he said, "I'm going to be leaving you, and already you've got it cooked up inside. When I go, they're going to change what I said." He said, "You're going to pervert it, and you are going to lead people astray." (See?) That's why he said, "Don't change a word." But with Paul gone anything went from that time on.

22. Now notice, I said awhile ago that the seeds of anarchy were there too. Because this is anarchy. Laodicea is anarchy, which I'll explain later. Let's go to 1 Corinthians 1:10-13

(10) Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that (you speak all l) the same thing, that there be no divisions among

you; that (you) be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Now, who started the church of Corinth? Paul did, he brought the Word of God. (See?) But now they're rebelling against Paul's authority.

(11) For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

(12) Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

(13) Is Christ divided? ... (and so on.)

23. Now, over here in 2 Corinthians 10:9-10

(9) That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

(10) For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

See, that had already turned on Paul. They denied church order. Now notice, under Paul's ministry the people in Corinth denied church order. Paul set the church in order. And he said, "When you want to exercise gift ministries, you all come together in one place in every single thing is judged." They said, "We don't what that." They said, “The Pentecostals want it right now." So, do my brethren don't want it right now?

When Bro. Branham tried to bring his own church in order, (now get this and understand it) Bro. Branham could not even set his own church in order. He couldn't! Because the people would not do it. That's anarchy. That's the highest form of anarchy. To stand up and say, "William Branham, I believe you're a man sent from God. I believe you're a prophet of God. I believe the Word is in you. I believe you are the healer “. And turn around and deny church order? Why, what is it? What kind of talk is this anyway? I can see that people of what's going on today in America and around the world, that say they believe this Message.

24. To call William Branham a prophet of God, and when he sets the church in order they pull out and go somewhere else. And then nobody will come together at anytime under anybody, and see if the gifts will operate?

All right, let's look at the system if you don't think it's anarchy. Go over here in the Book of 1 Corinthians 14:36 Paul says,

(36) What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?

(37) If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I (say) unto you are the com- mandments of the Lord.

Then he says:

(38) ...if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

"How stupid can you get? " He`s saying, "You call me a prophet of God, you knew that I had the vindicated ministry. You knew that I had 'Thus Saith the Lord'. And when I come to set the church in order, you had a word against me, and you defied me." He said, "If that's not the height of ignorance, I've never seen any, just go ahead and be stupid."

25. I think Paul is like old Lee Vayle, he only said it nicer. He had something to talk about, I don't. I don't have what Paul had. But I can feel with Paul and understand what he's talking about. What are you going to do with people? Are you going to bat him over the head with a club? You ride herd on them? And hit him in mouth with a lead pipe, until he understands what you're talking about? What's going on anyway? If William Branham was a prophet, then why did they withstand him? Because they withstood Paul. The seeds of anarchy started here in the First Century. The seeds of anarchy were right here in the First Century. And the seeds of anarchy at the end time will lead the whole world outside the Bride took the seed of the antichrist, and those that lived up to it will die for their testimony, and the rest will worship God thinking it`s God and they'd be worshipping the beast.

The devil himself, and is saying "hallelujah that's God." They'll be a bunch of tongue talking Pentecostals doing it, too. Now, I've got nothing against it, I'm just saying you know, because this is the end time mystery. Anointed by the Holy Ghost, and end up worshipping the devil. (See?)

26. This is just like Numbers 16: When Moses was a man identified by God to give them the Word for that day to lead them into the Promised res.t They came up against Moses, two hundred and fifty sentries, which signifies the elders of the congregation. They rose up, they were men of authority. They were placed to a service and house of Almighty God. They had manifested ministry. And they were to follow unto Moses, and then Moses turned his back, they perverted what Moses said. "Well, just a minute, Moses is a fine guy, but we got to fine work too." Anarchy, already in a state of anarchy. And what happen in that day? God opened the earth and took them down alive into the pit destroying them by fire. God will do the same thing at the end time.

I said to Bro. Branham one day, "Bro. Branham, I've suddenly come to my mind."

He said, "What is it?"

I said, "I believe this Bro. Branham, if you are that prophet sent of God, Elijah, (I said) God is going to have to vindicate your ministry by judging a minister to this day."

He said, "That's exactly right Bro. Vayle."

I did not know he said it previously, about a year before on a tape. Exactly right. Why? Because the ministers are the ones to blame. At the end time when the people get the blame thrown on them…you watch.

27. Now, Laodicea, Laodicea means 'peoples rights'. Government by the people, which is democracy. Where do you find democracy in the Bible? There's no place for democracy in the Bible, it's theocracy. Theocracy by a prophet. God ruling by the Word which comes by the prophets. (See?) God ministering to the priesthood, which is ordained to bring the Word to the people, so they will not go astray. But God blessing the people so that you cannot come to God, except you’ll come by the church. Now, that sounds like a real rough statement, doesn’t it?

But, I want to ask you one question: how does He get in the Bride? How do you get to Christ, unless you're in the Bride? And how do you become a Bride, unless you get in her? So therefore, how can you get to Christ except you come by the church? The true Church, you can't do it. Nobody ever come to Christ except through the true Bride. Because if you come to Christ, you're in that Bride. But if you come to the body. God gives us a very exalted position then we want something bigger. We don't want something better, you want something bigger. (See?) Babylonianish religion. Cain wanted his religion. Flowery, pretty, nice. (See?) Truth, not blood. (See?) People's rights. A government called democracy. Government by many, for the many. It is people setting up their own government. They put in men and they tell them what they want done. (See?)

Now this absolutely contrary to the Word. I find it so hard to get the people settle down and listen to the preacher. Now, here's where you better watch your step. I've been running enough preachers over coals, you better watch your steps. For I'm going to say some things that you might not agree with, but that's okay, that doesn't bother one little bit. Because you don't get to agree with Lee Vayle, you get to agree with God. And you better take a big club and hit Him over the head. Might be kind of hard to find.

28. And in Ephesians 4:9, the Word of God by the apostle Paul says,

(9) (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

(10) (And) He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

(11) And he gave some, apostles; and prophets; and evangelists; and pastors and teachers;

(12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Listen:

(13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

(14) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

(15) But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

What are these men going to do? They are going to keep you from getting into false doctrine. The five-fold ministry is the true tree of God planted in the Bride, that you can eat the fruit. A true minister of God will never ever defile anybody. They'll not be a big church builder. They'll not be big programmer. They won't be trying to win the world for God, because it can't be done.

You saw an example in William Branham. I don't need to speak anymore. He turned down a million dollars at one time, a half at another time. Fifty thousand another time. Ten thousand another time. Five another time. Seven, he turned down millions, when he could have taken that same money and been on the radio, TV, newspaper, magazine, everything else. Why did he do it? You show me in the Bible where that's done. Show me where the apostle Paul ever asked for an offer. (See?) You show me where these men in the early church ever did anything like we’ve got going on today. These men are set here to bring the church to its maturity to its perfection, so it will never be jarred, and lead the Word of God not adding to It, or taking from It.

29. And yet, there is a man not far here in New York State, and you know, on his blackboard says, "The five-fold ministry led a church to its death." I challenged that man as I challenged before. Somebody's lying, somebody's wrong. I said I didn't want to get personal, I can get very personal, any minute I want. Not to hurt anybody, but to say to you people I'm talking to, because you're are my responsibility as long as I'm in this pulpit. And I've got every right to warn, to exhort and lay this thing out so, on judgment day you'll never say Lee Vayle didn't teach it.

You might say, "Lee Vayle's is pretty rough and mean and I got mad." That's your tough luck honey. You can get mad if you want, not that I don't think you will. Anybody hold anything you want, I don’t worry about that, that's your business. I'm going to stick the Word of God. They say, "These men can't do it," If you deny this, you deny the very Blood of Jesus Christ. Because God lied about His Blood, if He lied about this. He said, "An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit. Neither can a good tree corrupt fruit." [Mt 7:18] He said, "It cannot be done." He said, "Listen, make up your mind, what am I, good or evil?" Some say, "This the Son of David, some say Beelzebub."

Why some say, "He's doing works by God? Some say the devil. You can make up your mind. I've got news for you, He said, "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, and an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit." Now, He said right here what is man supposed to do?

30. All right, let's find out about these men. God set them in the church. Let's go to Hebrews 13:7 we read:

(7) Remember them which have the rule over you, ...

Let's cross that out of the Bible, we don't like that. Why? Because we're the Laodicean church. "We will not have this man rule over us," they said, so they crucified him. Same spirit.

Now, the word in the Bible, ‘rule’ is rule. Let's not kid ourselves. It means 'to lead' and command. How do they rule?

(7) ...who have spoken unto you the word of God: ...

If any man teaches anything other than this Word he's Nicolaitane. Because he's trying to bind him to himself instead of God. Because when a man truly preaches the Word of God and rules by It, he will bind them to nobody but God by the Word.

(7) ...whose faith follow, considering the end of their (behavior.)

Verse 17

(17) Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, (how, by the Word of God) as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Verse 24

(24) Salute them...(take them to your heart, the word really is take to your heart)

all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy

salute you.

31. The Book of John 21: Jesus said, "Feed my sheep." Feed my sheep, feed my sheep." [Jn 21:17] The Roman Catholic diaglott, or the Wuest translation and the Douay says, "Rule my sheep, rule my sheep, rule my sheep." They're both wrong.

It is "Feed my sheep, rule my sheep, feed my sheep," The sheep of God are ruled by the Word of God. The sheep of God are fed by the law which is the Word. And this Word must be taught exactly as God gave it. And anybody who teaches anything other than the true Word of God is a false shepherd. Jesus called him a false prophet. Why? Because a false prophet can do every genuine sign and wonder, what the real prophet can do, but he doesn't have 'Thus Saith the Lord', and he goes off that Word. That’s right. Only Paul had 'Thus Saith the Lord' for the Gentiles. Only Moses had 'Thus Saith the Lord'. Every Old Testament prophets had 'Thus Saith the Lord'. Every man that brought this Word here, except the chronologist had 'Thus Saith the Lord'. Every prophet bringing the Word. God vindicated him. (See?)

32. Now, I don't want to belabor this. But what? The leaders of the church who was respected. Just like the priests was respected. The mayor was respected. But there's no respect left anymore. And this spirit has overflowed even unto law abiding citizens that was in the church, where the clergy is no longer respected. I’ve had people walk up to me, especially one. Her opinion was just like many others.

She said, You preachers had better quit preaching so we can put our tithes into tapes, and send them around the world."

I said, "Has Elijah quit preaching?"

She said, "Yeah."

I said, "Can you find one Scripture for it?"

She said, "No."

I said, "Have you ever hear Bro. Branham preach?"

She said, "No."

I said, "Why do you say it?"

She said, "Because it's better to hear the tapes, we’ll just send the tapes out."

"All right sister, (I said) I've got news for you, (I said) when I quit preaching once God almost killed me. You want me to die?" She didn't answer. I said, "Will you stand in judgment? Suppose you're wrong and I listened to you, will you stand in judgment at that day, because I quit preaching because you said to."

He said, "No!"

I said, "This time I'm going to tell you what I told you in Chicago. You got a fat mouth and a thin year." When the Bible said God had a fat ear and a thin mouth, because your mouth, because you’re not supposed to do a lot of talking and you're supposed to do a lot of listening. I said, "It's about time you stop." And I laid it over the coals.

Then she said, "Bro. Vayle, I don't mean men like you, because go around teaching."

I said, "Sister, condemning, you condemn everybody, because I'm just one of the five-fold."

If that spirit is in this group more than you think it is, I can take you to homes in Tucson right now and around the country where next door and the suite will be playing next to where I'm rooming, and I'll hear the same thing on the tape, and hear Bro. Branham say, "Don't fail to go to church today." Oh, that doesn't mean them. But they love the Lord. They love the Message they say. Now, what is that? That's anarchy. This is that spirit we're talking about. (See?) The spirit, that we're talking about, that started in the First Church Age which ends in Laodicea is the end time harvest of sin.

33. Now, let me explain it to you. We go to the Book of 1 John 3:4

(4) Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

That's the wrong translation, that's not true at all. Sin is not "the transgression of the law." Sin is lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.

Now, listen to me, I'm going to surprise you: There is no such thing as lawlessness. Absolutely not. For there is nothing that does not depend upon a law. You say, "This man is lawless, because he killed somebody." Hogwash! He employed a law. Hit the guy hard enough on the head he'll die. What you're thinking of is this: he did not abide by what was laid out before him to abide by, which is do not strike your brother. No such thing as lawlessness. The Bible tells you that. "All things were made by the Word of God, all things are maintained by the Word of God."

So, the Bible does not say here lawlessness as though there is no law. You got to understand what It's talking about.

34. Now, let's find out what It's talking about. This will really give us help. Let's go to 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8 we are going to see this.

(7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: (that's not true, it's not in the Greek, it's 'lawlessness'.) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: ...

Notice in verse 8

(8) ...then shall that Wicked be revealed, ... (no sir!) then shall that (lawless one be revealed.)

The harvest of sin, a lawless man. A lawless man performing with lying signs and wonders, and controlling people? Lawless, my foot, there's a law behind you. What is it, where does it start? Right back there in that First Age when men began to pervert the Word. (See?) Just like Satan.

35. Let's look at Satan over here. Because this man is Satan reincarnated. He was incarnated in Judas you know. Let's go to Ezekiel chapter 28. I hope I'm not bogging you down am I? This may be too much for you. I think it’s really quite simple. For I should not have said that, because if you're bogged down, it makes it seem like sounds like you're not getting simple things. I don't mean it that way. To me if you preach this thing the first time, the second time it's that much clearer. By the time I preach it five times, it's just like [snaps fingers] eating cake, it's all so crystal clear.

Now listen Ezekiel 28:14 It said here:

(14) Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; ...

Now, who is this? This is Satan. What is the anointing? This Word anointing is the same word that come to Jesus had the anointing. They all had the anointing. But it's a little different. It comes from that word, but it means 'stretching forth the wings in authority'. (See?)

Now, lawlessness is in the people. Lawlessness is in the antichrist. Lawlessness is in the devil. What did the devil do? He used every good thing that God gave him. He used his authority, and all of these things, and he used it outside the framework of the Word of God, and against God. (See?)

Don't you see what this end time church is doing? It claims to be worshipping God, it’s they're using everything that God gave them, even gifts and signs and the Holy Ghost they're going to use and they're going to bring it right to the feet of the devil. Not because I say so, because the Bible says so.

36. Now, this lawless one, it is as I say men and women using the good things of God outside the framework of the Word. Women preachers. Didn't God say, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel?" Sure. If the men go, the women wouldn't go. What is it? They went. What was that, I said that to you about seven, eight years ago.

She said, "Bro. Vayle you men wouldn't go."

"Well, (I said) now sister hold on, (I said) don't count me in there, because I preach here in America, God never sent me anywhere. I'd have been preaching for years."

"Well, (she said) maybe it doesn't apply to you so much, (but she said) it applies to a whole lot and they wouldn't go."

I said, "Sister, would you be surprised if you done wrong? Now, let me quote you the Bible. The Bible says, 'Pray the Lord of the harvester that He will send forth laborers'. [Mt 9:38] God never told you to go, He told you to pray and He will send them out. Why didn't you pray instead of going?" (See?) They wouldn't do it. They don't care two cents for the Word of God. They're too busy serving God. Sure, that's right, too busy serving God. Not knowing they're trapped by the devil, 'Trying to do God a Service' [65-11-27] apart from God's Will.

37. You see, that's a tremendous tape, but if you haven't heard the one in Shreveport, that's the one to hear, that's the best one of all. 'Doing God a Service, preached in Shreveport, after the Business Men's breakfast on Saturday morning. (See?) Lawlessness. There is no such thing as lawlessness in itself, because there's nothing without a law. Then what is it? It's taking what God laid down as I said awhile ago, God never made one evil thing. The Bible says there is nothing evil in itself. Nothing! You show me one thing that is evil in itself. You can't find it. The minute you do, you make God liar. You say, "Thorns, thorns and briars." No sir, there's a use for them out there somewhere. If it’s just to plague you.

God said so, there's nothing evil. There is nothing iniquitous in itself. All things are pure to the pure of heart, when we come back in the Millennium. What's the Millennium going to be? It's going to be identical to what it is now, except for buildings and things, it's going to be this little earth, renovated right here is a flood renovated the earth, in the days of Noah.

38. In the days of Noah this world was so corrupt, they were so corrupt like it is today, the earth could not purify itself. Animals get diseases and can't get healed. We get diseases and can't get healed. The earth is so wicked and rotten with the atomic ash and bombs and things. God brought a flood. He let the water come down like a chunk of ice, hit the earth...wham, slam. It caused such a pressure that it froze mastodons. Frozen so solid in Siberia, you can take a take a piece of flesh off right now and fry it. The grass is green in their mouth. But they're covered with maybe twenty feet silt. What did God do? He laid the silt by the water down to purify the earth.

Next time He's going to purify by process of sterilization by fire. See, you go out here and we'll walk upon the ashes of the wicked. We're going to walk here amongst beautiful greet trees and shrubs and flowing waters. Proving there's nothing evil in itself. What man does with it. It’s what you do with it. (See?) So, what we've got, we've got a man who stood at the end time. What's he going to do? He's going to bring them out as complete perversion. Now, how is it going to be done?

39. Well, it's going to be done according to 2 Timothy 4: and this is the chapter that God took Bro. Branham to. But he would never read past about verse 4. Let's look at It.

(1) I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

(2) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

(3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; ...

That word in the Greek is 'healthy'. The word 'restore' means 'to bring back to health'. So therefore, the Bible says at the end time, they will not endure the restored Word of God. They can't take It. They won't endure It. In other words, it's going to be a pressure on them. People right now today are saying, "Well Bro. Vayle, we always had gifts. We ought to have this, there's something missing." According to what the prophet taught there is nothing missing. He said, "When those Seven Seals opened, you were given everything to put the Bride in the Rapture."

They cannot get in their hearts and minds, It is this Word that counts. It is not character. But don't be fooled by it. Now sure a man ought to have character. Even his dog ought to have character to send to obedience school. But, it's not that by itself. It is not a gift ministry. There is only one thing that this age has, that no other age has, otherwise there would have been a Rapture a long time ago, It’s the restored revealed Word of God. Christ appearing amongst the Bride by the definitive Word. (See?) This is what people fail to realize. They always want to look backwards to Pentecost. Pentecost is finished. The life has gone out of the shuck, gone to the wheat. (See?)

40. People looking for ministries that I had years ago and God took away. I went to the prophet and asked him, "Why did it went away?"

He said, "Because the age of the gift is over." He said, "The age is on." He said, "The age of the move is on for the Bride."

What is that move? To move right into that Word. The complete Headship of Jesus Christ, when you got the Word and you know what to do with it, far superseding anything. Christ Appearing and manifested in a Bride. (See?) But, they don't want it, that's the thing.

41. Now listen, [2 Timothy 4:]

(3) ...the time will come when they will not endure (healthy) doctrine; (they won't endure the revealed Word of God) but after their own lusts (their own pleasures, their own desires, their own wants) ...

That word 'lust' is too strong, it fools you. Makes you think they're like a bunch of whoremongers out there messing around. That's not it at all, this word is 'pleasure' in the Greek. Pleasure. Their own pleasure, what they want.

(3) ...shall they heap to themselves... (heap, everything that comes along,

they'll just grab it, keep it and heap it up there.) teachers, having itching ears;

A teacher does not have an itching ear. He's got an itching mouth. It's the people got itching ears. They want to be scratched. They want to hear what they want to hear. (See?)

In other words, they want the kind of a man that they want. (Sure) If a showdown came today, I would lose out with many preachers in the field right today, because I preached this Word of God hard and tough and to the point, and they go, sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, and tell them a bunch of lies.

42. I challenge you before God, I challenge anybody in this room, you find me one place I ever preached a prophet's Message without Word, after Word, after Word, and back it up. I'm not trying to vindicate myself, but I know a whole lot of guys who don't that people ... [blank spot] run after,

(3) ...heap to themselves teachers, (because they have) itching ears;

They want their standards. I don't know what they’d do with David. Rougher than a cob. Five hundred wives and lusting after another woman. Literally rapes her, takes her, because who is going to deny the king? She can’t stop being taken by the king, …he’s the king. So, she had lovely little feelings toward him, and she wanted him gratified, that suited her fine. But, supposing she was a virtuous woman, said, "Listen king, keep your hands off me."

You'd say, "Who are you trying to talk to, I’m the king?"

43. What kind of guy was David? Bloody. A man after God's own heart. Now, that sure doesn't sound like anybody we care. I'm not saying, now go and follow a guy that God judged David, God penalized David. He never ever forgot that sin. That was before him day and night. And he paid a price, and his wives paid a price, and the nation paid a price. Are you going to turn on David, "I can't stand that skunk.” (Whew) Well, I think I'm a bit of a bounder, but I'd never do that. That's right, you wouldn't. You wouldn’t get what God gave David either. So, you’d never face that one down. ...?... (Uh?) Let’s put it, where the Word is.

See, we got to come to a place where either this is right or it’s wrong. I'm not going to preach something the prophet didn’t preach. Bro. Branham categorically said, and it slapped my face both sides, when he said, "It is not character." When he said, "That fine theologian." That fine theologian, my foot, it was Lee Vayle that came to him and said, "It's got to be character." It ain't character.

Now, don't mistake, we're not against character. You've got to have character. But that will not put you in it. Now, these people want their own way. I can preach this, I can teach it, but they'll still let men come around and fool you. They don't wash feet anymore. Still take communion. Get the Word of God, and prove It. Get the Word, and prove It. Bro. Branham said, "You take communion as a memoriam to this Message." I can show you where Paul said the same thing, 1 Corinthians 11: Look on the church order tape, it's the same thing.

44. Now listen, they want these teachers. And It says: [2 Timothy 4:]

(4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and…turned unto fables.

What's a fable? Mostly we think Aesop fables. It's a story with a moral to it. Now remember, this Book does not have a moral to it. This Book is Life. And remember, there was a tree of Life, and a tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You turn this Book to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, from the Tree of Life the minute you take one thing from what the prophet said, or you put your own interpretation on It. It's no longer the Tree of Life. No longer that. It won't give you Life, it will kill you. I've said it, and I'll say it again, it's far better to never having heard this Message, then to have heard, saying you believe It, and then turn. And get yourself preacher, because you got an itching ear.

Because this is once for all Message. The Bible says, "You turn It down, there is no room for repentance." You've had your last chance. You'll never make it. That's why I say I'm stuck with this Message. If this Message doesn't go, I don't go. Where this Message goes, I go. There's no place to turn. You’re finished. Because it's an absolute committal to the Word of God, and you're not ashamed of It. You'll stand up every day of the week. In fact, I'm proud of this Message, because I couldn't see anything else like this Message if I searched many years. And I'm very, very strong for fundamental community churches. And if I were to start my own church, not knowing what this Message does for it, I would absolutely endorse it as a middle of the road message. The only Message I could teach from the Word of God. I couldn’t teach anything else, because that's my nature.

45. I'm not giving out any thoughts on nature now, I'm just telling you, I cannot understand that anybody that would turn this aside, but they're going to do it. They are going to want women preachers, and short hair and slacks and this kind of thing, and that kind of thing you know, (you know) perverted word. No, you're going to have eternal hell to scare you into Heaven. That's great isn't? That's great. Any psychologist would know they're the biggest farce in the world. Oh, I could tell you some things right now, but I won't bother. Because you know them yourself, when you stop and think about it. And It says: [2 Timothy 4:]

(4) ...(they'll) turn away their ears from the truth, ...

Why? Because they've got preconceived ideas of what they want in a preacher, preconceived ideas. Their own ideas…all preconceived ideas. They don't want the Word of God, they turn away.

46. Now, notice It says in 5-8

(5) But watch thou in all things, (and) endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

(6) For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

(7) I have fought a good fight, ...

And Bro. Branham one night before he died, he said, "You read the rest of It." He was telling us he was he was ready to go. Just like Paul he had brought us the fully revealed God. The Word ministry was over. I think I brought the message on 'The Present Truth', it's in there, how the Word came forth. And every time the Word came forth the messenger went. Gone, God took him. Bro. Branham said, "God takes His faith messenger in order to judge the nation, (you see) judge the people."

So, Bro. Branham knew like Paul that he was going to go. See, he knew his going was imminent. Now, he said, "Don't you be fooled, (see?) by those preachers." But they get fooled anyway.

47. Now, the people today are denying the five-fold ministry as I said. The go off in groups, and fight God's ordained ministry. Now, don't think they don't, because they do. They do, because I can take you all around America and show you where people have separated themselves from the body of believers, and they're fighting the five-fold ministry. They say all they do us is hear tapes. Well God never raised up tapes. Bro. Branham said, "The food was on tapes." And the last sermon he preached was in California, he mentioned to preachers, he said, "Take what he said and break it down and feed the flock."

So, he could realize that Elijah, relied everyplace else. Then they claim he's a prophet. They claim he’s the Word for our day. Then they turn around and they want what they want. They go to the preacher and they said, "Don't you have that fellow in the church." (See?) They go off in groups. That's what they do. They do not want God's ordained elders, though the Word demands it. Not just the five-fold ministry now, but who's ordaining elders? As Paul commanded it. And the Bible warns them that they should have elders. And those elders are ordained to rule the church, which is to keep the church in order. (See?)

48. Let's go over here to 1 Timothy 5:17, and see this, but you tell people, they don't want it.

(17) Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially (those) who labor in the word and doctrine.

Yet you know a lot of people in church will save up their money until a preacher comes by to give it to him, and they won't support the man that God ordained to be a help to them, or they'll send it someplace? (Yeah) And they're supposed to be believers. God even allows an elder that's raised up who does nothing but fulltime ministry of the Word, and he's not even five-fold member. He's an elder. God says, “You are allowed the tithes to live on. He's worth a double honor. You support him.” But, they won't even do that. When they've got legitimate God sent pastors as Bro. Branham recognized. They'll send their money someplace else or wait for preachers to come by, before they do it. Or they'll send their tithes for books. And Bro. Branham said, "You can't even …if I was starving (he said) and had twenty-five cents of God's tithes, I can't even spend a loaf of bread for myself." It doesn't go to widows; it doesn't go to maintain the church; it doesn't pay light bills; it doesn't pay charity; it doesn't build buildings; it's one thing, that’s the upkeep of the ministry.

And he said, "The faithful ministry takes in the tithes, all of the tithes, and he uses only what he needs first for his family and himself, then the rest goes to the other ministry." Now, who's doing it? I want to know who's doing it in America. I want to know. Before God, I stand here I want to know who's doing it? I want to know. They won't ordain elders. The people do with God's money what they want.

49. Yet the Bible says, "If you do not do right by what is not yours, (which is God's tithes) God will not commit you to true riches." And yet they say they're truly in the Word of God, they're true seed of God, and they won't even do right by a dollar bill. (See?)

And when Bro. Branham arrived, they were too busy trying to hand him the money to look good, and they forgot the men out there laboring. And so, they couldn't go on the field, because the Bible said, "You're to send them out there." Now, where are the people? They're Laodicean. They say they believe the Message, but they're Loodicean. They don't care what the Word of God says, they've got their own ideas. Never mind what the prophet said. That's a [makes a spitting sound] spit on it. Let's see what he does say.

"If you believe the prophet, you're Bride." Oh yeah? Oh, hogwash. What do you believe in? (See?) I don't mean to sound rough ... I've got no recrimination, I'm not angry and I'm not bitter. I've been all through it honey. I've been all through year after year. Where I was bypassed, I never got one plug nickel from it, I laid everything on the altar, trust in God year after year for about eight solid years. We paid twenty percent of our gross to make sure God was blessed. Today I'm out of debt. I don't own a house, I've got a pretty well, run down car. And if I one of us got sick, we'd be bankrupt.

50. But, I'm not looking to get sick. And I'm not worried about a home. I believe God, because I've been faithful to God and He cannot fail. I've kept... I don't worry about people anymore, they can do what they want. But, I'm here preaching and showing you what the Bible teaches. Because I've studied this thing now for years, watching it. Laodicea, Nicolaitane. It's got to both come at the end time. Because one doesn’t die, the other one takes over, they're both there…nothing dies.

Like Bro. Branham said, "The man's spirit doesn't die, comes right back, man dies, spirit doesn't, spirit comes right back. That's both with God and the devil. That's right. Elijah's spirit came back on Elijah, and John the Baptist and William Branham come back again, five times. The spirit of the devil came on Judas and comes back as the antichrist. Absolutely. Man's spirit doesn’t die, the man dies. (See?)

51. People won't do what God tells them to do. He said, he's worthy of double honor, because He works in doctrine and deeds. And they won't do what the Scripture says. You bring the tithes where you're fed. (See?) This is nothing to do with you people here. This is part of the message, that's all. I preach it every place I go. But I know what they do further. Then these same preachers, and not even preachers even. They will get between the pastor and the people. How do you like that one? Yeah.

They repudiate the man that God raised up. They vilify him. They withhold their money and jeer at him, while doing it. Then they give it to somebody else, and then they let somebody else come in and get between them and the pastor. And the men that allows this, call themselves believers in Bro. Branham's ministry.

52. I have a case right now in Ohio where a man came between the ordained elder and the people by accusing the elder of not liking him. So, he will not go to his church anymore, but he said, "I'll be preaching down the road you come and hear me there." Don't think I'm lying, because I'm not. That’s what you’ve got in this Message. You’ve got it all. They say they believe.

Now, you know why Bro. Branham said, that seven hundred make it. Could five hundred make it? If one out of a State makes it? And I'm not talking now about people who keep their TV's and don't make their kids wear proper clothes and everything else that allow this to go on, and that to go on, and think they're serving God. You know, I'm not even talking about that. I'm just talking about one measly little thing anybody can do. If they had any respect, any decency, any they think they do. Any ethics. No, they've got anarchy in their soul, they're rebellious. They want ...?....

They defy the authority that God laid down in His constituted ministry. Samuel, got all broken up over it. He went to God, and God said, "Step aside Sam, and just quit your bawling. " He said, "They have not rejected you, they have rejected Me."

Jesus said, "You reject who I sent, you reject me." And I know people go around and they deliberately get between the pastor and the people. They're supposed to know the Word.

53. This one fellow said, Bro. Branham was that mighty angel in Revelation 10: He came down from heaven standing on the land and sea." Hogwash! Bro. Branham said "It was the Lord Jesus Christ." Yet, he’s sweet, running around. Then watch what He's doing. The preacher can go to hell, eh?

How would you like to end up in the lake of fire with a man that was sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet? And the prophet told you, and I say he came to your house here and talked to you. Yes, he should be sweet. Yes, he should be a gentleman. Yes, he should have character. But watch what he's doing.

Have you ever seen a man who wasn't sweet when he had sex act with a woman? I'm talking about seduction now. "Oh, I'm going to marry you honey." It's alright baby, oh my, my, mmm, mmm, mmm. Almost eat your eyeballs. "Oh boy he's...oh my, he knows the art of seduction." Oh certainly. Now, if was going to rape her that's different. There's not much rape going on, it's all seduction, because, that's what started in the Garden. And after she left pregnant and messed up. Now the seduction is not so funny. Or, does she say, “Oh, he was so sweet and so cute, I’d go through it again.” Oh, does she? That dirty rotten louse. Too late when you wake up in the wrong place.

54. I'm not saying a man should be a brute, he should be very seductive, when he's married to his wife. They all, the quintuplance of it, absolutely so much he should so much love her all the time. Sure. I agree with these things, But I want you to see these things here. We are depending on this Word my brother, my sister. We are married to the Word. This is what we're talking about. Either this is what William Branham taught, or I don't know what he taught. I searched, I prayed, I watched and I listened to what he said. And I can only draw one conclusion and that's the conclusion he gave us to God, because there's no other conclusion you can draw, stick with this Word. Remember the First Ages, where he said when they came to those Apostles, and they said, "Listen, you're false apostles, because you're not saying what Paul said."

He said, "My, that was flat, but that was good." Do the people do that today? Oh, not if he's sweet, sweet. sweet. I'm so glad I'm so ugly, and act so mean. And if you follow me as a personality, because you're sicker than I am, because I can't stand myself, I tried to commit suicide when I was fifteen, and God wouldn’t let me. You'd be sicker than I am. Sure, I make a living preaching, because I can't be on the road and do another job at the same time. I admit that. When God supplies all my needs for His people. For I'm honored because I came here tonight, bless God be judge, I believe this Word the best I know how, and preach it according to what He said the best I know how. And I don't add one Word, to take one the best I know how. And I don't draw a false conclusion, I say what he said and I've got the Scripture to back it up. Or I'm not going to say it. He told us to break it down. This is the Laodicean spirit, it’s such that many deny the local authorities. And claim to listen to outside preachers, except between them and the shepherd. I said that, and they do it. We've got a lot of that in America.

55. Did you know the world is being cut up in this Message now? One man's got America, he just told us on a tape. Another man told me he's got Europe, and another fellow said he's got India. So, I'm waiting to find who’s got Africa. The fellow who thought he had it, he's made a false prophecy, it didn't pan out, Jesus didn't come and take the Rapture in this year in February, put him in the dog house. And I’m waiting now to see who’s got South America and Australia. I mean I haven't got any of it. I don't want any of it. You couldn't give it to me. Not in this old self. I don't want one part of anything until it comes to that renovate, and I come back with it. This is my good fortune by election through grace in Jesus Christ to be a part of it. I don't want any part of what's going on now. I don't want any part of it. I want to get out. But they carved up the world now. And they sell people a bill of goods. They're not doing what Bro. Branham did. Oh, big show sure.

They've get people say you've got to listen to them. And you'd be surprised how far-fetched, you'd be surprised. Listen, I'm telling you, I could mention names if I wanted to. I could quote you names right now what they said, and you better listen to them. Oh, how they try to believe Bro. Branham, but they don't quote what Bro. Branham said. They've got their own rules. They got to lay it down. But the people like that, because they don't like what Bro. Branham said.

56. I stand as a witness this is happening. And the men who do it enjoy it. Sure. Bro. Branham didn’t. He never did it that way. He took his stand and it was always for the pastor. Bro. Branham got a vision from God, because he wasn't always for the pastor. I was against the pastor myself, I was fed up with a bunch of birds, I pastored and suffered, with a whole bunch of them.

I said, "Bro. Branham, all they do is cut your throat." They made a spectacle out of you. I said, "You don't need those guys." I said, "Let me put on a meeting for you." And I did it too, in Lima, Ohio. I pastored the First Baptist Church in those days. And In a town outside of Lima. We prayed, and we prayed, day after day, we prayed chained prayer, from six in the morning to ten at night. We began week after week, every night praying and praying. And when Bro. Branham got there I did the preaching in the afternoon, led the song service at night, no one of the platform but, Bro. Branham and me. I got off the platform, he ministered. My, how God moved. The first time in five years, and the last time since, the gift of healing operated, sixty miracles one night just like that.

Everybody called out in the audience was healed. Did you go down there? There wasn't one miss that I know of, and many was healed that didn't even look for healing. What a meeting. I proved that he didn't need anybody. He could stand alone with God. So, I tried to tell him that. He said, "No, it won't work, because God's done told me I cannot work apart from the pastor."

57. Now, here's the people running around the country, and they don't mind cutting the pastor’s throat. They don’t mind leading the people away from the pastor. One fellow got up and he said, "I want to tell you folk, (he said) I'd be a hypocrite if I ever told you a lie." I'm going to tell you something: If I told you a lie, I would not be a hypocrite, I'd be sincerely mistaken. Because even Bro. Branham was not a hypocrite, and he was sincerely mistaken when he said, "The white horse rider was Jesus Christ." He was sincerely mistaken and not a hypocrite, when he said, "The evidence of the Holy Ghost was love." Until the Lord changed It, and said It is not.

Now, is this man greater than Bro. Branham? “Now if (he said) I told you wrong I’d leave. Now he said, “I can't associate with you preachers, (he said) because you see, if I know what you preach, and then get in your pulpit. and I correct your mistake, (he said) and I knew the Holy Ghost would be grieved.”

In other words, he saying, "You pastors, you ain't got nothing, but I have. Now, I come I'm coming to your church, that puts me in.”

58. You get... listen, I want you to get this, William Branham himself was neither a prophet, nor an apostle, nor a teacher, nor a pastor, nor an evangelist, a five-fold minster. He was not, because he came and put the church in order. If he was merely one of those five-fold ministers, then he was an Nicolaitane, and came over us. He was nothing but blind leader, or an elder, with a gift, a false prophet, a deceiver. Because, nobody, but nobody stands over anybody. The pastor is the supreme authority in the local assembly. And nobody comes in, says one word to him. The only man could do it was William Branham, because he was like Paul, a prophet Word messenger. He was not a part of the five-fold ministry. He was one hundred percent above it.

Yet, these men have no fear to come along. And the people sit back, they say, "Well, I know he’s teaching wrong.” Why is it like the First Church Age and says, "Brother, you're wrong."

"Oh, (they said) you can't bear and accusation against another. This is not an accusation, this is a statement of fact. You said this. Bro. Branham did not say, "Why are you saying it?" Is it an act of faith if I hit a hammer on this recorder in front of you? “I wouldn’t accuse Bro Vayle of breaking that recording." Did you see it? Why, but that’s …?... “If I was to come over here and say, “Shut your rotten filthy mouth…you harlot!” You heard me say it. “Well I didn’t know if Bro. Branham…Bro. Vayle said, that. I don’t know what he’s …?... about.” You’ve got to …?... Huh? I`m smiling a bit, I don`t think I`m too mean.

59. I want you to get my point. Because I will not fool with this thing here. What is the matter with people. That is not an accusation. An accusation is when you hear something, and you believe that it's true and nothing has been done about it, then you come and do something. Then let it be in the mouth of two. This should be when a thing is done publicly and right out in the open, and it's absolutely contrary. What accusation is that? That ain't no accusation. I'm not accusing anybody. My, I don't know what people think, my Lord, either I'm crazy or somebody else is. I ought to quit preaching.

There is no authority outside the local church, or it is Nicolaitane. You follow me? There is no authority. If you were a group here big enough to ordain yourself an elder, even you could not ordain one, you'd have to have someone, one of the brethren come by that is invested too, because Paul said, "If anything you do, the congregation does not do it. And you have faith in that man, and that man examines the men and picks up an elder, then you must follow him, and love him and care for him, and do everything you can from that minute on he is the authority. And if he does not want any preacher in that pulpit outside of him, that is his business. See, because he is going to have to guard and warn. And if he doesn't, God will remove him, you watch, you watch, it`ll run out. People got to face and trust God, that's the whole trouble. (See?) I'm not going to blame them there, because it's hard to trust God at times. I wouldn`t be too sorry, I had a job trusting in God too. So, we've got to learn to trust.

There is a church that had trouble not long ago, the pastor into sin of immorality, with a woman. He made the terrible mistake of trying to cover up, instead of making it all clean. I went up to side with them, to put the church back on an even keel. I begged to make a complete state of restoration amongst him and the church. I said, "I know it's a terrible condition. I know you`ve been bruised. Don't think I haven't been.`` But, I said, "Listen, the Bible says we're sorry, can I depend on one church to do what God says. Could I just once find a church that`ll do what God wants to find a church. It's later than you think.

60. The spirit of this world has got a hold of a whole lot more people than you think. I'm not just ... I'm not burdened down… I'm truly judging myself and say, "Well, let's forget about it and throw up my hands. I'm only saying this that's the way it is, for the fact that we must be on our guard and understand it's the Word that counts. It is not personality.

You say, "Bro. Vayle I think you're real sweet." That doesn't have a thing to do with it. What's the Word I'm teaching? Then you say, “I'll tell you what, Bro. Vayle said the truth, and he sure could have put it nicer." How do you know I could? You don't know my nature. Why don't you look prettier? I don't see any woman they're going to win run a beauty contest, and you men sure wouldn’t stand up against in any world figures.

Oh, what about it? That's how silly it is. You listen yourself. You would not listen, you're lying and you know it. Wouldn’t want the truth of it. I don't mean you as a people. But I mean, it's the principle. They don't want the truth in the first place. You sure wouldn't find it hard to scrabble in it, in six feet of hog manure to get out a two-carat diamond. Oh no, you may have to use lying on your hands for the next few weeks you’re smelling, watering out to get the smell of chicken manure off of you. But you've got the two-carat diamond. But, you say, "Alright, I can't stand that guy. Oh sure, he tells the truth. That's right, I never caught him, never yet. I can't put a finger on. But, oh he's ...?...” And talk with some mealy mouth guy leading you down the drain. (Uh?) What's the matter with people? I can't figure it. Just can't figure, I don't know. I'm getting too old, my brain’s hardening up.

61. Then the authority in the church not ordained by God, but assumed by the people of Laodicea. Who ever heard of a papal committee? Ha, the people get a papal committee. The people do that. Then, why did Bro. Branham say you elect a pastor? Because it's Laodicean. You're not going to buck God, God said it’s going to happen. The Holy Ghost can be a majority, sure when He comes and goes, that's true. I don't deny what He says, I believe it. So where are the people that assume authority? (See?)

Now listen. what am I driving at? Both comes to a head in this Age. The Nicolaitane concept of the church being run by the clergy, and they forming the creeds and the dogmas, the people rise up and they say. "This is what we want." It's like a union. The unions go and tell the boss what to do. Then listen, I want to tell you, I'm not against union, all the way. But I cannot appreciate a man who belongs to a union and will not come to honest grip with himself, that it cost every investor in that company five to fifty thousand of hard earned cash to give him a job. And then he’s arrived, to do what I want. His eyes making a profit. He runs and tells the boss what he wants done.

62. Now, I know the Bible is...not against the working man, It's against the guy that robs the working man. I know that. That's why I said, I’m careful when I'm talking about unions. But, I was likening the unions to the church. The church members rise up and say, "This is what we want, this is how we’re going to run it."

The Word of God says, "This is what you do." Now, that's not the way you want. We want it our way. (See?) We think there's organization, we think the tithes ought to make the building. Or the Pentecostal Assemblies of God. They say, “All of you preachers, you send us your tithes.” Where's that coming from? (See?) They lay down the rules and dogmas, and they say, "Listen, I'll tell you what you subscribe to this thing we picked up. But what is the church Laodicea.

They say, "Look pastor, we’ve taken enough from you all these years." From now on you're going to listen to us. All you guys are out there fighting and fussing. You guys are in your seminaries for years. You Methodist are fighting the Lutherans, and the Baptist and so on, But, I'll tell you what we're taking over now. And they're doing it. You're going to preach what we want to know. But they say, "Who's going to preach this week? They'll have some preacher come in weekly, I'm going to have something to say to him, or, I won't be coming. (See?) I don't agree with him. I thought we came to church to worship God. But Laodicea has the people turning down the Word and they want their way. (See?) They both come to a head. And the Bible says, "They heap to themselves teachers having itching ears." [2 Timothy 4:3] They put the preachers under such pressure, that the preachers are scared to preach. May God help me that may never be my case.

63. Of course, I'm happy this way, that I am, I'm not a pastor. God never called me to pastor, because I don't have that nature. You can tell that by the way I preach, I don't have the nature to take people by the hand and sit him down. I say, "Look at you guys...what are you guys troubling?” I don't say, "Now, the preacher's your side, I believe he’s your side, I said that, that, that. I said that, that, that. And is to say, "By the time they get away from here, they're both mad”. Worse than ever, they’re mad at me now. To be honest, I have absolutely no spiritual ability as a pastor. I was never called to pastor. I hurt myself terribly by pastoring. I should never have pastored. I tore up the wheat with the tares, oh yes. I'm not kidding, I laugh about it, but I don’t mean to laugh about it. It’s serious, Bro. Branham told me it is. I know it is.

I never should have pastored. He said, "You're no pastor." That's it. I've been on the road for about for thirteen years now. I'm not a pastor. But, I know there’s problems being a pastor. I know what's going on. And I would not want to get between any pastor and his congregation, except I was told to pastor up until the congregation, and lead them both to the Word if necessary. But to come and correct the pastor in this mess. What kind of nonsense is that?

64. If that man of God is a true pastor, I wouldn't correct him on anything. I'd be saying the same thing he's saying. Maybe different ways. Leading him a little further down this line. See? Leading him a little further down this line. Together building up the body of Christ. But I come along and I say, "Well now, I may don’t have to correct you.” Maybe you‘re putting him right down there as an elder, from the devil. You put him right down there as a man outside. What kind of big talk is that? What kind of pride is that in a man? (See?)

I wonder what happened to him as a little child? See, he'd get some kind of complex from his parents, or the kids at school? What do you have to do to him to make him want to be some big shot? What makes them want to be big shots to rule over anybody? The only authority is the Word of God in the mouth of the pastor. And he’s got to be real sweet and kind, except the people are jogging along to get them in the Word. There's no authority outside of this Word. Yet men want it.

65. Now look it, then the people want it. What do you people want, except this Word? If you are born again Bride members, you don't want anything but this word. The prophet cautioned us to put everything aside for the Word. This is my one mission. This is my one goal. Everything comes after this Word.

We sat in Tampa, Florida in 1964, in the Spring, having breakfast. He said, "Bro. Vayle, I must have around me those men who will let me be and do the work that I submit them to do, and let me be." My job is writing, I could not do it, I had to be with him. But, if you're just going to manage as a preacher, go ahead and do it. But how could write unless I asked him what he meant? I'd have written a biggest schmozzle you ever saw in the Church Age Book, instead of that book being accurate, it would have been the worst thing that hit this generation. I would have been doing the greatest disservice that God allowed done amongst the Bride. Some people believe that, that's their business, not mine.

Bro. Branham said the Book is accurate, that's all I need to know. Because, I know it was, if it wasn’t, he would’ve told me a lie. Because, he didn’t want people around him…just, leave him alone. He said, "Lee, my thoughts are all thoughts from God." He said, "I can't even go home hardly, lest I have a thought that gets disrupted, and it may take me a month to get that thought back." Then when he said, "I cannot be around my wife, I love her so."

They said, "Oh, yeah, he's so sexy."

What in the world is the matter with people anyway? What is the matter with them? these people that call themselves congregationists. They say they don't have Laodicean spirit. They are full of anarchy as a hippie on the street throws a bomb at a cop, and calls him a pig. Maybe they're worse. Because they cut across the knowledge of truth and turned it down. Anarchy is in the pew. Hardly a church I go, that you find where a preacher standing up here trying to take some people’s authority. Keep on chiming, “Bro. Branham made me do it. Bro. Branham made me do it.”

66. A guy rode down the road with me one day, and discussing the book. He said, "I'll tell you one thing, I don't know that I ever heard Bro. Branham ever say anything about anybody ever do books, but, you and me.” I never gave him another thought of doing it. [laughter] Supposed to do it all. I didn't say about those books, “Anybody could do them, be my guest. I only did books in the first place.” They said Bro. Branham couldn't find anybody to do it. And I wanted it done, because I knew he wanted it done. No big deal. (Ha) Do you think I'd preach if I could get out of it? And saddle myself with all of that? No.

What would a man of God, what was that? I don't belittle a thing for being done for God. Listen, brother/ sister, there's many a man going to stand in judgment and say, "I did this, I did that. I had a great ministry." Isn't it true you folk up here, listened to Niniveh on the White Throne judgment day there will be witnesses by the thousands that stand before those men. And they'll call them by name and say, "Wasn't it true that as your mother was used, because I prayed?"

That's right sir. Wasn‘t, it true that you were healed, and devils cast out of you? That's right. "Weren't you turned from a drunk under my ministry to serve God?" That's right. God said, "Depart from Me, you that work iniquity." Now, where's your big thing gone now? You’ve got to learn these things.

67. No wonder Bro. Branham cried. People argue, we are not serious and sober enough. Like it was on the road to Emmaus when Jesus himself, the Resurrected Christ in flesh came back and stood before them, and they sound like idle men’s tales. They said, "You’ve got to be a stranger in these parts."

"Didn’t you hear about this fellow called Jesus? We thought that He was a great prophet, we even thought He was the Messiah. They done crucified Him and led him away”. “Man”, He said. Then He opened the Scripture. Then they said, "Oh boy, this stuff called religion, could some of them see him?" I’m in a fog. The revelation of God's Word. How can this be if people be around with the wrong spirit upon them? Laodicean, Nicolaitane. You see? Both must come to a head this age.

You've got the preachers fighting to maintain their position, and the people fighting to take over. That don't sound like it's not going to come to us. Because Bro. Branham told us it was. He wasn't preaching down there to Joe Bush in the Assembly of God, that the first half, have been dead for two hundred years. He already told them off. He said, "You deny talking in tongues, you denied the Holy Ghost power, you denied that lets you off. And he turned to Pentecost and said, "You practice these things, but, (he said) you've got a wrong spirit on you."

68. Where does that leave the Bride? That leaves the Bride one place, okaying what the prophet said by his word and sticking with it. See, you must walk very softly. That you be swallowed up in the whirlpool of condemnation that is here and those who say they believe the Message. It affects me, it affects you.

Paul said, "I myself could be a castaway." If I was to let him Silas, take me Paul. You think for one minute I'm building myself up and say, "Well, Bro. Vayle sure must be a strong person, got this and that." No, siree. I've been called to exhort, to warn, rebuke as the Scripture says. These things that I know and see. And may God help me not to become a part of a very thing that I condemned, lest I be lifted up in pride and say, "Well I see, I've been trying pretty good so far Lord, I think I'll make it." No, no, you got to watch it. Because, I'm not beyond getting between the people and the pastor. I'm not beyond making myself somebody. I'm a human being. I'm not God manifest in the flesh, Jesus was. Even Moses failed to glorify God, and glorified himself. I'm not putting it that way. I've put this as a warning to all of us. (See?) Preachers and all.

69. If we are part of anything, save what God has ordained, and if we back up anything except what He gave us…we are antichrist. I'm not antichrist. Sure, he who is not for me is against me. Where do you stand in the Word? (See?) Oh sure, that sounds kind of silly from where you stand in the Word. That's this old letter stuff, that old Baptist. Oh no, Christ is the Word brother/sister. Christ is the Word. It's not a matter of just saying, "Well, this old book, you know, that’s not it at all." (See?) That's not what He said.

Now, if I betray the very Message I have given you, and I take authority concerning the people that I shepherd, and I tried to make myself something, I'm as Nicolaitane as any man ever was. If I get the believers, (you'll get the believers, you’ll get discernment,) and cause any feeling, (that's right) if I come and rouse up any feeling which would draw you on my side, whether I'm fired by hate, or by love and ignorance, I'm as Nicolaitane as they come. I am nothing by a mercenary antichrist. I’ve betrayed the ministry, I am not one of the five-fold, I have proven I am an elder. One of those that God said was raised up, just like Eve was in order to bring about a fall.

70. Now, I've said this concerning myself, and that's the truth. I have only one Judge and that is the Word. And you have one Judge and that is the Word. Where do we stand tonight? (See?) Yes, I refuse to walk in accord with the law of God, in my local brotherhood, I'm Laodicean. "Oh, I believe the Message, but I won't worship with you." Laodicean. There's not use claiming you're not, because you are.

The prophet told his own son to go church. One morning he came went through the front door, kicked in the bedroom door and said, "Get up and get out of bed and go to church."

He said, "Daddy, what church?"

He said, "Any church, but don't ever let me catch you in bed Sunday morning."

He said, “People …?...

You say, "Well, didn't Bro. Branham take it too far?"

Well that, he didn't understand it. It's got to be revealed to you. What's the greater revelation then kicking in the bedroom door of your own son when he's sleeping with his wife, and kicking out of bed and putting in church? That's the greatest revelation I know.

71. Like the best way to see stars is when your boy bends over, hit him with a club with a stick so hard he'll see stars. And then go over one end to the other end, but he'll still see stars. That's the best revelation I know that you mean business. What more could the prophet do? When he pulled him out of bed and say, "Now son, I just said that, you can go back to bed now, mmm." But, they'll tell you. "No, you don't need to get out of bed.”

Now, where do you stand? Jesus said the Word will judge you. At the end time Christ must judge the church at His Appearing, which Appearing has already taken place by the Word, and we're being judged by the Word right tonight where we stand. We know how far we are, (See?) We use every excuse. Brother/sister, excuses won't count, it's not going to work. To me it's that Word. It is time to get back to God by the Word, not by song and dance, and speaking in tongues, that's fine. But to get back by the Word. Let us examine our hearts in this matter, it is too late to be frivolous. Because I think we are too frivolous. It is time to wake up and to put this Word first. This Word becomes everything.

Now, if I've taught you wrong tonight, I'm sorry. But I don't believe that I taught you wrong. As far as I'm concerned, I know that I have not taught you wrong. Because everything that I have said I got from the tapes, and I've got from this Word of God, this Word of God cannot be denied.

72. Bro. Branham said, "At this end time Elijah will restore His Word." He said, "The evidence of having the Holy Ghost is to recognize what God is doing in your day." I submit to you tonight that people after people I've come on contact, are not aware what God is doing at this moment, which is letting seed lie in the sun until the Bride and the Word are one. And the Bride has the Word and knows what to do with It.

Today, the people do not know. And therefore, they do not have ''Thus Saith the Lord'. But, when God Himself which is that Capstone love, which is the full anointing of the Holy Ghost, becoming one with the Word in us, every inlet that this soul will then be plugged up, and the Bride will know, have the Word and know what to do with It, and she’ll be doing it. And won't be saying, "Well, I am emptying hospitals." I don't know what she will be doing. I been accused of believing that there is nothing coming. Because I will not step out and say what the prophet has not said. The prophet said, "The Bride will have Thus Saith the Lord," and that's all I know.

73. Now, let us just put it this way, supposing there's a dear little sister and God says, "'Thus Saith the Lord' to her. You go and pray and fast, hide your face for three days." But, He says to some great big fine upstanding man of the church, "You got down there and there's sixteen people need healing, 'Thus Saith the Lord'."

Which is more 'Thus Saith the Lord'? Where the people get healed, or the woman goes in the prayer closet? There's no difference. 'Thus Saith the Lord', is 'Thus Saith the Lord'. I don't know what it is. But Bro. Branham said, "It will not be emptying hospitals." The Third Pull will be the entire lot for the Word. The best I can say it is, when the Third Pull goes into effect in the Bride, they'll be coming and saying, "This is what we've always wanted, we want it too." It'll be too late. Because mortality will have put on immortality, the sting of death, which is sin will have been put to one side. We, will have been washed by the pure washing of the water by the Word. The covenant of God's Word will not only be here, I'll be here, and here, we will be here.

74. What does that mean? I don't know. I've been a human being for fifty-five years, pretty soon fifty-six years. I still don’t know what it's all about. And how can I know what this is all about? You say to the dog, “Dog, what’s it like?” I’ve been a dog all my life. You still don’t know. He might kick me or pat me. You've been human beings all your life. Tell me what it's all about? Tell me, what did you learn?

You say, "What I have learned is nothing to what I should know. What I have done is nothing yet I might possibly do. But I'm in this place. That's what I see where we are tonight. We got to wait on God. He said, "Don’t go out there reaching. So, preachers, that’s one of the preachers, that's me. Don't make yourself somebody you're not. And people don't try to do what God hasn't called you to do. He's called us to one mind by the Word. This is the whole criterion to me. Be satisfied with it, be happy with it. Do your best to love each other the prophet said. To love each other doesn't mean to take things lying down, where you’re going to let anybody deceive you.

Bro. Branham said, "Compassion is doing what Jesus did." Love, is doing what Jesus did. One time he took his cat-of-nine tails, and busted them out of the tent. Well, we better know what we're doing to do something like that. I don't advocate that, Jesus did, that was His business. He didn't tell us to do it. Or, we're outside of that Word. To me that's what we need, be one with the Word.

The Lord bless you, took our time, but that's what we're here for. Otherwise, there’s no use coming. Let's pray.

Gracious Heavenly Father, we look to You now at the end of this service, knowing, Lord God, what Your Word said is true. There is a Nicolaitane spirit at the end. There is a Laodicean spirit. They both started at the beginning, and they come right to the very end. And we know at the end time that many people walked out of organization, because they could not stand authority and went into anarchy. And then, Lord, we see many people doing the same thing. They are just as anarchist as the preachers that came out, they've still got that same spirit upon them, they can't take authority over it.

Now, Lord, tonight I want, and I believe the people here with one accord want, we honestly want to have the Word of God in supreme authority over our hearts and minds. Lord, not all the time saying, 'well it's hard', and people won't understand, and our children just can't take it. God help us to stand up in this end time once and for all, because it's getting too late to stand with this Word all the way down the line and do it with joy.

That You, O Lord, as a thirsty man as finding water in the desert. Or as a hungry man as finding food when he’s starving. Lord, we haven't got that far tonight. If I stood before these people, Lord, and said I was that way, I'd be nothing but a bare face liar. And I wouldn't lie to them, Lord, and I wouldn't pray to You as a liar, any more than I'd try to be political with them, or be political with You.

God in Heaven, tonight as I look at the situation, I have only got one hope, O Lord my heavenly Father, one hope that You that had begun the good work in us, will perform it, until the day of the Lord Jesus Christ. O God, by grace may we stand still and with fear and trembling take even inch by inch steps, inching forward to the kingdom, tonight.

Help each one of us, Lord, to get rid of those things that we ought not to have. Lord God, if there's TV sets holding us up, books we shouldn't be reading, newspapers coming into our homes, magazines, O Lord, different things like that, O God. May we tonight as the prophet said throw everything outside, house clean, and then claim the 'Token' over our family, and do our best to live godly.

Lord, I know that back in that day when You stood upon earth with Sarah and Abraham. As Abraham, You talked, he was deadly serious. But, Lord, Sarah inside that tent she laughed. So, when You rebuked her, she stopped laughing. And, Lord, I may be wrong, but I've had the feeling that until You rebuke the Bride we're going to be laughing up our sleeve like Sarah.

Now, Lord, I wouldn't want to hurry You, and I know that I have no audacity to ask You something that You won't do. But, Lord, to me tonight, it would feel pretty good, as I see it, if You'd rebuke us a little early, Lord. Lord, You get us a little serious at this moment in these days, O Christ. God, not to wearing our feelings on our arms. Not to be running down anybody, or lifting up somebody, but, Lord Jesus Christ, for the pure sake of pure Word of Almighty God by pure Spirit of loving faith through Jesus Christ be doing a pure thing. That's what I want tonight Lord God.

I pray for young people here, Lord, I know they don't have a row that is too easy to hoe. I know, Lord, in face of what's going on in this earth is going to need millions, billions of young people die when Your flaming fire takes destruction. There is going to be billions, Lord, will follow the antichrist. They are going to be cannon fodder. They are going to be fodder for the atomic bomb, and they are going to end up in the lake of fire.

Lord, I know that this Age is doomed, young people, Lord, are not going to come to a place of maturity where they'll have their children, or their grandchildren. I believe it's all over. Father, I know therefore the Spirit that's got to be upon this world, and how hard it is for the young people, because You've got to judge an awful young generation. And I pray for them, Lord, that in the face of pressures that their family puts upon them, because the family loves and tries to serve You, made to be understanding and realize that no parent is trying to hurt. They are trying to be helpful. And what also seems grievous and one sided and partial is not necessarily so.

God, I pray for them in this day of anarchy and rebellion. Was so evident until there is not a newspaper, not a calendar is not inundated with it. There is not a moment going by this day, Lord, not a split second and not some act of anarchy. Then, Lord, You see that very same thing in the church. Forgive us, O Lord, tonight. Jesus, You said if we heard You knocking at the door, and we said, "Come in." Open the door. Lord, tonight we've heard You knocking on our door. We're opening that door tonight, Lord, we're opening our minds and our hearts, O God, please come in. Please come in, Jesus, tonight with the full effectiveness, sanctifying Life giving Word, O God. And make us manifested members of the body of Jesus Christ.

You said that You'd sup with us, Lord…sup with us, O God. We want to sup with You. We don't want these things, Lord, we're plagued by them. But we don't want to be like Lot, Lord, whose righteous soul was vexed day to day, he wanted to get out of Sodom and Gomorrah. He wanted to get up there in the hill with Abraham. God help us to move apart and away. Take in the cleft of the rock, under the shadow of the Almighty. We want you for our buckler and our shield.

God, tonight You be our high tower. You be the anointing and revelation upon our minds.You bring all things to our mind, O Lord. You satisfy us with good things. You give us the Manna, Lord. O Jesus, as Your prophet so sternly said, "I've put everything aside for the few." This is my one calling, this is what must be true to. Lord God in Heaven, He didn't bring the Word to Himself, He brought it to us. This is what we must be true to. This is ours. Help me, Lord, tonight. Help me, Lord, tonight not be carried away by the cares of this world. Or to be disconcerted, Lord, by those things that I see, because they have bothered me, and I’ve taken issue. I've even been hypocritical at times about him, Lord. Hyper critical, and then it leads to hypocritical.

Lord, I don't want to be that way. I want to be a living example of the Word of Almighty God. And never handle this Word as a club, for that makes me a traitor to You, and a hypocrite to deceive. I want to handle this Word, Lord, just the way It is and bring it to the people, Lord, just the way they are, and just the way I'm am. May the Spirit of God anoint me and be true every bit of it true, Lord. Which it will be if I'm truly a child of Yours who keeps this Word. And, Lord, if I'm not then I'm deceived, I'm in terrible shape, and You’re deceiving Lord, I don't believe, I believe we're here tonight in truth and in Spirit. And we don't want be guilty of this end time terrible condition, where the two things come together. Where the two evils in the clergy and the people come together to form a head. Oh God, that's the whole top of the head to the feet full of putrefying sores and no table that's clean, not one.

Lord, may we be out ...?.... away from an outbreak. God bless each one, my Lord, I pray, touch each one by Your Spirit, Jesus. Give them that determination, Lord, and that desire, Lord, as Joshua, “Me and my house, I'm going to stand with the Word”. Lord, may there not be one promise fail to be here, ones here tonight. May there not be one home represented that fails, O God, to have the full revelation of the Word by the applied Token. May there not be one, Jesus, who doesn't rejoice and find their complete joy and exhilaration in the wine of stimulation in the revealed Word of God. And then, O Christ, may it be our pleasure to minister, and above all to live it before the Word.

Grant it, Lord, purify these tongues of ours, O God. Bridle them I pray, O Christ, circumcise our hearts, O God, anointed with the spirit of truth. And out of our bellies may flow rivers of living waters, we ask these mercies for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ. May His Name be praised forevermore. Amen. God bless you.