The Church and the Bride

The Church and the Bride

Bro. Lee Vayle – July 27, 1977

Shall we just bow our heads in a word of prayer.

Kind Heavenly Father, again we come unto You tonight, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that we’re not alone, that many times we might feel we are alone, but You are with us, since You’ve descended Lord, returned for, Lord, by the Holy Spirit again, Pillar of Fire, and made known unto us by the prophetic voice of the prophet. We know we are not alone but actually have our Headship and Leadership in Him, Who redeemed us, but come back in Spirit form. We thank You for that, Lord, and so we ought to be very, very grateful tonight and very confident and nothing should in any way move us, Lord, but we just be moving right on with You. Gird us, O God, by Thy Self and with Thy Self we pray, for we want nothing else, but You Who are that Word and was manifested in this hour. These mercies asked in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

1. Well certainly nice to be here with you again, and I’ve been enjoying the visits with the various ones I’ve been able to fellowship with, and been very fine, and enjoying the good raspberries Bro. and Sis. Bakanec pick for me. I don’t know how you knew that’s about pretty well my favorite fruit and I’m not here to eulogize various fruits and vegetables, but you can’t beat that raspberry, no matter how hard you try. I don’t know why people make a joke about it, they say, “Let’s give a man the raspberry,” well you could give me a bushel any day you want. No problem, I’d be very happy.

Of course can’t get to see you all, but appreciate you all and as Bro. Branham often said, and I’m not he of course, but he often said, you know, in the Millennium you sit down for a long time in the future, the New Jerusalem …?..., of course that would be any number of tens of thousands of years and I guess we’ll need it too, really. We’ll need all the time the Lord can give us, to be together, with Him and with each other.

2. Now last night we brought a message showing you how that – not just how the Word of the Lord always comes full cycle, but the fact is, when the Holy Spirit came back, He did actually two things, as Bro. Branham showed us. One time, I don’t know if he ever drew it on the blackboard or not, but he might have, but we were in the restaurant one day and he took what you call a serviette up, we call a napkin down there, up, and he wrote on it and he showed us how that God – he drew a circle for God and he drew the Bible, then he drew people. And of course an artist wouldn’t recognize it, but he was there to explain it. And he showed rays of light coming from God, the Holy Spirit, coming through the Word. And in there he showed the woman at the well, who was almost entirely black with one little spot of white, and then he showed Simon the Pharisee, and he was all white except one little spot of black. And then he showed the Word, which was Christ the Word by the Holy Spirit, coming through, and as the Light struck the woman who was nearly all black, she turned all white. And as the Light struck the man who was nearly all white, and he received it not, it turned all black.

3. And that’s what I was trying to show you last night, and I think you caught it all right. That there are two actions of the Holy Spirit. And where in one place He would do the magnificent work that we know the Holy Spirit can do, but on the other, having been turned away, then the total darkness and blackness sets in. And of course the election is very, very small. For many more numerous are the children of the desolate than she that hath a husband. And so Hagar didn’t have a husband, because physically, yes, temporarily yes, but it was Sarah that had the husband. And the children of Isaac, the children of promise, which Isaac epitomizes, are very, very, very, very few. It’s the children of the desolate – in other words their destiny is in desolation, see? – are multitudinous, and the children of the wife, which is New Jerusalem – because that’s our mother, the Bible said, the mother of us – see are very, very tiny in comparison. Even in the future, when I believe according to what the prophet taught, there’ll be just literally millions upon millions of people who will be outside the New Jerusalem, which is Zion, fifteen hundred miles square at the base, fifteen hundred miles high, a pyramidal city on top of Mount Zion, there will be what would be multitudes in there, sure, Bride, but those who would bring their glory in would outnumber them perhaps thousands to one for all I know.

So we realize then that the Holy Spirit in this hour will not have many people in a Bride standing here upon earth. And I imagine the Seventh Church Age complete, might not have multitudes either, in that literal Bride. But of course others can come in later on, through the White Throne judgment, that’s just fine. But you’ll notice how it is that very few actually hear the Message, actually very few receive the Holy Spirit. They just turn Him down.

4. Now tonight, what we’re going to do, is see the church and the Bride contrasted. And you’ll find the very thing we’ve talked about last night, follow through in this Message. Though the strange thing is the message I preached tonight was prepared literally months before I ever prepared the sermon or preached last night. Yet this one would follow logically, the one of last night. And it’s the church and the Bride contrasted. And you should see it very clearly here then, what we brought out last night concerning what the Holy Spirit does in exposing the world. See? And what we’ll see is a detailed exposition of the character of the people exposed.

And we’ll read in Rev 3:14, of course, Laodicean church age, and right down till we finish it, and then we’ll try to read my notes carefully, and just sort of take our time without taking too much time.

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

(15) I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

(16) So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

(17) Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

(18) I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.

(19) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, (even to) repent.

(20) Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: (and) if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

(21) To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and set down with my Father in his throne.

(22) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

You can see here that Christ is outside the church, trying to get back in, and of course we’ll see tonight why He’s outside that church, even more perhaps than we saw last night.

5. Now you’ll notice that what I have read here is a very horrible indictment of the Laodicean or seventh and final church age. And I do not believe that a severe indictment could have been passed on to any church anywhere in the Bible. Now just think how shocking it will be, or would be, if people of this age suddenly realized what this means.

Now let’s go over it as though it were addressed to us here. And if we really caught the impact, if we were really in the shape that this says, it would send us into shock. But of course people never believe it, they couldn’t. First of all, it says that our condition is one of wretchedness, misery, poverty, blindness and nakedness, in spite of the fact that we believe that we are redeemed children of God, and full of faith and of the Holy Ghost and clothed for the Marriage Supper.

6. Now this we gather from verse 18. And our testimony would be, since we have need of nothing, that we would indicate that we are complete in Christ, filled with His fullness, and manifesting His Life, and walking in full assurance, definitely, emphatically, continually, and testifying to the same. Now that’s exactly what we would say. This is what we are.

But in spite of that, in spite of every assurance, and evidence – now see we stop right there and think. Evidence. In spite of our testimony we also have an evidence. Because few people are all mouth. Now, it’s the biggest part of us, but few are all mouth. There comes a day, I don’t care who we are, singular or a group, we got to shut the mouth and take a look. There’s got to be more than talk, because even the world says, “Put your money where your mouth is.” Actions speak louder than words. See?

So there’s got to be an evidence. So in spite of every assurance, see, an evidence that we are condemned and judged to be first as wretched, miserable, poor, blind, naked – see? – we’ve got our own evidence. You can’t take God’s evidence if you’ve got your own evidence. Now the evidence that man has taken says, “I am not that way, I’m anything but this.” The Bible still says, “This is that church.”

7. Now we’re going to examine those words and do our best, keeping in mind what we learned so far from last night. We’ll pique each word, and I will not depart from the Bible, as I try to describe each one of these characteristics. But you will have to admit that I’m going to have to use my own thinking as I go to the Bible, because I’ll be drawing conclusions. See? And it won’t be from… not against what Bro. Branham taught, because he taught the church was in a drama, acting a role. And we’ll be seeing some of that tonight, see? So, hold that in your mind.

The first word is ‘wretched’. Now this word in the Greek means ‘enduring, toil, and hardship as from severe bodily effort, thus this state arises’.

So, if a person is wretched, it really means that this fellow is a little mental, because he said, “I feel great, on top of the world.” Oh, he’s dynamic, he’s strong, healthy; but he’s not. He has what is known as a sense of euphoria, which means he thinks everything is all right and it’s not. It’s a part of that description Bro. Branham said that this age is crazy. Insanity is in this man’s mind. Because he says he is not wretched, and God says he is wretched. And this person literally is worn out, see? Bone weary. Wretchedness. Have you ever felt…? I’ll tell you, one of the best feelings I can describe. Have you ever been asleep and dreamed that you were awake and wanted to be asleep. Huh? I have. It kills you. Have you ever been in a dream where your body is so tired, you’re just literally dying, dragged out? I have been. That’s what this word is describing.

8. Now this word is also found in Rom 7:24, and I think It tells us something here.

(24) O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (See?)

Now what is this person here? According to Paul he’s a slave. He’s a slave under a terrible taskmaster, doing always the enemy’s will, but is seduced into believing that he’s well off, taken care of, and assured of his future welfare, for he is convinced that he is entered into the rest of the Baptism with the Holy Ghost and into eternal life. Now that’s what the man believes. He actually does not know the truth of God from the seductions of Satan.

Now I wrote this in here and I’m reading it. And of course, someone will say, “Well Bro. Vayle you’re wrong.” But Bro. Vayle’s right. Because Eve did not know the Truth of God from the seduction of Satan for one word had been changed. Right? All right, see?

Now he feels that he is God’s free man. …?... He’s got to feel that; he’s got to believe that. And no doubt he has many feelings to back him up. But he is not. His life is not his own, and the reward he expects to garner will not be waiting for him.

9. This fellow could well be over here in Mt 7:21-23, he could well be. And you know we’re going to read:

(21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (And,)

(22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?

Now the Bible distinctly said, “Forbid not to prophesy,” and the Bible distinctly tells us to prophesy. Now they’ve done it. So that must be the will of God.

(22) …and in thy name have cast out devils? (Now the Bible says to cast out devils. That’s the will of God.) in thy name done wonderful works?

That also is the will of God. But It says right here that they have not done the will of God.

(23) And (It says) then will I profess unto them, I never knew you (ever): depart from me, (you) that work iniquity.

Now a person coming this close to the obedience of the full commandments of God, which are commandments of God, and seeing them fulfilled in his life – see? – why will he not deny the Scripture that says, “You’re wretched”? Now you’ve got to think about that. See? You’ve got to realize that this fellow is not simply talking, this fellow is a performer. And the Bible distinctly says, “Be not hearers of the Word only, but be you doers.” And yet we’ve got a people who are producing an evidence, a manifestation and a testimony, and they’re a million miles off the mark.

10. I would say that he is the product of the legalism of the Wesleyan age which went to seed under Pentecost. See? He is leading a life of self-effort, like Cain, who verily did fulfill the Word of God, though without revelation, and therefore by misinterpretation, worked hard – oh he worked way harder than Abel did, don’t ever think that he didn’t. Abel went out, grabbed a little lamb, took something sharp, held it down, cut the thing’s throat, and the little animal, what did he do? He urinated on him and defecated on him. Wasn’t hard work. He just had to stand the stench of being thoroughly identified with what he could not himself produce. But [Cain] went out, took out the stone, took out the wheat, worked like a trojan, worked like a trooper, maybe the sun beat too hard, put the water can out there, brought in the goodies, laid it down, said, “There, I’ve done it.” And he’d done it. And God said, “Your works are unrighteous.” True. See?

I would say he could be a Balaam, also who doing God a service was apart from God’s will. You know, a lot of people work real hard to be Christians. You’d be a million times better off to stop working and listen to God’s Voice to see what He wants done. But this is an age of this we’re talking about, this is Laodicea. Now I’m going back to the Bible for my illustrations, but we’re talking about today. See? These are fine men.

He’s wretched, for his toil is in vain and it is all vain glory. And he has as his reward the plaudits and the commendation and the witness and sanction and approbation of men who would say, “Now he has to be of the Lord. Don’t tell me this man’s wretched. Why he’s a great servant of God.”

11. He is well, as I can see, in the Book of Acts 2:17,18.

(17) …it (will) come to pass in the last days, saith God, (because Joel has spoken,) I will pour my Spirit upon (a-double-l) flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams:

(18) And on my servants and on my handmaidens will (I) pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

And let me tell you something right here, you’ve got a lot of things going on up here in the charismatic, but down here you have the Holy Ghost revealing the holy Word of God. See? One is with the Word of God; one is not with the Word of God. One is using the Word of God outside the framework of the Word of God, but one refuses to use the Word of God except within the framework of the Word of God. One has true reverence and revelation; one has no reverence and revelation. Except a pseudo one.

12. Now the next thing he is miserable. Well why wouldn’t he be? He’s not come into any rest. He has his own idea, but he’s not in rest. The word actually means ‘pitiable’. Pitiable. Now nobody could think of a better word than that to follow the word ‘wretched’. You couldn’t. Now it doesn’t say he’s pitiful, though that goes without saying, he is ‘pitiable’. Something or someone to be pitied. See?

Now we’ve got – I want to be careful here, to get my illustration just right on the drama here, for I can think of no better illustration for this than a person of such a mind and lack of true discernment, that he is puffed up in his mind – and I’m illustrating only now, see, trying to get an illustration – that he is a successful and admired performer. Now Bro. Branham said we’re all performers. Now he’s speaking now of a man who is a ham actor. Now he’s not on the stage so much, but I got to use this illustration, because all the world’s a stage and we’re actors, as Shakespeare said. And Bro. Branham said there’s a drama going on, the Word is allotted to each age to be dramatized, and each one is in his own dramatic role.

Now you’ve got two roles. You’ve got the false church; you’ve got the true church. And I’m talking now of those under condemnation. And he comes on the stage and he is so confused and so unable to perform according to the script that men of discernment can only pity. Yet he feels his performance is great, and he himself is even greater.

13. Now this is not a matter of scorn, it goes deeper, it’s a matter of pity. Because the human mind scorns the puffed up, ignorant person. The know-it-all, the show-it-all, you can’t tell him, “I’ve got it”, see? But we’re not talking about that. We’re going deeper, because I’m trying to bring us into the spiritual realm by illustration. He is pitiable; he is not scorned. As much as we scorn by turning from this thing, we ought not to have a spirit of scorning on us, because the Bible warns us to never sit in the seat of the scornful. But we’re prone to. I’m sure you have your problems, you know I’ve got mine, the way I preach, you can tell that.

Now the great pleasure he gets from his performance leaves one wondering how he can lack so in discernment. That’s to those who can discern. The elect will stand shocked at a people who cannot stay with the Word. Now they better go deeper. They better get some pity, they better get some sorrow, a real compassion. That’s why I’ve been preaching long here, you get into doctrine, like some of you will be in, don’t ever kid me and yourself that there won’t be these things come, you’d better learn to have a right spirit. And I’m going to tell you flat, the right spirit is not amongst us. We’re no more ready for the Kingdom of God than nothing.

14. Now I speak not for everybody, I speak for Lee Vayle and the majority. There’s somebody out there that’s getting that right spirit on them. See? Bro. Branham said, “The spirit’s …?..., give a man a new spirit,” there’s two sermons at least, and one’s ?new wine? and …?... that sermon is I’ll find it somewhere at home. He said, “That spirit,” he said, “you get before the Holy Spirit, is a new spirit, in order so the Holy Spirit can come.”

Now how many of us are even showing a right spirit, let alone the Holy Spirit? So until the right spirit comes in, how can the true Word Spirit begin to function? So we must be very careful how we look and think, and we do wonder, and we are shocked at what is going on in the light of the Word. And we wonder what is the standard whereby this man is judging himself and his performance? And I will tell you there’s only one standard that God has laid down, and he cannot be in that standard or he would not be doing it.

15. All right, what is a standard? We all know what it is, it’s just simple as ABC. It is over here in Heb 4:13. We’ll read 12 with it.

(12) For the word of God is quick, and powerful…

Now what does It say? “For the Word of (what?) God,” right? The Word comes out of God, right?

(12) …the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Now listen,)

(13) Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight:

Just a minute now. What’s doing this? You say, “God is.” No, it doesn’t say God’s doing it. It says the Word of God is doing it. Then who’s sight is it in? The Word of God. Then what is God? He’s the Word. What is the Word? It is God. So therefore, all the claims of God fall, because the only revelation of God is the Word.

Now everything must be measured. There is nothing in this world that’s not measured. This is a measurement, this is a measurement, fingernail’s a measurement, see? Because there’s certain, it’s all measurement. Now even God must be measured. Now how are you going to measure God? There is only one way. It says, “The only begotten who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared Him,” which in the Greek is ‘exegeted’, which means ‘to explain thoroughly by word’. There is only one measurement anybody can have of God that’s legal, legitimate and right, and that is that Word. And It says right here, is where it is. See?

What standard is he using? He is not using the standard of God Himself Who is the Word, Who proves it’s genuine of the Holy Ghost. Remember, manifestation can come any day, any hour, all the time, but there’s only one positive standard of judgment, that is that Word. See?

16. Now, Rev 2:2-3.

(2) I know thy works, thy labour, and thy patience, how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and found (to be) liars:

(3) And (thou) hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

Now right in here, let’s get this true, the laboring in the Name of Jesus Christ, which was repudiated in Matthew 7 – right? “In My Name they’ve cast out devils, in My Name they’ve done deeds, in My Name done so and so.” Now look right here, look right here, it all went back, my brother/sister, to what those apostles said, who brought the Word.

Now you see where we’re at? Where’s their measurement? They have a measurement not according to the revealed Word, which was brought by the apostles, which is the foundation. And let’s face it, when you’re dealing with God’s building, I don’t care what anybody says, what’s in the foundation is also in the building, is in the roof, is in the capstone, is the whole thing all the way through. There’s only one material goes into the building of Jesus Christ, that’s the Word of God, and we’re part of the Body of Truth. See? Nothing else. And remember, the church is of the same substance the Capstone is. And remember the Cornerstone is only the super inscription telling what the building was ordained to – huh? – and what it’s… why it’s made. That’s why the church tells the whole story of Almighty God through all ages. See? And it’s already in the Word.

Now you see here then, what is that standard? The standard is that revealed Word, but they do not have It. And therefore, they have aggrandized themselves, and say, “Look I’m demonstrating, it is true,” and at the end time there’s a razor blade difference between the real and the false, see?

17. Now there’s another verse in the Bible that uses the very same words. We go to 1 Cor 15:19, It says,

(19) If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. (Or the more pitiable than all men, we are more pitiable.)

Now of course this is a man who has put all his faith in his own ark, and the ark sinks. Now I say this because Paul says it. He says, “If my faith and hope is entirely in that which is false, my hope is good only in this life as I use it as a philosophy, it will not carry me over Jordan’s tide, and all I hope for and built for will be lost.” That’s exactly the rich charismatic living that people are doing right now. Building, building, building in the charismatic, but it will not work, it is doomed according to God. How pitiable is this man, because he’s doomed to loss and he is deluded that he’s laying up treasures in heaven. But when the treasures are exposed, they’ll be wood, hay and stubble, because they’ve not been built upon the foundation which is Christ revealed Word. See? It won’t be done.

18. Now I see in here the Full Gospel Businessmen. Now I don’t want to cut anybody to ribbons, but I’ve been in their meetings. And it’s all been the same story. “Here I stand a rich man, well-loved in the community, all kinds of dough.” Now the saying is simply, “If I have Jesus Christ as my Savior, and I am such a great man, then why shouldn’t you poor little people out there have Christ as your Savior?”

Now maybe I’m misjudging but I’ve seen the spirit too often. In fact, when I wrote the Church Age Book for Bro. Branham, from what his feelings and mine were about the Catholic church and the Full Gospel Businessman, it was already set up by the printer. I said, “Bro. Branham, I want to talk to you.” I brought the manuscript along, which had been returned to the printers, we sat in the Stone Street Sambo’s, out in Tucson, and I read it.

He said, “So, good.”

I said, “You weren’t listening.” I read it again.

He said, “Fine.”

I said, “Bro. Branham, that’s just too tough.”

“No,” he said, “it’s the truth.”

I said, “Read it again.”

“Yeah,” he said, “I’m a little bit too tough. We’ll leave it out.”

That’s a prophet talking. The man that God could talk lip to ear to. The man alone could hear the Voice of God, but that was his job, not yours and mine, but his, and God spoke to him, and God spoke through him.

He said he’d leave those Full Gospel Businessmen if they ever organized. One day they came out with their tabloid, they’d organized. They’d put their creeds and dogma, Trinitarian.

At the same breakfast, I said, “Bro. Branham I’ve brought something for you also.”

He read it, said, “May I have it?”

I said, “That is the general purpose why I brought it, it’s yours.”

Something must have died within the man’s heart when he read that, because he knew it was all over. The last independent door that represented people had closed. See? Condemned.

But he can’t be told anything. Acting out his own drama, not God’s. Yet he will constantly profess his life is the Word and his drama is the Word of God. Now you check me if that’s not the truth of every church and organization. They say the same the thing, but it’s not so.

19. Thirdly: he’s poor. This is in the Greek means ‘absolutely poverty stricken, crouching as a beggar, possessionless, undone and abandoned’, yet claiming to own it all, he has nothing. Claiming an inheritance, he has no title to it. Claiming to be a son and entitled to redemption, he has no part in the election. He owns nothing, yet he thinks he owns it all. He has nothing. The question arises: then how does he live? Just like that grafted-in branch. Living off the life of the vine, he’s got to live off of somebody.

And you know brother/sister, let’s face it, do you know one reason why the world is still here? Because the elect are still here. Do you know why things are going to go on for a few more years? Because God’s elect Jews are still here. That’s all. His longsuffering and shortening of days is for the election’s sake. Not for those who stand up and stigmatize and would destroy the Bride, no sir, not for their sake, though they think it is.

20. Now thus this man has no reality of his own but is sustained by the crumbs from the taskmaster who has made him wretched. Living off the church’s creeds and dogmas and its vomit but he claims it’s manna. Yeah. You know, if you’re a certain type of animal, vomit’s very good. The dog hates to lose what he burped up, because his stomach has been working on it. You know after all there’s a lot of digestive juices been released in the dog’s stomach, and it was mighty good going down, it was given to him by a fine, friendly hand, so when he brings it up, he’ll just go back to it. You know the Pentecost people are very nice. Yeah, fine soul-winners. Lot of folk that believe this Message might go back too, because it tasted mighty good going down, and after all they did spend a long time with it. Now it’s vomit, but they’ll go back to it. The sow will go back to his wallow. I don’t like it myself, but it seems like many people do. The church’s creeds, their dogmas, they're despising the Word of a vindicated prophet. The spirit of Rome that owns a man’s soul is rampant and it’ll do everything it can to hold a man in its clutches. Give a man anything he can wish for. But the man has nothing.

You know, that’s how organization is. Look at these poor preachers, went out in the field years ago, thank God I was not one of them, they’ll go a certain town, labor, work hard, few people come in, the poor pastor collects the tithes, salts them away, puts them in the box, gathers the money he can, sacrifices his shirt, builds a church, all the wrong way. And organization will take it over. And people own nothing. Why? Because he’s wrong in the first place, the tithe belongs to a ministry, not for builders and not for this and that, but to stay in the ministry. I heard of a church that’s got so much money they could send out a dozen, but they’re quite afraid that nobody filled the bill, so the money sits there. That’s supposed to be those that believe this Message. That sounds like a clear case of vomit to me. I could be wrong. I could be a part of it. But something’s wrong. I’ll stick with the Bible, whether I’m right or wrong, I’ll stay with the Bible, because it’s true.

21. Fourth: he is blind. The word ‘blind’ is not to be blind, it means ‘heady, high-minded’, the smoke of self-conceit has colored his thinking and there will be no room for repentance. How in the world can a man repent when he’s blind, which means filled, his eyes are dimmed with the smoke of self-conceit? In other words, he’s so sure he’s right, and those like him, that he cannot defer to God’s vindicated Word. No, he can’t defer to it, impossible. Because after all he has everything going for him, himself. And if his church with creeds and dogmas can produce an evidence and a testimony, then why in the world must he listen to something else, which is only a testimony and an evidence in a little higher plain, which perhaps by the grace of God, he’d get up there too. Counting what has been vindicated, is the same thing down here, which is not vindicated. That is, in the same caliber as that real Word’s vindicated. Because there’s calibers, brother/sister. And the caliber we saw was ‘THUS SAITH THE LORD’, and I want to see anybody’s got it. Maybe tomorrow night I’ll preach on what ‘THUS SAITH THE LORD’ means to me. Put that one on fire, hopefully. He’s blind, led by blind men, wherein both fall in the ditch.

22. Let’s go to John 9, and see what Jesus said about this very thing. 39-41.

(39) And Jesus said, For judgment…

Oh-ho. Did he come back at Pentecost? Did he come back now? He certainly did.

(39) …For judgment am (I) come into this world, that they which see not might see; and they which see might be made blind. (Now hold it, isn’t that exactly what I taught last night? And what about tonight? What about in this age?)

(40) And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said, Are we blind also?

Sneer. “You trying to tell us something? You’ve got too big for your britches, because you turned a bit of water into wine. Oh and the dead man got raised, but he wasn’t dead in the first place. Oh a few phenomena. So we’re blind, are we? Huh.”

(41) Jesus said, If (you) were blind, (you) should have no sin: but now (you) say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

There is no sacrifice for those who turned down revealed Truth, Hebrews 10, and the prophet vindicated preached it, I don’t have to go into it.

23. Rom 2:19.

(19) And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, (but actually,)

(20) An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of (babies), which (have a) form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. (That’s all. They got a little bit, but the reality of the truth is missing.)

Heb 6:4-6.

(4) For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, (now not hard, but absolutely impossible for those who were once for all enlightened, that’s the once for all is the Seventh Church Age Message, tasting) the heavenly gift, (partaking) the Holy Ghost,

(5) (Tasting) the good word of God, (tasting) the powers of the world to come,

Not “if they shall fall way,” that’s not what the Greek says, It says,

(6) (Having fallen) away, (it is impossible for them ever to change their minds about their conditions, they say, “No, no, no.”)

Why? Because, let me tell you brother/sister, there is heat in light and heat hardens or melts, whichever way you’re going. Now in one place the light and heat will melt, the next place just hardens. The light coming through the woman at the well, all black but one tiny little spot, turned white. The other man, Simon the Pharisee, when Jesus was there, the woman came in to anoint his feet with the tears of her eyes, washed the feet, he sneered, and everything light turned to darkness. See? Now there it is.

(6) (Never, never shall they repent, never can they be changed, and in doing it they actually) crucify… the Son of God afresh…

Now look, He has got to be there somehow to be crucified or they can’t do it. Now they can’t do it literally, so they do it to themselves. In other words, the original sacrifice is gone, or why would you have another? So therefore, there is no hope.

24. Fifth: he is naked, which means ‘unclad’. Heb 4:13.

(13) Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

And therefore, if this person is declared unclad at the end time, it is only because the Word of God has unclad him! To let him know exactly what he is like and what he is. He is unclad. Revelation 16, and let’s look at this one, this is a good one. And the fifteenth verse, It says,

(15) Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

And that says right down here, brother/sister, at the end time, it’s going to be manifested in the tribulation, shown, proven that people were naked, because they’ll be found right in that terrible day.

25. Rev 3:18, which is the very thing we saw, and It says here,

(18) …that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear;

Let’s compare that with 1 Jn 2:28, and It says here,

(28) And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. (The shame of nakedness.)

And what does John say it is? “They wouldn’t stay with the Word; they went out from us.” Now he’s naked. He is doomed to miss.

2 Cor 5:1-4. Listen.

(1) For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

(2) For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

(3) If (it be) so that being clothed we shall not found naked.

(4) For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not (to) be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. (See?)

They cannot reach out to take that spirit body that God has waiting for them, which will one day come down and take on a glorified form. Certain that he has on the wedding garment, he is absolutely naked.

26. Why? Because he has missed 1 Cor 15:53-54.

(53) For this corruptib(ility) must put on incorrupti(bility), and this mortal must put on… (and that’s an inner garment on the inside.)

(54) So when this corruptib(ility) shall have put on incorrupti(bility), and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying… Death is swallowed up in victory,

(55) O death, where is thy sting? O (death), where is thy victory?

Misses it. And the Bible proves he misses it, because it’s over here in the Book of Mt 22:8-14, and we all know those verses, the man, the wedding supper is to be assembled, the guests were not there, so they sent the servants out to bid as many as would come in. And there came in a man and he had not on a wedding garment, and he was speechless. And the king said to the servant, “Bind him hand and foot and take him away and cast him out.” See? Imagine. Notice, he was at the invitation coming to the wedding supper. See? And the wedding guests were there. But this man didn’t get to the wedding supper, he didn’t have a garment on. What was that garment? The garment was the Word, sitting where the Word of God went forth as in Jesus’ day, but they turned It down flat, and therefore he is naked, because remember it is that Word that is the righteousness of the saints. Because Christ alone is the righteousness and He is the Word of Almighty God.

And remember, nakedness is equated to the sex act. And that shows again that the world has left the truth, they have turned the Word aside, because that’s where they crucify the Son of God themselves a second time, is the Word. They will not change their minds, they will not open the door to the mind, which is the womb of the spirit, they turn it down flat, and therefore Christ is on the outside. Now thus does this age end, condemned by God, but justified by the church.

27. Let’s go to Lk 16:14-15. We’ll see something here. We all know this Scripture anyway, but here It is. Lk 16:14,15.

(14) And the Pharisees, who were (also) covetous, (that’s the sign of this end time) heard all these things: and they derided him.

They sneered at him. The rich age, the rich ones, the plenty, and this age everybody’s got lots. It’s a fabulous age: building and selling, and marrying and giving in marriage, and whatever the heart desires, you got it, go to the moon, sure we go to the moon, put on the shuttle space, put the shuttle, go back and forth, who cares, anything man’s going to do, just like in the days of Noah. They deride him, sneered.

(15) And he said (to) them, (You) are they which justify yourselves before men; (oh, you got a good testimony, you produce a lot of good works, but let me tell you,) God know(s) your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is (abominous) in the sight of (Almighty) God. (See?)

28. There you are. That’s what this age is. Rich, Laodicean age, the workhorse age goes down condemned. The high esteem of riches and riches and goods and program are condemned as it says in Rev 18:1-17, you read it for yourself. Everything’s in there, everything rich, everything beautiful, everything – the whole rotten world money system’s in there, and it’s all condemned because the Word of God says so.

Now that is the world church. The rich, rock and roll witch of Bro. Branham’s vision. But there is a Bride somewhere, in spite of all this, and she has come out of Babylon, and she is not wretched, and she is not miserable, she is not poor, she is not blind, she is not naked. Rather, she is clothed, she can see, she’s in her right mind, her name is in the Book of Redemption as heir to eternal life and all that pertains with it. As the false bride is emptied, even so is the true Bride full.

29. Let’s go to see the empty one, which I didn’t read about, but you can read for yourself. Chapter 18, in the Book of Revelation, the last part of the seventh verse.

(7) …I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

(8) Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord who judge(s) her.

Now listen, God cannot judge anybody until there has been an effective proven law whereby He can judge. Can’t do it, no man can do it, God can’t do it. So therefore, at the end time, that Word of God must come forth in such purity that God has every right to judge. And He does it. Because the Word of God calls her out of Babylon.

30. Notice her fullness. This empty thing over here, with her big boasts, her big talk. Let’s go back to where the true Bride is. She’s in the Book of Eph 1:22-23. And here’s what It says here about her.

(22) And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things (of) the church,

(23) Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all (things with) all (things).

Let me tell you what that means. He put all under His feet. In other, Jesus Christ, it was under His feet, as the Capstone He is absolutely head over the body. And He is the Head over the church, which is a body, and the body is the fullness of Him that filleth all things with all things. In other words that Church is the complete fullness of the revealed and manifested Word of Almighty God. Every single promise lies in her because of Jesus Christ, and they’re all fulfilled and manifested in her. And not one is missing. Now that’s your Bride. As the false church is empty, the true Church is full. This true Bride is not wretched.

31. Now wretchedness imputed part of the idea to be worn out physically from toil, hardship and severe effort. Such a person would be exhausted, worried, too tired, no energy, bone weary or beat, as they say, but this Bride is not so tired that she goes on by nerves. The others are going on there like a nervous condition. Now the nerves are in the world, Bro. Branham told us that, but the church does not go by nerves. See? She doesn’t go by a motivation that’s out there, that’s wrong. She does not need the stimulation of false hopes, because that’s what the church is going by. She does not need a euphoric experience, that is continued sensations and new revelations that even conduct the revelation of yesterday.

I bet there’s some of that amongst us. Revelation now that contradicted the old. Which is not bad in a way, but some ways it can be very bad. Because it could show that the revelation was not originally right. But she has entered into her rest, for it is the hour of Holy Spirit restoration, the great mystery revealed to her is that the Holy Spirit baptism is without sensation but not without stimulation. Now wine stimulates. It gives you joy and energy, gives you fervor, expectation, faith is in there, see?

32. Now therefore the manna, the true Word of God, revealed by the Holy Spirit becomes our Life, so that we believe that Word and our faith stands in that Word and the dynamism of the energy in it is our very lives. For God Himself has come down and proved to the Bride what is the true evidence. Now people got a lot of other evidences. This old church back there said, “Look, we’re casting out devils, we’re speaking in tongues, we’ve got a good testimony, folks are lining our …?..., there’s a great revival going on.” Everything is just wonderful, in fact, everybody’s saying there’s going to be a great revival before Jesus comes, and that cannot be. The world cannot turn to God and go to the devil at the same time, it’s impossible. I can’t go north and south at the same time, unless I’m blown to pieces, and that’s what’s going to happen. But you can’t go to God and go to the devil at the same time. You can’t go to Christ and go to antichrist the same time. You can’t go to the Word and leave the Word at the same time. They’re all mixed up. You see?

But God has come down and proved to the Bride what is the true evidence! And the true evidence is the revelation of the Word of this hour. And she, knowing that, that she is fulfilling that evidence, is at rest! Now there’s no other way you can go. Now I know many people just don’t see it this simply, because some say, “Well look, Bro. Vayle, the evidence of the Holy Ghost is not believing the Word.” I’m sorry but the evidence is believing the Word, and there’s other things that go with the life of the Holy Spirit, but that’s not the evidence! There’s a difference. And there’s a lot of folk, and they’re supposed to be very big shots and really putting a big dent in the Bride, because they’re gathering all around this one fellow, and he doesn’t understand this, no, he doesn’t understand. No.

33. Now listen, this Bride rests upon Rom 8:2. Look at It.

(2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus…

It’s not the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free but it’s the law of the Spirit of the life that’s in Christ Jesus! Now where are you going to get a law on that? You’re going to get it by the Word! The Word revealing God Who is Spirit! Now you have your basis.

(2) …hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Now the law of sin and death was unbelief, and unbelief brought death, but now that life, which is in Christ Jesus coming back upon me, in me, sees the revealed Word and stands right and says, “Yes, that’s right,” like Abraham.

“Abraham, you’re going to produce this promised son.”

“Well how can I do that?”

“No way you’re ever going to do it, no sir, never any way. There’s only one way you will do it, you’ll be given credit for doing it, and that’s by believing what My Word said.”

But remember it was already in Abraham to believe. Because “as many as were ordained unto eternal life believed”, and nobody who was not ordained believed. The ordination to eternal life is the fact you’re going to believe. See? And Abraham believed. And at this time, we believe. The Bride knows that she’s taught by the Spirit of Almighty God.

34. Let’s take a look at it. As Bro. Branham said, the purpose of the thing is the evidence. I said that, by paraphrasing, but Bro. Branham said it before I did. I don’t think I knew he said it, but I found where he said it. Jn 16:12-15.

(12) I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

(13) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that (he’ll) speak: and he will shew (it unto) you…

(14) He shall glorify me: (he’ll) receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

(15) All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, he shall take of mine, and shew it unto you.

Now listen, how in the world can the all things of God be shown to a Bride before the hour? It’s impossible. For the very things that even Paul saw were sealed up. The things that John saw were sealed up. Remember, John was dealing with the Gentiles as well as the Jews. So, the times of the Gentiles, the fullness, was sealed up. Because that had to be sealed up, because under the Rev 10:1-7, the Thunders uttered, and that’s in the time of the Seventh Church Age messenger would be. So therefore, that which was belonging to the Seventh Church Age was sealed up. When it gets unsealed, then there’s going to be a Rapture. You see right there?

35. Now, the Bride knows that. Let’s go back and see again, Revelation 3. Compare that with Rev 3:14 and 22.

(14) …unto the (messenger which is) the church of (Laodicea) write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness,

Now listen, He’s the Amen and He wasn’t the Amen in the Pentecostal age, that’s why Bro. Branham said you cannot move this age back to Pentecost, because He was the Alpha; this is the Omega.

(14) …the faithful and true witness,

How do you know if a man’s faithful and true? The day he lays down his sword and said, “I’m in retirement.” And not only that day, but the day you drape the casket, and you put the flag over the casket, and the shield and the sword, and say, “There lies a faithful witness.” In other words, when it’s all over, that’s the only time you can know he’s faithful. And this is the end time, and he showed, as I showed you last year preaching that little simple series, showed that He was the faithful and true witness. Showed that He was the beginning of the creation of God, where God began to manifest Himself in flesh, showing it was the hour when all in God would manifest in flesh. Who is in the election and in the Bride, see? And verse 22:

(22) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith (to) the churches. (Exactly right. See?)

36. Now the Bride knows that she’s being taught, and there’s a Message in every single age. She’s identified with the Word of the hour, like we found here in Eph 1:15-23.

(15) Wherefore also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus (Christ), and love unto all the saints,

(16) Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

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

“Because you see, I told you a lie up here, you really didn’t have the Holy Ghost.” Is that what he’s saying? He’s talking to a people already full of the Holy Ghost. Hoping that God may reveal to him what lies down the ages two thousand years from now, though Paul didn’t know it.

(17) (Hoping that they would receive that) spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

(18) (In order that their) understanding (may be) enlightened; (in order) that (they) may know what is the hope of his calling, (that they may know) the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

(19) And (positively, and this cannot happen till the end time,) what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

(20) Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him (way up there)…

And you and I cannot know that until resurrection hour that puts us in the Wedding Supper. That’s I’ll face any man down on that. Challenge any man! The prophet said there’s a message of every age, and the Word changes. Not that the Word Itself changes, but the age demands a new manna, and this proves it! That there’s an end time Message that the Spirit of God must visit the church, and…

37. … he was not the Son of man; he revealed the Son of man. Don’t get carried away, see? She therefore knows who she is, and her revealed faith is her life. That’s why she can only talk this Message, for the just live by faith. She rests in ‘THUS SAITH THE LORD’ and all that means. Secondly, she is not miserable, she is not one who is vainly puffed up in her own imagination but is identified with 2 Corinthians 10. Yes sir. Went too far, back. 2 Corinthians 10, and let me see, we want the fifth verse.

(5) Casting down (reasonings), and every high thing that exalt(s) itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

(6) And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

In other words, the Word of God is the paramount thing in our believing, our understanding, in order that there may be an obedience to the faith. Yes sir.

She’s over here in 1 Corinthians 13, and in the last part of verse 12:

(12) …but then shall I know even as I am known.

Christ revealed in the Word to her even as she sees herself revealed what she is. She is not like the Corinthian church of 1 Cor 14:36-37, that Paul said,

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

He said, “You guys that are talking, that church that’s talking the way you’re talking, in the beginning and the end time, they talked the same way. They acted as though they had the Word of God come to them.” He said, “Let me ask you a question. Did the Word of God come out of you? Or did it only come to you?” Now he said,

(37) If any man think(s) himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, (full of the Holy Ghost,) let him acknowledge the things that I write are the commandments of the Lord. (There’s no other Word than that. See?)

38. She is not like the Corinthian church, therefore basing her life on gifts and manifestation, but she fulfills Col 2:18,19.

(18) Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

(19) And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

It tells you right here how to grow right up into God is by seeing Him Who is that Word. There’s no other way it’s going to be done. Beholding Him. She is not acting out her part of God’s drama, I mean she’s not acting out her part like they are, but she’s acting out her part in this drama on earth, which she is indeed the Word of God. And she can act it, because she is the Word. If you want to see, as Bro. Branham said, someone compose and play like Beethoven, you’ve got to be a spirit. You see? Well this Bride doesn’t have to have another spirit, she’s already in the Spirit of the Spirit from which she came. Because being sons, the Spirit of God’s come upon her. See? Her life is the Word. She is not improvising as do others, she knows her role, and she knows by Word identification that she’s already a part of the first resurrection for she’s heard the Shout, and she knows that she’s received the former rain, so therefore there has got to be a Resurrection and a Rapture. She has gone on to perfection, exactly what the Word of God says.

39. 1 Cor 13:9-10.

(9) For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

(10) But when that which is perfect is come, that which in part (is) done away.

Now what’s he talking about? A prophecy. And the Word, the Bible is a Book of prophecy. And we know only in part. How – why do we only know in part? Because we can only tell by history until a prophet comes. And when the prophet comes, we no longer tell by history, we tell by revelation. Remember Daniel’s book where he tells about the four great kingdoms. The angel only goes so far as to name Media, Persia, and Greece, and they hadn’t yet come on the scene. Right. But he looks way down the road and says, “Cyrus my prophet,” four hundred years. And then he doesn’t mention Rome, but he lays it out there in symbology, and history says that that is Rome, the fourth one. We know by history. But there comes a time brother/sister, when reading history will not do. Because history has got to end. Then how are you going to tell where we’re at by history? You’ve got to take a vindicated prophet, and that means the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him concerning the church, concerning the part of Israel that’s left. There has got to come a time when as an angel, …?... sealed that Book, sealed by a man, through an angel, so an angel must come again and open that Book, showing us where we’re at. See? Why people today don’t even believe for one minute they’re in Laodicea. Or believe it’s the time of the end. No sir, they’re puffed up in their own minds; they don’t know where they’re at.

40. This is the same thing I read over here in the Book of Hebrews 6. It says,

(1) Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on (to) perfection;

See? There comes a time once more when the foundation must be left behind, that principle thing there, see? That which is back. Why? Because there’s no further place to build! It’s over! This is the age when it’s capped off. When God’s going to do something. And the Bride stands right there waiting for it. And It says, “Yes, we’re going to go on to perfection, if God will allow us.” And then It tells you where perfection comes from, the once for all Message with every vindicated sign on every hand, the raising the dead. And when you see this mighty manifestation, prophesied in the Book of Acts, where anybody can handle the Word of God, “be partakers of the Holy Ghost, taste the heavenly gift, see the good Word of God, and taste the power of the world to come,” men out there doing it, your sons and my sons, It says this is the age when the tares are separate from the wheat and the tares are burnt up. You see? All over.

Now there’s what we’re looking at. We’re looking at Revelation, to let us know where we’re at. She is in step with all ages, by the prophet’s vision, for him not even knowing, even when he died, that that Shout was the military command. He said, “Get in step!” We’re in step with all ages, being a part of it. The military command put us there. What is that military command?

41. Eph 4:12-16.

(12) For the perfecting…

That’s the five-fold ministry, that have the Word of the prophet. And notice right here, the Word of the prophet is Jesus Christ Himself, because the gift is according to the fact that Jesus, when he died, went down to hell, rose again and came back in these ministries as the Holy Ghost, the Word. Now,

(12) (To perfect) the saints, the work of the ministry, (edify, to build up) the body of Christ:

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

That’s here on earth, the body, the Bride. And when you come there:

(14) (You’ll) 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, grow up into him in all things…

There’s your Ephesian again, all things, the very end time all things. The all things, when the church absolutely in Him and through Him and by Him united in that holy bond of matrimony at the Wedding Supper, they’ll come right down and take it over. And nothing can ever touch them. Even when the devil tries to get them, fire just comes down and dissolves them. They don’t even raise a hand; Christ doesn’t raise a hand. Nobody says a word. They’re invincible. See? Now,

(15) But speak the truth in love, grow up into him…

(16) From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted (not one age missing, not one person missing, every age the) joint (supplying), according to the effectual working in the measure of the every part…

Now what is the measure of our part? The measure of our part is when the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him comes in by means of angelic visitation to show us we are right now when all things come under our feet. Identified with that Word, and the Bride stands on It! Yes siree, yes sir. She’s in step.

42. Now third: she is not poor. No sir. Go to James 2:5.

(5) Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith…

And what about the rich Full Gospel Businessmen, the fishers of men? Oh the great soul winners, because they’re worth a lot of money. Hogwash. Jesus said, “You boys, I’m going to tell you something. Get rid of everything you got. You take one cloak, you take one staff, you don’t take letters to write home, go on down the road, I’ll take care of you.”

Now money’s going to do it. University’s going to do it. How Oral Roberts can be so blind, and Billy Graham, is more than I know. How can they be so blind? Even history tells them it’s a flop and a failure. Chicago University, started by rich men, godly men’s money is a cesspool of hell tonight and always has been for years. There isn’t one college left! Even …?... Otterbien College is a cesspool worse than hell! Stinkin’, filthy scum of men’s intelligence. The rottenest degradation. Don’t anybody ever tell you education money does it. That’s the biggest lie in the world. If you want to be close to God, run from money. Don’t run too far though, I don’t mean you’re going to have to throw it all away and be a silly fool with it, some kind of a perverted person. But money never has done it, money never will do it. Bro. Branham proved that, turned down a million and a half dollars at one time. A man that saw the draft, said, “Bro. Vayle, I saw it.” Told me about it.

43. Now, she is not poor. She has already been named heir of the Kingdom. How can you be poor when you’re heir of the Kingdom? You’re poor in this world good, but who cares? I know we care too much about this world’s good, it’s a trap. I’m trapped the same as a lot of people are, just the filthy lucre isn’t worth a plug nickel and yet we like that junk. The stuff that it buys particularly. And sometimes we don’t even buy what’s decent. That’s what’s wrong with women, they buy all this junk and put on like Hollywood. Men are just as bad. They take it off, same as women do.

[Luke] 12:32:

(32) Fear not, little flock; (it’s) your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (The meek shall inherit the earth. Won’t even have to pay for it. See?)

44. Now she has been called to hear the reading of the will, because Christ the Executor came down and read the will to her. See, she has seen her name in the Book of Redemption opened. Rev 5:1,7.

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

And there’s seven church ages, and it’s all sealed up in there, and the whole Word of God is all sealed up in there, and redemption’s all sealed up in there, Christ is sealed up in there, the Bride’s sealed up, the whole thing’s sealed up in there. Let those seals get torn off. Let me tell you flat, if the prophet’s Message is true, and the Shout is that first step, we’re under the Seventh Seal now, I don’t care what anybody says. We’re under it, it’s open, it’s in effect, it’s going on. Rev 10:1-7 is effect. Return ministry, no return ministry, it doesn’t got a thing to do with it. He can come back four more times even, I won’t argue anything, it’s in effect. See, always looking down the road. Look what’s going on now.

Now listen, verse 7:

(7) …he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

Now Rev 10:2.

(2) And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot (upon) the earth,

45. Now, and she knows that the Seventh Seal has been opened and it is time for Rev 8:14-23. She knows that. I mean Romans 8, I’m sorry. I said Revelation, it’s Romans 8, not Revelation. Look at it.

(14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

(15) For (we) have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but (we) have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (That’s exactly what he said in Ephesians 1 and up to about the 14th verse.)

(16) (And that) Spirit bear(s) witness with our spirit, we are children of God:

(17) And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with (Jesus) Christ; if… we suffer with him, that we may be glorified (also).

(18) For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared (to) the glory which shall be revealed in us.

(19) For the earnest expectation of (creation waits) for the manifestation of the sons of God. (And that manifestation is going on right now and the fulness goes into the resurrection, Bro. Branham said so. Now,)

(20) For the (creation) was subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him (that) subjected the same in hope,

(21) Because the creature (creation) itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty (of the glory) of the children of God.

(22) For we know that the whole creation groan(s) and travail(s) in pain together until now. (They’re doing it.)

(23) And not only they, but ourselves also, (we who already have the Spirit of God guaranteeing us a resurrection are groaning right now because there’s one thing we don’t have, and that’s the resurrection of our bodies.)

We are not manifested in the adoption; we have to wait for it. Verse 32:

(32) He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also (with us) freely give us all things?

It says right here that if God delivered up His Own Son, then He’s going to give us all things freely and wasn’t that what Bro. Branham said? He said, “If He’s the same yesterday, today and forever, and He’s raised from the dead, He will do what He did.” Proving that He died in order to do this. Then if He came back and showed it, that He died to give it to us, then isn’t He going to do it? He’s going to do it freely. Because the whole thing is free.

46. Let’s over here in Heb 9:15.

(15) And for this cause he is the mediator (there you are) of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Not eternal life, it says eternal inheritance. The whole thing with eternal life! There you are. How is it? Through Jesus Christ and we know that’s the hour.

47. Fourth: she is not blind. Rev 3:18 says she should get the anointing and she gets it. And she does get the Holy Ghost. Not that she didn’t already have the Holy Spirit as far as the baptism is concerned, but she did not have the Holy Ghost to seal her in at the end time by the Word. She refused Him Who came back as a Pillar of Fire. Why? Because she refused the one that God sent. The smoke of self-deceit is not with her, no sir, because she will agree with Malachi 3, absolutely, when the rest don’t.

(7) Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone (astray) from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return… and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

This is to the Gentiles. Yes sir. But you find a people that said, “We’re away from the Word.” You find me a person that says, “We’re away,” no sir. Only the Bride will admit it. Then what’s going to happen?

48. Over here in 16-18:

(16) Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened…

Notice, it’s nobody praying to God, its people speaking one to another. So, they must be saying something different from everybody else.

(16) (And God writes) a book of remembrance (it) was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and thought upon his name.

There’s a fear of God. Not this Laodicean thing, the world church has got, but there’s a reverential fear here. They’re looking and watching, they’re not smarting off, claiming this and claiming that. Although some people still in this Message want to claim more than they got. And what does the Bible say here about them?

(16) …(they) feared the LORD, and thought upon his name. (What’s His Name? Lord Jesus Christ. Understood it.)

(17) …they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day I make up my jewels;

In other words when God’s resurrection takes place, those standing right here at the end time are going to be one with Him, and He’s going to change them, make them part of His jewels. Yes sir.

(17) …and I will spare them, as a man spare(s) his son that serve(s) him.

That’s right. In other words, the people are not serving God, except a Bride, and that’s her job because the woman serves the man. And what does she serve him? She serves him back what he provides. And God has given us that Word, but the people aren’t giving it back to God.

(18) Then (you) shall return, (not before, there is no turning back until something sets in, and It says you’ll) discern between righteous…

49. You’ll be able to judge between righteousness and wickedness. You see they can’t do it in Laodicea, they don’t know what’s right and what’s wrong. They simply don’t. They don’t, and I don’t care what anybody says, the Bible says they don’t. And it says they don’t know who serves God and who doesn’t. You can get a man full of gifts of the spirit, like I talked to a young man the other day, over there in Kinistino. He said, “You know so and so?”

And I said, “I sure do, who doesn’t?” He was trapped in his machinations. Guy left his wife and kids, operates all kinds of gifts, embezzled people, should be behind bars what he’s done, lives filthy as anybody could ever live, but he’s got gifts manifesting, and they said “Well he’s got to be of God.”

One fellow said, very blatently, he said, “I’d just soon have that man pray as anybody else.”

Bro. Branham screamed, “Get away from that stuff!” And he was even talking about fine men with morals and virtues, who wouldn’t stoop to this nonsense, what’s going on, but he said, “Leave it alone.” They don’t even know who serves God and who doesn’t. Well let’s face it, the Bible says so.

But she knows. She understands. Yes sir. Because Elijah has come, the Lord has appeared, and she knows Him. That’s exactly true.

50. It says over in 1 Jn 3:2.

(2) …now are we the sons of God, (but it has never yet come to existence) what we shall be: but we know, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; (we’re going to) see him as he is.

The fact that we see Him in His Appearance will give us our change. That’s exactly true. And how do you know when you see Him? I’ve told you this many, many times, tell you again, Jn 15:24, says right here:

(24) If I had not done among them the works which none other man (done), they had not sin: but now (by seeing the works, they have) both seen and hated both me and my Father.

When William Branham stood there and spoke those words which God gave him and those very words materialized, that was God in evidence as seen by human eye. They saw God. You bet we saw God, I saw God, you saw God if you were by the prophet.

Now she has recognized Him according to Acts 3:19, when It says,

(19) …times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

And that’s the time when the Word’s going to come amongst us. And that word ‘presence’ as I told you many times is that part of any object visible to the eye. What part of God is visible to the eye? What God does. As Paul said, “Out there in nature, that’s not God, but you can see God in nature.” Why? Because God created it. Then when a prophet comes on the scene, vindicated, with a great ministry, and you see the mighty works, that’s God you’re looking at. And people say they didn’t see God? I don’t know what they’re talking about. I saw God and I’m not ashamed of it.

51. She’s not naked. Five is grace. Here is the great grace that puts her in the Marriage Supper. Ps 45:1. Let’s read the 45th Psalm.

(1) My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: (he’s coming,) my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

(2) Thou art fairer than the children of men: (thou art fairer than children of men?) grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.

(3) Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.

(4) And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.

(5) Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; (where) the people fall under thee.

(6) Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. (She’s talking about the Lord. There’s no son of man can stand there.)

(7) Thou lovest righteousness, and (hate) wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

(8) All thy garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.

(9) Kings’ daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.

(10) Hearken, O daughter, and consider, incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, thy father’s house; (Come out of Babylon, get rid of all that stuff.)

(11) So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. (Now how is the Lord going to desire you? For getting out of Babylon. You got to get out of that stuff.)

(12) …the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall entreat thy favour.

(13) The king’s daughter…

Listen.

(13) The king’s daughter is all glorious within: (not out, within.) her clothing is of wrought gold. (“I counsel you buy of me gold.” Get the right raiment.)

(14) She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: (and) the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.

(15) With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought (forth): (and you know the virgins are there? A hundred and forty-four thousand that serve the Bride. They’ll be brought) into the king’s palace.

(16) Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.

(17) I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.

Right in the Millennium, and all the way down, there’s the Bride with the consort.

52. Now let’s go Is 52:1, because we know how she’s dressed.

(1) Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

Okay, Rev 21:1.

(1) And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: (and) the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (Now verse 2,)

(2) And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, (Zion, awake O Zion,) coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

She never ever loses that glory she goes to Christ with, never. She goes up as a Bride prepared, she comes down as a Bride prepared. She is never anything but a Bride prepared. For the same glory that He has, He shares with her. It’s perpetually eternal. Yes siree. She is not in the fornication of 2 Corinthians 11. Let’s just find about this lovely virgin who comes to Him with the proper seed. He sends His seed down and she receives it into her womb. Listen.

(2) …I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: (verse 2,) I have espoused you (a marriage contract) to one husband, (see? Not two or three husbands. One husband, one Word, see? One faith.) that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

(3) But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve (seduced her) through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (Which is His Word. One word in there changes it to the kingdom of the devil.)

Now listen, here is that great Bride of Christ, a masterpiece of God’s grace, she is His daughter, His creation, His wife. As Eve was a part of Adam, and his life was in her, so does this Bride come from the side of Christ as a part of Him. As Adam married Eve, so Christ is married to the Bride. She is thoroughly identified with Him and He with her for He became us that we might become Him as the prophet said. And they are one, as It says in Jn 14:30.

53. Remember that verse repeats in this age. Jn 14:20.

(20) At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

And It says right there that was that day when the Holy Spirit came down. And at the end time when the Holy Spirit comes back to seal a Bride in, that same thing occurs. Then the same thing occurs at the White Throne. The very same thing. The Scripture, this Scripture occurs at least three times according to Bro. Branham. And the reason they are one, and this is true here, because they are of one Source.

54. Look what It says in Heb 2:11.

(11) For both he that sanctifieth (that’s Jesus, or the Holy Ghost, say what you want. That’s Jesus.) and they who are sanctified (that’s us,) are all (come out) of one (one source): for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

Why? Because they are brethren! That’s why He’s not ashamed. See? And according to the prophecy she is even now becoming so like Him that His very potential power and life is hers, and will be so like Him, with a ministry such as His, as to bring up the dead and Christ Jesus bodily back to meet her in the air.

55. This is Christ in the Bride and His Word performing it all according to Col 1:15-18.

(15) Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

(16) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and (things) that are in earth, (that’s you and me,) visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

(17) And he is before all things, and by him all things (are maintained).

(18) And he (for whom is all this) is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

(19) For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

In Him it’s all there, and what He is, He is for the Bride and to the Bride, so therefore by Him and through Him, in Him, she has the full potential, but not in any other way. And remember, He is that Word and it’s got to be that Word coming forth, and it is. See?

Now yes, the church is wretched, miserable, naked, blind, poor and doesn’t know it. But the Bride is filled with His fulness and she waits for the Rapture because the Bible says so.

56. Now there is the church and the Bride contrasted. Brother/sister what a difference. What makes the difference? The Blood of Jesus Christ which gives us the way to come to Him boldly and say, “Lord, I need pardon, I need forgiveness, I want my life to be taken by You and I want Your life for me.” And anyone that repents and comes to Jesus Christ through the Blood of Jesus, which has opened the way, can then be baptized in water in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and believe at that moment that you have done everything God asked you to do and therefore it’s up to Him to fill you with the Holy Ghost. Take your stand upon that, that this is the hour, and God will do it because God remains faithful. We’ve seen that He is the faithful and true witness. He has proved Himself faithful, never deviating, He has proved Himself true, He has manifested Himself.

So therefore, there is no place tonight for weak faith or for weak hearts, or any doubt whatsoever, because God has shown His Word to us. As Bro. Branham said, “He shows her His potentials.” In other words, coming down here He showed what the whole Word of grace and redemption’s all about and says, “Look, it’s all yours. You can believe Me, what I said, and look to the future.” Brother/sister, that’s exactly true. And the prophet says, “And she believes Him when she sees that.”

57. And where is this all this talk about a lack of faith? See, no sir. I still say one minute before Abraham was changed, he was in worse shape than his entire history, on the outside, but he was better shape on the inside. Why? Because there was Somebody working in him. Therefore, he considered not his own body now dead. In other words, don’t consider yourself. Don’t consider anybody, just consider Him Who is that Word.

Now we know He’s faithful, and He is, because He proved it. And once God proves a thing, from then on, just it’s up to us. Amen. The Lord bless you; shall we rise.

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise You tonight for Jesus Christ the Lord of glory, the Lamb of God which taketh away sin of the world, and not only that but the Lamb of God which took the Seventh Seal Book and opened It, the Lamb of God which came down and showed that He was that great Melchisedec, our High Priest, the One Who came down and showed also that He was not just Melchisedec, He was literally Elohim, Who came down in the form of a man, Who did these things in simplicity, and showed us these things, Lord. And we believe You, O God, tonight, we surely do. If we do not believe Lord all the way, we know that You which hath begun a good work in us will perform in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ. For we believe these things Lord, we believe that it was God.

Help us now Lord to not only see and believe it was God but believe everything that came forth in the declarative revelation of the Son of man when the prophet revealed Him by that Word. May we receive it with every ounce of our energy in believing, and Lord we know that we shall truly glorify You. Help us to get rid of any quirk, or anything we got in our minds that would stop us Lord, and bring every thought into subjection, no matter how strange it may seem, to what we think we’ve been taught or otherwise, bring us Lord to the true revelation that we may stand with the Word. And help us Lord to be in such a spirit of grace and understanding that we can be called those who walk in love.

Help us, Lord, never unchristianize anybody, as the prophet taught us, help us, Lord, tonight. O God, as we see these things, may we understand that these people that are pitiable, not to be scorned so often as we do it, because we see these things, Lord, and we act as though we’re in the judgment, judging them instead of You. Help us to leave all things till the end time, Lord, when all things are revealed, because then we’ll know, perhaps, Lord, at that time there’ll be many, many who will enter in, having purified their robes themselves by the purging and giving their lives up. We don’t know, Lord, but we know many come out of great tribulation. Many Lord come up under that White Throne Judgment. Help us, Lord, therefore to hold our peace, except in the witness and the testimony to Jesus Christ and a life which is above reproach.

Help us now, Lord, we’ve consecrated ourselves, we want it, O God, and You said, Lord, if we asked these things, that You would give us these things, but blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled. We stand here tonight, Lord, on your promise, that we shall be filled.

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

The Lord bless you, let’s depart and sing a little song, ‘Take the Name of Jesus with you’ because that’s the Name now that’s above every name, there’ll never be a Name to supersede it. If He does get a new Name, it’s still Jehovah Savior, how can you change that? How can you change a person being a person? You can’t do it. So, a name, an appellation would just get further glory. But the fact is that Name reveals Who He is and all about Him. Jehovah Savior. ‘Take the Name of Jesus with you’. [Congregation sings.]