The Mighty God's Achievements of Display

The Mighty God's Achievements on Display

Bro. Lee Vayle - ?? - ??, 1970

…for this and the knowledge of the mystery of Christ. Which in other Ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

1. Now, what has gone before was never fully, as fully revealed until the time of the apostles. The founding father, the church upon whom He built the church, they are foundation by the Word. But remember, as the end time the fullest revelation of all comes into view. Just keep that in mind. (See?) Many people read this and they say, "Well now, you got to go back to Paul and that's it." That's not so. The latter rain is greater than the former rain. The latter temple is greater than the former temple. And the last revelation of Revelation 10: is the only full revelation guaranteed in the Word of God, because it's all the prophets.

And the very first Prophet, God Himself in the Garden of Eden to the last Prophet, God Himself descending in the Pillar of Fire, every mystery must be made known by the Voice of the Seventh Church Age messenger. Now, you may wonder why I'm so strong in my pronouncements, because I'm going to stick with the Word of God. I don't care what anybody says, I don't care if all my friends leave me, and anybody can produce a million miracles, I'm going to stand with the one thing, either he was that messenger, or he was not. I'm going to stand either deluded, or I'm going to stand with the perfection that God has guaranteed to give.

2. All right, [Ephesians 3:] verse 5

(5) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

(6) That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

(7) Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

(8) Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

(9) And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

(10) To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

(11) According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

(12) In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Now, notice in verse 10, It says "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in the heavenly might be made known by the church the manifold wisdom of God."

Now, this verse of course is my text for 'The Mighty God's Achievement on Display', which is the Church mani-folding, or channeling into manifestation, the manifold wisdom of God. The mighty…the many facet wisdom of God.

3. Now, there are two very important things that we know about God above all other things that we know about Him. And one is, that He is omniscient, and next that He is omnipotent. Now, there is no Scripture that says God is omnipresent. Many people think He is, but he's not omnipresent. If God were omnipresent that would constitute a paganism, or pantheism. I'm breathing in air, I'm breathing in God. I wave my arms, I'm waving my arms through God. I pick up my glasses, that's God. That's not so. God is not all present. He is not everywhere. He's not in the heart of the sinner. He's not in hell, though you make your bed there, He can come down to it, and get you out of it.

But, all things that the Westminster Confession of Faith says, "All things are present with God." Because if you are omniscient and omnipotent you don't need to be omnipresent. (See?) You are automatically that by the fact that you know everything, and can do everything. So, the two major qualities of God are omniscience and omnipotence.

4. Now, He knows everything, He doesn't have to learn anything. What He knows, He's always known, He's not learning. Many people think that omniscience with God is, He knows everything that's going on. He knew it before it ever took place. (See?) That's omniscience. And also, He can do anything, doesn't matter what it is, His ability, or power guarantees the manifestation of His knowledge. (See?) His ability. That's His power to do His omnipotence guaranteed that He can bring into manifestation His omniscience, or His knowledge. (See?) Only God can do that.

He can perform what He desires. If he doesn't want to do it, He doesn't have to do it. And you can't make Him do it. He only does what He wants. That's why His will is done in the earth, the armies of heaven, and no man can say, "Why are you doing this?" He can achieve any plan or purpose that He conceives. (See?) Whatever He conceives He can do it.

5. This omniscience we call God's wisdom. What He knows, (His omniscience) is God's wisdom, because He's a wise God. He is an all wise God, as well as He is an Almighty God. And He is never anything but wise. (See?) Never anything but wise. You know, people looking at life, and even reading the Bible they wonder if God did some wise things. (See?) Well, God is always wise, He is never anything but wise. (See?)

Now, because He is nothing but wise, (then He is always wise) then all His ways are perfect. Because His power is used to bring His thoughts into manifestation, and those thoughts are perfect. (See?) If God's all wise, (He's perfect wisdom) then all His ways have got to be perfect, because His ways are nothing but the manifestation of His wisdom. Wisdom brought into existence, into manifestation. He cannot make a mistake. (See?) He cannot be accused of error since He can only put into action His perfect wisdom, because that's all He's got to put into action. See, if you and I had only perfect wisdom, we'd never boo-boo. Never make an error. (See?)

But, God does have perfect wisdom. So, therefore every time He acts His ways must be perfect as the Bible says. "All His ways are perfect." They're path-finding …?.. but they're perfect. Why? Because God's got perfect wisdom. And He can only do what He conceives which is His perfect wisdom. So therefore, everything that God does is absolutely perfect.

6. That's why James says over here in chapter 1, (the epistle) 16-17 He said:

(16) Do not err, my beloved brethren.

He said, "Don't make a mistake here beloved brethren."

(17) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (See?)

You can't find anything in God. Anything in God's wisdom, anything in what God does, to have even a shadow to it. (See?)

Now, God conceived the universe. (See?) It had to be thought up by somebody. God conceived the universe. He Spoke it forth, and it was perfect. That's right. God conceived it, and Spoke it. And when He Spoke it, it had to come into existence, because the Word of God is creative. That's His omnipotence. (See?)

Every last infinitesimal thing about the universe that He conceived, He conceived it. (See?) The little tiny flea. The little cell within the vein of a leaf. Our own bodies, every cell is a city of factories. So minute, and so complex. There's realms that science hasn't even got to it, so minute. Then there is that which is so vast, and tremendous, there's stars out there that takes millions of light years to go to. They'll find out it's only a circle, but they think it's that far anyway. Because they don't understand what God tells in His Word, because it's all a circle. He said that. (See?)

7. But everything, even the most infinitesimal, God conceived in His wise mind and He brought it forth by His omnipotence. And today we never get through admiring the wonders of a snow flake. They say million tons of snow, and yet ever snow flake different from every other snow flake. Billions of leaves out there in the trees. Every leaf is different on that same tree, from every other leaf on the very same kind of a tree, until it's fantastic.

We marvel at the beauty of a sunset, and life with all its facets. And surely in a million ways in a million days we see the wisdom and the greatness of God. But God lets us in on something. He makes a point blank statement from His Intelligence to our intelligence about what He considers the greatest manifestation of His wisdom on display.

8. And He spells it out here in the Book of Ephesians which I have just read and we go back to for a minute to see It again: In chapter 3: (he speaks of It, and he says:)

(9) And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

(10) To the intent …

Now remember, all things were created by Jesus Christ. All the great things that He did. His manifold wisdom that nobody could even begin to look into. His tremendous power, that nobody could conceive. It said all of this was:

(10) To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in (the) heavenly…

Now, they're the ones that ought to know, they're way before this earth. You just can't bring this to worldly people and they see anything. Can't be done. But to those who have the intelligence and the understanding, the ability, or something whatever to appreciate, (see?) to comprehend. It says:

(10) …might be known by the church (see?) the manifold wisdom of God,

God's manifold, many faceted wonderfully diverse wisdom of God is brought into play in the church, and all the Ages will look at that church and see God's wisdom channeled into her and through her to reproduce, (as it were) this great wisdom of God. (See?)

9. Now, He spells out for us His own assessment of His achievement. (See?) And here It is in Ephesians 3: He cries out, that all the principalities and the governments of the heavenly sees my diversified, my multi-faceted, the whole panorama, (as Bro. Branham would say) of my wisdom observing it by means of the church. (See?)

God's Masterpiece. Not 'The Masterpiece' [64-07-05] Bro. Branham preached about. I'm not talking about that 'Masterpiece', because that Masterpiece was God Himself. This is not God. This is the 'Masterpiece' of God's creation. (See?) The Church.

Now, just think of it. God called on His wisdom as creator to make the universe. And that's all there was to it. He called on His wisdom as the giver of life. And life began on the earth with the leaves and the seeds and all those things. He called on His wisdom to produce the plant, and to make them separate and diverse, so all these leaves out there are absolutely different. It was done.

10. He called on His wisdom to separate the various kinds of life. And some are so close as to be amazing and science tries to link them and say, "Well, that's got to be a form of evolution," they get all mixed up. You see, He called on His wisdom as created to do that. And He did it. (See?) Just that part of His wisdom. The creatorial wisdom He called on, and He did it all out here and it's fantastic what you look at.

But, when he summoned all His great wisdom and all His great power to bring forth His crowning achievement, He brought forth into manifestation before all dominions and might, and in everything of note are church, into which He channeled all His wisdom. In other words, the manifestation of that wisdom. If' God's greatest work is ever seen to be appreciated, it will not be a sunset, (although it's wonderful,) It will not be a beautiful mountain, a desert scene or a million other delights. The wisdom of God will be seen only as the congregation brings it into view.

11. Now then, let us analyze this, and we'll go a little deeper here to see what this is all about. How can the church be this Masterpiece that we speak of? How can It be His great achievement displayed before the world? Well, that is not too difficult if we'll but think a little, (we got to think a little) everything a man does is exactly a manifestation of some attribute.

If I paint a lovely picture, I simply am expressing one of my attributes. See, that's right. If I compose a beautiful song, it is the same. I am expressing and bringing into manifestation an attribute. If I sing that song with great beauty, it is simply the very same thing. Thus, I am my own masterpiece, or failure, as I take my attributes and express them to the highest, or I fail to express them. (See?) What I produce is actually a manifestation of myself. See, it is my attribute on display, because I am producing what is within me, my ability, my wisdom, my understanding, and those complex things that we don't know too much about, but we sure do utilize.

12. Now, the Church then is God's greatest expression of His attribute for bringing her into manifestation, He placed all His godly characteristics and attributes into the act. (See?) Into the act bringing it forth, it took everything that was in God Himself to…utilize it to bring this forth. It is the supreme achievement and the finest manifestation of God that He can produce. (See?) Now, keep in mind I'm not talking about Bro. Branham's 'Masterpiece', this is something different. (See?) As the picture produced, (now get at these) as the picture produced is not the man himself.

You see a most beautiful canvas. That's not the man himself, it's those are real flowers up there. That' s not God. (See, follow me?) As the picture produced is not the man himself, (the artist himself) but the masterpiece of the artist, so is the church not God, but God's master-mined Masterpiece. See, Jesus was God, that's different. (See?)

Now, before we go further, we want to see if other Scripture does not back this up. Now, just reading again Ephesians 3:10

(10) To the intent that now (that under the) principalities and powers in heavenly might be (brought into full view, by means of ) the church the (variegated, the whole variegation of God's) wisdom… (See? Through all the Ages to come.)

13. Okay, let's go back to Hebrews now. Now that word in the Greek is 'congregation' but it's the same thing. Because you know what that word 'congregation' is there instead of church? Because we talk as this is the church. But remember, you go right back to the beginning of the Bride. Every Elected one in Christ, Jew and Gentile, way before there was a Jew. (See?) They all become one in Him. (See?) It's election.

Now, Hebrews 2:11-14

(11) For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: (Jesus and the Bride have the same Source) for which cause he (Jesus) is not ashamed to call them brethren,

(12) Saying, I will declare (my) name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

No place else does the magnificent worship of God come forth, but in the Bride! Hallelujah! Just need to get a little religious right now, we'll start shouting. Oh, don't be afraid to have a little time, because we're going to have a good time before it's over, might be here two hours.

(13) And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. (See?)

If Christ is the Masterpiece, then what about the Bride? Jesus' second Masterpiece. (See?) Whereas He was God Himself producing Himself. Now, He has produced this. (See?) Amen, praise the Lord. Let's get loosened up, don't be afraid, I won't shout you down, and you won't shout me down. Now listen:

(14) Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same;… (sure He did. He didn't take it all, He couldn't, because human blood wasn't the answer.)

14. A preacher out there in the West one day in California come in, he preached a sermon out there in the West and he said, "I told the folk (he said) that Jesus' Blood was our blood."

I said, "Hold it, where did you get that from?" If His Blood was like our blood, it was sinner's blood. (See?) Why, just in 'Shalom', I think it is. What was it, 'Standing in the Gap'. I don't know, I read so many, I don't know where it's from. As Bro. Branham said, he said, "His Blood was not human blood, it wouldn't suffice, It was the Blood of God." He took upon Himself the likeness of sinful flesh. He was made like unto us, only member wise. Even as we were made member wise like unto God, but not God. So, He took upon Himself the form of human flesh. Why? Because He was going to elevate the Bride, to the very position He would be in, in that Throne. (See?) Why?

Now, why did He take this body upon Him? In order to die. It was His death. (See?) He took part of the same, He took on Himself a robe of flesh.

(14) …that through death he might (paralyze) him that (has) the power of death, that is, the devil;

(15) And deliver them who through fear of death were all their life- time subject to bondage.

15. Now, with that we go back to Ephesians 1: (we're just hopping around here, to get the picture to see if I've got a right to say what I'm saying.) I don't want to take you just to one Scripture, but many. All right, Ephesians 1:22-23

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

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

Now, what higher thing could be given to man, than to be called that literal vehicle of the Christ Himself? This is not attributed to anybody whatsoever, except the Bride. Nobody has a share in this. No angel, no cherubim, no seraphim, no spirit, no sir. It is 'men'. And that's what? That is the Bride.

16. Now, with this also Ephesians 1:9-10

(9) Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

(10) That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

The great gathering, the great achievement of God, the great final purpose as you can see right here, is to bring together them that are in Christ. Which is what? The church, the congregation, or the Bride.

17. And again in Ephesians 1:18

(18) The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that (you) may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

The only thing that the Almighty God keeps for Himself is the Bride. The Bride has all the rest, and He gets this. (See?) You follow what my subject is now this morning?

18. All right, let's go to Revelation, (and clinch it a little further. At least I won't be accused of just giving you half a loaf this morning.) Revelation 21:9-10

(9) And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. (Here, the very wife of God. See?)

(10) And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

19. Back in Ephesians 5:30-33. It said:

(30) For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. (See?)

If He was the Masterpiece, what kind of a masterpiece will stand in His stead, or stand as His replica? The very identical. See, there's your Masterpiece again.

(31) For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

(32) This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Now, the two Masterpieces become one Masterpiece. And all the Ages is going to look at this great Masterpiece that God has brought forth which is the Bride. Now, let us get back to our thought of what God produces is God reflected. What God produces is God reflected. See, brought into manifestation. God's seed.

20. Now, let's prove out point. We go back to the Book of Romans 1: just to make sure we're saying the right thing. If I can say it, the Bible said brother/sister and I'm going to be alright. Because Peter said, "Let a man speak as the oracles of God." [1 Pet 4:11a]

Now, [Romans 1:] in verse 19-20

(19) Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; (manifest in them, and manifest to them, Now, you can know it, see?) for God hath shewed it unto them.

How?

(20) For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; that they are without (an) excuse:

You can know right here by looking at nature. There is such a tremendous God above this universe though you can't see Him. There must be some tremendous government. There must be some tremendous eternal thing that a man ought to take time off and seek God someway, because he looks out there and sees Him by nature. See, what a great God there is. What a great tremendous God there must be. He cannot be affected by time. He cannot be affected by storm, nothing can affect Him. But His mighty works being on display. (See?)

21. So, therefore we are right when we say that what God produces is God reflected. So with the Bride. (See?) She has to be a manifestation of His attributes, and indeed she is. She has to be a manifestation of His attributes just like out here. (See?)

But remember, this is simply creatorial. Not truly revelatory. (See?) No! Can't be. (You follow me?) Therefore God surely manifested Himself through Jesus, and this same One has elected the Bride to the same position, then she also must be the manifestation and the reflection of Christ. As a bride reflects the taste of the groom, so it must be then a Bride that will surely reflect Jesus Christ is like.

22. Going back therefore now to Ephesians again, chapter 1:3-9. We read these beautiful Scriptures that we all love so much.

(3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly…in Christ:

(4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him… in love:

(5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

(6) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Notice, :to the praise and glory of His grace." That's an attribute right there. (See?)

(6) …wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (There's your Bride)

(7) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (What more could you want?)

(8) Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom…(how much wisdom? All of it.) prudence; (how much? All of it.)

Sure, knowing just where to draw the line. Yes sir! You tell me God's not perfect in His wisdom, and perfect in all His ways? Absolutely perfect. Look around out here and say, "Well, ah ha, I don't think that's perfection." That's your thinking, that's not God's. "Because one day, (He said) I'm going to display it, and you're going to see it." All the Ages, all the heavenly, anybody that's into discernment. Anyone with anything on the ball so to speak, he's going to say, "Look at that, the manifold wisdom of God." (See?)

(9) Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

23. Now, that's right. Let's go now to Romans 8:28-20

(28) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

See, a great purpose. What great purpose ? To bring the manifold wisdom of Almighty God into full display through all the Ages.

(29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first- born among many brethren.

Yeah, that's the Bride again, that's the one.

(30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

(31) What shall we then say to these things? (You can't answer it) If God be for us, who can be against us?

Aw, that's kind of a poor climax, but it's the truth. It's not that it's a poor climax, but I mean to say, what else could you say? … Not even Paul couldn't get a revelation on that one I don't think. I don't think anybody could. Why? Because although you get all the revelation of God, how could you possibly really express it? You can do your best. But unless the Holy Ghost took a hold of you and made you express it, you'd never be able to tell it.

24. In 2 Timothy 1:9

(9) Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, (See?)

You follow that, "His Own purpose." God's great purpose was what? Getting this Bride, getting these Elected, getting the congregation. (See?) Wherein His manifold wisdom through all Ages could be displayed.

25. Now, back to Romans again, 9:11

(11) (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God (the purpose of God) according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

My brother, my sister, if you are going to produce a masterpiece of all ages, would you be indiscriminate? If you were to produce a masterpiece of all ages on a canvas, would you pick-up any old type of paint? Would you pick-up any old brush? Would you pick-up any old piece of canvas? Or would you begin to choose? Would you begin to watch? Would you begin to plan? Would you begin to prepare? Would you call upon everything you had to produce it? And people don't believe in election. Pardon my expression, you got to be sick.

If you don't believe in predestination the way prophet taught it, there's something wrong. You've got a God who didn't prepare the Bride as well as the painter who worked that canvas over before he painted those cows. I don't know even know if that's a photo, I can't tell this is, might be a photograph, who knows anymore on it. It might be a photograph of some paint …?...

God preparing a Masterpiece without election? Perish the thought. Why you demean God to be an ordinary person. (See?) See, he said here, "That, there it is now, the true Church, or Bride was conceived in the mind of God." That's…she'd have to be conceived there. Certainly, where else could she be? She was eternally in His thinking, and every thought and all wisdom, and every other thought and all wisdom was gathered into this plan to bring it to pass. That's to bring the Bride. (See?)

26. Now, look at Ephesians 1:8-10

(8) Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; (See?)

(9) Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

(10) That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ,…

All those thoughts, all His wisdom, (see?) everyone of the Elect.

(10) …in Christ which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (Some are up there right now. Sure, they've been taken up to be with Him. See?)

Now, with the thought, let us see Revelation 21: (again) 9-10, which we read.

(9) …Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

(10) And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

And in verse 22,

(22) And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. (See?)

27. And [Revelation] 22:3-5

(3) And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

(4) And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

(5) And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

This is the absolute confirmation of God's eternal plan of the Ages. There aren't any more. It's run out, this is it; this is what will be will be. There's no future Bride, no future home, no future anything. (See?)

Now, can you tell me God wouldn't bring all of His wisdom into play to bring this to pass? That God wouldn't bring every facet of God, His great omniscience, His great wisdom, His great intelligence, and His omnipotence; to see that He could have accomplished the very things that are to be, and this is it. This is the achievement. (See?) There is no more record, this is it. This is that purpose fully exposed. Sure it is, the Bride and the Lamb. It is to have a church, a Bride forever.

28. This is the mystery we just read over here in Ephesians 5: so let's go to It.

(30) For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Who was it that Adam married? God Himself, (see?) married, he married of his own flesh, as it were. His own one. Now:

(31) For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother,…

That's why Jesus left His heavenly glory. Became a man in order to get the many membered wife. (See?)

(31) …and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

Christ and that Bride. (See?) If He's a Masterpiece, she's got to be a Masterpiece. (See?)

(32) This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

(33) Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Which is the same as Christ is with the Church. This is another mystery as I believe is the Seven Thunders. I can't say it is, but I believe it is one of the mysteries. And Bro. Branham brought this out in 'Marriage and Divorce', [62-02-21] showing you from the beginning, (see?) and what it is today. And also "The Invisible Union of the Bride', preached in Shreveport, in 1965, I believe that was the Message November 25, Thanksgiving Day, a Thursday. (See?)

Now, thus to my thinking and my understanding the Word of God, the glorious Bride forever with the key and like Him in all His perfection, and enjoy all of Himself and His goodness is the purpose of God. A full revelation of Himself in the Bride, so getting back to the thought of the original plan. The Bride was in the mind of God. She was His eternal special thought. And what is a thought? It is something unexpressed, usually a word.

29. Now, these thoughts must be expressed to be brought into manifestation. Let us see the first children of God being brought into being. We go back to Genesis then, chapter 1:

(26) And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

(27) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Now, creation means to take and make something out of nothing. In other words, God's wisdom is brought into full manifestation, (see?) by the Spoken Word which is His power. When He Speaks It comes into absolute manifestation. So, in God's wisdom now, He brings forth this male and female.

Now notice, God said, (see?) and when He said it, they came into being. Creative Word. But, He only said what was in His mind, because that's all He can say. He cannot say what is not in His mind. He can only say what is in His mind. (See?) And when He said it, it had to be done.

Adam was God's thought expressed. (See?) And notice, He produced him right in His likeness. If you could look at God, what you could look at, looked like a man. (See?) And he'd be a triune being, just like God. Father, Son and Holy Ghost, so this man's body, soul, spirit. (See?)

Now, Adam became the Word or thought expressed and brought into view. (See?) He brought into view the thought of God. This existence in the mind is foreknowledge. (See?) This existence in the mind is foreknowledge.

30. Now, let's look at Romans 8: again, and watch this. Remember, the best that a man like Arthur Pink could do, and he was the greatest authority on this, (until Bro. Branham came along) was that we were all before the mind of God. But Bro. Branham told us the truth. Which was the Word of God, so we were in the mind of God as those unexpressed thoughts. So, [Romans] 8:29 says,

(29) For whom he did foreknow,…

Now, how long have you been known? As long as God has been. What were you? You were a thought. (See?) Just like Adam. (See?) Don't get carried away in what you think somebody taught you, stick with what the prophet taught you. (See?) Don't get stumbled over this. This is the stumbling today all over the world, people have backslidden from the truth. The Baptist, the Presbyterian and the Reform, they have all backslidden from it.

You've got a modern Billy Graham version, that you were in Christ in the sense that Christ had to come here, and now you're getting Him. How in the name of common sense could you be in Him before the foundation of the world? You can't have your cake and eat it. Awake with the intelligence that God gave us. (See?) It says here,

(29) …whom he did foreknow, he did predestinate…(He gave a pre-destiny.)

How can you give a pre-destiny if somebody is not even here, unless he was there in the beginning? This has to do with the individual. Like the wave-sheaf offered to God by the Resurrection, was a sheaf of many stocks of wheat, with many berries, individuals. But in the Resurrection was a loaf, they came up as a Church. Hallelujah! (See?)

31. All right, the unexpressed as yet, the foreknown, the unexpressed as yet I don't have to wait to paint to make those flowers because I got the ability. Those flowers are already there waiting. For what? Simply to take a body. And no matter how much material there is, if I haven't got that original thought, it'll never work. There enough soil and dirt here in this world to make billions and billions, and billions, and billions, and billions of bodies. But they'll never come forth, there's no foreknowledge concerning them. (See?)

You've got clothed, you're got al fooled with the clothing idea. You got too much spent on this clothing idea. Get back to where it came from. How are you going to have a car, unless there's a vendor. (See?) The unexpressed yet. If I foreknew you, it is like me painting a picture. Before I produce it physically, it is already produced in my mind. It is already there and can be produced if I have the ability to do it. It is conception. I need strength to bring it to birth. God never did conceive a thing He couldn't bring to birth.

32. Now, please note carefully as we read again Romans 8:28-30

(28) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Notice, not just called, but) the called according to his purpose.

Not just called now, but called according to purpose. "Many are called, but few are chosen." [Mt 22:14] Sure, millions will answer the Gospel call. They'll even fall for this Message. Say, "Glory to God, that's got to be right." And then turn on the Message, all the time saying they believe It. (See?)

(28) …according to his purpose.

(29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he (the Son) might be the firstborn (How the first born? From amongst the dead. Many but,) many brethren.

(30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Now notice, verse 28, what's Paul talking about?

(28) … all things work together for good to them (who) love God,… (And who love God?) …the called…

Now notice, our subject is 'the call'. Never mind the purpose, just the call, although the purpose is there too. Notice now:

(29) For whom he did foreknow, he did also predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Now, that's the plan. (See?) Those called were already back there.

33. Now notice verse 30.

(30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he…called:…

He takes the calling from two aspects. The call to hear. Look right here, see where my hand in the middle. Back here is eternity. Over here, in the middle is where they are going to be. Now, He works on them, but they were worked on and predestinated, before they got here to be worked on. (You follow me?) Did somebody not get it? Let me go over it again:

Look, here's the curtain. (Right?) This is the call. You don't realize, but here's people, where my fist is "call." Now, he said, "Those called, I call them according to my purpose, (let me get it here now:) He said, "For we know that all things work together for good to them are called." [verse 28] "For whom he did foreknow, he did also predestinate. [verse 29] (See?) Foreknown here, predestinated in His mind the destiny worked out here. (See?) About whom? These called ones. (See?) Now notice, but they've got to be here before they're called.

(30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, he called:… (See?)

Right here. Now, he's justified. Why? And he's glorified. Why? Because it's according to election His purpose is worked out. Then you tell me that this is something that God just knew who would come, and who wouldn't come? By a foreknowledge knew how they'd act, and how they wouldn't act? He said, "Them." He didn't say the plan. He said, "Them," individuals, exactly what the Word teaches. Foreknown and predestinated are certain ones.

34. Who are they? They are the 'called'. What happens to them? They get justified and glorified. Seed. There is as it were a sort of preexistence. I said, "A sort of preexistence." That's the best I can teach, just let it be there. Then He calls them to Him and justifies and glorifies. (See?) What He had up here in His wisdom, He Speaks into existence down here, brings it out, now He does what He said He's going to do to those ones and nobody else. (See?) Now, "And all things are working to their good." [Rom 8:28] Why? Because they are the Masterpiece of God. See, nothing is going to spoil this purpose and plan.

35. Now, let us see if we can sort of fortify our thinking in this. Here are special people foreknown of God and predestinated to the plan. They're foreknown of God, and predestinated to the plan. Let's go back again to Genesis 1: (26-27 again) and see this. I want to keep getting my types here the best I can.

(26) And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: let them have dominion over the fish of the sea…fowl of the air… cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

(27) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Now, we know of course that they were created first of all a spirit being, one person, both male and female. (Right?)

36. Now, go to Genesis 2:5, It says:

(5) And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, (and notice:) and there was not a man to till the ground. (See?)

Verse 7,

(7) …the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Now notice this, the plan was, "I've got to have a man to till the ground." (See?) Now, what was it? They were already existing in spirit. Weren't they? Then He clothed them in flesh according to the plan. Now, can't you see predestination, election and foreknowledge all right there? If you can't, you've got God all bungled up. It won't work any other way.

"Say, Bro. Vayle, I have a job understanding." You know what you need to do? Believe it, and you'll find you'll understand. But you keep bucking it, you'll never get it. You will never get it. You'll get embittered maybe, because this is a very touchy subject and you'll hurt yourself. But you leave it until…if you can't see this, there's something wrong somewhere. Because Bro. Branham said, "It's got to follow the path." That's why even abortion is not murder as people say it is. Just remember what Bro. Branham said, and what I just said right there, put it together you'll find out. We don't have time to talk about everything. (See?)

37. Adam was both foreknown and predestinated and called to the plan, which was a man of the soil. So are we, just as individually called as Adam to the plan. That makes foreknowledge, and election personal, just like as with Adam. The choosing of the Bride is according to foreknowledge. Foreknown. (See?)

Now remember, you're not talking about a man's work, you're talking about the man. (See?) So too, I know what Jacob was going to do and God knew what Esau was going to do. God knew what Israel was going to do, and God knew what I was going to do. He's talking about the members brother/ sister, not what they were going to do, but who? Not what, but who? Not how, and when, and when, and where, and why, but who? Is that right? Amen. Let's just keep our thinking straight then. See, God's got His all straight.

38. All right, Ephesians 1:3-4 again,

(3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings (all of it, all the wisdom of God, everything that God could produce and lavished upon it) in heavenly places in Christ: (in whom all things were poured.)

(4) According as he hath chosen us in him before (there was even a) world, …

Before there was a piece of dirt to make a man out of. How could He do it? Because of His wisdom and His great ability, omniscience and omnipotence. And remember, He can't make a mistake. Everything He does is perfect. He doesn't have to think it out, it just is there. (See?) Chosen!

Now, let's look at this. Chosen means 'to pick out for oneself '. Choose out from preference, favor or love. Now, when you think of choosing, there is a choice involved. Now, there can be no choice unless there is more than one to choose from. Sure.

39. Now, here is where we find something to enlighten us in Romans 9. Let's go to Romans 9: and read it. Now, I know that going to sound pretty startling in the fact that…you say, "Well, how can there be a choice, how's God going to choose it, because He's one? Well, how many thoughts has God have? How much wisdom has God got? Everything you see right here is part of God's wisdom. And you may not believe it, but it is. Talk all you want about the devil having his hand in this thing. There's still God's wisdom right back out there. Sure. And it's going to be manifested and shown all the Ages through the Bride. So, let's just hold on.

All right, in Romans 9: (we got a long reading here, so we read verse 1, beginning, we'll read almost the whole chapter.

(1) I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

(2) That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

(3) For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

(4) Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises;

(5) Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever.

(6) Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: (See?)

(7) Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

(8) That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for seed.

40. All right, it's a special kind of thinking. (See?) The manifold wisdom. Not God just thinking a plan, but God putting the plan within the plan, within the plan, like a door within a door, within a door. And narrow it right down to a key hole almost. But, it's all necessary and it's all theirs. All His great wisdom.

(8) …the children of the promise are counted for seed.

(9) For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. (See?)

Not Hagar, not Keturah. Hagar had one, Keturah had seven. That doesn't do it. It's got to be by Sarah. (See?)

(10) And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one,… (one husband, see?)

(11) (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election (according to choosing) might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) (See?)

Where is that choice made? Before the foundation of the world in God's thinking to bring forth a Masterpiece, He brought two men on this earth. And He said, "One's Bride, and one's not." And they had to come with a pre-destiny. They were born to that end.

(12) (For It is written) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

She went to God and said, "What's this fight going on in my womb?"

41. The Lord said, "You've got two manner of people." [Gen 25:23] Two manner of people. Two kinds, different, (see?) not just people, a vast gulf. Like there's animals out there, a horse and a cow. They're animals. You got two manner of people, Elect and non-elect. Elect and reprobate, see, and so on. We'll get into it.

(12) …The elder shall serve the younger

(13) As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

Why? Because it was in the wisdom. Now listen, love is election, and hate is reprobation.

(14) What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? …

Now you see, we're going to question His wisdom right now. (See?) …?... now, how could you question God's wisdom if He just left it till this moment? Well, here's your free choice, come and get it. You say. "Well, glory to God, hallelujah, you can't question God there." Certainly you couldn't, but you question Him here. Well, come on then. Are we sewing the subject up, or aren't we? Let's get the answers to the question. It's not that I want to lord it over anybody, it's not the purpose, I only preach this way in order to get us on the truth. I want to know myself. (See?)

42. [Now:]

(15) For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

All right, where is He going to show it? In the Bride.

(16) So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God (who shows the) mercy. (According to what? His wisdom.)

(17) For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

Raise you up, out of the ground, bringing that man through generations until He can produce a body. Listen now:

(18) Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

How's that got to do with it? Where's the merit? We'll find out don't worry.

(19) Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

(20) Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

(21) Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

Can He take the same lump and make it Israel, or Jacob and Esau? Can He not take a Moses and a Pharaoh? Identifies, cut him open, analyze, their blood, same thing. "Hath not the potter power over the clay?"

Verse 22

(22) What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

(23) And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, (The very membership of the Bride. He had to have them.)

43. Now, the point is this, He had to have them, He had to have a Bride. Now, you see, they're all people after a fashion. Remember this folk: when God uses this Word here, there is a lot of this Word that all He can do because of our finite minds, is to attempt to put it before us so we will get it. It takes a revelation so you believe It, and understand It through the grace of God though you don't see it all. But you see that's… I want you to see the point here. To me it's very, very clear, but sometimes there's a little obscurity, but it's not so bad.

Now notice now in verse 6, you see concerning what we find here about this choice. Now, notice here: "Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect." What word? The manifested Word, which is the foreknowledge of God, bringing forth His people.

Say, look at …?... They said, "What is an …?... Israel supposed to be what You say in Your Word, and Abraham, they all get blessed. Everyone is per se, one of these Bride.

He says, "Oh no, no, no, it's election."

She said, "Well, the Word of God's gone to the ground."

Then it says, "In Abraham."

"No, (it said) hold it."

No sir, it's indicated through one, through Isaac. And Isaac types Christ. So, it was only those foreknown in Him. The Word of God hasn't fallen to the ground. No siree. The Spoken Word is the original Seed, you better believe it.

44. Now… see, holding this in mind, let's go to Luke, because we're going to find this choice, where it came from. What's this choice all about. What I can't explain, I'll make a statement on, do the best I can when Bro. Branham, and let it go.

All right, Luke 3:23-24

(23) And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,

(24) Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi…the son of Melchi, …(and so on.)

Now, let's get all the way down here to verse 37-38

(37) Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan,

(38) Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

In other words, his source was of God.

45. Now, got to Genesis 4:1

(1) And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

Now, Genesis 5:4

(4) And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:

Where are those sons? Why aren't they in the genealogy? They're not in the genealogy. None of them. (See?)

Now, so you remember now, Cain is not in the genealogy, because he's serpent seed. (See?) Enoch, Seth is in the genealogy. Enoch in the genealogy, and coming down to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and down to Christ, that's genealogy. (See?) Now, all these rest are here. Because when He said to Adam, "Be fruitful and multiply, and populate the whole earth." That's exactly what He said and what He meant. And out of that He had a foreknown predestinated elected seed coming down. (See?)

46. Now, if God had a choice before creation, then there must have been many to choose from. But the chosen, (that He chose) were in Christ. They were in union with Him, they had to be a part of Him. They had to be a part of that Word. (See?)

That is why we see two descriptions of Adamic life. First of all the spirit, then the man put in the flesh, then we see the interjection of serpent seed. (See?) Which makes what? Three groups of people. The true children of God, serpent seed, and an indeterminate group that are not in the genealogy, and they are not in the election, neither are they serpent seed. (See?)

47. Now, here is your Lamb's Book of Life, and the Book of Life, and life with no record. You follow me now? You getting it? Don't be puzzled, it's all there. Let's look at it, because it's in the Bible. Revelation 21:27

(27) And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

That's the Bride. (Right?) New Jerusalem, (see?) sure it is. Notice, nowise enter in anything that defileth. There's nothing in them to defile. Neither worketh abomination. Short skirt women, short hair, it's not going to make it. Talk in tongues all they want. Jump up and down, scream. Prophesy, go ahead. False prophets. Who could try to tell you more than one messenger to this Age? Try to tell you that in age, Bro. Branham be in that servant of God their prophet, all the mysteries has to come by. Either he has to come back, or we done have him.

48. He said, "We done had him." He said, "When He's gone, you look around and say, 'Oh wasn't this suppose to happen'?"

He said, "It done pass you by."

You're waiting for the still small voice to bring you revelation, that's what you're doing. I can't bring it to you. Nobody can bring it to you. The best we can do is preach It, and see what God will do with It. Sure. "The abomination, maketh a lie." …?... Maketh what lie? Maketh the Word, change one word, not in It. But they whose name which are written. When? Before that foundation. Why? Because they're part of Him. How can you give life to anything that's not a part of you?

I don't believe in transferred organs brother/sister. I don't mind blood transfusion, a few things like that. But I tell you one thing, that blood's got to take hold, you got to have the life, or that blood will do you no good. You got to be a part of Him, if you're going to be in that Bride. That's Lamb's Life. Now notice, Lamb's life is first. And It proves it by the fact that Adam was Lamb Life, because no place in Scripture is he called anything but the son of God. Now, what came next? Life came next. Sons, but their names are not in the record. Then what? Serpent seed. (See?)

49. Let's look at It now. What's the next verse I want to read? Is Revelation 20:12

(12) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (See?)

And verse 15

(15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (See?)

Now, this is the Book you can get your name taken off of. Book of Life. Because God has the record that every single person being born in that chain of life. There is not one single solitary one who is not in a measure of thought of God, but wasn't in Christ. Every single person has got to be in there by foreknowledge. That's exactly why reprobation God picked out and said, "Pharaoh, for this cause have I raised you up, [Ex 9:16a] just as much as I took Moses for this."

"As much as I've taken this one for My plan before the foundation of the world, I have done this also." (See?) I know that this sounds very strange, but we can't help it what we read, we only go by the Word.

Now, all this was in the mind of God as necessary to the purpose, but only a part was in union with Him. See, all of these pieces. Lamb's Book of Life, Book of Life, no life mentioned here. Serpent seed has got no record. That's animal. When did God take a record of animals? (See?) All that was in the mind of God as necessary to the purpose, to the purpose. What purpose? That there be this elected Bride to show forth all the many faceted wisdom of Almighty God through all Ages. (See?)

50. Now, only a part was in union with Him, only a part chosen for a Bride. Because that is Ephesians 5:22-32, on the husband and wife.

(22) Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

(23) For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

(24) Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be (subject) to their own husbands in every thing.

(25) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

(26) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

Only the Church takes the Word. The rest don't take the Word. They don't come in by the Word that the Church has.

(27) That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

51. Now, if that's the case, let's go back…(just hold your finger there) let me read again in the Book of Ephesians: 1:

(3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

(4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him… in love:

(5) Having predestinated us…

It's a predestiny that you're going to be part of that Bride, and be in that particular, peculiar position. (See?)

52. [Ephesians 5:]

(27) …without blemish.

(28) So men ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

That's Christ, "As many as I love," He said at this end time when the Bride is so messed up with everybody else, and everything such a mess naked, blind and all and don't know discernment at all; they don't know righteousness from wickedness. And He said, "As many as I love, I'm going to rebuke and chasten, [Rev 3:19] I'm going to train you up like a parent trains his child." (See?)

(29) For no man (hates) his own flesh; (he loves it, he nourishes it) even as the Lord the church:

He's nourishing us. How? On the Word! Which is Christ Himself with the prophet. Listen:

(30) For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

See? And what is this? [omits reading verse 31]

(32) This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

As Bro. Branham said, "You're dead to the creeds and dogmas, you're dead to your old things." Get in the truth this morning and believe the Word of God as far as you can. It may be you're not Elect, you'll come up in the Second Resurrection. But don't turn on that Word and say, "I believe this, because I believe it's that way." Say what the prophet said. As he said It, and you don't understand It, "say what I said." Now, all of this was in the mind of Christ. …?…

53. Now, Christ and the Bride are one, in that she was in Him as Eve was in Adam. Now listen: Eve was Adam's own creation as it were. His own offspring, or daughter she was. She was in him, became separated from him. A part of his life Adam's was missing being separated by the flesh. The same thing took place, the separation from God could only come by the flesh. As long as Adam was in that spirit form there was absolutely no thought of a fall, there couldn't be. But, when he was put into that flesh and the woman taken from him, (she separated) then she could fall. And that's exactly how we are. We were in Him and separated him down here in the flesh which is symbol, causing that separation. But God through mercy now in all His wisdom will bring us back to that time where all the ages will never cease to wonder of the glory and the wisdom that God showed in us. (See?)

That is the Bride also, she was in Him. Became separated by flesh. But, one day He will get her back. But Christ had to become flesh to do it. (We read that in Hebrews, we don't have to read It again.) He became flesh to do it.

54. Now, to get more light, let us go back again to Romans 9:1-7

(1) I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing… (and so on.)

Now, he says here in the words I want:

(6) Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

(7) Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

Now, you can see here the Word of God only effects the Word Bride. The Word of God goes to non-effect every single time. It has no effects out there in the world. Serpent seed can't touch it. Make believers can't touch it. Can't do it. No siree. There's only one person go for that Word, and that is the Bride. And the Word of God takes effect.

Now that Word of God came to Israel. …?... Moses gave us that right. Who took it? Two people got into the Canaan Land. (See?) Then what happened? They turned their judges out. They turned their prophets down. They turned everything down that God ever sent. They turned the Word of God down Himself. And now Paul says, "Look, (he said) can't the Word of God produce anything?" And he said, "I'm telling you the Word of God is effective."

Because all Israel is not Israel. All Christians are not Christians. All bride is not Bride. In other words, all churches is not Bride, but the Bride's the Bride. …?... Won't take, because it's in Isaac that’s seed. It's in Christ. And if you're in Christ you will be in that Word, (see?) because that is that Word. Why? Because He is the Word! And the Bride is the Word.

56. Remember, Isaac could only marry his own relation. Adam had to marry his daughter. Christ marries His daughter. You cannot produce anything. You cannot have a union bound by God, unless like married life. That's exactly why many marriages today, there'll be one up there in Millennium, and the other will be down going to hell. Because he married some sex-pot. That's right. Looked around and got the flesh.

If it hadn't been for the grace of God, I'd been just as stupid. I don't condemn men, because I know …?... years ago myself. I don't think either my wife or I rather for one minute would have married each other, except it was God's plan. We're a hundred percent different, it's a good thing we are. And I know how to blow my stack, and she never blows hers, which is good. She keeps hers on the inside where every good wife should keep it, and I keep it outside where every bad husband keeps it. [laughter] That's right. I tell you that's right. If Jesus Christ prayed for the Bride, every man ought to pray earnestly about a wife, or don't get it. And every woman ought not to be trying to jazz around the country to pick up a man, because they're a dime a dozen.

57. …?.... Christ had to marry His own. And there is no such thing as a marriage solemness, solemnized by God even here in the flesh, unless that husband has brought that Bride before God, he hasn't got Eve. They're not married. Though you're physically joined, God will hold you to it, if you haven't got the married daughter. See, marriage is supposed to symbolize what's in Christ. She's got to be your flesh, even before you come it. That's the way the Bride is. If you hadn't pray through it, how do you know what you've got? I'm not trying to breakup marriages, just telling you, the Lord will make it out.

As Bro. Branham said, "You'll get the right one over there." Won't be any marriage union. It'll just be your counter-part, because we came in a seed to begin with, will have to be the same way.

58. He said, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called." [Gen 21:12b] It is in Christ. (See?) If we were part of Him, (He is the Word) and if we were part of Him, we are also Word. Just like Adam and Eve. The Word of God, the plan, or purpose of God is only in effect in the seed, which is in Him (Christ) and released through Adam into the human race, and brought back by foreknowledge and election based upon decree… now we begin.

The Word of God, the plan of God, or purpose of God is only in effect in the seed, which is in Him, (the Christ) and released through Adam into the human race. That's how you get this physical body. And then got back by the foreknowledge and election of God based upon decree. He gets it back. Why? Because it was there and he traces the fruit.

59. Now, let's find out, Acts 13:48

(48) And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained…

"As many as were ordained." When? Before the foundation. The word 'ordained' commands it. Absolutely decreed. As many has been decreed. You think God looked down and then decreed? How can that be before the foundation of the world?

Now listen, It said they were decreed, and that's the only reason they believed. If you put it the other way, then they've got to believe, except for decree. But, the Bible said they were decreed. He was ordained that they do believe. Acts 13:48. (See?)

Believe what? Belief of the truth. Which is what? The Word! (See?) That's your Lamb's Book of Life. Because Lamb Life is original. (So, I'm making it original, watch my, carefully now, He's tracing the fruit.) Adam was the son of God, or more correctly, Adam was of God, or out of God, God was his source, Christ the Word.

60. Then to Adam was given ability to produce life which actually only God can do. So, in Adam comes down two lines. Those born after the will of God, and those born after the will of man, but none the less, born in this channel of one lump. Now, hold in mind, go back to John 1: I'm still explaining one lump and how this comes about. How this life was on the earth, and yet there's fore-ordination. So, got to John 1:

(12) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, (that's the authority, to be placed as sons) even to them that believe on his name:

(13) Which were born, not of blood, (see?) nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

You've got it all in there. You've got blood, flesh, will of man. And that's right. You can have it. The will of the flesh is simply a sex act, and many are born of it in periods of uncleanness and so on. Many are born to have blood lines. Of course the will of man, the will of man enters in the whole thing. I think.., I'm not quite sure of the will of the blood, that could be a seasonal thing, this could be what happened to the serpent and Eve. But they all come out, they're all one lump. But It says, there is one that is a Bride, they are placed as sons, and they are…[blank spot] … you've got a group in here positively that are of God. (See?)

61. Now that's what Acts says again, 13:48, "Those ordained to eternal life believed the Word." (See?) As John 1:14

(14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of…truth.

Now, who is it? The Word they beheld. Did anybody else behold? Nobody but the Bride. They never …?... in it. Nobody but the Bride. Now, therell be millions come up in the Resurrection, they'll get Eternal Life, but they won't be in the Bride. Never make the Bride, they can't do it. Why? Because they weren't part of the Word. It's only Word that can see Word and comprehend It.

Like John said, "We handled the Word of Life." But nobody else said it was the Word of Life, because John said It. Scribes and Pharisees never call It the Word of Life. (See?) So, you got then God's plan where He knew all which would be…as Bro. Branham said, "He knew how many times that little flea on every gnat would bat its eyes." And He knows everybody ever come into this world. And He knew there would be serpent seed, He knew they'd become lines of the flesh, and He knew within this would also be the sons of God. Because He said, "You populate the earth." And also remember He said to Eve, He said, "In sorrow I multiply your conception." [Gen 3:16]

62. Had they never fallen for the trick of the devil, they could have had children of God. Just like even by birth. Although God brought them out of the ground. But, when He said, "You do it." It is my estimation he could have, I don't say he would, but they could have acted according as I see Scripture. If God would have allowed the sex act, it would have brought forth children of God, one, two three, down the line.

Because they brought them out of the ground, it would have been just the same way. They're life coming from Him, they would have projected their life instead of bringing them out of the ground. But the same thing. But the minute you see, the minute they took the other course, now it came right by sex. You've got two groups. God's children got to come by Adam, and so does the sex line. Just ordinary human beings. But not serpent seed, because there's a difference see.

One is Book of Life, Lamb's Book of Life. See, there's your Lamb's Book of Life members, and the Book of Life members, and your serpent seed members to all now in one lump, they all got together. See, sons of God saw the daughter's of men. Adam, the daughters of Adam. Married, the whole bunch of them. The Very Elect, should have married his own sister, by God's plan. And they would have married their sisters, their children and all, by God's plan, but they came over here, (this other group, and this other group) these were the group that got mixed up, the sons and daughters of the Adam, (this bunch here) of the flesh, to go over to this bunch they all got one big group. By the time of the flood, there's maybe one man left, Noah.

63. Thus we can see now in Romans 9:11-23, this one lump,

(11) (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God (bringing forth this Bride) might stand, (in election.)…

God's not going to have everybody run and say, "Oh, I believe that. Hey, I like that, I'm going to be part of that." Yeah, …?... You're doing a good job with scissors. Let me use your brush. I'll put a little soap in, [inaudible comment] You want to lose your arm? Take a brush.

The man …?... says, "I love the wedding feast, oh this is great, I just love to dance."

"Hey, hey, hold it, hold it, you don't have the wedding garment on."

"Oh, that's okay, I'll just circulate amongst the crowd. I'll just …?... "

See, there it is, that's the truth.

Reading the end,

(13) As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

(14) What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

(15) For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. (And so on.)

And you know all the rest of that reading.

64. Now, let's go back to Genesis 3:14-15

(14) And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

(15) And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (See?)

In Genesis also 3:16-20

(16) Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

(17) And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

(18) Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

(19) In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

(20) And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

Serpent seed, that means no name in the Book of Life, names in the Book of Life, and the Lamb's Book of Life. Mother of all. There wasn't one that he didn't start. All of them came out of her. But remember, there's only the two evidently came out of Adam, because their lineage is not in the Scripture. Is not in there. Adam through Seth, and Enoch and down the line right to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and so on, down to Christ. But the others aren't even mentioned. But, there is a record of life, (see?) because Lamb Life is original.

Everything is original and is good then becomes perverted. (See?) Life is not the original. Lamb's Life is the original. There's one plant, one Book, (see?) and here's how it all came. Now, it is visibly see, here brought about through sex and all, through the plan of God, (of course it's all done by foreknowledge now, God knew it.)

65. That, this brings us to Matthew 25:36-45, which we won't read. You don't have to, you know It. It has to do with Christ sitting upon the Throne of His glory, and the White Throne judgment. And the Bride is sitting with him according to Daniel chapter 7. He's in the Throne. And according to Revelation 3: He's in the Throne. According to 1 Corinthians 6: He's in the Throne. He's judging the world by Christ Jesus, and in there the Word is out. (See?)

Now, who comes up? Serpent seed comes up. He said, "I never knew you." They never had their name on …?... (See?) Check the record. "Well, I prophesied, I did this, I did."

He said, "You're chaff, you did just what your father the devil did. You were guarding My holy Word up there. He was, and he perverted It, and you did the very same thing taking My power and My Name, everything I gave you, perverted It, I never knew you."

Now, the rest come up their name, and so are you. 'Well, I'm…"

"That's right, you were good to the Bride. I can see that you were very good to the Bride, that's fine. And you did this and you did that. You did the best you could under your knowledge. And into the knowledge and into the knowledge …?... here's your name in the Book of Life. Alright, there it is."

66. Another one comes up. He has his free choice. That's whosoever will. He comes up. It said, "You had your chance and didn't take it." I don't understand this brother/sister, all I can do is tell what I know. (See?) The Elect, the whosoever, the chaff, the serpent seed, they're all there. You trace it by natural election, I can only guess at it.

And my guess is this, only guess I can see is …?... and I can't even guess, because I just take it to Scripture that Adam had other children. And all are not the children of God, they are children of the flesh. There are many born that come into this life, and though we cannot qualify them as serpent seed, they're sort of reprobate, yet you cannot call it complete perversion. Because that would destroy the plan of God.

67. Now, we must go further and over in many other facets you'll simply go further. But notice, back here again in Ephesians 3: where It says, "The manifold wisdom of God." God's full wisdom coming into place to bring His Bride to Himself. So great is this wisdom that all eternity can only wonder at it.

Now, what were some of the other facets of His wisdom demonstrating exactly? Now, I'm not going to take time on it, because this is why, you know, it could take another three hours preaching, just these others and I wouldn't begin to touch that.

Well, in Him was to be Father. (See?) Now, He had to show this, that He had to bring out these facets as Fatherhood, and He traded this human race on earth whereby He could bring forth children, that He could be a Father to and to train them. And that's exactly why He had these reprobates and these others there. Just like Israel tantalized Isaac, even so the world tantalizes, and defrauds and is wicked to the Bride, and the Bride can't hurt Bride. The Bride loves Bride, she's got the love of God, you got to love the Bride, the husband loves the wife.

If you're Bride you'll rejoice in Bride. You won't go around pulling political deals and doing dirty things. And saying bad things. You'll be doing everything you can, to build up your brother, and love your brother, if you're part of that wife. And He's going to do it, He's going to be responsible. God's got to train His children He's got to have it. The only way He can do it, is by leading these in.

68. He was also to be husband …?... What will He do? He will bring forth the Bride fit to be His wife, but it's got to be His kind of a wife. She's got to reflect Him, or she's no good.

In Him was salvation: so, the Bride has got to fall in the ground by way of the flesh, in order that He brings her up, and saves her.

In Him was mercy, so she falls into disrepute as …?... And He says, "Look for the sins, you can fornicate living right out there." But, He said, "I'm going to redeem her."

In Him was judgment: so, He has to judge her, and He judges Jesus Christ and He judges the world.

In Him was Christ: so He demonstrates His great …?… in her dire need.

In Him was love: so He brought her to a place where she was unlovely, that He might love her.

In Him was Life: so He imparts His life in the new birth.

In Him is resurrection: so the Bride goes to the ground, so He can bring her up.

In Him was creation: so He creates her new out of the dust. Not around that old body, but around the Word that is in her.

In Him was anger at wickedness: so He must be angry at the wicked, because He cannot be angry at His Own Bride.

In Him was peace: that He must bring around the world here, that sows distress in a distraught condition, that she might find her peace in Him.

God is the complete fullness, that fullness was in Christ. And that fullness descends upon the Bride. One facet of His wisdom could not do it. Creator making the creation. How will that manifest His wisdom? It cannot. It takes the Bride, there is no other way. In her is demonstrated creation. So He'll take her from the dust again, and bring her back with Him. And she'll pass from death until Life, and to glorify never to die again.

In Him is complete righteousness: so He takes the Bride and demonstrates a perfect righteousness by imputation. (See?)

In Him is forgiveness: He forgives the Bride.

All of these things are in Christ.

In Him is a husband: He is a husband to the Bride.

In Him is King: so He raises up subjects, (now listen) In Him is King, so He raises up subjects to be in the Bride, He opens the door.

You can come in if you want. You come up in the Second Resurrection. He said, "You did the best you could." The heathen across the street, millions come in. (See?) In Him, is King, (see?) you got to have a record. What happened, the 144,000 serves the Bride. The rest are …?...

In Him is completion: so He gathers up all the Bride, and destroys all the chaff. (See?) Gathers up all those who qualify to come into Eternal Life.

69. There it is, this alone can do it. This alone. In the last days brother/sister, He does one more thing of great wisdom. He manifest Himself by the Pillar of Fire and that living Word, in order to take a Bride who cannot die, because …?... He should die. There is a mystery of the Rapture. And the mystery of the Rapture as I quoted last Sunday morning, He has got in His wisdom to take and bring forth the revealed Word at the end time in the fullness, that only the Bride can understand. It can never be duplicated, Satan can never get a hold of. This is nothing that can be perverted, no siree This is the end time where God will place on the earth in His wisdom the Bride and completely manifest Himself right before she dies. And in her will be found the mighty works of God. This will bring about the Resurrection, this in turn will bring about the Rapture.

This in the wisdom of Almighty God. He is showing His wisdom right today, and men are falling flat. They are absolutely unaware of the wisdom of God, bringing His Word as the Word test, whether you'll make it, the Word brought by a prophet. And they turned down the prophet, they turned down the Word, they turned down God, and they come up in the Second Resurrection, and millions upon millions come up. They'll be servants in the Kingdom of God and His Glory.

70. The Bible says, "In His glory will shine, we shall be like Him, …?... The fact is, the Bride is made to the many faceted wisdom of Almighty God, that in her, and to her might be demonstrated all that God is. There's your Masterpiece, there's your Bride. God did it, and He's doing it. The only hope that we're a part of It. As Paul said, "Nature has called an election sure." There's something left for us to do.

You see, there's where they're getting mixed up. They say, "Well, anybody can come through." "Many are called but few are chosen" [Mt 22:24] (See?) So, there are those who make their election sure. How do you make it sure? You got to be Word brother/sister. Because the Bible tells you, nothing gets in that's perverted. You got to …?... They turned down everything. Let no man come before you. You say, "Well, I'm going ask this what Bro. Branham said, "I'm going to take …?... now let me explain…"

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