(QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS)
MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Question # 747: ÒIs it right for a visiting pastor to have private
meetings with the brethren of the visited church, without the local pastor or
minister. Is he wrong or right?Ó
E.O.D.H. Contribution: I am Frank Deo. The pastor
of the church is the authority of the church.
Quote W.M.B.: 338-282 But the full and complete authority of the
church is the pastor. Read that in the Bible; see if that's not Bible order. (Hebrews
Chapter 7 Pt. 2 Church Order 57-0922).
Quote: 1199-63 And now to the pastor, to our Brother Neville, at this time.
Remember, he is the full head of the church. Brother Neville has the right to
exercise any authority that the Holy Spirit would, anything the Holy Spirit
would tell him to say, in other words. In the church, he has the right to
anything that God would lead him to do. (Church Order 58-1006).
If he is an ordained and
gifted pastor of God, he does not need anyone to tell him what to do. He has
the leading of the Spirit to direct him how to conduct the church affairs. Once
he goes in accordance with the instructions laid down
by the prophet and he does not break the Word of God, he is the complete
authority of the church.
That
pastor who is invited to that church is out of place to just go about and call
a meeting with believers of that church without the consent of the pastor. Maybe he
wants to sow seeds and he could be a heretic. His motives and objectives behind calling
the meeting is the main thing. And I think that he is out of place in the first
place, by not notifying that pastor. That is as if I invite you to my home and
you come and want to tell me what to do in my house and how to run my house.
You would be out of place to do such a thing. You would do that with my
permission.
Sookdeo
Ramnarine: For him to do that, it shows he has no respect for the sovereign
head of that church. The sovereign head of a church is the pastor. And
something is wrong with this visiting pastor to come and bypass the pastor and
have a meeting with the other brethren there. Just as Brother Frank was saying:
it is like a man coming to my house in my absence and wants to have a
discussion with my family. No, he has to consult me first before he comes
there. He has to come through the head. So for a visiting pastor to do that he
is out of place.
Exactly. As Brother Frank was
saying: what is his purpose of coming. And if his conversation is to bring down
the local pastor, then it is definitely out of place. That cannot be the right
spirit. That has to be an antichrist spirit.
Brother Bruce: I always like to balance things that we can better understand.
I believe everything should be done in decency and order, just like the
brethren said. To balance this, a minister may go to another congregation and
not intentionally want to cause problem in the congregation. He may consider
this other pastor as a friend and a brother, and he may be seeking the interest of
the brethren there, but handled this matter a little wrong because certain
brethren came to him and asked certain questions about the pastor and then he
voiced his opinion. So, he may not have any bad intentions but then he could
handle it wrong,
and if that gets back to the pastor, it could cause a rift. A lack of training
is what causes a lot of problems.
If I go to an assembly and
some brethren come to me and say that they have a problem with the pastor, I
would say, ÒAlright, if you have a problem, I would have to speak with the
pastor.Ó It might be of a nature that the pastor would not admit. It could be a
woman that he is dealing with in the congregation. I would go to the pastor
anyhow and say, ÒIs there a little problem here?Ó and try to find out and try
to bring the brethren together and sort out the problem so that I am not misunderstood,
especially if it is something negative about the pastor.
There was something that was
left out there and that is there are different offices. How about Brother Paul going
down to that church? How about Brother John going down to the church to
straighten Diotrephes? (III John 1:9). He has certain authority. And I believe, with
respect in Brother PaulÕs heart, he would even speak to the pastor if he thinks
he is wrong, and then hear the brothers and their
complain. And I believe Brother Paul will hear out the problem, in secret, if
it is a delicate situation that he donÕt want to mix
up the pastor with. I believe that he will give a hearing ear and not pass any
judgment to throw a bad light on the pastor, and say, ÒWe will take care of
these things,Ó and try to get those things ironed out.
Question # 748:
ÒUnder what condition should different church groups merge or come
together? Are they compelled to do so by E.O.D.H.?Ó
E.O.D.H. Contribution: I am Aldwyn Chandler. I
believe that the person who is asking this question is familiar with the
E.O.D.H. books and he is asking that question from that standpoint or view. I
believe that any unity must be based on the Word of the Lord. We are not trying to
place the E.O.D.H. books
over the Bible or over Brother BranhamÕs message, as some people tend to think,
but we believe that unity must be by the Spirit and the Word of the Lord, and
of course, E.O.D.H. books are based on the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I
believe that this is a question of someone who is connected with E.O.D.H.
books, because outside of the E.O.D.H. books there are people who believe or
follow the message and they are exposed to the Bible and the message of Brother
Branham. I believe that they could also come together in unity based upon the
Word and Brother BranhamÕs message.
Sookdeo
Ramnarine: So the question is whether they are compelled to do so by
E.O.D.H. The
answer is ÒNo.Ó
Question
# 749: ÒIf one or two church groups
donÕt agree on certain things of coming together (merging), can they be
excommunicated?Ó
E.O.D.H. Contribution: I am Kenneth Bynoe. I believe
that there is some misunderstanding in the hearts of these brothers, who are
asking that question, concerning the motives and objectives of E.O.D.H. I do
not think that it is Brother BruceÕs motive to get all the different assemblies
that follow the message and that accept E.O.D.H., to come together as one. I
believe that the man of God has sufficient understanding of the scriptures and
the prophetÕs message that every local group is sovereign. We are not trying to
get all the groups to come together as one. We believe that every group is
sovereign with its pastor. But if it is convenient for two groups in the same
area, and with a common understanding between these two groups; they accept a
certain pastor who they believe is more competent, more Spirit led and they
have more confidence in him, and they decide to come together as one then it is
alright. But it is not our motive to force anybody to come together. They are
not compelled.
If in the merging of these two groups there are some that do not agree (The
prophet said that the majority holds in a situation like this), these people are not compelled to remain. If they see it
fit, what they have to do is find another assembly that they feel comfortable
in, but I donÕt think we should expel or excommunicate them.
Sookdeo Ramnarine:
I remember the prophet of God also said that he rather be right in his
spirit and wrong in his doctrine. And even though we donÕt agree on something
we should have the right spirit as believers of this message, unless there is
something outstandingly wrong somewhere. But we should not take it upon our
authority to excommunicate somebody or "unchristianize" them or put
them away from the assembly because we do not agree on certain things of coming
together.
Brother Bruce: Concerning merging together, of course, we are not compelled, and Brother Courtney rightly said that it is not
our effort, yet it is, if it is done by the Spirit to bring the brethren together.
The effort of E.O.D.H. is not that all come under one banner in a certain
place. And at the same time, he rightly said that if brethren believe the same
things and they could merge together to form a united front, as long as that could be done in a proper way, by the Word of God, then
let it be done, but they are not compelled.
There
are certain things that you have to consider when you are merging together. It
is not just a matter because you embrace E.O.D.H. you say, ÒOkay, we will all
come togetherÓ. That could break up in the next six months and cause more
division; even because before you came to the light of
E.O.D.H. you were established in some doctrine. You could have been following
Santiago, Vin or Gan as are popular in other countries.
The first time that somebody reads a few
books of E.O.D.H. and other people read, they cannot call a meeting together
and say, ÒNow, let us merge together.Ó Now they will be afraid of one another
because they were pulling swords with one another for Gan, and for this one and
the other one. So, I believe what is involved here is to win the confidence
and trust of one another, and if they do so and they feel, after a certain
time, that they believe alike, then I believe that they could be merged with
the right spirit, under the right teachings and under the right Word. So, it is
not an easy thing just to merge. You have got to have confidence in the other
pastor.
If the other pastor came in
just six months out of some kind of heresy, and this next minister had
established himself in the truth for three years or five years, and you come
together, and say, ÒLet us be oneÓ you have to give time for confidence to be
won, as you could merge prematurely, and when you come together you could choose a man
through votes and through favoritism, or a man that now came out from under heretic teaching,
for six months, and make him the pastor, and he is trying to rule over this
brother who is fully established in the truth, and it is not going to work. And
he being the pastor he will have the dominance over the congregation and this
manÕs flock is sitting there. You may have fifty people and he is dominating
his flock, and he taught them in a certain way. When anything wrong is said
they will come to this pastor and say things are not the way they are supposed
to be.
It is a ticklish situation to
merge churches together and bring them under one headship and say, ÒOkay, you
are the evangelist, go out and evangelize.Ó Now, total confidence must be won. So, I
believe it could be done but it takes time to win the confidence of one
another. And then that must be first settled, and they have to win absolute
confidence in each another first before they even speak of unity.
Concerning excommunicating the
pastor who does not want to cooperate with merging;
that is out. I quote the prophet on that, he said,
Quote W.M.B.: E-10 And now,
many times the way that we stand... We don't disfellowship anyone because the
way they believe. (An
Ensign 62-0119).
Question # 750: ÒCan a believer of the church under the message of Malachi
4: 5-6 instruct his pastor or minister in church matters? And should a pastor
or minister take his instruction for granted? Some believers disrespect the
office of the pastor and ministers.Ó
E.O.D.H. Contribution: I am Philmore Duncan of St.
Vincent. I do not think that an ordinary believer should instruct the pastor
because you cannot be more spiritual than your pastor. If you find that you are
Òmore spiritualÓ than him then you would have to leave and find another church
because I believe he is authorized by the Spirit of the Lord to lead that
flock.
God set men to lead his people
and the sheep must be led, and the laity ought to respect the leadership in the
House of God. And I think that if someone has an opinion, they could bring it
to the minister and express their opinion, but I would not give that person the
authority to have that leadership or usurp his authority over the ministry or
over the pastor. That is wrong, and I would not support an ordinary believer to
overstep his bounds and take matters into his or her hands and feel that they
are a leader of the church, because God set the man of God there to see that
everything goes right.
Sookdeo
Ramnarine: We are in agreement with that. A believer should never
disrespect the office of the pastor and the ministers. That is definitely out,
and a pastorÕs instruction should be upheld. He should not cow-down or bow down
to anybodyÕs opinion once he knows what he is saying is in the Word of God and
the message, he stands by it, and the rest of the congregation that has respect
for the pastor will do the same.
Question # 751:
ÒIs it right for a brother to remarry if his wife commits adultery? Jesus said,
ÔExcept it be for fornicationÕ, Matthew 19:9.Ó
E.O.D.H. Contribution: I am Sookdeo Ramnarine. The
question here really surrounds the word ÒfornicationÓ. Some wants to make a
difference between fornication and adultery and so forth. This question was
answered on E.O.D.H. book 9, so I will quote from that.
ÒThe
words ÒFornication and AdulteryÓ, were employed in Scriptures and by the
prophet interchangeably,
because it came from the word ÒWhoredomÓ meaning: Òillicit sex in various
formsÓ, but by the catholic church, as two separate
meaning: (Fornication: pre-marital sex and Adultery: post-marital sex). The
following bear out this most wonderful fact.
WHOREDOM -
MEANING - HEBREW LEXICON (STRONGS)
Zanah {zaw-naw'} h"n"z: A primitive root [highly-fed and therefore wanton].
1) To commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot, to be a harlot,
act as a harlot, commit fornication.
2) To commit adultery.
3) To be a cult prostitute.
4) To be unfaithful (to God) (figurative).
5) To play the harlot.
6) To cause to commit adultery.
7) To force into prostitution.
SCRIPTURAL AND MESSAGE
DEFINITION OF FORNICATION AND ADULTERY SCRIPTURES
Ezekiel 16:3,8,15
<Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem.
...I spread my skirt over thee, and
covered thy nakedness:Éand entered into a covenant
with theeÉand thou becamest mine.
É
But thouÉplayedst
the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every
one that passed by; his it was.>
I Corinthians 6:13-18 <ÉNow the body
is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
Know ye not that your bodies are the
members of Christ? shall I then take the members of
Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
What? know ye
not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for
two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
But he that is joined unto the Lord is
one spirit.
Flee fornication. Every sin
that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication
sinneth against his own body.>
Revelation 17:1-2
<ÉI will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whoreÉ
ÉWith whom the kings of the earth have
committed fornication.>
ADULTERY
– THEY COMMIT SPIRITUAL FORNICATION
Quote W.M.B.: E-66 She was a mother of harlots ÉWhat
is a harlot? A prostitute. What is these ill-famed women?
Is women who commit adultery and live with other men that's
not their husband. And these people, these churches claim to be God's servants,
and God's church, and tolerate, and do the things of the world. They commit
spiritual fornication. (God Keeps His
Word 57-0120e).
Quote: 35 ÒFor the kings of
the earth have committed fornications," rich men, great men have. How
would a king commit fornications with a church? It's spiritual fornication:
spiritual. What is fornication? It's, well, it's like a woman living untrue to
her husband; she's living with another man while she's got a husband. And this
church then is pretending to be the Bride of Christ, while she's committing
fornication with the kings of the world, with her unclean living, unclean profession.
(Why Are We Not A Denomination?
58-0927).
COMMITTING SPIRITUAL
FORNICATION AS THE WOMAN THAT WOULD SHARE HER LOVE FROM HER HUSBAND TO ANOTHER
MAN
Quote: E-65 Church has done
the same, committing
spiritual fornication as the woman that would share her love from her husband
to another man. (Marriage
Of The Lamb 62-0121e).
Quote: 217-3 {300}
And the woman was arrayed in purple...decked in gold and precious stones...
pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations--abomination of
the filthiness of her fornication: That antichrist spirit, fornication (See?)
teaching, that committing adultery with God. See? Now, she's supposed to be a
bride (See?), and committing adultery (See?); see just
like Eve did--just like the church does there. See? (Second Seal 63-0319).
Quote: 247-6 {140} She
became a whore. You can read it in Revelations the 17th chapter...What did she
do? She committed fornication against her own husband. (The Third Seal 63-0320).
THE WORD
COULD BE APPLIED EITHER WAY
FORNICATION
IS UNCLEAN LIVING
Quote: 13-6 The difference
between fornications
and adultery,
the word could be applied either wayÉIf she even does something wrong, she must
confess that to her husband before he takes herÉ.If
she doesn't and she lives with her husband for ten years and then confesses it,
he has a right to put her away and marry another womanÉFornication is unclean
living. (Invisible
Union Of The Bride 65-1125).
The
second part of the question is: ÒIs it right for this brother to remarry.
IT IS NOT
STATED AGAINST HIM TO REMARRY, BUT THERE'S
NO GROUNDS
FOR HER AT ALL
Quote W.M.B.: 37-1 See,
she's got a living husband, so no man can marry her. Care what she does and who
she is, she's got a living husband. There's no grounds
for her at all. But it's not for him: causes her, not him. Get it? You have to
make the Word run in continuity. See? Nothing saying he couldn't, but she
can't. See? 'Causes her, not him. That's just exactly
what the Bible says. "Causes her..." It is not stated against him to
remarry, but her. (Marriage And Divorce 65-0221M).
Quote: 36-4 Nothing saying
he couldn't, but she can't. See? 'Causes her, not him.
That's just exactly what the Bible says. "Causes her..." It is not
stated against him to remarry, but her. (Marriage And Divorce 65-0221M).
YOU COMMITTED ADULTERY
AGAINST YOUR HUSBAND –
HE CAN PUT YOU AWAY
Quote: 1014-86 You committed adultery against your husbandÉIf your husband
continues to want to live with you, that's up to him. He don't
have to do it nowÉif he doesn't forgive you, then that's his own business. He
can put you away. Exactly right. (Questions
And Answers 64-0823E).
FORNICATION IS UNCLEAN
LIVING - HE MAY PUT HER AWAY
AND MARRY ANOTHER
Quote: 13-6 ÒIf she
even does something wrong, she must confess that to her husband before he takes
herÉJust the same as the church that was married to the law has to come also
before Christ, before the second marriage; she has to confess that. If she
doesn't and she lives with her husband for ten years and then confesses it, he
has a right to put her away and marry another woman. That's the Scripture.
Fornication is unclean living. (Invisible Union Of The Bride 65-1125).
HE CAN PUT AWAY
HIS WIFE, BUT SHE CANÕT PUT HIM AWAY
Quote: 40-3 Notice,
he can put away his wife any time he wants to, but she can't put him away. He
can throw me in the dust any time He takes a notion to, but I'd better not try
to throw Him there; I'm finished. (Marriage & Divorce 65-0221m).
There
is no problem for a brother to remarry, if his wife was caught in adultery.
Brother Bruce: I believe and sanction the answers that the brothers
gave on the questions. How many agree with that? [Everyone says, ÒAmen!Ó] Now, I have to
agree with what was said on this marriage and divorce, and let me add a little
something here, because if you notice on Book 9 I never spoke too much on the
subject of marriage and divorce. I just quoted the prophet, even because there
is much confusion
outside there, and misunderstanding on marriage and divorce. So now, in my
answering the question there, I just took the question and put the prophetÕs
quotations for different ones to draw, and I think enough was said there that
if a person wants to draw the truth out of that they could draw out of that,
because it is the prophetÕs words.
Now, the big thing here is the
difference
between fornication and adultery, and ministers and people donÕt understand the
difference of fornication and adultery. Now, they donÕt understand that it is
one word so they separate it because Brother Branham said that this fornication
could only be committed before marriage, but the same Brother Branham on the
other hand he justified that a woman could commit fornication after being
married, and you heard the quotations.
Now, the prophet himself said
that the word is used interchangeably, and the dictionary bears out that, and
who established and divided the words was the Catholic Church. They are the
ones that separated fornication and adultery, but it came from one word. Now,
we have to excuse the brethren because they believe the prophet of God, and he
himself laid emphasis on that.
Now, one thing we must bear in
mind when we deal with marriage and divorce is that this
marriage and divorce question was never settled by the prophet until the
Seals were opened. He said that now the seals are opened this is where the
real truth of marriage and divorce comes out.
Quote W.M.B.: 21-4 You get my tape on "Marriage and Divorce"É And
after those seven seals, He showed what was the truth of it. (Choosing Of A Bride 65-0429e).
Quote: 22-5 Now, you see
what happened there in marriage and divorce...?... the
Seven Seals was opened, that brought out the real truth of it. (Invisible Union Of The Bride
65-1125).
So on his teachings on
marriage and divorce that is the absolute, and he justified, beyond any shadow
of a doubt, that a man can divorce his wife for unclean living, whether it be
before marriage or after marriage, and marry another. We stand for that and it
is based upon the Word of God and the message of the hour. We have no hang ups on
that, because it is unclean living.
Now, look how simple that is:
if a woman commits fornication twenty years ago, and she is going to marry a
husband, now, she must confess all of that. If she donÕt
confess that and he finds that out later, he could divorce her. Okay. How a man could
divorce his wife for something she did twenty years ago when he was not
even around, and he married her, and now she commits adultery and he cannot
divorce her; it isnÕt adding up right.
So now the big problem is the
interpretation of that word: fornication, and that is where the little
misunderstanding is. So, I did not commit myself in there because of certain
confusion. I did not want ten thousand questions to come. But then, it is left
open and anybody could probably read between there and come to the correct
understanding. But the fact is, fornication and adultery is interpreted.
And a woman commits whoredom
after she is married, she commits whoredom before she was married, and the
prophet said in plain words that that scripture is not against him but her, and
he said, that you got to get the scriptures running right. ItÕs not spoken
against him, but against her. He causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever
marries her committeth adultery. So, he specified there and went back to the
Old Testament, and he brought it up in the New Testament. I positively
believe that a man whose wife commits adultery, has a
legal right to put her away in divorcement and marry another.
How many agree with that? [Ed. Everyone says, Amen!Ó] And I will marry any man under
that condition, if he finds the right kind of Christian woman, without having any fear nor doubt because I have the prophet to back
me up.
Question # 752: ÒA converted preacher that had two daughters and later
found his wife in adultery, separated and remarried, should he continue to preach?Ó
E.O.D.H. Contribution: According to Marriage and
Divorce, I donÕt see any problem with this man standing behind the pulpit.
In truth and in fact there was a brother called Brother Ben in the tabernacle
after Marriage
and Divorce. This manÕs marriage was scrupled up, and he had another manÕs
wife, and then they got forgiveness through the pardon of the Lord, and then
Brother Branham called Brother Ben and said he is a servant of God and on top of that
ordained him, because Brother Branham believed in what he taught, and the
revelation that was given him from the Lord, otherwise he would not have done
that.
Quote W.M.B.: 3 How many here knows Brother Ben? How many believes him
to be God's servant, worthy of this blessing that we'll ask of God for him?... When he heard the other day on "Marriage and
Divorce"... He and his wife was ready to separate, because that he loves
her, and she loves him, but they want to cope with the Word of God. Whatever
the Word said, that's what they wanted. I pray that God will bless Ben and his
wife to His service. Let's lay our hands upon the brother. (Does God Change His Mind 65-0418E).
Now, before that, Brother
Branham was pretty confused on marriage and divorce and said many things contrary to
what he said on marriage and divorce, even because he was straightening out the
line, and many times he would tell the people:
Quote W.M.B.: 1063-11ÉOh,
my, the phone calls, the letters, and one brother wrapped hisself in a blanket
and set on my porch from 12 o'clock until daylight the next morning. Ministers
calling from everywhere, married two or three
timesÉJust remember this. To you people who are married, and divorced, and
remarried, promise me one thingÉGo on living just like you are. Don't you try
anything else like it, but live, just go ahead, just live happyÉNow, when I
come back, the Lord willing, I'll explain that to you in the Bible. See? And
don't get upset. Many men told me, said, "Well, I love my wife, but I'll
just have to leave her; I don't want to miss the rapture." Don't you do that. Stay just as you are till you hear from me again
(See?) on this subject. (Questions
And Answers COD 64-0830m).
Quote: 1100-181 But
now on the case of marriage and divorce, I've asked you like a brother, hold
your peace until you hear from me. (Questions And Answers COD 64-0830m).
He kept the people waiting.
And he had certain cases through the tabernacle, and when the Lord spoke to him
on that mountain the Lord called those names. He said, ÒGo tell brother so and
so and brother so and so, I have forgiven them, and all that follow your
message, I have forgive them.Ó The mercy of the Lord.
Quote W.M.B.: 48-6 And by the vindication of His Cloud and His
Message that's brought me this far, should not God upon the mountain permit me
to do the same thing to suffer you to go on the way you are and do it no more.
Go with your wives and live in peace, for the hour is late. The coming of the
Lord is at hand. We haven't got time to break these things up. Don't you dare
try to do it again. I'm speaking only to my
congregationÉand God bore me witness to that on the mountain that I could say
this (a supernatural revelation because of the opening of the Seven Seals and
this is a question in God's Word): let them go on in as they are and sin no
more.
É So under the modern conditions, I
command you to go to your home with your wife now. If you are happy with her, live
with her, raise your children in the admonition of God; but God be merciful to
you if you ever do that again. You teach your children to never do a thing like
that. Bring them up in the admonition of God. And now that you are as you are,
let us go now to late evening hour that we're living in and press towards the
mark of the high calling in Christ where all things will be possible. (Marriage And Divorce 65-0221m).
Quote: 50-4 I say it
now so the ministers will understand: this is to them that follows
this Message only. (Marriage And Divorce
65-0221m).
So now this man is free
because he divorced his wife on scriptural grounds. You could divorce your wife
for cutting her hair, being a disobedient wife and other things, but you cannot be
remarried. ÒExcept
it be for fornication.Ó ThatÕs the clause. And that fornication means
adultery and fornication.
Quote W.M.B.: 225 The Bible claims, if a woman cuts her hair, a
man's got a right to put her away in divorcement, because she's not honest with
himÉYou can't marry another one, but you can put her away. (Demonology 2 Religious 53-0609).
Question # 753: ÒA ministerÕs wife was caught in adultery, in the very
act with a church member, and the minister was about to separate from her, but
upon her confession and repentance he took her back, thinking that she would
become a whore. Should this minister continue his preaching if she genuinely
repents and lives a Christian life, irrespective of all kinds of allegations, or
should he step down from the pulpit?Ó
E.O.D.H. Contribution: Brother, this is a terrible
situation. Here is a man with a church. His wife is found committing adultery
with a member of the church. He had in mind to divorce her. This devil that
moved there is after that whole family. It is after the whole church. He knows
his wifeÕs appetite. He is afraid that this woman goes and brings more disgrace
and just go on the street and be a whore from one man
to the next. ÒOkay woman, I forgive you. Let us live together. DonÕt do that
againÓ ÒCan the man continue preaching behind the pulpit?Ó Brethren, it is easy
to say, ÒYesÓ because the man is not in the wrong, but his wife. But this is a
terrible situation. From the time that happens, there is a stigma that goes upon that minister,
and he is counted really low in the congregation, even by
people that love him. In other words, ÒHow on earth could you be
spiritual and not know that your wife was committing adultery? You put us in
place so much and look at what happened in your house?Ó
Now brethren, the influence
of that man is ruined immediately. So it is an easy thing to say, ÒYes, they
could take the man and put him back on the pulpit.Ó The entire congregation
would be looking at that woman as a prostitute. You talk about confusion in
that church.
This here is dependent a great
lot upon the church itself, if they want to continue to have this man as their
pastor. They will have to make a decision, because if they do not have
confidence in that man, it is useless of him standing there to preach. And the
thing for him to do is to get another minister who they have confidence in, to come to the pulpit
and ask the congregation, ÒAll those who would want the minister to continue.Ó
That is to get a feel of the confidence that the people have.
In my judgement, when this
thing happens and it becomes such a stink in the church, I figure that the man
should step
down, at least for a period of time, until everything settles out, and ask
another man to come and continue to minister, and declare that from the pulpit
and say, ÒBrethren, I feel unfit to stand before you. I am not guilty of
adultery, but my wife is guilty of adultery, and in respect to this
congregation I feel that I should not be standing behind the pulpit unless you
want me to come back some day. I have this brother here and I have confidence
in him. He believes just as we believe and I would put him here if you would
listen to him.Ó The congregation might say, ÒYesÓ. In love for the pastor they
might say, ÒNoÓ, but the confidence is not there.
So, allow this man to carry on
the assembly, and as he carries on, then the shock of the people will sort of
deteriorate and then bring the former pastor back after a certain amount of
time, three or six months maybe. In the mean time, the pastor may have to go
find a job somewhere. He might have to go dig some dirt or load a garbage
truck, and still take care of his family, but then his sincerity will be proven in that.
That man cannot love that
woman the way that he ought to love her. They cannot have peace in that house.
It is a wound that is made. It is a terrible thing brethren.
A wound made so deeply. His name is like a byword in the gates, the Bible said,
because of this woman that is rottenness in his bones.
So the thing to do is to calm
down, instead of him saying, ÒI am the pastor here and nobody is going to put
me out.Ó Whether he owns the building or what, the thing for him to do is to
step down and let things settle out. Let another preach the Word of God until
his wife brings forth fruits. She must bring forth fruits, express her repentance to the
congregation and prove to the congregation that she made a mistake and she has
really changed.
A woman could do that and puff her chest
up as if she done no wrong. In other words, ÒYou did worst than that. My
husband told me about that last year.Ó That is not going to settle that church.
Step down. The man might have to step down for a year or two and also for the
sake of the public. Some may say, ÒI heard that his wife committed adultery and
he is still preaching down there you know.Ó You see, you have to satisfy the
public and to win a soul.
A man
who hears that this ministerÕs wife committed adultery, would not be interested
in coming to church. If he hears that another pastor took over the church, he
would come and sit down and listen. So it is a horrible thing, and it is not an
easy thing to settle. It may last for a year or two or even three, and then
they bring it to a vote, and this same pastor who he placed there, must not now
want to dominate the congregation and not give the man a chance to preach. He
must be able to use his influence and bring back this minister and say,
ÒBrethren, something happened about three years ago, and I believe, from
dealing with the parties, that this woman has brought forth fruits, she has
repented many times and she has cried around the church (By that time the
peopleÕs hearts will be touched), and we are going to put this on a test here.
Would you want this man back here as your pastor?Ó
If the latter preacher loves
money, he would hold on to the pulpit and not want to give back this man his
church, and he would preach in a certain way that he can take over completely.
But if he is an honest man he would realize that this
man deserves to go back because he had done no wrong. You cannot solve this
problem by just trying to force this man upon them. He needs to come down. ThatÕs the fact of
it. And he needs to sit down in the congregation humbly, just for the sake of
the people.
Let me conclude with this. The
man had done no wrong, and by all rights, if he forgave his wife and chose to
take her back, Brother Branham said that is his business. By all rights he is
supposed to continue to preach. But,
I Corinthians 10:23 <All things are
lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me,
but all things edify not.>
A man must be considerate.
If he forces himself on the
pulpit and wants to continue, the people are going to leave because of the lack
of confidence. If he gets a shepherd and put him there, he would hold the
flock. But if he forces himself, there will be different factions. It will cause confusion in the church,
and they will speak more about what the woman had done, and it will be one mass
of confusion that he cannot control the congregation. So the thing to do, in
the interest of the peopleÕs souls, is to step down.
If I make a mistake and it
goes down around the congregation, I will step down and say, ÒBrethren, I lost
my temper and knocked a man off his feet and I feel guilty. I should have
controlled my temper. I will step down. Let the other brothers preach, I have
something to work out.Ó I think thatÕs in the interest of the peopleÕs soul.
Question # 754: ÒA wife of an evangelist was molested by unbelievers,
in his absence. These unbelievers blackmailed her several times. This was made
known to the evangelist. He wanted to divorce her. She pleaded before him and
told him all the unbelievers done to her. After hearing her sad story, should
he continue to live with her or should he separate from her? Is he fit for the
evangelistic office?Ó
E.O.D.H. Contribution: How long this went on for: a
year, two years? Now, this woman became a virtual prostitute, and she came and
confessed it. The man said, ÒIÕll divorce you.Ó There is nothing to compel that
man to keep his wife. The prophet of God said,
Quote W.M.B.1014-86 If your husband continues to want to live with you, that's
up to him. He don't have to do it now, but if he wants to live with you and
forgives you, then you be lady enough to never be guilty of such a thing again.
But if he doesn't forgive you, then that's his own business. He can put you
away. Exactly right. (Questions And
Answers 64-0823e).
Now, this man is an evangelist
and his wife became a virtual prostitute. That woman ought to have come the
first time and confess it then, but how many dozens of men she lived with, and
how many of them used that medium to get to her. ThatÕs a terrible thing to
live with a woman like that.
Oh, brother, in my case even
though I have to put away that woman in a small house somewhere and take care
of her and let her serve the Lord, I would not bring that stigma upon my ministry. It is too
filthy.
I Corinthians 6:16 < What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one
body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.>
Now, this is too
radical. This is not a mistake of falling in adultery with a man. This is
something that continued where the woman became a virtual prostitute, and she
had to have a part in that. She was not just blackmailed. That is an appetite.
She is a wicked woman. And under those conditions the man has all rights to
divorce her and take another woman.
In my case, friend, the way
that I feel about the gospel, if something should befall me, which I know would
not appear, I have a Christian wife and she loves the Lord, (IÕm just saying me
or you), for the sake of the gospel I would not continue with that wife because it
went too much into prostitution, and then that is going to hinder the church
and it is going to hinder souls, even though I am an evangelist.
Question # 755: ÒA pastorÕs wife lived in fornication before marriage
and never confessed it, and on the basis of W.M.B.Õs message he divorced her
and remarried.Ó
E.O.D.H. Contribution: The prophet did not make a difference between pastor or lay member. If your wife was found in whoredom
(fornication) even before she was married to you, and she hid that, she took a
false vow according to the message, and taking that false vow she is now ready
to confess that after five years, he has a legal right to divorce her and marry
another. Those are the prophetÕs words.
IF SHE LIVES WITH HER
HUSBAND FOR TEN YEARS AND THEN CONFESSES IT, HE HAS A RIGHT TO PUT HER AWAY
Quote W.M.B.: 13-6 If she even does something wrong, she must
confess that to her husband before he takes her; and make it rightÉIf she
doesn't and she lives with her husband for ten years and then confesses it, he
has a right to put her away and marry another woman. That's the Scripture. (Invisible Union Of The Bride
65-1125).
He has a right. The only
little hitch there is that some people limit that word fornication, to an act
before marriage when they ought to bring that right over here according to the
prophet. So, thatÕs the little misunderstanding of some brethren, and they are
sincere about it.
Now, thereÕs a little hitch
here. Let me put this in to settle that. A man is going to be married to a
woman, and then she confesses these things to the man, and after a couple of
years he sees another woman, and now he wants to bring up this and say, ÒYou
committed fornication before you married me. I have a right to divorce you and
marry another woman.Ó He is wrong. Christ does not forgive us today and then remind us of our
sins tomorrow. No, that issue is settled, and itÕs a good thing to bring it before the
pastor because when a man starts lusting he could deny that.
I bring these things before me
in my office, and I had cases where a woman would come, and say, ÒBrother
Bruce, I lived with ten men.Ó I said, ÒAt what age?Ó She said, ÒI started doing
this thing at a tender age, I am now twenty-two years of age. ÒAnd brother, are
you willing to take this prostituteÕs hand in marriage?Ó ÒYes brother. I love
her and I am going to forgive her.Ó ÒWell, fine, forgive her and take her, but
donÕt ever let this thing come up again. You ought not to reproach this woman about this. This is
signed, sealed and delivered.Ó You cannot wake up five years later and say,
ÒYou were guilty of fornication back down there, and now I see a pretty woman
and I am going to marry her.Ó No sir! YouÕre a luster. You have a spirit inside
of you. You are looking for strange flesh. A man gets accustomed with his wife,
she becomes like a doormat, he has no lust for her again, (excuse the
expression), he has no feeling for her, now he is looking at strange flesh like
the Bible said, and he wants an experience nice pretty women now, younger than
her. You are wrong.
Question # 756: ÒWhat causes a sincere, honest and zealous minister to
go off into fanaticism, to the extent that a true servant of God cannot change
his thinking on the Word and message? As a young minister I am afraid of
falling into such a state.Ó
E.O.D.H.
Contribution: I will tell you right now that you are not going to fall into
that because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. You fear the
Lord, and you donÕt want to fall, then you are alert and you donÕt want to go
that way. You cannot go in certain directions unless you want to brother,
because your mind is made up not to go that way.
So what causes
a sincere and honest brother to get into fanaticism, insomuch that another servant of
God cannot change his thinking? That even if Apostle John went down there, he
could not talk to Diotrephes. He knew it all.
What caused Diotrephes to be
against the apostle John? He said,
III John 1:9-10 <I wrote unto the
church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us
not.
Wherefore, if I come, I will remember
his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content
therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them
that would, and casteth them out of the church.>
That is a terrible thing. That
man had to be sincere and honest for John to leave him there. And he reached
into such a state, (though he was sincere and honest), that he turned from the
way, that he would not let the believers receive those who John sent. And
anybody who opened their doors for the preachers, who were sent by John, he
cast them out of the church.
So Brother John, dealing with
this problem, he said, ÒI will come down there and I will remember your deeds.
I am hearing about the wickedness that you are spewing out of your mouth,
against me and turning the brethren, and those who I would send down there, you
are casting out.Ó
Hear what Brother JohnÕs
assessment was in that time. He said that he loveth to have the preeminence
among the brethren. Now brethren, the answer to this question, could be in one
word, ÒPrideÓ; ambition and pride. Now when God uses a man, he must
keep himself sober.
It
is said of Luther, that the great miracle was not that he successfully withstood the
Catholic Church, but kept his head above the fanaticism that surrounded his own
ministry. And brethren it is a great blessing and an honorable thing, when God
can come and anoint a man, use him to speak the oracles of God, use him in miracles,
signs and wonders, and with the gift of wisdom to handle questions, handle
people, to draw peopleÕs soul to the Lord and then he could keep at a certain
level, where he is well balanced and is not lifted up with pride, nor assume an
office, that does not belong to him. He is able to show respect and honor to
his fellowmen; giving the prophet his place; giving the messenger his place. It
only takes the Holy Spirit to do that. But there are many examples of men and
who started off very good, for example: Balaam, Diotrephes and Judas.
Now Judas received a ministry
of the Lord. It was a genuine ministry, not a counterfeit. And now if I would
ask, what was the problem of Judas? Everybody would say, ÒMoney.Ó Not all
together. The money was the manifestation of a hidden quality in Judas, and I will
tell you right here. Judas was not satisfied with the great calling that the Lord
called him with and was jealous over Jesus.
He was quarreling about the
alabaster box of ointment, but that was actually reflecting the true problem in
Judas, that he was not satisfied with his position, and that reflected what
happened in heaven, with Lucifer. He was made perfect until the day that pride
was found in his heart. So now Judas was an incarnation of the Devil, with the
same qualities, fighting against Michael in heaven. The only thing is that they
were in two different bodies here: Son of Man and Man of Sin. But the same
purpose of the Devil was inside of JudasÕ heart. So it was not the money. The
money was the reflection. But he was so jealous and hateful, that he led him to
death.
And
when a man hates and is jealous, he hates to see another man used of God. And
if anything has got to be done, it should be me: Brother Bruce. Brother, God is
going to use Brother Bruce as He sees fit and up to what point, he chooses and
I cannot tell God not to use Brother Courtney.
Anytime I start thinking like
that, that I have preached the gospel for thirty nine
years, and if anything spiritual or more than this has to be done here, God
must use Bruce. Friend, I would be thinking the wrong thoughts and the Lord is
going to throw me down. I have that vision right before me, from the very day
that I started preaching, and I realized that anytime a minister starts showing
off and wants to think that God could only use him, because he is more learnt,
more gifted or anything like that, he is going to have trouble. And I seen many
rise and many fall with that same attitude.
So the problem is pride and
ambition, and that was the problem of Diotrephes, and that was the problem of
Cain. They all trace back to Lucifer. These are the lessons that have this
panel of ministers in unity, that we do not jealous
and fight one another. God knows our hearts that is our testimony for decades.
Brethren, I have never had to deal with ministers contending with one another
and saying that ÒI could preach better than you, and I should have preached
Sunday, and it is about time that I be assistant PastorÓ, and all these kinds
of things. Everybody function according to the ability that God has given to them. And you know very well, that a minister could come to
this pulpit just last year, and if I discern that the anointing is upon him,
and that the Lord is using the man, I will step aside and would put this man
even more often on the pulpit than brothers that were here before. It does not
go by race,
it does not go by color and it does not go by society. It goes by the anointing
of the Spirit. It is, if God is using you.
God
knows my heart: if the Lord starts using a brother in the congregation, I donÕt
get jealous. I count it as an honor. That is a help to
me and to the people. I am happy that the Lord brought that man up to that
certain stage, and God has blessed me because of this. And no matter what you
say and how blessed you are by my ministry, or whatever I say, I do no feel
that I am Òit.Ó God could start using another man tomorrow to Pastor this
church. Brethren, I could walk out there and fall dead. God must have ministers
to use, otherwise the souls of the people will be in
danger. Then why should I put myself up on a pinnacle as a prophet or an eighth messenger, and
project that. No brother! I do not have the goods to prove that I am a prophet
or an eighth messenger.
So now ambition and pride is
the problem. You would go off into fanaticism. Even though God sent His
prophets in every age and afterward took them away, He has never left the earth without a
witness. And if amongst ourselves we will try to identify the anointing on one
another, then we will have unity. Do you know how Brother Paul had unity, and
how he dealt with the people? He said, ÒI know no man after the flesh but after
the spiritÓ. If
we will start knowing one another by the anointing that is upon us, and the
ability that God has given us, we will prosper better, in Africa, in India and
throughout the world, under the message, if we will humble our hearts.
I could preach the Word every
night into such a place, brethren, that everybody will
say, ÒItÕs great! And that could put pride in my heart to misinterpret the Word, to not search
the things out in the Bible and the prophetÕs message, and if that pride lifts
up my heart, I will want to bring something greater and greater, and then I
will start formulating
my own revelation, but all these years that have passed, I do not preach
anything that I donÕt understand in Brother BranhamÕs message, because it does
not matter how much the Lord uses you, you are a man and He wants His honor and
His glory, and you better give it to the Lord.
Herod came one time and gave a
marvelous speech, and the people said, ÒItÕs not the voice of a man, itÕs the
voice of a god.Ó And instead of that man humbling himself, pride raised up in
his heart, and took that glory, and he was already a Roman, so he started
thinking, ÔWell, IÕve come to godship.Õ And the Bible said, that worms ate him
right away. And worms ate a lot of good men, good servants of God, because of their
ambition and pride.
From back there I have seen a
lot rise and fall, and a lot of men reached up to that height, especially when
they heard this revelation. There is a wealth of knowledge in this revelation
that we preach, that people cannot even find a little bit for their own selves.
They donÕt know how to put Brother BranhamÕs message together and bring out
these great truths. ÒKnowledge puffeth up but charity edifieth.Ó
Now, a man could be used of
the Lord to heal the sick, raise the dead, and then instead of putting those
miracles and signs in the right place and the right perspective, that could swell his head.
That is why you donÕt hear me talking about miracles, signs and different
things that happened. ThatÕs the minor. The Word is the major. I could count
out things here that happened in my ministry from way back down there. I could tell
you about visions. I could tell you about dreams. I could tell you about the
audible Voice of God speaking to me. I could tell you about reading the Spoken
Word books how God came down and said, ÒTurn that page. Read this.Ó If you have
noticed, I donÕt major on that. The main thing is the Word of God.
This is the mistake that many
people make around the message that turned them into a Gan, a Santiago, and
into a Lawrie. Lawrie
came to the United States and met Brother Branham. They took a picture of them
hugging one another, and Brother Branham told Lawrie, ÒThe Lord has a wonderful
work for you in India; go back.Ó When he went there, he thought that he was the
Son of Man. Pride entered the manÕs heart. And some miracles started in this
manÕs ministry before he fell. You are talking about outstanding and fantastic
miracles. I was around. Yes, you are talking about going through a tent and
there were crippled people, and that man with the click of his finger said, ÒBe
healed, be healedÓ, and walked right through that. Then he got pride in his
heart and said, ÒBrother Branham had a baby ministry. He had to see what he was
going to do, but I donÕt have to see.Ó And then a crippled dog or cat was there
and with a click of the finger it got up and walked also.
That thing got into that man
until he started believing that he was the son of man. I received his books and
it said, ÒThe
son of man.Ó He had a picture with Brother Branham and him, and it was
written: ÒWhen the East and the West met together.Ó He also said that Christ is
coming from the East, therefore he was the son of man veiled in human flesh
coming from the East. Pillars of fire appeared over the manÕs whole person. I
had those books. I looked at them and said, ÒThere isnÕt anything to this man.Ó
Do you know what caused me to say that? When I heard the man belittled the
prophet. He said that you should not eat hog. He came to Trinidad. I didnÕt
even care to see him. Pride entered his heart.
That man was hungry and he
prayed to God for food and a bird dropped a fish from the air in the manÕs
yard. He picked it up and ate it. God did that. He went to church that night and a sister complained about having a fish and a bird
took it and carried it away. You talk about miracles and signs. Some of these
brothers from India could bear witness. And brethren, that man was lifted up
with pride.
The miracles he was doing, he started relating that to the third pull spoken
word ministry.
You cannot impersonate a
ministry. You just cannot be used of the Lord to do this and that and say that
this is the third
pull. That is pride entering your heart. That ministry has a specific
identification. Brother Branham said that these things that I am doing will only be manifested in the fullness of its power at the
squeeze.
Quote
W.M.B.: 6-1 The third
pull has now been vindicatedÉÒNow, it's just happened, so it could identify its
presence among you. See? But it will not be used in a great way,
until this council begins to tighten up.Ó ÒWhen the squeeze comes down, then
you'll see what you have seen temporarily, be manifested in the fullness of its
Power.Ó (Look Away to Jesus 63-1229E).
And when you raise the dead,
heal the sick or do certain things, and pride will make you say, ÒThatÕs the
third pullÓ, something is wrong with your thinking. That is not the third pull.
There are different miracles of the third pull and other miracles that are
normal.
Before Brother Branham
manifested the third pull in the creation of squirrels, do you know that many
fantastic miracles happened under him? He raised the
dead five times and that was not the third pull. Do you know the sick people in
Africa touched Brother BranhamÕs coat and were healed by the thousands,
insomuch that they burst away his jacket pocket? Seven truckloads of crutches
and wheel chairs were taken away and that was not the third pull.
Pride in a man; he could be
used of the Lord to raise the dead and heal the sick, which I am not doubting,
and wants to call that the third pull. Anybody could raise the
dead if God gives them the power. Anybody could heal people and seven
truckloads of crutches could be taken away, but that is not the third pull. But
pride in a manÕs heart could cause him to identify himself with that certain
ministry, when God never told him that. There is a certain identification of the third pull
ministry. It is a speak-the-word ministry. And I will tell you how you identify
the speak-the-word ministry from normal miracles. The speak-the-word miracle
brings something out of nothing: ÒLet there beÓ, like when God created in the
beginning.
But pride could enter into
your heart because you do a little miracle, and now you want to think that ÒI
am the son of man, and besides that, I am a prophet.Ó You are nothing. You are
not even a dog, otherwise you would be more thankful. ÒI have the third pull
you know? I just speak the word and things happen.Ó No, you are guessing.
Brother Branham did all those miracles before the creation of squirrels and
that was not the third pull. So when you meet men like that, they cannot fit
back what they are saying in the Word of God.
So Lawrie went out there and
claimed his miracles to be the third pull. I am not doubting
that God did a lot of miracles there. Do you know what happened to that man? He
was sent as a mad man into the insane asylum and he died. Brother Bob was down
here in 1972 and he said, ÒThus saith the Lord, there
will be no rapture in Jerusalem, under Lawrie. My only problem is that I wonder
how those people are going to get back home from Jerusalem because all their
money was spent.Ó
I will tell you something. Do
you know where that man started building his ministry and went out into
fanaticism? Brother Bob let out something in the line of revelation that he
should not let out, and that is concerning the son of man. And that man built
upon that and went out and killed himself. Listen brethren, we have got to
humble ourselves. I am saying, ÒFollow me as I follow Christ.Ó I think I am in
place to say that because throughout all the years that you followed this
ministry, you never heard me make those claims and push myself up and say this and
that. [Everyone
said, ÒNo!Ó] And there are things that I refrain from saying, because I am
afraid that you think of me more than you are supposed to think. I refrain from
saying the things that God told me. If the Lord reveals something and say,
ÒThat person is going to die.Ó I wouldnÕt tell anybody. I may tell just a
couple people for the witness sake. But that does not make me a prophet. I
am Brother Bruce. I am a preacher of righteousness. I am having troubles just
like you to come to perfection. We cannot have this ambition and think that we
know something.
Let me tell you something, if
a man passes with greater revelation here today, I will be one to receive it
because of my attitude towards all men. I proved it before. When I thought I
had known something in Brother BranhamÕs message, a man passed with greater revelation
on the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and spoke things that were even contrary
to my mind and I never rejected it. I discerned the anointing that was on that
man and the authority by which he spoke and I said, ÒAmen!Ó And I told him
right out: ÒI donÕt understand everything you are saying, pray for me.Ó He
said, ÒThe Lord will reveal it to you.Ó I went on for two years and the Lord
revealed the same revelation to me on the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and
more.
So, I thank God for His grace,
and I am telling you to behave as you see Brother Bruce behaves. With all that you could
say and all that the Lord used me to do, in Bethel and around the world, and to
help the ministers, I keep one thing before me and that is: ÒLord, donÕt let me
be lifted up with pride.Ó
Brethren asked me, ÒHow do you
deal with all these people from those countries, and deal with these churches
and direct them here and there, and not be lifted up as an eighth messenger,
this, that and the next?Ó I say humbly: it is the grace of God and the way that
I think. The way that I think is that I want to be a humble servant of God, and
I want to lead every soul that I could lead into the Kingdom of God. And I want
a bunch of ministers
to come from under my ministry who love God and love souls more than anything
else in the world. And I want them to be so equipped with the Word of God that
they will destroy the Kingdom of the enemy when that outpouring of the Holy
Spirit comes. And I am settled in my heart that if God does not send me
anywhere or He gives me a gift or not, that does not matter.
I am not sitting here, saying
that God is going to gift Brother Bruce and just now he is going to do this and
do that. No. That is in the hands of the Almighty. What He wants to do with me
let Him do. I am a yielded vessel in His hand. And I would prefer to see God
use my brethren even though I donÕt go anywhere. I want to see the Lord use my
precious brothers from Africa, India, the Caribbean and here in Bethel. That is
my purpose. That is my ambition. I will be satisfied just to train you. I will be
satisfied to equip these brethren in Africa and India. I will be satisfied to
know that their congregations grow and they are on the message. I will be fully
satisfied to see this outpouring come and let the brethren go and the Lord
exalt them. In any case my energy is running out. If I have to go, the Lord
must give me another outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
So let us humble our hearts.
That is how people become fanatics and go off. God uses them a little bit and they are not
contented and start identifying themselves as ÒThe psalmist David and Paul the
apostleÓ. Then they start checking their names and say, ÒMy name means so and
so.Ó I donÕt want to know what my name means. ÒAnd I was born on such and such
dateÓ, and they use the mathematics of the Bible. You are not anything brother.
We are not anything. We do not know anything, as we ought to know. Let this
outpouring come and God is going to post an angel to you and He is going to fit
you where you are supposed to be. Then you will speak like the apostle Paul:
ÒPaul an apostle of Jesus Christ! Peter an apostle of Jesus Christ! Jude the
servant of God! James an apostle of Jesus Christ!Ó
How is it that they were not
speaking like that before? Something happened on the day of Pentecost. Before
that they were fighting to find out who is the greatest in the Kingdom, and the
Lord told them, ÒUnless you humble yourself like a child, you will be the least
in the Kingdom of God. And then the outpouring came, which is the Kingdom of
God, and set them in order.
I challenge you in love and respect, as
men of God who followed this Word of God for thirty years, and Brother Rogers
here, for sixty or seventy years and tell you that none of you know your position. You are
doing the work of a pastor, evangelist and you might even be doing the work of
an apostle, but it is not revealed to you, and that proves what I am saying,
that we must have another outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and that outpouring
will adopt the sons and daughters of God into the body of Christ, and an angel
will whisper to you that you are an apostle or teacher, evangelist or prophet.
That is the time you will hear Brother Bruce speak: ÒDalton Bruce an apostle of
Jesus Christ by the will of God.Ó You are not going to hear that before because
I donÕt know who I am yet.
When I see the potentials that
manifest through me, God has given me a mind not to guess at all, because I
love the Lord too much and I fear before him. And if I am not doing that, then
none of you should do that. We are nothing!
I have proved it over and over
that you do not know your position. I challenged many people around the world, and caused a
man to repent. He had pastored for so many years. I said, ÒCan you tell me in
the name of the Lord, your position in the body?Ó He answered, ÒNoÓ, and he
repented for his big boast of whatever he was claiming. All this is tied up in
the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and we must walk softly before the Lord
until that hour that the outpouring comes. And when that comes He will give you
an angel. That is GodÕs plan.
I trust as we close, that
something was said to benefit you here and our brethren that came from abroad.
Something that will benefit the church abroad and the saints wherever they hear
these things, and that will better position the
church. They do not have to come under Brother Bruce as an overseer and the governor of
all these things. All that I am trying to do is to put things in their right
perspective that will equip a minister wherever he is, if he is a true servant of God, he
would be a better minister. He does not have to account to me
or Bethel. I want to build these men up, and if Brother Bruce falls down
and dies the gospel could go forward. That should be the ambition of every
preacher, to be completely sold out to God. Let us give Him a praise offering.