Archived Thoughts

Monday midmorning, we left for the airport, expecting a normal very long travel day. The day was immediately impacted at check-in, because the flight was already delayed. No big deal since we have a almost four hours in Orlando. We load up in the plane and taxi to the runway, accelerate and half way down the runway it felt like the plane was swaying back and forth. They immediately aborted the takeoff and returned to the gate. They said there was a signal indicating something was wrong mechanically. They told us maybe an hour. Then it became more and more until the flight was delayed until the next day. The agent was scrambling, trying to find another way for us to get to the Philippines but everything was booked. One option was to change airports in Japan. I was emphatic that wasn’t an option. Finally we decided on flying to Tampa, renting a car and driving to Orlando to catch a flight the next morning. At least we would arrive in the Philippines the same day, however it will be fifteen hours later. Very fun. Hopefully, missing a whole night’s sleep will help us adjust to the time change, but we are also missing a day of fellowship with Bro Nestor and several brothers who had come to be with us during the day. After stops in Houston, Tokyo and finally arriving in Manila, we were greeted by Bro Nestor and some of the brothers who were able to come, even with the later arrival. There are a total of eight brothers who came to greet us. We all return to Bro Nestor’s home where some had to leave. The others stayed and we fellowshipped until close to midnight. I awoke Thursday morning around 4:30 and finally just got up. Breakfast was at 8 am followed by more fellowship. At 1 pm we are going to Manila and getting a hotel for the night. We will be preaching at Bro Vernon’s church but have to be at the airport by 4 am to catch our flight to Roxas. Bro Bucky will be picking us up and driving to Antique for several days before returning to Roxas for Bro Bucky’s anniversary meeting.

The importance of revelation by the Spirit to a true believer can never be over emphasized. Revelation means more to you than perhaps you realize. Now I am not talking about this Book of Revelation and you. I am talking about ALL revelation. It is tremendously important to the church. ~ THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST  -  CHURCH AGE BOOK  CPT 1

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We can call revelation simply an understanding, or a clear thought, but revelation is the reality. It is the mind of Christ revealed to you. You cannot discover it. It must be revealed by God. It cannot change. And since it is the mind of Christ that inspired the Word, it will ALWAYS match the Word. What if you have a revelation of the Life of Christ IN YOU? That would be God’s Own thought revealed IN YOU. That is powerful, and where many Christians lack the faith to walk, knowing that God has called them to do the works of Christ. Everything He did was Logos made flesh, and our goal is to come to that same reality right now. Christ in us, the hope, the expectation, of glory.

17   But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.     18   Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.     19   Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. ~ JOHN 5:17-19

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I can find over 200 times where Bro Branham referenced this verse 19. Jesus, the Word made flesh, could ONLY do what the Father showed Him. Maybe He had a vision, but what is the limit that we put on the verse above? Did the Father show Him the man that was healed at the pool of Bethesda? Certainly. Did He show Him Lazarus was to be raised from the dead? Absolutely. What about going to bed each night or sitting down for a meal? He said, “NOTHING of Himself, but what He sees the Father do”. That is not limited to what we perceive to be spiritual things. He had a revelation of Who He was and the only Life that He had. I believe we need a revelation in that way. A true revelation of the Life of Christ IN YOU, will produce the adoption we all long for.

Therefore, the Body cannot recognize... Don't you fail this. The Body, therefore, cannot recognize any other headship but the Word. Cause, the--the Head is connected with the Body, and the Head is the Word, and it's the same Word, one Headship! Therefore, denominations, and holy fathers, and everything else, is dead dung. There is one Headship, that's Christ. The Body only recognizes one thing, the Word! ~ 63-0728  CHRIST IS THE MYSTERY OF GOD REVEALED

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What is our headship? What leads us? What guides our life? If you are guided by our pursuit of money, then that is our headship. If you are led by your desire for health and happiness, then that is your headship. If we pursue avenues of entertainment to make life tolerable, then that is your headship. But the Body of Christ has no other Headship but Christ, the Logos. Everything else has died with our old man. We are not affected by world events, family circumstances, or even mistakes we make, because Christ is our Head and NOTHING else matters. Where He leads me, I will follow!

8    For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:     9   Not of works, lest any man should boast.     10   For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. ~ EPHESIANS 2:8-10

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If we are IN Christ Jesus, we are created there for good works. It is our purpose. Good works is not conduct. Good works is doing the Will of the Father. It is the Life of Christ working through the individual. When we are His hands, His feet, His eyes, His mouth, He has no other way of working except through YOU. What do we do with this  but it is carrying out the nature and will of God as He reveals to you what it is. Our part? Surrender to Him. Forsake our human emotions and be willing to perform things you never thought you would or could do.

Therefore, the Body cannot recognize... Don't you fail this. The Body, therefore, cannot recognize any other headship but the Word. Cause, the--the Head is connected with the Body, and the Head is the Word, and it's the same Word, one Headship! Therefore, denominations, and holy fathers, and everything else, is dead dung. There is one Headship, that's Christ. The Body only recognizes one thing, the Word! ~ 63-0728  CHRIST IS THE MYSTERY OF GOD REVEALED

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Of the 32 times Bro Branham mentions headship, 15 are in Christ the Mystery. Maybe that is why it is my favorite message. Headship is not rulership. Headship is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is the Life of Christ preeminent in the individual, that causes him to BE the Word made flesh. I think we need to look at ourselves, and particularly our reaction to things, and see if Christ is preeminent in us. It is not what we say, but what we do that is important. This is not thinking about our actions and deciding “what would Jesus do?” This is having the Life of Christ in a way that the Mind of Christ operates in you. You know what to do, or at least you have confidence in your own election to know that He is in control.

12   Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.    13   And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.    14   If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. ~ JOHN 14:12-14

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Bro Branham quoted John 14:12 nearly 200 times. It is the meaning of this Message. If Christ is in you, then you WILL do the works of Christ. Simple. What are the works? We associate works with acts of healing, or acts of miracles, but Jesus said it is the Father doing the works. The Life, the Logos He was, was in His flesh fulfilling God’s Will. When the Spirit of God is preeminent in us, then it will be “I can do NOTHING but what the Father shows me” (John 5:19). Many times, we are led by our own desires, our own supposed needs, but when we are born-again our old man dies. Romans 7 says you can’t be married to Christ and your old man at the same time. When Christ is in you, ask what you will, by faith and according to His Will and the Spirit of Christ will manifest your words.

And he (Bro Vayle) asked me one time what I thought about the initial evidence of the Holy Ghost, "Was it speaking in tongues?" It's been many years ago. I said, "No; can't see that." He said, "Neither do I," said, "though I've been taught that." He said, "What would you think would be an evidence?" I said, "The most perfect evidence I can think of is love." And so we got to talking on that. And then I thought that sounded pretty good so I just held that, "If a man has got love." But one day the Lord, in a vision, straightened me out. And He said, that, "The evidence of the Spirit was those who could receive the Word," neither love, nor speaking in tongues, but it's receiving the Word. ~ 64-0726E  BROKEN CISTERNS

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This is such a simple principle. If the Spirit dwells in you by a born-again experience, It will be the Spirit of the Word. To receive the Word for this day is what the Holy Spirit is for. John 16:13 says, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth”. Most think of the Word of the hour as being doctrines, but it is the positional placing of the Bride. The evidence of the Holy Spirit will produce a groaning to fulfill your election and will not be satisfied with anything other than what is available in this hour.

15   And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;    16   John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:     17   Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. ~ LUKE 3:15-17

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“And as the people were in expectation…” There was something in the hearts of the people for they knew they were in the time of the coming Messiah. Because of their expectation they believed that John was the One, but because he was the forerunner he was quick to point to Christ. In our day it is the same, but different, because the forerunner was also the first fruits. He pointed to Christ, but he was pointing to Christ in his own ministry, trying to get us to see that the same Christ that was manifest in his ministry wants to manifest Himself the same in us.

And there's only one thing that never did begin, and that was God. Therefore, the only way we can ever live Eternal is to have God's Own Life in us, and that's Eternal Life. And we... God separated Himself among us, and given His Spirit like He did on Pentecost, and It was seen in symbols of Fire, from the Pillar of Fire that separated Itself amongst the people, to give His Own Life out to the people. And through this, the mind of Christ should be operating among us. ~ 63-0412M  THE WORLD IS FALLING APART

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“The mind of Christ should be operating among us.” We claim to have eternal life, God’s Own Life in us. If I had the spirit of a chicken, then I would be a chicken, clucking around the chicken yard. If I have the spirit of a man in me, then I would be a man and care about the things of this world. But, if I have the Spirit of God, then my actions will reflect the Life I have, and my thoughts will be His thoughts. My words will be His thoughts expressed and if His thoughts are expressed through my lips, then what would be the difference in the words I speak, and the words spoken on the day of creation? Adoption is not your human condition coming to a position where you become a Son of God. Adoption is when you recognize the YOU died with Christ and the mind of Christ takes preeminence in you and can speak His Word through your lips.