<TITLE>10. Par 81-89</TITLE>L-81   Here not long ago, a good preacher friend of mine, he had a boy, and that boy had been going to church, his own church. He got to a place where he started running around with a little of girl who smoked and drank and carried on. Preacher said, "Of course, that's his business." A very bosom friend of mine, and a nice boy. But he got all infatuated with some young woman; and she had been married, had some children, her husband was living. He was afraid they was going to have... that boy would marry her. So, the brother was all tore up. And he said to me, "Brother Branham, I want you to go to this certain-certain boy of mine. I want you to talk to him."

L-82   I said, "Brother..." I almost called his name. "You have a better way. Don't send me. If the boy is not living up, and the church has saw him doing wrong, then it's the thing for the church to do this business. That's left with the church. And the church goes over and tells him."

L-83 So he took a brother, and went over and told him. And he got back at the brother, let him know he was attending to his own business, for him to do the same. He took another brother, two more, two deacons went over and told the boy. He wouldn't listen to it. They told it to the church. And he never come for several nights, to be reconciled to the church after his sin was told before the church. Then, the church loosed him.

L-84 And about a month from then he was stricken down with pneumonia, and the doctor said, "There's not a chance in the world for him to live." Then he crawled back. God knows how to do it.

L-85 We try to do it in ourselves, "Oh, you ought to kick so-and-so out of church. You ought to do this, that, or the other." Have you done your part as a church towards it? There you are. That's the way to make them crawl back, turn them over to the Devil one time.

L-86   What'd Paul say about this man down there was living with his stepmother? They couldn't get him reconciled. Said, "Turn him over to the Devil." Watch what happens. And in the next letter Paul wrote, this man had got straightened out. Sure. God has a way of doing these things, if we'll just follow His rules.

L-87 If something goes wrong in the church, if it's amongst the congregation, each one of you brothers. If on the deacon board, one of you deacons don't behave, the other deacons come and have a meeting, try to reconcile the brother, tell him what he's doing; or one of you members, whatever you are. Then it's to be brought before him. If he won't do it, then come tell the pastor. Then, he's loosed from the church, and then let him be as a heathen and a publican. Then watch the Lord go to work on him. See, that's when he comes back to himself. That's when he goes to crawling in. But we try to do it ourself, you know, try to do the... everything the way we should do it, now, we never make a success.

L-88   Now, this Melchisedec, the King of Salem, Prince, Priest of the Most High, met Abraham and blessed him. And gave Him his tithings, Abraham did. And He was the King of Salem. And He brought out bread and wine, the communion, and gave it to Abraham after the battle, after the men had been won over.

L-89   Now, "All wars," as I say, "are fought for principles." Now, if you have a little war in church, it must be the right principle. You must be fighting for the right thing. And each member of the church is supposed to do that. Now, this teaching is for the church. That's what we're here for. That's what I'm standing here for. That's what God's Word is for, is for the church.


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