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Appointment of a minister &

purpose of E.o.D.H.

 

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

 

            We have a special purpose this morning, and that is, our precious Brother Lloyd Malama will be appointed, here at Bethel, to go back to Africa in the power of the Word and Spirit. So, it is a blessing, and we are more than happy to do this. After you heard his testimony, and having fellowshipped with Brother Malama, I know that you are all convinced that he is a true minister of the Lord and righteousness. So we will do that first, and then I will explain a little more as we go along.

            So now, for this ordination I will read in the Book of Titus. Come, Brother Malama. Stand right here. I am reading from Titus 1: 4-11.        

 

<To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre (money);

But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for (filthy money’s sake) filthy lucre's sake.> (Titus 1: 4-11).

 

May the Lord add a blessing to this portion of the scripture. And in line with our precious brother’s appointment, I borrow the words of Brother Paul from II Timothy 4:1-8.

 

<I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.> (II Timothy 4:1-8).

 

May the Lord add a blessing to the reading of His Words. While we sing a couple verses, I will call Brother Barrow. I will call Brother Rogers as another witness. Come, brother. Come Brother Barrow.

 

[Ed. Song leader and congregation sing, “Speak my Lord”, as the musicians play softly.]

 

While the musicians play softly; we give our precious Brother Malama the right-hand of fellowship, in sanction of his sincerity and honesty in preaching the gospel and upholding the truth. We will pray in a moment. Brother Roy Barrow will join hands with Brother Malama, giving him the right-hand of fellowship with Brother Rogers Richardson.

We have found Brother Malama to be a sincere and just man, set for the defense of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, as the Lord appointed twelve and again appointed seventy; and as Brother Paul commanded Titus to ordain elders in every city, we follow the very same pattern in appointing our Brother Malama. Though he is from a foreign land (way over in Zambia, Africa) we embrace this golden opportunity to perform this blessing, upon Brother Lloyd Malama.

We bow our heads in prayer. Brother Barrow and Brother Rogers will pray along with me.

Yes, Lord. We agree together that we have found the right spirit in this brother. He is a just and upright man, as the prophet of God said on the book called, ‘The Indictment’ when he ordained the brothers. Lord, we come before you this morning, with our precious Brother Lloyd Malama, giving him the right-hand of fellowship, after charging him with the preaching of the gospel, even as Brother Paul did to Timothy.

Lord, we pray that you will freshly anoint Brother Malama, even with the anointing that came from the seals. Lord, make him equipped. Make him strong. Make him bold. Make him defiant. According to the Book of Jude, let him contend for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints. Protect him from evil men. Protect him from dangers, even as You protected Brother Paul. We pray, Lord, that wherever he goes, he may preach the gospel and establish the truth, and that he may win many thousands of souls into your kingdom.

We recognize the gift of Brother Malama’s, and Lord, we sanction that as elders here today, therefore we appoint Brother Malama as a preacher of righteousness, to go forth with the gospel into Africa and other parts of the world. We pray above all that when the outpouring comes, that You may anoint him, Oh Lord, with a fresh anointing, with the fullness of the Spirit, and let him win many souls into Your kingdom. My blessing upon this brother and may it abound, Oh Lord, without measure, to do the work of the kingdom. We as elders of Bethel sanction today, the calling of this brother and appoint him as a minister of righteousness, in the Name of Jesus Christ we pray, with thanksgiving. Amen. As the brothers lifted up the hands of Moses, we also lift up the hands of this brother, in the work of the ministry through Thy mighty name.

We are happy this morning to witness this great deed, and we expect many fruits out of what was done here this morning. We may hear the news in the days to come of God using this brother to win thousands and thousands of souls in Africa. Yes.

Because of the Nicolaitan system that is existing around the world and under the message (trying to bind the servants of God) some in Africa were hesitant to ordain our brother, but we are happy to do this. And to defy that Nicolaitan system that wants him to come under their heresies, and under the heretics in order to sanction his calling and sanction the gift that lays in his bosom. So we do this in defiance to all that oppose him, and we recognize Brother Malama as a minister of the message of Malachi 4: 5 & 6, and added to that, as a minister of end time redemption that was loosed from under the seven seals.

May the Lord bless and prosper his work for the ministry, and may the blessing of the Lord be upon Brother Malama that he may win many souls into the kingdom of God. May his ministry reach throughout the world that we do not even hope to reach in the near future. That was one of the reasons for our precious brother being ordained here at Bethel. The enemy cannot keep down a servant of God. No.

 

 

Appointment by apostolic pattern

 

Brother Malama, this day, was appointed by apostolic pattern and he will straightway preach to us, even as the Bible said, “And Paul straightway declared the gospel in Damascus.” He will also straightway declare the gospel at midday today, after my exhortation.

So, our precious brother was appointed according to apostolic pattern. If you notice that in Matthew 10 and Luke 10, it spake nothing about laying on of hands of our Lord upon them. He just said that they were appointed. And when Paul gave Timothy and Titus the command, he never said, “Lay hands upon them,” but all that he said was, “Ordain elders, even as I have appointed you.”

Nothing is wrong with laying on of hands. The Bible said, “By the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, stir up the gift that is in thee.” But that is an old Jewish custom. The prophet of God said that we should be far past the days of ‘laying on of hands,’ and be like the gentiles. Yes. “Speak the word only and my servant shall be healed.”

So, I make this declaration, not only for Brother Malama today, but I make it for the whole House of God here, all under the sound of my voice and wherever this message may go, that people will understand the functions of Bethel the House of God and also E.O.D.H., the publishing arm of Bethel the House of God.

We were tremendously blessed by the testimony of Brother Malama. It gave us an insight into how far and deep into the world and the rural areas that E.O.D.H. has gone. It has gone far and wide.

Brother Malama is appointed as a minister of the message of Malachi 4 and end time redemption that was loosed from under the seals. He represents the message of Brother Branham. Not a cult or not an ism of any kind. And people who consider Bethel and E.O.D.H. a cult and a new movement are wrong, therefore, he is not ordained as a minister of E.O.D.H. That is just a little arm of the message. He is not ordained as a minister of Bethel. That is only a little arm of the message of Malachi 4. But he is ordained as a minister of the message of Malachi 4: 5 & 6, in its fullness, and in its purity. And above all, he is ordained as a minister of end time redemption, which we also uphold, and which we also preach. How many agree with these things? [Congregation says, “Amen!”]

We have recognized a call in the brother’s life, and we have sanctioned the same. We have appointed him as a preacher of righteousness.

In his church, or wherever he is pastoring when he goes back, if this was not done the church must now make the decision whether they sanction him and accept him as a pastor. But we have sanctioned and accepted him as a preacher of righteousness. Then, they will decide if they want to recognize him as doing the work of a pastor.

But regardless of what we have done today, done in the past and will do in the future, the hour is coming when the Lord will positionally place the five-fold ministry, and He will declare what position each one of us has in the Body. Right now, I challenge the world to tell me what part they are playing in the Body, as an apostle, prophet, teacher, evangelist or pastor, and they have no proof of it. When God appoints a man He will back him up with signs and wonders and miracles, and He will back him up with an angel of God, ‘positionally place’ him, and then He will manifest him as a manifested son of God. That is Bible standard.

We have this recognition of our precious brother. And that gives him the authority to preach wherever the Lord leads him to preach, in any part of the world. Yes. Not just tie him down to pastorship in his church. The people of God there will make that decision.

We will further give him a letter on Bethel’s letter head, stating that he was appointed here on this very day, in the presence of one thousand witnesses. How many sanction that? [Congregation says, “Amen!”] He will also be given this cassette, DVD or MP3 to prove this wherever he goes, and whoever wants to contend with us, let them contend with us. We stand in defense of the gospel and all true servants of God who uphold the Word of God, who embrace the message of William Branham, the message of the Lord which came through Malachi 4, including all those we appointed here at Bethel, and will appoint in the future.

Brother Malama is an example of what I am going to say here. He must be free from all domination, by ministers at Bethel or myself, and must be led of the Spirit and the Word. That is apostolic pattern. Not because we recognize you and appoint you today, does that mean that you are under our domination. One thing must dominate you and that is the Spirit of God and the Word of God. But we will continue to have fellowship in the Spirit, and the Word of God. Yes. Our contact and our joining together are Word based, not organizational based, nor heretical based. That is why we afford you that liberty to be free in the Spirit and be led of the Spirit.

He is not financially obligated to Bethel or E.O.D.H. publication. Organizational system is that when they anoint a man, send him out and ordain him over a church, he must send back sixty percent of the tithes and offerings to the mother church. That is Pentecostalism, and that originated from the Catholic Church. Bethel does not function like that, neither does E.O.D.H. The local elder is over the money in his own church, and he accounts to God and spends it how he wants. No treasurer nor trustee is over the money, and neither of them can direct the spending of the money. The pastor of the local church directs the spending of the money, always.

Bethel and E.O.D.H. owe no salary or other support to any minister who embraces E.O.D.H. Let that be established worldwide.

Brother Malama, with all other ministers around the world who support the truth of E.O.D.H., owe no accountability to Bethel the House of God, its ministers, or E.O.D.H., for the work of the ministry. Yet, I believe that if a man has the right spirit, and he has the Word of God, then we will fellowship around that Word of God. There will be a communication. There will be love existing. Yes. And that is apostolic standard. No man must be overruled by the Nicolaitan system. And that is what we do not have here, a Nicolaitan system, because we hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which God hates. (Revelation 2: 6).

            All ministers must bear their own reproach if they fail to live and preach the Gospel message of the Lord Jesus Christ. Bethel or E.O.D.H. is not accountable. If a minister falls, he goes back into the world, lives contrary, and preaches contrary, Bethel will not be held accountable, nor E.O.D.H. for that individual’s failure. But we are persuaded better things of Brother Malama, for I have known him for the past five years through communicating with him. Once I heard, but now I see.     

            No resignation from E.O.D.H. is necessary in such circumstances, because E.O.D.H. is not something to join. It is not an organization. We do not have a role book, or such. So there is nothing to resign from. Anytime you resign from E.O.D.H. you resign from the Word of God, and you resign from the message of the hour. Anytime a man falls, lives contrary and preaches contrary, he resigns from God.

 

 

What is apostolic pattern?

 

            Let me further establish that all ministers and saints who embrace E.O.D.H. and the truths of the message and the holiness standards of Bethel must enjoy the same liberty and freedom of the Spirit. We are not an organization. One must function under the same apostolic pattern, and one may rightly ask, “What is apostolic pattern?” Apostolic pattern, unity amongst the ministers was clearly made known in the communication of Brother Paul and Timothy. The way that Brother Paul addressed Timothy; there was an underlining factor through which such address could have been made, and in his address to Timothy, he said, “My own son in the Gospel.” I love that. There was something beyond Nicolaitanism, something beyond organization, something beyond the deeds of the Nicolaitans. Yes. And I want to describe that for a few minutes.

            Over in the Book of Titus he spoke in the same manner. And if you notice the apostle was commanding Titus, not in an organizational manner, but with love, respect and adoration. And he told Titus what to do. He said, “Titus I left thee in Crete for a certain purpose.”

Titus 1:4 <To Titus, mine own son after the common faith…>

I like that, "the common faith." All true servants of God and all true saints followed the common gospel that was laid down by our Lord Jesus Christ. And the efforts of Brother Paul, Titus, Timothy and many thousands of faithful brothers were to contend for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints, and it was called, "the common faith."

Titus 1:4-5 <…Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee.>

 I wonder if we could understand the harmony that existed between these two ministers. I wonder if we could understand the absence of Nicolaitanism, and organizational rule and domination. There was a certain harmony which existed between these ministers and Brother Paul. Yes. And I want to establish here, brethren, that they had a Word connection, Word fellowship, Word recognition, gift recognition and Spirit connection. So these verses of scriptures have nothing to do with Nicolaitanism.

            Now, upon this principle Bethel is built; apostolic pattern. Upon these principles are what E.O.D.H. functions. We are not looking to form a network of ministers through a Nicolaitan system. We are not looking for joiners. We are not looking for supporters. We are not enrolling anybody. We are not trying to bring message believers, and ministers, under our domination. No, friends. We are trying to establish apostolic pattern. Apostolic standards in dressing. Apostolic standards in the lives of ministers. Apostolic standards in living holiness, amongst the people of the message of the hour. We are trying to bring back the people to "the common faith" that was restored today by the instrumentality of the Lord and His servant, William Branham.

This is not a new faith. No, it is the same faith that was delivered unto us by William Branham. But message followers have gone away from the faith that was once delivered unto the saints. As a result of which, Bethel and E.O.D.H went out to throw a life-line, and deliver all true saints of God from the paw of the lion, the paw of the bear, and all heretics that are now upon the face of the earth.

We see the same pattern between John and Gaius. This is apostolic pattern. In the third chapter of the book of John. Oh, that is so wonderful; I think I will read it. This was not only with Brother Paul; this was also with John the Divine. And he addressed himself as,

III John 1:1 <The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.>

There existed a certain harmony, a certain love between ministers, and these ministers that came after Paul recognized that Paul had a certain authority from the Lord, which influence they wanted to come under. Not by Nicolaitanism. Not by organization. They respected Brother Paul as gifted to handle the Word of God, as none other handled the Word of God in that time, and that age. And that influenced them to be obedient to Brother Paul, to be obedient to the things that he was preaching to them. Therefore it was not a man dominating, but it was the Word dominating. They recognized the Word in that man. They recognized the Word in Paul. They recognized the Word in John the Divine. And that is why Brother John had the confidence to write this letter and say,

<The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius…>

            In other words, he knew that Gaius was sold out to the Word, sold out to that apostolic ministry and sold out to truth. He was not embarrassed. John could not say this to other people. No, but there existed a harmony, love, respect and recognition of Brother John. So therefore he took the confidence to say, “The elder.” “I am the elder.” In other words, the younger is respecting the elder who was in the gospel before him. Yes. Who was teaching them the way, and leading them away from heresies, leading them away from false men, and they were thankful to God. That is why he wrote “the elder.” I love that word.

III John 1:1 <The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.>

It was not a carnal organization. No! It was a Word connection. It was a truth connection. Yes. He said,

III John 1:2-3 <Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.>

 

 

Word connection

 

            Oh my! Do you see that Word connection? There was one thing that was joining Gaius to Brother John, and that was the truth. And there is one thing that is going to join every minister of the gospel, to God’s people and to other ministers of the world, and that is "the truth." Yes! That is what E.O.D.H. presently has come to. We have Word connection worldwide. We have men that respect this ministry even as Gaius, even as Timothy, and even as Titus. Yes!

             It is not because of a salary that they receive. No E.O.D.H. minister receives a salary. No! Not because they ought to pay money to Bethel and E.O.D.H. None of them pay money. We have a Word connection, and that is how the early church was established. That was the apostolic pattern, and that is what God has established around the world. Though some of them have not seen us, and have not been with us, there exist a harmony, even because we have Word connection, truth connection, and that is how we are connected with Brother Lloyd Malama. He is not here for finance, and we did not pay him and he did not pay us. We have a Word connection. It has been five years now since he had been communicating and reading and listening, until at the end of that he wanted to see us here who uphold the truth, and he is most welcomed.

            And then, on the other hand, we have a man with a Word connection down in Karnataka, India. His name is Ronald Watson. You heard the letters, how they relate to me, and will confess that “I am your son in the gospel.” That did not come overnight. My brother, that is the doing of the Lord, because they know that we preach the truth, and we uphold the truth, and they are not ashamed to say, that “I am your son in the gospel.” And God has raised up many sons around the world through E.O.D.H. because it is carrying the truth.

            I have a son named Timothy Asare over in Ghana. I have another son named Maxwell Gamado. Yes! I have sons in the gospel over in the Philippines. Sons in the gospel over in Nigeria and different states of Africa and we have many sons of the gospel over in India. Now, they do not have to give that respect, but they follow Bible pattern, and they want to act like Timothy, and they want to act like Gaius, and they want to act like Titus, even because they have seen apostolic pattern in the Bible and the harmony that existed between Paul and the ministers. That is what E.O.D.H. is trying to establish. We are establishing a Word connection. A Word connection is what we want; nothing more. So we are thankful to God for this establishment of the people of God who belong to the message, and they are thankful to God for their deliverance.

Beloved, if you were in a foreign country, under heretics (well known heretics that I always "blaze" from this pulpit) and you followed them for ten years, or fifteen years, and some twenty years (like our precious Brother Jairam, who followed the heretic Gan for over ten years) and then a little literature, or tape passed your way, and delivered you from Hell, destruction, the lake of fire, take you away from your deception when you thought that you were prepared for the Rapture, that you have found a man of God, you gave all your money, all your tithes, all your support, and you contended for heresies, and the Word of deliverance came and delivered you from that, would you not be happy? [Congregation says, “Amen!”] You would be happy. Would you not respect the source that it is coming from? [Congregation says, “Amen!”] Yes! Would you not be thankful for that man? [Congregation says, “Amen!”] Would you not praise God, brothers and sisters, for the Word of truth? Would you not testify about it? [Congregation says, “Amen!”] You would testify about it. But jealous preachers find fault. Jealous people find fault because we are not following their heresies. But we will continue to lift up the name of William Branham, because God sent him with a Word of deliverance to us, and he has delivered us from organizations, delivered us from cults and isms, and we are contending for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints in this modern age, by the man called William Branham. That is the simple understanding of E.O.D.H. That is the purpose of E.O.D.H.

            Now, what has happened to a lot of people around the world is that they were caught in deception by heretics. Being caught by deception, by heretics, they are even afraid to read E.O.D.H. books, because they suffer from a complex. Besides which when they do accept the truth from the E.O.D.H. tapes and books, they are afraid to submit because they want to check that out and make sure that it is not a deceiver like the one who they sat under. So, although they recognize the truth of E.O.D.H., they are afraid to come out. They will take the books, and take the tapes and they will preach from them without even saying one word of the source that it is coming from. I want to say to you beloved brothers that would listen to the tapes: that is okay. I am not looking for recognition. As long as you recognize the Word, that is the important thing. Yes! And if you are elected and you are a child of God, and you have the Spirit of God, the Lord will bring us together someday. I am saying that, that is okay. You got a book and you want to preach the truth that is recorded in that book, go on. You do not have to contact Dalton Bruce. You have to contact the Lord Jesus Christ. You have to ask Him for divine revelation. But if you are a child of God, He will bring us together even at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. So, do not despise such people.

There was one time the apostles found a man preaching the gospel on his own, Oh yes, and they said, “Follow with us.” He said, “I am not coming with you.” And then they came and complained to the Lord. They said, “We found a man and he said he is not coming with us. Should we forbid him?” He said, “Do not forbid the man. Do not forbid the man at all. Let him go on and preach what he is preaching.” And there are people who have found our tapes, and found our books, and beloved, they are preaching an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I do not want to be a lord over God’s heritage. I do not want to be their boss. I do not want to be dominating them. I do not want to be dictating for them. I want the Lord to dictate. I want the Word to be the dictator. And if you believe the truth, and I believe the truth, we are going in the Rapture. We are going to receive an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. That is our establishment.

 

 

No obligation to correspond:  integrity of e.O.D.H.

 

            We are not looking for a network, beloved. Those who get the books and get the tapes, you are not under obligation to contact me. You are not under obligation to correspond with me. No! You are not under obligation to pay any money here, or support E.O.D.H. You are under obligation to preach the Word, be instant in season and out of season, reprove and rebuke with all longsuffering and doctrine, for the time has come when the followers of the message are not enduring sound doctrine, but has heaped up heretics from around the world, and they have given their ears to fables. Yes. They are looking for preachers to scratch their ears. But here, brothers and sisters, we preach a straight gospel. Yes sir! And who it offends, it offends.

We have apostolic pattern. We have no regard for a heretic that would pervert the message of the hour. We have no regard for anybody that would contradict the message of the hour. And though a minister arises in our very midst and will live contrary, and teach contrary, the same application goes for him. He is cast out as an infidel. Yes! Or if an infidel arises, with nasty Sodomite habits, we cast him out of the church. That is the standard of E.O.D.H. That is the purity of E.O.D.H. That is the integrity of E.O.D.H. That is the integrity of the message, and it goes in line with what Brother Paul said, to get rid of that person from among you who was living with his stepmother in the church. (I Corinthians 5). That was the integrity of Paul. That was the integrity of the gospel, and that is the integrity of E.O.D.H. Anything that comes against the Word of God becomes our enemy. You either repent or you are going to perish. Yes.  

Wherever the Lord has given me the oversight, here in this country, the United States, the different parts of the Caribbean, and Guyana, I am thankful for that. Yes. I deal with them slightly different, even because I am accountable for the work of the ministry that the Lord has used me to establish. I am their shepherd, and they must be accountable for what they preach behind the pulpit, and lives that they live, or they are expelled from the House of God.

            But how can I control the churches in Africa? How can I control the churches in India? That is why God has set in the church, men to look over each local assembly, and the Pastor is the head of the local assembly. Yes! I trust that this is understood.

People must understand the functions of Bethel, and the functions of E.O.D.H. And I state boldly here that it is according to apostolic pattern. What you have seen this morning was apostolic pattern in ordaining any servant of God. Amen!

Finally my brethren; we hereby take the liberty to publish to the world the articles of our faith based upon the Bible and the message of Malachi 4: 5 & 6, and upon which Bethel the House of God was founded. May it serve to acquaint all with our principles and functions of the church, both locally and internationally.

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