PAGE 2 of teachings by AIGA founder Dr Rayl, Pentecostal, Full Gospel ministry

Ask your self this question: "Are some of these, prophetic teachings, speaking of the End Times?"

FREE MESSAGE CD I have started a new ministry putting out a FREE MESSAGE CD each month that contains up to two messages, prophecy and Kids News... CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION or go to the MISSION GIVERS page! When I have time to work with my new speech recognition software the text will begin to appear here. Sorry but my time is so limited!

This page contains Pentecostal Gospel sermons, devotionals, outlines, etc., by AIGA founder Dr. G. Rayl.

AIGA FOUNDER Dr. Granville M. Rayl, Th.D., D.D. August 21,1917 - November 29, 1997

I do not know the Dates when these where preached and they are not in any particular order. As time permits other teachings by Dr. Rayl will be added...

This page is devoted solely to the writings and teachings of our Beloved founder Dr. Granville Rayl. He has inspired many by his exemplary performance of his duties as our President and leader. He set the example that I pray will continue to be the very heart of how the Association Of International Gospel Assemblies conducts its business. I count myself honored to have known him personally...... Rev. Robert Johnson, NYS AIGA Chairman, AIGA N. Eastern USA Division Field Director.

10] No Substitute There is nothing in the natural that takes the place of the Spiritual by Dr Rayl

THIEF OR SAINT ? ? ?

BY G.M. RAYL, Th.D.

(Reprinted from the October, November, December, 1982 Issue of International Gospel Herald)

TEXT: Malachi 3: 7-10, "Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

Tithing is the fairest way God could have used to finance His work. It is so fair that our government has based their Income Tax plan upon the same basis as the Tithe Law, the more you get, the more you pay. You figure your Income Tax for Uncle Sam because you are afraid of the penalty. God has His penalty also. Thousands have not paid their taxes and perhaps never will be caught, but no one escapes the eye of God. he will SEE and COLLECT!

Some say, "I don’t tithe, but I give more than my tithe." No, I won’t call you a liar, but I think you are definitely a prevaricator of the truth, God says, "Be not slothful in business." Why don’t you keep books with God, if you are giving so much? You have to keep books or records for Uncle Sam. Uncle Sam has allowed up to 30% to be deducted for church work. I think every Christian should do at least this much, 10% tithes and 10% offerings. I have heard of several successful business men that are paying tithes and God is blessing them. I have paid tithes for a number of years and God has blessed me and returned it at least four fold or more. I could not preach tithing if I did not pay tithes myself, but I have heard preachers preach on tithing and I happen to know that they were not paying tithes themselves. I believe the preacher should live what he preaches. It pays to give to God. Remember, the tithe is the Lord’s; you just return that to Him. You start giving to the Lord when you give your offering above the 10% tithe. Paying tithes is not giving anything. Jesus never used the word "give" in discussing tithing. he says, "YE PAY TITHES." To speak of giving the Lord’s tenth instead of paying it, would be talk of using another’s money to pay our charities. The only way you can GIVE God’s tenth is first STEAL it from Him. Suppose a poor man would ask me for a dollar, and I should be so generous as to steal a dollar out of your pocket and give it to him. You can not give God’s tenth any more than you can give away my hat. This very act of charity would constitute you a thief, so will your failing to pay the tenth God calls stealing, and asks, "Will a man rob God?"

I realize many people do not like to hear you talkor preach about tithing or giving. They say it kills or quenches the spirit of the services. All that I can say is that those Spirits need to be quenched. If you are in a meeting and you are one of those Pastors or Evangelists that doesn’t like for people to act a little too emotional, all you have to do is say a few words about tithing and everything is in order again. (People are peculiar, aren’t they?) It is not a question of whether you want to tithe, any more than whether you want to be washed in Jesus’ blood. It is not what we want to think, but it is WHAT THE WORD OF GOD SAYS. Tithing is necessary because you are robbing God if you do not tithe. Malachi 3:8, "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have ye robbed thee? In tithes and offerings."

If you do not tithe, I would not want you for a neighbor. If you would rob God you might steal from me. I would have to watch you continually, fearing that you might steal from me. You say, "Do you mean that you think that I would steal from you." Why not? You steal from God, and if you rob Him, I’m surely not going to trust you. You would be better off if you would rob a bank than to rob God. You might get away with the bank robbery, but you will not get away with robbing God. It is a far greater sin to rob God than man.

What is Tithes? The word tithe means the tenth part of the gross earnings, increase, etc., which God said is His and due to be paid as a tax or tribute for the support of the church, priesthood, religious institutions, etc. The tithe that God expects is 10% of your GROSS INCOME. God did not tell you to let your company, or place where you get your income, take out your Union Dues, Social Security, Insurance Premiums, Credit Union loan payments, Credit Union savings, United Funds, or any other deductions, and then give Him the tenth of what you have left. Shame on you! Why do you want to try to chisel God out of a few dollars? You do that to your neighbor, and you would end up getting called a chiseler of conniver! If you pay any less than ten percent of your gross earnings, you are not paying tithes, you are just giving a little donation to God, and robbing Him of your tithes. God Help Us!

I believe in following Jesus’ teachings, don’t you? "And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. And when they were come, they said unto him, Master, we know that thou are true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute (taxes) to Caesar (government), or not? Shall we give, or shall not give? But he, knowing their hyprocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s. And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him." (Mark 12: 13-17). Jesus had respect for the laws of the land, but He certainly doesn’t want us to use God’s money to pay our taxes and other things pertaining to the world.

Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus, was the bearer of the moneybag. In other words, he was the treasurer of the money that Jesus and His disciples carried with them that belonged to God. When it came time for Jesus and his disciples to pay their tribute (taxes) to the government, He did not take God’s money and pay them. Instead He told Simon Peter to go to the sea and catch a fish and take the money that he would find in the fish’s mouth and pay their tribute money.

"And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your Master pay tribute? He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thiniest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, of strangers. jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee." (Matthew 17: 24-27). Here Jesus makes it very plain that we should not use God’s money to pay our taxes, but that He would supply another way that we could pay them. Praise His Wonderful Name. If we will be honest with Him, He will make a way where there seemest no way.

We wonder why the tithes in the churches are so low? If we would get to the bottom of it we would find that it all starts with the preachers. The sheep can only be led as far as the shepherd leads them, right? So, if the preacher doesn’t pay tithes, and many of them don’t, then how can we expect any more from the layman? Most of the preachers that you talk to will say, "Oh! I just pay tithes on what I take home, but then when I get my income taxes check back from my withholding taxes, I pay tithes on it." This is a laugh! Surely they don’t think God is so dumb that He can’t figure a simple little arithmetic problem. (Here is an example: if this preacher’s W2 Form shows that he has paid into Internal Revenue the round sum of say $500.00 then when he fills out his Income Tax Forms, he deducts all of his tithes and offerings that he had paid into churches, or to himself, or put into his own gas tank, for the Lord’s work, etc. YES, PREACHER, I want to stop right here and tell that you cannot pay yourself your own TITHES. Anyway, after all of this figuring to get out of paying Uncle Sam any more than he just has to, he will usually then have a refund coming. Again, we will use a round figure. Say his refund was $100.00 from the $500.00 that he has paid in. Then if he pays tithes on his refund, he would be paying $10.00. Right? So, he just robbed God of $40.00. Shame on him. How can he expect God to bless his ministry?

The preacher’s tithes as well as the layman’s tithes belong to God. God, and God only, has made it possible for us to have an income, whether it be from our job or pensions or whatever income we might have. A tenth of it belongs to God and we are violating a position of trust if we do not return His money to Him. Some say, "I am in debt so deep that I just can’t afford to pay tithes." Well, the Bible says that "A fool and his money is soon parted." Why don’t you start paying your deby to God and then God will help you take care of your debts to man. Let me say as emphatically as I can, "YOU CAN NOT AFFORD NOT TO TITHE!.

Tithing is necessary because you are cursed with a curse if you do not tithe. Malachi 3:9, "Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me." Look at the earth as a result of God’s curse upon it. No, friend, I do not want the curse of God upon me, and that is exactly what God said would happen if we did not tithe. Let me tithe and have His blessings. You can refuse and receive His curse if you want to , but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Haggai 1: 4-10: "Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled house, and his house lie waste? N:ow therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways....Ye looked for much, and lo it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit." That and worse will be your lot if you stay under the curse of God. Many are having sickness and troubles, because God’s curse is upon them, and He is merely collecting the tithe with interest. God will collect His tithe; you cannot escape. He knows where you live and how much you make. You had better stop robbing God. Yes, God will collect, but He will not bless you because He has to force it from you. If you make one hundred dollars a week and pay the ten dollars tithes back to God, I will guarantee that the ninety dollars will go farther than the one hundred dollars would have gone. Why don’t you try it and see for yourself: He can multiply your money, the same as He did the loaves and fishes and still have plenty left over, "Praise God." Little is much with the blessings of God upon it - and a lot will be nothing after the curse of God comes upon it. When the Devil tells me I can’t afford to tithe, I ask him what would happen if God didn’t bless; my body with health? I would have to afford to pay a doctor, maybe lose my job and perhaps even die. Yes, devil, I can afford to tithe but I can’t afford not to!

Tithing is necessary because the Bible teaches it. Some will say, "Brother Rayl, you are getting us back under the Law, we are now under Grace." That is right, we are under Grace, but be sure you live up to all the benefits and demands of the dispensation of Grace, but tithing was not a product of the law. TITHING PRECEDED THE LAW. In Genesis 14:20, Abraham gave tithes to Melchisdec king of Salem. This is seven hundred years before the Law. Genesis 28:20-22, Jacob made a vow to God to pay a tenth unto Him. This was five hundred years before the Law. So, then tithing, according to the Scriptures, preceded the Law. Then, of course, tithing was under the Law. Duet. 14-22:

"Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year." Tithing is also expected and required after the Law. Christ came not to destroy the Law, but to fulfill. Much more is expected of us today than was expected of them under the Law. We have the Holy Ghost to help us obey the light we have from the Word of God. Matt. 23:23: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." He did not rebuke them for tithing but He did rebuke them for omitting the weightier matters. In other words, even the weak are expected to tithe. If a hypocrite tithes and you do not, that makes you a little worse than he is! Oh My, isn’t that simply awful?

If under the Law they paid their 10% (and they did) we are fortunate that God has not demanded 50% under Grace. Much more is required of us. Under the Law, as long as you didn’t commit the very act of sinning, you were all right, but now if you hate your brother, you have committed murder in your heart. If you lust after a woman, you have already committed adultery in your heart. Do you see the difference? May God help us to live up to the standard that he expects of us, and certainly do no less than they did under the Law. In 1Cor. 16:2, Paul said, "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come." Tithing is necessary because you are robbing God if you don’t - you are cursed with a curse if you don’t - and because the Bible teaches it. LET US BELIEVE AND OBEY THE BIBLE.

I have had several people ask me where they should pay their tithes. Let us turn for our answer to the infallible Word of God, Malachi 3:10, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse,..." Not half or part, but all of your tithes are to brought in on the first day of the week to the CHURCH where you worship and receive your Spiritual food. Notice that God did not say to save up your tithe until the church is trying to raise some extra money, then drag out your haul and pose as a big giver. Bring it systematically as you receive it. Yes, you had better bring it into God’s bank.

The biggest burden some people seem to have is that the pastor will get too much money. If they had that much burden for souls, God would shake the world. Listen to the Apostle Paul in 1Cor. 9:9-14: For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." If God’s minister is faithful to God, he is most certainly entitled to prosper financially as you do, and reap from you your carnal things. God is no respecter of persons. God told us to live by Faith, not on Faith.

Deuteronomy 12: 11, "Then there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the Lord." The Church where you worship is the place in your community to which God expects you to bring all of your tithes. The pastor is supposed to live and have his need (not wants) paid for out of the church storehouse. If the church is in order and every member is keeping the Commandments of the Lord, paying eheir tithes, the pastor will live just as good financially as the congregation. God’s way is a balanced way. If the congregation is a rich group, then the pastor should have plenty, but if the congregation is a poor class of people, then the pastor should be satisfied to live in the same financial state.

What hurts the church is that some of the people in the church that do pay their tithes, will send them all over the country, instead of bringing them into the church storehouse. What would you think if you were operating the best restaurant in town and I came in and ate the best steak that you served. After I finished eating I would get up and tell the cashier how good the steak was and then start to leave. When the cashier says, "That will be $3.00 please," I would say, "Oh, yes the bill. Well, you see, Joe’s hamburger joint down on skid-row is having a hard time making ends meet, so I thought I’d pay him." Thousands of Christians are doing the same thing. Their preacher faithfully prays, visits, fasts, and feeds their souls, and they take their money and pay someone else for it. What would happen if all in the church sent their tithes all over the country? (And they have just as much right as you have.) Soon there would be no local church and the people there would be without the message of life. You people in Chicage, your first responsibility is faithfulness to God at home. God will raise up people in St. Louis to take care of their local needs.

People say, "Can’t we support radio or TV programs?" There are many good programs on the air that should be supported, but they should not be supported by your tithes. There are many pastors and churches suffering today because most of their people are sending their tithes away instead of bringing them in. Many poor pastors are working eight hous a day with their hands to help support themselves and their churches while their "unfaithful" congregations send their tithes around the country. Naturally, if you live in a community or isolated country where there is no church for you to attend, it is perfectly in divine order for you to support some good radio program with your tithes. This radio service is where you get your Spiritual food, so you should pay there.

Some people tell us that they receive no spiritual food in their local church, so they do not feel like paying their tithes there. This is a tragedy, but it is true, 2 Tim. 3: 1-5: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemous, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy. Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away." I would advise you to find a church that preaches and lives the Gospel in your community. If there is none there, pray that God will establish one.

Many ask, "Can I support my sick, aged mother with my tithes?" Did she support you with hers? No, she took care aof you because she loved you. God help you to do the same.

When the devil says you can’t afford to put that $10.00 in the offering plate, tell him to shut up or you will put another ten in too; he’ll leave you every time. When the church is passing the offering basket around, if all you have is five dollars to your name, it won’t keep you alive very long, so you’d just as well put in and die happy. God loves a cheerful giver.

Try tithing for a year and see if it does not pay dividends, Malachi 3:10: "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." If you are faithful to God, He will be faithful to you. You can not outgive God.

God will bless you financially, spiritually and physically. Since the time I started to tithe, God has blessed me with health. He has taken care of my every need, and the windows of heaven are still open and His blessings are thrilling my soul. I would not quit tithing for anything in the world. Luke 6:38: "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." Oh, what a wonderful Scripture, the more we do the more He will do. He will give you what you deserve, then He will press it down, shake it together and run it over. No wonder David said, "My cup runneth over." yours will too, if you give to God.

Will accept His challenge from Proverbs 3: 9-10, "Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. 2 Chronicles 31: 5-10., "And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the Lord their God, and laid them by heaps. In the third month they beganto lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord, and his people Israel. Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him and said. Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the Lord hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store." You again today have heard the commandment of an almighty God. If you will obey it and tithe God will bless your church; every need will be supplied and there will be a great store left. Be faithful to God with tithes in your church and God will increase your members. You can support missions, charity, etc., from your church treasury and God says there will be some left over.

WHERE SHOULD THE LICENSED AND ORDAINED MINISTERS PAY THEIR TITHES?

Should a Minister pay tithes? He most certainly should. Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec. Now, you are going to say, "Oh, Brother Rayl, this does not refer to ministers." That’s what you think. Let us read the Scriptures and let the Holy Ghost reveal the truth to us. "For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of Righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

Now consider how great this man was, unto who even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is , of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him." (Hebrews 7:1-10).

Here we find that Melchisedec represents Jesus, the Son of God, who is our Great High Priest, who is the head of the Church Body, which is represented through the various Associations and Denominations, which are the Body of Christ, by being led of the Spirit. Abraham was the beginning of the Priesthood. He was the father of the Leviticus Priesthood and is the father of Ministry today.

I have always been strict about paying my tithes and found so many preachers who don’t even pay tithes. I could write a large book on the various reasons they have for not paying tithes and for the different place they claim to be paying them. It would almost make you laugh, if it was not such an important matter. The ministry is almost ruined today by robbing, conniving, stealing, dishonest people who call themselves ministers. They will pay their tithes to one another. They will save up their tithes and start themselves a little church and say, "This is my church." Well, it is, for God has nothing to do with it. If they would pay their tithes where they should, then there would be plenty of money to build nice church buildings and enough for all God-called pastors, and then the evangelists would have plenty of large churches to hold revivals in. God’s way is a balanced way. If all of us would wake up and obey God the world would be turned upside down.

I know of churches which have as many as five or six ordained ministers going to them, and all of them paying their tithes into the church, or should I say a portion of them, paying a portion of their tithes, when, if they would obey God, there would be plenty of churches for all of them to pastor. Some will say, "Oh! I am a preacher, so I use my tithes in my own ministry. I put gas in my gas tank and buy my meals when I go away from home." Shame on you! Did Abraham use the tithes on himself or did he pay them to Lot his nephew! No, he paid them to Melchisedec, the High Priest. Go ahead and rob God and have His curse on your ministry, but as for me, I am going to pay my tithes as I always have and have God’s blessings on my ministry.

If the pastor and evangelists would preach the Word and stop robbing God, then the layman’s tithes would support the churches and pastors.

Now in closing, let me say that God said if you would tithe, He would open the windows of heaven and not only pour you out a blessing, but He would pour out so MANY THAT YOU WOULDN’T HAVE ROOM TO CONTAIN THEM. He will do it every time.

If you give-God will give to you. I believe that not only will you be laying up treasures in heaven, butthat God will return that money with INTEREST to you here. HAVE YOU ANY INVESTMENTS IN THE BANK OF HEAVEN?

GIVE ACCORDING TO YOUR INCOME OR YOUR INCOME WILL BE ACCORDING TO YOUR GIVING.

The Mystery of God, "Number Two"...The following message came from a small book written under this title and after the sermon "Mystery of God," it was simply titled "Number Two. The last paragraph of "The Mystery of God" reads...You noticed that I never did use the word TRINITY in this sermon. If I had some would write and say, where did you get the word trinity, for it is not in the Bible. I know it is not; it is a man made word, but I am happy that I am a TRINITARIAN!!! PRAISE GOD FOR JESUS HIS SON. AMEN!....... Then the message "Number Two" followed...We believe in the Trinity Godhead of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. We believe in the commandment of our Lord, Jesus Christ, where He said, in Matthew 28:19, 'Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." We also know that water baptism cannot save anyone. We also know that where Peter was talking to the Jews as we find recorded in Acts 2:38, that, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." This was Peter's great sermon that he preached on the day of Pentecost when about three thousand souls were added to the Church. They were JEWS, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now we know that the JEWS would not accept CHRIST as the MESSIAH. They, the JEWS, had been baptized into the Jewish Baptism, but Peter was telling them that they had to have faith in Jesus and believe that He was the promised Messiah or they could not have this great gift of the Holy Ghost. To be baptized we must confess our Faith in Christ, or show that we believe in Him. This scripture appears to be a kind of transition from the Jewish baptism to the Christian baptism. So baptism is here enjoined as the symbol of faith "upon (or in) the name of Jesus", implying knowledge of Him and subject to Him as Lord and Messiah.

But we have a large group of people that call themselves Pentecost that will get up in Church and testify that if you have not been baptized in the name of Jesus (editors note: "only"), you are lost, when we know that water baptism never has and never will save the soul from sin. This group will use the scripture where Jesus said, "My Father and I are One". Yes they are one in the Spirit, the same as we that are born of the Spirit and are one in Christ. Yes, we believe in the Father, and the Son of God and the precious Holy Ghost, which is referred to as He, being the third person of the Trinity. So you see, that there was a need, for we do not agree with those who do not believe in the Godhead as the Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost. We find in the Book of Amos 3:3, "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?.. ed emphasis.. There is no division of the spirit of Christ, the division is only in the minds of people... I had rather obey Christ's Command than man's version of the Bible. Yes, we could not say join ourselves up with this group, for again we say a divide house cannot stand. I have wondered why a Oneness preacher could honestly preach what God gave him and not preach on the Godhead of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Then I have often wondered how a Son could be without a Father of something, Jesus said, "Our Father which art in Heaven". There used to be an old preacher that had a Radio Broadcast in St. Louis, Missouri that would get on the air and say, "You Trinitarians, that worship three gods, I am going to blast you with your doctrine". Well, he tried for many years, but never did succeed. He has gone to his reward, and I still believe in the Trinity. We have pastored several Churches Churches and have had many Oneness to make our Church their home Church and never cause us any doctrinal trouble; but I have seen them that would try to put over their doctrine every place they have gone. I have visited several Oneness Churches and never did mention their doctrine.

"Brother Johnson" editors comment... I changed the color of the last sentences because they emphasize why I love Dr. Rayl and the AIGA so much. PLEASE do not email derogatory comments to me about this message. This was written many years ago and much healing has taken place since then. These last words in "royal purple" sum up that we should be able to "live together" in our doctrinal differences without controversy. We, if we are saved, can agree on Jesus Christ and Him Crucified, as the Apostle Paul proclaimed was the best knowledge! I have long preached that if we can "agree" to "disagree" except for the basic knowledge of the work of the cross, we could all have fellowship and the scripture "Come soon Lord Jesus" might just "come sooner". I am ready!

The Culture of Faith...The farmer who fails to till his land, cannot expect to reap a harvest. Likewise, the Christian, who refuses to cultivate his Faith, cannot hope to have the truth of that Faith. It is a very common experience for people to trust in their own abilities, apart from God, and then to find that they are both physically and mentally exhausted.

How can we vitalize God's gift of Faith in ourselves? By what means can we prepare ourselves to face an earthly existence that continually challenges our weakness.

If we study the lives of those who are truly strong, we will find that their strength was derived from their study of Holy Writ. Through the Bible, the Holy Spirit speaks to us and He attempts to guide our lives.

A few minutes, every day, with our Bibles will do much to nourish and enliven our Faith. This kind of Faith does not have its source in our human weakness, nor in any human institutions, nor in our collective powers, but it is derived from the all powerful God. Our Faith in God can open the way, for us, into an inexhaustible supply of energy which can completely change our lives.

The reason for distress in our modern world is the suspicion that we do not posses the strength to face the trials before us. If we would "sunder the bars of iron" and have "the hidden riches of secret places," we must develop the habit of daily Bible reading. In this way, we can borrow God's strength to use in our lives. ( 1983 Pulpit Sermons by G.M. Rayl, Th.D., D.D., used with permission)

NO SUBSTITUTE...(TEXT: Matthew 15:7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. John 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

We want to point out to you, that there is no SUBSTITUTE for true worship; there is no SUBSTITUTE for Salvation. Let us look at some more Scriptures found in John 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Jesus Christ, our Lord was at the feast of Tabernacles when He uttered the words of this invitation. A priest with a golden pitcher had gone to the pool of Siloam for seven straight days and filled the pitcher with water. Followed by a great throng of people, he bore the pitcher down the streets among great shouting and singing and the sound of trumpets and cymbals. When he reached the temple, he poured out the water while the people sang, "Therefore with joy ye shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." - Isaiah 12:3. This was quite a hilarious occasion for the Jews. On the eighth day of the feast the Priest did not carry the water. Little did the people realize as they sang, "Therefore with joy ye shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." that He who was the fulfillment of this prophecy was right in their midst! Jesus realized that they had, "Forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.." Jeremiah 2:13. He was moved within by the vain ceremony that they carried out and He was constrained to cry out, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." The Jews were carrying out a Religious Ceremony. People today are carrying out vain Religious Ceremonies, trying to substitute, but let me declare unto you that there is no substitute for salvation. Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." From this portion of Scriptures, We obtain this glorious truth; that Salvation can come only through the Lord, Jesus Christ, meaning that outside of the true religion of the Christ of Calvary, ALL are lost. Since Salvation can be obtained only through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, that means that none other name, religion, creed or doctrine can bring eternal Salvation to men's immortal souls.

THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE! In this natural realm of life, there is a substitute for nearly every material or substance produced. For pure rubber, there is a synthetic; for various food products, there are substitutes; for genuine diamonds, gold, and other materials, there there are substitutes. But in the spiritual realm, things pertaining to eternal value, there is no substitute. Confucius can't save the Chinese, Mohammed doesn't save the Asiatics, Buddha and its religion doesn't atone for the sins of the Japanese, and Hindu and its mode of religion isn't sufficient to save the millions of India. Not only will not the paganistic Idolistic forms of religion in the foreign lands bring salvation; but also the cults and creeds that fail to come to Calvary Road here in America, which we call a Christian Nation, will fail to be saved. Modernism with its denial of the Virgin Birth of Christ, the shed blood on the Cross, the verbal inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, and other precious truths is engulfing thousands of Churches in this land. Yet, all of these modernistic churches with their pompt and ritualism are no substitute for the saving grace of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

Simon Peter knew that there was no substitute for the salvation of Christ, for we find recorded that great confession in John 6:68-69, just previous to this statement by Peter, some of the disciples of Jesus, "walked no more with Him," as "many of His disciples went back." Jesus then turned to the twelve and asked this pointed question, "Will ye also go away?" Old impetuous Peter, always quick to speak, said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life, and we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Peter knew as millions since have found out, that there is no substitute, only Christ has the words of eternal life.

There is no substitute for Salvation because there is no other way unto the Father, "I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me," - John 14:6. There is no substitute for Salvation, because there is none other door to heaven, " I am the door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture," - John 10:9.

THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR THE POWER OF GOD. There are lots of things done today that people attribute to the power of God, but we declare that there is no substitute for the genuine power of God. The reason there is counterfeit money is that there is genuine money. So it is in the spiritual realm; the reason for the sham, hypocrisy, and pretense in the professing Christian is that there is a genuine Christian. All of man's scheming, conniving, planning and working doesn't substitute for the ability that God without limit has. Jesus declared the source of the true power of God, just before He ascended back to the father, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the utter most part of the earth." - Acts 1:8. The blessed third person of the Trinity, the Holy Ghost, is the source of our Power for service today. Unless we have the mighty enduement of power according to Acts 2:4, we will not be effective servants of the Lord. Psychology, education, and other natural means are no substitute for the power of God. "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKETH IN US," - Ephesians 3:20.

THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR DEVINE HEALING. Even though medical science has contributed an invaluable service to the welfare of mankind, it is no substitute for the healing power of Christ, the One of whom is written, "WITH HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED," and again "HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND BORE OUR SICKNESSES," is still the same yesterday, today and forever. He performs His healing power in the life of an individual when He sees a spark of living Faith. "Only believe" and you will see the glory of God.....THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. People usually possess some anticipation for the future. Many look forward to a time when they will have no money, some look to a time when they will own their home or automobile. Regardless of the anticipation that we may have in this life, there is no substitute for the anticipation of the second coming of Christ. That Jesus is coming again is a definite part of the Holy Word of God. The Lord, Himself, declared that He would return. "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:1 KJV . Then we have the testimony of the angels just after Jesus ascended. Acts 1:10 "And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." The Apostle Paul penned the following words as he was inspired by the Holy Ghost, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." I Thessalonians 4:16 KJV. My friends, what are you looking for today? Dear ones, I urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour today, for the grace of God that bringeth this Salvation teaches us to be Titus 2:13 KJV "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;" Christians, are you really looking for the Lord to come again? Remember these vital words of Hebrews 9:27-28, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."

THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR THE TRUTH! What is the truth? We find the answer in the following scriptures, "Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all." John 18:37-38 " Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6 "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32. Dear ones, we find by the scriptures that truth is without fault, the Word is truth, and ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free. No, friends, there is no substitute for Christ our Lord.

The Apostle Paul told us in II Timothy 2:15-19, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity."

Be not satisfied with a SUBSTITUTE when you can have the genuine Salvation, the real power of God, divine healing through the atonement, posses that glorious anticipation of the second coming of Christ, and you shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE because Christ the Lord has opened the true and Living Way. Amen.

Reprinted from the 1994 4th. Quarter issue of the "AIGA International Gospel Herald"