You need to get your bible and follow along with us. We certainly don't want you to get no misconceptions. Glory.

We are going to start in the 3rd chapter of Matthew this morning.

Lets start at the 13th verse. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and cometh thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

Now the scripture that I read you in Matthew, 3rd chapter and the 15th verse, it said, and Jesus answering said unto him, ''Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." You notice that the word All, not to fulfill the Law , nor not to fulfill grace, but to fulfill all righteousness.

Now if you think that I have been preaching hard on the Holy Ghost and if you think that I am fanatical about believing that you have to have the Holy Ghost to get to heaven then you are really going to think I am fanatical when I get through here this morning.

Because I want you to notice three verses in the third chapter of the book of Matthew here. Starting from the 10th verse thru to the 12th. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Now if you will notice here he is talking about the first and second advent of the Lord. Notice that he is bringing in the first covenant of the Lord and the second covenant in that 10th verse. now is the axe laid at every tree. Every tree that bringth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Talking about the end of time, in this 10th verse.

Now in the 11th verse he does not change the subject. A lot of people would lead you to believe that he does. But lets see what he says. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost , and with fire. Now he is talking about the first coming and the second coming, I will prove it to you by the bible if you will allow me to.

Alright go to the 12th verse he is still talking about the first and second coming. He hasn't changed the subject in these three verses. Whose fan is in his hand , and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. See he is talking about the present and the end of time in all three verses.

I know that a lot of people say he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. Well the only time that I see in the bible when God baptized people with fire was in his wrath. What did John say? He said ''you generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee the wrath to come?" He is talking about what is to come at the end of the world. (Mat.3:7).

Alright lets start off and read up to this and kind of go gentle because I know that this is going to throw you, if you are not careful. But I will be talking about some of the things that we have already studied. I know that it is hard but I have to take it too. How many believe that this word applys to me just like it does to you? Then it shouldn't be any harder for you than it is for me. HaHa!

Just going to build a little for you to get started on, to let you know what we are talking about so you will see what it is. Lets turn to Numbers 4:23.

From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them, all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation. Now from 30 years old and upward to 50, if you are going to work in the congregation of the Lord that is when you do it.

Leviticus 8:5 And Moses said unto the congregation, This is the thing which the Lord commanded to be done. And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. The 12th verse, And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron 's head, and anointed him. Now the last three words tells why he anointed him.

(Lev.8:12). To sanctify him. It takes the anointing to sanctify you.

What are we anointed with? The Holy Ghost! Then Hebrews 10:14 said that he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Isn't that clear? Haha! He has perfected for ever them that are sanctified. How do you get sanctified? By the anointing , praise God. If you get anointed by the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost will sanctify you.

You say I would like to see some new testament scripture for that. Ok lets find some.

Lets try Romans 15:16 and see what it says. That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God , that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

Praise God! How do we get sanctified? What happens after we get sanctified? We are perfected for ever. Praise God!

My qualifications are not to great. (just had his licenses taken from him for preaching perfection.) (Gr ) Lets look at Jesus qualifications and see how he qualified.

The bible said that he came to John to be baptized of John and John said, no I have need to be baptized of you. But Jesus said, to fill all righteousness lets get on with it. And he baptized him. (Mat. 3:14 -16). You say why was he baptized? Because to be a priest when you reached 30 years old, you had to be washed with water and anointed with oil. (Lev. 8:5-12).

They didn't call it baptizing. They called it washing of the water. You say why do you think they had baptizing? Because Paul  in Hebrews 6th chapter and starting at the first verse says, Let us go on unto perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, toward God. Of doctrine of baptisms,baptisms, baptisms. Why they even baptized for the dead. The apostles contented with them one time and said, you claim you don't believe in the resurrection , then if the dead rise not why are they baptized for the dead? (1Cor.15-29) Baptism must have a meaning.

And Jesus said , ''Baptize me so we can fulfill all righteousness.

Now under the law Jesus did not have the qualifications to be a priest. Because he came up in the line of Juda and the Priesthood was in the line of Levi. He wasn't qualified to be a priest. In order for Jesus to become a priest the law had to be discontinued. If the law had continued our Lord and Savior could have never been a priest. You say then what happened to the law? Well we are going to read about it. I want to give you what the bible say's.

(Luke3:31-33) (Gen.49:10) (Luke 2:4) (Heb.7:5) (Heb.7:22-25).

Matthew 11:13 For the law and the prophets were until John. Now lets see what Romans 10:4 say's. This one is really going to hurt. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Then I have the right if anyone tells me that I have to keep the law to say, they are not a believer. Christ is the end of the law to every one that believeth. If I am a believer the law ended at John and Christ came.

In order to be a priest they had to come when they was 30 years old and be baptized or be washed with water and be anointed. At that time under the law they were anointed with oil. The bible said that Jesus was made of a woman and made under the law. (Gal.4:4). He came to John at the river and he said we are going to fulfill all righteousness. There ain't going to be any more righteousness under the law. We are going to fulfill it. The law is going to cease. (Heb.10:1-4).

Luke 3:22 say's, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him. And the 23rd verse said, And Jesus himself began to be about 30 years of age. Hahaha, Praise God, Hallelujah! Aren't you glad for Jesus?

He begin to be about 30 years old and he was washed in water and he was anointed with the Spirit. Glory be to God . Hallelujah! The bible said he didn't come to destroy the law but to fulfill all concerning him. (Mat.5:17). Brother he didn't come to be a priest under the law but he came to be a priest after the order of Melchisedec. For this Melchissdec, King of Salem, priest of the most high God, without father, without mother,without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but abideth a priest continually. (Heb.7:1,3,11,17,21).

Forever brother with no beginning or no end. He is our high priest. I could go further than that. I could say that he was anointed to be a prophet, priest and king. Praise God! HaHa. (Heb.4:14-15). (Heb.9:11) They come to John and said tell us art thou the Christ? It said John confessed,''I am not the Christ ''. They said ,''If you be not the Christ why baptizest thou then''? They had heard that when Christ come he was going to do some baptizing. He said, ''I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance': But he that cometh after me is mightier than I , whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost , and with fire." (John 1;19,20,25,26) (Mat.3;11).

He didn't say if he likes you he will baptize you or if he don't he wont baptize you. The bible said that John was preaching to the Pharisees and the Sadduces with all the others that went out to him. The bible said all Judea and all the region round about Jordan came to be baptized of him. (Mat.3:5-9).

And John said to the Pharisees and the Sadduces, ''who has warned you to flee the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance and think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." Hallelujah!

Now, 1Corinthians 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and redemption. He has made what? He has made unto us righteousness. The only righteousness that there be is in the power of God. There is no righteousness outside of the power of God.

Now, if he is our righteousness, do you know how we get righteous? If you are looking for righteousness any where except in Christ you are looking in the wrong place. The bible said he was made righteousness unto us. Praise God!

1John 3:7 says: "Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. Let nobody deceive you. 2Corinthians 5:21: " For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him". The righteousness of God in him. How many are righteous as he is righteous, even as he is righteous? If you are not righteous as he is righteous, you are not righteous at all. Little children let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous.

No wonder Jesus said "except your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisee's, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.'' Matthew 5:20 You see Jesus righteousness will exceed every thing. It exceed's the righteousness of the law. It exceed's the righteousness of the Pharisee, it exceed's self righteousness. It exceed's all righteousness so therefore he was baptized and was given authority and anointing to be a priest over us to fulfill righteousness. Praise God !

Would you like for me to say something that is real hard? You know they said to Jesus ''this is a hard saying, who can hear it or who can receive it?'' John 6:60. I have been in the gospel preaching for about 30 some years and the first or second sermon I preached, see this is not something that I started new. I was not raised in church. I have no religious back ground. I was not taught the doctrines of men. I happened to be in a church or I thought that I happened in and the Lord saved me. The reason that I know that he saved me is because he filled me with the Holy Ghost.

Didn't I preach to you last Sunday how we know that he abides in us? Because of the Spirit that he has given us. We know that he is there because of the Spirit. 1John 3:24 The second message that I ever preached was on Luke 6 and 40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. You know what they did? They sat there and looked at me like I was a man out of Mar's, and I was just a young man. I wondered a lot of times why they didn't comment about it but they didn't. Nobody ever said any thing about it.

I told my wife coming down here today, I said, you know some times I don't feel like I am preaching hard enough. Because the bible said that they had a contention against Paul. Nobody has no contention against me. I have been preaching for over 30 year's and I have never had anybody to come to me and say let's sit down with the bible and discuss it. 30 years! They pass their opinion's on to other people. I said their opinion's.

Now John he was baptizing Jesus and many people were gathering around and John said to the Pharisee's and Sadducee's, ''You generation of viper's.'' Looks like he would have lost his crowd. I have never been afraid of loosing anybody because I preach hard. I feel this way about it, if I tell men and women the truth, brother my children didn't always do what I told them to do but I told them the truth. If they didn't live by it then they had to give an account for it.

Matthew 3:10 John said '' now, right now, the axe is laid at the root of the tree''. And he said you had better straighten up and bring forth some fruit. Because if you don't bring forth some fruit you are going to be hewn down and cast into the fire. Fruit of what? Fruit of the Spirit. You cannot bring forth fruit of the Spirit except you have the Spirit of God.

If sister Bonnie would come to me and say brother Ratcliff I have a cherry tree in my yard and when they get ripe I will bring you a big bucket of cherries. Then if I drive by her house and don't see a cherry tree I might get the impression that she is lying to me. But if I drive by and see that cherry tree there, I could say to my wife, honey do you know what sister Bonnie said? She said when them cherries get ripe she is going to bring me a bucket of them.

I believe that if you are going to have any fruit then you are going to have to have a tree. If I would go by sister Bonnie's house and she didn't have a cherry tree but brought me a bucket of cherries and I find cherries growing all over the ground, that would be a miracle. Because we expect to get cherries off of a cherry tree. Some tree's have to be grafted but we get cherries from a cherry tree and apricot's from an apricot tree.

Matthew 12:33 said, that you would know the tree by it's fruit. I know when men and women don't have the fruit of the Spirit, they don't have God's Spirit. Now, John said right now the axe is laid at the foot of the tree. Every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Matthew 3:10 Gee, let's see what the next verse say's. Verse 11 he say's ''I indeed baptise you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and fire."

Now why would he talk about the present and the end in verse 10 and leave it off in verse 11, then go back to it in verse 12? He didn't , the bible said that there was a multitude of people out there and John said , he shall baptize you, All of you people out there is going to be baptized. If you are not baptized with the Holy Ghost then you are going to be baptized with fire. You say have you got any proof of that? If I didn't have I wouldn't be preaching it. (Mat.3:5).

Turn with me to Malachi the fourth chapter and read the first to the sixth verse.Do you know what John was saying? He was repeating what Malachi had said, only in his own way. Said, For,behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings, and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this ,saith the Lord of hosts. Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. Glory! So all we have to do is wait for Elijah.

Matthew 17:11-13 And Jesus answered and said unto them, ''Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.'' Jesus is going to suffer likewise as John did. He is going to be put to death. Then the disciples under stood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. (Mat.3:7,11) Who has warned you to flee the wrath to come? Fire is Gods wrath, fire is not a blessing. I am sure this is what the Lord dealt with me about. That is not something that we like to hear about. It don't sound to good. They always come to me and say now listen here preacher, I want to tell you that my old grandmother is just as righteous as they ever get and if she didn't make heaven there ain't nobody going to make it, And she didn't have the Holy Ghost.

Well I am not listening to what gramma said. I am listening to what sayest the word of God. It said that you are going to be baptized. you will either be baptized with the Holy Ghost or you will be baptized with fire. He is talking about the end of the world. When he comes to gather up the wicked and they will be cast into the lake of fire. And you get inside the lake of fire I will guarantee you one thing you have been baptized. (Mat.3;11)

I don't need the Holy Ghost that is a gift you say. It sounded to me like John the Baptist thought you needed it . It sound's to me like Jesus thought you needed it. It sounds to me like Paul thought you needed it. It sounds to me like Peter thought you needed it. In fact Paul went so far as to say if you don't believe Jesus came to fulfill the law then you are not a believer. Now that is pretty strong. (Mat.3:11) (John 7:38-39) (Acts 19:2) (Acts 2:38) (Romans 10:4) (Gal:3:13).

I will tell you one thing , the reason that we don't get any more results than we do , when Peter, James and John went with Jesus to pray for the dead and when the people laughed to scorn because Jesus said she is not dead. Jesus put them all out except for the believers. And delivered the maid alive to her parents. (Luke8:51-56). He put out all disbelief. Sometimes I think when we are trying to get something done and we are praying for the ones in need , we should say is there anyone in here that believes that you have to live under the law ? And if there is we should ask them to step out side till we pray for these people. Because we need believers here to pray for the people. I thought I heard a weak amen somewhere. HaHa!

These signs shall follow them that believe. (Mark 16;17) How am I going to do something in his name if I don't believe on him? Praise God! The believers! Alright let me go in the circle again, if you don't believe that the law ceased. The law came by Moses but grace and truth by Jesus Christ. How many believe that this morning? The law came by Moses but grace and truth by Jesus Christ. John 14:12 say's, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these because I go to my Father. You say I cant do the works because I don't have the Holy Ghost. Then you are saying if you don't have the Holy Ghost you are not a believer. I didn't say it.

If I had five dollars I would give it for one big amen. (church body saying amen) I owe you five. Praise God! He that believeth on me as gramma has said shall receive the Holy Ghost? Are we going to take what mama, husband or the wife say's or are we going to take what the bible say's? The bible said, He that believeth on me as the scripture hath said. (John7:38) Glory! Aren't you glad I am preaching like this? I got three amens that time. I am going to keep on till I get more.

Now you see this is not what the world wants to hear. But they are not going to be judged by what they think. The bible say's that when Jesus comes back he is coming with all of his Holy Angels. He shall set upon His throne of His glory and all nations shall be gathered before Him. And He shall separate them as a shepard separates the sheep from the goats. He will say to the unrighteous get over here on my left and the righteous over on the right. (Mat.16:27) (Rev.7:9) (Mat.25:31-34).

He is going to say to them on the left you are fixing to get baptized. John told you that I was going to baptize you and you chose the fire rather than the Spirit. (Mat.3:11) Do you know the reason that I preach this way? We have been preached to for so many years that you can just slide through till the church has lost the burden. The saint's have lost the vision and the people are dying and going to the lake of fire, burning forever. Brother my bible say's that you are going to be baptized. The choice is your's not mine. You know this don't make me popular, how many has noticed that? But I never started out to win a popularity contest.

I never started out to see how many people that I could get in one building. I never started out to see how much money that I could fleece the people for. I started out brother because the Lord showed me to preach the truth. And that is what I am going to preach as long as I have breath in this body. Let me tell you something. If you live next door to a man and you have grain in a field and he has got grain in a field also and he goes out to reap his but tell's you not to reap your's because there is nothing to be concerned about every thing is fine. If he believed that why was he gathering in his grain? When men and women tell you that you don't need the Holy Ghost ask them if they have the Holy Ghost.

I tell you I thought we was getting along here. Maybe I had better back up to the beginning. I thought that we had preached down that line enough. We have been working up to this for about a year and a half. What would you have done if when I came to El Paso church a year and a half ago and got up and said you are either going to be baptized with the Holy Ghost or with fire? Well I am not sure that you won't say that I am a fanatic after listening to me here but that is what my bible say's.

Because he won't say in one place that you can't make it without the Holy Ghost without saying it somewhere else. I can sit with you day and night, seven day's a week and I will never run out of way's to show you that you cannot make it without the Spirit of God. That is the way it is. Hallelujah! (whistle's) Hallelujah!

To be a priest, when you become thirty years old, you had to be washed with water and anointed with oil. (Mumbers4:23) Jesus was washed with water and anointed with the Spirit. (Matthew3:13- 17) He is my high priest. (Hebrews 9:11) If you want to go back under the law , haha, but my high priest is Jesus. You take any verse that I have read here this morning, just one verse will let you preach for hours. How many remember what I have been preaching to you for over a year and a half? Do you remember how it goes? He that believeth on me as the scripture hath said out of his belly, might flow? Jesus said, if you believe on him as the scripture hath said, out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water. (John 7:38-39)

You say I believe on him as the scripture hath said but it don't flow. I thought people here today with the baptism of the Holy Ghost would be shouting all over the place because they missed the baptism with fire. How many wants to be baptized with fire? Just in case that I am standing up here some time and fire comes down out of heaven and the fire devours me in your presence would you say that was a blessing from God?

Old Elijah went out and sit upon top of a mountain and Ahaziah the king sent out a captain of fifty with his fifty out after Elijah. Do you think that Elijah said Lord bless them and baptize them with fire? The bible said that fire came down from God out of heaven and consumed them. (2 Kings1:1-10)

How many times have you heard someone testify, I thank God that he baptized me with the Holy Ghost and with that fire? Well, I thank God that he didn't baptize me with fire. The Holy Ghost is good enough for me. Hallelujah! Now let's go back again, Now is the axe laid at the root. Every tree that bringth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the lake of fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance but there is one coming after me whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner, and the chaff shall be burned with unquenchable fire.

From Matthew chapter 3 and verses 10 to 12 he never deviated. He gave you three different examples. He said if you don't have fruit you are going to burn. If you don't have the Holy Ghost you can't have any fruits. And you have to be wheat or chaff, you have to be one or the other.All three verses meant the same thing At the end you are going to be a believer bringing forth fruit or you are going to be a disbeliever that cant bring forth fruit and be burned. (Gal.5:22-23).

Let me tell you that when God opens up my understanding and lets me see the scriptures it is a blessing to me and as I pray that as I give it to you that it will bless you also. My Lord, Hallelujah! (the people are saying preach it ) Ha ha, Glory!

He didn't say I am going to tell you about the blessing to come. John didn't say why are you fleeing the blessing but who warned you to flee the wrath to come? Let me ask you this, why would he use fire in the 10th verse to mean a curse and in the 12 th verse to mean a curse and then in the 11th verse he would give it to you for a blessing? If it was a curse in the 10th verse, it was a curse in the 12th verse, it was a curse in the 11th verse. (whistles) (Mat.3:10-12).

We have got in such a habit and got so lazy, you notice that I didn't say you, I said we. How many noticed that I said we? We have got in such a big hurry, so lazy, you know why? Because when they do get people at the altar they have them to stand and say, now you do believe that Jesus is the Christ and then you are saved. Just for an example if I said I was a mule would you believe I was just because I said so?

In the heart a man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans10:10 ). The scripture say's whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 9:33 ) That is why I confess with my mouth, because I believe on him. What happens when you believe on him? I received the Holy Ghost. That is the reason that I confess him and am not ashamed. Because when I believed on him, I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. You say I don't believe it like he does. Well I don't want you to believe it like I do. But I want you to believe it like the bible say's.

In Matthew chapter three, if the fire in the 10th verse is wrath from God and the fire in the 12th verse is wrath from God, then why isn't the fire in the 11th verse wrath from God? How many knows what I have been talking about? Praise God!

I would like for you to look out there toward the end of the world and then look at our congregation here this morning, see the ones that are not baptized with the Holy Ghost and say Lord help me to get them full of the Holy Ghost. Because if they don't get full of the Holy Ghost they are going to burn. Is that strong? Why do we get anointed? To sanctify us. The anointing of the Holy Ghost will sanctify you. Then what happens after you get sanctified? You are perfected forever. (Hebrews 10:14)