The Testing, Persecution And Trials Of Yahweh's People Are Making Us Worthy Of The Great Kingdom Of Yahweh

I don't know if you remember, if all of you were here when the persecution first started. I remember when we cast lots to see whether to come out of the churches and, you know, because for years I tried to teach them. But they came there to study with me and a lot of the stuff that I showed them, they brought out in their sermons. And one of the things, of course, that I showed them was the Name Yahweh, of course. And that always entered into the conversation because I never used anything else at that time, except Yahweh. And so I showed them this.

But anyway, we came out. But before we came out, I talked to [at that time] my family about it, and I said, you know, if we cast lots, we're gonna have to do what the lot says, you know. You can't cast lots and then go back and go the other way. And I said, I want you to know, we are going to suffer severe persecution. I knew enough about the Scriptures, at that time, to know that this Work that was going to be carried on, was going to be the most hated of all nations, all before us.

So I said, you know, you've got to understand this now. I'm not lying to you. You better understand, we are going to suffer persecution and suffer it severely. And there'll be all kinds of lies made up against us because I saw the false witnesses, you know, that were brought against all the Prophets before. And they used false witnesses and people who lie.

Well, the persecution, when it started coming, you know, it was severe. All three television stations, they advertised all the day long that the neighbor said that The House of Yahweh members were dirty, nasty people. They had lies, they had their lies on there and twisted words.

And I told you here recently, I knew you were being tried, I knew the depression was on; the pressure was on. I knew that you were going to be tried and you, of course, when I told you that, you didn't understand that it was gonna come from the inside and you didn't know, it was your wife, or your husband, or your children, or whatever it was that was going to, you know, bring about a trial for you, to see if you were strong enough to stay in The House of Yahweh. You didn't know that. [laughing] Well it started coming. You should have known it. You should have been prepared, you should have been. You should have had your mind prepared.

But I can tell you this, brethren: Yahweh is guiding His House. He's perfecting you. And I do believe that. [applause] Praise Yahweh. But Yahweh is protecting His House. He's bringing it to perfection.

But I do know, and if you'd believe this, you know, when you came to The House of Yahweh, you actually came to the Priest and you said, you know, "I want to be a member of Yahweh's House." Well, of course, every person who lives Righteously, as Yahshua, will suffer persecution.

And it will get worse, you know. But Yahweh's building you, you know, He's building you. And you need to get your backbone, you know, straightened up and you need to get some grit in your teeth, [laughing, applause] and determination. Hell is wanting to kill you, brethren. She's been wanting to do it ever since you started here, ever since you came here. And when you said you wanted to be a member of Yahweh's House, Yahweh had to try you to see if you truly want to be a member of His House, or whether you're gonna stop and go back to baal and their laws and their authorities and so forth.

- Overseer Yisrayl Hawkins 10/20/07