Show Us The Father And It'll Satisfy Us

Connersville, Indiana, USA

53-0610

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Happy to be here, and greet you with the warmest of Christian love, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who suffered for us, the Innocent for we guilty. And one time being alienated from God, now has brought us nigh unto Him by the shedding of His blood, that we're called sons and daughters of God. It does not yet appear what we shall be in the final end, but we'll know we'll have a body like His, for we shall see Him as He is. That's worth it all, isn't it? That's right.
Well, last evening I was thrilled to my heart was almost standing still, when I looked and seen that tent full of people seeking God. That was a greater thrill to me than anything I've seen in a long time. It's the first time I made an altar call, I guess, since I left Africa.
One—the altar call there consist of thirty thousand got saved at one time; and then—when they had seen the glory of our Lord. And that was about the second altar call of that type that I've had since I—I left Africa.
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I remember we was standing in Durban, and there was about some hundred thousand, close to it, gathered in. We couldn't see what was down the street for three or four city blocks. And so there were many doctors and people setting around. And upon a platform built out... It was a racetrack in this, but it was much larger than Churchill Downs. Durban has the second largest in the world. London, England, has the first—the largest racetrack, then Durban, South Africa. I think Churchill Downs ranks fourth, or third, or fourth, fifth, somewhere along then.
So the place was just jammed with people all out across the track this way and all, and the stand was built way out in the field. Then for three city blocks, down every—every aisle they were setting in the streets, for three city blocks. They couldn't get the people in. And many of them packing little mud idols and claimed to be Christians, going along, but when...
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That afternoon the mayor of the city brought me out, and I—talking to a man, a colored man there, he was just... I said, “Why are they packing them—them tags?”
Said, “That means they're Christians.”
I said, “Well there's a man packing an idol, and still he's a Christian?”
Said, “Oh, yes.” Said, “Would you like to talk him?” He said, “He's a Zulu; I can talk to him.”
I said, “All right.”
Now, he—we pulled the car in. He said, “Just call him John or anything you want to call him. He'll—he'll answer you.”
So, and I called the—a name; well then, he answered through the interpreter of course. And I said, “Are you a Christian?”
“Oh, yeah.” He was a Christian. And I said, “Well, why the idol?” had blood sprinkled all over it, little mud figures. Oh, they had all kind of freakish looking things.
And I said, “Well, what's the—the... What about the idols?”
“Well, that's god too.” See?
And I said, “God too? There's only one God.” See?
And he said, “Oh, that was god.” Said his father packed it.
And I said, “Well, what—what'd your father pack it for?”
Said, “Well, one day the lion got after him, and—and he built up a little fire and said a prayer, and the lion went away. So it was a god of power.” So he packed it too. If the Christian God failed, then he'd go to that one. Not very much Christianity there. You see?
So then, I said, “There's nothing in that idol.”
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But that day, the first one on the platform, I'll never forget. They couldn't give out prayer cards; we just had the missionaries to go out and get so many out of each group and bring them to the platform. And there was...
I remember the first woman passed across the—what they told me, and the tapes reading them back. There was a woman who had had a—a female disorder. And she was a Mohammedan; she had a red dot between her eyes. There's some twenty or thirty thousand of those over, way over to my left (See?), in that direction: and very staunch Mohammedans. (Mahatma Gandhi's boy was there.) And so they said. They have a red dot; the priest puts it between their eyes; and that means that they deny the existence that Jesus was the Son of God. They believe in God, Jehovah God, but they believe Mohammed was His prophet (You see?), and not Jesus. Said Jesus a good man, but He—He wasn't the—the real prophet that—that Mohammed was. In Jerusalem they got a wall built, and on one end they got a little, bitty tower, that's—that's where Jesus will come to. And they have a great big tower; that's where Mohammed's a coming. You talk about superstitions, this world certainly has got them.
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Then when—when this woman come up, why—they had talk to an interpreter, and they said, asked... I asked her if she believed. She said, “Yes.” So it told her about what was her trouble.
She looked at me; she said, “That's right,” (See?) through the interpreter, of course.
And I said, “Your husband was with you when you went to the doctor.”
She said, “Yes.”
I said, “He's wearing a gray suit, wasn't he? Doesn't he have a mustache?”
Said, “Yes.” That was right. See?
And so I said, “Why did you come to me, and—and why didn't you go to the priest at the temple?”
She said she believed. And I said, “Well, you believe in—in Christ?”
And she said, “Karishener.”
And I said, “Not Karishener, Christ.” Karishener is their incarnated god. I said, “Not Karishener, Christ.” And she—she said... I said, “Well now, do you believe me to be the—His servant?”
“Yes.”
I said, “Then if I be His servant, I speak of Jesus Christ.” I said, “Will you accept Him as your Saviour?”
She said, “Yes,” she would. And then we prayed for her.
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Then the next one come was a woman with a very odd thing. The woman didn't have hardly, I forget, just a little something didn't amount to much. But when the woman was standing there, it begin to get real dark around her. And I watched it; it faded out; and I seen them packing her away. Now, many times I see death at the person, but I won't say nothing about it; I just say, “The Lord bless you,” pray for them, send them on away. See? 'Cause prayer could change that. See? Hezekiah did in his case, didn't it? It changed it. So I won't tell them unless I see that it's already... This woman was being packed to the grave.
And I said, told her what her trouble was, and she said, “That's right.” And she was a—an Afrikaans woman. Which, an African... We usually think; we think of Afrikaans, he's a—he's a black man, but an Afrikaans is a white man. An African is a black man, called Kafir.
But this—this woman, when she came, and was telling her what her trouble was, very minor, but I said, “Lady, you prepare for death, because you're not going to live but just a little bit.” In less than twenty minutes she was a corpse. See? Walked right off the platform and set down, begin to say, “Well, now...” She was talking to her husband and them out there and said, “I can't understand it; I've never had no sickness, just a—maybe a little cyst or something.” And—and in a few minutes she was standing there laughing about something, and just right over she went, and that was it. She died right there. And see? If—if I'd been a healer, I'd have healed her. See, see? I'm not the healer; God is the Healer. See? So I could only say what He told me.
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And then, the next coming through was a little black boy. Now, some of you little children here, when you go out here to this fountain, and drink, and the many things you have, you know how little African boys have to drink? They lay right down and drink anywhere they can find some water; no matter if it's muddy or what it is, they have to drink it anyhow; they haven't got any more. And when they eat, they just find whatever they can find; they have to eat that; because, well, haven't got nothing else to eat. And these little fellows, when they—they have a cow, and they take a porcupine quill and stick it in its throat here, in its jugular vein and dra—drain what they call a—a gourd, but it isn't, it's made out of animal skins, a little sack, about like that. And they drain half full of blood, and then milk the rest of it with milk, and put a stick and churn it up and down like that, and it makes a cake like a—like a lollipop. That's what they have. And this little fellow had had his diet. And they wear no clothes, just a little bit of beads.
And so his little tummy here was just as bloody as it could be from where he'd eat his—his meal. And he—poor little fellow was cross-eyed, and he was standing there. And I said, “Now, 'course, anyone knows I couldn't heal the child.” I said, “You can see it's cross-eyed.” But I said, “God is the only One could heal it.” I said, “I couldn't have nothing to do with it.” I said, “As far as its little life, how—what happened—or what's—if there's anything in the way, God would perhaps show that to me.” But I said, “Now, to heal it, I can't, 'cause I'm just a man.”
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And I guess there was twenty doctors or more setting on the platform. The—the medical association give me the right hand of fellowship, right down through Africa. Said, “That's truly Divine healing.” And so we had that all in papers, if anybody, any doctor happened to be present like to look it over, well, that's perfectly all right. See? We'd be glad to let you see it.
And so they—this little lad was standing there. And while I was looking at him, I said, “Why, I see...” I said, “The boy was born that way.” I said, “He come that way.”
And so—and the Zulu interpreter... They had fifteen different interpreters there for fifteen different tribes of people. So they—they... Zulu interpreter gave that, and the mother raised up that that was the truth, setting, the place out on the—the plain there. And so that was right; she raised up her hand. And then while I was looking at the little fellow, I looked right back at him again. He was out of a Christian family. I looked back, his little eyes was straight as mine or yours.
So I said, “Well, 'course anyone knows, he's already healed.” He was standing about as far as that chair from me. I said, “He's healed. There's his eyes; you're looking at him.” So I said, “Pass on little lad.”
And the interpreter said, “Pass on.”
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And I heard an argument over here on my side, and I wondered what it was. And I was looking at someone else, a fixing to pray for them. And so then I happened to hear... There was a doctor trying to get over where I was at. And so Mr. Baxter told him, said, “No, you can't do that.” And Mr. Bosworth was trying to get him away, and so they... He just kept on; he wanted to come anyhow.
And so I turned around, said, “What's the matter, Doctor?”
He said, “What'd you do to that boy, Reverend Branham? Did you hypnotize that child?”
I said, “Certainly not, certainly not. I couldn't hypnotize him. (See?) I...”
He said, “Well...”
I said, “If hypnotism will make his eyes straight...” I said, “You mean to tell me ya—ya—you licensed to practice medicine and—and don't know no more about hypnotism than that?” I said, “Well, if hypnotism would straighten a child's eye, you better start practicing hypnotism.” See? I said, “It wasn't hypnotism; it was the power of God.”
And they had beautiful, big lilies up in the part of the country where we were at. They had a bunch of them setting on the platform. I said... They... He said, “Now, I know God's in those lilies,” said, “that's true.” But said, “Now, God being out here visible to make that child's eyes straight, I can't see that.”
I said, “Well now, the only thing you've got to do is... You can either take what I said, the boy's eyes...”
He said, “Well, I let him through the gate.”
I said, “Then you know his eyes were crossed.”
He said, “Sure, standing here looking at him.”
And I said, “Well now, his are straight, isn't it?”
Said, “Yeah.”
I said, “Jesus Christ,” I said, “did it. So now, it's all in...?...”
So he said, “Just a moment.” And they started to pull him back, Mr. Bosworth, and he said, “Just a moment,” and he walked to the microphone, said, “I want to accept Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour too.”
And then a little while later God gave a great miracle of a crippled man, and that's when the miracle of God was performed, when in that one day thirty thousand souls come to Christ.
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Now, we have... This is Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday; four nights yet, and Sunday afternoon service. I certainly appreciate you people of coming out here on these cool nights, and they're... And a nice little audience for this city here, way out away from other cities and things. You have to drive, and this is two weeks. You don't know how I appreciate it, and how that you've been a great inspiration to me. I mean that from my heart.
Last night, God begin to speak to me about something after I left here. Now, I don't mean to say that now like that He came down to me in a vision; I'm very particular about that. And then this morning again, it came to me again. And, Brother Beeler, tomorrow night, if possible, I'll buy you a spool. I want what I say tomorrow night on a recording so I can send it to the “Voice of Healing,” and every one of the religious papers. I want this article published, what I want to say tomorrow night; if you'll do that for me. It's something that I—I been warning; it's been coming to my heart for some time. I—I want to get it to you tomorrow night; it's concerning Divine healing; if God willing.
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Tonight, I promised you I was going to talk about a—a Gospel subject and... See, Divine healing is—that's the bait that's on the hook. As I said the other night, you don't never show the fishy the—the hook, you show him the bait. And so we... That's what Diving healing... Jesus Christ, about eighty percent of His ministry was on Divine healing. But in there they watched and seen that He—what He done was—was of God. And then He told them the truth, and that's what won them to God. That's what is—the ministry's for. That's what God intends it to be for.
And now, tonight... Now, don't forget; tomorrow night I've got a—a special talk I want to say maybe just previous, or prior to my sermon, rather. And then, I promised every one of you here, that come that we was going to pray for everybody here if we possibly could. And God being my Helper, I'm going to stick to that, as I... See? I want to pray for every sick person who comes to be prayed for. I want to do my best to pray for every one of them, so I—before I leave the city. And I couldn't ask for no more time. The mayor of this city, and their board, and so forth has been very nice to us. We appreciate them, and the business men, and every one of the city, all the officials, to let us have this place, and we're—we're grateful to those men. And I pray that God will bless them in every way. Bless the little city in every way that it can be, and may you grow and prosper and God be with you in everything you do.
I just trust that you'll have an old fashion revival that every sinner in this city will become a Christian, is my prayer. Let him belong to whatever church he desires to, that's his business. I hope that every person comes to church and does what's right. That's...?... It's the... [Blank spot on tape]...?...
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... if you'd like to read it with me, or... why I'd be glad for you to do it. And now, said:
Let not your hearts be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father's house is many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go and prepare a place for you.
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.
And where I go you know, and the way you know.
Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not where thou goest; and how can we know the way?
Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
If you'd known me, you should have known my Father also: and from henceforth you know him, and have seen him.
Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Now, may the Lord add His blessings as we pray. Our heavenly Father, we thank Thee tonight for the Blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, that cleanses us from all sin. And knowing as we bow our heads to the dust from where we were taken, and knowing that someday we got to return back to that dust... The atoms that holds this body together will break some of these days through the corruption of the flesh. They'll be loose in this air where they was before they made up this body, but, God, You know where every one of them will be. That every man that's borned of the Spirit of God has Everlasting Life and shall never come into condemnation, but's pass from death unto Life. And we thank Thee for these things.
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Lord, our hearts tonight, as we look out across the world and see the great signs of the Scriptures being fulfilled, and see the worlds, as it was, staggering in with a headache band around it wondering what next. Great atomic weapons and hydrogen bombs and everything in the hands of sinful men, where one relay of that could blow the earth to—to bits... And knowing this, that the Bible has spoke so definitely of the last days, how these things would be...
Looking around at the nature of the people, seeing that we're in the spirit of the last day... They had to get in the spirit of the antediluvian world before they could be destroyed. They have to be in the spirit of war before they can have war. God, let us be in the Spirit of Christ tonight so we can have Christ. Let us be in the Spirit of repentance, a Spirit of faith. Give it to us tonight, our Father, of these great treasures of life. They're so freely, just by asking. And realizing that the greatest things of life, and the only real lasting things are the unseen...
And may Thy Spirit come tonight and fill every heart. Reclaim every backslider and save every sinner. And may the—those who are seeking the baptism of the Holy Spirit, may He come tonight and fill every heart. May the sick be healed, God receive glory. For we ask it in the Name of His beloved Son, Jesus our Lord. Amen.
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For our subject, I want to use this: “Show Us The Father And It'll Satisfy Us.” The word “sufficeth” means “to satisfy.”
Now, that's been the hungry call of the people for—for ages: to see God. How many of you here tonight would really like to see God? I'd just like to your hands. Would you like to see Him? Well, if by God's Word, and by God's help I can bring God right in this meeting that you can see Him, will you accept Him? That's what I want to ask you, if you... Well, there's a third of you would accept Him, anyhow. The rest of them wouldn't if you seen Him. [Brother Branham laughs] I just don't believe you raised your hands. I don't believe you meant that.
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But now, God is just as real as—as—as the light is—is here in this room. Now, we want to look at God tonight and see if we can see God.
Now, Thomas wanted to see Him here, or Philip, rather. He said, “Lord, show us the Father and it'll satisfy us. If You'll show me God, it'll satisfy me.” Well now, that ought to be a satisfaction for anyone. If they could... “If God is so great, let's see Him. Let's see what He looks like, and that—that'll satisfy me if I can see Who He is and see what He looks like. I will know Who to worship and what He is.” That sounds sensible and reasonable, doesn't it?
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Now, let's just see if we can find God tonight in—in our midst now. Let's take of God in—in about three or four different ways and see if we can find Him. Let's speak of God first in His universe; let's speak of God in His Word; God in His Son; and then God in His people, and see if we can find Him here tonight. Now, I'm going to take those four subjects there and try to talk on them just for a few moments to see if we can see the Father.
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Every man since the dawn of time has longed to see God, want to look at Him. Job one time said, “Oh, if I only knew where He was...” In other words, “If I knew where to go and knock on His door, and He'd open up the door, and I'd come in and set down and talk with Him...” That's the way people want to see God, and yet God was so close to Job till He was speaking to him.
And a little later He said, “Now, gird up your loins. I'm going to speak to you like a man.” And God came down in a whirlwind and begin to speak to Job. And Job begin to see the flowers and nature.
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I want to speak on His universe first, because that was my first Bible. My people wasn't religious. And I... My first Bible was the universe, watching God. I don't believe there's any man that's got his right mind, or a woman, that could look in the face of a flower and say there is no such a thing as God. I believe it would show a mental deficiency on—on the—the part of the person, that could look at a big, beautiful calla lily and say there's no such a thing as God.
Why, all the science we've got in the world can't even make one little blade of grass. That's right. They can make something that looks like it, but they can't make the grass, because it's got life in it. See? Just how—how great God is, and how people look way over the top...
I think if you'll listen to this closely tonight now, and we will get our minds right down, Divine healing will be so simple for you after you see where God is and Who He is.
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Now, Job, he watched the flowers and he seen how they would die and raise again, and then it would die and raise again. And he begin... In the 14th chapter of Job he said, “But if, when a man dies, he giveth up the ghost. Yea, he wasteth away and his sons come to mourn his death, and where is he?” He's gone. No one... He doesn't rise again. But he said, “Now, you take the little flower when it...”
Here, you women around here with your flower beds, they're beautiful. I admire them as I go through the streets and looked at them. At a motel where I've been staying out here, they have a beautiful flower garden. And now, if you'll notice, this fall some of them will be young, some will be old flowers. But when frost strikes it, it's death, that's all, whether they're young or old.
And that's the way death is to the human race. It strikes young and old just alike. No matter who you are, when death strikes, it's going to take you whether you're a infant or whether you're just in the adolescent age, the bloom of life, or whether you're old, or whatever it is. Death's no respect of persons. It comes to all.
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Well, when death strikes the little flower, you notice it bows its little head, just as reverent. The petals drop off, and the leaves drop off, and a little black seed falls out. Then they have a funeral procession. The rains come and cry down in the fall of the year, bury the little fellow.
And then the first thing you know the freeze comes. Maybe the little seed's laying about that deep under the ground where the fall's rains buried it. And then after while, the see—the real cold spell comes and it freezes. Then the little old seed freezes. The pulp burst, runs out of it. The seed bursts open and the pulp runs out. And then the winter continues on through the blizzards, and the blizzard after blizzard.
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Then after while along about February, the last of February, first of March, the stalk's gone, the bulb's gone, the seed's gone, the pulp's gone, the petal's gone, the flower's gone. Everything there is is gone. Is that the end of that flower? No, sir. Just let that sun begin to warm that earth again and that flower will live again. Why? There's a germ of life in that flower that no man can find or no winter can freeze out. God has made it in His Own way, and that little germ of life is preserved in that ground, and that flower will live again.
Well, if God made a way for a flower to live again, what about a man who's made in His image? There's a way somewhere for that to live again.
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Here not long ago, I was sitting with old Dr. Spurgeon, an old Methodist minister. Now, he's a real good old brother. We were setting, eating some ice cream together. “The Agriculture Hour,' kind of a little 4-H club now has—has got a—a—a little machine that turns out corn. ”The Agriculture Hour,“ they had it. And that little old... Many farmers are setting here probably know of it.
And that machine will run out a grain of corn so perfect that you can take a handful out of the sack that was run out of the machine and a handful out of the sack that was growed in the field and mix them together, you couldn't tell them apart if you had to. And this over here that the machine run will make just as good of corn meal as this one will. It'll make the same kind of corn flakes.
You take and cut it open and put in a laboratory, perhaps the skin on there, would look that thick under the microscope. The heart's in the right place. Put it under the analysis and it'll be the same amount of potash, the same amount of calcium, the same amount of moisture, just exactly the same. There's no way in the world of telling it, only one way: bury them. The one that man made just rots away and that's all of it. The one that God made has got a germ of life in it; it reproduces itself again.
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Listen. A man can stand, both of them going to church and both of them professing Christianity, but except this man's borned again of the Spirit of God, it's finished. That's all there is to it. And as a germ of life, it comes into a man that he lives again, because God has germitized his spirit by Jesus Christ the resurrected Son of God. Amen. Certainly. Watch God in any way you want to.
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Job begin to wonder why that men laid down and he didn't rise up. He didn't see him come up in the spring, but he seen the flower come up in the spring. Well then, when Elihu came to him and begin to speak to him, he said, “Now look, Job, you're accusing God wrong.” He said, “Now, look. That flower—that flower has not sinned. It stands right in the way that God made it, and it reproduces itself right back from death to resurrection, death to resurrection.” All right. He said, “Now, but man sinned, and that separated him from God and resurrection.”
So he said, “But there's coming a just One.” Amen. “There's coming One Who will stand in the breach for this sinner, that will put His hand on a sinful man and a Holy God, and bridge the way.”
Oh, my. Job noticed it. He was a prophet, setting on the ash heap. He got up, shook himself. He'd been scraping his boils. And he got up and shook himself, said, “I know my Redeemer liveth.” The lightnings begin to flash, the thunders begin to roar. The prophet got lined up with God. See? “I know my Redeemer liveth ('Liveth' is 'continuation.'), and at the last days He will stand upon the earth; and though the skin worms destroys this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, Whom I shall see for myself. Mine eyes shall behold and not another.” I believe he did that at the resurrection.
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And at the resurrection every person that's borned of the Spirit of God will come forth in the resurrection.
I believe that it'll be just as we are here. You'll be little men, big men, and—and red-headed, and black-headed, and whatever you are. Now, a lot of people think it's—everybody will be just, look just the same. God's a God of variety. He has white flowers, blue flowers, red flowers, pink flowers; big trees, little trees; big mountains, little mountains; plains. He's a God of variety.
And the—the principle of Christianity is based upon resurrection, not reincarnation, resurrection. If this belongs right here, this slip, and I drop that down. Now, that doesn't mean take this and put it in its place. That isn't a resurrection. No matter it looks just exactly like it, but that isn't it. Resurrection is to go down and get the same one and bring it up. The same Jesus that went into the grave, the same Jesus come out of the grave. That's right. It's a resurrection.
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God made angels. Mama used to tell me I'd be an angel when I died. I found out God never made me an angel. He made me a man, and I will always be a man. I will never be an angel. God made Angels, and He made Seraphims, and He made—He made trees, and He made man, and we're... It's just resurrection. That's what it is, what Jesus Christ proved.
Now, to the Mohammedan and their superstitions, and whatever it is, yet God in His universe proves to us that the Christian religion is right, because it's based on resurrection. Watch everything else how it resurrects, His whole creation.
Now, look at God and see if we can look at Him.
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Here not long ago, a little boy was going to Sunday school down in our city and to a very prominent church. And he—he heard so much about God till he said to his mother; he said, “Mother, I want to ask you something.” She said... “Could anybody see God?” He said, “He's so great, I—I'd like to know if somebody could see Him.”
“Why,” she said, “sonny, ask your Sunday school teacher.” So they asked the Sunday school and he...
She said, “Well, I don't know.” Said, “You better ask the pastor.”
So the—the—the pastor was coming home with them for lunch and he said, “Pastor, I want to ask you a question.” Said, “Can anyone see God?”
“Oh,” he said, “no, of course not. Why,” he said, “no man can see God.” Said, “No one can see Him.”
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Well, the little fellow was disappointed. And he used to stay down on the river. We live near the Ohio river, and he used to go with an old fisherman up the river, a piece towards the Six Mile Island, fishing all the time. And one day after a big rain, along this time of year, he was coming, pulling down through the waters, you know. And any boatman knows how the music is to... after the rain is over and the little bitty waves on the water, and let your oars clip across it as you're pulling your boat. It was clipping along like that.
The old fisherman had a long, white beard. He begin to look over his shoulder. And where the sun come out, where the rain had been, made a rainbow. And he'd pull the oars, you know, and he'd turn around and look. The little fellow noticed tears dripping off his white beard, as it dropped down. He'd pull a little farther; he'd look back. And the...
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Oh, the little boy got... He was setting in the bow of the boat, so he run up in the—towards the stern of the boat. He said, “Sir, I'm going to ask you a question that my mother can't answer, my Sunday school teacher, or my pastor.” He said, “God is so great.” Said, “Can anyone see Him?”
And the old fisherman pulled his oars into his lap, throwed his hands to his face like that and wept out, grabbed the little fellow and hugged him. He said, “God bless your little heart, honey. All I've seen for the past thirty-five years has been God.” There's so much God on the inside, you can see Him on the outside if He gets on the inside. The old fellow was just so full of God in here, everything he looked at he seen God in it. You got to get God in here in order to see God outside.
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You remember when you was first converted? Oh, how different things looked. The trees looked different and the birds had a sound like they never had before. Is that right? God had just come in here; God's speaking out in His universe. How marvelous He is.
How I—I love to watch Him in His nature, God how He—He provides things. Of the fall of the year, sometimes I go up into the north woods to go hunting. And I noticed up there on the lakes, these little ducks come up from down in the south and go up there and make their nests on this lake. And they... The little ducks are raised there; they're hatched out.
Well about, along about September it gets cold, and the first breeze comes down across the mountain there, and real cold breeze... Well them little ducks, now, has never left this lake. It was born right there on this lake. And there's one of those little ducks in that group is a leader, a little drake. And when that wind begins to blow down across through there, that little fellow will run out there in the middle of that lake, stick that little honker of his up in the air, honk four or five times and every duck on the pond will come to him.
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And what he will do, he's never been off that lake; he was borned there in the spring; it's fall of the year; he will raise right up off of that lake and go just as straight to Texas as he can go, to the rice field, without a compass or anything. What is it? God working in His nature, working among His animals.
If God give a duck enough sense to know how to get out of the cold weather, what ought it do to a man that's borned again of the Spirit of God? See? Watch God among His ducks, among His—His—His animals.
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You take for instance, like, you'll read in the newspaper and it says, “Tomorrow it's going to be a—it's going to be a pretty day.” And watch that old hog go sow, go over there on the other side the hill, on the north side, bring them shucks around on the south side and make her bed; don't you pay any attention what that newspaper's talking about. That hog knows more about it than what the newspaper ever could know about it. It's going to get cold weather.
You go hunting and watch those rabbits getting back under those shelters and things like that. Look out for rainy weather. See? God working in His nature... Don't you believe He does? Look at Him in His sunset. Notice the sunset.
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Here some time ago, I was up in Colorado. It was early in the fall and we were hunting. Oh, how I love to get into those mountains. My, after all of those hard meetings, I go way back and get on a horse, about thirty-five miles from civilization, way back across the rocky peaks by myself, just take couple pack horses and take off. Get back there, not so much to hunt the animals, but to be alone with God; right out among His nature, that's where I see Him.
And I remember that year, specifically, there'd been kind of a warm season. The snow hadn't come high yet, to run the elk down. I was way high, way up around almost in the shale rock. I was walking along through the evergreens that day. And it—it'll storm awhile, and then it'll snow awhile, and then it'll... the sun will come out in the fall weather, up high in the mountains.
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And come up a storm, a real severe storm. And I got in behind a tree, and waiting there just a little bit till the storm blew over. And the first thing you know, the twister went through.
And after the storm let up, I got out from behind the tree and I stood there. Way back in the west the sun was beginning to go across the crevices of the rock, peeping through, that great all-seeing eye of God moving down like that. And I noticed where the evergreens was froze, where the rain had been, it formed a rainbow across the valley.
Brother, you talk about deep calling to the deep. I looked at that; I set my rifle against a tree; I raised up my hands. I said, “O great Jehovah, how wonderful.” I seen the rainbow. “Could you see God in the rainbow?” Certainly. God gave that as a covenant; He'd no more destroy the world with water. God was in the rainbow.
Then I see it in Revelations 1, when the rainbow was across the throne, where Jesus was standing: a covenant God had made with the people. He was to look upon as jasper and sardius stone; the First, the Last; He that was, which is, and shall come; the Root and Offspring of David; the Morning Star. And the rainbow, seven church ages, the covenant made with His own Blood that He would save the people that would call on His Name.
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Oh, how marvelous. I looked at that. Tears began to run down my cheeks. I listened, and way over here... The elk herd had all got scattered during the time of the storm. The old males would bugle, you know, and you could hear them bugling one to another.
My mother's a half-breed, a half Cherokee Indian. And there's just enough about me to make me love that nature, something down in there calling out. My conversion didn't even get to it.
Look. Then an old gray wolf on the mountain begin to howl and it's mate answered in the bottom. You talk about crying. Something took place. I couldn't hold myself still. It was God to me, screaming through His nature. Yes, I believe God is in His universe.
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I stood there, and I run around, around, around the tree screaming to top of my voice. Somebody come by there, thought they had a maniac out in the woods. I didn't care what they thought. I was having a good time. I was thirty-five miles from a living soul, as far as I know, and I was praising God. I didn't care was anybody. I was praising Him. I wanted Him to know I love Him.
Around, around, around the tree I went. I stopped, and I'd shake my hands and scream and cry; and around, around, around the tree I'd go again. I was having a good time. Amen. I could see my Lord in His universe. I seen His rainbow; I seen His great sun, yonder. I looked at Him. I heard Him scream over yonder in the wolf. I heard Him answer down here. I heard the elk. I heard Him in there. God's everywhere. If you just look around, He's all over everywhere.
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Now, I happened to hear a noise. And I looked over there and there was a little old pine squirrel. I don't guess you people, unless you been in the mountains, know what one is. They call them little mountain jacks. They're little bitty fellows about like that, and the noisiest thing there is in the woods, holler at everything.
He was standing on an old stump. There was a blow down there. He was setting upon an old stump going chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter; chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter. I thought, “What's you so excited about, little fellow?” I thought he... it was 'cause I was screaming and carrying on. So I thought, “I'm not going to hurt you.”
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But I happened to notice coming out from under the—the—the blow down, where the trees had blowed over years ago, a blow down, there was some stuff there, and there'd been a great, big American eagle had been forced down in the storm, and it was under that drift. That's what the little fellow was excited about.
So the big eagle jumped out of there, and he set up on there and he looked at me. I admired him. And I thought, “God, why did You stop me over here to show me something here?” I believe God's everywhere, if you'll just look around Him. I believe He's here right now. He's everywhere, if you'll just look around. And God is in His universe.
How could that world tip and turn and everything, just exactly the way it does, and revolve to the same time through the solar system? My, you couldn't—you couldn't believe that without believing in God. How great He is.
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I wondered why God attracted my attention to that old eagle. I looked at him then. Why, I thought, “He's just an old scavenger. Why do... Why would I be attracted to him?” But I noticed him, one thing, his bravery. My, and I thought, “Well, that's what the little—the little squirrel's a barking at; it's that eagle.”
Well, I looked at him. He'd look over at that squirrel, then he'd look over to me; he'd look over at the squirrel, and he look over me. I thought, “Well, are you scared?” And he... Them great big eyes flashed and looked at me, look back to the squirrel. And I thought, “Well, God, one thing, I believe You're in that wolf call; I believe You're in the rainbow; I believe You're in these evergreens; I believe You're in this wind that's whistling through these trees. Now, where You at in that eagle?”
But I noticed him: he was brave. There's where He was at. God don't like cowards. He wants men that's got backbone instead of a wishbone, somebody who says, “God's Word is right, and God's true, and let everything else be a lie.”
As Eddie Perronet said...
All hail the power of Jesus' Name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all.
All around my soul gives way,
Then He's all my hope and stay.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
That's right. God wants men and women who's got courage, and courageous enough to stand out and call black black and white white. That's right. Take that wishbone out and put a backbone in there, something that God can move on. That's right.
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Then I noticed that fellow how he was standing there, how courageous, just as brave as he could be. I looked at him. I thought, “Well now, he ain't scared of that. He's scared of me.” So I thought, “Boy, I won't hurt you. I admire you. Anything with that courage, I admire them.”
I thought, “I will see if he's scared of me.” And I—I said, “Say, you know I could shoot you?”
Looked over at me as if to say, “You think so?”
So I grabbed my rifle like that. He batted them big eyes. He looked at me again. He just kept his eyes right on me. I wondered, “Why don't he—why don't he get away? Why don't he fly?” Well, I kept... “Well, what makes you so brave?” And I happened to notice. I caught on. God showed me. Just keep looking at nature; you'll find Him. Just keep looking around there at something. You'll see Him.
I noticed him. He kept going like this with his wings. He was restless, them wings. I thought, “I see it, Lord. God, You gave him two wings.” God gave that eagle wings, and he had confidence in the gift of God that had been given to him.
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After while he got tired of looking at me there, so he just made one great big jump like that. And he made about two flops, and he was out into that timber. He never moved his wings another time. He just set his wings into the wind like that. And he just begin, every time a wave would come, it'd lift him up. And every time another wave would come, it'd lift him up. He wasn't patter-patter here and patter-patter there. He just let the air waves carry him on till he went plumb out of sight. I stood there and cried like a baby. I said, “O God, let me know how to set my wings in Your faith. Let the Holy Ghost waves carry me on, on, on, on and on. Hallelujah. Yes, sir.
He left that little old earth bound chatter, chatter here and chatter, chatter there. If we just knowed how to set our faith in God's power and move on out of here and let these people chatter, chatter, saying, “Days of miracles is past; there's no such a thing as Divine healing.” Fly away from it. Hallelujah. Ride on every wave that comes. Just move up and raise up higher, higher. Just move out.
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God is in His universe. He certainly is. I watched him till he got plumb out of sight, and I thought, “O, God, I... It's just good to be here. Let's build three tabernacles.” Watching God in His universe, watch Him among His nature, seeing what He's doing. God's moving in His treetops.
David said one time, he was laying there, he was waiting. And he said he heard the wind blowing between the mulberry limbs, and he was ready to go on. I tell you: if there ever was a time we need a moving in nature and moving in men, is today. That's right.
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Noticing Him. How He—He... One—one time, here not long ago, I come home. I was so tired, I couldn't hardly stand up. I'd been ministering and ministering to the people in Texas. I was so wore out. I come out and set on a little old swing that was in the side yard. And I happened to notice, there was some old sand cranes going, flying down like that, going on into the—the river, down to the falls. They all gather there at night.
I was talking to my wife, and up come my piano player, Mrs. Gibbs. She come up. She looked at me setting there. I was wore and lost about fifteen pounds of weight. And she just started crying, put something on my lap. I said, “Come on, Sister Gertie.”
Said, “You—you look so bad, Brother Billy.” And run out. I was setting there. My wife and I tore it open. And there I looked. It was a picture, at a window where the sea was right level with the window. And there was a ship coming in, and the sun going down, and a star coming out. And there was a poem.
Sunset and the evening star,
And one clear call for me;
May there be no mourning at the bar,
When I put out to sea. (You know the poem.)
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Just then, them old sand cranes went across, honking to one another, all gathering together. God had fed them all day long, out in the crawfish and so forth, around the pond. They was gathering in. Down there at the falls at night they gathering with their kindreds, to roost through the night. God had fed them all day long. They didn't neither sow, neither did they toil, but God had fed them. And when nighttime come, He had a place down on the rocks to provide for them.
And then two of my favorite birds which is robins... Don't you boys hurt my little robins around here. And they flew up. They'd fed their little ones all day long, sing a little song for me, went into the nests. I set there, and my wife, which is present now, set there. And the tears begin to come down my face.
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She said, “What's the matter with you, honey? I guess you're just so wore out.”
I said, “No, honey. I'm watching God.”
She said, “Watching God?”
I said, “Yes. Do you hear Him down there in them old sand cranes going yonder?”
She said, “No, I don't believe I do.”
I said, “Did you hear Him in that robin a few minutes ago?” I said, “He's cared for them all day long. It's coming time now to go to bed, and He's made a place for them to roost all night long. They'd fed their little ones today. And some of these glorious days when I, too, the sunshine of my life shall be setting, and yours, too, I believe God has a place right out yonder somewhere (hallelujah.) where we'll gather with His people.” Don't you believe that? God will make a way of escape.
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Here sometime ago, there was an infidel went across the country, oh, twenty, thirty years ago. And he was tearing up churches: smart, intelligent man. And he was tearing up churches and saying there wasn't no such a thing as God. He went to England. He was too smart for them here. And he took off to England and made converts there. His health broke down, and he come back, went out west to rest up. And one day... He'd make fun of the Bible. When he talked about how the antediluvian destruction, how it cut the hills and so forth; he thought that was nonsense.
So he took a little walk one day out along a path. And he got to looking, hearing the winds coming down across the mountains. And he looked at them big rocks hanging there. He said, “Oh, Mr. Rock,” he said, “really did you come the way I think you did or did Someone I don't know put you there?”
Brother, I'm telling you, if preachers will hold their peace, the rocks will immediately cry out. That infidel fell on his face there and gave his heart to Christ. Why? The clergymen held their peace, but nature cried out in the midst of it all.
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God's in His universe. Why not? He said, “God is able of these stones to bring children unto Abraham.” God in His universe... How He moves amongst His fishes. How He moves amongst His trees, among His birds. How He moves in His sunsets. How He moves in His sunrises. How He moves in all nature. Do you believe God is in His universe? Yes, sir. Then look out there at that tree. Look at anywhere you want to. There's God. Amen. You couldn't keep from believing but what God is in His universe. Certainly He is.
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Look at the world, how it folds around. Every twenty-four hours it turns like this. And every three hundred and sixty-five days is goes around the equator. What in the world hold it up there? What is it? What keeps it there? Because God said so.
He set the moon yonder and said, “Moon, I want you to watch over...” I've seen them big sea waves when I've been out in them till they be almost high as this building here, beating against the ships and so forth. And I've seen them how angry, they'd fly against that bank and say, “I will come on across.” And remember two-thirds of the world or better's in water. How easy it could sweep over the land. But you know why it don't? God said, “Moon, you watch. And I set it's boundaries and it can't pass.” Amen. God sets His boundaries.
How do you know your boundary line's not set tonight to make your decision for Christ or turn Him away for your last time? There's a line drawn, a plumb line. God sets His boundaries. God is in His nature. God in His universe moving among His people. God moves out. We look at it, and see and behold how great His handiwork is, what He does, how He works in His nature to bring mankind to Him. I've seen Him in tornadoes, seen Him in great things, how that God moves.
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Well, we all know now that God is in His nature. I will have to hurry. I could put about a hour and a half on that: God in His universe, how great He is.
Now, let's take God in His Word. We all agree that God is in His universe. All right, let's put God in His Word. Is God in His Word? Yes, sir. God is in His Word. He will perform His Word every time, every place. Anyhow He says it, He will take care of His Word.
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Any man that's ever had any, made any show at all in life, has been men who has trusted God and took Him at His Word. Right. Man that doesn't take Him at His Word never amounts to a hill of beans. We've had a George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and whatevermore, but the greatest man that the world has ever had has been those who put their simple faith in God.
Come down through, if I could ask any man tonight, “What do you think about God?” If I could call the prophets up... The thing was asked one time, “Whose son is this?” And the Greeks come and Jesus asked them. He said, “Whose son is he?” And one said one thing and one another. But God was in His Word, and He was in His Son, and He is in His people.
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Now, in His Word, every Word of God is a Seed. And every Seed will produce just exactly what it is. You farmers know if you plant a grain of seed, if it's a wheat, it'll come up a wheat, whatever it is. And every Word of God...
Jesus said a sower went forth to sow seed. And the Seed, God said—Jesus said was the Word of God. Is that right? Then the Word of God will produce any Divine promise in here that's made. If it'll fall in the right kind of a ground, it'll produce just exactly what it said it would.
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I want you to notice. I noticed around here you have a lot of apple trees, apple growers, fruit (That's fine.), cherries and so forth. Did you know your little apple tree, when it was just about that big, it had every apple in it that you'll ever get off of it. When it was just about that high, it maybe had... Maybe that apple tree will produce a hundred or two, or three hundred bushel of apples. And there's two or three hundred bushel of apples in the tree when it's just about that big, a half inch high. Did you know that? Every leaf that'll ever be on the tree is in it right then. Every apple, every blossom, everything that's on the tree, that'll ever be on the tree, is in it right then. If it isn't, where does it come from? It's in the tree right then.
Now, the only thing you have to do is to plant the tree. And then what it has to do is to go to drawing. And it has to drink and drink and drink, till it drinks more than it's allotted part. It has to do... It has to drink till it gets so full it pushes out. And it pushes out leaves. It pushes out buds. It pushes out limbs. It pushes out apples.
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Now, that's the way we are when you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, to you sick people now. To you that are borned again of the Spirit of God, when God planted you in Christ Jesus, which is the inexhaustible Fountain of Life, everything you have need of was put in you when you received the Holy Ghost for your life's journey (That's right.), for your healing, for your salvation, for your joy, for your happiness.
The only thing you have to do is push out, drink, drink, push, drink, push. Hallelujah. Everything's there. You just have to let it loose. Go to pushing; go to drinking; go to stirring; go to reaching out; deeper depths, higher heights, it's all there. It don't need some Divine healer to come by to heal you. The Divine healing has already been purchased at Calvary. The only thing you have to do, you're planted in Calvary in Christ, drink from the Fountain that never runs dry. Hallelujah. My, oh, my.
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I think of a—an old... Talk about drinking, I used to go into the mountains. I think about a spring I used to go to there, and how that spring was the happiest spring I ever seen. Why, it was just bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble all the time. Every year when I went there it was always bubbling.
I set down one day to talk to that spring. I said, “Mr. Spring, what makes you so happy? Because deers drink for you, from you?”
He'd speak—he'd talk, he'd say, “Why, no, Brother Branham.”
I'd say, “Maybe bears drink from you, what makes you so happy. That's what makes you bubbling.”
He'd say, “No.”
I'd say, “Maybe I come here every year and you like me, and that's the reason what's making you bubble.”
Why, he'd say, “No. It's me not bubbling. It's something behind me bubbling me, pushing me.”
And that's the way it is with a old-time, borned again Christian. It ain't him being so noisy. It's Something behind him making him noise, bubbling him up, pushing him out, shoving him out, getting into higher heights and deeper depths of Christ. Amen. That's right. It's not them.
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I notice a nightingale when it set in the bush. There used to be one when I used to pastor down at the Milltown Baptist Church. I'd come home and stay with Brother Wright down there, Brother Wood. And I'd—I'd come home at night. And that nightingale, I admired it. It would set there every night and just sing to the top of it's voice. And I thought, “Oh, my. Isn't that beautiful?”
Now, around my place up there they almost call it Nightingale Hill. There—there's so many nightingales. I like them. They just sing all night. And I wonder, “What makes them?” I begin to read up on the nightingale. Well, the nightingale, no matter how dark the night is, he will look around. And the clouds are going over. And when he can see one star, that's all he has to see. He will look right straight to that star and sing to the top of his voice.
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I thought, “O, Lord, I—I see You there, too.” Yes, sir. Well, why? As long as I can hear a good old “Amen,” or “Hallelujah,” or “Praise the Lord,” or a good shout... I tell you, the nightingale, the reason he sings that, is because that it's the—the sun a shining on the star. If I would say to that star, “What makes you shine?”
He'd say, “It's not me shining, Brother Branham. It's the sun shining on me.” Well, that's what's the matter with an old-time, what an old-time, Holy Ghost, borned again, old fashion camp meeting revival is. It's not them people excited. It's the power of God shining on them, shining out, giving Light.
And I'm telling you that there are nightingales in the Holy Ghost church, that when they see the first ray of Light, they ring out the praises of God. Hallelujah. He said, “If they hold their peace, the rocks will cry out.” Something has to take place when that mighty, rushing powers of God sweep over His audience of people. Hallelujah.
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Sure, God is in His Word. God confirms His Word. God keeps His Word. Yes, sir. Little old David, I remember him keeping God's Word. Certainly. He was up there one day and he'd had a battle. And the battle was going bad. So he... God had come to him by the prophet, and anointed him, and told him what he was going to be. So David was satisfied. The Word of God was on him.
He goes up there, and there come a... He went up to see his brothers. He took him up some raisins and some fresh stuff to eat. And there was a big old giant on the other side of the hill by the name of Goliath. Oh, my. What a horrible boaster he was. And he stood out there, and he said, “Say, any you people over there that like to fight...” He was just about five times the size of any of the rest of them. That's the way the devil does when he thinks he's got the edge on you; he will sure blow like an old goose.
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And he said, “Oh, if some of you guys come out here and fight me.” He said, “I will make you a proposition. Now, let... Don't let's not cut up the whole army. Let one—one of your men come over here and fight me. And if he whips me, why we'll serve you, we Philistines. But if—if I whip him, then—then you all serve me, serve this country.” Oh, how the devil likes to do it like that, you know, when he thinks he's got the edge.
He said, “Well, where are you all at?” And I mean they was just like a little mouse on the other side. They were all quiet. Nobody had a word to say.
God had a little old boy back there with a shepherd's coat on who knew God and knew God kept His Word. That's right. He happened to be up there one day when Goliath made that boast. He said, “Say, he made his boast at the wrong time.” There happened to be somebody there that believed God. Yes, sir.
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Like they say, “The days of miracles is past. There's no such a thing as Divine healing.” Try to take it out of churches, the power of God. “These Pentecostal people's all excited.” They made their boast one time too often. That's right. That's right. They said, “Oh, it'll finally die down.” Yeah, I know they said it'll die down. Uh-huh.
Long time ago, when the church first started and Wesley got all typed off there, and all organized so the Spirit couldn't move in it... When they started off they said, “Oh, you people back there in your little alleys somewhere, back in a little bitty bunch, but they... It'll never amount to anything.” But they forgot Samson's hair's growed out now. That's right. Something's changed. The colors have changed. That's right. Said, “Oh, it'll soon burn up. There's nothing to it. It'll soon fan away.” Listen, brother, sister, that's right.
When he was back yonder, awhile ago, when some of you fellows out on a street corner there with an old guitar paving the way for these kind of meetings... Back there at the church...
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Every famous picture must first go through the hall of critics before it can be hung in a hall of fame. And I tell you that's what the Church has done today. It's went through the critics. But one of these mornings God's going to hang her in a hall of fame out here, just sure as the world.
That great redeemed Church sprinkled by the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, symbol of the dove that was turned loose with blood upon her wings that cried, “Holy, holy, holy unto the Lord.”... When she passed across, that symbol of leprosy which was a type of sin... That same Church is going to be caught up one of these mornings, hung in the hall of fame, as she cuts through the air yonder. Hallelujah. God keeps His Word.
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Goliath come out and said, “Say, anybody want to fight?”
David said, “Well, who's that guy?”
Said, “Oh, he's a Philistine. He's a warrior. He's a great guy. He's got us all bluffed around here.”
He said, “Do you mean to tell me that you let that uncircumcised Philistine stand there and defy the armies of the living God? Why,” he said, “shame on you.” He said, “I will go fight him.”
“Oh,” he said, “boy, run on back and take care of your sheep.”
“Why, my,” he said, “I will never stand and let that be like that.”
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So they took him up to Saul, and Saul was seven foot, you know. So, great big fellow standing there, he said, “Now, look son, I admire your courage,” but said, “that man is a—is a warrior from his birth and you're nothing but a youth. Why, you couldn't fight that man.”
And I like little old David, he knowed what he was talking about. He had a witness. He had a testimony. He said, “Your servant was herding sheep out yonder one day and a lion come in and grabbed a kid and run off with it. And I went and caught him by the beard, took it out of his mouth.” He said, “A—a bear caught a lamb, started away with it, and I slew him.” He said, “And the same God that delivered me out of the paws of the bear and out of the mouth of the lion will deliver me from that uncircumcised Philistine.” Hallelujah. He knowed what he was talking about. Hallelujah.
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Brother, the same Holy Ghost that give me Eternal Life will heal me when I'm sick. It'll take me in a rapture. Hallelujah. God's just as much in His Word on Divine healing as He is on salvation. If the world's mocking at Divine healing, what do you care? They mock at the Holy Ghost whom you know you got it. God's in His Word. Sure, He's in His Word.
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He said, “That uncircumcised Philistine.” Now, I want you to watch how a man gets away from God like Saul did.
He said, “Come here, then. I'm going to give you five years and cemetery or seminary.” Both the same place, bunch of dead people. I always feel sorry for a seminary... Well, maybe I'd better not say that. I always think about a seminary preacher like a incubator chicken. He just chirp, chirp, chirp and ain't got no mammy to go to. That's right. Sure.
I don't care how much theology you learn, unless you're born again you're lost. Hallelujah. That's right. It's the truth. You've got to know God by an experience of being borned again.
That uncircumcised Philistine, he might've been religious. But brother, there's a whole lot difference beside being religious and being even fundamental and being borned again.
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Now, so Saul said, “Looky here. I will put my armor on you.” So could you imagine little David, with his shoulders about like that, with these big armors sticking out about like this, armor of mail? He put it on him.
He said, “Take the thing off. I can't go like that.” And when they tie you all down to this kind of religion, you must say, “Amen” this way. You must do this way and make your vows like that... Saul found out that his great big old ecclesiastical vest didn't fit a man of God. It never does. No, sir. A man of God will go in the power of the Spirit. I don't care what the church has got to say to it. He always will. Yes, sir. He found out that clergy vest didn't fit him. That's right.
He said, “Take the thing off. I've never proved it. I don't know nothing about it.” That's the way. You don't know nothing about your big words, and how to form your this, that, and that and repeat the doxology, and say, “Amen” like a calf dying with the cramps. But I will telling you, brother, what we need tonight is a man that's got an experience and knows what he's talking about, who's got power of God, who could back it up. Amen.
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Excuse me. I'm not supposed to put my foot up on there. But I feel good. All right. Let me tell you, brother. God is in His Word. He keeps His Word. He sure does. And I can see that little David. My, my.
He said, “Well, how are you going to go out there to fight that fellow? Look at him out there.”
He said, “Well, I'm going to trust God. God's done promised it. And I don't know how He's going to make the way, but I'm going.” He went out to meet this big Goliath. And here he come then. He throwed off the old vest, and that's the way it is today. You can't wait till you go through and take ten years of college, and ten years of this, and get your bachelor's degree, and all these D.D., D.D. “D.D.” stands for, “dead dog” anyhow, so just let the thing go. Come on. Preach the Gospel. Hallelujah.
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Here he come along. Here he comes out there, you know, and he goes out to meet old Goliath. And first thing you know Goliath looked at him and said, “Well, who's this little shrimp coming?” And he walked out. That's the way it was when I first started a few years ago; although I've met a bunch of fanatics that's followed, that's true. But let me tell you something, brother. There's a real genuine article behind it, all the power of God.
They said, “You can't prove Divine healing and no such a thing as that.” And all like this. Said, “The opposition is too great,” and things like that. But who is that uncircumcised Philistine who will challenge the Word of God? That's right. Who is he?
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All right. They was having a time of it. Little old David picked up that slingshot. Said, “I know what this thing will do. I've tried it.” Now, brother, I don't want none of your seminary's experience. I don't want none of your this, or that, or the other. But the thing I want, the same baptism of the Holy Ghost that saves me and raise me up, that same Holy Ghost will take me yonder. Hallelujah. That's what I want to know.
Paul said, “I want to know Him in the power of His resurrection. When He calls, I will come out from among the dead.” That's the main thing: in the power of His resurrection, not some fundamental doctrine of something or other; that's all right, brother. But the Truth without the Spirit is dead. That's right. You got to have Spirit behind it. That's true.
Abraham believed God, but God give him the circumcision as a seal. And the Seal of promise that you do believe God, God gives you the Holy Ghost as a Seal to prove that you do believe Him. And if you people get all the superstitions away from your mind right now, God will seal you into His Kingdom by His Holy Ghost. Amen. What's that? That's God's Word. He said He would do it, how He said He would do it. Oh, my. I feel religious tonight.
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Let me tell you something, brother. That's... I see David then reach down there, and he picked up, crossed the little creek and picked up five rocks.
Goliath said, “Do you mean to tell me you come?” Said, “Why, this day,” he said, “do you know what I'm going to do?” He said, “I will take you into my spear and I will hang you up and let the birds eat your flesh.”
That didn't startle that little fellow. He knowed what THUS SAITH THE LORD meant. Walked on over there, he knowed he was uncircumcised, didn't even know what he was talking about. God promised to take their part, and he believed He'd do it.
God promised to heal our sickness; I believe Him. God promised to give us the Holy Ghost; I believe Him. God promised He was going to take us to glory; I believe it. That settles it. It's in God's Word and I believe It. That's all and God's in His Word. He always confirms It.
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Then the first thing you know, I noticed. And here comes this guy out, said, “I will do all this”; he was making his big boast.
Look at little David. He said, “You meet me as a Philistine with an armor and with a spear, but I meet you in the Name of the Lord God of Israel.” Ah, there's something different. Hallelujah. Said, “This day I will cut your head from your shoulders.” Oh, what a blow for a little bitty boy.
He said, “I will show you.” And I imagine he gritted his teeth and here he come.
And a little David, now, five rocks: J-e-s-u-s. In the slingshot, round in five fingers: f-a-i-t-h, faith in Jesus. Here he comes. Brother, away he went. He slung that stone and killed that giant. Hallelujah. And what did he do? Why, the rest of them took courage and pulled their swords and cut Philistines plumb to the walls.
What we need today is one man or one woman like David who will take God at His Word and stand out there. Believe it. God's in His universe. God is in His Word. God's in His people. Do you believe it? Oh, He is. Yes, sir, He is. God's always been in His people.
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There was an old prophet by the name of Elijah died back yonder. How well we could go with the Word and take the Word for hour after hour. How well we could take the universe and carry on that one subject the rest of the night. But let's get down here to a close for a minute.
Look here, now. We got Him in His Word. We see Him back yonder in His—in His universe. We see Him now in His universe. We see Him in His Word. And now, watch Him in His Son, or in His Word first. Before we get finished with His Word I want to bring this, how God is in His universe, God in His Word, and God is in His Son. Do you believe that? God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. That's exactly. When He was...
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Now, He was more than a philosopher. Some people said, “Oh, He was a teacher,” the Christian Science idea. “He was a teacher. He was a good man.” He was either God or He was a deceiver. That's right. He was God Emmanuel: God made manifest in the flesh and dwelled among us. The Bible said that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. That's exactly what it was.
Back yonder, beginning... Let's take a little trip to see Who He was, and you can find out whether God was in His Son or not. Let's close our eyes as it was, and take a trip a hundred million years before there was ever a star in the sky; there was God. God was there then.
And now look in the beginning there I see that great space yonder. And then the Logos went out of God, which was the—the Christ, the anointing that went out. And now no man... We're standing on a banister watching the creation come into existence, and see whether He was in His Son now.
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And there He come out. There was nothing. And then here come the Logos. That looked like a halo hanging yonder. No man has seen God at any time now, eye to eye. And here's the Logos. Looks like It's a supernatural Being. It's a Halo. That's the Son of God. Not eternal Sonship, 'cause the words don't go good together. That's Catholic doctrine, but... Eternal, how could it be a Sonship and be eternal? If He's a Son, he'd had to have a beginning of time. Eternal's forever. See? So eternal Sonship, there's no such a word to make that sensible.
But it was the Logos that went out of God. And there He was playing out there in space just like a child before the door. I can see Him draw the whole picture in His mind of the Kingdom and what it might be.
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And then the first thing you know I hear Him say, “Let there be light.” And when He did, an atom broke yonder, and the sun come into existence. I watch that sun burn for millions of years. The first thing you know [Brother Branham illustrates] went a clinker. He stood and watched it. And it flew, fell for a few million years; He stopped it. Then another one flew, and He stopped it. What? He was putting the solar system. He was writing His first Bible. The first Bible was written in the skies. Man looked up knowing that God was above.
Look at the Zodiac. It starts off with a virgin, ends up with Leo the lion: the first coming and second coming of Christ. Everything in the heavens declare Him. Everything in the earth declares Him. Everything around declares Him. His people declares Him. His Power declares Himself. His Son declared Him.
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Now, look at Him back there. There He was standing there. And then after He got the... Then this... After all the clinkers went off and the stars and meteors were made, I can see this Logos go over and hang over this earth, brood over it, bring it back here around this sun and begin to break up the ice around it. And great big icebergs begin to come down; Texas and Oklahoma was formed. She run into the Gulf of Mexico down there. He was making the ditches and the plains and whatever He made. Vegetation and things would come up after while.
Then after it all got melted and the ice run out and made water, then... Now, we're in Genesis 1. You can take up from right there. Genesis 1, it was without form and void. And the Spirit of God moved upon the water. Is that right? In the beginning... Now, He separated the water, brought up the vegetation and everything.
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And when He made everything that looked nice and good to Him, now He said, “Let us (plural) make man (plural) in our own image.” What was He? There is a supernatural Being. There's the One that could not be seen. God the Father never was seen, never will be seen. He's all nature. And there He is. And now, here's the Son, which is the Logos that went out of Him, made in His image, a supernatural Being that went out in the beginning.
“Let us make man in our own image.” After He made a man in His own image, He made a supernatural being. Yes, indeed. Genesis 1:28, read and see if that isn't right. And then when He made man in His own image, he had rule over the beasts. He led the beasts around then like the Holy Spirit's supposed to lead the Church today. That's right. He led the Church around and...
And then He said, “There's no man to till the soil.” So He created man out of the dust of the earth. Now, He might've give him a hand like a monkey and a foot like a bear. I don't know what He did, but He put him in five senses. And He put this supernatural being which was called man, the third Person of the Trinity, Holy Spirit, into mankind ( That's exactly right.), that man and He made him in His own image.
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And He went around. Then He made him a helpmate. And the first thing you know, sin came into the world. And I can look at all of that that morning when God stood there before Adam and Eve. And when they sinned... Of course they tried to make themself a religion and dodge around, but it wouldn't do no good.
God said, “Where are you, Adam?” And Adam answered. And he's covered up with fig leaves, but his fig leaf religion didn't do any good. That's right.
So then when the... First thing you know, God went out and got some skins. In order to get skins, He had to kill something. And He had to kill something to make a religion. And, brother, your old, cold, formal creeds ain't going to do you any good. God killed something on Calvary, His own Son, to cover up sin.
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And could you imagine God throwing back in them bushes there a old pair of bloody sheepskin. Here comes the most beautiful woman ever lived in the face of the earth wrapped up, her blond hair hanging down her—her back like this. Didn't even know she was naked before, with this old bloody sheepskin around her, the blood running down her—her beautiful form. And here come Adam the same way, his big manly shoulders and this sheepskin around him. He was... Couldn't stand no more naked. He was in shame. I got my idea of what it was. You can have yours. But, all right.
Just the same, they had sinned and it separated themselves from God. And there they stood there before God. And now look. He said, “Adam, because you listened to your wife instead of God, I've took you from the dust and dust thou shalt return.” He said, “Cursed be the ground for you; creepers, and thorns, and so forth, will grow up. And all the days of your life you'll earn your living by the sweat of your brow.”
Then He said to Eve, “Because you listened to the serpent instead of to your husband, you brought—took life out of the world, you'll bring life into the world. And I will multiply your sorrow. Your desires shall be to your husband.” And so forth.
And He said, “Serpent...” Now, he wasn't a reptile then. He was the most subtil of all the beasts of the field. And He said, “Cursed is you.” And he took his legs from him and up on his belly he'd go all the days of—of his life. Dust shall be his meat, and he will be hated. That's where he is today.
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But then when I see, when poor little Eve looked over in the face of Adam and knowed that she was the cause of the fall of the human race, she threw her arms around. And Adam was not deceived, the Bible said. He walked out with both eyes open. Eve was deceived.
So he walked out. He seen that he wasn't deceived. So his wife was turned, and he put his arms around her. And listen. I can hear them as they start going out: Clump, clump. What is it? Bloody sheepskins beating them against their legs.
God, the whole universe, I can see it begin to come down like a funnel, come down to one little thing with four letters, l-o-v-e. He just couldn't see them. He loved them so well till He couldn't see them go. And He said He'd put enmity between her seed and the serpent's seed. And that same clumping of them sheepskins, that bloody, beating against Eve and Adam as they went out of the garden of Eden; them same Blood of the Son of God beat against His legs as He went Calvary yonder with our sins upon Him, and the Blood beating from His body carrying up yonder into Calvary. Do you believe that? God was in His Son. He was God...
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Now, look. When man was made in the image of God, he did not fall. When he was made in the image of man, he fell. When he was made in the image of beasts or out of the dust of the earth, that's where he fell. Then in order to be... The only way that God could do... If Christ was an individual man different from God, then God was not just. It wouldn't be right for me to send my son to pay a penalty of some penalty I'd put on somebody else.
If I said, “Whosoever looks at that will die.” And then first thing you know, Brother Beeler there would look at it. And I said, “Brother Wood, you take his place.” I wouldn't be just. If I said, “Billy Paul come down here and take his place,” I wouldn't be just. If I say to my wife, “Take his place,” I still wouldn't be just. And God is sovereign and just. And the only just way I could reconcile that man would be me take his place myself. That's right.
And God came down; as man was made in the image of God, then God came down in the image of man in Christ Jesus, and dwelled in that tabernacle of flesh and took the sinner's place, and died the death, and paid the penalty, redeeming us from sin. Hallelujah. God was in His Son reconciling the world to Himself. Do you believe that?
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God's in His universe. God is in His Word. God is in His Son. Now, let's see if God... When He was here on earth, you say it was His Son? Yes, sir. When He was here on earth, He said He was God. He looked like God. He act like God. He healed like God. He died like God. He rose like God. He was God, God, the Son.
When God the Father came down and dwelt in His Son, Christ Jesus, and They in unity were One, that's what they was. That was God speaking.
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As I said that other night, when God was out there on the ship that night, the woman said, “Why was that little old boat tossed around like that?” It was the Man that was sleeping, but it was God Who could stop the waves. It was the Man Who cried going to Lazarus' grave, but it was God Who raised the dead. The Man, Christ Jesus cried. He was a Man. But God that was in Him could speak to the dead and it lived again.
The Man that was in Christ Jesus, Himself, He could hunger and want for something to eat around that tree. But the God-man that was in Him could take five biscuits and feed five thousand.
God was in His Son reconciling the world to Himself. He's not going to let nobody tell you He was a philosopher, He was a good man, He was a prophet. He was God. Exactly Who He was. I believe in His Deity straightly.
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And I noticed, then again, I want you to see God in His people. Oh, my. I think of the old prophet Elijah. After he'd done died and his soul, or his spirit had left the body... They had a dead man one day, packing him along. And they laid this dead man on his body, and the dead man come to life, not because it was Elijah, but because God was still there.
It was—it was Elijah who that day when the little baby got sick, that Elijah took his own body and laid upon the dead baby and it come to life. Is that right? It was God in His people.
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And when they come back there on the day of Pentecost and a hundred and twenty had gathered in the upper room, and they were so scared, they kept the doors fastened and the curtains pulled down... But when God... had been on the outside, but when there come a sound from heaven like a rushing, mighty wind and filled all the house where they were setting, cloven tongues set upon them like fire, God was in His people. And out into the streets they went praising, full of the Spirit.
God's in His people yet tonight, the same Jesus was then. Here, a few minutes ago, you were sitting... When we—I first come up, you were sitting here looking at one another. And then about five minutes later you were screaming and shouting, some of you crying and wiping tears from your eyes and shaking your hands. What was it? God come among His people. God is here.
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On the day of Pentecost when they went out and done signs and wonders, there was a man named Paul, had so much God in him he took a handkerchief off his body and sent it to a sick person; he got well. God is in His people. Yes, sir.
There was a man named Peter, couldn't even write his own name, or read it if it was laying before him. The Bible said he was ignorant and unlearned. He didn't have any bachelor's degree. So ignorant he didn't even know his own name... The Bible said he was ignorant and unlearned.
He passed through the gate called Beautiful. He said, “Silver and gold have I none.” He sure was a holiness preacher. He said, “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, give I thee.” Hallelujah. Glory. I'd rather have God in me than all the silver and gold in the world. Yes, sir.
“Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, give I thee.” Put his big hands upon him and said, “In the Name of Jesus Christ rise up and walk.” And the man that had been lame in his feet from his birth begin to straighten his feet out, leaping and jumping and run into the temple, praising God. Hallelujah. That's what the Bible said.
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God was in His Son. God was in His people. That same old fisherman, down there when he was converted with an old greasy fish apron around him, hollering, “Fish.” Maybe half a shilling for a bushel of them. When he was going around, when he got his heart right with God, them people seen God moving in that man when old Ananias and Sapphira come out there and the Spirit of God struck them dead. And they seen he was a prophet. They knowed he was of God till even... That old fisherman, now, ignorant and unlearned, his shadow passed over the people, and every one it passed over got well, because they believed God.
God's in His people, do you believe it? Oh, God be merciful friend. God is here tonight. God's Spirit's moving on the people. God wants His people to believe Him. God sends His message, He sends His servant. Look here, night after night, how the Holy Spirit moves around over this audience, calling people, speaking to them, healing the blind, healing the sick, healing the paralyzed.
Look across... look here at Florence Nightingale, how she was healed there, you heard that story; and all about how Congressman... Many, many hundreds and hundreds of people been healed everywhere; God among His people. How the people's come out of this old ruts of life, and come out and received the Holy Spirit. Been borned again, God working among His people. There's people that says, “It's nonsense.” The Bible said they'd be here, “Having a form of godliness, but would deny the power thereof; from such turn away.” God's still moving among His people, yes sir. I want to get on that Sunday afternoon, if the Lord willing, all right.
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Now, God is here tonight. And some of you say, “Well now, Brother Branham, if I ever get saved, you mean to tell me that I'd have to—would have to join up with you?” Don't have to join one thing. The only thing you have to do is get saved. God takes care of the rest of it.
Why, a woman told me sometime ago, she said, “Well, Rev. Branham,” she said, “I believe you, but I will never in among my... number myself among that bunch of illiterate holy-rollers.”
I said, “Lady, just reminds me of an old colored man down south one time. He was always happy and singing. And his boss said, 'What are you so happy about, Rastus?'”
He said, “I've got old-time religion, that heartfelt religion.”
Said, “There is no such a thing.”
He said, “Boss, you made one mistake. You can say there is no such a thing as far as you know.” But said, “I know different.”
He... One day it was raining; he said, “Say, Rastus, could I get any of that heartfelt religion?”
He said, “Yes, sir.”
Said, “I'd like to be happy like you all the time, singing.” He said, “I'd like to have that heartfelt religion.”
He said, “Well, you can get it, boss.” Said, “It's for you.”
He said, “Well, where can we get it?”
Said, “Any time you want to get it.”
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He said, “Well, come on.” So the boss led him over to the corn crib, and over there he had some hay laying out. He said, “This is a...” I mean sacks. He said, “This is a nice place.”
He said, “It don't come here, boss.”
He said, “All right.” He took him up in the hay loft, and it was nice and... up there. Said, “Now, it's raining outside,” said, “maybe we'll get right down here. Maybe He will come and give me heartfelt religion right here.”
Said, “No, boss. It don't come here.”
He said, “Well, tell me where it comes.”
Said, “Come on. Follow me.” He walked out in the pig pen, mud up to his knees. He said, “Come on, boss. Right here where it comes from.”
He said, “Oh, I don't want it out there.”
He said, “You won't get it until you're willing to get it anyway God sends it.”
Amen. That's the way. That's right. You take God's terms. You meet His terms, not your terms. God ain't obligated to meet your terms, but you are to His terms. That's right. I will take the way with the Lord's despised few. I started in with Jesus, O Lord, take me through.
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And I stood down there not long ago. Say, “Will it last?” Yes, sir. I stood there when my own baby, about fourteen years ago, fifteen, my own little baby, six months old when I was praying for it, and it died and it went out from under my arms. I was walking up the road... I lost my father, my brother, and my wife (You know my story.), just because that I wouldn't hook myself up with you people.
My mother-in-law said that we were too good to be with such people, said they were nothing but a bunch of backwash. And I come to find out what she called backwash is the cream of the crop. And I say that with respect. That's exactly right. I will say that with respects now to other churches. But I will tell you, brother, well, I—I will save that for some other time. But let me tell you, that's true.
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And then I went up the road, walking along up the road (I'd received the Holy Ghost) crying, going up the road. And Mr. Issler, was our state senator of Indiana, come and put his arm around me, stopped his car and jumped out (bless his heart) throwed his arm around me, said, “Billy, what about that Holy Ghost religion now?”
I said, “It's just as good right now as it ever was, even better.” Hallelujah.
Now, he said, “Do you still believe Him?”
I said, “How could I keep from believing Him? He's a part of me, and I'm a part of Him. I couldn't deny myself. He's part of me.” And that's what He is.
Oh, the people want to go to heaven on a flowery bed of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas;
Though I must fight if I must reign,
Increase my courage, Lord.
And support me by Thy Word. That's right. Let me take the way with the Lord's despised few. Oh, when they return back rejoicing because they counted... They was happy because they could re—bear the reproach of His holy Name.
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Not long ago, I remember a little old woman, girl. Out in the country she'd went away, went over to the city to go to school, you know. She was going to learn a whole lot of things. Her brother went away to be a doctor. It was a very strange affair. Her old mother got sick while the doctor was away and—and so the doctor, or it was... I beg your pardon. He didn't go to be a doctor. He went to get his degree of doctor. And when he...
She got sick, and she called for the doctor, and the doctor couldn't do nothing for her. She had pneumonia; she thought she's going to die. So there was a woman down in the city that had a—went to a Full Gospel Church. And she come up there and she said, “Lady,” said, “do you believe in praying for the sick?”
Said, “Well, I never heard nothing about it.”
Said, “Do you believe in Divine healing?”
Said, “Well, our pastor never says nothing about it.”
Said, “Well, our pastor believes in Divine healing.” Said, “Will you let him come up and pray?”
She said, “Well, I don't know.” Said, “Is it in the Bible?”
So she turned over to Mark 16. She read it to her. “These signs shall follow them that believe: lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.” So the—the Full Gospel pastor come up and anointed her with oil and prayed for her; and the woman got well.
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So then when the boy come home, he said—he said... Oh, he was just rejoicing with his mother, you know. And said, “Say, mother,” said, “you never did tell me how you got along.” Said, “What kind of a drug did you take?”
She said, “Oh, sonny, I'm so happy you mentioned that.” He'd got his degree from college and so forth. He was going to be a preacher. And he said, “I'm so glad you mentioned that.” She said, “There's a... You know that little mission way downtown there, down on...”
“Yes.”
Said, “That Full Gospel place.” Said, “That preacher come up and read the Bible of Mark 16.” And said, “He anointed me with oil and prayed for me.” And said, “And you know, the Lord healed me?”
He said, “Oh, mother,” said, “the very idea.” Said, “Why, you know that's not right.”
“Oh,” she said, “honey, it's in the Bible.” Said, “Mark 16, he read it.” She said...
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He said, “Mother, we learned over at the college that Mark 16 from the 9th verse on is not inspired.”
The little mother said, “Oh, hallelujah. Hallelujah.”
And he said, “Why, mother. Why, ridiculous. What's happened to you?”
She said, “Honey, I was just thinking. Did you say Mark 16 is not inspired?”
Said, “No, no, it's not.”
Said, “If God could heal me with uninspired Word, what could He do with That's inspired?” Said, “If He could do that, what would He do with That's inspired?”
That's right. If uninspired Word will do, well, what will That which really is inspired? What would Mark 11:24 do? What would that do? Oh, my. Sure. God is here and He's with us.
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The little lady that runs off to school one time, she was... That puts me in mind of people that don't like to bear the cross. Listen, friends. You must be willing to serve Christ. You must be willing to whatever it is, lay aside every weight that doth easily besets you and run the—the race with patience.
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This morning early, going in, I was going down the road talking to my little wife back there. I just couldn't... I was holding the wheel, just the tears rolling down my cheeks. I couldn't help it. I thought, “Seeing that we're compassed about with such a great cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every sin, and the... every weight and the sin that so easily beset us.” We're running a race now with patience, looking to the Author of our faith.
Looking back there how they was tormented and made fun of and scoffed, and—and sawed asunder, and wondered about in sheepskin and goatskins, in deserts, and destitute and afflicted. Oh, my. And the Bible said, “Of whom the world's not even worthy of such a people.” All of those, and they're...
And say now, let us look to the Author of our faith Who come down, the God of Glory, represented Himself with the holy-rollers. Right. That's what Paul said, “In the way that's called heresy (crazy, see?), so worship I the God of our fathers.” He was willing to take the way as a proud Pharisee. He come in to take his way with the Lord's despised few.
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A little lady went away to college here not long ago. And when she come home... She'd learned so much. She used to go to church, but when she come back, she just knowed so much she didn't want... Oh, she was just a smart-aleck. That's about what the whole lot of it learns, too.
So when she come back, she brought a little girl home with her. And her mother was standing out on the ramp with a—to meet her. And when the cars stopped, and this young little smart-aleck was with her, looked over there and she said, “Oh, look at that horrible old wretch.” And the little Mary was ashamed to admit that was her mother.
She said, “Yes, she looks awful, doesn't she?” And she turned her back and walked away.
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And so when she got off the train, her mother looked and she recognized her daughter. And she run, threw her arms around her, said, “Darling.” Her face was all drawed, and her hands all drawed down. And she... all like that. And she said, “Darling, kiss me, kiss me.” And she was trying to kiss her daughter, and her daughter turned her back and walked away, ashamed: her own mother.
And a conductor, which knew the case, walked up and grabbed that young woman and shook her. Said, “Ain't you ashamed of yourself?” Said, “Your mother was beautiful one time. And when you was a little baby, up in the upstairs, the house caught fire. And they said, 'Let it alone.' And you were burning up in that house. And your mother, taking no thought of her own beauty, she run into that room as hard as she could, jerked her own clothes from her body, wrapped you up in it and brought you out. And she scorched and burnt herself like that.” Said, “Because you're pretty today, is because she was made ugly back there so you could be pretty.” Said, “Shame on you.”
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And I think of that today, brother, when Jesus is willing, the Son of God, to come from the ivory palaces of glory down here and take a disgraceful name and humiliate Himself in human flesh, and be called a holy-roller, or religious fanatic, and walk up yonder and bleed and die as a curse on a tree, and you're ashamed, God have mercy on the people. Have mercy. And you're ashamed to commit yourself with His people.
If you're not borned again, why not come and accept Him now? I wish that lady would go to the piano, while bow our head. Think it over. Think of His humiliation: God made flesh. How can you reject such love? God came down, made Hisself a Man; called a fanatic, a devil, beaten, bruised for your sin.
And here you set tonight watching Him in His universe, watching Him preached in His Word, see His power moving among the people, seeing Him in every way He can be, and then you're ashamed to take your stand for Him. When up Calvary, Golgotha's hill, He went, walking with an old rugged cross on His shoulders till it rubbed the blood and the bones sticking through. And a big fine church where He could've come and took over and been the King of the earth, but was humiliated for you. And then you're afraid of humiliation to claim Him as your Saviour. Think of it while we speak with Him.
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O Christ, the lovely One, the Darling of God's bosom, coming down from the ivory palaces of heaven, clothed in the form of sinful flesh, humiliated Himself, born in a barn, in a stable, why, Lord? Why? Because lambs are not born in houses. Lambs is born in barns. And then led Him away to Calvary, like a sheep to the slaughter: led Him, like Abel led his lamb. And they led Him away, humiliated.
Looking back, seeing the people and them gambling and spitting on Him, His face full of mockery spit, but He was willing to bear it all that we could be saved. And then we poor, alienated Gentiles, carried away with dumb idols and lust of the world, living here in this day just before His coming, and then ashamed to take our way with the Lord's despised few.
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God, if there be a sinner man or woman here tonight who's never been borned again, may they be ashamed of the way they've treated You, caring more for the things of this world than they do for You, turning a cold shoulder to Christ. And here He is... out here in this tree tonight. Here He is in the grass and the flowers. He's in His people. He's in His Word.
Comes in here in the form of an Angel and moves over the audience, proving Himself that He's the Son of Man that raised from the dead, doing the same things He did in the days gone by, and men setting here ashamed to take Your way. Young women and young men thinking more of the things of this world than they do of God, and not knowing that tomorrow morning God may call for their soul to answer at judgment... God be merciful. Help, dear God, and may it cut real deep into the heart.
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While we have our heads bowed, I just wonder, with every Christian praying, please, aren't you kind of ashamed the way you've done Him? What are you going to give in exchange that day? Is there a sinner here would raise up your hand, say, “Brother Branham, I—I—I'm ashamed the way I've treated Him. I—I want Him to forgive me right now, the way I've done Him. And I—I want to accept Him as my Saviour.” Would you raise your hands just now? God bless you, you, you. Oh, all over the audience.
Look, it may seem old fashion. John Wesley preached these services like this. Dwight Moody preached these services, Finney, Sankey, Knox, Calvin. We just got away from it. You see? We just went away from the old path; that's all.
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While us Christians are praying, if you've been here in these meetings and you believe that God sent me to these meetings and you appreciate Jesus Christ, and you want to be saved, I wonder, while you're with your heads bowed, how many would come stand right here before me so I can lay hands on you and pray for you to be saved, and want to accept Christ. Would you just raise up out of your seat and come, while we keep our heads bowed and sing this song.
... ly and tenderly Jesus is...
God bless you, little lady. I seen God dealing with you along there, this godly saint. Would someone else come now and stand by her side?
... me.
See, on the portals He's wait... (Are you ashamed of Him?)
Watching for you and for me.
Come home...
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God bless you, lady. God bless you. Softly now, will you come? Sinner friend, make your way; come here. I want to stand right here myself and pray with you. God hears my prayer to open the eyes of the blind, the deaf. Just in prayer, surely your soul will be saved.
... calling, calling, O sinner...
God bless you, my brother. That's the way. Others are coming. Won't you come, too, sinner friend?
... should we tarry...
God bless you, brother. Won't you raise up now and come? God bless you. Come right ahead, young man.
... you and for me;
Why should we linger and heed not His mercy,
Mercy... for...
God bless you, my brother. Just stand. God bless you, young man.
Come home, (Come home,) Come home...
God bless you, sister. That's the way to come, all broken up. “He that comes there...?...”
[Blank spot on tape]
Home...
Time is now fleeting the moments...
Way over there, in another world someday, your soul goes out before I see you again, you remember this.
Coming for you and for me.
Come home, (Come home,) Come home.
Ye who are weary, come home,
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
[Blank spot on tape]
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... with your heads bowed... Remember, that some glorious day Jesus is coming. And now, what if God calls your soul before you get a chance to make it right? Won't you come now? The despised and rejected One, are you going to—to put your mockery upon Him by turning your back on His invitation tonight? Remember, you may do it the last time: “My Spirit will not always strive with man.” And now, this may be the time that God is...
I feel that somebody else should to come to this. There's more sinners than that, surely, in this audience. Won't you come down here just a moment. Just stand here and say, “I accept Christ.” Come here and pray, and I'll stand right here and pray with you, and until God saves your soul from sin. I want those who are sinners to come.
Let's try... How many knows the old song, “O Why Not Tonight?” Give us a chord of it, sister. You know it, do you? All right. Maybe... All right.
O why not tonight?
O why not tonight?
Wilt thou be saved?
And why not tonight?
O why (Tell me why,) not tonight?
Won't you come? Won't you come? The best thing that was ever offered to you...
...tonight?
Wilt Thou (God bless you, lady, and you too.)...
And why not tonight?
Tomorrow the sun may never rise,
To bless thy long delu...
[Blank spot on tape]
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I was there in a revival at a big Baptist church, and we was holding a meeting. And I felt led, in an altar call, that night, to walk back to a young lady. I'm just telling this. I met her here not long ago. And I said—walked back to her and I said, “Sister, I believe God is calling you tonight.”
She said, “Looky here, Reverend Branham,” she said, “I know when God is calling.”
I said, “All right, sister, I've just done all I could say.” She's a fine young lady of the city there, had a nice name and everything. And so I said, “I feel...”
And I started walking back again; the Holy Spirit said, “Make that call again.”
I made it again. And I said, “Now, young lady,” I said, “I believe...”
She said, “Reverend Branham, if I want somebody, talk to me about like that, I'll get somebody that's got some sense; not you.”
I said, “Very well. I have done all I can do. Remember, sister, you—if you blaspheme the Holy Ghost, you'll never be saved.”
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And so, I went outside the building that night and stood by the door. A beautiful young lady, and the roses was blooming around the door, I never forget; and the wind blowing, the moonlight. She—she looked like an angel, almost, standing there. She was just in her youth of seventeen, eighteen years old. I said... She said, “Reverend Branham, you embarrassed me in that church tonight.” And said, “I'll never forget that.”
I said, “Yes, I know you'll never forget it. You won't forget it.” In about three or four years after that, I passed through the same city and was going down the street. And I looked. I was going down from the railroad yard, and I looked: a young lady passed by the street, her skirts hanging low. And I thought, “That can't be that girl.” And I started walking on. She looked back at me; just kept walking. I just walked along behind her. And she—first thing... She's waited for me to catch up. She said, “Hello, preacher...” real slangy like. You know?
And I said, “Well, I'll say...” I said, “You're the...”
She said, “That's... No more of that now.”
And so I walked down to where she was. She stopped there at a little place. She said, “Step in.”
I said, “No, ma'am. Thank you.”
And she said, “Well, won't you step into my apartment?” Right in our red light district.
And I said, “No. No, I—I won't. Thank you.” I said, “A—a... Girl, do you remember...?”
She said, “Just a minute.” She pulled out a cigarette and hit it like that. Said, “You have a smoke?”
I said, “You know I'm a Christian.”
And she said—she said, “Well, how would you like to have a little drink?” She pulled out a bottle.
I said, “Shame on you.” You see?
She said, “Wait, just a minute. I'm going to leave you, and I'm going in here,” but said, “You remember that night, preacher, what you told me, God is giving me my last call?”
I said, “Yes.”
She said, “It's the truth.” She said, “And you're privileged to tell it anywhere you want to.” She said, “But I'm lost forever.” She said, “My heart has become so black, till I could...” Here's the remark she made: “I could see my own mother's soul fry in hell like a pancake, and laugh at it.” That's the danger of rejecting Jesus Christ. Tomorrow, some other time, you get so hard and so calloused you don't want nothing about it. And that's what this world is today. It's getting so calloused it don't want Christ, it's got so much luxury and things.
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Won't you come? I'm going to make this call one more time: “O Why not Tonight?” Won't you just... Will you come now while I make this call? Stand around with the rest of these penitent sinners here. We're going to have prayer; Christ will receive them. All right.
O why not tonight?
[Blank spot on tape]
... the world. Right here. Souls... Come, young lady. Just in the turning of life. God bless you. You're making the most gallant stand you ever did in your life. The good Lord bless you, my sister, and give you the desire of your heart: Christ, tonight, to enthrone you and bless you through the ages to come.
Here's some more coming. I'm just waiting. I just can't hardly close this. I—I never act like this. Frankly, I never have an opportunity to make an altar call of this type, but just something just told me to do it. Last night was the same thing. God bless you, young lady. You're making the greatest stand you ever did in your life, sister: giving up the things of the world, coming to Jesus Christ, wanting Him as personal Saviour. May the Lord bless you, sister; both of you, come right up here. [Blank spot on tape]
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... ten thousand worlds. Now, if you've judged right that I've told the truth, God has come here and vindicated it's the truth; I've told the truth; you believe the truth that I've preached tonight, that God's right here in His universe, right here in His people, right here in His Word, right here among—among us tonight, then God is here moving, talking to your heart.
I wonder if there's a man or woman back there, boy or girl, said, “Brother Branham, I haven't got the courage to come like these other people. I, just seem like I'm not made out of that kind of stuff with enough real man or woman about me to come, but I'll raise my hand and say, 'Brother Branham, pray for me that I'll not go to hell. I want to be saved. You remember me in prayer.'” Will you raise your hand, somewhere in the building. God bless you, brother. All right, someone else? God bless you, little lady. All right, is there another one say... God bless you, up there, sir. You, you too. May God grant that the singes of hell will never come near you. May God grant it, my dear people.
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You have the opportunity, now, to come. Only thing you have to do is come here. I'll be responsible at the day of judgment if I haven't told you the truth, that Christ will receive every one that's standing here. That's right. These people coming here, not because they come here... Because that they have acted in obedience. They could not come...
And just think: what an opportunity. I know of thousands of people tonight, friend. There is people that's in this world that God never will, and never did knock at their heart, and won't. And if God has knocked at your heart's door, you're privileged. You ought to come. This ought to be the time that you'd run quickly to the altar. You're invited to come to the King's palace tonight, come into His loving care. Won't you do it? I'm offering you Christ Jesus.
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Now, while... If you bow your heads just a moment, I want to instruct these who are standing here at the altar. Young men, young women, I stand as God's servant before you. I stand to declare the truth of God which is in Christ Jesus. You've come because not of your own decision, you've come because God knocked at your heart and told you to come, and you followed Him.
Now, Jesus said, “He that comes to Me, I will in no wise cast out.” There's only one thing in the world that you can do any farther than this right now, is to believe the Lord right now. Believe that I've told you the truth.
Jesus said... the Father drawed you here tonight. That's what... And He said, “Now, he that comes, I won't cast out.” You repent and tell God that you're sorry for your sins and accept Him as your Saviour. Tell Him you're sorry the way you've treated Him. Some of you here just young children. Some of you are middle-aged. Some are old and gray-headed. And got... Tell Him you're sorry for your sin and ask Him to forgive you. And He's willing and wanting to do it right now.
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And then when you... That's the only thing you can do is believe Him now. Now, when you bow your heads here, I want these people that's standing at the altar to repeat this prayer after me, while the rest of you keep your heads bowed and in prayer. Now, I'm going to say the words, but now you mean them from your heart as you bow your heads now. Now, you just repeat after me, these here at the altar.
Almighty God, [Those at the altar repeat after Brother Branham] I come before Thee as a penitent soul. I am ashamed of my life. I'm ashamed of the way I've treated Your beloved Son. I've spurned His love, and I'm ashamed of it tonight. And will You receive me, Father, as Your penitent child? I promise You tonight, I will forsake sin, and I will cleave to You as long as I live.
Now, according to Your Word, and the Word of Your beloved Son, You promised not to cast me away; and You're my Father; I can't believe that you would do it. So upon the merits of Jesus Christ, I'm confessing my sins and accepting Him now as my personal Saviour. God, keep me and help me to be a Christian. And fill my life with the Holy Spirit, that I might live above sin in this present world. In the hour of my death receive my soul, Lord, into Your Kingdom. These things I ask in Jesus' Name. And I accept it now as a finished work from Calvary. Amen.
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Now, raise your head. You at the... Do you now, each one of you here, really from the depths of your heart believe that God has forgive you of your sins and you now accept Him as your Saviour? If you do, raise up your hand as a witness. You sister...?... What about it, young man, do you believe that God forgives you? All right.
Now, you're each one of you Christians. Each one of you are God's children. If you'd have died back yonder five minutes ago, you'd have went to hell. If you die now, you'd go to heaven. Now, I tell you what I want you to do as my brother and sister; I love you with all my heart, but before you go to your seat I wish we'd go across over there and have a word of prayer, just kneel down and pray together. Would you do that with us? Would each one of you be glad to do that? Uh...
113
Some of the ministers start right from the end there and let these, all these here go right across while I'm making another call here, right across over there. I'm going to go over there and pray with you. Now, walk right across. How many up there's happy? Now, turn around to this audience first before you go and say this as you turn around, “I accept Jesus Christ... (repeat my words) I accept Jesus Christ [Those at the altar repeat after Brother Branham] as my personal Saviour. I ask your prayers for me.”
Now, if you want... go to help, pray and pray for them, raise up your hand and say, “I will”? God bless you.
Now, I want you to pray yourself, personally to God, each one as you go across. Everyone go right across over there. I want to be with you in a few...