God Keeps His Word #2

Let us just remain standing for a moment, and bow our heads in prayer, just for a moment. (You're setting this up here. Oh, all right, sir. Thank you.)

Most gracious Father, we are indeed grateful to Thee tonight for the presence of the Lord Jesus here on earth and among us, this great day of tragedy, where atomic bombs and missiles could at one sweep cause a total annihilation. But we are so thankful that we have a refuge: the name of the Lord is a mighty tower; the righteous run into it and are safe. We thank Thee, Father, for this, and for the grace of the Lord Jesus, who has given us this marvelous fellowship. And we pray tonight that He will be present, and will bless our efforts, as we try to speak to the unsaved and to those who are needy. And may, when the service is over, may we be able to say like those who came from Emmaus, “Did not our hearts burn within us, as He talked to us along the way?” For we ask it in Jesus' name, Amen.

I always deem it such a great privilege to be assembled together with the people of God. And today with some of the pastors, we have had a wonderful fellowship. And tonight, I am sorry to be just a little hoarse because of so much preaching in the weeks gone by. And I am happy tonight to have on the platform, some of my friends from California and different parts: Brother Rowe and brother.... I'm certainly glad to get to see you up here tonight.

And now, tonight I have chosen, by the help of the Lord, a text that I would like to speak on, and that's found in Saint Matthew, the 24th chapter and the 35th verse. And just to take my time, because of being hard for you to understand me, I read the Scripture.

Heavens and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.

Those words were solemnly spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour. My subject, continuing tonight, “God Keeps His Word.” And it is my belief that the Bible is God's Word, and that in the Word, salvation is based upon the teaching of this Bible, that salvation cannot be based upon any other thing but the Word of the Lord. Many things are good remedies, but this is the cure. God has so planned it, that His Word is Himself. “In the beginning was the Word; the Word was with God; and the Word was God,” and “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”—God, incarnate, in Christ. All other things will fail.

Now, we cannot base salvation upon prayer. As good as it may be, we cannot base salvation on prayer. For if that be so, the Mohammedans are saved; the Buddhists are saved; the heathens are saved. So it cannot be based on prayer, and neither can it be based upon experience. Salvation is not based on experience, because people can have any kind of an experience. The Mohammedans have experiences. The Buddhist has an experience, and every different religion has experiences. And neither can salvation be based upon fasting, prayer, experiences, sensations, or sincerity.

Many people say, “Well, it doesn't make any difference just what I believe, as long as I am sincere in what I believe.” Well, if that be so, the Mohammedan is saved; the Buddhist is saved, and all the rest of them; the heathens is saved. For I say that they can outshine us any day, when it comes to prayer, fasting, sensations, or so forth; they can outshine us. And salvation does not pertain ... or, it is not based upon any other thing but the Word of God; God's got to say so.

Salvation cannot be based upon any church, or any creed, nothing but the Word of God, for it's God's Word. God's Word is so perfect that not one iota of it will ever fail. All the heavens will fail; the earth will fail. John said on the island of Patmos, “I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.” But God's Word went right on, just the same.

I want you to notice, in technique now, how infallible the Word of God is. When the two thieves and Jesus was dying on the crosses, together, they took hammers and broke the thieves' legs. And, perhaps, maybe, the man who had the hammer, had already drawed back the hammer to break the legs of the Lord Jesus, so they couldn't get away over the Sabbath. But before the hammer could ever strike the legs of the Lord Jesus, His Word must be fulfilled. There wasn't a bone in His body broke. And before the hammer could strike His legs, a Roman spear hit His side, and blood and water came forth: but “They pierced my hands and my side.”

All the Word of God has to be fulfilled, every word. So, that's the reason I like to get people that I know I'm going to have to answer before in the day of judgment, based, not upon some of my own thoughts, or based upon my own doctrine. I want their soul experience and all based on God's Word, so it will stand. Because I know that in that great day we're going to have to answer for everything.

And many times in the meetings, as I go along preaching, and especially in this day, we find out that each one has a little experience that we have to refer to or claim on this experience that we are saved. But we are not saved by experiences, nor by fasting, nor by prayer. There is one way we are saved; that's faith through the Word. “Faith cometh by hearing; hearing of the Word of God,” is the only way we could be saved.

And then in this, in the day that we are now living, in the great emotional age that we're living in, I feel that, in some respects, that surely there's people in the world who would believe that I told the truth. After the Lord has so vindicated, that I am not worthy of, but in His grace, He has given the vindication that I have told the truth, because I've stayed with the Word, with prejudice towards none, love towards all.

Now, the Bible said, the watchman that stands on the tower, if he sees the enemy coming and fails to warn them people, God will require their blood at his hands. But, and if he does warn them, and they fail to take heed, then their blood's on their own hands.

And I would want to say at the end of my road, when someday you pick up a paper and read that I have passed on, or what way you would hear, I would want to say in leaving this life, “I have not shunned but to declare unto you the whole council of God.” So, that staying with the Word, then I know I'm right. But if I get off the Word, then I'm wrong.

So now, just in a little context, or a place to pick a context, let us go back into the Old Testament, in the book of I Kings and the 22nd chapter. And maybe you won't have time to read it just now, but maybe when you get home.

It was during the time of the reign of Ahab, king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. And we all know that how the reign of Ahab, as far as materially, it prospered; but spiritually speaking, it was at a low ebb.

But Jehoshaphat was a believer. His father before him was a believer. And then one day Jehoshaphat made that wrong move, which is most likely to come to every one of us—that we make that wrong move. It's so easy. Jehoshaphat went down to visit Ahab. There's where he made a mistake. The Bible said for us to come out among unbelievers, not to be connected and associated with unbelievers. And Jehoshaphat come down to visit Ahab, and Ahab wanted to show him a great time.

As usually, the world, if it can just get you out to a little night club somewhere, or a party, some of your worldly neighbors, they'll want to really put on a show for you. And the devil will try to make you believe you're having a good time. That's the way he does it, to entice you back. And when you see the world doing that, or the devil giving you a prosperity, falsely, remember: He's building you up for a great let-down. That's right.

So, Ahab had an ax to grind. And usually, that's the way the world does. They have an ax to grind. So, when Jehoshaphat was a mighty man—God's with him—and when he come down, Ahab showed him such great hospitality. But Ahab said, “You know, there's a little piece of ground up at Ramoth in Gilead, that really belongs to us. I want you to go up with me and help me to take this.” Just couldn't be satisfied.

And I think that's like a lot of people like Ahab today, and I say that Ahab was a borderline believer—a lukewarm, half-baked, so-called believer.

Notice, always an ax to grind, but he wasn't satisfied with what he had; he had to try to go get more. And that's the way the church gets sometimes; you can't be satisfied with Jesus and the good old-fashioned experience of a good old, backwoods, sky-blue, sin-killing religion. You have to go to dangling around in the world after something else. And the devil's always present to give you what you're looking for.

Eve was not satisfied in the beginning with the wonderful fellowship that she and Adam had with God, but she had to hunt some new light. And the devil seen she got it. And when you try to find something that's a little fantastic, a little different from the written Word, the devil's right present to give it to you. That is true. If Eve would've stayed with the Word, this great sin problem would have never happened, because God had promised them that they could live forever. But she wanted something different. It's too bad we've got so many Eve's dangling around, trying to find something different.

And what the devil told her, was a whole lot of truth in it. And the biggest lie that was ever told, has a lot of truth in it. Just something mixed up, half way; “It might be. Perhaps it is.” If God hasn't said so, let it alone.

But notice, Ahab, he wasn't satisfied. He had to go get something else. And the Lord had just showed him mercy, and was going to take his life, immediately, but showed him a little mercy. And then, he wasn't satisfied with it. He had to go after some more land. So, Ahab was right up in arms to go do it. But, I think even Jehoshaphat, right in the midst of all his confusion, he had the audacity ... or, I'd say, he had the experience and knowed enough about God to try to seek God's Word before he made a move.

If the church today would only do that much, would only seek God's Word first, through the Bible, get His plan, His program.... But Ahab wasn't paying any attention to what God's Word said. He just wanted something different. But Jehoshaphat, yet a believer, off of his grounds where he should be, yet he had enough God about him to seek out the will of God.

So, he said, “Could we not ask God about these things before we do it? Should not we search God's Word and find out about these things before we do them?” I believe that every born-again believer will do it. Got to come from the Word, especially in the day that we're living, when God's Word has prophesied so many of these things.

Now, when he seen that Jehoshaphat was going to require at the hand of the Lord, so they were just businessmen. They believed God. So, they said, “Ahab, you know, the devil has always got something that he can present to take the place of truth. So, he said, ”Sure, well, I ought to have thought of that. We'll just call up my bunch of preachers. You know what? I've got the best bunch of preachers there is in the country. I've got a seminary down here; I just turn them out by machinery. And we've got a real bunch of prophets. So, we'll just call them up. Now, I will tell you, I'll call the whole school.“

And he called up four hundred prophets. And he said, “I want to ask you fellows something. Prophesy to me: Shall I go up to Ramoth-Gilead, or shall I forebear?” They went into the prayer, fasting, whatever they did, the prophets do. As you know, they have to do, to find out whether it was truth or not.

I want you to notice the recklessness of these so-called prophets. They might've had a little band playing. They might have fasted a few days. That's all right. Nothing against that. They might have had a prayer meeting, and God knows we need it. But when they got the prayer meeting and everything over, they got a revelation. And four hundred of them, with all with one consent, went out and said, “Go on up, God's with you, and you're going to take it.”

Their revelation didn't cooperate with God's Word. But they believed it anyhow. So fasting, prayer, fantastics, whatever it may be, if it don't cooperate with God's Word, leave it alone. They had fasting, prayer, (no doubt), but they were gentlemen, everyone of them, real religious, cultured, fine men, but there was something they left out. And they never done it through willfulness.

Now, when all of these began to cry out, “Go up. The Lord is going to be with you; Thus saith the Lord.”

And you know, that just pleased Ahab so well; I could just imagine him putting his hands on his hips, and said, “You see that? That's the cream of the crop saying that.” But you know, that don't always jibe with a man of God.

This Jehoshaphat said, “Now, just a moment. Haven't you got just one more?”

“One more?”

Four hundred preachers.... I wonder how they got their credentials? Four hundred preachers with one accord said, “Go up. The Lord is with you.”

But, Jehoshaphat said, “You know, that just don't sound right.” Brother, the Bible says, “My sheep know My voice. A stranger they'll not follow.”

Jehoshaphat said, “Haven't you just got one more?”

“One more? Here's four hundred of the best prophesiers there is in the land.” There just wasn't enough truth for that man of God. He knowed God's voice didn't sound like that. So, he said, “Oh yes, I've got one more, but he don't belong to our denomination. He just don't hook up with us, somehow.”

You know, there was enough of God about Jehoshaphat to say, “I'd just like to hear him.”

Ahab said, “Oh, we might ask him, but I'm telling you, I hate that little holy-roller.” Sure. He said, “He never did say any good thing about me or my denomination.” Said, “His name's Micaiah; he's the son of Imlah.” God give us some more Micaiahs. Said, “I hate that little fellow.” Said, “He's always kicking against me and my big school.” They didn't have the Word, that was the reason. He said, “You know, I don't want to even see that guy.”

But, Jehoshaphat said, “Don't let the king say so. Let's hear him anyhow.”

“All right. But I'm warning you: He's going to condemn every preacher standing here.” He knowed better himself, didn't he? “He's going to rip this thing wide open. And all of our great hopes is going to be shattered. We better not let that little holy-roller come. He won't have any cooperation from these men.”

Jehoshaphat said, “I'd just like to hear him anyhow. I'd like to see his side of it.” That's a good sensible thought.

Said, “All right. Now, we'll go over here and have a great spiritual meeting.” And they put their robes on and went out into a little place, not in the palace, but they had them a big meeting out there. And they sent a servant ... or, a soldier, to get Micaiah. And while they were gone after Micaiah, the prophet, all these prophets really had them a time. They got the victory. I imagine they had some carrying on down there. And the first thing you know, they got some signs appearing.

One man went by the name of Zedekiah, the head of them all. He made him a pair of horns for a sign—iron horns. And he was running around butting everybody, saying, “Thus saith the Lord. We got the sign. Now, we can't be wrong. But we got the sign now, and we're going to push this thing to the finish.” Oh, what a meeting they had.

I see Ahab saying, “You see, look how they do it. You know, Brother, that's the victory.” And the thing of it was, these men were sincere and anointed.

Now watch. So, the soldier that went to get little Micaiah, probably found him out in the woods somewhere, praying or reading the Bible. The soldier come up, and he said, “Micaiah, the son of Imlah, you know, the king wants you to come down and prophesy before him.”

“Oh, he does, does he? Now, what's happened?”

“Oh, they're having a meeting; you ought to see it. Them preachers are just having a wonderful time down there. And they're having a jubilee. They've got the blessing. The anointing is upon them. Why, when I left, the chief speaker had a pair of horns, and he was running all around, and had 'Thus saith the Lord.'”

You know, Micaiah thought, “That don't sound right. Well, I'll go on down and preach a sermon for them then.”

Now, on the road down he said, “Now, Micaiah, I've been sent by the chief of the organization. If you want to have fellowship amongst that bunch of preachers, you say the same thing they do. Yeah. Don't you say nothing contrary to their doctrine. If you do, you'll be more than excommunicated. They'll never invite you again.”

But, he happened to be speaking to the wrong man. God has got some people's got a backbone.

Christ didn't take their silliness. Sure, He was a meek man. But when the wrong thing was going on in the house of God, He took some ropes and platted them together, and kicked their old tables over, and drove them out of the house, and said, “It is written....” Hallelujah! Not how it looked, how they was prospering, how many Pharisees and Sadducees they were ordained, he said, “It is written.” Every true servant of God will go back to that Word. “It is written, my Father's house shall be a house of prayer. And you're making it a den of everything else.” And how true that is today.

So, what did he do? Micaiah said, “I don't care what they're saying. As the Lord liveth, I will say what God says.” That's what we need today, is preachers and men who will say what God says to be the truth. No matter if it's a great organization that you're building upon, if it's not built upon the Word of God, it'll fall. No matter what else you have, it'll fall if it's not on the Word of God.

Notice, when Micaiah gets down there into the congregation, well, I can hear Ahab say, “Well, here comes that little holy-roller. All right, we'll see what he's going to say.”

He said, “Micaiah, what about it? Shall I go up to Ramoth-gilead, or shall I forbear?”

Micaiah said, “Oh, go on up.” He wanted to see the action of all the ministers. I could imagine they all smiled, said, “Ha. That's the way, Micaiah. We'll make you the state presbyter. We'll do something for you, boy.”

Micaiah said, “Just a moment. I never finished it all. I saw Israel scattered like sheep, having no shepherd.”

And Ahab turned around to Jehoshaphat and said, “What did I tell you? What did I tell you?” What else could Micaiah say, after God had already condemned Ahab?

Now, and he said, “I saw the heavens open, and I saw angels and spirits on the right-hand and on the left-hand of God. And they were holding a council in heaven, the same time you were having this meeting down here. And one said, 'How can we get Ahab to go up there to Ramoth-gilead, because the Word of God has to be fulfilled?'” The Word of God had said that the dogs would lick the blood of Ahab. And if God has cursed the thing, how can we prophesy blessings on the thing? And any other foundation that's laid, besides that of Jesus Christ, and His blood, and faith ... saved by faith, is false prophesy.

And he said, “Now....” Many of us go into church by shaking hands, many of us by baptism, many of us by sensations. Why, they've even got it down in the Southlands, that you've not got the Holy Ghost until there's oil pouring out of your face or out of your hands. Oh, the weakness of the Pentecostal church! How long will you stand such things? No wonder God can't restore the gifts and put them in the church: He has no foundation to lay it on, for He will never lay it on anything but the foundation of the Word of God. No wonder these things are happening the way.... He knows the hearts of men; He knows what's in you. No matter what you say here, He knows what's in you. And He can't lay that foundation on anything else but this Bible.

And when we become so frazzled and so weak, until we fall for every little wind of doctrine.... We're like a leaf on an autumn lake, that every little wind sweeps us this way and that way. Be stabled on the Word of God, for you'll never pass with that Word.

Notice, then this little prophet stood up, and he said, “I saw the spirits on both sides of God, and they were in a little discourse up there (not a discourse, they were in a little council), and they said, 'Who can we get to go down and bring Ahab up there, because the Word of God has said he must be killed and the dogs must lick his blood.'” And they said....

One said, “This way.” One said, “I tell what we'll do: We'll do it this way.”

And the other said, “We'll do it that way.”

And today, friends, God is working in heaven the same way that He worked there. And one spirit come up, which was a lying spirit, and he said, “I know how I'll do it. Let me go down, and I'll get in that seminary down there, in that school, and I'll anoint every one of those preachers, because they don't know the Word anyhow. And they think as long as they got a little shiver running down their back, and can shout a little, it's all over; that's all we need. And I'll cause them to prophesy a lie, because they didn't know the Word.”

Brother, if there's anything that a born-again Christian ought to know and study, is the Word of God. The trouble of it is, we try to build.... Every man.... Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

And listen, you old saints, shame on you, that's been saved for twenty and thirty years, and still know no more about the Word of God than to fall for some little sensation. You've been living on excitement and upon your church; “Oh we have this church; it's the biggest in the city. One of these days we'll build a bigger church than them over there.” You got your head in the television at night. You're reading old “True Story” magazines, and all kind of tommyrot like that, when you ought to have your head daily in the Word of God.

And now, to you preachers.... I was talking to the laity.... Now, to you preachers: if you didn't have your mind on whether you was going to be a big shot or not, whether you was going to go to the next conference and they're going to put a feather in your hat, or your little denomination's going to do this, or that, or other.... You've got your head in other things besides the Word of God. When that enemy come to the city, you would be standing on the wall, warning the people about it. That's right.

Notice. Well, these men wasn't just overnight men. They were a selected, hand-picked group. But it was man's hands that picked them. God had picked one little old holy-roller. Notice him.

And then you know what? When that little Micaiah stood there and said, “God has sent a lying spirit among you. And everyone of you too, have a blessing. And you're prophets, and you're prophesying. I don't mean to say you're not good men, but there is a lying spirit sent among you.”

And if the Bible said in the last days that the two spirits would be so close together till it would deceive the very elect, you better put your head and heart in the Bible. Keep your mind on the Bible, on Christ.

And you know, that kind of stirred up the righteous indignation of this preacher and his denomination, his little organization. And the head man, Zedekiah, walked up, and with his open hand, smacked the little preacher in the face. He said, “Which way went the Spirit of God out of me, if you caught it?”

Said, “Just wait a little while, you'll find out.” That's right.

Now, that preacher that smacked him, Zedekiah, he was deeply sincere. And he was just as sincere as Micaiah was. And I believe that he was a good man. I believe the rest of them was.

“Well then,” you say, “Brother Branham, where have you got us to tonight? Then you've got Micaiah standing there, sincere, prophesying under the Spirit, and here stands four hundred against him, prophesying—sincere, anointed prophets. Now, how are you going to tell the truth from error? One of them.... Four hundred says, 'This is right,' and one says, 'This is right.' And you say, they're both groups under anointing.'”

Here's the way to tell who's right. Micaiah's prophecy tallied with God's Word. Micaiah had the Word. He might not have been able to dress like the rest of them. He might not have been able to holler, “Amen”, like the rest of them. He might not've been able to have education the rest of them had, but one thing he did have.... He might not have been as forceful a preacher as they was, but he had the Word of the Lord. And heavens and earth will pass away, but that Word will never pass away. The Word of the Lord, it shall endure forever.

Friends, what happened? Just let it run its course. Notice, with all that—and the congregation, the king, the army, millions listening to it—they had to make a decision. So, they judged by the one that had the majority. God's not always in the majority. He's sometimes in the minority, but He's always right. God is right.

Last night, in the service last night, I preached on Korah, who raised up, and he had about all Israel ready to stone Moses, Caleb, and Joshua. And they were certainly on the minority, but God was with them. And the Bible said that in the last days this thing will be repeated again. Woe unto them; they have run in the error of Cain, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah, spots in your love-feast, tossed about with every wind of doctrine. Who's he speaking about? The church in the last days; that's this church, tossed about with every little thing comes along.

Listen to this, “He's not the only prophet in the country,” said Korah. “We're just as much prophets as he is. We got just the same right.”

But God said it different.

Moses was staying on God's Word. God said, “I'm taking you to the promise land.” These fellows got cold feet. But Moses stayed on the Word, and so did Caleb and Joshua.

Now notice, isn't it strange that that king, after that prophecy, and putting it on the Word of God, that still he didn't understand that? And he went right on anyhow, because the Word of God had to be fulfilled.

Now, closely, put on your shock-proof jackets. Isn't it a strange thing that God will send a truth to a people, and in spite of all the preaching, till you could get hoarse and die, people will plunge right on down the road after some kind of fantastic fanaticism, instead of stay with the Word of God? Why? The Bible said, “They were ordained of old to this condemnation. They went out from us, because they wasn't of us.”

Paul said, “After my departing, grievous wolves, men of your own groups will raise up, perverse things.” He said, “If an angel from heaven would preach any other thing than that which I've taught, let him be accursed.”

Did you notice in the Bible (a few minutes now), Paul didn't have any trouble with the church of Ephesus. They were scholars. They were men who understood. But his trouble wasn't with the Roman church, and he exalts them before God, and talks of their faith. But the trouble he had was with Corinth. Corinth was the place that he had the trouble, for they could not take the Word. Each one wanted a sensation. Said, “Why is it when I come among you, one's got a tongue, and one's got a psalm, and one's got a this, got a that, some kind of a little foolish sensation?” He said, “You're believers, but you're not established.”

Now, you know Paul wouldn't have preached things to the Corinthian church, and come back and preached to the Ephesian church something else, and the church of Thessalonians something else. He preached the same gospel everywhere. But that Ephesian church, he could speak to them some of the great mysteries that God had revealed to him down in Arabia. He could preach predestination to them. He couldn't preach that to the Corinthian church. Why, they still had.... If they didn't have oil running out of their hands, or some kind of a sensation, or something or other, they wouldn't believe what the Word said. They had to have a tongue, or a psalm, or some kind of a little sign, or something. But Paul couldn't preach solid doctrine to them.

And I've said this, brother, sister, this may be the last sermon I ever preach, but I will be free of all men's blood. Listen, brother, Paul could not preach to them.

I said, “I've found two things in my life. I found the Fundamentalists: Baptists, Presbyterians. I found the Pentecostals. Being a Baptist, myself, was ordained in the Baptist church, I turned them down to come, be with you. I love you. And I seen the error of some of your doings, but I've come with you, so I could bring you back. I went with you, not because I'm turned out of the Baptist church. No, sir. Find out if that's right or not. I was not turned out of the Baptist church; I chose to come with the Pentecostals, because I loved you. And I come with you, so I could try, by the Bible, to shake you from your error, and bring you back to a solid faith in God's unmovable Word.

And the hour has come when the American Pentecost is either on some kind of a fantastic or ism, or so cold and starchy you can't touch them at all. That's the two classes. Hardly a middle of the road anymore.

And now notice, I find that the Baptist people, positionally—and the Lutherans, Presbyterian—they are Bible scholars. They, positionally, know where they stand. But they got the Word without the Spirit. They haven't got any faith with that Word they got. And you Pentecostals have got the faith, but you don't know where you're standing. If you knowed the Bible, you wouldn't be so wishy-washy to fall for everything. That's right. You know that's true.

Now, if we could only get Pentecostal faith and Baptist theology, or Baptist theology and Pentecostal faith, we'd have it. It's just like a man's got money in the bank, and he don't know how to write a check. And the other one's got ... ain't got no money in the bank, and he knows how to write a check. That's just as foolish. If we could only get the man that's got the money in the bank, knows where he's standing by the Word, it would be settled. We could draw dividends off of the glory of God by the death of Christ, where signs, wonders of the Bible would follow, and we wouldn't need any of these kind of silly things. You know that's the truth.

What's the use of accepting a counterfeit that the devil would hand you, when the skies and heavens are full of blessings, trying to give to you. Why would I eat out of a garbage can, when I could eat at a nice table? Certainly. And I lay that a whole lot on the preachers. That's right. They'll roll the old garbage can out somewhere, and everyone would gather like a bunch of cockroaches in the summertime. That's right. I don't say that for jokes. This is not a joking place; this is where the Word of God's going forth. Listen, brother, if you want to make roaches scatter, just turn the light on one time. Why is it? They're bugs of darkness. It takes the light of the gospel to show up things. That's exactly right. The light of the gospel.

“Do you believe in signs and wonders, Brother Branham?” Absolutely. But it's got to be Bible signs and wonders. Because the devil's got a counterfeit in the last days to deceive the people by, and I'm on the look-out for it. Right. And I'm warning you: Stay clear.

The Corinthians, they just could believe anything. But they didn't believe the right thing. But now look, do you believe the Ephesian church spoke in tongues? Certainly. Do you believe they had signs and wonders? Yes, sir. But they knowed how to place them. Their pastors knowed how to set them and put the church in order, but the Corinthians didn't. Each one had to do this, and do that, and do this, and do that. They had the gifts. Paul said, “You've got great gifts; I'm thankful for them.” But they didn't know how to use them. That's the way it is in the church today, and it's went on long enough, till the devil's begin to slip in and give you some false signs and wonders. Could you imagine? Brother, we need the Bible, an old-fashioned Saint Paul's revival, and the Bible Holy Ghost, the real true Spirit of God.

Watch here: Oral Roberts, a bosom friend of mine, used this Scripture after.... I believe he got it from Jeremiah. Jeremiah said, “God is a good God.”

And my friend, Oral Roberts, has used that many times, that expression, and that's true. God is a good God. Certainly, He is. I want to ask you something. God being a good God.... Did you notice: At the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, Peter was at the grave—and some women, and Peter recognized the Lord had raised from the dead. He come right back to the disciples, and he said, “The Lord is risen.” And the rest of them began to praise the Lord, because they knowed He was supposed to raise from the dead. So, “Don't you remember what he said to us?” They began to rejoice because the Lord had risen.

In this group there was two missing, and one of them was called Cleopas, and his buddy. And they were on the road to Emmaus, going back home very sad. They'd never heard the word yet. So, as they journeyed on, Jesus appeared with them. And notice, He didn't go to tell them some kind of fantastic; the first thing He went to, was back to the Word. Said, “Fools, slow of heart, don't you know the prophets have said, the Word has said, that Christ must suffer to enter into His glory?” He began with the Word. And Christ always begins with the Word, and stays with the Word. And when He made himself known to them by a sign, not a fantastic, a sign that He did before them here on earth, which made it a Bible sign, they rushed back; and in this midst of people, they found a guy named Thomas.

“No, don't believe it. No, don't believe it. I've got to have bloody hands before I believe it.” He was the first Pentecostal. “I've got to have a sign. I've got to have some kind of a feeling, a sensation.”

God's a good God. He appeared. He said, “Thomas, come here.” Said, “Put your hands here in My side. Do you feel Me? If you want to feel something, here it is, Thomas. Feel Me. Touch My hands.”

And Thomas said, “Oh, now I believe.” He had to have a feeling.

The others didn't have to have a feeling. They had faith. They didn't need a sensation. Thomas had to have some evidence. They needed no evidence. The written Word was written, and they had faith in the written Word. Got special heart, brother. That's what Phoenix needs: faith in the written Word.

And He said, “Thomas, now, you've had all the feeling and sensation, and you say you believe.” He's got many children, Thomas has. He said, “Now, you believe. How much greater is their reward who has never seen or had any sensation, and still believe?” I want to be on that side: the greater reward.

Today I was talking to my manager, Mr. Moore, while we were having a little fellowship together, and I said, “Brother Moore, what do we need?” And as we were riding along the street in the car, I said, “Brother Moore.” I was trying to get him to answer something. I wanted to place him on the Scriptures—not as he needs to be, because he is. But I wanted him on this certain subject, I was going to ask him. I said, “Mr. Moore, you know what we need?” I said, “In the days when the gathering of the people was in Egypt, God sent them a prophet. And when God sent them a prophet, the devil sent them some false prophets.” That right? Sure did. “And then when the gathering of the people was again, at the time of liberation, when Jesus was coming, God sent them a prophet, and the only difference they could tell.... And there was a false prophet raised up.”

Now, remember Gamaliel said so; he took four hundred people and led them out into the wilderness (and they all perished) supposedly to be some great guy himself. He wasn't with the Word.

But John was with the Word. John said, “I'm the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Brother, that old Baptist preacher with a sheepskin jacket wrapped around, a pair of little hairy trousers on, he preached repentance, and preached the Word of God like men hasn't since, hardly. He was a true prophet. He stayed with the Word, and there was a false prophet in the land at the same time, who led a bunch ... raised a bunch of fantastics in fanaticism, to go out and get ready for a rapture, somewhere, and they perished in the wilderness.

Every time the people are gathered together at the end of the road, at a junction, God sends a true prophet, and the devil sends a false prophet. And I said, “Brother Moore, we need a prophet.” I wanted to see what he said. He looked at me a little bit. I said, “And we got a true prophet. And that true prophet is the Holy Ghost. He is a spiritual being. God sent the Holy Ghost to lead the church.”

And Jesus said, “When the Holy Ghost is come, He will show you things to come, and will bring these things to your memory, which I've taught unto you.” And the true Holy Ghost will teach the Word of God, and stay with the Word, and warn of things to come. That's right. And we've got a prophet, but what do we do with Him? He tries to direct us to the Word. We go off to draw a crowd.

Brother, I'd rather preach to two people and be true in the sight of God, than to stand before ten million and have to compromise, or to do something contrary, to hurt my Lord Jesus, to do something against His kingdom. I'd rather stand and preach the true Word than to have an organization of my own. That's what I did do, by the grace of God, when the first beginning, when all the tinsel was on my meeting, when I was here at Phoenix. Why, certainly it was presented to me, the devil did. “Why, you could start an organization that would tear this up and tear that up.”

I said, “Looky here, Mr. Devil, I never was sent on this earth to tear up; I was sent to this world to preach healing. And I'm preaching the healing of the body of Christ.” Back to the Bible. We can never heal the body of Christ on a little sensation: one gets this, and one gets that, and one gets this, and one gets that. Come back to the Word, and put the people on God's eternal Word. Oh, if you could only see it.

We got a Hero; that's the Holy Spirit, who came to teach us and to guide us into all truth. Is that what He said He'd do? Well, what is truth? Not oil, not blood, not this, not that. No, sir. The Word is the truth. The Bible said so. Jesus said, “Father, sanctify them through the truth. Thy Word is the truth.” The Holy Ghost will testify of the truth, the Word of God.

In closing, I might say this: too quickly is these things forgotten. Too quickly is the message forgotten. People come to church sometimes; they see a little enthusiasm. Sometimes they come to hear some good, famous preacher preach ... a good theologian preach a good sermon, they call it. But you fail to realize what you come to church for. You come to church to worship.

I just left Switzerland recently, and many of you men and women here, who are about my age.... I think it's from the readers in this day. But you are familiar, perhaps, with—some of the men on the platform behind me—with the great story of Arnold Von Winkelried. He was a great hero in Switzerland, many hundred years ago.

The Swiss people had gathered into the mountains, and had their little economical system up there—their little homes, and their wives and children. They were a peace loving people, and are yet. And one day Switzerland was invaded. Now, give me your undivided attention. And in the invasion, the invaders come with great spears and army, all well trained men—helmets, shields, bucklers, knee guards—well trained. And Switzerland heard that their lands were invaded with this enemy, and they gathered to protect their little homes.

They come down out of the mountains to meet the enemy in the plain. And what did they have to fight with? Clubs, sickle blades, rocks, and whatever they could pick up. Oh, the enemy was too much of a match for them.

And as that little bunch of Swiss boys stood up there, right behind them was their homes, wives, and babies, and all that they loved and called.... [Blank spot in tape.]

Here come that great army like a massive brick wall. Every man trained, every step the same as they marched on to just totally annihilate that poor little group of Swiss. And as they come on, they seen they were whipped. They were defeated, because of this great army. But it was at that crucial moment, that a man, inspired, by the name of Arnold Von Winkelried, he said, “Brethren, this day I'll give my life for Switzerland.”

And they said to him, “Arnold Von Winkelried, what will you do today?”

He said, “You just follow me.” Listen. “You follow me and fight with what you've got, and do the best you can.” Now, he turned and he said, “Just over the mountain is a little white home. In that little home, my wife and three little children wait for me to return.” And said, “I will never see their face again, but take care of my wife and children, for this day I'll give my life for Switzerland.”

They wondered what he would do. He seen that great oncoming army; he raised his hands, and he screamed with all of his might, “Make way for liberty.” And he started running with his hands up, and he screamed again, “Make way for liberty.” And when there was a hundred of the best trained spears, for he went right straight to the darkest part of them, and a hundred trained spears moved in to catch him. And when he got right with the spears, he screamed again, “Make way for liberty.” And he grabbed a armful of those spears, and throwed them into his chest, and fell to his death: such a display of real heroism, until it routed the army. And those Swiss men with rocks, clubs, and sticks came and drove the enemy out of their nation, and they've never had a war from that day since.

That heroism is seldom compared with, and never exceeded, until one time. That was a small thing. When the sons of Adam stood in a corner, the sons of Adam's race, and they were defeated.... God sent them the law, and they wouldn't keep it. They went after something else. He sent them the prophets, and they wouldn't keep it. And there was ignorance, illiteracy, sin, sickness, diseases: breaking down the whole human race, and every hope was gone that the human race could be saved. Then in heaven, there was One who stepped out, “This day I will give My life for Adam's race.” And when He looked over the earth, and saw where the greatest fear man had was death, He ran to a certain place called Calvary, and there He caught that in His bosom, and as He ascended up, He said, “You wait over yonder, until you're endued with power from on high.” He sent back the Holy Ghost and said, “Follow me, and fight with everything you got within you.”

And, brother, this is God's Word, which is sharper than a two-edged sword. It's the greatest power that was ever put in the hands of men, and God's expecting Adam's race to put sin, sickness, and all kinds of devils to the fighting walls. That's right. We've got the most powerful weapon that there is. Arnold Von Winkelried left them with sticks and stones, but Christ left us with His Word and Spirit. Let's fight! Let's stand for Christ! Let's stand for the Word! Let's pull the sword out of its sheaf and fight.

My brother, I'm no boy no more; I'm a middle-aged man, and one of these days I've got to come to the end of the road. And if I go like most of the Branhams and Harveys, when they get old, they kind of get shaky. Oh, I hope that He lets me stay to the end. And when I come down to the end of the road, I hope an old gray-headed man, gray whiskers, leaning on the staff, when I hear the old Jordan's waves dancing around everywhere, and I know the time has come, I want to be holding in my hand the sword. That's right. I want to turn and look down through a lifetime of ministry, and see every briar patch I come through and every hill I took. When it's done, I want to take the old sword and stick it back in the sheaf of eternity, take off the helmet of salvation, and kneel on the bank, and say, “God, push out the lifeboat; I'm coming home.”

If I'm faithful to my Saviour,

To His guiding hand I'll cling.

He will guide me over death's river;

Heaven's new, sweet song, I will sing.

God bless you, and let's bow our heads. Eternal God, blessed Saviour, I pray Thee to be merciful to us, and with all that Thou has given me to say, I have said it. And You have said in Your Word, “My Word will not return void, but it will accomplish that which it was meant for. And Thou knowest the motives of my heart. As a watchman sit on the wall, I've throwed out a warning to the people, to be careful in these last days. And I pray, God, it'll sink deep in the hearts of every person, and may the Holy Spirit water it, and may it bring forth great revivals and a unity of brotherhood among ministers, and the love of Christ shed abroad in our hearts. And may we see, before the end of time, a great outpouring and a revival. Grant it, Lord. Have mercy upon us. Be Thou merciful to us and forgive us of our sins and trespasses. And let Thy mercies rest with us. We pray in Jesus' name.

While we have our heads bowed. I could not place out the Word of God in the way that I have.... Now, it's early. I could not do that without inviting sinners to accept the Lord Jesus. What good does it do to cast the net, if you don't pull it in. Is there a sinner here tonight? I know there is—plenty of you—that would accept Christ and say, “Brother Branham, I am convinced that we're living in the end time. All these things you have been teaching is coming, it's warned in the Bible as mileposts, and we are at the end of the road. I raise my hand to Christ tonight, and asked Him to be merciful to me, a sinner, and to remember me in the hour of my death, for I now accept Him.”

While we have our heads bowed, we'll start on the main floor. Would you raise your hand? Just put your hand up; it won't hurt you. If you're a sinner, raise your hand. God bless you, sir. Someone else? God bless you, sir. God bless you, lady. God bless you, young man. Right down the middle isle now, someone else. Over to my right, is there any over in this other isle here, put up your hand, and say, “God be merciful to me. Brother Branham, remember me in prayer.” God bless you, lady. God bless you, lady.

Way back under the balconies, back in there. On the right side, someone put up your hand, say, “Remember me, Brother Branham, I pray that God will be merciful to me. I know I'm not living the right kind of life; I'm not living what a Christian should be. I'm only just a nominal church member. Oh, I've made two or three trials, but I never got nowhere. I really want to be saved. Put up my hand. I pray that God will do it.” Will you do it?

Up in the balconies to my right, would you raise up your hand up there? God bless you, young man. God bless you. God bless you, young fellow. I'm so glad to see ... though everybody's got their hand up. But it's been young folks, sitting here listening at this Word tonight, they're men of tomorrow, if there is a tomorrow. Put your hands up, will you? Say, “Christ remember me. Brother Branham, pray for me. I now want to say to Christ, I believe You, Lord. I believe You, and I accept You.”

The balcony to my rear, would you put your hand up, anyone up there? God bless you. God bless you, lady. God bless you. That's good. God bless you over here, little lady, in the corner. That's very fine. Would you ... someone else say, “Remember me, Brother Branham, I am now.... Christ is speaking in my heart, through His Word.”

The balconies to my left, would you put up your hands, anyone? God bless you, lady. That's a real.... God bless you, lady. God bless you, mister. The Lord be with you. Someone else?

The balconies back here in the rear, anywhere back in there? Put up your hands, say, “Christ, remember me and Brother Branham pray for me. I now want you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” God bless you, sir.

Now, beneath the balconies on the left, on my left side. God bless you, sir. God bless you, lady. That's very fine. All along the row there, is there anyone? Put up your hand. Down in there on my left. God bless you, sir, the Spanish man. The other man sitting out there in front, God bless you, my brother. Now, would someone else say, “Remember me, God, I now, here, raise my hand to Christ. I believe Him as the Son of God. I now want to accept Him, and I want a Bible experience.” God bless you. God bless you, lady. God bless you, little boy.

Someone else in the entire building? God bless you there, young lady, the Spanish girl. I see you, and God sees you, surely. He even sees the sparrow. I might not see your hand, but there's one thing sure, there never can be that little knock ... “Something's saying it's Me. Raise up your hand.” When you raise your hand, He knows it. You answer to Him. God bless you, lady, sitting right here. God bless you, sir. God bless you, brother, behind him there, with both hands up. All right.

Just once more, across from my right. Someone that hasn't raised their hand would say, “Remember me.” God bless you, my brother. Oh, how you'll remember that. What if tonight is your last night? How you'll remember that in the presence of God....

You say, “Brother Branham, what does that do?” Well, it just means the difference between death and life.

Now, don't be carried away with some fantastic. Jesus Christ said, “He that heareth My Words, and believeth on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life, and shall never come to the judgment, but has passed from death to life.” No emotions, no sensations. It's faith.

We are saved by faith through grace. How's the grace come? “No man can come to Me unless My Father draws him first.” Grace: knock at your heart; you believe it. Then you raise your hand; what does that do? Break every scientific rule in the world. Your hand should hang down, but when there's something in you making a decision for God and raising your hand, it breaks every rule; it's a spirit in you, that's saying, “Raise your hand, now.” Will you do it? What little it means. Wished I had time to tell you something on what little it means, to raise your hand or not. But I haven't, I'm just asking you, if God has spoke to your heart, will you do that much, as to raise your hand and say, “God be merciful to me, I now, here, believe with all my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, My Saviour.” God bless you.

All right. We're fixing to close for prayer. Seen you, my brother, there. Great strong, healthy, fine looking man sitting here, tears just about ready to break from his eyes, ready no matter what the price is. The price is done paid, brother. You've done accepted it. You cannot raise your hand without God recognizing it. It's a spirit within you that makes you raise your hand.

Now, if you're a cold, lukewarm church member, never been born again, will you raise your hand? Oh, you joined church, but when you believe, you're born again. “He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.” If that's not a birth, I don't know what is. What is everlasting life? God's life in you. For He's the only One that has immortality. All right, we pray:

Father, God, we do realize that we are in Your presence, and You have come, and the presence of the Lord is here, and we thank Thee. We thank thee for each sinner that's raised their hands, many of them, and I thank Thee for them. I have preached Your Word; God has knocked at their heart, and they have accepted You, and now they are God's ... or, Christ's love gift from God. God presents them. “All the Father has given Me will come. And I will give him everlasting life, and raise him up at the last day.” You said it, Lord. There's where my faith anchors. I stand on that rock right there—Your Word. And I believe.

And now, I pray that you'll give them, in returns now—if they have been believing, and born again—I pray that You'll baptize each of them into the body of Christ by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and set them in the kingdom work. Grant it, Lord. I ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

I don't know.... Did you give out prayer cards? He never give out prayer cards. I want to get this settled. How many believes that I've told you the truth? Raise your hand.

God bless you. How many believes that it isn't a selfish motive? that in my heart, I really mean because I love you, and I'm a watchman of God, and I ... you believe that's from my heart? God bless you. Certainly not. Would I say anything to hurt anybody? If I'd do that with a selfish motive, it's my place to by down here with my hand up for repentance. I say it because I love you.

I have no prejudice against anybody. Any of these teachers from California, and all around, that's passing through the land with all these fantastics, God knows that nearly every one of them that I know, I've sat down with pleading tears and saying, “Brother, look here, that's not....”

“Oh, we're anointed with the oil of gladness.”

I said, “Not oil out of your body; nothing can come out of your body that can do you any good.” And the whole armor of God is supernatural. What is the armor of God? Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, meekness, gentleness, patience, faith. Nothing.... All the natural work is done; it's the sacrifice of Christ. We just believe it. It's by faith. Nothing you have to see, nothing you have to feel; you got to believe it. Jesus never did say, “Did you see it? Did you feel it?” He said, “Did you believe it?” Did you believe it.

Now, there is true Bible signs to follow the believers. Jesus said one like this: “He that heareth My words and believeth Me, and the works that I do, shall he do also.” Saint John, the 14th chapter, and the 7th verse, I believe it is. “He that believeth on Me, the works that I do, shall he do also.” What kind of works did He do? He would stand in the audience; people would come to Him. He'd know the very secrets of their hearts. Is that right? And when a Jew come to Him one time (a Jewish man) and stood off, out in the congregation (His name was Philip.), he got saved. He went around behind the mountain (I'm told it's about a day's journey.), and he found his friend—a good sign he got saved. He believed on the Lord. He said, “If thou believest that I am, if thou believest that I am.”

Philip said to the eunuch, “If thou believeth with all thine heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind.” He never said, “If you can show something.” He said, “If you believe something.

Notice, and when he come back and found Nathanael, he came back around the mountain, and he walked in the presence of Jesus. Jesus looked out at him, said, “Behold an Israelite in whom there is no guile.”

Why, he said, “When did you know me, Rabbi?”

Said, “Before Philip called you, when you was under the tree, I saw you.”

He said, “Rabbi, You're the Son of God. You're the King of Israel.”

He sat down by a well one day up at Samaria. That's another class of people—the Samaritans. He sat down by a well. A woman came out. He was introducing His ministry to the Samaritans. And this little woman come out, and He said, “Bring Me a drink.”

She said, “We have a segregation. It's not customary for you Jews to ask Samaritans such. We have no dealings.”

He said, “But if you knew who you were talking to, you'd ask Me for a drink.”

And the conversation went on for a little bit. He was standing, might be the distance of thirty, forty feet from the woman. He was sitting against the well, and she was standing out where the well went down. He was sitting against the bushes ... wall of the well. And He talked to her at length, until He found where her trouble was. He said, “Go, get your husband.”

She said, “I don't have any husband.”

“That's right; you got five, and you're living with the sixth one now, and he's not your husband.”

She said.... Now, watch, what did that woman say? “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Now, we know when the Messiah cometh, He will do this.” That's the kind of sign they were looking for. “Messiah will do this.”

He said, “I am He that speaks to you.”

And she run into the city, said, “Isn't this the very Messiah?” Why? Them Samaritans was taught on the Word. They knowed what the Messiah would be. Can you hear me? Say, “Amen.” The Jews, real, well-trained Jews, knowed what the sign of Messiah was. The real, trained Samaritans knew what the sign of Messiah was. I wonder about the Gentiles, when He's made His visit in the last days to the Gentiles. “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Does the Bible say that?

“A little while and the world won't see me no more”, He said. “There'll just be cults, and clans, and denominations. They won't see Me no more. Yet, you shall see Me, for I will be with you, even in you till the end of the world. The things that I do, shall you also.” If Jesus Christ is raised from the dead, He's obligated to present Himself in the same true Bible manner that He did when He was here on earth.

How's He going to do it? His body is sitting in heaven. It will never appear here until every knee bows and every tongue confess. Don't care how many scars you got in your hand, and how much everything as that. When Christ come, the Bible said there'd be antichrists appear in the last days. They say, “Oh, He's over here in the secret place. He's down here at this meeting.” But don't believe it. Right!

He said, “For as the light cometh from the east, and shineth unto the west, so shall the coming of the Son of man be.” Something just come to my heart. I want to ask you something. The light cometh in the east and in the west. Is that right? Civilization started in the East. The Holy Ghost fell back there, the teacher, and they had signs and wonders of Bible days. And the light shined in the east. Its been a dismal day, neither dark nor light—just church creeds and denominations. In the last day, in the western hemisphere the light is shining. The sun is going down, and the same power, and the same Holy Ghost, the same Jesus, that was crucified back yonder and raised up, is here today, doing the same thing He did as He promised to do. Do you believe it?

Then, I have spoke to you. I've told you from the Word. And the Word said that He set five offices in the church: apostles (or missionaries), prophets, teachers, evangelists, and pastors—I mean, true God-called teachers, evangelists, prophets, and pastors. That's right. And if we are the vine ... or, we are the branches, and He's the vine, He energizes the vine with His life. And if it's a apple tree life, it'll bring forth apples; is that right? And if we're the branches, and we are energized with Jesus Christ, it'll reproduce the life of Jesus Christ again. That's what the church is supposed to do, not something without life, but His life, what He did. “These things that I do shall you also.” Watch that.

Now, if He will appear here tonight and do to this audience the same thing He did when He was here.... There's no prayer cards give out; I couldn't call a prayer line. Maybe we will tomorrow night. But if you'll believe, and being that you have accepted my word as the message, I'm asking God our Father, to vindicate to you that I've told you the truth, by making His appearance here tonight, in the infallible way of the Holy Spirit, and proving to you that I have told you that which is true. I trust He will do it. Will you believe Him, if He will? Will you believe it's a vindication of the truth?

Lord Jesus, now I commit the words, the message, these sinners that's repented and become Your children. Let them know that it is not some fantastic; It is the Bible, the Word. The Word said that You would come, and be with us, and in us, and would do the very thing that You did when You was here on earth.

And oh, God, as that little woman pressed through the crowd and touched Your garment, went over there and stood. And everyone denied that they touched You, but You looked right down through the heart of that woman, and You knew, and found her in the audience, and called her, and told her what her troubles was and all about it.

The Bible said that You're a High priest, yet, that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities. How do we do it, Lord? We touch You and glory by Your Word. Your Word operates the true Bible sign and wonder, and I pray that You'll grant it tonight, that they might know that You're Christ, and I am Your servant. Not for my glory, Lord, but for Your Word sake, I ask it in Jesus' name. Amen

And the Lord God of heaven bless these handkerchiefs, as they've been here where the Word's been preached. May it heal everyone. Bring back the broken up homes; strengthen them up, and the confusion that's in the home, and in the land. May there come a great peace. There will be peace in the valley here someday, Lord. I pray it'll be soon. Grant the blessings of these people, that they ask, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Now, we have to have some object. They had a brass serpent, and they've had everything—a pool at the beautiful gate. We've got a Christ tonight, and His Word, and His servant. If you'll look this way and believe....

How many in here are sick, and you want God to heal you, and you believe you have sufficient faith to receive Christ as your healer, and you believe that I've told you the truth, that you could look to heaven, now, and pray, and God will speak back through me, the things that You are praying for? Will you believe it? Raise your hands, you people here that's sick. You don't have any cards. Course, don't have to ask for that, because there's.... I reckon there's none out. How many doesn't have any kind of a prayer card? Raise your hand—doesn't have a prayer card, raise up your hand. All right, that's it.

Now, I want those.... I want you to pray. Now, I've either told God's truth, or I haven't told God's truth. This Bible is.... Either it is right, or it is wrong. It's true. If it's wrong, I want nothing to do with it. If it's right, I'm ready to die for it. Because it's the only hope I have. This is the only book that tells you who you are, where you come from, and where you're going. There's no other literature in the world can do it. That's the book, the book of books.

Now, you pray, and look this way. I don't know that God will do it. How many out here, especially here in front of me, so I can get these first calls along here, because you're closer to me. There's people in the building; each one of you is a spirit. But how many along here believes with all your heart, and say, “I'm sick and I have a need.”? God bless you. Pray. Look this way. Believe.

He might not do it. I'm tired, and I've been heart broken. I've been beat up, and I heard that what I've said last night, many people didn't believe it, and said that I was cruel hearted. I am not cruel hearted. My dear brother, how can love ever be cruel hearted? Love....

If my little baby boy, Joseph, that's eighteen months old, had a straight razor, swinging it around, do you think I'd let him keep it? If I had to spank him, I'd take it away from him. I'm his daddy, and I love him. You have faith, and you believe. May God grant to you your request.

Say, “What are you standing for, Brother Branham?” I'm waiting for Him. That's exactly.

The tapes, if you want any tapes, Brother Mercer and Brother Goad, right here, has every tape. They're making records also, for your record players. For any of the messages, anything you want, Brother Leo and Gene has them at the book stand each night. The concession stand, they're there. They are told by me to ... just what they can barely sell them for, not no eight or ten dollars, but just a little bit above what they pay for them. They're fine boys. They're my associates, and they'll tell the truth. And they'll do what's right. You're more than welcome to them.

Now, just a moment. Everyone reverent. Don't move. Stand still. Pray with all your heart. Now, don't be emotionally. Have faith. Your emotions will never build ... it'll build a material, intellectual faith, but it'll never build a faith in your heart. Let the Word sink down. Just believe God. If thou canst believe, all things are possible.

What am I waiting for? A vision. It may be me. No. Here it is. Hallelujah. I knew He'd not leave me alone. I stood true to that Word. Praise be to God. You don't know how I've feel in my heart, now. I thought I was going to have to walk from the pulpit, but He knows my heart.

Here's a quiet, little woman sitting right here on the end of the seat, right here at the end of the row. She's praying. She's got a Bible laying on her lap. She's praying for someone else. That's right. Got heart trouble. Isn't that right, lady? It's her brother. If that's right, raise up your hand. You have no prayer card or nothing. Do you believe me to be God's servant? Then Christ lives tonight, and I've told the truth, and Christ is here to vindicate it truth. If thou canst believe, all things are possible. I'm very happy for the Lord God.

The little lady sitting behind her, a finger up against her nose, just at this time, putting it down on her throat—got heart trouble too. That's right. And you've got trouble with your eyes, haven't you? Your eyes are growing dim. That's right. I'm not reading your mind. But there's a light hanging over you, the same light that led the children of Israel, the same light that became flesh, and dwelt among us, the same One that turned back to light when His corporal body was raised up into heaven, and Paul seen Him on the road to Damascus, there He is again. You got trouble with your eyes; you've got trouble with your heart. Do you believe me to be God's servant? If that's true, raise up your hands and wave them. Now, the audience be the judge. Have you a prayer card? Don't have no prayer card. All right. You can be healed now and be well, if thou canst believe.

What do you think of it, sitting next to her there, lady? You're praying too. Do you believe with all your heart? There'll be three, if God will reveal it. Three's a confirmation. Are we strangers to one another, lady? I mean, the little lady, with her hand up, back here, with a handkerchief. Another lady.... I'm watching the lady. I've got a contact with her, by the Holy Spirit, because there's a light right over her. You're aware that something is going on, aren't you? You are praying for somebody else. That's right, isn't it? If I tell you who you're praying for, you believe me to be His prophet? Your mother. Now, would you believe me now, being that the Holy Spirit has struck you? Your mother's not here. Your mother is suffering with arthritis. She's got heart trouble, and she's got something wrong with her breast. It's a cancer on her breast. And she's in Ar.... She lives in Arkansas. Exactly right, I see the fields and swamps. That's exactly right. Now, if that's right, raise up your handkerchief, and wave it to the audience. There you are. Do you believe?

The armor of God is supernatural. If thou canst believe. The Bible said, “In the mouth of three witnesses....” There's three witnesses. Ask them if I ever knowed them or anything. It's not me; it's Christ. “If thou canst believe,” He said, “all things are possible.”

Little lady sitting here with your head bowed, suffering with a Bright's disease. Yeah. Do you believe with all your heart? Kind of struck you. You was praying, wasn't you? Do you believe me to be His servant? Have Bright's disease. That's right. That's right. I don't know you, do I, lady? I'm a stranger to you, but God does know you. That's right. There's some connection about a minister. Your husband's a preacher. That's right. Your name is Flossy. That's right. Your last name is Woodward. That's right. I see you standing by a street called Willetta. That's right. And your number is 3322 W. Willetta Street. If that's right, raise up your hand. Do you believe me to be God's prophet? Then get what you asked for, in Christ's name.

What about you, way back?

What do you think, young man, my book laying on your lap—Mexican boy? Do you believe? You'll get over that epilepsy, if you believe with all your heart. You believe you will? You're from California, aren't you? That's right, raise up your hand. That's true. Now, be seated.

What do you think, the white woman sitting there next to him? Do you believe, with all your heart? Lady, you have heart trouble, too. You have gallbladder troubles, gall stones in the gallbladder. You're not from this country. You're from the east, way extreme east. You're from Baltimore, Maryland. Raise up your hand if that is true. All right. Do you believe?

There's the Angel of the Lord standing over a kind of a middle-aged woman, sitting on the outside of the row. She's suffering with gangrene from an operation. That's right, little lady. You're from Mesa. You're wearing glasses; you've got a brown pocketbook. If thou canst believe with all your heart, you can have that which you ask for. Do you believe it?

How many of the rest of you believe it? With all your heart? The Spirit of the Lord Jesus is here. God has confirmed the Word that it's the truth. I wonder, if every man and woman, boy or girl, that believes, and sees that there's something here, there's something that's got me under His control, right now. And if that ain't the Bible sign that Jesus Christ said would be, then I'm a false prophet. If Jesus didn't do this very same thing, and said that his disciples would do the same thing, prove it to me by the Bible. That's right.

Now, how many of you believe, and you that raised hand, will you walk down here just a minute, right here, before we finish praying for the sick? Walk right down here, you that raised your hand, and wants to come to Christ. Will you come right down here? I want to stand here, and shake hands with you or do something, pray with you.

While the sister gives us a little chord on.... Don't leave. Stay still, everybody. Come right out. That's it, mister. Come out, lady. Come down out of the balcony, now, come on. I'm just going to wait a minute. That's right. Come on. I ain't going to call or beg. If the Holy Spirit can't stop you like this ... or, touch you, then there's no need of me trying any farther. If the Word won't do it, and the Spirit with the Word, then I believe it's beyond hope. Was you sincere when you raised your hand a while ago? I believe you were. I took your Word; God did too. Will you come here and stand?

I want to pray for you. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you, Dad. Maybe a many a day you've wasted away, but now this is it. God bless you, young man. I hope God calls you into the ministry, and makes a preacher out of you. God bless you, brother. God bless you, brother; I seen you sitting back there, just barely could raise. I hope God calls you in the ministry and makes a real preacher out of you. Come right here and stand. Come in this way, will you, folks?

God bless you, my sister, we will stand right here at the side, if you will, just a moment. Come right in here, will you? God bless you, my sister. God bless you, my sister. God bless you, my brother. God bless you, my sister. Come here, brother.

Softly and tenderly, Jesus is calling. That's right little lady, come right on down. A whole group coming at once—little Spanish girls. Will you come out of the balconies, everywhere. Come right on down.

........ oh, sinner, come home.

Softly and tenderly, Jesus is calling.

.... on the port (God bless you my

brother, sister. Come, right down

here. Will you come on down? All

the congregation singing now.)

Calling, oh, sinner, come home.

Come home (Won't you come?); come home.

Ye who are weary, come home.

Earn... (Won't you come? I offer you Christ,

by the Word, by the Spirit. Come now,

won't you? If you're weary....)

........ oh, sinner, come home.

God bless you, lady, walking alone, but that's all right; somebody's walking with you, sister dear. Don't never forget that.

Now, friends, if you go from this place tonight without Christ in your heart, as the Word of the Gospel being planted, and the Holy Spirit coming right down and bringing that Word to life, and proving it by the Bible—not anything outside the Bible, not a fantastic—a real Bible Holy Spirit that was on our Lord Jesus, coming right down energizing the vine; and bringing forth the very same thing on the branches, that He did when He was here on earth, to fulfill the Word, “I will be with you to the end of the world—Phoenix, Arizona.”

Now, at the judgment day—at the judgment day—don't point your finger to me, for I'm free. Hear it? I'm free. Don't point your finger to God. He sent His Word and confirmed It. He's absolutely free. What about it now? If I'd have been a church member forty years, and the Holy Spirit was telling me that I was not a real born-again saint of God, I'd make my way to this altar, right now. Won't you do it while we sing once more?

Let the ministers come now, around here, so they can be with these people. These people who are standing here will want a church home, and these pastors, who are cooperating here in this meeting, they're men who believe this message. They believe the Word. They'll do you good. Make your church home somewhere. Be baptized, and go into the church. Be filled with the Holy Ghost. Now, while we sing, let them come now who will come. And the workers, and the personal workers, and the ministers, come along while we sing once more. Then we're going to pray for the sick, and then we are going to ask prayer for these. All right.

Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus.........

(Won't you come?)

Calling for you, and for me.

Seems on the portals, He's waiting,

and watching.

Watching for you, and for me.

Come home, come home,

Ye who are weary, come home.

(Won't you come? Is this all that

raised their hand?)

.... tend... (Will you come and offer

God thanks? What about the lepers?

Jesus said, “Wasn't there ten?

Where's the other nine?“)

Calling, Oh, sinner, come home.

Now, with our heads bowed, I want to ask this solemn question: Church of the living God, can you see the insincerity? Can you see that the old pond of the United States is about seined out? The last soul's about gone in. Can you see why we rally for the overseas? A message of that type, solidly on good gospel teaching, and a sign and miracles taking place in a meeting like that, ten thousand to a hundred or two hundred thousand would come at one time to Christ. Then you wonder sometimes, what am I doing? What am I doing? I love you. I've cast the net. And some who would raise your hand, and then not with the sincerity enough to come offer God thanks, after God being good enough to knock at your door!

Many sitting here tonight.... Don't tell me, I know what I am talking about. There's men and women, sitting right here tonight that knows that the Holy Spirit's told you to come up here. I'm just as positive of that as I know these other things. That's right. But He will call. But remember, someday you'll call, and He'll act to you as you act to Him now. You'll always reap what you sow. Now, it's up to you. I leave it to you.

Now, to the sick and afflicted, before we pray for these that's here, I want to offer prayer for you.

Heavenly Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus, I pray the prayer of faith, the best that I know how. With all my heart, with all that is within me, Christ, I have told them that You're work of healing is a finished work. It's been finished two thousand years. It's for their faith to believe it. And You have come down, and so loved us tonight to have vindicated the truth and proved it to them, that they could sit in this audience and start praying; You'd turn right back around, and tell them who they was, and where they come from, and all about it, and what they were praying for, and heal them. God, what could be left but judgment, when mercy is spurned.

God, I don't mean to be a rough preacher. I don't mean to do that, God (You know it.), but how can I say anything 'less you put in my mouth. It's not premeditated. I know not what to say. You said, “Open your mouth, I will fill it.” And I do it, Lord, and I believe You.

And I will pray for these sick and afflicted, just now, with all my faith, that You'll heal every one that's in Divine Presence now. May they know that it's You, and just reach up, and take a hold of You and Your promise, and be healed.

Then around this altar, for healing in a greater measure, in a more higher measure, in the highest plane that there is—eternal healing—eternal Spirit, making eternal creatures out of creatures of time. How wonderful. These men and women raised their hands. They were grateful that You did offer them eternal life, and they've come here to make a public confession that they believe You, and are repenting of their sins, and offering to You thanksgiving for the things that You've done for them.

And now, Lord God my Saviour, You, who come in Your Word, You who do all things well, and You said, “No man can come to Me, except My Father draws him. And all that comes, I will give them everlasting life. No man can pluck them from My hand. I will in no wise turn them out. He that heareth My words, believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall never come to the judgment, but has passed from death to life.”

God, I know You've done that for these people, because they've come under conviction. And now, Lord God, while men and women who are standing around them, who've been chosen by this fine ministerial group to be personal workers, and some of the ministers themselves, whose experienced, by receiving the Holy Spirit, they're standing here to lay hands on them, that they will receive the Holy Ghost. And I pray, God, that You'll fill everyone in the Divine Presence, without the Holy Ghost, that they will receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost, right now, right this hour, as I commit them to Thee, in Jesus Christ's name.

Now, raise your hands and praise Him. You people, lay your hands on them. And while I'm tired, and I'm asking brother here if he will continue the prayer for them; that I am so tired and weak, I must leave at this time. And God bless you. Put your hands over on these children, over on these people. Ministers of the gospel, walk out here. Oh, if the Holy Ghost would draw them here; walk up there, you people, and do something....