Be Not Afraid

It's great to be back in the congregation of the Lord tonight on this Saturday night. And so much wickedness is going on. Always Saturday night is a night that Satan takes hold. But to see people still love the Lord enough to come out and serve Him, that's remarkable. I certainly appreciate that, appreciate your kindness. Now, tomorrow morning now, all you visitors here make your way to some of these fine churches. They're here for representing this meeting, and if you're visiting here, why, just take the church of your choice. There's many different denominations, and just take your place at Sunday school. They'll be very happy to have you.

And then tomorrow afternoon, I think at two o'clock, we start the services. I think they gave it out first at three. And they know I'm such a long-winded preacher so I think they got scared and set it up so you would get to church tomorrow night. So come at two o'clock tomorrow afternoon.

And then we'll try to let out in time so you can go home and have your.... What is it up here, is it supper up here or dinner? Huh? I get that all mixed up. See, to me it'd be supper. If I had my dinner at that time of day, then when will I have my supper? I miss out a meal somewhere. I just like a supper.

They say, “That's wrong, Brother Branham.” Oh no, that's scriptural. You never taken the Lord's dinner; you take the Lord's supper. That's right. No dinner, nothing about it; it was the Lord's supper. This high-falutin' ways they have nowadays don't cope with the Bible, you see. In our old Kentucky ways down there, where we come from, we have dinner, breakfast, and supper. And so tomorrow afternoon.... [Congregation laughs.] Something went wrong somewhere.

Well, if I'm wrong I was just brought up wrong, see, I guess. So it was dinner, breakfast, and supper at our house. Pop come in.... [Congregation laughs.] Breakfast, dinner, and supper, that's right. I knowed there was something wrong somewhere. I said something. My wife, she said, “You can say so many things wrong.” And that's right. She sure is right on that.

Some announcements: If your church isn't having service some time next week, we'll be right up here in Ohio with Brother Sullivan and them, where we've been so many times. I think it's the Municipal Auditorium there, and we'd be very glad to have you.

Now, let's see, the name of that city is Middletown. I want to call it Milltown. There's where the Lord performed a great miracle once when I was pastoring the Baptist church at Milltown. But it's Middletown. I had it wrote Milltown; but Middletown, Ohio, and we'd be glad to have you over there. But if your church has got service now, you stay at your post of duty.

I believe I know a preacher sitting here. That's Brother Hall, isn't it, from down in Tennessee? I just happened to spot you there, Brother Hall, the Lord bless you. Glad to see you there. And I think sitting over next is one of the brothers was on the private interviews this morning. Is that right, over second there? Thought I recognized him.

See, we have private interviews. You might wonder how they come, but there's about six hundred on the waiting list now. Not just for just one city; this is worldwide. People come from all over the world. And they sign up for months and months and months ahead of time, to come in—people who has to know, to go on, what the word of the Lord is to them. And we get with them, and just stay right with them, until the Lord speaks and tells what they must do.

Now you say, “That's, that's....” Well, certainly that's scriptural. That's exactly right. And of course we realize that's prophetic office. Which, I don't claim to be any prophet of the Lord, but yet He has let me find things, and tell me things to tell to his children to help them. He's never failed me yet.

For instance this man sitting right here this morning, how they come into the place, and others is here too. Some of them write in and get these invitations, that when we're near a city, well, then, they bring these invitations. And the field secretary has to recognize those because we've made them a promise. And we get them in through the daytime. And that's why I come to the service at night already so many visions it just nearly kills you.

And you can ask them that's in the meetings, that's in those private interviews, how the Holy Spirit comes and brings out things that no one knows but God alone. Things ... tells people that ... back when they were little children. That's different than what it is here on the platform. Here on the platform it's just ... you just see something and speak it and go ahead, because you have to get the next one. But this way, when you got maybe two or three in a day, run of a day, then you just stay there till the Holy Spirit reveals the whole thing. They don't have to say one word. It tells them itself what they have done, what kind of a trouble they're in, what they should do, then tells them back through their life, telling them what has been done, and so forth.

How many has ever been in them interviews, know that's true? Raise up your hands. Yes, see, there's several of them here. This fellow raised his hand, and others since we've been here. Goes right back to childhood and brings it right up. Tells you where you made your mistakes and what ... if you're sincere before the Lord and He gives it to me. Now, that's the only way I can do it. I don't control it; it controls me, see. It takes you to believe it.

But there's many times that people get in such trouble.... We know, the first thing, if the Word of God will settle it, stay right there with the Word of God, because that's God's Word.

But now, what if you've made some mistake in life, or done something, or don't know what to do? And then you don't know what the will of the Lord is, see. Then you got a right to come and ask Him.

Remember one time in the Bible there was ... I believe it was Jesse's sons had lost ... Jesse had lost ... some mules had gone away. They said, “We'd go down to the seer if we had a gift to give him [and they were sincere in that] and he'd tell us where to go find them.” And then we find out that the seer met them on the street and told them the mules had already returned home. And he went to anoint David to be king.

And so many places in the Bible, when they went up before the servants of the Lord to ask council.

Well, now, I want to ask you, what about you, when you get all messed up and troubled, don't you go to your pastor? Is that right? You should do it. If you get in trouble, you should go to your brother and tell him, say, “Brother, I did something wrong, I shouldn't have did that. I pray you to help me now to pray through till I get over this thing, or help me in my troubles.” Isn't that the scriptural way to do it? Well, that's because he's your pastor, he's your shepherd. He's the one who gives the food out to you to eat, and he knows how to feed his sheep that God has.... The Holy Spirit has made him overseer over the flock to watch over them and take care of them. And that's what he's for.

Well, the same thing, see. I'm not a preacher, you know that. I just ... I haven't enough education to be a preacher. But the Lord.... I love to tell people what I know about Him. But my gift in God is something different.

I'm looking right ... sitting here in front of me is another one was in the meeting this morning, one of the meetings—a Baptist brother. His wife's a Methodist. This Baptist brother had the hardest time of ever giving up cigarettes. So he kept coming down, and keep going on, and kept pressing along and.... Fine man. I don't say that because he's sitting here. Just happened to notice he and his wife. And so finally one day while he was down there at Jeffersonville, waiting on one of those private interviews, the Holy Spirit came right in and revealed the whole thing and condemned the cigarettes—which, he had tried, he'd prayed, he'd lay down. From that time he never touched one. Is that right, Brother Artez, or ... what's your name? Arnett. He's from down south here somewhere. Columbia, South Carolina. And it's been over since then, hasn't it? That's right.

And now this morning.... He'd waited and had another interview upon something that he didn't know what to do—just watch and see what the Lord said.

Before he come his wife had had a dream of what ... she'd dreamed the dream. And before they even come or said anything, I told the brethren what she was going to tell me about the dream, and what the interpretation was, before they ever got there. Isn't that right? Before it ever happened, just what would take place and what the dream meant.

Here some time ago I was in a meeting. And I believe in old-fashioned holiness, and I believe in calling just exactly what the Bible says. Say it, that's all. No matter if it hurts, it hurts, it.... If you do that to be mean, then I ought to go to the altar and get right. But I do it out of love.

If you seen your child doing something he was going to kill himself with it, wouldn't you help that child? If you had to give him a little posterior protoplasm stimulation, you know, just really pour it on him, you'd be better off to do that than it would be to let the kid get killed. Don't you think so? Certainly. If you'd really have to correct him and whip him and make him behave.... Well, that's the way God does us. And here's ... his whip is the gospel. It's sharper than a two-edged sword, really cutting. And if a servant is called of God, he won't compromise on one word.

A certain minister met me not long ago, a very outstanding man, doctor of divinity. He said, “Brother Branham, your meetings should hit the great nerve centers.” Said, “You could hit the places like New York City and so ... great big places.” And said, “We've got our own planes and [this denominational church],” and said, “we'll fly you around the world, just hitting the high places, the nerve centers.” Said, “That ministry ought to be known to everybody.” And he said, “There's just one thing I want to ask you to do.” Said, “Just on a couple of things that you preach, if you'd just forget about that and lay that aside.”

And I looked at him and I called him by name. I'm afraid to say it because many of you know him. And I said, “Doctor, I'm surprised that a man of your caliber, a servant of Christ, would ask another servant of Christ to compromise on the Word of God.” I said, “I'm surprised at you saying that.”

He said, “Well, we think that you're wrong in your conception.”

I said, “Then correct me by the Scripture.” That's the way to do it. I said, “Then correct me,” see. And I said, “I would not compromise on the Word of God. No, sir.” And I said, “Besides....”

He said, “Well, something you do is, Brother Branham, you hang around a bunch of people that's just little groups here and there.”

I said, “Listen, God ... when Jesus came, He never hit the nerve centers. He came to the elected. My ministry is to the elected.” I said, “What I do I am led to do, and I don't care about nerve centers. I go where the Lord leads me.

What if I had great big programs and I had to have so many thousand dollars every day, what would I do? I wouldn't have that worry.... I'm glad the Lord.... He knowed to not put that on me. I haven't got enough mental powers to take care of that.“ I said, ”I wouldn't have these programs. I don't have to have nothing, see. Just all I need is his grace. That's all.“ That's right, it's all I need.

I was standing not long ago and watching a great beautiful building that had been built. And I stood there and my heart just wept, and I thought “Oh, my, Lord.” I went over there and I looked. I seen something some brothers had done. I looked down there and seen these great things, and I stood out there. Truly, I'll confess it. Wonderful people. Yes, sir. Real servants of Christ. And I thought, “My, isn't it wonderful, Lord. But what's the matter with me?” And I said, “Maybe I can't be trusted.”

Just then I heard a voice, said, “But I am your portion.”

I said, “Thank You, Lord, I'll just take that part.” “I am your portion.” He is my portion. That's what I want, Him to be my portion.

I believe the Lord is coming soon. I preach that, I live that, I want to believe that and stay with that. That's right. And if you preach and say the Lord's coming soon, and doing things looks like it's going to be a million years yet before He comes, well, your own works condemn your testimony, see. That ... if He's coming soon, let's make ready.

How much different that Pentecost is today than what it used to be. I was standing with the Full Gospel Christian Business Men, wonderful group. That's the only organization I belong to. And it's not an organization; it's an organism. And the reason I do that, I have the businessmen out of every group to come out; and then it kind of embarrasses their pastor, so they'll cooperate. So then it brings the whole church out, and I get to work for all of them. I stand in between the breach and say, “We are brothers, we are brothers. We're not to have differences and lines. We're to be brothers, all of us together.”

And I was in Kingston, Jamaica, and I'd heard some of the businessmen that day giving testimony before those businessmen there, about “My little business was just so-and-so. Bless God, I got three Cadillacs and I got this, that, and the other.”

That night I said, “Oh, brethren, how much different Pentecost is now than when it first fell. When it first fell,” I said, “the people sold what they had and become paupers in order to take the gospel.” And I said, “Nowadays, they try to tell those businessmen.... They got business, they know what to do. That ain't what they're after. Let them know the love of God, that's what they're trying to find; not how to make their business better. God doesn't promise a flowery bed of ease. Our way is rugged and hard. And if you're not willing to take that way, don't start, because if you really serve God you're going to come a rugged way, I mean. ”Some through the waters and some through the floods, some through deep trials, but all through the blood.“ That's right. That's the way He leads his children.

There was a certain little evangelist, singing with us over there. He said, “But, Brother Branham,” he said, “that's one time that the disciples made a mistake.”

I said, “What was that? I don't believe they would. They were inspired men.”

He said, “Well, when all the people sold their goods and laid them at the apostles feet,” said, “when the persecution arose, they didn't have any home to go to. They had no place to go back.” He said, “It showed they made a mistake.”

I said, “God makes no mistakes. No, sir.”

He said, “Well, if they'd have had a home to go to....”

I said, “That's what God wanted them to do. They scattered abroad, having no home, and spread the gospel throughout all the country because they had no place to go. That's the way God had to do it.” Oh, if we'd just follow the leading of the Spirit, see. Then it would be better, if we just went back to the leading of the Spirit and follow that. We'd be much better off, I believe.

Now, we're hoping now that everybody gets healed. Last night was a glorious night. I just feel the impact of the Spirit, how it moved upon the people, and how God dealt. Now, pastors, my brethren, you remember—a long time after I'm gone, when I'm gone from here—you remember, there'll be women and men that's had troubles for a long time will be come up, testifying, “It's gone.”

Last night leaving the platform I staggered. I couldn't help it, see. I hardly knew where I was at. There's such a tremendous rise in faith, you see. It's coming up.

Now it's too bad that we just have to stay just a few days and then leave. See, if we'd just wait a little while, if we had just time, but we're just roaming across the country, everywhere we can, trying to get in every lick at Satan that we can get. And to the church elect, and let them see that ... a sign that Christ said would be before the coming. Because I don't know what hour He might appear, and I want to do everything that's in my power. So pray for me. That's the best thing you can do for me is pray for me.

Now, as I said, I have no programs to support, or anything. And if I had, then I couldn't be here. Many of the brethren, who have great programs that they have to support—radio worldwide, television, and great things like that—they can't afford to come to a little group of people.

But, see, the Lord knowed I was kind of a little, well, uneducated fellow so He can just let me go down and catch them that the other brothers don't get, I suppose. I held a meeting just recently in a church that seated twenty people. I know it was pathetic, but I did. But, therefore, see, when the Lord wants me to go overseas.... Say, “How do you do that?” Somehow or other somebody comes and gives me the money to go.

And if I have to go to a little place, I'm under no obligation but what I can go, so I just.... Wherever He wants me to go, He takes care of it, and I just live by faith, and walk by faith. And when He wants me to do anything He always provides a way.

I've preached to 500,000 at one time; I've preached to five or six at one time. Held a meeting where ten or fifteen would be sitting. And some of the sweetest meetings I ever had was in a prayer meeting in a home somewhere. That's right. God can come to a little group or a big group. It makes no difference the size with God. “Wherever two or three are gathered I'll be in their midst.” That's it.

Now before we approach the Word, we want to approach the author. Did anybody ever know Booth-Clibborn? Many of you, I guess. William Booth-Clibborn wrote that famous song, “Down From His Glory.” Personal friend of mine. And he preaches the gospel in seven different languages. He's just so smart. That's old man General Booth's grandson. And he's an Englishman, and Booth.... (He may be sitting here.) So he's quite a fellow, a real theologian.

And one day we got kind of crossed up with something another, and so I said, “Well, Brother Booth, how could that ever be, being this is that?”

Now, Brother Booth, if you're here I don't aim to raise the subject again. But he was tied and he couldn't have no place to go. So I just let him jump and he jumped, right in his own track. You know, just like give a cow enough rope and it'll hang itself. So he got out on the limb and couldn't get back. And I said, “What now, Brother Booth?”

He said, “You just don't know your Bible.”

I said, “But I know the Author real well.” That's it, see. I said, “He'll teach me the rest of it.” So, if we don't know the Word, let's know the Author real well, and He won't let us go wrong. He'll guide us somehow to the right. So let's speak to Him now before we approach his Word, as we bow our heads.

Our heavenly Father, we are grateful for the opportunity again this side of eternity to present Jesus Christ to an audience that's waiting. And now I've often thought what I would do if I had a charger or a glass in my hand and in that glass held one drop of the literal blood of Jesus. How I would embrace that to my heart, and how the adoration that I'd have for that would pour forth, as tears would stream down my cheeks—that I have in my hand one drop of the literal blood of the Lord Jesus, that blood who saved me. And yonder, when the doctors give me just three more minutes to live, better than thirty years ago, it saved me and it healed me.

O God, how that I have seen You through the years take tens of thousands times thousands of sick people that our physicians had given up and make them healthy and well people to continue their life. That blood is what did it. And I would think how I would hold that.

But tonight in your own Word I hold a greater than one drop of the blood; I hold the purchase of that blood before me. He loved his people more than He loved his own life, so He gave his life's blood to purchase this people. Then, Lord, how should I approach them? A greater than the blood itself; the purchase price of the blood.

Now, Father, I pray that You'll hide me so that I won't see man, or fear man, or nothing, but just preach the Word. Lay it out simple and plain, and then may You come behind that and confirm what I've said to be the truth. And then that makes it true, Lord. And if I never meet this people again this side of heaven, or this side of the judgment, then there'll be no man's blood on my hands, Lord, and You'll be free because You confirm your Word. I pray You'll grant it tonight.

Heal the sick, Lord, and save those who are savable, all that You have called. If there's any of those in here tonight, Lord, that before the world began, by your great foreknowledge, You knew would be saved, and tonight somehow You've herded them right into the place, may something be done tonight that'll cause them to recognize their lovely Saviour and receive Him. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Now, in the writings of St. Matthew, the fourteenth chapter and the twenty-seventh verse:

But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

I want to use that word of “Be Not Afraid.” Be not afraid, three words, for a text.

And then....

It must have been about the time the sun was going down—long, tiresome day, drug-out. Many things had taken place. And I can see the big muscles swell out under his shoulders as he began to move that boat off the sandy shores of the Galilee and push it out into the water. The brawny big fisherman called Simon then took his place as he walked up through the little ship, and sat down by the side of his brother Andrew and picked up an oar. And as the little ship begin to move out into the water gently, the screams of the people from the bank was screaming, “Come back and see us again. We so appreciate your visit with us.” How their hearts must have swelled to know that they had done something that was good. All of us like to hear that, oh, everybody.

Sometimes leaving a meeting, people weeping and....

Here when I was leaving South Africa recently, there was about ten thousand at the airport. And they was out there, standing out there weeping, crying, wailing, screaming, “Come back and tell us again about Jesus,” you see. So many great things.

And the little doctor that had seen a miracle performed.... Little cross-eyed boy started on the platform, just as cross-eyed as he could be, and before he got to me his eyes come straight. Took him off the platform, and a British doctor come back, sitting back there, and he come, said, “What did you do to that boy? Did you hypnotize him?”

I said, “Hypnotize him?” I said, “And they gave you license to practice medicine and you know no more about hypnotism than that?”

And he said, “I put the boy on the platform. He was cross-eyed, and here he is, his eyes are straight.” Said, “Something happened between there and there.”

I said, “He met Jesus.” And I said, “I never touched him.”

And he said, “Did you hypnotize him?”

I said, “Certainly not, sir.” I said, “If hypnotism will straighten crooked eyes, hadn't you fellows better get to practicing hypnotism? It'd be better than any operation you could do, if hypnotism will do it.” I said, “No, I did not hypnotize the boy. God straightened his eyes.”

He said, “I know there's a God.” He said, “I know there's a God.” Said, “There that lily....” (There's lilies there, sisters, that you might know, some of them, them big Calla lilies, are eighteen inches across. Big yellow and white ones, most beautiful things, growing wild, right in the jungle. They had big bouquets of them sitting all over the platform.) Said, “I know there's God, life, in them lilies because the lily couldn't live without life.” He said, “But tangible enough to perform an operation on those eyes?”

I said, “Who made the eyes in the first place? Where did they come from?”

He said, “Well....”

And just then Dr. Bosworth come up and said, “You'll have to leave, sir, you'll cause a riot, see.” Said, “His time is valuable now while the anointing's on our brother,” said. Usually, coming to the meetings, to make it better effective, Mr. Baxter and Mr. Bosworth and them, the managers, they do the speaking. I just come right straight to the platform, call the prayer line, and then after it's over, leave. But now, of course, I'm just alone here with just the boys, and so I have to try to stumble around over the speaking myself.

So then, when the doctor ... and he started to take him away. And he said, “Just a moment.” He said, “Mr. Branham, do you mean to tell me that God, the great Creator, is somewhere between here and there?”

I said, “He's everywhere.”

And he said, “Well, there's got to be some tangible force straighten that boy's eyes.”

And I said, “It was God.” And they started to take him off. Then Mr. Baxter walked up to him.

He said, “Just a minute.” He got up to the microphone. He said, “I, too, will receive Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour.”

And when I was leaving at Johannesburg (this is the truth, God in heaven knows), and when I was leaving Johannesburg he jumped the fence where they'd had him back there, ran out there and throwed his arms around me when I come out from amongst the people and the guards, getting out to the Pan American Airlines. When I went out there, he run out there and threw his arms around me, and said, “The Lord's calling me to the ministry.” And went to speaking in tongues, and his arms around my neck like that—a British doctor. So, now I heard from him, here about two or three years ago—about two years ago. It's been about five years ago. He's having a great ministry up there helping the ... really the sick and afflicted up in Africa.

So, when the people waving good-bye, “Come back again,” that just makes your heart feel real good. And it's something, you know, that you feel that you've accomplished something. And these disciples must have felt that way when they was all waving farewell, “We will see you again. Come back over to our country again and speak to us again.”

And as the sun was sinking low and the little ship making its way, and each one of the fishermen and the boatmen pulling the big oars as....

The ships in them days, they had oars, one on this side of the seat and one on that side. And they would sit with great oars and just keep time as they oared the ship. And it was making its way out through the still waters and finally they got plumb out of hearing distance of the people standing on the bank waving. And they must have pulled on maybe for another fifteen, twenty, or thirty minutes.

I don't know, it must have been young John.... He was the younger of the bunch, and a man that was aboard that night of the ship. He must have stopped to catch his breath, because they'd been pulling very hard. They had to cross the sea that night, or the little lake. And he stopped, maybe, and brushed the hair back out of his eyes, and said, “Whew!” as they got their breath. And said, “Brethren [No one had said nothing for quite some time.],” said, “One thing today we can all rest assured, that we're not following a deceiver as people thinks He is.”

Said, “You know when that little boy come up there with that five little biscuits and two fish and handed it over to Him ... and I wondered what He was going to do with that. And when I seen Him break that bread and hand it out to us, I climbed around behind him to see where that was coming from. But He took a biscuit, just broke it, handed it out on a tray, and by the time He reached back again there was another biscuit. Broke it off, taken those fish.”

Wonder what kind of an atom He turned loose then, brethren? Wonder what He did? Not only fish, but cooked fish. Not only flour, but baked flour already into the bread. What did He turn loose? Lay it upon those platters with five biscuits and two fishes and fed five thousand people and taken up basketfuls of the fragments left over. What did He do?

I can hear young John say, “I've seen Him in many great things. I've always believed Him, but today that settled it. I remember when I was a little Jewish boy, my mama used to sit me upon her lap and she'd say to me, 'John.' And I'd look up at her, pretty big brown eyes, and she'd say, 'John, I want to tell you Bible stories.' And how I used to love them.”

It's too bad that mothers don't take their children today and tell them Bible stories. Hardly get a pastor will do it, let alone a mother. I think there's five gospels. You only know four of them in the Bible. But it's Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Mother. Mother gets them when they're young. She ought to start them right there, before they know anything about Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

And if mothers would take more time to talk to their children about God and pray for them, we would have less juvenile delinquency. First of all, it's parent delinquency before we have juvenile delinquency. If mothers would take their place in the house, and a Bible, and pray for their children and lead them to Christ, instead of going out to some stitch-and-sew party, and play cards, and drink and carry on, and smoke.... Well, I don't want to get started on that. But, however, it's terrible, the way it's doing.

Today I laughed at my poor little wife. We was up to Howard Johnson's to get us one of those 3D's. You know, that's.... Usually, I don't eat very much during these kind of services. And we were up there. And she seen a lady up there that had this here manicure on—you know, ever what the stuff is.

And about two weeks ago I was in California (didn't know it drifted this far already), and I was standing at Clifton's Cafeteria. And I was waiting for Brother Arganbright, who's the vice-president of the Full Gospel Businessmen. And I was to meet him there.

And a young lady came into the place. And I looked at her, and I thought, “Well, that poor lady.” Her eyes was the awfullest-looking things. I thought, “She's sick. I'll go over and pray for her.” And I had seen ... I've seen ophthalmia, and I have seen glaucoma, I've seen leprosy; but I never seen anything like that. And I thought she.... Honestly, I'm telling the truth, I thought the girl was ... something, a disease that I'd never seen before. So, her eyes was real green and then real blue behind that. And I thought, “That kid, how is she out here on the street like that?” And I thought I'd go over to her and say, “Sister, pardon me, I'm a minister of the gospel. What is wrong with your eyes? Could I offer a little prayer for you? If the doctor doesn't know, maybe....”

And as soon as I started over to her, here come some more women up with the same thing.

And I thought, “Wonder if that's some kind of a manicure they're putting on their eyes, you know, make them....”

Then I asked somebody else and they said, “Yes, that's something that they put on their face.”

When I come home I told my wife about it, and I said, “Honey, they didn't even look human, see. It looked like something that come off some other planet, or fell out of a morgue somewhere or something.” I said, “I never seen such.”

And today we was up there, and there sat a lady like that. And Meda looked around, my wife, and she said, “Is that it, Bill?”

I said, “That's it.”

She said, “Boy, wouldn't that scare you in the nighttime?”

I said, “It'd give you chills and fever.” It sure would.

And she said, “Well, why is it... ?”

We asked not long ago.... I seen a strange thing in our city—a lady had on a skirt—and I said, “Isn't it strange? Doesn't she look nice?”

“Yeah, sure does.” She said, “Bill, them women, I know some of them sing in choirs.”

I said, “Sure.”

She said, “About us,” she said, “what makes the difference?”

I said, “Well, Honey, they're just Americans, you see. That's all they are.”

When you're in Germany, they've got a German spirit in Germany. You go to Finland, they've got a Finnish spirit. You go to France, they've got a French spirit. You come to America, you got American spirit. She said, “Aren't we Americans?”

I said, “Oh, no, certainly not. If we was Americans, we'd act like Americans, see.” I said, “They're Americans, so that's all they know. They join a church somewhere, but they're just earthbound and that's all they know.” I said, “Now, see....”

She said, “Where are we from?”

I said, “From above. Then we act like we was from up there, see. Our women dress like they're from up there. See, they act like it. We're Christians, we're born again. Our kingdom is from above, from heaven. We're born of a Spirit from up there, so we act like we're from up there, where they live holy and righteous and honest and upright with one another, treat every man nice and do everything they can to help one another. Not down here in this kind of conglomeration. Just because you're American, that doesn't make you a Christian.”

Mr. Bosworth one time on the platform asked a girl, said, “Are you a Christian?”

She said, “I'll give you to understand I burn a candle every night.” Like that had anything to do with Christianity. But that's the way it is, see.

Oh, if we'd just take more time to tell our children Bible stories. I imagine I can go to this town, and pick every little boy up in this town, and every one of them can tell me who Davy Crockett was. And I bet there isn't twenty out of a hundred can tell me who Jesus Christ was and when He was born. That's right. Oh, sure.

See, that's just the American spirit moving through, that's all, see. And now, we find that today we've sowed to the winds, and we're reaping a whirlwind. That's just exactly what we're doing. Now, but we ought to be teaching our children about Christ.

Little John, his mother had taught him about God. And he said.... You know, look, when the thing comes to pass, a well-trained child.... “Bring up a child in the way it should go; when it gets old, it'll not depart from it.”

Now, we find that bringing up this child, she had brought up John right. She said, “John....” And he would remember the stories.

Said how that Jehovah, how He'd taken care of his people when they were all with one accord and following the great pillar of fire. And said, “John, son, one day when God brought his people out of the bondage, he taken them out into the wilderness. And you know, John, every morning they would go out and pick up bread with honey on it, honey wafers.

And how he said, “Mama, has God got a whole big bunch of ovens up there in heaven, and got a lot of angels that bakes this bread every night and would pour it down?”

“No, honey,” she said, “God doesn't have ovens in the skies. You see, God is a creator, and all He has to do is just speak, and He creates things out of things that there's nothing to create by, nothing to make it out of. See, He just ... He's a creator.”

Then John said, “Brethren, today when I seen Him stand there and take bread and create bread, I knowed He must be some relation to Jehovah. So we know that the man that we're following, although the churches say that He's an imposter, he's a fortune-teller, a Beelzebub.... But I know that He's Jehovah, because He acts like Jehovah, and He does the things that Jehovah does. So we know that it must be Jehovah.”

Now today, some people don't even believe that. Some people want to make Jesus just an ordinary man, a good man.

Some time ago, a woman of a certain denomination of church that doesn't believe that He was divine, she said to me, she said, “Brother Branham, I appreciate your preaching, but,” said, “you put too much emphasis on Christ being divine.” Said, “He wasn't divine, He was a man.”

I said, “But He was divine.”

She said, “Oh, he was a good man and he was a prophet.”

I said, “He was more than a prophet. He was God. Anything less than that, we're lost.”

And she said, “Oh, no. He couldn't be that.”

I said, “He was that.”

And she said, “You said you was a fundamentalist, and you just spoke where the Bible speaks and so forth.”

I said, “That's true.” She said, “If I prove to you by your Bible that he wasn't nothing but a man, will you believe it?”

I said, “If the Bible said so. But you can't prove it, see, but the Bible doesn't say it.”

She said, “All right, I'll prove it to you.” Said, “In St. John, the eleventh chapter, at the death of Lazarus, the Bible said that Jesus, going to his grave, wept.” And said, “You see, that made him just a man.”

“Oh,” I said, “Sure He wept,” I said, “but He was more than a man.” I said, “That was the man that was weeping, but God was in Him.”

And she said, “Oh, no, he couldn't weep and be divine like you say he is.”

I said, “Then I want to ask you something. I'll admit that He wept when He went to the grave of Lazarus; but when He straightened up his little shoulders, said, 'Lazarus, come forth,' and a man had been dead and in the grave and already rotten, come to life, that took more than a man to do that. That was God that did that. Yes, sir.”

I said, “True, when He come down off the mountain that night and was hungry, looking ... or, that day was hungry, looking for something to eat off of those fig trees, He was a man when He was hungry; but right here I was talking about when He took those five biscuits and two fish and broke them and fed five thousand. That was more than a man; that was God.” That's right. Sure.

MARK4:39

He was a man when He was laying out on that ship that night, so tired. Virtue had went out of Him from healing the sick. He was so tired until the great mighty waves didn't even wake Him. Why, I imagine that little old ship was tossed about out there like a bottle stopper out there on that mighty sea. Ten thousand devils of the sea swore they'd drown Him that night. He was a man, laying there tired. But when once aroused, put his foot on the brail of the boat, and said, “Peace be still,” and the winds and the waves obeyed Him. That was more than a man; that was God.

He cried for mercy on the cross like a man, that's right. But on Easter morning when He broke the seals of death, rolled back the tomb, rose up and ascended on high, He was more than a man. No wonder the prophet said, or the poet said, “Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me; buried, He carried my sins far away. Rising, He justified freely forever. Some day He's coming, O glorious day.”

He's thrilled the hearts of men. And every man or woman that ever amounted to a hill of beans in this life—Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, whoever it may be—believed that. All the poets down through the years. Blind Fanny Crosby sang, “Pass me not, O gentle Saviour, hear my humble cry. While on others Thou art calling, do not pass me by. Thou the stream of all my comfort, more than life to me. Whom have I on earth beside Thee, or whom in heaven but Thee?”

When Eddie Perronet, when he couldn't sell his songs, and none of them would listen to him, a Christian man about to die one day, the Holy Spirit fell on him. He grabbed a pen and wrote the baccalaureate song. He wrote the song, “All hail the power of Jesus' name. Let angels prostrate fall. Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all.”

Oh, sure, He was more than a man. He was God. That's right. He was neither Jew nor Gentile; He was God. The blood cell come from the male sex, which was God. God created the blood cell in the womb of virgin Mary, and through that blood cell come forth the Son of God. God lived in there. Unadulterated blood, no sex touched to it at all like that. And through that blood gives us faith to walk boldly to the throne of God and claim any promise that's in this Bible, because God made the promise. That's right.

Yes,

the old worshippers of the Old Testament brought a lamb, put their hands upon it. They took a hook and cut its little throat, and it kicking and bleating and dying, and the blood spraying all over the worshipper's hands. He knowed that that lamb was dying in his place. But he went back out with the same desire he had when he come in, because the life was in that blood cell of the lamb was a animal life. It had not a soul, therefore it could not come back upon the worshipper.

But now, the worshipper once purged with the blood of Christ has no more conscience ... or no more desire to sin. When a man by faith comes to that fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins, by faith lays his hands upon the feet of the Son of God and looks yonder at Calvary, and know all the suffering that He done, He done it for him....

Then that blood cell was broke on Calvary was not a animal, neither was it a man. It was God's own blood, and it comes back and gives new birth.

That Spirit that comes out of there comes into the human spirit and makes him a son or daughter of God. Amen. That's the new birth. That's the gospel, if I know anything about it. The cell that was in there, God created Himself with his own Self.

He come down a little baby Jehovah and was born in a stable over manure. And it ought to be striking to the people. Little Jehovah laying crying in a stable. Oh, my. And we think we're somebody because.... Oh, my! Jehovah playing like a child, Jehovah working like a man, Jehovah dying like a man. But He was Jehovah. When He raised up again He proved He was Jehovah. Sure, He was. Yes, sir.

Yes, John said, “I knowed that was Him. I seen the things that He done. I know that nothing but Jehovah could do that.” Said, “I'm satisfied, brethren. I'll put my testimony in.”

You know they was having a testimony meeting out here on the sea. That's a good place to have one. You know when everybody is testifying, why, the Lord comes down and blesses them usually, you know. So they was having a testimony meeting while they were waiting, coasting.

I just wish we could have one tonight. We will give a testimony in here. Let's listen to theirs for a few minutes as they're coasting. “And you, in your little bark as you're sailing life's solemn sea, testify, sing, or pray; and like bread upon the water, it will return to you some day. Speak a little word for Jesus. Do something. Testify, sing, or pray.”

Yes, do something for Him while we're sailing over life's solemn main. “A forlorn and shipwrecked brother in seeing, shall take heart again,” said Longfellow. Yes, while we're sailing life's solemn main, let's give our testimony. Let's do something that we leave footprints on the sands of time. Footprints that perhaps another, yes, a forlorn and shipwrecked brother, seeing what we did, will take heart again. Make another try. He seen where somebody was poor and without. He made a try and stood on the promises of Christ, and become a soldier of the cross. Let's make footprints.

Footprints is possession. God told Joshua, “Everywhere the soles of your feet sets, I'll give it to you.” Footprints meant possession. Go on and get it—it's yours. Every promise in the Book, everything God ever promised is yours. Now He isn't going to sweep out the house and say, “Go take it.” He said, “I'll give you Palestine”; but they had to fight every inch of the road. That's right. And every inch of the ... every time God makes a promise, you'll fight every inch of the road. Just take the sword of the Spirit and the Word and cut every devil and unbelief away from you. Cut loose the shore lines that hold you bound to the shore. Launch out into the deep and let down for the draw. Amen.

I'm not amening myself, but amen means “so be it.” I believe it. Yes, sir.

Some people are afraid of Amen. Somebody's afraid of Hallelujah. Hallelujah is a Hebrew word which means “Praise our God.” Amen. He's worthy of all the praise.

Now, John said, “I'm sure that was Jehovah.”

You know, and Peter just couldn't sit there any longer, so he had to give his testimony. “Well,” he said, “now right on this same sea, brethren ... I want to put my testimony in.” Let's listen at him a few minutes testifying.

Peter said, “I'll tell you what happened. When I was a little bitty boy, Mama and Papa used to stand up there on the bank, down there right where our boats was. My father was a great man. He was a Pharisee there in the church, and he was a very staunch believer. And how we used to kneel down there when we didn't have bread, and we'd ask God to give us a catch of fish. Never did He fail us. We'd go get the fishes and come in. Daddy told me to believe God, to believe every word that God said, and every promise was true. So I've always believed it, brethren.

“And then Daddy told me one day when he was getting old and his hair was gray.... He was getting shaky, so he sat me up on the front of the boat one day after a great catch, and he said, 'Simon, you see what Jehovah has given us today. My boy, don't you never forget Him.'

“Oh,” he said, “I can remember Dad's old testimony.” Many of you people can remember something similar to that. How your old father and mother used to sit you down and talk to you about God and pray with you. God give us more people like that and we'll have a real America. Sit them down and talk to them and tell them about the things of God.

He said, “One day while ... he sat me down, he said, 'Simon, I always prayed that I would see the Messiah coming. But,' said, 'I'm getting old now. I suppose I won't see Him. My fathers has looked for Him. And we have, since way back we become a nation, and knowing, we've looked for Him coming. But I guess I won't get to see Him, Simon. But maybe you will in your generation. Simon, just before He comes, there'll be a big rally of everything. We know.'

“But said, 'Simon, don't you never be deceived. Now, when Messiah cometh I want you to remember this: We Hebrews—and He's a God of the Hebrews—and we Hebrews are taught that when Messiah comes He'll be a prophet. For Moses said, ”The Lord your God shall raise up anointed one, a prophet, liken unto me.“ And now, Simon, when He comes there may be men raise up and do great things, but you remember this one thing. There may be great educators raise up, there may be great scholars, there may be great church denominations, there may be great things; but Simon, Simon, my boy....'

“And I can see him” he said, “as he put his hand upon my head, and said, 'Simon.... O God, let my boy not be deceived! But, Simon, remember, it's the Scripture that speaks that He will be a prophet. Don't you forget that.' ” I can hear him say, “I can just think of how my old daddy blest me there. And he said, 'Simon, you'll know that.'”

And he said, “Brethren, one day Andrew come up to me, and Andrew said, 'Say, you know what? We've found the Messiah.'”

“ 'Oh, now go on.'

“ 'Come on. You should've seen what He did this morning. Come on up.'

“Well, I followed him. And as soon as I got up in the presence of this Jesus, you know what happened? Just as soon as I got into his presence, He looked me right in the face, and said, 'Your name is Simon and you're the son of Jonas.' Not only did He know me, but He knowed that old daddy of mine. So that settled it for me, He was Messiah.” I can see him just raise his hands up and praise God.

Philip said, “You know.... Brother Nathanael, it's all right?”

“Yes.”

“Simon, when you come up that day, that settled it with me too. When I stood there and I heard them Jews out there, our people, saying, 'That man is a fortune-teller, He's Beelzebub, He's a devil, that's what He's doing,' but to me it was settled. That was Messiah. I knew it. He didn't have to do nothing for me or tell me anything. I seen Him do it for others, so I believed it.

“And so, Nathanael and I have been good friends so many years. We went to church together since little boys. And I run around the mountain and found him under a tree praying. And when I told him, 'Come see who we found—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph,' do you remember, Nathanael, what you said to me?”

“Yes. I said this, 'Could there be any good thing come out of Nazareth?'”

“And then tell the brethren, then what did I tell you?”

“Well, you said, 'Come and see.'” Well, that's a good thing.

“Are you glad you come?”

“I'll never forget you, Philip. I'll never forget you. When I come up, Philip kept telling me....” He butted in with a testimony ahead of Philip,

and said, “Philip kept telling me that this man had told Simon here [that I knowed didn't have any education] and told him that his name was Simon, and give him another name of Peter. And said that his father's name was Jonas. And I knowed both Simon and Jonas. I bought fish from both of them. So I knowed that that was so.

“So I said, 'I'm going over to the meeting, and I'll just look at this fellow and see if that is Messiah. I knowed that when the Messiah was coming, He sure was going to be a prophet.' So then when I walked over to Him, you know what happened, brethren? As soon as I walked up into his presence He said, 'Behold an Israelite, in whom there's no guile.'

“I said, 'Rabbi [reverend, teacher, you know], when did you ever see me?'

“He said, 'Before Philip called you, when you were under the tree, I saw you.' ” Said, “That settled it with me.”

Philip said, “Now, wait just a minute, brethren. Do you remember that time that we were down in Jericho?”

“Yes.”

“You remember that little fellow Zacchaeus?”

“Oh,” said the brethren, “we'll never forget that.”

They were having a good time out there testifying. Just getting dark, you know, maybe along about this time. And saying ... oh, just having a great time.

So he said, “Do you remember when we was down there, that little fellow Zacchaeus, you remember when he testified down there at the dinner that day?

“Yes, yes, I remember it.”

“You remember Bartimaeus?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“Now, remember, Zacchaeus had a wife and her name was Rebekah, and she was a lovely believer in the Lord Jesus. So she'd prayed that her husband, which was.... One of the main pillars up in the church was Rabbi Levinski.” [I hope there's nobody here by that name. That's just a fiction name I'm just giving it for my story.]

Said, “... that he was the main pillar in one of the churches. So Rabbi Levinski told him, said, 'Now wait just a minute, don't you believe that nonsense. That woman of yours is just a little upset. That guy is no prophet. We haven't had prophets for hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years. Don't you believe that. That's a bunch of fanaticism, like that wild man trying to drown everybody down there on Jordan, John. Herod cut his head off. This guy will come to an end one of these days. Don't you believe that stuff.' And you remember Zacchaeus thought the rabbi was right because he was taught to believe that his rabbi was exactly right.

“Now, we find out that.... You know, but Rebekah asked us all to pray for Zacchaeus, and we'd all been praying, because we knowed our master was going down there to hold a meeting one day.

So we went down there to hold the meeting that morning, and Rebekah told us that Zacchaeus got real restless, and she was praying all night for him that he would be able to see Jesus the next day, because she knowed there'd be some for Him and some against Him. That's the way it is in every meeting.

“So he'd go down there so early in the morning, he got up and groomed himself and put on his best garment and he went out.

“She said, 'Zacchaeus, where are you going?'

“ 'Just out to get some breeze this morning. I feel a little stuffy. I didn't sleep well last night.'

“She turned over and said, 'Thank You, Lord, thank You. You're dealing with him. You're dealing with him.' ”

That's what we ought to do. You women pray for your husbands like that, you see. And you husbands pray for your wife too. And now you children pray for your wayward parents too while you're doing it, you see.

“So then, he went down on the street, he told us, and he stood there—right down at the gate, because he knowed Jesus was coming down from Jericho. So he said when he ... coming down from Jerusalem to Jericho off the mountain. So then when he went over to the gate.... He was a little bitty fellow, you know, so he couldn't look up over the people. He was a little fellow. So he run down to another street called Hallelujah Avenue, right where Glory Road runs into it. And there was a.... [That's where you always find Jesus, on Hallelujah Avenue at the Glory Road.] So he knowed He'd pass that way too. [That's the way any of us find Him, on that road.]

“So, he looked down there and he said, 'Do you know what? He'll be by here, but you know that same crowd goes with him wherever He goes. [That's right. That's right—goes with him wherever He goes.] And then they'll be here, so I'll be just as little then as I am now, so I'll be no better here than I would standing at the gate. Because they were hanging on the fences down there and over the wall, waiting for him. So you know what? I believe I'll climb up this tree here and then I can see him.'

“So he goes over and gets a garbage pail and packs it over and sets it down, shinnies up the tree, you know. Gets up there, and he found where two limbs come together so he could make him a good seat, sit down. [That's a good place to sit down and think it over, brother—where two ways meet, yours and God's. Think it over, sitting there on the limb.]

And said, “He sat down there, and he began to say, 'Now, how will I know when he's coming? When he comes around he'll turn that from Glory Road there coming down Hallelujah Avenue, and when he turns here I'll get a good look at him, because he'll be in the middle of the street when he comes by. And some of them people keeping everybody away from him, I'll get a good look at him. You know Rebekah told me that that man was a prophet, that he was really Messiah. Now if he's a prophet, he is Messiah. But Levinski told me that he was no prophet, he was just a make-believe. He's just a make-believe prophet.

“ 'And then this morning also a priest came down from up there at Jericho, was the head of the ministerial association. And he come down here to see that they was going to have no healing service here, so he run that old blind man away from the gate out there begging [old Bartimaeus, you see]. So he's in here to see that they don't have no healing service around here amongst these people. So I guess it's just a bunch of fanaticism anyhow. So I'll sit here.

“ 'Now wait a minute. What if he turns that corner? He'd see me sitting up here in this tree. I'm up pretty high. But you know, if I pull a couple of these big leaves down like this and kind of camouflage myself, he'll never see me. And I'll get a look at him when he passes by. Then I'll go back and tell Rebekah all about him. I'll tell them that there's nothing to that guy. I just know I'm not going to believe him. No, sir. So he ain't going to see me. And me sitting up here with this garbage all over me anyhow, from the garbage pail....' ”

You know, when you take a notion to meet Jesus He'll make you do some of the silliest things. He'll just ruin all your prestige. You think you won't squall and cry and boo-hoo, but you will, if you want to see Him. You'll just do anything to see Him.

“So, there he was sitting. Said, 'What if some of my competitors come by and see me sitting up here? So I'll just camouflage myself real good so nobody will see me.' So he pulled all the leaves around him, and put the limbs around him, so nobody could see him. He left one little leaf for a door. Oh, maybe something like this. And he left it here, and he could pull it down and look and see when He was coming, then pull it back up again.

He said, 'I'll see him, and then I'll know. When I look at him, I can tell he's an imposter. He's nothing no more than any other man. That's all. And I'll tell Rebekah when I go back, “Stay away from such an imposter as that. That's all.” ' After a while there come a noise.“

Strange thing, everywhere Jesus is, there's a lot of noise. I don't know why it is, but it's a sign there's life there. You know, when the priest went into the holy place he had a pomegranate and a bell. He had to make a noise so the people could understand he was still alive. I think some of these churches need to be buried. They're dead a long time ago. You don't hear no noise at all. It's like a morgue instead of a lively place, a place on fire for God.

“Then said, 'I'll sit back here now and I'll watch him.' And just about that time he heard a noise coming. He looked around the corner. He said, 'Aha, he'll be coming.'

“He seen this great big fisherman walking out there, pushing them to one side: 'I'm sorry, folks, our brother is very, very ... our Lord is very, very tired. He's been out all night. He's on his road down here to see some friends of his. I'm sorry, we just won't have time.' [Very nice.] And the apostles come along, 'I'm sorry we have to do this.' [Very gentlemanlike.] And so I guess Zacchaeus must have said,” he said to them, “ 'You know, it's a little strange thing, but them men are gentlemen.' [You know anybody that serves the Lord Jesus is a gentleman, see. So then ... and courtesy.]

“So then after awhile He come around the corner. He said, 'Do you know what? That guy looks a little different. I just ... He.... [You know, no man can ever look at Jesus and ever be the same. You'll be a worse critic or a better man. That's right.]' So he said ... watched Him. He had this leaf. Said, 'Now, he'll never see me. He'll never see me. Now, Rebekah said he was a prophet, so.... He'll never see me.'

And he just watched Him till He got right down like that.

“Jesus come along with his head down, walking as He usually did, in his common stride. Walked right under the tree, and looked up and said, 'Zacchaeus, come down. I'm going home with you for dinner.' Remember what Zacchaeus said? That took all the starch out of him. Yes, sir, because he knowed He was a prophet.

“And you remember,” Philip said, “You remember, brethren, when we went out the gate and that other testimony we got outside the gate there? You know, they heard a noise coming—when Bartimaeus testified to us. He said he'd been sitting there dreaming of Bible stories his mother told him when he was a little boy, just like John was testifying of. And saying how mother told him how great Jehovah was, and how that right down that same road, them cobblestones where he was sitting, that Elisha and Elijah come arm-in-arm right down that road, going down to cross the Jordan. Amen.

“'Oh, if I'd have lived in that day, I'd have run out to them and said, ”O prophets of God, have mercy and pray for me,“ and the Lord would open my eyes. But, alas, the rabbi tells me, the priest, that the days of miracles is past.'

“'And I remember then that Joshua crossed the river,' said Bartimaeus, 'crossed the river not five hundred yards from where I'm sitting. And the great Joshua ... God moved back the waters in the month of April, when it was pretty near a mile across the valley here. And moved it back, and stood still, and the waters held their place up yonder in the mountains. The snow waters held its place while two and a half million Israelites marched across and set up camp. Oh, my! If I'd have only been sitting here then. And I'm sitting on the rocks right here this morning,' he said, 'that fell when Joshua sounded the trumpet and God knocked the walls down, and Rahab the harlot's house stood because she believed.

“'And then Joshua one day when he was out—the great man walking around, looking through the fields, seeing how the great ... looking over the situation—he saw a man standing with his sword drawn, and Joshua drew his sword. He went to meet him. He said, ”Are you with us, or are you for our enemies?“

“'He said, ”I'm the captain of the host of the Lord.“

“'Joshua threw off his helmet, and throwed down his shield, and dropped his sword, and fell on his knees.

Oh,' said blind Bartimaeus, 'if I'd have only been there then, I'd have run up to that great chief captain and said, “Chief Captain of the host of the Lord, have mercy on me, a blind man.” I'd have received my sight.' Little did he know that within a hundred yards of him that same Captain was coming walking towards the gate.“

Oh, if this church could realize tonight that same Captain, “I'll never leave thee nor forsake thee. I'll be with you always, even to the end of the world. And the works that I do shall you also. A little while and the world will see me no more, yet you'll see me [the church elected]. You'll see me for I'll be with you. The works that I do, you'll be doing also, to the end of the consummation of the world, order of the world.”

Now, notice ... and he said, “You remember what blind Bartimaeus testified? 'When He come by,' he said, 'all the people were screaming, and some hollering ”Away with that imposter!“ And they were throwing rotten eggs and over-ripe tomatoes at Him.' He said he could hear that priest say, 'Hey, you that raised the dead, you tell me they raised up the dead man called Lazarus. We've got a graveyard full of them up here; come up and raise some of them, we'll believe you.'”

See, that same old devil. Same one come to Him, said, “If thou be the Son of God, do something here before me. [There's certain churches that wants to know that.] We got a blind man sits on the corner, go give him his sight, you divine healers. I got old Brother So-and-so that sells pencils down here. Come heal him.”

Just remember, that's that same old devil that said, “If Thou be the Son of God, command these stones to be turned into bread.” One day they put an old rag around his head, like that, and wrapped it around Him, and took a stick and hit Him on top of the head, in Pilate's courts, and said, “If you are a prophet and can know the secrets of the hearts, if you are the Messiah and if you're a prophet, tell us who hit you.”

He didn't open his mouth and say a word. He don't clown for people. God don't clown for people. He just says, “I do nothing until the Father shows me. What I see the Father doing, that's what I do also.” St. John 5:19.

“And you remember Bartimaeus told us,” said Philip.... [break in tape]

“'... that we heard Zacchaeus testify at the dinner awhile ago, and what He said to him; and knew he was in the tree above Him and knowed his name was Zacchaeus, and called him out of the tree and went home with him for dinner. Zacchaeus is just setting the city afire with it. Does thou not know the scriptures, sir?'

“'Oh, I remember when I was a little boy my mother used to read the scrolls to me. But who is this you're speaking of? Jesus who?'

“'Jesus of Nazareth. He's a Galilean prophet, they call Him, but really He is the Messiah. He does the sign of the Messiah. He is the prophet. Well, you know the Messiah will be a prophet.'

“'Sure. Well, how did you know Him?'

“'I'm his servant.

You know, all of Jesus' servants, the lady servants are kind and the men servants are kind, considering the sick and afflicted. When the meeting comes to the city they call everybody and try to get them to come out. You know, they try to do something. They love people, Jesus' true disciples.' “ (You believe that, don't you? I hope this is soaking.)

“So then, first thing you know, he said to him, said, 'Well, sure, yes.'

“'I am his disciple. And so Sister Rebekah and I was praying. That's Zacchaeus' ... you know Zacchaeus.'

“'Oh, yes, he's given me coins before. And where's He at?

“'Oh, He's going way down the road now. He's going....'

“'Oh! Oh!' He threw down his coat and hollered 'O Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me! Have mercy on me!'

“Some of them said, 'Shut up! Sit down. Quit making so much noise,' see.

“'O Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me!'”

Now, humanly speaking, He could not have heard him. If you see where the gates where he was sitting, and where Jesus was when the miracle was performed, is about 350 yards, see; and all that crowd following along there, hollering, “Hail, hail, to the King of the Jews,” or some slurring word. Others hollering, “Hosanna to the prophet,” and saying everything. He never heard it. But He said....

I can just imagine Him seeing Bartimaeus drop on his knees and saying, “O Jehovah, I was thinking of You.” That's when He comes by, is when you're thinking of Him. Quit thinking about the things of the world, and who's going to be the next movie star, or even the next president, and think who's the coming Christ. Then you'll [unclear word], see. “Oh! O Jesus, thou son of David! Lord, Jehovah God, if that is your Son, if He's the Son of David, if that is the Prophet, well, You can speak to Him. Oh, have mercy on me, have mercy!”

And Jesus, with the sins of the world on his shoulders, He was heading right up to Jerusalem to be crucified.

O God! The sin of every man and every woman that ever lived or ever would live rested upon Him. The burden of whether we'd be saved, the burden of this meeting tonight, was upon his shoulders. But the faith of one blind beggar stopped Him.

The Bible said, “He stood.” Wish I had a few weeks to stay, like to preach on “And Then He Stood.” Jesus stood still. One faith of a beggar stopped Him and He stood still. What did it? His faith touched Him, just like the woman that touched his garment. “Who touched me?”

And He turned around and said, “Bring him here. What would you that I do for you?” His faith had touched Him. Just like you touch Him here at night, see, same thing.

“And you remember, brethren, what happened. He received his sight. Now, do you remember that?”

“Yes, brethren,” said the brethren to Philip. “I remember that.”

It must have been Andrew said, “You remember that day when we all come up to the well when we went into Samaria to get something to eat? We come up to the well and we seen this woman of Samaria. Well, you know He never did do that before a Gentile. He said it would be for another age. He'd do it Himself in another age to the Gentiles, but they didn't believe on Him.”

He only comes to those and shows Himself to those who are waiting for Him. That's all. That's right. It's the only one He reveals ... that He reveals Himself. (Now watch as we're closing just in a few moments.)

Andrew said, “We all slipped out to get some vittles. And when we come back, do you remember we watched a woman coming, strolling up to the well? And we knew she was marked as a ill-famed woman.”

“Yes, I remember it,” all of them.

“And we slipped around behind the place there and heard what was said. And He talked to her a little bit, and He said, 'Go get your husband.'

“And she said, 'I have none.' Remember how our hearts failed? We said, 'Oh, my. My, there's one time He made a mistake. The woman denies it.' ”

Oh, sure, they might deny it. Sarah denied it too. She said, “I never said it”; but the angel said, “Yes, but you did say it.” And I want to give you a little speck of grace here. God would have slew her right then, but He couldn't. She was part of Abraham. And our sins—we'd be slain by God if we wasn't a part of Christ. It holds it, see. We're the bride, it holds it. Yes, sir. That's what Balaam failed to see down there, as we was talking of the other night, see.

“Yes, yes, we remember.”

“But He looked around, and He said, 'Thou hast said true. You've had five husbands and the one you're living with now is not yours.'

And she run into the city. Remember what she said to Him? She said, 'Sir, I perceive that You're a prophet.'

“Now what a difference between her testimony and them Pharisees had just said about it—said He was a devil. And He told them to call the work of God a devil would separate them forever from God, see. And so He said, well, one word against it would never be forgiven.” Now, he said, “Did you notice she run into the city, and said, 'Come see a man who told me the things that I've done. Isn't this the Messiah?' And then we were all convinced, and knowed that He was the Messiah.”

When they were testifying, wouldn't you like to have been sitting on that ship listening at them? Oh, my. Well, we can listen at them too, you see. We just got their testimony, what they'd say. So that testimony meeting going on, and they'd had a great time that day, you know, a great meeting.

You know what? Satan must have peeped up over the realms of hell and saw them out there on the water having a testimony meeting without His presence. And when they did, you know they had gone off without Him. And Satan said, “Here's my chance. They've gone off without Him.” Right. And that's the same thing has happened now. Satan has seen the church go off on a big building spree, and a big modern spree, and has left Jesus. That's right.

All we think about is how many we can get in our organization, how much bigger church we can build than the rest of them. That has nothing to do with it. What we need is back to the Bible. Look the way our people are, where.... Church is weak, and the faith is weak and the people are just ... you can't tell them from no one else, and their testimony's weak.

And they stay home on Wednesday night to watch some kind of a television program instead of going to church. And they tell jokes, and also many of them started doing things that isn't right.

And the women's beginning to dress like the things of the world, and bobbing off their hair, and wearing paint and stuff all over them, and things; and men smoking cigarettes, cigars, and things like that. Living in the church, taking a little sociable drink with their boss, having a little clean fun—going out with the next man's wife, and all things like that, flirting with girls on the street, turning their necks watching women half-dressed.

Sure, that's right. I know that hurts; but that's truth, brother. The Word of God's a circumciser—that's “cut off surplus flesh.” It's exactly what's right. Just having a little clean American fun. That don't go with the kingdom of God. Not associated with the kingdom of God. Not at all! Blessed be the name of the Lord. We ought to conduct ourselves like servants of God.

Here some time ago, when they had slavery here in the South, they used to take the slaves and sell them out on the market, just like you would with a horse or something. Never was right. God made man; man made slaves. And then when they would do that, they'd come by and get a bill of sales on a human being, and take them out and sell them. One day there was a broker came by to buy some slaves, and said, “How many you got?”

Said, “About a hundred out there.”

He went out to look at them. They were sad. They'd come ... the Boers brought them from Africa and put them in down here around Cuba. And then brought them over and sold them to the Americans here for slaves. They'd never go back home again. They'd die here. They was away from papa, away from mama, away from children, separated. It was a horrible thing. And they wouldn't work. They'd have to whip them, make them work, because they were so sad.

But this broker noticed this one young man. Brother, they didn't have to whip him. He was right at it. Right up and at it, chest back and his head up. That buyer said, the broker said, “Say, I want to buy that slave.”

But the owner said, “He's not for sale.”

Said, “Well, why isn't he for sale?”

Said, “Because. I don't sell him.”

He said, “Is he the boss over the rest of them?”

Said, “No, he's just a slave.”

Said, “I bet you feed him different than after the rest of them.”

Said, “No, sir, he eats in the galley with the rest of them. He's just a slave.”

Said, “Well, what makes him so much different from the rest of them?”

The owner said, “I wondered for a long time too, but one day I found out that his father, over in the homeland, is the king of the tribe. And though he's an alien, away from home, he still knows he's the son of the king and he conducts himself like one.” If that would make a Negro—knowing his father is a king in Africa—to conduct himself among his people as a king's son, what ought it to do to you and I that's born again of the Spirit of God? What kind of a life ought we to be? What kind of a way should we conduct ourselves? Not as a weakling, and back off, and be tossed about by everything and halfway believing, and things of the world, and ... galloping in. Stick up our heads towards Calvary, and believe every word God said and every promise, and conduct ourselves like men and women of God.

Don't dress like these Jezebels and act like them here. That's right. Don't you do that. It's pitiful.

There's only one woman ever painted herself to meet.... Never to meet God. In the Bible there was only one woman ever used paint and that was Jezebel. God fed her to the dogs. So you see she was just dog meat to begin with, in the sight of God. So just remember, brother. Oh, women, men, straighten up! You men, how can you stand it? How would you let your wife smoke cigarettes, and get out on the street and act like that? What's the matter? You've gone off.

And the church.... You Pentecostal people, what's the matter with you? What's the matter? You went off on a big building or organization tantrum and left Jesus out of the picture.

Instead of getting the old-fashioned preacher that would preach the truth, you got some little sissy guy that come up through some school; and probably a grandson of God that thinks more of a meal ticket than he does the Bible and won't tell the truth about it. What we need is men that'll preach the gospel, and hammer it with the power of God—tell the truth, regardless. If the organization kicks him out, what difference does it make? Yes, sir. We need men of God anointed with the Holy Ghost that'll preach the gospel, regardless of what the organization or denomination says about it. Makes no difference anyhow, it's God we're for.

Amen. Oh, my! I feel religious. Yes, sir. You may think I'm crazy. Maybe I am, but just let me alone. I feel better this way than I did the other way, so just leave me like this. I feel good this way. It's wonderful, because you're free! You're not tied to nothing. You're only bound to the bonds of love.

Don't let nobody tell you that you're free in this nation. You're not. You're never free. You're either a bond slave to Christ and his love; or the devil, you're a slave to the devil and his things. You're a slave to something. I'm glad to be Christ's slave. Amen. “Crucified to the things of the world, yet I live; not I, but Christ liveth in me.” Amen, and amen, and amen. Oh, my, if the people could only see that! If they could only open up their hearts and see that it's back to the Bible, back to the Christ, back to the cross, back to the gospel! Yes, that's what it is. Oh, blessed be the name of the Lord.

The devil seen the church go off on a great big tantrum. And, “We are the Assemblies,” “We are the Church of God,” “We are the Oneness,” “We are the Twoness,” and all these other things. Why didn't you stay the way you were? Why didn't you stay the way God provided for you?

The biggest mistake that Israel ever made.... When grace had already provided them a prophet, provided them a lamb, and give them the greatest revival they ever had; and was standing on the shores of the Red Sea, dancing in the Spirit and singing in the Spirit and having a jubilee (in Exodus 19), they didn't want that. They wanted a theology that they could argue about. That's right. Right. And what ... they was only about four days away from the promised land (the same mistake that our Pentecostal fathers made not long ago). How little would ... you could have told them they was forty years from the promised land. They had to go get something that they could argue about. So did our....

What did God do to them? He left them in the wilderness for forty years. What did they do? Raised crops, and children, and God blessed them. That's right. They was great. But one day God said, “You've been on this mountain long enough. Let's rise and go north and take the promise.” That's right. When all the old fighters died, wait till the old fighters died out. That's true.

Now our Pentecostal brethren has done the same thing. Instead of just staying.... You say “Well, they gave the new issue.” What is the new issue? And what of it anyhow? You didn't have to organize, and the new issues didn't have to organize out of that. Make a little group, and pull brethren apart, and fuss and carry on with one another. If it wasn't of God, it won't amount to anything anyhow. If it is of God, who's going to stop it? See? What is it? “Every plant that my heavenly Father hasn't planted will be rooted up.” Can't you take his word for it? But we had to make about thirty-five different organizations.

“He's coming on a white cloud.”

“No, bless God, He's coming on a white horse.”

What difference does it make anyhow, as long as He's coming? That's the thing, see. But what have we done? Stayed in the same old rut. Receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues; receive the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues; receive the Holy Ghost, same old mountain for forty years, same old routine. But it's time to rise! Let's go north. Jesus is coming. Let's go take every promise. Hallelujah! Every promise.... Jesus said, “The things that I do shall you do also.” He did speak in tongues, that's right. He did do other things also. Let's go take the promise.

But you see, Satan seen the church go off without Jesus. And so, that's what he seen them do, so he took his poison breath and begin to “Whe-e-ew.” Said, “Now, I'll get rid of them. I've got them in them building programs and things, and I'll sink them right down there. They'll get formal. Each one will have a television in his house, and, brother, he'll stay home on Wednesday night. If he won't go to the show.... The old timers used to say, 'Stay away from the show,' but I'll bring it right into their house,” see. So he just comes right on, you know, and brings his.... “And they say they're not fascinated, but when they see these programs—'We Love Suzy,' and all these things—they'll love that better, the things of the world, more than they do God. I know they will and I'll just break the old Pentecostal church up.”

Rocking her, pushing her, breaking her down, her oars is broke, and everything. That's right. That's what he's done. Seen them go off on big building tantrums, get just as worldly as the rest of the churches. That's right. As I said, they used to say, “cold formal Baptists”; now it's “cold formal Pentecost.” Right. That's right. Here we are tossed about.

But the good thing (I've got to hurry, close, because it's time.), look, the good thing was that He hadn't gone very far. He climbed up on the highest mountain that He could find, and He was watching them out there on the sea. His eye is on the sparrow and I know He's watching. Yes. What was it happened? He climbed at Calvary, He kept climbing. From Easter He climbed on above the moon, the stars, plumb on into glory (the higher you go, the farther you can see) so He could watch the church universal everywhere. Watching us, got his eyes on us.

And then, about time that all hopes was gone (to ever have another revival), what did they think when all hopes was gone? Here He come, walking to them on the sea. Oh, my! Walking on the sea. And when they saw Him—the only thing that could help them—they was afraid of it. They thought it looked spooky. And that's the same thing today. The only thing that can bring the church back together to take the rapture, they say it's fortune-telling, it's Beelzebub, when the very thing that He said He would do.... As it was then, so is it now.

But what did He say then? (I wish I had a little longer, but I haven't.) But what did He say then? “Be not afraid. Be of a good cheer, it is I.” How do you know it's Him? Because He acts like He did when He was here, He does the things that He did, He keeps his promise like He did. Isn't that right?

“Fear not, it is I. Be not afraid. Be not afraid now, it is I. Be of a good cheer, be of a good courage, build yourself up. I've got my eye on you, I'm watching you. I'm coming into the midst of the Assemblies, into the midst of the Church of God, I'm coming here to do what? To take out the elected. Not to make another organization, but a rapture to go home. I'm coming for that.”

Let's bow our heads just a moment.

“Blessed Saviour, Thou will guide us till we reach that healthful shore, where the angels wait to join us in thy praise forevermore.” We think of that great day, how You've arranged it. “I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those that are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others that have no hope. For we believe that Christ died and rose again the third day. Even so those that sleep in Christ will God bring with Him. But we say this to you, the commandment of the Lord, that we will not be hindered, it won't hinder us, when we are sleeping.”

We watch the order of the resurrection. The first thing, we get together. Not until we get together will we go together to meet Him. Mothers and fathers will meet one another, children and loved ones will meet one another, and then be caught up in the air to meet the Lord. And when we stand there singing redemption songs, and angels with a circle around the earth will stand with bowed heads, not knowing what they're talking about. They never was lost. They don't know what it means to be lost and to be found, but, Lord, we know what it means. “I once was lost, but now I'm found; was blind, but now I see.”

Father God, I pray that You'll bless the people here this Saturday night—a little chopped-up message, just from place to place, trying to wait to see what You would say do. Now the hour is closing in. I pray, Father, that You'll just let the people know that You're the same Jesus. Just come and do tonight just like You did there, just a little while for us, Father, that.... The people, they may not never get another opportunity.

We may never have church in the morning, You may come before morning. Some time through the night there may be a sound come, “Behold the bridegroom cometh, go out to meet Him.” We know it'll be a terrible time then. There'll be weeping, there'll be praying, and there'll be singing, there'll be shouting. Father God, let us straighten it up now and be ready for that hour, as we wait in Jesus' name. Amen.

I wonder if there's any here tonight that doesn't know Him as Saviour, would like to say, “Remember me, Brother Branham, when you pray again.” Raise up your hand, say, “Remember me.” God bless you, God bless you, and you, you. In the balconies, the Lord bless you. Someone else just before we have prayer for those who wants to know Him, never have met Him.

Maybe He might come in a few minutes here. He'll come. I believe He will, don't you? And will do his.... Do you believe He's the same? Sure, He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. Then let Him come and do through us, through his sanctifying power, the things that He did when He was here on earth, and we'll know. “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he....”

How many knows that Jesus Christ never performed one miracle in his life without God showing Him by a vision? How many knows that? The Bible says it.

St. John 5:19, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing in himself, but what he sees the Father doing.” Is that right? Now that's scriptural, it cannot be broken. “I do nothing until I see the Father doing it. Whatsoever ... the Father worketh, and I work hitherto. What the Father does, He shows me, then I do it.” He just acted out in drama what the Father showed Him to do. That makes Him the same today.

“The works that I do shall you also.” If that was the sign of the Messiah then, that same Spirit that was in Messiah would be in his church, the church will do the same things that Messiah did, because a grape vine can only put forth grapes each time it comes out. That's the way it is with us here. It has to be the same.

Did the boy give out any prayer cards? I even forgot to ask. Yes, last night he didn't. He gave out some tonight. Do you know what numbers they was, letters or...? A's ... what? That's what you give? That's what we had the first night, wasn't it? What, did you just give the other fifty? All right. Where did we start from the other time? 1 to 15. Well, let's start from somewhere else among them tonight. Let's start ... did they get fifteen of them? Let's take the last fifteen then. That would be ... start, what would that be? 85, wouldn't it? 85. Let's see if they're here. 85, who has prayer card number 85? Raise up your hand, all around over the building. Someone upstairs, wherever you are. Prayer card A 85. Look at your.... Did I miss it? Are you sure? Oh, I'm sorry, sister. All right, 85 come here, right here. 86. Who has 86? Raise up your hand. Prayer card 86.

We bring the prayer cards down here before the people, mix them all up like this, and then give anybody a prayer card that wants one. Therefore then, when we come down, we just call from somewhere, not knowing where it was, so therefore it's just.... How many knows there's more healed in the audience than there is healed up here? Sure, there is. Certainly.

All right.

Go around that way. Where was that? 85, wasn't it? 86, who has prayer card 86? Would you raise up your hand? A lady right here, you have 86? Would you go with the lady around there? 87? Raise your hand real quick now, to conserve.... God bless you, my brother. Go right around that way. 85, 86, 87, 88, who has 88? Right here. Go around that way. They're just mixed up all over the building, anybody that wants one. 88, 89, who has 89? Prayer card 89, raise up your hand. Over to ... where? To the right, 89. I don't see them, but let them raise up and go right around that way if they will. 89, 90, who has prayer card 90? Would you raise up your hand?

Look at your neighbor's card. There may be somebody deaf, you know, they couldn't hear it. May be somebody that's crippled and couldn't raise their hand. Just look around at everybody's card. What? Prayer card, what was that, 89? 90, is that prayer card 90? All right, mister, go around that way. 90, 91, all right. 92, 93, raise up your hand so I'll see who you are. 93, would you raise your hand? 93. All right, 94. Raise ... that's right. 95, 96, 97, that's the way to do it. 97, 98, 99, 100. All right. Fine.

Now, is there any more prayer cards in here, raise up your hands, you that's got prayer cards. All right. Just hold your cards. We'll get you. We promised it, we'll do it, see. By the help of the Lord we'll get it.

We can't bring them all up at once. Tomorrow afternoon I'll have to pick them all up, see. So I'll have the afternoon to do it in, you see. So you just come on and we'll get to them. And now, how many doesn't have a prayer card? Raise up your hands. And you're sick and you want God to heal you. Raise up your hands, say, “I don't have a prayer card, but yet I want the Lord to heal me.” Well, it's just generally everywhere. All right.

While they're getting the prayer line ready, I'm going to ask every one if you'll be just as reverent as you can, and keep your seats. Just keep seated, see. All right. Now, in the Bible in the book of St. John, the fourth chapter, I'd like to say this. How many ever read the fourth chapter of St. John? All right.

Now, Jesus.... No, I beg your pardon. It's not the fourth chapter of St. John. I can't call it right now. When the woman was touched with her issue of blood. I just missed it in my mind. Eighth chapter. So she was going through a crowd of people and she said.... She'd seen and heard of Jesus. She'd never seen Him, but.... Let's just take a little drama, while they're waiting there.

I can imagine.... She had an issue of blood. Anyone knows what had happened. It was during the time of menopause and it had never stopped. And she'd spent all of her money to the doctors, and they couldn't help her any. They'd done all they could do, no doubt. They'd done everything they could do, but they couldn't stop that issue of blood.

Then she'd had that for many, many years, and just kept on, flooding on, on, on, on—the poor little weakly thing. She'd heard of Jesus, so she said, “I believe He is that Messiah.”

Don't you think she thought that? How many believes that, say, “Amen.” She said, “I believe that man's the Messiah, but I haven't got money to go over where He's at.” But you know after this great event of the night, He'd come in to the willows down there that morning. And she looked down off the hill where she lived. She said, “Wonder who it is? Must be some person down there. Did you hear them rowing, making fun of Him, and everything else, and some blessing Him. So she slipped down and she seen who it was, and she said, ”If I can just touch his garment, I'll be made well.“

Now, she didn't have one bit of scripture for that, did she? Is there any scripture in the Bible before that says, “When Messiah cometh, if you'll touch his garment... ?” No. But she believed it. She believed it. So she slipped through the crowd. And she was just a little old spindly woman, you know.

So she just slipped through the crowd and she touched his garment. Now if you touched my coat I wouldn't feel it, just my coat. And the Palestinian garment was a robe, and they had an underneath garment that come from the foot up.

That's the reason they had feet-washing and stuff. That big robe picked up the dust as they walked over the trails. Well, then, if you was ever in Palestine and notice how they done, how they take their shoes off and have their feet washed, because the stink of the ground where the animals had been and stuff, they wasn't presentable to the people. So they had a ... they had a flunky that washed the feet. And so they had the feet-washing.

So this woman touched the border of his garment, it hanging that far from Him. Now, physically He could not have felt it. He couldn't have done it. But she touched the border of his garment. Then she went out, she sat down, stood up, or whatever it was, in the audience of people, maybe two or three times what's here.

Jesus stopped, said, “Who touched me?”

Why, Peter thought that was ridiculous (he had never received the Holy Ghost as yet, you know). A man with the Holy Ghost would know different. So he said ... the Bible said he rebuked Him. In other words he said, “What do you mean, to say a thing like that? You're supposed to be a sensible man. And here you are out here, calling yourself the Messiah, and saying, 'Who touched me?' Well, don't you know people will think you're crazy? Everybody's touching you.”

I can see Jesus look over at him (saying, “Poor Simon.”). “But this was a different kind of touch, Simon. I perceive that I have gotten weak.”

Virtue, strength had gone from Him. And He just stopped. He seen Simon didn't know it, and the rest of them didn't know it. So He just looked around over the audience until He found that woman, maybe sitting way back. He told her her blood issue had stopped because her faith had saved her. Is that right?

Now, how many knows that the New Testament says that Jesus Christ right now is a high priest, sitting at the right hand of God, that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities. How many knows that's true? Say “Amen.” All right. Then is He the same yesterday, today, and forever? Then how would you know you touched Him? How would He act? He'd act just like He did then if He's the same.

So you without your cards or whatever, out there in the audience, that won't be up here tonight, you just pray and say, “Lord Jesus, I believe You're that high priest that they're talking about, and let my faith touch You tonight.”

Now, if you touched me it wouldn't do no more good than touching your husband, or touching your brother, or your son, or whatever it would be, see. That wouldn't do a thing. Touching me wouldn't be a thing. But you just touch Him and watch what He does.

You say, “Brother Branham, how will it act?” By a gift. Just giving myself over to the Spirit, it does the talking, see. Now this microphone is a perfect mute. It can't speak. It don't know how to speak. It takes something to speak into it to make it carry the sound. Is that right?

Well, then, every one of you here is strangers to me. Only two people I know up here at all is ... this man sitting here was with me this morning, and Brother Gene Goad, and this man over here, Brother Hall. That's the only ones that I can see in the building. My wife isn't here tonight. And that's the only ones that I know. But Jesus knows every one of you. Is that right? He knows every one of you. And He promised in the last days there would be light. Just like it was at the rising, the sun will be the same in the setting. Is that true? Now you just touch his garment, if He shall come and help us.

And how many of you, strangers here that never seen it before, would believe on Him and say, “It would make me believe to see Him act just like He did when He was here on earth.” Raise up your hand, say, “I'll believe.” That's strangers that wasn't here before. All right, that's fine. How many has been here before and seen Him do it? Let's see your hand, see. Practically everywhere. All right, now you believe.

Now remember, if one person comes and He heals that person, He's got to do it to the second person that comes on the same ground. Right. If you'll just believe. It takes your faith. Say, “What about all that group there that day. Just one woman touched Him.” That was the only one that could believe it. Are you that one out there tonight? I hope you are, every one of you. Now just remember.

Now, Father God, I've spoke of You. I've tried to put it in a little story form tonight in a drama so that even the little children would understand, that they could tell their little schoolmates and so forth, and all could be prepared for the coming of the Lord.

Now I have spoken, testified of You. That's all I can do. I'm just a man. But now, Father, just one word from You will mean more than all of us could do in many lifetimes. Just one word.

They know it's the Scripture. They know it's the truth. They know it's from Genesis to Revelation. Now You made a promise that the coming Messiah in this day would come back into the church and do just as He did when He put ... just the coming of the headstone the building would be made shaped for. I pray God that it'll be so again tonight, for we ask it in Jesus' name, as I submit myself to You, and take this congregation and every spirit in here under the control of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus Christ's name. Amen.

All right, now have faith. Everybody be reverent. Sit quietly. Don't disbelieve, but believe with all your heart. Now, now is the showdown. I've preached it. How many knows it was the Word? Now if any of you doubt, why, you're welcome to come here and take my place if you want to. If some minister here would say it's not right, it isn't right, then you come up here and take my place and do the same thing.

If I cast out devils by the Word of God, who do you cast them out by? If you can do better, well, come on. I'll sit down. I'm wanting to see the people get healed. See, it's a promise of God and if He'll keep this promise....

Now we know, let me make this clear, there's no man can heal another. There's not even medicine that heals you. No doctor will tell you that if he's a real doctor. Medicine does not build tissue. Medicine keeps clean while God builds tissue. He has to create. Tissue is created, see. So a doctor doesn't heal a bone; he sets a bone. God heals the bone, see. Only God can heal. Now He's already done it. Just to get the people to believe it, that's what. If it'd be me, if I told you and you didn't believe it, or if you told me and I didn't believe it, let him go. But not God. He's a good God. He keeps on sending gifts and puts in his church after his Word, to confirm his Word and make it true, so that He's just and honest.

Now, this lady standing here or ... I guess you're the one to be prayed for. Now here stands a woman that I have never seen in my life as I know of. We're strangers to one another, I suppose. You saw me. I prayed for you in Tennessee. Well, I'm so glad of that. But to know you, I wouldn't know you. [No.] Wouldn't have no way of knowing you. All right now, this lady says, if you didn't hear me....

And by the way, ever who the engineer is on this, when the anointing comes and if I don't speak loud enough, step it up so they can hear it, because.... You see, just going back in somebody's life for years and seeing what they've done, you're just looking what's going on there. You're not even conscious that you're standing here.

It isn't me. How could I do that? It's totally impossible. It's a perfect miracle it would be done. It's beyond any human reasoning, unless you take the Word of God for it. Certainly. It's the greatest miracle. You say, “Well, here's someone sitting here that had a lame foot. We prayed for him, and he got to walking.” Well, that could be psychology. That's right. But this can't be. It has to be God. Nothing else can be that way. Exactly right.

So, now, if I prayed for you.... But I don't know you, and I don't know nothing about you. I have no idea what you're here for. And you ... just like if somebody that I prayed for here would come to me several years from now, and say, “I was at Richmond, Virginia, and you prayed for me.” Oh, my. I've prayed for tens of thousands times thousands of people, you see. And, anyhow, if you would come to me tomorrow ... and the anointing comes and the vision comes, you'd come to me tomorrow, I would know nothing about it.

See that boy sitting there? He's taking recordings. That's how we keep a record of it. Isn't that right, Brother Goad? That's the only way I know it, see, because it's not me speaking.

I confess and hold my hands that I don't know her, see. But if you were sick and I laid my hands on you and said, “The Bible said they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover,” that's what we've been doing for years. But we're closer home now, see. Christ is being more manifested to us. Now, if He'll tell me something that's been in your life, well, then, if He tells you what has been, you'll be a judge to know whether that's right or not. You'll know. You can tell this audience it's right or wrong. Well, then, if He does that, and knows what has been, surely He'd know what would be. Is that right, audience? He would know what would be. Now, now, I don't know that He will, but I trust that He will. And if He will, God be praised.

Then every one of the audience, if.... We're standing here open, flood lights down upon us, and we stand here, nothing but the Word of God laying here before us. God Himself, we're in his presence before five or six hundred people or more, I guess, and whatever the little place seats. And here we are. It did before five hundred thousand at one time, three hundred thousand another time, and hundreds of thousands other time, all kinds of nations and peoples and tongues, see. It has to go everywhere. He has to declare Himself before He comes.

Now this is just like it was in the Bible time when our Lord met a Samaritan woman. And we're man and woman meeting here. I don't know you, and you only know me by passing through a line one time. Now, if He reveals to me what you're here for—may be sick again, maybe domestic trouble, it may be financial trouble.... I don't know, but He does. But if He'll reveal to me what you're here for, you'll believe it, won't you? And the audience will believe it. Will you believe it? All right. May He grant it.

Now if the people can still hear my voice, the woman's going from me. Yes, I see you. You were healed. You were healed in my meeting. You had arthritis. You was healed. That's true. Now, you've got something wrong with a leg. You fell and hurt your leg. That's what you're here to be prayed for. If that's true, raise up your hand. Just raise your hand, so the....

Do you believe? All right.

I don't know why it is, but I keep ... now, what you're thinking, I catch it here, see. Did He look upon the people and perceive their thoughts? Right. Well, see that's Him, it's not me. I've done told you it's not me no more. It's Him now. That wasn't me that told her that. That was Him that told her that, because I don't know her. God knows that. Now, they keep thinking I guessed it. I don't know why it comes, but it's coming from somewhere. Yes, I do see where it's coming from now. I ought to call it. Am I right? See if it was. Yes.

Yes, I see you had a fall and hurt yourself. You hurt your limb, and you've tried everything for it, liniments and everything else, but it won't work. This is going to work.

You've had a lot of sorrow. You've lost a loved one. That was a daughter. That's right. If God will tell me who you are, what's your name, will you believe me to be his prophet, his servant? Mrs. Walton, you go believe. Jesus Christ makes you well. God bless you. Now it's going to be all right. Just go believing, it'll be all right.

Do you believe with all your heart? Now I ask anybody, how could I ever... ? Whatever was wrong with the woman, ever did it, there's got to be some kind of a supernatural being here doing that. I'm a man. Is that right? Who would know the woman, what she's done, where she'd been, all about her and things like that. Now, the longer you stand, the more would be said.

But you see that one vision taken more from me than that hour and a half of preaching did. See, you're taking in; now you're giving out.

Just think, if one woman touched his garment and He said, “I perceive that virtue has gone from me,” what would me, a sinner saved by grace ... do to me, see? Because Jesus said, “The works that I do, shall you do also, and more than this shall you do.” I know the King James says, greater but it couldn't be greater; it was more of the works that He could do. Get the original Diaglott and see if it doesn't say more, see, for it's the same Spirit.

Now this lady's a stranger to me also. I do not know you, but God does know you. If God will reveal to me something that's your trouble, do you believe me to be his servant? Now you're aware that something happened just then, see. That was that feeling, like sweetness, like quiet. Now if that's right, just so the people will know, so that they'll know that I'm not telling nothing wrong, I seen that light drop right down over you. That's right. Now if you feel just like a real sweet, humble feeling around you, raise up your hand so the people see it.

You that's got the picture here, we got it. That light that you see in the picture, God is my judge, is right over the woman now. Yes, sir.

She's here not for herself, though she's nervous and upset. That's right. A little lady's trouble has bothered you for a while, but the main thing you're here for is somebody else. That's your husband. He's partially paralyzed, got trouble in his back and in his legs. That is right. Do you believe with me that God will make him well? Go, and as you have believed, so shall it be unto you. Go believing. God bless you. Put that handkerchief you had in your hands on him. Just believe with all your heart.

You and I are strangers to each other, lady, I suppose. We do not know each other. But God knows us both. Do you believe me to be his servant? With all your heart? If God will reveal to me something that's wrong, will you accept it to be from God? It's your back, your legs. It's caused from an accident. All right. That's all it takes to make you well. Go believing, just have faith.

Do you believe with all your heart, lady? Do you believe that Jesus Christ will grant the request to you? Of course you're wearing glasses. Anyone would know that. That's been a long time, since you can remember. It's been all your life.

But, really, that's not what's on your heart. It's something else on your heart. That's for somebody else. That's right. Do you believe that God can heal her, make her well? Your mother, she has palsy, shaking. That's right, isn't it? Go believe. It'll be the way you have believed. God bless you.

Do you believe now with all your heart? Does it settle it with you? Are you convinced? Now what is here? The very One that walked in Galilee is here tonight. What is it? He's just using you and I. Now no matter what would be anointed on me, it's got to be on them too, see. It's got to be on them also. Do you believe that? Just have faith. Just don't doubt, believe.

How do you do? We're strangers to each other, I suppose. I do not know you, but God does know you. (Somebody else appeared in the vision just then when it started on the woman.) Do you believe me to be his servant? The things that I have said is right? If God will reveal to me what your trouble is, will you accept me as his servant? You got trouble in your back. It's one thing. Another thing, you're shadowed for death with a cancer. Do you believe He'll heal you and make you well? You do?

Somebody else you want prayed for, too, isn't it? Do you believe He'll heal him too? That's your husband. He's sitting out there. Do you believe God can tell me what's his trouble? Will you believe me as his prophet if I do tell you that? He's got intestinal trouble, says the doctor. It's intestinal trouble. If you'll believe, he'll be healed too.

But here's the greatest thing you need—you need salvation for your soul. Do you accept Him as your Saviour? And believe on Him with all your heart? Both of you need it. Will you do it and believe with all your heart? You will accept Him as your Saviour now for your healing? Husband, will you accept Him as your Saviour? God bless you. You're both saved and healed. Go home and be made....

Do you believe? You say, “You have no right to tell them they're saved.” I guess if the God can tell me what's wrong with them He can tell me whether they're saved or not, can't He? Certainly. Oh, do you love Him?

Do you want to go home and eat your supper, get over that stomach trouble and be made well? Go eat, Jesus Christ makes you well. Have faith. Come, sir. Do you want God to heal you of that back trouble? Just keep on walking, saying, “Thank You, Lord Jesus,” and be made well. Arthritis, nervousness, do you believe He'll make you well? Say, “Thank You, Lord.” How many believes with all your heart? Don't doubt. Just have faith with all your heart.

They say you have number one killer. But heart trouble isn't number one killer; sin is number one killer. So you're rid of both of them now. So you can go and be made well. Have faith.

A nervous stomach, it's well. Go believing. I see you trying to get up of a morning, putting your feet out and seeing if you can get up all right or not. That old thing, crippling devil. Go believe now and it'll leave you, arthritis will go away.

You'd have to be operated on, lady, if it wasn't for God. Do you believe He can perform the operation? You thoroughly believe Him, surrender your whole life to Him and the tumor will be gone. Do you believe that? Go, as you have believed, so be it unto you. Just go believe it. All right.

Come, lady. Got a nervous condition, stomach. Go believing, just have faith. Come, lady. Do you believe with all your heart? Just a moment, something happened. Just be reverent, just wait just a moment, be reverent. Oh, what a moment. It's a woman appeared, not like this woman, she was thinner, but it was in the audience. God, help me. Yeah, here she sits, right here. Got something wrong with your hand. Do you believe that God will make you well, the hand trouble? All right, your faith saved you. Say, by the way, put your hand on that woman sitting next to you there. She has heart trouble. That's right. Raise up your hand, receive Christ as your healer. God bless you, go home and be well. Isn't He wonderful?

That made that lady, sitting there with that blue-looking dress on, suffering with stomach trouble, believe too. You've been having stomach trouble for a while, haven't you? Go eat your supper. Jesus Christ makes you well. The heavy-set lady sitting right next to you, will you do me a favor, or God a favor? You're a believer or He would never spoke to you. She has arthritis, don't you, lady? That's right. Raise up your hand. All right. Lay your hand over on her, sister. You all lay your hands on one another there. Jesus Christ make you well. Do you believe?

You think God can heal diabetes? All right, go ahead then, have faith, He'll do it. Heart trouble? Just keep moving, saying, “Thank You, Lord Jesus, for healing me.” Trouble with your back? Say “Thank You, Lord, for healing me.” Oh, Jesus is wonderful, isn't He?

What do you think about it sitting there, little lady, looking at me? Do you believe me to be his prophet? Then that low blood pressure will leave you. The lady sitting right behind you, what do you think about that, sir, when she looked on her? The lady right behind you, the little lady with glasses on, you also have low blood pressure. That's right. When they put that thing around your arm, he told you you had low blood pressure. Is that right? If it's right, raise up your hand. How did I know he did it? Amen. Do you believe on Him?

Varicose veins. Do you believe God will heal it? All right. You got a prayer card? All right, you don't have to use it. You're healed. Go believe it. Right back there, arthritis, sitting right back there, second one sitting in. Do you believe God will heal you? You do? Accept it, God bless you. That's right. Thank you, lady for saying so. Go be made well.

O God!

What more can He do? What more...? He's already healed you. He was wounded for your transgressions, bruised for your iniquities. Now you realize that the whole thing ... just seems like just a big light over the whole building now. See, I can't see nothing out there hardly, it's just.... Oh, if you could just only realize that that's Him.

A condition ... you say, “Brother Branham what makes you...?” I can't tell you, but that was twenty or twenty-five visions that's happened here on the platform. When one made Him weak, what would it do to me? You see his grace? He wants you all to believe it. Do you believe it? Do you believe it with all your heart? Will you accept it with all your heart? Then stand up on your feet and accept Him as your Saviour, as your healer, as your baptizer, and I commit you to God in the name of Jesus Christ. May the God of heaven pour out his Spirit upon you. Raise up your hands and give Him praise.