A Testimony On The Sea (64-0307)

 

¹
Before we bow our heads for prayer, I would like to read some of God's
Word. I always like to read His Word, because My words will fail;
they're a man; but His Word cannot fail. And you who keep track of the
text and so forth, let's read from Matthew the 14th chapter tonight,
beginning with the 22nd verse.

²
Let us bow our heads now for prayer. While our heads and hearts are
bowed before God, is there a need in the building, tonight, that you'd
like to make known to God by lifting up your hand, and be remembered in
the prayer? The Lord look upon you, be merciful to us.

³
Our heavenly Father, we are coming now into Thy Presence, by the way
and the Name of the Lord Jesus. Knowing with the blessed assurance,
that He promised us, if we would ask anything in His Name, that You'd
grant it to us. We are very grateful for this. Words cannot express the
way we feel about it, with assurance that we have, that You're
listening to us just now.
You seen those hands, Lord. You know what they had need of. You're the
omniscient, omnipotent, infinite God, and we know that Thou knowest the
hearts of the people. You knowed our thoughts. Even before we were ever
created, you knowed every thought that we'd ever have, for You are
infinite.
And we pray, Lord, at this hour, as our desires is reaching for You,
look down from the heavens, Lord, and take our requests to Thy own
heart, Lord, and answer us according to Thy riches in glory. Give to us
the desire of our heart, trusting that it's Your Divine will. And we
know that it's Your good pleasure to do Your will.
Give us a great outpouring of Thy Presence tonight again, Lord. Heal
the sick. Save the lost; raise up those who are dead in sin and
trespasses, and bring them to a new Life, tonight. May we see Jesus. We
ask it in His Name. Amen.

⁷
May be seated. We're sorry that we're not able to accommodate the
people, for seating capacity. But since the first night, they say
they've had to turn away great multitudes of the people, so we are
sorry for that. And Brother Grant just didn't quite get another room
built, either, to… I believe it's to the left that he's going to move
this partition. The precious, gracious brother today asked me if I'd
make this a annual thing, to return back to Dallas to his church. Such
a great invitation as that in this hour, when doors closing so fast,
and then the man want me to come back and make it an annual
thing–affair. I appreciate that.
I had a time of fellowship with them this morning, with Brother Gordon
Lindsay and many of them. And Brother Pearry Green, who's the sponsor
of the oncoming meeting down at Beaumont, setting behind me here
tonight. And many, our friends, Brother Don and his wife. We're so
happy to have them here. The Lord bless them.

⁹
Now, tonight, just I been trying to make my messages just as simple as
they could be, so that even a child could understand them.
Tomorrow afternoon is an evangelistic service, and I wish that you
could all come out. Now, if you have services at your own church, why,
you–you stay where you're–where you're stationed at. We don't want no
one to leave their own church. And then if you're sick and want to come
to be prayed for, and your church is having service tomorrow afternoon,
speak to your pastor about it, so he won't think bad, you know. Let him
know that we're here in cooperation, to–to help the entire Body of
Jesus Christ that's sojourning here in Dallas and around about.
So tomorrow afternoon, I think, at two-thirty, I'm to speak an
evangelistic message. And then we're going to pray for all the sick
people, pick up all the prayer cards and things that's been left over
through the week, and pray for them all tomorrow.

¹³
Now, my subject tonight is more like a little drama, just for a few
moments. And I'm going to try to get in as much tonight as I can, on
praying for the sick. My text is, "Be Not Afraid, It's I," Jesus
speaking. My subject is: "A Testimony On The Sea."

¹⁴
It must've been about late in the afternoon, the sun must have been
going down when this taken place, and now must've been a hot day about
like it is in here.
The air conditioner's out, and they're working on it. That's the reason
I changed my subject from out there, what I was going to speak on, so I
could hurry with it, so you wouldn't have to set in the heat like this.

¹⁶ This big fisherman, after seeing what he had through the day, been watching Jesus in His great ministry.
I
would've loved to have lived in that day, to followed Him. But, you
know, I'm glad I have–still have the privilege of doing the same
thing: watching Him do things. And it's greater to watch Him today than
it was then. I have more faith in Him now, and can have more faith now
than I could've then, because we've had two thousand years to prove
that the Gospel's right. And after two thousand years, He's still
alive, doing just as He did then, so we have a greater assurance and a
more foundation for faith now than they had then.
Because He was just a Man going around with a claim that–that He was
sent from God and was the Son of God, and that God was vindicating His
promised Word of that day by Him, and they had somewhat the reason to
doubt it. The theologians, they were… And you notice it was a
pathetic thing; it was really pathetic, because them theologians would
have believed that if God hadn't have blinded their eyes. The Bible
said so.

¹⁹
And did you know He promised that He would blind their eyes again today
that they wouldn't see it? They would be "heady, high-minded, lovers of
pleasure more than lovers of God, trucebreakers, false accusers,
incontinent, despisers of those that are good; having a form of
godliness, but would deny the power thereof." Just exactly a promise
right back again. And you can't hardly but–but just feel sorry for
people, and their eyes being blinded to this day. With the Scriptures
that God has promised that would come to pass right in this day in this
hour, and we're looking right at it and watching it. And then people
look, and shake their head, and walk away, say, "I don't see It." It's
a pathetic thing, but yet the Scriptures has got to be fulfilled. It
must be that way.

²⁰
So these disciples had been chosen of God. Did you notice, Jesus told
them, before the foundation of the world He chose them, and they were a
ordained seed of God. That's why when the troubles come up, and the
people look like had Jesus in the corner on a question, there was no
question to them. They couldn't understand it, but they were determined
to know nothing else but Him. "Thou only has the Word of Life." And
they were determined to stay with It, because they were ordained to
that office.
So is it today, that men and women who are ordained to Eternal Life
will come to Eternal Life. "All the Father has given Me will come to
Me." That's His Word, and that cannot fail. It's–It's God's Word.

²²
And we see these disciples now, that had a great meeting that day, out
in a great field along the side of a mountain. And Jesus had told them,
"Now, you go ahead across the sea, ahead of Me." And He was going up
into a mountain alone for prayer. And these disciples, after meeting
friends, I can just imagine how they felt.
Because to meet friends, and then have to part with friends; just about
the time you get acquainted, then you have to say good-bye. And that's
always been kind of a heartache to me, across the nation, around the
world, has been meeting friends and then leaving them, knowing that
there's many that you won't see no more until you meet them at the
judgment. It's kind of a sad affair.

²⁴
I can imagine the boat, with the–the bow of it pushed into the bank.
And must've been Simon Peter, with the great brawny arms and shoulders,
that pushed the boat around and headed it out into the sea. And they
was all waving good-bye to those on the bank. And they was screaming,
"Come back again and bring the Master over to see us. And come have
another revival; we've been so blessed today." And new friends waving.
And he climbed over the rest of the disciples, and set down probably by
the side of his brother Andrew, and picked up the oars.
The–the ships then were propelled by either the wind or by oars that
they pulled. And then maybe they'd be sitting two in a boat, two on a
side, and they would–or two in one seat, rather, maybe six or eight
oarlocks. They would pull in time, and that way they could hold the
boat in its keel when the storms was on. Then the winds blowing
normally, they could hoist up a sail and sail.

²⁶
Must've been a hot afternoon, from the looks of the Scripture just
before this event, and so it must've been a real quiet, sunny, hot
afternoon. The sun was setting. And they, as they oared, and then
turned loose and waved good-bye to the people, "Hope to see you again
sometime," as they moved out into the sea. And the sunset, and the
evening twilight, and then after while the–the darkness set in.
And they must've picked up a pretty good speed of–of oaring, and
that's a hard job when those great heavy oars dips into the sea. And
most all of them were–were fishermen, and great strong men, used to
the sea. And so as they expecting Jesus to get in the boat and follow
them on, pretty soon. Why, they got out there, and they must've coasted
just a little bit: kind of get your ship started and then let up.

²⁸
Maybe young John must've been the first one to speak up, 'cause he was
the youngest of the group. And it must've been he that said, "I'm
getting just a little bit tired. Let's coast for a little bit. Wait a
minute; we don't have to hurry. He hasn't come along yet, so we might
as well wait a little while and kinda get a good breath of air."
And as he set there with his head down a little bit, he must've started
a testimony meeting. And that's what I want to talk about. It must've
been he that raised up first, and said, "Brethren, no matter what the
people say, and how much anyone wants to disbelieve, I'm certainly a
sure now, after today, that we're not following a faker. We're
following nothing less than God, for no man could do what He did today
'less it was God. You know, when He took those biscuits and broke them,
and fed that five thousand there, that's the most amazing thing to me.
There could've been a question until today," now I'm just repeating his
testimony as it was, "but that settled it."

³⁰
Said, "I can remember years ago. I used to live down close to the
Jordan. And I can remember, as a little boy, how my pretty Jewish
mother used to pick me up in the afternoon, and set me upon her lap,
and rock me, out on the porch, when the poppies was blooming along the
side of the banks of the Jordan. And she used to look across towards
the desert from whence our people was brought through this desert. She
used to tell me Bible stories. One of the great stories that I
remember, was the Shunammite woman and when her little boy was dead,
and–and the prophet raised up this little boy again from the dead.
That used to be a thrilling story."

³¹
"But one of the most thrilling stories, and mother used to tell me,
she'd say, 'Now, John, you're just a little boy; but I want you to
remember as you grow older, that great Jehovah brought our people up
out of Egypt, and we come through that wilderness across the river
there. And all for forty years, they journeyed in that wilderness, no
places to get clothes, and no place to eat. And God rained bread down
out of heaven, every night, and fed our people in that wilderness,
'cause they were in the line of duty, following great Jehovah. And now,
someday Jehovah is going to be made flesh here on earth in the form of
a Man, He'll be called the anointed One, the Messiah.'"

³²
"And I remember," he'd say, "as a little boy, how that my little boy
mind used to figure out, try to figure out, 'How did God feed all
those, two and a half million people in that wilderness? How did He get
all the bread?' And I used to ask mama, 'Mama, did He… Has–has
Jehovah got great big bunch of ovens up there in the sky, and He'd bake
all the bread, and run down at night and put it out upon the–the–the
ground for the people, and Jehovah's big skies are full of ovens?'
She'd say, 'No, son, you're too young to understand. See, Jehovah is a
Creator. He doesn't need ovens. He just speaks, and His Word is made
manifest when He speaks. He's great Jehovah, and He just spoke it. And
the Angels distribute it down upon the ground for the people.'"

³³
"And today, when I seen Him stand there, did you notice that look on
His face? There was no doubt in His mind. I climbed over behind the
rock, and watched Him as He took that bread and broke it, and hand it
over to the–His ministers, us, to distribute it to the people. And
then when He reached back to break again, that loaf was whole again.
And He done that hundreds of times, until everyone was filled, and
there were baskets full, taken up. I knowed that could been no less
than Jehovah, because He acted like Jehovah did. Only Jehovah can
create. And I know that that Man's not a faker. There's only one
Creator, and that's Jehovah. And now, of all the things that I've seen,
that satisfied me."
"I want you to know now that my heart is completely surrendered, and I
believe completely that He's not merely a prophet. He is a prophet, but
He's more than a prophet. He's nothing less than Jehovah God dwelling
among us, because He created bread, and He had the habits of Jehovah.
No wonder He could say, 'If I do not the works of My Father, then
believe Me not; but if I do the works of My Father, and you can't
believe Me, believe the works, for they testify of Me and tell Who I
am.' Looked like people could've seen that easy."
And John was satisfied that He was the Messiah, the One that Isaiah
said, "Unto us a Son is born, and His Name shall be called Counseller,
Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Everlasting Father." And John was
satisfied because what he had seen. The young fellow giving his
testimony…

³⁶
About that time, Simon Peter said, "Well, now, just a minute. If we're
going to have a testimony meeting, I'd like to have something to say.
You know, I was very skeptic of the whole thing, when Andrew my
brother, which attended John the prophet's revival, who had testified
that the Messiah was coming and he would introduce Him. And I was a
little skeptic of what Andrew would tell me, because I've heard all
kinds of Messiah stories and everything else."
"But all you brethren remember my old dad. His name was–was Jonas. And
you remember him, of how that he was a very staunch believer. How that
I can remember mother and dad, and all of us, as we fished for a
living, and we'd catch no fish; we needed bread, and how that we'd get
down on the floor and pray to God, 'Give us a catch today, God, that we
might be able to sell our fish, and pay off our debts, have food to
eat.' And how we'd go out on the sea in the storm and dare to–to face
those storms."

³⁸
"And dad, I can see his gray hair hanging down his back, one day as he
set upon the brail of the boat and talked to me, saying, 'Simon, you're
my oldest son. You know, I've always believed, Simon, that I would see
the Messiah. Our people has looked for Him since Eden. And we are sure
that He's coming, no matter how long. That's been four thousand years
ago, you say, but I believe that Messiah will come. And every Jew has
believed that he would see the Messiah in his generation. I hope to see
Him in my generation. But it looks like, I'm getting old now, I've got
to stop the sea, and getting my aches and pains; I probably won't see
Him in my time. But maybe you will, my son.'"
"'And I want to train you in the Scriptures. Son, before the Messiah
rises on the scene, there'll be all kinds of things going on, all kinds
of false things, because Satan will do that, to destroy the influence
of the real Messiah when He comes.'" It's always been that way, still
that way.

⁴⁰
And then we find out, he said, "I remember he put his arm around me,
said, 'Son, there's only one way that you'll be able to identify that
Messiah. Now, we've had hundreds of years without any prophet. Malachi
was our last prophet. That's been four hundred years ago; we haven't
had a prophet. But remember, Moses told us in the Scriptures, that when
the Messiah come, He would be a prophet, when He rose on the scene. We
Jews are taught to believe the prophet. And the Messiah's journey on
earth is a spoken Word of God, that He has promised us. And the Word
always comes to a prophet, and a prophet vindicates that Word. Don't
you never forget that, son. There may be great things rise; there may
be great enthusiasms and–and great things. But remember, the Messiah
will be a prophet, 'cause we know that God never changes His way, and
He said the Messiah would be a prophet. So remember, son, prophets are
those who have the Word of the Lord. And when the Messiah comes, He'll
be a prophet.'"
"I can just still feel his arm," said Simon, "as he put it around me.
And Andrew was standing there washing the net, at the time, You
remember it. Andrew?"
"Yes, Simon, and I–I remember it."

⁴²
"And Andrew trying to tell me that this John was a prophet. I had other
things to do, had to sell the fish and things. So father's been dead
for years, but I've always kept that on mind; daddy said the Messiah
would be a Scriptural identified prophet, and not forget it, because
it's a spoken Word of God. And that Word has constantly always come to
the prophets; that identified it, or manifested what was promised for
the age.'"
And now Simon, "One day," said, he said, "you know, Andrew asked me to
go to a meeting. And I went down there to the meeting where this Fellow
Jesus was. And I'd heard all kinds of rumors. There was a Jesus raised
up before Him that promised to be some great something, and led four
hundred out and they all perished, and so forth. I thought it was just
another one of them kind, with some kind of a great enthusiasm of some
revival, or some great denomination they were going to make. But one
day I thought I'd go with Andrew here, my brother."

⁴⁴
And I can imagine, about that time, the boat begin to shake. Somebody
begin to shout, and he said, "Set down. Don't rock the boat. Wait a
minute. Set still."
And he said, "You know, when I went down there and walked into the face
of Him the first time, He looked me right straight in the eye and told
me what my name was. He'd never seen me before. Not only did He know
me, but He knowed that godly old father of mine, that had instructed me
in the Scriptures. And I knowed that That was Messiah. That settled it
for me right there. That was–that made it right for me."

⁴⁶
Must've been Philip said, "Can I say a word here?" Now, he said,
"Brother Nathanael, don't let this hurt you; because you know, we
studied the scrolls for years and years, what the Messiah would be. But
when I seen Him do that, I took off and got my friend here, Nathanael.
And when he come over…"
Nathanael said, "Let me tell it. Let me tell it."
Oh, the… You know, there's something about when Jesus has done
something for you–you just can't hardly stand still; you got to tell
it yourself. Isn't that right? If it's something real, you just got to
say it. When He filled me with the Holy Ghost, I want to tell about it.
I want somebody to know about it. Not somebody else tell it; I want to
say it myself.

⁴⁸
And I just imagine, Nathanael got all enthused and said, "You know, I'd
like to say this. I was a little skeptic of you, Philip, when you told
me. I asked you, 'Could any good thing come out of Nazareth?' And you
gave me the best answer that any man ever had, 'Come and see.'" That
works good today. That's right. Don't stay home and criticize; come,
find out for yourself. See? "Said, 'And could anything good come out of
Nazareth?' Said, 'Come and see for yourself.' And you know what you
told me."
"And when I walked up into His Presence, and He told me that I was a–a
Hebrew, an Israelite, and was an honest man, I knew that. But I
wondered, 'How could it be?' He looked like an ordinary Man. I was
expecting the Messiah to come down a golden corridors from heaven,
right down to the head of the denomination here, to Jerusalem, walk out
and say, 'Caiaphas, I have arrived.' But they find out, He come out of
Nazareth, from a poor family, and actually kind of a black name behind
Him, as an illegitimate child. Here He stood dressed in ordinary
clothes, not like a priest or somebody, just an ordinary man. And I
thought, when I walked up there, 'How can that be a Messiah? One old
garment on, He'd wore since He was a young Fellow, and here this same
garment on, His hair hanging down His back. And like–like an ordinary
man of the street.'"
"And He looked me in the face, and said, 'Before Philip called you,
when you were under the tree, I saw you.' That settled it for me. I
knowed, by the Word, that was Messiah. That was Him."

⁵²
And the boat must've shook, and the testimony meeting was going on. Oh,
what a wonderful time they were having out on the sea there, just
having a great time.
Andrew said, "I'd like to say something that kind of puzzled me for a
little while. You remember when we–we was going down to Jericho, when
He said, 'We must go up; I have need to go by Samaria,' so He went up
to Samaria, and there at the city of Sychar, when He sent us all away
to buy vittles over in the city?"
"Oh, yes, I remember that well." All of them, "Yes, yes." The boat was
just a shaking, everybody having a wonderful testimony after the
revival was over.

⁵⁵
So they were going–having this testimony meeting, and he said, "Yes,
and you remember we slipped up, and to our surprise we saw our Master
talking to a marked prostitute. 'Uh–huh,' we thought, 'that's bad.
Look at Him out there talking to this young woman. And sent us away,
and here He is out here with this ill-famed woman setting here.' You
remember, we was standing just behind the bushes, and we listened to
their conversation."
"And we heard Him say to her, 'Woman, go get your husband and come here.'"
"And we said, 'Well, we might have been mistaken, maybe the woman was just legitimately married.'"
"And she looked Him back in the face and said, 'Sir, I don't have any husband.'"
"You remember how our hearts failed? Our great Messiah that we had
confidence in, here was caught in a lie, a cross fire, 'cause He said,
"Go get your husband," and she had witnessed back that she had no
husband. Now, it's backfired on Him. Remember how we all looked
surprised, and the breath was gone out of us?"
"Yes, I remember it."
"And then you remember the next words? He said, 'Thou has said the
truth, because you've had five and the one you're living with now is
not yours.' Oh, you remember the testimony meeting behind the bush?
My." See, you can't corner Him. He's God. Oh, Simon said, "That
just…" Andrew said, "That settled it for me."

⁶¹ Bartholomew said, "Wait, I'd like to put in a testimony. Can I do it, brethren?"
"Oh,
well, I suppose you can; we got plenty of time. He hasn't come up yet,
so we'll just make a few paddles. Go ahead, Bartholomew, you testify."
"Well, one of the great things to me. You remember our sister down in Jericho, named Rebekah?"
"Yes."
"And her husband run a restaurant down there."
"Uh-huh."
"And–and he was a businessman, and his name was Zacchaeus."
"Yes, yes, I remember him well."

⁶⁵
"You remember, she was–she was one of our sisters. She had believed on
the Lord, and she was so afraid that Zacchaeus would let it all get by
without accepting Jesus. And, oh, Zacchaeus was a very good friend to
the priest there. And so she was praying that something would happen
that his eyes would come open, and he'd recognize that this was the
Master, this was the vindicated Word of God made flesh among us. And we
tried to tell her–tell him about how that Jesus of Nazareth knowed the
secrets of the heart, showing that He was the Word, 'cause the Word
discerns the thoughts in our heart."
"'Nonsense,' he said, 'I believe the priest. What the priest says is
good enough for me.' Because he belonged to all the–the orders of the
city, the Kiwanis and everything else, you know, so he–kinda hard for
him to let down on it. So Rebekah had asked us all to pray, to pray.
And every time we'd come up to the subject He was a prophet, he'd say,
'Nonsense.' The priest says he's Beelzebub. He's a devil. He does that
by the power of the Devil. And he's just a mental telepathist. That's
all there is to it. There's nothing to it. So there is no such a thing
in this day, we haven't had prophets for hundreds of years. And how
could that guy, not even with a fellowship card, how could he ever be a
prophet? Oh, no way he was such a thing."

⁶⁷
"But, you know, Rebekah kept holding on, his wife, and praying. And one
morning when Jesus was coming into the city, well, then we find out
that Rebekah told us that Zacchaeus had went out to the–the street to
see Him. So he didn't believe He was a prophet, so he said, 'I'll just
get a good look at Him,' how he testified to us at the restaurant the
other day when we was eating. So he climbed up in a sycamore tree and
said, 'You know what, I'll just disguise myself up here so He won't be
able to see me. I'm a little fellow, anyhow, very short. And I can't
see Him down there in a crowd, so I'll just climb up here in the tree.'
And he got to where two–two limbs meet, and there he set down by these
limbs."
That's just a good place to sit down and study it over. That's where
two ways meet, yours and God's: your ideas. That's a good thing, to
think it over.

⁶⁹
"So he said, 'You know what, He must've been a prophet. He could've
been. It could be possible I could be wrong. So I'll tell you what;
I'll get a good look at Him, and He won't know me. So I'll just take
all the leaves and pull them in like this, around me, and I'll disguise
myself so He won't even see me at all. And I'll watch Him when He comes
by. And if He doesn't look like the right kind of a person, I'll give
Him a piece of my mind, setting up here in this tree.' So he watched,
and had a leaf so he could raise up and see Him when He come around the
corner."
"And when He come around the corner, walking down the street, you know,
looking from one side to the other, and the disciples saying, 'Stand
aside. I'm sorry.' And people with sick children and things. 'I'm
sorry, the Master's awful tired, had great service last night. And,
gentleman-like, would you please stand aside and let Him by. Why, He's
making His way down to the city, and would you please just stand
aside?' And Zacchaeus setting up here in the tree, looking down at
Him…"

⁷¹
"And Jesus come right straight under the tree, stopped, looked up, and
said, 'Zacchaeus, come down from there. I'm going home with you for
today for dinner.' That settled it for me. He knew he was up there, and
knew his name, what he was. That settled it. That's the Messiah to me.
Yes, sir. Because we know the Messiah was to do that. Certainly. So He
had to go home with him," said, "that day for dinner. What a great time
that was. We remember it."

⁷²
You know, it must have been about that time, the testimony meeting was
going on. You know, these disciples out there on the sea, testifying,
it must've been down in the blackness of the night somewhere up in the
northlands there, that Satan must've moved up over the hill and looked
down. He looked in that testimony meeting, and he found out that they
had gone off without Him. There was his chance.
See, I think that scene has just about returned again, repeated itself.
They had, in the enthusiasm of the revival they had gone off without
Him. And I believe that that's a lot that's happened to us today, that
in this hour of confusion and after this great revival that we've
witnessed… It's swept around the world. Every nation has had revival
fires built and burning, great healing services, people receiving the
Holy Ghost, by the tens of thousands times thousands. And in the
enthusiasm of it, like those disciples testifying in what He has done,
and, "Oh, we seen Him do this, and we seen Him do that," I believe
we've went off like them, without Him.

⁷⁴
We've went off on great big opportunities that–that the revival has
presented. We've went off on opportunities of making a lot of money,
the churches, building greater buildings, great big millions-of-dollar
places, great schools, educational systems, and making our
denominational grow. And then having our communism programs,
anticommunism, that's all we can talk about today. And the first thing
you know, Satan has seen us on our anticommunism programs, on our big
denominational programs, and on our "million more," and so forth, as
they've got.
And we've gone off without the old-time prayer meetings and the baptism
of the Holy Ghost coming back, until the fire has burnt low. You can
cry out, and try to get people to the altar, and they just walk up like
they were almost dead, a dread to come. And then ask ministers to come
pray with them, "Oh, why did he ask me for?" And they get down there,
and you can't hardly get them. And they'll stand there just for a few
minutes, look up at you, and go back and set down in their seats. To me
the fire's gone out. Something's happened. Listen. What we need is a
revival, that sinners, looking upon Christ, repent, run to the altar
with their hands up, screaming for mercy, and the whole church is a
flame of fire with the glory of God.

⁷⁶
Our enthusiasm for opportunity to make our denominations grow, we've
built bigger schools to educate our ministers, and send them farther
from God than they was at the beginning. God's not known by education.
He's not known by theology. God's knowed by faith. You can't explain
God. He's beyond explaining.
Look what it's done. We Pentecostal people, that used to be Pentecost,
our women has bobbed off their hair, wearing makeup. Our men is
permitting it. Our ministers are permitting it. They're afraid to say
something about it. The church will turn them out if they do. Oh, if we
don't need a house-cleaning from the pulpit plumb to the basement. It's
a shame. It's a disgrace.

⁷⁸
Some man come to me not long ago and said, "Brother Branham, the people
love you." But said, "You're always bawling them out, bawling them
women out about having short hair and things like that."
I said, "The Bible said it was a disgrace for her to have it."
She dishonors her husband when she does it. And it is absolutely a sign
that you've departed from God. Remember, in Samson's case, long hair
was a Nazarite sign that he had departed from the world to the Word of
God. And when you bob off your hair, women, you deny your–the Nazarite
sign. You've went to Hollywood instead of back to the Bible. The Bible
said, "Let them be uncut." See, it's a shame, and the ministers don't
say nothing about it.

⁸⁰ This man said to me, "Why don't you leave them women alone?" Said, "They regard you as a prophet."
I said, "I never said I was a prophet."
Said,
"They regard you as that. Teach them how to receive spiritual gifts and
do something. You ought to teach them big things, great things."
I said, "How can I teach them algebra when they won't even learn their
abc's, how to live decent about it? How you going to do it? Yeah, go
down to the first thing."
Year after year, crossing the nation, and it gets worse all the time.
There's something wrong somewhere; it ain't with the Word. No wonder we
can't have revival fires burning. We need a house-cleaning time. God
will never do that till we come back again. We need a house-cleaning
time.

⁸⁴
And you men, you'll let your wife do a thing like that, wear shorts.
Them ain't Methodists, Baptists. That's Pentecostals. That's right:
form of godliness, Laodicea church age, lukewarm, Pentecost by name,
that's all. Pentecost is not a name; it's an experience of the baptism
of the Holy Ghost that cleans the people up. No wonder we can't have
great healing services and things; there's something went wrong
somewhere. It's Satan, saw us out trying to…
"Well, we say anything about it, they'll change their membership."
Remember, you don't pet Christians. Christians are rugged. They are men
and women of God, who stand for God, regardless of what anybody else
has got to say. You don't have to beg them, and persuade them, and
perfume them, and baby them around. That's hotbed, hybrid plants; it's
no good at all; they'll never produce nothing.

⁸⁷
Reminds me, like a… It–it soon be nesting time, those little birds
today over there, little sparrows packing the straw into their nests.
It won't be long till they'll be nesting, making their little eggs to
hatch. You know, a little bird can have a nest of eggs, and she can set
on that nest of eggs, and she turns them every few minutes; takes her
little feet and turns them over, and sets there. Now, if she lets them
eggs get cold, after they once get warmed up, they won't hatch. And she
just flies off and get a mouthful of food, and right back on them again.
And you know, that old mother bird, she could set there on those eggs,
and turn them every two minutes, and not–even sacrifice and fast until
she's so poor she can't get off the nest. But unless then, that mother
bird has been in contact with the male bird, them eggs won't hatch. No
matter what, how much you baby them, they won't hatch. They'll lay
right in the nest and rot.

⁸⁹
And if there ever was a time that Pentecost ought to get with the Mate,
Jesus Christ; 'cause we're getting us another nest full of rotten eggs,
denying the faith, going into the ecumenical council, and calling it
great things to set by the pope, and saying it's spiritual. What's the
world's the matter, you Pentecostal people? Don't you know the Bible
spoke them things would happen? And we holler 'cause the Methodists and
Baptists are coming in, and then all these other things like that.
Don't you realize that when the sleeping virgin come to buy Oil, that
was the very hour that the Bridegroom came? And they did not get the
Oil. Don't you know the rapture will come so secret, and going away,
some of these times, you won't even know it happens. It'll be gone, and
you'll wonder what happened.

⁹⁰
Like John came on the earth. And they said to Him, said, "Why, the
Bible said, Elias must first come." He said, "He's already come, and
you didn't know it."
So will it be; someday they'll say, "I thought this was to happen
before the tribulation period. I thought the rapture's to take place."
The word could come back, "It's already happened and you didn't know
it." Yes. It may be later than you think. Oh, wake up, church. I better
quit that; I never come here for doctrine; I just thought I'd punch
that in just so you could have that on the side.

⁹²
Remember, brother, Satan has seen these big programs, one church trying
to outdo the other, one denomination trying to outdo another, weeding
out all the illiteracy and have to give them a test of psychology, but
have a psychologist to test a man before he goes into the mission
fields: Pentecost. No, that–that–that ain't the Presbyterians; that's
Pentecost. A psychic test is required of a certain group of
Pentecostals, big group, before the missionaries can take the field.
What if they had a test like that? They got a test. It was a
Pentecostal test in the beginning, when they waited in the upper room
until there came Fire from on high, and the power of God. That was the
test, not some worldly, half-drunk psychologist standing there trying
to make the mind be a little bit excited, or something, say, "You're
all altogether undone."
When it absolutely proves that a man that's extremely spiritual is
nervous; he has to be in that condition to get into It. So there you
are. See, they're just messing up what God has tried to do for years,
then come right back around with their programs and their great…

⁹⁵
They're enthused when they see lots of people gathered together. Say,
"If I could make all them Assemblies. If I could make all them Oneness.
If I could make all Methodist." The Methodists is trying to make all of
them Methodists, the Baptist trying to make all Baptists, the
Pentecostals all Pentecostals. Oh, you can't do nothing about it; God
has ordained those from the foundation of the world. We got to preach
the Gospel. That's all. But our big programs, we've went off without
that Fire. We've went off and made ourself a homemade fire, as it was.

⁹⁶
And our communism, now we're so scared, communism has set in, "What's
it going to happen?" But, you know, the great thing ain't communism.
Let me tell you that now; I ain't afraid of communism.
But what I'm afraid of, you Pentecostals, this ecumenical council's
going to take you. That's the thing. It's going to form the mark of the
beast, and you're going to have to go into it. Because you're an
organization, you have to get in or get out. That's the thing. And any
good sensible, spiritual person knows that. We need another
upon-the-sea testimony.
We find it now. And our Pentecostal just swallowing it, hook, line, and
sinker, "What a great thing it'll be." When, Methodist, Presbyterian,
Lutheran, Church of Christ, and Pentecostals, you'll have to deny–deny
your great apostolic doctrine to be in there. They'll have to do the
same. You won't have nothing to do into it. It's all consolidating with
Rome, just exactly what's been proven. The Scripture said so.

⁹⁸
What's the matter with the preachers that let these things get in this
condition, without warning the people? God will require at their hands.
Right in this time of trouble, they were in trouble; they were.
Communism not setting in; it's the ecumenical council going to swallow
up the whole bunch. And remember, when you say, "Well, when it
happens…" Then it's too late; you've done took the mark of the beast.
You belong to it then.
You–you better get where you can get away from it now (Yes, sir.), be
sealed in the Kingdom of God. The Body of Christ is the mystical Body
of Christ, that's baptized into It by the Holy Spirit; not joined into
It took into It, talked into It, spoke-in-tongues into It, shouted into
It. You are born into It by the Holy Ghost. That's right. Certainly.

¹⁰⁰
Now, we notice these things, trouble comes up all at once. Oh, the
Devil looked over and said, "Uh-huh, they've gone off on a tantrum;
they're just out there jumping up-and-down, shouting, having a big
time. You know what? Right now is my time to sink them. I'll get even
with them now."
So he raised up over the hill and begin to blow his poison breath,
whew, "Days of miracles is passed. After all, I believe these people
are just nervous. I think they ought to have a–a–a mental test before
they take the foreign fields." Pentecostals… Uh-huh. See his poison
breath killing the Word, "Oh, I think It's something else; I–I believe
it." See, going right straight back like all the rest of the
denominations did, that's just exactly the road they're walking.
They'll… It kills it. The very hour you organize it, that kills it.
It always has. It always will. It'll never rise again. It's never been
known in history. And in this Laodicea church age, Christ was on the
outside of the church, knocking, trying to get in. And they just can't
stand it. They can't listen to it.

¹⁰²
Now, we find, the hour we're living; trouble had set in. And then we
begin to find out, miracles isn't taking place no more like they were.
The sicks go home sick. It isn't because of God. It's because of the
lack of the revival among the people. There's no revival. They–they
set and listen, go home, say, "Well, I guess that was pretty good."
Uh-huh. See? There's not that zeal. There's not that something in the
people that should be there.

¹⁰³
I remember fifteen years ago here in Arkansas, when I was having a
little meeting up there at Jonesboro, when about forty thousand people
trying to attend this, come to the meeting at a city of about fifteen
thousand. And they laid under cotton trucks and everything else, and
hold papers over their sick children, just to get inside. They set in
the seats and wouldn't leave day and night, and had their loved ones to
go get a hamburger and a–a bottle of pop; and stay there, day in and
day out, day in and day out. Their hearts were burning on fire. Just
the least little thing God did, it set them afire. And hundreds of them
come in.

¹⁰⁴
He's still the same God tonight that He was fifteen years ago. He's
still the same God tonight, that He was when He created heavens and
earth.
But what is it? We got all enthused and wanted to build up our
organizations, wanted to build up this, and build this, and make
something great and shiny, compare with the Joneses, with the
Methodists, with the Baptists, with the Presbyterian. You're not of
them. No, you're not. They're denominational people, which is all
right, nothing against them. There's plenty of fine Christians out
among them, but you oughtn't to associate yourself in that unbelieving
groups. People that deny the power thereof, you're not to take sides
with them.

¹⁰⁶
You know, the trouble of it is, you're trying to get Hollywood in the
church. The thing you ought to be trying to do is get Hollywood out of
the church. See? You're trying to make your building so pretty; you're
trying to make your denomination so big, till it'll attract the
attention of the people. We can't go over on their side. We got to have
them on our side. Everything's shiny, remember, Hollywood glitters with
worldliness, while the Gospel glows in humility. There's quite a
difference between shining and glowing. The Gospel glows in humility,
and meekness, and humbleness, and power. While, Hollywood shines, and
everybody hurrahing and hollering, and going to it. See? We don't need
that.

¹⁰⁷
We want to live such now; He said, "Ye are the salt of the earth. If
the salt has lost its savour," that's its strength in the Gospel. We
should have something moving in our churches, that Methodist, Baptist,
Presbyterian, and all of them, would long to come. We should be so
salty. Salt makes thirst, creates a thirst. Salt is the savour, if it
contacts. It's got to be contacted.
And we find out, our great tantrums try to compare with the Methodist
and Baptist, with big buildings and big places, and fine educated
people, and greater schools and bigger colleges, and everything like
that. We've went off on a tantrum, and here trouble has set in.
And the spiritual mind looks around and says, "Here, wait a minute
here, are we all going to have to take that ecumenical council? Will
our whole group go into it?" Sure, you're going. That's exactly. You
watch and see if you don't. The Bible said you would, exactly, and
Christ would be on the outside. The moon blacked itself out before the
pope (the first one ever went to Rome) the other night, showing you a
sign in the heavens. Unpredicted, it did it. How the Lord is doing
things in this day, marvelous.

¹¹⁰
Then in this great hour of darkness, when they was there, the winds
come up. All hopes of survival was gone. Now, what are you going to do
if your denomination goes into the ecumenical council? What's going to
happen then to all our great things that we've built here on earth, the
last hope gone?
But you know, as they were about to scream, and all hopes was gone,
they couldn't be saved; and all of a sudden, they seen Him come,
walking on the water. In the hour of darkness He came walking in.

¹¹²
You know what? When he left them, He knew that was going to happen, so
He climbed the highest hill there was in the land. Higher up you go,
further you can see. And He climbed up so He could watch them. You
know…
And He knowed this was coming. He predicted this day to be here. "As it
was in the days of Sodom, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of
man, when the Son of man is being revealed." Then the Son has to be
revealed. This wicked and adulterous generation will seek after a sign.
And it'll have a sign. It'll reject it as they did then, but it'll be
the sign of the resurrection. He's still alive, doing as He did.

¹¹⁴
We find out, that in this great hour, those disciples all in distress,
He climbed up so He could watch them. He was setting up there on a
hill, watching them.
And now He didn't climb a mountain this time, but He climbed from the
grave, climbed through the air, beyond the moon, stars, till He went so
high, till He has to look down to see heaven. And there He sets on
high. Now, His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He's watching us. He's
a watching.

¹¹⁶
And right here in this hour of darkness, when the churches has all gone
into great programs, and they got this program and that program, and
all programmed out like the rest of the churches are, the
denominations. And what's happened? In the hour of darkness, when the
real spiritual-filled people wonder, "What's going to happen? Look at
my children." The man say, "Look at my wife. Look at this."
And they let out Sunday, or Wednesday night prayer meeting, early, so
they can go watch "We Love Sucy," or something like that, on the
television: Lovers of the world, more than lovers of God, acting like
them.

¹¹⁸
I told a lady the other day, she was dressed so tight in her dress. I
said, "Sister, that dress is too tight. It may not sound good for me to
tell you that, but it is. You're a Christian, and you'd make a
stumbling-block."
She said, "Well, Brother Branham, you know what?" She said, "This is the only kind they make."
I said, "They still sell goods, and they got sewing machines. There's no excuse." Yeah.
Listen, let me tell you something, my dear friend. Not picking on you.
No, sir. I'm trying to keep you out of the torment. As long as that
spirit is in you, you're going to do it. That's right. You have to be
borned out of it. Now, you can suit yourself on that remark, but let me
tell you something (See?) "What your heart is, there your treasure is
also."

¹²²
Let me tell you. You might be just as pure as a lily to your husband,
and you might be just as pure as a lily, young girl, to your boyfriend,
but someday God's going to make you answer for committing adultery.
You're guilty when you dress like that. Jesus said, "Whosoever looketh
upon a woman to lust after her, has committed adultery with her already
in his heart." And when that man has to answer, that sinner, for
looking upon you, for committing adultery, who presented it to him?
Think of it. You Pentecostal women, shame on you. See? Shame on you.
I love you, that's the reason I'm saying that. Love is corrective.

¹²⁴
We're on a great tantrum, a great dress tantrum. It's just like the
fashion like the world. He said, "Love not the world, or the things of
the world; if you do, the love of God's not even in you," I don't care
how much you speak in tongues, jump up-and-down, dance; cut hair, wear
dresses like that, and you men permit it, your own fruits tells you
where you're at. That's exactly right. No wonder we're in such a chaos
as we are, and the winds of communism, the winds of churchism, the
winds of ecumenical organization.
It's a–it's a joining time, a unionizing time. The unions are
unionizing labor, fussing about it. The nations have the–the United
Nations, they're uniting. The churches are uniting together. What's it
all showing? It's showing that Christ and the Bride is fixing to unite.
That's what it's speaking of. All these shadows of things are showing
the positive coming. Watch now as we close, 'cause I'm getting too
late.

¹²⁶
And now, notice in that great hour when all hope was gone, of survival,
they seen Somebody come, walking on the water, walking up. And the
thing, the sad part… Listen close. The only thing that could help
them, they was afraid of. They said, "It looks spirity. It might be,
you know, a spirit."
If that hasn't happened again. They're afraid of It. They're afraid of
fortune-telling, you're afraid of some kind of a devil power, when
Jesus said it would happen in this day. The only thing that can help
them is Jesus Christ, not another denomination, not all of them joining
together; that's just going to make it worse than ever. The only thing
that can help you is Jesus Christ.

¹²⁸
And when He promised to return in the last days in this form, and do
this, promising (just like before the promised son returned to Abraham,
the first seed) the royal seed of Abraham, Jesus would–said, would see
the same thing. Before the promised Son, God would manifest Hisself in
flesh and do exactly like Jesus did, like He said He'd do, just like
said would be done in the last days. And here all those promises, that
we could lay them out by dozens right here before you, that this is
supposed to take place…
And the churches, which ought to be with arms out to receive it, "I'm a
little afraid of that. It don't belong to our group. See?" And they're
a scared of it. The only thing that can bring them to Christ, Christ
Himself, and they're afraid that it's scary. "Oh, I don't know. That
might be spirited. You see? And I don't know about It." A scared of the
only thing that can help them.

¹³⁰
And in that dark hour of distress, those elected church, that group
setting out there, scared that it might be spooky, they didn't want to
have nothing to do with it. Then come that sweet voice, "Be not afraid.
It is I."
He is the Word. Isn't He? He never changes, to be the Word. Now, can't
you hear the Word say tonight, "He's the same yesterday, today, and
forever. Be not afraid; it is I"? Let us bow our heads.

¹³²
Heavenly Father, the–the evening is hot. The hours are dark, how
the–the Fire has gone from the altar. You're gleaning across the
fields. You said, "The Kingdom is like unto a man that took a net and
went to the sea, cast it in, and when he brought it out." The Kingdom
was like that. Lord God, someday that last fish that's in that water…
You said, "They taken all kind." That Gospel net catches all kind; it
caught turtles, crawfish, spiders, serpents, scavenger fish. We don't
know what it catches, but there was some fish there You were after.
You're the One that's the Judge. But we realize, quickly the turtle,
the crawfish, and all, get back to the mud-hole again, back to the
waters. But someday that last fish that's ordained, predestined to
come, that last part of the Body, will be drawed out of that lake.

¹³³
You throwed out a net in the days of Luther, and Wesley, Alexander
Campbell, John Smith, Calvin, Knox, Finney, Sankey, so forth; in the
Pentecostal age, the days of F. F. Bosworth, and Frodsham, and those
great men. You throwed out nets in the days of Billy Sunday, on down
through the age.
And now, You're still combing through the sea. Is there one of them
setting here tonight, Lord? If it is, may they be like that little
woman at the well. Even in her prostituted state, she still recognized
that You was the Messiah. She saw that sign. That was it. She said, "I
perceive You're a prophet." She had no idea that it could be Messiah.
She said, "We are looking for a Messiah," in other words. "We know when
the Messiah cometh, He'll tell us these things." And You said, "I am
He." That was it.

¹³⁵
Now, tonight, Lord, let them see that, "It is I; be not afraid. It's My
promise." Heal the sick, Lord; save the lost; fill the empty.
May we go away tonight, and say within our hearts, as we go away, like
those who came from Emmaus, "Did not our hearts burn within us as He
ministered to us tonight in the building, His Divine Presence." How
they knew it was You, they invited You in and their eyes come open. May
every one of us tonight, invite You in. If we don't understand it, may
we invite You in, anyhow. That's the only way You can reveal Yourself.
And we notice the way You revealed Yourself after Your resurrection,
You did something in the same manner You did before Your crucifixion.
Now, come tonight, Lord; You said You was the same yesterday, today,
and forever. Do again for us, like You did in the days when You stood
here in flesh on the earth. We'll go home, lighthearted, like those. In
Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

¹³⁸ Now, in the service, tonight, I know it's awfully warm, and we got twenty minutes to get out in time. [Blank.spot.on.tape–Ed.]
I'm…
I can't stop or hinder the things that I do. I'm drove by Something; I
always have been all my life, and It's always been right. It's never
told me nothing but what was in the Bible. I can't stop it. I can't do
nothing about it. He just does it, anyhow. And I'm sure, if I'm
obedient, there was somebody that needs it. And I'll be faithful. And
at that day, I want to, like the great Saint Paul said, "No man's
blood's on my hand." Huh-uh. I–I want to tell you the Truth. Not as
I'm… I love you.

¹⁴⁰
And if you had a little boy. Now, think of it, lady, you that I scolded
awhile ago, you sisters with bobbed hair, and things. If I… If you
had a little boy setting out on the street, and you said, "Junior,
dear, you'd better come in, dear. It might be. I don't know; they'll
probably drive around you." You don't love that child. That's right.
You'll get out there and shuck the hide off of him or make him come in.
That's right. You love him.
That's the way the Gospel is. God loves you. "And those that He loves,
He chastens and rebukes every child that comes to Him." If you can't
stand chastisement, you go away and get angry about it, then you're
illegitimate children and not the children of God. So just remember,
it's just the Scripture.
Now, a word from Him, one word will mean more than I could say, a
million lifetimes. It's Him. We know His promise. We know what He
promised to do.

¹⁴³
Now, I don't know whether it will from the… Did he give out cards
again? Did you give out cards today? What was they? J, all right. All
right, to save time, let's just start from number 1. Now, they're
probably all over the building. J-number-1.
And now, we got some stragglings. We started from–one time, from this
one, over time, some back and forth, and around, but we got a
straggling around here. But every people that comes in, every day, has
a chance to come up into the line. That don't mean because you're
here…

¹⁴⁵
How many knows in this meeting, there's been nearly twice as many
healed out in the audience, as there was healed up here? Sure, you
know. See, a prayer card is just simply get the people up here, get the
Holy Spirit among them, 'cause you're used to doing that. We don't even
have to have it right now. We can omit the prayer cards.
Just like we did last night, we never had prayer cards last night. The
Holy Spirit went out among them that didn't have prayer cards. And I
seen many things I didn't say nothing about, 'cause I didn't know
whether it was so or not. It still held dark over them, and I just let
it alone. I didn't know. Wouldn't do no good to call them. Whatever He
says is right, so listen to what He says.

¹⁴⁷
Now, did you say that was J? J-number-1. J-number-1, who has the prayer
card, raise up your hand. You must be mistaken, son; must be some…
Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, it's way back against the wall in the back. Come up
here, lady. They–they just bring these cards down now, the boys,
Brother Borders or Billy, one (sometimes both of them), mix those cards
up before you, and then give you your card, whatever you want. We don't
know; they're just… This one might get number 5, and that one get
number 7, this one get number 15, and that one 95, and we don't know.
And then again, when I come, I just, wherever it lays upon my heart, I
call from there, no matter where it's at. It just… So I tell you.
Sometimes I count how many is in a row, and divide it by the ones on
this row and get an answer. See? And then if I don't, why, I just…
Whatever comes to my mind first, I call.

¹⁴⁸
Number 1, J-number-2. Number 2, number 3, number 4, number 5, number 6,
7, 8, 9, 10, let them come. See? One, two, three, four, five, six,
seven, eight, nine, ten. That's good. That's the way, come right…
Wait, one went the other way. Now, one, two, three, four, five, six,
seven, eight, nine. That's right. Here, here it is, ten. All right. 11,
12, 13, 14, 15. That's five more. One, two, three, four, five. Good,
that's good. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. One, two, three, four. I only see
four. 20, did 20 answer? All right. Now, we don't want to get too many
standing at once. Now, if we get through with these, and it's early
enough, we'll go for some more. You want to call maybe we…
Let's try a few more. Let's try five more. 21 to 25 in the J's, let
them stand if you will: 21 to 25. One, two, three, way back in the
back, four. One, two, three, four, that's five. Okay, now let's just
stop there. There's twenty-five in the line, and they're–they're
lining up down here.

¹⁵²
Now, I'm going ask you one favor. Will you give me your undivided…
Give God your undivided attention for the next fifteen, sixteen
minutes. Will you do that? And will you do this? Open up your heart.
Now, remember what I've said. Don't let it go over your back, like
water falling on a duck's back, as the old saying is. Don't do that.
Consider this.
If I tell you anything that's not in the Scripture, and a promise for
the hour, you're duty bound to see the manager here and come tell me
about it. That's right. I–I teach nothing but what's in the Word. And
if I stay right with that Word, and if I say it's that way, and God…
It is in the Bible. If the Angel of the Lord told me something that
wasn't in the Bible, it wouldn't be the Angel of the Lord. That's
right. He's never one time told me anything but what was in that Word,
and you bear me record. He's never said one thing, out of the hundreds
of thousands and thousands, and the languages of the world, has He ever
one time said anything wrong, or said anything that didn't come to
pass.

¹⁵⁴
Listen. Ask the manager and them here. This what you all see here, is
just a amateur side of that. Is that right, brethren? Why, out there,
and out in the private life, where He says, "Go down to this place and
see this. And this will come to pass. And say this over here, down
here." It's just constantly, all the time (See?) year in and out. The
people in the audience just sees the–the little things. But now, if
you'll be reverent.
Now, is everybody in this prayer line, standing here, strangers to me?
Raise up your hands if you are. All right. How many out there is, knows
that I don't know nothing about you? Raise up your hand. Now, while…
Thank you. I don't care where you are, if you're up in the balcony,
back against the wall, down through here, wherever you are, I'm going
to…
Now, this is for your good. This is for your benefit. See, this is for your benefit.

¹⁵⁷
I thought that was my little grandson talking to me then, but it
wasn't. I got a little grandson in here somewhere tonight, just about
that size, and I thought it was little Paul. He always said he's going
to come stand on the platform, preach for me, and he's just not quite
two years old. I think that little boy is hunting for his mommy.
So remember, I'm trying to help you. Now, God knows that. I'm trying to
help you. See? Now, look, I want you to get the benefit, if He does
come among us.
Now, think of it, the Person of Jesus Christ working in flesh, like He
promised He would do in the last. How many knows He promised that? Just
as it was down there at Sodom, when that Angel with His back turned,
and the–that was God. Do you believe that was God? How many believes
that was God? Sure, it was. The Bible said it was. And He, Jesus,
referred to it. Now, notice.

¹⁶⁰
Now, you out there without a prayer card, I want you to do something
for me, wherever you are. Now, remember, these things, watch when It
tells you you're healed, or what It tells you to do, and watch what It
says. If It just tells you, that's to build your faith. And then when
your faith comes to a spot, you just reach out and accept God. It isn't
me, 'cause the heavenly Father knows…
I look down this line here; I don't see one person that I know. I can't
see but about two or three people in the whole audience, that I know.
And I don't know as right now, I can see, show one. I know that Edmund
Way was here a few minutes ago. I thought I seen him, and I–I
missed…

¹⁶²
If I'm not mistaken, I do see somebody I know, is a man and his wife,
and a little girl, named Fritzinger, from up in Ohio. Is that, are you
brother–that Brother Fritzinger? You're setting kind of in a little
loop where that… Now, that's Brother and Sister Fritzinger, from
Ohio, friends of mine.
And outside of that, sitting back there, is a… I see on the side over
here is an old man going on ninety-two years old, by the name of
William Dauch, he and his wife. She's a nurse. William Dauch, in Ohio,
a very personal friend of mine. And not long ago, he had, ninety-one
years old, had a complete heart failure, heart attack, and his wife
called me to come at once; he was dying right then.

¹⁶⁴
And, oh, he's been such a bosom friend to me. On my road up to see him,
I was worried. And I stopped, and one of my wheels got out of line, was
just cutting my tire to pieces, and I went in a Texaco station, got
some gas, and then come out and looked at it. And I looked up, and I
seen Brother Dauch walking down through my church, shaking my hand. I
said, "Praise the Lord." And I looked back this way, and here he come
down the street, and shook my hand. I went to him.
I seen his doctor, a young Jew, or a middle-aged man, Jewish man. And I said, "What about him, doctor?"
Said, "He hasn't even got a fighting chance." Said, "He's under the
oxygen tent," said, "he'll die right there." He said, "You remember,
he's ninety-one years old."
I said, "Yes, sir."
Said, "It's a complete heart failure. Nothing can be done." Said, "It's time to go."
And I said, "Yes, sir. But, no, he ain't going. That's all."
I went in, put my hand under the tent. I said, "Brother Dauch, can you
hear me?" He looked up at me. Now, really, in his name, he's a German,
D-a-u-g-h, and I just pronounce it Dauch. See? And I–and I put my hand
under his tent, and I said, "You hear me, Brother Dauch?"
He said, "Yeah."
I said, "You're not going. I done seen you're not going."

¹⁷⁰
A week from then, standing in my church, who come walking up through
the church but Brother Dauch. I left the meeting and went over the
river to a cafeteria, to eat. And when I got out of my car, and was
walking up the street, here come Brother Dauch with his hand out. Them
visions doesn't fail.
And that man of ninety-one years old, and follows every meeting, was in
California. Would you just raise up your hand, Brother Dauch, setting
there, that the people will see what a real soldier is now. Yeah,
setting right here like that: ninety-one years old and follows every
meeting. When I'm at the Tabernacle, he drives hundreds of miles every
day to hear me preach a little sermon, and go back. God, "It shall be
Light in the evening time."
I said, the other day I was talking to him, I said, "What can I do for you, Brother Dauch?"
"Just one request, Brother Branham. When He comes, I want to go with Him."
Said, "Don't worry. That's secure. Sure." Now, the man come in, was
baptized, oh, come in and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and
everything, just a wonderful servant of Christ.

¹⁷⁵ Now, I'm going to ask everybody, real reverent; you look this a way and pray.
Now,
how many teachers here know that He is a High Priest, right now, that
can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities? Well, if He's the
same yesterday, today, and forever, and the same High Priest, He would
act the same way. Only, He, His body is at the–on the throne of God.
How many knows that? The body of Jesus is on the throne of God. But He
uses our body to manifest Himself through, just like He promised to do.
"The works that I do shall you also."
I'm going to ask you to set still, be reverent, watch, pray.

¹⁷⁷
Now, heavenly Father, I've tried to be just as reverent as I know how
to do about it. Now, just a word from You now, Lord, and then may the
still little Voice come down through this audience and say, "It is I;
be not afraid." Grant it, Father. And I commit myself to You, with the
message that's been preached tonight, with Thy Word to be confirmed.
You don't have to do it. But You will do it, or You do do it, because
that You promised to. I pray that You'll grant this, in Jesus' Name.
Amen.

¹⁷⁸
And everybody real reverent, just real reverent. How do you do? Now,
I'll give you Scripture as we go along. If the Lord does, I don't
know… But here, and I've been preaching like that (See?); that's one
kind of anointing. This is another kind of anointing. That was just
blessing. This, just one thing just takes the life right from you.

¹⁷⁹
Now, the lady stands here. I've never seen her in my life. Are we
strangers? I believe you said awhile ago I didn't know you. God knows
you. He knows me. Do you know that what we're standing here now, we're
going to have to answer for it at the day of judgment? You aware of
that? You know that what we do now, God's going to make us answer for
it up there? I just said that for a purpose. Now, if the Lord Jesus
will reveal to me what you're doing, what's on your mind, or something
like that, would you believe it? You'd have to believe that, wouldn't
you?
Would you believe it out there, you audience? [Congregation says, "Amen."–Ed.]

¹⁸¹
Now, we stand just exactly like the woman at the well, and our Lord, a
man and a woman meeting for their first time. See? Here we are, meeting
for… That's Saint John the 4th chapter. Now, if the Holy Spirit will
say if you're here for somebody else, if you're sick, if it's domestic
trouble, if it's financial troubles, whatever it is, I have no idea.
But He does. But He can discern the thoughts that's in your heart. He's
the Word. I can't. I'm a man. You're just a bit nervous, and that's the
reason I'm doing this. You see?
That's one of your troubles, is nervousness. That's right. And you also
have diabetes; that's another thing that's wrong with you. That's
right. Complications, just many things are wrong. Is that right? If
that's right, raise up your hand. See? You believe He'll heal you? You
do? Now, your nervousness is caused from your age (See?), but now
that'll all leave you. And I believe that by faith we'll go to Calvary,
have a blood transfusion.

¹⁸³
Now, that's just exactly what He did. He told the woman at the well
what her trouble was. Hers was too many husbands. Yours was what… I
think it's was nervousness, and two or three more things wrong with
you. That's right, isn't it? That's the same thing.
Now, when He come to Simon, He told him who he was. You believe God can
tell me what your name is? Would it make you believe more, will it?
Mrs. Strong [The sister says, "Stout."–Ed.] Stout, would you believe? Go and believe, and you… It's all over.

¹⁸⁵
Come. You believe? I'm also a stranger to you. I don't know you. God
does know you. You believe that He can reveal to me what your trouble
is? And if He does, then the Lord God be blessed. Is that true? Now,
don't–don't have to be worried (See?); that's–that's Him, that you
feel that. All right. You are suffering also from a nervous condition,
mental nervous. You get tore up easy. And you're suffering with a
bladder trouble, something wrong with the liver, and you're anemia.
That is right. You got something, it keeps being a man appearing here.
Do you believe that God can heal you? Heal your husband too, make him
well? Do you think the stomach trouble will leave, and he'll be all
right? That's what he's suffering with. Go put your hands on him, tell
him so, and it'll–it'll leave him…?…

¹⁸⁷
I am a stranger to you. The Lord Jesus knows both of us, doesn't He?
You believe that God can make you well? If the Lord Jesus will reveal
to me the thing that's–that you're–that's in your heart, you believe
that He will make you well? You've had some trouble. You got a–a–a
gall bladder trouble for one thing. And another thing, it's caused your
bladder to have an ulcerated condition, but that's what your doctor
said. Now, another thing is, that they want to operate for that. That's
exactly right. Isn't that true? Now, do you believe He can bypass that?
You think your faith's in Him? Now, you know that isn't me doing that.
You believe? All right. Go, and as you have believed, so be it to you.

¹⁸⁸
We are strangers to each other, I suppose. The Lord God knows both of
us. Do you believe He's able to reveal to me the things that would help
you? You, you believe He will. I'm saying positive. That's very good.
That's very fine. Now, you have many things wrong with you, so many
complications and things, and the cough like, and you can't get over
it. And you're real nervous. And–and that, that's right.
Then you've got a burden on your heart, and that burden is for
somebody, which is your son. And he's having a–a trouble, some
domestic troubles. Him and his wife, they're always fussing and going
on around. And you're burdened for it. That is right. Now, you believe
with all your heart, and it'll all clear up and be…?… You believe
now. The Lord bless you.

¹⁹⁰
How do you do, sir? I am a stranger to you. And you're a stranger to
me, it is. It's begin… The visions now (You see?), look like the
whole house is just getting light, like kind of a whirl-like going
around. See?
But do you believe that the Lord Jesus could reveal to me what you're
standing there for? You believe that He would? I believe that also. I'm
just speaking to you to contact your spirit; exactly is what I'm doing
it for. See, I don't know you, so it's got to be something besides me
do it. I've got to get myself just so completely away from myself, that
He does it Himself. You understand?

¹⁹¹
Now, one thing, you are suffering with a tremendous nervous condition,
and this nervous condition has been for some time. That is right. And
that nervous condition has caused you having a high blood pressure
also. And you've had a stroke. That's it. Say, you've either been a
preacher, or you are a preacher. Now, you are a preacher; I seen you
stand in the pulpit. Then have faith in God, and that nervousness will
leave you. All ministers have that. You'll get all right. Go back to
your pulpit, and obey God, and stay true to that Word, Jesus Christ.
Do you believe your back trouble left you, setting in the chair? Do you
believe it? All right, sir, then just keep moving on, saying, "Thank
You, Lord."

¹⁹³
Come, lady. How do you do? You believe me to be His servant? All right.
Do you believe that lady's trouble, female trouble, is going to leave
you? You do? Then go ahead, say, "Thank You, Lord."
Kidney trouble, back trouble, in your back, you believe that God will
heal you and will make you well from that? Do you believe that He'll
make you well? All right, take on your road.
Come, lady. I'm a stranger to you. If I didn't say nothing to you at
all, would you believe that the Presence of God is here to heal the
sick? You would? Well, if you do, your stomach trouble… I done told
you. You see? It's–it's gone, so go…?…

¹⁹⁶
How do you, sir? God lives in the heart. And your heart's been showing
up here lately, bad. Do you believe that He'll make it right? Go on
your road and believe it. God bless you. You believe it, and He'll make
it right.
You are nervous, caused you to have a stomach trouble, a peptic ulcer.
It bothers you after eating. You believe it's all gone now? Go get
yourself something to eat. Don't…?…
Kinda hard for you to get up, your back's been bothering you so bad. It
won't bother you no more, if you'll believe it. Will you? All right, go
on, and may the Lord Jesus make you completely well.
What you so nervous about? Just go on, say, "I ain't going to be nervous no more," and you won't be. It's over. All right, sir.

²⁰⁰
Come, lady. Now, the Ethiopian woman and white man, just exactly like
something like that met in that day, Jesus. They had a segregation like
they used to have in the south, but we don't have it no more. Jesus let
them know that all people was God's people. There was no difference
(See?) whether she was Jew or Samaritan.
Now, if God doesn't help you pretty soon that arthritis will cripple
you up. But do you believe He's going to help you, make you well? Just
as the woman did, go on your road and tell your people what great
things God has done for you. All right.

²⁰²
Now, there is a surgeon ready to scoot out a knife. Just a moment, it
wasn't this woman. Now, just a moment, everybody reverent now. It's
Satan tried to do something. Here it is: Tumor, tumor, both of you.
That's right. You got tumor; she's got tumor, and that devil screaming
for help from one another. But the Holy Spirit's screaming too. Who you
going to believe, Him? All right. Get up out of that cot, lady. Raise
up out of that stretcher. Get up off of that and believe. Go, believe
Him now. Amen.
You believe? All things are possible. Do you believe? How about you in the audience?
Let us stand on our feet right now. Right now is the time to do it. Let
every person, let every person stand on your feet right now. Give God
praise. Raise up your hands.
Thank You, Lord Jesus. We praise You for Your greatness, and Your healing for the sick.

(more…)

(more…)

(more…)

(more…)