Living, Dying, Buried, Rising, Coming (59-0403)

Living, Dying, Buried, Rising, Coming (59-0403)

 

^E-1
Sister McPherson made her way through that little door to come out here
on the platform, and her memory still live around here, I'm sure.
I taken a little vacation, about three days and went down to Florida
fishing. I'm trying to rest up my voice a little bit. So I had quite an
experience down there. I thought maybe I might just kinda pass it on to
you tonight. We'd been fishing in–back in the Okeechobee swamps, and
I'd caught a nice string of fish.
And there was one of the Brothers that was with me that–Brother Evans
from Tifton, Georgia. He had a brother that lived down there, and
the–near the swamp, and he fished in the swamp all the time. And he'd
been after me some time to go down. So recently I was at Brother Theo
Jones' place. And that morning I was to have breakfast with–with
Brother Evans.

^E-2
While I was getting ready to leave the room, I saw vision of Brother
Evans trying to hide a sack of fish from the game warden. So I–I said,
"Brother Evans, I don't want to hurt your feelings, but where you fish
at is kinda like bayous isn't it?"
He said, "That's right."
I said, "You, and two of your boys, and another fellow was down there
just recently, and you had sack full of fish, and you was afraid that
the game warden was going to catch you, and you hid them fish five
times 'fore you got out of there."
And he said, "That's right, exactly."
So his brother had been fishing a week or two before that, and–or a
month or two (pardon me), and he got bit by a ground rattler. That's a
little different rattler from the diamondback you have here, but he's a
very poison. I guess the boy's body's swollen twice its size, and they
had him under medical treatment. He was a sinner, not a Christian. So
he had an awful time. He come back out, and his leg's in cast from
where the snake had… They thought they might have to amputate that
leg it was so bad.

^E-3
Then while we was out there, his Christian brother was fishing along by
the side of me. And I had a big fish on the line and just a small pole.
And I walked him up-and-down the bayou trying to land him. And when I
got him wore out and up to the edge of the weeds, why, Mr. Evans said,
"Just a moment, Brother Branham." And he pulled off his shoes and
rolled up his trouser legs, said, "I will catch it for you." And he run
out.
And as he started out, a big old rusty rattler grabbed him. And he let
out a scream and run back to the bank and said it felt like that the
bone in his leg had turned to ice, it was aching so hard. Well, if
anyone knows what a snakebite is, you get sick right away.

^E-4
So I thought, "Well, if I had to pack him those two miles, he much
larger man than I, how was I going to get him out of that swamp." And
it just come to me, then this Scripture, "And they shall tread on the
heads of serpents and scorpions." And I said, "Just a moment, Brother
Evans, I…" And put my hand over on the place where the two fangs had
went in and the little blood oozing out of the holes where the rattler
had bit him, I said, "Heavenly Father, Your Word… In Your Word, it
says that they shall tread on the heads of serpents and it shall not
harm them."
I no more than said that till… He must have been standing by
somewhere. And He heard the Word quoted, and the–all the pains left
immediately. We fished the rest of the day, went in that night, and his
brother said, "You get to the hospital just as quick as you can." Said,
"Because, oh, it might break loose anytime."
And his Christian brother said, "If God has cared for me this far, He
will take me the rest of the way through." And he's never had any ill
feelings of it yet.
The Lord Jesus did that. It pays to be a Christian. The sinner was
bitten and almost died. The Christian was bitten and didn't not even
have to have medical attention. Goes to show, that every Word in God's
Book is true, every Word, every chapter, every verse, every line is the
truth.

^E-5
Now, I… They have been so nice to us here at the Temple. They told me
just to do as the Lord led me. You couldn't want any better than that,
could you? And so I said, "Well, we'll… Some nights we'd talk to the
congregation, and try to build their faith, and then start their prayer
lines, and pray for the sick; and just what ever the Spirit says to do,
we'll try to do that."
Tonight, I thought, being tired and just got in, I'd just speak to you
awhile tonight from the Word, not keep you long, and just so we can get
this meeting started.

^E-6
And then, if… I believe that Los Angeles is ready for an old fashion
revival. I've always believed that God had never turned Los Angeles
yoose–loose yet. He's still got His hand here. There's so much goes
with this. And like this Temple here that was built upon prayer, and
tears, and sacrifice. And God just can't forget those things. And men
and woman today who are laboring to keep it that way… Let's put our
shoulders with them, the visitors, with me. Let's do everything that we
can to get in the sick, and the afflicted, and the sinners. If we'll
get the sinners saved, a revival will start breaking through. For
that's the main thing.
God heals the sick; we know that. And we're not worried about that. He
will do that. But to get sinners saved, is what we want to start with.

^E-7 Now, just before we read the Word, let's speak to the Author, as we bow out heads, if you will.
Most
gracious Father, it is a grand privilege to know that we can begin this
service tonight just in Scriptural order. For in the Scriptures we read
that music went before the battle. They played the songs, and then the
ark of the covenant followed, and then the fight was on. And tonight,
after the most lovely music has been played, and the songs has been
sung, and now we shall bring the Word. And then may the battle be on.
We pray, O God, that the Angels of God will take Their positions, in
every corner, and at every isle, and at every seat in this building.
May there be such old time conviction, until there cannot be one person
walk in this building as sinner and go out the same thing. And may
whosoever comes in unsaved, may God save them for the glory of His
Kingdom.

^E-8
We pray also, Lord, that You would remember those that are sick and
needy, that are afflicted, and needs Thy power of healing so graciously
in their bodies. They want to work for You. And they have, no doubt,
made many promises, and concentrated themselves to Thee; and in their
consecration, that have made great promises that they would do certain
things. Hear their prayers, Lord. And may this be a time of visitation
to them.
Bless the Temple and all that it stands for, and its workers. And we
pray, Lord, that You'd send an old time revival like used to be when
its founder lived and walked in and out of this building. There is such
a thing as she being able to hear tonight and to look in upon this
scene. I'm sure that would be her heart's desire: to see another
revival in this city to which she loved and labored and with the
people. Grant it, Lord. And we'll close our eyes, and bow our heads,
and give Thee praise. For we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.

^E-9
Just from a quotation of the Word here that come on my mind, I would
like to read a very familiar Scripture known to the, I would say, the
least of the little kindergarten school. John 3:16:

And then, in the 22nd Psalm, in the 11th verse, I would like to read this:

And I'd like to take for a text tonight, five words and just dwell with
them a few moments. One of them is "Living," and "Dying" is the second
one. "Buried" is the third one. "Rising" is the fourth one. "Coming" is
the fifth one. "Living, Dying, Buried, Rising, Coming." That's enough
to keep me here until in the morning, but–and then not nothing like
justify the text. But we'll just speak on each one for a few moments.
I think that these words that David wrote here when he wrote this 22nd
Psalm, begins with the crying of the Christ at Calvary. "My God, my
God, why has Thou forsaken Me?"
The reason that I chose this: Easter is just past, and the–the people
are still feeling the impact of that great day of when God proved that
Jesus was His Son, by raising Him up on the third day according to the
Scriptures.
And in living, He was loved. The poet expressed it when he said,

^E-10
And when He lived, He loved, because He was God; and God is love. And
there can never be anyone who could love like Jesus loved. From the
very first time His little baby hands stoked those pretty cheeks of His
beautiful mother, He was love from that till He forgive His last enemy
on the cross. He was God's expression of love. No one could love like
Jesus. God being manifested in a little tiny Baby, come in order to
take away the sins of the world.
And when you just speak of the word "Jesus," they's something about it
means "love." That's what the world needs more today, is not a–a Jesus
of some past tense, some Jesus of some high ethics, but a Jesus of
love, that can be expressed in the Church of the Lord Jesus, especially
as its members, one to another, ought to always greet one another in
love.

^E-11
In traveling, I think if there's any great thing that I've seen missing
in the church today, to one of the greatest hindrance in the church
today, there's–keep a revival back, is the lack of that godly love
that Christ expressed when He was here on earth.
It's easy for you and I to love somebody that loves us. But Jesus
didn't have that kind of love. He had God's love, and God loved His
enemies. For God so loved the world; when the world was unlovable, God
still loved the world.
It's a different, even in the expression in the–the words, the–the–a
"phileo" love, like we have one for another. But the "agapao" love is a
Divine love.
And if there's anything that I believe that would start a revival in
Los Angeles, would be a time that we could all break down our different
barriers and come together as Christians in love. That's the
Pentecostals, the Baptists, and the Presbyterians. And all together we
could be expressed to the world that we have love one for another.

^E-12
Jesus prayed that prayer that we might love one another as He loved
us–as He loved us! And He loved us so much that He died for us. No one
could love like that unless they–with the natural love, because it
would not hold out. It won't express itself. It'll do as long as
there's friendship connected with it. But when the friendships turn,
then people begin to say, "Well, he did so-and-so. She did so-and-so.
They backslid, they…" Real godly love goes after that backslider till
it finds him. Godly love goes and stoops to the lowest of hell to pick
up a man or a woman that's fallen.
That's what we're lacking today. We have a fine cultured church,
educated, fine dressed, fine buildings, nice choirs, beautiful music,
some of the best the world's ever had. But we are dying for some of
that godly love.

^E-13
Jesus expressed it well when He found the prostitute, drug before Him
guilty of an adultery. And they drug her before Him, and said, "Now,
the law requires for her to die. What do You say do about it?"
I tell you, He showed Himself what He was when He turned with these
words, "Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more." What more love
could be than to take a wayward person like that, and see Who He was,
and freely forgive the woman of her wrong.
He expressed it again greatly when He was dying at Calvary in His last
words at the cross, and His enemies' spit was hanging on His face, He
cried, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."
No one could love like Him. You can't manufacture that kind of a love.
It's a–the gift of God that comes by the Holy Spirit, the only way
you'll ever be able to have that love. "Though I speak with tongues of
men and Angels and have not that kind of a love, I am nothing. Though I
have faith to move mountains…" The Bible said…

^E-14
I was speaking here a few days ago upon this Scripture, "Strait is the
gate, and narrow is the way, and but few there'll be that will find it."
And a young man who was riding with me in a car, said, "How many would you say would be saved in this generation?"
I said, "Eight or ten."
"Oh," he said, "Don't say that, brother."
I'll say, "I'll lengthen it to fifty, and that's as many as I can go."
He said, "Fifty people?"
I said, "Jesus said when He was on earth, 'As it was in the days of
Noah, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man.' Days of Noah,
there was eight souls saved." Now, remember a generation fades out each
day, ends that generation. Take fifty a day for six thousand years and
see what you've got.
And he said, "Well then, Brother Branham, I'd like to ask you this
question. All the people that's claim to have the Holy Sprit, and so
forth, won't they come in the resurrection?"
I said, "If they had the Holy Sprit. But what we been putting to much
emphasis on, is on other things instead of the real thing, the love of
God."

^E-15
Paul said, "All these things could happen… I could have all wisdom,
all knowledge, and yet have not love, it profit me nothing. I could
speak with tongues like men and Angels, and still not have it." And we
put so much emphasis upon these things, upon great healing revivals,
and miracles being worked.
Did not Jesus say, "Many will come to me in that day, and say, 'Lord,
Lord, have I not cast out devils in Your Name? In Your Name, haven't I
done many mighty works?' I will say unto them, 'Depart from Me, you
workers of iniquity, I did not even know you.'"
What a disappointment that will be. But look what a surprise it'll be
when He said, those who didn't even think they deserved to be there…
"When were You hungry and we fed You? When where You naked and we gave
You clothes? We didn't know when You did this."
He said, "Insomuch as you've done it unto these, you've done it unto Me."

^E-16
Oh, how the world needs something today. I'll give you a little
expression to clear that up. In Ezekiel the 9th chapter, I believe it
is, when the Holy Spirit was sent forth to seal the people that would
go in that day, He said, "Go through the city and put a mark upon the
forehead of those that sigh and cry for the abominations that's did in
the midst of the city." Then to the slaughtering Angels, "Go after
them, and utterly destroy everything that doesn't have this seal."
Now, you take it in your own mind, and go through Los Angeles tonight,
and you mark, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, every person that's so
concerned about the sins of the city until they cry and sigh, day and
night, for the abominations done. Bring me the eight here tomorrow
night.

^E-17
All right. You see where we go. We let other things come in to take up
place of the real thing; love we're leaving out. Living, He loved me.
He died for me when I was a sinner. When I was unlovable, He loved me
anyhow.
My prayer is for the Church that we can have such love till we'll love
people whether they love us not. That's what the Church needs today is
to express a love, even to a man that could spit in your face, and you
could still with, not from a hypocritical standpoint, but from your
heart, pray for that man's soul. That's the kind of a revival we need
here in Los Angeles with that kind of a love manifested.

^E-18
Most wonderful life that was ever lived on earth had to die when He was
yet in His youth. For God had spoke; and His–His judgments had–had to
have justice. For it is written, "The day you eat thereof that day you
die." God's justice required death.
And there was no one of us could die for one another. No man could do
that. He was the only Man could die that kind of a death. For we were
all borned in sin, shaped in iniquity, come to the world speaking lies.
We were guilty from the beginning. So how could a good man die for
another man when he was guilty himself? There could not be any of us
take that kind of a position. So it had to take His death.
And God came down and was manifested in the flesh in order to die a
death. God could not die in Spirit, because God is eternal, His Spirit
doesn't die. But He was God. And He had to unfold Himself, and–and
come from glory to a manger, and take on the form of sinful flesh in
order to die to secure His Church, or to redeem His Church, to
reconcile them back to Himself.
Oh, brother, sister, there's nobody could explain that, what God did when He died for us; His flesh was put to death.

^E-19
In the Scriptures in the Old Testament, at the sin offering, when they
got two goats… And these goats… And Jesus represented both of them,
or they represented Him, rather. And one goat was killed, and the other
was–the sins of the nation was placed upon this goat called the
scapegoat. And that goat had to go out into the wilderness to die and
to be out there alone amongst the beasts and so forth.
Jesus had to be that–that goat. I want you to notice: He was a lamb;
He was sheep. But He was made goat for you and I, that we being goat
might become sheep. We, being sinners guilty of death, subject to
death, and all sold out under condemnation, yet, Christ become me, that
I, though His grace, might become Him, a son of God, seated at the
right hand of God in glory.

^E-20
The love that He had, how He expressed it, how He had to make Himself
what He was to die to save us In His death when He died at Calvary,
there was never a death could be like that death. We are told that when
the Roman soldier pierced His side, there was water and blood came out
of His side.
And I've asked a chemist one time, what taken place when that… And
this fellow, being a Christian, said to me, "That was not… Jesus did
not die, because that the spear touched His side, or pierced His side."
Said, "Jesus had been dead a long time before that. But He died from
grief. The sword never killed Him, or neither did this–the driving of
the nails. But it was grief that killed Him. When He looked out upon
the ones that He had loved, and the ones that He had worked His
miracles on, and the ones that He had expressed His love towards, and
had fed, and see that they had turned Him down…"
You and I might be grieved. We might grieve. But we could never grieve
like that, because we're not made up of that kind of material that we
could have that much grief.

^E-21
For the Fullness of God dwelt in Him. In Him dwells the Fullness of the
Godhead bodily. God was expressing His love though human flesh, the
Tabernacle in which He lived, in His own Son, what He thought about the
world.
There He hung there on Calvary's cross, not as you see Him on a
crucifix with a little rag wrapped around His loins. They stripped Him
naked. They embarrassed Him to everything that they could embarrass Him
to, and hung Him there on Calvary. And He was disgraced, and despised,
and rejected, and spit on. And there He hung, dying, the God of
eternity, the One that made the cross He was hanging on. No wonder the
rocks rent out of the mountains. The rocks come out, because the Rock
of ages was being erected. No wonder the poet said,

What did it do when He died there that like that? It opened the veil.
It let us look past the curtain of time, and let us seen a–a hope
there.

^E-22
When I see Him bruised, and–and mashed, and spit, and barbs and nails
drove through Him, what did it do? It opened a way that me, a guilty
sinner… I know that He paid the price there.
I'm not justified by anything I could do, none of my goodness; I have
none, and neither do you. But it's through His sacrifices, through His
death we are justified by believing on Him. There's where our justice
stands. Not what I do, or what you do, but what He did for us. That
ain't the Gospel story, I don't know it. Oh, give me that and take all
the rest of it away. See that One Who died for me.

^E-23 How could I be just. I–I cannot justify myself; I'm a sinner. But when I look upon Him and come singing,

There's where I'm justified, by my faith, believing that He died in my stead and took my place at Calvary.
That's
alone where I stand on the platform when demon powers are around, and I
see death hanging on the people, and… The devil's got them bound and
possessed, and some of them in straight jackets and–and guards around
them. What do I stand on then? I look to Calvary, and know that there
Jesus Christ paid the price. I feel religious.

^E-24
There He did it. That person's got a right to be free. Satan don't hold
them no longer. If you could get them to see, not their aches and their
pains, or some preacher praying for them, or some holy church… That's
all right. That goes with it. But the main thing is see what Christ did
for you. You're free. Christ died for you. Amen. That's the Gospel.

How could I be saved? Get rid of sin. He was the sin offering for me;
so He died. Now, if sin is dead, then buried, He carried my sins far
away. He was a scapegoat that went out. And the scapegoat took the sins
of the people on him and went out into the wilderness to be–to die. Go
out there and took the sins of the people and took them far away…
So did Jesus. He was… He–He took the sins of the people, and carried
them far away, so far that He put them in the sea of God's
forgetfulness. If sin is dead, bury it.
That's why we have baptisteries. When people believe that story, they
come confessing their sins that they're tired of it, they've divorced
it, they've separated from it, and they're tired of it; so it's dead.
And sins has no more power upon that believer, because he stands
justified in the death and burial of Jesus Christ. Therefore, he walks
to the altar, makes his confession, says, "I'm sick and tired of sin. I
want it no more." Then we bury it.

^E-25
When sin is buried, anything is buried, it's–it's dead first. Then
it's buried. It's put away from sight. That's why we bury people, to
put them away from the sight, the contamination of their bodies, hide
them from us. It's a gloomy thing to see what death does.
And when sin is finished, when sin lost its grips, and it died in the
death of Christ at Calvary where He condemned sin, then the sinner who
accepts that, justified by faith can scream, "Hallelujah, for God's
carried my sins far away. He put them upon my sin Bearer, Jesus
Christ." He represented both the animals: both dying and taking the
sins away.

^E-26
Then as I said a few moments ago, He become… We become… We were
goats. He become goat for us. Being… He become sin for us. That's the
reason He had to be punished the way He was, because all of our sins
were placed upon Him. And there He had to bear them away in His own
body to Calvary: a reproach, a disgrace, sinfully hanging there, naked,
stripped, bleeding, bleating. When He rolled His precious head around,
the bloody locks dripping from His shoulders…
I believe it was Billy Sunday said there was an Angel setting in every
tree, saying, "Just pull Your hands loose from the cross and just
motion Your finger; we'll change the scene."
The Jews paid Him the greatest compliment could be paid, not knowing
what they were doing. They said, "He saved others, Himself He can't
save." Sure not. If He saved Himself, He could not save others. But He
gave Himself that we might be saved. That's the story.

They're done; they're finished. God's sea of forgetfulness to be
remembered against us no more. Oh, can't we shout, "Hallelujah," to
that. Sure, it's all over. Christ did it. Oh, my. Sure we can.

^E-27
Now, here comes the greatest of all. "Rising, He justified…" All
these great things He done was wonderful. They're superb. There's
nothing could be added to it. But yet, a man could die, yet a man could
suffer, yet a man could love, but when He rose, God wrote the receipt
at His resurrection that He had received it: God's justice had been
met. Oh, thanks be to God. Rising, He justified…
God proved by the resurrection that He wasn't frawny, He wasn't fake.
That was His son. And He raised Him up, the Spirit, the Eternal Spirit,
Jehovah God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who raised up that
dead form in the grave there, had been dead for three days and buried,
and God raised Him up on Easter morning to justify…

^E-28
There when we come, brother, come into God, there's not one thing… He
that cometh must come boldly to the throne of grace. You mustn't come
wondering.
When you come into the prayer line, you mustn't come wondering, "Well,
if this minister will pray for me, perhaps, maybe he's got healing
power." Brother, sister, healing power is in God. It's in cross, in the
finished work at Calvary. When you come, come to be justified. You are
justified when you confess your faith, that, "By His stripes I was
healed. I'm going to make a stand. The doctor says I'm dying. I got
tumor, I got TB, or whatever it is. But tonight I stand, because I
believe that He loved me, and died for me, and saved me, and buried my
sins far away."

^E-29
And God justified us by believing on Him when He raised Him up from the
dead. He accepted everything that He died for. "He was wounded for our
transgressions, bruised for our iniquity; the chastisement of our peace
up on Him, and with His stripes we were healed." And He raised Him up
and wrote the receipt.
That was God's receipt. When the earth began to quiver and shake, and
the sun begin to dark–or light the earth on that Easter morning…
Heaven shook; hell shook; paradise shook; the earth shook; something
was taking place.
I can hear the Angels in glory screaming, "Hallelujah!" I can hear them
in paradise, the old saints of the Old Testament crying out, "Glory to
His Name." Certainly. Something had happened when up from the grave He
arose.

^E-30
He brought out the triumph over the grave, death, hell, sickness, every
barrier, everything that stands in the way of perfect freedom for the
Christian. Everything that you have need of was taken care of. It was
done been suffered for, done been accepted, done bled for, done died,
done rose; and God justified Him. He justifies you to believe it. Up
from the grave He arose, proved that He was God.
Buddha, made some great statements. Buddha died and is in the grave
twenty three hundred years ago, still there. Mohammed made a lot of
great statements. But he died, and he's in the grave, and been there
for about… nearly nineteen hundred years. He's in the grave, no
speaking afterwards. They might have been great man. Confucius, the
great Chinese philosopher, many of those great man, Poets and authors,
and gods and whatmore, they might have been great in their stand.
But when God raised up His Son on Easter morning, It proved It. And He
sent the Holy Ghost, and we've got the receipt of it now. I can hear
Him scream from eternity, "Because I live, ye live also." Amen. That's
right. "Because I live, you live also." Amen.

^E-31
For "He was wounded for our transgressions, with His stripes we were
healed." You don't have to die before you time comes. 'Cause He lives,
you live also. When death shall smother out my breath, I'll still be
living. "He that heareth my words and believeth on Him that sent Me has
Everlasting Life and shall never come to the judgment, but's passed
from death unto Life. "I am the Resurrection and Life," saith God. "He
that believeth in Me, though He were dead, yet shall he live. Whosoever
liveth and believeth in Me shall never die." Whew, I anchor my soul
right there. No wonder the poet wrote,

Why?

^E-32
I can see my shoulders stooping. My arms, where there used to be
muscles, are getting fat. And–and I… Oh, I'm… See, I'm–I'm dying.
I don't know how long it'll be before He will call me. But I've got
Eternal Life in here, because He died for me, that He might redeem this
that I've offered to Him. Some glorious day He's coming. I believe it
with all my heart.
I'll stay at the battlefield by His grace. I'll preach, pray for the
sick until death shall set me free, and then go home, a crown to wear.
For He paid for it, and gave it freely. God justified my belief when He
raised up Jesus. Then I have a crown waiting.

^E-33
Forty days after He had visited His disciples, He's standing there on a
mountain. You know, gravitation is what's holds us on the earth. When
we're on the earth here, it's gravitation holds us. But you know what.
God took a notion for Him to come up a little higher. Gravitation begin
to lose its hold.
God, I–I hope that I can be that way some of these days, don't you?
When this old earthbound condition… Sometimes I been in meetings, I
thought it was going to take place at any time, just feel it breaking
loose around you. One of these days it'll do it.
No matter. They could put you in a grave, and put a tombstone on top of
you, and seal you up. That won't have one thing to do with it. "The
trumpet of God shall sound, and the dead in Christ shall rise." Someday
He's coming–oh, glorious day. Yes, He's coming.

^E-34
Gravitation begin to lose its hold. His feet begin to rise, earth begin
to peek through. But beyond that, "I will come again," He said, "and
receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." I'm
so glad, that I can sing that song with a true heart tonight.

^E-35
Brings you into this little thought. I don't know if I said it–told
this little story that I read out of a book one time, about a man here
in America. His name is Greenfield. He's been dead now about
seventy-five years, I guess. He died, oh, I guess he's… Maybe longer
than that. But before he died, he dreamed a dream, that he'd went to
glory. When he got up there, he went up to the gate, and he said to the
saint, "I am Danny Greenfield." He said, "I'm an evangelist. I come to
take my position."
He said, "Just a moment, sir, your name has to be on the book here." He
looked over the book and he said, "There's no Greenfield–Daniel
Greenfield here."
He said, "Oh, you must be wrong, sir." He said, "I was an evangelist in America."
Said, "Nope. It's not here."
Said, "What can I do?"
Said, "If you wish to, you might appeal your case to the great white throne judgment."
So he said, "That's all I have left."
So he said it seemed he was passing through the air for a while, begin
to get lighter and lighter. After while as he got lighter, he got
slower till he stopped. He couldn't see just where the Light was coming
from, but it was all around him. And said heard a voice that said, "Who
is this that approaches My throne of justice?"
He said, "I'm Daniel Greenfield." Said, "I was up at the heaven gates,
and the–the gatekeeper turned me away, and said I'd have to stand
before Your judgment. And I appeal my case to stand here, Sir."
Said, "All right. I will judge you by My justice then." He said, "My
justice requires perfection." He said, "Did you ever lie when you was
on earth?"
He said, "I thought I'd been a honest man and had been truthful." But
said, "In the Presence of that Light, I seen a lot of times I told
things that wasn't right."

^E-36
Look, friend, we may go to church every Sunday. We may be very
religious. Oh, sure. You might pay your tithes, and you might just be
as good a person as Los Angeles has got. That may be true. But I tell
you: There's a lot of things going to stand before you if that's all
you got, when you stand at that white throne judgment. No wonder few
there'll be that'll be saved.

^E-37
And he said, "I thought I'd told the truth." But said, "I seen a lot of
things I told wasn't just right." He said, "Yes, I–I told lies."
He said, "Then, did you ever steal?"
He thought, "There's one I can answer." But said in the Presence of
that Light, he saw a many little shady deal. He never thought of it in
natural life.
See, we're just on the negative side. We're looking with shaded eyes.
But when we stand there in His Presence, the glasses is going to be
pulled off. We'll see face to face with Him then. That's when it's
going to be terrible.
Then he said, "Yes, I–I–I–I guess I did steal."
He said, "Daniel Greenfield, My justice requires perfection! Was you perfect when you was in your life?"
He said, "No, Lord. I wasn't perfect."
Said he was waiting to hear that great blast, "Depart from Me, you worker of iniquity."
Said he heard a voice. It was the sweetest voice he ever heard in his
life. And he turned to look; he said he saw the sweetest face that he
ever saw; said, "No mother could look or talk like that." Said, "As He
walked up close to Him, He put his hand upon his shoulder, and He said
to Him, 'Father, that is true. Danny Greenfield, in his earthly
journey, he wasn't perfect. But there's one thing he did when he was in
earth, he stood for Me. Now while he's here in heaven, I'll stand for
him. All of his sins, put it up on My account.'" And He had paid for it
at Calvary.

^E-38
Brother, sister, that's the One I'm going to depend on. I'm not going
to depend on whether I'm a Methodist, or a Baptist, or a Pentecostal.
I'm not going to depend on whether I shouted, whether I spoke with
tongues, whether I prayed the prayer of faith for the sick. I–I'm not
going to depend on that. I'm going to depend on my faith yonder–where
He loved me, and died, and saved me, and rising He justified. I'll
stand for Him upon the basis of that while I'm here on earth. At that
great judgment morning, I believe He will stand for me at that day. Who
would stand for you at that day? Could your pastor? Could your church?
Think of it while we bow our heads just a moment.
Dear God, that is a solemn question that we must answer just now. Who
would stand for us? Would it be the–our friends? Though they might be
ever so loyal, and would try as hard as they could to stand for us, it
might be our beloved pastor, who we love with all of our hearts, and he
would stand and scream for us. Yet, he has to scream for mercy too. Oh,
there was–could be no one stand that day but Jesus.
And dear God, I've just tried to speak of a love that You gave to Your
Church. It seems like that they've caught up with the miracles of the
Bible, they've caught up with the–the membership, and the evangelism,
and the missionaries of… But Lord, let them catch up with love now,
that'll set the Church a fire with a real agapao love, with a real
sacred love, that could turn the cheek, or the one that would be
willing to lay down his life, if it would mean to save others. God,
give us that love in our hearts as we wait on Thee.

^E-39
While we have our heads bowed, I wonder tonight, how many in this big
audience of people tonight, would just like to stand up to your feet
and say, "I'm going to stand right now for Jesus. And by doing this,
Lord, I want You to stand for me on that day, 'cause this may be the
last change that I get to ever stand for You. I've been in many
meetings. I'm a member of a church." Maybe you are; maybe you're not.
Whatever the case is, would you just say, "Lord, I'll stand right now,
and please stand for me on that day." Stand up to your feet right now,
while we offer prayer. Just raise up. That's right. God bless you.
That's just fine. All right.

^E-40
There a chaplain setting out here tonight. There's in a great meeting
of science the other day. And you all seen the, I believe it was Look
Magazine this month, how that general said that this next war will just
only be a few minutes. And right now, it just takes one of them to blow
their top in some of these (Excuse that expression.)–but some of these
arguments they're having, just set off one bomb. There we are out there
in the ocean where these submarines to rise up. There they are, all
different places to send those bombs. Here they come this way. Here
they come that way. The world can't stand it. She could go in the…
Before that clock strikes another two minutes, this entire thing could
be over. Don't you take a chance. If you're not sure you're right…
I wonder if our Sister would give us a chord on this. Do you believe
that God would hear my prayer for you. Come here. Let me… I–I… you
just… Under them lights out there, walk down here just a minute, will
you? Come right here, let's stand here pray together. Come right on
out, if you will. Don't set down. Just move right up here, and stand
here, and say, "I been a church member, I'm not ashamed. I will come
right up here and stand here. I want to to come. I want to be honest."
We're… You'll see a revival start, if you can just see the Spirit of
God get into the people. God bless you.

^E-41
If He will hear my prayer to open the eyes of the blind… No doubt
you'll see that done these next few days, make the poison of the snake
bite, through prayer, just stop it dead still. I've seen those who had
passed beyond mortal life, the doctors had closed their eyes, and
folded their hands, and walked away, see them rise back to life again.
What? Through prayer. Prayer means something.
We'll wait for you in the balconies. Come right on down. Let's stand
here and have a prayer together. Would you came right down?
Let's–let's pray together. That's what we want to do. How many like to
have that love. If you haven't got a love in your heart tonight, that
you sigh and cry for the abominations that's did in this city…

^E-42
Listen friends, I'll ask… take any student here to–to–to discuss
that. The Scripture said that the Angel of God could only seal those
who weeped and cried for the abominations did in the city. All that has
read that, say, "Amen." There it is. Just those who sigh and cry for
the abominations of the city. "Oh," you say, "I been a Pentecostal a
long time." That's good. So have I. But brother, what about that spirit
of concern about the lost world if you're about the Father's business.
You say, "Well, I–I–I get a blessing every night."
And if that good, humble, sweet, meek Spirit isn't on you… What is
the fruits of the Spirit? Love, peace, joy, long-suffering, goodness,
gentleness, patience. Don't take no chance. In the morning may be too
late. A hour from now may be too late.
Why don't you come now before there's any healing service, before
there's anything. Come right down, say, "Lord, I want to get right. I
want a Spirit in me that'll make me love. I want a Spirit in me that'll
make me appreciate what Jesus did for me, insomuch that me heart will
be tender and loving, and I can forgive the people from my heart, not
because it's a duty."

^E-43
Now, there's some of you in the balcony should be coming down. Walk
out. That… You… Might just be that many steps between you and
heaven. I don't say it is; I hope it isn't. But it might be just that
much is all you need.
What would you give tonight, if Jesus… If you'd hear something take
place, and a rock would go off down here somewhere, one back here, and
the radios would be screaming, and people be running into the streets,
and the atomic bombs a falling the… Why, it's too late then.
You know what would happen? The Church would… The gravitation would
take–leave it's hold loose. That Church would be raptured just as
certain as I'm standing in this pulpit. The graves would open; the dead
would come out; they'd go to meet the Lord Jesus. Church members by the
tens of thousand, yes, by the tens of millions will be left behind.
Better come, be sure that you got love in your heart.

^E-44
While we bow our heads just a moment while we're waiting as others are
coming down, let the personal workers get around now also. And you who
are coming around to pray with us. Come on, sinner friend, come on,
backslider, come on, lukewarm church member, let's–let's go to heaven
together. You've come right up here now for this prayer.
I want to pray for you. I want to be sure that I've done everything
that I can do, 'cause I'm believing that this week is going to be a–is
going to be in this coming week, is going to be a great time around
this Temple, if Jesus tarries. And I'd like to see every sin cleaned
up, like to see all the old gloomy devils took away, and the Church of
the living God could stand on their feet with real Divine love. There'd
be shaking through this city like's never been known before: lame,
blind, halt, everything would take place.

^E-45
Are you finished? You sure now? This… This is… You're sure that
your sins are so under the Blood, and you have such a desire in your
heart for the sins of this city that you nightly–nightly you can weep
to God, "Oh, God…" And through the daytime, you look and see the
people living the way they are in sin. It brings tears to your cheeks
and–and sorrow to your heart as you look and just see how sinful it is.
Is that the kind of a Spirit that's in you? That's that only kind
that's sealed by the Holy Spirit. That's exactly what the Scripture
says. The ones that were sealed with the Holy Spirit had that kind of a
Spirit in them. And what is the fruit of that Spirit? Love,
long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, patience, peace, a peace with
everyone. Whether they disagree with you, that's all right. That's the
kind of a church we want. That's the kind of people we want to be.

^E-46
Don't be ashamed now. Maybe before morning, you may call Him to stand
for you. What would He say? "You know I spoke to you on that preacher
was saying that last night at the Angelus Temple. Why didn't you come
on down there? You turned down your last day."
Well, you say, "Brother Branham, I been a church member."
Jesus said, "They will come and even say–guys like Tommy Osborn, Oral
Roberts, William Branham, all the rest of them that goes out and has
healing services, many of those guys will stand in that day and say,
'Lord, I–I cast out devils in Your Name. I did great works in You
Name.'"
He'd say, "I never even knew you."
See, those gifts are worked through faith, but love perfects. That's
love is what does it. Love's what welts us–melts us with God, makes us
one in unity, one in heart, one in Spirit.

(Can't I appreciate Him?)

(Now, what am I doing? Waiting, for)

I'm… Say, "Let it be tonight, Lord. If it be Your will, let it be tonight."

^E-47
All right. How many out there now, right before the audience and
neighbors setting next to you, say, "Brother Branham, I haven't got
that kind got the nerve to rise up and go up there. I wished I did. I
know I haven't got that kind of a Spirit in me, the one that you're
speaking about, the kind that Jesus had, the kind of love He had, the
kind of sacrifice He gave, and that Spirit was in Him has to be in me,
make me act meek, gentle, patience, love, long-suffering, gentleness. I
haven't got it Brother Branham. I've got a temper. I've never been
sanctified from that. I–I–I got doubts in my mind." There's something
wrong.
Sure, when the Holy Spirit comes in, it takes the place and roots all
that out. Every root of bitterness is gone, then you're sweet towards
every one, love everybody. That's the way you are. You say, "I haven't
got that. I haven't even got the nerve to–to raise up, but I have got
this much courage left: I'm going to raise my hand to God, and say,
'God, I can't exactly stand for You now, I haven't got that much
courage. But, remember me, oh, Lord.'" Would you raise your hands out
in the audience there, that hasn't come up. God bless you.

^E-48
Now, you standing here, each one of you. I want you with solemnly, with
all your heart to know that you've made this consecration. Now, don't
just come down the isle just because it's… just… you come just
because, "Well, I–I don't want to go to hell." Of course you don't.
"But I come, Jesus, because that something touched me in my heart. I
see what You did for me, and I haven't got that what You require. And
I'm coming to receive it; I want it." Why do you receive a substitute.
Why take a church membership, or–or some little excitement, or…
Now, I believe in excitement, and shouting, and speaking in tongues,
and–and Divine healing. I believe all those things. But that's not
what I'm talking about. I'm talking about God, first. You can have that
and not have God. Paul said you could. Jesus said many will come and
saying they had it, confessing they'd it. But they didn't have this.
See? That's where we're lacking.

^E-49
"I need love, Lord. I need Your Spirit in my heart to make me that kind
of a person–tender, kind, gentle, humble, forgiving–that's what I
want. And Lord, I'm bowing my head right before You now to say this,
'Lord, change my life right now. I open myself up,' and say, "Now,
Lord, I'm nothing, but You change me."' It's got to be You. My emotions
has brought me to this altar. But now it takes Your Spirit to change
me. Come, do it, Lord. Come place in me that glorious longing." That's
what it is.
I said to a man the other day, "Oh, I–I believe Jesus will come most anytime."
He said, "Don't talk about that, Brother Branham. You weary me."
I said, "Weary you?"
Said, "Sure, I'm making more money now than I ever in my life. My business is better."
I said, "Then, brother, you claim you're Christian, and would fear the coming of the Lord?" [Blank.spot.on.tape–Ed.]
"It's the greatest moment I could think of, the coming of the Lord.
That's the greatest thing that I can think of." That's why I'm here how
now, is because I believe He's a coming. The most… That's the
coronation of my days. That's right. When I can see Him. "When all
those that love His appearing," Paul said, there was laid up a crown of
righteousness." All that love His appearing…
"Come, Lord Jesus. Yes, Lord, come now. This is the hour, if it so
please Thee, Lord." That's the way to feel about it. And loving me,
dying for me, buried for me; rising He justified freely forever. "Now,
I'm looking for You to come, Lord. And I want to have the same kind of
a Spirit in me that You had in You. I want that kind of a Spirit; that
if my enemy's spit could be hanging from my face, and with all my heart
I could say, 'I forgive you for it.' And I could forgive others as
Christ… as God, for Christ's sake, forgave us."

^E-50
All right, let us bow our head now in prayer. Billy, if you don't mind,
I wish you would come here with me. I want you to take the
after-service, one of you, if you will.
Now, as you bow your heads, I want you to confess to God that you've
been wrong, and you want God to forgive you now, and to place in you…
[Blank.spot.on.tape–Ed.]
Here me people, just as sure as I'm standing here, He wants to do it.
Now, look. How'd you come? "No man can come to Me except My Father
draws him first." Why'd you get up and come? Because you knowed there
was something wrong. Now, you're at the altar where all wrongs are
rightened, because there's a–a sacrifice laying on the altar for you.
What was it? A bleeding sacrifice, the Son of God that cries, "Father,
forgive them. They didn't mean to do that."

^E-51
Now, you look upon that as we pray. Lay your hands, by faith, upon His
head. Just imagine you, now. You've done wrong. Like in the Old
Testament, they brought a lamb, put his–put the hands upon the lamb
and cut the lamb's throat. And little fellow, as it quivered, and
bleated, and died, and blood going all over the worshiper's hands, he
realized that that was… He–he should be dying, but the lamb was
dying for him.
Now, by faith, lay your hands on the head of Jesus, and feel that
suffering, that forsaking until Blood and waters separated. Feel that
suffering, and say, "Lord God, upon the basis of this, I now come as a
sinner. Be merciful to me."
And dear God, as I realize my position standing here by this sacred
desk, I'm standing between death and life to men and women that I'll
have to meet over there at that great morning. Oh, I might pray for
someone, they'd get well, and forgotten. But Lord, here's souls at
stake. And I've got to stand with them beyond any shadow of doubt
before the just and living God and give an account for the ministry.
And here they are, Lord. They've come, because they have believed, and
they–they… The Holy Spirit has condemned them that they've been
doing wrong, and they come now to make that right. And I pray for them.
That's all I know how to do, Lord, is to say what the Word says here.
And now, they are confessing their wrong. And if they are willing to
confess, God is going to forgive. He promised to, and to give unto them
the desire of their heart. For it is written, "He will withhold no good
thing from them that'll walk upright before Him." They want to have a
Spirit of love in their heart.

^E-52
Father, we've had so much shouting; we've had so much joy; I'm afraid
we forgot the main thing, Lord. As Elijah standing at the mouth of the
cave, hearing the winds and the thunders, but it never alarmed him, he
waited for that still small voice. Lord, speak now. Speak down into
their hearts that still small voice, says, "Child of Mine: 'He that
will come to Me, I will in no wise cast out.' I lay every sin you've
done upon My own Sacrifice, My only begotten Son. You confessing it,
because you believed it. He was the only One Who could help you, and He
did that, and He–He–He's justified every one of you by His suffering.
And I proved it by raising Him up from the dead. And now, I give unto
you that Spirit that was in Him, that could forgive, and could love,
and could be gentle, and long-suffering, and good, and meek, and kind,
and gentle, and patient." God, grant it to them just now.
And now, when I come with them, Lord, down there at that day, this is
all I know to do is to bring them here and ask You to do it, and join
my faith with them, that You are doing it, that it's already done, and
they're believing it, and accepting it right now in the bottom of their
heart. I present them to You as love gifts, that the Holy Spirit has
brought to Christ tonight in the Name of Jesus Christ.

^E-53
Now, with your heads bowed, and you feel really ashamed of the way that
you've done? Many of you has confessed Christianity and never had a
burden like you should've had for lost souls. Maybe you've went to
church; maybe you've done certain things–good deeds. But now, you feel
different about it. You feel like you're going out now, that God has
said something to your heart, that you're–you got more love for Him
now, you–you see Him what He is, what He's done for you. If you do,
raise up your hand. All you around the altar, say I feel right now. God
bless you.
Oh, that's–that's wonderful. One hundred percent as far as I could
see. That's it. That's it. It's nothing, not emotional. It's coming
humbly, gently walking up, listening for that little voice. "Yes, Lord.
Then I receive You, Lord. Now I believe You. I believe You with all my
heart. I'm going away from here tonight to be humble, gentle. I m going
away tonight feeling a burden in my heart for lost sinners. I'll be
praying for sinners. I'll do everything that I can from this night
henceforth."
Now, if the congregation will bow their heads everywhere, I'm going to ask Brother Billy Adams if he will continue the service.