Jesus Christ The Same Yesterday, Today And Forever
New York, U.S.A.
Sermon translation in French: 54-0824 - Shp
E-1 Good evening, friends. It's a privilege to be here tonight. To greet you again in this lovely big city here, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour, and to be back again tonight to hear our--my brother Baxter, as he was speaking when I was coming up... Oh, my, it seems like old times again to be back... Seems like coming back home.
I don't feel tonight, like we're strangers, I'm with fellow-citizens and pilgrims of the Kingdom of God, professing that we're pilgrims and strangers of this land, believing we have a better home going to someday, as one by one we cross over the great divide. It separates the mortals from the immortals, and it's called, says, I believe in the Scriptures, "That leaving those things behind I press to the mark of high calling in Jesus Christ." All these mortal things, we'll just leave behind, and press on towards the mark of the high calling in Christ.
E-2 Friends, we're here that the Lord willing for next, I believe, it's about eight or ten nights to be here before going over seas.
We usually make this our jumping-off place. Brother Baxter and I have did this now... This is the third time, I believe. And we're always glad to be in New York to a... 'Course you realize that this is just the outskirts of Jeffersonville, Indiana. It just runs up this far. You see? So my city has twenty-four thousand people in it now. You see? We've jumped up a whole lot from fourteen thousand. So you'll be able to find us on the map down there one of these days if it keeps on growing. But...
Now, I was talking to a man that brought me up just now from my room. He said, "I believe there's about seven million here." You know, that's almost the population of Canada. The entire... All the provinces of Canada. Many people here. Where the people gather together, they have a lot of sin. They have it everywhere. Not only in New York, they have it in little, bitty cities like Jeffersonville, Indiana. They have it everywhere.
E-3 This old world is just getting ripe for judgment now. When we see things that taking place like this at this time... Of all these different kinds of bombs and things. I... Hearing on the radio the other day, that where they can drop, I believe, four across the country here, or out in the sea, destroy the whole world. Just drop two or three down--out here in the Atlantic, and the first thing you know, there wouldn't even be an beetle alive in the whole United States, kill everything. All the buildings would be standing just like they are now...
I tell you, no wonder Jesus said, "Except the work be cut short, for the elect's sake, there would be no flesh saved." I believe we're near something. I'm not one of the people that tries to predict that Jesus is going to come this year or next year. I don't know when He's going to come and know one else knows when He is going to come. We just know what He said to look for. When we seen these signs appearing, then to lift up our head, redemption was drawing nigh. And we see those things now.
E-4 And Brother Baxter and I have made us a policy of trying to do our very best for everybody that we can, as long as we--we have the Light to walk in as we do today. We ought to be very thankful for a place where the Gospel can be preached.
There's many big city in this world, you know, like New York or not quite this big, but many great major cities that you couldn't open up a meeting like this. No, sir. They couldn't do it. And perhaps, we don't want to think this way, but perhaps, soon, it'll be that you won't be able to open up in New York. Communism has honey-coated the world. A great percent, over half of it, almost two-third of the world is already into communism.
What are we Christians doing? Here's the space we've got to go, from here to here. And we've come about this far. Jesus said, "The Gospel must be preached in all the world." But you know our ideas of it: we have tract societies, which is all right. We love that. And the men that's on the street passing out a tract are doing a wonderful work for the Lord Jesus. The Missionaries, all parts of the country... That's a wonderful thing if God's called them.
But what I think the Lord's going to make His message so quick to the world is this: That He's going to send out the power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit that'll just illuminate the whole world just in a few days' time. I believe He's calling a Church, pulling a people, getting them together for this great event that's coming to pass.
E-5 I'm looking for the Gospel, one day, to leave the Gentile people and return to the Jew. I seen a picture the other night of very dear friend of mine on the west coast, a Christian business man, Mr. Arganbright. And he had a picture called "Three Minutes Till Midnight." I've never been the same since then, after seeing this wonderful picture. It showed the answer of all the prophecies pertaining to Jews, how they would return back, and how there'd be an ensign at their return, the six point star David over Jerusalem. How that the water that comes from the country to blossoms as a rose, the desert would, and the Jews returning back. It was just a picture, threw it on a screen... But here was the alarming part, Christians, the ships was coming in, the airplanes coming in. They were bringing in the old, blind, an halt, and withered packed in the... The younger people packed them. So they interviewed a few of them.
They said " Are you coming back to your homeland to die in a homeland?"
"No, we're coming back to see the Messiah."
Oh, you Bible readers know what that means. God just drives them from all parts of the world, right back, just what He said He would do. Now, what they need... Now, the next thing I can see, and I don't claim to know much about prophecy of that type, but I... Only thing that I can see left is a spiritual awakening among the Jews. Gentiles are finished then. Church will be caught up; the Gospel goes to the Jews.
E-6 Now, I want take but just a few moments tonight, just a little introduction. And it's kind of an introduction night to... We get ready and Brother Baxter does the preaching. And I'm sure you all enjoy it. And he is able to do the job real well. Usually, I come in and talk just a few moments to kinda get the feel of the meeting and then we pray for the sick.
Now, tonight for just a little Scripture reading in Saint John the 14th chapter and the 12th verse. We read this... And then for a regular campaign theme is Hebrews 13:8. That's our continue text since we been on the field. But this here we read:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Hebrews 13:8, we read this:
Jesus Christ the same yesterday... to day, and for ever.
E-7 Now, shall we bow our heads just a moment. Kind heavenly Father, we thank You tonight for the privilege that we have of coming into this great city again to minister to Thy needy children. And I pray, heavenly Father, that You will anoint every person that comes into this building with the Holy Spirit. If they are sick, may they be healed. If they have backslidden, may they return to God. If they are unbelievers, may they become believers. Grant it, Father. And may great signs and wonders be done.
Bless all that has a part in this. Bless our Brother Baxter as he speaks day by day and night by night. May he be anointed by the Holy Ghost to preach the Word in the season. We pray that You'll bless all the cooperating ministers, Sister Brown, and all the others. Bless the custodians, and those that are here helping us keeping the lights on, the engineers and all the people who come in. Grant it, Father.
E-8 And may the Message of the Holy Spirit go out into strange homes, that maybe never come to church before and may they be warned and come to church, not because that we're here, Father, but because that Your Spirit is here, and wanting to save the lost, and the needy, and heal the sick.
Now, hide Your servant, Lord, the unworthy one. Help me to know what to do and what to say. Submitting myself to you, just now, that You'll use Your unprofitable servant for Your glory. We ask it in the Name of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Amen.
E-9 Just for a few moments now, then we'll start praying for the sick. We won't keep you long each night, because we have quite a long campaign. And then we just left--left Chicago, where our greatest campaign... And then went from there to the west coast with the Christian Businessmen, on the west coast, where we had a wonderful great campaign. Brother Baxter has been preaching also, in conventions. And we're both real tired. Frankly, just before I come to the meetings, why, I was trying to study and went sound asleep. Now, that's strange for me to do that. And then hurried right on over to the meeting. We're both real tired.
Now, I want to speak of one Person, the complete campaign, and that's the One we're all in love with, the Lord Jesus Christ. I know no one else to talk about but Him. And when it comes to love, and compassion, and whatever it might be, I know no greater Name than the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
E-10 And now, tonight, I would just like to ask this congregation and facing this two week campaign, I'll... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
We ought to kinda take notice to what Jesus said here. There have been many people in their different types of ministry and theology, tries to have a certain routine that they teach, which is very fine. Every church as long as they're teaching something about the Lord Jesus Christ, amen. That's perfectly all right. I like that. And whatever... Let's give every church credit that even names the Name of the Lord Jesus. Let's give them credit.
Now, we might different with them sometime, as all churches do, just like all people do, but we're perfectly interdenominational. Brother Baxter and myself doesn't belong to any organization at all. We're interdenominational, believing that the brotherhood of the--of Jesus Christ.
E-11 Now, I'll give you a little something what Brother and I have tried to do for these past eight years. It has not been so much on Divine healing as people has thought it has been. Many of them have said, "Brother Branham, your meetings are--are just based of Divine healing." No, brother. It's on Divine healing, but not the...?... It's the healing of the Body of Jesus Christ is what we're trying for, to get the--all different denominations of churches to be brothers. Whatever they believe that's all right. Let's join ourself together and be Christian brothers and sisters. That's what our whole heart's desire is to do. And what little influence the Lord has given me, I try to use it that way, and Brother Baxter the same of his influence as a Bible teacher, and me to pray for the sick. And we believe that. We believe that all men that's born again are brothers. That's right. And so we... That's what we stand for.
And now, our theology may be--may be a little bit different for what you would--the regular run of ministry of praying for the sick. We are talking about, Brother and I; we haven't settle on it yet, when we come back from overseas or perhaps a different type of meeting. Frankly, I place it in several of the magazines that teaches Divine healing, an article. That... Its always been that my meeting; I can't get to enough people. And I never stay long enough, but the crowd just grow and grow and grow and then I--about four or five nights, and I'm just about done, because of visions.
E-12 Coming back we're going to try to eliminate them things and just go preach the Gospel and pray for the sick. And whichever way the Holy Spirit will lead, then we'll do it. But visions is what always cut us down, that's always made our meetings so we couldn't set a long time. But this time, the Lord willing, we want to make it four, five, six, seven weeks maybe, two months or whatever the Lord--in one place, just stay there till the Lord says," I'm finish with you here, go somewhere else." And I want you to pray for us to that end.
Now, for our lovely Lord Jesus where our thoughts are centered. Don't never let your thoughts stray from Him. No matter what comes and goes, keep your mind on Him.
E-13 Now, how many in here tonight, would really like to see Him? Would you just love to see Him? I'd like... Brother, I--I--I put my hands up with you. That's my heart's desire to see the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, how I love Him. I... With all my heart, I love Him. If I know anything about my heart, I really love Him. I... When I speak His Name, it just looks to me like that I'm unworthy to say the Name. I think of what that Name has done.
You know what happen when that Name was first mentioned on a mortal's lips, what happen? A little baby that was dead in his mother's womb come to life and received the Holy Ghost. John the Baptist leaped in the mother's womb for joy as soon as--as Mary spoke to Elisabeth out... Said, "I shall bring forth a Son and they shall call His--and call His Name Jesus." And little John leaped in his mother's womb for joy. So you see what the Name means.
E-14 If He was here in New York tonight, where would you think you'd find Jesus in New York? I want to ask you a question. Do you think that Jesus, if He come just in a unveiling Himself like He did in the early days, when He was here on earth in flesh. Do you think New York in whole will receive Him? No, sir. It'd be worse than it was when He come the first time. That's right. They wouldn't understand it. He'd be so much different from our theology, till we wouldn't even... Doubt whether there would just be little handful following, like there was in that day.
He was so different. He does things different; He talked different; His Word was different; His ministry was different; His teaching was different. So they just couldn't understand. They said... And the thing of it was, they--they couldn't understand Him because His work was great and He give God credit. And they finally wound up and said, "Well He's just Beelzebub, the prince of the devils."
Could you imagine tacking that name on the Lord Jesus Christ? But that's what they did. And they said... He--He said, "If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call them, His disciples." So as Christians we can expect to be called anything, can't we? But Jesus Christ knows us if we're born again.
E-15 Now, in Jesus in His ministry... Now, first thing in the translation of the Word tonight, in the Saint John the 14th chapter of 12th verse, He said, "Verily, verily (absolutely, absolutely), I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and more than this (the Word really translated right, "more" not greater, 'cause He raised the dead, stopped nature. Nothing could be any greater than what He did.), but more than this shall ye do for I go to My Father."
Do you believe that's the inspired Word of God? You believe that many of the ages to follow on like that? It was. Now, the same thing that He did, He promised the Church to do, only more of it than what He did. Let's find out what He did.
E-16 And If we can find out His type of ministry, what He had here on earth, and these next ten nights, here, in the--in the arena, if He will--if He will come in our mist and reproduce His Life among His people, will every one of you believe on Him? Will you promise me that? This little group here, of a few hundred setting here tonight, will you--will you promise me that, that you'll believe on Him with all your heart? If He will reveal Himself again, right here in this building, visibly, so you can see it yourself, be convinced yourself, would you believe on Him? Now, we'll find out what kind of work He did.
E-17 Now, we'd like to see Jesus. Many would think, a person in this day, usually you'd see them, if they could do work like the Lord did, why, they'd come out boastfully and oh... But He wasn't that type of person. He didn't boast about anything. He didn't take even any credit for what He did. He give credit to God. Is that right? Why, He said, "It's not Me that doeth the works, it's My Father that dwelleth in Me; He doeth the works." Is that right?
Now, let's just imagine like the Greeks did, they wanted to see who Jesus was, wanted to see Him, rather. So now, let's just look at Him that way tonight.
When He came in His ministry, He was born in a manger, low birth, a people, common people He came from, perhaps very poorly educated as far as the world was concerned. We find out that's what makes the Bible scholars all confused. They try to read the Greek, the Hebrew, so forth, and they apply a certain words, because it would... They apply it to the great words that they used in the high scholarly people, but His real words was spoken just in the language like you use on the street. It's common everyday language. So, it turns them around with translation. So you see, He wasn't no great scholar, as far as the world was concerned, 'course He was God, but He... Just to make Himself some great eloquent speaker, He wasn't.
E-18 And now, let's see the type of ministry He had. Let's just follow His ministry for a few moments now, 'fore we start the prayer line, and ask Him to continue His ministry. Now, when He first come into power, we notice a lot of things that God answered His prayer so much for the sick. He started right off first praying for the sick. Is that right? Signs and wonders begin to follow Him. And then He begin to do things that seemed to be strange to the people. Then He had a great gathering, until He disagreed with their theology of that day; then they cut Him off right there.
Now, in the beginning of His ministry, there was a man name Nathanael got saved and--or Philip, rather. Philip got saved and he went to get his buddy right quick. That's a good sign He got saved, wasn't when you goes tell somebody else about it?
He went to find his buddy, so he was hunting for him, and he found him under a tree, praying under a tree. So he said, "Come, see Who I found, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph."
Why this nice religious man said, "Why, could any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Oh, it was a wicked city. He said, "Could any good thing come out of Nazareth?"
Said, "Come, see." That's the only way to be convinced about anything. Don't you think that's right? I think if we have more Nathanael's around New York...?... will say, Come, see. Come, find out for yourself." See? Come and see; don't judge anything till you look at it and examine it with the Word of God. He said, "Come, see."
E-19 Well, when he came up in the line, I don't know what... Jesus perhaps praying for the sick or whatever He was. He was standing in the congregation. Jesus looked out on the congregation and saw him, or he might've come in the prayer line. I don't know where he was at, but then when Jesus saw Him, He said, "Behold, and Israelite in whom there is no guile." That was a honest, good believer. So, the man kinda astonished, he said, "How did You know me, Rabbi?" or reverend, whatever you want to call... "How'd You know me?"
He said, "Why, before Philip called you, when you were under the tree, I saw you." My, that was quite a something to him, and he run up to Him; he said--said, "Thou art the Son of God; Thou art the King of Israel."
E-20 What do you think would happen today in New York, if such as that taken place? You know what they'd say, "Ah..." Dr. Jones would say, "you know what That is, that Guy is a fortuneteller. It's mental telepathy; that's what it is." Well, did you see Dr. Jones' spirit lived backed in that day. Did you know that? The Pharisees, those great scholars and teachers said the same thing. They said, "He's Beelzebub." The prince of the fortunetellers (See?) he... 'Course fortunetellers are devils; you know that. So he said, "He's a prince of the fortunetellers," the prince of the devils.
Notice Him again. There was... One day He was going down to Jericho; instead of going to Jericho, he went up by the way of Samaria. That's strange. Going up this way, instead of going straight down to Jericho. But He had a need to go by Samaria. Now just a minute we'll find out why He went. When He got up there, He sent all His disciples away into the city to buy some bread. And while they were gone, a woman come out. We in America believe the woman to be a prostitute, and the Eastern teaching is different, but we will take it over in the American, Western phase of it tonight, so it'll...
E-21 Woman, she came out to the well. Well, maybe she didn't get up till at around noontime, or maybe she couldn't come with the rest of the other women was coming to get their water. So anyhow, she come out about eleven or twelve o'clock, when they was gone to get something to eat. And Jesus was setting over on a wall somewhere, till He seen the woman put the bucket in the well or the pitcher to draw out the water. He said, "Bring Me a drink."
Why, she looked over, and it was a Jew. She was a Samaritan. They was just racial in them days, just like in the South today, the white and colored.
She said, "Why, it's not customary for you Jews to ask Samaritans such." In other words where's all the hospitality coming from? Where's all the kindness? "You a Jew asking me a Samaritan, we're suppose to be outcasts. So how You come to ask..."
Jesus said, "But if you knew Who you were talking to, you'd ask Me for a drink."
Why she said, "How can You give me a drink?" In other words, "The well's deep, and You have nothing to draw with," and so forth. The conversation went on and on.
E-22 Now, I have my own opinion what Jesus was doing. See? He was trying to catch her spirit. And so when He--He finally did, He said, "Go get your husband, come here."
She said, "I don't any husband."
Said, "That's right. You've had five. And one you have now is not your husband."
Now, what if that in New York today? Well, they'd say, "You know what? That Guy is a good polish up soothsayer; that what He is." Well, they called it the same thing then; said, "He's Beelzebub." Well, He said... She...
What did she class it as though. This woman, let her be whatever she was; she said, "I perceive that You are a prophet." She said, "I know that the Messiah (Now watch, the One were talking about tonight.)... I know when Messiah comes, He will do these things. He will tell us these things. But I know that You're a prophet." And she run into the city and said, "Come, see a Man that's told me everything I ever done. Isn't this the Christ?"
E-23 He never told her all that she did, but He told her one thing, and He could told her more if He wanted to, I guess, if God would've showed Him. Now, that's the kind of Jesus He was. He knew where a fish was one time, had some money in his mouth. He knew where two mules was tied where two ways met. He knew where an upper room was to be provided; He told His disciples. That was Jesus of nineteen hundred years ago, is that right?
Well, now do you believe that Hebrews 13:8 is inspired? Do you believe that the God's Word? Well, It says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." If... Do you believe that? Sure, that's right.
E-24 Now notice, if He is, then after while He had to die for the sins of man. But I want you to notice just a little bit, another one Scripture, if it won't tire you to much to listen to this. There's a pool [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... that man was laying on the pallet, and He said, "Wilt thou be made whole." Why, not the blind man, twisted man, the lame, the halt? Never said a word to them. What about the little children? Never said nothing to them, but went over to this man laying on a pallet.
Now, if you know the Scripture, Jesus said He knew this man and he had been in this condition for thirty-eight years. He might've had TB or... It was retarded; it wasn't going to hurt him, wasn't going to kill him, rather. But he--he could walk. He said, "When I coming down, someone else steps ahead of me." He wasn't blind or neither was he crippled; he just had this disease, an infirmity, something in his body. He'd had it thirty-eight years.
And Jesus knew where he was at. Now, I want you to watch that. He knew the man was there. That's the reason He passed all the rest of them to get to that man. And He said, "Take up your bed and go to your house." Then He walked away and left all that multitude of people.
E-25 Was that Jesus of nineteen-hundred years ago? That's still Jesus today. That's right. See? Now, what you think the critics of--of Jerusalem said, "Uh-huh, there's that Healer. I seen Him pass right by where they was screaming and crying. If there be anything godly about Him, He'd have made every one whole. Does look that way, doesn't? But you see, every mortal being on this earth can do nothing in himself."
Jesus now, watch Him when they caught this man packing his bed on the Sabbath. The 19th verse, He said,"Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing in Himself, but what He sees the Father doing." Is that right? Saint John 5:19. "What He sees the Father doing... For whatsoever the Father doeth, He showeth the Son." And Jesus in the words that we'd know it... Jesus say, "Well, only thing I do, I just see a vision, and I just act out the... I just dramatize what God tells Me to do." Is that right? That's exactly the plain interpretation of it today. Jesus said, Verily, verily I say unto you, I can't do nothing in Myself. The Father, I see a vision of what He's doing, then I go do just what He told Me to do. That's the reason He passed through Bethesda. That's the reason He found this man here, 'cause Father had showed Him of that. Look at the resurrection of Lazarus; look at all the rest of occasions, just the same.
E-26 He possess the power to the... There's a woman one time touched His garment, for she had a lot of faith. She touched His garment. He never felt her, because the apostles said everybody was trying to touch Him, and weaving around over Him, and putting their arms around Him. But a woman touched His garment, stood back out in the crowd. She was satisfied, 'cause that's all she wanted to do was touch His garment. And when she touched His garment, she stood out in the audience; Jesus looked around, said, "Thy faith has saved thee." Right out in the audience. Is that right? "Thy faith has saved thee," and she felt then that the blood issue had stopped--stopped.
A man at the Jericho road... The road runs quite a bit from some...?... from Jericho. A blind beggar setting over there; He never heard Him. But he screamed for mercy. His faith stopped Jesus when He had His face set towards Calvary. Going up there, and the people howling and making fun of Him and everything else...?... But the faith of that beggar stopped Him.
The faith of the weakest, poorest, person in here tonight, will bring Jesus Christ on the scene. It will. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever.
E-27 Now, Jesus said, "The things that I do shall you also, even more for I go..." [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
No matter what He did they still doubted Him and tacked Him of the cross. That's right. God's plan of doing it... That's way God knew it would be that way. There's thousands today that would reject It if It was right before them. Millions would reject it. God already said they would, because "Straight is the gate and narrow is the way; but few there will be that'll find It." That right? But Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Now, if He rose from the dead, what was the first thing He did? And I'm closing. There was the man on the road to Emmaus, and Jesus walked right out among those men and talked with them all day long on their journey all the way up to Emmaus. You remember the story? And they said, "Now, His teaching seems... He open up the Scriptures in a new way. Why, didn't our hearts burn within us, 'cause we heard Him as He talked along." And then when He got up to Emmaus, He made like He'd go on, just an ordinary man. And they bade Him to come in. And when He... Once they got Jesus on the inside with them, He made Himself known to them. You get what I mean?
E-28 Now, if you'll just let Jesus... Just get off all your doctrines and things and take what it's the Bible said Jesus was, and let Him... Just lock Him up in your house tonight, with you, and He will make himself known to you.
How did He do it? A little different from what... Just the way He did something, they recognized it had to be Jesus. Is that right? My prayer is tonight that He will come on the scene here tonight, and every night this week, and the next week if we stay, and do something just a little different each night that you'll recognize It's the Lord Jesus Christ that's with us. May His blessings be upon you is my prayer, while we pray.
Now, Father, we ask You tonight, as we're sitting here in hot building, we're waiting upon You. We're thinking in Jerusalem one time, as a little hundred and twenty waiting in an upper room for ten days, until suddenly there came a sound from heaven as a rushing mighty wind. It filled all the house where they were sitting. Cloven tongues set upon them like fire.
Now, Father we pray tonight, that as we move into this meeting, that we'll hear as David did before going to battle, the rustling of the leaves, as the Spirit of God moves on before us. Give us a great meeting tonight. May the Holy Spirit come down in great power. May He heal the sick and the needy tonight. May great signs and wonders be done for the glory of God. We ask this in Jesus' Name, Thy Dear Son. Amen.
E-29 All right. Now, we'll call the prayer line. And... Let's see. Let's... Did you... what cards did you...? From 1 to...? Let's take the... I don't think we go too much room over here. Where do we bring them up, back this side, Brother Baxter? Back around this way? All right. Let's take 1 to 10 and see how--how we get line up, here. Who's got prayer card number 1? Let's see, raise up your hand, ever who has the prayer card number 1, would you raise up your... All right, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
Now, see if they get started out. You--you ushers count them as they come through. Where if there is anybody missing, we could--we can get them. All right. 1, 2, 3... Just line up over here to this side if you will. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, all right, just about three missing. 7, 8, 9, 10, and here they are, right here, 10. All right. I think that... Sometimes if you don't watch it, somebody who can't raise up, and somebody maybe who's deaf and he can't hear, so... All right [Brother Baxter speaks to Brother Branham--Ed.] Yes. That'd be fine Brother Baxter. That's just fine.
E-30 Usually, I have them come from this side. It's--it's not a superstition, but every time that I have ever seen the Angel of the Lord, He appears from this side all the time (See?), from this side. All right that's ten. Now, 15, 15, who has prayer card 15? Or I mean prayer card 11? Let's see, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Let them five stand up. Let's see if we can... if--if anybody has to be packed... All right, there's three of them. All right [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
And I'm going to ask you something, I have made a ruling in my meeting at first, I... And we're trying to move out. How many in here believe that I have told them the truth of the Gospel tonight? Let's see your hands, in the--in the prayer line too. You believe it with all your heart, everywhere? You believe it up in the balconies that it's the truth? You--you... Are you going to help me in the meeting and pray with me now? This maybe our last campaign; we don't know. We don't know just what. But we... We're going to try everything that we can to help you.
E-31 And I'll tell you; it's not here for any selfish motive, friend. It's here to help you, and to help the sinner to receive Jesus first, the backslider to come back to Christ, second. Third, we want you to get well. That's right. But first things must be first. All right.
Billy Paul, Is this the--the patient? Okay. Now, every one reverent and pray with me. When I start praying for the person, you--you pray with me.
All right, sister. Do you believe now that the Lord Jesus would make you well with all your heart? You believe that whatever I'd ask Him that He would do it? You do. Have you ever been to one of my meetings before? You've been... Yes... You see how He tells things and knows things about people. You understand that? If I didn't even say a word to you but just prayed for you, you believe you get well anyhow, don't you? You believe. I believe you would too, sister. Let's bow our heads just a moment.
Kind heavenly Father, I ask You to be merciful to this dear woman, and may she be healed tonight by Thy power Divine. And may Thy mercies be upon her and make her well. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I ask this to be. Amen. Now, do you believe that the back trouble's left you? All right. It has.
E-32 Come lady. You believe with all your heart? 'Course, I see you have a goiter on your neck. That's to be seen. 'Course, do you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ would be here would make you well if I... Do you believe He could tell me about your life if He wanted to? He could. He wouldn't necessarily have to would He? No, no, it left you. But you believe if I just ask prayer for you that you'd get well. Would you come back and testify in the meeting? If you could go home tonight, and eat and get over that stomach trouble, you--you--you feel good about it too? Wouldn't you, wouldn't you? Now, you can do that. You just go eat now.
Lord Jesus, I pray that you bless this woman, and may she go and be made well. For Your glory, I lay hands upon her in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. Now, go eat and come back tell me...?... And watch your goiter go away...?... All right.
E-33 Do you believe with all your heart, sister? You believe that the Lord will make you well? Would you be willing to come back here and testify to the glory of God, if He'd made you well? God bless you, God bless you. Now, heavenly Father, let Thy mercies and blessings rest upon the woman, and as she goes from here tonight, may she go rejoicing, and happy, and made well, as I lay hands upon her in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. Now, go rejoicing, that's it. She's here from out of town. But she got healed. That's all right.
Come, lady. You believe with all your heart as you come? You believe that God is here to make you well? You believe if we ask Him... Look at the people out there praying for you. Oh, around a thousand people I guess is praying for you. Do you--you believe that right here now under the power of the Holy Spirit, that He'd make you well? How many in the audience is believing this will all their heart now? I'm asking you to come back and testify.
Lord Jesus, as I lay hands upon the woman, I ask that she be made completely whole in Jesus Christ's Name. Grant it, Lord. Amen. God bless you. Now, go rejoicing, be happy.
You believe also, sister, that you'd be made well? 'Course your disease is not dreadful; it's not nothing that would kill you, but it--it's enough to make you feel bad all the time, stiff in your back and can't get up. But do you believe that God will make you well of this here?
Lord Jesus, I pray that you'll heal the woman and when she leaves here tonight, may she go happy and rejoicing, made well through Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. God bless you, lady. Now, go rejoicing and happy.
E-34 Now, friends, you might say, "Well, I don't see nothing happening." There's not nothing on here yet that you could see happen. See? It's just... It's nothing has come to the platform yet that you could see supernaturally. That's just something that don't show. You see? But the people are getting healed. That's exactly right. Now, here for instance, here, so that they might know. Come here. Do you believe, sister, with all your heart? With all your heart? If I didn't say one thing to you, you'd believe It anyhow, wouldn't you? You'd believe if I... All right.
Come here, let me have your hand. I want you to look at mine. See? Now, see how my hand looks. Now, let's see. I want you to put your hand on mine. Now, look at the difference in my hand. See that swelling up there, and them little bumps running over it? Now, what's the matter with you, you got stomach trouble. It's an ulcerated stomach, isn't that right? Now, do you believe Jesus will heal you? I want you to watch... Take your hand off, take your hand off. Now, look how my hand goes back, normal. Now, take this other hand and put on it. Isn't that way, is it? You're just as much human in this hand as you are in that hand, aren't you? See? I put my hand on it. Doesn't bother it a bit, does it? Now, put this hand here, back on here again, watch. Now, see? Now, I want you to watch my hand while I pray. And now, you believe that I told you the truth, and God's going to make you well, and see what happens to the hand. Shall we bow our heads.
Heavenly Father, this poor woman standing here suffering, I ask You to be merciful to her. See her suffer with this demon power that's possessed her and trying to take her over, but Thy art her to liberate her. And I ask for her healing. Come out of her, Satan. In the Name of Jesus Christ, leave the woman.
Now, sister, before I open my eyes or anything else, it's left my hand, hasn't it? My hand's back normal again. If it's right say "Yes." All right. Now, you can raise your head, audience. Something's happened, hasn't it? Now, a few moments ago my hand swelled up and get real red, is that right? Now watch, I take my hand off. Now, put this hand over here, See? Nothing happened. Put this one on now, nothing happened. Something's happened, hasn't? Your stomach trouble is gone. Go eat, that's right. God bless you.
E-35 You must have faith, regardless of whether God says anything or not. See? If you talk to people, sure you find out what's wrong with them. That's exactly right, if you talk to people. But the thing, you don't get it's about three or four through, and then your so weak you can't hardly stand it. Friends, let's just... Just be reverent; don't move around (Please don't.) during a meeting. See, you interrupt; be real reverent.
Now, look here, sir, you believe me to be God's servant? You believe that this... Now, I want to talk to you just a moment. Now, you just look right straight this way, and I'll look off somewhere else, so that they won't think it's mental telepathy. But I want you to look at me, this way, and believe with all your heart.
Did you ever see that picture of the Angel of the Lord, that they got in the picture? We'll have some of them in a few days, if the Lord... You seen it have you, where they take the picture of It down there in Houston, Texas. You realize that something taking place now, isn't it? That something... You feel is strange, kind of a feeling of kindness or like love or something another. It's on you now. That's what that is. That what it is; It's Him that's here anointing moving to you. That's right. You have stomach trouble also, and a--and a diabetic condition. And I'll tell you something else; you only have a half a kidney. Is that right? But you're healed. Your faith's made you well, sir. Go on home. Amen. God bless you, sir.
E-36 Now, I want to ask you something for the audience. We're strangers to one another. We've never seen one another in our life, but when he come up there... When I started talking to you, then all of a sudden, just like a real sweet feeling come over you, is that right? Then all of once all of the relief--relief come it was all over. That's when you where healed. Your faith did it, brother, not me, brother, your faith in Christ, did it. God bless you, all right.
E-37 Come. Now, that's the weakening part. That's what hurts. What's the matter, sister, setting there weeping. Got arthritis, don't you have, the little white hat on setting there. You believe? You got eczema broke out on you also. You believe that God makes you well? All right, stand up on your feet to receive your healing. Now, your arthritis is gone from you, and your faith healed you. You don't have to have it. Now, that's we can... See that's... Just be reverent and pray.
All right. You believe with all your heart, lady? You believe? You don't... You believe that God sent me here to help you? You got heart trouble for one thing, and you're real nervous. I see you trying to get... You're up at night and can't sleep, just rolling around the bed, sleepless, isn't that right? That's exactly right. Go home now; you're going to sleep tonight. Jesus Christ makes you well. Have faith, believe with all your heart.
If I just ask God to bless you and heal you, would He do it? Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll bless, sister, and let her go and be made well for Your glory, in Jesus' Name. Amen. God bless you. Go now, believing.
E-38 All right, come, lady. You believe with all your heart? You believe if I'd just ask Him that you'll... It's a hard one. I guess that's...?... Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll bless the woman, and heal her, and make her well through Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. God bless you, sister, go rejoicing.
All right, come here. You believe with all your heart? O Lord, I pray that You'll heal, sister, and may she go from here tonight rejoicing, and happy, and made well through Jesus' Name. Amen. God bless you, sister, go rejoicing and being happy.
Got gallbladder trouble, haven't you? You believe God, make you well? God bless you. High blood pressure also. If you believe Him with all your heart you can be made well. Go home, God bless you.
You have stomach trouble, sir. But it's gone from you now. You can go home, and eat, and be well, and made happy. God bless you.
You believe with all your heart? Lord Jesus, I ask that You'd heal our sister, and may she go from here tonight, well, through Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. God bless you, sister; go happy and rejoicing.
E-39 Come, sister. Oh, my, such a faith building in the audience now. Now, here He is a moving, the Holy Spirit. Now, there's something wrong with this woman; there's something wrong there in the audience the same way. Its a... It's that man that's setting right there; you go something wrong with your eyes, sir. And also you got a growth on your--on your left shoulder. It's not showing, but that's right. Isn't that right? Raise up to your feet. Got a growth on your left shoulder, and God heals you. And this woman had a tumor and healed her, so you both go and be made well. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ may this leave him and never come again. Amen.
E-40 All right, will you come, sister. Have faith, everybody, right now. Come, come, sister. You believe? Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll heal the woman and make her completely whole for Your glory in Jesus Christ's Name, Amen. God bless you, sister.
You believe you could walk without that? You believe Jesus Christ... Well, put it on your shoulder and walk on across the platform, and take... You don't need it, but... Just take it in your hand like this, and walk across the platform, say,"Thank You, Lord, thank You, Lord."
You believe, sister, with all your heart? In Jesus Name go and be made whole.
E-41 See? You just have to get a little start. That's all you have to do. Just get your faith moving one time. God will do the rest of it. The whole group of you can do the same thing, right now, if you believe it.
Believe, sir? In the Name of Jesus Christ may you be healed and made whole. Amen. God bless you, brother. Go rejoicing.
You that believe God will heal you, if we ask Him? There's something here that knows things, isn't that right? You believe it's the Lord Jesus? Father, I pray that You'll bless her and heal her in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. Go, rejoicing now; be happy. All right.
E-42 Have faith in God. You believe with all your heart, with all your soul? Amen. He--He's real to you, isn't He? Got arthritis in your--arthritis in your leg. Uh-huh. It's in your right leg, isn't? It's in your right leg. You're up for an operation, aren't you? It's... Well, it's... You got a tumor anyhow. A tumor in the womb. Is that right? Doctor says so, so you go to be operated on unless God healed you, isn't that right? Yes, Ma'am. You spell your name... pronounce it Maki, M-a-k-i? Uh-huh. Helma, your first... Miss Helma Maki? And you live at 850 Park Avenue. You go on home. You're going to be made well in the Name of the Lord Jesus.
You believe with all your heart? How many of you would like to be healed right now and made well? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is here? All right. Stand up on your feet in a minute, just a minute. I don't care how crippled you are, how blind you are, stand up on your feet just a minute. Now, lay your hands over on one another, everywhere in here. Now, bow your heads just a minute.
Kind heavenly Father, Your Spirit moving over this little audience tonight, sweeping on out here, knowing that Your Presence is here, and can heal every sick person in the building. Grant it, Lord, this time.
You who are here, humble yourself unto the Lord Jesus Christ. I condemn every sickness, every demon power to be broken that tomorrow night the place would be flooded with testimonies to the glory of God. Lord Jesus, grant this.
And Satan, come out of the people. In the Name of Jesus Christ, I adjure you to leave every one of them. Now, raise up your hands and thank God for your healing. Let the cripples raise up; let the blind go looking around the building; let the lame go to walking, rejoicing, being happy. You're healed every one of you in Jesus Christ's Name. Glory be to God.
I don't feel tonight, like we're strangers, I'm with fellow-citizens and pilgrims of the Kingdom of God, professing that we're pilgrims and strangers of this land, believing we have a better home going to someday, as one by one we cross over the great divide. It separates the mortals from the immortals, and it's called, says, I believe in the Scriptures, "That leaving those things behind I press to the mark of high calling in Jesus Christ." All these mortal things, we'll just leave behind, and press on towards the mark of the high calling in Christ.
E-2 Friends, we're here that the Lord willing for next, I believe, it's about eight or ten nights to be here before going over seas.
We usually make this our jumping-off place. Brother Baxter and I have did this now... This is the third time, I believe. And we're always glad to be in New York to a... 'Course you realize that this is just the outskirts of Jeffersonville, Indiana. It just runs up this far. You see? So my city has twenty-four thousand people in it now. You see? We've jumped up a whole lot from fourteen thousand. So you'll be able to find us on the map down there one of these days if it keeps on growing. But...
Now, I was talking to a man that brought me up just now from my room. He said, "I believe there's about seven million here." You know, that's almost the population of Canada. The entire... All the provinces of Canada. Many people here. Where the people gather together, they have a lot of sin. They have it everywhere. Not only in New York, they have it in little, bitty cities like Jeffersonville, Indiana. They have it everywhere.
E-3 This old world is just getting ripe for judgment now. When we see things that taking place like this at this time... Of all these different kinds of bombs and things. I... Hearing on the radio the other day, that where they can drop, I believe, four across the country here, or out in the sea, destroy the whole world. Just drop two or three down--out here in the Atlantic, and the first thing you know, there wouldn't even be an beetle alive in the whole United States, kill everything. All the buildings would be standing just like they are now...
I tell you, no wonder Jesus said, "Except the work be cut short, for the elect's sake, there would be no flesh saved." I believe we're near something. I'm not one of the people that tries to predict that Jesus is going to come this year or next year. I don't know when He's going to come and know one else knows when He is going to come. We just know what He said to look for. When we seen these signs appearing, then to lift up our head, redemption was drawing nigh. And we see those things now.
E-4 And Brother Baxter and I have made us a policy of trying to do our very best for everybody that we can, as long as we--we have the Light to walk in as we do today. We ought to be very thankful for a place where the Gospel can be preached.
There's many big city in this world, you know, like New York or not quite this big, but many great major cities that you couldn't open up a meeting like this. No, sir. They couldn't do it. And perhaps, we don't want to think this way, but perhaps, soon, it'll be that you won't be able to open up in New York. Communism has honey-coated the world. A great percent, over half of it, almost two-third of the world is already into communism.
What are we Christians doing? Here's the space we've got to go, from here to here. And we've come about this far. Jesus said, "The Gospel must be preached in all the world." But you know our ideas of it: we have tract societies, which is all right. We love that. And the men that's on the street passing out a tract are doing a wonderful work for the Lord Jesus. The Missionaries, all parts of the country... That's a wonderful thing if God's called them.
But what I think the Lord's going to make His message so quick to the world is this: That He's going to send out the power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit that'll just illuminate the whole world just in a few days' time. I believe He's calling a Church, pulling a people, getting them together for this great event that's coming to pass.
E-5 I'm looking for the Gospel, one day, to leave the Gentile people and return to the Jew. I seen a picture the other night of very dear friend of mine on the west coast, a Christian business man, Mr. Arganbright. And he had a picture called "Three Minutes Till Midnight." I've never been the same since then, after seeing this wonderful picture. It showed the answer of all the prophecies pertaining to Jews, how they would return back, and how there'd be an ensign at their return, the six point star David over Jerusalem. How that the water that comes from the country to blossoms as a rose, the desert would, and the Jews returning back. It was just a picture, threw it on a screen... But here was the alarming part, Christians, the ships was coming in, the airplanes coming in. They were bringing in the old, blind, an halt, and withered packed in the... The younger people packed them. So they interviewed a few of them.
They said " Are you coming back to your homeland to die in a homeland?"
"No, we're coming back to see the Messiah."
Oh, you Bible readers know what that means. God just drives them from all parts of the world, right back, just what He said He would do. Now, what they need... Now, the next thing I can see, and I don't claim to know much about prophecy of that type, but I... Only thing that I can see left is a spiritual awakening among the Jews. Gentiles are finished then. Church will be caught up; the Gospel goes to the Jews.
E-6 Now, I want take but just a few moments tonight, just a little introduction. And it's kind of an introduction night to... We get ready and Brother Baxter does the preaching. And I'm sure you all enjoy it. And he is able to do the job real well. Usually, I come in and talk just a few moments to kinda get the feel of the meeting and then we pray for the sick.
Now, tonight for just a little Scripture reading in Saint John the 14th chapter and the 12th verse. We read this... And then for a regular campaign theme is Hebrews 13:8. That's our continue text since we been on the field. But this here we read:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Hebrews 13:8, we read this:
Jesus Christ the same yesterday... to day, and for ever.
E-7 Now, shall we bow our heads just a moment. Kind heavenly Father, we thank You tonight for the privilege that we have of coming into this great city again to minister to Thy needy children. And I pray, heavenly Father, that You will anoint every person that comes into this building with the Holy Spirit. If they are sick, may they be healed. If they have backslidden, may they return to God. If they are unbelievers, may they become believers. Grant it, Father. And may great signs and wonders be done.
Bless all that has a part in this. Bless our Brother Baxter as he speaks day by day and night by night. May he be anointed by the Holy Ghost to preach the Word in the season. We pray that You'll bless all the cooperating ministers, Sister Brown, and all the others. Bless the custodians, and those that are here helping us keeping the lights on, the engineers and all the people who come in. Grant it, Father.
E-8 And may the Message of the Holy Spirit go out into strange homes, that maybe never come to church before and may they be warned and come to church, not because that we're here, Father, but because that Your Spirit is here, and wanting to save the lost, and the needy, and heal the sick.
Now, hide Your servant, Lord, the unworthy one. Help me to know what to do and what to say. Submitting myself to you, just now, that You'll use Your unprofitable servant for Your glory. We ask it in the Name of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Amen.
E-9 Just for a few moments now, then we'll start praying for the sick. We won't keep you long each night, because we have quite a long campaign. And then we just left--left Chicago, where our greatest campaign... And then went from there to the west coast with the Christian Businessmen, on the west coast, where we had a wonderful great campaign. Brother Baxter has been preaching also, in conventions. And we're both real tired. Frankly, just before I come to the meetings, why, I was trying to study and went sound asleep. Now, that's strange for me to do that. And then hurried right on over to the meeting. We're both real tired.
Now, I want to speak of one Person, the complete campaign, and that's the One we're all in love with, the Lord Jesus Christ. I know no one else to talk about but Him. And when it comes to love, and compassion, and whatever it might be, I know no greater Name than the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
E-10 And now, tonight, I would just like to ask this congregation and facing this two week campaign, I'll... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
We ought to kinda take notice to what Jesus said here. There have been many people in their different types of ministry and theology, tries to have a certain routine that they teach, which is very fine. Every church as long as they're teaching something about the Lord Jesus Christ, amen. That's perfectly all right. I like that. And whatever... Let's give every church credit that even names the Name of the Lord Jesus. Let's give them credit.
Now, we might different with them sometime, as all churches do, just like all people do, but we're perfectly interdenominational. Brother Baxter and myself doesn't belong to any organization at all. We're interdenominational, believing that the brotherhood of the--of Jesus Christ.
E-11 Now, I'll give you a little something what Brother and I have tried to do for these past eight years. It has not been so much on Divine healing as people has thought it has been. Many of them have said, "Brother Branham, your meetings are--are just based of Divine healing." No, brother. It's on Divine healing, but not the...?... It's the healing of the Body of Jesus Christ is what we're trying for, to get the--all different denominations of churches to be brothers. Whatever they believe that's all right. Let's join ourself together and be Christian brothers and sisters. That's what our whole heart's desire is to do. And what little influence the Lord has given me, I try to use it that way, and Brother Baxter the same of his influence as a Bible teacher, and me to pray for the sick. And we believe that. We believe that all men that's born again are brothers. That's right. And so we... That's what we stand for.
And now, our theology may be--may be a little bit different for what you would--the regular run of ministry of praying for the sick. We are talking about, Brother and I; we haven't settle on it yet, when we come back from overseas or perhaps a different type of meeting. Frankly, I place it in several of the magazines that teaches Divine healing, an article. That... Its always been that my meeting; I can't get to enough people. And I never stay long enough, but the crowd just grow and grow and grow and then I--about four or five nights, and I'm just about done, because of visions.
E-12 Coming back we're going to try to eliminate them things and just go preach the Gospel and pray for the sick. And whichever way the Holy Spirit will lead, then we'll do it. But visions is what always cut us down, that's always made our meetings so we couldn't set a long time. But this time, the Lord willing, we want to make it four, five, six, seven weeks maybe, two months or whatever the Lord--in one place, just stay there till the Lord says," I'm finish with you here, go somewhere else." And I want you to pray for us to that end.
Now, for our lovely Lord Jesus where our thoughts are centered. Don't never let your thoughts stray from Him. No matter what comes and goes, keep your mind on Him.
E-13 Now, how many in here tonight, would really like to see Him? Would you just love to see Him? I'd like... Brother, I--I--I put my hands up with you. That's my heart's desire to see the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, how I love Him. I... With all my heart, I love Him. If I know anything about my heart, I really love Him. I... When I speak His Name, it just looks to me like that I'm unworthy to say the Name. I think of what that Name has done.
You know what happen when that Name was first mentioned on a mortal's lips, what happen? A little baby that was dead in his mother's womb come to life and received the Holy Ghost. John the Baptist leaped in the mother's womb for joy as soon as--as Mary spoke to Elisabeth out... Said, "I shall bring forth a Son and they shall call His--and call His Name Jesus." And little John leaped in his mother's womb for joy. So you see what the Name means.
E-14 If He was here in New York tonight, where would you think you'd find Jesus in New York? I want to ask you a question. Do you think that Jesus, if He come just in a unveiling Himself like He did in the early days, when He was here on earth in flesh. Do you think New York in whole will receive Him? No, sir. It'd be worse than it was when He come the first time. That's right. They wouldn't understand it. He'd be so much different from our theology, till we wouldn't even... Doubt whether there would just be little handful following, like there was in that day.
He was so different. He does things different; He talked different; His Word was different; His ministry was different; His teaching was different. So they just couldn't understand. They said... And the thing of it was, they--they couldn't understand Him because His work was great and He give God credit. And they finally wound up and said, "Well He's just Beelzebub, the prince of the devils."
Could you imagine tacking that name on the Lord Jesus Christ? But that's what they did. And they said... He--He said, "If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call them, His disciples." So as Christians we can expect to be called anything, can't we? But Jesus Christ knows us if we're born again.
E-15 Now, in Jesus in His ministry... Now, first thing in the translation of the Word tonight, in the Saint John the 14th chapter of 12th verse, He said, "Verily, verily (absolutely, absolutely), I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and more than this (the Word really translated right, "more" not greater, 'cause He raised the dead, stopped nature. Nothing could be any greater than what He did.), but more than this shall ye do for I go to My Father."
Do you believe that's the inspired Word of God? You believe that many of the ages to follow on like that? It was. Now, the same thing that He did, He promised the Church to do, only more of it than what He did. Let's find out what He did.
E-16 And If we can find out His type of ministry, what He had here on earth, and these next ten nights, here, in the--in the arena, if He will--if He will come in our mist and reproduce His Life among His people, will every one of you believe on Him? Will you promise me that? This little group here, of a few hundred setting here tonight, will you--will you promise me that, that you'll believe on Him with all your heart? If He will reveal Himself again, right here in this building, visibly, so you can see it yourself, be convinced yourself, would you believe on Him? Now, we'll find out what kind of work He did.
E-17 Now, we'd like to see Jesus. Many would think, a person in this day, usually you'd see them, if they could do work like the Lord did, why, they'd come out boastfully and oh... But He wasn't that type of person. He didn't boast about anything. He didn't take even any credit for what He did. He give credit to God. Is that right? Why, He said, "It's not Me that doeth the works, it's My Father that dwelleth in Me; He doeth the works." Is that right?
Now, let's just imagine like the Greeks did, they wanted to see who Jesus was, wanted to see Him, rather. So now, let's just look at Him that way tonight.
When He came in His ministry, He was born in a manger, low birth, a people, common people He came from, perhaps very poorly educated as far as the world was concerned. We find out that's what makes the Bible scholars all confused. They try to read the Greek, the Hebrew, so forth, and they apply a certain words, because it would... They apply it to the great words that they used in the high scholarly people, but His real words was spoken just in the language like you use on the street. It's common everyday language. So, it turns them around with translation. So you see, He wasn't no great scholar, as far as the world was concerned, 'course He was God, but He... Just to make Himself some great eloquent speaker, He wasn't.
E-18 And now, let's see the type of ministry He had. Let's just follow His ministry for a few moments now, 'fore we start the prayer line, and ask Him to continue His ministry. Now, when He first come into power, we notice a lot of things that God answered His prayer so much for the sick. He started right off first praying for the sick. Is that right? Signs and wonders begin to follow Him. And then He begin to do things that seemed to be strange to the people. Then He had a great gathering, until He disagreed with their theology of that day; then they cut Him off right there.
Now, in the beginning of His ministry, there was a man name Nathanael got saved and--or Philip, rather. Philip got saved and he went to get his buddy right quick. That's a good sign He got saved, wasn't when you goes tell somebody else about it?
He went to find his buddy, so he was hunting for him, and he found him under a tree, praying under a tree. So he said, "Come, see Who I found, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph."
Why this nice religious man said, "Why, could any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Oh, it was a wicked city. He said, "Could any good thing come out of Nazareth?"
Said, "Come, see." That's the only way to be convinced about anything. Don't you think that's right? I think if we have more Nathanael's around New York...?... will say, Come, see. Come, find out for yourself." See? Come and see; don't judge anything till you look at it and examine it with the Word of God. He said, "Come, see."
E-19 Well, when he came up in the line, I don't know what... Jesus perhaps praying for the sick or whatever He was. He was standing in the congregation. Jesus looked out on the congregation and saw him, or he might've come in the prayer line. I don't know where he was at, but then when Jesus saw Him, He said, "Behold, and Israelite in whom there is no guile." That was a honest, good believer. So, the man kinda astonished, he said, "How did You know me, Rabbi?" or reverend, whatever you want to call... "How'd You know me?"
He said, "Why, before Philip called you, when you were under the tree, I saw you." My, that was quite a something to him, and he run up to Him; he said--said, "Thou art the Son of God; Thou art the King of Israel."
E-20 What do you think would happen today in New York, if such as that taken place? You know what they'd say, "Ah..." Dr. Jones would say, "you know what That is, that Guy is a fortuneteller. It's mental telepathy; that's what it is." Well, did you see Dr. Jones' spirit lived backed in that day. Did you know that? The Pharisees, those great scholars and teachers said the same thing. They said, "He's Beelzebub." The prince of the fortunetellers (See?) he... 'Course fortunetellers are devils; you know that. So he said, "He's a prince of the fortunetellers," the prince of the devils.
Notice Him again. There was... One day He was going down to Jericho; instead of going to Jericho, he went up by the way of Samaria. That's strange. Going up this way, instead of going straight down to Jericho. But He had a need to go by Samaria. Now just a minute we'll find out why He went. When He got up there, He sent all His disciples away into the city to buy some bread. And while they were gone, a woman come out. We in America believe the woman to be a prostitute, and the Eastern teaching is different, but we will take it over in the American, Western phase of it tonight, so it'll...
E-21 Woman, she came out to the well. Well, maybe she didn't get up till at around noontime, or maybe she couldn't come with the rest of the other women was coming to get their water. So anyhow, she come out about eleven or twelve o'clock, when they was gone to get something to eat. And Jesus was setting over on a wall somewhere, till He seen the woman put the bucket in the well or the pitcher to draw out the water. He said, "Bring Me a drink."
Why, she looked over, and it was a Jew. She was a Samaritan. They was just racial in them days, just like in the South today, the white and colored.
She said, "Why, it's not customary for you Jews to ask Samaritans such." In other words where's all the hospitality coming from? Where's all the kindness? "You a Jew asking me a Samaritan, we're suppose to be outcasts. So how You come to ask..."
Jesus said, "But if you knew Who you were talking to, you'd ask Me for a drink."
Why she said, "How can You give me a drink?" In other words, "The well's deep, and You have nothing to draw with," and so forth. The conversation went on and on.
E-22 Now, I have my own opinion what Jesus was doing. See? He was trying to catch her spirit. And so when He--He finally did, He said, "Go get your husband, come here."
She said, "I don't any husband."
Said, "That's right. You've had five. And one you have now is not your husband."
Now, what if that in New York today? Well, they'd say, "You know what? That Guy is a good polish up soothsayer; that what He is." Well, they called it the same thing then; said, "He's Beelzebub." Well, He said... She...
What did she class it as though. This woman, let her be whatever she was; she said, "I perceive that You are a prophet." She said, "I know that the Messiah (Now watch, the One were talking about tonight.)... I know when Messiah comes, He will do these things. He will tell us these things. But I know that You're a prophet." And she run into the city and said, "Come, see a Man that's told me everything I ever done. Isn't this the Christ?"
E-23 He never told her all that she did, but He told her one thing, and He could told her more if He wanted to, I guess, if God would've showed Him. Now, that's the kind of Jesus He was. He knew where a fish was one time, had some money in his mouth. He knew where two mules was tied where two ways met. He knew where an upper room was to be provided; He told His disciples. That was Jesus of nineteen hundred years ago, is that right?
Well, now do you believe that Hebrews 13:8 is inspired? Do you believe that the God's Word? Well, It says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." If... Do you believe that? Sure, that's right.
E-24 Now notice, if He is, then after while He had to die for the sins of man. But I want you to notice just a little bit, another one Scripture, if it won't tire you to much to listen to this. There's a pool [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... that man was laying on the pallet, and He said, "Wilt thou be made whole." Why, not the blind man, twisted man, the lame, the halt? Never said a word to them. What about the little children? Never said nothing to them, but went over to this man laying on a pallet.
Now, if you know the Scripture, Jesus said He knew this man and he had been in this condition for thirty-eight years. He might've had TB or... It was retarded; it wasn't going to hurt him, wasn't going to kill him, rather. But he--he could walk. He said, "When I coming down, someone else steps ahead of me." He wasn't blind or neither was he crippled; he just had this disease, an infirmity, something in his body. He'd had it thirty-eight years.
And Jesus knew where he was at. Now, I want you to watch that. He knew the man was there. That's the reason He passed all the rest of them to get to that man. And He said, "Take up your bed and go to your house." Then He walked away and left all that multitude of people.
E-25 Was that Jesus of nineteen-hundred years ago? That's still Jesus today. That's right. See? Now, what you think the critics of--of Jerusalem said, "Uh-huh, there's that Healer. I seen Him pass right by where they was screaming and crying. If there be anything godly about Him, He'd have made every one whole. Does look that way, doesn't? But you see, every mortal being on this earth can do nothing in himself."
Jesus now, watch Him when they caught this man packing his bed on the Sabbath. The 19th verse, He said,"Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing in Himself, but what He sees the Father doing." Is that right? Saint John 5:19. "What He sees the Father doing... For whatsoever the Father doeth, He showeth the Son." And Jesus in the words that we'd know it... Jesus say, "Well, only thing I do, I just see a vision, and I just act out the... I just dramatize what God tells Me to do." Is that right? That's exactly the plain interpretation of it today. Jesus said, Verily, verily I say unto you, I can't do nothing in Myself. The Father, I see a vision of what He's doing, then I go do just what He told Me to do. That's the reason He passed through Bethesda. That's the reason He found this man here, 'cause Father had showed Him of that. Look at the resurrection of Lazarus; look at all the rest of occasions, just the same.
E-26 He possess the power to the... There's a woman one time touched His garment, for she had a lot of faith. She touched His garment. He never felt her, because the apostles said everybody was trying to touch Him, and weaving around over Him, and putting their arms around Him. But a woman touched His garment, stood back out in the crowd. She was satisfied, 'cause that's all she wanted to do was touch His garment. And when she touched His garment, she stood out in the audience; Jesus looked around, said, "Thy faith has saved thee." Right out in the audience. Is that right? "Thy faith has saved thee," and she felt then that the blood issue had stopped--stopped.
A man at the Jericho road... The road runs quite a bit from some...?... from Jericho. A blind beggar setting over there; He never heard Him. But he screamed for mercy. His faith stopped Jesus when He had His face set towards Calvary. Going up there, and the people howling and making fun of Him and everything else...?... But the faith of that beggar stopped Him.
The faith of the weakest, poorest, person in here tonight, will bring Jesus Christ on the scene. It will. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever.
E-27 Now, Jesus said, "The things that I do shall you also, even more for I go..." [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
No matter what He did they still doubted Him and tacked Him of the cross. That's right. God's plan of doing it... That's way God knew it would be that way. There's thousands today that would reject It if It was right before them. Millions would reject it. God already said they would, because "Straight is the gate and narrow is the way; but few there will be that'll find It." That right? But Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Now, if He rose from the dead, what was the first thing He did? And I'm closing. There was the man on the road to Emmaus, and Jesus walked right out among those men and talked with them all day long on their journey all the way up to Emmaus. You remember the story? And they said, "Now, His teaching seems... He open up the Scriptures in a new way. Why, didn't our hearts burn within us, 'cause we heard Him as He talked along." And then when He got up to Emmaus, He made like He'd go on, just an ordinary man. And they bade Him to come in. And when He... Once they got Jesus on the inside with them, He made Himself known to them. You get what I mean?
E-28 Now, if you'll just let Jesus... Just get off all your doctrines and things and take what it's the Bible said Jesus was, and let Him... Just lock Him up in your house tonight, with you, and He will make himself known to you.
How did He do it? A little different from what... Just the way He did something, they recognized it had to be Jesus. Is that right? My prayer is tonight that He will come on the scene here tonight, and every night this week, and the next week if we stay, and do something just a little different each night that you'll recognize It's the Lord Jesus Christ that's with us. May His blessings be upon you is my prayer, while we pray.
Now, Father, we ask You tonight, as we're sitting here in hot building, we're waiting upon You. We're thinking in Jerusalem one time, as a little hundred and twenty waiting in an upper room for ten days, until suddenly there came a sound from heaven as a rushing mighty wind. It filled all the house where they were sitting. Cloven tongues set upon them like fire.
Now, Father we pray tonight, that as we move into this meeting, that we'll hear as David did before going to battle, the rustling of the leaves, as the Spirit of God moves on before us. Give us a great meeting tonight. May the Holy Spirit come down in great power. May He heal the sick and the needy tonight. May great signs and wonders be done for the glory of God. We ask this in Jesus' Name, Thy Dear Son. Amen.
E-29 All right. Now, we'll call the prayer line. And... Let's see. Let's... Did you... what cards did you...? From 1 to...? Let's take the... I don't think we go too much room over here. Where do we bring them up, back this side, Brother Baxter? Back around this way? All right. Let's take 1 to 10 and see how--how we get line up, here. Who's got prayer card number 1? Let's see, raise up your hand, ever who has the prayer card number 1, would you raise up your... All right, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
Now, see if they get started out. You--you ushers count them as they come through. Where if there is anybody missing, we could--we can get them. All right. 1, 2, 3... Just line up over here to this side if you will. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, all right, just about three missing. 7, 8, 9, 10, and here they are, right here, 10. All right. I think that... Sometimes if you don't watch it, somebody who can't raise up, and somebody maybe who's deaf and he can't hear, so... All right [Brother Baxter speaks to Brother Branham--Ed.] Yes. That'd be fine Brother Baxter. That's just fine.
E-30 Usually, I have them come from this side. It's--it's not a superstition, but every time that I have ever seen the Angel of the Lord, He appears from this side all the time (See?), from this side. All right that's ten. Now, 15, 15, who has prayer card 15? Or I mean prayer card 11? Let's see, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Let them five stand up. Let's see if we can... if--if anybody has to be packed... All right, there's three of them. All right [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
And I'm going to ask you something, I have made a ruling in my meeting at first, I... And we're trying to move out. How many in here believe that I have told them the truth of the Gospel tonight? Let's see your hands, in the--in the prayer line too. You believe it with all your heart, everywhere? You believe it up in the balconies that it's the truth? You--you... Are you going to help me in the meeting and pray with me now? This maybe our last campaign; we don't know. We don't know just what. But we... We're going to try everything that we can to help you.
E-31 And I'll tell you; it's not here for any selfish motive, friend. It's here to help you, and to help the sinner to receive Jesus first, the backslider to come back to Christ, second. Third, we want you to get well. That's right. But first things must be first. All right.
Billy Paul, Is this the--the patient? Okay. Now, every one reverent and pray with me. When I start praying for the person, you--you pray with me.
All right, sister. Do you believe now that the Lord Jesus would make you well with all your heart? You believe that whatever I'd ask Him that He would do it? You do. Have you ever been to one of my meetings before? You've been... Yes... You see how He tells things and knows things about people. You understand that? If I didn't even say a word to you but just prayed for you, you believe you get well anyhow, don't you? You believe. I believe you would too, sister. Let's bow our heads just a moment.
Kind heavenly Father, I ask You to be merciful to this dear woman, and may she be healed tonight by Thy power Divine. And may Thy mercies be upon her and make her well. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I ask this to be. Amen. Now, do you believe that the back trouble's left you? All right. It has.
E-32 Come lady. You believe with all your heart? 'Course, I see you have a goiter on your neck. That's to be seen. 'Course, do you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ would be here would make you well if I... Do you believe He could tell me about your life if He wanted to? He could. He wouldn't necessarily have to would He? No, no, it left you. But you believe if I just ask prayer for you that you'd get well. Would you come back and testify in the meeting? If you could go home tonight, and eat and get over that stomach trouble, you--you--you feel good about it too? Wouldn't you, wouldn't you? Now, you can do that. You just go eat now.
Lord Jesus, I pray that you bless this woman, and may she go and be made well. For Your glory, I lay hands upon her in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. Now, go eat and come back tell me...?... And watch your goiter go away...?... All right.
E-33 Do you believe with all your heart, sister? You believe that the Lord will make you well? Would you be willing to come back here and testify to the glory of God, if He'd made you well? God bless you, God bless you. Now, heavenly Father, let Thy mercies and blessings rest upon the woman, and as she goes from here tonight, may she go rejoicing, and happy, and made well, as I lay hands upon her in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. Now, go rejoicing, that's it. She's here from out of town. But she got healed. That's all right.
Come, lady. You believe with all your heart as you come? You believe that God is here to make you well? You believe if we ask Him... Look at the people out there praying for you. Oh, around a thousand people I guess is praying for you. Do you--you believe that right here now under the power of the Holy Spirit, that He'd make you well? How many in the audience is believing this will all their heart now? I'm asking you to come back and testify.
Lord Jesus, as I lay hands upon the woman, I ask that she be made completely whole in Jesus Christ's Name. Grant it, Lord. Amen. God bless you. Now, go rejoicing, be happy.
You believe also, sister, that you'd be made well? 'Course your disease is not dreadful; it's not nothing that would kill you, but it--it's enough to make you feel bad all the time, stiff in your back and can't get up. But do you believe that God will make you well of this here?
Lord Jesus, I pray that you'll heal the woman and when she leaves here tonight, may she go happy and rejoicing, made well through Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. God bless you, lady. Now, go rejoicing and happy.
E-34 Now, friends, you might say, "Well, I don't see nothing happening." There's not nothing on here yet that you could see happen. See? It's just... It's nothing has come to the platform yet that you could see supernaturally. That's just something that don't show. You see? But the people are getting healed. That's exactly right. Now, here for instance, here, so that they might know. Come here. Do you believe, sister, with all your heart? With all your heart? If I didn't say one thing to you, you'd believe It anyhow, wouldn't you? You'd believe if I... All right.
Come here, let me have your hand. I want you to look at mine. See? Now, see how my hand looks. Now, let's see. I want you to put your hand on mine. Now, look at the difference in my hand. See that swelling up there, and them little bumps running over it? Now, what's the matter with you, you got stomach trouble. It's an ulcerated stomach, isn't that right? Now, do you believe Jesus will heal you? I want you to watch... Take your hand off, take your hand off. Now, look how my hand goes back, normal. Now, take this other hand and put on it. Isn't that way, is it? You're just as much human in this hand as you are in that hand, aren't you? See? I put my hand on it. Doesn't bother it a bit, does it? Now, put this hand here, back on here again, watch. Now, see? Now, I want you to watch my hand while I pray. And now, you believe that I told you the truth, and God's going to make you well, and see what happens to the hand. Shall we bow our heads.
Heavenly Father, this poor woman standing here suffering, I ask You to be merciful to her. See her suffer with this demon power that's possessed her and trying to take her over, but Thy art her to liberate her. And I ask for her healing. Come out of her, Satan. In the Name of Jesus Christ, leave the woman.
Now, sister, before I open my eyes or anything else, it's left my hand, hasn't it? My hand's back normal again. If it's right say "Yes." All right. Now, you can raise your head, audience. Something's happened, hasn't it? Now, a few moments ago my hand swelled up and get real red, is that right? Now watch, I take my hand off. Now, put this hand over here, See? Nothing happened. Put this one on now, nothing happened. Something's happened, hasn't? Your stomach trouble is gone. Go eat, that's right. God bless you.
E-35 You must have faith, regardless of whether God says anything or not. See? If you talk to people, sure you find out what's wrong with them. That's exactly right, if you talk to people. But the thing, you don't get it's about three or four through, and then your so weak you can't hardly stand it. Friends, let's just... Just be reverent; don't move around (Please don't.) during a meeting. See, you interrupt; be real reverent.
Now, look here, sir, you believe me to be God's servant? You believe that this... Now, I want to talk to you just a moment. Now, you just look right straight this way, and I'll look off somewhere else, so that they won't think it's mental telepathy. But I want you to look at me, this way, and believe with all your heart.
Did you ever see that picture of the Angel of the Lord, that they got in the picture? We'll have some of them in a few days, if the Lord... You seen it have you, where they take the picture of It down there in Houston, Texas. You realize that something taking place now, isn't it? That something... You feel is strange, kind of a feeling of kindness or like love or something another. It's on you now. That's what that is. That what it is; It's Him that's here anointing moving to you. That's right. You have stomach trouble also, and a--and a diabetic condition. And I'll tell you something else; you only have a half a kidney. Is that right? But you're healed. Your faith's made you well, sir. Go on home. Amen. God bless you, sir.
E-36 Now, I want to ask you something for the audience. We're strangers to one another. We've never seen one another in our life, but when he come up there... When I started talking to you, then all of a sudden, just like a real sweet feeling come over you, is that right? Then all of once all of the relief--relief come it was all over. That's when you where healed. Your faith did it, brother, not me, brother, your faith in Christ, did it. God bless you, all right.
E-37 Come. Now, that's the weakening part. That's what hurts. What's the matter, sister, setting there weeping. Got arthritis, don't you have, the little white hat on setting there. You believe? You got eczema broke out on you also. You believe that God makes you well? All right, stand up on your feet to receive your healing. Now, your arthritis is gone from you, and your faith healed you. You don't have to have it. Now, that's we can... See that's... Just be reverent and pray.
All right. You believe with all your heart, lady? You believe? You don't... You believe that God sent me here to help you? You got heart trouble for one thing, and you're real nervous. I see you trying to get... You're up at night and can't sleep, just rolling around the bed, sleepless, isn't that right? That's exactly right. Go home now; you're going to sleep tonight. Jesus Christ makes you well. Have faith, believe with all your heart.
If I just ask God to bless you and heal you, would He do it? Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll bless, sister, and let her go and be made well for Your glory, in Jesus' Name. Amen. God bless you. Go now, believing.
E-38 All right, come, lady. You believe with all your heart? You believe if I'd just ask Him that you'll... It's a hard one. I guess that's...?... Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll bless the woman, and heal her, and make her well through Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. God bless you, sister, go rejoicing.
All right, come here. You believe with all your heart? O Lord, I pray that You'll heal, sister, and may she go from here tonight rejoicing, and happy, and made well through Jesus' Name. Amen. God bless you, sister, go rejoicing and being happy.
Got gallbladder trouble, haven't you? You believe God, make you well? God bless you. High blood pressure also. If you believe Him with all your heart you can be made well. Go home, God bless you.
You have stomach trouble, sir. But it's gone from you now. You can go home, and eat, and be well, and made happy. God bless you.
You believe with all your heart? Lord Jesus, I ask that You'd heal our sister, and may she go from here tonight, well, through Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. God bless you, sister; go happy and rejoicing.
E-39 Come, sister. Oh, my, such a faith building in the audience now. Now, here He is a moving, the Holy Spirit. Now, there's something wrong with this woman; there's something wrong there in the audience the same way. Its a... It's that man that's setting right there; you go something wrong with your eyes, sir. And also you got a growth on your--on your left shoulder. It's not showing, but that's right. Isn't that right? Raise up to your feet. Got a growth on your left shoulder, and God heals you. And this woman had a tumor and healed her, so you both go and be made well. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ may this leave him and never come again. Amen.
E-40 All right, will you come, sister. Have faith, everybody, right now. Come, come, sister. You believe? Lord Jesus, I pray that You'll heal the woman and make her completely whole for Your glory in Jesus Christ's Name, Amen. God bless you, sister.
You believe you could walk without that? You believe Jesus Christ... Well, put it on your shoulder and walk on across the platform, and take... You don't need it, but... Just take it in your hand like this, and walk across the platform, say,"Thank You, Lord, thank You, Lord."
You believe, sister, with all your heart? In Jesus Name go and be made whole.
E-41 See? You just have to get a little start. That's all you have to do. Just get your faith moving one time. God will do the rest of it. The whole group of you can do the same thing, right now, if you believe it.
Believe, sir? In the Name of Jesus Christ may you be healed and made whole. Amen. God bless you, brother. Go rejoicing.
You that believe God will heal you, if we ask Him? There's something here that knows things, isn't that right? You believe it's the Lord Jesus? Father, I pray that You'll bless her and heal her in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. Go, rejoicing now; be happy. All right.
E-42 Have faith in God. You believe with all your heart, with all your soul? Amen. He--He's real to you, isn't He? Got arthritis in your--arthritis in your leg. Uh-huh. It's in your right leg, isn't? It's in your right leg. You're up for an operation, aren't you? It's... Well, it's... You got a tumor anyhow. A tumor in the womb. Is that right? Doctor says so, so you go to be operated on unless God healed you, isn't that right? Yes, Ma'am. You spell your name... pronounce it Maki, M-a-k-i? Uh-huh. Helma, your first... Miss Helma Maki? And you live at 850 Park Avenue. You go on home. You're going to be made well in the Name of the Lord Jesus.
You believe with all your heart? How many of you would like to be healed right now and made well? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is here? All right. Stand up on your feet in a minute, just a minute. I don't care how crippled you are, how blind you are, stand up on your feet just a minute. Now, lay your hands over on one another, everywhere in here. Now, bow your heads just a minute.
Kind heavenly Father, Your Spirit moving over this little audience tonight, sweeping on out here, knowing that Your Presence is here, and can heal every sick person in the building. Grant it, Lord, this time.
You who are here, humble yourself unto the Lord Jesus Christ. I condemn every sickness, every demon power to be broken that tomorrow night the place would be flooded with testimonies to the glory of God. Lord Jesus, grant this.
And Satan, come out of the people. In the Name of Jesus Christ, I adjure you to leave every one of them. Now, raise up your hands and thank God for your healing. Let the cripples raise up; let the blind go looking around the building; let the lame go to walking, rejoicing, being happy. You're healed every one of you in Jesus Christ's Name. Glory be to God.