E-1 “…in there. I’ve got to cast the net till every fish is took out; you know every one is yours.” He said…I said, “I’ll bring them out, then they’re—they’re yours then. I present them to you.” But I said, “You ain’t going to get them out of there unless you seine them out.”
E-2 And that’s what preaching is to do, is to seine them out. And we cast the net in here, and maybe the Lord say, “Well, throw your net in on this side.” And we’d throw in there, and pull out. Well, in there, we don’t get, maybe, but just a fish, or two, in that altar call. And maybe some of them come up, and go on back out in the world, don’t make any difference to them. Well, we done our best.
E-3 We go to the next hole, and cast our net in and pull out of there, and see what we can get in that one. Maybe don’t get a thing in that one. Maybe a bunch come to the altar. None of them held out; so that’s—that’s up to the Lord, you see.
E-4 So we go to the next hole and cast in, maybe get a whole bunch of fish in that one.
E-5 We’d see, then, after all, see, we just—we just go and throw our net in, that’s all. See? The Lord has predestinated us to preach the Gospel, predestinated them who will hear It, to Eternal Life. Now we’ve got to throw the net, that’s right, see, whatever the—whatever the Lord’s is. Here, they all laying around the altar, “Now, Lord, there they are. I done my best. Here is the Gospel net, got them, every one caught. You know what is fish. And You know what is turtles. And You know what is snakes. And You know what’s frogs. And You know what’s, what it is. It’s Yours, to do the picking out.” But we just cast the net.
E-6 He seen it, but he didn’t admit it. Well, that’s all right. Yeah, just as long as they…you present it, all right.
E-7 Now, looks like everybody is singing songs about a white Christmas, and praying for the same. We may have it, looks like. This keeps up, we may have the white Christmas. And Christmas is the time of year…
E-8 I just wish it could be Christmas all the time. Everybody seems to be so friendly around Christmas time, wanting to help one another, and everything. Everybody down on the street, say, “How are you, brother?” Other times of the year, won’t even speak to you. So I…It’d be good if it stayed Christmas, (wouldn’t it?) just Christmas all the time.
E-9 And the fact of all the error and everything there is about it, there is something about it that the world tries to make it an X-mas, you know. And, but God has still got a Christmas in it, somewhere, hasn’t He? He sure has. He’s got something about it, just the very names, and the thoughts of the birth of the Lord Jesus. Oh, the world has put Santa Claus in His place, sure, but not to the Christian. It’s still a Christmas.
E-10 Now, the Christmas is not a Protestant holiday. It’s a Catholic day. The 25th of December was months and months before our…after…or before our Lord was born. Our Lord was born in April. But He wasn’t born in December. If you’ve been in Judaea, in December, it’s colder than this, so—so you know He wasn’t born in December. And it’s spelled, it’s C-h-r-i-s-t-m-a-s, a mass for Christ. It’s the Christ-mass.
E-11 We only have one Protestant holiday in America, and Mr. Roosevelt changed that for us. Uh-huh. That’s Thanksgiving. The rest of them are all Catholic days, every one of them. See? Mr. Roosevelt changed that for us. So we just have it on every Thursday, or some week, or something like that. It isn’t on a regular set day anymore.
E-12 So see what a bundle we got! The whole world has become a conglomeration of—of muck, and sin, and despair. And ever…It’s got to get that way, to blow up. See. The whole thing has pulled all the ties out, all the iron and stuff, to make ships and bridges, and so forth. What God put it together with, and welded it together, and mend it together like this; taken all the gas and oils and things, out of it, like that, to burn, and the gasoline in the cars, and so forth. And pulling all the coal out, to make electricity. See? You just hauling it out, till it’s just become a hull, just with streaks, and things out of it like that. And then the people has just become so sinful, till just ‘come a great big muck, till it’s just like it was in beginning, “God grieved that He ever made man.” It just takes one little atomic jar to set the whole thing out of order there. Just exactly what He said would do, you see.
E-13 So we’re just living in that day, and happy to be a Christian. Oh, my! My, what could I do if I…I believe I’d go wild, if I wasn’t a Christian, looking at the thing. I don’t see how people can stand it. I just don’t understand how a man can walk on earth, today, without being a Christian. I wish anybody would give me a reason, some reason, why not to serve Christ. I—I—I…You can’t give a sensible reason. See? We’re just…This is the day that we all ought to be happy, and ready, the great Homecoming time is at hand.
E-14 And, oh, my, there’s just, “Tene, Tene, Tekel, Upharsin,” wrote on every nation, every wall, everywhere. Every democracy, every kingdom, everywhere else, is falling. “Thou art weighed in the balance, and found wanting,” kingdoms has. Kings has failed. And dictators has failed. Democracy has failed. Churches has failed. Human beings has failed. Everything has failed.
“You say, ‘Churches’?” Yes, sir.
E-15 One of the biggest failures in the world is the church. That’s right. Churches has miserably failed. Everything has failed. “But we receive a Kingdom which will not fail; Jesus Christ.” It cannot fail. And we’re so happy for that, that it’s not a church affair. It’s an individual affair. It’s not whether my church is saved; it’s whether I am saved. It isn’t whether my deacon is saved, or my pastor is saved, or my mother is saved; it’s whether I am saved, or not. Myself, I must be saved. Then I must tell them. And then, if they’re saved, wonderful; if they’re not, I must still remain saved. That’s, I must obtain my salvation. Oh, what a wonderful day!
E-16 Too, I—I think, every day, pretty near, on Eddie Perronet’s song, that my hope…No, it wasn’t Eddie Perronet. I forget who wrote it. “My hopes is built on nothing less than Jesus’ Blood and righteousness.” Isn’t that a wonderful song? “All around my soul gives way, and He is all my hope and stay.” See? “On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand.”
E-17 When little Doctor…forget his name, was…he was preaching the Power of the resurrection of Christ, was in, you know, a great formal church in New York City, not long ago. I had it, in the paper, where it was cut out. And his congregation was all against him. He believed in the supernatural, the resurrection of Christ, the Eternal Life, the baptism of the Spirit to give Life to the individual believer, and signs and wonders.
E-18 And his congregation was fixing to put him out. And he had…They had a lease there. He had some option that he could stay at this church for so long, and, oh, they just—they just sit there and soured down on the man preaching. But he was convicted that he was right. He was a sick man, too, had, and he said…No, he wasn’t a sick man. I beg your pardon. He—he just died, at the pulpit, but he wasn’t a sick man. So he…They, they grieved him to death. And so they just soured down on him and wouldn’t listen to him, and everything. He just kept on preaching the Truth. And they said…
E-19 They, they had just a social religion, “Oh, we come together. And Mrs. Jones, over here, belongs to here, so we come together. We have our little tea parties and everything.” It’s just a social affair, but he believed that that was nonsense.
E-20 “That, we should come together and be born again.” And they made fun of him, and everything, about his religion, everything.
E-21 And one morning, while standing there, crying at the pulpit, preaching that Jesus Christ was a reality, he had a heart attack. And he—he—he started falling, and he stood back like that. And some of them…He had a couple of doctors in his audience, so they come picked him up. They put the thing on his heart. They said, “He’s got a heart attack.” Said, “Sir, you’re—you’re—you’re dying.”
He said, “Am I dying?”
Said, “Yes.”
Said, “Have two of my faithful deacons to come here.”
E-22 They come around and lifted him up. And they said, “Now what does this new religion, this thing that you’re talking about, mean to you now?”
E-23 And he said, “Now turn me loose.” They turned him loose. He lifted up his hands. He said, “On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand! All other grounds is sinking sand!” And as he did, he staggered backwards like this. There was a cross hanging behind him. He throwed one arm over one cross, and one over the other side, like that. Said, “All other grounds is sinking sands! All other grounds is sinking sand.”
E-24 Thought, “O God, that’s the way!” That’s it. That’s it, died on the cross, you see, for…All other grounds is sinking sands. Christ is the only hope we have. Our faith is built on nothing less.
E-25 Now, this morning, I was going to go into the Book of—of Hebrews, the 7th chapter. Being that hearing these testimonies this morning, and our requests for prayer, I thought I’d just change it, from teaching on “Melchisedec being the Priest, the order made after the high priest, remaineth a Priest forever.” And come back over in the Gospel, or the Acts, rather, and speak, or teach, this morning, on Divine Healing, instead, because being so many people that’s—that’s sick.
E-26 I just heard them requests. I was sitting there, fixing, reading, studying on this here 6th chapter of—of Hebrews, where Melchisedec the King of Salem, the King of Peace, and so forth. Now I begin to hear all…I heard him, Brother Neville, ask if anyone…I begin to hear, “My mother; my baby; my this; my…”
I thought, “Oh!”
E-27 Something just said, “Go back over into the New Testament now, over into one of the…” And I turned over here then, begin to read. The Acts, the 4th chapter, is where we’re going to start from this morning, to read. Just don’t know why, but the Holy Spirit wanting me to—to change this, over, to teach on this. Not knowing what to say, of course, never, but just being submissive to the Holy Spirit.
E-28 Now, everyone heard where the next meeting will be. We begin at—at Chicago, the Philadelphian Church, and from there to some auditorium. I don’t know just where, yet. We’re just going to begin. I may be there a day, and I may be there six months. See? Just to begin, and stay till God says, “This is enough,” then I move somewhere else. And we begin on the 12th day of next month, the 12th day of January, at the Philadelphian Church in Chicago. And then we’re hoping soon to be in Phoenix and out in the West, and around, as the Lord will provide.
E-29 And I am desperately in need of prayer, of you peoples to pray for me. And I…not for health. I’m very thankful and grateful for my good health, the Lord has given me. And I’m healthier and better, I guess, than I ever was and have been, for the last few years. And I’m grateful to Almighty God, Who He alone gave it to me, you see. Cause, everything, all others, just failed, and said I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t make it even to Mayo’s. But I am, this morning, by the grace of God, as far as I know, in perfect health. So, I’m so happy for that. And giving God all praise and all glory, ’cause no other creature, nothing else, could have done it, but Him. So I’m happy for it.
E-30 But, spiritually, I—I’m needing spiritual guidance. It seems to me, all the time, that I’m a failure. I—I just…just something haunting at me, “Oh, you’re such a poor excuse.” Well, that, that’s right, see. I—I know that. But what little I have, I want to do the best that I can with what I’ve got. And I’m longing for more guidance of the Holy Spirit, to know what to do, that’s right.
E-31 Cause, after you get forty-five years old…Course, I realize I keep saying, “Getting old,” but that’s not old. I don’t mean to make some of you people, that’s older than I, feel bad. That’s…Why, here is Brother Bosworth in his eighties, and better man today than I am. But it’s…And, look, old Dr. Ham over there, a hundred years old, and he’s a good preacher, yet. So I got a long, long ways to go, to get to that. And doubtful if whether he’d admit he’s an old man or not. So it’s just…
E-32 It’s, the idea of it is, that, course, now, I’d…If I’m ever going to be at any season, or any age to be the best for the Lord, it’d probably be right now, see. Cause, all the kid things are passed away, and you’re settling down, turning gray, and, you know, just it’s the time of life where you really should be anchored and strong enough yet, and just at your very best; mellowed out, the kid part, and the boyhood beat out, just at the time to enter the field. And if I’m probably ever going to know anything that I have, I should know it now. And I’m so thankful for what He has showed me in His Gospels, and how I’m so glad of that.
E-33 But I—I, yet, I just—I just can’t satisfy myself, somehow. I—I just, something, I hunger for God. I…There’s just something I ought to be doing, looks like, and I just can’t get to doing it right, somehow. Just…It was here, years ago, I used to tell you, I could just reach after something and almost touch it, you see. It just seems to me like there is something else out there, I’m just almost touching somewhere. If I could only hit that spot, and just…that—that would be fine.
E-34 Now, I was asked about the book that Mr. Church wrote, or them things in there. And, oh, many has been calling, asked if I was going to say anything about it, and everything. No, I ain’t saying nothing about it. Just let it alone, see.
E-35 Listen, I’ll probably be preaching Divine healing when Mr. Church is buried. So now, see, Divine healing…When me and Mr. Church, both, is laying in our graves, God’s Bible will still be preached, teaching Divine healing, and people will be practicing it. So, it doesn’t make any difference. That’s…it’s too bad that we American preachers hasn’t got enough to do but just go around and argue with one another, pick a fuss, to stir up something, you see. When, God’s Word declares Divine healing. And they have done it, from the ages all the way through, and it always will be that way.
E-36 And as far as believing the Word is inspired, I believe that every iota in that Bible is inspired. There is none of It…
E-37 Let me just pass a little something to you here while we’re thinking of it. You know what makes Protestants turns Catholic? Is because the Catholics believes this Word is inspired. The Protestant believes some parts of It is inspired. The part he wants It to be inspired, “It’s inspired; the rest of It is not inspired.” If It hits his doctrine, “It’s not inspired.” See, that’s the Protestant.
E-38 The Catholic says, that, “It’s all inspired, every bit of It, but their church is over the Word. So, make any different what the Word says, it’s the church.” Therefore, I couldn’t conscientiously be a Catholic.
E-39 Nothing against Catholic people. They are my friends. And if they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, they’re my brethren, and accept Him as personal Saviour.
E-40 Now, the churches is what I mean. I could…I disagree with the Catholic doctrine. I could not be a Catholic in that manner, the Roman Catholic church, because, they, “The infallibility of the pope; and the church over the Word; and the church being above the Bible.” I couldn’t do that.
E-41 I can’t conscientiously be a Protestant, because I can’t take part of the Word and say, “Part of It’s inspired, and this part is inspired; this meant something else, and this.”
E-42 I’m a Bible worshiper. I believe that that is God’s Word. There is nothing over It, never will be. And as long as there is an Eternity, It’ll still be the Word of God. See? I believe that is. Now, I…
E-43 There may be things there that I don’t understand. Maybe things that I can’t bring to pass, with my little weak faith I have. Maybe I can’t bring it to pass, but it’s still the Truth. It’s God’s Word. It’s God’s Word. Regardless of what anyone else says, I believe It to be the Word of God.
E-44 And I believe that in There is the—the Seed. This is a basket full of Seeds. And I believe that the Holy Spirit takes that Seed and sows it into our hearts, like that. Don’t you believe that? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] And we become His children.
E-45 So, therefore, I’ve got to believe. If there’s one Word not inspired, then I couldn’t trust the Book. I couldn’t believe It, ’cause, if This part is not inspired.
E-46 Mr. Church said, “Certain parts of the Bible is not inspired, like Mark 16, and so forth.” Says, “It’s not inspired.”
E-47 Why, I met his Methodist minister friends, right in New Albany, and they disagreed with him, by a hundred million miles. They said that they “couldn’t stomach that.” And a Presbyterian preacher standing there, said, “Well, brother, I—I don’t know what’s the matter with the man.” See? Now, he said, “Well, now look, he…”
E-48 I said, “That’s what makes Catholics. That’s what makes the Protestants what they are, a weak bunch of nothing.” See? I said, “That’s what it is, because they have no hopes. They can’t build their hopes on this Bible, ’cause, ‘Part of It is inspired; part of It is not.’”
E-49 Then, no wonder that Mohammedan…Dr. Reidhead, when he was standing there, and asked the Mohammedan why didn’t he accept the resurrected Lord Jesus. He said, “Well,” he said, “let me see you teachers make your Word come to pass, what your Jesus said would do.”
E-50 He said, “Oh, you’re referring to Mark 16.” He says, “That’s not inspired.”
E-51 He said, “What kind of a Book you reading?” He said, “Our Koran, every bit of our Koran is inspired.” That’s the Mohammedan Bible. Said, “It’s inspired. We believe every word of it. And everything that Mohammed promised, we can make it say so.” That’s right. Said, “Now you—you people make this Bible say so.” Said, “Now, if It ain’t inspired, then you ain’t got nothing.” See? There you are. Said, “You haven’t got a thing but a little theory in your mind.” Well, the man is exactly right. Let it be a pagan, let it be a heathen there; he is exactly right.
E-52 But I say It’s inspired, and every Word of It is the Truth. Every Word of It is the Truth.
E-53 And let me show you something. Jesus Christ said, when He wrote the last chapter in this Bible, He said, “He that will add to, or take out of this Word, the same will be taken out of the Book of Life.” Is that right? “Who adds to It, or takes away from It.
E-54 Therefore I believe, with all my heart, that from “In the beginning” of Genesis, to “Amen” in Revelation, is inspired of God. It’s every bit the Truth. There’s not one Word of It wrong. It’s all the Truth. I believe every Word of It. I don’t want to take away, or add any. Don’t need no more; I just need That. And That’s just what I need.
E-55 What do you think about that, Gene? You think that’s about Truth? I believe It is the Truth, every Word of It, so we just believe It that way.
E-56 Now, if you get men with narrow vision, in America. Look here, friends, where we’re arguing about being Methodist, or Baptist, or Pentecostal, and on evidences, and all these other things. Thousands times thousands, every day, are dying, that never heard of Jesus Christ. That’s right. About a hundred and forty thousand people die every day, unconverted. And we’re arguing whether you must speak with tongues, or whether you must shout, or whether you must belong to the Methodist, or Baptist, or Pentecostal church, little old things. And us preachers, lazy, laying around here, doing nothing, around over America, preaching to people has been preached to, over and over and over. It’s like combing through, and combing through, and combing through. That’s it. And millions in the other land!
E-57 And Jesus, the very last commission He give, was, “Go into all the world, and preach this Gospel to every creature.” Can you see then, friend, why I can’t stay home? There is just something in me, tearing me to pieces. I—I realize something has got to be done, brother, sister. We…I—I can’t do it, myself. And I—I don’t know what…
E-58 I see these missionary societies, and how they fold up and fail, and everything else, over there, because they got the wrong thing to go with. Over there, with theology. Well, them people laughs at that. You can’t go over there with theology. They don’t even believe that stuff. You’ve got to show them that God is God. That’s right.
E-59 And what can a person do? I don’t know. But I know, one of these days, it’ll all be over, and the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and say, “Time shall be no more.”
E-60 I think of when Daniel was standing there on the banks that day, and he saw that vision. And an Angel come down, clothed in the sun, a rainbow over His head. He put one, land, had one foot on the land, and one on the sea; and raised up His hand, and swore by Him that lives forever and ever, that, “Time shall be no more.” See? Hum! I—I…That’s got to happen, one of these days. Every Word of It is going to be just as He said It was.
E-61 So, then, and then what am I going to do then? What are you going to do then? See? You’re responsible, just as I am responsible. We’re all responsible. We’re responsible for the death of Jesus Christ, every one of us, until we have accept Him as personal Saviour, then work for Him with all of our heart. If God has given us something to do, we fail to do it, then God will require it at the end of the day.
E-62 Oh! So, God, give me faith, give me—give me courage. Encourage me!
E-63 I get so easy to become discouraged, you see, because I see things and it’s wrong, and I—I can’t straighten it. There is no need of me trying to do it. There is just no need. Just like arguing with that brother about his book. You never get nothing by arguing.
E-64 Here not long ago, A. B. Neums…You know him; the man that died last week. He was going over me, just raking me over the coals and things, about Divine healing. Now, Brother Neums is a good man; I trust in Glory, today, with the other saints of God, shouting the victory.
E-65 Now, what attitude he taken towards Divine healing, I don’t care if every preacher, pope, and everything else, would raise up and condemn Divine healing, tomorrow I’ll be preaching Divine healing. That’s right. See? Because why? It’s in the Word. It’s God’s Word. It’s what God said. It ain’t…I’m responsible for what God said. And I’m responsible, as a minister, to preach what God said, and call It the Truth.
E-66 I was going over to get Brother Boze. I turned on the radio. I like to hear Brother Neums; he’s a good preacher. And I went over to hear him. And on the road over, oh, my, he was raking Divine healing, as fanaticism, and devils and everything else. And he said, “For instance, the Bosworth brothers.” He said, “When I was…they…I was with them when they was in their best, when they were young men, just both kids.” And said, “They both died, nothing but boys.” Said, “If there would be anything of Divine healing, what about that?”
I thought, “Oh, Brother Neums! My!”
E-67 He said, “Aimee McPherson died, nothing but a girl, see, just a young kid.” And Aimee was an old woman when she died.
E-68 So I thought, “Oh, my.” Well, I went on out, and I thought, “I know that he has made such a error.” So I went out to—to the—to the airplane place over there, and I—I went in. I called him up. I said, “Brother Neums?”
He said, “Yes.”
I said, “This is Brother Branham.”
He said, “What do you want?”
E-69 And I said, “Brother Neums, you made a little mistake this morning, that’ll hurt you, if you don’t watch, brother. I believe you’d do the same thing for me. But you spoke and said, ‘The Bosworth brothers died when they were both young kids.’”
He said, “They did.”
E-70 I said, “Brother Neums, B. B. is in Detroit now, holding a—a meeting. And F. F., Fred Bosworth, is my manager.” And I said, “He is nearly eighty years old. He is in Miami, at the time.” And I said, “Brother Neums, two years ago, we held a revival right here in Louisville, together, where thousands of people come and listened to Brother Bosworth.” And I said, “His picture goes out through thousands of people, around over the land here, and everything, his articles and things.” I said, “He is living today, and in the very best of health.” I said, “A strong man here, at nearly eighty years old, still preaching the Gospel; just returned from Africa, with me.” I said, “That’s the truth.”
E-71 I said, “Brother Neums,” I said, “I believe you’d do the same thing for me.” I said, “Well, you—you’ve got a great revival message here on the radio, and so forth. You got…You—you got all the…and lots of people listening at you. And, Brother Neums, if they find out…And they know that, thousands of people is listening at you, knows Bosworth, right now.” I said, “You make such a statement as that, it’ll hurt your ministry, and we’re brothers. You shouldn’t do that.”
Said, “I’ll straighten it up.”
E-72 Now, see, there’s no need of fighting. God takes care of all things, you see. Don’t do it. Just love. Return good for evil, all the time. Is that right? When anybody speaks good about you; well, be thankful. If anybody speaks bad about you; bless them anyhow. Sure. That’s right. Let…God takes care of the rest. He’s the One. Isn’t that right? He is the One. So, after all, we all got to answer to Him.
E-73 And no matter what it is, if your arch-enemy…If you got any feeling at all, and the worst enemy you got, that you know was going to go to a place like hell, it’d make you feel bad.
E-74 I don’t know of a person, I don’t…can’t think of the lowest person in the world, today, that it was Stalin up there, whoever it was, I would hate to know that man was suffering in the torments of hell this morning. I’d hate to know it. I sure would. I pray God have mercy upon his lost soul, as he died, see, that God won’t let him suffer like that,…?…Think of a human in the torment of hell, that the Bible pictures here to the unbeliever. Just think, a human being, why, I…It’d make a stone heart to want a man to go to a place like that. I’d do everything I could to keep him out of it. I sure would. And feel sorry for him, to the depths of my heart, if he went to a place like that.
E-75 Now, you can see a brother doing wrong, and—and try to guide him, but if he won’t listen, then the only thing to do is love him, anyhow, and pray for him. Isn’t that right?
E-76 Now, how many loves Him with all your heart? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] With all your heart, just love the Lord. That’s just good. Now keep that up. Just keep that up. And just want to love Him more.
E-77 Now, this morning, in the blessed old Word here! Oh, it’s such a marvelous, thing to read this—this New Testament, Old Testament, any of It. But, the 4th chapter of Acts, this morning, where we start for a little preview now. We’re going back. This is during the time that the church had just been rekindled. And this is the time that we like to speak of.
E-78 Now, somebody, don’t let me speak too long. I got a funeral service right immediately after the service here, at Coot’s Chapel, this afternoon at two o’clock, a Mr. Underwood. And tomorrow afternoon, a Mr. Tinsley, our neighbor here, died yesterday. And so, eighty-five years old, and so I have his funeral tomorrow.
E-79 I just asked Sister Gertie if she’d come with the hymn for me, to play one, ’cause I don’t think they even have a song or anything for this afternoon, the people, I guess. And I’ll ask Sister Gertie if she’d come play for me, this afternoon. Maybe we can get fixed for tomorrow, for Mr. Tinsley’s funeral.
E-80 Now, in the early age of the church here, this first group of people, they had all…
E-81 Israel had been kind of beat down, for years and years, but now it had come to the place that Messiah had come and give them a hope, on this Lord Jesus. But, beginning, He was persecuted, made fun of, spit upon, called “holy-roller,” everything, or “just fanatic, Beelzebub, the devil,” and everything else. But He had one purpose, and that was to do the will of God. And regardless of how many people was against Him, still He come that the Word of God might be fulfilled. Is that right? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] See?
E-82 Now look at the scholars and teachers of that day. Why, they were scholars beyond anything that we could produce today, as far as scholarship. And, as far as holiness, why, they would make the holiness church today feel ashamed of themselves, when it come to holiness. They really had to live holy. They lived a separated, consecrated life. Like Roman Catholic priests, today, not hardly like them, ’cause they’re out in parishes. But all these had to be in one place, right there in the temple; thousands times thousands of them in there, separated, consecrated, just like the Vatican City.
E-83 And they were scholars of the Scripture. They had to know it all, just letter by letter, by letter. And they were so perfect at it, even a crook in a letter would just make a whole difference in everything. They had to “touch not, handle not.” And even if they were…They had to be…The Bible said, “They were found blameless.” Now, that’s really knowing it, isn’t it?
E-84 All them, and, yet, having their heads set strong on one solid thing that they had been taught, and not willing to be flexible to the Gospel, the whole Power of God, they failed to recognize the Lord Jesus Christ. There He was, and the whole Scripture spoke of Him coming, but they failed to recognize it because they had their own theology. “We are the church! And if anything comes, it comes through us. And we rule the countries and religion. And we are this, and we are that.” Very beautiful picture of Catholicism today. See? “We have everything under our own condition.”
E-85 And then they broke off into little isms, such as Pharisees, Sadducees, different. The Pharisees believed in spirit, and Angel, a resurrection. The Sadducees didn’t believe in Angels, spirit, or resurrection. And they had all kind of—of different sect among them, just like we have today, same thing.
E-86 And here was a man raised up, said, “We’re a great person.” One raised up, as a Jesus, took four hundred men out in the wilderness; they all perished. And then others raised up, saying they were some great person, and led them off on some kind of little cults, and so forth.
E-87 And right in the midst of all that time, the real, genuine article of God come into the world; the real thing. Oh, my! That would start us rejoicing right away. He come, not having cults, not agreeing with cults, not agreeing with the church; but doing one thing, the perfect will of God that was written in the Bible. That’s right. He had His…He knew what the Father had said. He knew the Scripture, by inspiration. So He stayed, regardless of what they said.
E-88 He said, “Why, you hypocrites!” He said, “You make your traditions so binding, and so forth like that. And you, by your traditions, you make the Word of God of none effect.” See?
E-89 Oh, how He laid it to the hewing rock, every bit of it, brother. He went right on, nothing changing. Oh, I like His fearless way. Don’t you? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] Never a time that He was ever a bit upset. He knowed He walked perfectly in the will of God.
E-90 When the storms a raging, the little old boat about ready to sink; He walked out just as cool as He could be, put His foot up on the brail of the boat. And looked up, said, “Peace,” to the Father, “Peace.” Looked out upon the ocean, said, “Be still.” Walked back and laid down. The waves was just as calm. That was Him. Never scared. Never excited. Never fussy.
E-91 They said, “Oh, we know who He is, Beelzebub. We know He does this by the prince of the devils.”
E-92 He said, “If Satan cast out Satan, then his kingdom is divided. And if I, by the finger of God, cast out devils, who does your children cast them out by? You be the judge.” Just as cool as He could be. Never…Why, faith was just a subconscious to Him. He just walked on, ’cause He knowed He was doing perfectly the will of God.
E-93 When He healed the sick, what did the Bible say, the reason He healed the sick? “He healed the sick, that it might be fulfilled.” Why? See? Why? It’s easy to believe anything God says.
E-94 If God says, “Tomorrow, that, there’s going to be so hot, that everybody could go swimming,” it wouldn’t be hard for me to get a swimming suit ready. If He said, “It’s going to pour down rain tomorrow, all day long,” it’s easy for me to take an umbrella with me. Is that right? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] If God says, “It’s going to be a good season next year, that all the crops are going to grow, everywhere,” I can just plant anything, with good faith. See? Is that right? [“Amen.”] God says He’s going to give us a great meeting tonight; I—I’d come without even a text in my mind. He’s going to do it, anyhow. Is that right? [“Amen.”] God said so! That settles it.
E-95 If you’re suffering, just nearly ready to die, and God said, “I am the Lord that healeth Thee.” That don’t waver you a bit; just go on. God said so! See? That’s just that unconscious faith, like, you see. Just go right on, believing it. God said so, and that just settles it.
E-96 Well, it was easy for Jesus, because He knew He “come in the acceptable year,” to do the thing of God, and to preach the Word of God, and to do the signs of God, and to fulfill what God said would come to pass. Well, why can’t the church, today, think the same thing, the very Words that Jesus said! See?
E-97 Cause, we, some, we get back and say, “Oh, the days of miracles is passed. Glory to God. This part is not inspired. That is, but This is not, ’cause them things can’t happen today.” See? That’s the reason we can’t move on.
E-98 Oh, if one great Body of Christ would raise up in love, and respects, you see, and move right on, as one heart in one accord, unconscious of the faith that’s around them! Brother, you’d see a church on earth that would…The Millennium would set in right then. It’s a coming. It’s a coming. Oh, yes. And by God’s grace we’re going to see it. I’m going to be right there. That’s right. God has promised it. I believe Him, so I’ll be right there when it happens.
E-99 Now, now, it broke the disciples’ heart when they knowed He was going away. He said, “I’ll go away. A little while, and the world won’t see Me no more,” He said.
E-100 They said, “What is He speaking? He is the hardest Man to understand.” Nobody understood Him. Why, they would say…He said to His brothers…
His brothers said, “Let’s go up to the feast.”
He said, “I’m not going up.”
E-101 When they left, He said, “I’m going up another way. I ain’t going up with them.” Cause, His brothers didn’t even believe on Him. That’s right. His own people didn’t believe on Him. He said, “I go up another way.” Why, they wondered how.
E-102 And he said, “This Man speaks in riddles. We can’t understand.”
E-103 Way over here in the 17th chapter, he said, “Lo…” Just before He went away into Glory, he said, “Lo, now Thou speakest plainly, and not in riddles, or in proverbs, and so forth.”
E-104 See, they would say, “Now He said this?” Nicodemus, when he was talking with Him, said, “How could a man be born again?” He said, “‘Except a man be born of water,’ all these things, how can it be?” They couldn’t understand. He said, “That Man talks in mystery.” Nobody understood It. Even His own mother didn’t understand Him.
E-105 He was a hard Man to understand, because He was of God, and their mind was of the world. So, He made it altogether different, then. A mind of the world against the—the—the inspiration of God, why, it’s foolishness. But the strange thing, that He had power to do what He said He would do. That’s where it got. And He could do things that other men couldn’t do.
E-106 So then He said, “Now a little while, and the world won’t see Me no more, yet you shall see Me.” Now listen at this, “Yet ye shall see Me.” The “ye,” who was He talking to? Believers. Is that right? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] He said, “Ye shall see Me. For I,” not someone else, “for I will be with you, even in you, to…” “The end of the apostles”? [No.] To how long? “…the end of the world.” All the way through, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
E-107 Now, “I go away. I’ll pray the Father; He’ll give you another comforter, which is the Holy Ghost.” “I,” personal pronoun, which was the body. “I go away. I pray the Father, before I go; the Father is in Me. And He’ll send you another comforter, which is the Holy Ghost. He is in Me now. When He comes, He’ll reprove the world of sin. And the very same things that I do, shall you do. Now, I want you to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.”
E-108 The Gospel is the demonstration of the Power of God. See? The one Gos-…Paul said, “The Gospel come not in word only, but through power and demonstration of the Holy Ghost.”
E-109 “Now go ye into all the world and preach the gospel. Lo, I am with you always, even…” “To the end of the apostles”? No. I mean, “…to the end—end of the world.” “A little while and the world won’t see Me no more. They’ll criticize It, make fun of It, just like they do now,” He said. “But ye, the believer, shall see Me; for I’ll be with you, even in you, all the way to the end of the world.” I’d like to see somebody rub that away? “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever.” “The very things that I do, you’ll do also.”
E-110 Now that’s either right or it’s wrong. And if it’s right, It’ll make it right. And I can prove it, right here, this morning, that it is right, by God’s grace, doing the same things that He did then.
E-111 Now the world stands by, and say, “Ha, the Man has lost His mind. He’s crazy. That ain’t nothing. Them people is just worked up.” See? Cause, that’s the world. Oh, you may have a big name, but that don’t have nothing to do with it. What about up There? See? All right. Now, we believe it to be the same.
E-112 Then, the disciples, they wondered. They said, “O Lord, where goest Thou? Oh, I—I…Where, where is it You’re going, and we can’t go with You?”
E-113 And this 14th chapter of Saint John, He explained it. He said, “I go to My Father’s house, for in There is many mansions. I’ll go and prepare a place for you. I’ll come again to get you, someday, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” And—and He said, “The things that I do shall you do also.”
E-114 Thomas looked at Him, or Philip, rather, and said, “Lord, show us the Father. Who—who is this Father You’re going to?”
E-115 He said, “Why, I’ve been so long with you. You don’t know Me?” He said, “When you see Me, you seen the Father. The Father is in Me. Believe that I and the Father are one. Or, believe Me for the very work’s sake, that the Father is in Me. It’s not Me that doeth the works; it’s the Father that’s in Me, doeth the works.”
E-116 I’m not the Holy Spirit. You’re not the Holy Spirit. But if there’s anything…[Brother Branham points to a minister as illustration—Ed.] He is not the Holy Spirit. But those messages he preaches was not of him. It’s the Holy Spirit in him. Is that right? [Congregation says, “Amen.”] Well, some of these days, this whole, little, old frocky frame of his is going to drop down, but his Holy Spirit and his spirit become one. And as that Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the grave, also brings his body up in the resurrection, you see. So that’s the hopes that we have today.
E-117 So, well, they all got discouraged, and they went up, on the Day of Pentecost. And Jesus told them, said, “Go up there and wait.”
E-118 They seen Him after His resurrection. They thought, “Oh, my, this is wonderful! We see Him raised up.” Even Thomas said, “Lord, I—I…”
E-119 Said to the apostles, first, “I won’t even believe it, ’less I can put my hand in His—in His side.”
E-120 And about that time, Jesus appeared in the room. Said, “Thomas,” said, “come here.” Said, “Touch My hands. Put your hand here in My side.” Said, “Feel Me. Has a spirit got flesh and bones like I got?” Said, “You got anything to eat?”
They said, “Yes, we got some bread and fish, over here.”
E-121 Said, “Give me some of it.” And He stood there and eat it, and swallowed it. Said, “Now, does a spirit eat the way you see Me eat?”
E-122 Thomas said, “Oh, it’s not only my Lord, but He’s my God.” He said, “My Lord and my God!”
E-123 He said, “Now, Thomas, because you’ve felt me, and you’ve seen Me, and you’ve handled Me, and everything, you believe.” He said, “How much better is their faith who never has seen Me and yet believe Me.” See?
E-124 He said, “Now come out here.” He went out. He said, “Now, behold, I send the promise of the Father upon you.” Said, “But tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until you’re endued with Power from on High.”
E-125 He said, “Now I want you to go into all the world, and preach the Gospel; all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.” Is that right? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] He said, “These signs shall follow them that believe; in My Name they shall cast out devils; they’ll speak with new tongues; they’ll take up serpents; they’ll drink deadly things; if they lay hands on the sick, they shall recover.” And when He did that, He—He give them their last commission.
E-126 What was the first commission He ever give to His apostles? You like me to read it to you? It’s found in the—in the 10th chapter of Matthew. Jesus commissioned His disciples. He said, “Go out, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; as freely as you have received, freely give.” Matthew the 10th chapter. Is that right? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] That’s His first commission to His apostles.
His last commission to the apostles…
E-127 That wasn’t only the apostles, now. They chose seventy. That right? Seventy had been chosen. And He give the whole seventy, sent them by two’s, two and two. He said, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; as freely you receive, freely give. Don’t take no money, and a whole lot of changes of clothes, and a big suitcase, but just take off.” Said, “For the laborer is worthy of his hire. Don’t muzzle the ox that tramps out the corn.” Said, “Go ahead.” And then they went out and preached. That was His first commission.
E-128 Then, His last commission was, “Go ye into all the world…” Now, if His first commission was to “heal the sick and cast out devils,” how you going to try to cut off the last commission, which is really more important than the first commission? The first commission was given before Jesus was ever glorified, before the Atonement was ever made. And if Divine healing was the other side of the Atonement, and the Atonement speaking of Divine healing, how can we deny it on this side of the Atonement? Can’t do it. Can’t do it. It just isn’t to be denied. It’s the Word of God.
E-129 And every time, through any revival, any age that they ever had a revival, they had Divine healing and miracles in it. Through Moody, through Sankey, through Wesley, through Knox, through Calvin, all, every one had signs and wonders. But the world has cooled off, see. It was cooled off then, too. But they started a revival. Look at John Wesley. Talk about miracles! Martin Luther!
E-130 Even great men, even like presidents, like Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, all of them! Before Valley Forge, George Washington prayed till his sides was wet, plumb up here, standing in the snow. The next day, three musket—musket bullets went right through his coat and never touched him. See?
E-131 Why, it’s been miracles all along, yes, sir, all the time. God is a miracle worker. And all believes Him, that’s born of Him, has the same mind that was in God; is in the man, for he’s a son of God. And he can’t do nothing else but believe the great and powerful, the Supernatural, because he is a part of that Supernatural.
E-132 Look at God, before there even was an atom in the air, before there was anything, and nothing but God everywhere. He filled all space and all time. He said, “Let there be,” and it was. This world that we live on, is just one of God’s Words speaking out and materialized. Now, if you’re a part of Him, you have to believe that. But if you don’t believe it, it shows you never become a part of Him.
E-133 Listen. It’s not him that wants to get saved, that’s saved. It’s him that’s saved by God’s choice. Esau wanted to get saved, too. He wept bitterly, and couldn’t find no place to repent. He wanted to get saved. It ain’t ’cause you want to get saved. God said, “I’ve hardened who I will harden. I have mercy on whom I want to have mercy.” That’s right. He said, “Before Esau or Jacob, either, was born, not knowing right and wrong,” God said, “I love Jacob and hate Esau.’” And Esau tried to get right with God, and couldn’t. Pharaoh tried to get right with God, and couldn’t do it. So, it’s not you, not what you want. It’s what God has ordained for you to do. That’s right.
E-134 Paul said, in the 9th chapter of Romans there, “Hasn’t the potter got power over the clay, to make an honored vessel or a dishonored vessel, to show His glory to those who He has honored?” You didn’t know that, did you? That’s what the Scripture says.
E-135 Pharaoh tried his best to repent. He was kindhearted. He said, “Sure, I’ll let you go. Go on.”
E-136 God said, “No, you ain’t. I’m going to harden his heart so you can’t do it.” Cause, God’s Word has to be fulfilled. [Brother Branham pats on his Bible—Ed.]
E-137 And if we’re living in this day, when formalities and things has broken the church down, broke away; why, it’s God’s Word being fulfilled. As sure as God said, “These signs would follow them that believe;” as sure as God said these churches would be like they are now, God also said this opposition would meet it. So, the same God that ordained signs and wonders, ordained that these should be persecuting against It. So there you are. If you’re on the other side, I feel sorry. And I want you not to be that way, but maybe you can’t help it. See? God might have fixed it that way.
E-138 I asked you, a while ago, before I said this, how many of you love the Lord? And find out, you was all Christians, to begin with. See? Cause, you cannot be a Christian…This is not for the outside, world. This is for people of the Lord.
E-139 You can’t be a Christian, ’less God chooses you. “No man can come to Me, except My Father draws him. And all that comes, then I’ll give Him everlasting Life, and raise him up at the last day.” God foreordained it, foreknowed it. Before the world ever began, He said He predestinated us in Christ, as sons of God—of God, before the world ever started.” We got to be.
E-140 And because you’ve turned your back, and you seen people who have talked to them; they wouldn’t listen to It. They turn their nose up at It. Yet, maybe ministers, maybe preachers of the Gospel, maybe what you would think was renown Christians, but not even saved. That’s right. Not even saved.
E-141 Look at those Pharisees back there, just as religious, and pious, and clean, and holy as they could be, and Scripture-minded men like that. And Jesus said, “You’re of your father the devil.” See?
E-142 There is things in the Bible that the church don’t know nothing about, friend. Right. See? And you wonder sometime, how these things, “Why does the Bible say this? Why did Jesus say…?
E-143 Peter said, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” And here we have people up at the altar, tarrying for this and tarrying for that, when that would made God’s Word of none effect. God has got to take care of His Word. And the minute you meet His requirement, God will answer His Word that quick. [Brother Branham snaps his finger once—Ed.] Right. Cause, He is there to wait for it.
E-144 But you see people saying, “Oh, unless we shout, or unless we speak with tongues, ’less we dance in the Spirit.” All those things are all right. They’re all right, but they have nothing to do pertaining to salvation; not a thing.
E-145 Cause, as soon as you repent of your sins, if truly God has convicted you, and you’ve repented and been baptized in Jesus Christ’s Name, God is under obligation to give you the Holy Spirit right then, right, ’cause His Word said so. And He can’t…
E-146 It’s nothing on God’s part. It’s your part, because people has been mistaught. Each time they come along, get a little something started, they say, “This is It. This is It.” Oh, my! It isn’t these fleshly demonstrations; they are attributes of the Holy Spirit.
E-147 But, receive the Holy Spirit, is to receive a Person, Christ, then these other things take place in the life.
E-148 We’ve seen people shout, and live all kinds of life. We’ve seen people speak in tongues, and do the same. We’ve seen people go out and pray for the sick, and they’d be healed; and do, live any kind of a life. Jesus said, “Many will come to Me and say, ‘Lord, have not I prophesied in Your Name, preached? Have not I cast out devils in Your Name?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Have not I done these mighty works?’ ‘Yes.’ He’ll say, ‘Well, then, depart from Me, you workers of iniquity. I didn’t even know you.’”
E-149 “It ain’t him that willeth, or him that runneth, it’s the God that had mercy,” the Bible said. He said, “Didn’t I say to Moses, ‘I have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I harden who I will harden’?” Paul said, “No man…Well, you say then, ‘How can He find fault? If He predestinated you to Eternal destruction, how can He find fault?’” Said, “Oh, man, can the thing that’s made, say to Him that maketh him thus? Can’t do it.”
E-150 So you see people that you can’t talk to, and just won’t listen; and won’t listen to the Scriptures, and believing half of It’s right and half of It’s wrong, and yet they do this.
You say, “Could that be ministers?”
E-151 The Bible said so. Said, “Men of old, was foreordained to this condemnation, to take the grace of God and turn It to lasciviousness.” What is lasciviousness? Knowing Truth and won’t walk in It!
E-152 It said, “When the Truth has been presented to somebody, he wilfully turns away from It, he ignores It; there is no more Sacrifice for sin, left for that person.” Why? There is nothing in him, to believe. Do you get what I mean?
E-153 Looky here. How could you feed a lamb, slop? He wouldn’t eat it. That’s right. He wouldn’t eat it, because he’s a lamb. But a pig will eat it. See what I mean? Because, he’s a pig, by nature.
E-154 And all that’s ordained to everlasting Life, will hear the Truth and believe the Truth, and come to the Truth. But those who’ll go to church and be just as pious as the rest of them, yet won’t receive the Truth, because there is nothing in them to blend with It. They can’t believe the Supernatural, for there’s no Supernatural in here to blend with the Supernatural. There you are. See what I mean? There is nothing supernat-…
E-155 I see a lady has got a little sick baby laying there this morning. I seen her getting out of the car, when I crossed the street. Something, she probably heard the radio broadcast or something. She knew we was going to pray for the sick. Something down in her heart says, “Take the baby to church.” She obeyed that. That’s right, see.
E-156 For there is something in there, says, “It’s right.” See what I mean? Where did it come from?
E-157 Every thought, every thing that you have, comes from somewhere. It’s got to have a beginning. Is that right? Oh, my! I love this. It’s got to have a beginning. And so where did the origination start from? [Brother Branham knocks on the pulpit three times—Ed.] See? It started in Glory, whirled around through the Angelic realms. The messengers of God has swept down, said, “This is It.” He looked at the Word. Where did It come from? From There.
E-158 And There, that part up There, is in here also, says, “It’s right!”.
E-159 It’s like if I want to call California. The first thing, I’d take down my receiver, dial the operator. “Central?”
“Yes.”
E-160 “Dial me So-and-so, in California.” I have to go through central. See what I mean? From my house, out to central; from central, across the nation. That’s it.
E-161 “Whatever you ask the Father in My Name, I’ll do it.” The first thing you know, we have to go through Central. First thing, you have to dial the Pages, to see if there is such a place. Is that right? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] And you get the place, then you take down and say, “Father!”
“Yes?”
“In Jesus’ Name, give me this.” There it is.
E-162 “Certainly, My son! Plug it in.” The feeler come whirling back down through the line, God’s Word made manifest. Sure, it is. That’s just how simple the Bible is, the believers is, salvation is, healing is. Everything that God promised is There. It’s yours. Just ask for it. Anything that He died for, belongs to you.
E-163 There it is, the whole thing, and how we love it! Isn’t it food to your soul? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] And every time we believe, that little speck in there just gets bigger, bigger, bigger, swells out, till, after a while, it just becomes, you believe all things. And as all things begin to come in, love begin, it comes in; doubt, hatred, malice, fear, just flies out, like that. It just spreads out, just gets so big, till it just bursts the little old shell out. See what I mean? All the world is purged. We grow daily in the grace of God.
E-164 Now you notice those people, they can sit and say, “Well, I accept the Lord.” You take their word for it. I would, too. I can’t judge. God does. But in ten years from now, they’ve never progressed a bit; just staying right in the same old place. See?
E-165 We grow daily. Each day our heart hungers, keeps moving on. There is something growing inside of you. Amen. You get bigger, spread out, can take more…?…Paul said, “When you…” Told the Corinthian church, said, “You’re maturing, growing. But when you ought to be teachers, you’re still babes needing teaching.” Is that right? When, you ought to be teachers; Something in there, growing out, pushing out, making bigger. The Holy Spirit, growing.
E-166 The new Birth! If a birth is born from the outside, from the inside out, the child, it grows if it lives. If it doesn’t, it remains. Is that right? Well, when a Birth is on the inside, shouldn’t it grow? The Christ in your heart ought to be growing daily, getting bigger, more powerful, understanding things better, forgiving, walking on as God would, “till Christ be formed in you, the hope of Glory.”
E-167 We must contend with the weak until they are fully matured in Christ Jesus. Then they’re good soldiers. Then they’ve got on the full armor. Talk about them; don’t hurt them. Laugh at them, make fun of them; they don’t pay no attention to it. They got one thing; they’re just so big, my, just so full of Glory. The only thing you have to drop is this old robe of flesh, and just go right on to Glory. See?
E-168 Somebody say, “You know, somebody said you was a hypocrite, Mrs. Jones?”
“Did? Well, God bless them.”
E-169 “Do you know a certain-certain things is going on at that church, oughtn’t to be going?”
“Well, I’ll pray for it.” See? Big!
E-170 Oh, if you’re little, then you say, “Oh, it is? Let me get in. Which side must I join? See? There is where you get in trouble. That’s where you can’t mature.
E-171 But when you get big enough, large enough, you see, swelled out. Not only swelled out, but growed out. Christ growing in you, growing out malice, taking it out of you; push it out. As God comes in, just pushes out. You say, “Oh, how little, how juvenile it is, how much kids it is, to argue and fuss.” But, first thing you know, That just grows on over top of it. Ain’t got no more room for it. “Oh, I used to hate to see this, and hate that. But, you know, I just got so I just don’t pay any attention to it no more.” You’re growing. Yes, sir.
E-172 You know, when you’re young, they claim you have growing pains when you’re growing. You know what I mean. It means you’re getting bigger, a little. You know, you take, your arms will hurt. And your legs will hurt, when you’re growing, kids. I had it. I was getting bigger all the time. Oh, my!
E-173 Sometimes we have growing pains when we get to be men and women, when we’re born in the Kingdom of God, Christ. But, the thing about that, it hurts; the thing about This, It just makes you joyful and happy. It’s growing pains. You’re going out, getting bigger, getting to be a bigger man now, what you used to be. You can look over things.
E-174 Not you just got wider shoulders; that don’t mean nothing about it. But you’re wider in here, see, not across here. In here, here is where you’re supposed to spread out, get bigger, in your heart, on the inside. When Christ comes into the heart, then He comes into the mouth, then He comes into the eyes. He comes into the mind.
E-175 He comes into the mouth. He makes you talk different. You don’t talk like you used to. Christ got in your mouth. Done growed now from your heart, your love you had for Him, till you can bridle your tongue. Brother, that’s a great thing.
E-176 Then, the next thing you know, it grows into your eyes. The next thing you know, you find out, that old lustful things you used to look at, you’ll turn your head. You’re growing.
E-177 Then, the first thing you know, you still turn your head, but you’re thinking. See? After a while, it grows into your mind; you don’t even think about it no more. Then you’re just a great big boy then. You’re coming into a full, matured man, living for the Lord. So, then, you are in Christ then, a new creature.
E-178 Now, when these apostles begin to receive That, oh, they were so happy! They thought, “Oh, my, isn’t this wonderful!” And the Holy Ghost had filled them, and they were out there, healing the sick and doing wonders.
E-179 And there was a little fellow by the name of Peter, and John. They passed through the gate, and was Beautiful, in the 3rd chapter there. And they…
E-180 We had more time to deal on it; but we haven’t. We got to hurry now, to get down for a few verses. I start a background and never get to the chapter that I was talking about. So, then, you get into doing it. It’s just so good! It’s, every bit, good. And it’s, just everywhere you find It, you just don’t want to leave It. It’s just…
E-181 Listen, I’ve read the Bible for twenty-three years. And if I hadn’t read but one line, I could still be preaching on that one line, with a new text every night, new thing every night. See, It’s just so real! It’s inspired. If it’s inspired, there is not…It has no end. It’s for everlasting, to everlasting. If one Word, “I am the Lord,” you could preach on that for a hundred million years, and it would be just as fresh as the day it was spoke. See, it’s just endless. It just goes on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on. There is no end to It; you just keep on going.
E-182 Now listen to this. Now, the disciples, they had a wonderful time. And Peter went out to the gate called Beautiful, him and John. They had been up there praying, having a wonderful time. And here laid a man with a little…he was lame. You know what a lame person is, kind of—kind of can’t hardly walk. Maybe had arthritis, or something. “He was lame from his mother’s womb.
E-183 Peter looked, going by there, talking with John. Said, “Now we’re going into the temple, to worship.” Saying, “John, now aren’t we having a wonderful time?” Or, something like that; glory in their heart. Had to kind of watch what they was saying, ’cause the audience and the people around, was so perse-…They was so persecuted.
E-184 There laid a man, crippled from his mother’s womb; poor, old beggar. Looked out there; and he wanted something. Peter said, “Now, silver and gold, I have none. I don’t have any money. But such as I have I’ll give it to you, if you want to accept it.” And he looked up at him, as if to receive something. He said, “In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.”
E-185 And so the man couldn’t move. So Peter just walks over and took him by the hand, him and John, both, and lifted him up. Said, “Didn’t you hear what we said? Stand up and walk.” That’s it. The man stood up. And, well, why, he said…The first thing you know…Just held him there a little bit, and his ankle bones got a little bit better, and he started off.
E-186 He said, “Well, looky here!” And away he went. And the first thing you know, he begin to leaping, and jumping, and running.
E-187 And you know what that people said? Said, “What’s the matter with them men?” Why, they took them in there and beat them, and put them in prison. “Why,” said, “they oughtn’t to do this. It never come through the church.” There you are. Now the 4th chapter, begin.
And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captains of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
E-188 Peter and them still speaking to the people. Oh, they was. Listen up here. Let me get just a verse or two behind this, in the 3rd chapter, kind of back it up a little here. Let’s take the 20th verse. “And he shall send Jesus…” Peter preaching:
…he shall send Jesus…which before was preached unto you:
E-189 Through the prophets and everything, see, told them they ought to received it, but they didn’t. He told them back there, said, “With wicked hands you’ve crucified the Prince of Life.” Told them. Said, “You did it through ignorance, ’cause God said you was going to do it.”
E-190 Why couldn’t those priests believe? Why couldn’t the religious, holy men…Oh, I can’t let this go by, Brother Neville. [Brother Neville says, “Go right ahead.”—Ed.] Look, religious, holy men, living in every bit of light they had, and everything else! Religious, holy men, and, “They could not,” the Bible said, “they could not believe on the Lord Jesus.” Why? God predestinated it.
E-191 Isaiah spoke it, and said, “They have eyes…” Said, “They could not believe on the Lord,” because Isaiah said, under inspiration. God dropped it down to him, about eight hundred years before they come. Said, “They have eyes, and can’t see; ears, they can’t hear.” And, therefore, they could not receive Jesus. No matter how much they wanted to believe, there was something that wouldn’t let them, because God had said so.
E-192 Brother, you ought to be the happiest person in the world, to know, this morning, that you’re setting here as a believer on the Lord Jesus. Yes, sir, brother! You don’t realize, or a sinner doesn’t know what it means, that when Almighty God knocks on his heart! Why, there is nothing like it, nowhere. You couldn’t…You could search and comb the heavens, and you couldn’t find anything equal to that, that how a holy, infinite God would come down and knock at the heart of a sinner’s door, and want to live buddies with him. Whew! It ought to make us break loose, everybody.
E-193 Now see. Watch here. He said, “It was before preached to you.”
E-194 Now listen. Even before the birth, or even before the antediluvian world, the antediluvian world, before it was destroyed with water, Jesus Christ was preached to the people. In the garden of Eden, Jesus Christ was preached to the people. Did you know that?
E-195 When Jesus died at the cross, to fulfill…That was Jesus, not the Holy Spirit in Him. See? When He died at the cross, and His soul, not God’s Spirit, but His soul went to hell, ’cause He had to. The Bible said He would. But Jesus believed that He would raise up again in three days, ’cause He knowed three days corruption would set in.
E-196 And David said, “I’ll not leave My holy One see corruption, neither will I leave His soul in hell.”
E-197 Jesus said, “You destroy this body, in three days it’ll raise up again.” Within three days! He wasn’t there exactly, to the minute, three days. It was sometime within that three days, He would raise up again. For He knew He’d go to…His body would go to rottening, plain words; it would go to deteriorating, going away, after three days.
E-198 And He knowed that not one cell would corrupt, for He said, “I’ll not suffer My holy One to see corruption.” Hallelujah! Jesus, with one single Scripture, spoke by a backslidden preacher, under inspiration, believed it, and trusted His soul to go to hell. That’s right. [Blank spot on tape—Ed.]
E-199 And He went and preached to the souls that were in prison, that repented not in the longsuffering of the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared.
E-200 They had Enoch and all the rest of them, and the pyramids and everything, as they erected them. And preached the Lord Jesus Christ to them, and they refused to accept it. Being heady, high-minded, and refused to accept It!
E-201 And Jesus come to the gates of hell, and said, “I am He that the prophets said would be here.” [Brother Branham knocks on the pulpit three times—Ed.] Hallelujah! “You see I’m here! God’s Word is infallible. Thousands of years has passed by, four thousand years, but I’m here. My Blood is on Calvary this morning. Sure. God’s Word is real, so why didn’t you repent?” They were lost and doomed.
E-202 So will it be when the Coming of the Lord will come again. God’s Word is infallible. What He said would take place will take place, there is nothing can stop It. No hindrance can stop It. No matter how times change, how people change, how preachers change, how churches change; God’s Word will remain, going to come. He’ll be here. He’ll come in His glory, with all of His Angels. That’s right. God’s Word said so.
E-203 And some day, every individual setting in this room, today, will bear record, seeing Him coming in Glory. He’ll be coming, to your joy or to your sorrow, one or the other. That’s right. He’s got to come. God’s Word is infallible.
E-204 Remember the Statue of Liberty up there, out in the arm, that night. I guess I’ve told it here before. I seen those little old sparrows laying around there, around that big glass there, with little old heads beat off. I said to the guide, I said, “Well, what, them there?”
E-205 He said, “Well, they had a storm last night.” And he said, “When the lights was on the Statue of Liberty, the little old birds caught out there in the storm, and darkness. And instead of trying to use the light, to fly to safety, they flew against it, trying to beat it out.” Now, the very same light that caused them to die, could cause them to live, if they had used it right. He said, “And they’re laying there, because their brains is beat out. They was trying to beat that light out. Accepted light, and saying, ‘thank you,’ and letting it lead them; they tried to beat it out.”
I said, “Praise God!
E-206 Infidels will rise, creeds will rise, people saying, “The Bible is not ri-…right. It’s not inspired.” They’re only beating their brains out. When, they could take—they could take them to Glory. It’s a Light, a lamp, to the path, and to the people. And any man or woman who would accept God’s Word, and say, “I may not understand It, but, Lord, I’ll walk in It to the Light.”
We’ll walk in the Light, that beautiful Light,
It comes where the dewdrops of mercy are bright;
Shine all around us by day and by night.
Jesus, the Light of the world.
E-207 Sure, we’ll walk in the Light. Not try to beat It out, not try to say, “This is not right. This is wrong. And, That, that’s not right. And That’s not right.”
E-208 O God, don’t let me beat against Your Light. Let me accept It in my heart, and say, “It’s right, Lord.” And I’ll walk in the Light.”
E-209 Them birds could took that light, and searched it right around, as it was moving down through there; and went right on into a nice cove under some house somewhere, in a shelter somewhere, and had been protected from the storm.
E-210 And of this great storm of formality, the great storm of indifference, a great storm of denial of God. “O God, don’t let me try to beat the Light out. Let me use It to walk in. I believe It, Lord.” There you are. Walk in the Light. “As I see It in the Scripture, that’s Light. It’s God’s Word, and let me walk in It. Lord, Lord, let me walk in It; never, never try to deny It.”
And he shall send Jesus…which was before preached unto you:
Whom the heavens must receive, until the time of restoration of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
E-211 21st verse of the 3rd chapter, “All the restorations of all things,” when there’ll be a new heavens, a new earth, a new government, a new economy, oh, my, a new king, a new life, a new beginning with no ending, oh, my, a new age, a new time, a new people.
E-212 Oh, I’m so glad I have the promise of God, so infallible, that He went to hell to witness to it. The same God promised me I’d be there with everlasting Life, because I accepted His Son, Christ Jesus, and believe every word He said to be the Truth. Just got to be there! Oh, my! What a wonderful thing!
E-213 How in love we should be with Him, that lovely, infallible, Holy One of God! How we should love Him, and let everything else be second! Everything, even your home, even your family, even everything, even all your people, everything else, is secondary. “He that will not forsake father, mother, sister, brother, husband, wife, children, or home, whatever it is, and follow after Me, is not worthy to be called Mine. And he that will put his hand to the plow and even turn to look back, is not worthy of plowing.”
E-214 Give me Oil in my lamp, Lord. O God, just fill me over and over. Vaccinate me from the things of the world. May I be immune from all ungodly things, is what I want. Let Your Holy Spirit come to me, and make me immune from all the things of the world.
E-215 I want to see Jesus. I want to see Jesus. Don’t you? That’s right. Jesus, my Saviour, so true! But when I reach that strand on the far away Land, arriving over there in a new Country, knowing nobody, then I want to see Jesus. I know I’ll have a Friend There. Don’t you? Then Jesus will show me mama, He’ll show me my loved ones, and all my loved ones around me then. Hum!
E-216 That’s when “the restoration of all things.” See? Listen. Let me read that again, the 21st verse.
Whom the heavens must receive (that’s, the heavens must receive Jesus, see) until the time of restoration of all things—all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of…his holy prophets since the world began.
E-217 Oh, my! What an inspired man that was standing there! Yet, the Bible said, “He was ignorant and unlearned.” He healed a man at the gate called Beautiful, through his faith in the Name of Jesus Christ. Right.
E-218 And they, them religious teachers, Doctors of Divinity, high up-and-up’s, and the greatest of church and everything, said, “Bind that man! Put him in jail! Why, that heresy, it’s nonsense!”
E-219 But he knowed what he was talking about. They took knowledge to them, knowing they had been with Jesus.
E-220 O God, yeah, that—that’s the education I want. If I can live close enough to God till others could see Christ in me, and Christ in you, that’s all the education I care about. That’s where I want to be.
E-221 I don’t want them to say, “Well, now his grammar is so fine, and he’s got such an education, and he knows theology.” Oh, my! God, take that away. I—I don’t…I ain’t got it, and I’m glad of it. See?
E-222 Let me have Jesus, to where I can walk, and people say, “That guy, I don’t believe him, I…but he—he sure been with Jesus.” That, don’t that what you want them to say about you? “That woman, that girl, that man, that woman, has been with Jesus. Yes, sir. Well, watch their life. Look how they live, and watch how they walk. Watch how God blesses them and honors them. And when they have their mistakes and things, like that, it’s just gone, like that, and they move right on, like.” Oh, my, that’s the way I want to be. Don’t you?
E-223 Now, for ten minutes, let’s read this, the rest of this chapter, or begin this chapter, rather, 4th ver-…4th chapter.
And as he spake unto the people, and the priests, and the Sadducees of the temple, and the Sadducees (rather) in the…of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
E-224 Now here is the Sadducees, which don’t believe. A real picture of churches today, that don’t believe in the supernatural. They just couldn’t believe it. Now remember, remember, there is people today that don’t believe in the—the Holy Spirit ruling and governing the Church. They don’t believe in miracles. They don’t believe in signs. They don’t believe in supernatural. They just can’t believe it. Now, that spirit is not nothing new. Here it is right here on the Sadducees. They believed the same thing. See, spirits don’t die. People die; spirits goes on.
E-225 God took His Spirit, took His man, Elijah, and a double portion of His Spirit come upon Elijah. Is that right? Then about eight hundred years later, come on John the Baptist. Is that right? And comes right on down to the last day again. Je-…
E-226 God took His Son, the Lord Jesus. You believe that? But His Spirit come back. Is that right? It was on Martin Luther. It was on John Wesley. It was on down through the age. It was on Sankey, Moody, Finney, Knox, Calvin, all of them, you see. Come right on down, and is now going right on today. Look at their children back there, they just deny everything them people believed in; but not the founders.
E-227 When I stood not long ago by the side of that great founder standing there, I looked and I thought, “O God, looky there, Dwight Moody.” I thought, “Look up here. And that man, the things that he believed in; the power of God, the supernatural. Uneducated! His books that you read, you see who wrote them. He wrote them, hisself, but who polished them up? His grammar was terrible. He had about a third-grade education, and an old shoe cobbler. But, brother, he sent a half a million souls to God. See? What was it? They’d turn him out of the church, and said he was a fanatic and everything else. But he went out and seen a bunch of men…
E-228 He had a message on his heart. He had to preach so much, he didn’t know what to do. So he went and bought a shoe box from a man; wood, big, old, wooden shoe box. Paid a dime for it. Set it out on the corner. And these men coming by. He stood there and preached, right on the corner, to them, like that. That’s right. And I think of a church that he had, and look at the Moody Bible today.
E-229 And I thought, “Look at John Wesley!” When I stood right in the place where the man died. I had his robe that he had on, waxed. They put it over my shoulders, just in respects of being there, when I prayed for the king. When…And put it on my shoulders. I stood in his pulpit, that where he would go every morning at five o’clock, and preached to fifteen hundred people.
E-230 I set in his chair, where he won a chicken fighter that…a fellow used to fight, have rooster fights. He won him to Christ. And had the leather over it, like this, and two big horns, and a place like this that set up on this side like here, where they’d take record of the fights. And after Wesley was converted, Wesley converted this man to Christ, then he give him the chair. And I set in the chair and—and prayed.
E-231 I set in his saddle where, he was right here in America, had his little secret compartment in the back of it, when he would set backwards on his horse, turned his stirrups around like this. And on his road coming here, with Asbury and them, he would set there and write out his messages and things, like that, as God would give it to him. As he couldn’t even take time to stop anywhere, he rode on his horse, right here in America, set in the saddle. And I thought, “O God!”
E-232 I stood there where that memorial was built to him. Where, one time, preaching Divine healing, and the high church of England turned a fox loose, and of hounds up there, and run it through the midst when Wesley was preaching Divine healing. And Wesley pointed his finger in his face, and said, “The sun will not set, on your head, three times, and you’ll be calling for me to pray for you.” And the man died that evening with cramps in his stomach, calling for him, Wesley come pray for him.
E-233 That same man; you can sit in your church and hear Dr. Church and them, the very doctrines of the same church that believed the same thing, denies the Bible being inspired. God have mercy. I don’t want no organization.
E-234 But help me to live so that in my generation…I’ll not stand in another generation. I’ll have nothing to judge them. I’ll not have to stand the judgment with them. But I’ll have to stand the judgment with men and women who I’ve lived with. That’s where it counts, yonder in the resurrection, when my days is finished and I’ve done my best, if I be God’s servant. God will raise Him up another man in that day when I’m gone. So there’s no need of me setting something around my theology; is me to live in what Light I have, and wait till…on God. For the next generation to come, He’ll have a man there when that generation comes up. Amen. Oh, my!
E-235 “Being grieved.” Listen to these Sadducees.
Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection of the dead, the supernatural.
E-236 “Oh,” they say, “that’s…Oh, we believe in the resurrection of the dead. But now, Divine healing and other things, that’s out.” Why, it’s the same devil. It’s the same thing. See?
E-237 Now, them days, they said, “Oh, we know He can heal. But He makes Hisself God, when He forgives sins.” Now that same devil just turned it right back around, say, “Today He can forgive sins, but He can’t heal.”
E-238 If He is God, He can heal, save, forgive sins, or anything. He remains God, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Look.
And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold until the next day: for it was now eveningtide.
Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed;…
E-239 Why? Why did some of them believe, and some didn’t? Oh, brother, some was ordained to everlasting Life, and some was ordained to everlasting condemnation. That’s why. That’s exactly. Jesus said, “No man can come, except first My Father shows him. My Father…”
E-240 How could a fish bite on the bait of a turtle? See? Can’t do it. The appetite of a fish is different than appetite of a water spider. The snake and the fish don’t have the same diet. See what I mean? Yes, sir. The fish is always one thing, for he was born a fish. He’ll forever be a fish. And this man might interpretate…This turtle might want to be a fish. Turtle has got fish meat in him, but he ain’t a fish. He’s got other meat in him, too. He’ll never be a fish. No, sir. Neither will the fish ever be a turtle. For he started, a turtle, he’ll remain a turtle. And he started, a fish, he’ll remain a fish.
E-241 And every man or woman, hallelujah, that’s ever born thoroughly of the Spirit of God, you may backslide. Yes, sir. When you go back out, you’ll be the most miserable person that you ever dreamed of in your life, till you return. And if you fail to do it, God will take your life off the earth. God promised to do it.
E-242 Here not long ago, I walked into Vorgang’s Garage down here, and I was talking to a fine preacher which is my neighbor here. And I have always had the greatest respects for the man. He was a good man, a fine preacher. Walked out on these streets during the time of the depression, selling Rawleigh products, to preach the Gospel. Yes, sir.
E-243 Some man made fun of him, right here on Seventh Street, said, “Why don’t you do—do so-and-so?”
E-244 He said, “Sir, this is a legitimate living.” He said, “I’m selling here, some products, with such stuff as cake flour, everwhat it is, to do the best I can, for I’m a minister of the Gospel.” Right here at the church of God; it was Brother Ramsey. And he said, “I do the best that I can.” And so he told the man. He was really born of the Spirit of God.
E-245 I walked into Osborne’s Garage down here, one day. He said…I said, “God bless you, Brother Ramsey.” I said…He was a poor man. I said, “Look over my old car here; got to take a trip.” I said, “Just had a wonderful time.” I said, “I wish you was with me, Brother Ramsey.”
Said, “Well, I guess, it’d been all right, Billy.”
E-246 I looked around at him. I thought, “That don’t sound right.” You know, you can tell when something is happening. I looked over at him.
E-247 He said, “Brother Branham, I guess you know I don’t serve the Lord no more.”
And I said, “What?” I—I said, “Now you’re joking me.”
He said, “No, I don’t serve Him no more.”
E-248 Well, I thought he still just kidding me. I just went on out. I went home. I told Meda about it. I said, “Brother Ramsey told me he didn’t serve the Lord no more. There is something about that, Meda, that’s not just exactly right.”
E-249 It got on my nerves. I went back down again. I said, “Brother Ramsey, come here, I want to talk to you a minute.”
He said, “All right, Billy.”
E-250 I walked over. I said, “Brother Ramsey, I was in here a couple days ago, and you told me you didn’t serve the Lord anymore.” I said, “You was teasing me, wasn’t you?”
He said, “No, no.”
E-251 I said, “Brother Ramsey, you mean you don’t serve the Lord no more?”
Said, “No.” He said, “I backslid.”
E-252 I said, “Well, Brother Ramsey, you better get back to God.” I said, “Come, go with me in the meeting.”
E-253 Said, “No, Billy.” Said, “I—I just don’t care to serve Him anymore.” Said, “I just…”
I said, “You believe Him?”
E-254 He said, “Oh, I believe Him, but I just don’t serve Him. I quit.” Said, “There’s been so many things.”
I said, “Brother Ramsey, don’t look at things. Look at Him.”
E-255 And he said, “Well, Brother Branham,” he said, “I just don’t serve the Lord, and I’d rather not talk about it.”
I said, “Well, brother, God be with you, help you.”
And a few days after that, he took sick.
E-256 Another minister, I won’t call his name, ’cause I’m not sure. I believe he is setting in the back right now. This minister went to him, a buddy. Said, “Brother Ramsey, don’t you want to come, serve the Lord?”
E-257 He said, “No.” God giving him, through His messengers, both times, warnings. He said, “No.” In a few hours from then, he picked him up in his arms, and he went Home. God took him off the earth. Yes, sir.
E-258 Remember, Paul, what he told them over there, this man that wouldn’t obey the Gospel? He said, “Turn him over to the devil, for the destruction of his flesh, that his soul will be saved.” That’s right. You can’t play with God. Brother, that Word is inspired, every Word of It, lays right straight to the hewing line. That’s right. You’ll either toe the line…But if you’re ever born of the Spirit of God, you are a son of God.
E-259 Now, you come in. The dove and the crow, both, was in the ark. That’s right.
E-260 When they turned the old crow loose; let’s type that as backsliding. The old crow flew from dead body to dead body, and he picked on the old dead carcasses. He was alright. Didn’t make any difference to him, ’cause he was a crow, to begin with. His nature, his appetite, his gastronomics could digest such a thing. Why? He was born with that kind of a gastronomic. See, his gall and stuff in him would make that old dead bodies…and make food for him. But when…He was satisfied.
E-261 And so is every man, I don’t care how long you been in church, and turn you loose the world; if you still can go out and do the things you once did, and enjoy it, it shows you’ve never come to God.
E-262 But when he turned the dove loose, to see what she would do. A dove hasn’t got any gall. It can’t digest those thing. And if it would eat them, it would kill them. But the dove, she would try to fly down; “whew,” she couldn’t stand it. She would try to fly down; “whew,” she couldn’t stand it. She lit in a little bush, to get some rest. And she had an olive leaf in her hand; she come back and knocked at the door. “Father Noah, open up and let me in. I can’t stand it out here.”
E-263 Every man or woman that’s born of the Spirit of God, sure, you can backslide. But, brother, if you’re a child of God, you can’t stand the things of the world no more, ’cause your digesting things has been changed.
Peter said, “Lord, where would we go to?”
E-264 When He said, “Do you want to go also?” When the rest of them turned away.
E-265 Said, “Where would we go to? What could we do? You’re the only One that has Eternal Life. Then where can we go?”
E-266 Here He is, standing here in His power, anointed with the Holy Ghost, an apostle and prophet now. Hallelujah! Oh, how I like to see it! “Howbeit some of them believed,” because they had It, they ordained to everlasting Life, when this preacher preached.
E-267 What did he do, Brother Neville? Right amongst those bunch of howling hypocrites, right amongst that bunch of wolves that would have pulled him, piece by piece, because of religious traditions! Peter cast his net out, in here, said, “There might be some fish in there.” That’s right. When he throwed his net out there, begin to pull it. He said, “The God of our fathers, who went with Abraham from Ur, down into Chaldea,” yes, sir, “has sent His Son, Lord Jesus, Who the Heavens must receive until the restoration of all things.” Said how they…Said, “You took the Prince of Peace, with cruel hands, and murdered and crucified.” Said, “By faith in His Name, this man is healed.” That’s why I believe in the supernatural.
E-268 He throwed his net out there, and he pulled it. And when he did, howbeit some of them in there was fish. The rest, the turtles, went on off with the snakes and so forth. They bounced on back. But there was some fish in there, too. “Howbeit many believed the Word.” They was ordained to everlasting Life. Yes, sir. Believed!
…and the number of…men was about five thousand.
E-269 What a netful he got! Yes, sir. Maybe out of a million, but he got—he got five thousand out of it. Notice, he doesn’t care what kind of a looking pool it was. He throwed his net right on in it. That’s right.
E-270 And we don’t care whether it’s bootleggers, whether it’s prostitutes, whatever it is. Throw the net! You don’t know whose is down in there. You don’t know. You can’t judge. No man can judge. But you can throw the net, and pull them to the altar, say, “Here it is, Lord. I’ve done my part now.” If it’s a…And if she is a fish, to begin with, she’ll be a fish forever. Yes, sir. If it’s a spider, to begin with, it’ll be a spider forever. If the rein-…Reincarnated Son of the living God reins His Power down and captures that person to the altar, the Gospel net is around. Watch.
And it came to pass on the morning, that the rulers, and the elders, and the scribes,
And Ananias the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and…many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
And when they had set them in the midst, they asked them, By what power, or by what name, have you done this?
E-271 “Are you a Baptist? Are you a Presbyterian? See? By what power? What church you with? What’s your authority? What seminary did you come out of? Who are you, anyhow? Show me your credentials. Let’s see who you are.” Same thing. “By what authority have you got men out here preaching like that? Are you here in the name of the Sanhedrin? Are you here in the name of the—of the Sadducees, or the Pharisees, or the Herodians, or the Publicans? Or, who are you?” There you are. “…have you done this?”
E-272 “And, Peter, just fresh from the seminary”? 8th verse. “Peter, with his Bachelor’s degree, with his Doctor’s degree”? No. Oh, my! The Bible don’t read it that way. Here is what happened to Peter:
…Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost,…
E-273 Oh, he had growed out. Not just a little bitty place like that; he had growed all the way out. Filled! Anything that’s filled is all the way full. Peter, not sprinkled with the Holy Ghost, but, “Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost.”
E-274 Now let’s see what you’re going to say to them. Now be careful what you say, ’cause they can sling you in jail, boy. You’re a—you’re a religious maniac now, that they think. Now, let’s see, you’re proselyting, you’re doing everything, so be very careful what you say.
But Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
If we this day be examined of the good deed done unto the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
Be it known unto you all, and to…the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised up from the dead, even by him does this man stand here before you whole.
E-275 Whew! Could you imagine a man trying to put some kind of a—a dictionary theology on the man like that? Brother, he stood, anointed and filled with the Holy Ghost. He said, “Why, you rulers, the very power of God that you profess to be, that same God raised His Son Christ Jesus, to show the supernatural. And you, with wicked hands, have crucified Him.”
E-276 You don’t have to nail Him to the cross. Just deny Him, you crucify Him again. They’re doing the same thing today. You crucify Him!
E-277 Said, “Be it known to you.” In other words, “The same God that you’ve professed to represent, has raised this boy up.” There they are. Said, “It’s by Him this man is living. If we be examined for what we done to that man,” said, “be it known unto you, it wasn’t us. But it’s through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, that this man stands whole, today.”
E-278 Now let me tell you what else he said here. “This is the Stone…” Oh, oh, brother, is he going to rub it in now!
This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. (Listen.)
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby you must be saved.
E-279 Brother, I just kind of like Peter’s preaching right there. What did he say to them, in so many words? “Don’t you know the prophet Isaiah, and many of the others, spoke that the builders would reject the Cornerstone?” In other words, “This is the very thing, you rejecting is the very thing that God said you would do. Don’t you know you’re a part of it?”
E-280 And may I say with reverence, and may I say with respect, may I say with godly love, this very day, my dear brother and sister. The very thing that the Bible said that these men would do in the last days, “Have a form of godliness, but would deny the Power thereof,” there they are. The Cornerstone, rejected. Oh, my! Sure, I believe in the supernatural.
He said, “Neither is there salvation under any other name.”
E-281 May I, instead of him, this morning, standing and quote to this generation, “For except a man be born again, he can’t understand these things, the Kingdom of God,” as He said to Nicodemus of old.
E-282 You can’t understand it, you’ll never understand it, until God comes into your heart. And you’ll be a part of Him, then you’ll say, “Yes, Lord, every bit of the Word is inspired. I believe every bit of It. I believe It’s the Truth. And here I am, Lord, to walk in the Light.” As long as you’re borderline out there, you can’t believe It. You can’t do it. May the Lord help you, this morning, to see the supernatural.
E-283 May you realize this, that Hebrews 13:8, said, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Remember, His promises is just as good today as they was then; every precept, every Word of God is just as binding.
E-284 And I don’t care, brother, how many people criticize It, how many says It’s not.
E-285 I could, today, by God’s mercy, produce ten thousand people, standing here, that was once dying with cancer, that was once blind, that was once crippled, that was once this way; in the last few years has been made well, by the Power of the living God. And this is the very thing that Jesus Christ said would come to pass in the last days.
E-286 And as sure as Jesus said these healings would take place, He said there would be critics on the outside, making fun of It, and everything else. Both of them, was ordained to everlasting Life, and I’m…to everlasting Life or everlasting condemnation.
E-287 I’m so happy, today, to know that God is in our midst, and the shout of the King is here, the praises of God.
E-288 There is many times I’ve failed to pray the prayer of faith. There is many times I’ve tried hard, and failed to do it, because my faith would not meet it. That doesn’t change the Word of God one bit. If I prayed for ten thousand people today, and ten thousand died in the morning, tomorrow night I’d be here praying for the sick, just the same, because God’s Word said so. That’s right.
I believe in the old-time religion,
I believe in the joy I do know;
I believe that the path which we’re walking,
Is the path which our fathers have trod.
Oh, give me this old-time religion,
Oh, give me the joy I can know;
For I believe in a heartfelt religion,
Like our fathers received long ago.
E-289 Amen. Brother, let me die in the harness. Let me go as God’s servant. Live or die, I believe the infallible Word of God is the Truth. And It teaches Divine healing, and signs, and wonders, and miracles, to appear in this last days. And can prove it by the Word of God, and can show it unto the world, where It has taken effect. And if It will take effect out there, why won’t It take effect for you? Jesus said, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible.”
Shall we pray.
E-290 Father God, we come to Thee in the light of Thy Word, and in the Power of the Holy Spirit, which has endued us, Lord, endowed us from on High, to be Your servants. And we love You. And we know that Thou dost love us, because You have chosen us. You said, through Your Son, Jesus, “You haven’t chosen Me, but I chose you. No man comes to God, except through Christ. And no man can come to Christ, except God draws him first.”
E-291 So, Father, to Thee we give praise. To Thee I humble my heart, Lord. O Christ of God, take away all, out of my heart, that’s not what You’d want it to be, Lord. And let it just be for You, and for Your glory. I love Thee, my Lord.
E-292 And I pray that You’ll bless these, Thy people here this morning, every one of them. Many of them here that’s sick, Lord. They got sick people. They are asking requests. And, Father, oh, for these years, since I’ve knowed You, I believed You as the great healer. Thou hast proved it, around and around the world, Lord, that You are the Lord Jesus resurrected from the dead. Now I pray, Father, that You’ll bless these people here this morning. Bless.
E-293 If there be one unsaved here, may they now believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. No matter if I’d bring him up here at the altar, if they are not ordained to everlasting Life, it would only just throw a net, that’s all. But, Father, as Peter preached the Word, and said, “As many as believed, was added to the Church.” Father, I pray that today You will add numbers to Your Church. Grant it. May many people believe This and see that It’s the Truth. They’re here this morning for some purpose. And I pray that You have ordained them to everlasting Life. And may they receive It today, through Jesus.
E-294 And I pray for the sick, as I bring them around the altar now, to pray for them, to anoint them, Your elder and I. I pray, God, that You will give us grace in Your sight. Let, on our part, that there will be an unfailing faith.
E-295 God’s Word, who, even after thousands of years, and those that have been dead for four thousand years, Jesus went to tell them that the Word of God was confirmed in the earth. How infallible It is!
E-296 And Thou hast said, “Lay hands on the sick, they shall recover.” The last commission, the last words that fell from Your sacred lips, the inspired Word of God. You said, “These signs shall follow them that believe. They’ll lay hands on the sick; it shall recover.”
E-297 And, Father, as they bring the sick here, in person, this morning, to be prayed for. I pray, as we lay our hands upon them, anointing them with oil, according to Thy Word, that every one of them will be healed. Grant that our faith will be right, and their faith will be right. It’s anchored exactly on the Word that’s been preached this morning, the Word of the living God. And get glory to Thyself. For we ask it in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Come where the dewdrops of mercy are bright;
Shine all around us by day and by night,
Jesus, the Light of the world.
We’ll walk in the Light, beautiful Light,
Comes where the dewdrops of mercy are bright;
Shine all around us by day and by night,
Jesus, the Light of the world.
E-298 I’m sorry I kept you late. Now the little children has a Sunday school treat here, just in a minute. They got, oh, boxes of candy, and oranges, and a sackful of stuff over here for the little ones, as soon as we get done with the sacred part of the service, just in a minute.
E-299 [A sister in congregation says, “Brother Branham?”—Ed.] Yeah. Yeah. [The sister begins speaking. Blank spot on tape.]
E-300 There is something, and I believe it’s this baby. So, then, if you bow your head.
E-301 Almighty God, I do not know. Thou knowest that it’s all something, to me, I can’t understand. I don’t know. But, Father, it seemingly, that after this message, and this coming, this baby coming here, and me looking into its face; and according to what’s been told me, somewhere, and a witness of Sister Cox, and the Holy Spirit here at the altar. I do not know; no more than I knowed the day that I walked with that old colored man that was blind. Neither can I understand now, Lord; no more than the boy in Finland, that was raised from the dead. Neither do I understand the case of this; and how would You put it upon a doctor’s heart, to send over here. Your Spirit moving!
E-302 Now, Father, in obedience to what You have commissioned to be done, and according to the Word that I preached so hard this morning, as a believer in, I go forward to challenge the devil that’s bound this baby. I lay my hands upon its head, and up over its little eyes; raise my hand to God, who I believe in, that has spoken and It cannot fail. I ask that the cancer in this baby’s eyes come out.
E-303 And go into outer darkness, where you belong, you dark evil one, in the Name of Jesus Christ the Son of God, Whom I’m representing.
E-304 And may this baby’s eyes become normal. May the mother return, giving praise and glory to God, for the healing of this baby. This I do in true faith to God, believing His Word, taught It. And believing that a vision has struck me, His servant, standing in this same place. And, Lord, You know what You’re putting in my heart right now. And I ask for Your Words to be fulfilled, and this baby’s life to be spared, and it to live and be healthy and strong, and can see again, in Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen.
E-305 Sister, dear, not knowing what the future holds, but believing. [Brother Branham pauses—Ed.] Here, it comes to me. Here it is. It was to be something…Right here is where my wife’s casket laid, Hope. And it was this morning. And it was—it was Hope that raised and said she would not die. And the thing, I believe, was meaning to this baby now. She is laying exactly at the same place. And I can almost positive say it’s THUS SAITH THE LORD.
E-306 Lady, I don’t know you, but I believe that baby will rise and live, and be normal. God bless you. You let me hear from your baby.
E-307 Your name is? [The mother says “Mrs. Bowen,” and begins telling the background of her baby’s condition. She also says, “My faith begin to waver a little bit. And, see, I failed her, and failed God, along with it.”—Ed.] Yes, you failed God, yourself.
E-308 [The mother continues telling the background of her baby’s condition. She also says, “All things are possible, only believe.”—Ed.] That’s my theme song, too, “All things are possible, only believe.”
E-309 [The sister continues telling the background of her baby’s condition. She also says, “The God that I know can heal.”—Ed.] Yes, sister. Yeah. See?
E-310 And now, you promise God, while you’re standing on the same place. God let your baby get well, you will serve Him as long as you live, and be a renown Christian and serve Him. You and your husband, too.
E-311 Will you promise it, back there, dad, also? If God let’s your baby live, you promise you’ll serve Him? His hand is up to God. You’ll do the same.
E-312 [The mother continues speaking. She also says, “When I was just a child, He called me into His service, and I’ve never give in to it.”—Ed.]
E-313 All right. Now, now go, and you and your husband serve the Lord. And God bless the baby and make it well. Amen. God bless you, sister.
Mark that in your books now.
Come, brother, Brother Neville.