E-1 Service, my new year's meeting being we're just opening up. This is my first real campaign since the new year's. Oh, I had a few nights at home, then was down at that Fort Huachuca. Is that what you would pronounce it now? I can't see how you spell Huachuca with an H. [Blank.spot.on.tape—Ed.]
E-2 We don't, we're not going to have a rear-view mirror affair. A rear-view mirror only looks back and sees where you have been. We are looking forward to see where we're going, see. That which is in the past, Paul said, "Forgetting those things which are in the past, I press towards the mark of the high calling in Christ." And that's what we want to do. A man, we can look back fifteen, sixteen years ago, when I come to Phoenix the first time, there has been many things happen since then, good and bad, that all goes to the Judgment, in the hands of God. But what I'm looking forward now is what will I do in this coming year, towards inbetterment the Kingdom, doing more, all that I can for the Kingdom of God.
E-3 Now, this afternoon I want to speak this new year's Message to the Church in Christ, and then tomorrow night we're going to start praying for the sick. And we'll give out prayer cards between… I think the service starts at seven, seven-thirty, better be here about six or quarter after, then, to get your prayer cards, so you won't interfere with the rest of the service.
E-4 We want to thank the—the management here, of the Ramada, for let us have this building for this meeting, before this convention. The Lord bless them.
E-5 And now if you wish to turn in the Scriptures, to where we're going to read, I'm going to read from Isaiah, the 60th chapter, and the—the 2nd, 1st and 2nd verse. And Psalms 62:1-8. Psalms 62:1-8, first.
Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.
How long will you imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.
They only consult to cast down, to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectations is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength,… my refuge, is in God.
Trust in him all the time; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
E-6 I like the way David speaks that, "the rock." You notice, so many times, "God is my rock." You know what a rock is referred to, in the Bible? Rock is a "revelation."
E-7 Like Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
E-8 He said, "Blessed art thou, Simon, son of Jonas. And upon this rock, this revelation…" God revealed it to him. "Flesh and blood never revealed this, but My Father which is in Heaven. Upon this rock, this revelation, I'll build My Church."
E-9 And David here crying out, "God is my rock, my revelation!"
E-10 Now in the 60th chapter of Isaiah, the 1st and 2nd verse.
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
For, behold,… darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall rise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
E-11 Let us pray. Lord Jesus, as meditating upon these Words, we go now into starting this service, to the honor of Thee. Bless us, Father, we ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.
E-12 Now, my subject this afternoon is one word: Shalom. In the Hebrew, means "peace." Peace, or it's a greeting, it's a "peace be unto you," or, "welcome," "good morning," any kind of a—a greeting. But the main word I found in the Hebrew here, there is many things it means, but all pertaining to the same thing, "peace."
E-13 As we face this new year's, we are facing both, as I have read, darkness and Light. Now we see that David, speaking here, said, "Trust in the Lord. Put your confidence in Him." Isaiah said, "Gross darkness is coming upon this people; but for the Church to rise and shine, in the glory of the Light."
E-14 So we face this year just like we do all years; there is a—a regret of our mistakes in the past, and a looking forward for a future of the glorious Light of Christ. No doubt, if we live through this year, we'll find many mistakes that we have made, and we just expect that because it goes along the pro and con. That's the law of average that we live by here in this life. But we're so glad we have a Mediator Who sets at the right hand of God, to make intercessions. When we are willing to admit our mistakes that we done wrong, then He forgives them. He is full of grace and mercy, to forgive us for those mistakes.
E-15 This gross darkness, I wish to speak on first, that there is so much of that in the world today, and growing darker and darker all the time. Each year, we find that, that the—the world gets darker, spiritually speaking, because they're groping in darkness. There is more sin. Just passing through what we have, the assassination of the President, and so forth, and people being murdered right here in our country. Where, we wouldn't think that would happen in the time of modern civilization, but we sure have it, because gross darkness is upon the people. Now, those who will not turn to Light, then there is only one thing I can say for the coming year, you're going to stoop darker and darker as the year goes on.
E-16 But to those who will turn, on this new year's, to the Light, then you'll get brighter and brighter, unto that perfect Day that we look for, His appearing, where all darkness will be fade—faded away. And the reason of that, is why I say, to the Church of the living God, today, "Shalom," because we are His Lights. Jesus said, "Ye are the Light of the world."
E-17 Now, the prophet said, "Gross darkness upon this people; upon the people of the world, gross darkness."
E-18 Have you noticed, in the last few years, some of you man and women around my age, that how each year, it seems like that darkness comes more and more? I was speaking the other day, and I said to my wife, "You know, it seems like that, as the years go on, and as it just seems like that people begin to get further and further away from the real thing that they should be coming closer and closer to."
E-19 I've noticed, amongst man. Look out on the streets, and most amongst the women, watch their desires and what they like to do, and they're—they're changing attitudes all the time. Man are becoming more like women, and women are becoming more like man, and seems like there is no way to stop it. I cross the nation, preaching against the thing, and come back the next year and it's worse than it was when I started. It's, them people want to do right, but, they, there is something about it that won't let them do right. It just presses down on them, forces them. It's—it's like a heavy, dark fog over the whole earth. Not only in Phoenix, but all over the world, there seems to be just a grouping darkness that's gathering, getting more dense and dense, all the time, just smothering out real manhood, real womanhood. I'm talking in the natural.
E-20 And, they, seems like that the… it's coming more and more into the churches. And then when you raise up and say something against it, then they condemn you for doing it. See, you—you can see it coming, and—and then when you speak against it, somebody misunderstands it. Sometimes women misunderstand it, man misunderstand it, take the wrong attitude.
E-21 Man sometime, good man, have to cope with such things in order to hold their rights in the religious ranks that they belong to, because, if they don't, they're excommunicated, and then they're—they're on their own. And then being once excommunicated from a certain people, then it's hard to get in with someone else, because they once knew that you belonged to this other group, then, "What happened over here?" Then you've got to stand to your convictions, or go on your own, or deny your convictions. So it makes it real hard for the people.
E-22 And it looks like the time is, you can't see that real stand out, like man ought to be. I… Even in taking it back, from the spiritual, now to the natural, I… It seemed to me that man wearing velvet pink shoes, and all kinds of things like that, it just seems like they've become more like women. And women smoking cigarettes, now they've got cigars, and they just… and cut their hair like man; and it seems like that the—the dainty, lady, feminish something is gone. And the real masculine man is gone; all he seems to think about is something evil, on the other side.
E-23 I think it's just about like it was in the beginning, "every thought in a man's heart continually becomes evil." Our—our programs, television and—and radio, is uncensored. Man can say anything, nearly, they want to, even swear and say dirty, smutty jokes that—that simply it's not ought to be, couldn't, shouldn't be said in a barroom. Yet they can say it on television and on radio, and send it right into the people's homes. It seems like that gross darkness covers the whole thing. The whole world seems to become polluted.
E-24 Now, for years, I've been trying to hold a standard, God's Word. And I'm more determined this coming year to hold that standard than I ever was in my life, see, stand right straight with that Word. Now, I hope that anyone that gets in their mind that I'm doing that to act smart, then, brother, sister, you're certainly wrong. I'm doing that because I'm duty bound to That. I, I am bound to stay with that Word. Whatever It says, put no private interpretation, just say It that way. Now there is some that might be able to interpret It and make It sound a little different, but I can't do that. The only language I know is what is wrote on Here, just the way is This a way.
E-25 Now, a few, about three years ago, it will be now, that, at home, at my home church, the Holy Spirit spoke to me, said, "Go to Tucson, there is something waiting." I stood on this platform and told every one of you, "THUS SAITH THE LORD, something is fixing to happen." There is probably hundreds of people sitting here that know it. I just told you what I saw. The Message is on tape, What Time Is It, Sir? I saw a constellation of Angels, like a—a pyramid, come down just north of Tucson; up in this way, north of Tucson. And They spoke to me something, and I didn't know what it was. And one day there… There is man sitting right present now, two of them, that was with me, back over there when that happened.
E-26 And they took the picture of It in the sky. It come out in—in the magazine. I thought I had a copy. I do. That's it. You see it here in Life magazine, this copy, just exactly the way the Holy Spirit said it would be.
E-27 And there stood those seven Angels just as natural as you see me standing here, and told me to return to my home, that, the mysteries that the reformers down through the ages had failed to pick up, the mysteries of the Bible, which the Seven Seals held, would be revealed. I challenge anybody, get those Seven Seals and look them over, and find a fault with them. See? See? Because it's given by inspiration of God.
E-28 Prior to that, I preached on The Seven Church Ages, and then drawed them out on the blackboard in my tabernacle.
E-29 My Doctrine, I don't preach Doctrine out here, nothing but just great evangelical fundamentals; because I'm with brethren, might different with me, and I don't give That out before the people here. I just try to stay on the real fundamentals of the Scripture, such as what we believe. But, at my tabernacle, they tape It. If you want It, you can have It. If your pastor don't want you to have It, don't take It. See, that's up to you.
E-30 But in there, preaching on The Seven Church Ages, and to have a sanction from God; drawing them out, of how that the darkness come into the church, Nicaea; and the church angels, the messengers. It must have been right, for, as soon as I got them drawed at the last church age, on Sunday morning, at eleven o'clock, that great Light came down into the building, before almost as many people as sitting here; come down and flickered Itself on the side of the wall, before all those people, and drawed those Church Ages just exactly the way I had them drawed there. Now, there is hundreds and hundred of witnesses there to prove that. Just…
E-31 Well, now, we realize that God always shows things in the heaven before He shows them on the earth. Like the wise men followed the star, and so forth. A heavenly sign takes place, first, then the earthly vindicates the heavenly sign. God deals, works in signs, signs and wonders. They are to follow believers everywhere. The Jews always looked for a sign, 'cause they were God's chosen, and they looked for the sign. "Show us the sign, then we'll believe." And, then, when the wise men came with their story, the Magis, of the birth of Christ, just at the new year.
E-32 Now we find that the moon, in the Bible, represents the church. It shows light on the earth, in the absence of the sun. Revelations, the 12th chapter, really explains that, "the woman with the moon under her feet, the sun at her head." And how that in the absence of the sun, when the sun is gone to the other side, the moon reflects the sun to the earth. The church is to reflect Jesus Christ to the world, in the absence of the Son of God. We all believe that. It's a strange thing, as much has been different.
E-33 But speaking here, in 1933, of the pope taking his place out of, or coming out, rather, of Rome, and making a visit to the—the holy lands. He'll also come here. And the strange thing, is, a few nights before he left Rome, for the first time it ever was in history, the moon came down and went in total eclipse. Just that, what was it? Shadowing off the reflected Light of the Son. In this, he spoke to the Orthodox father; and they're all in agreement, "The pope does this for fellowship, good neighborly fellowship." Which sounds, to the natural ear, the most wonderful thing could happen. But to the spiritual ear, it's darkness. And how that we churches, we Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, and Pentecostals, could ever join into such a mess as that, and knowing our Bible teaches us different! It's a marvelous thing to me, that how Spirit-filled man can set in places and say, "It feels spiritual to be in such a place." To me, it's horrible.
E-34 Now, I guess you got it here in Phoenix. If anyone… How many in here ever seen where I had them pictures drawed of the Church Ages? Raise up your hands. I guess… See how the Lord drawed them in the skies, the other night? Just exactly the way it's drawed up there at the tabernacle. Perfectly, exactly the way that the Holy Spirit gave it by inspiration, three years ago, at the Tabernacle, there it happened in the skies. "In the mouth of two or three witnesses, let every word be established." The Holy Spirit first moved by inspiration; I drawed them on the platform. Then He came down Himself and made His vindication of it, as the moon and the Light going out, going out, and to this Laodicea Age going into total darkness again. And here He comes down and vindicates it on the moon, just at the time that all the churches are going together in a consolidation, of the federation of churches.
E-35 No wonder, as Isaiah said, "Gross darkness is upon the earth, upon this people."
E-36 I know it's unpopular to speak against organization, but that's the mark of the beast. That's the thing that's carrying us right into that. It's making an image unto the beast. I don't say that for to be angry. I say that because it's Truth, brethren. The day will come when Phoenix will raise up, and maybe I'm gone on, but you'll know that that was THUS SAITH THE LORD. It is true. And how that the great Holy Spirit has a vindicated those Messages and foretold the things, never to fail one time! And why do we grope on in darkness? Why don't people wake up before it's too late? One of these days, it'll be too late, when you've already taken the mark, and then there is no… There is nothing else you can do about it then, you'll be caught in that system, that you're marked with that system.
E-37 Why don't you come to Christ, be filled with the Light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, His resurrecting Power that can set you free, and make you a candle that sets on the hill? No matter how dark it gets. Say, "Well, why should we do it? The rest of them…" Listen, right now is the time to let it shine, when it's the darkest. That's when Light shines better, is when It's in darkness. We must always let the Light shine where it's dark.
E-38 Prophet saying, "Gross darkness would be upon this people," and it certainly is the Truth.
E-39 Now we find out what made the moon reflecting the light. God showing, first, on the blackboard; next, by His Own Presence; then in the heavens He showed the sign. And then out of Rome went the pope, over into Palestine; which, to the ordinary eye, people screamed and fell on their faces, and worshiped the man. Not any more against him than I would be a minister that would join up with such. It's all the same spirit.
E-40 It seems like that gross darkness has settled upon the people till they think the only thing there is to do is to go to church and be a pretty good person, put your name on the book, and some little mysterious thing, "God will twist the key when you die, and change that spirit in you, to Him." You're mistaken. When you die, that spirit that's on you, that's the way you'll forever be. And remember, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and so forth, was very religious people.
E-41 God is a jealous God. He is jealous, and He wants His wife pure. He wants her a virgin, chaste. Nothing in the world into her, at all; altogether His Word, part of Him. We must be a part of the Word. Not a part of the creed; a part of the Word! Not a part of the church; a part of the Bride! Church is condemned, we know that she goes to outer darkness, but the Bride goes up.
E-42 Now if people could only wake up for a few moments and realize what the great thing is. It's pride that does that. It's people who—who wants to go like the rest of the world. You can't do that. You're not of the world. Do you think a woman laying in her casket will want to know whether she had her hair waterdo-ed, or whatever you want to call it? Do you think she would pay attention to how she was dressed if she was laying in a casket, or some man? They wouldn't do it.
E-43 And that's the reason, today, there is so much stuff that we have to copy after the neighbors, or some Hollywood star, or some fashion, or something like that, is because that we haven't died yet to Christ and His Word. What's the matter with the churches? We're in darkness, groping in darkness. Said, "There would be gross darkness upon the people." A gross darkness on the people now!
E-44 What does it all mean? It means this, that when the world… What made the moon fade out, was because that the—the sun… the earth got in the shadow of the sun, that was reflecting itself on the earth. The world got in the shadow. That's what's the matter with the church. That's what's the matter with the Presbyterian, Methodist, Pentecostals. That's what's the matter with all of us. The world shuts out the Light that we're supposed to be reflecting, swings itself around and gets into It, and, as they pass one another, it throws darkness over it.
E-45 And the world has come into the church, in the—in the name of denomination, the name of some creed, and "we're religious and all this and all this," but yet it denies the resurrecting power of Christ to vindicate His Word that's prophesied for this day. There can only be Light through the Word of God. We know that. God, in the beginning, said, "Let there be light," and there was light, vindication of His Word that He had spoken.
E-46 Blackness, blacked out! The world got in line with the reflection of the sun to the moon, and blacked it out. That's exactly what's happened in the natural, or in the spiritual. As it happened in the natural, foreshadowed and told us, that's exactly what's taken place.
E-47 Now, you see how that comes out at the end. Many of you young people, you won't have to get too old until you will see it, anyhow, if you live three or four more years.
E-48 The moon now, we are in the Laodicea Church Age. In the Laodicea Church Age, of all of the other churches, the Laodicea, last, lukewarm church age, Christ was on the outside of the church. Any Bible reader knows that. Revelation 3, He was on the outside of the church, trying to get His way back in again, and never did say He got in. "But as many as He loved, He rebuked and chastened." The Message would rebuke and chasten those who He loved. Now, was knocking, trying to get in; darkness shut It off, exactly what's come to pass. The Light that has been shining, soon will absolutely be shut completely out. It'll all go in to form an image unto the beast. And we know what that means, that's the end time.
E-49 God, in the beginning, separated the light from the darkness, and that's again what God is a doing. God separates light from dark. "In the beginning," He said, "let there be light." Now, remember, there can be no light outside of the Word of God. The very sun out there is the Word of God, vindicated. There was gross darkness upon the earth, fog and mist upon the earth, and God said, "Let there be light." Now what if no light come? Then it wouldn't do Him no good to speak. But when He said, "Let there be light," and light come into existence, vindicating that His Word was right. That light we live by today.
E-50 And the only Light that we can have today, in the church, is God vindicating His Light to this generation.
E-51 Each generation was lotted so much, happened in their days. We all know that. The prophets come on the scene. They, the Word of the Lord came to them, understood It. A seer, in the Old Testament, means that, "one that the Word is revealed to." And how they know it, because he foreknows things that will come. Then the Word of the Lord came to them, each age.
E-52 Jesus said to John, about John, "He was the bright and shining light, for a while." Why? Isaiah, seven hundred and twelve years before he was born, said, "There is a voice of one crying in the wilderness." Malachi, the 3rd chapter, said, "Behold, I send My messenger before My face, to prepare the way before Me." See, he was that Word being vindicated. The Word that was promised for that day, he was the light, because he was making come to pass the very Word that God had spoke about him.
E-53 And when Jesus came, John said, "I must fade out now; He must come in view." And He was the light. All down through the ages, how God spoke of that hour coming!
E-54 How did those clergymen fail to see It? How did they fail? How did those Pharisees and Sadducees fail to see? He said, "Search the Scriptures, for in Them you think you have Eternal Life, and They are They that testify of Me." How did they fail to see It, brethren? It's because it had been prophesied that they would do it.
E-55 And so is it today, that gross darkness is coming upon the people, and here we are! God has lotted His Word to be manifested this day, and it's the only Light we have, and God is going to let somebody manifest that Word. Somebody is going to do it. He promised it, and He works just exactly like He always did by it.
E-56 He has never changed His pattern of work. He prophesies what will happen, then He sends somebody down and vindicates that. And it goes over the head of millions, because, darkness covers the earth at that time. And people love darkness better than they do Light, 'cause darkness has a lot of pleasure.
E-57 I seen a Hollywood play, not long ago, said, "Life begins after the sun goes down." That's when death begins; all these nightclubs, and where they think they're living. They're dying.
E-58 God, at the beginning, separated the light from the darkness. He has always done that. What does He do? He presses that, by the coming light, He presses the darkness to the other side of the earth.
E-59 And that's exactly what's coming to pass now. It's just before day. The morning star has come out to hail the day coming. And the Holy Spirit showing Its Light. It's coming a time when the Light and darkness will have to be separated, one from the other. Church and its order will take the order of the day; and Christ and His Light-Word promise will go in the Rapture. That's the only thing that's left for them to do. It's a day, today, is the dawn of a new day, for many who are looking for His Coming.
E-60 So many, good sincere people today, that's what burns their hearts, so many, good sincere people like Mary and Joseph. They were coming from the feast, and they missed Jesus. Many people do that same thing today, thinking that He is with them. Now, I want to place this little light to you, to show you how infallible the Word of God is.
E-61 We all here, this afternoon, who are Christians, believe that Jesus Christ was God's Word, manifested. We believe He was virgin born. He was the tabernacle in which Almighty God tabernacled in, here on earth. Not just a prophet, not just an ordinary man, but God Himself manifested in the form of a man. He was Emmanuel, "God with us." We believe that, with all of our heart. And now notice when Martha or…
E-62 Mary, rather, and Joseph, thinking Jesus was with them, they were just perceiving He was with them, thinking, "It just must be all right. He is bound to be with us." But they were sadly mistaken. He wasn't.
E-63 So many, good people is like that today. They think, they see the hour approaching, they know something is fixing to happen, what do they do? They go join church, thinking He is with them. They shake hands with the preacher, thinking that's all they have to do, "He is with them." Confirmed or baptized a certain way, that's all they have to do, thinking Jesus is with them. Brother, sister, just like Mary, Joseph, of old, real sincere people, yet they are mistaken.
E-64 Your life proves whether Jesus is with you or not. Your life shows whether He is occupied here, or whether He is still in His heavens or not, whatever you are. "The works that I do shall you do also." How could you have Christ in you, and then the very Spirit in you deny His Word, take up a creed instead? It can't do it. He would defeat Himself by denying His Own Word.
E-65 Just because somebody put a wrong interpretation to It? You got a Bible, you can read like anybody else. Be sincere.
E-66 David said, "Put Him always before your face." Know that when we are meeting this new year, we're meeting it in the power of the resurrection of Christ. "He is always before me. I shall not be moved."
E-67 Notice how infallible the Word is. Mary and Joseph… Now to you, my dear Catholic friends, that said Mary was the mother of God. Mary wasn't even the mother of Jesus, let alone being the mother of God. How could she be? Right. Not one time did He ever address her as mother; not at all.
E-68 They come to Him one time, and said, "Your mother and brothers wait outside."
E-69 He looked on His congregation, said, "Who is My mother? Who is My brethren?" Looked at His disciples, said, "The ones that does the will of My Father, that's the same as My mother, My…"
E-70 On the cross, when He was dying, He also spoke the same thing. He said to John, John here, this man, "Son, behold your mother!" Not, "Mother, behold thy son." "Woman, behold your son!" Not, see, she wasn't no mother of God.
E-71 She was just a borrowed womb that God used; no more than any other woman that God take a notion to use. He might use (your) the womb of your heart, to declare His Son, if you—if you'd just let Him do it. See? Not no mother of God. There would have to be a sensation, even to be a seed of Mary. He wasn't even a seed from Mary.
E-72 It was, the whole thing, was God, the Creator. If the first Adam back there was created without father and mother, the Second Adam was the same thing. And anything less than that wouldn't put Him on equal with Him. That's right. The same God, He created a body that He Himself dwelt in.
E-73 Now we find, look how, look, if Mary was the mother of God, how she slipped up, there. She said, "Thy father and I have sought Thee with tears." Denying the virgin birth, "Thy father, Joseph, and I, have sought Thee."
E-74 Watch that twelve-year-old Boy, twelve-year-old Child, saying, "Don't you know that I must be about My Father's business, debating with them denominations up there?" Now, if He was with, about Joseph's business, He'd have been down at the carpenter shop. Joseph wasn't His father. God was His Father. "Don't you know I ought to be about My Father's business?" Up there, at twelve years old, with them learned priests. Not a day in school, but yet they were astonished at the wisdom. And look at the…
E-75 He was the Word. When He was born, He was the Word. He is still the Word. Notice, the Word will not take counterfeit. She said, "Thy father and I have sought Thee with tears."
E-76 Said, "Don't you know that I must be about My Father's business?"
E-77 Rebuked His Own mother? Why? He was the Word. There would be a question in somebody's mind, if Mary here, who once said the "Holy Ghost" overshadowed her and brought forth a Son, and then here calling Joseph the father. The Word is infallible. It can't fail.
E-78 "You know not that I ought to be about My Father's business?" And He was about the Father's business; not—not Joseph's business, making doors and—and carpenter things. He was about His Father's business, straightening out the religious politics they had in that day. "Know ye not that I must be about My Father's business?" Yes, sir.
E-79 Many people today, in a lot of these fine churches, are going into that council of church; not "going" in, they're already there. They are perceiving that that's just exactly the thing to do, "Friendly, nice, why can't we all come together?" Why, they've been trying, all, for years, to make all Methodists Baptist, and all Baptists Presbyterian; Pentecostals has tried to make all of them Pentecostals. You can't do that, but a council is the answer for you. That's the answer, what the Bible says they will do, and that's just exactly what they've done. Friendly churches is, yes, sir, a gettogether, "Fine, let's have fellowship!"
E-80 Bible said, "How can two walk together unless they be agreed?"
E-81 Some of them deny the virgin birth. Eighty percent of the Protestant churches deny the virgin birth. And they deny the baptism of the Holy Ghost. They deny the signs of His Coming, the resurrection Power. They deny He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. How can you, when God put all this chaos in the world because a woman one day doubted one little phase of His Word? Satan told her the Truth, all but one thing, but that was the thing that caused all the trouble. Now, if all this heartache and sadness that you have to look at, because one little phase of It was doubt, do you think one little phase of doubt will ever take us in?
E-82 That's the reason Jesus is coming for a chaste Virgin, pure, filled with the Holy Ghost, and not of the world, but of the Power of God. Oh, how wonderful to know that there is a possibility to get into this Group! How do you do it? You'll never do it by joining into organization. You will do it when you are baptized by the Holy Spirit, into the mystical Body of Jesus Christ, raised with Him in resurrection, free from death and sin. That's the only way.
E-83 Darkness! Great denominations, and a great group of man gets together and sets their ideas about It, and that throws you right back into a twist like there was at the beginning. No hopes at all in that case; you're simply gone. And all of them just seem to be so stirred up about this friendly churches, think if God will be with them. "Well, the Millennium is going to start when the council all gets together up there, and all the ecumenical moves, and so forth," and they join in. What they doing? Making an image unto the beast, a power, that where all the undenominationals, and so forth, that won't join in with them, will be shut out. Just watch and see if that happens.
E-84 I've got it wrote down here, the very day we… The Lord let me see that in 1933. And here it is just exactly the way that he… the way It said, just coming the same way, how the pope would leave Rome, and so forth.
E-85 Now, they are good people, but mistaken. Joseph and Mary was fine people, but real mistaken. But what was it? God used a twelve-year-old Boy to show that that Word has to stay pure, exactly what It was, what It said the first place, "He was virgin born," and that's what He was.
E-86 Thinking He was with them when they joined the churches, and so forth, but It wasn't. Now, but to the Elected… Now, that's the darkness, and I could stay on that for another hour.
E-87 But to the Elected, precious and called, Saints of God, I say to you, this coming year: Shalom, God's peace!
E-88 The hour is here! If I could have been back there before the days that the world was created, and looked down and seen the whole thing, and the Father had said to me, "What day would you want to live?" I would say now, right now! This is the hour! This is the greatest hour that the Church has ever moved into, just before the coming of the Bridegroom. Oh, the real Church of the living God ought to be on fire, burning, with the Light of the Gospel being vindicated among them. "Rise and shine, for the Light has come to you," the Light of this day. Isaiah was the light of his day. Noah was the light of his day. Why? He had the Word manifested. And the Gospel, the Bible Words for this day, is the Light of the day. What a glorious time that we are living!
E-89 Now, "good morning" mean peace. Darkness is gathering. What's it gathering for? To show the Light. Isaiah 60:1, "Rise and shine, for the light is come to you." That's the reason I can say, "Shalom," the Light has come to you, God's peace to the elected Woman, to the elected Lady; those who God, before the foundation of the world, called out and ordained to That.
E-90 The rest of them will never see It. They'll never know nothing about It. The Bible said so. And Jesus said, "No man will come to Me except My Father draws him, first; and all the Father has given Me will come." That's…
E-91 There stood Judas, Light shining up here, but back in his heart was dark seed. When the showdown come, the darkness showed.
E-92 Here was a little, old woman, all blacked out, up here in front, but down here was a predestinated seed. And when the Light come, It scattered the darkness, and it showed forth. "We know Messiah is coming, and, when He does, He will show us these things."
Jesus said, "I am He."
E-93 But Judas doubted It, yet supposed to be walking in the Light. See, the Light up here doesn't matter; it's the Light down here that counts. The Light up here will walk and fellowship, and everything else; but when the real power of God comes in, it can't come back to this dead seed, it'll reflect off in a denomination.
E-94 But when It's back down here, a genuine, predestinated seed, when that Light comes down here, shows all the darkness away from you, and puts you in fellowship with Christ. He was the One Who gave you Life before the foundation of the world, otherwise you'll never see It, what God said.
E-95 Now, to you predestinated Seed, Shalom! Amen. God's peace rest upon you, because we're near the end now. We're right down near the end. We're going to talk about that group, for a while. Shalom!
E-96 God's Light has come. The Word, Light, is vindicated again, so that you can see the manifestations of the promise of God for this day. "Search the Scriptures, in Them you think you have Eternal Life." They testify of the day that we're living in. What is the Light of the day? What did the Bible promise for this day? See what hour it is!
E-97 No wonder Jesus rebuked them for not believing John. He was the light, because the prophet said he would come. And there he was, the manifested light. They didn't see it. They didn't understand it; they thought he was the Messiah, and they thought something else, and this another. They failed to see It.
Jesus come on. Two lights can't shine at the same time.
E-98 There can't be a church light and God's Light shine at the same time. It's got to be God's Light putting out the church light. And that's exactly what's taking place today. God is separating churchism from His Light of the promised Word of this hour that we're living in. That's the Truth, friend. You might not want to believe that, but you just wait and find out if it's so or not. Don't wait, you better get in right now while there is a chance to get in.
E-99 The Word is Light when It's vindicated. Until the Word, it promised for the day, is a vindicated, then it is not Light. It cannot be. If God said, "Let there be light," and no sun come in existence, there is no sign of light. But when God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. When God promised a Messiah, Messiah come, then His Word was fulfilled and He was the Light of the hour. When He promised Noah, and He promised the others, and on down, they was the light of the hour.
E-100 And there is a Light of the hour today, that's Jesus Christ in the power of His resurrection, His Word that's promised for this day. "The works that I do, shall you also; greater than this shall you do, for I go to the Father." Greater works, greater things than He did? Do you believe it? [Congregation says, "Amen."—Ed.] I believe it. It seems humble. It seems like it goes over the top of people's head. Look when He was here on earth, how could you do "greater" works? I've translated that, many times, "more," but the same thing. "Greater," He said in Saint John 14:12, "greater works than this shall you do."
E-101 Did you notice? When He went to make water into wine, He took water, first; an already created substance, and turned it into wine. When He fed five thousand people, He took a fish that once swam in the water, broke it, hand it out, and multiplied creation. He took bread that was once wheat, baked into bread, broke it and hung it out to the… hand it out to the people, and it returned back again. Multiplied creation!
E-102 But in the last days, where there is no sign of creation, He speaks it into creation, anyhow, shows to be the same God that was in the beginning. He can create squirrels, He can create whatever He wants to, because He is God. "Greater things than this will you do, for I go unto My Father." The Word is infallible, and It has to be manifested and has to be fulfilled. "Greater than this shall you do," not multiplying, but speaking out into creation.
E-103 Notice at the Word now when He promised. Where, where we at, then? What day are we living in? What is the hour? The manifesting of the Word of God, like it is in all hours. You got the Message on The Seven Church Ages. Watch exactly how each one of those beasts that went out, and the Beasts that followed them. Watch exactly if it didn't hit down through the reformers age, and every age, just exactly the way it was supposed to be, exactly what the Word said. And so will the Holy Spirit manifest today just exactly what the Bible said it would be.
E-104 We see the shadowing in the heavens and on earth, and all the things, and the councils and things getting ready.
E-105 And we see, in the midst of all that, the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ, promised for this day, manifesting Itself. We're living in a wonderful time. Shalom to you who have Word down in your heart, chose before the foundation of the world, to hear the Word for this day. If you don't, it's a bad year for you ahead. If you are, it's a great world for you ahead, or great day, great year coming now, new year.
E-106 Not to turn a new page; a lot of people tries to turn a new page on new year, turn it back the next day.
E-107 Like a little story I was reading the other morning. A woman hollered in to her husband, who had got up early and went out and got the morning paper, and was reading the morning paper. He said… She said, "Is there anything new in the news?"
He said, "No, just the same thing, only different people."
E-108 That's about the way it is today, same thing. We got a new organization, same old doctrine; just pet it around, somebody get a little phase of it going this way or that way.
E-109 This is a new day. Hallelujah! This is a day that we should rise and shine, in the Power of Jesus Christ. Gross darkness settling upon the earth; there should be a new day for us, yes, indeed, doing it just the way He does it. But turn to His Word and see the promise that's promised for this day, and you'll know whether you're living in Daylight or not. Changing the calendar doesn't change the time; it only changes the calendar.
E-110 Now closely listen. Do as David did, put your future in His hand. "How? What am I to know what to do, Brother Branham?" Put your future in His hand. No matter what comes or goes; trust Him. He is the Word, now know. David said, "His time is in my hand. Trust in Him all the time. Always trust in Him." He knew Who held the future, David did, that's the reason he could say this. There is only One holds the future, that's God. So, He holds the—the future, let Him hold you. All right.
E-111 Some people says, "But, Brother Branham, I have tried and I have tried."
E-112 But wait a minute. Patience is virtue. Patience is Holy Spirit virtue. "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength."
E-113 You say, "How can I wait any longer?" Just keep on waiting. When you've done all you can do to stand, then stand, see, just stand. "How am I going to do it?" Stand! He said it's the Truth, and it's the Truth. He said it'll happen. "How?" I don't know; but it'll happen. He said so. He promised it. If He promised it, it's going to happen. That's all. It can't waste.
E-114 So now just remember, God took thousands of years to fulfill His promise of a coming Saviour. Four thousand years, God took to fulfill that promise. But He knowed, from the beginning, just when it was going to happen. He knew; no one else did. He just said it would happen. And when it happened, the people was in such a delusion, till they didn't know how to accept it. If that same thing hasn't repeated again! It always does, never fails, both sides, always.
E-115 What did He do during these years? He showed types of Him coming.
E-116 He showed it in Joseph. If you'd look at Joseph's life; hated of his brothers, loved of his father. Why? Because he was spiritual, because he saw visions. The rest of them didn't see visions; they were patriarchs but they didn't see visions, interpret dreams. But they were jealous of him. And he was sold almost for thirty pieces of silver, raised up out of the ditch where he was supposed to be killed, set at the right hand of Pharaoh. And when he left the throne, the trumpet sounded, "Bow the knee; Joseph is coming!"
E-117 Just exactly what Jesus was done, sets at the right hand of God. And when He leaves the Throne, the trumpets will sound. And every knee shall bow, and confess to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Exactly.
E-118 He showed it in types of David, when he was up on… a rejected king looking over Jerusalem, weeping. "How oft would I have hovered you, as a hen would her brood, but you would not."
E-119 Down through the age, He showed it in types, knowing that someday the last type would be fulfilled, and the full manifestation of His promised Messiah would be there. And when the full promise come, though He typed it… Day after day, year after year, He typed it. And when it come to the reality, they didn't believe it.
E-120 He has done the same thing, typed it, and showed it in the church ages, and everything, to the hour that we're living, and people are in gross darkness, seem like they just can't comprehend it. Such a sad thing!
E-121 No more than see the young man out here, fine, big, fine-built fellow with his hair, what he curl it up like the women do, and leotards on, and a big long sweater hanging down, and purple shoes on. Masculine? Oh, my, what a horrible thing to call a man! What a thing to call a man! That's right.
E-122 See some woman, supposed to be daintish and lovely, come out with a pair of man's trousers on, a cigarette in her mouth, and bobbed hair. What a thing to call a woman! Jesus called Mary, "woman." Shouldn't even be called that; just a female.
E-123 Notice, and the hour! Why? Sometimes people who claim and think they're sincere, but a gross darkness has got them in this. The Bible said they would be like that. Read Isaiah 6 and find out if the women wasn't to do that way in the last days, just exactly is what the Bible said they would be. It's the Word of God. Jeremiah and different ones spoke of this hour that we're now living, 'cause they seen the end from the beginning. So we see these things, and gross darkness upon the people.
E-124 Yes, it took God thousands of years, throw… showing types and everything, and finally they did not know Him when He come, though He was portrayed in Joseph and David and Elijah, and all down through there. He was portrayed with them, and yet we can't understand why they didn't see It. And there it was, right in the Scripture, "Out of Bethlehem of Judaea," He would be born. We find that in the Scriptures, how He was to be born, a virgin. "A virgin shall conceive and bear a Child, and they call His Name Emmanuel."
E-125 Why did they kill Him for? "Because He made Himself God," and He was God. Sure, they admit it. "He said He make Himself God, equal with God, saying, ' I'm the Son of God.'" Why, He was!
E-126 The Bible said He should be called, "Counsellor, Prince of Peace, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, Wonderful!" That's what He was. Why didn't they understand that?
No wonder He said, "You ought to search the Scriptures."
They said, "We are Moses' disciples."
E-127 Said, "If you was Moses' disciples, you would know Me. Moses wrote of Me." And they didn't know it.
E-128 And the hour is upon the people again, when they'll go to their creeds and things, instead of the lovely Jesus. That's right. These great big things coming up, and is bringing them right into more darkness and more darkness. And God declaring it in His Word, by signs and wonders in the heavens, and showing forth, telling things that happens just exactly to the hour and to the minute, what would take place. And then they continually walk right on the same way. Looks like they just can't help it. Good people, yes, sir, doing the same thing now as they did then.
E-129 We are creatures of time. God is creatures of Eternity… God is the creature of Eternity. He never did begin and He never will end. So why not just commit yourself to Him? Look up, and shine with the joy of the Light of God's Word that's shining today. Why can't people see That, friends?
E-130 Listen, I'm your brother. I love you. Wouldn't it be easier for me just to tolerate, when, and go ahead and say, "Oh, well, I'll compromise on This, I'll comp-…"? I'm not made out of that. No, sir. When it's the Word, it's the Word. God help us to stand for that thing which is true! Yes, sir. It would be fine, sure, you'd get more pats on the back. But what I, will I do standing there that Day when them boney fingers point in my face and say, "You knowed better, but you failed to tell us"? Whew! No!
E-131 I'll be like Paul, "I have not shunned to declare to you the whole Counsel of God." No man's blood is upon me. Let It go where it may be. That's Truth. God knows it, and He backs it up and says it's the Truth.
E-132 Turn to what, to Brother Branham? You, you would be foolish to do such a thing. Turn to Christ, and He is the Word! Turn to Christ!
E-133 Get away from creeds! Get back into… I don't care, you might started your creed, five hundred years ago, that you just… That don't mean one thing to God. Them Sadducees and Pharisees started long before you did, and were condemned.
E-134 Oh, you try to place your evidence of the Holy Spirit upon different actions. I believe in the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. What does it do? The Pentecostal says, "Speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of the Holy Ghost." I've seen witches and wizards speak in tongues. I've seen them speak in tongues and drink blood out of a human skull, and prophesy and deny there was such a thing as God. I've been in the witch camps where they lay a pencil on the table and make it jump up-and-down, and write in unknown tongues and interpret it. That's right. That don't have a thing to… Yet, I believe God speaks in unknown tongues through His people. But you put so much stress on that, "Why should there be an interpreter? Why should it have to be a message to the church?"
E-135 Then you other people, you say, "The fruits of the Spirit, that's how we know. Love, joy, that's how we got the evidence." It is? Then the Christian Science has got you all beat. They exercise that more than all you Pentecostals, Methodists, and Baptists, put together.
E-136 Watch what happens. Let me show you the fruits of the Spirit, and see if you could go for that anymore. Let's take Jesus. God forgive me for these words I'm going to say; I'm going to turn against Him for a minute, to show you, take these council of man here, and this council of man here this afternoon. I'll say…
E-137 "Sirs, there is a young Fellow around here, by the Name of Jesus of Nazareth, have nothing to do with Him! Who was the first… What does our Bible teach us? God is love. Who was the first with you when you were born? Your kind, old priest. That's right. Who come to you when you was in need, didn't have no money, and loaned you some money? Your kind, old priest. Exactly. Who put his hand on your shoulder and on mother's shoulder, when you was about to separate, and prayed you back to God? Your kind, old priest. Who was it took sides with you, when you and your neighbor was in fussing, and brought you back together in fellowship? Your kind, old priest. That's right. Who is it, is the last words going to say over you at the day out yonder? Who is it? They let you lay there and rot; but your kind, old priest comes and blesses you, and sends the Word of God along with you. Your kind, old priest!
E-138 "What about this Guy called Jesus of Nazareth, then, see, what school did He come from? Your kind, old priest had to sacrifice, all of his life. His grandfather was a priest. His great-great-great-great- great-grandfather was a priest. He put his whole time in the organization. He is trained to the Word; he knows what he is talking about."
E-139 Now we're talking about fruits of the Spirit: kind, love, joy, peace, understanding, long-suffering, patience, see, fruit of the Spirit.
E-140 "What about this Jesus, where did He come from? We haven't got a word that He ever come out of any school. All He does is try to tear up the schools that we've built." Not much fruit of the Spirit there, is it?
E-141 "What did He do up there where them poor merchants down there, and businessmen that had to… They, they don't raise sheep, so they—they set a little pen out there so the man can bring in a sheep. That poor businessman, he—he wants to offer a sheep, 'cause it's God's requirement. He brings in the—the sheep, to sell to the businessman, so that he can offer for his soul. What has this Jesus of Nazareth done? Kicked over his tables; took some leather and plaid it together, beat them priests out of there; and called your kind, old priest, 'a snake in the grass; a hypocrite'!"
E-142 Now you call that fruit of the Spirit? Certainly not. Then where is your fruit of the Spirit landing up at? No more than you think of compassions, and Him going through a multitude of people there, multitudes laying, blind, crippled, afflicted, withered, halt, lame, and never healed any of them; full of compassion. People with a carnal mind will never know It. Seminaries don't teach It. It's a revelation. Certainly. Fruit of the Spirit drops off there, doesn't it? Them priests had ten times the fruit of the Spirit.
E-143 How would you know what's right? The manifestation of the spoken Word of God being made manifest, Light of the hour. Certainly. There is what the evidence of the Holy Spirit is, believing the Word of God when It's manifested. He was the Word, manifested. And some of them denied It, laughed at It, made fun of Him and called Him a—a fortuneteller, some evil spirit; there is evidence, speaking in tongues, there is evidence of the fruits. The only evidence there is, is when man believe the written Word. When It's vindicated, walk in the Light of It. Jesus was the Light of the hour because He was the promised Word of the hour, and tried to tell them so, but they were too—too much in darkness to understand It. So is it, today, now.
E-144 Now creatures of time, we are. Commit your ways to Him, and He will bring the future out right, because we just see Him as He is in the Word.
E-145 You've seen Him vindicate the Word promised of today. You see it in the signs in the moon. You see it in the churches. Remember.
E-146 "You said, 'in the church,' what does that have to do with the church?"
E-147 Just a moment. The moon represents the church. Jerusalem is the oldest known church city in the world. Melchisedec come from that city; King of Salem, King of peace, King of Jerusalem. That's right, the oldest city in the world. And that was a moon, like where the law was established, and here come this wave of Gentile darkness coming over it. He said, "The—the church would trod down the walls of Jerusalem till the Gentile dispensation was up." And here she is. We're living right into it. She is going right back, just as certain as my name is William Branham. Yes, sir, we can see it. She is shadowed, foreshadowed, foretold; calling the Elect out. They grope right on in darkness, the rest of them, as they go along. All right.
E-148 Now we see His Word vindicated. We believe. So if He vindicated the Word of today, what It is, what do I care about what the year brings? What do I care about next year? What do I care whether I live today or die today? Every Word that He promised will be vindicated, every one! If He is able to do it today, after promising it two thousand years ago; if it's a hundred thousand years, today, Jesus will return to the earth in a visible body, for a Church, a—a Redeemed, the Bride, and take Her out of here. Regardless of what comes, goes, fashions, saying "go on," and people can wade on in total darkness and believe anything they want to believe, but Jesus Christ will return again. I trust the future to Him, then. "Lord God, I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know You hold tomorrow."
E-149 His Word is just like a great symphony. How many of you ever heard a symphony? Well, everybody has. Now remember, a symphony is when music is played in a drama. I think I have that right, a symphony. "Peter and the Wolf," you remember that, the old story how they used to… I've heard that, how they take the drums and make the—the little woodpecker pecking, and Peter going out, and the growling of the wolf, and the tooting of the horns; a symphony.
E-150 Now, if you don't understand a symphony, it's a big bunch of racket to you, if you don't understand it. You've got to understand what it is. It's all done by signs and motions, but it acts out a drama in this symphony. Now, we notice, the only one that understands a symphony is the composer and those who are interesting in knowing it, knows its changes, knows what takes place.
E-151 The composer knows every move, from the end to the beginning, from the beginning to the end. Did you know that? The one who wrote it up, he composes this, he knows every little junction. If he knows every junction, so does the director have to do, to direct it. Now how you going to twist your creed in that? One little miscue of that stick, that sign, one little mis-sign at a junction, would throw the whole orchestra off, throw the whole symphony out. Now you know that's true. The composer and director has to be in the same spirit.
E-152 That's why the minister and the Word of God, God's great Symphony He has been playing since the dawn of time; the minister, at the Word, has to not look over here and say, "I believe this ought to be; you ought to make It this way." He has got to go the way the sheet Music says take it. That's the way the Gospel has got to be preached, the way the Word says take It. You know, if you'd throw a creed in There, you got the whole thing messed up. It's got to go to make the drama just exactly right.
E-153 The director has to go what the composer said, beat out just exactly so, the music. Now watch, it's all done by signs, and it's got to be the right kind of sign, to give the right kind of a sound.
E-154 Paul said, "If the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for war?"
E-155 Now you see the Composer, God, Who wrote the Bible, it's altogether the revelation of Jesus Christ. He knowed the changes of time. And the man, the—the director who is directing them, the sign of the age, has to go just exactly with the Bible signs. Hallelujah! My, my, my, my, my!
E-156 Oh, brother, sister, what's the matter with the world? Why am I crazy? There is something wrong somewhere. The symphony is not in harmony with the sheet Music! They're making church creed and everything else, when it's the Word that's supposed to be preached, to be manifested. Something wrong with the directors, then the whole band is mixed up, and they don't know what to do. They're all funny, "What happened? Why'd this do? What, this happen? This, how did that happen?" They don't know what to do now. Scattering, because it never come in harmony with the Word. That's what's the matter with our, what we call, last-day revival. That's what's the matter with our Pentecostal message. We've got out of beat with the Bible, went and organized like they did back there. She went off beat.
E-157 God, have mercy. I wish I had words that I could make It sink in, as it was, that I could spread it open and pour It in.
E-158 Can't you see, my brother, sister, it's got to be in harmony? The director has got to be with the Word. When It says one thing, don't say something else; it'll give the wrong sign, then the whole thing goes out of rhythm. That's right. God's Word is a great sympathy, a symphony, rather. Excuse me. You must begin like He did, in the Music. You must begin with Him. Notice, get in the rhythm of It.
E-159 Say, "Well, I joined church." That's not the rhythm. "I did so." That's not the rhythm. "I went up to the altar and I—I said, 'I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God.'" Satan does the same thing. That's not the rhythm. See, you get out of swing. What happened? Maybe some director told you, "Shake hands and put your name on the book; join our club, our organization." You're all out of swing!
E-160 Then when the real thing begins to happen out here amongst a little bunch, you'll say, "Well, what about That, they're out of harmony." Go back to the Word and see who is out of harmony. See what God promised. See what the Composer said about It.
E-161 See, you got everybody in your audience. That's the reason the world is looking around. When the church ought to be looked upon as a bright, shining star, a Light that's setting on a hill, that no man can outshine, no man condemn It.
E-162 And, today, it's the laughingstock of the world, because that the directors got it out of harmony with the Composer. See what I mean? They're beating out things that isn't in There. The musicians hardly knows what to do now; the church, they're all in a twist. We've been talking about all this stuff, all years, and condemning it, and now joining right in with it. Oh, something wrong somewhere.
E-163 Notice, you must begin in the Music like He did, get into the rhythm of It, get into the promised Word. See the way He done it at the beginning, see the way He done it in the middle age, see the way He does it now, always the same.
E-164 Watch the director, how he does it. If he doesn't do it, if he points you to some organization; There never was a director done that. A director always pointed you to the Word. The prophets of old, pointed to the Word. They was the Word. They lived the Word. And what did it do? It manifested God. That brought the written Word for that day to life, because It come to them. It was revealed to them. That was their Rock. Hallelujah!
E-165 Jesus Christ, God's Word, is our Rock. "Upon this Rock I'll build My church," the revealed Word of God. Shalom, to the real believer. Peace! We're at the end time. "On this Rock I'll build My Church," the revelation of the Word.
E-166 One said, "Well, You're a great man. You're like Moses. You're a great man. You're like…" That ain't it.
But the revelation said, "Thou art the Son of God."
E-167 Said, "Flesh and blood never revealed It to you, but My Father which is in Heaven. Upon this revealed Truth, I'll build My Church."
E-168 What is it? He is the Word. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," and the Word is still God. Just He, the same today, manifest Himself as He was; Moses and Elijah, on down, and Jesus, and the same God today, makes Him "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever," Hebrews 13:8. See, they never pointed you to a group. They pointed you to a Person, pointed you to a Word, God.
"Where do I begin, Brother Branham?"
E-169 At the Cross, begin at the Cross with Him. "Repent, believe the Word," that's what the Bible said. Then follow through the rhythm of the rest of the Word.
You say, "Well, what shall I do?"
E-170 Just keep on following the rhythm of the Word. If "repent" is the first thing, in recognizing, do that, that's your first step. Put your next step where the Word says. On, on and on, and marching on with Him.
E-171 Don't break the rhythm if you're a part of God's symphony. Don't break the rhythm of the Word. Don't ask, "Well, why? Why did this happen? I tried it, Brother Branham, and, when they turned me out, you know what I done? I just like to starved to death." Don't ask why. He knows the rhythm, how it's got to change, and what junctions it's got to make, yes, sir, for It's written. He knows all about It. He knows the rhythm. Don't ask why. Believe It!
E-172 God has moved down through the time of history, with His promised Word, in each age, and has never failed (to break) the rhythm, by the Power of God, when It come to the elected and vindicated people. The rhythm of His Word in the days of Noah, the rhythm of His Word in the days of Noah, in the days of Moses, in the days of Elijah, in the days of John, in the days of David, in the days of Jesus, on down, He keeps the rhythm of the Word, right on down, never has broke It. He has come right down through history. And the elected Seed, that seen It and believed It, fall right into that rhythm with It.
E-173 The others say, "Well, but the church says…" That has got nothing to do with It. You're not born to do that.
E-174 You're born into the Word, for you're born into Christ. Christ is the Word, yes, sir, each one in its age.
E-175 You say, "Well, I'll just tell you, Brother Branham, I can't look ahead."
E-176 Then look up. God promised, if you'd look up, see Him; shalom, peace, God's peace rest you.
E-177 You say, "Then why does others make fun of me, Brother Branham? You know, others make fun of me, and saying I—I got 'long hair,' I'm 'old fashion,'" to the women. The man, "Because I believe the Bible, 'You don't have fellowship with us no more. We can't accept you because that—that you believe such-and-such.'"
E-178 And you know it's exactly the way the Word is written. God is duty bound to you, to back That up then. He certainly is. Don't matter about that, why they say to make fun of. God is a jealous God. Remember, suffering for His Word's sake is growing pains of His grace. When you suffer for His Word's sake, it's just growing pains.
E-179 You know how a little kid, ten, twelve years old, gets pains. Come in, say, "Mama, my arms hurt and my legs are hurting," so forth. It's growing pains. It shows he has got some good vitamins. He is growing up.
E-180 And when somebody begins to make fun of you, say, "She is old fashion. Look at him, he's… Oh, I'll tell you, he used to be…"All right, just remember, it's growing pains. That's that persecution is good for you. It's growing pains.
E-181 Oh, yes, He permits crosses and crossroads and junctions. He always does that, in order to perfect us for His service. He permits those things to happen. Can't you understand that? [Congregation says, "Amen."—Ed.] He does that so He can perfect you for the calling He has called you for. That's your growing pains. He did Daniel that way, you know.
E-182 He did the Hebrew children, in the fiery furnace. What did the fiery furnace do? The fiery furnace only broke the bands that had them bound. That's all the furnace did, just burnt loose the bands.
E-183 Sometimes it takes trials to break the bands of the world off of us, take you out of the world. Might be, have to take you out of your creed, first. Like the man drowning in the river, you have to take him out of the river before you get the river out of the man. That's about the way God has to do sometime. Let them throw you out, one time, then they get the world out of you. Got to—got to get you out of the world, first. Sometimes these growing pains is what does that. Oh, yes.
E-184 God stands on the promised Word for each new year. He stands on It, this year, to fulfill what He has got promised for this year. Whatever it is, I want to be right in the center of His will in the future, like they did.
E-185 Like Abraham, when he met his crossroads, he didn't know how he would do it. God told him, "I'm going to give you a son." Twenty-five years he waited for it. Finally the son come, then God said, "Now, by this son, I'm going to make you a father of many nations. Take him up there and kill him. Take him up and kill him," destroy the very thing that he had waited twenty-five years on. "Take him up and kill him."
E-186 Abraham never worried. It never bothered him. He picked up the wood and put it upon a little donkey, and took his son. Took him up the top of the hill, to offer him up, because Abraham knew that he had received him as one from the dead; Sarah's womb was dead, he was sterile, so there was no way. And the boy… He was a hundred years old, and she was ninety, so he come by a promised Word. The same God that made the promise, said, "I'll make you a father of nations," after twenty-five years, and being a hundred years old, him and his wife received the child. If God told him to offer him up, God was able to raise him up. Amen.
E-187 Praise God, brethren. I feel good. I feel religious. So how good I feel! I know this one thing, He is able to raise him up again. We'll stand on that unadulterated Word of Light for this hour! God will raise us up when this generation comes forth, as shining Lights against this generation. Amen.
E-188 No wonder He said, "The queen of the South shall rise in the Judgment, with her generation, and condemn this one; because she came from the utmost parts of the earth, to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here." How that little queen, way down, a heathen, saw that Light, and come for miles through the desert, three months on a camel's back, to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and them standing right there, with Solomon being a type, a figure of Him.
E-189 And then come and seeing Wesley, Luther, all the others, denominations back there, being a figure and a type of what's happening now, and they walk right through It. Oh! All right.
E-190 For, so the new year is determined by God, just determine to stay in His Word. Walk where the Word says walk, as we come now to the close, like others, elected Seed did in their day when they saw the Word. What did they do it? They walked in It, if they were elected Seed in other ages, for He is the unfailing Word. How many believe that Jesus Christ is the Word? [Congregation says, "Amen."—Ed.] Oh, my!
E-191 I heard a program the other day, of a certain denomination of people, Mr. H. M. S. Richards said he had "wrote the book for the year." I don't want to disagree with a man like that. Although, being a Seventh-day Adventist, I don't agree with Seventh-day Adventist doctrine, but I certainly like the man. But I'll disagree with him. That might be H. M. S. Richards' book for the new year.
E-192 But my Book and your Book, for the new year, is the Book of the old year, the Bible, God's Word. Just make It live to what It's promised to live for. Yes, sir. And every coming year to come, and every year that has been, He is the Eternal God living through the Eternal Word that He spoke, when every Bible Truth and every promise in It has been vindicated, as it has been down through the years.
E-193 How God promised that He would destroy the world with water, and He vindicated it by Moses… or by Noah.
E-194 He promised that He would send a deliverer, and bring Israel up out of Egypt; they had sojourned for four hundred years. He did just exactly that.
E-195 And He swore that He would raise up David, and how David would be a—a son; Christ would be his son, through David would come Christ. How He swore that He would do that; He did just that.
E-196 He promised He would send John the Baptist, before the coming of Jesus Christ. He did just that.
He promised He would send the Messiah. He did just that.
E-197 He promised the world would get into a great group of organizations and make a system, a power, known as the beast, and would be up there setting on seven hills. It did just exactly that.
E-198 How the church would be persecuting them, to death! They did just exactly that.
E-199 How they'd come out in the reformation! They did just exactly that. How He promised in each age it would be!
E-200 And He promised for this age. And here He is, today, making that Word live, just exactly like He did in the beginning. Certainly.
E-201 And when every promise is fulfilled, "death is swallowed up in victory," Jesus will come; and the last one is vindicated, then there will come an Eternal peace upon the earth, and an Eternal shalom. An Eternal shalom, peace, will rest upon the earth.
E-202 When Jesus came, the Prince of Peace, why wasn't there peace? Because all the Word wasn't fulfilled in His day. He is fulfilling It today. But when all of His promised Word, which was a thought of God…
E-203 A Word is a "thought expressed." God, in His thinking, thought It, and expressed It through His prophets, and now It has to be fulfilled. And, when, He foretold us of these things so we wouldn't make a mistake and blunder in darkness then, when we see it being fulfilled.
E-204 Now, He promised to send Christ the second time. And whenever He does, when Christ comes the second time, there will be an Eternal shalom.
E-205 Listen, friends, as we close. Remember, the Bible is the fountain of all wisdom. It doesn't come from Doctor, Ph.D., LL.D. It comes from the Word of God.
E-206 There was Doctors of Divinity sitting there, by the hundreds, and a little twelve-year-old Boy called them down, because He was the Word. The little Boy had no education at all, yet He was the Word. Because He was the Light spoken for that day, He was manifesting that Word. The Word was in Him. It had to be. No wonder what He said come to pass, because He was the Word. You understand? All that understand, say, "Amen." [Congregation says, "Amen."—Ed.] He was the Word.
E-207 Remember the Bible, not some book-of-the-year that's written by man. "Let every man's word be a lie, but Mine the Truth."
E-208 And cults and religions, and—and so forth, all just get it so conglomerated up when you get a bunch of man into It. God never did deal in such a group. If Jesus would come today, would He take sides with the Methodists, with the Baptists, with the Adventists, Jehovah Witness, Christian Science, Pentecostals, Presbyterians? No, sir. He certainly would not.
E-209 It's an individual affair, you and God. There is no two man see eye to eye, together alike; no two thumbs alike. God deals with a individual. And how you know whether he is right or not? Then look back and see if he is with the Word. If he is with the Word, then God is dealing with him; if he isn't, something else is dealing with him. See? That's right.
E-210 Remember, the Bible is the fountain of all wisdom, and holds all the hopes of the future in It. Shalom, God's peace!
E-211 Like a story was told one time, about a little boy lost his daddy before he was old enough to see his father; just a infant baby when his father died. One day he got about ten, twelve years old. He had another brother, called John. He went to his brother, and he said "Uh, John," which was several years older, said, "do you, do you remember dad?"
Said, "Yeah."
Said, "What was he like?"
E-212 Said, "Well, he was a tall man, and he was a very fine man. He was always good to mother, and was kind to—to me, and he was kind to everybody."
He said, "Well, is that all you know about him, John?"
E-213 He said, "Well, I'll tell you." Said, "Henry," said, "everybody says that I—I look like him." And said, "Everybody says that I got a nature like him."
E-214 He said, "Oh, that's good! That's what I want to know." Said, "When I see you, I see my daddy."
E-215 There it is. When the—the world sees Jesus Christ, it'll be in you, when this Word that's written of today.
E-216 Where do you see Jesus in David? When the Word was made manifest through him.
E-217 How do you see Christ, God in Elijah, in that chariot going into Heaven, see Jesus in Elijah? Cause, the Word was vindicated.
E-218 How do you see It in Moses? Jesus was in Moses. The Bible said so. See, that's right, He was the burning bush that was with Moses in the wilderness.
E-219 How will people know Jesus Christ? When they, he, sees Him in you, when they see Jesus in you. For, He said, "The works that I do shall you do also. Greater than this shall you do, because I go to My Father." Is that right? [Congregation says, "Amen."—Ed.] That's how they, world knows.
E-220 Not because that the Pentecostal Oneness is greater than the Pentecostal Twoness, or the Twoness is greater than the Threeness, or whatever you have; not because the Methodist is greater than the Baptist; or the Southern Baptist taking the prize this year for all the—all the Baptist churches, all the Protestants. They got more members this year than any of the rest of them, I understand, by the count. That doesn't make them any different. God doesn't know you by numbers. The heathens has got you outnumbered, any time. The Catholics got you all. Mohammedanism has got all them. See?
E-221 You are known when Jesus Christ lives in you, by His Life, and promised Word of this day reflects Itself. See?
E-222 Now the same Word that was reflected in Moses could not be reflected in Elijah, because that was another day. Same one that was reflected in Noah could not be in Moses, 'cause, see, Noah built an ark, Moses led a people, just exactly what was promised. The same light was reflected in one, wasn't in the other, but one told of the other one.
E-223 All the New Testament speaks of this hour. Jesus Christ speaks of this hour. Who is it, then, some man? It's Jesus Christ, the Son of God, manifesting, reflecting the Light on the Word that He promised for this day.
E-224 When man see you living like Him, when he sees your character and your conduct with the Word just exactly like He was, the Word being manifested, then man will see Jesus Christ. They won't have to look around anywhere else, say, "What does this creed teach, what does that creed teach?" They'll know what God is when they see you.
E-225 Shalom, God's peace be Light upon you! And when God's Word is vindicated in this age, completely, and you see It and believe It, shalom to you!
E-226 Face the new year with this, put Him as David said, "I'll put Him always before me. Because He is on my right hand, I shall not be moved." If you meet death this year, what difference does it make? God promised He would raise you up. If an accident kills you, what difference does it make? You have Eternal Life, "I'll raise him up at the last days." Amen. What if anything happens? No matter what it is, nothing can separate us from the love of God, that's in Christ. "Hunger, peril, nakedness, no matter what it is, nothing can separate us from the love of God, that's in Christ." And He is the Word. Shalom!
E-227 Let's bow our heads. Now everybody keep your head bowed just a moment. God's peace!
E-228 "Gross…" [Blank.spot.on.tape—Ed.] "As it was in the days of Noah, where they were eating, drinking, marrying, given in marriage," a Reno, Nevada, and the whole world of red-light, "so shall it be at the coming of the Son of man."
E-229 "As it was at Sodom," where God was manifested in a human Being that Abraham called Elohim, the all-sufficient One; stood there, eat meat, drinking milk, and bread; and could tell what Sarah was thinking behind her, behind Him, in the tent. He said, "That will return again at the coming of the Son of man." "A little while, and the world won't see Me no more; yet ye shall see Me, for I will be with you, even in you, to the end of the world."
E-230 The Jews returning to their land. The things that's taking place, that is in this day, would prevent me from halfway beginning to tell you what's taking place, but we see it. What is it? Word made manifest.
E-231 What do you think the Hebrews did when they seen the Word made manifest, with a promise? They got ready to leave the land.
E-232 If you're not ready today, friend, start this new year out right, start it with your hand in God's hand, God's Word in your heart, saying, "Lord Jesus, I don't know what part of this Symphony that You want me to play, but at when that junction comes for me to be persecuted, laughed at, made fun of, I still take my stand that Your Symphony will not be messed up because of me. I'll stay right with Your Word, no matter what It is. I'll stay right there. And when death beats up to my door, that's part of the Symphony. I know then, that, just as sure as it beat death up to my door, the resurrection will beat out one of these days, too, and You'll raise me up again. It's part of Your Symphony. Lord, let me be part today, will You?"
E-233 How many would like to take that vow, and say, "Beginning this new year, Brother Branham, starting this meeting, right now, I now promise God, to take my stand, to never fail to stay right with His promised Word, and to live just exactly the way He promised it, in meekness and humility; that God might take my life and place it into His great Symphony, that that same group He'll raise up at the last days. I'm going to raise my hand, Brother Branham, not to you, but to God. Remember me in prayer"? God bless you, everywhere. The Lord bless you. My hands is up, too.
E-234 Lord, take me. Lord God, don't never let me get my mind, like Judas, upon an extra dollar, upon some fashion of the world, or somebody to pat you on the back, and say, "Oh, Brother Branham, this is…" No, no. God, never let that happen to me. I'll just take the way with the Lord's despised few. I'll be a brother to man, do everything that I can, Lord, love people with all my heart. But, Lord, never let me move from this Word. I want to raise up at the last day. And only those who are included in this great Symphony, Lord, as I have tried to explain it this afternoon, that's the one that comes forth at the end of the—of the sheet music, when the great resurrection, and all the Angels clap their hands and the saints go marching in. It's those who has acted out that part in this great drama we play, pray, Lord.
E-235 We know that in a drama they change masks, they come from one thing to another, and that's what You did. You come from the Spirit, God, the Great Jehovah, and put on the mask of a human being, changed Your—Your—Your strain; You changed. You pitched Your tent. You came down from God, and become man, that You might die to redeem man. You changed Your mask.
E-236 Then again You've changed it, and You've masked Yourself into the people who will believe and act out according to the Word that You have written here. Blessed are the eyes that see It, blessed are the hearts that receive It, blessed are the ears that hear It, for there will come a resurrection when the Symphony is over. God, let us all be there, will You? Bless this little group.
E-237 Speaking like this, Father, we know that this tape goes all over the world. And here is a fine, little group sitting here today, this visible audience here in Phoenix. O God, fifteen years of hard preaching and scolding, and, God, Thou knowest the reason, love! Love is—is chastening. Love is—is rebuke. Love is disciplinant.
E-238 O God, may I throw myself with this people this week, and may You discipline us, Lord, to Your Word. May we see Your power raise up the sick and the afflicted, the eyes of the blind be opened, the great Holy Spirit come visible in the room. May every minister and every church be on fire. May the coming convention of the businessmen, Lord, set every businessman's heart, in this city, on fire for God. Grant it, Lord. We don't know what to do about it, no more than to ask and believe that it will be done. We commit ourselves to You, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
And now let us stand to our feet.
E-239 I'm poor of speech, mispronounce my words, and I want to say this 'cause I felt constrained to do it. How many in here will raise your hand, that you understood what I meant by "God's Symphony"? Raise your hand. Thank you. Good. Do you believe it? [Congregation says, "Amen."—Ed.]
E-240 Then, it's a Symphony, see. You'll find It comes to a junction, everybody is all wondering. I call it junction. I don't know music; a musician in here, why, he would—he would forgive me of my rude way. But, it's, they're beating out, got to have something to act. It'll go real low, way down, you wonder what It is; but, see, if you get into the rhythm of It, you understand It. That's the only way you'll ever understand God, is get into the rhythm of It.
E-241 "What is It? How will I? Brother Branham, I'm just as true a Methodist, Baptist, or Pentecostal." That's not the rhythm.
E-242 The rhythm is God. God is the Word. The Word is God. God's rhythm, is, obeying His Word. Then when you obey the Word, He beats the rhythm right to you, then you take your place. Whenever It goes down, down, down, up, whatever It is, you know those junctions.
Sometimes you say, "Oh, heartaches and trials!"
E-243 Didn't God say, "All things work together for good to them that love Him, while I'm beating out My Symphony"? And you find that then you're afflicted and struck down, and persecuted, made fun of. Remember, that's the part that goes that way. If that isn't like that, then the Symphony is out of tune.
E-244 The great Composer knows exactly what's in it. He knows. He knowed you, from the beginning. He put your name on the Lamb's Book of Life, before the foundation of the world. Do you believe that? [Congregation says, "Amen."—Ed.] He knows what you're supposed to do. No matter how low it goes, and how dark it looks, it's got to be that way.
E-245 But, remember, if it goes plumb into the shadows of death, "I am the resurrection and Life; I'll raise him up again." And when the great Director comes down and bears that stick down, then, "time shall be no more." When that Angel, of Revelation the 10th chapter, puts one foot on land and one on the sea, and a rainbow over His head, He swore, "time shall be no more." When that time comes, you'll rise up from among the dead. While the rest of them lay there, you'll go in.
E-246 Stay in the Symphony. Stay in God's Word. No matter how hard it is, stay right with It, wherever God is beating.
E-247 Sometimes He causes trouble to break the bands, to set you free. He does that. You say, "Well, I don't know what I'd do." He does. What difference? You're just—you're just playing the part. He is the One that's got you in His hand. He directs you.
E-248 Remember, it's all done by a sign. We see the time we're living in, by the sign we're living in, so we know what the Symphony does today. It's a separating time, taking the Light from the darkness.
E-249 Let's say it together, so you won't forget it, because I feel to say this. [Brother Branham and congregation speak in unison—Ed.]: "It's taking the Light from the darkness." Let's say it again. "It's taking the Light from the darkness."
E-250 That's God's Symphony. He's showing it in the heavens. He's showing it on the blackboards. He's showing it by Himself. He promised it in the Word. We see it vindicated. He is separating the wheat from the chaff. He is taking the Light from the dark.
E-251 Do you believe Him, will all your heart? [Congregation says, "Amen."—Ed.] Let's sing our good song, then.
E-252 And I want to say a word to the pastors, just a minute. Brethren, the Lord bless you. Thank you for dismissing your congregations and bringing them out here. To you pastors out there, I certainly thank you. I am only here…
E-253 Let me say, brethren, there might be Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterian. Do you hear, I speak just the same to the Pentecostals as I did to you? Just the same, see. It isn't…
E-254 If I can't disagree with a man, sharply, and still love him… Because, if I disagree with him, just to be disagreeing, I'm a hypocrite; I ain't fit to stand up here. But if I disagreed with him because of fellowship and love and understanding, no matter what he does, he is still my precious brother. I stand with him. Yes, indeedy. That's exactly right. If that isn't in my heart, then God take me out of this pulpit, I'm not fit to be here. That's right. I say it because of love, and something that I see coming. And He has never let me be wrong on it, so far, because it's always been His Word. So, God bless you.
E-255 Now let us bow our heads just a moment, and sing this good, old song that we usually sing, "I love Him, I love Him." If the pianist, or whoever it is, or the ones with the music, will give us a little chord on it, I guess. Yes, all right, let's see if we can sing it then without the music. Everybody together now, with our heads bowed.
I love Him, I love Him
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
E-256 I think they've stopped the tapes now. See, this tape goes every…