The deity of Jesus Christ

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 Brother Graham, thank you. Good morning, everyone, and a merry Christmas to all of you. We're so happy to be back again this morning here at the Tabernacle to be with this lovely little group.
Brother Graham and I were just discussing in there a matter. He said, "Brother Bill, you got anything on your heart this morning?"
I said, "Just Christ." Amen. That's all. We always have that. And so that's in common to us, that we have Him.

2 Got in late yesterday from Dallas where we had a--one of the most glorious meetings. And the thing we been praying for now is fixing to happen. It's already in session right now; that is, for a nationwide revival. All the ministers yesterday, the--or the last few days, that's had any size and caliber of ministers or services, we met together at--at Dallas for this convention. And there was some fifteen, eighteen ministers there that--that has a ministry that carries up anywhere between three and fifteen thousand, maybe twenty thousand people: Raymond T. Richey, for instance, and Bosworth, and--and Oral Roberts, and Jackson, and all those fellows there.
Brother Jackson, the other night in his meeting had five hundred receive the Holy Ghost at one time, so that's just wonderful.

3 And we all met together yesterday, the other day, on a working agreement for the year, that we believe that God is here to do a work and a stirring the world has never seen before. I believe, friends, that we're--we're just entering something wonderful. And these ministers who will probably have every night this next summer, if the Lord permits it, every night will be at least anywhere from, will be fifteen or sixteen, maybe more than that, big tents set, that holds up to eight and ten thousand people, around the United States at the same time.
Oh, we just got to have revival now. It's already in session; hundreds and hundreds are receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, coming into the Kingdom of God now. It's not something that we even look forward for a little later on, but it--it--it's already now. God's doing it right now.

4 [Brother Snelling asks Brother Branham about the microphone.] Yes, sir, I... Yes, Brother Graham. That's the thing that I always... Good. You know, Brother Graham and I work together so well; he's so tall and I'm so short. So I... [Brother Snelling says, "He picks the low fruit, and I get all the high fruit." Brother Branham and congregation laugh.] Sometimes I have to have him shake some down so it'll fall... [Gap in the audio.]
Thank you, Brother Graham. I still haven't figured that out... the fire. We want it on the altar, don't we? Amen. Oh, I guess...
The other night where we were setting, thousands deep in there, and all of them clapping their hands and praising God, we just had such a glorious time, we had Fire right on the altar then.

5 And we're very happy to announce this coming summer for the revival...
Now, I'll be with the church here, with Brother Graham and you all, for the next eight or ten days, I guess, as far as I know, and I want to be in every service I possibly can. Then I'm...
We leave from there to the Houston, Texas, at the coliseum. Got a nice big building there; it seats seventeen thousand people, and we're just expecting a great time.

6 Tried to have a--all of us have a prayer line down there, but we just couldn't do it; one minister at one place, and one another in the prayer line, but, my, it just wouldn't work that way, and just Brother Jaggers had to go ahead.
And, say, another thing I want to announce. Brother Jaggers stood and took the stand like we did at Calgary. He... The Missionary Baptists and the Free Will Baptists, and all (You know, Texas is full of Baptists.), they stood for him, but the fundamental Baptists rose up against the--the program. And, oh, how they wrote him up in the paper and everything. Well, he, they wrote him Bible questions, so he answered back. And they got a... After they had no proof, then some bunch of political stand, why, they wouldn't put it in the paper. So Brother Jaggers, we called a meeting there, and seventy-five cooperating ministers of the city came in together; we took a photostatic copy of it, and said, "Is this freedom of speech? Is this freedom of press?" Like that, and sent it out. And the paper lost ten thousand subscribers the next morning.
And they come, crying, on their knees, said, "We'll publish in the paper, just freely, you don't have to pay us a penny."

7 Oh, brother, listen, you church. One time we lived down by the railroad track; we don't no more. We live on Hallelujah Avenue now. Yes, sir. We rank into the millions. We used to be, there was only a few hundred of us, but we go into the millions, millions now. And united together, we're the most powerful church in numbers there is in the United States (That's right.), oh, I guess, in the world. Last year, alone, we had a million five hundred thousand conversions. Think of that: a million five hundred thousand conversions in full Gospel people, that is, with the general order last year. Oh, we're coming up now.

8 And these little papers and things they said, they wouldn't talk about the Catholic people, they were afraid of them. See, they were afraid to do it. But we're numbering right on up there now. We got a right. Let's claim our God-given right. That's right. So we're going forward this year, and with God to be our Help and our Shield, to call the--try our best to have a revival, Now I...
[Someone speaks to Brother Branham.] Oh, up here? You all will have to tell me when to stop. Up there, right up there. All right. I can walk out this way and look back.

9 And so good, how many feels good for Christmas? Say, "Amen." [Congregation says, "Amen."] Oh, my, my. This is a time of rejoicing, a time of when all of us can come together and worship Christ.
And I--I don't, haven't got a message, not a thing. I just opened up the Bible here when you was talking there. I turned over here; I said, "Where's the birth of Christ?" Nearly everybody is talking about that now, and so I'll just have to read a little while, and then find something, and just keep staggering along till the Spirit of the Lord picks up something.
Now, to start, let's begin at Luke, the 1st chapter of Luke. That's the beginning of the--the birth of Christ. And we'll read some in here, and just teach some on the Word if we can. We don't know what the Lord will do for us, but we just trust that He'll give us a great blessing.

10 Say, I heard your broadcast; it was fine. Just keep a going, keep a going, preach the Word.
Just telling Brother Graham in there, "If there ever was a time that Christians need one another, it's right now, right now." Whatever you do, lay aside everything; 'cause I believe, by the grace of God... I'll just talk on that a little bit in a few minutes, that how we--we need each other right now.
The great... I believe that we are facing... Are you listening to me? [Congregation says, "Amen."] All right. We're facing, now, looking at a greatest drama that's ever been set in all human history, working out here before us. The great field of the world here, and a drama that God is going to act out, right now; that it's a startling to look around over the world and see how the thing is moving together. Oh, it's just something's fixing to happen, friend. This what we've talked about and said about is right now here. It's already starting, everywhere, breaking out.

11 There's a great picture I'd like to picture to you this morning. I see a lamb out in the field a feeding. The little fellow becomes nervous; he just--he wonders. Look over in the reeds right behind him, I see a lion slipping up, real easy (see?), patting his tail on the ground, getting his feet ready for a spring.
That's the church out there in the field. The darkness of communism is pushing all over the world, closing in like a great shadow.
And this is the law of contrast. Take like before day, it's always the darkest before day, because the day's a breaking, pushing the darkness. It's the law of contrast (You see?), makes it the darkest before the day breaks.

12 And we're in that same thing now. It's just the darkest before day; the great shadows of darkness is pushing in to fulfill the man of sin. Did you notice, in this very Christmas-time, all the communist countries are, instead of sending out Christ in the manger, they sent out little books of Stalin, putting Stalin's picture on it; the man who opposes himself above all that's called God, so forth, getting a great part of the world into his clutches. And another thing then, and all these, that's to fulfill the Scripture.

13 And then, again, I want you to notice another thing, one of the fulfilling. These people who are formal in these formal churches, is rising up against the move. And the Bible said, "They'd have a form of godliness, but would deny the power thereof; from such turn away." And they're taking their stand. Communism is taking its stand. Praise God, the Holy Ghost is taking Its stand. Yes. "When the enemy comes in like a flood, then I'll raise up a standard against it." That's right. And the Church has taken her stand, I mean the Holy Ghost Church.
Now that's all I'm interested in, friends, when I'm here. Out there I'll pray for the sick. But in here I'm interested in one thing, and that's God's born again Church. That's right. That's what I'm interested in anyhow. I'm not interested in bylaws, and deacons, and so forth, like that, or orders of churches. I am interested in the baptism of the Holy Ghost upon the Church for this day that we are living in. That's the fundamental part, and that's what we're looking for.
Just a word of prayer now.

14 Heavenly Father, move down this morning into our midst. Grant it, Lord, and may the Spirit of God take over the service. Bless the work here, Lord. Bless our brother, Brother Graham. God, give him words of wisdom tonight at the radio broadcast, may he be able to--to shake the people with--by preaching the Word. Grant it, Lord, and may sinners weep, kneel down in their room and give their hearts to Christ. If there be any unbelievers here this morning, or any that has not accepted Christ, may they come, also.
And now start a revival in the hearts of the people this morning, Lord. May this be a renewing time, a time when the Spirit will be renewed. And, O Father, we'd pray it this way. Come get us by the hand, each one of us, and walk us down this lane here. Show to us this great picture that's set in order here, revealing Your secrets to the saints' hearts this morning, that we might see what's out here just before us. And as we walk down then, Lord, in the armor of God, may we go as gallant soldiers to face the enemy. But how could we face him unless we know his tactics? And help us this morning to understand, and show us the--his foregrounds there, so we'll know where to meet him. For we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.

15 Let's... The 2nd chapter, let's read this.
And it came to pass that in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, to all the world, that they should be taxed.
(And this taxing was first made... by the governor of Syria.)
And all went to be taxed, every one to his own city.
And Joseph went also up from Galilee, unto the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and the lineage of David:)
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days of her accomplishment that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in the manger; because there was no room for him in the inn.

16 Now just as a background, till--till we get up to the part of it that I would use this morning. All of you just let yourself be in the Spirit of the Lord.
We are today all over the world is being cel--celebrated of the birth of Jesus, which now is just traditional. Jesus was not born on no December the 5th or nothing like--or December the 25th. We know that's impossible. The hills of Judaea was full of snow at that time, so how could it be that? Jesus commonly by astrology and so forth, and by all of them was born, first, around first of April, so when it was springtime. But this is a day, which is all right, just set aside to worship in memorial of His coming to the world.

17 One of the greatest gifts that God ever give to the world was Jesus Christ that... We know that. And now I want to speak this morning upon His Deity, Who He is. So many has Him a little Baby laying out there in the cradle and so forth. But that--that was just one of the pictures, just one of the setting forth of the drama to bring it up to what He really is, His Deity.
And he said in the Scriptures of His coming, He would been spoke of since the days of--of John. Plumb back even into Genesis it was prophesied that the woman's Seed would bruise the serpent's head, promising this Child--Child, Christ Jesus. And He'd been down, all the prophets, most every prophet that was ever wrote in the Bible, spoke of His first and second advent, when He would come to the world.

18 Jesus come three times. He came the first time to redeem His Church. He comes the second time to receive His Church. He comes the third time with His Church. Everything in the Bible travels in trinities, threes, but all in one Christ. He... Remember, the first time to re--redeem His Church, the second time to receive His Church, the third time with His Church, as King and Queen.
Now, but on His first coming, we'll speak of just a little bit, and then on His being here; and then on His second coming; on His--and then on the third time; if the Lord willing.

19 Now, in these days there was a great persecution against the church. Caesar Augustus had made a great plan that he'd tax all the people. And that was only done for one purpose, that God's great prophecy would be fulfilled.
Only thing you have to do, when you see something in the Bible, that sounds just a little mystic and a little superstitious to you, just give God a little bit of time. God's in no hurry. We're the one gets in a hurry. Just give God just a little bit of time, and you'll see the old prophetic wheels, cogs, run right up into the picture. It'll develop, just like the bringing up of a picture.

20 Like someone was speaking the other day; he said, "God, what was He?" When He was back yonder, millions and millions of years ago, when He was no--just like this space here; and then He gathered up into the Logos; and then He came from the Logos down into Christ. See, it's just God coming down like this to the earth, then going right back into God again. Don't you see what I mean? Just revolving, coming down from space, from eternity; rolling together, coming down into the Logos, and the Logos down into man, then returning right back again for one purpose, to redeem that man that had fallen.
Now, that's what He came for, to be a Redeemer. And before God could be a Redeemer, He had to be, according to the law, a kinsman Redeemer. He had to be kinfolks to us.

21 And God in the beginning made His first man. He made him out of spirit. And spirit is the invisible part of man that you don't see. Now, God made man in His Own image. Are you listening to me? [Congregation says, "Amen.".] All right. God made man in His Own image. "And God is a Spirit," says the Bible. And the first man that was made had the government over all the creation, just like the Holy Spirit has government over the Church today. He led the creation. He led the animals.
But there was no man to till the soil, so God made man out of dust of the earth. And that man, He might have give him a hands like a monkey; He might have give him feet like a bear. Whatever He did, He just throwed it together and made a man. But this man, He put this immortal spirit that never dies into this man, and he become more than a brute, he became a man.

22 Then this man here, that's what I think that atheists and some of them standing around arguing. But the hour has come when God shed forth His Light; there's a hour here that when God's doing things. That's right. And so now when they argue, "Well, his feet look like a bear, and his hands look like a--a ape or a--a monkey, or so forth," they try to say his origin come that. That has nothing to do with it.
This is the body of flesh that he's just living in, like a house, it's going back to the dust of the earth. But the spirit is immortal; it comes from God. That's the image of God. God is a Spirit.
That man lost his origin in the garden of Eden. His relationship, communion with God was cut off there because of sin and unbelief. Unbelief in what? The Word of God. A picture was painted one time to Eve, and told her how much brighter it would be if she'd just--just discard the Word of God, "look over here to reason." You can't. God...
There is a difference between reason and God's Word. God's Word is true; reason is false. You can't reason out nothing. That's right. Our mind is not (See?), is not good enough or never will be, to fathom God's eternal wisdom. And therefore, you can't reason it; you just got to believe it.

23 And so then the picture was painted out back there through our first father and mother, and they fell. And that broke off relationship with God, and was drove from the garden of Eden. From that hour God begin to scream up-and-down the garden, hunting for His--His lost child.
And then the only way that God then could ever redeem him, would have to be to make--to come down and redeem him, Himself: not in another, or not send somebody else. He couldn't send an Angel; that wouldn't be right. But the only way God could redeem the man, was come down Himself to redeem it.

24 If somebody sins here, and, my, I was the judge of this--of this group of people, and I had the jurisdiction over you all, and if I... If someone sinned, and I said, "Now, Brother Graham, I want you to pay the price." That wouldn't be just. If I said for my own boy to pay the price, that still wouldn't be... just. The only way that I could be just, is for me myself to take his place. And what? I was the one passed the judgment, and then if I want to redeem the man, I've got to take his place myself. Are you still listening at me? [Congregation, "Amen."]

25 Now, look, I want you to notice something. Then when this, the only way that God Himself could ever redeem this man, was to come down and take his place. And that was a law that was given by Moses, of redemption, that it had to be through a kinsman redeemer; a man first who was worthy, a man who was worth the price, a man then who would make his public testimony and redeem the lost estate of somebody that had fallen. And then God was worthy. He came down some nineteen hundred years ago in the form of a Baby borned in a manger, overshadowed by the Holy Ghost, not born by sexual desire. He was God. God's Blood was in Him.

26 The baby is always the blood of its father, never of its mother. We all know that. Without... I've taught that before, here in times. And you know that the baby has not one speck of its mother's blood in it, not a bit. No, nothing does. It's always the blood of the male.
A hen can lay an egg, but if it isn't fertile, it'll never hatch. No matter how pretty the egg is, and how well she warms it, it'll always be infertile. It'll lay right there and rot (That's right.), unless the male bird has been with the female bird, and the germ of life comes from the male.

27 Therefore, when Mary, knowing not a man, she was with the Male, God, the Almighty Jehovah, and He overshadowed her, and God is the Creator that created a Blood cell in the womb of Mary, knowing no man at all. And that brought forth the very creative Blood of God to redeem us from our life coming in here being born by sexual desire.
And then that Blood was drawed out of Immanuel's veins on Calvary's cross, and today has the same saving, redeeming, holy power that it did the day the transfusion was made out at Calvary. You believe it? [Congregation says, "Amen."] Amen. Now, that's right. We're redeemed by the Blood of God. The Bible says we are bought by the Blood, and redeemed by God, God's Own Blood.

28 How was it God's Blood? God has no Blood. How could it be? Because it was God's creative Blood that He created in order to redeem us, and came and lived in the same body that He created. Therefore He could not... God had to suffer temptation; He couldn't suffer temptation. He had to suffer sexual temptation. He had to suffer all kinds of temptation, to be tempted by the devil, in riches and powers and--and dominions, and so forth. He had to suffer all of that. In order to do it, He couldn't be as God in Spirit; He had to be God in flesh.
Now, I'm speaking this morning on the Deity of Christ, so that you'll know Who He is that we're worshipping today: not a baby in a manger, or not Santa Claus; but we're worshipping Almighty God, in the Deity of His Son.

29 And notice then, that Blood came down and was... and it was Christ Jesus. And God Himself, coming out of Spirit, went into Christ Jesus. And the Bible said that, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself." Is that right? God Himself, Jehovah, lived in Christ and was made a Kinsman to us, because He was born in human flesh like we are. Is that right? The Blood cells were developed by God, and the--the flesh cells were developed in the womb of Mary, that brought forth the Child. And God came down and lived in human flesh, and was tempted in every manner just like we are. Do you believe that? All right.
Now, then when He did that, He freely gave His Blood. He didn't have to do it. He made that sacrifice. He could've went right on up into glory. He could've been transfigured like He was on Mount Transfiguration, went on into heaven and never died for us. But to be willing to die for us, He gave freely His Blood at Calvary. That's right. And He picked out... He was a Man of sorrow, acquainted with grief, and He made a public testimony.

30 In the Book of Ruth is a very beautiful picture there, how that Boaz, type of Christ, how that Ruth went over in a strange country, as a backsliding, went out of the land, and brought back with her... I mean Naomi, and brought back Ruth. And when Ruth came back, she was a--out of the country of Moab. And when she came back, she was a Moabite; absolutely a picture of the Gentile Bride, of the Church.
And when she went to leave Naomi, Naomi told her, said, kissed her and told her to go back to her people. She said, "I will go with you to your people. Let your people be my people, and let your dwelling be my dwelling; let your God be my God, and nothing but death shall separate us. Where you die, I die. Where you are buried, I'll be buried."

31 Now there's a picture of the Gentile Church coming into Christ. 'Cause we were once aliens away from God, only the Jews was--was the ones to be saved. But we, being dead in Christ, take on Abraham's Seed and are heirs according to the promise, and Christ got a Gentile Bride. That's exactly right.
Now, in order to redeem, Boaz to redeem Naomi's lost estate; that was the backslidden state of Israel... Then Moab--Moab had to come out, and when he did... Boaz, rather, and when he came out, he had to kick off his shoe before the gates of, before the elders to make a public testimony that he had redeemed that lost woman and her estate. And in doing that, then he bought back, also, he got in there his bride, the woman he--he was looking for. He had to redeem the woman first, in order to get the bride. Don't you see?
And that's the same thing Christ did. He made a public testimony at the gates of Jerusalem, when He was beaten, smitten, afflicted, and was led up Calvary to Cal--Golgotha's hill, and bathed the hill with His Own Blood as a public testimony that He had redeemed all the fallen estate from back yonder in the beginning, and has redeemed His people from the curse of sin and from the clutches of hell.

32 And knowing that she would need something more in the last days, than what she's got now, He said, "I'll not leave you comfortless. I'll pray the Father and He'll give you another comforter, which is the Holy Ghost. He will abide with you forever. A little while and the world seeth Me no more; but I'm going up to heaven and get this thing fixed up, and I'll come back and be with you, even in you, until the end of the age." That's what I'm talking about. If you hear me, say, "Amen." [Congregation,"Amen."] That's right. That's what I'm speaking of now, is Him coming again in His power.

33 Ages has flowed on, "Oh, Who is He?" My, this morning, they think of some little object of worship, some little manger out there, some little... And I'm not thinking of that. I'm thinking of Christ, the hope of glory, in our hearts this morning by the Holy Ghost. That's right.
Oh, condemned by the world... God has always come into the world; when He did, the world hated Him. "As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the coming of the Son of God." We're in that day, friends.

34 And now notice, "A little while and the world seeth Me no more; yet you'll see Me, for I'll be with you, even in you, even to the end of the world." That's right. He's here now. And in the days, how His big picture always revolved up and made the same thing come to pass that we're seeing now. The great drama is set, and we're ready now to see great things happen.
The Church has been brought from the cradle. That's right. Pentecostal rocked it down yonder a few years ago, back there while the people throwed stones, and made fun, and laughed at, but she's growed to maturity now. That's exactly right. The hour is here. Hallelujah. That's right. That's what I'm interested in, to see God's Church coming together now. We've been beat out here, and beat out there, but the hour is coming when God's throwing the blanket around us all to draw us in, while the enemy's at the gate. Hallelujah. Yes, sir.
He's standing now for His people. Daniel said, "The great things of the last days, when these things come to pass, my, the great exploits will the people then, the men of faith will do, in that day."

35 And the hour has come now that when the great drama picture of God set forth of the latter rain. Joel said, "In the last days, it shall come to pass, that I'll pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Upon my handmaids and maidservants will I pour out of My Spirit. And I'll show signs in the heaven above, and signs in the earth below, and pillars of fire, and vapor of smoke. It shall come to pass, before the great and terrible day of the Lord shall come, that whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved."
Jesus said in there, "These things that I do, you shall do, and greater than this, for I go unto My Father." Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Here's what It said in there--in... And the--the Word back there, He said, "If ye abide in Me, and My Word abide in you, ask what you will and it shall be given unto you."

36 A few years ago, the people around here said, "You people up there at that Tabernacle is holy-rollers. You're all this, that, and the other. You're crazy!"
But, oh, my, we've stood on that Rock that's True, with the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and now the power of Almighty God is pouring on and the church, coming forth. Hallelujah... I just want to shake the whole thing everywhere. Brother, it's already in session right now. It's going on. That's right.

37 The Deity of Him, Who is He? Some of them thinks Him a little baby back there. He's the One that stood on the invisible (oh, my) platform, reached out His hands, and spoke, and said, "Let there be light," and there was light. That was Jesus Christ. "For He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world recognized Him not." He was, and He's the Deity of God. Look what He did back there. Talk about the miraculous back there, you talk about shouting? When He performed the miraculous things, to make things which are now, out of things which was not, He spoke and it was so.

38 And that same power, that same Christ... Hallelujah. Let the fundamentalists, let them people who deny the power of God say it's wrong; but that same power that spoke the world into existence is in those people that's got the Holy Ghost. That's right. Men and women, it's time that we found out who you are. The devil's trying to hide you back, tell you that you're some little trod-down something. You're not. You're sons and daughters of God. The Deity is not in heaven; it's in you. Hallelujah.
I know you think I'm crazy, but let me tell you something, brother. When you realize that Almighty God lives in you, Immortal Life. "My Life, I give Zoe," the Life of God is in the human being.

39 He stood back there; He's the Creator of all things. He made life, frogs, and all these ducks, chickens, animals, created everything. "And nothing was made but what was made by Him." Who? Christ, the Deity. "He brought down pla--plagues and everything in the days of Egypt." Who? Christ. "He stopped the--the mouths of lions. He quenched the violence of fire. They escaped the edge of the sword. They raised the dead from the grave." Who? Christ. Oh, my, what would it be? Who is it? Christ, the Deity.

40 And, brother, sister, that Deity's in you. "A little while and the world seeth Me no more, yet ye shall see Me, for I'll be with you, even in you, to the end of the age." Christ in the manger? No. Christ in you. Hallelujah. We're not worshipping Christ in the manger, but Christ in you, the Holy Ghost, the hope of Life (Hallelujah.), the Creator, God Himself dwelling in the human being. "It does not yet appear what we shall be, but we'll see Him as He is." For we'll be made like Him... no room for Him.

41 People around here saying that they--they are of Christ, their church is of Christ they go to, and what happened last night? Opened up their Christmas presents. Let's see about daddy; in there, there was a--was under the Christmas tree of a many a man last night, set a big box of beer somewhere. No room for Jesus; all for beer. Opened up mama's present, a deck of cards. No room for Christ; the cards. That's right. Instead of a little Bible or something to the children, it's a little G-man book, or a little something like that. No room for Jesus. Instead of going to church, they go to shows, dances, everything, and call themself Christians.
Brother, when the Deity of God, by the Holy Ghost, comes into the human heart, It culls out everything that Christ hasn't created. You know that's the Truth.

42 Oh, Christ the hope of Glory in you, not in the cradle, in you. That was one time; God was back in the beginning, then He come into Moses, He come in the children of Israel, He come in the cradle. But now they're worshipping Him way back like some prehistoric something, when Christ is in you. Here He is today, the Son of God moving up; His great Church is moving.

43 Today, the church has soup suppers, pie suppers, see who can dress the best, go into the church for pomp, glory who's got the best church, the best seats, who can play this, who can do that, and no room; all times they got something else to do besides prayer. They can't pray any more. They got something else to do; they can't pray any more. They just can't lerve--serve God like they used to. "No room for Him in the inn." And this is in the end time, friends. "No room for Him in the inn." 'Course, I know what that inn meant, but I'm been referring to this end.
But the Bible said, "In that day, when the almond tree shall flourish, desire of men shall fail; because he goes to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets; or the silver cord be broken, or the pitcher broke in the fountain." Oh, mercy, my friend...

44 But the prophet also said, "It'll be Light in the evening time." That's right. The path of Glory you shall surely find. That's right. The evening time's come. The church now, that was once dressed like that little manger experience that we've been through, has come to a place now that the people are realizing that the Deity and the power of Almighty God is living in the human being.

45 Oh, brother, sister, let me speak to you in the Name of Jesus. What, do you still hear me? [Congregation, says, "Amen"] Oh, my, let me tell you something!
The time's coming when women and men are just about alike. They dress so much alike you can't tell one from the other. That's right. All the things that the Bible said would come to pass, it's here. That's right. You know that's the Truth. Is it the Truth? [Congregation says, "Amen."] Is it Truth? ["Amen."] It is the Truth. They act alike, look alike, talk alike, talk alike. The Bible said it would be that way. He said, "In the last days, that perilous times would come. Men would be lovers of their own selves, more than lovers of God; trucebreakers, false accusers." Is it here? That's right.

46 Oh, glory to God. I feel something rolling in my soul though. Oh, when I look out here... "As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the coming of the Son of man." Noah had some faithful ones in that day. God's got some faithful ones today. The hour is coming, this great drama setting.
Men and women, if the Holy Ghost is dwelling in you, the Christ that was born nineteen hundred years ago came to manhood. He never stayed in the cradle.
And today, that memorial of His birthday, what do they do? They get some tree, cut it down, make a Christmas tree, for the kiddies. But they think... That's all right; I'm not kicking against that. But the thing of it is, they put more on the Christmas tree than they do for Christ.

47 Kris Kringle's all over the country. Who was he? A German, a Catholic saint years ago, an old man went about doing good. And today it's become almost a worship. That's right. It's all right to tell the kiddies, or whatever you want to do, as far as I'm concerned. But the thing of it is, it's so easy to fall in that rut on the other side, and push out Christ, the real fundamentals of Chris--of Christmas. And man take Kris Kringle instead of real Christmas; that's right, "No room for Him in the inn."
It's all drawed down, if we had time. I know it's getting late, and it's getting late.

48 But look, friends, the hour has come, and is now, that when God's great drama set here before us. The Son of God, that was in the cradle, is in the heart now. He's the Deity of God. He's God the Creator. He said all... "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not."
And, today, that's what's the matter with the church. The hope of Glory, the baptism of the Holy Ghost has come into the people's hearts, and they don't recognize what It is. They think it's a little church-joining or something like that.

49 But that is the God, the Creator, living in you, and giving you all the power. And you're in possession of anything that He had. So is It in you to abstain from evil, to do good, to shun evil and flee to righteousness, to turn away from temptation. All malice, hatred, strife, envy, and so forth, come away from it, for that'll take Him from your heart, if you will receive Him, embrace Him and love Him, and hold Him in your heart and love Him. I tell you, the church together in that kind of a power, has the power to bind the heavens, heal the sick, open the eyes of the blind (Hallelujah.), the deaf speak--the dumb speak, and the deaf hear, the cripples walk, the blind see. Why? It's recognizing the power of Almighty God into your heart. There He is, the Deity.
You love Him? [Congregation says, "Amen."] No wonder the poet said:
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now I'm found,
I was blind, but now I see Him.

50 Dear, brother, sister, if you haven't got the baptism of the Holy Ghost, this morning, run into the Kingdom of God as quick as you can. The sealing time is on. The enemy's coming like a flood; He's raising a standard against it. The drama's set; the church is going home just as certain as anything. See? You haven't got a long ways to wait, friend. You haven't got all the time to wait. You better come now. You better make it today (That's right.), while today is today. Make it now.
Remember, friends, it may seem strange. The world never, the religion of Christ never was popular; it's always been unpopular, the ways of God, because the devil is the prince of the power of the air. He has all the governments. Every government is controlled by the devil, according to the Bible. Devil said it was. That's right. He controls all the governments.

51 And then the Bible said, "Re--rejoice, all you holy Angels, and you saints upon the earth, for the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our God, and of His Christ, and they--He shall reign."
Satan took Jesus up on top of the mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world, said, "These are all mine, and I'll give them to You."
And Jesus said, "Get thee hence, Satan." That's right. He wasn't care...
He said, "If My Kingdom of this world, I could call many legions of Angels; but My Kingdom is not of this world, but My Kingdom is in heaven." And He said, "The Kingdom of God will be within you." So therefore the legions and powers of the backing of the holy Angels (Hallelujah.) is in you, was born into the Deity of Christ by the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Yes, sir.

52 Who are you this morning? Who is Christ Jesus? He's in you as much as you'll let Him be. He's pressing, trying to get into you, to move into you today. And you stand off, and wonder, and look and gaze, and hold back a little while. Don't do that. Move right straight into the Kingdom of God. The hour's here. Hallelujah.
Oh, how I love Him. He's coming one of these days. I want to see Him. Don't you? I want to see Him. I believe we will see Him. Don't you? He's here now. His power is moving.
What makes the people cry and shout, go on? What's the matter? It's the Holy Ghost moving in them. If they could only realize and--and--and embrace Him, embrace the Holy Ghost, believing in Him, hug Him to your bosom. Live right; do nothing that would hinder Him. Say, "O Lord Jesus, I want You. I want You to stand by me. I'm going to stand by You, Father." And as you do, He is just pressing to get into you. He wants in there. He's wooing you to Him all the time.

53 Now, friends, I know this to be the truth. I know people don't realize who you are? Every person in here can live above sin, can live without sin, live in God; you'll make mistakes, but the Blood of Christ will forgive you. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Is that right? That same power of Christ that was hung on Calvary's cross, the same God that raised Him up on the day of the resurrection, is in you now, you that's got the Holy Ghost. Oh, don't you love Him? Oh, my. Hear His voice calling today.
Move Him up to your close bosom, and say, oh, close unto your bosom, and say, "Now, Lord Jesus, I've been a little different, but this Christmas day I realize Who You are now. I once worshipped You as a little Baby in a manger. I seen You back yonder as a little bitty Fellow nineteen hundred years ago, and I thought, 'Oh, if I could've went up to Jerusalem!'"

54 Today, they're getting passes and everything to go up to the--to the cradle, up to the place where He was born, the same manger. But, friends, it's not up there, where He was born, it's right here where He was born; God has brought Him down to every one of us, and His living Being is living in us. Oh, the Creator, the thing that created the world, and created the heavens, created the earth, created man, is right in every individual that's got the baptism of the Holy Ghost today. That's the thing. That's the secret. And He's the Holy Ghost, He's in you; He's the hope of glory.

55 And look here in the Old Testament, as I've referred to it many times, when the contract was made, it was tore apart over a dead beast's body. And those two contracts had to be come together, them contracts had to dovetail one with the other.
And today God's made a contract, not because you were good, not because you joined church, not because you been a good member of society. You can be ever so good; you can live a clean life; you can go to church every day; you can sacrifice every day; you can give a part of your money; you can give up all the sins of the world, and everything, and live just as true and faithful as you can, and you'll miss heaven just as far as east is from the west. That's right. It isn't by goodness that we are saved, but it's by His mercy that we're bought, that God wanted to make sons and daughters. Goodness never makes them. The Spirit of God makes them. If it wasn't so, He wouldn't have had to send the Holy Ghost.
How could the Holy Ghost be complete unless--or how could the--the contract be complete? Jesus said, "I go away, yet I'll come again and be with you, even in you. Pray the Father, and He'll give you the Holy Ghost. He will abide forever."

56 And people put their name on church books, trying to turn a new page on Christmas day, trying to walk yonder at church and just pay a few tributes to the manger back yonder. When the Holy Ghost pushing you just where... and the Word of God. And so blind they walk around, say, "Well, that's a bunch of holy-rollers." Just like it was in the days of Noah, so is it now.
The coming of the Son of God's drawing nigh. That's right. And only those who are charged by the Holy Ghost, who has Immortal Life living in them, the Holy Ghost, that's the type that's going to be drawed from here, just as certain as anything.
There was something another about that little old ark in the days of Noah, that floated on top the water. It was a drawing power from above, that was right in the top, that the glory of God shined from heaven down upon them...

57 And I tell you, today, friend, hear my Word. There is a drawing power, not from the church, not from the pastor, but from glory, this baptism of the Holy Ghost moving down in that life channel to draw up a Church. What is it? The power of God, the access to His Life, Zoe.
"These things that I do shall you do also; greater than this shall you do." He was persecuted, laughed at, made fun of, and died, and went in the grave. But He was true; He had the Spirit of God in Him, and God raised Him up. If we go the same way, so shall we come out. Oh, hallelujah. I love Him.

58 Can you hear me? [Congregation says, "Amen."] You love Him? You love Him with all your heart? Isn't He wonderful? Oh, my.
Eye has seen, ear has heard, what's recorded in God's Word;
Isn't He wonderful, wonderful...
Let's bow our heads.

59 Heavenly Father, O Jesus, I'm looking forward for a great hour. I see it coming. I see there's no hope nowhere else. I see the age a-moving up. I see the great red lights of communism, swaying around over the earth. I see the formal churches taking their stands against Your Church, trying to condemn them, saying, "Divine healing's wrong. It's a bunch of fanaticism." A bill in our own White House to close It down...
Oh, but, God, the other day, setting there and seeing those saintly people, all illuminated with the power of God; looking upon their faces and seeing the glory of God they could be like the Hebrew children at the fiery furnace. "We'll never bow down. No. Our God's able to deliver us. You'll come quickly, Lord Jesus."
And I see the hour is setting in, when, "The form of godliness the people have, but deny the power thereof: from such turn away," You said, the Spirit speaking for the last days. And here we are in that day today.

60 Here's our little church setting here, Lord, men and women who I believe loves You. And I pray, God, that that Spirit that's filled many of their hearts, days gone by, will now come deeper and more. May they lay aside every malice, every strife, everything that's unlike You, and move up today, not to the manger, but to Calvary; not as altogether to Calvary, but to Christ, the hope of glory, the Deity of God, the magnificence of God, the power of God that's now in our heart, trying to draw us out of the things of the world, that He might take us out of this earth someday unto a better land. God, grant it today. Hear the prayer of Your servant, and speak to the people.
If there's any lost in here, any without the Holy Spirit, may they receive of Thee this morning. Grant it, dear God, for we ask it in the Name of Thy dear beloved Son, Jesus, Who nineteen hundred years ago was born in a manger, Who suffered thirty-three years later at Calvary for our sins, Who ascended on to high a few days after that, forty days later. He was received up into glory, then ten days later come again in the power of the Holy Ghost, and now living in the Church. And soon, with that same power that raised Him, the Holy Ghost in the Church to take it out. O God, come, will You, and save the Church? For we ask it in His Name.

61 While you have your heads bowed, we're going to sing, "Calling Today." If there's anyone here without Christ, without God, without hope, will you come now?
Calling today!
Calling today!
Jesus is calling,
He's tenderly calling today.
Jesus is tenderly calling today,
Calling today!
Are you without God, without hope, without Christ? You realize... that you haven't got just a life full of God won't you come?
... farther away?
Call (He's calling) today!
Calling today!
Jesus (is tenderly calling today)
He's tenderly calling today.

62 Listen. Father's here and He wants to save you, if you're unsaved... But listen, friends, I want to do something this morning for you, while you're standing here. I want you to just to have your eye closed; I want to pull down a curtain and let you look over somewhere. We're going to take a little visit this morning... strong. I'm going to pull the curtain down, just for those who set in this Tabernacle, young and old and all.
I'm going to look over to the portals of hell for a while this morning. They know down there it's Christmas-time up here. They know what they done through Christmas-time. Some has drank, some run around, some to the church, some mocked, some made fun. What if their creeping bony frame could get back to this church door this morning? You know, next Christmas you may be there. You may have been there a year next Christmas.
Now, remember that you're dealing with human souls; you're dealing with spiritual things. And each one of you has got to answer at the day of judgment. I can only be honest. I can only say, if you haven't received the Christ this morning, He stands at the open door of your heart...

63 And you that's got the Holy Spirit, remember, you're going to be judged by what you done with It. You might've received Christ, by the Holy Ghost, but you'll be condemned; every man is judged according to the works done in his body. After you receive the Holy Ghost, what have you done with It? Have you talked about your neighbor? Have you done things wrong? If you have, remember, I'd start life anew right now. Say, "Lord Jesus, today, from now on I'm going to be what You want me to be. I realize that the immortal part of God, the Spirit of God, lives in my body. And if I--if I been wrong, forgive me now. I want--I want to... My, I--I want to be better." How many's in there this morning who's like that would raise his hand showing... Say, "I want to start new today, Brother Branham." God bless you. I got mine up too, you know; I want to start anew. I want to do more for Him next year. Are you setting...

64 One of the most saddest stories I ever heard... A young lady, a very fancy young woman. She lived in a fine home, talked to her about Christ. Her--her father said, "I--I ain't staying here with her." 'Course she was dying. She's going to meet that class of people because she's... Now, remember, as despised, she couldn't see herself with a man called "crazy." But she got the best of education. When she gets ready to break through the old society and go with different fine classes of men. Death struck with something. She took a heart attack. All of her training did her no good; she went somewhere else.
Which way you going this morning? What are you training for? I don't care which kind of groups of life you belong to, you're going to go back to eternity one of these days. And without Christ, without the Holy Ghost your soul is lost. Remember that.

65 You cannot be saved, only by accepting Christ, by the Holy Spirit. If He's in you, He's the power of God. Live by It. He's God in you. The Bible said, and we thank God... is upon me, O God. And Jesus said...
The Pharisees answered, said, "Ye make yourself God."
Said, "Isn't it written in your Law, 'Ye are gods'?"
He made Moses a god to Pharaoh once. And He made you a god to the people. That's right. And you this morning are written epistles of God. Your--your lives are of God, and even carries that Holy Ghost.
Look here, friends, don't let it pass. Don't just let this go by, as just a little mythical something... Will you do that?...

66 Father, we come this morning, as Your humble children. I realize that--that we're living in the last hour, closing time, something can happen at any time. Men, women, boys, or girls here, are without God. And I pray Thee, Father, You be merciful. I pray Thee, to be merciful to those who have received, and now realize that You're near in their hearts. And realizing that little things of the world, through cares of... I pray, God, that every one of them this morning, will be really consecrated to You, for the coming days to come, and... how much longer we're going to wait before Your coming. We believe it's right at hand now. And after while, they're going to try to get saved...
I'm thinking of those young people that night, down there at the altar, trying to be saved but had crossed the line: no redemption for them; they were gone, could not be saved.
Father, I just--I just pray that You'll bless them each one, while there is time for salvation, that they will receive it today. For we ask it in Jesus Christ's Name, Amen.

67 Let's stand. How many love Him with all your heart? Don't you want to get just a little closer to Him, love Him just a little bit more? Let's sing "I--I Surrender All," as we raise our hands to Him, this morning... Will you do that? Give us the lead there, will you, sister.
I surrender, (I surrender all,) ( all your habits, all your ways)... surrender, (I surrender all,)
All to Thee, my blessed Saviour,
I surrender all.
Do you really mean it?
I surrender, (I surrender all,)
I surrender, (I surrender all,)
All to Thee, my blessed Saviour,
I surrender all.

68 O Father, have mercy. We love You so much, Lord. Some of these days the trumpet's going to blow. I may be out on the field somewhere. Lord, I'll be thinking about the church then. When the winds begin to howl, the world's begin rocking, some say, "What's the matter?" Skies are turning to red; judgment hour is near. I'll think, "Oh, where's Brother Graham? Where's all of them at home." But, Father, then after while we'll hear a sound like never before, the Trumpet; the Angel sounds a Trumpet. O God, those who have entered the chamber of death, shall rise up. How screams will go out, "What's the matter with the world? We can't stand still as she's rocking." And then we'll be caught up together to meet You in the air.

69 O Father, if death shall come to us before that time and... I mean the natural death of this earth, separation here, may we enter the chambers with a gallant faith, wrapping the robe of Christ around us, the Holy Ghost. Someday we got to come down there, Father. And I realize I got to walk that line too. It's right out there before me somewhere, that hour that I enter that death chamber. When I hear my sentence read, I don't want to go like a coward. I want to go like You went, Lord. Not try to wrap the old robe around, but wrap the robe of Christ, the Holy Ghost, around me, as Paul did, and say, "Death, where is your sting? Grave, where is your victory?" enter that dark chamber among those who are dead, listening then for His voice of the Archangel that shall sound, and we'll be called out from among the dead, to meet our loved ones again.
O Lord, if we miss that in life, life has been nothing to us; we've failed. But if we find Him Who's precious in our heart, then we've found all the purpose of God.
Oh, how we love Him this morning. May every Christian, this morning, see the vision quickly, Lord. The hour is getting late now, and I pray that You'll let them see the vision and take hold of Life today, and live forever, for we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.

70 You love each other? [Congregation says "Amen."] Turn around and shake hands with each other, say, "God bless you. Christ be with you." Instead of "Merry Christmas," say, "Christ be with you," as you turn around. Now don't leave yet, just turn around and say, "Christ be with you." Christ be with you.
All... Now just a moment.
All to Thee, my blessed Saviour,
I surrender all.
Why, I thought it was after twelve. It's after eleven. I thought it was twenty minutes after twelve. Just... [A sister says, "Let's stay another hour."] What's that? Amen.

71 Everybody love the Lord? Say, "Praise the Lord!" [The congregation says, "Praise the Lord!"] Let's just have a--a little of just a--just now just about only three or four words of testimony, like, "I love Jesus." Just say no more than that. [Someone says, "I love Jesus."] That's right. Somebody else. [Many people say, "I love Jesus!"] Glory to God! [Many say, "I love Jesus!"] I love Him. I love Him. O Jesus.
Jesus, Saviour, pilot me
Over life's tempestuous sea:
Unknown waves before me roll,
Hiding rocks and...
Chart and compass come...