Fellowship by redemption
You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net
1 Good morning, friends. Happy to be here again this morning to ... in the service of the Lord. And a little bit tired, as they was saying, I was not... I guess I had the flu too, but I was just overworked. I had five weeks straight, and it kind of looked ... just kind of run my resistance down, although it never kept me from getting fat. I just keep getting fatter all the time. But most of my last meeting was, more or less, in just preaching, you see, and so it does... Well, we had quite a few healing services, but most was in the preaching service.
We're indeed grateful for this privilege of being here today, to serve the Lord, to be in the tabernacle, and to be with Brother Neville here again. Had such a wonderful introduction, and makes you feel better if you was feeling bad. That would make you feel good, wouldn't it, just to know that people like you. Now, don't you just like for somebody to like you? I do.
2 One night I was walking out of the tabernacle here. Now, I hope they're not on the recordings of these yet. But I was walking out of the tabernacle here, oh, a few years ago, and some lady met me back there. She said, "Oh, Brother Bill." She said, "That sure was a good message tonight."
I said, "Thank you, sister." Oh, it made me feel good, you know.
Walked to the door, and some fellow standing there, said, "You know, I wouldn't put up with that."
And I said, "What?"
Said, "Oh, I don't want nobody to brag on me, or say something."
I said, "Just... I do, see." I said, "Just one difference between you and I: I'm telling the truth, you see." That's right. It really makes anyone... You... If you try... Someone tells you, you're appreciated the efforts that you make, it makes you feel a lot better about it. Doesn't it?
3 Now, today I would like to make this announcement: If Brother Neville and the congregation, be pleased with the good Lord, that... I've tried this for about seven or eight years, and succeeded twice. I would like to have a regular healing service next Sunday morning, if we could, just a regular healing service. And we've tried it several times.
And it succeeded here; one night we had one. And the Lord was so good to us. He let a... There was a... The papers wrote it up. And there was a girl here in a wheel chair, had been in here for a long time. The only wheel chair we had in the building, I believe. And she had been ... something wrong with her. And she had neglected something: a call from the Lord. And told her... Seventeen years or something she had been in this wheel chair. And right here, when they packed her wheel chair up here and set her down, she got right up and walked out of the building, a normal, whole woman.
Had a man laying here on the platform, as the paper said, was just a shadow of a man. And the Lord healed him. He hadn't walked in, I don't know how long. He got up and walked away.
Then one night down at the high school, we had down there, and the Holy Spirit came down, and we had a regular healing service. And so they... I believe there's some of them here. I believe Sister Rooks, I believe that was the night of her healing, if I'm not mistaken, was there. And many things has taken place during that time, since them healing services.
4 Now, we've tried two or three different times to have it. It's not very often, this being my home. Anyone knows what the Scripture says about being in your home, and among your people and so forth. It's kind of odd. It just doesn't work like it should work, you see.
[Brother Beeler adjusts the pulpit microphone] And am I doing something wrong, Brother Beeler? [Brother Beeler says, "No, that's all right."] Am I all right? Okay. ["I will just lower it, for you."] Oh, all right.
Now, when in these services... Now, if the Lord... How many would like to see a real healing service here at the tabernacle? My, that... Will you pray for it?
Now, I had Leo and Gene... They were here somewhere. I was going to give them some cards this morning. And then I thought... Well, I could come down and give out the prayer cards, and line up a prayer line. And then I got so awfully tired. And, why, I thought I'd just better come down and speak a little while today, and then start...
5 Next Sunday morning, how about... Is there a Sunrise service? [Brother Neville says, "Yes."] A sunrise service, that begins at ... from five to six o'clock, I believe, or something like that. Isn't it? From five... What time does sun rise? ["Six o'clock."] Six o'clock. All right. It ought to be from five until six, then. That will be an hour of worship, see.
Now, that ain't going to hurt you to get up that early. Now, the Catholics get up every morning, Sunday morning, like that, and go to church. And Protestants ought to be willing to do it once a year. Don't you think? It's sunrise. Now, it's not...
I'm just going to speak a few moments, and then we're... It's a worship service. Then hurry right on home and you eat your breakfast; I won't. Then I'll maybe stay at the church. Then, if the Lord willing...
Now, Brother Neville will announce it on his program, next Saturday, if it continues that way. It'll be on the program, next Saturday morning between nine and nine-thirty, I think that's right, isn't it, brother? [Brother Neville says, "Amen."] On WLRP, out of New Albany.
Then, we may put a little piece in the paper, too, of Jeffersonville, New Albany, paper. Which, many of our people come from these sections. It'd be in next week, along Friday or Saturday's paper.
And then we would like to come down. And then, after that, then I'll have the boys to come down and give out the prayer cards for you, at nine o'clock---just at nine. And that'll let everything get quietened down by nine-thirty. And then I'll come out of the room, and we'll start and have a Sunday morning ... or, Easter sunrise, regular sermon, and then start a prayer line.
And, then, it'll be decided this week, or not... They've got some people here that's candidates for water baptism. And Easter, I think, is one of the most marvelous times for baptism. And we'll either have it Easter, right immediately after the healing service or either that night: a baptismal service. It'll mean a full day, next Sunday, so be in prayer.
6 And we're very grateful to the Lord. Just a little report now about the meetings. I heard brother saying you all were praying. I certainly depend on that. My, when I see times a going real contrary, then I just think, Well, somewhere there's somebody praying, see. And that encouraged me then to move up and go on.
And I had the best healing service I ever had on the North American continent, was in this last service. Brother Gene and Leo were out there at the time, the boys sitting here. It was on the Apache Indian reservation. They give me one day to rest, and I took it; I went up to the Indian reservation, had the biggest meeting I ever had ... or, the best.
And just one of the little sentiments that stuck with me so greatly, was coming through the prayer line, while the boys was out there, and they had taken my camera and their camera, was getting all the pictures they could. And I guess there had been thirty-five or more visions, out there. And you'd speak to the people, only they just couldn't ... they don't respond like us, because they can't speak, and they can't... And the interpretation, they don't have no written language and it's kind of hard. They don't have no sentences, in the Apaches. And they just start, and just anything. And so it's a group of words, and it's kind of hard to make them understand. Some of them can't understand English.
7 The first vision I remember was a lady with her baby, and the baby was blind. And it told her what was the matter; it was glaucoma, in which is very familiar among the Indians ... very much of it, rather, among the Indians. And when the lady got into the line, her little baby was healed.
Then, coming along, the first thing come, I think, was about five ... four or five, mutes---deaf, dumb people. The Lord healed every one of them.
And, then, they're just simple, just as simple. They don't try to figure out anything. They just believe you. And then you've got to instruct them right, on the Lord, you see, not on yourself, because that won't work. But it's got to be on the Lord. And when they really see it, it's just like a bunch of children; just tell them go do something, they do it.
8 And down along the road, there was a beautiful little Indian princess, about so high, little, black eyes, just as pretty and bright, but just as blind as midnight. And Brother Marshall, the Indian missionary up there, he told me, he said... When he come down the line, bringing her into the line, he said, "Brother Branham, she's blind."
I said, "Those lovely big eyes, great, big, pretty, dark eyes?"
Said, "Yes. She's just as blind as she can be, Brother Branham." And I waved my hand across her eyes, like that, and her eyes just stared. She couldn't see. Well, I prayed for the little thing, and started... I looked, moved my hand again, and her eyes were still just staring. I thought, oh, my... Those... Poor little fellow, just about that high, blind. And didn't know that her daddy, next to her there, was blind too.
So something happened that, I guess I never seen it before. It wasn't, Brother Neville, a vision, like you would see. But it looked like that I could see myself taking this little thing up before the throne of God, up there before God, and saying to God, "Father, this poor little girl, she's blind," and applying the blood of the Lord Jesus to the child.
Then when she was sit down, and brother, I had my finger up like this. I said, "Brother Marshall, something happened." Then I said, "It looked like I seen myself going up through the skies, with that child by the hand." And I was moving like this, was talking. And I looked, and those big eyes following my hand, going like that. There she was with perfect, normal eyesight.
And they passed her through the line: I guess, the doctors or some of them from down there. There was a bunch of well-dressed men standing out there. I seen them fooling with her, you know, trying to get her to look at her fingers, and motion to follow her. And I said, "Just go ahead and examine her. She's all right." And there she was, normal and well.
The next was her daddy, and he was blind. And God gave him his eyesight back, normal again, standing right there on the ground. Just wonderful, how our Lord Jesus will do. Now, those things doesn't lay with man, do they? They lay with God.
I don't know whether... Brother Cox, has Brother Joseph sent down The Herald of Faith yet? We haven't got the roll. [Brother Cox says, "No."] Sir? ["No [unclear words].] You'll get it pretty soon.
This case here, on the front of it, is a lady that was turned down by Mayo's. And how the Lord told her where she was and how she'd been, how, what had taken place. And Mayo said she just couldn't live. And he told her... You see her stretcher laying there that... She just got right up, and has gone home, and just as normal and well as she can be.
9 And on the next page is a very striking little article, "Born Blind." I just might read it. Would it be all right just to read this little paragraph here? It won't take just a moment.
"My son was born blind. He and I both were one hundred percent toxin. And as far as our doctor knows, there has never been another case..."
[Gap in the audio.] "... blind. He had what they call dry eyes. He never cried a tear, up until the time that Rev. Branham prayed for him. And as Brother Branham held him and prayed, the tears run down Brother Branham's arms. And from that very time, he can see. Then we take his little... Turned his little head, and when he saw the people, he didn't know what it was all about. He had never seen in his life. I took him from the church over to his mother's, and laid him on the bed. And he took his... He looked all around the room, and started playing with his rattler.
"I had an appointment, to take him to Mayo's, at Rochester, Minnesota. The following week, I kept that appointment and took him. They could find nothing wrong with his eyes. They told me that he had a good and perfect set of eyes. I took Johnnie down to the doctor's office to show him what had happened, because the doctor was inquiring for a place to put him, in a blind school for his life."
How the Lord Jesus made that little boy... You know what? The mother and father, both toxin, they usually ... or, mother and child, one of them dies, or sometimes both. But little Johnnie was born, and his eyes were dry, just hard and dry. And while I held the little fellow in my arms, I felt something warm, and the tears run off his little face and run down my arm like this. And he was looking at me, his little old bright eyes. And he's had his perfect sight since then. Mayo Brothers has said his eyes were normal.
Isn't He wonderful? We just love Him.
10 Now, you pray this week that God will help us. And next Sunday morning, the Lord willing, at five to six o'clock, will be a sunrise service. Come out. And then we'll just stay at the hour. And as soon as the sun rises, we'll give God praise for what He did some two thousand years ago: rose up Jesus Christ at the rising of the sun.
And we're looking for another Son rising, the coming of the Lord Jesus the second time, in glory.
And then next... Then at nine o'clock, we will... The boys will be here to give out the prayer cards. And at nine-thirty, Sunday school will start. Now, if you got loved ones, get them in to get into the cards, 'cause...
And then I want to come down... I want to take Saturday ... Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, if the Lord willing, and just fast and pray. And ask Him to give me at least one more healing service here at the tabernacle next Sunday, the Lord willing. And then we'll see. If He doesn't, well, of course, that's... I can't help that. But we'll pray, and try to see if He will, will give us the healing service.
And then the baptismal service... And all you who are candidates for baptism now, and has never been baptized, well, we'd be glad to have you come. Believe on the Lord Jesus, and confessing your sins, and being baptized next Sunday.
And Brother Neville will announce the full program on his broadcast next Saturday morning. How many hear the broadcast? Don't you think it's fine? I tell you, that singing is really good. I heard Brother Temple, I believe, on it the other day. And I appreciate that song you dedicated to us. We was all listening in.
11 This morning, we didn't think we'd get to come. Oh, our little girl had a raging fever last night. My! She was up all night long, screaming and going on---little Sarah. And I wanted to come so bad. I went over to the bed this morning, before ... just put on my robe and walked over to the bed. And the poor little thing laying there, just a burning with a fever. I laid my hands down on the little fellow, and I said, "Dear God, I want to go to church. And I'll take her with me. So, fever, you can't hold her any longer. Come out of her." There she sits, back there, just as normal and quiet as she can be, you see. He just... He's wonderful, isn't He?
12 I have a good friend here this morning. I know he's a little bashful, backward. He's one of my brothers. And he become my fellow worker and buddy with me, off of the great Alaskan Highway in Alaska.
I was having meetings, where I'm to have again in a few days now, at Grand Prairie. And I was at Dawson Creek, British Columbia, and then down to Grand Prairie. And a little fellow stepped in one time, to the meeting there. And God got a hold of him: he had to come back. And he received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And if he will be so kind just to at least stand up, Brother Fandler, just let the people know. He's from Switzerland. And he's... The Lord bless you, Brother Fandler. Glad to have him with us today.
He's the one that has got this famous drug that will be on the market pretty soon, which will sweep the world: a cure for arthritis. The Lord gave it to him. And they've got it in now at the government, and so forth. And they're... It's the arthritis cure, given by the Lord God alone, (Amen), telling him what to do. There's not a thing on the market that'll touch arthritis, until this time. But now the Lord has given it to Brother Fandler, and we're happy for it.
13 With us, over in the Christian Businessmen a few days ago, in Los Angeles, where they also... God is just working wonderfully amongst Christians. A little brother that all of us know real well, or is part of us here, Brother Shakarian, just a marvelous brother; and the Lord invented something by him. Just show you how God is getting it out. A little thing that he puts right on his stomach, like this, and holds it out like this, and can find oil down in the... And found a gusher in Colorado, a twenty-five million dollar outfit, I guess, just at one gusher. Turns every bit over, to send missionaries to the foreign field. Amen.
That's what Brother Fandler is doing with his. It'll be millions of dollars in a year.
And besides that, there's just... Oh, this brother invented this here thing to take blood, where they could only keep it so long.
Now, these are Holy Ghost men.
Do you know what? In our White House, forty percent of our men in office are Pentecostal, (Amen), or Pentecostal background. Oh my! Nations are breaking; Israel awakening.
And they can... These brethren has found a formula that will dehydrate blood and keep it indefinite. And they got a million dollar plant; just put it up. Oh, how the Lord is a blessing, everywhere.
See what's going to happen? He is swiftly sending these Holy Ghost messengers out, into all parts of the world now, for the time is at hand. We're there. Not to pass out tracts---which, tracts is ever so good---but to bring the message of divine deliverance to those captives who are sitting in darkness. We love Him. All right.
Now, we'll read the Scripture right quick.
And remember now, next Sunday, the Lord willing... Remember, tonight is communion night, I believe he said. And Wednesday night, mid-week prayer meeting. Everybody invited to all these services. Next Sunday morning, five to six on sunrise. And nine o'clock to begin our services for ... or, nine-thirty, rather, for the Sunday morning service. And then the healing service, and baptismal service.
Now, let's turn in the blessed old Book.
14 Before we do this, let's just sing... Where is Sister Gertie at? She was up here a few moments ago. Would you come back just a moment? And I will try not to keep you but just about a half hour, if I can, on the lesson this morning. Let's sing just one chorus of this marvelous old song, "My Faith Looks Up To Thee." How many knows it? Is it in the hymnal, or do you know it? See.
[Someone in the congregation begins giving a report of their healing. Blank spot on tape.]
15 ... our innermost beings today. Our hearts are overrun with joy, when we think that someday, this old earthly tabernacle that we're now dwelling in, like the cage that holds the bird, this lump of clay, our souls will take its flight like the bird from the cage someday, to the arms of its Lover. When we see You coming, this robe of flesh we'll drop and rise.
Our faith looks to Thee today, now. Forgive us for all that we have done, all the sins and trespasses. Pray that You will settle down over us now. Come into our hearts. Bless us. And take the Word, the Word of God, and give it to every heart, just as we have need of it today. And we'll give Thee the praise, for we ask it in His name. Amen.
16 Turn quickly now to Hebrews the 9th chapter, beginning with the 11th verse. And we're going to speak this morning, God willing, upon, Fellowship By Redemption. Now, in Hebrews 9, everyone that's got your Bibles and like to study with us just for a little bit. I like the Word. You know, "Faith cometh by hearing, hearing of the Word of God."
But Christ being come the light and a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Neither by the blood of goats or calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
And in Job the 19th chapter and the 23rd, 24th, and 25th verses, we read this, speaking of Redemption. Paul, here in Hebrews, telling us who was our redeemer, how that, by one offering He made and perfected forever those that enter in by Him. Now, in the 23rd verse, Job speaking, said,
Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
That they were graven with an iron pen and laid in the rock for ever!
For I know that my redeemer liveth, and at the last days he will stand upon the earth:
And though after the skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
Whom I shall see for myself, ... mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
Job 19:23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
Job 19:24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
Job 19:26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
Job 19:27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Hebrews 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
17 May the Lord add His blessings to His Word; speaking of redemption and fellowship.
And there's many times, as we look and see that the... Us, the mortal beings of this earth, how that we become tossed about, and strayed around across the world. I don't believe there is anybody that's got a Christian spirit, could look upon the world today, and wouldn't groan in their spirit. I've often wondered how that people today take this life so lightly. It's not nothing lightly. This is the very reason we're put here on earth, is to worship and come to God, and to come into His fellowship. And to see men wandering around, as if they didn't have any God, as there was no God. Man has driven himself out in that kind of a condition.
18 And I'm believing that the day that we're living now, the most essential thing that I could think of any minister speaking of, is to get the people back to the general principles of the Gospel, coming back to a place. For, if you're not built upon the right foundation, it's just ... it's no good. What's the use of building upon a foundation that's already been condemned? What's the use, as I say, of trying to... What would be the use of trying to paper and paint an old building that the government had condemned?
And that's what many people are trying to do today, by reforming, trying to reform. "We'll start a church, and we'll turn a page, and we'll try to do a little different than we used to do." You'll never get nowhere like that. It's just foolish to even try, see. You're just only wasting time. You say, "Well, now, I believe if I would just quit my lying and stealing and..." All those things, as good as they are, you're still a million miles off of the road.
You've got to start back to the foundation. You got to build a new place, not patch up the old one. Build a brand new one. You got to come back, start right. That's the reason you see so many faulty mistakes, so many people indifferent, people who profess Christianity.
19 You know, now, this is kind of a little bit hard. But you are the only Bible that many people will ever read, you Christians. Your life is the only Bible that men, a lot of men and women, will ever read, just the way you act and do. So Christians are supposed to be a living example of what Christ is. And if Christ is in the human heart, then he will certainly live His own life, for Christ is in you. And the Spirit of Christ be in you, then you become a new creature.
Now, I love to think that Christians everywhere, if every person that called on the Lord Jesus would live just exactly the Christian life, why this would be a converted world in the next twenty-four hours. It certainly would be.
The Bible said that you are the salt of the earth. And the salt can only save when it comes in contact with the spoiling earth. The earth is spoiling, rottening. You know that. And the salt must come in contact with the earth, or if it don't, it'll be gone.
Matthew 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
20 Now, some weeks ago in Chicago, I was so thrilled when I seen, you know, where God's Word was proven to be the truth. Men and women must come back to the Word. I spent practically all my time in California, after seeing so many cults arising, so many indifferent things, so much stuff that wasn't of God... And I'm not here today to criticize anyone; I'm only here to try and preach the Gospel. But when you see so many things rise up under flattery, and ministries built on personalities, then you're going to be sitting on sinking sands. A ministry must be built totally and wholly upon the Lord Jesus Christ, the Bible, no matter what any new thing comes up.
21 Here a few days ago, Brother Moore, one of my associates, his son was given a degree of doctor in science. And when this great scientist came down from Washington, to give him his degree, after he embraced him in his arms, he said, "Son, in Washington, DC, on the latest science, there's one hundred and twenty-four scientific, proven facts about modern science." He said, "If I should take you up there, it would take you two years to read through those books, constantly, every day." And said, "When you got through the twenty-four books of them, ... or, the hundred and twenty-four books," he said, "the next thing you do, you'd have to forget every bit of it, 'cause they done found something new that'll outdo that."
When he said that, I thought, But praise be to God, I know a Book that's been here through the thousands of years. It'll never alter, or nothing will never be added to it. It's the Book of all the books. And all the other books run around through circles, not knowing where they are. And if they want facts, they have to come back to this Bible to get it. This is God's Book, only Book. Now, how we praise the Lord for this great, marvelous Book. And in that contains the will of God, the promise of God. And it's a Book of all the books. All other books fail, all the other books vanish away; their knowledge is gone. But this Book contains the eternal truths of God. Therefore what the Bible says, you can say "amen" to it.
22 Sometime ago, I... When I went to school, as a little boy, they used to tell me that the sun shining on the stars, made them lights. They changed that now. Can't do it. I was in a planetarium the other day, at Mount Palomar, at Los Angeles, up on the hill, the world's greatest planetarium, was up with the guide, going through. He said, "They used to think that, a few years ago. But they find out, every star makes its own light." It's gone. Sun couldn't travel that far between them."
They used to tell me that the world turned around the sun, and the sun stood perfectly still. You fellows of my age, you were taught that. They changed that now. The sun runs, see. They just don't know. That's it.
And here is the only Book that does know. Now, the things that they have been scrambling over, for six thousands years, Joshua commanded the sun to stand still, like the Bible said, and it was so, see. It'll all come back to here. Everything comes back to the Bible.
23 Not long ago, science made fun of man, when, in the Bible. And the Bible said, "Your whole body is full of light." Science said, "Your body, full of light? Who ever heard of such? It can't be. No light in your body." But they find out, that's wrong. They invented an x-ray. And the x-ray takes your own light meters. It don't take any other light. Your own light makes the x-ray. The x-ray doesn't have any light of its own. It's your light that takes the picture, the lights that's in your body. So God was right after all.
Matthew 6:22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
Luke 11:34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
24 You know, and they said, "God made a mistake, when He said 'A man thinketh with his heart.' There is no such a thing. And no mental facilities in a man's heart that he can think with. It's his mind that he thinks with." But no more than about two months ago, they found out God was right. They went to fooling in the human heart, and they found a little bitty compartment in there that hasn't even got a blood cell around it, or nothing. It isn't in the animal heart, or the bird heart, or no other heart but the human heart. A little bitty place, and it's called, "The occupation of the soul." So God does say right. It's in the heart man thinketh.
Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
25 Now, a man can have an intellectual faith. And there is where most people get today, calling themselves Christians. The reason you see such carrying on as you do, under the name of Christianity, it's only intellectual faith. "What do you mean by intellectual faith, brother?" This is it... "Man believeth unto salvation. Now, faith cometh by hearing, hearing of the Word."
Now, I could preach the Word; you could accept it. Say, "That's all right. Yep, I believe that." Well now, if that's all the farther it ever goes, then you'll never get very far with God. Intellectual faith.
That's the reason people doesn't get healed, is because they only have an intellectual view of it, what their mind conceives. But the mind will reason. The mind will say, "It cannot be. I am no better. My sense of sight says that my arm is no straighter than it was yesterday. My sense of feeling says, 'I don't feel any different than I did yesterday.'" Reasoning, mental theology, will reason out, say, "Now, wait a minute, I believe that's foolishness." See, you're reasoning. That intellectual faith will do that.
Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
26 But when once that faith comes down into that compartment down here, it'll never question this up here, at all. It's absolutely a fact, and it'll agree with every divine word of God.
There's the reason people doesn't get where they should be. It becomes a mental conception of God. But when that mental conception ... you believe Him by an intellectual faith, but that won't do it. It's got to be a born-again experience, where your faith is brought down into this compartment here. And no matter what it looks like, faith says it's so anyhow, see.
27 Now, man once was made... Even in our polluted condition that we are today, man was made to serve God. That's His full duty on the earth. Hear the gre... wisest man, Solomon, and all the rest of them, speaking in the Ecclesiastes, he said, "Let's hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the full duty of man." That's the full duty of man.
We wonder why we're running along here, men and women, why that we wear clothes and have to strive, and the animals don't. God feeds His little old birds, and takes care of everything else. But we have to shift for ourself. Is because sin separated us from our Maker. That's what did it. Now, man as he's moving along...
You don't see the animal embettering himself. He can't embetter himself. If he gets any better treatment, it's got to come from some other source. He doesn't build himself a better house. He doesn't make himself fry his meat, where he used to eat it raw, see. It has to be done because he... There is nothing in him to give him a soul. A animal doesn't have a soul.
But a man has a soul. And therefore, that soul is a part of God. And even in its fallen state, yet it's the most greatest specie of all the species of the earth, is a man. And then get him in connection with his Maker, he becomes a superman almost, because he's a son of God. He becomes acquainted with his Maker, with the Creator of all things. And then when that man there, acquainted with his Maker, becomes a part of his Maker, becomes back into fellowship with his Maker, every divine word becomes a living reality to him, and he believes it.
No wonder people can't believe divine healing today. They haven't got nothing to believe with. Until God comes into the human heart, a man is not much better than a brute. His reason: he'll think it all out, "How can this be?" And explain it all away. But when God ever takes His position in the human heart all the reasonings fade away, and God becomes first. Amen.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
28 Now, in the beginning when God made the man to worship Him, and live ... God taking care of him, fed him ... man had a perfect fellowship with God. There was nothing wrong. God came down in the evening and talked to Adam and Eve. What a beautiful picture. No harm, nothing could harm them. No sickness could ever come to them. They didn't even know what sickness was. They didn't know what old age was. They didn't know what being hurt was. They couldn't be hurt. They was in the presence of the omnipotent powers of God, which held them in control and guided them by His Spirit. There was nothing could harm them.
If you would ever think... I believe, if this little group of believers this morning, could ever one time lay aside every thought, get down to the facts, to know that the great Jehovah God, that created you in the beginning, is in His position, place today, here in this tabernacle, at the heart of every believer. Do you believe it?
Now, in the beginning when God come down in the evening and talked to Adam and Eve in the cool of the day, and His great voice whispered to them. And they had fellowship, loved one another. How the moving of the Spirit went through the bushes. The lions come up, the tigers, all of them, and they worshiped the Lord. Man was conscious at all times that His presence was with him.
29 Now listen. I want to tell you something, and listen close to it, at this remark. I'm going to be just a little bit different this morning. I'm going to let myself loose, with some of my own theology, some of my own thoughts, my own conceptions of the Scripture, that I've never said in this church before, or no other church. But I feel that it might be profitable this morning.
Every man in his own heart, has ideas and so forth that he believes and holds sacred into his heart, and secrets between him and God, that no one else knows about but him and God alone. You know that. Every one of you believers know that. Just the believer and his Maker, alone.
30 I've never believed that heaven was a place where there's a bunch of buildings, where there's a bunch of houses up there, made with mortar, daubed up with paper, paint on the wall. I've never believed that a supernatural being would have to live in a literal house. I believe, when Jesus spoke in John 14 said, "In my Father's house is many mansions," He meant, "a body, a dwelling place." For the Scriptures verify the same thing, they say, "If this earthly tabernacle be dissolved, we have one already waiting." You see it?
Mortal beings is the only one who lives in mortal habitations. Immortal beings live in immortal habitations. And the place that we go into until we return back, is not a place of brick, mortar, and clay, or precious stones, or jewels. It's a place, a condition, that we move out of this dimension that we live in, into another dimension. And it's a house, a tabernacle, a dwelling place.
Jesus said, "Destroy this temple, and I'll raise it up in three days." And they thought He was speaking of Solomon's temple, but He was speaking of His own body.
And He's gone to prepare a place for every believer, that the very moment we step out of these mortal regions, we don't go out into myth or some supernatural spirit, but we go into a tabernacle, a dwelling place. And that might be right here in this building this morning, in a place that no other radio activity, or nothing can touch. It's there solely fixed by God alone.
Listen. Moses had been dead for eight hundred years. Elijah had been translated for around six or seven hundred years. And there they stood on Mount Transfiguration, both of them, in their mortal looks, talking to Jesus just before He went to Calvary. See what I mean? Then what am I trying to say, that we are looking at some mythical something, a way off out yonder, a hundred million years?
John 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
31 I got a revelation the other day, standing up there on Mount Palomar at the observatory, and seeing the time, the space over to Mars, and to the last continents and so forth, and light traveling at so many thousands miles per second.
If an Angel started from the farthest star, and coming here, it would take him billions times billions times billions of years to get here. If he started from Mars and come here, flying at the speed of light ... of light space ... or, light speed. It would take him billions of years to get here.
32 I cannot believe that there's a house way out yonder. But, I believe that that house that God was speaking of is right present here now. That, that's the place where the mortal beings, when we cease to be mortal here, we step into immortality yonder, into a place.
And I believe that's where Jesus is today, the resurrected Lord Jesus; not out yonder somewhere, a million miles away, but right here present with us now.
33 In the fourth dimension, people can prove that right through this room now is coming radio activity ... radio messages. Coming right through this building now is coming television pictures, but it's too fast for our eyes.
Now, you go millions of miles beyond that dimension, and you'll get into a place that's just as real as television pictures is in this room this morning. There is the Lord Jesus Christ, the resurrected Son of God standing here; and the reason that you can't see Him is because our heart hasn't become tuned down to it.
And the reason we can't see the television pictures, our bodies are not set as instruments to pick up mechanical-sent things.
But when our body becomes in tune with God, becoming a part of Him, then our soul can pick up the power of the Holy Spirit, to vindicate the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, and all of His power and omnipotence. He has risen from the dead. He lives among us today. And He wants fellowship, back with His people again. His great majesty, His glory, is now spreading forth. And He's desiring to fellowship again with His people, like He did in the Garden of Eden.
34 I know it's a long ways around, but I wanted to get this picture to you, so you'll never forget it. No matter where you're at; if you're in the poolroom, if you're in a gambling hall, there is somebody, invisible, watching you; if you're standing persecutions for the name of the Lord's sake. No matter what it is, mark anyone you wish to, and watch; the man will reap what he sows, every time. If he's doing wrong, he'll never get by with it. If he's doing right, he has got to come into glory with it. You just can't beat it; it's God. He's here. He knows the very depths of your heart. He knows who you are and everything you've done.
35 In the meetings sometimes, I watch how them visions become material. I thought, "O God, how can it be. When, standing here, a minute ago, stood a man with His arms folded, looking to me. And I heard His voice talking to me, and telling me things that's going to happen there, that never fails." And yet, He vanishes from me.
And I know that there is a land beyond the river, there is a region yonder, somewhere, that the glorious persons of the great Angels of God and His being are fellowshipping again.
36 The fellowship! God, back in the beginning, moved down. And Adam and Eve's soul wasn't marred. They could hear the roar, and see that beautiful Light shining through the bushes yonder. It was Jehovah, talking to them.
Then sin separated them. They went off in sin. God had only one preparation for a sinful man to reach a holy God. And that wasn't by self-righteousness. It wasn't by patching up an old thing. It was by death and resurrection: the only way. God condemned the man in the Garden of Eden because he had sinned, and his whole body was full of mire. And never can you ever turn a new page.
37 Listen. I don't care how much you join church, how many good things you do. Them is all fine. You buy the widow coal when she's cold; you buy her food when she's hungry; you take the little kids off the street. That's good. Nothing to say light of that. But, my brother, sister, you're a miserable being, until that old foundation is swept out altogether, and you become a new creature in Christ Jesus in order so that soul can be in contact with God for fellowship. You see it?
Then when you get into that wonderful, glorious fellowship of His being, all the little things just pass away. Oh, it seems so petty, so childlike. That's why we have the troubles. That's why you see professed Christians living just... Today they're all right, and tomorrow they're all wrong, and the next day they're... It's because they've never tore the old foundation down. They've never built upon Christ.
38 Now, notice him in his glory back there. When he had sinned, God felt so sorry for the poor fellow, see him and Eve going away, without... Going out of the fellowship, they'd have to shift for themselves. What could they do? They had a loving Father who would take care of them, but now through disobedience, cut off fellowship. No more fellowship. They had to make it for themselves; had to till the soil, and earn the living by the sweat of their brow. They had to get sick and die, and all kinds of troubles, and heartaches, and disappointments. Why? Severed fellowship. No more fellowship with God; couldn't be.
There's where man stands today. That's the reason you see them on the street, working on Sunday. That's the reason you see them out, going fishing, hunting on Sunday. That's the reason you see them out here, horse racing and automobile racing, why you see them in poolrooms and dives, and so forth. There is something in the man, hungering for something, and he can't find it. And this world can't produce it. And the church can't produce it, on mental theology. They can't do it.
A man has got to tear the old foundation down, and a man has got to be regenerated and born again, and come back to God. Not turning new pages; you'll never do it. It might be good. I have nothing against it---the good works that you do---but that won't do it. Joining church won't do it. Taking your children and going to church won't do it. Until it becomes an individual affair with you. Until you become back into this fellowship. Then we know we've passed from death unto life, for our spirit bears record with His Spirit, that we're sons and daughters of God. All the old things has passed away, and all things become new. There we are. Oh my!
When I think of that, how little these little old things seems to be. My wife used to sing a song: "The sands has been washed in the footprints of the Stranger from Galilee's shore, the voice that subdued the rough billows, will be heard in Judea no more. But the path of that lone Galilean so gladly I'll follow each day. And the toils of the road will seem nothing, when I get to the end of the way."
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
39 There's something beyond the veil yonder that pulls the Christian. He can't explain it. He doesn't understand it himself. But there is something in that fellowship that He has with Christ.
Sever him from there, he becomes a wanderer. That's the reason, poor, wandering, American people today, poor little fellows out there on the street, young ladies, young men, no fellowship at all. They go to church; they can't receive it there, because the church is just so formal and ritual. They can't find it there. And they go down to the poolrooms they can't find it there. They go out to the beaches of pleasure they can't find it there. Satan gets on them, strips their clothes and everything. They live in all kinds of adultery. Poor little fellows pull up in a meeting somewhere, saying, "Oh, brother, how I... I'll commit suicide." Can't find it. No. Sin separates a man from the fellowship.
40 Now, friends, it's only one road back. I've seen many of them that could dance in the Spirit, that could speak with tongues, and could run all over the building, and everything else; and still no fellowship; just as miserable as they could be, because they built upon the wrong foundation. That's right. We've got to get the right thing, the first thing, first. If you don't, your whole starting is wrong. You got to get back to the foundation.
Now, let's find out what the foundation is. Then, if we can find the foundation, truly out of God's Word, then there's no question anymore. Just watch what happens. Now, hear me, my brothers and sisters in the Lord. There is only one foundation for fellowship. There is only one time, and on one ground, that God ever spread the welcome mat back to Adam's fallen race, only one. That was in the Garden of Eden, when He spread it back, by the way of the shed blood. I believe in the blood. Not talk about it; I mean, to worship in it. Now, when God made a reconciliation for Adam and Eve, He made it through the shedding of the blood of an innocent substitute, through the shedding of the blood.
41 Oh, today the high, formal churches has got plumb away from it, don't preach it at all. And they got some talking about politics and every little fandango thing in the world. That's the formal churches.
And the Full Gospel church has got off on so many isms, little things that they ought to do this, and little evidences and things, till they got away from it. And the whole world is becoming a conglomeration of nonsense. That's right. It's a pitiful shape, in the condition to look at. Unless God quickly does something, the whole thing is ruined.
God, send us preachers today, that'll stand on the foundation, call out to the sinner man and woman, "The way home is through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus, the only way." Not talk about it; I mean, get into it.
42 God had the lamb slain, covered Adam and Eve with the skin, and shed the blood: a way back to fellowship again with God. Then Adam could only come back to God through the shed blood. Cain come out with Adam's first idea. And made himself a religion by pinning fig leaves---Adam did---over him and Eve. But they found out that it wasn't God's appropriated way; therefore, they could not stand in His presence.
And today we still use self-sufficiency. We use all the different ideas and vain philosophies of men, and it's absolutely of naught. Jesus said, "Men worship me, teaching for doctrine the traditions of men; worship in vain." You could worship the Lord, and still not be worship in the right way. It would not be reckoned to you for reconciliation.
Now, tabernacle, I want you to think on this. Just not let it pass by, and say, "Brother Bill come in and said so and so." Take it in your heart. Ponder over it. Why do we have our ups and downs? Why does things go the way they're going? Is because, first we got to get back to the foundation.
Matthew 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Mark 7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
43 Now, Adam thought, surely, if he'd just cover his nakedness up, why, he'd be all right.
Men think the same thing today. I'll go join church. Maybe a lot of people say, "I want to be like the other one, so I'll just... I can believe. I can clap my hands till I shout." Others say, "I believe if I just spoke with tongues a little bit, I'd be all right." And you can get a confusion of voice and not speak with tongues, or either you could get the real speaking in tongues, and still not be right. Paul said, "Though I speak with tongue of men and angels, and have not charity, I am nothing."
You say, "Well, if I could go out here and lay hands on the sick, and they'd get well, I'd be all right." Paul said many will... Jesus said, "Many will come to me that day, say, Lord, have not I cast out devils in your name? In your name haven't I prophesied, preached? Haven't in your name, I've done many mighty works? Then I will confess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity."
Coming some other way. Let it sink deep now. Coming some other way besides God's appropriated way: the blood. Adam come out with just as good a covering, just as fundamental as he could be, but it was the wrong thing. And today people have churches and they join, put their name on, go to reform, stand up and take the communion, and do different things, just as religious as it can be. But still, that isn't the way. That isn't what God said.
Then, upon the basis of the shed blood, Adam and Eve had a road made back home again, to fellowship with God. It was used all down through the ages. All down through every age, it was used.
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
1 Corinthians 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
44 Job, the oldest book in the Bible (back to our Scripture reading), he used it. The book of Job was wrote before Genesis was written. Job is the oldest book in the Bible. Now, 'course, Moses wrote Genesis several hundred years after. But Job: Now the only way that he had to come to God for fellowship, was through the shed blood of the lamb, and a burnt offering.
And one time God had blessed him, and he become a great man. He had riches piled up, camels, and ox, and sheep. Oh, what a great man he was. And everybody bowed down to him, and said, "Job, oh, you're an example." Then, Satan, the accuser, come up and said before God. And God said, "Have you considered my servant Job, a just man, a perfect man? There's none like him in the whole earth." Think of it. "None like him in the whole earth."
He said, "Sure. You got a hedge around him. And a man's got everything: good health, and good strength, and plenty of money, and plenty of everything; sure, he can serve you." But said, "Let me have him a few minutes." Said, "I'll sure take him apart." And said, "I'll make him curse you to your face."
Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
Job 1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Job 2:3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
45 Now, notice. Oh, I love this. God, knowing the heart... Job had only one way, that's through fellowship, through the shedding of the blood. He had talked to God. He knowed that He was. God had confidence in Job because He'd had fellowship with Job.
O God, may the Branham Tabernacle see that today. The only way God can have confidence in you, is not because you do something, or with your faith do something, but when you have fellowship. Amen. Fellowship.
46 Great Baptist revival is on now. I heard a Baptist preacher say the other morning, "At the Churchill Downs, there'll be more Baptist members out at the Churchill Downs than will attend the Baptist revival." That's the truth. Why? Because the Baptist church has let down. They become Baptist by members. They become Baptist by joining church. They become Baptist by a baptismal pool.
But if they had fellowship with their Maker, the presence of God, to talk and commune with Him would be so much greater treasures than the things of this world. They'd never have to worry about them going to such places. You don't have to bother about that if a man ever comes through the fellowship. Amen.
47 You could tell me what a great guy Brother Neville was, how fine a man he was. If I just heard, that's all right, I believe it. Oh, sure, I believe it. But I'll never know, personally, until I fellowship with him a while; till we sit down at the table, together, look across the table, and lay our hearts out before each other, and our spirits begin to blend together; then I about know what he's made up of. And until...
You might hear of Jesus, by preaching. You might hear your mother say, "He's wonderful." You might hear a minister say, "He heals the sick." And He might have sent His power forth and healed you. But you'll never know what it is until you've sat down once with Him in fellowship, and your spirits blend together, bearing record with each other that you're sons and daughters of God. Then old things pass away. You don't have to worry about the world no more. "For by one offering, he has perfected forever those who have fellowshipped with him, through the blood." The fellowship.
Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
48 Now, God had confidence in Job. He had fellowshipped with him, and He knew that Job could trust Him. So He said, "All right, Satan, you go on. He is at your hands, but don't you take his life. You can do anything else to him." So Satan, good at his office, away he goes, and he kills all of Job's children.
Now, I want you to notice a little thing. Job kind of had a pre-thought of that, I believe. Did you notice, when his children, all of them got together one day, they had a great big banquet.
49 There is where you usually get in some trouble, going to these big parties. The office will throw a big blow-out. "You'll go down on Christmas eve," as Billy Graham said in the paper the other day, "and get right good and drunk for your first time. You have to let vent to your soul." [Gap in the audio] You've been penned up so long, so you just have to get out and let your soul go awhile. Just have to go out and have a lot of good time, kind of release yourself, on a vacation.
Brother, that shows you've never had fellowship with Christ. If a man or woman has ever had a real divine taste of fellowship with Christ, I'd rather have it than all the vacations and things in the world. Sure. If you want to give me a relax, let me feel Christ. Let me talk to Him a little while, my burdens roll away. It's all done. No... I'd rather talk to Him than anything I know in the world. Have fellowship with Him.
So God knowed that Job had tasted. David said, "Taste and see the Lord is good." Just taste after Him, once, and see if He isn't good. It tastes like honey in the rock. Now, the great fellowship.
So Satan comes down. But before he come down, Job said, "Now, my children is out on a party tonight." I wonder if we couldn't have more fathers and mothers like Job---parents. Said, "My kids are out on a party tonight. They've called in some of the worldly neighbors. Now, perhaps, maybe they might sin." Oh my!
If mothers done---and fathers---more of this, they wouldn't have any juvenile delinquency. Kids wouldn't be running the streets like they are, see.
Said, "Now, peradventure, if they might sin, I'm going to offer an offering for each one, that if anything does happen, they'll have a bloodshed way to come home by." Oh my! "I'll offer it for them. So here is for John. I'll offer a sacrifice, God, for John. Now, if he happens to stray off the road down there... The Holy Spirit hasn't come yet, to lead him. So if he does stray off the road, Lord, I'll make him a path here." Oh my! "Mary, she is down there tonight. So, Lord, if she does stray... I've raised her right. But if she does stray, I'll make her a path, by this bloodshed way back."
God, give us some more of those old mothers, at nighttime, praying for their kiddies like that. It's the backbone of any nation. All right.
"I'll make them a path."
So after a while, the wrath of the devil come down and killed them every one, went out and killed all of his sheep and all of his cattle, and everything he had. Even his own health failed. And he broke out with boils, and sat on a ash heap, with a crock, scraping the boils. Everything he had was gone. Oh my!
Here it is. Look. What if he'd only had intellectual faith then? His reasonings would have said, when Belzar and all of them come down, and begin to say, "Now, looky here, Job, I want you to reason this thing out now. Now, looky here. It shows that you're wrong. Your whole theology is made wrong, Job, because that you see God has turned His back on you. You've joined the wrong church. You see, Job, look, everything has gone wrong." But Job, if that's all he would have had, if that's all he could have thought of, his own mind would have told him, reasoned it out, and said, "I believe they're right. I believe they're right."
But (Amen) Job had fellowship. Said, "No, I haven't. For, I'm basing my faith upon this one thing: that I have talked to Him. And I've come His provided way. I've come by the way of the shed blood, and that's what He requires. And I've talked to Him, and my soul lives in Him." There you are: Fellowship; nothing like it.
Job 1:5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
Job 1:16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
Job 1:17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
Job 1:18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
Job 1:19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
Job 2:7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
Job 2:11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.
Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
50 Quit your formal worship, and get into fellowship with Him once. Stop this going to church on Sunday and saying a little prayer every night before you go to bed; and really get out and come into fellowship. My! You'll hurry up and wash the dishes, so you can get back to fellowship again: reading the Word, talking with Him. That's what we need. That's what the world needs today, Christian friend. That's what you need. That's what I need. That's what the whole world needs, is back to fellowship, to fellowship with Him, know Him.
51 Paul said, "The fellowship of His suffering, bearing persecutions with Him." You know, Paul was a... He was a man who had suffered with Christ. And when that slave over there, had run away... I like that. Paul had borne so much persecutions, so many things of Christ, till when that runaway slave run away, Paul said---wrote back to his master, after the slave had become converted---he said, "Don't treat him as a slave anymore." Said, "Treat him as a brother." Said, "If he owes you anything, charge it up to me. When I come, I'll pay you." See? He had been so in fellowship with Christ, in His suffering, till he knowed what it was to be an outcast. Do you know what it is to be an outcast? He knowed what it was to fellowship in His suffering, so he knowed how to sympathize with others.
That's the reason Christ become human, that He might know the groans of sickness; that He might know the heartaches of disappointment; that He, with us, might have fellowship together, for He has been partaking of life like we have, of disappointments and heartaches and sickness, for He bore our sicknesses and our troubles, in His own body. Fellowship.
Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Philemon 1:16 Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
Philemon 1:18 If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;
52 Notice now, quickly. We'll come to the close of this fellowship talk.
Now, Job had fellowship, and what a marvelous time it was. And so God could not ... Satan, rather, could not shake Job away from this fellowship. So his wife come out, the last resort. Satan said "I'll get him through his wife. And I'll make her... The kids couldn't do it, so I'll ... and losing all of his riches couldn't do it, losing his health couldn't do it." So the closest thing to a man on earth, or should be, was his wife. So he took his wife, and he come out there. And she said, "Job, look how you look. Bildad, Belzar, some of them must have been right. Why, you must belong to the wrong church. You must be all mixed up, Job. Maybe you've been in error. Well now, looky, why don't you just curse God and die. Look at you. We could join a better church."
He said, "Thou speakest like a foolish woman." He knowed where he stood. Not by some mental theology, not by some intellectual faith, but by a fellowship with Christ, through the burnt offering, the blood. He had worshipped God. He said, "Thou speakest like a foolish woman." He said, "The Lord gave, the Lord taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."
There you are. That's the worshiper in fellowship. That's the man who has really talked to Him. Then you know what you're talking about. If you've just took something else... And these are fine, all these other things are all right, I have nothing against it, but that's still not the basis. Don't build upon that alone---intellectual faith. Come back to the basis here, get it in here, and then worship with Him, talk with Him, fellowship with Him. And then build on these other things, bring these other things into that foundation. But you're trying to bring these fundamental truths upon a foundation that has nothing to it. It's like putting...
Brother Woods here, somewhere in the building, is a contractor. Well, what good would it do him to take on an old building that's worm-eaten, the termites has eat the building down, and it's rotten to the foundation; and go out and get some of the best lumber that he could find---good, dry, seasoned redwood---tack it on the house; go out here and get paint that's recommended by the highest paint country in company in the world? He said, "Looky here, preacher, I can show you that this is the real, genuine redwood."
I'd say, "Yes, Brother Woods, that's right."
"Looky here, here's a seal of approval, that this is the best paint that could be put on a house."
"That's right, Brother Woods. But your foundation is wrong. It's got to come down."
That's what's the matter. Reading the Scripture is right, preaching the Gospel is right, but your foundation is wrong. Tear out your mental conception of things, and get God in your heart, by the shedding of blood, and then build from there. Your wood is all right if you got it on the right foundation. There you are. Just don't be angry with me now. It may cut a little bit, but this is truth. This is what helps you. Now, notice. Get back to the right foundation, to the fellowship.
Job 1:21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
Job 2:9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
Job 2:10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
53 "Now, how're we going to get in fellowship, Brother Branham? What brings us into fellowship?" The shedding of the blood. It was, in Eden. It was, over here with Job, after Eden.
Now, let's bring it down to one more place, or two, and then we'll hurry and close.
Now listen close. Here is how you get into this fellowship. "How do you get it, Brother Branham? How do you ever get into this fellowship?" Through the shedding of the blood. Not from some experience. No, sir. Not from some mental emotion. No, sir. Not from some bodily exercise. No, sir. Them things are all right, as good as they may be, but yet that's not the foundation truth.
Leave that set over here to one side, till you get back here right, back here, till you get to the altar, and all the old things pass away. A peace that passes all understanding comes in, till you can hate no more, you can envy no more; until something that makes you love the worst enemy you ever had. It's not imagination. Something that'll keep you from talking about the neighbor that persecutes you. Something that'll make you love those who despitefully use you. It'll make you pray for those who are indifferent and ugly towards you. That's the foundation.
Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
54 When the sealing Angel crossed through the country, He was commanded to put a mark upon those who sighed and cried for the abominations done in the city. I say this with reverence now, and with respects. Don't get mad at me ... angry, rather. But what if the sealing Angel crossed this nation today? Where would He find men so deeply consecrated to God, for the sins of this crumbling nation, till they cried day and night for the sins? Where would He mark the church, said, "Fast and pray, and long, Lord Jesus." Where would He find that person?
We've went off after education. We've went off after great flowery sermons. We've went off after Hollywood dress and fanaticism. The churches must be so big. It must be plush. There must be crucifix everywhere. There must be pipe organs. Those things are all right. But we've put all of our thoughts to that, and left the real thing off.
55 The Pentecostal people that's went after initial evidence, speaking in tongues, and shouting, and something. Them's all right, but you've left the real thing out. For it's proved that you can't love God and hate at the same time. Bitter and sweet water won't come from the same fountain. You can't have speaking in tongues and divine healing in the church, and still envy and strife and malice and hatred. You can't do it. It won't mix. God will pull it out, just as sure as the world. Got to come back. That's what happened to the church.
You say, "Are you against speaking in tongues?" No, sir. I'm for it. It's God's Word. But I see where the church has went off on a bunch of fandango stuff and has never come back, never has recognized, yet. 'Cause they do these things, and malice and hatred and strife, mixing the same, and oil and water won't mix. See what I mean? Let's come back.
56 Let this little unit this morning, here at the Branham Tabernacle, purpose in their heart, "We're coming back. We're going back to the foundation. God, create in me a right kind of a spirit. Create in me a love, a peace that passes all understanding. And, O mighty God, from there, build me then. When I see anything going wrong, let me go back to the foundation and start again." Tear off the boards and come on back down again. Let it be built right, 'cause, it'll only... 'Cause, no matter how high you build it, it'll be a heavier fall when you do fall. Amen. Oh, people.
57 Now, Israel, when they come into fellowship with God, there was only one place of fellowship with God, and that was in the tabernacle. In the tabernacle is where the bleeding sacrifice was going, all the time. The people... God never promised to meet with the people anywhere else but under the shed blood. Think of it. I'm going to let that soak a minute now.
We're getting ready to close.
Look. God has never promised to meet any man upon his merits, upon how good he is, or how good she is. He has never promised to meet them there. There is no fellowship with God upon your own merits. The only place there is fellowship is under the shed blood. From Genesis to Revelations, it's only through the blood: innocent substitute to cover the guilty, penitent sinner. Only the blood.
Now notice, quickly. Israel went to the building; they shed the blood. And in this building was the only place that God would meet and fellowship with the believer. In the building, that's where the shed blood was. The lamb died at the altar, daily. The blood went on, and the black smoke hung over the tabernacle. And God could not see the sin, so the people went beneath the blood and had fellowship.
58 Now watch. Over in Exodus, about the 19th chapter, we find out, when the children of Israel was starting to take their journey...
Give me your undivided attention for a minute now, before we close. God said to Moses, He said, "I want you to go out there and take a heifer, a red heifer, a red heifer, that never a yoke come upon. And I want you to take her and slay her. And then I want you, when you slay her, let Eliezer, the priest, stand and witness it. And when he does, while the heifer is dead, go strike his fingers in the blood and put it upon the congregation, upon the place of the worship, seven times over the door, like this. Seven times over the ... before the ark, the public worship place. And then take the heifer and bundle her up, and burn her. And take her ashes and mix it with scarlet wood, and hyssop, and cedar."
Oh, wish we had time to go and see what those are: scarlet wood, and hyssop, and cedar. You'd find out Jesus wasn't died on a dogwood tree, as they say He did.
Notice, "Then burn it all together, and lay it up in a clean place, on the outside, for a waters of separation. And every time that a person is out of fellowship, he must come and have this water of separation sprinkled on him, then he can come into the fellowship. Outside of that, he can't come in."
Numbers 19:2 This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke:
Numbers 19:3 And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face:
Numbers 19:4 And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times:
Numbers 19:5 And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:
Numbers 19:6 And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.
Numbers 19:9 And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin.
59 Now, watch how beautiful this is, now, before we close. The first, the red heifer: the color red, means something. Now, red to us, means "danger." It's a bad sign, to see red, means, "Stop." It's danger. And, also, red in the Bible is a covering. Red is an atonement. Red is a safety. You remember when the harlot, Rahab, let the spies down on the red string, to safety? Always safety, under red. Now, the blood is red.
Now, look. You take the scientific research. And you take red, a piece of red goods or a red piece of stuff, cellophane, and look through at a piece of red, and red through red looks white. Try it. Take red, and look through red, it looks white.
Well, we, through wrong doings, are red. "Though your sins be like scarlet," red. Through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus, God looking through there, red through red looks white. "They shall be white like snow." See? Not through your something else; but through the blood, the only place that He can fellowship. Outside of there, your own righteousness, he'll never see it. Your good works, he'll never know it until you come beneath the blood, then He sees you as His own beloved son or His daughter. Red through red looks white.
No matter what you've done, sinner friend, when God looks, sees you confess your sins as being wrong, and God looks through the blood of the Lord Jesus, He sees you snow white. No matter what you've done, He's looking through you, through Christ's blood. You're redeemed, precious thing. God will never condemn you no more. He can't condemn you.
Joshua 2:18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
60 When God made the first man, He made the heavens and earth, and when God stood back on the old creation and looked upon it, He didn't look upon it to judge it. He looked upon it, said, "How good it is." He admired it. Oh my! You see it? He looked and seen how good it was. Everything was perfect, the trees and everything, the man, the woman, it was all perfect. He said, "It's very good." But, now, Satan perverted that.
But if God could not condemn His first creation, how much more is it impossible for Him to condemn His second creation, when you are created anew in Christ Jesus. You can't do it, yourself. No matter how much you want to, you can't do it. It's a gift of God. "No man can come to me except my Father draws him. And all that comes to me, I will give Him everlasting life and will raise him up at the last day."
And when God has born you anew, by the Holy Spirit, He can only look upon you as a perfect work, 'cause He did it Himself. Glory! Amen. Amen. He can't condemn you, for you are His workmanship. Amen. Oh my! I feel like shouting like the Methodist. Think of it, you are God's workmanship. He did it by, how? Sovereign grace. Not because you jumped, not because you went to church, not because you turned a new page, but because God, by His mercy, brought you into Christ and the fellowship, and looks upon you as a perfect work of His own. Why? "I brought him, I presented him to the blood, and there is nothing wrong with my work," He said. You are God's workmanship.
John 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
61 Now, just a moment. Now, how did they come now? They come up, and if they had done anything wrong... This waters of separation must be kept in a clean place. Oh, wish we could deal on it a little while: a clean place. The waters of separation is the Word. Paul said, over in Ephesians over here, said, "For he has washed us with the water of the word." See, the waters of the separation, the Word, preaching the Word, separates you. You hear the Word, say, "I'm wrong. I'd better quit this. I'm playing church. I better quit that." See, that's the waters of separation.
"And should be kept in a clean place." Not a cigarette smoking preacher. No, sir. Not a preacher that's run around over the country, running with other women and things like that. Not a church that practices free love and all these ungodly things, and goes to baseball games, and has big entertainments and social dances in the church. It's to be kept... The Word of God is to be kept in a clean place. Amen. A clean place, that when the wayward man comes by, he can come into a clean place and be sprinkled with the waters of separation.
62 Then what is it? When he's teaching the Word, now, if the right waters... Now, if you're sprinkled with the wrong waters, they'll say "Come join this church; this is a fine church. You should put your name on the book. Oh, we've got it! Glory to God, we have it!" That's the wrong waters.
The right waters of separation, what was it? It was speaking of an innocent substitute who died for a guilty sinner. The red heifer died, which was a type of Christ. And remember, never a yoke on its neck. Christ was not yoked with any organizations. He didn't fool with them at all. He wasn't yoked up with all ... with nothing. We had a little time, to go on that. All right.
But it was made a water of separation. See, it doesn't brag on a church denomination. It doesn't have nothing to do with it. It only speaks of a dead substitute who died in your place. Not "us people," not "our big church," not "our organization." But what was it? Of an innocent substitute who died in your place, which was Christ Jesus the Lord. Then, bringing the Word to us, then the waters of separation is put on the person.
Now notice, quickly, before we close.
63 Now, the next thing, the blood, off of this innocent substitute, was struck seven times, like that, as a public testimony. Seven is God's complete number. Seven church ages. The seven last church ages, church of Philadelphia, the church of Laodicea, the church... Every church age must come through that same shed blood.
64 Now, the man's come. He sits in the congregation. He's heard the Word. Now, watch. He wants fellowship. He can't come into... The building, that building is the only place of fellowship. The only place they could come was in this building, to have fellowship with God, 'cause God only met them in there. Now, watch close now. What a type of Christ.
Today, God hasn't promised to fellowship through the Methodist, through the Baptist, through the Pentecostal. He has promised to fellowship in Christ Jesus. That's where your fellowship is. You can have fellowship with your men of mankind, to join... You can go join the Moose, the Elk, or the Odd Fellows, those lodges. They're all right. They're fine. But that's not what I'm talking about this morning. I'm talking about the fellowship with Christ, the eternal One.
65 Now, then when the blood has been sprinkled, the waters, the washing of the water by the Word, the Word went forth. You say, "Well, look, I've joined church. I've done this, but really I haven't had that experience. What is it?" It's the waters of separation. "Well, I thought I was all right if I joined mother's church." That isn't it, brother. No, sir. Someone died for you; that was Christ Jesus. You must accept Him. Then, you receive that.
66 Then, the next thing, you start towards the fellowship. Here you go. "Well, Brother Branham, where can I fellowship?" In Christ, in the temple, the tabernacle of His dwelling. "How do I do it?" First, you walk to the door. You've heard the Word, then you walk to the door. You've got a mental faith. You say, "Yes, I heard the Word. I believe it."
Now, before you can enter into this place, there's a blood veil hanging there, for the cleansing. And you must recognize that blood as an innocent substitute. Through the preaching of the Word, brought down the veil of blood. In there you see that someone died in your place. Then you'll throw down all your earthly possessions, all your fandango ideas, all your dancing, your immoral living, and all the things that you've thought up in your own self, that you go to church, and your new rules, your ten commandments, your non-meat eating, and all these things, you lay them aside.
Plunge wholly into the blood, and say, "Lord, wash me and cleanse me." Then the Holy Spirit, inside this blood cell, where the fellowship is, draws you through the blood of the cleansing, into the Lord Jesus, by the Holy Spirit. Then you're in the fellowship. Old things has passed away. Then you're in the fellowship by the Holy Spirit, drawing you into a relationship with God. And then there is only... Here it is. Only one meeting place that any man can ever meet and worship today, in true fellowship, that's in Christ Jesus.
67 Do you see it, church? I've been lengthy, this morning. Didn't think, didn't aim to stay this long. But I hope you see what I've tried to present to you.
That no matter what foundation... You may be ever so good. You may belong to a fine church. That's all good. Nothing against that. But have you ever come down to the fellowship yet, with Him? Coming, and only way you'll do it, is through the blood of His suffering. Then you come to the place and hear the Word, and say, "Yes, Jesus died in my stead. I believe that. Now, I've got to be cleansed from all this temper and all this stuff that I go on with. Now, Lord, take me through the blood. Here I am."
And after awhile, the sweet peace that passes all understanding will come into the human heart. Then you'll look up there, and you'll say, "Now, I'm living in the fellowship. Wherever I go, whatever I do, I'm in this wonderful fellowship; peace that passes all understanding, the Holy Spirit, is living in me. I live every day... If death comes, what can it do to me? Can't harm me."
Your soul longs for something out there. Daily you're looking for it and seeing where it's at. Your old tabernacle here, aches and groans and squeaks, and, oh my, as the old birth pains are coming upon it. That's right. What does it mean? This old lump of clay someday is going to fade away. But there is something inside of that little lump of clay there that's trying to get out, trying to liberate itself. Oh, what is it? It's a little bird called the soul. And the only way it can free itself: one morning the clay will break away, and we'll drop and rise, and ever ... seize the everlasting prize, when the soul goes to meet its lover, yonder, with both arms out. The only thing that's keeping you here is this little old rackety bunch of clay.
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
68 And the only way that God can preach the Gospel today, is through that lump of clay, and that's why He is keeping you here. And that's why you sick people have a right to come to Christ. Say, "Lord Jesus, if You'll only heal me now, I'll go. I may not be a preacher, but I'll talk about it. I'll do everything that I can. You are the vine; I'm one of the branches." Now, the vine doesn't bear fruit. The branches bears fruit. Not the vine; the branch. The vine only puts the energy into it. The Gospel can be preached by Christ if you'll open up yourself and be a branch that'll bear forth fruit. Others can see Christ in you, by your testimony, by your life and the way you live. He's the energy, but you're the show picture. You're the walking Bible.
John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
69 God bless you, friend. I trust that you'll take these broke-up words this morning, as I've been weak in my body and so forth, and you'll take them into your heart, and realize that I've brought them from my heart. To get on that foundation, back to fellowship with Christ, then you'll never have to run from here and there, and over yonder and around. You're in constant fellowship with Him, all the time.
70 Shall we bow our heads a moment. Sister, pianist, if you'll come up here. Every head bowed.
While we're thinking of this, I want each one of you to take this deeply in your heart now. "Have I really ... am I really in the place I should be? Have I really, peace that passes all understanding? Have I really the fellowship that I really need with Christ? Do I talk with Him? Is my heart burning to talk every day? When I miss my little time of prayer, does my heart just yearn to get to Him?" If that's not your state, friend, come today. Won't you? The only thing you'll have to do is just accept Him.
Christ said, in His Word, "He that heareth my words," that's what's been preached this morning, "believeth on him that sent me," not in your mind; in your heart, "believeth on him that sent me, has everlasting life," right then, just as soon as he believes, "shall never come into condemnation; but has passed from death unto life."
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
71 Our Heavenly Father, as we're nearing the close of this message, of fellowship, we thank Thee because we can sit in heavenly places is Christ Jesus, and fellowship on the Word, while the Holy Spirit bringing it to us so lovely and sweetly, strengthening our feeble beings, and making us of His product. We thank Thee for it, Lord.
Have you, today, Heavenly Father, made a new creature out there anywhere? While the Word has been going forth, have they come to the waters of separation? They're entering now into the blood, where they feel something pulling into their heart. Have You made a new creature this morning, Father? Only You can do it. If You have, Father, may they give a recognition of it now.
72 And while we have our heads bowed, someone feel that God spoke to you, and you want to become His servant? It ain't necessary for you to do nothing in the world. Now, don't no one look but Christ alone, and myself. You're not raising your hand to Brother Branham. You're raising it to Jesus Christ, saying, "Lord, I truly believe." God bless you, brother. Someone else raise your hand, say, "I..." God bless you, brother.
Someone else raise your hand say, "I believe now, upon the basis of the shed blood." God bless you, sir. God bless you, my brother. God bless you, my brother. God bless you, my sister. God bless you, back there, my brother. "Upon the basis of the shed blood, God, here's my hand. From this hour, henceforth, Lord, I believe something has happened in my heart this morning, to give me a new start. Right now, I believe it. Something passed, peace in my heart."
What'd He say He done that? No man can do it except the Father draws him. And all that will accept Him has everlasting life right then. The very minute you raise your hand, God sees it. Is there another, before we pray? God bless you, lady. I see you. God bless you, brother. I see you. God bless you, brother.
John 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
73 Coming upon what? Upon, "Because I want to go to church, because I want to turn a new page."? No. "Because something has spoke to me this morning, and I feel that I'm up now into the blood cell. Something has happened to me. I really believe different this morning, I ever believed in my life. Right now I believe that I have become a son or daughter of God. And I'm raising up my hand to You, God, not to Brother Branham, but to You, God, that I now accept You as my own personal Saviour. Something tells me in my heart, that You're my Saviour. And I now accept You in my heart. And I'm going to be a different woman or a different man, from this day on. I just know it."
God bless you, sister. Would there be another one? Some dozen or more hands has went up, right here in this little group of people, couple hundred people or more. Would you raise your hand, saying, "I accept it." You can't unless God tells you, 'cause you'd be doing something wrong. But people who just put up their hands a few moments ago, is wiping their eyes.
74 What's happened? God's own Word has said so. "He that heareth my words," that was you, "and believeth on him that sent me." How can you do it except He reveals Himself to you? And because He has done it, and you've raised your hand, God says, "He has everlasting life, and shall never come into condemnation; but has passed from death to life." Never face the judgment seat no more. You're already judged. God judged you, pulled you in. You accepted it; take Christ as your Saviour. And today, you're saved now, because you've believed on Him.
Is there another one, before we pray? All right. While we bow our heads, quietly.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
75 Now, Heavenly Father, I don't know nothing else to do. I have asked that this Word would go forth and would find its anchoring place. Many, many raised their hands today. They believe You, and they're asking now, Lord, for grace and pardon. And the very minute that You spoke to them, they realized it. They knowed that You had give them something in their heart; something, not an emotional, but it was something that was burning in there. And they accepted it.
And You said, because they did it, You accepted them. So now they are saved, upon the basis of Your Word. Every one that believed it, with all their heart, has right now everlasting life, according to the infallible Word of the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank Thee for that.
Now, we pray that You'll give them long life. Make them of Thy servants, Lord, and be accepted in the beloved. And may they be filled with the Holy Ghost now, every one of them, sealed into the kingdom of God, until the day of redemption.
Now, while we have our heads bowed, those that raised your hands, would you stand up just a moment? Just stand to your feet, ever who raised your hand. God bless you. Just stand up. That's right. Every one that raised your hand, just stand up to your feet. Just remain standing a few moments, if you will, all that raised your hand. All right, just remain standing.
Now, would the audience raise your head. These are your fellow citizens of the kingdom. Look around, who it was accepted the Christ. Shake their hand, will you? Standing, somebody, next to them, reach over and shake their hand, and say, "God bless you, my brother," each one.
You're making a public testimony now, friend. Jesus said, "He that will confess me before men, I will confess him before the Father and holy angels." Right now immortal life dwells within you. We're thankful for you. God bless you, giving you long life and the greatest of God's blessing. May you always remember this wonderful fellowship in your heart, through Christ Jesus. God bless you now. You may be seated.
Matthew 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Luke 12:8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
76 Now, if I have quoted to you the Scripture right, listen what God said here in His Word. Listen what Jesus said here. "He that heareth my words," that's the Gospel being preached "and believeth," in his heart, "on him that sent me, hath," that's present tense, right now, "everlasting life," that can't die. And the right... Now, you might not know Greek. But the right Greek translation is ... has zoe, which means, "God's own life." Has zoe, "and shall never come into condemnation; but passed from death unto life."
Here is what happens then if you die now, according to the Word of God, you go out of the existence of people who can see you, into His presence. And there you live. You can look back. You're in... You're not in the world no more. You're in another world. And then what do you do? You're like those souls under the altar, saying, "Lord, how long will it be?" See, you'll never be an angel. You wasn't made an angel. You were made, men and women, so you're longing to come back. 'Cause you can see then when you get up here, and say, "Well I see what it's all about. I know why I had to die there. I know why that taken place."
You never die. Jesus said, "He that heareth my words, and believeth on him that sent me, has everlasting life." You can't die. You can't die. You just... You die to the mortal part. But you're alive here. Your spirit's right here with Christ.
Then you say, "Lord, how long is it?" 'Cause you wasn't made to be there. You wasn't made that, because you're a human being. And you're longing to come back into this body, perfect again. And He said, "Just a little while longer, until your fellow servants, there, has suffered like the martyrs did back there." Then you will return, coming down...
After you go out of this body, out of cosmic light and petroleums, and what you're made up of, you go into the fourth dimension; out of that, into the fifth dimension, then the sixth dimension. Then God is in the seventh. You're right under His altar.
Then when God let's your spirit loose, it picks up what? Comes out of the sixth dimension, into the fifth, cosmic light; come out of the light, into petroleums; out of petroleum, into the senses. And here you are, back on earth again, a brand new person, not old and broke down, never to be sick. Your hair will never turn gray. You'll never be wrinkled. You'll never separate no more. You'll never die. You'll never be hungry. You'll never have a worry. You'll walk with your loved ones, and shake their hands, and eat, drink, build houses and inhabit them, and live forever and forever, in the presence of the Lord Jesus. That's what you've got this morning because you heard the Word of God.
Isaiah 65:21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Revelation 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Revelation 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
77 Isn't it simple? Preachers make it so complicated, you have to come and take prohibitions, and all these other things. It's not. The Bible said, "It's so plain, till even a fool shouldn't err of it." Just accepting it, believing that something happens in here. Then God moves in with His Spirit, in that little hollow place there in the heart, now, that soul. Now, you believe the Word of God, and you have everlasting life.
Now, what you need now, if you've never been baptized with water, is to be baptized for the remission of your sins. And, then, God has promised to give you the Holy Spirit, the very minute you are baptized. He can do it right now, without even being baptized.
Then peace comes into the heart, and everything. Then you begin. Then you can really shout like a Christian should shout. Then the speaking with tongues. And then the gifts of the Spirit begins to manifest behind a pure heart, a real foundation. Watch what happens then. Then that's real Holy Spirit. But if you just come up, on a little emotion, it'll never work. You'll go right back out and hate.
You watch your hearts now, how you'll long to read the Bible. How you'll want to get alone, to talk with Him, and say, "O Father, oh, I just love You." That's the fellowship, see. That's what we need. Don't you think so, friends? God bless you.
Isaiah 35:8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
78 Now there is some sick people here to be prayed for. And we haven't got cards out or a thing, to bring the people, to put them in line. So I'm going to ask you... I believe I see them lead a man in just now, and set him down here. There was a man... I sat between two brothers there this morning. And I was sitting there then, knowed that they was both needing healing. Then back there in the back, I seen someone else come in, that I knowed was very sick.
Now, if you believe me to be His servant... Now, look. What is this? In the Garden of Eden, the fellowship of God and His masterpiece, His human being, was perfect. God was right along, watching Adam.
Now, after the blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed us from sin, what is God again? Right here in fellowship again. Here He is. We're in fellowship. That's Him that you feel in your heart. That's Him that made you forget all the troubles that's gone away. That made... That's what did it.
79 Now, that same Lord Jesus that died for your sins, has died for your sicknesses. Now, you can never, no matter what takes place, you can never, never, never get anywhere with Him until first you believe it in your heart, that He died for your sin ... or, your sickness. Is that right?
Now, there is such a thing as gifts. That's right. And God, by His grace, has given a gift that you could stand here and it would tell you who you was, probably, where you come from, what about it, and where your sickness, and what your outcome is going to be. That might be so. But it would be based upon what? Upon nothing but the Word of God, see; upon your personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's exactly right.
80 Now, don't you believe that His Spirit can move in this building and heal every sick person? My sick brother, do you believe that? You believe that there, knowing that you... Only thing you can do is either accept Him or die, 'cause cancer would kill you; you'd just have to die, see. And don't you believe that Jesus Christ will make you well? There's only one hope that you have, and that's in Him. Isn't it, brother? And that's the only way you can ever be well. Now, doctors has give you up. There's nothing they can do about it. Cancer is going right on through, and just going to kill you. Now, that's all they can do. They're honest men. They've looked at you.
81 Mrs. Morgan, are you standing back there somewhere? I thought I seen you come in a while ago---Mrs. Morgan. Here, turn. Can you look around, sir, just kind of look your head around?
Stand up, Mrs. Morgan, if you would, just a moment. There is a lady nurse, one of my first cases, about twelve, fourteen years ago was dying here, just nothing but a bunch of skeleton's bones. And she was a cancer case, eat up with cancer, all through her. Look at her now.
Wouldn't you like to have health like that again? What happened? She believed the very same thing that I'm asking you to believe. And she wouldn't, no matter... You couldn't make it anything else. The doctor come, said, "Well, just about another few hours, or another few days, she'll be gone."
Others in here... Here sits a lady here, a few Easters ago, (right here playing the piano) dying with cancer. They're just everywhere in here, see. Dying with cancer.
Now, what happened? Did everyone come, get healed? No. Some of them believed it up here in their head. But some of them looked up to God, and it come down here. I don't care what the doctor says, or anybody else says. It's so, see. It's so, because it's here.
Can you believe it like that? Do you believe that He is going to let you live, my brother? Would you serve God all your life? If He would let you live, would you do it, with all your heart? And you believe that Jesus died to make you well, my brother? God bless your heart. I believe you'll receive it. Right. Frankly, I believe you have now, see. Because, just the minute you believe, that's when you receive it.
82 Now, how many with him, that's sick, will stand to your feet, just a minute? That's sick, will stand with this brother? Just stand up to your feet. God bless you. Just stand up. Just remain standing a minute. That's right. That's right. Now, will you stand, my brother? All right.
Now, I want some well person standing near them, put your hands over on them; will you do it? Somebody just turn around, put your hands on these people. That's right. Oh, what a time!
Great Physician, sister.
83 I'm responsible for the Word. I tell you, by the Word of God, that Jesus Christ, the one who died to have this fellowship, is right here now. He's in the building right now, with you all. That's Him. The thing, isn't touching one another, or touching me, or touching some preacher; it's touching Him, see. It's touching Him. Do you believe now that your faith has reached up to a place that you feel, in your heart, you're going to be well? If you do, say, "Amen." Now, bow your head.
Now, I want each one of you to... I'm going to repeat this prayer, and you pray it from your heart. Now, you just say the things that I say.
84 [Congregation repeats after Brother Branham]: Dear God, I come to Thee now, believing that You gave Jesus to heal my body, and to save my soul. I accept Him as my Saviour. And I now accept Him as my healer. Your servants, the doctors, has done all they can do for me, but they are just men, and they can't go no farther, so I bring my body to You, the great Creator, the One who made me. You know every part of me. And I believe now in my heart, that I'm going to be well, because I'm standing, believing it. And on the basis of the shed blood, I believe. And in my heart, something's happened, and I know I'm going to be well. And I give Thee praise for it now, Lord. And I'll serve Thee all my life, and give my body, and my time to Your service. Lord, I believe.
85 Now, with your heads bowed, keep that in your heart. Keep that, confessing, "Lord, I believe." Right now, what's the matter? You're healed. The Holy Spirit, that truth, that faith, has moved down into your heart. Now, I'm going to pray for you. And the thing I'm going to do, is to pray and cast away that evil, that doubt that would hang around you, and make it leave you, so you can go out of here real thankful.
86 Now, Heavenly Father, I come to Thee, as Your unprofitable servant. But I'm remember, as my fingerprints is on this altar here, I'm remembering the years that I've served You here. I'm remembering the Angel who has met me here. I remember his words to me, that what You would do if I asked and get the people to believe.
And I'm coming now, Lord, to this evil's power of doubt that would hover around these people to make them disbelieve in any manner. I'm coming through the blood of the Lord Jesus. I'm coming by that welcome mat that's laid out to me this morning, bringing every one of these souls, like I did that little Indian girl, right up to the white throne of God standing yonder, and watching the holy Angels flying, with wings over their face. And I'm presenting them to Thee this morning, Lord, and applying the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ upon them.
And I condemn every devil, every devil of doubt, every darkness, every shadow of death. I rebuke thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, come away from these people, that they might return and be whole and well.
Grant it, Almighty God. Through Jesus, the Son of God, I pray it and say it, that it shall be so. Amen.
87 Raise up your hands now and say, "Thank You, Lord, for my healing." Looky there. That's the way. "Thank You, Lord, for my healing." Oh my! Now, somebody raise up and shake their hands, and congratulate them, for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It's over.
Now, look, I seen them holding a man back there. I seen a man here. Sir, you won't have to be led out. You have strength of your own. God gives you strength.
Oh, what fellowship, oh, what joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
88 Reach right around and shake hands with everybody now. Turn right around and shake hands, everybody.
Safe and secure from all alarm;
Leaning ... (Turn around. Everyone shake hands.)