Door to the heart
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1 Thank you. You may be seated..
I certainly want to thank everybody for this great time of fellowship in this meeting. I was talking to my son, to Dr. Vayle and the ones of my party, Leo, Gene, and we were talking about this is one of the most spiritual meetings that we have got into for some time. It really... Don't you believe that, brethren? It really is.
You're a lovely group of people. I don't say that just to be polite. I say that for it's from my heart. I ever tell you anything, it's from my heart. And I want you to do me the same way. Then we know how we're standing. Always just mean it what you say, because if you don't, Jesus said that was hypocrisy if you don't speak from your heart.
2 So I want to thank each and every one of you. I want to thank my minister brethren over here, for the loyal support that you have shown in this meeting. How you have come together, and here you are tonight, dismissing your own churches, and coming here to rally with us in this last night. Brethren, God bless you.
I pray God's blessings upon you that your ministry will be rich and royaler than it's ever been since this time, because you have been so loyal, and trying to help the cause that I've been standing for, so gallantly as I know how to stand. And I hope to get back with you sometime. I'd like to come back and have a little fellowship with you. I thought we would maybe have a breakfast, and I get to shake your hand. I didn't get to do it.
3 But you know, when I come back, if the Lord willing, how about us going fishing? You like to do that? I like to fish. I can't catch anything, but I like to hold a pole. I know you do, too. The Lord willing, we'll come back and fish a little while. I'd like that.
And I certainly want to thank you for your loyal cooperation. Even Billy was showing me, I believe it was last evening, he or Dr. Vayle one, that even the newspaper ... I think there was a sixty dollar ad, or something, in the newspaper ... or, sixty-five dollars. And the newspapers cut the ad half in two, just made it thirty something dollars. Now, that's a good newspaper. I appreciate that.
4 If the editor or any of the newspaper staff is here, I don't know them, and just learned it recently, I didn't have time to tell them, thank them for me. I certainly do. If you take that newspaper, just write them a little note and tell them what you think about it, you appreciate it. For that's...
As long as you got a newspaper like that in a city, well, you got a good newspaper. So many of them wouldn't even put it in, in the first place, and then if they did it would be critical. But that's a good newspaper. The Lord bless them men who did that.
And then we want to thank the people for letting us have this auditorium, this basketball gymnasium. I believe this is called the Armory Building. Some man down at the filling station was telling Brother Funk, a friend of mine that just come up last night from our home city, which is going to live here close to you now, he's with the United States government.
5 He said, "There was so many cars that come in, just keep asking where the Armory was. He just stood out there and everyone, when they'd drive in, they didn't want no gasoline, say, "Go a certain-certain... The Armory's this a way." Next car come, he say, "The Armory's over that way." So they'd say, "Thank you," and go on. So that's very nice.
The restaurants that we've been eating in, wonderful. We've been staying down here at the Ash Lawn Motel. Such a wonderful man, a wonderful person. And they've been just as good to us if I was his own son, a Christian, a believer. And there's just so many things.
And where Dr. Vayle, they even cut his razor or something another for him in the motel. I don't remember where it was he stayed. Just before you cross the tracks down here coming in on Eleven. You've been so nice, we sure appreciate this.
6 Now, as I understand that the debts was all paid, and then, you did that. That's all we require. Now, but they say they taken up a love offering for me tonight. I appreciate that. Now, I've been in the ministry twenty-seven years and never took an offering in my life. Never did take an offering.
I remember one time when I was pastoring the Baptist Tabernacle in Jeffersonville, it was during the time of the kind of hard times, you know, and you know we're just poor people (just like all of us), and I got a place where I couldn't make the ends meet. Did you ever get in that shape? We all have, haven't we?
And I said to my wife, I said, "I'm going over and take up an offering." We didn't even have an offering plate. And when we built the church, we put a little sign, a little box in the back, said, "Insomuch as you have done unto the least of these My little ones, you've done it unto Me." It was paid for like that.
Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
7 Now, the people had give me offering, but I was young and able to work, and so I worked six days a week, working labor. And I said, "I just can't make the ends meet this time. I owe a bill." I said, "I'm going over and ask for offering tonight."
She said, "I'm going to go over and watch you do it."
I said, "All right." Just lived across from the church, two little rooms. I think our rent was about six dollars a month. That's awful high then. So we ... just a little cabin.
So we went across, and I said, "Folks, I tell you, I don't want to do this." But I said, "I got to a place, some debts that I promised someone that I would pay them on our... We owe nearly ninety dollars on our furniture and a few things, and," I said, "our grocery bill's a little bit back. And I'm only making about thirty-seven cents an hour." I said, "Wonder if I could you just, I will pass my hat tonight, and you just, if you got a few nickels if you'd help me along. Appreciate it."
8 And old Uncle Jim Wiseheart---never forget him.
He got up with a big smile, he was one of the deacons, and went and got my hat. I looked sitting right in front of me, and a little old woman sitting there, sweetest little old thing. She's in glory, tonight. She used to wear these little aprons with the pocket on the inside, you know you put your hand under the apron to hit the pocket. I don't know, see. And she was just a real little saint though. Her name is Mrs. Webber.
And I seen her reach under this old apron. When I was preaching, she just sat with her head bowed and prayed for me. A real sainted woman. And she reached under there and got one of them little pocketbooks that you unsnap from the top, begin to finger them little ... fumble down in there to get them nickels out.
I tell you, I couldn't do it.
9 I said, "Oh, I was just teasing you all to see what you would do." I said, "I didn't mean that." I said, "I didn't mean that." Oh, my heart was crying on the inside of me, to think that I'd take the nickels from that poor little old woman.
And an old brother used to come down. Gene, you remember old Brother Ryan, had long hair. He come from Benton Harbor, and he'd put a Bible under his arm and he'd ride his bicycle down. And you can imagine what a sight that was, coming to service---that hair blowing behind him, riding this bicycle. So he gave me the old bicycle; it backslid on him. Isn't that some word for a Baptist to say? But it did. It just give out, that was all.
So I patched up the tires and went down to the ten cents store and got me two different colors of paint. And I painted it for twenty cents, and sold it for five dollars, and paid off the debt. So I didn't have to take up the offering after all. That was my first experience with an offering.
10 I wished I didn't have to take it, friends. My expenses are very little. I don't have any radio broadcasts. I don't have anything to take up any money, but just my little office work. And my expenses at my office and home runs me about the average of a hundred dollars a day. That's the reason I can go places in small groups.
11 What do you think Oral Roberts runs a day? It was, the last I had heard, of about seven to eight thousand a day. Billy Graham's is so many thousand a minute when he was on his broadcast. Now, Oral Roberts would like to come to some of these little places and hold revivals. Oral Roberts is a real good brother. He's a fine man.
I remember Oral when we first met; he had a little ragged tent sitting over in Kansas City, Missouri. I had a big auditorium over on the other side, and Oral come sat on the sideline that night, just a boy preacher. And we got our pictures together out in the yard. He said, "Do you think God would hear my prayer for the sick, Brother Branham?"
I said, "He will hear anybody's prayer."
He said, "Here I go." Now, I sit on his sidelines.
12 But you see, God knew that I didn't have intelligence to take care of a program like that. Oh, my! Television and everything else. I couldn't stand it, if I had to, you know, go out and take up money, and with that much responsibility, I'd go wild. So I just couldn't do it. And then he'd like to come to little places, but...
I just held a revival in a place that held twenty people. That's right. But you see, I'm not out much expense. Now, the way I do it, I just wait on the Lord, and if He tells me to go to a place that's got twenty people, I'm not under no obligations to the world, or to the radio, or anything, so I couldn't go, and so I just go hold a revival. If it's at, you know, Gravel Switch, or wherever it's at, it's all right.
13 And then if He wants me to go to Africa, India, or something like that, and preach to a half a million, He always has somebody to pay the expenses. I just sit back and do what He tells me to do, get along fine. So I like that. God knowed I didn't have the intelligence that Oral Roberts and them's got. See, Oral Roberts is a college graduate, four years of psychology. So you can tell he's a smart man. And I'm not smart enough for that, and the Lord knew it.
Somebody was trying to give me, some ... well, it was a Four Square church. And bless their hearts, they're wonderful people, and they were going to give me a degree out there of a doctor's degree. I said, "Brethren, I'm too smart for that."
14 I said, "You know people has got better sense than to know that a man that had a doctor's degree isn't going to stand up with some of that old slow southern talk like me and say, "His, and hain't, and tote, and fetch, and carry [unclear words]." I said, "You know better than that."
I said, "I'm glad I got enough intelligence to know better than to do that." I said, "That wouldn't make me preach any better anyhow, and wouldn't make the works of God go on. I appreciate it, but I'd just rather stay Billy Branham, just stay just like that. That's the way He made me."
Now, nothing against those degrees. That's wonderful. But they were for men that has got intelligence. That's right. One man who knows what ... the grammar good anyhow. So, we just love the people. I live a very, simple, humble life.
15 I was just talking to my little boy, Joseph. Oh, my! He's quite a boy. You know I... How many ever remembered being in my meetings that I saw a vision of him coming six years before he got here, told the people about it, and his name would be Joseph.
Doctor said, "She can't have another baby."
I said, "Yes, she can."
So the next one come, it was a girl. So then did I get a razzing. Ministers wrote me letters from everywhere. Said, "You meant Josephine, Brother Branham."
I said, "No, I meant Joseph."
The doctor said, "She can never have another child."
16 I said, "Oh, yes, she can. She's going to have one more anyhow." So when she got... We knew four years later, that she was going to be mother again, and poor little thing, I went up to my place and was praying for her. I'd come back, and she didn't know how things was going to go. And I said, "Honey, don't worry. The Lord's just said it's 'Thus saith the Lord.' Everything's running just right."
So she went in, and you know how the waiting fathers walk all the paint off the floor. We were waiting; I was wondering what was happening. A nurse come down, she said, "Rev. Branham?"
And I said, "Yes, ma'am."
She said, "You got a fine seven pound, three ounce boy."
I said, "Joseph, you've been a long time getting here, but daddy's glad to see you."
She said, "You called him Joseph!"
I said, "That's his name." Certainly. So then...
You know when he was little, just a little baby, he had a little sister four years old, and one eight; Sarah and Rebekah. And they used to love to bite him to make him cry, just to show he didn't have any teeth, you know, it was just his gums. They thought that was something. He didn't have any teeth, just his gums showing.
17 But he caught on to that. I tell you, he comes through the house now, he's just about as high as he is wide. Girls get in chairs, under the bed, or anywhere, he knows how to bite too. He makes other gums shine now.
I was talking to him awhile ago. He said, "Come home, daddy. I'm digging some worms; we'll go fishing." Oh, we won't have time to go, but we can talk about it, you know. That's all right. Just to talk about it, and get him up in my arms, and love him a little.
Children mean so much. I think they're so sweet. They're just real. Little Joseph, and Sarah, and Rebekah mean so much to me. He came to us in our old age. Here I am forty-eight years old, and the boy two.
18 There's any praises to be give to the Branham family, give it to the queen, Mrs. Branham, my wife. Thirty-eight years old, gray headed, standing between me and the public, one of the sweetest women that ever lived. So she's the one to get the credit if there's anybody...
Stands on that phones when I've seen them ring, long distance, sixty-four calls an hour, day and night, see. And she has to brace all of that. So that lovely, little voice you hear on the phone when you call us down there, that's the queen of the Branham family and the queen of my heart. God bless her.
19 I love a good family. Don't you appreciate your good old families? That's what I think about God. When I go away, I think between law and grace, we're not under law; we got grace. I'm so thankful for it.
When I get ready to go overseas I don't say, "Now, Mrs. Branham, I'm going to tell you something. Thou shalt not have any other husbands but me, while I'm gone."
And she don't get back and say, "Look here, young man, thou shalt have no other wives but me, either." Now, wouldn't that be home?
We just pray. I ask God to bless them and help them. She asks God to help me. I kiss her goodbye, and say, "Bye, sweetheart." That settles it. No matter where it's at, I love her above everything there is on earth in that way. As long as I love her like that, she loves me the way I do, we will be true to one another.
20 And as long as you love the Lord Jesus, it don't make any difference how many Sabbaths, or meat eatings or whatever you have to do, you just love the Lord. That'll take care of the rest of it. If you love the Lord, it'll take care of it.
The Lord bless you. I didn't mean to stand here and tell you my personal history. But I just want you to know that we just live common folks like you all are, and we're one together. And I'm here as your brother. And I hope someday, if the Lord willing, and you all will be pleased, and it be of the will of the Lord, I'd like to come one of these places around here, and set up a tent, and stay about six weeks, so we could just take ministerial meetings and everything. Thank you.
21 I'd like to have an afternoon meeting just on instructing men and not ... just in the way of spiritual things that I understand. Theology, I'm not a teacher, but in instructing brethren, and tell them how to enter into this Spirit, more spiritual way. And then each night, and just stay a long time. Just about the time you get acquainted, then you have to say goodbye. That makes it bad, see. I hate to do that. I'm just beginning to know you well now. And then we have to say goodbye.
But there'll be one time, friends, if we never meet again this side the river, when the wedding supper is set, and we look across the table at one another, I say, "It seems like I ought to see you ... ought to know you."
"Yes, I was in the Harrisonburg meeting."
You know, a little tear will run down our cheek for joy. Then the King will come out in all of His beauty, wipe the tears from our eyes, say, "Don't cry, it's all over now it's ready. I'm looking for that day. God bless you until then.
22 Before we read the Word, let us pray. Blessed Lord, oh, how we want to thank You for this great meeting. How, sitting out there in the car waiting to hear "Only Believe," and people driving up, and turning away, and even weeping because they couldn't get in. O God, bless their hearts richly. Grant it, Lord. Those poor, sick that couldn't get in, heal every one of them. Thou art God, and I offer this petition in their behalf.
Bless this fine bunch of ministers, Lord, and their denomination, and their organizations, and those who do not have organizations. And we feel, Lord God, regardless of our denomination, we are brothers. We are all one in Thy Son, Jesus. And we pray that You will bless all the laity, every member of these churches. God grant that an old-fashioned revival will break out now through this country, and just sweep tens of thousands of people into the kingdom. Do, Father.
23 May the words that I've spoke the other night be true. After I'm gone, cripples will get up and walk, blind will see; diseases: they'll find out that they're well; for we ask these things, and, Lord, with all my heart I believe them, and they have too.
Thou said in Thy Word, "If you'll say to this mountain 'Be moved,' and don't doubt in your heart, but believe that what you have said, it's being done, then you can have what you said." Being done, this mountain be moved.
Maybe just one little grain of sand drop when we said for it to move, but it's on it's way. Maybe tomorrow a spoonful will drop, but it's still on it's way. It's never noticeable. Tons may fall and still not noticeable, but one day it shall be flat because we have said it. Jesus gave the promise.
Matthew 21:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
24 The crippled man may not even be able to move his foot, but he's on his road out. He has believed it. The sick may not feel any different, but we've said it, Lord. It's Your Word. You'll honor it. It'll not return to You void; it'll accomplish that which it was purposed for. Grant, Lord, that all will be well.
We pray that You'll let us meet again. Thank You for putting upon these dear people's hearts, to give this offering to Your servant tonight. God, I'm not worthy of it, but I pray that You'll let me spend every penny to Your glory. Grant it, Lord. And give it to them back double to put it on their home in glory, too, when they get there.
Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
25 Heal the sick tonight. Speak to us through the Word. Now, we've got the Bible's pages turned back, but only One can interpret. That's the One who wrote it, the Holy Spirit. Be near us now, Father. Give us a great climax in the service tonight. May every fear, and every dread, every nervousness, everything be away from the human mind just now, that Your Spirit could come in here and give us the greatest climax that we've ever had in any meeting. Grant it, Lord. We ask it, not for our glory, but for the glory of God, and for His church; in the name of His Son, Jesus, we ask it. Amen.
Now, in the blessed Word, I wish to read just a small portion tonight. And you read the whole chapter. I'm going to turn to the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, that was give to John on the isle of Patmos, AD 96. In the 3rd chapter and the 20th verse I wish to read. Just for a short time so that we can get on to the prayer line in good time.
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and will open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
26 Isn't that a marvelous invitation? If we would just weigh that, what it means. "I stand at the door, and knock." [Break in tape.] Twentieth verse, He was speaking to this church age, the Laodicean church age. He said, "You say that you are rich, and have need of nothing." But said, "You don't know, you don't know, that you are poor, miserable, wretched, blind, and naked, and don't know it." Think of that.
Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
27 Did you know we got ... the Christian church has its greatest buildings its ever had? You know it's richer than it ever was? Do you know that they got the best theologians they've ever had? It's standing and its great spires reaching towards heaven, with a half a million dollar pipe organs, its robed choirs, its scholars polished up from the seminary to the very latest dots, who can walk to the platform and not make one grammatic mistake, who can limit their sermons to so much time with so much psychology in it that can hold the people's minds to that thought that they've got.
But yet the Bible said that we are poor, and we are wretched, and we're blind, and naked, and don't know it. Now, if a man was out on the street... Could you imagine a person going down the street, poor, miserable, blind, wretched, and naked? Now, if the man knows his condition, he will try to better himself. But the sad part is, when he don't know it. He doesn't understand that he's naked. He thinks he's rich, and he's dressed all right, and he's his best condition.
Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
28 Now, if that's the way Jesus describes this church in this day, the latter day... I don't mean just this group. I mean... I'm talking universally, the church universal. It is in one of the most miserable conditions, and it doesn't know it. They think, "We're faring all right. We're doing good. Why this year we paid so much for missionaries overseas." I don't mean to be light.
I'm a missionary myself. But the miserable part is when some old mammy washes over a washboard to help support a missionary on the field, and when you get over there to find them riding around in an air-conditioned Cadillac, and preaching in a compound. I wonder how many David Livingstones I'd find. Frankly I've only seen one what I called a missionary, a little crippled boy from Rhodesia.
29 One of the greatest churches that I know of in the Protestant realms... I was coming down out of southern Rhodesia, and I'd been up there in a meeting. And I seen that American passport. There was three little girls and a boy.
And I said, "I see that you got American passports."
He turned and said, "Oh, you speak English."
I said, "I'm an American." I said, "What are you?"
He said, "Oh, we're missionaries."
I said, "That's fine." And I said, "Where you from?"
And they was from my backyard almost, where the great seminary is at. And I said, "That's good." I said, "I'm from Jeffersonville, Indiana."
"Oh," he said, "you are?"
I said, "How long you been over?"
He said, "Going on two years."
And I said, "How many souls have you won to Christ since you've been over?" Ducked his head.
30 And I said, "Sisters, how many have you won to Christ since you've been over?"
But just before I did that, he said, "What's your name?"
I said, "Branham."
"Oh," he said, "you're the one that caused that big stir down in Africa down there, down in South Africa."
I said, "I don't know whether there was any stir or not."
He said, "Well, we heard that you was a holy-roller."
I said, "Thirty thousand raw heathens come to Christ day before yesterday." I said, "That's more than all of our churches has done in their missionarying in a hundred and fifty years over there. And I found missionary ... or, natives come in with a tag on their neck as Christians, packing an idol in their arm."
31 And I said to Sidney Smith, the Mayor of Durban, who was taking me out to the race course, the Hoya Park Race Course, where some hundred and fifty, two hundred thousand, had gathered. And I said, "Mr. Smith, what does that tag mean on their necks?"
Said, "They're Christians."
I said, "And packing idols?"
He said, "Well, Mr. Branham, I can talk his language, Songhai." Said, "Let's just ask him, talk to him." He pulled his car over to the side of the street.
And I said, "How do you do, John?" He spoke back in his language. And I said, "What? Are you a Christian?"
"Oh, yeah."
And I said, "What you doing with that idol?"
"Oh," he said, "my papa carried it."
32 I said, "Don't you believe in God?"
"Oh, I believe in Amoyah." Amoyah is a word they use, means "the unseen force," like the wind. "I believe in Amoyah."
I said, "But what about the idol?"
He said, "Well, you see," he said, "one day the lion got after my father, and he set it down, this idol, built up a little fire, and said the prayer the witch doctor told him. And the lion run away. Now, if Amoyah fails, this won't." Now, that's the strength of Christianity in South Africa by the missionary.
I said, "I am a yacta." Yacta means "hunter." "I hunt lions. And that idol did not run that lion away. The fire run the lion away. There's nothing in that idol." Oh, well he'd pack it anyhow.
33 But that afternoon, when they seen a man with a chain around his neck, not even mentally right, brought to the platform, and the Holy Spirit telling who he was, where he come from, what his mother and father was, told his brother was on crutches, and he was healed sitting right back like that... And here come the boy with the crutches over his head, he'd been riding on a yellow goat, and had hurt his leg years before.
Then I saw a vision of this man, and I said, "In Christ's name, stand up!" He couldn't understand. He thought I wanted him to do a dance. And he was down there, no clothes on. Oh, my! It was a terrible looking sight, and a chain around his neck, leading him like a dog, walking on his feet and hands.
34 I walked over to the poor man, took him by the chain and raised him up. This is witnessed before about a hundred around a fifty thousand people. And there, when he stood up, after everybody said if he would be healed, they would receive Christ, and he stood up, in his right mind, and the tears dropping off of his black belly, and received Christ as his Savior. And thirty thousand raw heathens throwed their idol on the ground and broke it, and received Christ.
Not long ago in a Kiwanis meeting where I was talking in the presence of Dr. Davis, who ordained me in the Missionary Baptist church, that told me I was going to become a holy-roller, and I said, "Dr. Davis, what you call holy-roller," I said, "what you call fanaticism, won more souls to Christ, in five minutes time, than all of your theology and tract passing that you've had in the past hundred and fifty years." Naked, miserable, blind, and don't know it. Oh, it's pitiful.
35 I said to that little boy and girl, I said, "You ought to be back home washing your mammy's dishes, taking care of the baby." It's exactly right. Go down there, go down to the compound, and say a few words to them natives when they have a dance, and pass out some tracts. What does a poor, ignorant native know about a tract when he don't even know which is right and left hand?
We've miserably failed God. Why? It's because Jesus said, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel." He never did say, "Go into all the world and build churches." He never did say, "Go build schools." He never did say, "Go build seminaries." He said, "Preach the Gospel, and these signs shall follow them that believe." We've failed.
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
36 "I stand at the door and knock: if any man will open, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me." What could it be when a man is knocking on a door? What's He trying to do, knocking at the door? He's trying to gain entrance. He's trying to get in. He has a message for you. He has some business to talk with you. And that knock has come by great men, down through the ages.
What if the great Caesar---Caesar Augustus---would've went down to a peasant's house in Rome, and knocked on the door? And that peasant would of opened the door, and seen the great mighty Caesar honoring him to come to his door. Oh, he'd've said, "Great Caesar, come in! Welcome to my house! Anything in here that you want is yours."
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
37 Or what if the late Adolf Hitler, the Fuhrer of Germany, would've went down to a foot soldier's house and knocked at the door? And that little soldier, as we would say, "little rookie," would've went to the door and opened it, and there stood the Fuhrer of Germany? He would have stood at attention and give the German salute, and would've said, "Great Fuhrer, you've paid me honor to come to my house. Oh, enter into my humble house, great Fuhrer of Germany. Anything that your servant has that you want, you can have it."
When you're welcome, that's the way you're invited in. If I come to your house and you said, "Welcome in, Brother Branham." I'd feel like going in. If I wanted to take off my shoes and lay down across the bed, I'd do it. If I wanted to go to the ice box and make me a sandwich, I'd go do it. If you welcome me in, I'd feel like I'm one of you. I'm welcome. Sure.
38 And then what an honor! You see, what it does, it's not who knock... It's not the knock that does it. It's who's knocking. It's the importance of the person that's doing the knocking.
What if tonight, if the great President of the United States, Dwight Eisenhower, what if he'd come to Harrisonburg, and went to the house of the best democrat there is in the city? You'd feel honored to have him. Though you disagreed with him on politics, but yet to have the honor of Dwight Eisenhower at your door, it would be an honor to any good democrat. Certainly, 'cause it's the President of the United States. He's an important man.
39 Or the Queen of England, just visit this nation. What if the queen were to come down to your house, sister? And she'd've knocked on the door, and you'd opened the door and say, "Who are you?"
She'd say, "I am the Queen of England."
Though you're not her subject, though she has nothing to do with you, but she's an important woman. She's the greatest earthly queen on earth. And anyone would feel honored. Why the newspapers would pack it everywhere. The television would show it, that the Queen of England humbled herself to come down and knock on the door of some poor person's house.
What would you say to her? "Oh, queen, enter in." And if anything she desired, she could have it. Though you had something that was very valuable, that you thought, a little trinket or something, and yet it was a family thing that's been handed down, yet if she asked for it, you'd give it to her because she's the queen. And it would be a great honor for you to do so because she's an important woman, and would come to my house, or your house.
40 But, oh, who is more important than Jesus? And who is more turned away than Jesus? That queen might want something, Hitler might want something, Dwight Eisenhower might want something of you; but Jesus wants to give you the best thing He ... could be given to you. And yet there's nobody turned away from doors any more than Jesus Christ that knocks at the heart's door. He's turned away.
And yet if you shut the door in the queen's face ... or, if Hitler's little soldier would have slammed the door in his face, Hitler would have had him executed. The queen would have blasphemed you. Eisenhower, it'd've been wrote up in the papers, that you turned down Dwight Eisenhower. Oh, what disgrace it would a been.
41 But yet, Jesus knocks at the door, and people think they do something smart, by turning Him away. It's the greatest mistake that any person ever made is to turn the lovely Jesus from their door. That's the most important person in all eternity that could knock at your door.
If Eisenhower got into your house, he could only ask you a question or something like that. But if Jesus comes in, He comes to bring you eternal life and save your soul, or to bring some good thing to you. But yet He's turned away.
But now, you'll say to me, "Wait just a minute, Brother Branham. I let Jesus into my heart many years ago." Well, that's good. I'm glad you did. But you know, when you get in ... Jesus gets into the heart, that's the first door. But then you've got a whole lot more little doors all in your house ... in your heart, just a little secret closet, here and there, and a little room here.
42 Say, "Now, you can come in, but don't you dare open that door. Don't you go to this one. But you can stand right here." Would you feel very welcome? That's the way with some you church members. You just let Him come in. Oh, you want Him to be your Savior, but He wants to be your Lord. Lord is rulership. He wants to be your ruler, not just your Savior only.
You want Him as a Savior, but what about being your Lord, that'll control you, control your emotions, control your thinking, control your ... every fiber of you, that you could say like a man years ago who let Him in, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Let Him in in that way, to be ruler and Lord over you.
Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
43 Now, let's look into this heart of ours just a little. You know, when Jesus comes in, there's a little door you turn to your right in the human heart. And that's the little door that they don't want nobody fooling with. That's the door of your own private life.
"Now, Lord, You can save me from going to hell, but don't You fool with my private life. I just won't stand for that. Now, I'm going to... I belong to a card party down here, where they play cards every Wednesday afternoon, and that's my own little click, and I don't want You telling me anything about that. If You speak through any preacher, I won't go back to hear him again."
Private life! Oh, we have a lot of that: my own private life. "Now, if I want to make my hairdo look like a man, that's none of Your business. This is my private life. A preacher ever says anything about it, I never go back again." My own private life.
You don't have any life. I can tell you now, that what you call life is a perverted life and it has an end.
44 The church don't need a face lifting; it needs a death and birth. God condemned that spirit in the garden of Eden. And a man has got to be born again, and let Christ be Lord and ruler of his being. Certainly. But, oh, you don't want Christ fooling with your private life. That just won't work.
Then there's another little door. (We will hit them fast because we just got a few minutes.) Another little door called Selfishness. "I will let Christ in, if what we get out of it." Oh, such a motive. "I will let Him in, if You'll promise me this: that I will get to go to a better church than what I go to, if my standing in society will be a little bit better." How many people use that? How disgraceful it is to use that.
45 Then there's another little door called Prejudice. Oh, how people like to keep that back. They don't want God to open that door. "Now, I will tell you now, she did something to me, and I won't speak to her on the street. No, sir. She comes out, hangs up her clothes every day, but I won't speak to the old reprobate. No, sir." Oh, my!
The Lord will say, "There is a preacher that lives down the street that you've never spoke to. And you shunned him the other day when he was coming down the street, and you never spoke to him."
"Now, looky here, Lord, don't You go to dealing with that, because I tell you, he don't belong to my denomination." There is only one church.
I've been in the Branham family for forty-eight years, and they never did ask me to join the family. I was born in the Branham family. And that's the way you become a Christian. You are born in the church of the living God. But you don't want no one... "I'm a little prejudiced of my faith." You haven't got very much. But just a little prejudiced you see, because "The people who comes to my church dresses a little better than they do at that mission down there."
46 How they want to make fun of a little mission. "Oh, that's that group that goes down there at the mission. Why I see them people wearing the same clothes all the time." But they got clothes on that you can't see by your natural eye.
Here sometime ago a young student was in a seminary. A poor old mammy thought that her child was going to be a minister. So she sent him over to a seminary to learn how to be a preacher. She was washing, and one day the old mother got the pneumonia, and so she sent a telegram to her son.
The doctor said, "Both lungs are congested, and if you've got any of your loved ones, you better get them in."
47 So the nurse sent for her son, said, "Stand by. If your mother's fever doesn't break by morning, you'll have to come." That's all. The boy stood by, and never did hear no more.
In a few days got a letter from his mother, said, "I'm just fine, son."
About a year later, the boy visited his home. And after he had kissed his mama, when he come in, and he said, "Mama, there's been one thing that I've always longed to ask you." Said, "When you were so sick with that pneumonia," said, "what happened? You told me to stand by, and then I didn't hear from you for a week, and then you were all right. What did the doctor give you?"
Said, "He give me up."
48 "Why," he said, "how did you get well?"
She said, "Son, I got something to tell you." She said, "Do you know where that little old store used to be down there by the alley?"
"Yes."
Said, "There's a bunch of people moved in there call themselves Full Gospel." And said, "They were down there having a prayer meeting one night, the night that I was so sick, and a message, they said, come to them and said there was a woman up here sick."
"One of the ladies come up and asked me if I believed in divine healing. I told her I believed anything that God had. And she said to her, 'Well, our pastor prays for the sick. Would you like for him to come up? Well, I will have him to come."
She said, "Certainly."
49 "So the pastor come up," she said, "and anointed me with oil. And they all knelt around the bed and prayed for me." And she said, "Son, the next morning I was well." She said, "God healed me." Said, "Oh, praise His name."
The young fellow who had had some of this embalming fluid placed into him, and he said, "Oh, mother! Why, such a disgrace. Why," said, "you know better than that."
She said, "No, I don't, son."
Said, "Why, there's no such a thing as healing any more." Said, "We learned that in the semin... (cemetery---all the same) All right. We learned that in the seminary that there's no such thing as divine healing."
"Oh," she said, "son, you're too late to tell me that." She said, "I'm already well."
50 And said, "When I went to the doctor and he was surprised too. And he said, 'Well,' said, 'did you change doctors?'"
She said, "Yes."
Said, "Well, what doctor did you use?"
She said, "Doctor Jesus."
So the doctor scratched his head and said, "Oh, is that right? Where does He practice at? I don't believe I ever heard of Him." That's how far they're away.
And he said, "Mother, don't you never believe such stuff as that."
Said, "Where did you think that preacher read from?" Said, "From Mark 16. 'These signs shall follow them that believe.'"
Oh, he said, "Mother, that's the illiterate bunch." Said, "Those preachers don't know very much." Said, "They haven't got a college education. Now," said, "we learned in the college that Mark 16 from the 9th verse on, is not inspired."
Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
51 She said, "Hallelujah!"
"Oh," he said, "mother, you even act like them."
"Why," she said, "Hallelujah!"
Said, "What's the matter with you, mother?"
She said, "I was just thinking. Do you mean to tell me, my son, that that's what you've learned in these three years in college, that Mark 16 from the 9th chapter on is not inspired?"
He said, "That's right." Said, "Mother, that's authentic."
"Well," she said, "praise God!" She said, "If God could heal me with uninspired Scripture, what could He do with that really is inspired?"
That's about the way of it. Naked, yet you say you're rich. That little private part, that thing you don't want to degrade yourself, to come down with somebody else. Come down off the high horse.
52 Well, I'm telling you this, that this old-time religion will make a tuxedo suit put his arms around a pair of overalls and call it, "Brother!" It'll make a silk dress hug a calico and say, "Sister!" It certainly will. When God comes into the heart to be Lord, we're all on one level. Certainly.
Oh, there's another little door that I'd like to ... let's look into. That's the door of Faith. F-a-i-t-h. Oh, you claim you got faith, but you know when Jesus becomes Lord of your faith, then all of His words become real to you.
53 That's the reason people can't believe for divine healing, yet they're members of the Christian church. They got Jesus at the door. But if He could stand in that little door of faith, He would be your faith. He would be Lord of your faith. And I could not imagine that the man who wrote the Bible, turn around and deny the Bible, deny His own writing and still be God. Faith. They won't let the door open.
Then there's one more little door before we close. And that's the door of your eyes. He said, "You're blind and don't know it. I counsel of thee to buy from Me, eye salve that Thou mightest anoint thine eyes that you might see." If you could ever get your eyes open, then you'll look around and see what condition you're in.
Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Revelation 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
54 A certain preacher said to me sometime ago, he said, "I don't care what you say. I don't believe there's such a thing as divine healing."
I said, "Not for you. It's not for unbelievers. It's just for those who believe. It wasn't made for you. He said them that believe. It's not for unbelievers."
55 And he said, "Then strike me blind."
I said, "You're already blind."
He said, "I mean like in the Bible."
I said, "That's what I'm talking about." I said, "I'm going to say to you just exactly what my Lord said to your pappy, 'Get behind me.'" Right.
He said, "But that man was physically blind when the Bible referred to him."
I said, "When Elijah went down to Dothan, and all the next morning when Gehazi woke up, he said, 'My father, the whole Syrian army has got us all surrounded.'"
That old prophet raised up and rubbed his eyes, out of a sleep. He said, "What are you talking about?"
He said, "Just look at the army. The whole city's besieged."
The old prophet just as calm as he could be, said, "Why there's more with us than there is with them."
"Why," he said, "I don't see anybody, just you and I."
2 Kings 6:15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
2 Kings 6:16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
Matthew 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
Mark 8:33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
Luke 4:8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
56 And that old prophet stretched his hand out and said, "God, open this young man's eyes." And when God opened his eyes, around that old prophet stood angels of fire, and the mountains was on fire, and chariots of fire.
Then he said, "You see how easy it is? I'm going out there and smite all them people blind." And he walked out, he smote them blind. He said, "Are you looking for Elijah?"
Said, "Yes, that's who we're looking for." They was blind. Well, said, "Old man with the long whiskers, tell us where Elijah is."
"Do you want to find him?"
"Yes."
Said, "Come on."
2 Kings 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
2 Kings 6:18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
2 Kings 6:19 And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.
57 And they all knew him, but they were blind. Said, "Come on, follow me. I will take you right where he's at." He knowed where the Israelite armies was laying in ambush. He just led them right in between. He said, "Now, I'm Elijah. Open up your eyes." Blind and don't know it. You know, that's what's the matter with the church: It's blind and don't know it.
My grandpapa was an old hunter. And he used to trap and hunt raccoons. I bought a little tail, one the other day in the ten cent store, from a little Amish girl, to take to my Joseph to put on his little bicycle. And grandpa would catch raccoons, and when he rendered out the fat, he'd make some sort of a grease out of it, that mama kept in a can.
2 Kings 6:18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
2 Kings 6:19 And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.
58 And we lived in an old house with clapboard shingles. You know what a clapboard shingle is? And we used to have to put a canvas over us at night when it'd snow, to keep the snow out of our face. You could just look at the stars right through them old clapboards.
And we'd get bad cold, and it would settle in our eyes, as little kids. And mama, every morning when she come to the bed and our eyes was all mattered up, (she called it) matter all in our eyes, it was cold in our eyes, she'd go down and get grandpa's old coon grease, and she'd come up, and rub our eyes and massage it with coon grease. And believe it or not, in a few minutes all the matter was out of our eyes, and we could see.
59 Now, you know what's the matter with the church? It has been so cold till it's got a spiritual cold. And it'll take more than coon grease to open your eyes. It'll take the oil of the Holy Spirit and the power of the resurrection of Christ to take the coldness away from the church and open their eyes, that they might see the presence of the Lord Jesus.
Let Him open your eyes. He's the Holy Spirit, the third person of the trinity here, tonight to grease up your eyes with God's salve. Open your eyes.
You know what? American people want to be entertained. They want some little Hollywood star with kinky hair and dressed up like I-don't-know-what to come out and make a entertainment, 'cause that's what you see on your television. I'm just one old-fashioned preacher that believes that there's no cure but the blood of Jesus Christ. That's right.
60 I'm getting so sick and tired of this American Hollywood evangelism going across the country with diamond rings, and short haired women, and going across ... and carrying on, and beating the drums somewhere, and jumping up and down. It's a disgrace. We need the old-time Saint Paul's revival and the Bible Holy Ghost back in the church with some real good Holy Ghost salve to open people's eyes. That is the truth. Open our eyes.
Then when the real thing comes along, people's so blind they can't see it. And God has been so merciful to us people, that it's become common to us. God, in all of our coldness and indifference, He still sends His mercy.
61 Here sometime ago a man wanted to be inspired, and he went down to the sea to be inspired. And on his road down he met an old salt coming back, an old sailor had lived on the sea, borned on the sea. And he said, "My good man, where goest thou?"
He said, "Sir, I'm going down to the sea to be inspired. Oh, I want to smell the salty air. I want to see the great ocean as it whips up its big white briny waves, and see the reflection of the sky in its blue water. I want to hear the scream of the sea gulls. Oh, I'm sure I will be inspired when I get to the sea. I've longed to see it all my life. I've longed to see the sea."
And the old salt said to him, "Well I was born on it, and I've sailed the seven seas, and I don't see nothing inspiring about it." Why? He was so used to it.
62 That's what's the matter with the Pentecostal church and the rest of them today. You're so used to seeing the powers of God and the glory of God, and the goodness of God till you just don't pay any attention to it no more. That's right. It becomes a common thing.
That's the reason Africa, India, and those nations there who knows nothing about it, just the first time God does anything, oh my, they go by the thousands to Christ. They've never seen it like we have. But our days is just about over, and it's leaving here now, going to those lands. Certainly it is.
63 Down in Louisiana, not far from here, there was an old Negro down there by the name of Gabe. Now they called him Gabe, but his right name was Gabriel. And he was a good old guy, but he just couldn't stay lined up with the church and with the Bible.
His wife was a darling Christian; she prayed for old Gabe all the time. And the pastor was a good man, the colored pastor. And he was a nice man, full of the Spirit of God, had the Holy Ghost. And the pastor was a hunter and so was Gabe. And they liked to hunt together. But old Gabe was such a poor shot, he couldn't hit nothing.
64 So one day the pastor and old Gabe went hunting. And that day while they were hunting, oh, they killed so much game till when they started back that night, they were just loaded down with birds, and rabbits, and all kinds of game. And the sun was going down, setting in the west. And they were coming up a little old familiar path, and the pastor walking in front, just barely could walk, old Gabe walking in the back loaded down with game.
And after while the pastor felt his big hand laying on his shoulder. He said, "Parson!" And the pastor stopped. Old Gabe looked over towards the sun, and then looked back.
And the pastor saw tears running down his cheeks. And he said, "What's the matter, Gabe?"
65 He said, "Pastor, this is Saturday. In the morning you going to see this man down at the mourner's bench. Then I's coming up from that mourner's bench, I'm going to get me a seat in that church by the side of my sainted wife. There I will be a member until I die."
The pastor stopped a minute and he said, "Gabe, you know I'm glad to hear that. Why," said, "how much I've prayed for you and how this church has prayed for you. How we've took you and done good things for you. You've sat in the church and heard my ministry. You ... [break in tape.]"
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
66 That's the reason the messages are so strong and right straight to the point. "I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My voice, and will open the door, I will come in to him." Oh, at the goodness God has been to you. How the Lord God comes here night after night, showing Himself alive by the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, performing and doing the same works that He did before He left this world. That now in the form of the Holy Spirit, doing the same works, across America.
And the people have sat in, chew chewing gum and say, "Yep, that's pretty good, Brother Branham." That's just the appreciation. "Oh, yes. Oh, if you bawl us out too hard, we will wait and see Oral Roberts. If he gets after us, we will go over to Billy Graham." Just entertained.
67 You don't know how good He is to you. He don't have to do these things. He don't have to make His appearance. The reason He's doing it, because He promised He'd do it. And He's good and full of mercy. No matter how you treat Him, He will come right back to the door and knock again. Oh, let Him come tonight. Let Him knock at our heart's door tonight one more time, then let us open up our hearts, and say, "Yes, Lord Jesus, I now believe."
Let us bow our heads just a moment. Solemnly now, I wonder in this deep time of prayer, I just wonder if God would just knock at someone's heart just now. I want to see it just before I leave your fair city. I may not get to you see you again in life. I'm fixing to go to Africa now and out around the world.
68 But I just wonder while I'm here, as your brother, I just wonder if God has knocked at your heart anytime during this meeting, saying, "Child of Mine, let Me come into your room. Let Me enter in at the door, and then just if I've already come in, then let Me have access. Let Me take over all that indifference, that pride. Let Me take over that private life. Let Me stand in the door of your faith, then if you can't understand these things and you think they're too mysterious..."
You say, "Well, I don't know, Brother Branham, whether that would be right or not." Let God anoint your eyes tonight with His eye salve. Won't you do it? While we have our heads bowed, how many will raise up your hands and say to God by this? "I want You to anoint my eyes, Lord. I want to see the resurrection of the Lord Jesus."
69 God bless you, lady, sitting there snubbing, crying. Certainly. God bless you, lady, yes, sitting there wiping your eyes. Someone else raise up the hand and say, "God be merciful to me." God bless you, young lady back here. God bless you over here, sir, you little man here, you lady, you, and you, you. You back there, way back, yes, God bless you.
"Oh, I stand at..." God bless you up there in the balcony. "I stand at the door, and knock." God bless you, young man sitting down here, just at the crossroads of life. "I stand at the door, and knock: if any man will hear My voice, and will open the door, I will come in, and I will sup with him, sit down at the table, I will just make all of My mysteries known to him."
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
70 Oh, if God could only get us in, like He did Theophilus and them who had walked with Him all day. He'd taught them, and preached to them all day, and still they didn't know Who He was. Then when He got on the inside, like He's got you now, closed in, then He revealed Himself. Their eyes were opened.
Why, they'd looked all day long. They'd looked right in His face, but they didn't know Him. And their eyes were opened, and they said they knew it was the Lord. See, quickly He had vanished from their sight. Right back they went saying, "Truly the Lord Jesus has raised from the dead."
Do you want your eyes opened to see this is the last day, to see this is the end of the age? God is dealing with the Gentiles now. This will be the last go around. Next thing is judgment. God bless you, young man sitting right just in the prime of life, teen-ager. You're taking the best road that you ever took, son. Mom and daddy will sure be glad of you, be proud to know that their son's raised his hand and accepted Christ.
Luke 24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
Luke 24:34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
71 One of these days when that pulse is squeezing out; death coming up your sleeve; you're getting cold; all your friends standing around, none of them can do nothing for you then, maybe in an automobile accident bleeding to death; under a car, a fire burning you up; drowned in the water; something killing you; you'll remember, "I put up my hand one night to Jesus." That's the most gallant thing you ever did.
Someone else, just before closing? Someone else? God bless you. Someone back there? God bless you, young lady. God bless you, young man. That's right, put your hand right up. God bless you up there in the bal... Yes, lady, yes, God be with you. Back in here, God bless you, young man. God bless you, sir.
72 God bless you over here, back in this way, back in there, out in the balconies, out ... not in the balcony, I mean the vestibule. God bless you. He sees your hand, even if you're behind the doors there, and I can't see but that one little window. He sees your hand. Now, let us pray.
Heavenly Father, oh, how great Thou art. You stood at the door here tonight, and some fifty people or more, maybe seventy-five, raised their hands to receive You, knowing that You knocked at their door. It's written in the Word by our Lord, "No man can come to Me, except My Father draws him first. All that comes to Me, I will in no wise cast out."
John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
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 Lord, they are the fruits of the message. Jesus, standing at the heart's door. The revival of my part here is closing for this session. God, I'm so glad they raised their hands. Now, I give them to You just now. And I'm praying, God, that the great Holy Spirit will let them go to one of these churches here somewhere, a good church that teaches the Bible, any church of their choice, and speak to their pastor, and say, "Pastor, I was down to the meeting the other night. I raised my hand to Christ. Won't you baptize me now, in the Christian faith? I want to walk a straight, narrow road, and be a credit to my neighborhood and to all that I'm in contact with, and serve God, for I love Him."
O God, that pastor, he'll be happy for that. And he'll take care of Your child, I believe, Lord, like the good Samaritan who took him to the inn and said, "All right, if you lack anything, I will pay you when I come." God grant it. In Jesus' name, I present them to Thee. Amen.
Luke 10:35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
74 I just hate to leave the meeting. I told them tonight before leaving, I said, "There's something about this meeting that's just gripped my heart." I think there's some here I won't see no more. If I come back a year from now, you won't be here, some of us. I may not be here a year from now. Some of us will be gone.
My testimony, will have to stand in the judgment with it then before you all. What good would it be doing me to give a wrong testimony? I'd rather be at home tonight with my little Joseph, playing with him; down at my church, just standing there preaching.
75 How many is in the building, the first time they've ever been in one of my meetings? Let's see your hand. Oh, you know, it's a good thing that the crowd from the following night never gets here. It's claimed they turned several thousand away last night. If they'd all come at one time, we'd have to have a big tent somewhere. Never been in one of my meetings before. Now friends, I don't claim to be a healer.
76 And I want to say one thing before this, each one of you dear people that raised up your hand, go see a good pastor right away. Will you promise do that? We haven't got room here to bring people up for an altar call. But promise. The only thing you have to do...
I believe in the altar, certainly. I believe in that. But you remember in the Bible, It said, "As many as believed was added to the church." See? I think you ought... A person, it's good for them to come forward, and pray, and thank God, and stand up as a public testimony. I believe in that, all my heart. But we haven't room here to do it.
Now, you promise God that you believe. I took your word. He did too. So now, you go to some church and shake their hand ... shake the hand of the pastor, tell him you want to become a member of his church, be baptized.
Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Acts 5:14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
77 Now, just a few moments before we start the prayer line, which we actually just started on time, we got twelve minutes, but we won't take it all. I just want to say to the newcomer: Now, I do not claim to be a divine healer. Can you hear me all right? I do not believe there's any man in the world that's a divine healer. I believe that God is the only One can heal.
How many knows that Jesus Christ never claimed to be a healer? That right? Certainly. He said, "It's not Me that doeth the works: it's My Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works." And, "The Son can do nothing in Himself, but what He sees the Father doing." Is that right?
John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
John 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
78 Then Jesus never did one thing according to His own words, in a way of healing the sick or anything, until the Father showed Him first by a miracle, by a vision what was going to take place. That's His own words. He couldn't lie. That's Saint John 5:19. "Verily, verily," the word means "absolutely, absolutely," "I say unto thee, the Son can do nothing in Himself, but what He sees the Father doing, that doeth the Son likewise."
Now, that's inspired, God's Own Word. Then look what did He do? How did He declare Himself now to the nation? What was the first thing He done in a way of a miracle as we understand that the people could see? He prayed for sick, laid His hands on them. But a miracle...
John 1:42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
79 There was a man by the name of Peter. (He called him Peter, or later his name was Simon.) And he was an old fisherman. And his brother Andrew brought him up to Jesus. Now, listen close for just a minute. You'll miss the kernel. And he brought him up to Jesus, and when he come in the presence of Jesus, Jesus said, "Your name is Simon, but you'll be called Cephas." And said, "You're the son of Jonas."
How many knows that? That was a Jew that a miracle was done on. He finally ended up having the keys of the kingdom in his hand, a man that couldn't even read his own name. The Bible said that Peter was ignorant and unlearned. That's right. Not a student, but a ignorant and unlearned fisherman.
Matthew 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
80 Now, then what happened? There was a fellow up in his city by the name of Philip. He got saved too. And he was so enthused till he went around the mountain about thirty miles and found his friend by the name of Nathanael. That's a good sign he got saved: He wanted to tell somebody about it. And he found Nathanael, and Nathanael was under a tree praying. And he said, "Come see who we've found, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
Now, this staunch Hebrew, brushing all of his clothes, he said, "Now, wait a minute, Philip. Could there be any good thing come out of that city, or that group, that holy-rollers or whatever you want to call them? Could anything good come out of there?" And he give him the best answer any man could. He said, "Come see. You be the judge."
John 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
John 1:46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
81 Then out along the road coming around he told him what He'd done to Peter, so forth. It was thirty miles, so they had plenty of time to talk, a good day's journey. And when they come up in the prayer line where Jesus was, now, watch what Jesus done. Now, there comes a real stanch Hebrew. Don't miss it now.
When he come in the presence of the Son of God, Jesus looked at him and said, "Behold, an Israelite in whom there is no guile." That's Saint John 1. How many knows that, you newcomers?
And he looked at Him, he said, "Rabbi, when did You know me? (Otherwise, 'You've never seen me. By my dress You wouldn't know. I could've been a Greek. I could of been an Arab. And I could of been a dishonest man. But You tell me that I'm an Orthodox, a real true Israelite, and I'm honest and upright. How did You know me? You've never seen me.')"
Jesus said, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the tree, I saw you." Is that right? How many knows that? Now, watch the attitude of this Jew, I mean a real elected Jew.
John 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
John 1:48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
82 I want to ask you people something. How many believes in election? You mean to tell me you don't believe in election? I know I got to come teach just a little bit. Election. "No man can come to Me, except My Father draws him."
In the book of Ephesians, the 1st chapter, the Bible said that God predestinated us to be the adoption of the children of God through Jesus Christ, predestined by foreknowledge. God knowed everybody would be saved before even the world was created. Jesus never come to the earth to die and be pitiful, and say, "Somebody will take mercy on me, and say, Well, He died, I guess I will come.'" I wouldn't run my office like that, and you wouldn't either. How about God?
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.
Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
83 God sent Jesus here to call those who by foreknowledge He knew would come. Certainly He did. If He wasn't infinite, He didn't know. But if He was infinite, He knowed every fly, every flea, everything else that'd ever be on the earth, if He's infinite God... How many believes He's infinite?
Tell me what infinite means. There wasn't one thing that ever was on the earth, but what He knowed it before the world was created. He said so. Then He knows... He's not willing that any should perish, but His foreknowledge let Him know who would perish and who wouldn't.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
84 That's the reason when Paul spoke of it in Corinthians there ... or, Romans, he said, "Before either child was born, Esau, and Jacob, both with good, holy parents, God said, 'I hate Esau, and love Jacob,'" that His election might stand true. How many ever read that? And you can't believe in election? He knowed just exactly what would happen. Certainly.
He's not willing, but His foreknowledge lets Him know. He don't just say, "I'm going to save this and lose that one." He wants you all saved, but His foreknowledge knows who would, so therefore He could predestinate according to foreknowledge, and that's election. Jesus come, and the last ones to be saved will be saved, the churches, and go home.
Malachi 1:2 I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,
Malachi 1:3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.
Romans 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
85 Now, when Philip come up, and got Nathanael, and Nathanael come up and seen Jesus, and Jesus told him where he was before he come, watch what that Jew said. Now, that's a real Jew that has been elected to eternal life. He said, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God. You're the King of Israel."
But now, there stood a lot of scholars around. And what did they say? They said, "He's Beelzebub. He's a fortuneteller. How many knows that He was a Beelzebub?" See, they knew, he thought it was reading that man's mind. "He is Beelzebub, the prince of the devils."
Jesus said, "I will forgive you for that, but when the Holy Ghost is come and does it, one word against it will never be forgiven in this world, or the world to come." How many knows that? What was He doing? That's the way He made Himself known to the Jews, by doing that.
Matthew 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
Matthew 12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
Matthew 12:32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
Mark 3:22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.
Mark 3:28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
Mark 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
Luke 11:15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.
Luke 12:10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.
John 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
86 How did He make Himself known to the Samaritans? Now, there's only three nationalities of people, that's Jew, Gentile, and Samaritans. Ham, Shem, and Japheth's people. And we know that. We come from the sons of Noah.
Now, notice. Then when He made Himself known to the Samaritans, He sent the disciples away. And He was sitting on this stone, because the Father had told Him to go up there. He had need to go by Samaria. Instead of going straight down to Jericho, He went around the mountain to Samaria.
And He sat there, and a woman come out. We believe her to be a prostitute. She had six husbands. And when she come out, she went to let the kettle down to get the water, and when she did, Jesus said, "Woman, bring Me a drink."
And she said, "We got segregation. It's not customary for Jews to have any dealing with Samaritans. We have a law of segregation here."
And He said, "But if you knew who you were talking to, you would ask Me for a drink."
John 4:4 And he must needs go through Samaria.
John 4:7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
John 4:8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
John 4:9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
87 What did He do? He went to talking to her about worship in the mountain at Jerusalem. He carried the conversation with the woman till He caught her spirit. He said, "Go get your husband and come here."
She said, "I don't have any husband."
Watch: not a Jew, a Samaritan. And she said, "I don't have any husband."
He said, "You said right. You've got five, and the one you're living with now is not yours."
Now, watch what she said. Did she say, "He's a fortuneteller?" She said, "Sir, I perceive that You're a prophet. And we know (Watch.), we know (Samaritans) that when the Messiah cometh, He will tell us these things. But who are You?"
He said, "I am He that speaks to you." And she run into the city and said, "Come see a man that told me the things I've done. Isn't this the Messiah?"
Now, watch. He forbid... He never did that miracle one time to a Gentile. And He told His disciples not to go in the way of the Gentiles. How many knows that? And it has never been done from that day to this. But this is the end of the Gentiles.
Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
John 4:16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
John 4:17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
John 4:18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
John 4:19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
John 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
John 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
John 4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
88 And the way God acts on the first occasion, if the circumstances arise, and that same thing arise again, God has got to act the same way He did there, or He acted wrong. If He ever healed a sick man because he was sick, He's got to act the same way when He's called on the scene, or He did wrong when He healed that man: He's a respect of persons.
If that's the way He manifested Himself to the Jew, the true Jew believed it, the other one didn't believe it, that's the way He manifested Himself to the Samaritans, He has got to do the same thing to the Gentile, if He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. He promised He would do it.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
89 Run back to the ... your scholars. Go back through your history, and find if it's ever been done from that day to this. This is the day. This is the last trip to America. After mercy has been spurned, judgment's left.
Now, friends, remember this. Don't you forget it. Read your Scriptures. A woman touched His garment, for she said in her heart, "If I can touch Him, I will be made well." Jesus was passing by, and everybody hugging Him, or shaking hands, or whatever it was, and that woman touched His garment. She didn't feel it physically, because the Palestinian garment is loose.
And she just touched the part of His garment, and went back and sat down, or stood up or whatever---she got away from Him. Jesus turned and said, "Who touched Me?"
And the woman said, "Not me!" All of them said, "Not me!"
But Jesus said, "I got weak; virtue went out of Me."
Peter said, "Well, the whole group's touching You."
Said, "But I'm weak." Then He looked around until He found the woman. And He said, "Thy faith has healed thee."
Matthew 9:21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
Matthew 9:22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
Mark 5:28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
Mark 5:29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
Mark 5:30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
Mark 5:31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
Mark 5:34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
Luke 8:45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
Luke 8:46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
Luke 8:47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.
Luke 8:48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
90 Now, that was Jesus yesterday. And the Bible said that He's a high priest right now, that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmity. Is that right? Did He say this before He left? "The works that I do, shall you also." Did He say that? How many knows that, say, "Amen."
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
91 How many knows that He said, "A little while and the world (that Greek word kosmos which means "the world order") that the world won't see Me no more; yet ye shall see Me, for I will be with you to the end of the world." How many knows that? Jesus Christ the same yes... If He is the same, He's got to declare Himself the same.
Look what He said, "I am the vine, ye are the branches." Now, the vine doesn't bear fruit. The branch bears fruit. And the kind of fruit it bears, is the kind of fruit ... the life it's getting out of the vine. If it's a pumpkin, as I said, it'll bear pumpkins.
Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
John 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
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.
92 If it's a sinful vine you're hooked into, it'll bear sin. If it's a church vine, it'll bear churchanity. If it's Christ, it'll bear the works of Christ. Got to. "I am the vine, ye are the branches." And now, He only has hands, mine and yours; eyes, mine and yours. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
And let me say this as I'm leaving tonight: This is America's hour. And she has spurned it. I said two years ago that America would never have a revival. Write it in your book and find out if it's right or not. She's done.
If God lets America get by with this sinful, unbelieving, church-going bunch of hypocrites, He will have to raise up Sodom and Gomorrah, and apologize to them for sinking them, (that's right) to be just. That's right. Even though Angels smote them blind, they were in the darkness feeling around, a perverted spirit. And tonight, America stands in the same shape, nothing left but fire.
Genesis 19:11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
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.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
93 I want you to notice: What was that Angel's message that come tried to get them out of there? I want to give you just a little on the side now, just a minute. When the Angel come to Abraham, Sarah was back in the tent. How many knows that? And the Angel had His back turned to the tent. How many knows that? The Bible said so.
And the Angel, which was Christ... We know that was Christ. He was called Elohim, which is "the Almighty God," in a form of a man, He stood there. And when He was, He was looking at Abraham. He said, "According to the time of life, I'm going to visit you." And Sarah, back in the tent went [Bro. Branham snickers]--- laughed---back behind His back. He said, "Why did Sarah laugh?"
Genesis 18:10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
Genesis 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
Genesis 18:13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
94 What was it? It was the Angel's message to Sodom before it burnt up. And we're going to get the fire. And before the fire falls, that same Angel with the same signs and wonders... Touch His garment and find out. Can you see it's a Angel with the last warning to the church? How many understands that now? Did I make it plain to you, see.
The same Angel has to do the same thing. There He is, the same Christ. He was the One that was with Abraham. Here He is tonight doing the same thing, and America just sits still. Sure, it can't be nothing else. Has to be that way. But there's some eagles.
Open your eyes now. God anoint your eyes. And if Christ will do the same thing from this platform tonight, that He did when He walked in Galilee, wonder if you'd go home like Theophilus and them, saying, "Did not our hearts burn within as He talked to us along the road?" Would you believe that? God bless you. Let's pray.
Luke 24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
95 Now, Lord, I've did all that I know how. I commit the rest of the service to You. Now, anoint Your people there, Lord. This is a lovely group of people. And, Lord, the reason I've tried to be so stern with them, not that I thought they deserved to be stern, but I'm only warning, Lord, only warning. And I pray that You'll let them understand that, that I'm only setting out a warning there and letting them know that this is America's hour, her last hour.
"Hurry!" said Lot ... or, the Angel said to Lot, "Get out, come quickly. I can't do nothing till you come out first." And that's the Angel's warning today, the same Angel, doing the same works, proving that Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever. Grant it, Lord. Knock at their heart, open their eyes, and may they see Thee, tonight; for I ask it in Christ's name. Amen.
Genesis 19:22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
96 I've got these handkerchiefs here. Now, in the Bible it said that... Many of you say here, "Anoint my handkerchiefs." That's all right. Anything God will bless, I'm for it. But if you'll bear me record, in Acts 19, they didn't anoint handkerchiefs. They took from the body of Paul, handkerchiefs.
You know, I think Paul was very fundamental. Don't you think so? You know where I think he got that? When the woman, the Shunammite woman, that he gave Gehazi his staff, and said, "Take this staff and lay it on the baby." Gehazi knowed that what he touched was blessed, if the woman would believe the same thing.
And the people believed Paul. They seen the Lord working with him, and they believed, so they took handkerchiefs and aprons off of his body, and went to the sick and afflicted and they were healed.
2 Kings 4:29 Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.
Acts 19:12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
97 Now, if you haven't got one here, and you want one, just send down to my office in Jeffersonville. It'll be sent to you absolutely free and post paid. We send thousands of them a month, around the world. Oh, such testimonies. Now, let's pray for these handkerchiefs before leaving.
Lord God, in the Bible it's written that when Israel was cornered off, trying to follow Your instructions, and they were at the Red Sea, and the mountains and deserts was on either side, and Pharaoh's army backed them up; here they was coming in for sudden death. And one writer has said that the eyes of the Lord looked down through that pillar of fire, and the Red Sea got scared and it walled up. And Israel went across on dry land to the promised land.
Now, Lord God, as I send these handkerchiefs as token of people's faith, may the eyes of God look down through the blood of Jesus, His Son. And when they see this little token laid upon the sick and afflicted, may the devil---the sickness---depart and may the patient pass over into that promised land of good health. Grant it, Lord. I send them in Jesus' name, for this purpose. Amen.
98 All right. Prayer card Y-1 to 100? Y-1 to a 100. Well, we've been all around everywhere through them, so let's just start from number 1. We can take, line but just a very few at a time, so I will just have to call you one by a time till I get enough to fill this little aisle up here, then we will start. All right.
Now, I want every person to keep your seat, and be just as reverent as you can be, just as reverent as you know how to be. Sit still now. We just got about eighteen minutes. Y number 1, would you hold up your hand?
99 It's a little card, just about like this. Boys come down and mix them all up together, give anybody a card that wants one, like that. Then that night we call from somewhere. That's just merely to get the people up here. Then you start believing.
How many here doesn't have a prayer card? Let's see your hand. You want God to heal you. I challenge your faith to look to Him who is the high priest, and say, "Lord God, if that man's told me the truth, I ain't got no prayer card, but let him turn around and tell me the same thing like You did back there. I will never doubt it no more." You do that and see what happens.
100 Last night we had the prayer line, and we wouldn't take anybody that had prayer cards. How many was here last night know that just took those without prayer cards? It's the same. Only thing's just to keep ... just let somebody come up here. Doesn't matter who comes. But this keeps it all in order, and there's no, like an arena, piling over one another. If we seen people get in fights over who get up there first, so we had to give them cards and keep them lined up.
Y number 1, raise up your hand please. Ever who has it, prayer card Y. Is that right? Or B did you say? V. V. Maybe it's V number 1 then. Maybe that's V number 1. Has anybody got prayer card V (Raise up your hand.) like in victory? Oh, yes, sure they are. All right. It's V.
101 Let's start from V number 1 then.
Who has it? V number 1? All right. Right here. All right, sir. V number 2? V number 2, would you raise up your hand? Who had it, please; somebody back there. Is that the lady right there, sister? V number 2? All right. Come here would you? V number 3. They're just all over the building now. They just give them out to anywhere in the building.
V number 3, hold up your hand. Wave it like this so we can... Back there? Thank you, sister. Come here just a minute. We will line up right here now. V number 4? Who has number 4? All right, lady. Come right here. Number 5?
Look at your neighbor's card, might be deaf, might be can't raise up. Number 5? V number 6, would you raise your hand please? Right here. Number 7, would you raise your hand? Right here. All right. Number 8, would you raise your hand? V number 8. Number 8, would you raise your hand, please? V number 8. Back there? Thank you. All right.
102 Number 9? Number 9? V number 9, would you raise your hand? All right. Number 10? That's good. Come right ahead now. Number 10, would you raise your hand quickly? 10. 11? All right. 12? 12? Did I see it? You'll miss your turn. 12, all right, sir. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.
Now, it doesn't matter. I don't care, anybody else, if they want to stand, I can keep on calling. You want me to call a few more? Just say so. Doesn't matter. Just don't want you to standing too long. 20? 21? 2, 3...
[Break in tape.] We're probably born miles apart, years apart. And this is the first time that we've ever met in life. Now, if God will reveal to this man, Jesus Christ, just like He did when Philip went and got Nathanael and brought him...
103 What did Jesus say? "Behold, an Israelite in whom there is no guile," an honest, just Christian believer in other words. Said, "When did You know me, Rabbi?"
Said, "Before Philip called you when you were under the tree, I saw you."
Quickly he said, "You're the Son of God, the King of Israel." But the Pharisees said, "He's a devil."
Now, if it's done, it'll have to come by some kind of a supernatural power. We got two Bibles laying here before us, and both of us with our hands up: this is the first time we've ever met. Now, it depends on what you think it is. If you think like the Pharisees, you get their reward. If you think like Nathanael, you get his reward. You get God's reward if you think it's God. This ought to settle it forever.
John 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
John 1:48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
John 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
104 Now, I don't say that He will do it. I believe He will. I'm trusting. He's never failed me yet. And this is about twelve years. I've saw visions since I was about eighteen months old. First vision I ever saw, I told my mother where we'd live, near New Albany, Indiana. We was hundreds of miles away. We've lived there all my life.
You all just see this right here on the platform. This is all you know. Ask associates Dr. Vayle and these who go with us, and watch the great visions. This is what you're doing. This is your own faith pulling towards the gift of God. That's what that woman done. Jesus didn't know nothing about it, but she pulled God's power out of Him by her faith. That's the only thing that's taken place here.
105 But when God told Jesus to go away and wait till Lazarus had died, and come back, He raised the dead. He never said He got weak. God just lifted Him up, and said, "This is the way it's going to be, and this is what take place." And He didn't get weak from that. But when a woman touched His garment, she was using God's gift.
Now, be real reverent. Let's pray, and watch now.
Now, sir, this may be the last time on earth that we meet. And here we are for the first time on earth. I trust that we will meet many times. But if the Lord God will come now... And remember I'm telling you, and you know it to be the truth: I know nothing of you. But if the Lord God will reveal to me something that you know whether it's the truth or not...
106 Now, if I said, "Sir, you're sick," you might not be. I don't know. That would be a guess maybe, still it could be true. And I'd say, "You're going to get well," you'd still have to take my word for it. But if God would tell me something that you know whether it's the truth or not, then you'd know whether that was God or not, wouldn't you? That would be God. It's the only way it could be. Now, believe.
Now, if the audience can hear my voice, and you who've seen the picture of the Angel of the Lord, His presence is here. And in the name of Jesus Christ, I take every spirit here under my control for the glory of God, and the manifestation of His Son, who is now present.
The man is suffering with a nervous condition that he wants me to pray for. That's "thus saith the Lord." That's right, isn't it, sir? Raise up your hand if that's right. That wasn't a guess. That wasn't my voice. It was something else. Do you believe it was His?
107 Now, look. More I would talk to the man, more would be said. Would you like... Would that confirm anything to you, if you'd just talk a little more to him? I can't tell you what I said. Only way I know it's by these tapes. See, it's a vision. I seen the man doing something, I couldn't tell you what it is. Let's talk to him just a little bit. Seems to be a man that believes. Now, let's talk to him, let him be the judge.
Now, the man's standing with his eyes closed, and you all see that he's never opened his eyes to look towards me. Yes, I see the man. He's kind of upset about something. He's suffering with a nervous condition. That's his trouble.
And besides that, what's making him upset, he's got one of his loved ones that's at the point of death, going to die. And that's a younger fellow. Oh, it's his son. And that boy is in a terrible condition. He has something wrong with his lungs. It's cancer in his lungs. That's right.
108 And this man before me is a preacher. And he doesn't come from this city. He's from another place around, coming across the mountains, or something to co... He's from a place called Charleston, West Virginia. He's come here in answer to be prayed for, for his dying loved one. That's "thus saith the Spirit." Do you believe you receive what you've asked for, sir? Go home and find it that way; in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Do you believe? Now, you out there that doesn't have prayer cards, you that's not going to be in this line, you start looking this way and saying, "Lord, I believe too." Everywhere, anywhere in the building.
109 I suppose we're strangers to each other, lady. We are. First time meeting as far as I know. But the Lord God Who made heavens and earth, stands here to be our witness. If He will reveal to me... Now, here's a picture like the woman at the well, the Samaritan woman. See, it's a man and a woman meeting for the first time.
If Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, then if He will reveal to me something that you know whether it's truth or not, will you believe that it's Him speaking through your brother? You will? You are a Christian believer, 'cause your spirit is welcoming. I know you're a Christian.
The woman is suffering with a tremendous nervousness, and a weakness. This weakness was caused from an operation. And that operation was in the female gland. And she still got a drainage from that operation. That's true. Raise your hands for that. Well, it's over, sister. You're going to be well, so your faith has healed you. So you can go home now, and be well, and glorify God. Amen.
110 Would you come? Be reverent now. Just be in prayer. I suppose that we're strangers to each other. This our first time meeting? You've been here at the meetings, in this meeting. But I don't know you? No. All right.
Then if the Lord our God will speak and reveal the secret of your heart, or something whether you know that it's the truth or not, you'll know whether that's all right.
Preacher, you've got a bladder trouble and a gland trouble, and you were sitting there praying. It's all over now. You can go home, you sitting right there with the red looking shirt on, the striped tie. It's all over. Your faith made you well.
What did he touch? I don't know the man. I've never seen him. Are we strangers to one another, mister?
Is God anointing your eyes with salve? Are they coming open? Can you realize that your brother here has nothing to do with that? It's a gift that you just yield yourself to the Holy Spirit.
111 God knows. This lady standing here, and her trouble is in her back. He said that was kidney stones, the doctor. It's right. You believe that you'll get well. Not only that, but you've just had a fall, and you broke some ribs.
Now, your life you couldn't hide. To heal you, I can't. You're not from this city. You live near a city called Elkton. Gracie, you can return and go home, and be well. God make you well.
If thou canst believe.
Young lady, do you believe? I'm a stranger to you, but God knows you. You believe you're in His presence? Your brother wouldn't make you feel like that. Now, if people will watch, and watch real believers when they come to the platform, watch the expression on their face. To me, I see that light that you see in the picture. It's right around the woman.
I want to ask you something, young lady. You know the presence of your brother wouldn't make you feel like that, would it? Isn't there a real sweet, humble, meek feeling around you now? If that is, raise up your hand, see. I'm looking right at that light, moving around the lady.
The lady is standing here for someone else. That's right. Your daughter. If God will tell me what's wrong with your daughter, will you believe? It's a skin disease. Now, go home and lay those hands that you got up, lay them on her. She will get well. She's going to come out of it. Don't worry. God bless you. Go believing.
If thou canst believe.
112 We're strangers to each other, I suppose. But the Lord God knows us both. Do you believe that He's able to do this? You've come from out of town too, about fifty miles away, or something. You have hemorrhoids. You have an hernia. And you've got a fallen bladder that you want God to heal. Do you believe that what's talking to you? All right. Just believe. Go and be made well; in Christ's name.
If thou canst believe.
113 We're strangers to each other, I suppose. Are we? You've seen me once before this, but you know I don't know you, who you are. I don't know who you are. Certainly not. But God does. If He will tell me who you are, then you'll believe me? Do you believe your arthritis will be all right, if He does? All right. May God grant it, is my prayer.
Your last name is Walton. And your first name is Lily. Now, you turn right around, and go home, and you go back to Richmond, Virginia, and tell the people how good God has been to you.
If thou canst believe, all things are possible. Are you believing?
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
114 Something struck that woman right back there just then, 'cause the Light went from the woman to that woman. And I see the same city arising. She's from Richmond, Virginia, sitting way back there. And you're praying for your son. And that son is in a motel. And that son has heart trouble. Take him back to Richmond. He will be well, you'll believe it with you'll believe with all your heart.
Who did she touch? What happened to her? She touched the high priest. Certainly. If thou canst believe, all things are possible.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
115 I see a woman that's wiping her eyes. She's somewhere praying. I trust that she's here. She's not from this city. She's from a city called Chester. She has eye trouble. Her name is Lillian Bush. Go home and be well. Jesus Christ heals you.
You believe? Have faith in God. Oh, how glorious.
Do you believe, lady? I don't know you, but God does know you. You're not here for yourself. You are here for someone else. And that's two people. And they live near somewhere where there's a ocean, or a great street... It is. It's the Atlantic Ocean. They're in a city called Norfolk, Virginia.
116 If God will reveal to me what is wrong with those people, will you believe me to be His servant and believe that He will grant you the request? One of them has tumor on the lung. The other one has cancer on the brain. And the one with cancer on the brain has been operated on. That's "thus saith the Lord." Do you believe? It will be just as you have believed. Go and God be with you.
Are you believing?
Now, bring the next person. How many believes now with all your heart? Look. Every once in a while I get a little pull from somewhere here that... Don't think you can hide your life now. You couldn't do it. You think it's telepathy. It's not telepathy, friends. No. Anybody that's got their right mind, knows one ounce about telepathy, knows better.
117 Here. This lady. I don't know her. Touch my hand, lady. If God will reveal this way what your trouble is, will you believe Him? You be the judge. I will look this way, won't look towards her. The lady's suffering with a female trouble. That's right. Take your hand off mine, raise it up, if that be right. Now, go back. You're healed.
Now, telepathy doesn't do that. Stop, don't believe that. Just have faith. You say, "That was a guess work." No, it isn't.
Come here, lady. Touch my hand. If God will tell me what your trouble is, will you believe me to be His servant? [The lady says, "Yes."] Then you go eat your supper. Your stomach trouble has left.
If thou canst believe, all things are possible.
What if I didn't say nothing to you, just laid my hand on you, would you believe you'd get well? Then in the name of the Lord Jesus, God grant it. Amen. Have faith.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
118 All right. Come, sir. What if I told you to go right on back and eat your supper too, that that peptic ulcer from nervousness, you've been having, is gone, would you believe me? Go right on around, just believe.
Would you believe your diabetes is going to leave you, to do well? Go right on around like that and be made well.
119 Do you believe that arthritis is going to leave you, and you're going to be all right? If you do, and want to believe it with all your heart, just go right down that step, and praise God as you go along. It'll leave you, and you'll be all right.
Let's say, "Thank the Lord."
You have flutter in your heart, but it really isn't heart trouble; it's stomach trouble that makes it do that. You believe that God is going to make you well? Go right on your road home. Say, "Thank You, Lord Jesus."
Do you believe God is going to heal you of that back trouble? Go right on off the platform and say, "Thank You, dear God."
Oh, do you believe, the whole group of you?
120 You believe that Jesus Christ makes you well? Go right off the platform, saying, "Thank You, dear God." Leave her stay there just a minute. Pull her around. She's got arthritis. Go on around that way, praising God, lady, and say, "Thank the Lord." That's right. Get well and go home.
Say, "Praise the Lord," now. Go on, you'll be all right. You had the same thing, sir, so you just go on down with her, right like that, just praising God, saying, "The arthritis is gone."
Heart trouble. You're mighty young to have that. Go off the platform, it's left you now.
121 Let's say, "Praise the Lord." Do you believe?
Just a minute. The lady sitting right here on the end with that bladder trouble, do you believe God makes you well? Right straight down in here, you believe that God heals you? If you do, go home. You that got your handkerchief up to your mouth. Be well. Hallelujah!
Right out here at the end of the row, I see you've got nerve trouble, and sinus trouble. You believe God heals you? The third person back there, you believe with all your heart, sitting back there at the end of this seat. If you believe, you can be made well and go home. God bless you.
Do you believe Jesus Christ lives? Do you believe that I tell you the truth? Then if I be His servant, and I've found grace in your sight, Jesus Christ has healed every one of you. Nineteen hundred years ago, He done it. The only thing you have to do is raise up, receive it.
122 Do you believe it? Now, if you believe, I will pray for every one of you. You believe, you'll get well? You do? All right. Bow your head just a minute. I want you to say these same words that I do, from your heart.
[The congregation repeats each phrase after Brother Branham.] Almighty God, Creator of heavens and earth, Author of everlasting life, giver of every good gift. I, Your servant, confess my sins. I promise to be Your servant, true and faithful, from this day hence. I now believe that we're living in the last days. I believe that Jesus Christ has sent His angels to the earth as He has at every junction, like in the days of Noah, like in the days of delivering the children of Israel, and the Lord Jesus Himself, and in the last days.
123 I now confess all of my unbelief. I believe that You freely paid my debt for my sins, for my sickness. I accept You as my Savior, and I accept You as my healer. From this night on, by God's help, I'm going to testify to the glory of God, of my healing. I believe that the devil has no power over me anymore because of the grace of Christ, that's here tonight. I now believe that I am healed.
124 Now, you sit right quiet. Keep your heads bowed. That's your prayer. If you mean it, say, "Amen," quietly. Now, just imagine the great Holy Spirit, as I look, settling down over you. The same One that's standing here.
And if you'll take my word, people are being healed everywhere, just around over the building now. I am not a hypocrite. I'm not a deceiver. I'm a servant of Christ. God has proved that to you. You're being healed right now.
Now, I'm going to pray for you, that you won't disbelieve anymore. What does the Bible say? "Go ye and sin no more." What is sin? Unbelief. "Go ye and disbelieve no more."
John 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
John 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
125 Almighty God, Creator of heavens and earth, Author of everlasting life, and Giver of every good gift, You have heard the confession of these people. Lord God, from the depths of my poor heart, I have told them the truth. I have told them that You healed them when You died at Calvary nineteen hundred years ago. Thou bear me record of this truth, Lord.
And You keep every promise. Everything that You promised, You keep. And if You kept Your promise to appear in our presence, wherever two or three are gathered together... If You kept Your promise as a high priest that can be touched with the feeling of our infirmity, how much more could You do? There's nothing left.
It's for the people now. Truly, I believe, Lord, as their brother, I have heard them confess with their lips (You have too, Lord.) that they believe and they've accepted You as their healer and Savior.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
126 And now, Lord, there's only one thing left to keep them from being perfectly whole. That is unbelief. That's Satan trying to hold them. Saying, "I wasn't in the line." What difference does the line make? You was in line, that's the only One makes the difference.
The One who made the line of blood all the way from Pilate's judgment hall to Golgotha, that's the line that we stand in, the bloodline of the Lord Jesus. And now, God, give me faith. Give me power. And hear my prayer, Lord, as I pray. And defeat the devil for these people.
Satan, you are nothing but a deceiver. You have no legal rights to hold any Christian any longer. In their prayer they have confessed their sin. They are not your property anymore. They are God's property, Jehovah.
127 He sent His Son, He died, He rose again, and He's here right now to prove Himself to His children, His heritage, that He's alive. And you can't hold them any longer. I adjure thee. Thou devil of doubt that's holding these people, I adjure thee in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, that you come out of this people, and let them go.
Come out, Satan. You've lost the battle. You're exposed night after night here. You're nothing but a lying, deceiving devil. And we challenge you in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of this people, so they can be made well.
All that believes now that you're healed, stand to your feet, and let out a scream, and give God praise. God bless you as you stand. That's the way to do it. Amen and amen.