Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever
You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net
1 Thank you very much. May be seated. This is a most unusual experience for me tonight, because I've looked forward since a little boy to have one time that I could minister to the people of Maine. When just a little lad, I used to come here to go hunting up around Moosehead Lake, Squaw Pond, Pittston Farm, back in them territories there. And I would meet such nice people, I just wondered if Maine wasn't just full of those kind of people. And I've been in your lovely city here for two days, and I've found it so, real honest people.
Now, they say southern hospitality, well, I guess this is what you call northern hospitality. So they're just as nice people here as I've ever seen in my life, with five times around the world.
2 So I'm certainly happy to be here tonight in this lovely auditorium and see this nice gathering for this kind of way-a-way city from the big cities. And your enthusiasm, and your love for Christ to come out like this the first night to someone perhaps, never heard of me before in their life. So that's mighty fine. I appreciate this. Sorry, we only have one night. I suppose if we had eight or ten days here for a regular campaign, the Lord would do great things among us, which He will tonight; we're looking forward to that.
3 Now, we do not come to represent any certain denomination of church. I, myself, was ordained in the Missionary Baptist Church. And then I never just left the church; I just started standing between the breaches between the different denominations, and on these meetings of praying for the sick. And what influence that the Lord has given to me, I do not wish to give it all into one denomination; it's for the entire body of the Lord Jesus Christ, regardless of what church they belong to.
I used to herd cattle a lot in my days in the west, and I noticed when we would take the cattle up to the forest, why, the ranger would stand there checking those cattle at the drift fence. Many is the time that I sat there with my leg hooked around the horn of the saddle, watching. And the ranger didn't pay too much attention to the brand that was on the cattle, it was the breed of the cow. The blood that was in the cow, it had a tag, and it must be a thoroughbred Hereford or it could not go on the forest. That was the main thing.
4 And I think that's the way it will be at the day of the judgment: It won't be exactly what brand we're wearing, as what blood we're under. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, will be the marking for His children. Some of us might say we're Methodist, or Baptist, or Assemblies of God, or Apostolic Faith, or whatever it is, but it'll be all that's under the blood, I believe, will go in at that day. And so, I'm expecting to be with you there at that great gathering that all human beings have looked forward to through the ages.
Now, we talk about divine healing mostly in my meetings. But divine healing is not what we try to major with. You can never major on a minor. Divine healing is just a gift to present Christ, in the way of divine healing, to catch the people's attention to let them know that Jesus loves them. And the main healing that we're after is the healing of the human soul: That men that are born again have eternal life, and shall never perish, but be raised up again at the last day. And then, you take the church of your choice.
5 We're going from here, down to a little ... another city below us here, Bangor, I believe, Maine. And we're going to be there the last of this week and the first of next week, six days. It'll be the longest stay we've had in the New England campaign. And if you live near there, we will be looking forward to seeing you with great anticipation. And expect maybe, in that meeting we will maybe get more acquainted. One or two nights you just get to say, "Well, I wonder." After a while then away we go, and goodbye, and you don't get to see them no more. But when we can pull a few nights, till you can see God is real, proven real.
Now, I believe that... The campaign theme is that Jesus Christ remains the same, yesterday, today, and forever. Now, we wish to read a little scripture just in a moment.
And I want to say to the ones who are sponsoring here, to the pastors, we certainly thank you for this opportunity, my dear brethren. I do pray that God of heaven will bless you exceedingly abundantly, and give you the desire of your heart.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
6 Now, before we open His precious Word, any man or woman or child is able physically, can turn the pages back, but it takes the Holy Spirit to really open the Word to our hearts, for it's written by the Holy Spirit. The Bible said, "Even men of old, when they were moved by the Holy Ghost, wrote the Bible." So therefore, it's inspired. No human being has a right to say, "We have the interpretation, no one else does." The Holy Spirit has the interpretation. And let's ask Him tonight if He will interpret for us, while we read and pray. Shall we bow our heads just a moment for prayer.
Now, especially to you people who's never been in the meeting before, I want you to be real sincere now and say, "God, let me just lay aside every prejudice of my heart." You who are here that's sick, say, "God, be merciful to me. This surely will be my night for healing." Let the sinner say, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner," while we pray.
2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
7 Most holy and reverent God, we come into Thy presence, first in the name of the Lord Jesus. For it has been taught us by His blessed holy Word, that if we would ask the Father anything in His name, we should receive it. So therefore, we have no name or no honor to meet Thee by. And we come humbly, reverently in Your honorable and holy name, knowing according to His Word, that You will hear, and we will have this talk with You.
Now, this meeting has been set together, Father; Thou has watched every move, and it's for no other purpose but for the glory of God, and for the help of His great church, the body of His Son, invisible.
8 And we pray, Father, that You'll heal all the sick that's in the building tonight; may there not be a feeble person leave this building but what will be made completely whole. May the sinner, Lord, the unbeliever, become so ashamed and embarrassed in the presence of the great Holy Spirit, that he or she will say, "God be merciful to me," and be saved this night.
Grant, Lord, that those who are kind of withering, or falling along the way, those feeble hands that's been hanging down, those who are getting cold and indifferent as they're waiting for the coming. May they take new courage tonight, and rise in the strength of the Lord.
God, grant that You'll give something---a blessing in this neighborhood tonight, that'll start an old-fashioned revival in every home, in every church, and everywhere through the country. Lord, we realize we don't have too much time left according to the calendar of time, to labor, because the sun is swiftly setting and the end time is near.
So help us to conduct ourselves tonight as Your beloved children. And work through us by the Holy Spirit, for we ask it in the name of Thy beloved Son, Jesus. Amen.
9 I wish to approach the Word now, just a little scripture that I use on usually the first night to introduce to you the calling that the Holy Spirit has given me. And firmly being a fundamentalist who believes God's eternal Word, believing that everything that God has written is part of Himself. I believe the Scripture says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." So therefore, this Word is part of God.
And if we'll approach it like that, approach His Word like we were approaching Him. For no man is any better than his word is. If I could not take your word, I would not believe you for anything; same you should by me. And that's the way I do by God. If God made a promise, and if He's the Almighty God, He must stay by His promise to maintain His position as Almighty God. He cannot make a promise, and then take it back. I could make a promise and have to take it back. You may make a promise and have to take it back, because we are men, and we're finite. But He's infinite. God cannot get wiser, smarter; He was perfect to begin with. And when God makes a statement, it's perfect.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
10 And if God makes a statement in a crisis, in the way He approaches that crisis, if that same crisis arises again, He's got to approach it in the same manner, the same way, that He did the first time, or He did wrong the way He approached it the first time. You see, if God heals sick people to begin with, when a crisis was... When Moses had no remedies for the sick, and God raised up a brass serpent in the wilderness and made an atonement for the sick and afflicted because there was a crisis. Then if that crisis comes to a place again where there is no remedies to help us, God has to act the same way to us, or He acted wrong when He acted for Moses. He's God; He cannot change. He never knows no more or no less; He's perfect forever.
And I want to read a portion of His Word found in Saint John 12 and the 20th verse, and then Hebrews 13:8 for a text.
And there were certain Greeks among them ... came up to the feast to worship:
The same therefore came to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
In Hebrews 13:8 it's written:
Jesus Christ the same yesterday ... to-day, and for ever.
John 12:20 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:
John 12:21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
11 Now, we want to look at this... Do you believe that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever? Would you believe that because the Bible says so? If you would, I'd like you to just raise your hands, every believer. Well, then, thank you. If God has said that He is the same, then He must be the same, or the Scripture is wrong. And if the Scripture is wrong in one place, I'd be afraid to trust it, because it might be wrong in another place. It's got to all be right or it's all wrong.
For instance, if we were all in this room tonight starving to death, and some great multimillionaire would come to the door and say, "Tomorrow at nine o'clock, I'm going to give fifty people in here a thousand dollars," no one could have faith. If he said, "I'm going to give one person in here a thousand dollars tomorrow," no one could have faith. You might be the one, and you might not be. The only way you could have faith is saying, "I will give every one of you a thousand dollars." Then we can all have faith. "Whosoever will, let him come," says the Scripture. It's on whosoever will; it's up to you if you come. The invitation is given.
Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
12 Now, we want to notice, these Greeks who came up to the worship, they had an enthusiasm that they wanted to see Jesus. And I believe that that is the desire of every heart of every person that ever heard His name: they want to see who that is. I know it's the desire of my heart. And I'm sure it's the desire of every heart that's here. "Sirs, we would see Jesus."
And he was taken... These Greeks were taken to Jesus by a minister by the name of Philip, who went and got Andrew, and they taken him to Jesus. Now, if their desire was to see Him and got to see Him. And our desire is to see Him, and the Bible said that He remains the same yesterday, today, and forever, then why can't we see Him?
John 12:21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
13 Now, in my city there was a little boy some time ago, who got all enthused in his Sunday school, and when he went home he said to his mommy, "Mommy, can anyone see this great God that they're telling us about?"
She said, "Ask your Sunday school teacher."
And she asked the teacher ... he did, rather, asked the lady teacher, and she said, "Ask the pastor."
And they asked the pastor, and the pastor said, "No, sonny, no one can see God and live."
Well, the little fellow, that did not satisfy his enthusiasm. So he used to fish up on the river with an old fisherman down there by the name of Wisehart, used to be a deacon in our church. And one day coming down the river, there'd come a storm. Been a dusty summer, and the water had washed all the leaves off, and the sun was setting in the west as the old fisherman and the little boy made their way down after running the net. And there was a rainbow came out. And as the old fisherman watched that rainbow, the little fellow noticed the tears begin to run down his bearded cheeks.
14 And the crystal tears dropping off of his white beard, kind of stirred the emotion of the little boy. So he ran from the stern of the boat up into the middle and fell down on the lap of the old fisherman and said, "Sir, I'm going to ask you something that seemingly no one can answer me."
And he said, "What is it, my lad?"
He said, "God is so great, the God that made that rainbow." Said, "Can anyone see God?"
And the old fisherman overcome by the child's enthusiasm, put him in his arms, and he said, "God bless your little heart, honey, all I've seen for forty years has been God." The way to see God is to get God on the inside, then He looks through your eyes [Gap in the audio]. Then you know Him, you can understand Him, He will reveal Himself.
15 Jesus said, "A little while and the world sees Me no more, yet ye shall see Me, for I will be with you, even in you, to the end of the world." Anyone who reads the Scriptures knows that's true. Then Jesus promised by His own Word that there would be people that would see Him until He came again at the end of the world. "A little while, and the world will see Me no more; yet ye shall see Me for I (a personal pronoun) will be with you, even in you, to the end of the world." Now, is that scripture right, or was He just teasing the disciples? If He was teasing, and joshing, and carrying on, then He wasn't the Son of God. That's either the truth, or it is not the truth.
And now, you say, "Well, Brother Branham, I believe that God lives in the flowers." So do I. But these Greeks wanted to see Jesus; they wanted to see Him. Now, He said, in the Scriptures, in the writings, that the works that I do, shall you do also. Now, to really justify this statement then, we would have to go back in the Scriptures and get what Jesus was yesterday, if we want to know what He will be today.
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 14:12 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.
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.
16 Now, I want to ask you, the audience tonight, would that not be a fair thing before Methodists, Baptists, Catholics, and Protestants and whatmore, each one saying, "My church believes it this way." "My church believes it this way." Which is perfectly all right. But if you really want to see what He was yesterday, so you'll know what He is today, is to go back in the Scripture and see what He was yesterday. Then we don't have the church's word, we have God's own Word about it.
Now, what He was yesterday, He has to remain the same today, or He isn't the same yesterday and today. Now, in His promise He said, "The works that I do shall you do also, more than this shall you do," I know the King James here says "greater," but you get the right original translation on it, it says "more." No, one could do greater; He stopped nature, raised the dead, healed the sick, done everything. You cannot do any greater, but God, the Holy Spirit, would be in the church universal, all around the world at one time. Just like all the ocean, water, that's the...
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.
17 God gave Jesus the Spirit without measure. In Him dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily. He was God manifested in the flesh. The Bible said that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. But when He give out His Spirit to we adopted sons, He gives us a bucketful out of that ocean. He had all the fullness of the Godhead; we just have a portion of it as a gift of the Holy Spirit.
But if I took one bucketful of water out of the ocean, or even a teaspoonful of it, out of the ocean, the same chemicals that's in the entire ocean, would be in that spoonful. Be just less in quantity, not less in quality. So the same Holy Spirit that was in Christ is in His church.
John 3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
18 Now, listen, to strengthen that for you. He said, "I am the vine; ye are the branches." Now, the vine does not bear fruit. The vine only purges the branch and the branch bears fruit. Therefore, the only way Jesus could speak tonight, would be through my lips or your lips, my hands or your hands, my life or your life. "I am the vine; ye are the branches." He doesn't bear fruit any more, He just purges His church and it bears fruit.
Now, what kind of a fruit would it bear? If the life that was in Him is in His church, it'll bear the same kind of life that He bore when He was here. Do you understand?
Notice, if you went to a grape vine, you'd expect to find grapes. And down south (I don't know whether you have it here.) we have pumpkins down there. And if you go to a pumpkin vine, you expect to get pumpkins, if it's a good fertile vine. Watermelons, you'd get watermelons off of a watermelon vine.
John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
19 And if we come to the vine, Christ, His church, what do we find? Fussing, stewing, arguments over theology, hatred, malice, strife. And we call that the works of God. The Scripture says that is not so. "This will all men when You're My disciples, when you've got love one for the other." The love of God in His church, making every member a part of Him. Then upon that rock and that foundation, He builds His church.
Notice, now lest to take too much of your time, hours could be spent on that, showing what He promised. But now the subject is: Is He the same today that He was then? Is He the same in every way, only a corporal body. Now, when His body comes, then we will go home with Him.
For His body has been raised up and set on the throne of God tonight to make intercessions on our confession. He is a Priest, High Priest of our confession: Hebrews 3:1. Then He's sitting there as a High Priest. And may I say this: There's no other mediator between God and man, but Jesus Christ; the Scripture says so. And He is the only One that stands between God and man to make intercession. And the Scripture says that He is the High Priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities.
John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Hebrews 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
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.
20 Now, let's go back and see what He was. I read from Saint John 12. Now, for you dear people here from the regions and the city around about, when you get home tonight, or in the morning, in the quietness of the day, you women, when your husband is at work, or you, sir, just before you go to bed tonight or tomorrow night, at your noon hour if you carry your Bible; turn over to Saint John 1, and let's find out what He was yesterday. Now, any of the scriptures will declare Him, but we're reading in Saint John 1.
After He was baptized in the Holy Spirit, God came and was made manifest, forty days in the wilderness, He came out, and He starts His ministry.
Now, I want to ask you a question, and I want you to answer me by your hands being lifted. If we can find out what He was yesterday, and He will come here tonight among you people and declare Himself the same today as He was yesterday, how many of you will receive Him? Let's see your hands. Go up in the air now, every believer, thank you. Let's watch what He was.
21 Now, the first place, the reason that this phenomenon is going on today, is because this is the ending of the Gentile church age. Now, any scholar knows that we're at the end. When Jesus was here in a body of flesh, He did not go to the Gentiles. And He forbid His disciples to go to the Gentiles. He said, "I was not sent to them; go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. And as you go, preach saying, 'The kingdom is at hand,'" and so forth. And He never visited the Gentiles, because there was a few thousand years' space to call the church out, through all nations.
But in St. John 1 we find that there was a man got saved, and quickly he went and got his brother. Now, that's a good sign that he got saved: he went and found his brother. And when he brought his brother to Him---Jesus... He was a fisherman. And the Bible said he was ignorant and unlearned. He could not even sign his own name.
And when he came in the presence of the Lord Jesus, Jesus said to him, "Your name is Simon, and your father's name is Jonas." What do you think that ignorant and unlearned fisherman thought when a man who had never seen him in his life, or neither had he ever seen this man; when he walked into His presence, told him who he was and who his father was? Has anybody ever read that in the Scripture? Sure. St. John the 1st chapter, about the 8th verse.
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:
Matthew 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
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.
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.
22 And this man looked at Him and he become a servant of the Lord Jesus; his name was called Cephas by the Lord Jesus later. And that was Saint Peter. The man who could not sign his own name, the man that was called ignorant and unlearned, had the keys to the kingdom give to his hands.
Now, you see what we've done with it? We've tried to educate the people to Christ. You just might as well forget it. There's no other program will do it, but the old-fashioned program: the new birth. Being born again is the only way that it'll ever be. We've tried to educate them; we have tried to make societies, and so forth, to bring the people to a brotherhood. And it separates them further away from God. And we become prejudiced, and build up denominational walls, and separate ourselves from the other brethren.
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.
23 But a real good old time case of the baptism of the Holy Spirit in your heart, it'll make you forget your pride. It'll make a tuxedo suit put his arms around a pair of overalls and call him brother. It'll make a silk dress put her arms around a calico, say, "Sister." It does something on the inside of you that goes beyond an intellectual conception; it's a birth of the spirit that lives in the human heart.
Now, as soon as He told that to Simon, he became His servant. Immediately then Philip got all enthused and he said he had another friend, and he went around the mountain, fifteen miles, to find his friend, Nathanael. Let's follow him just a few moments. And he goes in, and perhaps Mrs. Nathanael was at the house, and he said, "Where is Nathanael at?"
"Oh, he went out to the orchard just awhile ago."
Out in the orchard he goes, and there he finds Nathanael out there under a tree, as any good loyal person would be, praying. As a Christian gentleman, of course he wouldn't interrupt him when he was praying. After he got through, I can just see Nathanael raise up and say, "Well, if here ain't Philip."
Now watch him; he's got a message. Without receiving his introduction or anything, he said, "Come, see who we've found."
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.
24 I wonder what would take place if this little group of people here in this building tonight, would be that enthused about Jesus? I wonder what would take place if one of these little churches around here would get that enthused about Jesus, that always on your heart, your first is first and that's God. The first thing is Jesus. "Come, see who we've found, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph."
Oh, now you know, this here fellow Nathanael was orthodox, very straight, good fellow. And I can hear him say to Philip, "Now, wait just a minute, Philip. You must've went off on the deep end, of something. You mean to tell me that the Son of God would come out of Nazareth? That little group of people down there that's mean. If the Son of God, the Messiah, was here, He'd come to the temple. He would come to Jerusalem and not to Nazareth."
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.
25 I say this with love and respect, but that's the same way they think it today; they can't believe. Oh, you Catholics would say, "He'd come to the Vatican City; He'd let the pope know." And you Presbyterians would say, "Oh, He'd let the bishop know." And so forth, all of us. But God does things in His own way. And it's always contrary to the way the clergy has it figured out, always. You historians know that. Never in any age did the clergy have it right.
To you Catholic... To you Protestant first, what about Elijah? They didn't believe he went home on a chariot. They sent the little children down behind Elisha, saying, "You bald-head, why didn't you go up?" And the prophet cursed those children. And a curse come on them and two she bears killed forty-two little children.
2 Kings 2:23 And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
2 Kings 2:24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
26 How about Moses? When Jesus was here, He said ... the disciples said to Him, "Why do the Scribes say (the ministers), why do they say that Elijah must first come?"
He said, "He's already come, and you didn't know him." And they knew He spoke of John the Baptist.
Now, to you Catholics. What about Saint Patrick? Did the church recognize him? They thought he was a witch. But after he was dead, and the message had been given, then the church received him. What about Saint Francis of Assisi, a walking preacher with a Bible under his arm, who protested the Catholic church. When he went to preach down on the corner that day, the little birds was a hollering, he said, "Sisters, you stand still, keep still while I'm preaching." And they obeyed him. And after he was dead, now he's canonized as a saint in your church.
Matthew 17:10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
Matthew 17:12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.
Matthew 17:13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
Mark 9:11 And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?
Mark 9:13 But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.
27 How about Joan of Arc? Any school girl would know about her, a little girl who saw visions, and angels, and had revelation. And your church, the Catholic church burnt her to a stake, crying for mercy, calling her the same thing they called Jesus: Beelzebub, a witch. Joan of Arc was burnt as a witch to a stake by the Roman Catholic church, the French Catholic.
And about a hundred years later they found out she wasn't a witch; she was a saint. But God sent His message through, just the same. And they failed to see it. They didn't know who the Son of God was until He was dead, buried, and rose again. God's sovereign; He does His works. And the church must wake up here in these last days. It's such a pitiful thing.
28 A few weeks ago in my city, Louisville, there was a lady going around with a little baby in a ten cent store. And she was showing him things, saying, "Look, dear." And the little fellow stared. And she'd show something else, "Look, honey." And that little fellow kept staring. Directly she went through a counter that had a little trinket that rattled. And she shook it before him. And the little fellow just stared right out in space. And she fell across the counter exhausted and crying.
And some of the people went to her to see what was wrong. She said, "Not long ago he just took the way of staring, looking right straight ahead." Said, "He's a little human being, and he ought to notice things that pertains to this human life. The doctor told me a while ago, he was better." But said, "He's not."
And I wonder if that isn't just about the way with the church today. God is shaking every kind of a gift in front of the church, and it just sits and stares, say, "Well, I suppose that's pretty good; if it'd been in my denomination, we might've accepted it."
Don't you see? Spiritually, instead of mentally, paralyzed the church sits. There's been Billy Grahams; there's been Oral Roberts, there's been great men, Jack Schullers, and whatmore, in the last few years that's combed to these nations. And still they just ... the church just sits, "Well, I'm this, or my church..." You get those ideas.
29 And Nathanael had the same idea, said, "Now just a minute, if there's anything good could come out of Nazareth, it wouldn't be the Son of God; He'd come to the high priest."
And I think Philip give him the best answer that anybody could give him; he said, "Come and see." Now that's sensible, logical, correctly: "Come and see for yourself; don't stay home. Come out and find out for yourself. Come and see."
And I tell you what ... [Gap in the audio.] and besides that, He told him who his daddy was and what his name was."
"Oh, now just a minute," Nathanael would say to Philip, "Philip, I believe you went off on the deep end."
"You come find out for yourself."
John 1:46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
30 They came up into the crowd where Jesus was. Maybe they were out in the audience, or maybe they were in the prayer line. When Jesus saw him for the first time, He said, "Behold, an Israelite in whom there is no guile."
Now, remember, the first of His ministry, here He's introduced Himself to the Jewish generation in this manner. "Behold an Israelite in whom is no guile."
Well now, you say, "The way he was dressed." No, he could've been an Arab; he could've been a Greek, most any nation. All the orients dress the same. Said, "Behold, an Israelite (How did He know he was a Israelite?) in whom there is no guile."
And when He said that, it astonished him so much, he said, "Rabbi, when did You know me? I've never saw You, and You've never saw me. When did You know me?"
He said, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the tree, I saw you."
How many knows the Scripture says that? That was Jesus yesterday; that's the way He made Himself known to the Jews.
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.
31 Now, oh, there were those who stood by, which was of the great high churches, the orthodox; you know what they said in their heart? They said, "This man is a fortuneteller. He is a Beelzebub. He reads their minds." They said that in their heart, and Jesus perceived their thoughts.
And He said... Listen to what He said, "Verily, I say unto you, you speak that against Me, the Son of man, I'll forgive you for it. But when the Holy Ghost is come to do the same thing, one word against it will never be forgiven in this world, nor in the world that is to come." How many knows the Scripture says that? Then where do we stand tonight if He declares Himself by the Holy Ghost, that He's just the same?
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 12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
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 11:17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.
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.
32 A few days later we find Him in Saint John the 4th chapter, just before closing. And we find Him in the 4th chapter of Saint John. Now He did not go to the Gentiles. He did not perform that sign one time to the Gentiles, just to the Jews. But here He is in front of the Samaritan. And He sends His disciples away, because He was tired and He sat down. In a little panoramic, something like this here, where there's a... If you've ever been there, the well's still there, just outside the gate of Samaria. Jacob dug it.
And it was about noontime, and the disciples went into the city to buy some food. And while they were gone, Jesus resting, because He did the preaching, and the healing of the sick, and so forth. He was tired and weary. And the Father, no doubt, had told Him to go there, because in Saint John 5:19, He was questioned over a healing of a man, and He said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing in Himself, but what He sees the Father doing." How many ever read that? Saint John 5.
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.
33 Then Jesus never performed one miracle until God showed Him by a vision what to do first. There it is, Saint John 5:19, "I do nothing in Myself, but what I see the Father doing. The Father worketh and I work hitherto." That's what He said.
Now, here He is, the Father had sent Him up there to Samaria, and the disciples was gone into the city. And let's think she was a beautiful young woman. She comes out, though she was ill famed. She came out to get some water. And when she started to let the pot down...
If you was ever in the orient, they can pack them on their head and on their hips. And the women all go out there, and they got a windle; and they drop this little hook around it, and let it down and get a jug full of water, and set one on top their head, and one each hip. And walk right along talking, just like ladies can, and never spill a drop of water. That big jug of two or three gallons sitting on top their head and one on each hip. And they just walk right along talking.
John 5:17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
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.
34 And this woman come out to get her water perhaps. If you know, she was a woman of ill fame, so she couldn't come there when the rest of the women were there. They didn't mix up together like they do today.
And when she came out to get the water, she looked over there and there sat a Jew, a man that was only thirty-two years old, but He looked like He was fifty. Saint John 6, when He said, in there they said, "You say you were greater then Abraham? And you're a man not fifty years old yet? We know now you got a devil."
And He said, "Before Abraham was, I AM." And that I AM was a pillar of fire in the burning bush (You know that?) the Angel of the covenant. And when He was here on earth, He said, "I came from God, and I go back to God." Is that right? Then that pillar of fire, the Angel of the covenant that Moses forsook Egypt esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. Then when He was made flesh and dwelt in a body here, He said, "I come from God and I go to God." Is that right?
And after His death, burial and resurrection, Paul was on his road down to Damascus to arrest those people who were making so much noise. And something struck him down: A pillar of fire standing there that blinded him. And He said, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?"
He said, "Who are You?"
He said, "I'm Jesus." Returned back to the Father again, the pillar of fire. That's the Scripture.
Later He came into the prison when they was having a prayer meeting at John Mark's house, and opened the doors before the apostle Peter and set him free.
John 8:57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
John 16:28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
Acts 9:4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Acts 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Acts 12:7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
Acts 12:12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
35 And pardon this if it seems like it's personal. On this picture tonight, you see (not mine) but you see the same pillar of fire, that George J. Lacy, the head of the FBI said so. Only photographed supernatural being was ever proved, hangs in Washington DC in the Religious Hall of Art with George J. Lacy's name signed to it: the only supernatural being was ever photographed. Germany's got it now, when they taken it last year.
If it is, it'll perform the same things that it did back there. Because it's the vine, and if it's connected in the branches, it'll bring forth the same power, and the same presence, and the same works. Got to, for He's the same.
36 Now, watch its works and see if it's Him or not. Judge it by the fruit it bears. If it's the same Spirit, then it'll do the same thing. "The works that I do shall you also."
And here He is sitting at the well, and this woman was standing there, and He said, "Woman, bring me a drink."
And she said, "We got segregation here. It's not customary for you Jews to ask Samaritans such. I'm a Samaritan woman."
He said, "But woman, if you knew who you were talking to, you'd ask me for a drink."
And she said, "Do You say that... The well's deep and You have nothing to draw with. And You're greater than our father Jacob who dug the well, and his cattle drank," and so forth.
What was He doing? Contacting her spirit. And as soon as He found where her trouble was, He said, "Go, get your husband and come here."
She said, "Sir, I don't have any husband."
He said, "That's right; you've had five and the one you're living with is not yours."
John 4:7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
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.
John 4:11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
John 4:12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
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.
37 Now, what did she say? "You are Beelzebub. You have a mental telepathy. You are a fortuneteller." No, she knowed more about the Gospel than half the preachers in the United States, being a prostitute. She knowed more about it than the educated priests and rabbis of her day. Watch what this prostitute woman done. She looked Him straight in the face and she said, "Sir, I perceive that You're a prophet. We know when the Messiah cometh, He will do these things." Is that the sign of the Messiah? "When the Messiah cometh, we know, we Samaritans, we know this will be the sign of the Messiah. When He comes, He will do these things. But who are You?"
Jesus said, "I am He that speaks with you."
If that was the sign of the Messiah yesterday, it's got to be the same today, if He remains the same, declaring Himself. There's both Jew and Samaritan He declared Himself.
What did she do? She ran into the city and said, "Come, see a man told me the things that I've done. Isn't this the very Messiah?"
What would we Christians think about it tonight if He did that? Just wondering. She will probably raise in the day of judgment and condemn many scholars, and preachers, and priests today. She recognized it. And she said, "Come, see a man who told me the things I've done. Isn't this the Messiah?"
And out come the men; and when they heard Him, they were persuaded that was the Messiah.
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?
38 Now, notice, He did that sign to the Jew, to prove to the Jew, to get the elected and seal to the doom the priests and rabbis, and the unbeliever. Philip, all the rest of them believed Him.
And then, when He made Himself known to the Samaritans, He did the same things. But not one time did He ever do it before a Gentile, and forbid it to be done. Why? Two thousand years is come now for the Gentiles to get the training and teaching. But in the end of the Jewish dispensation, before they met chaos... If He declared Himself that way to the Jews to prove He was Messiah, and He acted that way to prove it, He's got to act the same thing at the close of the Gentiles, or He isn't the same yesterday, today, and forever. You understand? Raise up your hands if you do. You understand that's true. He must do it.
He couldn't act to the Jews, to declare Himself that way to the Jew, to both... There's only three races of people; that's Jew, Samaritan, and Gentile; Ham, Shem, and Japheth's people, the three sons of Noah. That's all there is. So to Ham and to Japheth's people ... or, Shem's people, rather, He's already declared Himself and left the Gentiles to this age, and right in the closing of it. When the sputniks is in the skies and the handwriting's on the wall, and nations are trembling, here He is among us having His picture taken.
39 The scientific world stands speechless on it. "No, one can come," He said, "except My Father draws him first." Jesus didn't die to save the entire world; He wanted to, but He died to save those who God by foreknowledge knew would be saved. Not all men will come to Him.
God takes His man but never his Spirit. The devil takes his unbeliever but never the spirit; it remains on in others. And those two spirits are battling it out right now. And He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
One more quotation if you'll spare it just a moment. So that you people with just one night and you won't have all your chance to get up in the prayer line. Now, listen closely as I close.
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.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
40 I have read to you, and quoted to you out of God's eternal Word. And Jesus said... How many knows that Jesus claimed not to be a healer? You don't believe that? The Bible said, Jesus said Himself, "It's not Me that doeth the works; it's My Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the work." Saint John 5:19, He went to a great big place where there was ten times as many crippled and blind, afflicted people, that's sitting in this building tonight, at the beautiful gate of the pool. Lame, halt, blind, withered; and here He comes through that crowd, looking around, until He found a man laying on a pallet. And He said, "Wilt thou be made whole?"
Why didn't He say it to the lame or blind man? And he said, "I have no one to put me in the water, Sir, when I'm coming..." He could walk. He'd had it thirty-eight years; it wasn't going to kill him; it was retarded. He said, "When I'm coming towards the water, someone else steps ahead of me."
He said, "Take up your bed and go on." There he went.
John 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
John 5:7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
John 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
John 5:10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
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.
41 And the Rabbis and priests picked him up. So Jesus was brought to question. He said, "Verily, verily, I say unto..."
In other wise, "Why don't You heal all the rest of them? Why don't You do this? Why did You do this on the Sabbath?"
He said, "Verily, verily (that's absolutely, absolutely), I say unto you, The Son can do nothing in Himself, but what He sees the Father doing."
The Father showed Him that man was there and in that condition. Same thing He did the woman at the well, same thing He did at Philip, on back. That was God working through His Son. Now, tonight, God's universal in all of His church as the vine and we are the branches.
John 5:16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
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.
42 Now, there was a woman one time who couldn't get to Him. And she said within herself, "If I can touch that man's garment, I will be made well."
And she pressed through the crowd, through her priest, till she got to where He was. And everybody patting Him on the back, "Rabbi, we're glad to have You over here." He was on His way to raise up Jairus' daughter. And this little woman just touched His garment. Now, if you've ever seen the Palestinian garment, it hangs loose, and it's got an underneath garment. He couldn't have felt that physically. She touched His garment, and she went off and sat down, or stood up, wherever it was, out in the audience. Jesus stopped and said, "Who touched Me? Who touched Me?"
And Peter, looking at it the way a man would look today, he rebuked Him and said, "Why, do You say who touched You? Everybody's touching You."
He said, "But I've gotten weak. Virtue's gone from Me." Somebody's touched with a different kind of a touch, other wise. That's the touch we're talking about, not the intellectual conception, but something that comes from here that really touches.
Matthew 9:21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
Mark 5:28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
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?
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.
43 "Oh, sure, I touched Him; I put my name on the church book; I joined the church; I was baptized; I..." That's a touch all right, but that ain't the touch that He feels.
"Who touched Me?" Nobody said nothing. He looked out into the audience till He found the little woman, and He told her what had happened, her troubles was a blood issue; and said, "Your faith has saved you."
Brother, sister, if I never meet you again, until it's at the judgment seat of Christ, where the deeds that's done in the body shall be made manifest, let me ask you this question, you answer me sanely: If He's a High Priest today that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities, wouldn't He have to act in the same manner that He did then, if He is the same? Wouldn't He? If you could sit in that audience and would...
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 5:34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
Luke 8:48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
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.
44 The Bible says... How many ministers here knows that? That the New Testament, the book of Hebrews said that He's our High Priest now, that can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; you ministers raise up your hand. See. Clergymen, your pastor knows that. What is He? A High Priest that can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities.
Then if He remains the same yesterday, today, and forever, how would He answer? The same as He did yesterday. You touch Him tonight, say, "Lord God, I won't be in that prayer line; I have no prayer card; so I won't be called up there, but oh, God, let me touch You." See what He does. See if He don't work... If you're a part of the vine yourself, and His Spirit here, He will speak right back to you, using a gift to manifest and prove that He's just the same that He ever was, no matter where you are. Just take God at His Word tonight and believe it with all your heart and God will make it manifest. If He will do such in the presence of you---I don't say that He will---if He will do such, I trust that you'll believe Him and accept Him.
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.
45 And remember now, as we're closing. This is the end of the Gentile age. Never in history has it been until now; this is the end time. We've had Mr. Billy Graham, a great spirit like John the Baptist that went forth doing no miracles.
How many ministers here knows that history, church history, and prophecy repeats itself at least once or twice? True. You take Matthew 3. "Out of Egypt I call My Son." Refer that back and see if it wasn't Jacob. That was His son too, see. History repeats itself.
And there went a great spirit, just in His first coming. There went a great spirit before the destruction of the Jews, in the form of John the Baptist, who did no miracles at all but was a mighty preacher. Following him came a spirit that did not be a forceful preacher, but just signs and wonders begin to take place everywhere---just at the closing of the age. This is the closing of the Gentile age. Let us pray.
Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
Matthew 2:15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
John 10:41 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.
46 Lord God, it is so hard, Lord, to try to speak all that's in your heart in one little chopped-up message, knowing that there may be people here, that we'll never see each other's face again until we meet at that day yonder at Your feet.
O God, let us act tonight as real Christians, as real sons and daughters of God. Give us faith to believe Your Word and stand, when we read in the days of yore, when men and women who was entirely back, back, and even those like Nicodemus, who slipped around. But, oh, how we admire that one who stepped right out and took His position.
God, I pray tonight that You will do that to every one in here, give them such a blessing of the moving of the Spirit, that every person in here will take their position as real believers. Grant it, Lord.
Heal the sick and afflicted. And we are taught in the Scriptures that when one day, the first day after You rose from the dead, on that first Easter morning. There were two men by the name ... one of them, name we cannot tell, and the other was Cleopas, and they were on their way down to another little city called Emmaus. And as they went along talking about the Scripture, and about You, You stepped right out of the bush and walked with them all day long. And they didn't realize who You were.
Luke 24:15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
Luke 24:16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
47 And, Father, I'm sure tonight that these people can understand that we're just trying to speak the Word of God, the things that He has promised. And You spoke to them that day about the Word. And when they got to the little inn, at the evening, they bid You come in. And when You got inside and closed the door, You did something just like You used to do before You were crucified. And by that they knew that You'd raised again from the dead. Quickly, they run to their brethren and said, "Truly the Lord Jesus is raised from the dead. Did not our hearts burn within us as He talked to us along the road."
God, may that be the testimony of these people tonight, that's going back down in to the city, different places. Come, Jesus, and speak to our hearts and do something here tonight, that men and women, boys and girls, might know that after reading it from the Bible, the way You acted back there in that day, and claimed You're the same today; act in Your church tonight the same, Father, that the people might say on their road home tonight, "Did not our hearts burn within us as He spake to us in the way." Grant it, Lord, and praise shall be Thine, in the name of Thy Son, Jesus, Amen.
Luke 24:30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
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?
Luke 24:34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
48 Now, this is the moment when I'm going to ask, if you have to leave for the next fifteen to twenty minutes, you should go now. I don't want moving around while the Holy Spirit, if He comes to act. You see, you must be perfectly reverent, and watch, and listen. So if you're going to leave, I would do it now, so you won't interrupt the meeting. They take me from the meeting when there's interruptions.
And now, if you're a critic, or you're an unbeliever, I would not stay in this type of meeting while this is going on, because any Bible reader knows, that evil spirits go from one to another. Let's leave it at that. So it's not playing church.
Here a few nights ago, you'd a heard of Ananias and Sapphira, if it hadn't been for the mercies of God. And how many times have you people heard, and it's read in the services, how things take place like that, at any time in the meeting. So be real reverent, quiet, be seated, loving, be in prayer.
49 Now, I believe... Did you say what prayer cards? A hundred, did you give out? What? Y's a 100. All right, we can't bring them all up at once; I would ask them for prayer card Y-1, 2, 3, 4, 5, let them come first. Can we bring them through this way, sir? Who has prayer card Y-number-1? Would you raise your hand? If you can get up, now if you can't, someone will pack you. Prayer card... Turn it over; it's a little bitty square card with a number and a letter. Do you have that, lady? Y-number-1? Y, like Y-O-U? Y-number-1, raise your hand, wherever you are. In the middle, the young woman there, come over here, sister.
Y-number-2, would you raise up your hand? Look at your neighbor's card; he may be deaf, dumb, and can neither speak or hear. You got number 2? Come right here, lady. Number 3? Prayer card number 3, would you raise your hand, please? Would you come over here, lady? Number 4, just raise up your hand quickly so we can see where we're at. Number 4? Prayer card, way up in the balcony, all right. Number 4 come right on down, prayer card number 4. Number 5? Now, the boys come down and mix these cards all up, and just give them to you, and that's the way we have them. Number 5? Anybody got prayer card 5? Shake your hand, or wave your hand so we know. All right. Six, prayer card 6 raise your hand, all right, lady, that's right. Number 7, number 7, 8, now watch now, so that nobody, somebody might be crippled and when it is you have to pack them up. You see, if it's somebody deaf and dumb... Eight, 9, 10, 9, 10. All right. Eleven, 12, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Good. All right.
50 All right. Now, while they're coming, let me speak to you again... This other way, lady, if you will, right around here, come on this way, form the line. All right, while I'm speaking, and they're lining up, just for a moment.
Now, I'm going to ask that everyone be just as reverent and quiet as you can. Now, I know that many times, God blesses the people, and they scream out; that's perfectly all right. I'm a southerner; I'm used to that, see. That's doesn't bother.
But now don't take any pictures that a light flash or anything, just be reverent. Because the Holy Spirit is a light. How many knows that, knows by the Scripture it is a light?
Now, how many in here that does not have a prayer card, anywhere in the building, no matter where you are? You do not have a prayer card, yet you want Jesus to heal you, raise up your hand. Say, "I want Jesus to heal me," raise your hand please, so I can just kind of get a general conception. All right, that's very fine. All right, now be real reverent.
51 Now, the thing... If you don't get up here on the platform, you just look up to Christ and say, "Lord Jesus, if this man has told me the truth, which I believe he has, then You speak to me." Don't try to press yourself now; just relax and say, "Lord, I confess my sins; all that I've done wrong, forgive me for it, and heal me, dear God. Grant this. See how merciful God is.
Now, everyone in here, as far as I know, is a total stranger to me, so that people that might be sitting by. The only persons that I know in this building is Mr. Sweet, Dr. Vayle, and my boy---I think I see him standing back there in the dark; I'm not sure. That's the only ones that I know.
How many in here's strange to me? Raise up your hands, I don't know you, know noth... in the prayer line the same way. Now, all right.
52 Now, we're going to either find the Word to be the truth or it's not the truth. We ... to be telling the truth or not the truth. God only deals with truth, we know that. A person can profess anything they wish to, but if God don't back it up, and say it's the truth, then it's wrong. I claim that His Word is the same, and He remains the same, and can never be nothing else but the same God. And have to act the same way that He has always did. And if He will do that...
Here on the platform out through the audience, and declare Himself the risen Jesus, if you all will love Him and believe Him, say "Amen" to Him. God bless you.
53 Now, after speaking, I'm sure you realize where I'm standing, what a position I'm in. And God, who is my solemn Judge knows, this woman, or any of you people who I haven't called in the prayer line or something, I do not know you. Then something's got to act now, or the Scripture is wrong, because I've read these things out of the Scriptures, which is a promise of God. You believe that's the truth, say "Amen." It's a promise of God. He promised He'd do it. He don't have to do it, but He has to do it in the way of saying He promised He'd do it. That's what He does.
He didn't have to heal when He was here was on earth, but He did it that it might be fulfilled. That's what He's doing today. To end up the Gentile age, return to the Jews, the church goes home, destruction comes to the world; there's your annihilation and gone. And you see, only thing would take to happen tonight, is a few drinks of vodka; it's already trained, see. Nothing you can do about it. Course we got the same thing to shoot back that way. What does it do? Throw the world from her orbit, just like the Bible says, and away she goes.
54 You remember what Jesus said, "As it was in the days of Lot, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man." Anybody ever read that, say "Amen." What was it? Before Lot was destroyed ... or, Sodom was destroyed, there was an Angel come to the elected, which was Abraham; is that right?
And when He did, He sat down with His back turned to the tent, and He said to Sarah ... or, said to Abraham, "According to the time of life, I'm going to visit you. Sarah's going to have this baby that you've waited for, for twenty-five years."
And Sarah back in the tent, behind the tent, behind the Angel, smiled. And the Angel said, "Why did Sarah laugh?" How many ever read that? "Why did Sarah laugh?" What was He? A fortuneteller, telepathy? Remember, that Angel had the last message that Sodom received before she was destroyed. "As it was," said Jesus, "in the days of Sodom."
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 18:13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
Luke 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
Luke 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
55 Now, remember, it's the presence of the Angel of God, the Holy Ghost, that's here today with every scientific and sign and wonder, that He's ever promised to fulfill to you people. You Christians should be happy.
Now, I turn to the woman. Now, lady, you and I being strange to each other, and this is our first time meeting... I'm years older than you, and this is our first time of ever meeting. But this to the audience, when you read Saint John 4, look at this, exactly the same thing. Our Lord met a woman that He'd never seen before in His life. And as at a little panoramic, as I said a while ago, like this. Now, here she is, and He found where her trouble was, and told her what her trouble was. And she said, "This is the Messiah."
Now, me not knowing you, my sister, I don't know whether you're a Christian, whether you're a infidel, what your life is, what it's been; I don't know; I have no way of knowing. I don't know nothing about you. But it's something the supernatural powers of God, through this Angel here, will come and... If I said to you, "Lady, you're sick; you're going to get well. Go ahead." You'd just have my word. That's all you'd know about. Which, that could be all right.
56 But if He comes and tells you something back in your life, you'll know whether that's the truth or not. You be the judge of that. So if He knows what has been, He certainly would know... If He could tell you what was, you'd have confidence to know that what He says will be, will be. Correct? Because it would be God. Would you believe it to be Him? Jesus? You would believe it? May the Lord grant it, is my prayer.
Now, as the audience waits reverently, and you are a reverent group of people, here is the hour. Now, if you ... if the woman, honestly in her heart, she knows that something's going on. She could not feel the way she feels now, standing before a man. I'd be a man just like your father, brother, husband. But there's something that just begin happening, a real humble, sweet, feeling coming to you. That is right. If that's right, raise up your hand, see. This Angel, you see His picture, between you and I, is this real light.
57 The woman is not standing here for herself, she's standing here for somebody else. Nothing wrong with the woman, outside of nervousness. She's a nervous type of person that worries about things, crossing bridges before you get to them. But you're here for somebody else. That's true.
If the Lord God will reveal to me what you're here for, would you believe Him to be the Messiah? And will go tell others the Messiah still lives? You will? You believe the little eye will come straight, of the child? Crooked eye, crossed, you believe that He will make it well? You will believe it? You got something else on your heart too, haven't you, besides that child? It's your mother; she's dying; she's got cancer. That is true. And you're worried about her salvation, because she's Catholic. That is true. Don't worry, have faith. Send her that handkerchief; don't doubt, you can have what you ask for. God bless you; go, and believe now and receive. God bless you, sister.
58 Do you believe? Now, ask the woman; she may ... you'd know her. Real reverent now, please. Do you realize, minister brothers, that the Christ that you and I have stood for, me as a Baptist preacher for twenty-seven years in the ministry, that's His presence here now to confirm just exac... How many knows that's just the way He did when He was here on earth? Let's see you raise your hands, you people anywhere. The Bible, that's what God's Word says.
Then, if this is the pillar of fire that led the children of Israel, if it is the One that was here on earth and said, "The works that I do shall you also when I'm gone... I will be with you, even in you." That same vine would bear the same fruit, would it not? Well, here it is, doing the same thing. Don't disbelieve. Everyone of you, right now, should believe.
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.
59 We are strangers to each other, I suppose, lady? The first time ever meeting in life... If I could help you and wouldn't do it, I'd be a cruel person. But I got an old mother home tonight, and I love her. And I left family, mother, and all, to come here to try to help, to make life a little more pleasant to people, and do all that I could as His servant. If the Lord God would tell me what you're here for, would you believe me? And believe it was Him doing it? Would the audience believe it?
The lady, she suffers with a nervous condition. She has heart trouble, and she's got varicose veins. That's exactly the truth. You believe now? You say, "Mr. Branham, you guessed that." I did not. God knows that. Let's speak to her a little farther. You doubt it? May the Lord grant it.
60 Yes, there's somebody else here that's in need too; that's your husband. He's dying, must die right away if God doesn't help him. He's got leukemia; that's cancer of the blood stream. That's right; that's right. Your name is Mrs. Hartford. Your name is Rose and his is Robert. That's the truth. Go on your road, believe God and live, lady. Believe God, Jesus Christ who's present. You know that's Him here? Well, accept Him now as your healer for both. You go on your road and may the Lord God richly bless you, my sister.
Do you believe? Have faith. Don't doubt. Now, just believe, in the audience.
We're strangers to each other, I suppose, lady. First time we've met. Now, if you're sick, I couldn't do nothing about it because I'm just a man. But God can do something about it. Now, if Jesus was standing here with this suit on. If you'd say, "Lord Jesus, heal me."
He'd say, "I've already done it." See, healing is something like salvation; it's past. "He was wounded for our transgressions, with His stripes we were healed." It's already finished in the atonement. We just believe it.
Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
61 There's nothing I could do, see. He's already did. It's your faith that... Now, He might tell you something to make you believe that He was the Messiah. And then by that you'd believe that the atonement was right. And here's what He promised He'd do, work by [unclear words]. You are a believer---Christian believer. You could have been a infidel, critic, but you're not.
Same thing with this woman sitting right down the end of the seat. Exact... demon power. This woman's suffering from a real strenuous condition; it's exactly right. Nervous, and you're always scared. You got heart trouble; that's right. And you're nervous and got a scary condition. Then you're scared too; you've had something happen to you here some time ago, you had a knot taken, or a growth off from the head, and it's coming back again.
That little lady sitting there is suffering with a mental nervousness. That's right. That's right, young lady. You believe that God will make you well too? Yes, you believe it? You do? Raise up your hand if you believe it. You're both healed. Go on your road rejoicing. Jesus Christ makes you well. Don't fear about it no more; it's all over now, go home. He was just lying, the demon was, but he's gone from you now. Just go believing, having faith.
Do you love Him? He's the great Alpha and the Omega.
62 Now, something else happened just then. Be real reverent, please. There's a lady sitting next to the end there with her hands up like this. She's suffering with eye trouble; she's got trouble with her eyes. And she's got heart trouble also. You were praying, wasn't you, lady? The lady sitting right there next to the man that turned around and looked at his wife. Raise up your hand, lady. That's true. I don't know you, do I, lady? I'm a stranger to you. Do you believe now that you're going to be all right? All right. Go home, forget about it. Give God praise. Your faith makes you well.
I challenge you to believe it. Watch, be reverent now. Don't move around.
63 Lady, are we strangers to each other? You're worried, upset. Oh, it's about this lad. That's what you got him here for; you just brought him here. That is true. If the Lord our God will reveal to me what you're so worried about this lad, will you accept it and believe it comes from the Lord our God? The boy's up for an operation, and the doctor says there's a growth around his heart that must be taken out. That's true, isn't it? And you're worried about it. If God is here and knows about the child, is He interested in him? Will you accept him as your child to live, and you'll raise him for the glory of God? Let us pray.
Dear God, I claim the life of this child, through Jesus Christ. May he be well. May the mother be blessed. And may the community be blessed. For we ask this in the blessed name of the Lord Jesus. Amen. Don't worry now, have faith, sonny boy; you'll be all right.
64 Come, lady. I do not know you. The Lord God does know you. If He will reveal to me what your trouble is, will you accept Him as your healer? Be real reverent. You're suffering with a stomach trouble and a liver trouble; the liver's really causing it, draining out the gall into the stomach and throwing it into a spasm. That's right. And I see you doing something trying to take... Oh, you haven't got any taste, you've lost your sense of taste. You don't have any taste or any smell, either one. That's true. You believe you have it now? Go ahead. That's right. God bless you.
There's many in this building is suffering with the same thing you are. But God lives in the heart. Do you believe He can heal heart trouble and make you well? You believe it? Let us pray.
Lord God, spare this woman for Your glory as I ask in Jesus' name, Amen. Don't you fear. Go believing it now, with all your heart, don't doubt.
You had the same thing, so just keep moving, believing God.
65 Are you believing, out in the audience? Please, now be just as reverent as you can. Reverent, please, everyone.
Do you believe God would heal you of that arthritis, sitting there, sir, and make you well? The elderly gentleman sitting there with the little coat on, you believe that God will make you well? You do? Say, you that touched him then. You're a fine man. You believe your leg trouble will get all right? Your name is Mr. Young. Now you can go home and be well. That is true, wasn't it? All right. That was just something to slip up so that I could catch you. I could see it was you believing to begin with.
Are you believing?
The lady, sitting down here, the second lady, kind of heavy set, suffering with high blood pressure, looking right at me in the first row there, you believe the Lord God makes you well, sister? You believe it? Could you accept it as your healing? Raise your hand if you accept it. That's right. Wave your handkerchief way up high, don't be ashamed. With faith like that, you could touch God. Have faith.
66 Way down at the end of the row, sitting there between two men, the lady with high blood pressure, the second row back, the end. Do you believe that Jesus Christ will heal you of your high blood pressure? It happened to be ... I seen a streak leave this lady and go to you; that's the reason I know that you can be healed, if you want to accept it.
I challenge your faith. Here's a dear soul sitting here, right back there behind. Sitting there with that little black hat on, got trouble with your head, she's praying about it. That is right, isn't it, sister? Right here, the little lady with the black hat on and glasses. You're having trouble with your head. But you don't feel it now, do you? You were healed just then.
The lady sitting next to you looks like... You believe, lady? I just want to contact your spirit. Lay your hand over on the lady next to you there. The lady that was just healed, lay your hand on the next lady. Yes. You believe the Lord God will heal you, lady? You have complications, many things wrong with you, such as diabetes, for one; heart trouble, for another. That's right. If that's right, raise your hand. All right, go home and believe it to be over, it will leave.
67 That infection, the little lady sitting below you there, do you believe you'll be healed of that infection, lady? You do, the little lady there? Mrs. Hunter from Caribou, raise up. I don't know you, do I, lady? I've never seen you, have I? I know my voice is rebounding. We are strangers to one another; if we are, raise up your hand. That's right. Are those things right which was said? All right, go back home and be well; Jesus Christ healed you.
What do you think about it, lady? Do you believe that you're healed now? Go on your road rejoicing; that's the way to do it. Amen.
Nervous trouble which caused your heart to flutter, and so forth. That's right. Really, which is an indigestion. There's a lot of that in here. How many suffer... (Let me show you.) How many in here suffer with nervous trouble? Raise your hands just a minute. See, how you going to call that? See, it's just everywhere. All you with nervous trouble, stand up to your feet. Stand up to your feet if want to accept Christ right now. (Listen, stand right over here just a moment, please.)
68 Come here, lady ... or, that man. Come here, sir; I don't know you, do I? We're strangers? Now, so that the people knows it's not reading your mind, lay your hand on mine. If God will reveal to me this way what's your trouble, will you accept it? You will? Stomach trouble. Raise up your hand if that's right.
Every person with stomach trouble stand to your feet. All over the building, stand to your feet, with stomach trouble. Stand right here a minute, sir. You'll see the glory of God. If thou canst believe.
Back trouble, stand right back there. All with back trouble get up to your feet. I don't care how long you've been paralyzed, only thing now, stand up to your feet. You can see the glory of God.
Are you believing that His presence is here? Do you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is present? If you are, raise up your hands, everybody in the building. Stand up to your feet, each one of you, then; stand up, every one. I don't care if you couldn't get up a few minutes ago, you can now. Raise up. There you are.
69 In the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, I claim that Christ died for you at Calvary, which forgave your sins and healed your sickness. His presence who is here now, to claim that He has raised from the dead, has declared with infallible proofs, that He remains today and cannot die. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever.
All that believe that, raise your hands. The Bible said it promised that He would be here in these days to do these things. He said, "These signs shall follow them that believe." How many is a believer? "They shall lay their hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Put your hands on somebody next to you, if you're a believer. "These signs shall follow them that believe." That's what the Scripture says.
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;
Mark 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
70 There you are, in a perfect unity of Spirit, perfect unity, with hands laid on you, perfect unity with the Holy Ghost, perfect unity with the power of God, perfect unity in the Scripture, then it's got to be over. Let us bow our heads while we all offer prayer to God.
Lord God, we thank You for Your great presence, the Holy Ghost that's now here to take over and to rule every sickness from this building.
Oh, Satan, you have lost the battle, you deceived the people down through the ages, but the hour has come, for you are exposed. Come out of these people, sickness; I charge you by the name of Jesus Christ, who is here to defeat you and has defeated you. Leave this audience. In the name of Jesus Christ, come out of the people.
All that accept God as your healer, Christ as your healer, raise your hands to Him. Amen. Give us a chord of "I Will Praise Him." Everyone now, just shut yourself in, and let's worship Him. All right.
I will praise Him (All together now.),
I will praise Him,
Praise the Lamb for sinners slain;
Give Him glory all ye people,
For His blood has washed away each stain.
Can you realize His presence? Let's raise our hands as we're singing.
I will praise (Remember, worship Him; you're
in His presence.) I will praise Him,
Praise the Lamb... (That's it.)
Give Him glory all ye people,
For His blood has washed away each stain.