Be not afraid, it is I
You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net
1 I have been called an extremist, so I suppose I am by my travel too. I think the last time I was here at Lakeport, it was too cold. I will hit it right one time if I just keep trying. In the midst of all this, I am more than delighted to say I'm happy to be here at Lakeport again tonight.
Since I heard that I was coming, why, I've looked forward to this time. Small city, way back here in the mountain, but some of the nicest people I ever met in my life; just good, what I call right down-to-earth people. And to have fellowship like that, with such people, makes you feel real good.
Brother Folk was just telling me,
2 last evening when I come in, why, I was... First motel I came to, why, I thought, "This is the place I'm to stay." And so, I went in, and sure enough it was. And I signed a little card there that I'd be staying there.
And when I got up this morning, I thought, "Well, I better go down and see what this place is worth." When I heard what it was worth, I changed places right then.
And Brother Folk was telling me, said, "But we want you to be comfortable."
I said, "Brother, with a price like that, I'd rather camp out under a cedar tree out here."
Yes, sir. No matter, if the church ... if people are willing to pay it. It's not Christian to do such things as that. No, sir. I'd rather have a little place that's just clean and that's all that's necessary, than take something the church has to pay something like that. No, I don't like that ... as Christian Businessmen, rather.
I want to greet them, and say I'm certainly happy that... Thankful that the Lord has given me favor with them that they'd invite me back. This is kind of a little coincidence, I suppose. I'm supposed to be in Germany now. And under difficult, I couldn't get away to go overseas, so I had to take this month and next for the services. And I just come out here to visit you fine people here, to pray for the sick, and to minister, and see if I can get someone to accept our lovely Lord Jesus.
3 Just had a vision ... or something happened to me a few weeks ago. Maybe a little later in the service I can tell you about it. And I have never felt the same and I will never feel the same about it any more. I hope I'm not acting as a fanatic, but I'm sure that I saw heaven. And I never want to miss that. And I want to get every soul that I can to go there. I've always... There was a little fear of what would happen to me between the time I died and then Jesus coming.
I always thought I'd have a spirit body. I never liked anything spooky like that. I just can't stand that. So, it always scared me. But the other morning at my home, something happen. And my wife there, and my children, and all. And I went not very far, just a little ways away, and I seen literally millions that I've preached to; all young and healthy, and never to die. And they put their arms around me. And I looked back and seen myself laying on the bed. And I thought, "Is this...?" It was just perfect. It was just something... When I knowed that I had to come back, I was very sorry. I said, "Surely I don't have to leave now." And people that I knowed had been saved as much as being around ninety years old before they were saved, they were young and beautiful and calling me their brother.
If that's it, I'm ready to go any time. No worry, but, then I realized what the Bible meant when it said: "If this earthly tabernacle be dissolved, we have one already waiting."
If you believe me to be His servant, friends, that's the truth. Ever where it was... I do not know whether I was in this flesh or whether it was out of it. I don't mean to be impersonating the great Saint Paul. But wherever it is, may God grant that everyone of you will be there. It's nothing ... I'm never seen or had any vision or anything like that. It just changed my life.
2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
4 A young beautiful woman standing there had just greeted me and called me her precious brother.
I said, "I don't understand this."
Said, "She was past ninety when you led her to Christ." Said, "She will never be old no more. She will never be ... never have to die. Never be sick." Said, "That's the reason she said, 'Precious brother.'"
Oh, if I could just only remain there forever. Just... It is no yesterday, no tomorrow. You're just there. And no sin, nothing can happen sinfully. There's nothing could be sin.
And, everything was perfect love. If I would try to say it was perfection, that wouldn't meet it; sublime, that wouldn't meet it. I just don't know ... have any words that I know in the English dialect to express what the place was. I never seen or heard or thought anything like It.
5 Now, it perhaps was a vision. I never had a vision like that; of the hundreds of thousands of visions that I've had, I never had anything like that. Because I was standing in a place here, and would look back and see my body laying there on the bed, by the side of my wife. It was along nine or ten ... eight or nine o'clock at morning. And I'd look back and see it; and I'd pass from something---and I'd thought I'd died---and just far enough away I could see it.
Looking at this platform, there's some of my friends that's here, one of the deacons of our church ... or trustees rather, Brother Sothmann and them. That picture that was taken was taken right here at this platform, the last time I was there. How many's ever seen it? You mean just a few? Just the people right from home. Oh, it's one of the outstanding ones. The same Angel of the Lord that's been taken all over Germany and everywhere was taken standing right here at this pulpit. And I happened to notice these flowers here. There was something like it sitting in front here. And the man taking the picture from this side, and there it was just as perfect, our Lord, as it could be.
6 And so we're so glad to be back in this little place again tonight.
Now, I am not wanting to keep you too long because I know it's hot out there. And I don't want to keep you long so it will wear you out, and yet I am thinking that maybe, the Lord willing, this is the time that there is a new ministry coming ahead for me. And perhaps ... I hope that it will start here. However, I'm going to try with all my heart to pray for the sick the way He told me to in this meeting.
Is anybody here that's never been in one of my meetings before? Let's see your hands. Never been... Oh, my! I'll have to change my text. There's so many here that's never been in my meetings before, never have been, well, then I'd better go back to the old ministry tonight, and then have the new ministry start tomorrow evening.
7 The little books in here kind of---the boys has got---explains it, if you could get one. And if you have... I think they sell them right reasonable. They're printed by The Voice Of Healing. And then we take them and bring them out to the people, buy them at forty cents less on the books ... forty percent less. And then we have the handling charges besides that. We pay for them being sold and carried and there's freight and expense. We always lose on a book.
Then we always say this: that, if anybody wants one that hasn't got the money, I've asked the boys, let them have it anyhow. Just give it to them. If you ever... If you get it and read it, it's not worth the fifty cents or what you paid for it---I forget just what it is then---you just send it back, get your money back. Or, keep it and tell them it wasn't good, so then we will give you the money back anyhow. It's just some way we don't have nothing to sell to make money. The boys sell the tapes and they're just as cheap as they can be.
Before I let them do it, I check with another evangelist. He was getting nine dollars a tape, I believe, he charged me for them. And then, these boys, I think it's two dollars or something like that, they sell them for, on the very best of tapes. They are guaranteed too. If it's no good, why, you don't have to pay for it, the messages. Five hundred and something different messages I've preached in different part of the country.
If I'm not mistaken, am I looking at Jack Palmer all the way down from the south? Brother Jack, what are you doing way up here? You wasn't in the last meeting, was you? My, my, that man's from way down in southern Georgia. I think we ought to say, "Praise the Lord." [Congregation says, "Praise the Lord."] Is it this hot down in Georgia? It isn't? Just a little more humidity in the air is all. Well, these California people don't mind it; they're used to it.
8 Now, how many in here is Christians, lets see your hands, that loves the Lord? Oh, look at there. I believe one hundred percent. So happy for that.
Now, if I will have a Scripture reading and talk a little tonight, then I will call a prayer line and we will pray for them in the way we used to. Then maybe tomorrow night, we will start on the other ministry.
Now, if the Lord is willing, I want to pray---if you'll just hold with me---I will pray for every person that comes here that wants to be prayed for, see. Every person. We won't leave one out. See? We will pray for every one.
What we try to do... Divine healing does not mean that some great power that someone has to heal someone, but it's the faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, if we can believe that He is not dead, but living.
9 And the theme of our campaigns is always Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever." How many of you Christians believe that, that He's the same yesterday...? [Congregation says, "Amen."] Thank you. That means you're real Christians when you believe that.
Now, He is not dead, but He's living. I've been around the world, and in all kinds of places, and under all kinds of circumstances, all kinds of religions. I was entertained recently by seventeen different religions, and everyone of them denied Christianity. And yet, in the midst of five hundred thousand people that I was speaking to at Bombay, the Lord Jesus Christ in Christianity triumphed over everyone of them and put every witch doctor and holy man and everything else to shame. And, there's no way of telling how many came to the Lord Jesus. We had no cooperation amongst the churches---and just dropped in for three days---and there was no way of telling how many was saved.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
10 Now, we will just bow our heads now, and approach God and the Word. Now, we're going to remember that everything that we do and teach must be based upon this Bible, recognized from Genesis to Revelation.
Our heavenly Father, we are happy tonight to be Christians. I just don't know what I could do if I wasn't a Christian. I am so glad that You saved me.
And the other day, whatever it was that happened to me... And I saw that great result when the one that was speaking to me said, "This is your converts from your ... the fruit of your ministry." How my heart leaped, and I thought, "O God, if I could live it over again, I would try to do twice as much. I would persuade and beg with all that's in me to get people to come to Thee."
Now, Father, here tonight is another opportunity. The purchase of Your blood sits here before me. And help me, Father God, as Your servant; I don't know what to do or how to do it. I'm just depending hour by hour on You leading me.
And they're sitting here, not just to be seen, in this hot weather tonight. They're come for some reason. They're hungering and thirsting. They love You. Many of them are sick and dying. Some are afflicted. May we not just play now. But may we get right down to deep sincerity in the Word, in the gospel. And pray with all that's in us, fast and wait upon Thee, and know that You will do the exceeding, abundantly above all that we could do or think.
If we will just only commit ourselves to Thee and purpose in our heart, like Daniel did in Babylon, that we'll not defile ourself with unbelief; but we will let the Holy Spirit take all unbelief from us, and believe on Him with all of our hearts.
We approach the Word just now. Speak to us, Father, through Thy Word. For I ask it in Jesus Christ's name. Amen.
Daniel 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
11 I wish for you to turn tonight in the book of Saint Matthew, and let's get the fourteenth chapter, if you will, in the book of Saint Matthew; I want to begin to read with the twenty-second verse.
And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitude away.
And when he had sent the multitude away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of a good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
May the Lord add His blessings to the reading of His Word.
I want to take for a text, to draw a context from that twenty-seventh verse: Be Not Afraid, It Is I. And the words I wish to use is: It Is I.
Matthew 14:22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
Matthew 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
Matthew 14:24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
Matthew 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
Matthew 14:26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
Matthew 14:27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
12 It must have been along about this time of the evening. The sun is just going down, when the... Each one of them taken their place at the oar lock in their boat. And the little sea---as I was sitting this afternoon, thinking as I looked out across the lake---it must of been something like that. Galilee is about that size and maybe a little wider. And the big fisherman with his brawny, big muscles begin to twist at the boat, as he pushed the bow out into the lake. Climbing over the rest of the apostles and taking his feet up towards the front of the boat, sat down, perhaps, by the side of his brother, Andrew, and his good friends, and especially in Christian fellowship.
13 There's something about when you have been with a group of people where Jesus is; it's so hard to depart from that people. There's something that just welds us together as we sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. What a feeling it is for people to congregate together in that fellowship with the Lord Jesus. And that's what they had enjoyed that day. And thousands were standing on the bank, five thousand or more people, and they were waving good-bye. And as it is with fellowship, we just can't hardly leave one another.
And we ... used to think of the old song, we used to sing at the church years ago. And I was pastoring a little Baptist tabernacle at my city, Jeffersonville, Indiana. We used to sing this old song:
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred mind
Is like to that above.
When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.
Many of you has heard that old song. It's a famous old song of the church, been cherished down through the years.
Ephesians 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
14 And as they waved good-bye to the ones that was on the bank, and as the little ship on the still waters floated its way out into the sea, dark began to steal across from the other side towards Gadara. And they were ... the shade falling into the water. The little ship was almost out of sight from the disciples ... or the people on the bank, as the disciples went out into the lake.
I believe it must've been quite a little bit---maybe say, ten minutes---before anybody spoke any more words. As the little ship drifted along and each apostle with an oar just ... and rotating just in time.
And there we learn a lesson too. On this little ship sailing over life's solemn main that we are going on, if we will just pull together, the ship will move much better.
If the Baptist, and Presbyterian, and Pentecostal, and Assemblies of God, and Church of God, and all, will just pull together, the little ship will certainly move smoothly.
15 And as they moved the little ship towards the other shore, their destination, it must've been the young John---he was the youngest among the bunch---that brushed back the shaggy hair from his face, and waited just for a moment as he rested upon his oars. The brethren waited and wondered what he was going to say. Then he must've turned with something like this, and said, "Brethren, I am more than ever convinced tonight that we're not following some sort of a religious fanatic. I am more sure than I ever was in all my life that we are following the true Son of God. I was more convinced today than ever.
"As a little boy, I used to love to hear my mother read of the great Jehovah, who was God of power, who could do miracles and speak things into existence and create by His own Word. And my mother used to tell me, 'Sonny, all things was made by God, and He just spoke it into existence.'
"And then I used to love to hear that story: when our ancient people come out of Egypt forty years in the wilderness, how Jehovah led them. And when they got hungry, Jehovah just rained bread down out of heaven.
"And as a little boy, I used to think, how I'd like for Jehovah to rain some of that angel food down now. Because it said, 'It was wafers with honey.' And I would be glad to get it.
Exodus 16:31 And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.
Deuteronomy 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
Deuteronomy 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
16 "And you know today, when I seen Him take those five fish ... or five loaves and two little fishes and feed five thousand people, I knowed that had to be Jehovah. I know no one else could do that. And brethren, I crawled up close to that rock, when I seen that little boy that followed us down there this morning, had been playing truant from the school, him and his little sister, and he had this lunch under his arm. And when I saw Peter there ask him about that lunch when everybody was hungry, and it was given over into the hands of our Lord. I thought of how it was just enough food in there to feed that one little boy his dinner. But, when it was in the hands of Jesus, it could feed five thousand, and take up several baskets full of pieces."
How God can multiply what we put in His hands. In our hands it's not much. In His hands He multiplies it by the thousands. If we can only let Him have what little we have: our time, our attention, our faith. May not be too much.
Like our sister sitting here, one holding crutch and another sitting in a wheel chair, and a precious man sitting looking at me there, with a crutch and a wheel chair. Might not be... Little faith you have may not be very much, but if you could only get once into the hands of Christ, what He could do with it. The wheel chairs would be pushed up against the wall, be going down the streets tomorrow praising God, thanking God. Many sitting here dying with heart trouble, cancer, whatever it might be. And a few days from now you might go back to your doctor, and he'd say, "Say, what's happened here?" What is it? What little you had, you gave it to the hands of Christ and He began to multiply it. The cancer began to leave, the heart began to go back to its right place and beat right again. Just let Him have it in His hand.
Matthew 14:19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
Matthew 14:20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
Matthew 14:21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.
Mark 6:41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
Mark 6:42 And they did all eat, and were filled.
Mark 6:43 And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.
Mark 6:44 And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.
Luke 9:14 For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.
Luke 9:15 And they did so, and made them all sit down.
Luke 9:16 Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.
Luke 9:17 And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.
John 6:9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
John 6:10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
John 6:11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
John 6:12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
John 6:13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.
17 He said, "When I saw Him take those five biscuits and two fishes and break them, I climbed up on the rock and looked over to see how He did it. And I'd see that piece of fish in His hand. He'd break it off and lay it over here and when He reached back again, there would be another fish there. Not only a fish in the water, but a fish already raised and cooked, and ready to go. Ready to eat. And when I saw Him break that little loaf of bread in two, lay it out here. But when He reached back again, there was another loaf ready to be broken off again."
Oh, how He could grow bread. I want to ask if there'd be a scientist here, what kind of an atom did He turn loose at that time? ...to make the regular wheat, of course. It was the same one He turned loose when He turned the water into wine.
He's God! He does what He wants to. And He's willing to do all things and give us exceedingly, abundantly, more than we could even think if we will just let ourselves be turned loose in the faith in Him. That's where it lays, is having faith in Him, to believe that He can. For all things are possible to them that believe. No matter what it is. It's possible. And not only possible, probable and will happen, if you'll just believe it.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
John 2:7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
John 2:8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
John 2:9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
18 Now, and young John as he looked down there and said, "I seen then that He did something. He did something the same way that Jehovah done it. And I heard Him say, brethren, 'That if I do not the works of My Father, than believe Me not. But if I do the works of My Father and you cannot believe Me, then believe the works.'"
How perfect that is. How that applies to any age. As long as Jesus is alive tonight, He's just as much God tonight as He was then, just the same, see. He said, "If I do not do the works of My Father..."
Young John must have said, "I read in the Bible where Jehovah could make bread come out of the heavens, could create bread in the heavens, and send it to the earth. And brethren, that bread had to come from heaven, because I seen Him break it off and hand it out. And I'm persuaded with all that's left in my heart, that He is the Son of the living God." Yes!
How he must of said that as the tears rolled down his young cheeks. He never forgot it. He never forgot it when he was an old man. He'd have to be packed to the platform to preach just a short sermon instead of around four hours. But he still can sing and it's that love that he... All he could talk about was, "Little children, love one another." Just repeat it over. "Little children, love one another, for he that loveth is of God; for God is love."
Then it takes real love to create.
John 10:37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
John 10:38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
19 Love. You let your wife know that you love her, she loves you, it'll... When you're a young couple and you find favor with one another, it makes you join yourselves together for a life-time's journey. Love. And that's phileo love. That's human love. What will agapao love do, when you can really get into a place that you can show God that you love Him and you got confidence in Him? How you'll join yourself to Him. Not only for a life's journey, but for eternity.
How you're willing to take His Word just at what He says, and say, "That's right, Lord. I question it not." And move right on. That's what takes real love.
20 And young John, as he sat there with his hands resting upon the oars... Perhaps then, someone picked up the oars and they started again. It was getting dark now.
Then, after young John had got his say-so, it must've been the apostle Peter, the big, brawny fisherman sitting up towards the boat, at the stern where he just pushed the bow out and jumped in the stern of it, and sat down by the side of his brother Andrew. He must've stopped to have his...
You know, we just all got to have a little testimony once in a while, when we get together. I like it yet, don't you? A good testimony meeting!
21 And so, it must've been apostle Peter that could not hold himself any longer. And he said, "Well, brethren, I want to testify too. When Andrew here, my brother, had went up to visit this so-called Galilean Prophet, as was going around... I had heard my priest say at the temple, there was nothing to it because God had no more prophets, and I'd heard all kinds of rumors of healings and so forth, but I couldn't believe it.
"But one day when we were washing out our nets, this fellow came down to the banks to preach, and then I got me a chunk and went back up on the side of the bank and sat down. But when He began to speak, there was something about Him that was different from any priest or preacher I had ever heard."
And brother, when you once sit still enough and listen till you can hear that still, small voice of Christ, it's different from any message you ever heard in your life. It brings a peace, it brings a satisfaction. It does something to you that stirs your innermost being. You're never the same. Men cannot meet God and talk with God and ever remain the same again.
Luke 5:2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
22 Now, he said, "But when... I had it all in my heart." Said, "After I knowed my godly, old father, which was a Pharisee (as you brethren all know that he was a Pharisee) and then, when he was getting old, I remember how he used to sit after a day's fishing on this lake. He would sit down around the bend yonder where we used to pull the nets in. One day he picked me up in his arms and he said to me, 'Simon, my little boy. Daddy is going to have to leave you one of these days, turn all of my boat and tackle and everything over to you.'"
As I look at my own little boy, Joseph, and think the same thing. Someday I've got to turn the Bible over to him, and all that I have.
23 And he said, "As my father would push the gray hairs from his brow, and his white beard, he said, 'Simon, sit down. I want to instruct you, my son. All through the years we've waited, our people has waited for that coming Messiah. And we have now drawed up many descriptions of how He will look when He comes: riding down out of heaven in a chariot, driven by angels or horses or something. We have many descriptions. But Simon, that's not going to be the coming Messiah. When the Messiah comes, He's going to come in a different way from what any of our rabbis are thinking. Now Simon, I want you to read the Scriptures, because the Scriptures always tells the truth. Now, here's one thing you can remember: when He comes, He's going to be rejected. He's going to be a rejected man, because every true message of God is always rejected. Always has been, always will be. It's going to be rejected by the people in the majority. They will reject it.
"And now here's where you're going to find: there may be many false Messiahs rise before your time, Simon. I've always thought that I would live to see Him. But I'm getting old and I, perhaps, won't see it. But, Simon, never let this depart from you. When the Messiah comes, He will be a prophet. He will be a God-Prophet. Because Simon, Moses, the one we are following his instructions now, said in his word, which he was a prophet, he said, 'The Lord your God shall raise up a Prophet liken unto me.' And now you remember when the Messiah cometh, He will be a prophet like Moses. But He will be more than a prophet. He will be the God-Prophet. It'll be God in a prophet manifesting Himself.
"'And when you see that great sign... Now, people raise up and say they're this, that, or the other; don't you believe it, Simon. But when you see God working the sign of a prophet, because that's going to be the Messiahic sign, will be the sign of a prophet, because Moses said, 'The Lord your God shall raise up a Prophet liken unto me, law-giver, priest, king, prophet. And it will come to pass that whosoever shall not hear this Prophet will be cut off from among the people.
Deuteronomy 18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
24 Isaiah said He would be rejected. A man of sorrow, acquainted with grief. We would hide, as it was, our faces. Now, don't believe the modern trend of Him, Simon. But you watch for that sign of the Messiah. He will be a prophet.'
"And brethren, that day sitting on the chunk..." He said to the ... perhaps to the apostles, as we give the little drama. "I sat there and watched and listened to this man. He was a very forceful speaker. He didn't speak like one of the priests from the Bible, from the scrolls; He spoke with authority. And when He spoke, He seemed to have perfect confidence in what He said was right. Therefore, I began to kind of like Him.
"Then all of a sudden, He turned and looked at me sitting on that stump. And said, 'Your name is Simon. And you're the son of Jonas.' That proved to me that He was the one that God was going to send. He was that God-Prophet, for He not only knowed me, my name was Simon, but He knowed that godly old father of mine. He said, 'You are Simon, and you are the son of Jonas,' my dad. Therefore, I knew that my dad had instructed me by the Bible, and now the Bible was a living fact that here He was, calling me by name, that never even seen me in His life, never heard of me, knowed nothing about me. And here He calls me Simon. [I don't even have faith,] spoke of my old father that's been gone for fifty years. Said, 'You're the son of Jonas.' When He said that I fell at His feet, because I knowed that was the Messiah." Amen.
Messiah yesterday. What would the Messiah be today, if He's the same yesterday, today, and forever?
Matthew 7:29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
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.
25 Well, it must've been about that time---Philip's time---to stand for a testimony in the boat. As it was almost dark then, about shady. And Philip sat up, and he said, "Brother Nathanael, you bear me record of this. I stood there and seen our Lord tell Simon here that his name was Simon, he was the son of Jonas. That helped me too. And I had a brother that belonged to a great denomination called the Sadducees. So, I went to see him. And it's about fifteen miles around the mountain.
"I went over one morning early; I got up, had my breakfast and taken off across the mountain as hard as I could, and went over. And along about late in the evening I come ... or the afternoon, I came to the place where I knowed that this man lived. And I knocked on the door, and his wife said, 'He has just taken a visit out in his grove. And he's out there among the trees somewhere. Philip, you'll find him out there.' So I went out amongst his trees; and when I got out, there I heard a noise. And I went looking under the fig tree, and there he was on his knees praying."
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.
26 Then he might've said, "You remember that, Brother Nathanael?"
"Amen. I remember it."
"And I waited until he finished praying, and I said to him, 'Come see who we have found, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.'
"'Oh,' he said, 'now wait a minute. What's this you're saying? Now look, Nathanael, I know you've been a good man and you're plenty scripturally balanced. Don't you go off on the deep end now. Now what have you done? You tell me that this Galilean prophet they're talking about is the Messiah?'
"'Listen, Nathanael, I saw Him and heard Him do the sign of the Messiah. We know the Messiah is to be a God-Prophet. When I seen Him stand... Do you remember that old fisherman you bought the fish from down on the lake that day, by the name of Simon?'
"'Yes, I remember it.'
"'He was so illiterate he could not even sign a receipt for the fish.'
"'I remember that.'
"'As soon as he came up into the presence of this Jesus of Nazareth, He said, "Your name is Simon and you're the son of Jonas."'
He said, "Now, Philip ... or Nathanael, I wish you could search the Scripture. Is not that the sign of the Messiah?
"And he said, 'Oh, certainly the Messiah will be a prophet. We know that. We're trained in that. But where would we find such a man? Is there... Where's He from?'
"He comes from Nazareth.
"'Nazareth. Could there be any good thing come from Nazareth?'
I believe that he gave him one of the best answers that any man could give another. He said, "Come and see."
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 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.
27 That's the best thing to do. Now, just don't stay home and say, "Well, the Joneses said so-and-so." Don't do that. Come, bring your Bible, and search the Scriptures, and see if it's right or not. Come, see for yourself. Don't come just for an hour. Come to stay till you're thoroughly convinced that it's right. That's the way. Check it by the Scripture. Knowing whether it is true or whether it is not. When you are convinced to the Scriptural teachings of the Bible. Whether it's right or not. Now, that's what he was referring to. "Come, see for yourself, whether it is truly the Messiah or not.
"'Well,' he said, 'I will come and see.'
"So, as we went along the road, I told him the different things that had happened, and so when he walked up into the presence of the Messiah, to Jesus, He... Perhaps maybe He was standing like you are. Maybe He was sitting down. Maybe He was, whatever position He was in.
"When this man walked up into His presence, being a religious man, a good man, He said, 'Behold an Israelite, in whom there is no guile.'
John 1:46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
John 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
28 "Now this astonished him. He didn't know what to say then. He wondered how He ever knowed who he was. He said, 'Rabbi [which the word Rabbi means "a teacher, a Hebrew teacher"], Rabbi, when did You ever know me? Now, You tell me here that I am an Israelite.'"
Now, it wasn't because he was dressed like an Israelite, because all the eastern people... He could've been an Arab, or he could've been a Greek. They all dressed with the garments and the turban and just like they do in the East. He could of belonged to many different forms of people then in the eastern country. But it wasn't his dress. It wasn't his color; they're all dark brown.
"And so He said, 'You are a Israelite in whom there is no guile.'" A direct, positive witness of the Messiah, see. "Thou art an Israelite in whom there is no guile.
"He said, 'Rabbi [other words teacher, reverend, we would say today], how did You ever know me?'
"And He said, 'Before Philip called you, when you were under the tree, I saw you.'"
What eyes! Fifteen miles around the mountains the day before, when he was under the tree, "I saw you."
"And said, 'I fell before Him and said, "Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God. Thou art the King of Israel."'
He knew it. He knew it because that he saw the Messiahic sign on Him.
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.
29 Then, it must've been after he got through, it was good old Andrew sitting beside of the apostle Peter who was going to testify next. It must've been him that said, "Well, brethren, let me speak for all. Did not we all be thoroughly convinced, when He was going down to Jericho from Jerusalem? And that's a straight line, right down the mountain to Jericho. But that morning He said, 'I have need to go by Samaria.' That's up on the mountain. Why would He have to go, going to Jericho, come by the way of Samaria? You remember how strange we all felt that day, but we was... Each one was afraid to say anything to Him, because we knowed that God was in Him and God was leading Him, and we just didn't want to say anything about it, because it was God that was leading."
He said, "We went with Him up around Samaria and remember how those old stones... And He got so tired going up there. And He sat down at the well and sent us in to get some food, down in the city. He sat down by the public well. There was nothing there to even draw Him a drink with. We wanted to cool Him off by giving Him a drink and washing His feet. But He said, 'Brethren, go on down and get some vittles and I will wait here,' a little panoramic like, where the well sits. It's a public well for the city.
John 4:4 And he must needs go through Samaria.
John 4:6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
John 4:8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
30 "And while we were gone... They wouldn't sell us any food, so we come back out to the well. And you remember we heard something going on when we come back. And we stooped down in the sage brush there to listen, see what was being said. And there was a beautiful woman, that we thought would be a very godly looking woman. She was pretty, her hair, her face, and she was rather young. And she was talking with Him.
"And we heard Him say to her, 'Woman, bring Me a drink."
"And she said, 'Sir, it's not custom for you Jews to ask Samaritans such. I'm a woman of Samaria, therefore we have no dealings one with another. A great segregation. We have no dealings.'
"And listen what He said. 'If you knew who you were talking to, you'd ask Me for a drink. And I'd bring you water you do not come here to draw.'
"She said, 'The well is deep, You have nothing to draw with.'
"And as they went ahead with their conversation about worshipping in the mountain and so forth, then we heard our Lord say, 'Go get your husband and come here.'
"And she turned and said, 'I have no husband.'
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.
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 4:16 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:
31 "Then we thought, 'What's this? Has our Master made a mistake, when this woman said that she has no husband? As many times as we've seen Him perform that Messiahic sign---then here He stands up here with a new class of people, the Samaritans---and yet, here on the very first thing He fails.'
"She said, 'I have no husband.'
"And then He said, 'Truly. You have spoke the truth, because you have had five husbands, and the one you're living with now is not your husband.'" He makes no mistakes.
"Then she said to Him, 'Sir, I perceive that Thou art a prophet.'"
What that woman knowed! When just a few days before there when He had done the same thing, the church people called Him a devil, a spiritualist, a Beelzebub. Said, "He was reading the people's minds, mental telepathy or something on that order." Said, "He is Beelzebub doing this."
Jesus said, "You speak that against me, I will forgive you. But in otherwise, one day the Holy Spirit's going to come to witness for me; and when He comes and does the same thing, speak one word against it, it will never be forgiven in this world or the world to come." That's how serious it would be.
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 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.
32 And she said, "Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet."
Now listen to this woman. "We know, we Samaritans, we know that the Messiah is coming. And when the Messiah cometh, he will do these things. He will tell us these things. That will be the sign of the Messiah, when he comes. So, You must be His prophet." In other words, she said the same thing the rest of them said. "When the Messiah comes, Messiah will be a prophet, a God-Prophet. He will be more that a prophet, but He will show the Messiahic sign as a prophet."
They had no prophets for four hundred and something years, since Malachi, one of the minor prophets.
Said, "But when Messiah cometh, He will be a prophet like Moses. A great prophet that will foreknow things and tell things and tell us what we are and what we've done. He will be that kind of a man. I know when the Messiah cometh he will tell us these things. But who art thou?"
Jesus said, "I am he that speaks to you."
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.
33 Now sometimes I've heard... An infidel said not long ago, "Not one place in the Scripture did Jesus ever say that He was the Christ." What about that? And others also.
He said, "I am he that speaks with you."
And upon this, she dropped her ... set down ... or dropped her water pail and run into the city and said, "Come, see a man that's told me what I've done. Isn't this the very Messiah?" And the Bible said that that city believed Him to be the Messiah because of the testimony of the woman.
Now, if that was the sign of the Messiah yesterday---and He's the same yesterday, today, and forever---that would be the sign of the Messiah today. Is that right? If He's the same. Now, let's just stop just for a moment.
John 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
John 4:27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
John 4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
John 4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
John 4:39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
34 Now there is three classes of people on the earth, if the Bible is right. And God forgive me for that sacrilegious word of "if". The Bible is right! And we all come from either Ham, Sham, or Japheth's children. That was the three sons of Noah, after the antediluvian flood, when the world was destroyed. We come from those three people. Now, that was the Jew, Gentile, and Samaritan.
Did you notice Peter was given---in Matthew, I believe the sixteenth chapter---the keys to the kingdom of heaven. And on the day of Pentecost he opened it to the Jew.
Philip went down and preached to these Samaritans and yet the Holy Ghost had fell upon none of them; yet he had the Holy Ghost. They sent and got John and Peter to come down, laid hands upon them and they received the Holy Ghost. Right, see. Even the men full of the Holy Ghost, yet Peter had the keys. And that was another nationality of people, the Samaritans.
Genesis 10:1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.
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 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
Acts 8:14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
Acts 8:15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
Acts 8:16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
Acts 8:17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
35 And then, at the house of Cornelius, they... Cornelius had seen a vision and the angel told him to go down to Simon the tanner and inquire for one Simon. And he come up and told him the things of the Lord. And while Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on them. But you notice from then on, Paul, any of the rest of them, laid hands on them and so forth, they got the Holy Ghost.
But there was those three classes of people again: Ham, Sham, and Japheth's people; Jews, Gentiles, and Samaritans.
Now notice. When Jesus came, He performed that sign, as the Messiahic sign, before the Jews. Now, the Gentiles, we, the Anglo-Saxon, we were not looking for any Messiah. He only comes to those that's looking for Him. He will only heal tonight those that believe they are going to be healed. He will only save those who's got faith enough to be saved in. He will only fill with the Spirit those who are looking for the Holy Spirit. When He comes to the earth again, He will come for those who are waiting for Him to come and looking for Him to come and prepared for Him to come. He will come to His church.
Acts 10:3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
Acts 10:4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
Acts 10:5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:
Acts 10:6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.
Acts 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
36 Now, we Anglo-Saxon, Gentiles, we were not looking for Him to come. But there were two classes looking for Him to come. That was the Jews and the Samaritans. And you search the Scriptures through and you'll never find one place where Jesus ever performed that Messiahic sign to a Gentile---not one time---because the Gentiles wasn't looking for Him.
But He said, "In the last days when the Holy Ghost comes, it would do it." The Gentiles had not been taught upon the religion of Jehovah. They wasn't looking for such. They hadn't been taught Bible teaching. We were heathen that worshipped idols---Romans and Greeks and so forth that had gods and goddesses, and packing a club on our back, and so forth: heathens.
But the Jews and the Samaritans was looking for a Messiah. And when the Messiah came, He showed them the God-Prophet sign that He was the Messiah.
Now, He said, "In the coming of the last days..." Now listen close. He said, "As it was in the days of Sodom, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man." Now, just before that He said, "As it was in the days of Noah." Now notice, Noah's time it rained. He said, "They were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage." That was the immoral, because in Sodom they had got beyond that, see. He said, "In the days of Noah, before the flood, they were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage."
Matthew 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Matthew 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Luke 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
Luke 17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
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;
37 But then, when He come to the days of Sodom, He didn't mention one thing about that, see. Oh, God is full of wisdom! Jesus thanked the Father because He had hid it from the eyes of the wise and prudent. You can't find it by digging through. God is a revelation. It was a revelation at the beginning. Who told Abel that he should offer a lamb instead of Cain with the fruit?
When Jesus asked His disciples, "Who does man say I, the Son of man, am?"
And one said, "Thou art the Moses." And one say, "The Elias, and the prophets."
He said, "But who do you say?"
Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
He said, "Blessed art thou, Simon, the son of Jonas. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father which is in heaven has revealed it to you. And upon this rock I will build My church and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it." It's a spiritual revelation who Jesus Christ is. "Upon this Rock." God, revealing. Not by learning by a word, not by some creed, but by a spiritual revelation that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, that's revealed to you by the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Matthew 16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
Matthew 16:14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
Matthew 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Matthew 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Mark 8:27 And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?
Mark 8:28 And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.
Mark 8:29 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.
Luke 9:18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?
Luke 9:19 They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.
Luke 9:20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
Luke 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
38 The Bible said, "No man can call Jesus the Christ, only by the Holy Spirit." That's how essential it is in this day. But we see the world, pleasure-mad like it was in the days of Noah.
Look at Reno, Nevada, back here, marrying and giving in marriage. Look now---as the days of Noah and the days of Sodom ---look at the perversion. Letters, thousands of them coming from ... mostly from California here. For perversion is on, (Oh, my!) on the sweep, increasing about thirty percent each year, of perversion, because the people... It's just so common and so... Oh, it's horrible. It isn't even right to talk about it hardly from the platform, how degraded the nations are getting, and especially this America: our land, our home. Oh, it needs a real genuine, revival shaking, or it's going to get an atomic shaking. So it's past revival, so we will just look for the atomic. But the church will go before that time comes. And if that's that close to coming for an atomic shaking, till we're getting places to run, fall down and things like that, what about the coming of the Lord?, when that will take place before the world's destroyed; we know that.
1 Corinthians 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
39 Notice, Noah was in the ark before any water fell. Lot had to get out of Sodom before any fire fell. The church will get out of the world before an atomic bomb blows it up. It'll have to.
Notice, now let's watch what Sodom did, then we get right back.
You say, "Brother Branham, you got way off of your text."
Well, as David once said ... David DuPlessis said, "I cannot preach on the highway all the time because a lot of the people I preach to don't live on the highways. I have to go down the lane and pick up some, come back again." So, I get off my text, but I wanted to pick up some down on the lane now.
Now, notice, on this... In Sodom, as it was in the days of Sodom. Let's just stop for a few minutes here now on Philip's testimony. And let's go to Sodom just a moment.
Notice, Sodom... There's always three classes of people in the world: That's believers, make-believers, and unbelievers. That's the three classes that it always produces.
And now, in Sodom there was the Sodomites. You know what the sin of it was. It was terrible. Just like it is in the world today. All right.
Now, and then Abraham... Now Lot was down in Sodom a lukewarm Christian, a nominal Christian, because it said, "The sins of Sodom vexed his righteous soul," but he did little about it. Let them come into his church, dressed any way they want to, act the way they want to---smoke, drink, gamble, and do anything. As long as they were ... professed to be believers, it was all right. Just a lukewarm Christian, lukewarm church member.
Then, we notice that outside, up in the desert, separated, called out was Abraham, the elected church, elected by foreknowledge. God had called them out. The very word "church" means called out and separated.
Israel was the people of God till they was called out of Egypt and segregated from the Egyptians, and then they were the church of God. The word "church" means called out.
2 Peter 2:8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
40 Here they were. Abraham sitting up there, things going hard for him. I'd imagine Mrs. Lot walked up and down her little ivory palace, down there in Gomorrah and say, "You know what, there's poor, old Sarah up there, hasn't even got a change of clothes hardly. There's Abraham, his cattle starving to death. Why don't they come down here and join in our societies?"
But, brother, they had a society in their heart. They had something that was making them waiting for the coming of the Lord. One day, when the weather was hotter than it is today, dry as it was, Abraham was sitting in the door of his tent, where they had an old oak tree. And, I thought of that, Brother Bud, if you're in here, when I come to your place today.
And sitting there by the tent... And the herdsmen was out and the water was all dried up and they could hardly find anything for their cattle. And the first thing you know, Abraham happened to notice. And here come three men with dust all over their clothes, just ordinary men. Abraham thought, you know, that there must be a little something different about those fellows. He called them in and set them down.
He said, "Sit down. Let me fetch a little water and wash your feet. And refresh yourself, and I will get a morsel of bread, and you eat the bread. Then go on wherever you're going." Because Abraham believed that there was something fixing to happen.
Genesis 18:1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
Genesis 18:2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
Genesis 18:4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
41 You know, there's something about sons of God are led by the Spirit of God. You know, that same little tickling feeling in Abraham's heart that there was something fixing to happen is the same thing sent this lady here tonight with this wheel chair, same one sent that man there, same one sent everyone of you here, that little feeling that there's something somewhere, see. You just come for that purpose, because, oh, somebody say, "Oh, that's a bunch of holy-rollers up there, or what more," see. They don't understand. But the Holy Spirit led you here. Sons and daughters of God are led by the Spirit of God.
Now, as these two ... three men come up, they sat down and Abraham run in an said, "Sarah, sifter out a little meal."
How many ever siftered meal? My, some of you woman. Sure, lots of these... One with the little gray hair. I've seen my mother take that old sifter around like that, had a wedge in it. Sometime the meal will be lumpy and she'd have to take this wedge and rub it around and around and around to get the ... out, and make us them little corn cakes for breakfast. And have that in sorghum molasses. Sure. And had this old...
And she sifted it out like that, you know, and he run out in the herd and got a little fat calf and killed it and had it dressed. And he cooked the meat on the hearth and he come out. And these three men were sitting there. He gave them food. Now watch now. We're right back to Nathanael, just a moment, and their testimony.
Genesis 18:6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
Genesis 18:7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.
Genesis 18:8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
42 Now, when he come out and give them the meat, while these men sat there and eat, and Abraham probably talking to them, after a while he noticed one of them kept looking over towards Sodom. Two of them got up and went on towards Sodom.
And so, after they went down to Sodom... Remember what their message was when they got down there? Repentance! "Come out!" That was a modern Billy Graham and an Oral Roberts or whatever you want to call it. Two great, mighty ministers that went down there into Sodom and preached repentance. They didn't perform so many miracles; only blinded a few eyes. And preaching the gospel does blind the unbeliever.
So, they never done such a miracle. They did miracles, but not miracles like was back here, at the other place. Now, they preached and called them: "Repent or perish." That was the two that went down into Sodom.
But the one that stayed back here with Abraham... Let's watch Him for a few minutes; the church. The eighty-five hundred-and-something version of the Pentecost, sitting down there at the tent, the believer. Then this man had his back turned towards the tent. The women then wasn't like the women today mostly, you know, that has to be in all the man's business and everything, they kind of stayed back in the house so they...
Genesis 18:22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
43 Sarah was ... you never know. So this man, after He got through eating, he said, "Abraham." Watch, called him by name. "Abraham, where is your wife?" How did He know he was married? "Where is your wife, Sarah?" Listen to that. Her name actually wasn't Sarah. Sarai because ... Sarai, because she was a princess. He called her by her princess name.
"Abraham." That's your name. "Where is your wife?", for you're a married man. "And her name is Sarah."
"How did He know that?"
Watch the sign. Now remember, He said, "Just as it was at Sodom," when fire burnt the earth up, Sodom and Gomorrah, "so shall it be in the coming of the Son of Man."
Now watch that same sign, given to a Gentile world. See what we're getting at?
"Where is your wife, Sarah?"
Abraham said, "She's in the tent."
And the Bible said, "The tent was behind the Angel." How many ever read that and know that's true? Sure. The tent was behind Him.
"She's in the tent behind You."
Said, "Abraham, twenty-five years ago," in other words, "I promised you a son. I'm going to visit you according to the time of life of Sarah," the twenty-eight days. Said, "I'm going to visit you according to that time. And you're going to have this son."
And Sarah, being ninety years old and Abraham a hundred, she went ... to herself, laughed, grinned to herself, behind the Angel inside the tent.
And the Angel said, "Why did Sarah laugh?" Amen. Now, what kind of a telepathy was that?
Genesis 17:17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
Genesis 18:9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
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 18:11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
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?
Genesis 18:14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
Genesis 18:18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
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.
44 "Abraham, you're a married man. You have a wife. Her name is Sarah. I never seen you before and never knowed nothing about you, in otherwise. You never seen Me before, but you know that there's something going on."
Now, "Where is your wife, Sarah?"
Abraham said, "She's in the tent behind You."
And she went...
He said, "Why did she laugh?"
In the tent behind Him. That was to the church elected. Sodom never seen it. Sodom cared nothing about it. But Abraham waited in a hot tent, hotter than this building this afternoon, waiting for something to happen, and he found it.
Genesis 18:9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
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?
45 Jesus said, "As it was that day, so will it be at the coming of the Son of man."
The church elected will see that same sign again. What are they? See, the Gentiles waiting for a Messiah; God is sovereign. If God lets... At the age of all the intellectual teaching that Israel had, and Samaria had, and just at the end of their teaching, the end of their day, He showed them the sign of the Messiah to prove it that He's the same yesterday, today and forever. He will not let the Gentile church come in without doing the same thing for them. If it was, He'd give them something He wouldn't give us. He'd give one of His children a piece of pie and the other one a piece of pie, but refuse it to the other. He's not a Father like that. No. He will give it to them if they're willing to eat it. That's it. It's up to the church, then it's up to them.
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.
46 Now, as Philip sat there and said, "Yes, that is right. We went and got Nathanael, and Nathanael said so, and Andrew. All of them have testified." Said, "Yes, as it was in the days of Sodom, how that we know those things that He spoke would take place."
Now, He said, "Yes, my heart burned within me. I fell upon my face, and when He told me where I was at and told me who my father was. And when we all stood there and seen that woman of Samaria, and He told her that she had five husbands and then tell her... She said she had no husband. And He said, 'You got five, and the one you're living with now is not yours.' And she cried out, 'Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. We know when the Messiah cometh He will tell us all these things, but who are You?'"
Now [blank space on tape] pray all night, and have them little meetings, stand on the corner, beat tambourines and the police run you off one corner and you go around the corner of the alley and start again, see, trying to get the message over. But we got to a place now that our preachers are intellectual and, oh, they're doctors of divinity and great big men and things. That's too bad it ever happened, but it happened anyhow, see. And we're no longer in the alley anymore. We're right out here like the rest of the churches, the big buildings. And one's trying to outdo the other one, and get more in his Sunday school, and the other and everything like that.
You know what? I think all together, we've went off without the Lord, see. God is interested in us saving souls, not building buildings (which the buildings are all right). But He wants souls saved. Jesus never did commission His disciples to build a church. He never did commission them to make a hospital. All those things are all right, but He said, "Preach the gospel. These signs shall follow them that believe."
Mark 6:48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
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;
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.
47 But we've got off on to the intellectual sign. Grandchildren. But God don't have grandchildren. You know God only has sons and daughters, not grandchildren. But we've got pentecostal grandchildren because papa and mama belong to the Pentecostal church. We come in; we come in with them. They brought us in and put us on the cradle roll, and we become members of the Pentecostal church. That's grandchildren. That ain't no good.
Every man that comes to God's got to be born of the Spirit of God. Then you're sons and daughters of God, with an experience. Something in there, that God lives, and you know He's real. That's the real son and daughter.
If you're a Methodist and a son of God, amen! You're a Methodist son of God, if you're Pentecostal and a son of God, all right; but don't be a grandson Methodist or a grandson Pentecostal. Be a son or daughter by the birth, the new birth, the supernatural, the Holy Ghost baptism in your heart; then you're sons and daughters.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
48 Now, they find... Satan looked over, and he found them going off on a tantrum like that. He said, "This is my opportunity." So he raised his slimy head up over the hill, and began to blow across the lake, you know, "Whheww, Whheww." A wind come. Poison winds began to lift up the bottom of the sea and tossed the little boat.
And, you know, when that coldness comes in and we get to thinking about intellectual ministers. "Well, my pastor has a D.D. My pastor got a bachelor of art degree. Our pastor come from so-and-so seminary." That don't mean anything. Not a bit. I'd rather my child would be with a man that didn't even know his ABC's and found Christ in his heart, than to be with one that knowed all the intellectuals. That's right.
Matthew 14:24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
John 6:18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.
49 Moses knowed all the intellectuals, but God had to take him over to the bush and take it all out of him, and then put some faith in him from the fire that was on the bush. And that's what we need tonight is another visit to the bush, where we get an experience.
Today we're living in a day when infidels is trying to explain it all away. Jesus knowed that. He said, "I will not leave you comfortless. The Father will send the Holy Ghost in my name. And a little while and the world won't see me no more, yet you'll see me, for I [the Holy Spirit speaking in Him] I will be with you, even in you, to the end of the world."
Now, God knowed that in the end of the world people was going to rise up, great scholars and intellectuals, and explain all of the Bible away. And no man has a right behind the pulpit, no man has a right to call himself a Christian, until he's once got back there on the backside of the desert under those sacred sands, where he met God face to face. He had an experience.
You might take all the slick, intellectual doctors of divinity to explain all this away and explain all that away; but when it comes to stepping on that sacred sand where you met God face to face, there's not enough doctors of divinity or not enough devils out of hell could ever shake that experience from you. When you have met God somewhere face-to-face, and felt the power of the change of a new life come in you, there's no devil in hell could ever shake it away from you. You are a new creature, and you've got the experience in your heart.
You say, "But wait a minute, wait a minute, something happened," see. You've got something.
I remember when the general overseer come, and he said, "Billy, you must've had a nightmare."
I said, "If that's it, here's my fellowship card. I met somebody that talked to me. It was life to me." I said, "Here's..."
"Oh," he said, "don't feel that way about it."
I said, "Well that's just my feeling anyhow. I can't get all tied up here and serve God, I will just serve Him right out, just me and Him together."
Exodus 3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
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 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
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.
50 Now, notice as we're closing. The winds began to blow---poison winds. There's been a whole lot of winds been blowing today, saying, "The days of miracles has past. There's no such a thing as divine healing. The Holy Spirit was for another age, two thousand years ago."
Peter said on the day of Pentecost, "It's for you and to your children, and them that's far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." That's how far it goes. That's just as many as it could go. But you see, they've got something they want to type the world into it. We will get into that later.
And, then, the winds began to blow. And all hopes for a revival was gone. Everything was just gone. The little ship ever become water-logged and the oars had broke. And here they was flipping, and flopping, and dancing out there on the waves like a bottle stopper on a mighty sea. And there they was, just hopeless to ever reach shore. And they would all give up hopes. But you know what? He hadn't left them. Certainly not.
He climbed up the highest hill that He could climb so He could look all the way across the sea. And He saw when they was in trouble. And here He come walking to them on the water.
Brethren, He did the same thing to us. He never only climbed up the highest hill, He started up a hill at Calvary. He went to Mount Calvary, He climbed from there the golden stairs, till He went plum into eternity and sat at the right hand of God. He can see the end from the beginning. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He's watching me. He's watching you. He's watching this little meeting. "Wherever two or three are gathered in My name, I will be in their midst." He's trying to find a place to manifest Himself, to do something great, to do something to help you, to show you that He's here. He's not dead, He's alive again.
Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
Matthew 14:24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
Matthew 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Mark 6:48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
Luke 12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
John 6:18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.
John 6:19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.
Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
51 Every religion... When I stood there that afternoon before seventeen different religions, I said, "Gentlemen, everyone of your founders is dead and in the grave. Buddha, Mohammed, and all of the rest of them, Sikhs and Jains and all of them. Your founders are dead and been buried for hundreds of years, but our God is not dead."
They said, "Well, they crucified Him."
I said, "But He raised again." I said, "If He will prove Hisself alive, will you receive Him?"
"Yes. If you show us alive."
So, I don't know how many thousands received Him when they seen that He was alive.
The little article of Mr. Graham not long ago---as the paper come out behind said---they said that Mr. Graham took down and wouldn't pray for the sick back there, to this Mohammedan with his child and said, "Now what about Durban, South Africa," said, "when William Branham was over there, when ten thousand Mohammedans fell to the altar at one time. When they seen a man that was so afflicted, he was in every way... Told him who he was, and where he come from, and all about it, and healed him, and raised him up on his feet. Not even in his right mind; he come to his own normal sense. And the big tears dropped off on his black belly. And there he was healed. I seen ten thousand Mohammedans at one time, when all together thirty thousand unbelievers, fall at the cross."
52 Not build churches, but preach the gospel: that's the commission. That's it. Churches is fine, schools are fine. Oh, doctors are fine. Hospitals are... I'm not criticizing that. But that's not the message of the church. It's "Preach the gospel! These signs shall follow them that believe," said Mark 16. There we are.
Now, with this taken place, the waves began to ... back and forth. And the sad thing was, it's a whole lot like it is today. When they saw Him coming, walking on the water, they thought it was a spirit. They thought it was a spook of some sort, and they got scared. The only thing that could help them!
And my loving friends, if that ain't the situation of today, I don't know it. The only thing that can help the people, they're afraid of it. They say, "Well, that's a bunch of... That might be holy-rollers. That might be the Pentecostal tongues group. It might be, you know, it might be spiritualism. It might be the devil," see. They're scared of the only thing that can help them.
There He come walking. And they seen it was... Looked like Him but, oh, they cried out for fear. They thought it was a spirit of some sort.
He said, "Be not afraid, it's I, it's Me."
Now, if Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, then He will do the same today, as He did then and will forever. Is that right?
Let us bow our heads while we think on this Scripture.
Matthew 14:26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
Matthew 14:27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
Mark 6:19 Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:
Mark 6:20 For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
Mark 6:49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:
Mark 6:50 For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.
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;
53 Our heavenly Father, as we are now coming to the close of this little, scrambled up message. Trusting that the Holy Spirit will take those words, and just severally give them out in every heart as they have need. May they sink way down deep.
And these people are sitting here under this hot roof, not just to be seen. But they've come because they are hungering and thirsting. Now, Father, I pray Thee that Thou will minister to them the blessings that they come for. May there not be one left that's sick or afflicted. May there not be any here that has any doubt. May the Holy Spirit, with the Word of God here, take every doubt out of their mind, because, Father, we have given it just exactly the way it's written. That was the Messiah. That was His sign. That was the One that He promised that would be.
Now, Father, we're looking for Him to do the same thing tonight, like He did coming... Those at Emmaus. He walked with them all day. He loved them and talked to them and give them the Scriptures.
There's many sit here tonight. Ninety percent of this audience raised their hand for the first time. They know there's been somebody that's helped them. When I asked them again they raised up their hand, they were Christian believers. They believed it.
Now, when Cleopas and his friend, walking from Emmaus, talking with Jesus, not knowing who He was... When He got in the inside that night and shut the door, He did something just like He did before His crucifixion. Then they knowed that no man could do that like Him. Then they knew that that was their same Jesus, because He did just the same after His resurrection as He did before His resurrection. And they realized that it was Him. He vanished quickly as soon as He done the miracles, out of sight. But they run quickly and told everybody, "Truly the Lord has risen." And they found others who had already been associated with the resurrection had seen Him after the resurrection.
Luke 24:13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
Luke 24:14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
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.
Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Luke 24:34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
54 I pray Thee, Father, that as these dear people cross over these hills, down to the different cities and their homes, may they talk tonight. And may I, on my road, up to my camp, may I be able to say with those who are with me, like them days, "Did not our hearts burn within us, as He talked to us along the way?"
Come tonight, Lord Jesus. We're nearing the end of time; this great state of California, a great portion of the population of the United States comes from here. Fashions are sent from here. O Lord, way up here and these people up on the lake, many of them down in Los Angeles and different places, let Thy Holy Spirit once more come, Father, that they might know that the sign that the Messiah is nearing. Just like the cornerstone, just like the capstone on the pyramid, it must coincide with ... the rest of the stones must coincide with it, or it can never be capped.
So is it with the coming of the Lord Jesus. The church has to be so fitted that Christ and His church shall be one when they come. So let His Spirit be so dominant ... predominant tonight in our hearts and in our meeting that everyone will recognize that it is You. And they won't be afraid. They'll know it's You because You're the same yesterday, today, and forever. This we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
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?
55 Now, we're going to call a little prayer line. I seen pretty near everyone here was Christians. And we will have the altar calls as we go along, because divine healing is not a major; divine healing is a minor. But eighty-six percent of the ministry of our Lord Jesus was divine healing. That was to prove to the people who He was.
Now, how many will admit that what I preached tonight is the Scripture? That's the way He made His self known? And how many knows that He promised that in this last day that He would do ... He'd come again, do the same thing, in the last days; that it said, "The works that I do, shall you also."
And how many believes in foreknowledge of God, that He foreknowledged, and elect...? Election is by foreknowledge. And then God in the ages, He had a Martin Luther, He had a John Wesley, He's had men through the age. In the last day He's got to raise something, a church, that His ministry will be... Martin Luther, justification was by faith. John Wesley had sanctification, the second work of grace. Pentecost has had the restoration of the gifts. Now the next thing is the coming of the Lord.
So, this gift message of speaking with tongues, interpretation of tongues, and different things that we've had, now it's moving right on in. Till now it's up in the hour of the church in the minority, because they're coming down from Wesley, Luther, and on down. Now they're right up to the cap of the stone. Now, believe with all your heart.
Now, how many knows that Jesus said this?, that "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he, also." That's right. He said this, "A little while and the world [that's a world order] will see Me no more [that's the unbeliever] he will see Me no more. But ye shall see Me [that's the believer], for I [and "I" is a personal pronoun.] I will be with you, even in you, to the end of the world." How many knows He says that?
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.
1 Peter 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
56 Now, that makes Him... Then if He's here. If Jesus is raised from the dead, and He's here in the form of the Holy Spirit, He's everything that He was, besides a corporal body. How many knows that? How many knows that His corporal body sits at the right hand of God the Father, in glory, making intercessions, as God cannot see our sins and He looks through the blood of Jesus. Red through red looks white, we know that. And through the red blood of Christ, our red sins, they turn white. "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow."
And He's sitting there tonight as a High Priest, making intercessions on our confession. You believe that? Hebrews said... How many knows that the Bible said that, "He is right now a high priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmity"?
Now, if He is the same high priest that He was, then how would you know you touched Him if He didn't act like He did when He was here on earth? If He isn't the same, you might say, "Well, Hallelujah, I touched Him." That might be so. But, if He's still the same High Priest, He's got to act the same. How did He act when He was touched here on earth.
A little woman... One time He's on His road to raise up a little dead girl, and Jesus said, "I do nothing till the Father shows me first." How many knows that? Saint John 5:19, He passed by the pool of Bethesda where multitudes, thousands of lame, halt, blind, and withered. He wound His way through that crowd until He found a man laying on a pallet; about like that little fellow laying there, on a pallet. And He said... He healed that man, because the Bible said that Jesus knew that he had been this way thirty-eight years.
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
John 5:2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
John 5:3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
John 5:4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
John 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
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.
Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
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.
57 Now he wasn't blind, neither was he crippled, he wasn't past walking. He said, "When I'm coming down, someone else steps in ahead of me," see. He could get... He could walk. He wasn't blind, wasn't crippled, and had no waterhead or nothing. He had a retarded disease, something like TB, or prostrate trouble or something. It was retarded. He had it thirty-eight years, it wasn't going to kill him. But Jesus had been showed by the Father to go there, and He did it.
That same way by Samaria, He had need go by Samaria; He didn't know what He was going to do. When He got up there, He sent them away and thought, "Father, what is it?" Wait there, the first thing you know, here come this woman. He went to talking to her till He caught her spirit and told her what her trouble was. Now that was Jesus yesterday.
Now the only thing I know, I was supposed to go to Germany and all over Europe and Asia, around the world, come plum around the world in Australia and New Zealand, come back. Something happened, I couldn't go. By the United States government, I couldn't leave. All right. Now, what did I do?
I said, "Brother Borders, go over and fix up some meetings."
First thing you know he said, "Well, I've got over here, and down here, and down here."
I said, "It's all right with me, I have no certain leading."
But, the Father led me here. Here I am. I don't know you, who you are. Now what you going to do? If He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, He will act the same yesterday, today, and forever, if He sent me over here. Is that right?
He only went to one there, but that one went to a whole city and caused the whole city to believe, see.
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.
58 Now, this woman on His road up to raise Jairus daughter that was dead... Now, when He was on the road up there, a little woman, she couldn't get a prayer card and get in the line, as it was. She couldn't get to Him because too many was around Him.
"Hello, Rabbi, are You the Galilean prophet? Oh, You mean to tell me? Will You do a miracle while You're here with us? How long are You going to stay in here?" And so forth like that.
But this little woman had a blood issue for many years. And she said, "He is a man of God. If I can touch the border of His garment, I will be made well." Remember the story? And she crawled down through them and twisted around. She'd get a little close, maybe, somebody push her back. And after a while, she got close enough, she touched His garment.
Now, the Palestinian garment hangs loose with an underneath garment. He didn't feel it that way. So, prove it just a minute.
And she touched His garment. She run back out and sat down like you are or whatever, he might've stood up, I don't know. But, however it was. Jesus stopped and said, "Who touched me? Who touched me?"
Why, Peter rebuked Him. In other words, he said, "What are you talking about, 'Who touched me?' Why, you talk like someone didn't know what they were talking about. Well, everybody's touching you."
He said, "Yes, but this is a different kind of touch."
That's the kind of touch we want, see. That's the kind we want.
Said, "Somebody touched me because I got weak." How many knows that's true? Why it said virtue went out of Him. The virtue's strength. Said, "I got weak."
And He looked around over that audience until He found the little woman and told her, said---she had a blood issue---and said, "Thy faith has saved thee." Is that right?
She touched Him and it caused Him to turn and talk to her.
Now, if He's the same tonight, a high priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities, if you'll just believe with all your heart and touch Him with your faith... Just get away all the unbelief and the organizations, and the denominations, and what so-and-so said about it. Just get away from all of it. And say, "No, I believe He's the Son of God. I'm sick, I need Him," and could just touch Him, then something will happen to you just as it happened there, if you'll believe it. Will you do it, if He will do it?
Matthew 9:20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
Matthew 9:21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
Mark 5:27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
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?
Luke 8:44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
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.
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.
59 Now, lets... I think Billy said he give out about fifty or one hundred prayer cards. Who has prayer card number 1? Let's start from number 1, but if we go to be discernment, we will... Just hold your card if I don't get to you tonight. Lets get some up here so we will see what the Holy Spirit will do on account of the people that's here first. Prayer card number 1. Oh, I beg your pardon. He's give out from 50, 50 to 100? I thought he said, "1 to an 100."
All right, who has prayer card number 50 then, raise up your hand? Number 50. All right. 50, 51, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 60, 50 to 60, stand up. And 60 to 65. All right. Let them stand up and come over here, if you can stand. If you can't stand, then the ushers will pick you up and bring you over here, or just hold up your hand and we will see. Let a few stand, just whatever it is and get your place down there, and then we will... But now remember, every person holding a prayer card, if you just will continue to come. We can't get them all at once, but we will get to you just as quick as we possi... [blank space on tape].
See?
Daniel 7:15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
60 How many knows that Daniel the prophet saw a vision and he was troubled at his head for many days? Let's see how many Bible readers. Sure. Well, if one vision made Daniel weak, how do you think I get by with it, day in and out, and night in and out, and week in and out, and year in and out?
Because Jesus said, "The things that I do shall you also and more than this." Now the King James says, "Greater." But you get the original, Aramaic translation, and find out if it doesn't say, "More than this shall you do." In other words, God was in one man then. Now God's all over the world. He's in His church, everywhere.
Now we know that all the fullness of the Godhead bodily dwelt in Jesus Christ. How many believes that? He was the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
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.
Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
61 Now, all of the Spirit that was in Him would be like this lake out here, all that water (if that was all the water in the world). But now you and I have just a spoonful of water out of that lake. That's the Spirit that we have in us. But, the same chemicals that are in the spoonful as there is in the whole lake, see. Same kind. Same nature. But, it's not as much of it. Well, that's the same way as it is here, not as much of it. But the same Spirit. You believe that?
Now, they're seeing if they've got all of the people down there.
Now, tomorrow night... I want to say something here while he's getting them ready. How many remembers when I first come into the ministry, was on the West Coast, would put out my hand like that, and the people lay there hands upon it and you could see it with your own hand. People that had diseases, any kind of a germ. How many remembers that?
Now, you same people that put up your hand, how many remembers that I told them that the angel met me, said, "If you'll be sincere, get the people to believe you, it'll come to pass you'll know the very secret of their heart." How many knows I prophesied that? See? The same group has just put up their hand.
All right. Now, it come to pass. He did it just the way He said.
62 Now, there's something new taking place. It's right back in the people's lap again to pray for the sick.
The other day---this last fall it was---one of the most mighty things happened. I might get into it tomorrow night before I start that ministry of praying for the sick. Something that was outstanding, that I never seen anything like it in my life. But He's called back for me to pray for the sick. If you get the message... The discernment...
Now, visions are not just something that you lay hands on one another. How many know that gifts and callings are without repentance? Sure. It's not something you can get a hold of. When you're borned in this world, you're born with them gifts. How many knows that? Sure you are.
Moses, he couldn't help being Moses, could he? Jesus couldn't help being Jesus. John the Baptist, seven hundred and twelve years before he was born, Isaiah saw him, the prophet saying that He was the voice of one crying in the wilderness. God told Jeremiah, "Before you was ever formed in your mother's womb, I knowed you and sanctified you and ordained you a prophet to the nations." That's right, see.
Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Matthew 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
John 1:23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
63 It's something you're born with.
Now visions to me... The first thing I can remember... I wasn't two years old, I guess, when I saw my first vision. And there's been tens of thousands of them, and not one of them has ever been wrong, see. All over the world everywhere. That's only a vindication of I'm telling the truth. It's God's witness that it's the truth.
Jesus is coming. Now don't... Now we know that Jesus is coming in a day that when the world is gone to sleep and got lukewarm. How many knows that? How many knows that this is the Laodicean church age? Lukewarm, just people, just... Well, they go to church and say, "I belong to the church." That's about it. But that's the time He comes. Wake up! What are these things to do?
Now, I don't say that He will do it. Remember, I do not control visions; visions control me. Now, there's newcomers here that's never been in a meeting before.
Now, I want to ask you something, my people. Before anything takes place, whether it does or not, I do not know. But, if it does take place just as the Scripture says here, will you believe on Him, and believe Him for your healing? Raise up your hands and say like this, "I will believe it." God bless you.
Now, these people... How many out in this audience first, now, that doesn't have a prayer card, and you want God to heal you? Raise up your hand. Doesn't have a prayer card, you want God to heal you. All right. Just have faith. That's all you have to do. Have faith, believe. You look up here to this, say, "Lord, that man doesn't know me, but let me just have faith enough to touch Your garment. And then You have that man, let the Spirit... I know it couldn't be his spirit because he don't know me. But let Your Holy Spirit in there, if he's telling me the truth, turn around and say to me like He did the woman that touched His garment." See what takes place. Just try. Don't try it, just do it.
Matthew 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Matthew 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Revelation 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
64 Now, many here... How many in the prayer line that I don't know nothing about you, raise up your hands? You people that know that I don't know you, raise up your hand. Everyone? All right. And out there that I don't know you...
Now, I've got some friends here. I see Brother and Sister Palmer sitting here from Georgia. And then, back in there somewhere is Brother Fred Sothmann and Brother Norman from Arizona. I know they're here. And they're here somewhere in the meeting. I don't see them, but they're in there.
And now, all these here... And this woman, we're strangers to one another are we, lady? We are strangers to one another? We are. Oh, you was here in the meeting when I was here before? But, for me to know you, I wouldn't know you. All right.
How many here never did see when I put my hand on the people and see the reaction on the hand? Let's see your hand. All right. We will just take a couple like that.
65 Come here a minute. Now, I do not know you. I've never seen you in my life. As far as I know, probably since I was here I've seen a million people since then. But now, if... I want you to take your hand out. If it's anything like an affliction, like some blood chemical disease, or crippled, or arthritis, or something, that is not a germ, see. It'll take a germ. Some other life.
How many knows that we come from a germ, one single cell? Certainly. We come from our fathers. The hemoglobin is from the male sex. The female is the egg. But that little germ... And your body is made up of germs, but it came originally from one germ from your father. Is that right? A different type of germ then makes around that. That's the way Christ was God. When God brought Hisself in a cell, in the womb of Mary, and was borned out to save us from sin; through that blood cell being broke saves the world, there.
Now, if it's just an affliction, that'll have to be seen some other way. But let's see if it's a germ disease. If it will ... see. There'd be a germ of death on her to kill her. And it would vibrate if I have the anointing of the Holy Spirit here with me.
Yes, sir, positive. You have stomach trouble. That's right, isn't it? Raise your hand if that's right. Here it is. She's got an ulcered stomach. You see well?
I want to show you something. I want you to look at my hand here. See how that hand looks swollen, them little white things bouncing on it there, running over it, see. Now take your other hand over here so that you'll see, turn this hand over. Now it isn't there. Just normal, white, not swollen. Just an ordinary man's hand, isn't it? All right, now put your other hand right over on it. Now look at it. See the difference in it? That swell, see them little, white things running over it. That's how I knew you... It's a vibration. It's a germ, see. Now, now see, it's just not where I'm holding my hand. You see wherever they are.
66 Now, who was it said they'd never seen that? Was it you, Brother Borders? You've seen it? Somebody had told me that they'd never seen it and wanted too. All right, come here, Brother Folk. How many knows this gentleman here, raise up your hand? I guess you all do, he's from this city here.
I want you to watch here Brother Folk. Here's how I know that. Now look here. You've never seen this ministry work? All right. Now, the other night... I can't wear a wrist watch on here. I had a two hundred dollar Longines give to me from the Lincoln's down here; fell apart on the pulpit. Then the other night I had a three hundred Vulcan-Cricket was given to me from over there. And up there in the meeting the other night... How many was there the other afternoon and I... Up here at Klamath Falls, and a three hundred dollar Vulcan-Cricket fell loose from my hand; hands come off of it, stem come out of it, fell off of it, just by taking a person's hand like that. Why? I can't tell you. I don't know. But you cannot hold a watch on that.
Now look. I want you to look at my hand, see, see. Take her hand. Just right hand. I mean, her left hand. Just the same. Now watch when I took this hand here. See it swell? See them little white things bouncing on it?
Now, see? Now, what was it take her right hand? That's the way He told me, "Their right hand to your left." That's her, with her right hand pledging her faith to me, right. And I take her by the left hand, with my other hand to God, see. Now, it won't work any other way. Now, you can see it. Look here, brother. Look here, see? I put my hand on her hand, see. Down where it is, see, it's just the same, see. Now, just take this hand over here; now watch what happens just as soon as I take her hand. There it is. See, that fires up. It's just like taking that much ... like current in your hand. Those little white things, see. Now, just keep real still. Now, it tells what it is, see.
67 Now, that's detecting it. Now, will it go? Now, sister, you believe now? You really believe it? All right. Now, I want everyone to be reverent. Now, I want you to bow your head. And I want these two men here to stand here where I'm at. Now, I want you to notice, brethren, see. So that you'll see it's not position where I hold my hand, see, that makes them white things run over it and makes it turn that, see.
Now, you see it clearly do you, sister? You can see it all right there where I'm talking about? See how it swells up and gets real little white things? And see, and to prove to you that something's going on, it knows what's wrong with you. And that's directly the truth, see. Now, you see something. Now, watch here. I put my hand on mine, see. See? There it comes, see. As soon as she touches me there it starts.
Now, I know you're both Christian. Now, remember when these things come out, I'm going to try to rebuke it, see. And if it comes out... Now the Bible said when they... When one fellow one time tried to cast out a devil, and you know what happened. So now, if it comes out it's going to be at large, it'll be doing any... It'll go to any one. And it's stomach trouble.
Now, I want you in the audience to keep your head bowed. And here's three witnesses standing here. Now, I don't want you. You come on up here, see. See, sometimes it strike the unbeliever, see. Then the kick-back comes from the meeting to me, see. But, I know you all; I'd come to you, see. All right.
Now, you watch. I'm studying my hand right here, see. See? Now you watch. And you watch too, lady, the hand. Now we're going to pray. Everybody be in prayer with me. Now they're going to watch. Now, I don't... Jesus said, "In My name shall they cast out devils." Well, now, if that stops right now and I never move my hand. This stops and turns like that hand, all right. If it doesn't, then I can't help it. Now, let's pray.
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;
Acts 19:13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
Acts 19:14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
Acts 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
Acts 19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
68 Heavenly Father, that Thy name might be glorified! We do not ask for miracles, but Lord, these ministries are growing on. Jesus is soon coming. I pray that You'll be merciful to our sister and will heal her. Here she is in age, and she can't eat. Lord, this is such a horrible thing. And the last time here, you healed a woman dying with the same thing, only worse. Now, Father, I pray that You will bless her and heal her in Jesus' name.
Now, I haven't opened my eyes yet, but brethren, tell me: it's still there just like it was. Is that right? It hasn't left. It hasn't left. Now, we will have to come with authority to cast it out. Now, we not asking Father---you all understand---I'm not asking Father for a miracle because it's a wicked, and adulterous generation to seek for miracles, but that you might know that He's still a healer.
Now, lets look again now. Let's be real ... you're in prayer each one of you. You're covered by the blood.
Now, heavenly Father, these men are looking on. This woman's looking on as a witness. I prayed for the woman. No doubt she's been prayed for many times. But, Father God, if there's anything in her life that's not right, then, Father, You take it away.
Now, if there's anything would keep her ... would keep this spirit... If You should make it go, if it should come back ...; because we know it will go and walk in dry places and come back again if it can. But if she surely sees all this truth and evidence, she will believe with all of her heart. I pray You to be merciful. While this people is looking... There are eyes of two man and a woman is looking directly at my hand while my eyes are closed.
Satan, thou unclean spirit that would take a poor old woman like this and evily mistreat her. Why, you're evil. You have no authority to hold her. She's a Christian. And I come in the name of Jesus Christ against you. I come witnessing a gift of divine healing to pray for the sick, which an Angel ministered to me fourteen years ago, and told me of other gifts coming. You're aware of this. I adjure thee by the living God, come out of the woman, leave her, go from her, let it bother her no more, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
Matthew 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
69 Now, brother, I've never moved my hand, but it's gone now, isn't it? Is it gone before I open my eyes? ["Yes."] All right, you may raise your head.
Fine. Now looky here, sister dear. Put this hand here. See how it looks? Now, see how it looks? Just the same as... You see, just exactly. Now, something happen, wasn't it? Your stomach trouble's gone. You're free. Go home and rejoice, be happy and thank the dear Lord for your healing. All right. God bless you, sister. All right.
You believe with all your heart?
Now, let's see about this sister here. Are we strangers to one another? We are. All right. Now everybody reverent. We will just take our time so that you'll have confidence when it comes time for you to be prayed for. Like these people in the Bible tonight; they had confidence. Jesus said, "If I do the works of God, then believe the works," see.
John 10:38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
70 Now, let me have your hand just a minute. Now, you have a little bit a ladies' trouble, but that's not really what you're for, see. Just a moment. Now, this will have to come by vision. Yes, it's a diabetes, sugar diabetes. If that's right, raise up your hand, see. It wouldn't show here. She has a little female trouble but not enough for that because she wouldn't hardly notice that too much. But it's a diabetes. Now, see there, it would never show because that's a chemical part. Diabetes, you see is chemical. It's sugar in the blood.
Now, if the Lord Jesus can stand here and tell me what's wrong with you, just as He could tell the woman at the well (and so forth), is it the same Jesus? ["Oh, yes."] You believe it. Now, let us pray.
Our heavenly Father, we come in the name of the Lord Jesus and ask that this evil thing leave our sister. May she go and be free from this and be well, in Jesus Christ's name. Amen.
Now, the prayer of faith shall save the sick. God shall raise them up. Go now. God be with you. ["That'll heal my eyes, too?"] What say? ["Will that heal my eyes, too?"] " Oh, sure, that's what's causing it, you see? ["Yes."] God bless you, sister. All right.
James 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
71 Come, young lady. Are we strangers to one another? All right. Now, let's see your hand, this hand over here on this side. You're normal. Now, it has to take a vision for her, see. Another wise, my early ministry... How many knows my early ministry? I'd never know what was the matter with the woman, see, because there's no vibration.
Now, let's just see a minute. You believe me to be His prophet? You believe what I've taught tonight to be the truth, that I am His servant? Yes. Heart trouble. Now, you believe that God can heal that heart trouble? You do believe that, that He will make the heart well? You're just a young girl. Nervous. Now, if He will heal it, will you give Him praise for it? Let's bow our heads just a moment.
Our heavenly Father, we ask now that in the name of Jesus Christ that the power of God will come upon this young woman. And may she be healed as I lay my hands upon her. the people... [Gap in the audio] are aware, Lord... [Gap in the audio] that our...
72 [Blank space on tape.] first time. All right. Now, here's a man I've never seen. This is a man. Now, there was a man come to the Lord Jesus by the name of Simon Peter. You remember the story I preached about tonight? All right. Now, and Jesus taught... Looked over at him sitting there on that chunk. Did you hear me when I preached tonight?
He said, "Your name is Simon, the son of Jonas." [Blank space on tape.]
Now that Jesus still lives? ["Yes, He does."] Does the audience believe that? All right. If that Jesus lives and I'm a true witness of Him, then I yield myself by a gift.
Now, if you'd say, "Heal me."
Why, He'd say, "I've already done it." How many believes that He's already done it back there at Calvary when He died for you? He was wounded for you. Sure.
But now, to let you know that He's alive here to confirm His Word, He might tell you something like He did Peter or some of them. He would tell you something about it, if God will tell me what your trouble is. Now, let's just see if He will do 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.
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.
73 You just believe me as God's servant. All right. He says, "He knows He will." Sure, it's your nose. That's right. That's your nose. Now, if that's right raise your hand.
Now someone says, "Now, I caught that."
Don't think that now. Don't do that, that hinders me, see. I never guessed that. That wasn't guessing, see. No. Just a minute. He seems to be a very fine man. Stand still just a minute. Just stand still, sir. Yes, sir. It's his nose. He has some kind of little something comes in it. He's been operated on for it. That's right. Yes, sir. Operated on, and it seems like the stuff's coming back again. It's some kind of a like growths or abscesses like in the nose. That's right. Seems like it isn't doing good. That's right, isn't it? That's not a guess.
Let me tell you something. I see a woman appear; it's your wife. She's at home. ["Yes."] You believe that... She's praying, she's sick. You believe God can reveal to me what her trouble is? She's got heart trouble and arthritis. That's "thus saith the Lord." You believe God can tell me who you are? Mr. Boggs, you can go home and be well. Jesus Christ makes you well. You go believing. Believe.
74 Strangers to one another sister? ["I've been in your meetings."] You've been in... But I mean out in the audience. You've never met me personally. I've never met you. But if the Lord Jesus... Here's a woman. If the Lord Jesus can tell me something about you, like a man and woman, like Him and the woman at the well. That was a man there.
Now, like the woman at the well. If He can tell me something about you that you know and I don't know, what you're here for---might be for somebody else, might be financial trouble, might be domestic trouble, it might be you're sick---I don't know---but if He will tell me, will you believe Him with all your heart? Will every woman in here believe with all their heart? ["Amen."] All right. The Lord grant it.
That lady sitting right there with varicose veins, do you believe Jesus Christ will make you well? You was praying, wasn't you? All right. What did she touch? She touched the high priest, Jesus Christ.
I seen a woman standing here before me with something like almost blood running from veins. It wasn't this woman, she was a little heavier than this woman. And I looked and I thought, "Where's that?" And I looked and I seen that light. How many's seen that picture of that light? All right. He was standing over the woman there, whirling around and I seen her, that was her trouble, see? Yes, sir. If thou will believe.
Sitting there with your handkerchief in your hand. It's that hay fever. Do you believe that God will make you well too? All right. What did you touch? Now, that's not a disease. I see it burning---holding your nose, sneezing, going on, see. Just have faith, you'll get well too. Do you believe Him with all your heart?
75 You have a tumor in the back. Do you believe that God can will heal you. Is that right? You believe that God can take it off? All right. Our heavenly Father, I pray that You'll bless the woman and make her well as I bless her in Jesus' name. Amen. Go! May the Lord bless you.
Spirit's still in the building. Sitting there with the hemorrhoids. You think that God will make you well? You was crying, praying, "Lord, let him touch... Let him call me." If that's right, wave your hand back and forth like this, you sitting there, see. How would I know what you was praying about?
Don't you understand that Jesus Christ is raised from the dead? What did she touch? The same High Priest that that little woman touched that had the blood issue.
I don't know the woman. Never seen her in my life. But she's sitting twenty yards from me, and she touched Him. He turned around and said, "Look there." I seen His light over there and I seen what she was suffering with. And there it is. The woman will get well. She will be all right, if you'll just believe. Now, any of you, I challenge your faith in Christ's name anywhere to believe it. All right.
You and I are strangers to each other. I guess this is our first meeting time. Now, just reverent, just a moment.
If the Lord Jesus will reveal to me something about you that you know that I do not know, will it make you believe for what you...? Will it do the audience that way too? It's arthritis. You have arthritis. If that's right, raise your hand. That it might take the guess work from you, see, you've got something on your mind that's just bothering you real, real bad. Now if the Lord will reveal that to me, will you believe me with all your heart? It's your husband. He's not here. He's not even in this city. He's in another city called Ukiah or something like that. He's got a disease that's a killer. It's called Parkinson's disease. That's right. You got somebody with you tonight, too, that you want prayed for. It's a little grandson. He's got eye trouble. Your name is Mrs. Zigler. All right. Go and believe with all your heart and you can have what you ask for.
76 If thou canst believe. Are you believing now with all your heart?
Now look. That you might now... I will have this lady. Just put your hand on mine, lady. You. If the Lord will reveal to me what your trouble, you believe me? Then your heart trouble's finished. Go believing, be made well. Have faith in God. Believe with all your heart.
Watch this. You believe your arthritis is going to leave you? All right, go on your road and say, "Thank you, dear Jesus." Yes, ma'am. Just believe with all your heart.
What if I didn't say a thing to you, just laid hands on you, would you think you'd get well? In the name of Jesus Christ, go and be well. Amen. Have faith now.
You're nervous. Don't you believe that God can heal you and make you well? Just go believing. He has. He will make you well.
You believe that back got healed coming up the steps? Just keep on going, saying, "Thank You, Lord," and get well.
How many out there believes with all your heart? Are you sure that Jesus still lives? Now, are you positive? Do you know? Here's my Bible over my heart, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do you believe it? I read it out of the Bible here that He does it... He promised it. He did it yesterday, He does it today. Now as far as healing, your healing is already purchased in the blood. You believe that? He was wounded for our transgressions. With His stripes we were healed---past tense. But He's confirming His Word by being here to let you know that He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do you all believe that with all your heart?
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.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
77 Now, how many believers is here? Raise up your hand. Now, if God keeps one Word, He keeps all words. Is that right? Now, did He say this? "These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover." How many believes that? All right. Then you all are believers. Now, lay your hands over on one another. Just put your hands on one another. That's right. There you are. [A woman cries out.] That's the way it goes. That takes place. Don't you know He's here? Put your hands on one another.
"These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover." These signs shall follow who? The believer. The believer. Now you pray for the person you got your hands on. Don't pray for yourself. Pray for the person you got your hands on.
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;
78 Our heavenly Father, we bring this audience to You in the name of Jesus Christ, on which the Holy Ghost is here now, giving witness, pouring out His presence, letting everyone know that He's present, that He is not dead, that He lives forevermore and He's able to succor those that come to Him to give them healing.
The audience is aware that there is a supernatural being in their midst tonight: the Holy Spirit that's revealing the secret of the heart, that the coming of the Lord Jesus is at hand. These believers have put their hands on one another. They believe.
Father God, You've witnessed that You're here. Hear me, Lord. I cast out every spirit of unbelief. Let it leave this building. Let it come away from the people---the only thing that can keep them from being healed.
Satan, you've lost the battle. You've been exposed. You're exposed here tonight. I adjure thee in the name of Jesus, the Son of God, come out of this audience, come out of the people, as they had their hands on one another. I give them their healing in the name of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
Keep your hands on one another. Keep believing, having faith. And as the power of God comes upon you, then stand to your feet and give God praise. All right.