Spiritual Food In Due Season
65-0718E, Spiritual Food In Due Season, Branham Tabernacle, Jeffersonville, IN, 89 min
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L-1
Let's remain standing now, with our heads bowed.
Lord, may this not only be a song, but be the very depths of our heart singing out, "Now I believe!" The disciples said one time, after Jesus had done so many mighty works, they said, "Lord, now we believe."
Jesus said, "Do you now believe?" [John 16:30-31]
Only believe, only believe,
All things are possible, only...
How, now this way:
Now I believe, now I believe,
All things are possible, now I believe;
Now I believe, now I believe,
All things are possible, now I believe.
All things are possible, only...
How, now this way:
Now I believe, now I believe,
All things are possible, now I believe;
Now I believe, now I believe,
All things are possible, now I believe.
Let's remain standing now, with our heads bowed.
Lord, may this not only be a song, but be the very depths of our heart singing out, "Now I believe!" The disciples said one time, after Jesus had done so many mighty works, they said, "Lord, now we believe."
Jesus said, "Do you now believe?" [John 16:30-31]
L-2 They said, "We believe that Thou knowest all things and need that no man teach Thee." So, Father, tonight we realize that You don't need our teaching, but we need Yours. So we pray that You'll teach us how to pray, how to live, and how to believe. Grant it, Lord, through this service tonight. If we lack anything, give it to us, Lord. We ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen. [John 16:30-31]
L-3 I know many of you are standing again tonight. And, outside, met groups that said they couldn't get in, and they're listening to their radio in the different cars. And now we'll try to make just as quick as we can tonight, on Sunday night, we give over to pray for the sick, have a prayer line as we can get one up here. But we are dedicating this service tonight for prayer for the sick.
L-4 And I want you to get built up now in the... this Holy Oracles of God, in the Faith, the Faith of this hour. The Faith! It's going to take more faith than ever was in any age, for this has to be rapturing faith, be taken up. And so we want you to believe tonight in all that you have seen, heard, the Word that you have heard preached, the--the signs and wonders that you have seen done. We want you to accumulate all that together in your heart, and consider it, whether if that be God or not. [I Thessalonians 4:13-18]
L-5 Is like Elisha of old, said, "If God be God, then serve Him." And if Jesus is the center of all things to the Christian, then I think we ought to let loose of everything else and cleave to Him. Remember, He is the Center, He is the North Star, He is the Ultimate, He is the Absolute. And if He is the North Star... There's only one thing that'll point to the north star, that's your compass that you're sailing with. And the Compass that I'm trying you to sail with is the Word, and the Word always points to Him. [I Kings 18:21]
L-6 And we feel like that we're going through a great time of distress and trials, perplexity of the time and distress between the nations, and all kinds of things happening, and sometimes I get engulfed like... Everywhere I look, it's like on a... in a ship out on the sea. And I've been give charge of the Boat. And how we going to make it? And here comes one with a white cap, hundred times bigger than my ship. But we'll crest them, every one. "We are more than victors through Him." The Captain, the Chief Captain, has got a hold of the string on the end of the ship, He'll pull it through. We'll crest every one of them.
L-7 Now, tonight, so we can hurry and let you get out early. We appreciate your long drives, and so forth, and how you have to drive, and the sacrifice you have to make. And, see, that makes me to where I'd just like to stand and just keep talking and doing everything I can to help you. But when I'm here I try to press in everything that I possibly can, to give help for that moment that we're now here. Then you take... If you give people too much at a time they can't remember it. You--you've got to just take one thing and hold it right to the person until they see that. And then when they get that solid in their heart, then they'll... then teach them something else. Just step by step as we go.
L-8 Now, you pray and be of a good courage, and believe now tonight for healing. I don't think there's any question in your mind about the time we're living. I don't believe there's a question in your mind about whether God is in the midst of His people or not. I believe you all believe that. And I... There's no doubt in my mind about it. And I--I--I know my people, my friends, the friends of Christ, the children of--of Christ, believe that.
L-9 And it gives me great pleasure to get to see when you know that you have a Message from God, and you give it to the people and see the people respond to That. Then you look back and say, "Thank You, Father." Oh, what a joy it is then to see the children eating the Bread that's been sent to them! You realize that was a vision years ago, right here at this Tabernacle? That's right, "The Bread of Life." Brother Neville, you remember it, might. Mighty time!
L-10 Now let us turn, if you want to follow the reading or mark it down, just... I don't believe it would be appropriate to have a service without reading God's Word and passing a few comments, if it's going to be a healing service or any kind. We all understand. There's no strangers among us, I suppose. But we all understand what healing is. It's nothing that somebody does for you; it's what God has already done for you. Salvation is on the same line. The only thing, is, to get the people to believe that's the Truth. And God teaches it in His Word and then proves it to them who will believe It, for He said, "All things are possible to them that believe." [Isaiah 53:5], [Mark 9:23]
L-11 You say, "There's nothing impossible with God." You believe that? There's nothing impossible with you, either. "For all things are possible to them," (God is one Person) "to them that believe." See? So there's nothing impossible with you, for you, if you can only believe. [Mark 9:23]
L-12 Now in First Kings, the 17th chapter, I want to read the first seven verses, the Lord willing.
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth,
before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
Get thee hence, and turn eastward, turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
And it shall be, that thou shall drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
Notice, "feed thee there," not somewhere else. "There!"
So he went and did according unto the LORD, or the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. [I Kings 17:1-7]
before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
Get thee hence, and turn eastward, turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
And it shall be, that thou shall drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
Notice, "feed thee there," not somewhere else. "There!"
So he went and did according unto the LORD, or the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. [I Kings 17:1-7]
L-13 The Lord add His blessings to the reading of His Word. And now, tonight, I want to take a text from there, that's called, "spiritual Food in Its season." This morning we had a--a lesson on--on "Doing God a service, or trying to do Him a service without being... -out being the time, the season, the place, or the person." And now this is: Spiritual Food In Due Season.
L-14 This prophet, Elijah, we know very little about him. But we know that he was God's servant, and the servant of God for that hour.
L-15 And God has used His Spirit that was upon Elijah, already three times, and promises twice more; five times, for grace. He used It upon Elijah; It came on Elisha in a double portion; was on John the Baptist; and supposed to come just to issue in the Gentile Bride; and come with Moses to take the Jews home. That's right. Five times that God promises to use the Spirit of Elijah, and already done it three times. [II Kings 2:9]
L-16 Now, this great prophet, we don't know where he come from. We know he was a Tishbite. But how he come...
L-17 We know little about the prophets. We don't know where they come from. Very seldom... As, I don't know of any that come out of the church or had any genealogy behind them. It was just ordinary man that was fearless, and, many times, uneducated. And they never done any writing, themselves. Isaiah and Jeremiah, a couple of them, done some writings, but this great man Elijah never wrote one thing. Many of them didn't write; maybe they couldn't write. But they were man that were rugged. There's no man in the Bible like those ancient prophets. They defied kingdoms, kings, peoples, churches, and everything else, and stood firm on the Word of God, and God proved them to be right. They were very rugged individuals. [Hebrews 11:32-40], [John 12:24]
L-18 And this Elijah was one of the ruggedest of all of them. He was a man of the wilderness. He came out of the wilderness; he lived in the wilderness. The Bible said he dressed hairy. He had sheepskin wrapped around him, and a piece of leather, of camel skin wrapped around his loins, very... whiskers over his face, and I'd imagine he was a very rugged-looking man, and to look at. [II Kings 1:7-8]
L-19 But we didn't... they all didn't all die. They're not all--all dead. In the days of the Nicene Council... many of you people that's read The Nicene Council of the Early Church, when they wanted to make an organization out of it and break up all the other churches, and come into one, when they had that Nicene Council, rugged man like Elisha come in there from the wilderness, eating herbs alone; great rugged man. But the dignitaries, the high-ups, under Constantine, and so forth, stilled their voice. Because those, being prophets, knowed that the corn of wheat of the Church Bride had to fall in the ground, the same as a corn of wheat in the Bridegroom had to fall in the ground. And there it laid for a thousand years. [John 12:24]
L-20 That's why they write in the books today, "Where is that silent God that could stand and look, see little children murdered, and women tore to pieces by lions, and sit in the skies and say nothing about it?" They don't know the Word. That corn of wheat's got to fall in the earth. How could a righteous God stand and look at His Own Son die and be spit on, and so forth? But it's according to the Word, it has to be. And that's the way it is even to this hour. [John 12:24]
L-21 This man, he was a great man. He had a sinful generation before him. Ahab was king, his father before him had been evil. Ever since Solomon, there just been one evil king after the other. And this man, Ahab, who reigned twenty-two years in Samaria, was the worst of all of them. He was a real modernist. He believed in religion, certainly. And he had everything in a modern trend. He had his four hundred Hebrew prophets, all of them well-schooled and trained. God sent him one and he wouldn't believe it, and that was Elijah. [I Kings 16:29], [I Kings 18:19]
L-22 But Elijah, this Tishbite, was a man of the wilderness. Not a smooth man; he was a rugged man. And one day, after Ahab had sinned until God could stand it no more, He spoke to Elijah in the wilderness. And here he comes down the road to Samaria, as I've often illustrated; maybe the white whiskers sticking out around his face, bald head shining in the sun, little old narrow eyes, back there with a stick in his hand, a smile in his face, walked right up to the king of Israel, and said, "The... Not even dew will fall till I call for it." [I Kings 17:1]
L-24 Now, we find out that before he did this, that God had called him. God had talked to him and, therefore, he wasn't afraid of anything. He wasn't afraid of his message, it wouldn't happen; he knowed it would happen! He knowed it was according to the Word of the Lord, and he knowed he was God's prophet for the hour. Therefore whether the king would cut his head off, throw him in jail, whatever they'd do, it made no difference to him; he had a commission, "THUS SAITH THE LORD," right in the face of the king. What a rugged person! But before he did this, predicted this great drought... [I Kings 18:36]
L-25 For God will not let sin go unpunished. There must be punishment. What good is a law without a--a punishment? What would it do good, say, "it's against the law to run the light," and no fine behind it, or no punishment behind it? It wouldn't be a law. So there's a punishment to sin. And when God makes a law, and that law--law is defied, then there's got to be punishment for that. [Numbers 32:23], [Romans 6:23]
L-26 And this nation had violated all of His laws. Oh, they had big church, they had the temple. They had plenty of educated man. They had prophets all over the country, had schools of them, turning them out like a machine. And they had plenty of prophets, they had plenty of--of priests, they had plenty of scribes, and they had plenty of religion, but they were away from the Word of God. So God called a man outside of any of their ranks at all, and sent him in with THUS SAITH THE LORD.
L-27 And notice how He cares for His Own. Before He sent this prophet with the message, He said, "Elijah, go down and tell King Ahab these things. And now, when you do, get yourself away from him right quick, for I have made a place for you to go during the drought. I'm going to take care of you, Elijah, if you just preach My Word, do just what I tell you to do." [I Kings 17:3-4]
L-28 Now I'm going to type this great ministry, tonight, of Elijah and the time of Elijah, with the hour that we're now in. I believe It's a perfect type. I think of the nations... if I... we had time to go back, but I want to put plenty of time in the prayer line.
L-29 So if we could go back and see, Israel had taken Palestine upon the same basis that we took this United States. We come into this United States and drove back the occupants, which was the Indians, and possessed the land. And so did Israel come into Palestine, under leadership of Joshua, under God, and drove back the occupants and took the land.
L-30 And their first kings were mighty man; David, Solomon, and great man. Our first presidents were great man; Washington, Lincoln, and so forth. Then finally the presidents or the kings become getting more rotten all the time, and finally they ended up with this Ahab. Very type, typical of our day. And the people had got so modern they didn't want to hear the true Word of the Lord.
L-31 And you can imagine, on a modern people like that, what a real true servant of God would sound like to them. "Why, he was crazy, he was out of his mind. There couldn't be such a thing." They were religious, very religious. They had sincere man, they had sincere people. They was very religious.
L-32 So he knew that it would take more than just a ordinary theology, it would take more than--than any ordinary message, it would take more than just preaching the Word, to crack their stony hearts. He knowed it took THUS SAITH THE LORD to send that judgment down upon that people, so he knowed that when he went out with THUS SAITH THE LORD. And it was THUS SAITH THE LORD. To spurn That, was judgment. We see that in our day, too. We see that in any day. There's nothing left but judgment when you step over the line of mercy.
L-33 Now, that type there, that, I'm going to type Elijah with the church today, the church of today. Just before judgment, he received this message. Elijah, he represented, being cared for in the natural, his natural food, because it wasn't going to rain now, according to the Word of God, for three years and six months, or until Elijah called for it. "Whatever time you say, Elijah, that's what it'll be." Therefore he walked up to the king, and said, "There'll not even be dew fall till I call for it." That's quite a--a load, isn't it? That's quite a message! [I Kings 17:1]
L-34 And now we're going to type that with the spiritual drought of today. Now, we all know, we are very aware, that there is a great spiritual drought in the land today, spiritually speaking. And, you know, that was predicted by the prophets, just before the second Coming of Christ would be, said, "There will come a famine in the land, and it won't be for bread alone, but for the hearing of the Word of God." And that day is now, "hearing the true Word of God." Now, this types the natural drought with the spiritual. [Amos 8:11]
L-35 Sin and unbelief, by false teachers and modernists in the church, had brought the place to this coming, oncoming judgment. Then they had turned from God's Word and His prophet, to a modern theological terms of the Word.
L-36 You notice here, it's just at that time that God always raises up something. Cause, He, always, He does nothing until first He reveals it to the people, and He always reveals it by His servants. [Amos 3:7]
L-37 Now, but Elijah, during this time, had a secret place that God had ordained for him to go to. That's the thing we want to see now just before we have the prayer line. Elijah had a secret place provided by God Himself. Now, the church never provided it for him, the king never provided it for him, he didn't provide hisself, but God provided a secret place for Elijah to be fed all the time during the drought, where his food was provided day by day. He didn't need to wonder what's going to happen tomorrow or wonder if the supply run out. God said, "I have commanded the ravens and they'll feed you." What a wonderful thing, a type of our secret place in Christ. [I Kings 17:4]
L-38 When the world council and all that's going on today, that says, "The days of miracles is past." The great powers of God has been taken out of the churches. They seem like, anymore, they don't have nothing but "a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal." We know that to be the truth. "And form of godliness, and denying the Power thereof." [II Timothy 3:5], [I Corinthians 13:1-2]
L-39 It's just the same thing that David did this morning, with the ox carts, got away from the Word. When the Word was presented and give to them, they did not want It; therefore, they had gotten away from It. [I Chronicles 13:7-14]
L-40 That's what these people had done in the days of Elijah, gotten away from the Word. They thought they had the Word, but they didn't have It. So notice then in the...
L-41 During the time that He was going to punish the unbeliever, He made a way for the believer. The same thing He does each time. In the days when He was going to destroy the world by water, He made a way of escape for Noah. In the days that He was going to drown Egypt, He made a way of escape across the sea for His people. How God makes His way! And where there is no way, He is that Way. He is that Way! [Isaiah 41:19], [Hebrews 11:7], [I Peter 3:20], [II Peter 2:5]
L-42 Now we realize that we are facing some of the... one of the greatest hours that history has ever known. It isn't exactly the warhead with the bright shiny missile, with a head on it, that we should be afraid of. It's the churches we should be afraid of. It's the hour that we're living that we should watch.
L-43 Now notice, but God made a way for Elijah to escape it. And He has made a way for His believing children to escape it now, the wrath and things that is to come. [I Kings 17:2-3], [I Corinthians 15:51-58], [I Thessalonians 4:13-18]
L-44 Because, God could not be just to judge those people and send them punishment, and sink Sodom and Gomorrah, and sink Capernaum in the middle of the sea, and condemn those generations, and Sodom and Gomorrah, and then let us do the same thing and get by with it. We're just as sure for judgment as they were sure for judgment. Now we notice that the... [Matthew 11:23], [Genesis 19:24]
L-45 When these things come up, the modern trend of that day, God rose up a man in that day, or raised up a man, rather, to combat the forces, and they wouldn't listen to it. They thought he was crazy, "He had lost his mind. He was just some old fanatic, fool from the wilderness, kinda bush-crazed." But, yet, he had the Word of the Lord. [I Kings 17:1]
L-46 "The Word doesn't mean what It says," they say today. "Oh, well, the Bible is a history book." I guess you've seen this, that now they claim, that, "Eve didn't eat the apple, she eat a..." What was it? I believe..."It was a apricot," they say now. "It was an apricot." And then, that, "Moses never brought the children through the Red Sea. It was a big bunch of reeds, up the other end of that sea, and he went through a sea of reeds." Then how did the water, w-a-t-e-r, wall up on both sides; they went through on dry land, then? Oh, such nonsense! But, you see, it takes that kind of a day to bring God's wrath down upon the people. It does it. [Exodus 14:21-31], [Genesis 3:1-21]
L-47 They say there's no such a thing as--as these... Even church people don't believe in miracles. "I'll give you a thousand dollars," they said, "show me a miracle. Show me a miracle!" Well, they couldn't see it if there was ten thousand things done before them. Why, they, they'd never see it.
You say, "That's the impossible." Oh, no, it isn't. [Matthew 13:16], [Luke 10:23]
You say, "That's the impossible." Oh, no, it isn't. [Matthew 13:16], [Luke 10:23]
L-48 Elijah one time was down at Dothan, and the Syrian army had come over and surrounded the city, to take him, because they knowed that's where the--the nation's power laid, was in that seer. Why, the king... One of the man told the king of Syria, said, "Why, you know, Elijah the prophet, the Tishbite, tells the king of Israel what you talk about in your secret chamber." [II Kings 6:8-12]
L-49 Said, "Go get that guy! That's the fellow that's hindering us." And the whole Syrian army slipped in around Dothan. They was all around it. [II Kings 6:13-14]
L-50 And Gehazi, the--the servant of the prophet, woke up, and he said, "Oh, my father, the armies is all around us here. We're completely surrounded." [II Kings 6:15]
L-51 He said, "Why, there is more with us than there is with them." See?
And Gehazi looked around, said, "I don't see nobody." [II Kings 6:16-17]
And Gehazi looked around, said, "I don't see nobody." [II Kings 6:16-17]
L-52 He said, "Lord God, open up that boy's eyes." And his eyes opened up, and all the hills was full of Angels and chariots sitting around, the unseen Forces. [II Kings 6:16-17]
L-53 Elijah walked right out there, and the Bible said, "He smote them blind." He walked out to them; they were blind to him. Walked out and said, "Are you looking for Elijah?"
He said, "Yes, we're looking for him." [II Kings 6:18-19]
Said, "Come on, tell you right where he's at," and led them right into ambush, right straight where the armies walked right out and got them.
He said, "Yes, we're looking for him." [II Kings 6:18-19]
Said, "Come on, tell you right where he's at," and led them right into ambush, right straight where the armies walked right out and got them.
L-54 Now, the Bible said, "He smote them blind." That settles it. And people are so spiritual blind today, though the Lord God come down in the midst of the people and do anything, and the things He promised, they still can't see It. They are spiritually blind; don't know God, don't know His great Power. Now, we notice that they did that in the days of Elijah, and they still do it today. God smites them blind. They say today, that, "There is no miracles, there is no such a thing, all this is emotion." [II Kings 6:18-20]
L-55 And they said the same thing about Elijah, because when he was taken up and Elisha took his place, a young man, went bald-headed young, the children run out behind him, and said, "Old baldhead, why didn't you go up with Elijah?" See, they didn't even believe It in the beginning, the people, after so many things had been done. And this great man of God had been translated into Heaven by a chariot of fire, and the people still didn't believe It. And had their little children run behind this man and say, "Old baldhead, why didn't you go up?" See? And then the prophet cursed the children, and a she bear killed forty-two of them. [II Kings 2:11, 23-24]
L-56 Now notice. Today, as it was then, they put their own interpretation to the Word. Now, if they want to do that, that's up to them, but they try to make us believe it. The Bible said that, "This Word of God is of no private interpretation." God does His Own interpretating. God confirms His Word, and that's the interpretation of It. As I many times said, He said in the beginning, "Let there be light," and there was light. That don't need to be interpreted; it happened. He said, "A virgin would conceive," she did. He said He'd "pour out His Spirit," He did. And He said, "in the last days," the things that He would do, and He's doing it! It don't need any interpretation; God is doing His Own interpretating. No matter what foolish man say, that doesn't stop God a bit. [II Peter 1:20], [Genesis 1:3], [Isaiah 7:14], [Luke 1:26-38], [Joel 2:28-29], [Acts 2:37-39]
L-57 When Jesus was on earth, He had as much unbelief to contend with that we have today, and maybe more. But it didn't stop Him; He went right on performing and carrying out His duty, and God confirming everything He done. He said, "I'm not by Myself. My Father and I are one; He dwells in Me. It ain't Me that doeth the works, it's the Father that dwelleth in Me. And if I do not His works, then don't believe Me; but if I do the works and yet you can't believe Me, believe the works." See? In other words, they..."Search the Scriptures," He said, "for that's where you think you got Eternal Life, is by knowing the Scriptures. And the Scriptures, Itself, testifies of Me." Amen! What a statement! "They are they, the Scriptures, that tell you Who I am," Jesus said. [John 5:39], [John 10:30, 37-38], [John 14:10]
L-58 And it's the Scriptures that tell you the hour that we're living. And the things that you see done, it's God Himself among His people. Nothing can raise the dead but God. Nothing can do the things that He's doing now but Him. For the Bible said, "He's the same yesterday, today, and forever." [Hebrews 13:8]
L-59 Now we see that modern trend of the people, then, "Oh, the days are past, there's no such a thing as miracles. The people are all emotionally worked up."
L-60 Listen to that Elijah, the prophet, cry out against them and their theologians. Notice, notice, he spoke as if he was God Himself. Elijah spoke as if he was God Himself, "The dew will not fall from heaven until I call for it." Amen! Yes, sir. The prophet had been so long in the Presence of God! [I Kings 17:1]
L-61 The prophets of the Old Testament, or any time, when they lived in the Presence of God until they become the Word, their Message is the Word Itself. And, remember, he said, "THUS SAITH THE LORD." And when those man had those messages from God, and they become so wrapped up that their own thinking... It might have been against their thinking, they might not have been able to--to see it right. But they was speaking the Word of God, "THUS SAITH THE LORD."
L-62 "There will not be any rain till I call for it." Oh, what a statement! He had been in the Presence of God and been vindicated so perfect. And, remember, that also follows Amos 3:7, "The Lord God will do nothing until first He reveals it to His servants the prophets." Said, "There's not going to be any rain fall!" He first... [I Kings 17:1], [Amos 3:7]
L-63 They laughed at him, they thought he was crazy, "That fanatic!" But, see, he had THUS SAITH THE LORD that it wasn't going to rain. And, God, before he did that, He revealed it to Elijah His servant. And he was a vindicated, proven prophet, so the people ought to have repented. But, instead of that, they laughed at him, said, "Oh, we got plenty of rain! The reservoirs are full. The rivers are running good." [Amos 3:7]
L-64 The Bible said that, "There was not even dew for three years and six months." All the brooks and waters dried up, everywhere. That wasn't that man, that was God speaking through that man. That was the "I" it was. We always know. So he... [James 5:17]
L-65 We find out that when a man comes, sent from God, ordained of God, with the true THUS SAITH THE LORD, the message and the messenger are one and the same. Because he is sent to represent THUS SAITH THE LORD, Word by Word, so he and his message is the same. [I Kings 17:1]
L-66 A denominational man under denominational auspices, he and the church is the "one." A theologian under theology, made by some denomination, he and his message are one; church of theology, a theologian. It's correctly.
L-67 Then when a man comes with THUS SAITH THE LORD, he and the Message is one. And when Elijah come with THUS SAITH THE LORD, he and his message became one. Just as Jesus, when He come, He was the Word, Saint John 1. So the Word of God and the messenger of the age was the selfsame thing, all the time. That's right. [I Kings 17:1], [John 1:1-3]
L-68 Jesus was the Word that was prophesied of. He was what the prophets said would happen, "A virgin shall conceive and bear this Child." Way back in the beginning, God told them, said, "The woman's Seed shall bruise the serpent's head, and he'll bruise her heel." All these prophecies had been given. David crying, all the rest of the prophets down through the ages, speaking of Him. He was that Word manifested! Hallelujah! [Genesis 3:15], [Isaiah 7:14], [Luke 1:26-38]
L-69 Now do you see where I'm trying to get to? I spoke with you pretty plain this morning. Don't you see the authority of the living God in the living Church, the Bride? The sick are healed, the dead are raised up, the cripples walk, the blind see, the Gospel goes forth in Its power, for the Message and the messenger are the same. The Word is in the Church, in the person.
L-70 The Word of God was in Elijah when he walked up there with THUS SAITH THE LORD, and said, "It isn't going to rain." That wasn't Elijah; that was God in Elijah. [I Kings 17:1]
L-71 I said a many time, like the Christian Science lady that told me one time. I've told it many times about it. She said, "Mr. Branham, you put too much bragging on Jesus."
I said, "I hope that's the only thing I've got to answer for."
And she said, "You try to make Him Divine."
I said, "He was Divine."
Said, "Oh, He was a prophet, He was a good man, but He wasn't Divine."
And I said, "Well, show me one Scripture that says He wasn't."
She said, "In the Book of Saint John, it says that He 'wept' when He went to the grave of Lazarus." [John 11:34-35]
I said, "I hope that's the only thing I've got to answer for."
And she said, "You try to make Him Divine."
I said, "He was Divine."
Said, "Oh, He was a prophet, He was a good man, but He wasn't Divine."
And I said, "Well, show me one Scripture that says He wasn't."
She said, "In the Book of Saint John, it says that He 'wept' when He went to the grave of Lazarus." [John 11:34-35]
L-72 "Well," I said, "sure, He wept. He was both human and Divine. He was a man, weeping; but He had to be God to raise the dead." That's right. I said, "He was a man, hungry; but He was God feeding five thousand, with a couple biscuits and five fishes." That's right. "He was a man, sleeping on the back of a boat; but it was God in Him that could still the waters." For why? He and His Message was one. [John 11:33-45], [Matthew 21:18-19], [Luke 4:2]
L-73 He said, "I and My Father are one. My Father dwelleth in Me." He was the fulness of the Godhead bodily. [John 10:30]
L-74 I think it was so striking the other day, when I was bringing The Seven Church Ages. To start off with, I--I couldn't make out Jesus standing there with those... with that white over Him like that, said, "His hair was white as wool." I couldn't understand how a man thirty-three years old would be snow white. [Revelation 1:14]
L-75 I called a good theologian, Pentecostal theologian, a good dear friend. Well, it was Brother Jack Moore. He's smart, intelligent man. He said, "Brother Branham, that was Jesus glorified. That's what He looked like after He was glorified." No, I couldn't believe that. No.
I--I--I said, "Well, Brother Moore, thank you."
I--I--I said, "Well, Brother Moore, thank you."
L-76 I got in the room there and got to speaking to God. I run my concordance to take Him back to Daniel, where it said, "And he came to the Ancient of Days Whose hair was white as wool." I said, "Lord, I--I--I don't know what to say, and I've got the responsibility." Now, that was before the se-... and remember, before the Seven Seals was opened, about a year or more, before. I was praying there, "Lord, what was it?" [Daniel 7:9]
L-77 And I looked, standing before me, and there stood a man and he was a judge, and he had a white wig on. The old judges of ancient days used to wear a white wig to show that he was a supreme authority.
L-78 And then when I seen Jesus with the white wig, I said it only vindicates the truth that we know, that He is the Supreme Authority. God witnessed the same thing on Mount Transfiguration, said, "This is My beloved Son, hear Him, the Supreme Authority!" [Matthew 17:1-5], [Revelation 1:14]
L-79 Then back out there at the beginning of the Seven Seals, when those seven Angels come down in that pyramid form, stood there and told me to return back here and speak on those Seven Seals, and He'd be with me, He'd show me what they were, the lost things. I always thought it was sealed on the back of the Book and it'd be something wasn't wrote in the Book, but it turned out that it was made known that He cannot do that. It isn't something that's written in the Book... It's something that's been hid in the Book. "For whosoever shall take one Word from It or add one word to It..." So it is a mystery that's been in the Book in these seven church ages. Each one of them produced a--a mystery, all about water baptism and these other things that they've fumbled about so long. [Revelation 22:18-19], [Revelation 10:7], [Acts 2:37-39]
L-80 Then when that went up, the big observatories from way down in California, plumb down in Mexico, over Tucson, everywhere, taking the picture of It. It was a mysterious sight. Brother Fred Sothmann there, sitting right back there, and I and Brother Gene Norman, standing right there present when it went up. They took the picture, still they don't know what about it. Here sometime ago, everybody saying, "Looky here. This looks like this, and them Angels' wings, how they're folded in there."
L-81 One day, turning it to the right, looking, there was Jesus Christ just as perfect as Hofmann ever drawed Him. It was standing there with a white wig on, looking back down towards the earth, showing that He is Supreme Authority. The Heavens declare it, the Bible declares it, the Message declares it, all the same. Supreme Authority, with the white wig on; you see His black beard under. Many of you have seen the picture. We got it back there. Just turn it to the right, sideways, look at it. There He is, just as perfect as it was, if it had been photographed of Him. They're looking at it from the wrong angle. You got to look at it in the right angle. And only the Lord God can reveal which is the right angle. Turn it to your right and look at it. There He is, just as perfect, had it a-been photographed up there. [Revelation 1:14]
L-82 The first time I ever seen Him, He looked like the Head of... Hofmann. I had never seen that before. And in Billy Sunday's tabernacle, years later, I saw it. My house has never been without one of the pictures since.
L-83 Then, here in the skies, saying that the very God that I saw up in this vision out here, just a little boy out here by where this schoolhouse stands, He looked like that. And here in the Heavens, thirty-three years later, declare it, that it's the truth. That's the way He looks; not some mystic something of somebody's idea.
L-84 Like in the Vatican, they got a--a--a Christ drawed over there, with a little white ring of beard or a ring of beard around His chin, about a half inch long, runs right around the top of His mouth and like this, and call that the Christ.
L-85 That just puts me in mind of a Greek artist I seen one time in an ancient cathedral, showing what Adam and Eve looked like; they looked like beasts or something. That's what the carnal mind can perceive of some spiritual thing. I think Adam was the most handsome man that ever lived, and Eve was a perfect woman in every way. [Romans 8:7]
L-86 Now carnal minds wraps up the Thing in their own ideas, then God sends down and unfolds the Thing by His Power. That's exactly what took place here in the days of Ahab. [Romans 8:7], [I Kings 17:1]
L-87 Now, we find out that Elijah could say that because the Message of the hour and the Word of God... The messenger, the Message--the Message, and the Word, was exactly the same thing. The prophet, the Word, the Message; messenger, Message, and Message, was the same. Jesus said, "If I do not the works that's written of Me, then don't believe Me." That's good. Any man and his message is one. [John 10:37-38], [Amos 3:7], [I Kings 17:1]
L-88 That's why today that they do not believe in doing the works of God, because they do not accept the Message of God. They don't believe the Message.
L-89 But those who believe God's hour that we're living in, these things are hidden Food. Just think, God has so hid It that they look right at It and don't see It. The same way that Elijah blinded the Syrian army. The same way that God blinds the unbeliever from the true genuine Food of the child, the believer. [II Kings 6:18-20]
L-90 What they called Noah, "a fanatic," building an ark, his eyes were open to the Word of God and the promise. The very thing that they called fanaticism, saved Noah and his family. See, the very same thing. The thing that people laugh at, is the thing that we pray for. The thing that people calls "crazy," we call "Great!" What the world calls "great," God calls "foolish." And what the world calls "foolish," God calls "Great!" It's just exactly the contrast between the Right and wrong. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. [Genesis 6:14], [Genesis 7:1-5], [I Corinthians 1:14-29], [I Corinthians 2:14], [I Corinthians 3:19]
L-91 Remember, he went into his secret place by the plan of God, by the call of God, and the Word of God. Elijah entered into his secret place by God's foreknowledge (plan), and the call upon his life, and according to the Word. If that ain't the way we entered, I don't know why we get there. [I Kings 17:2-5]
L-92 And notice, before the drought begin, Elijah went into this place of secret for his living. A very type of before the judgment starts to strike the earth, the Church is already called out, the Bride is already chosen, and just waiting before the judgment strikes. Already waiting, eating the Food of God, enjoying the blessings of God. Any man in his normal mind knows that we're headed straight, we're right in the hour of judgment. [I Kings 17:2-16], [I Corinthians 15:51-58], [I Thessalonians 4:13-18]
L-93 Look! Brother Banks, several of you man that's here tonight, that standing out there on that mountain that morning.
L-94 And I want to speak about that mountain, next Sunday morning, the Lord willing. Got a great revelation, something further that I can't hardly keep from telling it tonight. But I have... See? And it just constantly, all the time, one thing happening after the other. See? It'll never stop happening, for it was THUS SAITH THE LORD.
L-95 Every one of you here, thousands times thousands over the tape, heard me stand and say, "THUS SAITH THE LORD, it will be thus and thus." And even the newspapers and magazines have to declare it to be the so. They don't know what it's all about, but they seen it. They don't know what it is, but they seen it making the Word exactly the truth.
L-96 We was standing down here on the river, that Angel of the Lord came down that day, thirty-three years, or 1933 it was, come down and spoke the things that He did. Walked out, and many man stand upon the bank there, said, "What did that mean, Billy?"
L-97 I said, "That wasn't for me; that was for you. I believe; you don't." And just went walking on.
L-98 Then the pastor said to me, he said, "You mean that you, with a seventh-grade education, is going to go all over the world and pray for monarchs and potentates and kings and things? And, oh," said, "forget It!"
L-99 I couldn't forget It, It was engraved upon my heart. Now here, thirty-three years later, everything He said has happened perfectly the way He said He would do it. He's God and can't fail. He always keeps His Word. He... Don't never doubt It.
L-100 Now, notice, he went in by the plan of God (foreknowledge), call of God, and the Word of God, and went in before the drought set in.
Now, we know that judgment is ready to strike. [I Peter 1:2], [Romans 8:29]
Now, we know that judgment is ready to strike. [I Peter 1:2], [Romans 8:29]
L-101 Standing on the hill that day, Brother Banks Woods standing here, we was walking up the hill. Maybe I quote it again, so that build your faith for this prayer line that's fixing to take place in the next ten, fifteen minutes. I was just walking ahead of Brother Banks. He was... I think he had left Sister Ruby when she was sick. And he coming behind me, I noticed his face, red. I looked back. I thought the hill might be a little hard for him to pull, so I kind of slowed up. Right in them deserts, right up hills like that, right where the Angels of the Lord appeared. We was heading right in that direction then, where they appeared a few months before that.
L-102 And as I went up the hill, the Spirit of God... When I turned around, look on top of the mountain, He said, "Pick up that rock, and say to him, 'THUS SAITH THE LORD, you'll see the Glory of God in the next few hours.'"
L-103 I just picked up the rock, and said, "Brother Banks, I don't know why," throwed it up the air, and I said, "THUS SAITH THE LORD, you're going to see the Glory of God."
He said, "That meant Ruby?"
He said, "That meant Ruby?"
L-104 I said, "No, I don't think it had anything to do with you, Banks or Ruby, either one. I just think It was just saying, "THUS SAITH THE LORD, something's going to happen."
L-105 And the next morning when we were standing there, many of the men, I don't know how many is sitting here now, there was twelve or fourteen, fifteen of us sitting there. All of a sudden, a minister walked up to me and he said, "Brother Branham," he said, "my name is So-and-so." Said, "I was one of your sponsors in California."
L-106 I said, "I'm glad to meet you, sir." Douglas McHughes. He said, "I'm..." I said, "I'm glad to meet you." Shook hands with him.
L-107 He said, "Well, now, I want to ask you a question." Said... Roy Roberson, trustee here; Brother Woods, Terry and Billy, and, oh, Brother Mc Anally, and I don't know who all was standing there. And I... He said, "I want to ask you something." He said, "Does the Lord ever give you visions out like this?"
L-108 I said, "Yes, brother, but I come out here to kind of get away from it, to rest up."
And I looked around like this, and I seen a heavyset doctor looking at him, said, "Rev. McHughes, this allergy in your eye will soon put your eye out. I've doctored you for two years, and I can do nothing about it."
And I turned around to him. I said, "What you asked me that for, your doctor told you, the other day, 'That allergy was in your eye.'" It was middle of the day, about eleven o'clock, and he was wearing sunglasses. And I said, "The reason; you're not wearing that because it's the sun, it's because of your eye. He told you you was 'going to lose that eye.'"
And he started crying, said, "That's right."
And I looked around like this, and I seen a heavyset doctor looking at him, said, "Rev. McHughes, this allergy in your eye will soon put your eye out. I've doctored you for two years, and I can do nothing about it."
And I turned around to him. I said, "What you asked me that for, your doctor told you, the other day, 'That allergy was in your eye.'" It was middle of the day, about eleven o'clock, and he was wearing sunglasses. And I said, "The reason; you're not wearing that because it's the sun, it's because of your eye. He told you you was 'going to lose that eye.'"
And he started crying, said, "That's right."
L-109 I turned to walk around again, had a shovel in my hand. (And I looked; I seen him standing there looking at me, his eyes just as bright.) I said, "But THUS SAITH THE LORD, you're not going to lose that eye." I was hunting with him this last fall, he can see better than me and anybody in the crowd. He never...
L-110 And I seen an elderly lady pull down her stocking and raise up the side of her skirt. She said, "Son, if you see Brother Branham, tell him to pray for my feet." And I looked down there, and little... look like tumors hanging on her feet, all around.
L-111 I said, "Your mother is a gray-headed lady. 'My son,' you see. She told you before you left, if you seen me, to have me to pray for her feet. She's got little tumors, like, hanging all over her feet." He liked to a fainted.
Said, "That's the truth."
I said, "Tell her not to worry. It'll be all right."
Said, "That's the truth."
I said, "Tell her not to worry. It'll be all right."
L-112 I started to walk around. Then I heard the Voice of God speak, said, "Get out of the way, quickly."
Roy Roberson standing there, knowing he was a veteran of the war, I put my hand on his shoulder, I said, "Brother Roy, hide, as quick as you can!"
Said, "What's the matter?"
I said, "Get out of the way! Hide!"
Roy Roberson standing there, knowing he was a veteran of the war, I put my hand on his shoulder, I said, "Brother Roy, hide, as quick as you can!"
Said, "What's the matter?"
I said, "Get out of the way! Hide!"
L-113 And just started walking around, put my shovel down, turned around, took off my hat. And here He come, the Glory of God falling in a whirlwind that tore the side of the mountain out like that, and blasted and shook the place like that, cut the top of the bushes out; just about three or four, five feet above my head. Went back up like a funnel like that; it blasted again. And, here it come, three times. [Job 38:1], [Job 40:6], [Nahum 1:3]
L-114 Then when It left, the third time, Brother Banks come over, said, "That's what you was talking about?"
I said, "Yes."
Said, "What was it?"
I said, "God appears in whirlwinds." I didn't know whether He wanted me to tell the people or not. [Job 38:1], [Job 40:6], [Nahum 1:3]
I said, "Yes."
Said, "What was it?"
I said, "God appears in whirlwinds." I didn't know whether He wanted me to tell the people or not. [Job 38:1], [Job 40:6], [Nahum 1:3]
L-115 Then I went on and prayed a little bit. Then He told me I could tell them. I said, "It's judgment striking the West Coast." Look at her today! Look what happened a few hours after that: Alaska sunk. And now the whole thing is going under. We're entering into the judgment. Mercy has been spurned.
L-116 But thanks be to God, we got hidden Food, spiritual Food, that we're living on the goodness and mercy of the revelation of Jesus Christ in these last days, vindicating Himself among His people. Amen! They went in. Elijah went in before the drought set in. Thank God for being in before the judgment sets in. Now is a time of coming out and going in, getting out of those organizations and getting into Christ, a coming-out and going-in time for all true believers. [I Kings 17:1-3]
L-117 Then he was called, and stayed in there. Remember, he never left that brook until God called him. [I Kings 17:2-5]
L-118 And after the drought was about over, He called him out of there, down to a widow's house. Notice, He called to this widow. And this widow had not associated herself with the unbelievers; took the mark of the beast during the drought. So He called her out to... called Elijah to sustain this widow. They just had one little cake, one little thing she was holding onto. And Elijah said, "Give that to me, first. For, THUS SAITH THE LORD, that barrel will not go empty neither will the cruse run dry, until the day that the Lord God sends rain upon the earth." Putting God first, His Word first! [I Kings 17:8-16]
L-119 Notice, there was meal in the barrel. Every time she went after meal, there was meal in the barrel. There was oil in the cruse, every time she went for it. Why? Meal represented Christ in the meal-offering. The burrs had to be set just right, to grind every one of them. Every burr of this meal exactly the same, showing that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. That was the Word, the Bread of Life following the message, to vindicate the Word. [I Kings 17:8-16]
L-120 So is it today, friends. So is it today, that the Bread of Life that the children eat on, follows the Message of God, to sustain them during the time of the drought. What if He stood in our presence today? What if He stood in our presence right now? He would act and do just exactly like He done the days when He was in flesh here on the earth. The Bride is part of the Husband, the Church is the same as Christ. "The works that I do shall you do also." And it is the Word that done it. He told us that the things that He did that we would do also. [I Kings 17:8-16], [John 14:12]
L-121 We notice here again, if the Word is in us and has come to us, as It did Elijah in that day, It'll do the same thing that he did, he would feed on the secret Things of God which is hid from the world. Oh! Again, it makes the Message and the messenger as one. The spiritual Food is ready, and It's in the season now. And each one of you can have this Food if you wish It, if you are willing to steal away from all of the unbelief of this hour, if you are ready to come into Christ, come into His promise. [I Kings 17:2-18]
And remember His promises, in Malachi 4, Luke 17:30, also in Saint John 14:12, and how many more Scriptures, of telling, Joel 2:38, and all that He would do, or 2:28, rather, what He would do in these last days. And how the prophet said that it'd be Light in these last days, how It would work, what It would do, all the Scriptures pointing to this last days. And that is Christ! If you can hide away in That now, in that secret Place, you can eat and see the goodness and mercy of God. If you're sick, there is healing there. [Malachi 4:5-6], [Luke 17:30], [John 14:12], [Joel 2:28], [John 6:33-35, 48-51], [I Kings 17:1]
And remember His promises, in Malachi 4, Luke 17:30, also in Saint John 14:12, and how many more Scriptures, of telling, Joel 2:38, and all that He would do, or 2:28, rather, what He would do in these last days. And how the prophet said that it'd be Light in these last days, how It would work, what It would do, all the Scriptures pointing to this last days. And that is Christ! If you can hide away in That now, in that secret Place, you can eat and see the goodness and mercy of God. If you're sick, there is healing there. [Malachi 4:5-6], [Luke 17:30], [John 14:12], [Joel 2:28], [John 6:33-35, 48-51], [I Kings 17:1]
L-122 You remember when Elisha, later on, had called down... After that meal-offering that he had, Christ, and sustained the widow's house with It. Notice later on when he called fire down out of the heavens, and so forth, and proved his sending, of God, the prophet's Spirit. [I Kings 17:8-16], [I Kings 18:35-39]
L-123 Notice in the wilderness, when he was laying down there under the juniper tree, a Angel come down with that same kind of meal, and baked some cakes and fed him. And a little later on He put him to sleep again, and woke him up, and he had some more meal cakes baked there for him. And he went in the strength of those cakes for forty days. Glory to God! He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. Oh, how we love Him, spiritual Food in Its season! [I Kings 19:5]
L-124 "It's not meet to take the children's bread and give it to dogs." Didn't Jesus say the same thing to the Syrophenician women? He was sent to His Own. That is right. And that's who He come... He never went to the Gentiles. [Matthew 15:25-27]
L-126 You say, "Why is it that the Message don't go out in these great big places, these big crusades, like amongst the denominations?"
L-127 It's not their Food. It's not the church, so calls, Food. It's the Bride Food. It's spiritual Food in season. It would make them sick at their stomach. It's too rich for them. See? See? You--you--you can't do it. But, for the children, It's Bread, It's Life, It's Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever. [Hebrews 13:8], [I Kings 17:1]
L-128 We're going to get too late if we don't start the prayer line now, so let us bow our heads just a moment.
L-129 Dear God, Food in due season, spiritual Food. Something that the world knows nothing of. How we hear our Lord say that night, or that day down there at Samaria, the same place that Elisha walked up and said, "Why, the dew will not fall till I call for it." Here stood Jesus there telling His disciples. [I Kings 17:1]
Said, "Master, why don't You eat?"
He said, "I have Food that you know not of." [John 4:30-34]
Said, "Master, why don't You eat?"
He said, "I have Food that you know not of." [John 4:30-34]
L-130 Truly, Lord, His Food was to do the will of God, to see the works of God made manifest in His hour. He was there to see that it was done. "I do nothing except My Father shows Me first. What the Father shows Me, that I do." [John 4:34], [John 5:17, 19-20]
L-131 And, Father, so is it today. The Church, the true believer, the Body of believers, has access to Food, spiritual Food, that the nominals know nothing about. The world knows nothing of this Food, Father. But Your Church, Your people, the Bride of Your Son, loves It.
L-132 We have access to healing of our bodies when the doctors has failed. We have access to this. It's one of the Foods of God, that He gave to His Church, and promised it in the last day to His believing children. And, Father, help us to be believing children, for all things are possible to the believers. Grant it, Dear God. We ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
L-133 I believe Billy told me that they give out some prayer cards. If somebody would tell me the letter that's on the prayer card, that's all I want. [Someone says, "C."--Ed.] C, all right, let's take C, one, start off, till I get our line started. See, now, they may be all over. Now, if everyone... Well, see, I'm going to try this. I don't know whether we can do it or not. Or either we can just have a calling line; you sit still. It doesn't matter to me. If you'd rather come up here on the platform, or have a calling line, it doesn't matter, just either way. I'm just depending solely on the Holy Ghost. I'm depending Him to defend this Word that I have preached.
L-134 Brother George Wright, I believe It. Since a little boy, coming down to your house many years ago, listen at that old whippoorwill set in the tree, I still believe that same Message. I believe It's the same.
L-135 All right, I see they're clearing back here for a prayer line. All right, prayer card C, number one, two, three, four, five, come first and stand right here. If you can't get up, if you'll just raise your hands, some of them will come pack you. [Someone speaks to Brother Branham--Ed.] What is it? Yeah. Uh-huh. Prayer card C, one, two, three, four, five. And now notice, you that do not have a prayer card...
L-136 Now, I haven't had a prayer line of this type for a long, long time. How many remembers my commission when we built the Tabernacle here? Said, "Do the work of an evangelist." Didn't say I was an evangelist. Said, "Do the work of an evangelist," see, "for the hour will come when that's to be changed." That hour is arriving. All right. Now, in this, He... [II Timothy 4:5]
L-137 You can't mix two or three different ministries together, pastor and evangelize, the same time. You can't be a--a prophet and maybe a pastor, at the same time, see, 'cause you have different works, different ministry.
L-138 But the Lord gave me what I should do in my Message. But then He said, "Do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry, for the hour will arrive when they will not endure sound Doctrine." If that hasn't come now! Every church denomination has turned me down. They wouldn't endure sound Doctrine. "But after their own lusts they'll bring their own teachers in, and they'll be turned into fables. And they will do great things of exploit like Jambres and Jannes that withstood Moses, but their folly will be made manifest." See? See? All right, impersonations! You see how Jambres... [II Timothy 4:3-5]
L-139 And, God in Heaven knows, that lays right there in the corner of that Tabernacle stone since 1933, wrote on a page of a Bible, laying right there. Look how they've done it. Look what's come to pass. Impersonations, just exact. Said, "Let them alone, their folly will be made known in the same manner as Jambres and Jannes was." Here we are in that day. [II Timothy 3:8]
L-140 I seen the church then when we was just laying the cornerstone, people hanging in the sills and all around, standing around the walls of the Tabernacle. There you are. And they said, when it come up, the people of the city here, said, "Within the space of six months..." Us with one dollar and eighty cents to build a Tabernacle, a lot of the garage people done decided it was going to be their garage. But it's still a sheep pen for God's Sheep.
L-141 One, two, three, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. C, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. All right.
L-142 Now, "I the Lord have planted it, I will water it day and night lest some should pluck it from My hand." Look at the criticism! No denomination to back It up. No churches like It around the country here. No Pentecost in the country, nothing else to sustain It. Everybody against the water baptism, everybody against all these other things. Even to my own family, my own daddy turned me away from the door, I got my clothes in a little paper sack and went and lived in New Albany. Right. [Jeremiah 31:28]
But through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
It's grace that brought me safe this far,
I'm fifty-six years old, and soon I've got to cross the river.
Grace will take me on.
When I've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun;
We'll have no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we first begun.
Oh, how I love Jesus! He's all the world to me!
I have already come;
It's grace that brought me safe this far,
I'm fifty-six years old, and soon I've got to cross the river.
Grace will take me on.
When I've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun;
We'll have no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we first begun.
Oh, how I love Jesus! He's all the world to me!
L-143 Oh, all right, how many did I... Where'd I leave off, ten? Can we take some more? All right. What was that, ten, fifteen? All right. C, ten to fifteen, wherever you are, if you can stand up and get in. What say? Huh? All right. C, fifteen to twenty, then. Let that be C, fifteen to twenty. That would be ten more people. We see... You see--see where the line is standing there, we don't get them--get them crowded. And we'll... All right.
L-144 Now give me your undivided attention; we won't be long. But, now, oh, what a hour, what a time! I--I wish that everybody could love the Lord. I--I wish that we could all just come to that spot to realize the potential of this minute. Let's try it. Just give me your attention.
L-145 What--what are we trying to do here? We are placing God's Word through a test. Elijah done the same thing, walked out upon the mount after he knowed that he was sent from God to do it. He said, "Now let's prove who is God, let the God that answers by fire be God."
And the heathens cut, oh, say, "Well, sure, no..." The--the heathens knowed fire wasn't going to fallso they'd scream and carry on. [I Kings 18:20-39]
And the heathens cut, oh, say, "Well, sure, no..." The--the heathens knowed fire wasn't going to fallso they'd scream and carry on. [I Kings 18:20-39]
L-146 But Elijah knowed it was going to fall, 'cause he had a vision from the Lord.
You say, "He had a vision?"
You say, "He had a vision?"
L-147 Yes, sir! When he got everything laid in order, he said, "Lord, I've done all this at Your command." And then the fire begin to fall. When God's Word is kept to the letter, then it's God's business to take care of the rest of it. He just asks you to lay it out there. And be sure that you're called to lay it out there. See? And if you are, He'll take care of the rest of it. [I Kings 18:36-39]
L-148 Now, here will be people coming through this line that I'll be praying... Now, well, you're just about to the wall now, all right, to the line to start. Now, first, at least somewhere here in the building, some people...
How many here is sick and don't have a prayer card, raise up your hand. See, just all over. Now, you know if our Lord... And I believe He will, if He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. He run prayer lines. People come to Him in great lines, multitudes, He touched them, blessed them. Then He stopped sometime and said, "Who touched Me?" Look around, told a woman what she touched Him for; and said her blood issue was gone, her faith had made her whole. [Mark 5:25-34], [Luke 8:43-48]
How many here is sick and don't have a prayer card, raise up your hand. See, just all over. Now, you know if our Lord... And I believe He will, if He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. He run prayer lines. People come to Him in great lines, multitudes, He touched them, blessed them. Then He stopped sometime and said, "Who touched Me?" Look around, told a woman what she touched Him for; and said her blood issue was gone, her faith had made her whole. [Mark 5:25-34], [Luke 8:43-48]
L-149 What if she had turned around and said, "Well, I don't know, Lord, I've had this a long time"? It wouldn't a happened. No, it wouldn't a happened. No.
L-150 What if He told the Syrophenician woman, "Because of this word that you said, your daughter, the devil is gone out of her," what if say, "Well, now, Lord, I--I wanted You to do it this a way"? The--the devil would have still been in the girl. But she expected to find her child the way He said she would find her. [Mark 7:25-30], [Matthew 15:22-28]
L-151 Now, He told us, "If thou canst believe! If you can say to this mountain, 'Be moved,' and don't doubt in your heart, but believe that what you've said will come to pass, you can have it. When you pray, believe that you receive it, it'll be given to you." What a promise! [Matthew 17:20]
L-152 Now the man who preaches the social gospel don't believe that at all. He'd walk up to the door, look in, or stand there, and say, "Well, just another bunch of holy rollers," and walk away. See? But he don't know that this is the hidden Food. He don't know that this is the secret Thing that's hid from him. He doesn't know it. It's--it's--it's pitiful, a mind that's naked, miserable, blind, and don't know it. See? That's a bad thing.
L-153 O God, let me die first, but don't never get me like that. I'd rather die (yes, sir) than to do that. And I think every one of us would, wouldn't we? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.]
L-154 But, now, God has promised us these things in the last days. In Malachi 4, said that Jesus Christ would come down and impersonate Himself in human flesh like He did at Sodom. That's right. And said the world would be in a Sodom condition. And said, "As it was then, the Son of man will be revealed that day." See, this Man that come down in the form of a man, which was "Elohim," by Abraham, before this promised son came. Look what it was, Abraham said it was God. And the Bible said there was three man came to him, dust on their clothes, travel, set down and eat like man. And Jesus said, "Just at the time the world gets in a Sodom condition, then the Son of man would reveal Himself again," not Son of God. Son of man, see, would reveal Himself. [Malachi 4:5-6], [Luke 17:30], [Genesis 18:1]
L-155 Now mark that with what the last prophet said, "Behold I send to you Elijah the prophet, and he will restore the--the hearts of the children back to the fathers." See? A Message to bring them back to the Bible, and the Son of man will be revealing Himself in that day. And at that day of the sounding of the last church age, the seventh angel, the mysteries of God should be made known in that day. The Seven Seals would be broken. The mysteries of all these churches and things, how they happened, and what tak-... how, what taken place. [Malachi 4:5-6], [Revelation 10:7]
L-156 See, they don't know It. Jesus said, "You blind Pharisees!" Said, "If the blind leads the blind, don't they both fall in the ditch?" See, that's the reason those people don't see That. [Matthew 23:26], [Matthew 15:14]
L-157 The mystery of It, is, those Seals, each one of those churches made an organization and got into it, and that's one of the secret things that's been wrong before God. You see it, Doctor Lee? See, look. It is. That's the thing right there. That's one of the secrets. They organized and, see, and was completely out of the will of God. And that will be exposed in the last days, and lead the people, not to a creed or a denomination, but back to the true Word. And the true Word will come to a certain group of people, and the Son of man will reveal Himself in the midst of them, "the same yesterday, today, and forever." [Revelation 10:1-7], [Hebrews 13:8]
L-158 Oh, my! Oh, I love that. I love--I love to brag on Him. I love to--to make Him big before the people. I don't have to make Him big; He's already big. He is so high you can't get over Him, so deep you can't get under Him, so wide you can't get around Him, and yet you got room in your heart for Him. Won't you receive Him? How wonderful our Lord is! All right.
L-159 Now let's get real quiet, everybody. Now, we've talked about This. And now the thing of it, is, is It true? Now, there may be some strangers in here. I might say if... to you, if Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, what would He do in this minute? He would do the same thing that He did when He was here before. Is that right? The people's faith would touch His garment, and He would turn. Like He did the woman at the well, and He did other places, and He perceived their thoughts.
Now, you say, "Could He heal me?"
Now, you say, "Could He heal me?"
L-160 His Word said He's already done that. But the thing of it is, is, to make Himself known that He's here.
L-161 Now, if He appeared to us in a physical body, looked just exactly like Hofmann's Head of Christ at Thirty-three, and blood running out of His hand, and so forth, nail scars all over Him, I wouldn't accept it. No, no. No, no. When He comes, Hisself, "Every eye shall see Him, every tongue shall confess Him; and as the lightning cometh from the East unto the West, so shall it be." See? We don't believe these cults and clans. We believe God is the Word.
L-162 But He embodies Himself, taking your body and my body, and gives you gifts, gives me gifts, and through these gifts He makes Hisself known. That's the secret Food. No matter how much He would make Hisself known by me, you've got to believe It, you've got to have a gift of faith, too, to believe It. Do you believe that? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] And now if He will manifest Himself in that manner, will you believe Him? ["Amen."] With all your heart, you'll believe Him? Oh, how wonderful, just waiting on Him, just waiting to see what He says. [Ephesians 4:8]
L-163 Here is a man standing here. I've never seen him in my life, as I know of. Looks like a good, strong, healthy man, and he probably is, I--I--I don't know. But he is standing there. Now, I could go lay hands on that man and pray for him, ask him if he would believe. He could stand here and tell me, say, "I--I--I want you to pray for So-and-so. And I got--I got fallen arches. I got a headache, constantly. I got ulcers in my stomach," or something. He--he, I don't know. He could say any of those things.
L-164 I'd say, "All right, sir, brother. I'll lay my hands upon you and pray for you." That would be perfectly all right. That's exactly what we've done all down through the age. Is that right?
L-165 But, remember, Jesus said it would be different just at the time of His Coming, like it was in the days of Sodom. And the Man that came up, had His back turned to the tent where Sarah was, and He said, (not "Abram," now) "Abraham."
See, he was Abram, the day before. But he met a vision, and the Lord told him that, "I'm going to change your name." [Genesis 17:5]
See, he was Abram, the day before. But he met a vision, and the Lord told him that, "I'm going to change your name." [Genesis 17:5]
L-166 And here is the Lord, Himself, in the form of a man, eating and drinking with him. Said, "Abraham, where is your wife, Sarah?" S-a-r... r-a-h; not S-a-r-r-a.
He said, "She is in the tent, behind You." [Genesis 18:9]
He said, "She is in the tent, behind You." [Genesis 18:9]
L-168 And Sarah kind of laughed to herself. He said, "Sarah laughed in the tent just then, saying, 'How can these things be?'" Is there anything too hard for God? See? Nothing. No, sir. [Genesis 18:10-12]
L-169 Now He said, Jesus promised that, "He, the Son of man," which is the Word, (do you believe that?) "would come in the last days and would reveal Himself in the time that the world was like Sodom and Gomorrah." You believe that's right? [Luke 17:30]
L-170 Before we have one prayer, some of you out there pray and see if the Son of man is still the same yesterday, today, and forever. Just ask if He is, say, "Lord, the man don't know me, but I know that You're the same yesterday, today, and forever," see if He tells you that.
Yes, sir. Now raise up your head just a moment.
Yes, sir. Now raise up your head just a moment.
L-171 It's behind me. It's a child. It's burning up right now with a fever. It's a little girl. You're from out of town. The child has a stomach trouble. It did. Just believe.
L-172 Now, is that what He said He would do? I never seen that person in my life. God in Heaven knows that.
L-173 This man here, he looks very strong and healthy. But see that shadow over him there? That means, unless God helps him, he ain't going to be here very long. He's got cancer. It's in your lung.
Now, the Son of man is here.
He's got a burden on his heart for a little boy, a little child. Is that right? You believe God can tell me what's wrong with that child? [The brother says, "I know he can."--Ed] He can. He has little blackout spells like a form of epilepsy. He's just had one just recently. ["This morning."] That's right, this morning. And you believe you're going to live to raise that boy, and he'll be all right? ["Yes."]
Now, the Son of man is here.
He's got a burden on his heart for a little boy, a little child. Is that right? You believe God can tell me what's wrong with that child? [The brother says, "I know he can."--Ed] He can. He has little blackout spells like a form of epilepsy. He's just had one just recently. ["This morning."] That's right, this morning. And you believe you're going to live to raise that boy, and he'll be all right? ["Yes."]
L-174 Where is Charlie Cox at? Where's he at? Charlie, where you at? I thought he was here tonight. Over here, Charlie. Gary, where you at? Larry, is he here? His little boy had the same thing, exactly the same thing. Where you at, Larry? Come here a minute. Well, here you are. This little boy here had the same thing. His father and mother is a very good friend of mine. Years ago I was down there, and this little boy would take spells, just blackout and fade away. It was epilepsy. I caught it on the little boy, asked God to heal him. He's never had one since. That's his father; his mother is sitting here somewhere; and here's the little boy, himself.
L-175 Now do you believe, sir? (Thank you, Larry.) You believe, sir? May the God of Heaven grant the same thing to you, and you to live to raise the child. God bless you.
Let's pray.
Let's pray.
L-176 Dear God, help him. I pray that Your mercy and grace will be upon him and bless him. In Jesus' Name.
L-178 Oh, yeah, he was from Louisiana, sure was, around Lake Charles. Right. See, I can catch your thoughts now. Praise be to God!
L-179 Well, you're asking for a--a good thing, you want to have a baby. You already had children, couple of children, but you want another one. May God of Heaven grant it to you, my sister. Come here, I just want to lay hands.
L-180 Dear God, give the woman the desire of her heart, because it's a worthy cause. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Now go have the child.
Now go have the child.
L-181 God is a good God. Do you believe that? [Congregation says, "Amen."] He knows all that we have need of. He supplies our every need if we believe it. He said, "If thou canst believe!"
L-182 I shook your hand somewhere. I don't remember where it was at, but somewhere I shook your hand. I don't just exactly remember, but we was just somewhere, today somewhere, but I don't know where it was at. But that's not where, what we're here to talk about. You're here to talk about, or to pray, want me to pray for somebody else. That's right. He isn't here. He's in Georgia, sick. Not only is he sick, physically, but spiritually he's sick; your cousin. You believe God will take care of this because you've stood for him? You do? Come here and let's pray together.
L-183 Dear God, grant this man the desire of his heart, that he might go and find this man crying out for God. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.
God bless you. Don't doubt. Believe with all your heart.
God bless you. Don't doubt. Believe with all your heart.
L-184 How do you do? It wasn't that I didn't reach for your hand to shake your hand then, when you put your hand out, I was noticing something. It was a shadow, real dark and black. That's the reason. I know I caught your hand, I'd find it that way, see. But it's a cancer. You believe that God is able to move it? It's on your breast, left side. You want to go back to Carolina and praise the Lord for being well, don't you? See what I mean? Let's pray.
L-185 Dear God, in the Name of Jesus Christ, the One Who is present now; the children eating the Bread of God, may this child also enjoy the faith, the Bread of God that He gives him now for his healing. May he go and be well, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
God bless you, brother. Believe with all your heart.
How do you do?
God bless you, brother. Believe with all your heart.
How do you do?
L-186 Isn't this a wonderful time? Just look like an awe sets down over the people. Or, it maybe sound like, my ears, just like something going, [Brother Branham blows into the microphone--Ed.] "Whew!" Just making a noise, like, "Whew," like that, see. It's the children's Bread. See? It's yours, It's for you. It isn't for me; it's for you. I'm very thankful, right at the time now, I don't... I'm well, as far as I know; but It's bread for me, too, when I have need of. It's Bread for you. It's encouragement. To you that's not even sick, it just brings our hearts up before God.
L-187 This is exactly in season, what He said He would do, "And as it was in the days of Sodom, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man, when the Son of man shall be revealed." See? "And, behold, I send to you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord. He shall restore the hearts of the people back to the Father." See? See? [Luke 17:28-30], [Malachi 4:5-6]
L-188 "And then the righteous shall walk out upon the--the wicked, ashes." They'll burn like an oven, see, the earth will. We see it's going to fall in yonder. And volcanic will spread across the earth, and the heavens will be on fire.
O Rock of Ages, have mercy on me now, and then. [Malachi 4:1-3]
O Rock of Ages, have mercy on me now, and then. [Malachi 4:1-3]
L-189 How do you do? Well, one thing, you have a lady's trouble, female trouble. Have other things. You're nervous, just that age to get nervous. Complications of all kinds. But you have a desire, too, that's to receive the Holy Ghost. That's right. That's what it is. Do you believe you're... Have you confessed everything? You believe if I lay hands upon you and ask God to do it, the Holy Ghost will come? [The sister says, "Yes."--Ed.] You believe that? ["Yes, sir."] Let's pray. [Acts 19:6]
L-190 Dear God, I lay my hands upon this woman, in the apostolic form, and ask that she receives the baptism of the Holy Ghost. In the Name of Jesus Christ, may she receive It. Amen. [Acts 19:6]
L-192 Had a little funny feeling when I said, "female trouble," didn't you? Cause that's what you had, too. Now you believe you're going to be all right now? Go, just thanking the Lord.
L-193 How do you do? Do you believe with all your heart? You believe you're going to be able to eat like you used to a long time ago? All right. Go, and say, "Thank You, Lord. I believe it." The Presence of the Lord.
L-194 You believe that back trouble is going to leave you and you're going to be well? Well, just go, saying, "Thank You, dear God," and God will grant it.
L-195 You believe you can be well, the Lord will make you well; and won't have no arthritis, be well and healthy? You believe that? Go, thanking Him, say, "Lord, I accept it with all my heart, and I believe it."
What do you all out there believe about It?
What do you all out there believe about It?
L-196 You right here, lay your hand over on that woman sitting right next to you there, tell her the varicose veins and arthritis will leave her. When she...?...
L-197 God bless you. You believe you're going to be well now. Go home and be... God bless you. Go on your road, and say, "Thank You, Lord Jesus."
L-198 How do you do? [The sister says, "Praise the Lord."--Ed.] You believe the female trouble is going to leave you, too? ["I do."] And you're going to be well? ["Thank You, Jesus."] Go, and say, "Thank You, Lord." ["Thank You, Jesus."]
L-199 How do you do? [The sister says, "Pulled a cartilage."--Ed.] Why, my, my! ["Totten."] I know your name. I--I used to... ["Totten."] when I pastored the Baptist church. ["Totten."] Totten. ["Della Totten."] Sister Della Totten. You're suffering with back trouble now. ["Yes."] It's going to be all right. You believe He's going to make you well? ["Yes."] You remember what happened down there in the Milltown Baptist church years ago? ["Yes, I remember that!"] He is still the same God today. ["Oh, thank God!"] God bless you, my sister.
George Wright, where you at? You remember? My, how...
You believe, if I just laid my hands on you, with this anointing, you believe you'll get well? Come here. In the Name of Jesus Christ may she be healed. Amen. Have faith!
Well, do you all believe with all your heart? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.]
George Wright, where you at? You remember? My, how...
You believe, if I just laid my hands on you, with this anointing, you believe you'll get well? Come here. In the Name of Jesus Christ may she be healed. Amen. Have faith!
Well, do you all believe with all your heart? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.]
L-200 Now, how well that brings old memories, to see that lady! I can't think of her name, yet, but I... [Someone says, "Totten."] Totten. Totten, that's right. Oh, yes, her daughter was Birdie, that's right. That's exactly right. Don't think I'm beyond myself, I'm just kinda little, you know, it's kind of a... I can't explain it.
L-202 You believe your heart trouble will be all right, too? [The patient says, "Yes."--Ed.] Just go, rejoice, and say, "Thank You, Lord Jesus," and believe It. All right. Have faith now. Don't doubt.
L-203 Come, lady. Do you believe with all your heart? You got many things wrong with you. You've got back trouble, too. You believe that God is going to make you well? All right, just go, rejoicing. That, that's Him that makes you feel that way. Thank the Lord. God bless you, sister.
L-204 Hi, sonny. [The boy says, "Hi!"--Ed.] You believe that God is going to heal the nervousness of that child and make it well? You believe it? All right. Hi, buddy, let me shake your hand.
L-205 Dear God, take that evil thing off of this little boy, and may he live and be normal. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
L-207 Mighty young to have heart trouble. You believe that God will make you well? [The patient says, "Yes, sir."--Ed.] Go, say, "Thank You, Lord, for healing me."
L-208 You believe God will heal the stomach trouble and make you well? Go on, rejoice, and say, "Thank You, Lord."
L-209 He is still God, isn't He? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] The only thing you have to do is just believe. Isn't that right? Do you believe the Son of man in the last days?
L-210 There was something happened here a few minutes ago, and I can't... trying to find where it was at. Somebody had faith and done something. Or, maybe I'll get them next Sunday, or when I can. Are you--you... There it is again. You got your hand up. Do you believe God can heal that heart trouble, make you well, heal your daughter out there with--with... You believe it? Mrs. Neff, you believe that God... Leo Neff. I don't know you, but that's who you are. You got heart trouble, and your little daughter has got a kidney trouble. You believe she is going to get well? Your faith makes you whole. Believe with all your heart.
L-211 You back there in the pool, standing back there with stomach trouble, Jesus Christ make you well.
L-212 You believe? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. Let's lay our hands over on each other now. Oh, think of the hour where we're at, think of the time. Think that we're in the very Presence of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He promised He would do this in the last days. I got hands laying on these handkerchiefs.
L-213 Dear God, I pray that You'll bless these handkerchiefs to the healing of the people's bodies, through Jesus Christ's Name.
L-214 Now, with your hands on one another, each one of you are members of the Body of Christ. The same Holy Spirit that promised to reveal the secrets of the hearts and do these things, He is in you. You are a part of Him, and He's a part of you. Now, He said this, "These signs shall follow them that believe." That's you. "If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover." Now, don't pray for yourself, pray for the one that you got your hands on, 'cause they're praying for you. Now let's pray together, and may there not be a feeble person in this building. Why would we wait any longer, my dear brother, sister, here It is, the Holy Spirit, God, right here, the very thing we've talked about. [Mark 16:15-19]
L-215 Dear Jesus we are recognizing Your Presence. You brought that little baby back to life the other day, after it being dead, by the prayer of faith. Dear God, there is many here we couldn't get to, the time is passing, but they got their hands on one another. They're believers. We're sitting in the Presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, the same yesterday, today, and forever.
L-216 Satan, you are defeated! Jesus Christ defeated you! He rose from the dead and stands among us tonight, vindicating this Message of the last days. Come out of this people! Leave them, in the Name of Jesus Christ! "In My Name they shall cast out devils," and you are cast out. In the Name of Jesus Christ, leave this congregation! [Mark 16:17]
L-217 Every one of you now that accept your healing, stand on your feet. Everybody that accepts healing, stand on your feet. Raise your hands now and give Him praise!
"I now accept my healing," say that to God. I now accept my healing. [Congregation says, "I now accept my healing."--Ed.] You are the same yesterday, today, and forever, Christ. ["You are the same yesterday, today, and forever, Christ."] I now believe You. ["I now believe You."] Help Thou my unbelief." ["Help Thou my unbelief."] Amen. ["Amen."]
"I now accept my healing," say that to God. I now accept my healing. [Congregation says, "I now accept my healing."--Ed.] You are the same yesterday, today, and forever, Christ. ["You are the same yesterday, today, and forever, Christ."] I now believe You. ["I now believe You."] Help Thou my unbelief." ["Help Thou my unbelief."] Amen. ["Amen."]
I will praise Him, I will praise Him,
Praise the Lamb for sinners slain;
Give Him glory, all ye people,
For His Blood has washed away each stain.
Praise the Lamb for sinners slain;
Give Him glory, all ye people,
For His Blood has washed away each stain.