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Sermon Texts Beginning With B
Be Certain Of God (59-0412A)
| Be Certain Of God (59-0412A) |
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E-1
All things are possible, only believe.
Let us remain standing as we bow our heads for prayer. O mighty God, that brought again Jesus from the dead, we are approaching Thee this afternoon in His Name, knowing this, that You have give us the promise that You would hear. "This is My beloved Son, hear ye Him." And we come in His Name to ask mercy, and to ask healing, and salvation for those who are hungering and thirsting for such; forgiveness of our trespasses. And praying that Your Spirit will cause many to come to Thee this afternoon, both in this visible audience and in the radio land...We thank Thee, heavenly Father for the morning services all around the world, and pray that You'll bless every service and every minister and every church this day, that's preaching the Gospel. Come, Lord Jesus, and receive us into Thyself. And while we're waiting Your coming, help us to be loyal servants. For we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen. May be seated.
E-2 I was enjoying some fellowship this morning with the Armenian people of the--the city, at their church. And to my surprise, there was a lady who could interpret languages that... Last evening I was speaking here and was--the Holy Spirit was speaking, rather, and was calling the people out in the meeting, and telling them of their different afflictions, and their diseases. And sometimes I couldn't make them understand just who it was, and then the Holy Spirit would call their name out; as you've noticed Him doing that. E-3 He is doing the exceedingly abundantly. I do not wish to take too much of the time, but just while this is on my mind. I remember, sometime ago, at the Sam Houston Coliseum in--down in Houston, Texas. And we were trying to (had such an overflow crowd), till we were trying to take care of part of them at the Coliseum and part over to Raymond Richey's. Now, I'm sure that the Angelus Temple knows who Raymond Richey is. He was a personal friend through the founder of this church. E-4 And I would pray over here for a prayer line, then go over to the Coliseum and pray. And one night when my brother was taking me from the prayer line, I heard a little Spanish girl weeping. And she would've been the next in line according to the numbers of the prayer cards I was calling. And she wasn't nothing but a child of fifteen years old, something. Well, my brother started pushing me on, and the man that was supposed to take me. But somehow, something told me, "See that child." I said, "Oh, bring her here." And they brought her over, and she gave her prayer card to the man, and so she came over. And I began to speak to her, and--and she just stood there. I thought she might be deaf and dumb. But find out, she couldn't speak English. She could not understand one word of English. And so, I asked if there was an interpreter. And they got a man and brought him up for the interpretation.
E-5 Well, I asked her a few questions, and she begin answering me through the interpreter. And then all of a sudden the vision come. And I said, "I see before me a little girl with little plaited hair hanging down her back. She's setting by an old fireplace, eating yellow corn from a cob that's been took from a kettle which hangs over the fireplace. And she's eaten too much of it; she falls violently ill. And she's taken to the bed by her mother, and is throwed into epilepsy." And then the vision left. E-6 And if we could only grasp that, this afternoon, that His goodness to that little woman (Finnish, or whatever she was) last night, to be sure that her faith would be recognized. He called her in her own language. Wonderful. Now, overseas, many time, we see that happen in the foreign countries. That, I'll be standing, speaking, and It'll turn right back around and use my language and call people, in their names, and everything (just like It does here) in their own native language. That's what I call Pentecost. I--I--I believe it--that's the Holy Spirit.
E-7 Now, the last few nights we haven't been giving out any prayer cards for a prayer line. So I believe it would be in order tonight to have a prayer line, to pray for the sick. All next week, beginning Tuesday night, we expect to go all through next week. So you come out each night; come praying, bringing somebody with you. The boys will be giving out the prayer cards in about thirty-five minutes, as soon as the service is finished here. And you who want a prayer card, just remain. E-8 Now, to our subject and to our lesson for a few moments. Brother David read the Scriptures, because I had just met an old friend that's setting present this afternoon. About two years ago I was up on the River Of No Return with my good friends, the Christian Business Men. I'm a--love to hunt. And they had a new guide that year, and I kindy fell in love with this man, a young fellow that... and he would... I liked him. There seemed to be something about him that was a little more than a cowpoke. And I had met his wife; she was a waitress at the restaurant, at the place where we were eating, up at North Forks near Salmon River, Idaho.
E-9 And on the road back, it happened to be that God let this young fellow become a chum to me, to hunt with me. And I remember getting a good shot one morning at my elk, way across the valleys, and--and got him very humane. And this young fellow was helping me skin him out. And I was noticing him, and I said to him, "Jim, are you a Christian?" And I believe he said he'd belonged to some church or something another. But there was something about him that seemed honest. That night when we went in, set at the table, I kept watching him. While he was laying on his camp bag, sleeping, I passed by and laid my hand upon him, and asked God to save him.
E-10 Now, Brother David was reading out of the book of Kings, of Elijah the great prophet. And it must have been a terrible morning, dry and hot. There hadn't had no rain for three years and six months. It was so dry and hot till the world was ready to blaze into fire. The people were starving in the streets and there was a cry everywhere. All this had been brought on because of the moral decay of the nation. Israel was loved of God. But when they got out of the will of God, the enemy taken them over.
E-11 It's something similar to today. All the people agreed that it was all right for them to do that, because the government, the king and the queen endorsed it. And they was the most popular people in that nation. And because the king and the queen did it, the people thought that it would be all right. Now, that's about the picture of our country today. Many people just follow one another. And they think because that the government has given the booze sellers license to sell whiskey, that it's all right to get drunk. It's wrong. E-12 You talk about a sabotage, that's one of the greatest sabotages the nation's got. And regardless of all of the warnings that the doctors put out, such slogans as "cancer by carload," and all these warnings, the people want to follow one another. Because it's some silly woman, actress of some sort, advertises cigarettes, and--and blows it through her nose, and acts smart... But that's no place, or no thing for a lady to do. It's wrong. E-13 I was passing down one of your streets here a few days ago, and I seen in a barroom. It said, "Tables for ladies." I don't mean to be rude, and I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. But ladies don't go in places like that. They've never had one in there. [Audience applauds--Ed.] I'd imagine they've never had a customer and never will, because it's no place for ladies. But fine people sometime, see those things and--and see people who are up-and-up (what we call them) go into such places, and they think that's the thing for them to do. "Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man."
E-14 But you see, the--the king had said this is all right, because his wife thought it was all right. And they'd caused a moral decay. And then, they thought because they were prosperous, no wars and so forth, that that was the sign that God was with them. Prosperity is not always the sign that God is with you. Many times that's deceiving. The rain falls on the just and the unjust. But it's by their fruits they are known.
E-15 And all that the pastors had give in, so they let the--they'd had a social Gospel, no doubt. And so, but there was one who didn't give in. There was a little old prophet in the land in that day. He didn't bow down to any of their idols for he knowed that Jehovah was a holy God; and He required holiness, and cleanliness, and decency. For he knowed that Jehovah could not change. And if Jehovah, to bring the children out of Israel, had to cleanse them and sanctify them... And when they walked disorderly according to His commandments, He placed judgment upon them. He knowed that Jehovah was the same yesterday, today, and forever. Therefore, he would not give in. Oh, Jezebel hated him, and all of her company hated him. But God loved him and respected him, because he never let down on the Word of God. He stayed with It.
E-16 Now, there was a woman in the land; neither one of these people know each other. But she must have been an honorable woman. She must've been the type of woman that Elijah was a man, because God chose that woman out of all the women that there was in Israel to entertain His prophet. And He would've never chose an immoral woman to entertain His prophet.
E-17 So finally, one day she went to the meal barrel and there was just one handful of meal left. She goes over to the cruse to see how much oil, and just about a good tablespoonful. That stood between her and death. I suppose that night there was an all night prayer meeting. Isn't it strange how God lets us get right down to the end of the road? No doubt but she checked up. Said, "Lord God (something like this), I've served You. I've done all that I know how to do. I've met Your requirements. And here I've got one handful of meal and a spoonful of oil between death for my child and myself." All night long she must've prayed. E-18 I've been through those places. No doubt but what there's many here been through those places. I seen my mother leave the table of a morning, set back in the house and cry, when she'd--what we had on the table was some stale bread. And she'd pour some coffee over it and some sugar over the top of it for us kiddies, and go back in the room and weep, said, "I'm not hungry," when she was hungry, and us trying to go to school like that. E-19 And the woman as she seen those--that crucial hour coming, no doubt she checked up and said, "Lord, I've done all that I know how to do." When you've done everything that you know how to do, and met every requirement that God has required, that's where faith takes a hold. That's where faith comes in. If you've met every requirement that God required you to do, then sometimes God tests your faith, to see what kind of a reaction you'll have on your action. Oh, He's good at that. It's just lets--it just proves whether you really believe what you think you believe. You know He does that many times.
E-20 One morning there was some Hebrew children was going to be burnt up. And they knew that they had done God's will. And they said, "We're not afraid of the king's commandments. Our God is able to deliver us from this fiery furnace. Nevertheless, we'll not bow to his image." Now, God was going to give them a test to see what their reaction to their action would be. And He let them walk right straight to the fiery furnace before He ever moved. But when all of God's requirements has been met, and you're certain of God, that God will do it, stand still then, and God will do it.
E-21 If you've been prayed for, hands laid on you by believers, the Bible said, "These signs shall follow them that believe." That's God's requirement, and God requires you to believe His Word. E-22 And maybe if your healings a lingered a little bit, God's got confidence in you that you'll hold on. If you believe that the Holy Spirit, the signs and wonders that He promised is being done here, then accept it and hold on to it, God's requirement. "I'm the Lord Who heals all thy diseases." E-23 When you receive the Holy Spirit, get borned again, and the devil begins to tempt you, "Oh, you're wearing the same clothes; you look like you used to." But you are sure that something happened inside of you; God changed your life. Don't make any difference what the devil said, just get away from it, because you're sure that it's God. Amen. "Amen" means, "So be it."
E-24 I'm sure the Holy Spirit is here now. I'm sure of it. And I know that what we ask, we will receive it. It might not come just right now, but it's got to come. God's promise is true. We ask Him for anything; we don't doubt; we believe that what we ask for we get; because we met God's requirements, given our life to Him, surrendered our will to Him. Our lives, our soul, all that we are we have surrendered to God. Then our heart condemns us not; we can have what we ask for. "If ye abide in me and My word in you, ask what you will and it shall be done unto you." That's His promise. Just be sure that you know God, and know that that's His promise.
E-25 That night at Portland, when that maniac run out on the platform to kill me... You've read the story. You better be sure of it then. But I was sure that I wasn't trying to speak of myself, when he called me a snake-in-the-grass, and spit in my face, and said, "Tonight I'm going to knock you all the way out into that audience." I just stood still. He weighed two-fifty or more, and I weighed one hundred and twenty-eight, had to look up to him, those great, big, giantly arms, and his teeth set, and his eyes, his fist drawed back, running towards me. E-26 Just be sure it's God, and then hold on to it. Stay with it. When God says anything, He has to keep His Word. Be certain that it's God. Take God's Word. If God whispers to your heart, "I'm the Lord that healeth thee," stay with it. That's God's promise. God promises to give the Holy Spirit; stay with it until It comes. E-27 I was reading old, Uncle Buddy Robinson's book here, sometime ago. And he was plowing corn, he said, with his old mule, Alec. And he got mad at Alec that morning because she was tramping down the corn. And he bit her on the ears, and she run off and looked at him. And he said, "Alec, I'm ashamed that I bit you." Said, "Looky here, me preaching sanctification with a--teeth full of mule hair." He said, "What a disgrace." And then he got ashamed of himself. And he got down in the row of corn and said, "Lord, if you don't give me the Holy Ghost, when you come back you'll find a pile of bones laying here." Then he received it. Be certain it's God, then hold on to it.
E-28 She was certain she'd walked upright before God. And God proved it by inviting His prophet to live with her. See? God confirms things. So the morning was breaking; the birds was beginning to sing as dawn begin to break. She looked at the little fellow again and she patted him. She knelt down and said, "Lord God, he will be getting up in a few minutes. I'll go and prepare the last thing I got and give it to him. And then I'll take him in my arms and we'll die together." So she went and got the handful of meal.
E-29 Then she goes and gets the oil. The oil represents the Spirit. That's we--why we anoint with oil, it represents the Spirit. And she put the Sp--the oil and the meal together and begin to prepare it. And when the Spirit and the Word gets together, something's going to take place. She was at the end. So she got the Word and the Spirit and begin to mix it together. Now, it's ready for baking. She goes out in the yard to pick up two sticks. Did you notice the Bible said, "Two sticks?"
E-30 Now, she'd mix the Word and the--the Spirit together and was ready to put it to the fire. And she goes to pick up these sticks. And, perhaps, she just got the last one in her hand and was starting back in the house and she looked at the gate. There was a gentle-looking, old man, perhaps, bald-headed and whiskers hanging down, standing, leaning across the gate. He said, "Would you fetch me just a little drink of water?"
E-31 You see. God answers on both ends of the line. About two hours before that, the brook had dried up on top of the mountain where Elijah was. He said, "Elijah, go down to the city and keep walking until you find a woman with two sticks in her hand. She's going to feed you." God does things real. "I've sent you down there and she's going to feed you. She hasn't got nothing in the house, but I'm going to feed you."
E-32 See, now, here comes a great lesson. But Elijah said, "Bake me one first." Oh, what is it there? What lesson do we learn? "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness." E-33 What was it? That very dark, crucial moment come, but God's always on the scene. If you're sure that it's God, if you repented of your sins, if you've met God's requirement, then be sure that God will keep His promise. Whew. If men and women could only realize that. God's obligated to His promise. And if you've met His requirements, if you confessed your sins, and you've made your wrongs right, and you've done everything God has required, then hold onto God. You've got to see daylight; He's got to bring it through. Just be certain that it's God, and He will take care of the rest of it if you're sure that it's God.
E-34 Sometime ago, I was over at a little city in Arkansas. About fifteen years ago, not quite that long, I'd say twelve years ago. They have a terrible segregation in Arkansas. And I'd been into a little church, and the policeman helped me in and out. And I was coming out of the church, and I could hear someone saying, "Mercy, mercy."
E-35 And I just pulled loose from him and I went over there. And I heard his wife say, "Be of a good courage, honey, the parson is coming."
E-36 He said, "I's been a Christian since I was a little boy. And my old mammy," said, "she's been gone for years..." And said, "I's been blind now for several years. I got cataracts on my eyes. The doctor man said he couldn't take them off. They done wrapped around the optical nerve, and he couldn't take them off." And he said, "I never heard of you in my life, Parson Branham." But said, "last night about nine o'clock I went to bed," he said, "I dreamed I saw my old mammy come up to my bedside. And she said to me, 'Honey, rise up and put on your clothes, and go down to a city called Moahart. And have Brother Branham to pray for you; you're going to get your sight.'"
E-37 I looked at him. I put my arms around him, and I said, "Lord God, I don't know, but somehow he's certain. And I'm certain that you let his old mammy come to him in a dream to tell him that he was going to get his sight. And he's so sure that he's going to get his sight, Lord God, let it be now." And I no more than said that, and he started batting his eyes.
E-38 Lord, when I think of many of the experiences... I don't know today where that man is; Thou knowest. I may never have the privilege of looking at him again on earth. But no doubt, sometime across the river yonder, when we have both climbed the golden stairs into Your Kingdom, I shall see him there. Because he was certain; he couldn't read Your Word, but You spoke to him by a dream and by his truthful mother. And he was certain that his mother wouldn't lie. And if You had sent him a dream of his mother, he knew that he was sure that he was to get his sight. I believe, Father, that's the reason You gave it to him. He moved from his bed; he went into action; he put his faith to work; and You confirmed his faith by giving him his sight.
E-39 God bless you. How many's certain God keeps His promise? We used to sing an old song over in the Baptist church, His promise is true; He will not forsake you, God is still on the throne. Did you ever sing it? Let's see your hands all that knows it. Give us a chord, sister.
God is still on the throne,
And He ever remembers His own;
His promise is true,
He will not forget you,
God is still on the throne.
Wonder, Brother Duffield, if you can help me lead it? All right, let's sing it.
God is still on his throne,
He never forsaketh his own;
His promise is true,
He will not forget you,
God is still on the throne.
How many believes that, raise up your hand? Let's stand while we sing it now, all together; lift up your hands to God as we sing it. All right, again.
God is still on the throne,
He never forsaketh his own;
His promise is true,
He will not forget you,
God is still on the throne.
E-40 Now, turn around and shake hands with somebody near you. Let's sing it again now as we're--as we're--as we're shaking hands. All you Methodists, and Baptists, and Presbyterian, and Lutherans, and Pentecostals make up with each other; chew each other's chewing gum; just have fellowship; just really have a good time together. All right, sister. Let's sing it again, everybody. We're off the air, I guess. [Brother Branham speaks to Brother Duffield--Ed.]
God is still on (You believe it? Raise your hand now.)He never forsaketh His own;
His promise is true,
He will not forget you,
God is still on the throne.
E-41 All believes that say, "Amen." [Congregation says, "Amen"--Ed.] We're off the air now, so you can holler "Amen" real loud. Amen.
God is still on the throne,
He never forsaketh His own;
Though trials distress us,
And burdens suppress us,
He never will leave us alone. Amen.
He's everlasting God; from eternity to eternity He's still God. When this old world's so heaped with sin till it's got a headache band around it, staggering like a drunk man coming home at night... Some of these days sin is gone beyond the stars and the moon, and she will burst and fly into eternity. But God will still be on the throne. Amen. Amen. I feel Pentecostal right now. Amen. Old time salvation, the power of God, the Holy Ghost... God is still good. All right, Brother Duffield.
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