Sermon Texts (Adding Now)
Sermon Texts Beginning With D
Divine Love And Sovereign Grace (56-0814)
| Divine Love And Sovereign Grace (56-0814) |
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E-1 And was happy as I left the room to find Brother Joseph Boze from Chicago, a very personal friend of mine, standing waiting for me. And he's at the platform now, and I'd like to introduce him at this time, Brother Mattsson-Boze from Chicago, Illinois. Brother Boze. [Brother Boze greets the audience briefly--Ed.]
E-2 And now, last evening, we were speaking on earnestly contending for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints. And how, that God met with us, and let us know what kind of a faith that they had. And so, today, we are earnestly contending for this same faith that was once delivered to the saints. And to see that we are contending for it...
E-3 And I tell you, it's makes the heart of a man or a woman really rejoice with great exceedingly joy to know that we are not just making up something, we're not just trying to... I'm so glad that--that the thing that I am talking about is truth, that Jesus Christ... E-4 And they told me all about it, how long it was guaranteed and so still, I thought, "I'm going to try one of them awhile to see what it's made out of, before, even if the word of the company... I have to experience it myself to see what it's made out of. Being an electrician at the time, I took the thing apart, took every movement out of it to find out just exactly how it was made up, how the switches, how they were tightened down, and how the wires run and the current, how it was insulated, and how the reflector would work, and how tight it was, and what the material was. And I found out that it was a really a real light. So when I went to a person's house to sell the lamp, not being a salesman, but I--I sold more lamps than all of them, because I took in there with the knowing in my heart that what I was talking about was the truth. E-5 I said, "Now, I'm not coming to you to sell the lamp. I'm coming to leave a lamp here. You try it, and if it isn't just exactly what I say it is, then I'll take it up." Why, I put about two or three thousand lamps out, and I took up about four or five lamps out of two or three thousand. Everybody when they seen it was the truth, had time to look through it, inspect it, try it out, and the company's guarantee behind it; and if one of them would've went bad, they knew me; I'd go right to the company. The company had to make it good to me, and I'd have to make it good to the person. Therefore, I could walk with a real straight face, and look every man in the face, and say, "The product is good if you want it."
E-6 And that's the way it is with Jesus Christ. As a sinner, I found Him to be a Saviour. And I know that He saves from sin. I experienced it. And I know that He heals sickness, because I have experienced it. And tonight with all the--the respect that I can give to Him, I can look my--the people in the face, the purchase of His Blood. Remember, to God, you're more than the Blood of Jesus, because Jesus gave His Blood for you. You are the purchase of His Blood. And I can look at you, knowing that I'll meet you at the day of judgment at the end of the world, and say this one thing: that the product that I am telling you about, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, lives and reigns tonight; and He's just as powerful, just as real, and just as alive as He ever was at any time. That's right. And I... If anything a man ought to be is honest. God will respect you when you become honest.
E-7 Now, before we approach this blessed Word tonight, and try to get out... Now, at my house, down in my country, well, it's been dark for two hours at this time. So I was one time in the Laplands, where it didn't get dark at all, and it looks like I'm almost there again, up in the--way up in--in Finland, and up in Norway in the Laplands. And in there I could... The land of the midnight sun, is... I--I never knowed when to go to bed. Why, it was sun up all the time. I mi--I got all mixed up sure enough. I didn't know when to eat my meals and--nor nothing. It was just day for six months and then night for six months. So I happened to be there in the daytime.
E-8 [Brother Boze briefly speaks: I like to say this, it's just a few days that Brother Branham are up here, and I was caught a little bit unaware when I came in. I don't know how many of you know me, but I'm Brother Mattsson, who is the pastor of the Philadelphia Church in Chicago; and I'm the editor of the "Herald of Faith." And maybe some of you friends have read the "Herald of Faith" up here. Yeah, quite a few, I know that. And I'm sure happy. My wife is with me here also, but she won't be in before tomorrow.
E-9 If I lived up to that reputation, I'd be a pretty good man. But you know how the Swedes are, when they love you, they love you. And He just loves me. And when a Swede can love an Irishman, that--that's grace. So Brother Joseph is a very close friend of mine. He--he just loves me a whole lot. I love him too. We've been friends for a long time.
E-10 But now, before we open up the Word in the best that we can, let us bow our heads and speak to the Lord Jesus by the way of prayer.
E-11 In the book of Exodus, the 14th chapter... And we want to read just a line or two and then for a little text... And my subject tonight is, maybe a little strange, and it's... I want to speak on the subject of "Divine Love and Sovereign Grace." And when Divine love has been projected and come to its end, its destination, sovereign grace will then take over. And in the book of Exodus...
Moses... And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord...
That's for a text or Scripture reading, rather.
E-12 Now, we are faced in a day that when--is prophesied to us, that brotherly love would become a strange thing among people. And it's to my humble belief that that is the greatest of all the gifts that there is in God's Bible. If the Lord Jesus should stand on the platform tonight, and look me in the face, and say, "I'm going to give you your choice: You can be a great person, a great minister; I'll give you a gift of preaching the Gospel, or I'll give you the gift of teaching the Word, or I'll give you the gift of Divine healing; I'll give you the gift of prophecy; or I'll make you a prophet, or any of the fine gifts of faith. Any of the gifts that's in the Bible, I'll give them every one to you, but then I will withhold love from you, or either I'll give you love and withhold the gift from you."
E-13 And as I see this great day appearing, that we're now living in, where the selfishness and indifference amongst people, human beings tribes of the earth, it grieves my heart. And I would think of it in a different way, if He hadn't have already said that this day would be here, where they would be against each other, and the things that take place. And love would--would be a strange thing in these days.
E-14 Now, I want to just talk to you from my heart now, before the service, 'cause when I preach it upsets me. There's two different anointings: one of them is for visions, and the other one is for the Word. And then, if you go on to the Word real hard and go to preaching, then it... the service... You can't hold the visions so well. It's two different gifts, and if you're building your congregation on one, and then you turn it to another, then it's... You know what I mean. So then... But being that we're small in crowd yet, we want to place it as much around the Word as possible and then have a little healing service, because of there's so many sick.
E-15 And now, I'm a conservationist and of wildlife and so forth, and dealt with wildlife. My mother's a half Cherokee Indian, and I--I just love the wild so till I study God. My first study of God was through nature, watching what He did in nature, how He watches and what He does.
E-16 Now, I'm not condemning you; I'm only trying to bring something to light that you could look at... Because, after all, if there's a... These sick people setting around, and sinners, and so forth, and the differences, what makes it all? I can't believe that God's pleased with it. So there must be some remedy. And if we can find that remedy, we ought to use that. So the thing it is, it's a lack of love. No matter how many prophecies we have, how many great preachers, how much theology we know, how great a church that we belong to, if love doesn't temper that together, it's of non effect.
E-17 So we people are more or less going after gifts instead of the Giver. See? We must come back to the place where... You're wonderful people, but you must come back first. And the key that unlocks the door to everyone... We've left the key and rushed for the door. So when you get there, you find out the door don't open, because you haven't got the key.
E-18 My wife is setting present. When we were married, I took her to be my wife, and promised to live faithful to her until death separated her; and she promised--separated us; and she promised the same to me. Now, it isn't a law. When I leave and go overseas, or somewhere, and be away a long time, I don't have to go say, "Now, Mrs. Branham, I'm going to lay down the law to you. While I am gone, I don't want you flirting with any other husband, and I don't want you doing so-and-so." I don't say that.
E-19 When we get through praying, I kiss her good-bye and say, "Good-bye, sweetheart."
E-20 Now, even if I know that I could do something bad, and get by with it, and go tell her, confess my sin, and go tell her I done wrong, yet I wouldn't do it. If she'd forgive me, say, "That's all right, Billy, I know it was a case of--of this, that, and you've explained it to me; I'll forgive you; we'll just forget it."
E-21 Now, if somebody come, say, "Mrs. Branham is not true to you." I wouldn't believe it; you couldn't make me believe it. No sir, for I have confidence and love. I wouldn't say, "Oh, you reckon she is? What'll happen to my children?" No, I wouldn't believe it in the first place, because I love her. And as long as I love her that way, I've got that confidence in her as a woman.
E-22 Now, Israel, in our text tonight, had come into a spot where God, by His grace through His Word, had promised father Abraham that his seed would sojourn in a strange land and among a strange people for four hundred years. They would be aliens, but God grant at the end of four hundred years He'd bring them out. When the time of the promise drew nigh, as it pictures our text tonight, there came a time that God's promise was nigh at hand. And God will always keep His promise. No matter how ridiculous it seems, God keeps His promise. Do you believe that? Always keeps His promise. And sometimes it's the most ridiculous way He does it.
E-23 But one day back on the backside of the desert, after forty years past, and he was an eighty-year old man, long whiskers and white hair hanging down from the bald spot on his head, perhaps, walking along there with a cane in his hand, God met him in a burning bush, because God keeps His promise. You see it? God keeps His every promise. And God had brought Moses in the world to do the job, and God was determined that Moses was going to carry out His plan. So He gave him a different kind of schooling.
E-24 Moses, in the light of that burning bush, as you all know as Christians, that, Moses meeting the Angel of the Lord in the burning bush, he was better equipped in five minutes of talk with God face to face than he was of forty years of training under theology. And I say tonight, with all respect... Here it is. You might as well button up, 'cause it's coming. Look, a man is better equipped to preach the Gospel and to stand before the audience with five minutes experience before Almighty God, than all the seminaries could hatch out in a hundred years of an experience. That's right. They's something happens, and sometimes it's ridiculous.
E-25 On the backside of the dessert he went, married this colored girl and had two children. Now, in... Afraid to go back to Egypt, but in the Presence of God and seeing God's glory--and God's glory was Divine healing--healed his hand with leprosy and performed a miracle, two different gifts he had. And he performed this miracle and then...
E-26 Look at Moses, talk about something seemed ridiculous. Now, Moses run forty years before as a young man trained to the very start with all the Egyptian army behind him and everything else, run from the presence of Pharaoh. And here he is, eighty years old, with a stick in his hand... Look at him going down the next morning. Had his wife setting on a mule with a child on each hip, leading a little old donkey, the wind blowing, on a stick, and here he goes down the way to Egypt.
E-27 Going down to take over, eighty years old, whiskers blowing to one side, leading a mule with a wife with a child on each hip, jogging along the road... "Where are you going?"
E-28 Now, here they are at our text tonight, how God wants to project to you His Divine sovereign grace.
E-29 And so, here's Moses; now he's brought the children out; they followed him, and they're coming out. And instead of going down to the land of the Philistines...
E-30 How the path of God leads, some through the water, some through the floods, some through deep trials, but all through the Blood, God leads His children, strange peculiar ways. But God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform. It has to be mysterious, or He couldn't perform the wonder.
E-31 I think of this little boy sitting in a wheelchair. I seen a mother lift her child from a wheelchair. My wife said last night she set back there and almost wept to see a little boy, just so patiently playing with his little fingers, a little cripple.
E-32 Now, look at Israel, right in the corner, death lurking right behind them. You see it? Now, maybe you're setting in the same place tonight. You love the Lord; you moved out and come to church tonight, and knowing that death is right behind you, cancer, heart trouble, tuberculosis, many things.
E-33 Now, there's Israel, right in the corner, after stepping out, the fear of the Lord. Here they are, backed right up, death charging right to them, the dust of the wheels a coming. The desert... They'd been entangled out there somewhere and just swallowed them down if they started that way. There was the Red Sea before them, and they couldn't get across that. What are they going to do? Isn't it strange. Our heavenly Father just setting back and saying, "We'll just watch this picture develop."
E-34 They said, "Lord, we love You. We've stepped out on Your Word. Your prophet has advised us, and we see that You're with him by the signs and wonders that You're doing with him. And we know that You're with him. And the Word of God is there. And he's bid us to come, and he never told us anything contrary to Your Word 'cause You gave us the promise." Amen. There you are.
E-35 Now, what was they doing? Projecting love, Divine love of God. And sovereign grace will have to act in its place. You see it? What happened? God said to Moses, "Tell them to stand still. They... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]...?... and I'll show you what My grace is. Just stand still now. Don't be excited. Every footstep of a righteous man is ordered of the Lord."
E-36 It'll work tonight in your case. It'll work in every case. Watch Him. Then what taken place? God caused an east wind to come down. Moses didn't do a thing, but walk right down to the seashore or the side of the Red Sea and just wave his hands across. The sea went back. What happened? The Pillar of Fire that was giving them light, and leading them, turned around and stood between them and the danger. And to them it was darkness; to Israel it was light all night long. I'm so glad that there's blessed holy Light when the world's a walking in darkness. The Christians walks in the beautiful Light of the Holy Spirit. Amen. E-37 Then what happened? Moses did nothing but push his hands out, walked back, and then the Lord caused a real strong east wind to start blowing. And while Israel was comfortably, not with a bit of doubt in their heart, laying down perhaps, taking a nap, in the Light of the Angel of the Lord, and Pharaoh's army moving against one another. They didn't know what to do, it was so dark. God was working in their behalf. Oh, isn't that marvelous, God working in their behalf. What was He doing? That wind begin to blow. [Brother Branham illustrates--Ed.] And the sea begin to move back. Then after He got the sea all walled back, then what happened? Then He begin to dry the land off, just enough for them to walk, not the chariot wheels to roll, just enough for them to walk. God in His infinite mercy, when Divine love had carried them into the situation, Divine grace was projected to those lovers, and God delivered them safely on the other side.
E-38 A few days ago in a meeting, Christian Businessmen at Minneapolis, I was speaking. And there was a man, Mr. Krause, a fine Christian gentleman. As a inventor of the...?... great plow company in America. One of the greatest plow works in America, he's the owner of it. And he was at the platform, and I heard him in this convention giving a testimony.
E-39 So one day, he developed a sickness. Well, you see, you can put your trust in the wrong thing. If you got your trust in a man, or in your church, or in your organization, you better take it out right now and put your trust with your love to Christ. It won't work. He loved the Lord, but he thought, "Well, Oral's His representative, so I'll just, I'll go to Oral." So he developed a serious trouble in his body. He goes down to have dinner with Brother Roberts, so his testimony is. And Brother Roberts was talking to him, and he told him he had a serious kidney condition, or something that was real bad. Oral said, "Well, the Lord will take care of that." Walked over and prayed for him, said, "Now, don't you feel better?"
E-40 Well, he goes down to Shreveport where I was. He tried night after night to get in the line and couldn't do it. No card was... He'd get a card, but he never was called to come in the line. So I went from there to Mexico. So that failed him. So he goes back then to everyone that he knowed was preaching Divine healing and had them pray and lay hands on him. Well, it didn't do no good. He said, "Well..." E-41 "Well," he said, "I guess this is it, then." So he goes home and he prays, he said, "Lord Jesus, You knowed my walk beforehand; You know my walk now. You know that how I've tried to live for You. I've done everything. I've testified to businessmen across the country. I've give my entire life. I've--I've done all that I can since I become a Christian four or five years ago, to serve You. And here it is at the end of the road. I love You, Lord. I've only got one way out now, and that's maybe if I could have the operation. I'm just trusting You." He went back, told the doctor, operate. And when he went to go to sleep, he said, "Well now, Lord, You know I love You. I want you to know that--that I love You, and if I have to be--have to die on the operating table, well, I love you with all heart."
E-42 And he went to sleep under the ether, praising the Lord, because he loved Him. What had... Love had come to its end. That's right. He loved Brother Roberts. Brother Roberts is a man. He loved me. I'm a man. He loved other brethren, Valdez and many of the others. They were men. But then when he found out that all the men had failed, he only had one thing to look to, that was Christ. That's the One. Now he's on the right track. And when he was going into the operating room, he said, "Now, Lord, if I die, I love you with all my heart. They say I've got one chance out of ten thousand, the best doctors in the world, one chance out of ten thousand."
E-43 I wished I could tell you a few experiences of something just for a moment. How many ever read my life story? You remember in there... Thank you. In there where that a maniac over in--in Tacoma, Washington, I believe it... Or Portland, Oregon it was. (I believe the book reads that case.) That one night standing on the platform before thousands of people, a maniac run to the platform to kill me. You remember reading that? And what happened? Now, when that great big fellow moved up there... I weighed one hundred twenty-eight pounds, and he weighed nearly two fifty or two seventy-five, nearly seven foot tall, great big fellow, wild as he could be, and his eyes bulged way out. He just hit a preacher on the street; he got out of the insane institution, broke out, hit a preacher. He had a mania for preachers. He hit the fellow, broke his jaw, his collar bone.
E-44 And while speaking on faith, this big fellow come down through the building, run up to the platform like that and all of the preachers just scattered. They knowed him. And he said, "You snake in the grass, you hypocrite," and he said, "You're out here, imposing yourself as a servant of God. I'll show you how much man of God you are. I'll break every bone in that little frail body."
E-45 And doing that... Now, listen close. In that happening, I wish that could happen right here now to every soul here. There wouldn't be a feeble person among us in the next five minutes. You can't make yourself do it. It has to be a gift of God. And while standing there, I loved him. And I thought, poor fellow. And right while I was speaking, projecting to him...
E-46 I've walked in... I used to do a lot of riding. I've rode many years in round-up and so forth; and I walked into wild horses, and somehow in a few minutes, he'd have his head laid over my shoulder. I'd just put a blanket on him, and walk him around a little while with a blanket on him, then throw the saddle on him, and the first thing you know, I'd be riding him along. See? He--he loves you. And if you really love him, he knows it.
E-47 And when that poor fellow standing there... In the depths of my soul, I felt sorry for him. And just as I was feeling sorry, the Holy Spirit begin to speak, and the man fell across my feet. It's wonderful to see what God can do when love... Love is the mightiest force that there is. Did you know God is Love? He that loveth is of God. Now, I don't mean affectionate love; I mean godly love. Affectionate love creates lust, but I'm talking about godly love, real love. E-48 I'm so grateful tonight to the Lord Jesus for what He's let me do for His people. I love people. God knows that. I--I can't be with people like I want to be, because I can't be a servant of God and a servant of man at the same time. I got to spend my time... A man doesn't understand it, because he, maybe he just knows one type, one kind of love. But I'm in a room somewhere praying, trying to help him, and he thinks I ought to be out running around eating dinner with him or something. But that's different. You see? He doesn't understand it, and he will never know it, until we cross the river. And then in that... But love, real true love, I just love people.
E-49 I was a--a little old boy raised up in a home, in--in not too good a family, and--and nobody seemed to care for me. And in my own family, many of the brothers... All of them drink and smoke, and I didn't do it. And I was the black sheep of the family. When I found out that somebody really loved me, when I... Somebody let me know that Jesus loved me. And I thought, "You mean, that the very Highest of all Highest, the God of heaven loves me? Well now, if He will love me and..." E-50 So I said--went out to the shed; it was real wet and I got a sack and knelt down on it. And I heard people say, "God talked to me." Well, I said now, "How must I... If I hold my hands like this? Or what to do? How must I do?" I didn't know how to do it. So I thought, "Well, I believe I seen a picture one time of somebody praying with their hands like this. I got my hands like this, and I said, "Dear, Sir, Mr. Jesus, I wish to speak to You just a minute. Would You come up here just a minute? I want to speak to You just a minute." I said, "I don't hear You. Where are You at?" I said, "Maybe, I didn't hold my hands right." And I said, "Maybe I'll cross my hands." I said, "Mr. Jesus, if I don't cross my hands right or whatever I'm doing wrong, You forgive me, I don't mean to do it in the wrong way; but will You come here just a minute, I want to talk to you just a little bit." But I said, "I don't hear You, Sir."
E-51 Now, that's how much I knowed about God. But right there, when I loved Him... And I said, "You know what, I've been so mean that He won't even talk to me." And I said, "I guess I'm lost for good then." And I started crying. I said, "Well, Sir, I--I'm going to--I'm going to confess my sins anyhow." I said, "I'm no good. And," I said, "You are all good. But when I was dying there in the hospital, I told You I would talk it over with You, this is all I can do."
E-52 Here sometime ago, I was... Maybe somebody has been down in the States, I do appreciate the visit of many of you fine Canadian people as you pass by. And at the parsonage, I was trying to cut the grass, and people coming from everywhere. I'd get out there and cut about two or three rows, and first thing you know, I'd have to run in the house, and run around behind the house, and change my overalls, and--and get in pray for some sick people, and then maybe, the next day before I'd get away again, the next morning real early, get out, and nobody out there, I put on my overalls and cut a couple more rounds. And somebody come by and say, "Hello, Brother Branham." Get to talking and another machine row dried up. You know, time I got to the back yard, the front was growed up again. E-53 You know what hornets are up here? Great big fellows, they kill you. One solid sting, knock you flat on the ground. So, and I guess it was thirty or forty, maybe fifty big hornets, and no shirt on. And there they was all over me. You know what happened? Just before I could think, something happened. Now, this sounds very juvenile, sounds like a kid, but it's the truth. I thought, "Poor little fellows, You know, I disturbed you. You're God's little creatures. Sure you got a stinger; that's what you protect yourself with. And you're God's creatures, and I--I disturbed you. You were all resting in your nest, and I disturbed you."
E-54 And instead of hating those little fellows and trying to fight them, I loved them. And I said, "Little creatures of God, I'm the servant of the Lord. I'm in a hurry. That's the reason I hit the nest or the fence." I said, "God's people comes in for me to pray for them, and I am the servant of the Creator, your Creator. Now, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, go back to your nest. I won't bother you any more. You go right back to your nest."
E-55 While I was game warden, I was going through a field, and I went over to--to put some fish in a--a stream. Oh, we was supposed to pack a little old pistol, and I throwed the thing up in the car. And there was some fellow over across the way was sick. I was a minister at the time, so I was going over to visit this sick brother, working for my living. And I just pulled this little old gun off, and throwed it up in the car, and shut the door, and took out across the field.
E-56 Well, he raised up, and he roared, and throwed his horns down to the ground, and shook the dirt like that, and pawed, and here he come. I thought "Well, here is the end. Well, I certainly don't want to meet my end like a coward. I want to stand and take it like a man." I thought this was the end. And then, when that bull, being as far as across this arena here from me, I... Instead of hating that bull, something happened, I loved him. And I thought, "Now, wait, I'm on his ground. He wasn't bothering me, I'm bothering him." And I said, "Creature of God, I am the servant of the Lord; I'm on my way to pray for His sick child. Now, I won't bother you anymore, in the Name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, go lay down again, and I won't bother you." E-57 Many of you's read the opossum story, didn't you? Here's Gene and Leo and them setting back there now. They was at my gate, last July, just about a year ago. And there'd been a young colored girl in the city, a beautiful woman, had had a illegitimate child. (Now, we're closing, just a moment.) And had this illegitimate child and she didn't want it. She took the little baby and wrapped it in a blanket, put wire around it and smothered it to death. Had a cab driver take her out on the bridge, of the Ohio River, which it spans about a mile across there, and told the cab driver she had to throw something out and he stopped, and she pitched the baby over into the water. And the cab driver was suspicious, and called the Coast Guard. They seined out, and it was a little baby. So I said to little Gene and Leo, which I call my students, the recording boys here. I said, "That wasn't a mother, that was just a female. A mother wouldn't do that."
E-58 And while we were talking, up the road come something moving. I watched it. It was a opossum; and a opossum travels at night. If you have them here, you know they're night travelers. But I noticed him, he was dragging hisself like this.
E-59 Just at that time Mr. Wood, which is a book salesman in the meeting... His boy, had been healed, crippled up with polio, about a sixteen year old boy, and they... He was a contractor, just sold out and just followed the meetings. He lives no--neighbors to me. His wife is a veterinarian. They come up. Another man come up.
E-60 So while she was saying that, she said, "Well, go and get one of your guns. You're a hunter," said, "Shoot them." Said, "You're a hunter."
E-61 My little girl, Rebekah, very spiritual little child, about nine years old now, she came out the next morning real early, and she looked down. I was standing out there looking at the old mother opossum, just, nobody there yet, real early. And there she was laying there, dew all over her like frost-like, you know, but it was dew. And those little babies still trying to nurse that, looked like, a dead carcase laying there.
E-62 I walked in the little room to the side, and I set down there and was rubbing my head like this, where many great visions has took place. I was rubbing my head and I thought, "Well, I don't know what I'll do with that old opossum; I can't let them kill her; I just can't do it somehow."
E-63 I walked back out and little Becky was still standing there. And I walked out. And I was where the old mother opossum was, and I said, "Heavenly Father, if You, by sovereign grace, this poor dumb brute, that doesn't have a soul, but yet she wants to live to raise her babies, and You sent her to my doorstep to be prayed for, and she's laid here twenty-four hours, and I didn't know it...?" I said, "Forgive Your servant for being so stupid. And I pray that in Christ's Name, that if You sent her here, that You'll do something for this opossum, even though it's a dumb brute, but You're the God Who created her, so, if You wanted me to pray for her, You forgive me, and I pray that You'll heal her." E-64 What is it? I've seen that happen time after time. When love is projected, sovereign grace will have to come in and take its place. If God, our Father, was concerned about an ignorant, dumb brute as a opossum... Well, that opossum knows more about Divine healing than half the preachers in Canada (That's right.), or America, either one. That's right. She knowed how to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, and she come as a ignorant dumb brute and waited; and God is my Judge that I'll stand before you at the day of judgment, know that He laid His healing hand to that dumb brute and made her well, because, I believe in my heart, she wanted to live for those babies to show an example that, when human beings get away from God, they drop farther and lower than the animals is that walk the streets and the fields.
E-65 That's right. She loved and grace took its place. How much more are you tonight than that old opossum was? How much more is that mother standing there with her baby? How much more is this mother with her baby? How much more is each one of you in there? How much more value are you?
E-66 Our heavenly Father, we thank Thee tonight for Jesus. We thank Thee for the love of God that's shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. And now, Lord, through the speaking of the Word, and being at lengthy, and the crowds not gathered yet, we thought it wisdom maybe to speak to the people a little long, or at length tonight. And so I pray now that in the next few moments after I have spoken to You, will You declare Yourself to be a living and alive among us tonight, and let them know that Your grace is just as great tonight to them as it was at any time. And if they'll only love You, You will give Your grace to them freely, forgiving their sins and healing their sickness. Grant these things, Father God, I pray in Christ's Name. Amen.
E-67 Now, I'm going to ask you to do something for me, if you will. If you'll just kindly keep your seats and let the little ones stay right close to you; don't no one move. Just stay right where you are, just for a little bit. Now, I'm going... Let's see, Let's call... I believe they had a hundred cards out last night. I believe I called from 1 to 15 last night. Was that right? That was the first part. Let's call the last part tonight then. That would be 85 to a 100. All right, let's call... Just get about... That's as many usually as I can get through. Sometimes, if it's running good, I can get twenty or thirty. Sometimes I don't get but two or three, but it just depends on how the faith of the people is built.
E-68 Now, while we're waiting just for a moment, maybe if they don't come, maybe we can call some more and get them lined up in the line. All right. Now, those whose numbers are called, so we can just have reverence... How many is in here, that is sick, and wants the Lord to heal you, and you haven't got a prayer card? Let's see your hand, everywhere, everywhere. All right. How many here has never been in one of my meetings? Let's see your hands. Quite a few. All right, now while they are lining them up, we'll see how many, if they all get there. Then I want to ask you something. Now, if you will, please, just for a few moments, be real reverent. See? Just be reverent; we're in the house of God.
E-69 Now, I want to ask you something. If He was here on earth tonight, where would you find Him? What ki... What type of people would you find Him with? The poor. Is that right? If He's the same. He--He was with the poor then. And would He be with the scholars and the educated? No, no. Very few of them are saved. Well, now you say, "They're very fine, cultured." That doesn't have nothing to do with it. So was Caiaphas, and the high priest, and the holy and righteous men, seemingly.
E-70 A peach tree bears peaches, because it's a peach tree. It's got peach tree life in it. Is that right? Yes, sir. See? It's the attributes of sin. It's the attributes of unbelief. If you believe, those things become dead to you. But if you're not a believer, then those fruits and signs follow you.
E-71 When He was here on earth, when Philip came to him, and Nathanael found Philip, or Philip found Nathanael, rather, when He come. He knowed him. He said, "You're a righteous man, a man who there's no guile." And He told him where He was. Is that right? Before he... How many knows He did that in Saint John the 1st chapter? He told Philip where, or told Nathanael what kind of a man he was, what his trouble was, and where he was at when Philip found him. And what did the Pharisees say? They said, "He's a fortuneteller, Beelzebub."
E-72 Now, if she touched His garment and got what she wanted... She pulled God through Christ. Does the Bible say He can still be touched? The Bible said He's the High Priest that can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. Is that right? So you can touch Him tonight. And if you'll yield yourself to the love of God, and I yield myself to the love of God, God will project His Presence with us and do the same things that He did when He was here on earth. Do you believe it? He said He would.
E-73 My, look at Cain and Abel. Look at Esau and Jacob, before either was born, God knowed them. He said, "I hate Esau, and love Jacob." See, by foreknowledge, He knew it. And there's people that won't believe...
E-74 Now, I don't say that He will, but visions to me is just the same as you eating your dinner. The first thing I remember was a vision. When I was born, mother... You've heard the story, how the light stood there. When I was just a little boy, the first thing I remember, He met me out there in the woods, right behind the yard. I was--couldn't have been over two years or more, little bitty boy, throwed a little rock, my brother, was crawling behind me which was just a year old, a year younger than I. And He was standing there. And He told me where I would live at, and I went and told mama. And He... All along, down through life, He's told those things. Not one time has it ever failed. It never will. See?
E-75 (Are they all ready, Billy, everything?) All right, everybody's lined up. Everybody in the prayer line, if I'm a stranger to you, raise up your hand? If you don't know me, and I don't know, raise your hand, up high, in the prayer line? How many out there knows that I don't know you? Raise your hand. Everybody out in there that knows that I don't know you? See, I... See? All right. No matter where you're at... Now, here's what we are putting God...
E-76 Now, to every person in here, if Christ will come tonight and do the same thing that He did when He was here on earth, the only thing besides the corporal body... That's setting on the throne of God (How many knows that?), waiting for Him. See? When He returns, in that body... But He's here tonight in our body. And there's gifts in the Church, if we just yield ourself and then the Holy Spirit begins to move.
E-77 Most people have been taught in one regular school, and they can't get away from that That's the way they failed to see Jesus when He come the first time. They--they had their own way, the way the Messiah was coming. But He come born in a manger, and they said, "That's not our Messiah." See? And today, you'd expect Him to come in the Vatican city, or the high church of England, or somewhere like that, some great aristocrat. And He's right down with the poor, moving out among them, and they know it not. That's right.
E-78 Now, heavenly Father, I've spoke of You. I've told the people of Your goodness and mercy. Now, I yield my soul to You. Help thou me, heavenly Father, that these people at the day of judgment, when I stand before them, and with them before Thee, then there'll be no excuse. I pray that You'll grant these blessings, in the Name of Thy beloved Child, the Lord Jesus. Amen.
E-79 How do you do, sir? Now, here's a--a man standing before me, which is a stranger. I--I don't know the man; I have never seen him in my life. We're total strangers to each other, and I... If there's something wrong with the man, or with any of the rest of you, and I could help you, and wouldn't do it, I'd be a brute. I wouldn't be worthy to stand behind this sacred desk and preach the Word of the Lord Jesus. I wouldn't be worthy; I'd be an awful person. So I'm trying my best, with the gift that God has given me, to let you see that He loves you.
E-80 Now, God may not do it, but if He does, if the Holy Spirit will come down, and I'll talk to Him just like when Nathanael brought, or come before Jesus, and Jesus said, "Behold an Israelite, in whom there's no guile..." Did He say that? E-81 Now, may you be reverent. How, sir? Now, to talk to you, I just want to contact your spirit. Just exactly the way it would be if--if I was... Just like Jesus said to the woman at the well, He begin to talk to her, 'cause it's just like Him speaking and it's changing over. But we, being strange to one another, and not knowing each other, then God would have to do something. And if something would come to me and the Lord would let me know something about you, that you know that I don't know, and not knowing you... I don't know nothing about you. So then you'd know it have to come from some kind of a supernatural force. Is that right? Then you'd accept it to be the Lord Jesus, as I have plainly stated before the Bible...?... You believe it? That's fine.
E-82 The Lord bless you, sir. That's very fine. Now, I trust that He will do it. Now see, if I'd say to you, maybe, something that's wrong, I'd say, "Go ahead, mister, the Lord's going to... be all right. THUS SAITH THE LORD; it's going to be all right." You'll have a right to doubt that, because that's me saying it. But when Something's here Who knows what you have been and then can bring that back to your memory, then you know whether that's truth or not. Then you'd believe that it was Christ, wouldn't you? You'd say it wasn't the flesh or--or something like that. You'd believe it was Christ. Now, I'm waiting for Him to answer. I'm just talking to you till He answers to me. See? And then when He comes to me, I can only say what I see. That's all. You won't have to say nothing; you just be the judge (See?) if He does it.
E-83 This man who's standing before me, he's suffering with a nervous trouble. He's got a--a kidney trouble also. That is right. Now, it leaves me. Now, you know whether that was true or not. Is that true? That is true. And the audience knows that that's true. Now, just to talk to you a moment. This is where... Now, look audience, do you believe now? It's infallible. But now, that's been... See, it's... Don't make any difference... See? It's God's attitude towards this man, is His attitude toward you. But now, the visions is what hurt so bad.
E-84 But I believe I was talking to you something about your trouble that you had... Yes, I see something else. Now, the man is coming to this city; he--he isn't from this city. He's from away from here, but he's still a... it's a... in Canada. It's in Canada, and its kindy southwest from here. That's right. And it's a city called Beechy, or something like that. And your--your name is Collins, Mr. A. Collins. And you're the age about seventy-seven years old. That's correct. You've got a child that you want me to pray for; that's a girl. She's only about ten. And she's got a bad arm. That's "THUS SAITH THE LORD." Do you believe that was Him, now? I bless thee, my brother. May you receive whatever you have come for, in Christ's Name. Amen. God bless you.
E-85 Now...?... One more. Here's another man. You're... This is the... Now, sometimes it's kindly subconscious [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... living in two worlds. But sir, immediately you know you're not in the presence of your brother. You're in the Presence of God. You're aware of that. Are you a believer? You're a Christian, and you're here on a mission. You're not here for yourself. You're here for somebody else. And it's a man, a rupture and high blood pressure, and low. Is that true? Do you believe now? May you go and find just as you have believed. E-86 Next person. Everybody love the Lord? Do you really love Him? Isn't He wonderful? He's here; He's the One, the great, magnificent Christ. Oh, we're in His Presence. How I wish I could just live with you. Canadian brothers and sisters, how I wish I could just get you to--you could...?... You'd know Him in this way. How wonderful He is. How it makes me feel that all the world...?... of Jesus. Sure, Christ is here, the Lord Jesus, the One that died for your sins, the One that saves you, the One that heals you, the One that loves to give you of His marvelous blessings. Just have faith in Him. Don't doubt. But believe every word that He said, and He will bring it to pass. You believe it?
E-87 Now, lady, I don't know you. We're strangers to one another. But here's a picture tonight, of a woman and a man, like our Saviour and the woman at the well, standing talking to each other. Now, if--if there's something wrong with you, and I could help you and wouldn't do it, I--I wouldn't be your brother, I'd be a brute. I--if I--if I was a doctor, and you was sick, and I could do something for you, if you didn't have a penny, I'd do it anyhow. See? I want to help you, because I look at you and I think of my own mother. See? You're perhaps somebody's mother. So then, how would I feel if my mother was standing there? What if it was my mother and some other brother was standing before my mother? I'd want him to be as sincere as he could. Anything he could do to help my dear old mother, I would appreciate it. And I know your children would feel the same way. And if I could, I would, but there's nothing I can do only by a Divine Gift, might cause your faith to be raised in Christ. E-88 Would you, audience, believe it out there? The little lady setting there, elderly mother too, I seen you standing there, little flower on your hat, setting right back there...?... suffering with headaches. You believe that Jesus Christ makes you well now? Little lady setting there, looking right at me, with a flower on her hat there. You believe that Jesus Christ makes you well? You do? All right. You can go home believing now; you won't have it no more. Jesus is good to you and...?... to you. You love Him? Raise up your hand there, the lady with the white flower on her hat. That's it, lady, stand up. See, that's right. You were... You got...?... You love the Lord? Now, all the... That's why migraine headaches and things you been having, been bothering you, now, it's all going to leave you. You're going to be all right. Your faith touched Him. See...?... now, go home and be well. Amen. Have faith.
E-89 [The lady speaks to Brother Branham--Ed.] You do? That's right. Now, you're leaving, and you're going away, and you've had a--a fall. And you've injured your hip and your limbs, and you can hardly get around on them. And you're under a doctor's care. And I see that doctor; he's kindy like a osteopathic or--or--or massaging that hip, and that's a good man. He's a Christian man. He's a believer. And he would advise you to come to me. That's right? Isn't that right? That's exactly right. A good man... See?
E-90 There's someone with you tonight who wants to be prayed for. That's your husband. Isn't that right? If God will tell me what's wrong with your husband that's here now, would you believe that he will receive what he's asked for? Would you believe that he would, if God will tell me? 'Cause there's a black shadow over him; it's his eyes. He's got bad eyes, hasn't he, losing his sight? But the Lord will heal him. Do you believe that? If those things are true, raise up your hand so the people will see. Now, do you believe? Now, if I've asked God, you'll get well, do you believe? Jesus said, "These signs shall follow them that believe: If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover."
E-91 Now, how do you do, lady? You're a very young woman to be sick. Maybe you're not; I don't know. Christ knows that. Do you believe that you're standing in His Presence, not your brother's?
E-92 Now, lady, I just want you to believe. Look to me just a moment. Just to carry the conversation as our Lord did to the woman at the well. He said to her, "Bring Me a drink." You know the story, how it goes. He talked to her. Do you think He was contacting her spirit? Only thing He could be. "'Cause He didn't know; He just come up there. The Father sent Him up there, and He was just standing there. Now, the Father sent me here, and I'm just standing here and here you are. I've got to have some way to know what you're here for. And if He will reveal to me what you're here for, will you believe Him? You will? May He grant it as we look to Him in prayer, and as I yield myself to His Holy Spirit.
E-93 Now, have faith in God. Don't doubt, but believe with all your heart and receive what you've asked for. You're almost a wreck, complications; you have a lady's trouble, female trouble that's very bad, really more serious than you think. Another thing, you're extremely nervous, all tore up. And I believe there's a place in you that you've got a place in your stomach, which is like in a hernia or rupture in your stomach. That's right. That's true, isn't it, sister? Who can heal? Who can make muscles grow together, Jesus Christ the Son of God. Do you believe that it's Him speaking to you through me? You feel like you've never felt before, don't you? Now, if that's right, raise your hand?
E-94 The last apostle that ever found Jesus... What did he see? And who was the last one to see Jesus, preachers? Paul. What kind of condition was He in? A Light. Who was it, the Light come through their cells that night (Is that right?), got Peter out of the prison. You're standing right close to Him, now. Will you believe, sister? Then if That's Who's speaking through here and you believe it, then I'd have to be a believer, wouldn't I? Then He said, "If they lays hands on the sick, they shall recover." Do you believe that? Come here to me.
E-95 Do you believe, lady? I don't know you...?... but God does know you. Are you aware that Christ, the Son of God, is near? You're scared aren't you? No need of being scared. Jesus lives; He wants you to get away from fear. Now, you're afraid you got cancer (That's right.) on the breast. That's right, isn't it? What if I told you you didn't have it, that you were healed when you came in the lobby back there? You believe it?
E-96 All right...?... Now, someone's thinking back there I'm reading people's mind." That's wrong. Look here. Anyone knows that you look a psychic, you take a number and you... I won't look at the lady.
E-97 Now, let's let this persons coming. Now, lady, just lay your hand on mine. Do you believe with all your heart? Now look, you're extremely nervous, and the nervousness is because you got a lady's trouble, a female trouble that you want me to pray for. Isn't that right? That's right. If it is, raise up your hand? That female trouble is bad too. And you're having pains, especially on your left side, with it. That's right. It's an ulcer on the ovary causing the drainage. But if you'll believe with all your heart, it'll leave you and go away. Do you believe now? E-98 Sister dear, do you believe? I see you in the city. You're moving down | ||||||