|
E-1 ... remain standing just a moment and bow our heads for a word of prayer. And now, as our heads are bowed, and our hearts, I--I wonder, this being the night that we have set aside now, for--for the night of salvation, for coming to Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit, I wonder how many has a request, and would like to say this, "Lord God, remember me. I want to be right with you now?" Would you raise your hands now? Lord bless you.
E-2 Our heavenly Father,
we are so thankful for Your Presence, and for honest-hearted people who really
believe that--that You are coming, and that they must make ready for this great
event that the whole world has waited for all these thousands of years. And
we're living just, as it was, watching time and history run out, and eternity
beginning to move in. And we see this appearing, so our hearts are strangely
warmed. And we pray, Father, that You'll search our hearts tonight and try us.
And if there be any sin in us, Lord, take it out. We have noticed this week,
in Your great Presence, as we've watched You over this, and among this congregation
going right down and digging out the very thoughts of the heart, and revealing
it to us, telling us these things.
Now tonight, Lord, we want our hearts to be true, and right with You. We pray
that You'll bless. Here upon the platform, or the pulpit, has been placed a
box of handkerchiefs--little parcels that's going to the needy. I pray, heavenly
Father, as--as they're sent from this place where prayer has been made and faith
to believe God, that--that every handkerchief here, and every little cloth and
parcel that touches the sick, may they be healed, because this audience and
we together are asking in one accord that You'll heal them, Father. It's a memorial
that we have asked. You said, "Ask and you shall receive. And when you pray,
believe that you receive what you ask for." I believe, Lord; we all believe.
And it's been asked. Now, let it be done for the Kingdom of God's sake, for
we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen. You may be seated.
E-3 Well, it's certainly good to be back at the--at the auditorium again tonight, and under great expectations for the Lord to visit us tonight, as we've set this night aside from praying for the sick to the--to seeking salvation for our souls. Each one of us needs to rededicate our lives anew. And this week we have seen the Presence of Jesus Christ, the vindicated Scripture, Him right here among us, watching what He did--the same things that He did on earth when He was here before, He's doing it just the same.
E-4 Now, if we see in
the ministry as it's climbing, just like we're growing unto a perfect day, a
perfect church... We started out just like--like we was saying this morning
in our lovely little fellowship this morning... We certainly had a wonderful
time at that breakfast. I thank the brethren for their fine cooperation. I got
to shake the hands of many of them, these fine men that's sponsoring this meeting,
bringing us in here to...
It shows that they're interested in their people. They're shepherds and interested
in their sheep. And so I'm--I'm grateful that some of these... Any shepherd
is interested in getting his sheep with vitamins. And these are spiritual vitamins,
as it was, that--that helps the sheep to grow into strong faith in our God.
And so I--I appreciate such men.
E-5 And now, speaking
this morning on the thought of the church growing (See?), coming like a seed
in the ground... And that seed, as it's planted, grows from glory unto glory.
And it becomes after while into a blossom and then goes back to the seed. And
that's like the original seed that was planted.
And so has the church been. The church age started in this last days. After
the dark ages, it started with Martin Luther in the reformation, preaching justification
by faith. After his time and they organized the church, it died out. Then in
there come Zwingli after Luther, and Zwingli didn't even believe in the virgin
birth. He went over into Switzerland. They still don't believe in the Zwingli
doctrine do not believe that Jesus was virgin born. They said He was the son
of Joseph, called the Son of God.
But that takes the whole prop out from under the whole foundation of Christianity.
He was virgin born, or He's just a man like you or I. He was the Son of God.
E-6 And then after that
come Calvin, and on and on. Finally the church got in such a condition there--had
to have another reformation. And God sent John Wesley with a message of sanctification,
cleanliness of the spirit. And then he and Whitefield, and many of them went
on in the great reformation, and Asbury, they come to the United States. And
that great revival saved England and the world at that time.
What did they do? After them founders died out, they begin to organize upon
their doctrine, and the first thing you know, they made an organization. Then
we had others break off from there, such as Alexander Campbell, John Smith,
and the Baptist church, and so forth. And then the Nazarene, Pilgrim Holiness,
and others come on.
E-7 And then come the
great reformation again, Pentecost, coming out of those organizations with the
restoration of the gifts, speaking in tongues, Divine healing; great miracles
and signs come off. That went for a long time. It's been fifty, about fifty-eighty
years now, since the Holy Spirit begin to fall on old Azusa Street out in California,
here in the United States, where it started falling. A great time come.
Then, what did Pentecost do? One made him an organization. One said, "He's coming
on a white horse", another one, "on a white cloud." And away they went in organizations
and split up, breaking up the brotherhood among the people.
E-8 And just like Israel...
Little did Israel know that when they were shouting the victory on the bank
of the river, they were only about four day's journey (about forty miles) away
from the promised land. They didn't realize they were--forty years it'd take
them. But what was it? Grace had provided them a prophet, a Pillar of Fire,
a sacrificed lamb, a deliverance. And still they wanted a law. They wanted something
they could have something to do into. They wanted to put their hands to it.
That was the most rashal mistake they ever made, in Exodus 19, when Israel rejected
grace and accepted law.
And then, what did they do? He just let them stay right there in the wilderness
for forty years. They plant vineyards, and they eat fruit, and they married
wives, and they raised children, till that old generation died off and another
generation come on. Forty years later, and not hardly forty hours away, but
had to wait for forty years before they went over. And then a new leader came
in, Joshua, and they moved on into the land with a new group.
E-9 Now, I think it's
a very beautiful type here, that we find out. Long ago when our forefathers
in the Pentecost, they raised up. They had the old general council. From that
formed the Assemblies of God. Out of that come the UPC, and the United, and
so forth, till they got organization after organizations, fussing and fighting.
God just let them set right there, marry wives, raise children, speak in tongues,
shout in the Spirit. But now, there's a new group come up.
They were only just a few days from the promised land. All these blessings they
had was fine. But you remember, the whole land belonged to them. Now we're fixing
to go into the promised land. So may the Lord help us, as we look upon these
things. See?
E-10 Just like the pyramid...
Did you notice how the pyramid was made (not a pyramid doctrine now, just a
pyramid)? Look on your one dollar bill. The seal of the United States is that
eagle. Well, why does it say over there on the pyramid, "The Great Seal?" Why
would it be greater here in United States than--and the seal of the United States,
the Great Seal, the eye watching? And the--the capstone that goes upon the pyramid
was, it was rejected. It never was on the pyramid, isn't to this day: the Stone
of Scone, they claim. But it never was put on, the capstone. Why?
When Enoch, and them in the early days, built the pyramids down in Egypt, we
find out that in there they knew that the cornerstone--or the capstone would
be rejected. And that pyramid is put so perfectly together till they don't need
mortar. It was so mechanically hewed out until one stone fits against the other
one so tight you can't even put a razor blade between them.
Now, it's kept creeping up, and now it's all honed off on top, ready for the
capstone when it will come. That's the way God's brought His church, from justification,
sanctification, baptism of the Holy Spirit, and now the ministry of the Spirit,
which is the--what quickens the Word; that ministry in the church will have
to be just exactly like His.
E-11 Just like this,
when my shadow here of my hand... If I never seen my hand, seen the shadow,
it kinda... It gets pale as it gets away. But as it gets closer and closer,
the negative and positive are coming together, until they both become the same
thing. And that's exactly when the church and the Word has to be one, like Jesus
and God was one, just exactly. The...
God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. And so will Christ have
to be in the church, the anointed of the Word, to make everything fulfilled.
And that's the capstone that comes upon the last church age, the... Not the
Laodicea, now, it's a calling out of that, a Bride out of a church, Church out
of a church, in otherwise, just like He called a nation out of a nation in Egypt.
And now we're living in that day, and we're grateful for these great things
that we've been seeing.
E-12 Now, tomorrow afternoon, the Lord willing, is going to be the closing of this service, this part of the service. And we're going to designate that altogether for praying for the sick. And everybody that wants to be prayed for may come out and get a prayer card, to come through the prayer line. Now, the reason we give prayer cards on these is to keep them lined up. And then if you don't, they just keep passing around, and around, and around (You see?), and they... So they just... We give them a prayer card. You have a prayer card, and come in the line, and you'll see and believe you'll see the glory of God take place. It'll be great.
E-13 And now, we thank
you for all that you have done, for the great welcome that we've had amongst
these minister brothers and so forth. Now, tomorrow is Sunday, and these churches
will be open. There'll be no service here tomorrow morning. There'll be Sunday
school. And you visitors... I've got some friends in here myself that--that's
with us in the party, and some that's come down from my hometown here to be
with us.
Now, these are the men that sponsors this meeting. They believe this type of
meeting. If I lived here in this city, I'd belong to one of their churches.
I certainly would, 'cause they believe the same thing that I believe. And I'd
belong to one of their churches, if I lived here.
E-14 And you Who gave
your life to Christ this week, and you don't have a church home, why don't you
talk it over with them? They believe this same thing, or they wouldn't be setting
up here representing it. See? So now, you--you--you find you a nice--one of
these nice churches tomorrow, and go to it. And I'm sure they'll do you good.
They'll help you. They'll help you to believe. And if you haven't been baptized,
ask them. If you haven't received the Holy Ghost, ask them about it, and they'll
help you right on through to Christ, and shepherd you right on down the road
until He returns. Now, the Lord bless each one of you.
And now... You know the Presbyterians are always raising up and setting down,
they say. And I'm not a Presbyterian, but I do believe that when we read the
Word we ought to stand, because it's a honor to God to stand. It's like we salute
the flag, or pledge allegiance, or whatmore.
E-15 And now, for tonight I have chosen some Scripture reading here, out of the book of St. Luke the 7th chapter, beginning with the 36th verse. And now, all week long I've been working on a--a thought that come to me on the road coming down here, on the unveiling of the mighty God. But when I got through looking at my Scriptures and things, I had nearly twenty pages. So I'd never get through that in no hour here. So I thought I'd have to change it tonight, so I have. And I believe it's the will of the Lord that I say these things.
E-16 Now, in the 7th
chapter of St. Luke and the 36th verse:
E-17 Let us pray. Lord
Jesus, this story taken place many years ago. But it's a true story, for it
is written in the pages of our Bible, and we know that it's true. And now, we
would by no means try to portray this again tonight, but we would like for You
to help us to bring this as a message tonight to the people, that they might
see that--that You're still the same Lord Jesus. And we pray for Your blessings
upon us all, as we are needy people. We have need of Thee, Lord.
And we believe tonight, though we see You make the blind to see, and the deaf
to hear, and the lame to walk, and--and by doctor's statements have seen you
raise up five people from the dead in different times, in different nations...
But yet, Lord, I believe the most sickest thing I know of tonight is the body
of Christ here on earth, the church. It's really sick. Heal it tonight, Lord.
This portion that sets here together, this--this bunch that's sojourning here
in--in Tampa, this lovely bunch of people, Lord, heal every wound tonight. Let
the Spirit grant this to us, for we ask It in Jesus' Name, for His honor, for
His glory here in this city, where we are a-journing. Amen. Be seated.
E-18 If I should call
it now just for a few moments... And I try not, each night... I have to apologize
to you, because that you've been so nice, and I... You're such an easy audience
to preach to, till you just don't know when to stop. And that makes a minister
know that you're feeding, or receiving the words that I'm saying. And I come
to you when I've been... I'm the tiredest I've ever been in I don't know when.
See, I haven't let up since Christmas. I'm going right from here to Tucson,
to start again, come right from there, and go to British Columbia, to baptize
a whole tribe of Indians that I led to Christ, were formerly Catholic, last
fall when I was on a hunting trip. And the whole group gave their heart to Christ
by the healing of the mother, one of the mothers, that the doctors... No one
could touch her. She was laying dying. And they want me to come back as soon
as the ice gets melted. See, it gets eighty-five below zero there.
E-19 And so, and ice
melted, I'm taking them and all... A great bunch of trappers, and hunters, up
and down the Alaskan Highway are all meeting with me to be baptized and accepting
Christ. They seen the Lord show a vision of a certain thing, where a certain
bear would be, how much he'd weigh, what kind he was, and where a certain animal
would be staying, how--who would be there, and what they'd be wearing, and all
about it. And told them before it happened.
And they said, "There's not even that kind of things in this country." And we
went right straight to it. And it happened word by word. The trophies hangs
in my room today. See? They said, "We want to be baptized too." Rough men, but
you know, He's got seed laying everywhere.
E-20 My subject tonight is "Jesus Keeps All His Appointments." I want you to bear that on mind as we speak. And I--I won't talk too long. And I want you to think it over now that--remember, you've got to meet this One that's present with us tonight someday.
E-21 Now, it must have
been almost sundown when our sitting starts out tonight. It must have been about
sundown. And this courier had run all day, maybe two or three days. He was trying
to find Him. He went down, maybe, almost from Dan to Beersheba, because Jesus
in His ministry was going speak here, perform His signs and wonders, and the
people would all gather; He would take off somewhere else. "I must go to another
city."
And he'd had a hard time. Perhaps he'd went over to Capernaum, and they said,
"Why, He left here a week ago. We don't know just exactly where He went, but
He went somewhere else." And, he'd... oh, he was tired. His hair was wet with
perspiration; his legs were dusty and sweaty, and--as he come up into the party
where Jesus had been speaking.
And Jesus also was tired. He'd been speaking all day; His mouth was dry from
much speaking. And His hands begin to look trembly, and His eyes weary, as the
sun begin to sink.
E-22 And he wanted to
see Jesus. He had a message for Him. And now, Jesus had twelve men around Him
that kept the people away from Him, 'cause they'd just have come in upon Him.
And so they... (I'm making this in a drama, so that everybody can catch it.)
And so, we find that in this, Jesus' men... He must've come, let's say he come
to Philip. And Philip might've said something like this, "Sir," or, "Young fellow,
we would certainly like to let you see the Master, but--but He's so tired, and
we--we just got to watch Him, because He--He just goes till He almost drops.
And we've been in so many meetings and so forth, lately, till... I'm sorry,
I don't believe we can do it."
But he says, "I--I have a note here that comes from a very important man in
the religious realms. And it's an invitation for your Master, which will be
a great--great thing if--if He shall go. And I must see Him, because I've been
commissioned that I must take this note to Him, and see that He gets it personally."
E-23 So finally they--they
took him up to the Lord Jesus. And while He was looking at him, the Lord Jesus,
perhaps leaving His place (pulpit) from where He was speaking, where the disciples
and them had fixed for Him to talk from, as He was looking, why, He looked upon
the young man. He must've liked him.
And the young man told Him; he said, "I am on a--a errand, sir. And there's
a very high ranking man down in a certain city. And he's a Pharisee, the strictest
of the religion. And he's a--he's making a--a dinner, a great time, a banquet,
and he wants You to come to be the guest of honor. And he's... Many would like
to attend this banquet, but he has selected you. And I've been three days trying
to find you across the country. And I was certainly happy to get here, sir,
and I'll deliver this note to you from it--and--from him."
E-24 And He took the
note, and read it. And we find out that this certain Pharisee had--was making
a feast, and--and had bid Him to come down and be a guest of honor with Him.
So Jesus standing for a few moments, and looking at the young man... And yet
as busy as He was, but you can never invite Him but what He'll come. I don't
care what the situation is, He'll come.
He said, "You tell your--your master that I'll be there. On this certain day,
at this certain time, I'll be there."
And the courier must've smiled, satisfied, and turned away, and run off down
the hill to take the good news back to his master, that he had succeeded in
getting the message to this one that he wanted.
E-25 What was the matter with that courier? How could it be? Was he conscious of what he done? The first time, maybe, in his life that he ever stood in the Presence of Jesus, and never even asked forgiveness of his sins. He never--he never took the opportunity. Oh, how it's the same way with people today. Many times they--they realize that they're in His Presence and never ask forgiveness. Well, that... He--he had may be never presented the opportunity another time, and turned down his last opportunity to ask forgiveness. How could he ever have done that? How could this boy ever so been wrapped up in bringing this message from his master, that he failed in the Presence of the Son of God to ask forgiveness? It was all a business affair.
E-26 And you know, that's
something like the people today. Church... Christ has become a--a--a business
affair, or--or--or a social affair to join church, and get just a--in a little
better social standing for your business or something. You stand out a little
better in the neighborhood. It isn't a thing of--of really coming and repenting,
like a--a sinner should do. Many times in church, people are brought right in
the Presence of Christ and turn away and do as rashal a thing as this courier
did.
Oh, he should've fell upon his knees and--when he first realized and--that it
was Who He was. And he saying, "Master, I have a message for You. But to first,
I want You to forgive me." That would've been the right approach. And then,
if there was any business to be done, let that be done later. But to first get
his own soul right with God.
E-27 That's why I think
so much healing becomes a failure, or professed healing. Because the first place,
the people are not ready for healing; they won't confess their wrongs. The Bible
said, "Confess your faults one to another and pray one for the other." And we're
not willing to do that.
If we can take the healing, and go ahead, and go on back, and do what we was
doing, they would accept that. But when it comes to really, first, coming and
getting right with God, people don't want to do that. And that's the reason
it throws a--a bad--a damper over Divine healing. You see so many people that
walk in like that, and walk out, and don't... And God knows all about those
things.
E-28 Now, this fellow made a real rashal thing, we would think. We would think, "If I could only take his place. If I could go up before His throne, and--and take a message, the first thing I would do..." What would you do? Be interested in what your organization had sent you up there to find out about, or would you be looking around to see how heaven was decorated? Or in His Presence, would the first thing you'd say, "Lord God, forgive me, a sinner." That would be the right thing to do.
E-29 Now, as Jesus watched
the boy and as he went away, might come in His mind... Why didn't that boy do
that? Was because he wasn't conscious Who that was. May I say this, not sacrilegious,
may I say this, not because it's this meeting, or any meeting, but I think that's
what's the matter today. People are not conscious of it. They see the Scripture
exactly identified. But they're not conscious of Who it is.
They'll see something, and they'll say, "Oh, that was wonderful. That was fine.
I--I..." But you're not conscious of what it is. If it was, there'd be a repentance
going on, weeping and crying. The city would have such a revival, the half of
you'd be locked up before morning. It's right, if we'd be conscious of what
it is. And we pass by many times and miss the opportunity by not being conscious.
E-30 I don't think the boy really realized. He'd been raised up among this Pharisee, which was a--a great ruler, prince, or--or religious man. And he'd been raised up with him, and--and--and just took his side of religion. And the Pharisee had--had laughed at Jesus, and made fun of Him, or something they did, as they--in that day. And he just throwed it off. That wasn't nothing but just an ordinary message he had to deliver. He just set there. And he was in His Presence, and that was all it was to him; it didn't mean nothing to him. But if he'd been conscious, that boy could rise up from the dead today, and set in this meeting this week, he'd have done something about it. He'd have a testimony that would've shook us all. But he wasn't conscious.
E-31 Now, in the scene
here there's something wrong. There just isn't... It isn't right, as Jesus watched
that boy go away tired and weary, but the whole setting, there's something wrong.
Them Pharisees hated Jesus. And why would they invite Him for a guest of honor
when they hated Him? That Pharisee had a (as the old gamblers' expression),
he had a--something up his sleeve. He had a trick card in his sleeve, 'cause
they hated Jesus. And I believe Jesus realized that, right then.
See, people must have things in common. My mother, she used to have an expression,
"Birds of a feather flock together." You don't see--you don't see buzzards and
doves feeding together. They're--they're... One's a scavenger. And the dove
couldn't eat the buzzard's food, because he don't have any gall. He--he couldn't
digest it.
And you don't see believers and unbelievers together, unless there's some kind
of a purpose for it. There's something--something wrong. This guy had a trick
up his sleeve. He wanted to play it on Jesus.
E-32 Now, you take people, like you take young people, young teenage children, they don't like to be around with the old folks, because they--they have things in common. The young married couples, they have things in common. The old people, they don't want to be around the kids so much. They--they got things in common. When you see a little girl hanging with grandma all the time, now there's--there's something wrong there. There's too much difference in their age. She's either grandma's pet, or grandma's got a sack of candy somewhere. See? There's--there's--there's a trick somewhere. And I got a grandchild myself, and I know. There's a little trick somewhere. See? And you see her hanging around grandma, grandma's got a--a sack of candy or something.
E-33 So this Pharisee
had something up his sleeve. It all happened at a ministerial meeting where
they'd gathered together. And the subject was discussed about this Fellow Who
called Himself a prophet. And they didn't believe He was a prophet, because
they couldn't see a man that wouldn't go along with them, in all their doctrine,
that could be a prophet. And so, in this ministerial meeting, they had decided
that He wasn't a prophet.
And this old Pharisee was going to prove it to them that He wasn't a prophet.
The Pharisee was going to--to--to make it sure, and to show the congregation,
and all the people in that city, that He wasn't a prophet, before He ever visit
the city. He'd never been in that city before. So before He come, he was going
to expose Him. Oh, that spirit, it still lives, going to expose it, do something
to hinder the meeting that He would've had there.
E-34 So we find out
that he said, "I'll make a dinner, and I'll invite everybody, and get everybody
in the city around. And then we'll prove that he's not no prophet. We'll prove
it."
So Pharisee might've thought that in doing this, he would've--he would've got
a little, maybe become after while one of the presbyters, or something. He'd
have--he'd have--he'd really made a hit with his group. He was going to make
fun at the banquet, of the Lord Jesus, to prove that He wasn't a prophet, to
put Him on the spot somewhere. Then he would be a big fellow among them, become
some great man.
E-35 Now, we find out
that the courier returns back and tells his master, "I found him. He promised.
And he'll be here, because I just tell the way he acted. He--He'll be here."
All right.
Now, the Pharisee waited for this certain time. And they knowed when to make
this banquet, when everything was just right. Perhaps we'll think in our little
drama tonight, that--that he made it in a time when the grapes was ripe. If
you was ever in Palestine when grape time, or even in California, when them
great big clusters of grapes are just bleeding ripe, the whole country, the
valley's just full of--of that sweet smelling odor from those grapes. He knowed
just when to make it right. So he set that time. On a certain day they would
have this feast.
E-36 Finally the time
come was when the feast was going to be carried on, and he invited everybody
to come that he could, to come up, all the celebrity, and all the associations,
and so forth, and all the clubs that was in the city that he belonged to. They
was all coming out to his great fine palace. It set out high. It stood out as
an estate there in the city. And the time arrived for this to be done. 'Course
the yard was all taken care of, and the tables were all set, and the banquet
room ready.
And then... Now, he's going to have to take care of the--his guests, when they
come. Any host will do that. So he had to hire some stable boys, 'cause some
of his hosts would be come--or some of his guests would be coming on chariots,
and some riding on mules, some walking. So anyone that makes a--a--has a banquet
has to make ready to entertain their guests.
So Pharisee got everything just fixed up, and all of his servants, and got them
ready, got the stable boys where they could take the horses, and all the fodder
and stuff ready for them. And then he had an innkeeper, or a doorkeeper, that
had to take up the invitations ('cause you--you could not come unless you was
invited)--and to take up the invitations. He had their names down, ever who
was going to be there. And they come, they identified their name, and so they
could come in.
E-37 Then... Let's just look what had--what they had to do for a while. I've been in the orients, and maybe many of you have, and watched how they do it. It's--it's really striking. And you notice, then when everything's taken care of, then when they come in the door, the first thing, the--the keeper of the door asks who they are. And they tell who they are. He looks on his list, and here's the name. Then he checks it. Then what he does, he takes his staff, sets it in the corner. The--the boys take the horses if he's walking--or if he's on the horse, and puts it in the stable.
E-38 Now the next thing
he does, he enters into a hall. And in here there's a bunch of--of men what's
called the feet-washers, the flunkies. It's the lowest paid job there is, is
a foot-wash flunky.
And to think of it, we who think we're somebody, and our Lord identified Himself
on earth as a foot-wash flunky. That's exactly what He did. And then we think
we're somebody. We'll run off here to school and get a little education, and
let--learn to say a few big words, and come back and put on a--a suit of clothes,
and walk out here and want to be called Doctor, Reverend, or somebody.
E-39 I was up at a big museum not long ago and looking at some of the estimation of a man that weighed a hundred and fifty pounds, how much chemicals there was in his body. You know how much there is when he's all rendered up? He's worth eighty-four cents. Then you'll put a ten dollar hat on a eighty-four cents, and a five hundred dollar mink coat, and turn your nose up. If it rained it would drown you. And then go along taking care of that eight-four cents (Right.) thinking you're somebody. And you don't give a care, or you act like it, about that soul that's worth ten million worlds. The difference, or rashal, how we can get...
E-40 Now, this foot-wash
flunky, he had to wash their feet. Now in the--when you travel in Palestine,
the Palestinian garment is a robe. It hangs low. And then the underneath garment
just comes to about the calf of the leg here, for the underneath garment. And
as they... The animals and the men travel the same trail, the animals, of course,
going along the trail, and--and as they travel the same trail. And--and the
dust would come up from where the animals had been, and there was a stink in
the dust. And it got on their feet when they were perspiring. And their feet
was shod with sandals. And that would get all full of perspiration, and--and
be wet, sticky.
And then this stink from where the animals had crossed the trail, would--the
Palestinian garment sweeping like a skirt, down low, would pick up this dust
and would get beneath here, and get all over their feet and over their--their
limbs. And they really was--smelled like that trail, where the animals had been.
So coming into a--a home like those Pharisees had (they sent into Persia, and
got those great big fine rugs, and--and everything), why, you wouldn't feel
welcome to come in before the host, and--and--and then be all stinky like that.
E-41 So they had a way
of taking care of that; they had a foot-wash flunky, and he stayed there. And
as soon as you come in and your name was registered, the boys taken the horses,
or your animals, and taken them back to feed them (one group of boys). And then
the doorkeeper recognized you by the chart that he had in his hand. And then
you're ready for the foot-wash flunky.
Then you go in. You set your foot up; he pulls off the sandal, sets it up to
a place, so he'll know where you're at. And on this other side he has a little
shoe. And after he gets through washing your feet, washing it all off real good,
all the dust and everything, make you fresh, then he puts on this little cloth
shoe that goes over, like you see in airplanes and crossing over--go overseas
now. They give them to you at night, when you... Like the women have those little
things that they wear when they're not wearing stockings. I see my wife and
daughter and them get them sometimes. They... It's a little... I--I don't know
what they call them but it's just like a bottom part of a sock, you know, and--and
you put it on your foot. It's something on that order, only it's a little higher,
because you don't want to take your old dirty sandal and walk over them rugs
in there. So then your feet's washed. Then you got the next thing takes place...
You got this little bootie on, I'll call it.
E-42 And then the next thing takes place, there's a man standing there with a towel over his shoulder, and he's got some ointment in his hand. And that's a perfumed oil. Now, the direct rays of that Palestinian sun upon your neck, it just blisters you. And another thing, that dust that picks up sometimes gets into their beard and in their hair. And this man stands here, then with ointment, and he holds it out in this little pan. You get it on your hands and rub it in your face, and over your neck. And then you take this towel and wipe it off, and groom your hair.
E-43 Now sometimes... This is very rare, 'cause it really gives a--a wonderful odor. They get it many times from way high in the mountains on a wild rose bush. You seen a rose after the petal drops off. Then it gets a little--a little apple, like, on it. And out of there they crush it and get this perfume. It's said that the queen of Sheba, when she come to Solomon, brought much of this fine perfume of that, and give it to Solomon. Very rare. It's so hard to get into the mountains.
E-44 And then, when
they wipe this, their beard and across their necks, and with this towel groom
themselves, now they're ready to--to meet the host--to meet the one that invited
them. See, they wouldn't feel right to go in with all that dirt. That's why
feet washing. See? They--they--they was smelling bad, and they had to have their
feet washed. And with their big old heavy sandals on them fine rugs, they wouldn't
feel right. They'd feel embarrassed. But now his feet's washed, and now he's
all groomed. He smells with the perfume that's on him from this ointment--what
they call anointing their heads with oil--and rubbing it on their face, then
wiping it with a towel. Now, he's freshed up.
Now, the next thing he does, he meets his host, the one that invited him. He
feels like meeting him. Now, he wouldn't feel like meeting him with all that
dirt on him. So he's all groomed up and ready now.
E-45 Then the host meets
him at the door. And they have a very odd way, and it's still in some of the
churches--a greeting with a kiss. So they take a hand, cross this way, embrace
one another (men) with--with their arms around each other, like this, and kiss
each other on the neck. And when the host kisses you, you are welcome. That's
the welcome kiss.
Now, you wouldn't want your host to kiss you with all that old dirt, and stuff,
on--on you. So you have to be cleaned up before you're kissed welcome. But,
oh, when once you're kissed welcome, you are a full-fledged brother. That's
all. You could... Today the only thing you could do, like today you'd go in
a house, and you feel at home; you're one of them. He's kissed you welcome.
Remember Judas kissing Jesus (See?) hypocritically? See, because if he kissed
him, it was a welcome. It was a friend kiss, not in the lips, but on the neck--kissed
them on the neck.
Now. We notice then, that you could go in. If you wanted to go to the refrigerator
(it would be today) and get you a great big sandwich, and lay across the bed,
and eat it, you just make yourself at home. "You're welcome. Come in." That's...
You're all right now. You just feel one of the family now, because you're on
the inside.
E-46 Now, you get all
this done, and anointed, and all fixed up, you're kissed welcome. And then you
go in, shake hands then at the banquet. You meet your friends. The host had
done kissed you in, and so you're--you're free now. You just feel like you're
one of them. You've been invited. You've been cleaned. You've been kissed welcome,
and now you're one of them. Go in and have your fellowship.
Now, about this time I'd imagine that roast lamb out there in the barbecue pit
in the back, was just smelling all around over the country, with them grapes
and things. You'd imagine the poor people standing around the fence, their mouth
watering. They wasn't invited in: just the celebrity to this. So the--the feast
was now getting in pretty good sway. Everything is getting along fine full--good
sway.
E-47 Now, I'd imagine
Pharisee and all of his friends was tipping the glass one to another, and taking
a good healthy drink and of the very best wines there was in Palestine at the
time. Because they were rich, they could afford it. And they... Everybody, the
women, their fine jeweled women was over in the corner having their fellowship,
setting around on divans and so forth, as the--a custom was in that day, and
the men, all up having their toast, and talking, and the priest, and all the
rabbis, and everything, having a great time. And the--the--the feast is getting
pretty well on the way.
And then Jesus, although busy as He was, and His busy schedule, He always keeps
His appointment. You can depend on that. He keeps His appointment.
E-48 Now, let's look
into the room and see what's going on. I can see Pharisee over there tipping
his glass and saying, "Rabbi, you know what?" And the great conversation going
on, the businessmen talking of their businesses, and everything. The bankets
in--banquet's in full swing now, this great feast.
But look setting over against the wall not being noticed was Jesus. He kept
His appointment. He come. He always keeps His Word. All His promises He fulfills.
But notice Him. He's setting over there dirty. I hate to say that. It kills
me to say it. But His feet was dirty. He hadn't been anointed. He hadn't been
kissed welcome, though He was invited. That's like some of our modern revivals.
(The Frenchman calls Him "Jesu." "Jesu" with dirty feet.)
E-49 Could you imagine
it? He was invited and He come. And there He is. He got in some way. And unnoticed,
He sets over as a wallflower. He was just as much out of place there He is in
some of our modern revivals, banquets, so-called religious gatherings. He was
out of place. Nobody was paying any attention to Him. They were too busy with
other things, although He was invited. But He wasn't welcome when He come.
What happened to that foot-wash flunky? How did he ever miss that opportunity?
I wished I would've had his opportunity. Oh, my. If I'd knowed He'd been coming,
I'd have been standing there waiting for Him. I'd--I'd have been ready for it.
How did he do it? Now, let's not condemn him too much, because we might do the
same thing and not know it. See? He missed Him. Oh, my.
E-50 Notice. He comes
today to our callings too. He comes in our midst. I don't want to say this,
but I--I must say it. And in our midst He's understood among us setting there,
just as dirty to the people as He was then. That's exactly right: calling Him
holy-rollers and everything else. And yet we cry for a revival. And He comes.
And when He does come, we treat Him about like they did then.
Somebody raise up in the Spirit of God, holler "Amen," or scream, or something
another like that, when Jesus happens to pass by, why, the--they're put out
of the church. Well, they think that's an awful shame to disgrace the church,
disgrace the people, when it's Jesus Himself passing by.
And we can see Him come and identify His Word and do just like He did then,
and today they say, "It's fortunetelling, mental telepathy, or some evil spirit."
Before the people He's just as dirty as He was setting there: Jesus, the Word
of God. And we do nothing about it.
E-51 We're too interested
in our organization or our--our social standing. We're ashamed to be called
by His Name. We're actually ashamed of Him. They was ashamed of Him because
He was dirty. The guests didn't know Him. And they was ashamed of Him because
He's dirty.
That's the way it is today. They're still ashamed of Him, because they pile
all the dirt that they can upon It, call it holy-rollers, and everything else
that they can think of. Nobody does nothing about it.
There He sets, dirty feet, wallflower at the party, wallflower in a religious
meeting. Invited, we ask Him to come for a revival. When He comes, we treat
Him the same way they did there. He come and identify Himself, but nobody wants
nothing to do with Him.
E-52 If He could pull
some kind of a gimmick, or--or--or do some kind of a--a miracle... Like He did
before Pilate... Pilate, his only opportunity he ever had, and he asked Him,
wanted to see something done, wanted to... "Let's see some sign." He ought to
have repented. That's what this cruel, hell-bound world ought to do tonight,
is repent of their sins. That's what these church members ought to do; repent
of their unbelief, stand up for Him. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever.
And He identifies Himself just like He did then. And the people today take the
same attitude as that Pharisee took, same kind of an attitude: let Him set,
after inviting Him.
Yet, they don't want Him; they just do it, like, for manners. He knows it. We've
done to Him today, just like they did then, instead of washing Him, washing
His--the reproach away, instead of trying to stand up, saying, "You're mistaken.
It's the Word of God made manifest. It's what He promised. He said He'd pour
out His Spirit in the last days. We're living in the last days." Instead of
that, we just kind of set back like they did. We're afraid to take a stand.
E-53 What if one of them would've raised up, and said, "That's Jesus of Nazareth. I believe He's a prophet of God"? You know the reason they didn't do it? Because they didn't believe He was a prophet, and they still don't today. They think He's an educator. They think He's a denomination. They don't know He's still a prophet. That's what they had Him down there for, in question. That's the same thing He's in question about today. Nobody's ready to take up for Him. They just say, "Well, I haven't got nothing to do with Him. See? I belong to church. There's my pastor, and all of them setting right here. I'm a good person." And Jesu with dirty feet, nobody cared. The very Bible...
E-54 Now we walk up
and shake hands, put our name on the book. And the--the Methodists, if they
don't want us, we'll take it over to the Baptist. They kick us out, we'll go
to the Nazarenes. The oneness kick us out, we go to the twoness. The twoness
kick us out, we go to the threeness. We don't have to put up with none of it,
all starchy. That's just the same way we...
And when Jesus comes, we don't even recognize. We don't care. That's the way
they do. And yet, we're crying, "Come, Lord Jesus. Come, Lord Jesus," and He
comes. And what do we do? Same thing they did. Why? If they say anything, accept
it, somebody else will hear and make fun of them. And they let Him set dirty.
It's called a evil spirit.
You remember, Jesus told them one day when they said, "This man does this by
Beelzebub," He said, "You say that against Me, it'll be forgiven. But someday
the Holy Ghost will come to do the same thing, and one word against It will
never be forgiven." There we are: Jesu with dirty feet.
E-55 Could you imagine
it? Could you imagine people who claim to love God, and have got so mixed up
in their creeds, and their denominations and isms? Jesus said, "Your traditions...
You've made the Word of God of no effect."
There He was there, and the Word was in effect, because it was made flesh, and
was proven exactly that He was the Christ. And the people with their traditions
wouldn't let it be effective upon the other people. That's what He was doing,
trying to show it off. They... See? They didn't believe He was a prophet, and
yet the Bible said He would be a prophet. The Bible... Moses said, "The Lord
your God shall raise up a prophet.": Deuteronomy 18:15. And the Bible predicted
just exactly what He would do. And here He come doing it among those people.
E-56 And today we leave
Him with just as dirty name as He had then. Let them say things against it,
and, "The days of miracles is past. There's no such a thing," when the Bible
said, "He's the same yesterday, today, and forever." And we're still ashamed
to stand out and say something about it. We're ashamed of our testimony, that
we--we claim we believe.
Instead of washing Him, trying to wash Him with tears of joy that He's here,
we just let Him set dirty. "I won't have nothing to do with it. I ain't cooperating
with nothing like that, put my hands on it." See?
There you are. It's the same bunch of Pharisees, just under another name.
E-57 We again let Him
set like that, for the same reason. We don't believe He's a prophet. We're ashamed
of It. Why? The same reason. We don't believe it. The people don't... No, sir.
He can come and do whatever He wishes to. They're set in their ways. And there's
no need of trying to fool with them. And, you know, the Bible said they'd be
that way? Exactly. The Bible said they'd be that way, lukewarm, form of godliness,
and have no power thereof. See? That's right.
We join up with this educational, polished-up group standing there, and having
our big socials and times, and our fine churches, and fine decorations. Then
Jesus Christ can come in, and you let Him stay dirty. The Word can be made manifest
among us and we still walk right on, let people talk about it. Oh, my.
E-58 But you know, to
hurry with our story, let's change the scene tonight. Let's turn our cameras
another way, way down in the alley, a little old dirty alley, way up in the
top, of a little old room that was barred with a bar. The door comes open, and
a woman steps out. Well, she wasn't very well-liked among the people. She was
a sinner, and she made her living in the wrong way. So she strolls out down
the little old creaking steps. She gets into the alley, and she goes down all
along the garbage cans, and goes out on the street.
"Why, there's nobody out there." So she begins to wonder what's the... "Oh,
I remember. Pharisee up there, Pastor Pharisee, he's giving a big banquet. Everybody's
up there. Business will be bad today."
E-59 So she moseys down
the street, and as she begins to walk, she says, "Well, I'll just have to wait
till that's over. And she made her living in a bad way, so she's walking down
the street. And after while her little old hungry stomach smelled that roasted
lamb. She thought, "My, that smells good. I never had anything like that to
eat in my life." Maybe been turned out on the street when--by some parents.
You know, a lot of times we think about juvenile delinquency. I think a whole
lot of it is parent delinquency. The kids had been taught to pray, and serve
God, instead of mama out somewhere at a card party (in her religious card party),
and dad out at a golf course somewhere, and sister out with junior, out there
on the street, and running around and... Maybe things would've been different
if they'd had the old fashion prayer altar, the Bible instead of a deck of cards,
and throwed that television out the door a long time ago. It might've been a
whole lot different.
You all used to be wrong to go to the picture show. The devil put it right over
on us; he brought it right in our house.
E-60 She's hungry. She
smelled that. She said, "My, it smells good. I wonder really how a piece of
roasted lamb would really taste in a human's mouth. I--I don't know how It would
be. I believe I'll just walk up."
Now, she couldn't get too close to them, because she was a foul woman. They
were self-righteous. You see? They all belonged to church. So they... Couldn't
get around where they was at. She was considered a sinner.
So as she walked up close and to get a look around, seen all them standing there,
and the water running out of their mouths as they gasped, you know, and looking
at this ram--or lamb in there roasting, and all the fine foods and things being
packed around in there. What a great time.
E-61 And she begin to
look through the crowd, like that, and her eyes fell upon Him. "Who's that?
He's got dirty feet. I wonder Who that... Wonder if somebody would tell me?
Say, will you..." Turns away real quick, want nothing to do with her. She's
a sinner. So asks somebody else, finally, maybe a little lady that was believing
and looking the same way. Said, "Madam, would... Pardon me. But would you...
Who is that setting there? How did He... that person..."
"Well," they said, "you know Who that is? Did you hear them talk about that
Jesus of Nazareth, supposed to be a prophet?"
"Oh, yes. Is that Him?"
"That's Him."
"Well, He isn't washed. I understood that everybody's supposed to be washed
before they come in there and anointed. Look at Him. Well, it's not right."
E-62 She had a opportunity
presented to her. She remembered a story that someone told her. Another woman
of her trade, one time up in--in Samaria, in the city of Sychar, had been forgiven
of every sin. And she realized that that might be an opportunity for her.
So how is she going to get to Him now? She seen He was needy, and she wanted
to serve Him, and couldn't get to Him. That's about the way it is. So she thought,
"What can I do? He has no anointing; His feet's dirty. Nobody's paying any attention.
Oh, if I could only get in there. That's the real penitent heart. If I could
only get to it."
Now, she think--get... Her mind catches something. "You know what I believe
I'll do? I know." Down the street she goes, just as quick as she can, down through
the alley, up this old creaky steps and opens the door, goes in there and gets
a--a stocking-top, you know, and pulls it out, counts how much money she's got.
E-63 She said, "I...
Is that enough to buy some anointing oil? Let's see if it is. There's twenty
pieces of Roman Denarii. Perhaps that's enough. But wait. I can't do that. He's
a prophet, and He'll know where I got that money. He'll know how I got it. I
just can't do it." So, she, perhaps, laid it back again.
And when she laid it back, there was something kept speaking to her heart. "But
would you let Him set there dirty like that? Would you let the only Man that
can take away your sins set dirty, when you can give Him service?"
So she says to herself, "Whether He knows or not, I'm going." And down the street
she went and run into a store where there's a little old hooked-nosed fellow
setting in there, "Well, what do you want in here?"
She said, "I want the best alabaster ointment that you got. Not the cheapest,
I want the best." She had a special reason.
And that's what we ought to do. We ought to give Him our best, everything we
are, our youthful life, not wait till we're old and dying. Give the best we've
got to Him.
And there, she got the very best. And went up and said, "Let's see how much
money that is."
"Have you got the money first" He knew her also. So he said... Yes, she had
the money. "So where you going with this?"
"I have it for a special occasion." So she goes up.
E-64 Now, she has no
invitation. But how's she going to get in? But somehow, if you want to do a
service for Jesus, He'll make a way for you to get in.
Somehow or another, she got in. And there was Jesus setting there yet. And she
happened to think when she got in there, her heart beating real fast, "Oh. my,
what if He'd happen to turn me down?" There was a lot of things to think about.
"What if He'd come up here and say, 'Say, you foul woman, what are you doing
here in My Presence? Know ye not that I'm the Son of God? You shouldn't be here
in My Presence?'" Her heart almost failed. And she thought, "What can I do?
But I've got to get to Him. I can't pass this time. This may be the last opportunity
I'll have."
E-65 And it might be yours too. Looked down, and her heart begin to swell up. She--she knowed she was in His Presence. There's something happens when you get in His Presence. She noticed the tears begin to fall off of her cheeks, and she was standing there shaking with this box in her hand. And--and she fell down at His feet. And she thought, "I can't look up. I'm so guilty and dirty, I can't look up." So she started crying; they begin to fall upon His feet. And she begin to wash them, like that, with her hands, wipe--trying to wipe the tears off of His feet--and washing His feet with her tears.
E-66 And after while...
She didn't have no towel to--to wipe His feet with. So, her hair was hanging
down, and she begin to--to wipe His feet with the hair that was on her head.
Wouldn't our sisters have a time doing that today? They'd have to stand on their
head to do it (See? Sure. That's right.), our sisters today.
Wonder if you... I wonder if the women realize that God keeps all of His promise.
I wonder if you realize that it's totally impossible for you to get in like
that. He keeps all of His promises. Do you realize what you're doing, when you're
doing that? You're denying a virtue. The Bible said that if a woman bobbed her
hair, it was even a common thing for her to even pray. And she dishonors her
husband in doing so.
E-67 And remember, it
was a woman that broke one commandment of God, that caused all this to do that.
Do you think one breaking one will get back in? Think of it. Maybe sometimes
ministers hasn't got nerve enough to tell you. This is one time you're going
to hear it. It's the truth.
Someone said, "Why don't you leave off them women?" A great man told me that
not long ago. Said, "Well, they believe you're a prophet. You teach them how
to receive the Holy Ghost, and get these great big things, and how to--to be
prophets," and so forth. I said... "Teach them greater things?"
I said, "How can I teach them algebra, when they won't even learn their abc's?"
It shows the outside expresses what's on the inside. But you go on, do it anyhow.
Why? You're not conscious of it.
E-68 There she was.
With her hair she begin to wipe His feet with it, and dry His feet off. She
was scared to death. And after while she picked up this bottle of ointment,
and she broke it. And she tried to hit it and break it, and pour it on His feet.
And she was crying. And every time she'd cry, she'd reach down and kiss His
feet. She got hysterically.
When you get in His Presence, it makes you hysterically. I got hysterically.
Any man ever gets in His Presence that believes Him and has faith in Him, it'll
make you hysterically. On the day of Pentecost when He come in the form of the
Holy Ghost, they got hysterically. When you really believe, and you know, and
recognize that it's your opportunity, and you're in His Presence, you're sure
of it.
E-69 She'd went [Brother
Branham makes a sound of repeated kissing--Ed.], kiss His feet and cry,
and wash, and wipe, and kiss His feet again. You know, Jesus, if He'd have moved
one foot, she'd have jumped up and run out of there. But you know, He just set
and let her do it.
You know, if you want to do something for Him, He'll let you do it. It may be
all out of order, but He'll let you do it anyhow. See?
And He... It was doing Him a service, and she was washing His feet. And He just
set there and looked at her. She was afraid to look up, 'cause afraid He'd make
her scat. And see, she was washing His feet. She saw opportunity to do something
for Him. And she was just...
Now, see, when He--when Jesus spoke back to the Pharisee, He justified her by
her works. But when He justified her to herself, He justified by her faith,
"Thy faith hath saved thee." He showed the Pharisee what her works was, because
your works expresses your faith.
E-70 Now let your hair
grow out. Now, see, it expresses what you believe or not. That's God Word. There's
no Scripture in the Bible but what that's the truth. Why do you do it? Now,
notice. Too much Hollywood in Pentecost, that's what's the matter. Now, we find
out... That's the truth; it's just too much Hollywood. You watch these things
and pattern yourself.
A lady said to me, not long ago, she said (little old tight dress on)... I said,
"Why don't you take that off, being a sister?"
And she said, "Why, Brother Branham, they don't make any other clothes."
I said, "They make sewing machines, and they got goods." See?
E-71 You just want to.
I'll tell you why. Let me tell you, sisters... [Audience
applauds--Ed.] Thank you. One of these days you're going to have to answer
for committing adultery. You say, "Well, Brother Branham, I'm just as pure to
my husband as I can be."
"I'm as pure to my boyfriend."
That might be so too. But Jesus said, "Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust
after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." And if you
presented yourself out there and that sinner thinks that about you, because
you've presented yourself, at the day of the judgment when he answers for committing
adultery, who's guilty? Think of it. It's exactly right. Oh, women. Come on
back, sisters, come back to Christ. Brothers, you do the same. And you men will
let your wife do that, and call yourself a man, the head of the house... Notice.
We're In a terrible time, friend.
E-72 And we notice that
here was this little woman kissing His feet, and washing His feet, and wiping
with her hairs of her head. And all at once old Pharisee, over there in the
corner, he happened to notice it. Oh, my. His righteous indignation rose, and
his--his big chin swelled out, and his face looked like it would burst. Oh,
my.
He said, "Come here. Looky here. Look over there." And he said within his own
heart now, in his--in his mind; he said, "If that man was a prophet, he would
know what manner of woman that is touched him."
E-73 See if He is a
prophet, or not. See, He perceived the thoughts that was in his heart. And all
at once He moved. And the little woman raised to look up, her eyes glaring.
He looked over, He said, "Simon," He said. "I--I--I got something to say to
you. (Oh, my. Here you are, Simon.) I got something to say to you. You invited
Me here. I come on your invitation. You invited Me. And when I come to the door,
you never washed My feet. And when I come in, you never anointed My head. You
let Me come in dirty. And you never kissed Me welcome, though you invited Me.
"But this woman, here, let her be whatever she may be, she has washed My feet
with her tears; she's wiped them with the hairs of her head, and she has anointed
My feet, and constantly kissed My feet ever since she's been laying there."
He found out whether He was a prophet or not.
Then He said, "Simon, I want you to look at something." He said, "What kind...
I want to give you a riddle." Said, "When much is forgiven, much is loved."
And He give him the saying, and Simon answered him back.
E-74 Notice. Simon didn't give Him anything to wash His feet with, but He had the best water that there could be. Just think. The tears of a repented sinner, washing the dirt off of Jesus' feet: tears of a sinner's eyes washing the dirt from His feet. Oh, men and women tonight, when you see the reproach upon the Gospel, and we're so starchy it would take all the makeup off of our face if we cried a tear, and we'd look horrible when we get on the street. What are you going to be when you face the portals of heaven yonder?
E-75 And there she was.
She'd washed His feet, kissed His feet, and was anointing Him, and doing everything
that she could, because she wanted forgiveness. And all of a sudden she--she
wondered what He was going to do now. He had showed Simon, and it backfired
on him. The thing that he said He wasn't a prophet, was proved that He was a
prophet, that He was the Word of God.
Now, he's standing there with his face swelled out. He would've grabbed that
little woman, throwed her out of the church. But she had got what she asked
for. Amen. Don't made any difference what the rest of them said, she got what
she asked for.
E-76 Now He turns to
her. Her little old heart begin to beat real fast. Now, what's He going to say?
There she is. All of her pretty curls was hanging all down over her waist here,
and her--her eyes were streaking with tears, and her face and lips were all
greasy where she'd been kissing His feet after she'd put that oil on Him. She
sure looks messed up, with them great big eyes looking to see what's going to
say. He said, "And I say unto her, all her sins which were many are forgiven
her." That's it. "All her sins are forgiven her."
That's what I want to hear. Oh, that's the words that I want. I don't care what
the rest of them says. I'm ready to stand in his denomination, and declare that
He is the Word of God. I don't care what they say. Let them put any dirt on
it they want to, saying a mind reader, a fortuneteller, whatever they want to.
I'm ready to kiss the reproach from Him. It's His Word. Certainly. He promised
it. He is the Word just as much today as He was then. He said so.
E-77 Now, friend, there
may be people setting here that can't agree that He's the prophet. You might
not agree that He's the Healer. But there's one thing that every church member
should agree: He's the Saviour.
And I want to say this before closing. Not long ago a attorney friend of mine
was trying the case of a man and woman that was going to separate. And the attorney
was a fine Christian gentleman. He said, "Don't--don't separate." He tried his
best to keep them from it. But, no, they was determined they was going to do
it. Something come up between them.
And after while, he said, "Well, if you've got the home down there, you'd better
go down and divide the spoils, 'cause if they--you happen to get downtown, them
lawyers and things get into it, you know what's going to happen. They'll take
every bit of it."
So they went into the rooms to divide up what they had. They went into the parlor.
They fussed and stewed, "I buyed this," and "I had this," and they went on in
the next room and divided in there.
E-78 And finally they
went up in the attic. They had a--remembered they had an old trunk up there.
They got in there, and begin to say, "Well, this belonged to my mama," and "This
was my mama's," like that. And they got down in the trunk apiece, both of them
kneeling on the floor with the trunk laid open, dividing up what was what, and
they couldn't agree.
"That belongs to me. I paid for that. I done the work."
"Well, I stayed home while you did it," fussing.
Finally they raised up something else, and both of them grabbed the same time.
What was it? A little pair of shoes from a little baby that had been born to
that union, that God had taken. They couldn't argue. They had something in common.
As they held their hands, he remembered that she was the mother of that baby.
He remembered she was the mother; she remembered he was the father. And as they
held the little shoes in their hands, they pulled one another to each other,
put their arms around each other. The divorce case was annulled. Why? They found
something they had in common.
E-79 You might've disagreed
with me this week, to see the Holy Spirit come in, confirm these words, and
things to it. You might disagree with that. You might disagree with the sick
being healed. But we do have one thing in common; that's the Blood of Jesus
Christ that saves us from sins. Will you wash the dirt from His feet tonight?
Let us bow our heads just a moment. Remember, He keeps every promise. He keeps
every promise. He promised, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white
as snow. All your sins are forgiven you, if you'll just believe it."
Now, with our heads bowed, I wonder how many here will raise your hand and say,
"Brother Branham, I want to... The rest of my life I want to not let Him set
and be disgraced. And I--I have an opportunity like the little woman did. I
want to, with my testimony, to wash the dirt from Him, the--His precious Name."
Will you raise your hand, and say, "Pray for me, Brother Branham, I--I..." God
bless you. God bless you. That's fine.
E-80 Now, heavenly Father,
there were many, many hands that went up here just now. And we see that the
Name of Jesus Christ has been stomped into the dirt. And everything in heaven's
named that. Everything on earth is named that. Every--every church member, every
member of the body of Christ is Mrs. Jesus. And we pray, heavenly Father, that
we'll see and understand that tonight. And may Your grace come upon these people
now, and forgive every sin, that they know that in Your Presence now, and know
that You are here.
Let Your Holy Spirit teach us all now, and may we be forgiven of all of our
sins and our mistakes. And from tonight on, may we be new creatures filled with
Your Spirit. Grant it. May we be conscious of Your Presence. For we ask it in
His Name.
E-81 And while we have
our heads bowed, I wonder tonight... Now, I'm talking to sinners, and to church
members, and to backsliders, and to those who have not the Holy Ghost. I'm talking
to you. Why didn't Pharisee accept Him?
We keep calling for Him. "O Lord, will You come?" When your baby was sick, you
called for Him. He was merciful, no doubt. When you was about to see that wreck
out there, you called on Him. He--He let you get out of it. But I wonder, just
wonder, with all these things that we ask Him, and we invite Him, then when
He comes to visit us like this, I wonder if we're just ashamed to say, "Well,
I've been a member of a church, but I want to find Him in the baptism of the
Holy Ghost tonight. I want Him. I need Him. I don't care what the rest of the
world says about it, I want Him."
E-82 Would you like
to have the baptism of the Holy Spirit? If you would, I'm going to ask you to
do something. I want you to come up here, right here where I am now. Come right
down here and stand right at this pit, right here by me. Every person in here,
every unsaved person first, will you walk up here and stand here just a minute?
If you believe that He hears prayer, will you come here, stand here just a minute
now, while we sing one verse of a song? What Is that? "Softly and Tenderly Jesus
Is Calling." All right with our heads bowed, everybody praying, come right up
here and stand here, right down here in this pit here.
What happens? Look at the earthquakes all over the earth, shaking the earth again.
Look what's happening everywhere. The time is at hand. And look, the door will
be closed after while, and you'll cry to get in and can't.
E-83 I talked to a young
woman some time ago. I was holding a meeting in a Baptist church, and I asked
her that night to come to Christ. And she wouldn't do it. And then afterwards,
she met me outside and said, "Don't you never embarrass me like that again."
A year later I passed through the street... She was a honorable young girl.
And I passed through the street, her underneath skirts hanging down, smoking
a cigarette, going down the street. She was a deacon's daughter. And I said,
"Hello, there, aren't..."
She said, "Hello, preach," such a slang as that. "Hello, preach."
I said, "Aren't you ashamed of that cigarette?"
She said, "Hey, would you like a little drink out of my bottle?" She was half-drunk.
And I said, "Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"
She said, "Come here. I want to take you to where I stay."
I said, "Aren't you at home?"
"No."
I said, "What's the matter?"
She said, "Take a little drink out of my bottle; I'll tell you."
I said, "Aren't you ashamed of yourself to offer me a drink out of a bottle,
or a cigarette?"
She said, "I want to tell you something, preacher. You know that night you told
me that was my last chance?"
I said, "Yes, I remember."
She said, "You were right." She said, "Since then my soul's been so hard."
She said... (Now, here's the remark. It just run shivers over my back.) She
said, "I could see my own mother's soul fry in hell like a pancake and laugh
at her."
Would you want to get in that state? Don't you turn Him down. So right now,
won't you come stand here with the rest of these?
E-84 You know, I'm so
surprised. My heart feels real funny. I thought today, when I was praying...
Had another message I was going to speak on. He told me to do that. He told
me to say that. I thought every bobbed-haired woman would be standing here at
that altar call. See, you just get so hard and so far away. See? You pass that
line between that surging (See?), not hearing the Word of God. I thought surely
it would happen. But I guess maybe it's later than I really think.
Remember, the blood is not upon my hands. I have not shunned to declare to you
the counsel of God the way it is. Remember, there's something inside identifying
the outside. Get away from it, sister, dear. Brother, get her by the hand and
come on up here. Why don't you--why don't you be... Won't you want to be a real
Christian? What's the use of living a halfway life, and living under condemnation?
Don't you do that. See, you say, "Well, I--I..." I don't care what you've done.
Your fruits is what you're known by.
E-85 I cross America
constantly, and every year I cross it, it gets worse and worse. So I know there's
something wrong. The day of grace is passing by. Don't let that happen to you
here in Tampa. You're here in a great, big, fabulous city where everything's
full of glamor, just like Hollywood.
The whole world has become contaminated. All's on television and things, is
some old vulgar, dirty stuff. And you try to pattern yourself like that. Won't
you take Jesus' example? Won't--why don't you let Him... Why don't you listen
to His Word? Won't you do these things that's right? How many here will honestly
say that you know you haven't got the Holy Ghost, look at yourself in the mirror,
and know you haven't?
E-86 No. And just look
at your own life, and the way you do. Not because you belong to church: "I belong
to Methodist, Baptist, Pres... I..." That's all right. I ain't saying nothing
against that. But I'm asking you, do you know Christ Jesus? Is He living in
you? If He does, He'll identify Himself there. If He's there He's bound to let
Himself be known. You can't hide Him, He stands out.
You haven't got the Holy Ghost, and you know you haven't, raise up your hand.
Be that honest. Say, "I haven't got the Holy Ghost. I know I haven't." God bless
you for that sincerity. God will honor that sincerity. If you want the Holy
Ghost, won't you come stand here with these now, these penitent sinners here?
Won't you come at this time? Come up and stand while we sing it again. Say,
"I want it, Brother Branham." I tell you that it takes that... You're going
to have to have It for the rapture. That's exactly right.
Now, you remember. Do you believe that God speaks to you? You believe that's
Jesus Christ? Raise up your hand, if you believe this week you've been in the
meetings, you believe it's Christ. All right, then your place is at the altar.
E-87 And women, shame
on you. Men, shame on you for letting her do it. You men out here, doing those
things. And some of you ministers, with that almighty dollar, instead of almighty
God's Word, let that congregation get in that kind of a shape, just because
some organization...
You read the same Bible that I read. Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Jesus with
dirty feet. And haven't you got the real Christian spunk about you to stand
up and take up for it? Look like you should have. God be merciful.
I pray that God will send the Holy Ghost in conviction just now, that'll make
this congregation realize where it's setting.
E-88 Are you conscious
that this is your opportunity? Are you going to do like that courier did, pass
up your last opportunity? Are you going to do that? Don't you do it. If there's
a doubt anywhere, or something wrong, take your place right down here. Take
your place. This is your place.
Say, "Well, I don't want no..." They didn't want to either. They could've went
over and seen Him setting over there. They could've went, and identified themselves.
But it was against their congregation. What about... It wasn't against Him.
That little woman didn't care. She knowed she was a sinner. She got forgiveness.
I don't know what happened. Where are they at tonight? Where is that woman at
tonight, you think? And where's Pharisee at tonight, though religious? You can
hear them both, where they're at, you'd sure take her place any time. So no
matter how religious you are, if you...
E-89 Jesus keeps every
appointment, every commandment you have to answer for. So you better come now
if you haven't got the Holy Ghost. He commanded you to. He said in the book
of Acts, Peter did, said, "Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the
Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin, and you shall receive the gift
of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to
them that's far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." And as long
as He's still calling, He's still giving the Holy Ghost.
While we sing again, won't you come? That's my last time now. Remember, Christ
has been here, and you all raised your hands, identified that it was Him and
His Word. And down in that Christ in my heart, He's grieved.
E-90 Jesus stood up
over Jerusalem one time, said, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how oft would I have hovered
you as a hen does her brood. But you would not." And a lot of times when I come
up amongst... As I told you this morning in the breakfast. You fine Pentecostal
people, and all kinds of people, when I come among you, the Holy Spirit down
in me is saying, "How oft would I have gathered them. How the church would been
standing today, in its power. But you would not." See? You would not.
Won't you do it now? This is the time. Lay aside every weight, and the sin that
does so easily beset you. Let's run with patience the race that's set before
us. While we call one more time, everybody sing with me now. Get right up and
come up here. If you haven't got the baptism of the Spirit, if you're a sinner,
backslider, whatever you are, come on up and let's pray together. Will you now?
This is our last call.
E-91 With our heads
bowed now, let's hum it. [Brother Branham begins humming--Ed.]
Won't you come home now? God bless you, young man.
Some time ago I heard a little story. I want you to listen close now. There was
a man named Danny Martin. He crossed the nation here, many great revivals. They
claim that he had a dream one night, that he died. And he--he started into heaven;
he was met at the gate. He said, "Who approaches?"
And he said, "This is Danny Martin." He said, "I'm a evangelist."
The--the man at the gate said, "Let's see if your name's here on the book." Said,
"It isn't."
He said, "Well, I was a minister."
Said, "I can't help what you were. If your name's not on here, you can't enter
this door. It's latched tight unless your name's in...?... You have to have your
name on the book."
And he said, "Well, what can I do?"
He said, "You might appeal your case, if you want to, to God's white throne judgment."
Oh, brother, sister, don't never want to go there.
So he said, "I guess I have no other alternative but to appeal my case." So he
said, finally started going somewhere, didn't know where he was at.
E-92 (This is the man's
dream.) And he said, "I would come into a Light. There's no certain place it
was coming forth. But I got slower, and after while I stopped. I heard a voice,
said 'Who approaches My throne of judgment--justice?'"
He said, "I, Danny Martin." Said, "I'm an evangelist from the United States."
He said, "I--I--I--I won souls, and I--they wouldn't let me in at the gate."
He said, "All right. If you've appealed your case to stand in My court," He
said, "then I require justice." He said, "I have the commandments." Said, "Danny
Martin, did you ever lie in your life?"
He said, "I thought I'd been a truthful man," but said, "in the Presence of
that Light, I realized I'd said some things was shady." Said, "Yes, sir. I told
lies."
He said, "Did you ever steal?"
He said, "I thought I'd been honest, but I'd seen some deals then..."
E-93 Wait till you get
in the Presence of that Light. You think you're all right now, but just wait
till you get there. Try to approach one time with bobbed hair, smoking cigarettes.
Just try it one time. See? You think I'm just saying that? I'll prove it to
you out of the Scripture here. It's exactly right. Try wearing a pair of slacks,
shorts. Find out where you're at, when the Bible says it's an abomination in
the sight of God. Try it one time. See? Where's your conscience at?
Said, "Well, did you ever do this or that?"
"Yes," he said.
"And, Danny, did you ever sin?"
He said, "Yes, I've sinned."
And he was just about to hear (He said his bones looked like they was coming
out of his joint.)--to hear that "Depart into everlasting hell from My Presence."
He said he heard the sweetest voice he ever heard, said he looked around to
see. Said he seen the sweetest face that he ever saw.
Said He said, "Father, that's true. Danny tried to live everything that he knowed
how to live, but he did do wrong. But one thing he did. Down on earth He stood
for Me. He stood up for Me, took up for Me in all My Word. Now I'll stand for
him here."
That's what you're doing now. You're making a stand for Him here. He'll make
a stand for you before the Father.
E-94 Lord Jesus, I pray
that You'll be merciful now and grant the forgiveness of these people's sins.
They've come here to make a stand. They each want to be filled with the Holy
Ghost. Grant that it'll be given to them. I claim them, Lord, for Your glory,
while they stand before this audience as a witness.
Some of them are church members, some of them are backsliders, some of them
have never accepted You before. And they're standing here. And they see the
dirt that follows a real, true Christian confession. And they're ready now to
take their stand, as that woman, and confess they're sinners. But with their
tears of repenting they want to wash the dirt from Your Name, Lord. Grant that
they can do it.
E-95 Now, I'm going
to ask you one thing. Where you won't be out here before the public, we've got
rooms provided right back here. If you'd like to repent I want you to go back,
'fore you go back there with them. Come right up the step like this and go right
through here. Will you do that for me now? Come right through here. We got places
made right in here for you, friends. Come right up this way...?... God bless
you every one.
Is there some more would want to come right now while they're going. I want
everyone in here...?... have to go back here and meet you just in a moment.
Now...?... Now's the time to receive the Holy Spirit, if you've never received
It. This is the time to come now and receive It. This is the time to get right
with God. You still can make your stand. Now, if you won't do it, He won't stand
for you when there...?...
E-96 The Lord bless.
Look like every one of them going. I believe they're really deeply sincere.
I believe this will be the greatest night we've seen in Tampa in a long time.
Won't somebody else come forward now? There's personal workers back there, with
tags on them, going in with them. We're going in there just in a few minutes
to be right with them there, they'll... on the inside of the door now. You brethren,
get right there to meet them as they go in to separate them into the rooms.
We'll be right with you just in a minute.
Won't somebody else come right quick, while they're going now? Just stand right
out.
E-97 Would you let Jesus
set in this day? You say, "If I'd have been back there, if I'd have seen Him
like that, I wouldn't have done that." What about it right now? Your own present
attitude identifies what you'd have done then. See? The attitude you take now,
you feel like that you're well enough? All right. That's between you and God.
I'm not no judge. I'm just responsible for the Word. See? He's here in the meeting.
They come out of churches too. But they're going in to settle it right now.
That's all of it. They're ready.
Why do you want to live a halfway Christian life for? Either be for God, or
be against Him, so the world will know your colors and know where you stand.
God bless them as they go. They're going in just like to die out to themselves.
They're going to give their life. They're going to Calvary. They're going to
be crucified to the things of the world, and the fashions of this glamorous
day we're living in here. They're going to die to Jesus Christ, Whose Presence
is here right now. They're going to die out to themselves, and be born anew
to Jesus Christ.
E-98 God bless them.
Is there someone else will come, while we sing lowly now?
E-99 And you know that
I wouldn't be standing here speaking to you, if I didn't know...?... Somebody's
getting their final call. Now, it's embarrassing to pull people out that's not
received. We realize that. But it's--it's a shame; it's--it's pitiful, but I
guess it has to be that way. Inside of me, it's just something tearing me up.
Now, just--just let me show you something on it. Look here. Just to show you
He's still here, the people that's sick and needy, I'm looking right at a person
here that's lost her sense of smell setting right here, a woman. She was praying
about it right then. If that's right, lady, raise up your hand if that's right.
E-100 Here sets an old
woman there setting right here at the end. She just come into this country today.
She come from Georgia. She's got a great big tumor on the inside of her, very
bad off. If she'll believe, she can be healed. She just come in; her name is
Mrs. Turner. If you believe with all your heart now, Jesus Christ will make
you well. Do you believe it?
You believe that God... Are you a stranger? You don't have a prayer card, do
you? You just come in today; somebody come and got you. You come down here from
the state of up here at Georgia. You believe now that--that God... Your son
come and got you. All right. Now, you know it's totally impossible for me to
know that, 'cause you just come in just awhile ago, and set down here. If that's
right, raise up your hand. See?
E-101 Now, the same
Holy Spirit that's saying that, it's just pumping against the people right here.
See? See, He's identified, folks. Don't--don't do that. Don't 'cause you're--you're
making a rashal mistake. I love you. Remember, you come to hear. I appreciate
that. Love is corrective. You see your kid out here in the street, would you
say, just say, "Junior, you oughtn't to do that." He'll go out, and make him
stay in, if you love him. Love is corrective, not patting you. I have to scold
you. Remember, it's even your offerings, and things, that pays for this meeting,
and makes it possible for to be here.
Do I love you? With all of my heart. Sister, you might think that I've got something
against you for doing the things you do; it isn't that I have anything against
you, sister. It's my godly love for you. Someone said, "If you was a little
bit younger, you wouldn't think that." I thought this when I was fourteen years
old. The Bible said so. It's the same...?...
E-102 Don't make that
mistake. Don't you trust in speaking in tongues for the Holy Ghost. Holy Ghost
speaks in tongues. But don't you trust that and doing the things you're doing,
dancing in the Spirit, some kind of a sensation. Christ is a Person. Certainly...?...
And He's the Word. And if He's in there, He always makes His Word work just
exactly the way It's supposed to. When you turn it down, how could it be Christ?
E-103
You're still a sinner, if you don't accept every Word of that Bible, every Word
of it. For both heavens and earth will pass away, but not one jot or one tittle
will pass from that. And we'll give an account for it. You say, "Well, I belong
to church. My people don't..." That don't matter. "I do this." I don't care what
you've done. You're either a believer or a sinner. That's pretty strong. But I'm
just saying this because the same One that knows the hearts of you, is telling
me to say it. Are you finished? I see a few more coming. I'm just waiting, 'cause
I don't know if... There might be somebody else. Just one moment.
E-104 Why don't you come get in while the water's troubled now? Be a great thing just in a few minutes, back here. Come, won't you? Raise up from there; make your vow to God. "Lord God, forgive me for what I've done. I promise You. I said I was a Christian. But, Lord, there's something in me tells me I--I--I'm condemned right now in the Presence of this One that's identifying Himself as the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm condemned right in my own heart, and knowing that in You're making this so plain. I'm condemned. I'm going in to make this right, right now. I'll pledge God right here, that from this night on, I'll absolutely live for Him." Won't you do that? All right.
E-105 While... If that's
all, now let's stand up, you out there, just a minute. I wished I could sing.
I'd like to sing that song.
E-106 Now, I think we
all ought to dedicate our lives right here to Christ, don't you think so? How
many'd like to rededicate your lives upon this tonight? I'll rededicate myself,
right now.
Lord... Now, think of what the--what your besetting sin is, and let's just raise
our hands now to God, each one in your own way. Remember He's omnipresent. While
there's maybe eighteen hundred, or two thousand, praying in here, there's millions
a-praying around the world at the same time. And He hears every one of them.
There's not even a sparrow can fall in the streets, but what He knows it. He
knows every secret of your heart.
Let's all pray now in our own way and just dedicate ourselves to Christ.
E-107 Lord Jesus, I--I--I...
Your Presence was so great just a few moments ago, that I could hardly even
catch my breath. Seemed like that I was going to leave. And I know that there's
some reason that You want this done this way. I--I don't understand it, but
You do, Lord. You're God. But You've clearly identified Yourself. You're here.
We believe You. We know You're here.
And here in the building, there's hundreds of hands up. We're dedicating ourself
anew. Lord, upon this pulpit where I've preached, and seen You stand here identifying
Yourself this week, I--I--I reconsecrate myself. I dedicate myself anew to Your
service.
Forgive me of all my complaints about being tired. And--and--and, God, just
take me in Your arms. Take all of us, Lord. Pack us away from this worldly care,
and these worldly things, Lord, that we might be wholly consecrated, dedicated
servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. Grant it, Father. And hear us tonight.
Bless those back there seeking for the baptism of the Holy Ghost. May there
come a sound again from heaven like a rushing, mighty wind. May it fill every
person in there with the fire from off the altar of God. Grant it, Lord. We
praise You. We give You thanks, and praise for--for receiving us. We give You
thanks and praise for Your people. We praise You because You said if we'll confess
our sins, God is just to forgive them. Grant it, Lord, that we'll all be forgiven,
and tomorrow we'll see the greatest healing meeting this country's ever seen,
because of our confession. Grant it, Lord. We consecrate ourselves to Thee.
In Jesus Christ's Name. Amen.
Come, Brother Cox. Just consecrate yourselves to God, every heart in there.
I'm going to ask Brother Cox now, one of your pastors here, to continue the
prayer.