|
1 Let us bow our heads
just a moment. Dear heavenly Father, we certainly deem this a privilege to be
here today in this city of Los Angeles, and amongst these, the believers that--the
elected that's been called out of the world, separated children of God in this
great hour that we're living, under this great expectation of the appearing
of our Lover, the Lord Jesus, at any time. We thank Thee for this in our heart,
that we believe that He will come in our generation. We're looking for Him today.
If He isn't here today, and we're here tomorrow, we'll be looking for Him tomorrow.
Dear God, we pray that this meeting will be just a--a special meeting. May it
be a time that it'll make a--a record for the church advancement, that'll be
on Your Books in the eternity. Bless every feeble effort that we put forth,
Father. We realize that we're a total failure without You; so therefore, we
must have You, Lord, if it can--we continue. And we do not want this for our
own glory. We want this for Your glory. For that's our heart's desire, is to
see Jesus glorified in His people. To strengthen the faith of those, Lord, in
this day when the battle is so hard, we've come in for this revival among us,
and a retreat, a refreshment. We pray that You'll grant all these things to
us, for we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen. (May be seated.)
3 Brother Shakarian,
Sister Wyatt, and to the friends of our Lord Jesus Christ, I certainly appreciative
of this opportunity to be in Los Angeles again, to preach of this glorious Jesus
that we're all out here to learn more about today. If our efforts are... [Someone
speaks to Brother Branham concerning the microphone--Ed.] Yes, sir. [Blank.spot.on.tape]...
this time, time. This is quite a complicated affair. Say, this thing doesn't
like to cooperate. [Others suggest how to adjust microphone.]
Well, it isn't going to work like that. [Blank.spot.on.tape]...
Brother Shakarian. Now, that sounds a little better.
I'm kinda small, got a small voice, and but a great big Message from the Lord.
There's lot of opposition from Satan to keep from bringing It, but we'll get
here anyhow. We're trusting this will be a great week for all of us.
6 I was setting there
thinking of how many times that our dear deceased Brother Thomas Wyatt, no doubt,
had spoke from this same pulpit, a great servant to Christ.
I knew Brother Wyatt. He was always a great inspiration to me when I would meet
him and talk with him. I remember, just as a boy preacher, he would always...
His book, called, "Wings Of Healing," I like that title, "Wings Of Healing."
And we're glad to be here in this temple that's been dedicated for service of
Christ. God bless his widow, and all of you people who... Sure, I know you miss
him too. I missed his program. When I heard that he was gone, I--I could hear
that voice. He was getting a little aged, but he still carried a good strong
voice, and a--and had a message from God. And his life still lives on here in
you people. And over in the mission fields where he sent all those units, and
so forth, the Gospel still moves on because of Thomas Wyatt. May his soul rest
in peace until the time we meet him in that glorious land where there is no
death or old age. We're here to carry on now until our time is called or the
great general resurrection when Jesus comes to get us all.
9 Now, I know you have
service here, I think, tonight. And I was told a few moments ago, that I--that
you had service here tonight, so I will hurry up as quick as possible.
Because I've got Monday night, Tuesday night, Wednesday night, so forth, this
week, so I'm trusting that the Lord will bless us. We're going to pray for the
sick. We're going to preach Christ, if He will, if it be His will, in all the
power of His resurrection that He will permit us to do. And whatever He gives
to do, that we want to do with all our heart. And I--I know that He'll bless
us if we'll just believe Him.
11 And now just before
we open the Word to read It, I want to speak to Him again, while we bow our
heads and get quiet now, and trusting the confusion's over. We realize, all
Christians know, that the enemy, our enemy, works on every hand. But, see, when
things like that happen, just hold quiet. God knows what it's all about. See?
Just set still, He might've been doing something you might not know nothing
about right now. Let's speak to Him.
Father, we pray now that You'll calm the sea, the mighty Lord Jesus come walking
in on His Word now, introducing to us in a new spheres, and His power and in
manifestations. We ask this, as we read His Word; may It be quickened to our
hearts today, that we might know Him in the power of His resurrection. For we
ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
13 Now, if you'll turn
in the Book of Deuteronomy. I want to read a verse, or two, out of the Book
of Deuteronomy, the 16th chapter of Deuteronomy.
14 [A
baby now cries out in the congregation--Ed.] Looks like we got some trouble
again. I believe I can holler louder than that.
It's a very strange text I wish to speak a little while on, this afternoon,
is on the, "God's Provided Place Of Worship."
Now, this is unusual. But as I've said many times before, that God usually dwells
in unusual manners, unusual places, does unusual things, because He is unusual.
Ever who believes on Him, acts unusual. There's many, many things that we'd
like to say about His unusualness. But I know that all who are acquainted with
Him knows that He is unusual, does the unusual things, some sometimes at the
unusual time. So we are trusting today that God will bless these, this reading
of the Word, and the text that I have chosen to talk to you about.
Now, what I think that caused our trouble here was they cut them tape recorders
in over there, and just pulled the current right out of the microphone. So if
they don't fix it, why, you'll hear me anyhow. God will fix our ears so that
we can hear.
18 The reason I want
to speak on this text, and it's a good time to do it at the Full Gospel Business
Men's meeting, is because all of the churches, or many of them, are represented
in this group, all different denominations.
And I find many times that people, meeting them on the street, in the highways,
on planes, trains, buses, I'll say to them, "Are you a Christian?"
One of them will say, "Well, I'm Methodist. I'm Baptist. I'm Presbyterian. I'm
Lutheran, Pentecostal," or something on that manner.
21 Everyone has got a denomination that he wishes to represent. And that's perfectly all right to be represented by a denomination, but still the bad part of it, that each one thinks that this certain group is the only group that--that's going to go to heaven, and it's the only one that--that God is represented in at all, is somebody's certain group. I thought this afternoon would be a good time to settle that. [Congregation applauds--Ed.] And perhaps that's why Satan keeps working on this microphone. You know, anything that man makes will go wrong, but what God makes doesn't go wrong. So being a good time to do it, a good place to do it, so God help us that by His grace we will try to do our best to talk about it.
22 Now, this text coming
out of the Book of Deuteronomy... I understand that Deuteronomy... As I have
some Scriptures and things written down here...
It used to be I could think of them real fast, but since I passed twenty-five
the second time, it comes a little hard for me to remember it all. So I go into
the room and pray. And as He gives me the Scriptures, I jot them down, and maybe
a note now and then with it, kinda keep my mind running the way it was when
He gave it to me.
24 "Deuteronomy" being
a Greek word meaning "two laws," the word "Deuteronomy"... And God has two laws.
And one of them is the law of death: to disobedient to His Word. We find that
when Eve disobeyed His Word; it brought death. That's one of His laws, "The
day you eat thereof, that day you die."
And then He has another law, which is the law of Life to obedience, if you don't
do such a things... Why, keeping His Word, you'll live. Boils down to two things
to my way of thinking: that's either keeping His Word or disobeying His Word.
One of these laws was given at Mount Sinai. And the other was... That's the
law of death. The other law was give at Mount Calvary, where the law of Life
was given through Christ Jesus.
29 He also has two covenants.
He had a covenant with Adam, the first man on earth. And that covenant was on
conditions, "If you do so-and-so, I'll do so-and-so." Adam would had something
to do in order to keep this covenant alive before God. He had to walk in God's
ways, keeping all of His Word, not breaking one Word.
But then He made another covenant; that was with Abraham. This covenant was
not on conditions, but was unconditionally. God gave the covenant to Abraham,
no strings tied to it at all: unconditional, not, "I will," "I have. I've already
done it."
And that's the law that Christians must live by. Is not what we do ourself,
but what He has done for us. Christ has already been sacrificed, not He will
be; He has been. It's a finished product. He lived, died, rose again, ascended
into heaven, has come back in the form of the Holy Ghost. So it's a finished
work with God. Christ, knowing no sin, became my sin; that I might stand in
His place, He took my place. I was in Him at Calvary when He died. There I must
die with Him to live. Because the law of sin and death is in the body, you have
to die to be reconciled to Him.
32 But now, we get all these words that we could use, these great texts, which is--we're all familiar with many of them, and the great types of the Scripture. But this afternoon we're confronted with this, that in the face of all this He still says there's only one place that He'll meet you, in the face of all of our different theories. We've had Judaism. We've had Mohammedanism. We've had... We got all kinds of creeds, and denomination, churches, and so forth, but yet God said there's just one place that He'll meet you. All those places, each one says that, "He meets in my church. And if you don't belong to my church, He--He won't meet you. You--you just got to be in this group or He--or He just won't meet you there. Or, He won't meet you nowhere else but there," rather.
33 And then we find
out here that He does have one place, just one place only. "Thou shall sacrifice
the sacrifice in the place that the Lord thy God shall choose." Now, He's got
a chosen place that He meets the worshipping children, and they were not to
sacrifice anywhere else but in that one place. Any other place would not work.
He had one certain place that He would meet them. And one place alone is where
He meets the worshipper.
And then if that be true, we'd better be very careful that we find that place.
I think it's very behooving to us, that as people who know that we're dying,
and living in a dying race, living in a dying age, living in a dying nation,
under the banner of death...
35 And this world must
soon come to an end. It can't go much longer. Sin is too deep. It's beyond hope.
There's no more hope for the world. It's past that.
I believe the Holy Spirit is gleaning in the fields, finding this one and that
one, for the hour is far spent. The Gospel's been preached to every nation.
Ism's and things has followed It, but yet the Gospel has went on just the same.
And now, at the end time, we see the things happening the way they are; there's
a great warning amongst the elected people of God to find what is right. And
it behooves us to know that, now, not somebody's theory, but to know what is
Truth, what the Bible says is the Truth. Because it'll be too late one of these
days for us, and this may be the day; so let's take real consideration of what
God has said.
38 Remember, when God speaks a Word, He can never take it back. He has to ever remain the same. He can never say something, and then say, "I... Well, I--I didn't exactly mean that." See, He's infinite. He knows the best to begin with. We say things that we think is best, then after while we take it back. But God can't do that and remain God. So if He's infinite, He--He does not do that, because He's perfect in every Word. He never utters a Word unless it's eternal. All of His eternal's was with Him at the beginning, His thoughts, His attributes, and they're only expressing themselves in the world today.
39 Now, remember, He
has a provided place, one place alone where He'll meet the believing children.
Anywhere else won't work.
Remember, Jesus said, when He was here on earth, talking to a bunch of people
who was very religious, very fine, very cultured, a very zealous people of God,
but Jesus said to them, "In vain you worship Me," teaching for doctrine their
traditions of men. Remember how pious those people was, and how zealous of God?
I believe if we were counting the people who were more zealous of today or that
day, they would be more zealous than we are, far more. When it come to keeping
the traditions and laws, and things, they lived by those. And they were very
zealous of God, and they believed God. But Jesus, God made flesh among us, said,
"In vain do you worship Me." Now, He didn't say they didn't worship Him. They
was worshipping Him, but in vain.
So anything in vain is of non--no avail, doesn't do no good. You should never
do it, because you're just wasting your time. You're wasting your breath; you're
wasting your efforts, until we come to know what we're doing.
42 Surely, if God expects
people to be perfect, as Jesus said, "Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father
in heaven is perfect," there must be some preparation somewhere. And He said,
"I'll choose the place that the people will worship Me. No other place will
I meet them." And now, that's got to be that place, and we ought to seek it
out, find out where it's at, and then go there. And I think we should turn there,
quickly, when we find the place, leaving other things alone.
Now, remember, Jesus said in this same Scripture here that I'm quoting, man's
tradition then is in vain. We should never fool with it. There needs be somewhere,
some place that He has provided a place for us, that we could come and the worship
would be received. Now, remember, outside of that chosen place, no matter how
sincere you are, how fundamental you are, you're still worshipping in vain.
I know that sounds rude. But the building's about finished, we don't want it
shaking. Let's bolt it down with the Gospel, so that when people meets you on
the street, or wherever you are, you Christians, that you'll have an answer
for them.
In the hour when they're saying, "Oh, this is That. And I seen these do this,
and that do that." Certainly, all these things has got to happen. But there
is a place that's provided by God alone, and that's the place that God meets
the worshipper, alone.
46 Notice the 2nd verse,
"Worship in the place that I have chosen." Chosen what? In this place showed
that He has a place where all people worship. Other places are in vain. "And
in this same place," He said, "I have chosen also to put My Name in this place.
I'll choose a place, and I'll put My Name in it," in this place that he's going
to worship.
Now, this shows that there's one place, just one. It must be God's choosing;
it can't be ours. We have no choice coming; He's already chose it. Now, what
God chooses is right. I can choose wrong; you can choose wrong, but God cannot.
Choose right... After all, it's He's the One that's being worshipped. And He's
got the place where He wants His worshippers to meet there, and we must meet
Him there. That's the only place that He stays, only place that He'll hear you
from.
48 Let us notice here,
also, "The place I've chosen to worship Me in, I'll put My Name in that place."
Oh, now let us search the Scriptures for that place that He has His Name in.
Now, we have shadows and types all through the Bible; we know that of different
places where He met the people, but that's not the place that He'll meet them
today. Because they were only foreshadowing something, coming up to the real
place where He's to meet the people, the place, the church that He is to meet
in. And there is a place, there is a church, that God promised to meet the people
in this place and answer their prayers, if they would just come to this place
and worship Him.
Now, we find out that there's many claim as that they have the place, God's
Name is in their place. But, you see, they put God's Name in there. There's
a lot of difference between God putting His Name there, and somebody putting
there--His Name there. See? We must remember that God said He would put: "I
have put My Name. I will put My Name in this place. And that's the place that
I choose, and have chosen, that people should worship."
51 This, bringing us
now in view of these shadows of time, brings us Christ in view. All the Old
Testament foreshadowed Jesus. In Egypt that night when there was to be a--a
passover lamb killed for the protection of the people, we realize that God had
one place, one condition. No matter how young, how old a priest, a clergyman,
whatever you was, you must be in this certain place. All outside that place,
perished. You must be in this one place, a place that He provided.
Now, we could spend much time this afternoon, in explaining that, which would
be just reviewing what we already know, that how Christ foreshadowed in the
types the sacrificial Lamb, how it must be kept up, a male without blemish,
and how it must be killed by the elders, and how that the blood must be sprinkled
on the door, all foreshadowing the coming of Christ. And under this shed blood
was the place that God met the worshipper, when the Death angel passed through
the land.
53 I believe that we're
ready to go out of Egypt, one of these days, and go into this promised land.
And it's time that we got in the right place, and quit this here fussing around,
"I'm Presbyterian. I'm Methodist. I'm Baptist. I'm this. I'm that, or the other."
Get out of it, and find where this place is, because there's death everywhere
besides His chosen place. Death will strike just as sure as the world if we're
not in His chosen place. But where He chooses, death cannot come.
If you notice in the sacrificial lamb, death had already visit there. Death
had come to this place because the lamb had died. Death had already visit. And
so where death had visit, then God promised that would be His place. Then, Him
in view, we see now what the sacrificial lamb was, what the place of life was
at that time.
55 Now, to me, this
denounces all arguments. With Christ being in view, being the sacrificial Lamb,
then that denounces all denominations, all creeds, all dogmas, all churchanity.
It denounces the whole thing. That's right, for we find here, Him in view, for
He is the pure unadulterated Word of God. Saint John 1, said, "In the beginning
was the Word; the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was
made flesh and dwelled among us." Therefore, He is God's unadulterated Word
made flesh, made manifest.
And this in view, we could not attach that to any church in the world today,
any denomination. Any place like that, we could not attach it, because it isn't
so. We put Christ's Name upon a building, call it the Churches of Christ, and
this, that, or the other. That doesn't make it so. That doesn't do it at all.
But when God puts His Name in something, that's what does it.
57 Now, there's nothing in the Bible that would type our modern organizations, except Babylon. That's the only type in the Bible of our modern organization, organized religion, because it was founded by Nimrod and a forced unity amongst religious people. And that's what the creeds and our denominations do today, force unity, "You either belong to this or you're out." And we're coming now, as we can see, to a forcing all into one great unity of it. But that is a mechanical made advice by a man, and it cannot stand. It is not God's will. It is not God's program, no matter how people try to say it is. It is not. It can't be. It's just impossible for it to be. God wouldn't put His Name in such a thing as that that denies His Word. How can God live in something that denies His own Word? You cannot do that.
58 So we find out it
doesn't attach to any church, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal,
Catholic, Greek orthodox, whatever it may be. It's not God's place of worship
yet.
Now, let God, Who made this promise, come forth and prove it, that it's right.
That's the way to do it. If He's still God, He's still God. If He ever was God,
He remains God.
60 And now, we see this
forced religion right in view now to bring all the little groups into one great
unity, they call it. Some of them believe in this, and some believe in that;
and some deny this, and some deny that. The Bible said, "How can two walk together
except they be agreed?" It'll never work.
We've got to be in an agreement. And what in agreement with what? Not in agreement
with one another, as much as we've got to be in agreement with the Word, with
God. That's what it's got to be in the agreement with.
Now, we find out that a forced unity was represented by groups of people at
Babylon. God cannot put His Name in such a thing as that. He never did and He
never will. Though they tried it, they put their name into it, put His Name
into it, but it's not so.
But we must find where He put His Name, for it is the place and the only place
that He has provided for the Christians to come, as believing children, and
worship Him in this place. What would this place be?
64 Now, to back it up,
we could take the entire Bible to back up what I'm going to say. For the place
that He chose is in Christ, in Jesus Christ. It is in Him, His Son, God's Son,
Jesus Christ.
"Well," you said, "I thought the Scripture reads here that He said He would
choose the place, and He would also put His Name in that place."
Why, the son always takes the father's name. My name's Branham because my father
was Branham.
And Jesus said that He came in His Father's Name. Saint John 5:43, "I come in
My Father's Name and you receive Me not," therefore, there's where God placed
His Name, under the sacrifice of His own Son. That's God's only provided Place
there is where people can meet God, is in Christ. That is His provided Place,
no denomination, no creed, no nothing else, God's promised to meet. Only in
Jesus will He meet, for that's the only Place His Name is.
68 We also hear Jesus, as I follow the Scripture out, in John--John the 5th chapter and 43rd verse, He said, "Another will come, and come in his name, and him you will receive." We can join a creed, "another," we can join a denomination; you'll receive him; but when you receive Jesus, it's different. "Another will come, 'I'll say I'm Methodist; I'm Baptist; I'm Presbyterian,' you'll receive that all right. But I come in My Father's Name, doing that what the Father said I would do, and you receive Me not." He said, "John came, and he had a great witness, but I have a greater witness in God--in God than what John did. For what the Father has given Me to do, that I do," the Words that was written of Him, what He must be in that day. For He was...
69 His Name was God.
God has many titles. God's a title, Itself, was called Jehovah-jireh, Jehovah-rapha,
Jehovah-manasseh. He was called the Rose of Sharon, Lily of the Valley, Morning
Star; Alpha, Omega, Beginning and End; then Father, Son, Holy Ghost, all these
titles.
But His Name, God's Name is Jesus Christ, the Anointed One. That is His Name.
He had many titles, but one Name, the only, "Not another Name under heaven given
among men, whereby you must be saved." We find that that's true.
Also this warning, that, "When this other one comes, that he come in his own
name, 'Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal,' so forth, you'll receive
him. You'll join up with him." But Christ is turned down. They turn That down.
72 The prophet said...
Let's trace his name a little bit. The prophet said a... His Name would be called
Emmanuel. Now, Isaiah said that, about the 7th chapter. And also in Matthew
1:23, said, "This was all done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken
of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 'His Name shall be called Emmanuel, which
is by interpretation, "God with us."'"
Emmanuel, and His Name was Jesus, God with us, with His Father's Name. He came
in His Father's Name. There's where God placed His Name, in His Son. That's
the only Place that you can worship Him. The only Place God will ever meet you,
is in that Son which was typed by the sacrificial lamb. And all down through
the Old Testament, all brought types of that one thing, that that place alone,
God, alone met under the sacrificial blood. Only place He met, the only place
is He meets today; it's not in the name of creed, or in a name of a denomination,
name of a church, or name of a group, or name of a society, but in the Name
of Jesus Christ.
74 I tested that when
I was a young man. I'd often heard of spiritualism, of the Devil, how he does
things. And I knowed if there was a God, there must be a Devil, because the
Bible said there was a Devil. And he, I thought... heard about these spiritualists.
I went to some of them, found out they were phonies, nothing to it, just a big
bunch of make-belief. But I found out there were some of them were real spiritualists.
And I was at a camp one time, where a minister and I went to see them in there.
They'd raised the table up from the floor, and had whiskey glasses setting over
it; and taken that table, turned it back and forth, and a guitar flying through
the building; people's clothes... Had had this up in the room, said, this medium
said, "I challenge anybody to knock it down."
76 Two men said, "I'll
get it down." They grabbed it around the legs like that and tried to hold it.
It wouldn't. Why, that table throwed them plumb across the floor.
Don't you just set around. If you've never been a missionary and been on fields,
only thing you know is just the thought of a Devil. If you look out here on
some of these people walking around the streets, you can see him. But there
is a Devil. Certainly is.
And people worship the Devil, don't even know what they're doing. They worship
the Devil in churches, "Teaching for doctrine the commandments of men, creeds--creeds
and traditions." I said...
79 This woman hollered
over to me and said, "They tell me you're a preacher."
I said, "I am."
She said, "Then if you don't..." Said, "What do you think about this?"
I said, "It's the Devil."
And she said, "Well, then if you've got so much power, knock it down."
I said, "I don't have any power at all. I have no power, but I'm here representing
One."
I said, "Lord Jesus, You said, in Saint Mark the 16th chapter 'In My Name they
shall cast out devils.'" I said, "Now, that Your servant may know, as the battle
lays before me," I said, "I command that table to fall down, in the name of
the holy church," and it stayed right there. I said, "I command that table to
fall down there, in the name of the 'Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,'" and it stayed
right there. I said, "I command that table to fall down, in the Name of Jesus
Christ," and like to have broke all four legs off, hitting the floor.
85 "In My Name they
shall cast out devils." That's the Name of the Father. He put His Name in Jesus
Christ. And in Him He meets to worship. In Him He meets to cast out devils.
In Him He meets to heal the sick. In Him He meets to save. In Him He meets to
save, fill with the Holy Ghost. That's God's only Place to meet people for worship.
Now, we find out that Jesus said also that... The word, Name "Jesus," means
"Jehovah-Saviour, Jehovah the Saviour."
86 Remember, "You shall
not worship the Lord..." 5, Verse 5, "You shall not worship the Lord in any
gates, that the Lord God giveth thee. Any gates, you shall not worship Him there,"
God said in 5th verse here of Deuteronomy 16. "Thou shall not worship Him in
any gates, that the Lord God giveth thee." He give you these things for temptations.'
We're going to get into that, this week, the Lord willing, see whether God takes
His Word back, or not. Notice, He give you them gates, but don't worship the
Lord in any of those gates, because the Lord thy God ain't going to meet you
there.
But the Lord God has chosen the gate. He's chosen the door. Jesus said in Saint
John the 10th chapter, "I am the Door to the sheepfold. I am that Door." He's
Jehovah-Saviour.
88 Now, we could go on here for hours explaining that. But I'm sure you understand it by your action, that you--you respond to the Truth and to the Word. So we'll not go any further; you can take it anywhere you wish to. Everywhere you come, it it's the Truth, it'll fall right back in line with the rest of the Word. You can't make the Bible say one thing one place, and something else at another; it's contrary to what He said first. It must be the same all the time.
89 I'm omitting a lot
of Scripture here on this, just because I see it's getting late. And our sister
and them is having service here tonight, and we want to pray for the sick. That
is, and find out, Billy, if they got some prayer cards.
[Someone says, "No service tonight."--Ed.]
No service. Good. Good, but good. All right. Now, let's find it. All right.
[Congregation applauds--Ed.] We trust that
the Lord will bless this lady for this, letting us have this place, giving us
this time.
91 There's so many infallible proofs that Jesus is the place. He's the Gate; He's the Name, and the only provided Way that God has for man to meet in worship. He is the Way, the Truth, the Light, the Gate, the Door; the Alpha, Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, the Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the Valley, the Morning Star; the Alpha, Omega. He's all, the whole thing put together. He's both Root and Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star. In Him dwells the Fullness of the Godhead, bodily, where we in there are sons and daughters to God in God's Godhead. Yes. As sons and daughters, we're in the family, if you're in there.
92 Now, how do we get
into this great place to worship? That's the next question. How do we get into
this Place, if Jesus is the Place? He's the Name of God. He's the place of God's
worship. And He's the only Door to the sheepfold. And we want to find out how
we get into Him then.
Now, if you're into the door, of course, you come in like the family, as we
was talking the other day about, the--or at the breakfast, about the little
sheep, that God would not close the door until He found that last little sheep
and brought him in. If you've come in, then you become a family. You're a family
of God when you've come into God. But you can't be a family of God and be Presbyterian,
Methodist, Baptist, and Pentecostal. You can't do it. You have to come into
Jesus Christ.
"Well," you say, "we did it." We'll see if you did it.
95 Let's find out what
the Bible says now. We find in I Corinthians the 12th chapter, the Bible said,
"By one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body." We're baptized into the Body
of Christ by one Holy Spirit. We're not shook in; we're not joined in; we're
not baptized with water in. We are baptized with the Holy Ghost into the Body
of Jesus Christ.
How long does it last when you get in There, until you misbehave yourself? Ephesians
4:30 says, "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you're sealed until the
day of your redemption." Argue with Him, not me. That's what It says. I'm reading
It. All right. "You're sealed until the day of your redemption," until the day
that Jesus comes for you. Then think of it.
97 You are then not
yourself; you are a new creature, for the Greek there means "a new creation."
You've been recreated again. The power of God comes upon you, and you become
created, a new creature; which brings the whole physical being, spiritual being
and everything, in subject to the Word of God, not no other way.
How can you say that you're a Christian, and disobey His Word in one thing?
Whosoever disobeyed the law in one--one part of it, was guilty of all of it.
Whosoever... Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word
that proceeds out of the mouth of God," not just part of the Words; every Word.
That He said in Revelation the 22nd chapter, "Whosoever shall take one Word
out of this Book, or add one word to It, his--his part will be taken out of
the Book of Life." We are not to take away from the Bible, or add to It. Just
say what It says.
99 And in I Corinthians
12, It said, "By one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body."
Now, after you're in this Body, Romans 8:1 said, "There is therefore now no
condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, that walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit." There's the place where there's no condemnation. Whether
you go to a Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian church, wherever it is, if you
are in Christ, you are a new creature, and there's no condemnation in you, nowhere
at all. That's God's meeting place. That's where God meets the worshipper. There's
where you are--are accounted a new creature, for they're dead to the things
of the world. They're alive in Him. The living Presence of God is with them
day by day.
He lives in them through every age. Every age that's come along, down through
the Bible, when man meet God's requirement, comes into the place to where He
provided in His written Word for that day, God makes that person to be a new
creature, and he has no condemnation. Look at Job.
Am I deafening you, the way I'm in these mikes? I'm sorry about it. I know it's
the rebound in here. I hear it here myself.
But, look. Job, regardless of how many people try to condemn him, how many said
he was wrong, he was keeping the commandment of God by that burnt-offering.
He knowed he was justified, because he was keeping the commandments of God.
That's how he was justified, because he was doing the things that God wanted
him to do.
104 The living Presence
of God lights up the day, every day, from death of creeds, and to Life and to
the Word of the day. Now, God has things that He does.
As a--a little flower, like I said the other morning at the breakfast... When
a seed comes to light, starts growing. It drinks from God's fountain, keeps
pushing up till it gets to the bud part, gets up into the flower, up into the
blossom.
Now, we find out, that when we start with Christ, we grow the same way, because
we grow in grace and in admonition of God.
107 God's only provided
plan for any age is His Word. His Son came and manifested every promise that
was promised for His age. All the prophets came just exactly on time, they was
God's Word living on earth. They was the Word. Jesus said that they were gods.
Jesus called those prophets gods.
A man met me in the last meeting I had, he said, "You're a poor theologian."
And I said, "I--I don't claim to be one." I said, "The Word don't come to a
theologian; theology does." The Word comes... See? I said, "Just theology comes
to a theologian." But I said, "We're talking about something else."
110 Now, we find that
in each age, when God said a certain thing would happen, here come that man
along and manifested that, here come their people along and lived that. That
was God Himself living in the people, because it was a answering of His Word.
Now, God's only provided way and only provided plan today, is His Son, through
His Word for this age, quickened by the Spirit of His life, quickened.
112 Now, we have great
schools of theology. And many times when we do that... Nothing against it, certainly
not, but, you see, when you got a school of theology...
Jesus said in Saint John 4, "The time is coming, and now is, when God, being
a Spirit, will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth." Now, some people have
Spirit, no Truth. Others has Truth, no Spirit.
So it's just like if we had a big car, we were going somewhere in a Cadillac.
And both Cadillac's was made just alike, and we pushed them out here and we--out
to the tanks, and we filled them both up with gasoline. And you crank and crank
on one. Well, you look out, say, "The seat's all right. The steering wheel is
pretty; it's got diamond studs in it. And plush, set... sets pretty. And you
set back and go to sleep. And, oh, a lot of things you could do, each one, but
(You see?), one of them... All of them has the right mechanics, but one of them
has the dynamics. You see, you might know the mechanics, but it takes the dynamics
to start off the mechanics, to make them work.
115 And that's what's
the matter with the church today. We're full of theology, without any dynamics
in it. That's right. See?
In other words, you've got to have the spark to the gasoline, or the gasoline
is no more than... It's not even as good as water, as long as it hasn't got
the spark to fire it. So that's the way.
No matter how well we're taught, how well we'll believe, and how much of the
Bible that we say is true, and we believe it all true; it's got to be the--the
dynamics has got to be there, the spark, to set that Word afire and make it
start rolling. It's got to have that. If you don't, the church sets still, the
car sets still, you'll set still. But no matter how much you say, "I sympathize.
I believe every Word of That." You've got to have something to spark that off
to make that one hundred octane go to firing, and the big Church of God go to
moving on. It's got to take the dynamics with the mechanics. Nothing wrong with
the mechanics, but lacking dynamics.
And I think that's what's the matter with the church today; we're lacking that
dynamical power to press this Word and make It live for this day.
119 Martin Luther had the mechanics and dynamics in his day. John Wesley had them of his day. Pentecostal had them with their day. What about our day? This is another time. The church should be fully grown now, ready to go meet Christ, with the manifestation of every blessing that He promised in the Bible, operating in that one great Body where He promised that He'd meet the people and be worshipped in this great church of His.
121 But, you see, we
send our kids away to school; we learn reading, writing, arithmetic, all the
history of the prophets and everything. That's all right, but unless you got
something behind that...
"Oh," you say, "well, I--I shouted. I spoke with tongues." That's good. I believe
that too. But that's not what I'm talking about yet. See, you'll--you'll...
it'll splutter. You say, "Plank-plank, boomp-boomp," like ad old car trying
to start. You say, "Yeah, I believe this. I believe that too. But--but when
it comes to this, them days, oh, no. No."
She's a hundred octane, brother, with a right kind of a generator behind her,
it'll fire every Word of God to Its promise. Right.
124 That's what's the
matter with us today, we almost come to a stop. We want to believe this, believe
that.
I say something, about This. "Well, I don't know." Well, the Bible said so.
That settles it. If God said so, it's there to be done. If we... If that's what
God said do, we've got to do that. Just stay there till God fires it off, and
directly you start running then again. You see it? If you don't, you get the
plugs all smutted up. And so we need something different, we need something
to fire us off.
126 And notice, not
only does He come in by the Holy Spirit, with the learning of His Word, He manifests
that Word. Now, remember, the prophets believe the Word. They receive the Word
of God. And God the Holy Spirit came into them and fired that promise out, and
made it come to pass. Oh, my. Who's going to condemn that?
Jesus said, "Who can condemn Me of sin? (Sin is unbelief.) Whatever God wrote
and whatever the prophets said, I'm the Answer. What they said I'd do, I do."
He came as a prophet, the Son of man. That's exactly what He was, and what He
proved to be. He was. Why? The dynamics was there to fire off the mechanics.
He was the mechanics, the Son Himself, and the Father was the dynamics. "It's
not Me that doeth the works, it's My Father that dwelleth in Me. He splatters
forth the--the--the dynamics and makes the thing move on. He brings it to pass."
128 "When did I ever
say anything..." Like Samuel said one time to the people, "Have I ever told
you anything in the Name of the Lord, but what come to pass? (See?) When did
I ever say it, and when did it not happen to come to pass?"
"Oh, you, what you told us come to pass, but we want the king anyhow."
That's the way it is today. People want to hold onto their petty ideas. They
want to hold onto their creeds. They want to hold onto this. Then talking about
a revival in our day, how can we have a revival when it's all messed up the
way it is? Watered gasoline and everything else in it, all kinds of detergents
and all these modernistic things mixed into it...
131 I was coming down
the road one day, and it said, some kind of modern detergent, said, "You don't
have to wash the dishes; the only thing you have to do is dip them in there
and dip them out."
I thought, "I'm going to be a hero in my house." I go and get me a box of this
stuff.
And I said to the wife, "Go on in, honey, let me wash the dishes."
I thought, "Boy, them guys know what they're talking about, them scientists.
I'll show her how. I'll... she'll... Till she catches onto this, what I'm doing...
Just dip it in and set it out, that's all you have to do."
The kids had eat eggs for breakfast. And I poured this detergent in there, and
dipped it in, dipped it out, and dipped it in and dipped it out. It was still
eggy. Yes, sir. I don't believe anything I hear on television, no more. No,
sir. No, no. No, indeed.
That's the reason I don't believe any manmade system can stand. God's got one
provided Way. It isn't Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian; but it's Jesus Christ
by the new birth, believing that Bible. That's God's provided Way, and the only
Way that He has, is in Jesus Christ, His Son. And in His Son He placed His Name.
His... God's Name is Jesus, 'cause He came in His Father's Name. And so that
would be God's Name, because He was God.
137 Now, notice, when this great moving power of God comes into a son of God, it quickens him; the Spirit of Life enters into him. Then what does it do? It seats them in heavenly places, right now, not they will be, we are now. Now we've already resurrected; the dynamics and the mechanics is gone to work quickened to us, and we are quickened up into the Presence of God, where His Spirit is. And now we are seated together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: in Christ Jesus, setting in there, that great seat of--that's already fired up, been raised from the dead. We're a part of it. If you're a part of the Bride, you are, because the Bride's part of the Groom, you know. So we find out that it's the same thing, and She'll do just exactly what's predicted for Her to do in this day. She won't be a Laodicea, not by no means, a lukewarm. But She'll be on fire for God, She'll be moving on in the Spirit of God.
138 Now, we're looking
here now to find out. Now, let us, now at this same time that it does, that
this strikes us... And, when, we're once dead in sin and trespassing--trespasses,
rather, he--we been quickened together unto His Word of this age.
Now, let us think about way back in the old times of somebody that was quickened
by this Word, just before we have the prayer service for the sick. Let's take
a few characters, watch their characteristic.
140 Let's take a man
here that kept all the Word of God back in the Old Testament by the name of
Enoch. He was so quickened by the Word of God, that he had a testimony, that
he pleased God. There wasn't one thing that God commanded Enoch to do but what
he did it.
I wonder how many Enochs would be here this afternoon, that if you know it's
in the Word of God? How many of you bobbed-haired women could call yourself
an Enochist (See?), and know that God condemns that? How many of you men, that
let's them women do that, could call yourself an Enoch? Oh, my. That's just
one thing, how about the thousands? And we smother down, say, "I belong to this,
and I belong to that." You may belong to that, but till you come into God's
provided Place, and you can't get in there unless you become part of that Word.
And being part of It, you become all of It, subject to all. Notice, we have
this here that the Bible calls the Word of God, and which it is the Word of
God.
142 Now, we find out that Enoch come into God's provided way, with His Word, and walked five hundred years, and pleased Him. And we find out that the mechanics was so perfect in Him, that when the dynamics got to working in the engine, it just took him off the earth. He took the first airplane flight, like, to heaven. Working on God's mechanics and dynamics together, he was not, because God took him out of the earth without death. That's exactly right. He was walking in God's provided way.
143 The same thing we find out on Elijah. Old Elijah had bawled out so many of those painted-face Jezebel's, and haircuts, and so forth, that they were using of that day, the old man had spent his life just condemning sin amongst them women, because they had a woman, Jezebel, there to set a pace, just about like your Hollywood here has, and got all the sisters all wound up into it out there. And the Jezebel still lives; you can just look around and you can see she does. And she's still in great power too.
145 Now, we find out,
the old fellow being a prophet, he cursed that thing and everything, stayed
perfectly in the will of God. When all the rest of the preachers weakened off,
he stayed right there with It.
And one day he got so tired, that God sent a chariot down from heaven, and horses
of fire, and took him up, he was so full of that Quickening Power. Just think,
with the Word of God in his heart, he become so full of that Quickening Power
that quickened him.
"If the Spirit of God, He..." I believe we find in Romans 11, or 1:11, "If,"
it says, "if the Spirit..." Romans 8:11, it is. "If the Spirit that raised up
Jesus from the dead be in you, it will also quicken your mortal bodies." If
the Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead, if, if It be in you, It'll also
quicken your mortal bodies: quicken it.
What does the word "quick" mean? The Greek word means, "to be brought to life
after death." Hallelujah. There's the gate of worship, worshipping in the Spirit
and in Truth, mechanics and dynamics together. You see what I mean?
If the Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, It will quicken,
make alive, your mortal bodies, because It's already Life. And when It comes
into your body, It brings your whole body subject to It. Subject to what? The
Word of God, if it's in you.
150 Now, if it's something in you telling you, "Well, that was the days past. And Mark 16's not true, and that Pentecostal idea of the baptism of the Holy Ghost." That ain't the Spirit of God in you. I don't care how well you're trained, you--that's not the Spirit of God. You say, "Well, my mother belonged to this, and my father, through years, and my brother." Whatever you want to say about your relatives and so forth, that might've been all right with them; but it ain't for you (See?); you've got to this day come into Christ Jesus for this age and the promise that's meant for this age.
151 Notice, we find
out that this great Quickening Power struck Enoch; it quickened him and he went
home without dying. It struck Elijah, quickened him till he went home without
dying.
We find out his successor was Elisha, which was a type there of Christ and the
church, Elisha. Elijah done four miracles, and Elisha done eight miracles. He
had a double portion, like was poured out upon the church. [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
Later they had a dead man, throwed it over on his bones, and he come to life.
That Quickening Power was in the grave with him. You can't...
It's always there, when you get that Quickening Power of God, being quickened
up with Him now.
155 Now, remember, in
Christ we are flesh of His flesh, bone of His bones. When God wounded Christ
at Calvary, He was wounded for me and you. We are flesh of His flesh, and bone
of His bone, body of His body, Name of His Name, Bride of Him. See, we are in
Him; we are His flesh and His bones.
And God has already raised us up potentially. The Quickening Power that raised
us from a life of sin, and changed our being, it has potentially raised us up
in Christ Jesus, which the resurrection will bring us forth in the fully maturity.
157 Now, remember, we
died in our own name, was buried, and raised in His. See, we're no more of our
own. Of which, that great Name of Jesus Christ, which the Bible said over here
in Ephesians 1:21, that both families, in heaven and earth is named after that
Name. That's where God put His Name. That's the family's Name in heaven. That's
the family's Name on earth.
And we're in Jesus Christ by spiritual baptism, not by water; by Spirit we are
baptized into one Body, which is Christ, the worshipping Place. Then being in
there, we're being on this ground, it's like the abstract deed.
159 You say, "I bought
a piece of ground." It isn't yours yet until you got an abstract. But if you
got a abstract, it shows that everything was ever against that piece of ground
has been stricken off.
And then when you've become a Christian and accept Christ as your Saviour, then
when God sends down the abstract, it shows that no matter what your father did,
your mother did, what anybody else did; your mother, daddy might've been drunkards,
prostitutes; whatever it was, every sin is stricken off. You've got an abstract
title. There's nothing can put you off of it. And look, everything that's on
that ground belongs to you. Amen. And when you're in Christ Jesus by the baptism
of the Holy Ghost, every gift of God belongs in the church. It's a abstract
title deed. You... It's yours; it belongs to you. It quickens your mortal bodies.
Oh, my, if we'd think of it.
161 Let us take a look at those faithful ones at Pentecost. They were all in the upper room there, and they was all scared. They had a--they had the--the title, all right, but they were afraid. And all at once there came a sound from heaven (the abstract sent down to them) like a rushing mighty wind, filled all the house where they were setting. And they were so quickened by That, till all their cowardliness they were... One of them was even afraid, they even denied he wasn't a Pharisee yet, or he wasn't a Sadducee yet. But when that Holy Ghost fell and baptized him into Jesus Christ, he became flesh of His flesh, bone of His bone, Word of His Word. He was a new creation. He was a new person. It quickened his body.
162 Look what It did,
what It does to you when It comes in. It don't make you go out and say, "I'm
Methodist. I'm Baptist. Oh, I know I oughtn't to smoke. I oughtn't to have this.
I oughtn't to wear these kind of clothes. I oughtn't to do this. I oughtn't
to do that." It so quickens you till you have to do it. It quickens your mortal
bodies.
Look, It quickened their bodies, until they flew so close to heaven till It
quickened their body to speak in a language they'd never heard of before. It
quickened their bodies; they spoke in new heavenly language. They were quickened
into the Presence of God by the baptism of the Holy Ghost. God's Quickening
Power baptized them into that. They were in the Place of worship then. They
were where they could worship. The Sanhedrin or nothing else ever could bother
them, because they were quickened. They were new people. That's after they was
baptized.
164 Look at little Stephen.
He come into God's provided way, was quickened by the power of God, come into
the gate, God's provided way. And even when they went to kill him, stone him
to death, he said, "I see heavens open, Jesus standing at the right hand of
God." That's Quickening Power. He was quickened up into His bosom.
There was Philip, another one full of the Quickening Power. We find him down
there at Samaria, holding a great revival. This great Quickening Power, after
he was in Christ, come where he had thousands of people listening at him. And
He said, "Now, leave here, Philip; I want you to go out into this desert, Gaza,
here. I got a man out there I want you to meet." And no question, no question
at all, he was full of that Quickening Power. He was in Christ; he was in the
provided Place where God could talk to him. God spoke to him. There was no question.
166 Say, "Well, He spoke
to me and told me I'm going to be healed, but I don't know now; I feel awful
bad today." Oh, my. "Well, He told me I had the Holy Ghost, but sometimes I
sure doubt it."
Philip knowed exactly the Voice of God, 'cause he come God's provided way. He
didn't question God, about, "Well, God, I got so many here, I have to stand.
I have to see the state presbyter 'fore I can do it. I have to go talk to the
bishop," wasn't nothing about it, he minded God; right out into the desert he
went.
He found one man, a eunuch, an Ethiopian, a colored man coming down, reading
the Scripture in Isaiah. And he said, "Do you understand what you're reading?"
Said, "How can I unless someone would teach me?"
Philip got up on the chariot and begin to talk to him about the Lord.
He said, "Here is water, what hinders me from being baptized?"
He said, "If thou believest with all thy heart, all thy soul and mind, strength."
Got off the chariot and baptized him.
And Philip was so full of that Quickening Power, till He caught him out of his
sight. Think. In his mortal body, his physical being was caught up out of the
sight of the eunuch. I believe that to be the truth. God could take him somewhere
else where He had need of him. He was caught up.
173 You know, death
can't even take that thing away from you, when you're in Christ, in God's Place.
Look here, Moses had it. He was a prophet that the Word of the Lord came to.
No many... How many Korahs raised up and said, "We need a great organization.
Now, you try to take the place of being the only holy man."
God said, "Separate yourself, I'll just swallow him up." And the Dathans, and
so forth, didn't bother him, he went right on.
And when Moses died and was buried by the Angels, that Quickening Power stayed
on him. For eight hundred years later here he is over in the promised land talking
to Jesus. That Quickening Power was still on him. That's God's Place of worship.
"What say? How did you know?" He was a prophet. The Word came to the prophet.
And he was the manifested Word of God for his age. Amen.
177 See, you can't die;
you're done quickened. Oh, if the church could only see that, that it's not
what you're going to be; you already are. It's the Devil trying to rob you from
that.
"Well," say, "now I'll tell you. I belong to this." Don't care what you belong
to. You've got to be born, regenerated, baptized with the Holy Ghost into Jesus
Christ, quickened to every Word. Your Spirit in you will punctuate "amen" to
every Word of the Bible. Outside of that, if it--if it shakes its head on one,
you get rid of that spirit. It's not the Spirit of God that would dispute the
Word of God. It'll keep the Word of God. Not only does it believe It, but It
makes It live. It manifests the Word of God. Yes, sir.
180 Notice also them
saints of the Old Testament. Potentially, under the old sacrifice, they were
waiting for this new one to come, had a good conscience towards God. In Matthew
27, we're told that, when Jesus raised and come out of the grave... Which we
just celebrated a few weeks ago, Easter. The Bible said that many of the saints
that was sleeping in the dust of the earth, raised up at His resurrection, and
come into the city and appeared to many. What were they? They were manifestations
of God's promised Word. The only place that God meets, under that sacrifice.
Now, in I Thessalonians 4:16, the Bible said also that the New Testament saints
would come forth with Him when He comes again, them that's quickened into Him
now. How do you get into Him? By spiritual baptism, the power of God, the place
that He meets in Jesus. Now, Jesus is God's provided Way.
182 Now, notice, Jesus
was so sure what He was. He knowed He was the Son of God. He knowed He was virgin
born. He knowed that every Scripture manifested Itself right through Him. He
knowed it so perfectly, till He said to them builders of the temple that day,
He said, "You destroy this temple, and I'll raise it up in three days." Think
of that. "Destroy it, and I'll raise it up in three days." Why? It was a written
Word of Him.
David said, "I'll not leave My Holy One in hell--not leave His soul in hell,
neither will I suffer My Holy One to see corruption."
Now, Jesus knowed that that was He, no question in His mind. And He knowed that
seventy-two hours the body corrupts; sometime within that seventy-two hours
He was going to come back to life again; so He said, "You destroy this temple,
I'll raise it up again in three days." Why? The Word was written of Him. It
was written of Him, because He was the manifestation of God's written Word for
that day.
185 Well, there's got
to be (Hallelujah.)... There's got to be, brother, there somewhere God's manifested
Word of God today. And that's the same thing, for He spoke of these days and
He said what would take place in these days. He's already told us. We know what's
going to take place. And we see it being manifested in you, then you're in God's
church. Outside of that, you could call yourself, "Methodist, Baptist," or anything
else, it'll never work. There was only one meeting place; that's in Christ Jesus.
Oh, today, oh, how today that I would that everybody would see that, see how
to get in, being baptized. The Bride is part of her Husband. The church is a
part of the Word, the manifestation.
186 Now, what church are you in? Are you in a denomination? If you are, I'll strictly tell you now, you're in Laodicea. But if you're in Christ, you're a new creature, and you're in the church of the living God, with the manifestation of the very same things that He did in His day will be coming back here in this day, doing the same thing that He said It would do. Then that is the real church. You get into It by spiritual baptism, not by joining, not by some more, but by being baptized by the Holy Ghost into His Body. All right. It's God's only provided way that He has left for us to do, is to be baptized into His Body by His Spirit.
187 Jesus said in Saint John 14:12, "He that believeth, while he is in Me..." No wonder people say the days of miracles is passed, no wonder they say these things. "He that believeth in Me (not believe on Me, but believe in Me), the works that I do shall he do also." Why? It's His Life. It's His dynamics in His mechanics that's in you that fires it off, makes it go and do the works that it promised do. Or, my life in Him, has quickened me by His Spirit, to make His Word, which is the Mechanics, work by His Dynamics. Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."
188 Now, also in Mark
the 17th chapter, the 30th verse of Saint Mark. Listen close. Jesus promised
these things in the last day, that He's the same yesterday and forever. He promised
in Malachi 4, that He would turn the hearts of the people in the last days,
back to the faith of the fathers. He promised that. He promised so many places
in the Bible, the things that He would do. "Yet a little while and the world
seeth Me no more, yet you'll see Me; I'll be with you, in you always, even to
the end of the world."
And notice in Saint Luke again, 17:30, "As it was in the days of Sodom." You
know what happened in Sodom? Look in California; not only California, the United
States; not only in the United States, but the world.
190 Look at this teenage
insane. Why, we had a... I told you the other day, they was taking an analysis
there of the schools in Arizona where I live, and eighty percent of the children
in school is mentally retarded. What will their children be? We can't have another
generation. We're at the end. Jesus said these things would come.
Look at all the televisions and things getting these fictitious things in order.
It'll come a time, I predict, that people will be completely totally insane;
the world will be. The Bible speaks of such hideous sights as they show in movies
today of some prehistoric creature's egg; that's lived in the earth for so many
thousands and millions of years, hatch and come forth to some... That's just
a minor thing to what's going to happen. When hell is opened and the Devil comes
out with all of his mysterious things, of women--or locusts with hair like women,
and teeth like lions. Why, the world will be completely, totally insane. It's
not but just about one degree from it now.
192 Oh, for the glory
of God, for the coming of the Lord Jesus, for the Holy Ghost, for the know-so,
for the living Presence of the living God.
Jesus said in the Saint Mark there, He said, "In that day the Son of man will
be revealed." Now, remember, not Son of God. He came in three sons' names: Son
of man, Son of God, Son of David. When He was on earth, He come as Son of man;
He was a prophet. Son of man is a prophet. Jehovah Himself called the prophets,
Jeremiah and them, "Son of man, what seest thou?" Jesus come, because He had
to come according to the Scripture, as Son of man. Moses said, "The Lord your
God shall raise up a Prophet, liken unto me." And He had to be a prophet, Son
of man.
But after His death, burial, and resurrection, now He's been Son of God, the
supernatural, the Holy Ghost.
195 But He promised,
just before the coming of the end time, the world would get like it was in Sodom,
when a Man came down in human form, three of them, two Angels and God Himself.
That was God; the Bible said it was. Now, He came down and He manifested Himself
there, by turning His back to the--the tent where Sarah was, and told Abraham
what Sarah was thinking in the tent. That right? Now, Jesus Himself said, "At
the day when the Son of man is being revealed..." in other words, "the Son of
man, the ministry of Jesus Christ Hisself."
The church will come through justification, through Luther; through sanctification,
through Wesley; through the baptism of the Holy Ghost, or the Pentecostals;
and grow right on into the perfection of the Son of man, that when Husband and
Wife will be the same-self persons. God will be so manifested into His Bride,
His church, till they'll both be the same. They are one. Now, you see where
we're at.
197 Don't hold to them
traditions and creeds. They were all right in their day, but the flower's bloomed
to a blossom now. It's seed time. That's right.
Jesus promised these things. Now, when we see God make His promise live before
us, and see that it's in us, and His Spirit is living in us, that is the only
way of worship, only place of worship, the only true way you can worship, "For
there's no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." God made the promise.
Jesus said, "The things that I do, you'll do also," and what He would do in
the last day. How it come through this age, neither light or day, it'd be the--the
like a darkened time, but said, "The evening time, it shall be Light."
199 The sun rises in
the east and sets in the west. The same sun rises in the east sets in the west;
civilization's traveled with it. It traveled over three bodies of water, three
forms of baptism. Oh, yes, from Asia over into Europe; from Europe over into
England; and from England over into the United States.
And now, we've come right straight back again, and here we set this afternoon
on the west coast, where the sin barrier of all the powers of darkness heaps
in here. These movies and television casts, and men kissing women on there,
and poisoning the minds of little girls...
201 Did you know any
man that kisses a woman is morally obligated to marry her? Potentially it's
a sex act. Sure, it is. Yes, sir. What is it? It's the male glands in a man's
lip and the female glands. When male and female glands comes together, it's
sex.
Look on Hollywood; look at the little girls laying out here in the parks and
the boys wallowing around over these girls, and things like that, and even singing
in choirs. And these Elvis Presleys, and so forth, that we have today, it's
a disgrace to the name of America, to what our forefathers fought and bled and
died for.
203 But the hour is
come that every kingdom has to give away, because there is a Kingdom of God
that's established in the human heart by the baptism of the Holy Spirit and
the Presence of Jesus Christ. And Christ will come to His Bride and will set
up a Kingdom here on earth that'll never be diminished. How do you get into
this Kingdom? You're borned into it. How do you know it? You just keep... How
would you belong into a kingdom and disagree with the king? See, you'd be...
And the King is the Word. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelled among us,
the same yesterday, today, and forever."
How did they know He was the Son of man? He'd look out there upon the audience
and perceive what they were thinking about. We know that's true. He's the same
today. You believe that?
205 Did Billy give out
any prayer cards? That's one I forgot to ask him. Did he give out prayer cards?
Did he give out prayer cards? All right.
I'll tell you. If you've got faith enough, I've got faith to believe that God,
Who made the promise, can prove Hisself to be God right here without any person
coming to this platform. I feel to take the initiative on account of the promise
of the Word of the living God. Looky here, let me show you something. This Quickening
Power, we're going to exercise It. Let me show you. How many believes you got
that Quickening Power? Well, what's the matter with your hands upon the sick?
207 When them disciples received Quickening Power upon them, on the day of Pentecost, what did they do? They went out and laid hands on the sick, and they recovered. Jesus said in Mark 16 it'll continue on to the end of the world. How long, to the apostles' age? "Go ye into all the world, preach the Gospel to every creature. These signs will follow them that believe; if they lay their hands upon the sick, they shall recover." That's the Quickening Power like was on Elijah's bones--Elisha's bones. The same Quickening Power is upon the saints, that raised them up. If that same Quickening Power is in us, lay your hands on the sick, they shall recover.
208 I've noticed here; I've almost quit having discernment anymore, just lay my hands on the sick. I've been noticing when, my, things I never... I didn't get to one-third of the people otherwise. This way I get to more than I ever did get to. And I find out a better results, by just getting myself into God's arms, and saying, "Lord God, You promised it. It's Your promise; it's not mine; it's Yours, and You promised You'd do it. And I've seen You do it. And I'm going to believe You're going to do it, because I've been baptized into Your Body, and Your Spirit here to identify that that's the Truth." Amen. That's the place of worship. Then you get into a place, all things are possible. Then you get into a place that your--that your motives and objectives for your achievements is just exactly in the will of God. And when you lay your hands there and believe it, it's going to happen. You believe that?
209 I believe, before
one prayer card is called, or anything else, that God Almighty can tell me what
you've got out there, and what you ought to do, and what you ought not have
done. That's taking the initiative, right, I know that's right, but that's exactly
what God would have us to do. You believe that? How many would believe it if
God would do it?
There's not a person setting in front of me that I know, that I can think of,
or see anybody that I really know. How many knows, out here you're all strangers,
raise your hands, know that I don't know nothing about you, raise up your hands.
Anywhere in the audience knows I know nothing about you. I guess it's everywhere,
especially up in here. Now, maybe the other people just... I don't know them.
They just didn't raise their hands, but I--I--I don't know them anyhow. I believe
I do see Richard Blair setting right here. I believe that's right. I can...
It's dark down there. There's lights this way. I--I don't see.
211 But looky here,
I'm trying to tell you that when that Quickening Power comes into you, it's
Jesus Christ. When Jesus laid His hands on the sick, they got well.
When Jesus had Quickening Power to quicken Him, as a Man, He could look out
and tell the thoughts that was upon the people, tell them what they were thinking
about, what they done. Have His back turned to them, tell them the same thing,
"Why do you reason in your heart?" The woman touched His garment; He said, "Who
touched Me?" He looked around, and found her, and said, "I perceive virtue's
gone out of Me. Your faith has made you whole." That's Jesus Christ. That proves
that where the church is, and what the real Quickening Power of God does to
the human being. Do you believe that? Let's bow our head just a moment.
213 Dear God, we've
had a fight with Satan this afternoon on these microphones, knowing them people
probably didn't get half of it, the bounding around on the--in the building
like that. But I pray, God, that the Holy Spirit will take that which was meant
to be, Lord, to let the people see that we're not some dead dragging bunch of
hope-so's. God, we are alive now, quickened by the power of the resurrection
of Christ. Jesus Christ lives in us. We believe that, Lord.
We claim no glory of our own. Like on Mount Transfiguration, where every one
of us is represented there; there was Moses, the one that died and raised again;
there was Elijah, the quickening saints that'll be caught up at the last day.
Oh, they seen then, when they looked back, they seen Jesus only. We know, Lord,
we don't want people to see us. We're not here for that purpose. Far be it.
But, Lord, it does delight our hearts when we see Jesus glorified among us;
when we see Him glorified, when we see His Word, which He is the Word; when
we see we can read it here in the Bible, where He promised He would do it, then
see Him work it right in us, O God, how it makes us feel humble, that we know
that His living Presence...
216 We haven't joined
nothing or bargained for nothing. We just believed, Lord, unto Eternal Life.
And You sealed us in there by the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and quickened our
bodies, and quickened our spirits, and quickened us then to see visions, and
prophesy, and speak in tongues, see great signs and wonders take place. Why,
it's the living God. We're into that Body. When to the world is foolishness
to them that perish; but to we who believe, it's the power of God unto Eternal
Life. We thank Thee for it, Father.
Now, let it be known this day, Lord, that You are God, that You have never changed
Your mind about one Word that You ever said. And You're the same yesterday,
today, and forever, and the one--the one and only way that God has provided.
The only Man that God ever put His Name in, was His own Son Who carried His
Name: Jesus, God, Jehovah, Saviour, Emmanuel, the Door to the sheepfold; He
that Was, Which Is, and Shall Come; the Root and the Offspring, both Root and
Offspring of David; the Morning Star, the Lily of the Valley. O God, how wonderful.
No wonder Isaiah said, "Counseller, Prince of Peace, the Mighty God, Everlasting
Father." Oh, we have no other Father but You, Lord. You are our Father. You
are our Mother. You are all that we are, all that we could ever be. We won't
see nothing else but Jesus glorified.
Father, I might've made a poor out of this, this afternoon, but take the sentiments
of my heart, and hear me, dear God. And let it be said this day, that Jesus
Christ was glorified right here in this temple. Grant it, Father, for we ask
it in His Name, and as I humbly wait with this audience to see You move by Your
Spirit. Amen.
219 Now, I want you
to do this one thing for me. I want to ask you one solemn question. I want you
to answer me as if it was the last time that you'd ever answer anybody in your
life. Do you believe it's the truth? You believe there is not a church or a
denomination could be recognized in the Presence of God? You believe that? There's
not a one. Only those that are borned into Jesus Christ, take on His Name...
That's right.
You take on His Name when you're borned in there, not by water baptism. Although
you can be baptized in His Name, but that don't take on His Name. You take on
His Name by birth, not by water. See, you're baptized into the Name of Jesus
Christ (Yes, sir.) into fellowship; but you are baptized by the Holy Ghost into
Jesus Christ. So you can be baptized a hundred times, any way you wanted to,
the other way, it'd make no difference. But when you're once baptized by the
Holy Ghost into the Body of Christ, you become a son or a daughter of God, and
every Word is true. And then He did that for that purpose.
221 As I said the other
day, when God moved and struck the sun across the earth, He knowed them palm
trees and everything was laying down under that earth. He... They were part
of the earth at that time; so were you.
And when He raised up the Son of God on Easter morning, and sent forth the Holy
Spirit, it was to quicken also that seed of Eternal Life, that He foreknew before
the foundation of the world, that would be here. He knew this microphone would
act like this this evening. He knew that you'd have the attitude you've got.
He's infinite. You can't imagine it with your mind; you've just got to accept
it. But let me say this one thing: that same God stands here this afternoon
in His beauty.
223 Whether you're a Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal, whatever you might be, don't you trust in some organization. 'Cause they cannot be an organization... It's made up of too many different doctrines. It's made up of among... You have to be an individual to God. You have to be an individual. God deals with you, not in your church. You are to live a right kind of a life in your church or congregation where you're worshipping at; you should live that kind of life that you should be. But you see, they draw creeds and so forth, that you can't even enter their doors if you don't believe that. So how can God ever come in there, when His Word constantly is being manifested?
224 How did Luther know
about these baptism and--and restoration of the Spirit, when he was back in
that day? The plant hadn't growed like that. Neither did Wesley know it. And
neither does the Pentecostal know what's going on today. Same thing, grows right
away from you. That's right. It has in every age, and it always will.
I can prove, by the Bible, this is the wheat age. Remember, after this great
revival... There's never been another organization rise since Pentecost. They
can't be. It goes from the shuck to the wheat, and there's nothing else but
the grain. That's the reason. Fifteen years... Usually three years and they
got an organization of any revival. Ask any historian. But there's no organization
after This. They tried to raise up a Latter-day Rain, but you see what happened
to it. It can't. It's wheat now. Yes, sir. There's no more carriers. It's the
real grain. Christ is among His people. You believe it?
226 Let's start from
over here on the bottom floor. I can't pick out in there, seeing there's so
many of you. How many believe me to be His servant? Have faith in God. How many
over here believe that the same way, say, "I believe it with all my heart"?
Now, may the Lord God grant this to us, that you might see the Quickening Power.
It's something, vital evidence, that proves it.
Yes, somebody can say, "Oh, this is That, this, that." But let it act.
Now, it's totally impossible for me to know anything about you. You know that.
I don't know but one person, I could look at, and that's Reverend Blair setting
out there from way back east, I believe Arkansas or somewhere back in there.
That's the only one in the audience that I do see that I know. God knows that's
true. So it'll have to be something that...
229 I just happen to
see over here, this little lady setting at the end there, has got a spiritual
problem you're praying about. You believe that God will straighten out that
spiritual problem for you, make it right? All right, you can have it.
Put your hand over on the other lady setting to you, 'cause she's got stomach
trouble she's praying for too. Yeah. That right, sister? Raise your hands up
if that's true. I don't know you, never seen you in my life; two colored girls.
Now, what's that? Isn't that just exactly like what He said He would do? Just
exactly.
Here's a lady setting, looking right down through here; setting, looking at
me. She's got heart trouble. You believe that God will heal the heart trouble?
You was setting there praying, "I wish I could get there." Is that right? Wave
your hand like this, it's right. How did I know what you were saying in your
prayer.
See, just believe. That's all you have to do is believe.
233 Here sets a lady
right here that'll die right away if she isn't healed. She's got cancer. You
believe that God will heal the cancer? Yes. You believe it? Here, being that
you was kind of slow putting up your hand, you believe God can tell me who you
are? Mrs. Gunn. Now, if that's right, wave your hand like that. See? All right.
Go home; Jesus Christ will make you well.
"If thou canst believe, all things are possible."
That struck this lady setting there with the dark hat on, looking at me. She
also has cancer. You believe God would heal you? You believe it with all your
heart? I'm speaking to Mrs. Miller. You believe that? I don't know the woman,
never seen her in my life, and God in heaven knows that's right. Amen.
"If thou canst believe..."
Here is a colored woman setting right over here on the end, had her head down.
She was studying; she's studying about a loved one, somebody she's praying for.
She come, actually, to pray--have him prayed for. No, he isn't here; it's her
husband. That's right. She... He's not here. He's at home. He's had an operation,
hasn't he? That's right. He's bothered with sinus trouble and so forth. That's
true, isn't it? He's going to be all right. Your faith was strong for it. You
believe that that's to be true? Amen.
236 Can't you see that
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever? Ask those people. It's
went plumb across the audience. Do you believe that He's here? Do you feel that
Quickening Power in you? Well, that's the God that makes you well, friends.
You believe it?
Now, will you do one thing for me? For the... How many in here is sick, let's
see you raise your hands. Now, it's going on five o'clock. Lay your hands over
on each other, and let's just... Don't say a word now; just lay your hands on
one--one another. I want you to do something.
238 Say, the man setting
right back here has got that growth on his back. Do you believe that God will
take that growth off your back, sir? You believe that God will make you well?
Young fellow looking at me, he thought he was going to get passed by. Raise
your hand up, sir. That's right. You believe with all your heart, God will take
it off for you.
Hallelujah. I challenge this whole audience, in the Name of Jesus Christ. If
you could, if... Your conscience, don't let it be seared with unbelief; don't
let it be flusterated. Can't you see the Son of man, the Son of man in the form
of prophetic Message, returning back again in His church in prophecy, revealing
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever? It's never been done through
the age till this time. See? There's the proof of it.
240 What is the church?
How do you get into It? When you're in there, everything that Jesus Christ was,
you are, even to be a son and daughter of God. He become you that you might
become Him.
The thing of it is, you're scared to use it, or either you're not cooperating
with His Word. Now, that won't do a bit of good and I--I don't care what you
do. If you don't come fully into that Word, it'll never work. Who can accuse
me of something He said that's promised in this day, that didn't happen? Then
don't throw your denomination at me, 'cause it won't work.
Hallelujah. I feel... I know He's here. I'm positive He's here. I know that
now there's Quickening Power enough in the church to heal every person that's
setting here. Can you believe it? Well, then, will you?
Do you believe in praying for the sick? Do you believe Jesus said, "They lay
hands on the sick, and they shall recover"? All right, put your hands over on
each other now. Don't pray for yourself. Pray for the next person. They're praying
for you. Now, quietly and reverently.
244 Lord, how I thank
You, can stand here at this platform and--and preach a Word that's so contrary
to the people's thinking today, till they would call It heresy; they call It
spiritualism; they would call It evil spirits, like they did, when, Beelzebub.
But to see You right in the midst of this grand audience this afternoon, turn
right around and confirm and prove exactly what's been preached, that It is
the Truth.
God, these are Your people. The--the Devil has tried to mess up the microphones;
he's tried to mess up the people's thoughts; he's tried to keep them from getting
this. But I believe they'll get it anyhow, Lord. I ask for them to get it. I
ask for them to receive it. Grant it, Lord, these believers with Quickening
Power, that when they... If they don't live to see Your Coming, that Quickening
Power will raise them up at the last days.
Grant just now that that Quickening Power will quicken their faith, Lord, to
what they are doing. There's a believer got a hands on a believer, a body to
a body, a power to a power. And it's the power of God by a son of God or a daughter
of God, by the Son of God. O God, may Satan turn this people loose. May they
be healed this afternoon by the resurrecting Quickening Power of the Presence
identified, Jesus Christ. In the Name of Jesus Christ, may it be so.
247 Your hand's on the
people has got Quickening Power in them, if you've been quickened. Have you
come to Life? Has Christ become real to you? Has the power of God been manifested?
Are you in that church, God's provided church? How are you in It, how do you
know you've been quickened in It? Your whole thoughts, your whole being is in
Christ now. And Christ is in the midst of the people, proving Himself alive,
proving that He's here at the days of Sodom.
With them hands of those people, that their lives have been changed from streetwalkers,
from drunkards, from prostitutes on the street, to a genuine saints of God,
quickened. Their hands is laying upon you. They're in the church by Holy Ghost
baptism, the same power was upon Elijah's bones. That same power is laying upon
your shoulder, upon your hands, upon your heads, that same Quickening Power;
with Him standing here proving that He's alive from the dead, show Himself that
He's alive, here now doing the very same things that He did when He was...?...
Amen?
249 Can you believe
Him now? Can you believe that them hands laid upon you are godly hands? Can
you believe that Spirit that's quickening us now, making us act crazy to the
world, do you believe that's His Quickening Power? Do you believe you're in
His church? Then if you are, and believe that those hands that are laying on
you are holy hands, commanded by God; then I command you, in the Name of Jesus
Christ, to stand to your feet and accept your healing, everybody that's been
sick. [Brother Branham pauses--Ed.]
Oh, Christian, you realize what's taken place? Do you realize, out in that street
yonder is millions of people walking these streets today, that's nothing in
the world but atomic fodder? Do you realize them people are dead in sin and
trespasses, and like the black of churches all over, for a few little lectures
or something on some kind of a keeping of a certain thing, and call it religion.
251 Did you realize
that you have been raised from death unto Life, and has been baptized into the
Body of the living God that's quickened your body, where there's speaking in
tongues and interpreting tongues, seeing Jesus Christ manifested among us? Why,
sickness could not stand in such a group as this. Let your faith go to Him;
believe Him. Say, "Lord God, I believe with all my heart," and you'll be made
well.
Is there sinners here that would like to come into that Body? Raise your hands,
and say, "I have never come into It; I've never been filled with the Holy Ghost,
but, Brother Branham, I certainly desire It this afternoon. Will you pray for
me?" Raise your hands. Don't be ashamed; you're in His Presence. Just look at
the hands. Look at the hands.
Now, everybody that wants the baptism of the Holy Ghost, raise up your hands,
wherever you are, that want It.
254 Now, you that's
got the Holy Ghost, who's standing near them, lay your holy, consecrated hands
upon them. "If the Holy Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwells in
you, It quickens your mortal bodies from death to Life." It brings the whole
body into the subjection to the Spirit. Now, let's bow our heads, and everyone
pray for those people that wants the baptism of the Holy Ghost. And I do believe
that God will fill each one of you right now with the Holy Ghost.
Why do we wait, friends? You're going to wait too long one of these days. This
is the hour. Don't wait any longer. You're right here in this temple where you
got all night to stay and pray.
Dear God, I pray that You'll send the Holy Ghost again like as a rushing mighty
wind, fill all the house, after the perfect identification here this afternoon,
that You're living and with the people. In Jesus' Name. Amen.