1 ... here tonight to hear these testimonies, and the different expressions of thanksgiving to God for what He's been to them through this past year. And I want to join my testimony with them. I was thinking, the sisters back there testifying of the bread upon the water. And then Brother Slaughter, and Brother Graham talking about when the wheels of mortal life all stand still. Maybe misunderstood here, but there before the throne, God knows all about all things.
So we're just here tonight to kindly... I don't believe in turning new page or something like that, I... it... You just turn it back the next day. But if we'll just come and give ourself to God for worship, and thank Him for what we ha--He has been to us, and ask Him to continue to be with us, is just about the best.
2 Just a little tired tonight. I had some peoples last night, company, and I, well, I--I stayed up a little long. And today we were out, practically all day, and so just feeling just a little bit tired. And won't stay very long up here.
But I want to turn the pulpit then to Brother Funk, and he's our speaker. And then Brother Wood, I think, is going to follow him. And then, so then...?... all we'll do... He said today, I wouldn't say that here. But I just did. I seen Brother Funk setting back there, shaking his head. That's a little joke on him, brethren. And... But that--that's right, they sure got the privilege of following right along now in--in a few minutes.
3 Just this little thing that I want to say at this time, is concerning sister's testimony there. Sister Ledford, I believe, is the name.
I have kinda of made a new order here, as you know, a few weeks ago, or, about people calling up the office. And then--and then Brother Cox and them will rehearse the case to me, whatever it is. And let me go just as I feel led to go. And, oh, my, that's the way to do it.
The other morning, I... looking over, and different calls... There was Sister Lake, and her boy was in an accident. I believe Brother Cox told me that. Brother Cox... And they had the--the spleen taken out, and they're laying at the point of death. And another brother that I was just out in the mountains with, this year on a trip, and he's laying there, hemorrhaging at the bowels, perhaps cancer, and in California, oh, just everywhere of different people that was sick.
And I'd been out to prayer. And I come in, and I... My wife had told me that Brother Slaughter had called, something about a little... or, Sister Slaughter, one, about the little girl that was up here the other Sunday. I just walked in and sit down. I thought, "Well, dear God, I got all these." and I was praying for them all. "And what do You want me to do?" And I kept hearing something about a little baby.
Well, I went back to look, see we had about a little baby. And I--I called down to Sister Cox to find out if anything about a little baby. No one seemed to know anything about a baby. It wasn't a vision. But just a pressing in the Spirit to get a little baby, about a little baby sick. Well, the only thing I could find, close, was that baby they were talking about, from down in Kentucky. Well, it didn't seem like, when they mentioned that, it just didn't register right, somehow. And I was--thought, perhaps, maybe a vision would come just in a little bit. But it wasn't--didn't turn to be a vision. And I kept wondering. I went back over into my room alone to pray. And I thought, "Where about that baby? I... Is there anywhere I could think of a baby?"
4 And last Sunday, or Sunday a week, or something like that, I was sitting back there. And a little girl come, whispered in my ear, behind me, said, "Pray for my little sister, baby sister." And it was the little Ledford girl. Now, She may be here tonight; I don't know. She's a little bitty fellow, very cute little girl. And I just happened to turn around. I said, "All right, sweetheart," like that. And so I just kind of bowed my head over and started praying for the baby. And just went on, forgot about it. And just as soon as that come on my mind, something taken place, and I knew then that that was God.
So then I went and asked Meda where--where they lived. And she didn't know exactly, so we looked in the phone book and got their number. And--and I said, "Something... They've got a sick baby, I believe. Or a week ago, or something, a week or ten days ago, they had a sick baby." So I said, "There's something about that. Now, you watch."
And I called down there and no one answered. Well, then I called back to Mrs. Cox, and got the--the lady here, her mother. And--and so I called her mother, and she said, "Why..." I told her what it was. And she may be here tonight. I'm sorry, I don't recognize the woman. I--I might know her if I'd see her face.
But she told me that the baby was in the hospital, very bad and was giving it a blood transfusion at the time. Well, I said, "Sister, I don't know. I can't say it's a vision now, because it's not, but just something that I can't move. It's just pressing me to--to that baby. And I could just, look like, just that baby before me." So I went on.
And I said, "I won't go now, 'cause I know it'll take some time to give it the transfusion." And they give it through the head here, I think, so they... I know it's very painful and bad. So I just waited, went in and prayed for the baby. And I made ready. I thought, "This is the place where the Lord is leading me."
5 And I rushed out to the hospital and--and asked to see the baby. And they sent me where the baby was. And in the room, I met the mother, which is setting present now. And she told me her mother had got a hold of her about an hour before that or something like that, and had told her what that the Lord was pressing on me to go to that baby. And when she returned to the bed, the baby was laying there, kicking, gooing and laughing.
So I went in, and the little chap was just a kicking and a laughing, nursed its little bottle, and everything; just as normal as any child you ever seen in your life. And I just laid my hands over on the little fellow, now see, and blessed it, and walked out of the building.
That is better than me making a hundred calls, within myself. To be quiet before the Lord, so He can tell you just where to go, and every time it's perfect. See? It's--it's the Lord leading.
Now, somebody say, "Well, you go over here, Brother Branham. You go down here." You--you get in such a turmoil to this one, and that one, that one, you... God can't speak to you. If you'd just set down, say, "Thank You," and lay it before the Lord. Say, "Now, Lord, what do You want me to do about this? Now, you know I'm Your servant, and what You..."
But, see, the Lord knowing that I would go there as soon as He spoke to my heart, He healed the baby before I even got there. That's right. See? So... Yes, sir. See, it wasn't me going there.
Now, you say, "What was that, Brother Branham?" See, we have gifts in the Body of Christ. And the Holy Spirit Itself, knowing what that was, the intercession there, the Holy Spirit was pressing upon me to that baby. And as soon as I prayed for the baby, even at home, and went to the baby because that was to fulfill what He said, the Holy Spirit making intercessions there, on things that we can't understand even. See? Isn't He wonderful?
6 I tell you, friends, tonight I got so much to be thankful for. I--I just don't know how to start, and I wouldn't even try. I've got... I don't know.
I'm just going to read a few Words here in the Scripture, and talk on them a few minutes, the Lord willing.
What He has given me to be fellow citizen of the same kingdom that you all are going to, and we together are joint heirs with Him in glory. What a marvelous thing it is.
7 And I was setting last evening, talking to some people who's present at the time. And today, way down in below Elizabeth, at a brother's table, where we were setting having dinner today... And we were speaking about the fundamental facts, or fundamental Gospel that we have, and what a reality beyond any shadow of doubt. We have no room at all, for any doubt. This tabernacle, and the people, its members, and the people of Jeffersonville and around about, will stand at the judgment. If we're not saved, we will stand absolutely without an excuse.
8 Sometime ago, as a young minister, when my first revival come, I had it over here on the corner, where this housing project in a tent. I was baptizing a group down at the river that Sunday afternoon, when the Angel of the Lord made His first appearance in public in a vindication of the Message that I was to speak. And It was a Light came down from heaven and stood there. People are perhaps in the tabernacle tonight, who stood and seen that Light. And I started forth, telling it, and so forth. And all you know how the story goes, and on and on. And people sometime would walk away, and say, "That's just imagination." They'd leave a meeting where people would see It, and walk away, say, "I saw It." Others say, "Well, I didn't see It." Now, of course, God lets see who He wants to see.
When the wise men followed the stars, there's not one speck of history, or any observatory, or anything... And they even kept time by the stars. But no one seen that star but the wise men. See? That's right. 'Cause they were looking for it. And they were expecting to see it, and it guided them to the Christ. And yet, it passed over every observatory, and the--as the people looked at the skies to tell the times, and so forth. But nobody seen it going but the wise men, for it was intended for them to see it. If God intends for you to see something, you'll see it.
Elijah said, "Why, there's more with us than there is with them." He looked around; he couldn't see nothing but Elijah standing there. He said... He... "God," said, "open this young man's eyes, Lord." And when, with the same eyes, only visual eyes, that, when he opened his eyes, around that prophet stood chariots of fire and horses of fire. And, see, he... It was... It's somewhere. And we know that His Presence is with His believing children.
I was speaking; I said... In the room set my wife, and we was talking about that same Light, where It come and had Its picture taken. And just referring back tonight to that phenomenal, I believe at least one or two people, three people, I guess, there was, in the building now, which is David back there, Brother Wood, and Sister Wood was at Houston, Texas, when the picture, when God permitted it to be taken.
9 I--I believe that It was actually a Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel (Don't you believe that?), just a Pillar of Fire. See? And I actually believe that that Light come into the prison, and--and--and, where Peter was at. Don't you believe that testimony? I believe it with all my heart, just more than I believe my name is William Branham. I--I believe that. See? I believe that story. But yet, we have a more stricter fundamental proof of it than that. We do. We have a more stricter fundamental proof. Now, I believe that by faith.
And it could be psychology. You can say, "You see that there?" And you just keep saying, "Yes, I believe it." And believe it so much till actually you think you see it, when you don't. See? That's right. But that's psychology. But you... It's just got you so mentally pressed towards it, till you--you just imagine it, so imagine it so much till it becomes a reality.
You just imagine somebody hates you, once. And they don't hate you, but you imagine they do, and you just keep thinking, "They don't like me." And the first thing you'll be shunning that person, when they haven't done nothing to you. And after while, it become so a reality to you, till you'll actually believe that that person doesn't like you. And you'll might bawl them out or say something to you, for instance your wife, or your husband, or some neighbor, or something like that, when, the person is absolutely innocent of any ill thing. It's because that you just imagine it so, till it become a reality to you. Now, see what I mean?
But actually, when a photograph is taken, it's got to be there.
10 So tonight, we have went through, as Brother Graham has expressed awhile ago, the many ups-and-downs of the church and so forth. We've been through many dangers toils and snares. That's been classed different, said we were indifferent, and holy-rollers, and all kinds of names and so forth, like that. But yet, in the midst of all of it, if this tabernacle would be burnt down tonight, and I should die, and the rest of you should go too tonight, our testimony is absolutely the truth. There's a millions of people that has knowed of it. And the scientific proof proves, not only our word, what we have said before the Light. Before the Angel ever had His picture taken, it was testified since a child, that that Light come along. Years... Many of you setting here, heard me speak of it, years and years, and knowed all about it, years and years before the picture was ever taken. And when the scientific world got the picture of It, it was exactly the same thing that we testified about. So that shows you're telling the truth. It's absolutely the truth.
11 So tonight I'm so thankful to know that the great Jehovah God, that once roared off of Mount Sinai, that once stood on the mount and taught the beatitudes, that raised from the dead, is in our midst tonight, and is the same. As He was then, He is today, and will be forever.
12 I may not be able to stay now till the full midnight. I got two little girls back there that gets sleepy and goes whining and crying. I may have to run them out first. And I want to say this, if I don't get a chance to get back up and testify, that I--I have--want to thank each one of you for your prayer that you have prayed this year for me. If you ever let me down, I'm gone. It's just as you hold me up in prayer, that's how I go on to the battle.
And I--I love you, as a brother said awhile ago, with all my heart. I don't get to get here like I should. I don't get to see the people and minister at home like I--I want to, like my heart is. But I'm just a human, and I--I'm very much limited to certain hours and certain strengths, and so forth.
And now... But by God's help, if He will help me, I want this year to be the greatest year I've ever had in my life. I have now, by God's grace, won over a half a million souls to Christ. And I hope at this year to make it the full million, if God willing. 'Cause, if God willing, I want to start down through the--the foreign countries again, just as soon as we're financially and so forth, able to do it. And get into the other countries over there, where we win so many thousands at one time.
And I know that the day is nigh. The hours are way spent. Twilight is falling, friends. And I want to do all that I can, for this is the only time that you and I will ever be mortal. This is the only time we'll ever have the privilege, of all eternity to win someone to Christ. Let's do it. Everything that we can do. Let's put every hour that we possibly can to His glory. That's my intention for this coming year. And by God's help, your prayers, I'll make it. So pray for me now.
13 And now, let's bow our heads just a moment for the opening of the Word.
Father, this is Thy eternal Word laying here before me. "No man in heaven, or on earth, was worthy to take the Book, loose the seals, or look thereon, but the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world." Now, we call Him. And if we have found grace in Thy sight, we pray, O Lamb of God, that You will take these few moments now, as we turn back the pages of Thy Word, and open It to our hearts. For we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
And while you're turning, I'll give a little preview of the back. Last Sunday, a week ago, I believe now, or last Sunday it was, a week ago, that we studied in the book of Acts, concerning the early church. We were in Acts 2, I believe. Where when they being let go, and went to their... How it's... Peter told them, about how they had to repent, and to be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, and receive the Holy Ghost.
15 Now, I'd like to make a little expression. Is anything all right tonight from the platform? Look. See, everyone has always said, "Brother Bill, nobody understands you." Well, I am maybe just a little bit queer, but, you know, but I--I don't mean to be. But I have ideas of things and my convictions. Now, I have been thoroughly... I'm thoroughly convinced that many things that--that's in the Scripture, that's apostolic, that we don't carry out this day. And for instance, one thing, many people has said "How, when you're out in those evangelistic meetings, how do you get thirty thousand people to the altar to get saved?" They don't have to come to the altar to get saved. The only thing they have to do is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. That right?
16 I just want to ask you something, and you think of it, then I'll get your letters this next week. See? Can... I can't be a Catholic. But the Catholic believes this Word's inspired, but the church is over the Word. I can't be a Protestant, for the Protestant just take as much as they think it's all right, and the rest of it ain't inspired. So I believe what the Bible says to be the truth. I believe that that's God's Word. And in order to believe that, I've got to surrender my whole life and my whole will to that, to believe that that is the truth, that there's nothing else truth but that. There's no more to be added to it, or none taken away from it. That's just the way it's supposed to be. "And anybody that'll take out of that book, or add to it, the same will be taken out of the Book of life," said God in Revelations. "Whosoever taketh away or addeth to this..." That is God's complete will and revelation of Jesus Christ to the people. That's right. Now, in order to do that, I must believe that God's Word's absolutely the truth.
17 And in Acts 2:38, when Peter said, "Repent, every one of you." They said, "Men and brethren, what can we do first?" They wanted to be saved.
Now, watch. He's talking there to unbelievers. Now, watch what he said. He said, "Repent, every one of you." Now, what does repent mean? "Repent" means "to be sorry for what you've done." For instance, what if I turned right around here now and hit my brother without a cause, and I want to repent for it. I'd say, "Brother Neville, I'm sorry I did that." See? Well then, if I say, "I'm sorry I did it," and mean it from my heart, I am repentant.
At the house, when Paul and Silas had had the meeting, and had been put in jail, beaten, because they cast the evil spirit out of a fortuneteller... And when they were in the Philippian jail, and that night when they sang songs, and they... The Lord sent an earthquake, and shake the jail so hard till it--the shackles fell off their hands. The jailer pulled his sword to kill himself. And Paul said, "See that you do yourself no harm, for we're all here." And he said, what could he do to be saved? He said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, with all your house--all your heart, and you shall be saved, you and your household. Notice, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ."
18 Now, if a man is sorry for his sins... I just want to take it easy, so it'll soak real deep. If a man is sorry for his sins and repents, being sorry for his sins, and accepts Jesus Christ as his Saviour from his sins, and is baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, God's under obligation at that very minute to give the man the baptism of the Holy Ghost. If He isn't, He can't... He didn't keep His Word. Is that right? Now, why all the tarrying meetings then? Why all the evidences and things we got to have?
19 Now, Jesus said, Saint John 5:24, "He that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath Everlasting Life." Now, if Everlasting Life... what does the word "Everlasting" mean? That means, "Without end." If he--if he... "He that heareth My Words, and believeth on Him that sent Me, has Life without end." Why all the coming back and--and trying to get saved over, and all these things then? If you got life without end, you can't perish. Your life can't, because you got Everlasting Life.
Now, if some of you might want to look the word up, you'll find in there, the Greek word, has "Zoe, Z-o-e," the Greek word, which means "The life of God." Because if it's everlasting, there's only one thing that is everlasting, and that is God. He is, "From everlasting unto everlasting, Thou art God."
Now, if He's from everlasting and to everlasting, and has give you everlasting unto Everlasting Life, then you'll have to become a part of His everlasting Being. Is that right? And if you become a part of His everlasting Being, that makes you a son or a daughter to Him; which exactly fulfill what the Scripture says, "We're sons and daughters of God." Is that right?
20 When did you get it? When you shouted? When you went to the altar? When you spoke in tongues? When you believed. We baptize so many that don't believe. We hear so many speak in tongues, that don't believe. We have worked them up to evidences, and made things, and laid them out, and say, "When you do this, you got it." There's nothing in the Bible, nowhere in the Bible, that you can pin a man down, because he does this, that he's a Christian. He's a Christian because he believes. And his own life bears the fruit of the Spirit, no matter what he does. See? That's it.
Now, and when you believe, you receive Everlasting Life. And Everlasting Life is God, and God is the Holy Spirit. Is that right? If God and the Holy Spirit isn't the same Person, Jesus had two fathers. Jesus said that God was His Father, and the Bible says that the Holy Ghost was His Father, so they both was the same Person.
And if you receive God, Everlasting Life in you, then what have you received? That's what I want to know. You get the idea?
21 We're so full of theory, the church has been, because it's been denominationalized. This denomination finds this; they believe in this; they make a denomination out of it. They can't move no farther than that.
But God's Church is constantly moving, moving on. It just moves right off and leaves the denominations setting in the back. It moved away from Luther. It moved away from Methodist. It moved away from Baptist. It moved away from Presbyterian. And it's moving away from Pentecost. Sure. 'Cause Everlasting Life is moving on. See? And you get it because (Why?) you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
22 Now, there's just two things. Look. You're either an unbeliever or a believer. It's either daytime or it's nighttime. Is that right? Now, I can't say, "Just this much of this is--is--is nighttime. Just what I see through that window, that's what's nighttime." No, no. The whole thing's nighttime. That's right.
Now, smoke... As I've often said, smoking cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and drinking whiskey, that isn't sin. That's the attributes of sin. You do that because you're an unbeliever.
And living righteous, and holy, and peaceful, and calm, and quiet, and lovely, and--and sociable, and so forth, that isn't 'cause you're a Christian. That's just the attributes of Christianity. It's because of what's in you, makes that.
And if you're impersonating it, or doing it because you're supposed to be a Christian, you're a hypocrite (That's right.), if your life isn't lived sweetly. Because in you something comes out. It makes it, makes you feel that way. You'll go through trials, and troubles, and ups-and-downs, and misunderstood. That doesn't have one thing to do with it.
When Israel backslid and went down into Egypt, they was backslid. They never lost their covenant. They lost their joy of their salvation.
David didn't say, "Restore to me my salvation." He said, "Restore to me the joy of my salvation." His salvation had to remain the same. But he went off the wrong end and lost the joy of his salvation. See what I mean?
23 When did you get saved? When did you get sanctified? When did you get filled with the Holy Ghost? When you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. For you received there, Everlasting Life. But then, from then on, you started growing. You started growing. You growed through sanctification, through the Holy Ghost, and through speaking with tongues, and through all these things here. But you received life when you believed. See what I mean? And now, that doesn't... Some people's already got life, and you're trying to get them to do something here, when they haven't even reached that place yet. And Pentecostal people has never--has come to the place where the church is getting now to the adoption, or the placing of sons.
24 Now, in the Old Testament when a son was born into a home, it was a son because it was born in a home. My son is my son when he was born to me.
And when the Pentecostal church gave birth, or found what they called the birth, the new birth, or the Holy Ghost church, that they were borned into the Kingdom of God.
Well now, in the Old Testament... Now, in Ephesians the 1st chapter, it said, "We are predestinated unto the adoption of sons." Unto the adoption of sons? Look at that, "The adoption of sons." Yes, sir.
And a man in the Old Testament, when he had a son born into his house, he was a son when he was born. But there was a tutor raised that child until he come to a certain age. Then if this tutor was--brought word to the father, that the child was worthy and all right and everything... Now, it had... He was--he was then adopted into that family. Many of you Old Testament readers know the Scripture on that. He was adopted into the family. But if he wasn't, he still remained a son, but he wasn't adopted. And then if he was adopted, he was brought out in the street, put on a robe, and then a ceremony was made. And then this boy's signature on the check, meant just the same as his daddy's, just the same; for he was adopted into full fellowship of the family.
25 God adopted His own Son when He took Him up; took Peter, James, and John, as a witness. "In the mouth of two or three witnesses, let every word be established." And went up there, and God overshadowed Christ. The Holy Spirit overshadowed Christ, and His raiment shined like the sun. Is that right? And God Himself said, "This is My beloved Son; hear ye Him." In other words, "There it is. What He says is all of it." And then He was given equal... And of course, It was God, but God in the flesh of Jesus Christ, manifesting Himself to the people. And there, God adopted His own Son.
26 And now, when the Pentecostal church and these people in the last days here that's beginning to find the new birth, being borned Again, they thought that settled it. No, sir. Your ups-and-downs, and ins-and-outs, and things like that, God can't place you as a son. But when you stay in the Kingdom, stay in the Gospel, stay right, one of these days God will call you out and set you aside, adopt you as His son before the people, and give you something that'll shake the nations with it. See what I mean? It's the adoption into the family.
27 Now, these who had followed Him: Peter, James, and John... We're speaking tonight of Peter, a great vision, how those men lived in that day. And now, first, up here at the twenty, or the 32nd verse of the previous chapter, the--the 9th chapter.
And it came to pass, as Peter passed through all the quarters,... came down... to the saints which were at Lydda.
And there he found a certain man named AEneas, which was kept... which had kept his--his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.
Watch it. Now, look what happened.
And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron... (Watch here.)... all turned to the Lord.
Because a man that had palsy was healed, the whole country turned to the Lord, for a man being healed with a palsy. And today, the dead's raised up, and the people says, "It's demonology. It's psychology. It's mental telepathy. The person wasn't dead to begin with." You see the difference? It's our indifference towards God, has determined what we're getting today. We are going to receive Divine judgment. The whole world's shaking right now, under the impact of the on-creeping judgments.
One of the ministers will probably pick it up in a few minutes, on the oncoming judgments. And I hope they do, anyhow, on the oncoming judgment. Because the whole world is ready, it's quivering. Every nation is quivering. Don't you think that Russia isn't quivering too. The United States and the islands are quivering. Who's going to throw that first atomic bomb? When it does, it may throw the whole thing out of cater, and not be a... Who... Cobalt bomb, what's if a few of them is let loose? There won't be even a fly or an insect on the face of the earth left.
28 It's right now in the hands of wicked, sinful, hell-bound men. And your destination of this earth's journey (I said earth's journey.) is left to the hands of wicked and sinful men. You better watch where your soul's destination is pledged for. If it isn't pledged towards heaven and towards God, turn tonight with all your heart, and don't let the old year pass away without you turning to God. For your earthly destination is determined by the hands of wicked, and cruel, cold-hearted, atheotic men. That's where your--your body is determined. Whatever they want to do about it now, that finishes you up. God be merciful.
And God in His loving mercy sending signs, and wonders, and miracles, and everything, and preaching the Gospel, and people constantly turning your face toward--away from it. Then how can you expect anything else but judgment? You must receive it.
And one man being healed of palsy, and the whole country turned to Christ. And here where we have kings, and potentates, monarchs, and congressmens, and everything else; afflictions, and diseases, and dead and passed away, and see them rise to life again, and the nation only scorn and laugh at it. Then what we got left but judgment? Oh, brother, if there ever was a time that God wake up His people, is today. This coming year, may God anoint His ministers like flames of fire, for you're in the last days and the closing times.
29 Looky here. This same man come down... There was a girl named Tabitha--Tabitha, which means "Dorcas," died when she was down there. And Peter was up at Joppa. They sent up and got him and brought him down. And he walked in to where she was laying a corpse, put all the people out, and knelt down and prayed. And when he did, he went over and took a hold of her hand, and raised her up. And she was whole again, alive.
And watch what took place.
And today, they'd say, "I doubt whether she was dead at all, or not. She was just in--in a coma or something like that. I don't believe in such a thing." Explained it all away. When you explain away the supernatural out of the Bible, you're explaining away the very God that you worship. Certainly, you are. He's a supernatural God. All right.
30 Now, but stop these apostles? Brother, they had been with Jesus. They didn't care what anybody said. They called them over there one time and told them the days of miracles was past, and whipped them and put them in jail, and kept them all night, and next morning put them in judgment. And they come to find out, they were ignorant and unlearned men. But they taken notice to them, that they had been with Jesus.
Being let go, they never went over and consulted the seminary any more. They went to their own people. And when they come together, explaining what the Lord had done, they gathered together and prayed this prayer, "Lord, why did..." Is fulfill which was spoke by the prophet, of course, "Why did the heathens rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?" Said, "Truly give us power, by stretching forth the hand of Thy holy Child Jesus to heal the sick, and signs and wonders might be did." And when that people prayed with one accord in that place, the building was shook, where they were assembled together.
What we need tonight is a unitary prayer meeting, where we bind ourselves together with such one heart and one accord, and pray a prayer like that. Then we'll have another shaking time. Amen.
31 Notice. Peter, once the denier of the Lord, once didn't believe on Him, or had denied Him, and went out and wept bitterly, and come in, now, he's received the Holy Spirit. Listen at him preach.
A devout man, one that feared God with all his house, and he gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.
What a man. Now, not... Remember, not even a Gentile, not even a Jew, he was a Gentile, a centurion over... A "century" is "a hundred men." But he was a God-fearing man. God has always, among the Gentile people, found God-fearing men.
32 While walking today and talking with a young man, I said, "When I get to heaven, one of the things I want to do was to walk up and shake hands with a certain fellow that had done a gallant thing." And he talked about the one he wanted to see. He wanted to shake his hand, of different things, of how that God blessed the people.
When Uriah, after that David had taken Bathsheba his wife, and they sent out and got him (And she was to be mother.), and brought her in, so that he could lay it onto Uriah. And he was not a Gentile. He was not a Jew; he was a Gentile. And he was a Hittite, a proselyte to the Jewish religion. And they told him to go down and stay awhile at home with his lovely, beautiful wife. He said, "God forbid that I'd do such a thing as that, and the ark of my God on the battlefield." And he refused to do it. And, brother, when I get to glory, I want to walk up to Uriah and shake his hands, and say, "God be praised, for your testimony meant something to me in my earthly journey."
I want to walk over to Daniel, and say, "You know, Daniel, when you went in there fearless before those lions, that testimony meant something to me." Yes, sir.
I want to see the apostle, Peter, and say, "Peter, that night when you was in prison, and the Lord come in with a big Light and shined over you, oh, I always admired that. And you started following that Light, and the door opened before you, and took you right into the streets. You thought you were dreaming." What a time.
Not going to be no quiet place in heaven, when all that redeemed gets around there, is it? It's going to be a marvelous thing take place up there, when all the redeemed comes marching in.
33 And here's this centurion, the house of Cornelius. Look how God so arranged it. Now, Cornelius was a God-fearing man. He prayed always and gives alms to the people. You never do nothing worthwhile but what God puts it to your record. That's right. And he prayed, and he gave alms to the people. And he was a great man.
And one day, while he was in prayer in the house, there came an Angel into the room where he was at. You believe in Angels? The Angel came into the room where he was at and said, "Cornelius, raise up and go down to Joppa and ask for one named Peter, who dwells in the house of one called Simon. And he will tell you what to do." Amen.
Now, Peter, at this time had been traveling, so he got hungry. It was about twelve o'clock. So he goes up on the housetop and took a little nap. He was going to take a nap while he was up there waiting for them to get dinner ready.
And so Cornelius sent down a soldier and two devout men, and brought them down to find Peter. And while, God, if He's sending someone to see you, He's making arrangements ahead of time for this thing to happen.
He made arrangements at the hospital for this baby yesterday, that was laying there in a dying condition, that they didn't know what was the matter. And the Holy Spirit spoke in the room, made arrangements at the hospital for the healing of the child before I even got there. Hallelujah.
In Finland when that little boy was laying there on the road dead, and his father and mother running from the field, screaming, and wringing their hands, God had prearranged his resurrection two years ahead of time. Praise the Lord.
And tonight while we're here in this church and suffer these things that we do, God has prearranged our resurrection. Some glorious day He will come. It's all prearranged. And the men and women who think of it, sometimes poets sing these songs "Oh, there's going to be a meeting in the air."
34 About fifteen years ago tonight, I was standing on this platform there with a big chart, teaching. And there's a little Pentecostal group come from Louisville. And I never did believe in them people dancing the way they did. And there's a little lady come up here to play the piano. And they was going to play a special and beat on little thimbles on a washboard. And some of them beat on a tin can. I was a very much of a critic of it, so I thought, "What's going to happen?" And the woman come up to play the special. She got to playing. The lady got to beating on the washboard. And this little blond-headed girl jumped out here on the floor and begin to dance in the Spirit.
And me setting in the seat of the scornful, I said, "Now, I wished you would look at that." And I'd been telling my church, till they was all wondering what I was going to do about it. I kept looking at her, and I thought, "Look at that. Now, if that isn't something, making a tavern out of my church." And I was setting there, not knowing any better. I wasn't saying nothing, but in my heart I was thinking it.
So I watched her there while she was dancing. And the first thing you know, I said, "Now, wait a minute. Wonder if the lady's got any Scripture for it?" And I begin to think about the Scriptures. I said, "Where was dancing ever ordained at, the first place in the Bible?" That's right. And I thought, "What made them dance?"
I seen that the children of Israel, when they crossed the Red Sea, Miriam looked back and seen all those taskmasters drowned; she picked up a tambourine and begin to dance, and beat this tambourine, and run down the shores dancing. And the daughters of Israel followed her, dancing. I thought, "That's victory."
I seen David, when his sweetheart sitting up there behind this fan, a fanning, looking at her cute little boyfriend, David, standing out there. And here come the ark, that Brother Graham talked about awhile ago, coming across the hill. When David seen it coming, he danced around and around and around. "Why," she said, "you embarrass me."
He said, "If you don't like that, watch this." And around and around and around he went again. You know what? God looked down out of heaven, and said, "David, you're a man after My own heart." That's right.
And I thought, "You know, there's one thing the matter with me. I haven't got enough victory, maybe." And I got setting there, and I got my Methodist foot patting. And the first thing you know... God, my Judge. I, 'fore I knowed what I was doing, I was out on the floor here, dancing around with that girl. That's right. Then I said, "God, take me out of the seat of the scornful. Let me look at anything sensibly before I ever pass a judgment any more." Amen. God does things peculiar.
35 I don't believe in a lot of nonsense. I don't believe in a lot of tommyrot. But I believe in the real, genuine, Spirit-filled, Holy Ghost Word of God being preached in power and demonstration. Amen. For that's the thing that saved me. That's the thing that's brought me thus far. That's the thing that helped me when the doctor said I was dying. That's the thing that saved me in the hour of my death. That's the thing that'll resurrect me. And that's the thing I'll go to heaven with. If I ever get there, I'll have to go by it, 'cause I don't know nothing else but that, and don't want to know nothing else but that. That's right. Know Jesus, and Him crucified, and that's all. If He's crucified, then it crucifies my flesh with His, and I'm dead to the things of the world. My. Amen.
You know, I'm getting religious. I begin to feel that way.
36 Notice, here they was. My, what a time. Wonderful meeting they were having. Cornelius said, "Now, you go down there and ask for one named Peter." And said... Never heard of him before.
And Peter up there, thought, "Lord, I'll take a little nap just before I eat dinner. I'm so hungry and tired." And when he laid there, he fell in a trance. Scripture says so. Then I believe he fell in a trance, don't you? And when he did, he seen a sheet coming down, all full of creeping things. And a voice said, "Rise, Peter. Slay and eat."
He said, "No, Lord. I'm a Jew. Nothing unclean or common's ever went in my mouth."
He said, "Don't you call that common what I made clean." Said, "You rise." Said, "There's somebody waiting for you down at the gate, and go ahead; don't doubt nothing. Follow him." Amen.
37 Now, Peter, and his sanctimonious ways, you know. He kind of had some prestige around the people, so he had to watch what he eat. He was a Jew. He had been raised up a--a strict Presbyterian, you know, or something, and he had to watch what he was doing because of his church affair.
So the Lord said, "You follow them Gentiles, not paying any attention to what's done or whatever. You go on up there." And when he went up to the house of Cornelius, straightway, Cornelius gathered all of his people around. And he told him how he saw the Angel. He said, "Now, Peter, I--I sent for you."
And when Peter got up there and begin to preach, "While Peter spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on them," and they was all filled with the Holy Spirit, begin prophesying, speaking in tongues, and having a marvelous time. He said, "Can we forbid water?" Now, these has received the Holy Ghost before they was baptized. And he commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. And Peter tarried with them certain days.
38 That's the apostolic Church moving in the Spirit, wherever God said. Peter done without his dinner. Peter went down to follow the Lord.
But what you need tonight is a great big bundle full of the love of God poured out in your heart, all differences washed away. Bury it with the old year as it passes out. Let it go. Let's start a new life, a new beginning. You can't... If you're already born in the Kingdom of God, you've already got the Holy Spirit in you, the only thing you have to do is cut loose from these things of the world that's holding you down. Said, "Let us lay aside every weight and the sin doth so easily beset us, that we might run with patience, the life, the race that's set before us," Hebrews the 12th chapter. Lay aside the weights.
39 Could you imagine the wise men coming to see Jesus? I'll just take a little drama for a minute. I can see... They say three wise men. We'll just say there was three. Jim, John, and George, we'd say their names was. And they're coming to see Jesus. And I can see them all getting ready to go. We'll take this fellow Jim. He's quite a man. He runs and tells his wife, said, "Wife, you know what? I seen the star, so I've got to go." And so he goes over and he packs up to go.
That's what's the matter with people today. They're trying to pack up to be a Christian. If there's anything you need, is unpack to be a Christian: got too many things hanging on now.
One of them say, "Now, mother, you know, I couldn't go along unless I took my card table," so he hangs that on the camel. "Because, you know, the other boys wouldn't appreciate me going along if I didn't have my card table along."
40 Notice. That's what it is. I can see the others going, moving on. And the first thing you know, he got down and looked at that star again. And so, the first thing he begin to throw tables one way and packages the other way. The wife said, "Where you going, John?"
Said, "I'm laying aside every weight that so easily beset me. And I've got to run this race with patience. For straight is the gate and narrow is the way, but few there'll be that'll find it." There's only room for you and Jesus. Nobody else can go through. Amen.
41 And what tonight, we don't need any great long schoolings and all of this. We want to go God's provided way. And God's provided way of this day is the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and led by the Holy Spirit are sons of God. That'll bring you to your destination. Lay aside the weights. Lay aside everything else. Let's get back to the apostolic day. Our foundation is sure. God's proved it to us by signs, and wonders, and pictures, and everything else. He's proved that He's with us.
And around the world this glorious mighty Gospel swept a million five hundred thousand into the Kingdom of God last year. The Pentecostal church succeeded every church there was in the world last year in conversions: a million five hundred thousand recorded. Hallelujah. What's the matter? It's the most mightiest thing there is on earth today. But the devil's got among them and broke them off in this little group, and that little group, and this little group to make them fuss with one another.
If they'd ever forget their selfishness and their difference, and join their hands together, their hearts together as one, the Millennium would set in. That's what we need tonight, friend, get together. That's what Branham Tabernacle needs to do. That's what all the churches need to do, is get together as one fellowship, as one individual in Christ Jesus, a newborn babe, and walk this straight narrow path looking to the Author and Finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ.
42 Looky here. Not taking up for our tabernacle in its doctrines, and so forth, but I say this, my dear friends. You search the world anywhere you want to, and we say this boastfully, not boast in nothing but Jesus Christ the Son of God. But look what God Almighty has done for this little church. Turn around and look if you wish to. Right from this church here, started this great revival that's swept the whole world. And that's right. Look it over, and see if it isn't. God is with us. In His love and mercy, look how He heals us when we're sick. Look at the cancer cases, and blind, deaf, and dumb, and everything else that He heals in our midst everywhere. Then was loving enough to come down for a scientific proof to put His approval upon the Church, had His picture taken with us. Amen.
Where the critics, they'll have to shut their mouths and step back, and say, "Can't say nothing about it." Amen.
43 I'm so glad tonight that I'm one of them. I'm so glad to be a Christian. I'm so glad that I'm living here among people who believe in this great move, who... I expect there to be little differences. We're human. But in principle we're one. Right. We're one. Together we stand as one unit in Jesus Christ. God has blessed us and give us all these wonderful things.
Just think, how I--I couldn't have been here myself tonight, if it hadn't have been for the Lord, when the best of doctors said I couldn't make it. But the Chief Doctor come down and said, "It's all in My hands, and you'll make it." I believed Him.
How Sister Weaver setting there as a skeleton setting in that wheelchair, when they wheeled her up here to be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ. Doctor give her till morning to live, with a cancer eating her up about seven or eight years ago. Here she is tonight with us.
How many more could I call, that's walked in and out of these doors here, that's come in here crippled, and afflicted, and sick, and lame, and halt, blind, and everything else has been healed just in this one little door here, as a witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
44 What ought we to be? What ought this Branham Tabernacle to be? It should be a lighthouse that's setting in one of the darkest places of the world, Jeffersonville. If there ever was a place that needed the Gospel, is Jeffersonville. That's right. "But can any good thing come out of Nazareth?"
Said, "Come and see." That's right.
The dark spots... We don't need the lights in daytime. We need them in when it's dark. That's where God sends light is in dark places. It's mighty hard... Easy to go where everything is running smooth. But where she's running hard, where the dark places is, the rough places... Must I be carried home to heaven on a flower bed of ease, while others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas?
45 Right here where people are splitting hairs and differences, and things like that, a hundred and forty thousand heathens die every day, and go to meet Jesus, or go to meet a just and honest God, without knowing anything about Him. A hundred and forty thousand die every day, the death toll of heathens that never heard the Name of Jesus Christ, die every day. And we argue whether we're Presbyterian or Methodist or not. What a disgrace. What a shame.
What we need is a vision, not look right down here at the end of your nose. Look out there at the end of the road. If I'm thinking about today, this, that, or the other, I'll live for the day. But I'm living for the eternity, for something out yonder, something that God has ordained, and I must go meet it someday.
I've took too much of the time, ten minutes.
[Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... by God's grace and God's help. There's been two years that I've asked Him something over and over. I asked Him fifteen years for something, and He finally give it to me. And I'll be knocking at His door if I'm living next year, if He doesn't give it to me this year (See?), for this thing that I've asked for. It's for His glory, something that I could do for Him yonder. If He will just permit this to me then I can go out yonder and win souls for Him a little bit better, be a little stronger in the way. And I pray that He will do it. That's my prayer to Him.
46 And my testimony to you, that if you'll just pray for me and hold me up before Him in prayer, then I can go on. How can I do one thing, no matter what would take place, if I didn't have somebody to believe me? You're just as much of it as I am or anybody else is. You're as much of it. No matter what we'd do, if we'd preach, what we'd say, if there's no one to believe it, then there's nothing can be done. That's right. It's all a failure, there's nothing can be done, except we come together and we believe one another. I believe in you and you believe in me. And together we believe in God, and we believe that His Spirit will lead us.
47 Now, Brother Funk, are you coming up? You're holding the baby now. That's your excuse. Brother Wood, I guess you're next then. [Brother Wood says, "Brother Jackson."--Ed.] All right, and he's adopted Brother Jackson. So I guess Brother Jackson will be next. The Lord bless our Brother Jackson, that comes next.
The Lord bless you. Do you--do you love the Lord? I want to see your hands. Do you love the Lord? All right.
48 Sister Gertie, come here just a minute. I want you to sing one with me. Everybody else is singing. I'm going to try. I'm hoarse as I can be, 'cause I got a bad cold, and I... Something, my head... But I want you to help me sing this good old song. And give me the key of something. I don't know what it is. But... I don't know what it is. Just give me some kind of note, 'cause I want to sing, "Dripping In Blood," with you all. For this Gospel that I preach, it's dripping in blood. Don't you believe it? All right, everybody together now.
This Holy Ghost Gospel, keeps dripping with blood.
49 Aren't you glad you're one of them? What kind of a Gospel? The same Gospel that was given to them, same signs, same wonders following, same Pillar of Fire, same Lord Jesus, same healing of the sick, same power of the Spirit, everything moving right on. The same persecution's a coming.
Turn around and shake hands with somebody, and say, "Praise the Lord." Hallelujah...?... Praise the Lord.
Let's sing it louder now. Raise up your hands.
When Jesus said the tidal waves would break the shores, up and down the banks of the sea, and when great signs and wonders would appear in the heavens above, such as flying saucers and things... Because of these signs, would cause the world to fear and quake. It would cause earthquakes in divers places, and all manners of things, and perplexed of time, and distress between the nations.
And He said, in that day that Israel would blossom. Hallelujah. That old six-point star of David is a waving over Jerusalem tonight for the first time for twenty-five hundred years. Nations are breaking, the fig tree putting forth its buds. All the other trees are putting forth its buds. The wicked ones are putting forth their buds. Romanism's putting forth its bud. Communism's putting forth its buds. And Your Church is putting forth its buds. Springtime's coming. Oh, great Master of Life, rise with healing in Your wings, Lord, and give Your servants all powers and signs to stretch forth the hand of Thy holy Child Jesus to perform miracles and do signs, and to preach the Gospel to the ends of the world. Grant it, Lord.
51 Bless this little church. Bless its pastor, Lord, our loving brother. Bless all that's associated here with us, all that calls upon Your Name, everywhere around the world. Help, this coming year, Lord, help us to be the best for Your service. Keep sickness out of our midst. And anoint us with the Holy Ghost. Keep envy, keep strife, keep jealousy, keep everything that's ungodly away from us. And let it be said of us, that we are Your children, a city that's sitting on a hill, that cannot be hid. Grant it, Father.
Forgive us, I say again and sanctify this church to Thy Name's honor and glory, and the people therein. For we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
52 You may be seated now. The Lord bless you.
Oh, there's going to be a meeting in the air.
And of Daniel and the lions you often sing.
And I long to meet them all, I do declare!
Will be glorious, I do declare!
53 Don't you love it? My. There's One I want to meet above all; that's Jesus. Don't you? Just makes you feel so rejoiced, so cleaned out, so pure. Don't you just feel that way, just like you was all scoured out? Just love Him.
54 My, I just want to be there, don't you? How many says, "By God's grace, I want to be there." Wonderful, praise the Lord. All right, Brother Neville. Happy new year to all of you. God bless you.